Sparrows lover - right girl, we obviously have some issues with this story so I'm going to have a bash at clearing them up (puffs out cheeks) here goes : Amber has already loved Jack once before but to her he wasn't a pirate, she wants to love him again but cant get her head around the whole pirate thing, after all she is a Lady. Jack is just too stubborn to admit that he likes her, he doesnt think its possible for a woman of Amber's stature to fall in love with him, he want her to but at the same time he thinks that its all too complicated. (Exasperated gasp for breath) so the pair of them just wont admit that they want to be with each other, Jack's starts pushing Amber away because he's too scared to get involved . (Phew! I hope that clears things up a little bit if no just tell me and I'll explain again.)

Winged Seraph - Ooooh a new reviewer, thanks girl! You guys make my day when you press that rewiew button.

SpadeJade - Sorry it took so long, everytime i went on to update it kept giving me the finger and saying the url was busy, oh well here at last. The reason i asked you that question was because i have some story lines coming up and i needed to use Elizabeth to work them, i know i lot of authers have paired them in the past but i wanted to check with the peaople who matter, you guys. I'll have a rethink.

Jadedreamz - I know i can always count on you to review girl! I love having faithfuls! Let me know what you think of this one.

Kate - Another newbie! Thanks for reviewing but dont be a stranger to that button luv, keep dropping me a review and i'll be a happy bunny.

Sparrows Slutty Strumpet - God you name is so long! lol, thanks loads for the review, i know that they are all over the place but i do want them to be. They're both confused and dont really know what they want.

Grittlebone - Another newbie!! Loads of new reviewers this week, please dont disappear keep telling me what you think and i'll keep writing.!

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Amber was all too aware that Jack's side of the bed was empty by dawn. She had expected it. It had become clear after their love making that Jack was less than satisfied with her, the way he had blanked her, sighed at her. Had it been that bad?

Wiping at damp eyes Amber sat up and winced at the dull pain in her loins, true Jack had given her an unimaginable pleasure but also a god awful pain. Blood streaked between her legs and on the blanket she had been laying on. Chewing her lip she pulled the soiled blanket from the bed and pushed it under the antique quilted chair in the corner, it could stay there until she could find some soap to wash the blood from it.

Washing herself quickly she dressed and made her way to the galley to fetch some breakfast, empty as usual Vini had left out some porridge for her. She ate it silently listening to the cook singing merrily in the kitchen.

How had her life become so bleak after one night? The idea of Port Royal grew steadily more wanted, away from all this. Had her mood been lighter she might have laughed. A pirate and a princess, she may not be a princess but one day perhaps a queen?

Sighing Amber pushed the empty porridge bowl away, what a way to end her trip, she couldn't imagine facing Jack yet not to mention her family when she saw them, her mother would have died with shock by now had she witnessed the previous night's activities.

Thanking Vini, Amber left the galley with a bar of soap and a wash bowl, hidden under her arm also an apple the cook insisted she take, she didn't understand the sod, always claiming he had so little of the fruit left, that she must keep it a secrete yet he was handing them out left, right and centre to her. She rolled her eyes as she stepped onto the deck. Perhaps he had a sweet spot for her, or perhaps he was just kind, whatever reason Amber was not complaining.

Aboard deck, the sun was beginning to heat up the Caribbean air; the chilly morning wind was dying into a warm, balmy breeze. Lowering her eyes in fear of catching sight of Jack she quickly hurried into his cabin and shut the door. She would only need a little while to wash the stains from the blanket, she just prayed Jack would give her that before he came trundling in looking for his next bottle of rum.

Pulling the blanket from under the chair she soaked the offending stain in the warm water, it turned the water red Instantly, pink foam flared up as she rubbed the soap on it and began giving it a vigorous rub.

"What's that?" Jack's slurring voice inquired from over her shoulder. Grimacing Amber turned lifting her bloodied hands from the water.

"I'm sorry I just thought I'd…" her voice trailed off as Jack narrowed his eyes on the blanket, his cheek twitched and he turned away.

"You think one blanket it going to be missed love?" He pulled open the door to the cupboard that housed his best rum. "The answer is no, throw it out, I have plenty more." he sat down at the walnut table and planted his feet on its surface with a heavy clatter. Chewing her lip and trying to bite back the humiliation she was feeling she began wringing the water from the blanket. Jack stayed silent, his dark eyes locked on the rim of the bottle, a finger rubbing absentmindedly across the partially lifted label.

"Didn't mean to be quite as rough." he muttered at last, his dark lashes resting on his cheeks as he stared down at the floor.

"You weren't." Amber answered simply picking herself up from her knees and lifting the wash bowl.

"Rough enough to make you bleed," he nodded at the sodden blanket; "You should have said." took a mouthful of rum and swallowed loudly.

"Like I said before, you weren't rough." Amber voice was tinted with irritation as she lifted the washbowl out of the open window and emptied the contents in the sea. "I would have said had I felt the need." she turned with burning eyes to face the pirate. "What I hadn't expected was the brush of I got afterwards." she slammed down the bowl still glaring at Jack as he turned wide eyed to face her. She hadn't expected the anger to find her this quickly, nor did she expect it to surface at him so willingly, never the less it was here now so she may as well use it.

"I thought at least you would have given me some respect afterwards."

"What did you expect, a proposal? A ring?" Jack swiped another mouthful of rum and glared into the bottle.

"No, you're right," she cocked her head to the side and smiled coldly, "I wasn't expecting anything, after all you are a pirate, no real man would treat a lady so disrespectfully." Jack flinched visibly and slammed down the bottle, it cracked between his fingers, spilling the vile liquid into the instant red, welling cuts the glass had carved into his palm.

"Don't flatter yourself lady," he spat, "You wouldn't know a real man if he were staring you dead in the face." ignoring the blood that smeared his hand, he stood and glared at her with burning eyes. "Remember it takes two love, you didn't need to do anything with me but you did." he stabbed a finger in her chest, "and you can't say you didn't enjoy it either."

"What's that got to do with anything?" she demanded back taking a glance at his bleeding hand, "you turned your back on me, as if I dissatisfied you so much you could bear to look at me." her voice softened and she reached down to take hold of his injured hand, "I didn't realise you didn't enjoy it."

"I never said that now, did I?" he allowed her to peer at the cuts, "Look," he pulled back his hand back and gripped her shoulder with his good hand. "Say what you will but I have no complaints, do not accuse me of otherwise when you know nothing of me," he lifted his hand free and straightened, "I need to go I've business on deck."

Sighing Amber watched him leave, feeling as though nothing had been solved she wiped her hands and followed him out.

Aside the Pearl another ship was floating merely yards away; a few of the crew of the other vessel began swinging across. Jack approached the first grinning like a fool.

"Ana, s'been a while love." he offered her a mock bow, "Still in one piece I see."

The girls dark eyes flashed with an anger that Jack was completely used too, a warning before the storm. Ducking just in time to avoid the jaw stinging blow she always managed to administer him with he straightened and stepped back.

"That's not exactly pleasant." he commented curling his finger protectively in towards his chest.

"Where in blazes were you!?" she raged stabbing him twice in the chest with a finger, "I waited for you Jack Sparrow, three bloody days only to here you were off gallivanting back to Port Royal."

Jack winced and rubbed at his chest.

"Bit of business came up love,"

"What sort of business is more important than the Devils Eye! We had one chance of sacking that ship. One!" she thrust a finger in his face to make sure he could see the pronounced 'one' "And you decide there's 'business' more important."

Rolling his eyes Jack turned to walk away but the dark skinned girl caught him by the arm.

"That was our last chance Jack! That jewel with be back in England now, we'll never get another go unless they send it back across."

"So why are you still going on about it then," he cast her a dubious look, "If our chances are gone?"

Anamaria thrust her face close to his.

"I'm venting my anger!" she hissed through clenched teeth.

Jack looked up towards the heavens and silently wished away his former first mate. He would loath to declare that really he did miss her constant jibes and mockeries of him, but in all truth Jack had to admit that at times like these he really did congratulate himself in finally giving her the boat he'd owed her for so long. It had been a breath of fresh air as he'd watched her sail off in The Jubilee, 'borrowed' from the bastereds who'd dared maroon him on that rock.

Beside him Ana eyes had dimmed as quickly as they'd flared and she punched his shoulder lightly.

"So how are you, you old dog?" she grinned pulling her hair from the leather cap she wore, Jack had no time to answer her, her eyes had already caught with a keen interest on Amber as she hovered uneasily in his cabin door way. "Three seconds Jack," she muttered "That's all I'm giving you to tell me that that," she nodded over to Amber, "is not the 'bit of business' you were referring to earlier,"

Wincing Jack took a hasty glance at Amber's confused face before turning on his charming smile back at Ana.

"In a way yes, but," he quickly raised a finger and waved it in Ana's face, "it's not want you think."

"So you didn't bring some whore aboard with you to keep you occupied?" Ana's dubious frown irritated Jack more than he cared to acknowledge.

"She's not a whore Ana, she a…" he pondered on a word that would properly describe Amber, finding none he shrugged, "I'm doing the lass a favour, she helped me a while back and now I'm helping her."

"With your dick?" Ana cocked an eyebrow.

"Beg your pardon?" Jack narrowed his eyes on the pirate lass and tried his best to give her a dark look, it washed off her like water. He should have known by now that Ana wasn't afraid of him or remotely intimated by anything he said or did.

"You're helping her with your dick?" Ana stifled a snigger and ignored the tightening of Jack's jaw as he grew more irritated.

"I'm taking her to Port Royal, that's it." he turned his back to her and made his way to the helm, Ana followed, her light steps echoing his as he climbed the stairs.

"It's just that she's in your cabin and she's womanly enough-"

"Are you still going on about that?" he snatched his compass out of his pockets and glared at its needle.

"Poor lass, looks like rich picking by the look of that dress," Ana's eyes followed Amber as she crossed the deck and down into the hatch. "It's seen better days though; you didn't rescue her or anything like that?"

"No, if you must know, I looted her bloody ship and kidnapped her before I realised who she was."

"And who is she?" Ana's dark eyes lit up with excitement.

"A friend from some months back." Jack admitted through clenched teeth. Beside him Ana's laughter clawed at his brain.

"And you blew up her ship?" she roared through her laughter, "Am I right?"

Jack refused point blank to answer; he already felt like a fool for taking her in the first place, now he'd ruined her, stole her honour and humiliated her. His life was growing better by the day. Pocketing the compass he lend a hand on the wheel and turned to glance at Ana.

"So what for you now?" he slurred dismissing her chuckle with an angry twitch of his cheek. Ana shrugged and turned her almost black eyes to meet the soaring sun.

"Don't know Jack, I was so sure we would get that diamond that I hadn't thought about anything afterwards. Thought we'd be celebrating by now." she lifted off her hat to let the breeze catch her thick mane of black hair. "Do you want to follow me back to Tortuga for some shore leave?"

Taking in a deep lungful of sea air Jack shrugged and rested both his arms lazily over the wheel.

"I'll need to stay in Port Royal for a bit, few days at most but I could meet you there," he paused to pull off his hat, "Just because that jewel is back in England doesn't mean its out of our reach love," he squinted over the horizon. "Do you have any idea where it is and who bought it?"

Ana's dark eyes swung round to meet his, a dark glimmer of excitement meeting the darker still glimmer of cunning.

"Jack Sparrow you scoundrel." she purred, "You dirty rotten scoundrel."