A few weeks later found Jake and company in another town, on another island. A band of pirates that had attacked Jake's ship in the middle of the night had been tracked to this particular place, and Jake was out for blood. One of the brutes had taken Collin's left hand during the fight. They managed to put a hole in the ship, so following them was not an immediate option. The chase led them to Tortuga, the most well known of pirate towns.
It didn't take long to find the guilty party - the trouble was, they were already being attacked. Jake nearly choked when he saw the man pinning the pirate responsible for Collin's loss against the floor.
"Ye put yer filthy hands on me wife!" he screamed. "Ye killed me mate! T' hell with you!" The man plunged his sword into the pirate's heart, then got up as if nothing had happened. Jake watched as the man approached the same woman he was in the alley with. Her clothing was torn and she was crying.
Nicolette at his side, Jake approached the couple. "Everythin' all right, mate?"
The man turned, startled to see Jake. "Aye…" He then remembered just who he was. "Wish ye would o' found 'im first, lad."
Jake looked at the woman, she couldn't have been more than a few years older than himself. "Ye all right?" She nodded silently, clinging to her husband. "Oddly enough, I was after 'im meself. Attacked me ship, took me mate's hand."
"Well, good thing 'e's dead then, eh?" The man tried to smile, but failed. "How 'bout you and yer lass join us for a drink - on me ship. I wan' t' get 'er out o' here."
Jake looked at Nicolette and she nodded, not fearing the other man. "Of course…"
"Ye killed the Cap'n!" A man came running through the streets, several others on his heels.
"Christ," the man muttered.
"We'll help," Jake said quickly. He and Nicolette pulled their swords, as did a few of Jake's crew. Blades clashed, whores screamed, and the enemy…lost.
A half hour later and Jake and Nicolette were sitting in the mess of the infamous Black Pearl. That's right, Jake and Nic were in the company of Captain Jack Sparrow. (As if you didn't know that already.)
"Captain Jack Sparrow," Jake said again, in awe. "Ye know, there's a place in Tamsin called 'Sparrow's Noose.'"
"Aye, I've heard of it. So, are ye an enemy then?"
Jake laughed. "Nah. Ye haven' done me any wrong an' stories are usually…stretched."
Jack laughed. "True, lad. Well, me ship let you know who I am. Who might you be?"
"Jacob Delmone, captain of The Mercenary. Though I much prefer Jake."
A strange look crossed Jack's face. "Mercenary ye say? Interestin'. I've heard of tha' ship, though it was before yer time, lad." Jack cleared his throat. "As ye well know from a few weeks ago, this is me wife, Loralei." Loralei tried to smile, but was still rather shaken. "Love, come here." She went to Jack and he gently pulled her onto his lap. "Tha' was the first - an' only time - anyone's tried t' take 'er. S'not sittin' too well with either of us."
"I'd imagine not," Nicolette said, eyeing Loralei. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Thank you," Loralei said, "but no, not really."
"This is Nicolette," Jake said. "Nic for short. Been sailin' with me fer about a year now."
Jack tipped his hat. "Good fightin', lass."
She blushed. "Thank you."
Jack offered them food and drink and the foursome got along quite well. Loralei began to feel better and she and Nic went out on the deck of The Pearl. "So, a pirate's life for you too, hm?" Loralei asked.
"Yes. Not where I pictured myself," Nic answered honestly.
"Where did you start?"
"Lyon. I'd most likely still be there, but…my family was killed." Nic found she had no problems being honest with the young woman. "Jake was after the pirates that…he and his crew killed them and I…left with him."
Loralei raised an eyebrow. "Just like that?"
Nic smiled. "Just like that." She paused a moment, then asked, "Have you…always been a pirate?"
Loralei laughed. "You've heard me speak - what do you think?"
Nic laughed too. "Right - so how did you and Jack…?"
Loralei took the cue. "He led a quiet raid on my town, Ceylan. No violence. In fact, no one knew that he was there, really. He broke into my dress shop one night when I was there rather late." Loralei's cheeks reddened. "I had fabric strewn across the floor - I was working on a gown for the governor's wife. We made love on top of it and…well, the dress was never completed."
Nicolette wasn't a prude by far, especially not now, but to just willingly give yourself to a stranger that was out to rob you…well, that was a bit different. "You just…he must have been…persuasive?"
"Jake must have been too - you did run off with him."
"A kiss," Nic said. "And…well, those eyes and…his smile too…"
"Exactly right. Jack could have just come in, taken what he wanted and left - and, in a sense, he did. He wasn't crass; he wasn't…a pirate. He was a gentleman, albeit one I didn't know, but he entranced me." She smiled. "Deep eyes and a golden smile. I was his the moment he spoke to me."
"What did he say?"
Loralei smiled at the memory. She did her best Jack impression, saying, "Pardon the intrusion, love."
"And?"
Loralei blushed again. "There is no 'and' - well, not until we were through. We cleaned out my lockbox and off we went."
Nicolette stood in shock. "You just…did you have family?"
"A brother and sister, both older than me."
"And you…"
"Jack Sparrow has the ability to get what he wants." She bit her lower lip. "Right time and place for me to be, I suppose."
"Well, when Jake... I tried to…Oh, hell, I may have said things, but I wanted to go with him!" The women laughed together as Jack and Jake spoke inside the mess…
"Since when d' pirates get married?" Jake asked before taking a rather large swig of rum.
Jack refilled his glass. "I didn' know they didn', lad. I knew many a pirate with a lady at home."
Wiping his mouth on his sleeve, Jake nodded. "At home, right. Let me rephrase: Since when d' pirates sail with their wives?"
Jack smiled. "Are ye not sailin' with yer love?"
"Aye…but I'm not an ordinary pirate."
"An' I am?"
Jake shook his head. "No, but I've heard yer name while passin' outside o' more than one brothel. Ye have…a reputation of bedding…a lot o' women."
Jack's grin returned with a small bit of pride. "I won' lie, lad, I had me fill o' women, but it only takes one t' change yer way o' life, as I think ye already know." He winked at Jake. "Doesn' get lonely at sea, does it?"
"No," Jake said, smiling widely.
Jack quickly switched gears. "So, where are ye off to next, Captain Delmone?"
"No place in mind, really. Where'er the wind feels like takin' us, I guess."
Jack couldn't help but to somehow feel connected to the young man in front of him. Their minds worked in a very similar way, and to say it was highly unusual to find anyone who remotely thought like Jack would be an understatement. "Sometimes tha's the best way t' go somewhere. S'how I found Lor."
"Yeah, well, not all treasure's silver and gold, eh?"
Jack swallowed, a strange feeling washing over him. "No, it certainly isn'."
"Didn't drain the bottle, did you?" Loralei's voice came from the doorway, Nicolette was just behind her.
"Not at all, love. Fancy some?"
She shook her head. "No. What I do fancy is my pillow, Jack. Today took a bit more out of me than I planned on."
"Anythin' I can help to…put back in?"
"Captain!" Lor said, feigning a gasp. "Honestly, in front of our guests?"
"I've the feeling it doesn' faze them, love."
Jake laughed and shook his head. "It honestly doesn'." He got up, as did Jack, and the two men shook hands.
"Thank ye again for your help, Jake," Jack said, his tone far more serious than it had been.
"T'was me pleasure, Captain Sparrow."
"Jack, please."
"Well, then, t'was my pleasure, Jack. I hope our paths cross again."
"I've a feelin' tha' they will."
The couple left and Loralei studied her husband's face. "Must have been like looking into your past."
"Hm?"
"Darling, you must have seen the resemblance."
Jack shrugged. "All us pirates start lookin' the same, love."
