I know, it's been, what…months, I think! I'm sorry. Over summer I had no computer at all to work on this, and now that school has started again I am SO busy. The reviews were great though – a big thank you to each and every one of you! Hopefully at least this chapter is satisfactory, although I didn't have that much time to work on it…I'll improve, both with speed and quality!! (hope) :-)

Enjoy Chapter 13!


One morning, three days after their departure from Ambera, Cotton's parrot announced what Jack's whole crew had been waiting for:

"Ship, ho!" it screeched and the restless bunch breathed in relief as white sails slowly appeared at the strip of horizon. The last days aboard the Pearl had been awfully tense – due to the tempers of their Captain. Gibbs, Anamaria and almost every other crewmember of the Pearl had accidentally interrupted and burst into Jack's attempts to get a few minutes alone with Silver. Jack grew angrier each time, frustrated because Silver just would not even let him talk to her. Hopefully that ship on the horizon would take his mind off of things for a while…and also, their stock of rum already desperately needed immediate refilling that they hoped the forthcoming ship would supply....

Jack Sparrow was on deck at once and inspected the approaching vessel, which was so oblivious of the dangers it would come to face, through his spyglass. A cocky grin formed on his face and he rubbed his palms together in eager anticipation.

"Man the sails, it'll be French flag fer today, d'accord?" he shouted, impatient and enthusiastic like a little child as the striped flag was hoisted and flying in the light breeze. Silver had to smile at his changed behavior and felt excitement form in the pit of her stomach and she was grateful for the distraction this ship meant. Life aboard the Pearl hadn't been the same. Or actually – maybe it was. Here she was – again -, avoiding Jack the best she could, given they were on the same ship, day and night. But now that she had seen a different Jack she didn't dare just behave the same around him. For the first time in her life, Silver honestly had to admit, that she was shy. Jack was such a good man and he didn't deserve to be tricked or betrayed like he had been. She didn't want to hurt him like people had in his past, and yet she was on the best way of doing so. Silver knew that if he was seriously the man she loved, she would have to tell him sometime. It wouldn't be fair to keep that part of herself hidden and in secret. But was she sure that he really was that "one man"? That he truly was the one for her? Silver sighed in frustration. She just didn't know! Maybe she was just one of the usual girls for him and meant nothing. And even if she wasn't, once he knew the truth about her he would be horrified. He was a pirate after all! No one to match her.

Once again she cursed her past.

But he told you so much, he trusts you! Would he confide in …in any ordinary whore? And now, he's trying to talk to you – and what do you do? You're just behaving childishly, avoiding a conversation. If he thinks less of you, it's your own fault!

Silver unconsciously bit her lower lip. Yes, she would tell him. Right after they had sacked the vessel. 'No more excuses', she promised and braced herself for the upcoming tasks …and the hardest would definitely not be the attack of the vessel…

The ship - though it really was more of a boat, Jack thought mockingly - had now come into shooting range and Jack grinned devilishly as he ordered the Jolly Roger to be hoisted onto the mast. Soon the dreaded flag was fluttering in the wind and the crew guffawed at the sight of the shocked faces on the opposite deck. Jack expected them to surrender right away and save their lives, so he was immensely surprised when the sailors of the Nicator, as Jack could now spell out, lost no time loading the canons and preparing for battle.

Suspiciously he squinted over to the bustling deck and jumped nervously when an anxious Anamaria grasped his shoulder to get his attention.

"Hmm?" he grunted, concentrating on the vessel lying in the waters in front of them.

"Cap'n, what should we do? Load the guns as well?"

"Aye, aye.."Jack murmured absent-mindedly, then cried out loud "Prepare for battle!", which was taken on with shrill cheers and aye's from the crew who immediately went to work.

The faces of the sailors of the Nicator were pale but of a grim determination and each had a sword drawn as well as a loaded pistol ready in the belt. The Captain emerged from below deck and barked some orders, then glanced over to Jack, who narrowed his dark kohl-rimmed eyes. The bastard didn't seem anxious at all. Didn't he know that he was about to challenge the legendary Black Pearl..?


Oh yes, the Captain knew. And he was determined not to let anyone on that last one of pirate threat's escape his claws. He would, for once and for all, clear the Caribbean sea of those malicious scoundrels and buccaneers. He would become even more respected, even more honored – and a promotion wouldn't seem as unlikely anymore. His eyes gleamed with excitement and greed at the prospect.

He didn't flinch a second and kept his eyes on Jack Sparrow as he slowly raised his hand, signaling his crew to open fire.

Jacks eyes shot wide open as he leaned over the railing to witness the canon bulleting into the bow of his beloved ship. Flustered, then enraged he seized one of the grappling irons, simultaneously shouting orders to his crew.

"Man the guns and fire 'em!" His cry echoed like thunder over the deck of the Pearl.

Then, without hesitating Jack climbed onto the railing and flew over onto the other deck, legs dangling wildly as he tried to keep his balance.

'A bit too rash there' he thought as he winced in pain and landed most ungracefully on the Nicator. But now was not the time for thinking - quickly Jack got to his feet and unsheathed his sword to find himself already surrounded by several men.

Wide-eyed Silver saw a dozen of men entering the Black Pearl, and from the corner of her eye she noticed Jack fighting all alone on the vessel across from them - and it didn't seem like he was still mastering the situation. She was so distracted that she didn't notice someone advancing on her. Only when a slash in her shoulder caused blood to stain her white shirt red she grabbed her cutlass and jumped to the left, slowly moving backwards. Her opponent followed her, grinning triumphantly as he noticed he was backing her up to the prow of the ship. But Silver knew what she was doing. One eye still on Jack, she provoked him to attack her by issuing little lunges with her cutlass. He crouched, almost tiger-like and leaped at her, sword held high. Nimbly, Silver jumped to the side and witnessed proudly as he flailed helplessly in mid air shortly before he tumbled over the railing of the ship. Davy Jones would take care of him…

Turning quickly, Silver noticed Jack was still aboard the other ship, and she decided he needed help. Grabbing a rope as another man entered the Pearl, she swung across the space between the two great ships, coming to land right next to Jack. He turned, expecting another attacker, then smiled genuinely at her when he recognized Silver. She could have sworn he had looked relieved. Even in this situation his smile was contagious and she grinned back at him as they lunged into battle together. Yes, she would tell him. She owed him that much.


Silver was starting to tire out. Each time she lifted her cutlass her arm seemed to get heavier and, breathing heavily, she soon found herself backed up against the wooden door of the entrance to below-deck. The brawl was still as fierce as it had started, although she was sure that at least three quarters of an hour had passed. She had to stop herself from sliding down to rest on the deck and rubbed her shoulder desperately trying to drain out the pain from the wound she had received.

Suddenly the door behind her opened to the weight of her body and she almost tumbled down the narrow staircase. No one seemed to be down here…and while that thought passed through her mind, Silver had already slipped behind the door unnoticed and closed it behind her, sudden darkness surrounding her. Maybe she could find the riches surely aboard before anyone else did, impressing Jack…

Damnit!

She didn't want to impress Jack!

'Nah, 'course not…but some rum would certainly please the whole crew, so why not try finding something' she assured herself as she found her way down the stairs gingerly.

"Blastin' hell" she muttered. "Don't they have any lights…"

Little beads of sweat started to form on Jack's forehead as he swung his sword around for the umpteenth time. He could see some of his crew struggling alongside with him while others were busy warding off intruders aboard the Pearl. Were they going to get out of this one alive…? Or should they throw pride overboard and retreat into safety? He dodged a sharp blow on his left and parried it as gracefully as he could, glancing over to his ship again and noticed several of his loyal crewmembers lying motionless on the planks. He felt a sudden pang of guilt and hot anger cursing through his veins, but his sensible side had made up its mind before he would lead his crew into their deaths.

"All return to the Pearl!" he roared. "Be ready to make way now. And hoist that anchor!"

A mixture of relief and frustration hit Silver as she heard Jack's faint voice on deck. Jack was still alive, she thought gladly, and in addition to that his decision for the – though not so heroic - retreat was very welcomed by the exhaustion she felt. On the other hand, she'd just found stacks of the finest rum, along with a breathtakingly beautiful chest encrusted with rubies as bright as blood and shimmering sapphires. There was bound to be one hell of a treasure in there, and she had already imagined Jack's face when she would show him. But Jack's voice had sounded strained; so she hastened quickly back up the dark staircase, leaving all treasures behind. All of a sudden she felt something warm and furry hurrying across her left foot. Taken by surprise, she jerked her leg and felt her foot slipping off the narrow steps and even as she fell she was aware of her hand groped helplessly into thin air. With a thud Silver connected with the hard planks of the storage room she had just emerged.

As she dropped into unconsciousness she cursed her cowardice: after all, which fearsome pirate had ever been known to fear a rat…?

"Anamaria, Jacobs, Roberts…" Jack muttered as he watched them clambering over planks, still fighting off the sailors and using the irons to reach the Pearl. He was still aboard the merchant vessel and planned to leave last, making sure that none of his crewmembers was left behind. His attention was distracted, however, by two advancing, determined men who had their swords drawn. Now that Jack was alone aboard the rival ship he had a hard time taking a stand and, though he had the odd suspicion someone was missing, he had no other choice but to grab a rope and sailed back to his ship above the heads of his stunned attackers who dodged out of his way. The rush in Jack's ears ceased as he felt solid ground beneath his feet again and he took the situation in at once. Though some of his crewmembers were lying injured on the deck, all of the other vessel's sailors that had entered the Pearl were either bound by Jacobs and Anamaria or were dead. Jack's first priority though was to get the Pearl out of shooting range and his orders rang across the deck. Cannons continued to fire at them, but none caused any serious damage. Slowly the Pearl gained momentum and Jack looked behind him to see whether the vessel was following. Luckily for Jack Sparrow the Captain of the Nicator didn't think this necessary, but this humiliating defeat and the jeers of the Nicator-crew would continue to ring in Jack's ears for days to follow…


Hopefully I didn't loose too many loyal reviewers…how were YOUR summer holidays? I hated not having a computer…but otherwise I guess they were quite all right.

Reviews, as always, would be lovely. AND they'd cheer me up – cuz school currently is giving me hell..! And once again I apologize for the delay. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

Sereture