Author's Ramble #6: Okay, so on another edit spree, I revamped Chapter 6. I really didn't like it before. This one is much better, slightly longer, and quite important to the story line. I've gotten a lot of reviews commenting on how much everyone loves Dean. She is one of my favorite characters to write. She is definitely up in my top three. I've also received a comment on how thick Jack seems. Let me tell you, I quite agree. 'Tis time to bring the hero out of the dark, savvy?

PS: to RoXySuRfEr12 - I take French in high school (French 3, w00t w00t!), so only basic stuff will appear in this thing. Thanks for asking...

'Promise me.' The phrase still rang in Jack's ears as he mopped the deck. He had been having the same dream over an over again. With each vision, his companions face became clearer. It was a small girl of eight or nine, possibly younger than he at that moment.

The sun had risen high above since the beginning of his labor, now beating down on the laborers of the Soleil se Levant. No wind or ocean spray can to relieve their suffering. They slaved away in the intense heat as sweat droplets formed on their skin.

"Sparrow!" Jack rolled his eyes in annoyance as Dean's voice cracked across his ears. "Don't slack off, or you may find yourself sleeping with the sharks!" He listened as began to walk away. "Dominic! Promise me you'll have the repairs done by sunset!"

Jack froze. 'Promise me.' He listened more intently to their conversation now.

"I'll try, Miss Dean, but I can't make any promises," responded a large man that was quite obviously a native of the islands. Jack recognized him as the one who had been tossing Dean about the night before.

"Promise me!"

"I promise, Miss Dean."

Jack's eyes grew wide in realization as he watched Dean disappear into the lower decks. He abruptly abandoned his mop and stealthily follow the unaware first mate. She turned a corner and entered the quarters she shared with the crew. Jack trailed close behind. He froze just inside the door, watching as Dean disarmed herself, back toward him.

"Constance," Jack mumbled, the name flooding from his lips before he could stop them.

Her pistol was beneath his nose, anger flaring in her eyes. Jack took a step back in shock, mentally noting to quicken his reaction time.

"Easy there, love," he exclaimed, pushing her pistol to the floor.

"Imbecile! Never sneak up on a pirate!" She tossed her gun into the trunk beneath her hammock. "What do you want, Sparrow? A lesson in proper deck swabbing?"

"No." He began to pace, his eye contact not breaking. "I think I've got you figured out."

"Do you really?" Her mock enthusiasm dripped from every syllable. "Please, explain me."

"It's quite simple, Constance," Jack began.

"What did you call me!" Dean was serious now. Her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth hung slightly ajar.

"That is your name, isn't it? Constance." She remained silent, so he continued. "You were that little girl that used to follow me around when I was a boy. I made some silly promise to a miserable girl in order to make her feel better. When that promise was not fulfilled, you got angry and began to hate me. Am I right?"

Dean was silent for a moment. Taking in all that he had said, she began to clap her hands. "Bravo, Jack. It only took you a month to figure it all out. Bravo."

Jack was rather pleased with himself for a brief moment, but it soon faded with the awkward silence that had fallen between them. The woman still puzzled him quite a bit.

"I despise liars, Jack," she continued. "I really used to adore you, but now I only see you as a liar. There is no grudge against you for not remembering something so trivial as a promise from twenty years ago. The fact that you lied to me about your return, that is the cause of my hate."

"Interesting." Jack's thought's shifted to more pleasant ideas. "Well, love, what say we put all this behind us."

Dean smirked. "Sounds reasonable, Sparrow. What did you have in mind?"

Back to Sparrow again? Jack took a few steps toward her and smiled seductively. "We could go have a few drinks with the crew or have some good fun here."

"Some fun, eh?" Dean appeared interested as she looked him over. "And what would be your idea of fun, Mister Sparrow?"

They were quite close now, no more then an inch between their bodies. Jack's hands came to rest on her toned backside and he pulled her against him. She gave him an enticing smile, allowing her hands to trace over his strong arms and remain on his shoulders. Jack leaned into to steal a sweet kiss from her lips.

However, much to his dismay, her knee contacted his groin in one swift movement and he fell to the ground in agony. Dean bent down, a dangerous fire in her eyes.

"Did you really think it would be that easy, Sparrow!" she hissed. She rose and strode out of sight, leaving Jack to his pain on the floor of her quarteres.