Sandra changed into breeches, and a loose shirt that would conceal her chest. Then she tied her dark, wavy hair up into a scarf. When she was finished, Jack nodded in approval. "You look completely ordinary—can't tell if you're a lad or a lass." Jack gave a slight smirk, "Ordinarily I'd get slapped for that. I suppose these aren't ordinary circumstances, however."

Sandra stared blankly at Jack. "Should we go?"

Jack snapped out of his momentary philosophical tirade. "Yes, luv, the sooner aboard the Pearl, the less chance of anyone taking notice that you are, in fact, a woman."

Since Jack didn't know the way through the back staircase, Sandra led the way. She guided him through a narrow, dimly lit stair that had once been used for servants. That was back when the shady tavern was a more prosperous inn, and there were actual "servants". Now, there was only the Cook and his wife, the three stableboys, the two other "working ladies" besides her, and two more serving girls who did NOT serve anything but food and drink. There was also Charlis, the innkeeper, and his wife Matilde.

"The tricky part is getting through the kitchen." Sandra whispered to Jack. Jack nodded, and gestured for her to continue leading the way.

The pair hovered in a doorway as Sandra waited rather impatiently for the Cook to be taken up with some task that put him at the opposite end of the kitchen, and swatted at Jack's hand, which had found it's way to her shoulder and was creeping progressively lower.

"Sorry, luv. All this sneaking around gets a man going, if you know what I mean."

"Shhh!" Sandra retorted. Someone from the main room shouted into the kitchen, and the Cook turned his back. Sandra chose that moment to dash across the room and scurry to the back door.

Unfortunately, she caught Jack completely off guard, and he had hesitated a moment too many…

"GET OUT!!" The Cook shouted, chucking a heavy pan at Jack.

Jack ducked just in time, but shouted in surprise at the close call. "Actually, I was just on my way out, as it were. It was a pleasure. I'll visit this lovely place again soon." He sauntered toward the door, trying to uphold his casual attitude. "The stew was absolutely divine!"

"OUT!" The Cook shouted again, and flung several butchering knives.

Jack guarded his face with his hands and sprinted out the door, letting it slam behind him. They needed to make a fast break if they were to make it out of here without the authorities catching up.

Sandra pulled him aside and glared at him.

"I don't believe that was a very opportune moment, luv." Jack said, with his finger in the air as if he had just made a brilliant deduction.

Sandra just rolled her eyes. "To the Pearl?"

"Nay. You can't just climb aboard the ship with naught but a few belongings and the clothes on your back, lass. Pirates we may be, but we can't live with just that."

~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o~~o

After finding Sandra a few more things in the way of towels, soap, more clothes, and an array of other hygiene products ("Just because we look like dirty, barbarian thieves doesn't mean we ARE, does it, luv?" Jack had told her), the two of them made their way through town, and too the harbor, where the Black Pearl floated proudly.

"There it is. The Black Pearl. The last real pirate ship in the Caribbean." Jack said, letting his pride show with every word.

"Freedom." Sandra said softly.  If Jack heard that last part, he didn't say anything. Or he agreed with her.

"The rest of the crew will be here shortly. We never stay long in Tortuga. It's a wild party to visit, but I can see how one can grow to hate it as you do, if you live here." Jack said. It was the first real sign of sympathy Sandra had seen from him.

"Yes. I won't miss the city…" Sandra trailed, and stopped herself before saying more.

"You don't have to tell me, Sandra." Jack put his arm around her shoulders. It wasn't a rude gesture—more like he was offering her the comfort of a shoulder to cry herself out on. "Tortuga holds all the world's nightmares for you, but it also holds all that you remember of your family."

The last of the crew boarded the ship, and with one last pat on the shoulder, Jack left her to tend to his crew. With a few shouted commands from Captain Jack Sparrow, the ship was on her way, and Sandra's life long home of Tortuga faded into the horizon.