Disclaimer: I admire the people who can make POTC but I dream of a day when I'll be able to write movie scripts.
Squirrel looks out the window at the late afternoon sun. With a tinge of guilt, she remembers the way Anamaria and Gibbs had treated her. Like a friend. Like one of them. They would be worried. Then she remembers Jack. Would he worry? Or would it be just another treasure that slipped out of his reach?
Squirrel fiddles with the dress Elizabeth had let her borrow. It's white, set up with layer after layer of cloth underneath it to make the skirt look circular, and had lots of frills and lace. Squirrel feels like… well, anything but herself, really. The maids adjust the length of the dress, and then brush out Squirrel's tangled length of hair and style it like Elizabeth's. When Squirrel looks in the mirror, she barely recognises herself.
Elizabeth seems very pleased.
"I knew you'd look a lot better in something a little more dignified." She beams. "No offence, or anything." Squirrel mutters thanks, well aware that the white of the dress is making her face seem like it's on fire.
"You were saying about your cousin, Dawn…?" Elizabeth prompts. After that, Squirrel concentrates on the telling of her story in order not to let her face light up like a beacon.
She is so engrossed in the telling of her story she barely notices as the maid leads two figures onto the balcony, shrugging apologetically at Elizabeth.
"And that's where I am n-now." Squirrel finishes with a smile at the rich woman. Elizabeth, however, is looking over Squirrel's shoulder. With a sudden chill feeling, Squirrel hunches her shoulders and refuses to look around.
"Will! Jack!" Elizabeth says, a mixture of pleasure and annoyance on her face. "What are you doing here?"
"Jack wanted me to help him look for Squirrel. We haven't seen her since earlier this morning." Will says sheepishly, aware of his fiancée's accusatory glare. "You haven't seen her, have you?"
Sensing Elizabeth's glare shifting now to her, Squirrel slowly rises to her feet, then turns and faces Jack and Will, red as a tomato again. It takes several moments before either of the men realise.
"Squirrel?" Jack asks, incredulous, one eyebrow raised. "That you?"
Squirrel shrugs, embarrassed. Elizabeth beams.
"Surprise you? Well, I was pleasantly surprised myself." She comes over and stands next to Squirrel. "Miss Grey here was just telling me a little about herself."
Jack looks Squirrel up and down, an appraising look on his face. Will clears his throat.
"Um, Elizabeth?" He says, "May I have a word?" Elizabeth and Will disappear into the next room, leaving Squirrel and Jack alone on the balcony. If it is possible, Squirrel blushes even redder.
"So, this is what you do when I give you an order?" Jack grins, aware of the girl's discomfort. "You hobnob with the rich and famous of Port Royal and get yourself a makeover?"
Squirrel doesn't bother opening her mouth. She sits down, miserable, but tries not to show it. Jack sits down opposite her.
"Well," he says, leaning forward conspiratorially and completely changing the subject, "The good news is that we managed to get enough supplies without being noticed by too many guards. The better news," Squirrel's eyes follow every one of Jack's dramatic hand movements, simply out of habit, "The better news is that…" He pauses again, meeting Squirrel dead in the eye. And for some reason, she cannot look away.
"The better news is," Jack smiles, "Is that you can consider yourself a crew member of the Black Pearl, starting today. That is," Jack leans back in the chair, looking out over the horizon. "Only if you want to."
After a moment, Squirrel finds her voice. "W-when I w-was on T-Tortuga, I w-would've s-said 'yes' s-straight away."
"So why don'cha?" Jack asks, looking back at Squirrel, slightly confused.
She swallows. "B-b-because I don't know if I c-c-can t-trust you now."
Jack tilts his head several times, frowning slightly. "What do you mean?"
" 'We'll deal with her once we get out of Port Royal, aye?' " Squirrel imitates Jack's voice. " 'We ain't lyin' to her. We're just neglecting some of the… finer… details'." She looks at Jack, trying not to look accusing. Jack, however, breaks into a grin and leans forward again.
"So you was listening!" He laughs. "I knew it." He flashes his gold-capped teeth at her. "Call it a test, luv. I had to know who exactly I was bringing aboard the Pearl. I had Anamaria spy on you as well. Sorry about that, but I just had to make sure who you were."
It is on the tip of Squirrel's tongue to ask if Jack told Anamaria to threaten Squirrel as well, but instead she asks, "So why d-did you s-save me f-from Tort-Tortuga? And d-don't tell m-me it's because you're 'Captain Jack Sparrow'."
Jack shrugs, and looks out over the bay. "Mebbe coz you looked so desperate to escape." He looks her dead in the eyes, his brown eyes serious. "You wanted freedom. And that's something no-one should be lackin'. Aye?"
Squirrel forgets whatever it is she is about to say. Finally, she stammers, "So y-you didn't s-save m-me for m-my g-g-gift?"
"Explain later, luv." Jack stands as Will and Elizabeth come back into the room. "But know that I saved your coz you needed to be saved. Savvy?"
Elizabeth, Will, and Jack have a hurried conversation, Elizabeth seemingly very agitated, Will apologetic, and Jack his usual unpredictable self, grinning and swaying. Squirrel mulls silently over the brief conversation she had with Jack, biting her lip. Suddenly, she seems to reach a decision, and rises to her feet.
"P-pardon me." Squirrel coughs. The conversation ends, and Elizabeth, Will and Jack turn to face her. Squirrel clears her throat and speaks again. "Elizabeth, th-thank you f-for every-everything. But I…" She coughs nervously again. "I think I'd b-b-better return this d-dress."
Elizabeth nods, smiling. "Of course." She and Squirrel go upstairs. Risking a backwards glance down at Jack, she sees him smiling at her. Just like he had in her dreams. Squirrel's heart thunders behind the white lace.
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. Cookies and rum for you all!