A/N: Hellloooo, out there. D I've been working on this story for a few months now. I've critiqued it endlessly, and I think these first few chapters are ready to put up. It does get better within the next chapter, believe me. This first meeting was hard to write, but I feel the characters begin to fall together within Chapter Two – Just read, and you may like it. Oh, and also, I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean or any of the characters in it, but of course I have to make the expected joke and say I wish I did own Captain Jack. Thanks! - xoxo - Sarah

SUMMARY: A modern girl wakes up in an unimaginably different world – the Black Pearl. She experiences a adventurous yet emotional road of piracy with the only bright side of it being the unusual, very infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.

CHAPTER ONE - Surprise Meeting

The day sucked. I must have dropped every single one of my books in the hallways of the zoo they call a school at least one time each. I spilled my iced tea all over the nerd table at lunch, embarrassing not only them but me, and earning a detention for it. Finally, as an added bonus after my oh-so-very-idealistic day, I found out I'd had locked my keys in my car and had to walk home after detention.

By then, I didn't even want to go out tonight. My friends and I had made plans to see a movie and hang out in general, maybe spend the rest of the night at my friend's house. Since the school year had started, I'd been spreading myself way too thin. Between classes, my parents, college pressures from teachers, and my friends, I had very little time to myself, but this day, especially, blew, and I was in no mood. Luckily, I got out of it easily.

That night, I grabbed a comforter and some popcorn, then gratefully slipped a Keanu Reeves movie into the DVD player down in the family room. My parents had just left to pick my sister up from college more than an hour away – and it was safe to say the night was mine.

But it was so not my night. Not my night at all.

I woke up to a particularly rough stranger with even rougher hands. He was a tan, dark-eyed man in dirty, old-fashioned apparel. I was assaulted immediately by the smell of salt water. The man was patting my cheek with a wet hand. I backed away, reaching for my comforter to ward him off with. . .but there was no comforter. No pleasant Keanu on the television screen. . .no television!

"She lives, then," he drawled, squinting as if to really examine my face. "Tell me, what're ye doin' in the belly of me ship, 'ere, little one?"

Ship? Is he crazy?

I searched my mind, trying to place what I had been doing before falling asleep. I wasn't crazy, though, and I knew I had been in my home. This place? – Not my home. It was a ship, according to the guy with gentle, brown eyes who was too close for my own comfort.

I opened my mouth, forming a question I didn't have planned, "Your ship?"

"Yes, me ship. We've been sailing for a good long while now. Unless ye, my dear, have been dabblin' a bit in the old-fashioned black magic, it's quite a mystery to me how you've come to be here."

I noticed first how he gestured with every word. Black magic? Dabblin'? Who was this guy – and why was he wearing eyeliner?

"This isn't funny," I shot back to him, trying to cover my skin, as I was only wearing a tank top and sweatpants. Fear started mounting in my body. I couldn't possibly be on a ship. I don't even live by the coast. I'm from Pennsylvania for goodness sakes.

"If ye are in fact a stowaway – and I don't welcome stowaways very well – you've certainly not made yourself very comfortable and seeing as me pride and joy, the Black Pearl, has got all of the attributes of a comfortable ship, you, my dear, must be quite confused," he explained, far too proud.

"At least tell me who you are?" I asked.

He smiled, leaning back on his heels and spreading his arms dramatically. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

. . .So, clearly, he'd practiced that.

I snorted, unimpressed. "Captain Jack Sparrow?"

Jack looked offended. Before he could reply, I put my hand up. "You're the captain?" I asked, beginning to make my way around the room. It was not incredibly spacious, and held no semblance of cleanliness. But, this was definitely a ship, he wasn't lying.

I turned and laughed just a bit, only to find him watching me closely as if I would steal something. Like there is anything valuable here, I thought. "Okay, and by the way you're dressed, I'm guessing you're – what? A pirate?"

Jack nodded once, firmly, pressing his shoulders back. "Pirate captain." He tilted his head, tugging at the two braids on his chin. "And what's your name?"

"Carrie," I answered miserably.

"So, Carolyn, then."

"No. Carrie – just Carrie."

"Carrie-Anne?" he attempted.

I nearly shouted, "Carrie."

"Karen?" he teased again, serious as can be.

I opened my mouth, beginning to advance on him, but settled back when a smile creased his face. I almost chuckled, but instead I frowned. "So, I'm on a pirate ship and you're clearly not from my time. . ."

"And ye, not from mine," he replied, scanning me.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. I heard some shouting above us. "Fellow pirates?" I asked, dreading it. I had seen the movies.

"The best. And only the best," Jack said, moving toward me. For the first time, I was able to observe his lazy gait. The way he moved with gentle sways and bent elbows was almost entrancing.

"Okay – try this one again. . .I'm on a pirate ship called the Black Pearl, with the best crew of pirates, and your name's Jack, the captain?" I asked, incredulous.

"Captain Jack Sparrow," he corrected quickly. "You've got to bring it together, or else there's no effect, which is quite pointless, really."

I paused, shaking my head. I was one for logic, and this resembled it not even remotely. I played my situation once more in my mind and found no solution. I would die before I let him see the tears in my eyes. I spun away from him, crossing my arms. Was it a dream? Some sort of distorted nightmare with unbelievable realism. I reached out and touched the desk – felt the wood, and spun around again.

I pinched myself, then strode toward him, and pinched him.

"Bloody. . .!" He cut himself off and reached up to his chest where I'd pinched him. "What was that for?"

"You're real," I replied.

"Yes, noticed that," Jack said sarcastically, falling back into the shaky chair, spreading his legs straight out and bringing his hands up behind his head. He leaned back on two legs of the chair, and I found myself momentarily admiring him.

"Well, love, I've got bad news. Ye, my dear, are stuck here alone with ole' Jack and me mates, so I'll attempt to the best of my ability to make ye comfortable and safe so long as you're 'board me grand Black Pearl." He grinned and raised his eyebrows once.

"Safe? What am I gonna do, fall overboard?"

"Ye forgot, love – pirates." He gave a wink and I shifted uncomfortably.

In that moment, I wanted to be home. I wanted to be anywhere but here on a ship in the middle of. . .

"And where exactly are we?"

The pirate smirked, and I noticed a flash of golden teeth. "Why, we're sailing the sparklin' seas of the Caribbean, love." Jack threw his arms up, and he was almost magically on his feet. He sauntered toward me, hands flailing controllably about him. "Got somewhere you need to be?"

I nodded. "Actually, yes, I do."

Jack looked thoughtful for a moment. "I see. Well, there's nothing but sea for miles – So!" His exclamation was so sudden, I nearly jumped from my skin. He clapped his hands together and leaned forward, entwining his fingers together, suddenly serious. "You're not a stowaway. . ."

I rolled my eyes. "No. Not a stowaway. You think I want to be here?"

He fondled a trinket that had been planted in his black hair. "Well, then, Carrie-me-dove, you are in quite the dilemma, as it turns out."

"Yeah, you think?" I murmured to myself, shaking my head.

I paced as panic rose up through my stomach and swirled up to my throat in a monstrous onslaught.

"Careful, love. We don't want you to wear a trench in the floor, now, do we? This is a ship, after all."

I paused and darted my finger toward him. "I'm not your 'love'."

"Right, then – lass."

"Or your lass."

He arched his brow. "It's settled, then. You'll be my Carrie-Anne."

I couldn't take the time to notice what he was saying. I had to get home. What would my parents think? They were probably going crazy by now. 'Sorry, mom, I was just stuck on this pirate ship in the middle of the Caribbean sea with an unimaginably attractive pirate and his loud, reckless crew.' Yeah. That would go over well.

I brought my hands up to my shoulder-length dark hair and groaned. I spun slowly, determined and hopeful. His hands toyed in front of him, his face expectant.

In all seriousness and near desperation, I spoke, "I need your help."

He blinked and began to smirk. "All right." His drawled speech did not disappear even in his nearly silent understanding. I admired him in that moment. "Got a bit skittish there for a moment."

"Yeah. Sorry. Just. . .crazy." I shivered in the plain, dusty cabin.

There was another uproar of shouts above us on the deck and I cringed. "Okay, so, for the 'best' crew ever, they sure don't get along," I laughed, peering up at him.

Jack sighed and shook his head. "I think it'd be best if you stayed here. Fair enough, I'd wager?"

"Oh, yeah," I replied quickly. "Really not looking forward to facing the crew of rowdy, filthy men. No offense."

"Get comfortable," he suggested, moving out of the cabin with masculine grace.

I could heard his shouts even as he made it to the upper deck.

"All ya' scurvy dogs'll be swabbin' the deck!"