Author's Note: This story has taken it's OWN path. But I'm very much enjoying writing this the way it's going now...evil grin

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews so far.

Unbeta'd all mistakes mine

Gallagher paced the deck of the ship. The sun had long since set, but neither Jack or Davina had returned. Gallagher was hardly worried about Jack, but he was worried about Davina. This port was not a the best known port for the safety of attractive young women. "They haven't come back?" Jacquelyn asked as she came over to him. Gallagher shook his head. "No, they haven't returned. If Jack doesn't have them back by sunrise, then I'm going into look for them."

Jack found himself pacing the bedroom chamber, deep in thought. Davina was fast asleep in the bed, curled up around a pillow. Jack moved over to the bed and sat down on the edge, looking at Davina for a long time. His thoughts were on rather or not he could love a woman like her. It was clear to him that he did. That it came from somewhere in his shadowed past. But he couldn't grasp where. And even with him in love with her, could she be a part of his life on the sea? Could she managed to live with him on the Pearl? He very much wanted her to.

He stretched out at the foot, looking up at the ceiling of the dark room. But apparently, Davina wasn't as asleep as he thought. She ran her bare foot up and down his arm in a comforting manor. He turned his head and looked at her.

"Shouldn't ya be sleepin'?" He asked her.

"It's hard to get used to a new bed some times." She replied softly. Jack sat up, watching her. She gave him a warm smile and Jack scooted up on the bed, stretching out beside her. She turned her head from looking up at the ceiling to look at him. Jack reached over and ran his fingers through her hair. She smiled warmly.

Jack was about to speak when a cry went up in the hall.

"Sparrow! Sparrow, we need you!" It was one of the guild masters.

Jack scrambled out of the bed, pulling on his shirt and went to the door, unlatching it. Davina had sat up on the edge of the bed, she was still dressed in her simple dress.

The man, who's named was Mystery was standing in the door, breathing hard.

"Sparrow, we have a bit of trouble. Something the others didn't want to tell you, but I thought..."

"What is it?" Jack growled.

"You'd best follow me.." Mystery turned and started down the hall. Jack turned to Davina and held out a hand. Davina got off the bed and joined him. They followed Mystery down the hall.

Mystery led them to a room were a few of the thieves were crowded around a boy. A boy who was obviously dead. "Out of the way." Jack growled, pushing between them. He crouched next to the body of the boy, inspecting it. The boy was white, and Jack found the two marks on the boy's neck. "Who did this?" Jack asked with a steely tone, standing and turning to face the others. Davina was standing in the door, wide eyed. No one spoke for a moment.

Then Mystery stepped forward. "The Shadows, sir."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Shadows? Do ya think I was born yesterday?"

Mystery shook his head vigorously. "No sir, but...well, I know it's hard to believe, but they've been rulin' this island for years...every night..."

Jack just looked at Mystery. Then he spoke. "Bury him in the morning. I don't want any one goin' outside tonight, understand."

"Aye sir!" Mystery nodded.

"Mystery, come with me." Jack left the room, taking Davina's hand and pulling her with him. Mystery followed.

When they'd gotten back to Jack's chambers, Jack closed and locked the door, with Mystery inside.

"Would like t' explain t' me what this is all about?" Jack asked him.

Mystery, who was a young man, with dark hair and blue eyes, rather handsome, rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Look, Sparrow, sir. Danny...the rest of the guild. We tried to get by, avoidin' the Shadows. But Danny was...givin' them what we took. So they seem to be our...bosses. I suppose they've heard that you've taken over and aren't happy..." Mystery said with a sigh. "The other lads...the didn't want ya knowin' about any of this..."

Jack poured a tankard of rum and passed it to Mystery before pouring himself one.

"How long was Danny dealin' with 'em?" Jack asked Mystery.

Mystery shrugged, taking a drink. "As long as I could remember. Every once in awhile, they'd take a boy...a younger one...but I don't know why they'd do what they did tonight..." Mystery sighed.

"What are the Shadows?" Davina asked softly from her corner.

Mystery looked at her. "Beggin' yer pardon, Ma'am, but we don't rightly know... Any one who's seen them, usually ends up dead..."

"What do you mean, they'd take a boy?" She asked, her eyes slightly wide from confusion.

Mystery shrugged. "A boy, a pincher, would usually disappear and well...Danny'd just say it was the Shadows takin' their payment." Jack frowned, deep in thought.

"How does one find the Shadows?" He asked Mystery.

Mystery shuddered suddenly. "They'll find you..." He said in a barely audible whisper.

Gallagher took a long drink from his flagon and sit it down next to him on the crate as he tended to one of the worn nets, repairing it. Most of the crew was in the port taverns or turned in for the night. His own wife, Jacquelyn had went to their cabin for bed, after making Gallagher PROMISE not to stay up to late.

He was enjoying the calm night air when something made him look up. He thought he'd heard a piercing cry in the air and he frowned, his full lips turning down, his brow knitting. He cocked his head to the side and listened, feeling the a light breeze off the ocean ruffling his white blonde hair. But there was no repeat of the cry.

He returned to his work, pushing the needle through and pulling it out, when the sound came again. Now Gallagher was sure he'd heard it. He put the net down on the crate beside him and unfolded his legs, standing. Moving over to the forecastle deck, he looked out at the port and it's buildings. It seemed that a dark cloud had lowered on the town. A chill began blowing in off the ocean and Gallagher noticed Gibs and Adrian, who had been on their way back from a pub had stopped, looking back at the town. "'ey!" Gallagher called to the two men. Gibs turned back to Gallagher as he came down the gang plank.

"What's all the noise?" Gallagher asked the older man.

"Don't right know, Cap'in." Gibs answered, looking back at the town.

"Who's still in the taverns?" Gallagher asked.

"Just a couple of the lads." Gibs answered.

Gallagher frowned, then motioned for Gibs and Adrian to follow him. "We might as well retrieve them. There's...something about this port..."

"Aye," Adrain answered. "I know wha ya mean, Cap'in Spike. Things are just...unnatural." Gallagher smiled a bit at the young man's uncomforted stance, the boy's dark eyes shifting around nervously.

The three men had entered the towns street, which seemed unnaturally deserted. Sound seemed much more muted, compared to what it had been when Gibs and Adrian had left their tavern.Gallagher's hand rested lightly on the hilt of his rapier and he watched the dark shadows cautiously. "Somethin's going here Cap'in." Gibs whispered. Gallagher nodded mutely in reply, ears straining, silver eyes ever watchful.

The hand that grabbed Gallagher was gloved in exquisite black gloves, of the richest leather. A hard grasp yanked Gallagher into the nearly pitch black alley way, restraining his hand from the hilt of his rapier. Gibs and Adrian jumped. "Cap'in Spike!" Adrian cried in alarm, drawing his own short sword.

"There's no need for weapons, me boyo." A deep haunting voice answered. "But do lower your voice and get over here." Gibs and Adrian exchanged a look, neither moving from their spot.

"Do as he says." Gallagher hissed in strained surprise. Gibs and Adrian entered the darkened alley.

They found the stranger standing close to the wall, with in the shadows. They couldn't rightly see his face, but they could see he was richly clad, from collar to boots and in his hand was a finely made walking stick.

"Wha is this?" Gibs asked in a nervous whisper.

"This is your saving." The stranger answered.

"Saving, wha da ya mean?" Adrian asked, taking a nervous step back into the main street, but the stranger's gloved hand shot out and grabbed Adrian's arm, yanking him back into the darkness. Adrian was about to protest, when the stranger clamped another hand over the boy's mouth.

A low keening cry drifted over the winds, moving closer to the four men. A cold began filling the area and Adrian was silenced and stilled by a hidden fear. Gallagher pressed himself against the wall, watching the street as Gibs drew back further into the alley. The stranger shoved Adrian back towards Gibs and took a place across from Gallagher against the other wall, also watching the street.

The keening grew closer and Gallagher drew in a sharp breath as three figures drew into the dim light of the street. To tall to possibly be men, they were clad in dark robes with hoods drawn over their heads. They were hunched over slightly, as if searching for something. In one hand they carried a sickle topped staff, in the other, they held leashes, connected to the source of the baying wails. Three monstrous animals, that looked as if they were part dog, part cat prowled before their masters. Gallagher looked quickly at the stranger, who only nodded.

The creatures stopped in the middle of the street. The animals leaned down, sniffing the ground, then all three raised their heads and let out a deafening howl. Adrian clamped his hands over his ears. Gallagher shut his eyes, leaning against the wall, feeling his own heart beat increasing ten fold. Adrain watched with wide eyes as the creatures removed the leashes from the animals and the animals bound forward, down the street and out of sight. The creatures soon followed, seeming to glide rather then walk.

"Wha...wha.." Adrian stammered, starting to ask, when the stranger again clamped his hand over the boy's mouth, eyes still on the street. The feeling of cold began drifting from their place and finally, the stranger removed his hand from Adrian's mouth. The boy foolish pulled his sword from the scabbard on his belt.

"Who are you!" He demanded of the stranger.

"Mother's love, wha were those things..." Gibs muttered from his spot. "Cap'in Spike..." Gibs looked at Gallagher.

Gallagher was standing at the front of the alley.

Finally he turned on the stranger, who was giving Adrian a look of amusement at the boy's fear.

"Dorian, they couldn't possibly be..." Gallagher started to say, but was stopped as the stranger nodded slowly.

"No!" Gallagher growled frustrated and angry.

He grabbed the stranger by the collar, pulling him in to the light. He was revealed to be a man older then Gallagher and Jack, but much younger then Gibs. His hair was a little below the shoulders, and a deep brown. His face was sharp, angular and reminded Gibs strongly of someone. He sported a sharp goatee of present fashion of gentleman. His eyes, a dark golden brown color, reflected a mixture of wisdom and age, and jovial youth, a strange contradiction. His presence oozed power, though it was unclear to Gibs and Adrian what just KIND of power this man, who was obviously called Dorian had.

"No!" Gallagher repeated, "They are supposed to be DEAD! HE'S supposed to be dead!"

"Boyo," There was an irish accent to Dorian, "Ye know as well as I, that he can't die that easy." This Dorian removed Gallagher's hands from his collar and dusted off his jacket.

Gallagher ran his hands through his hair and turned back on Dorian, pointing a finger at him. "You think I don't know this! We SWORE Dorian, we swore on the blade that we'd keep them away from him..."

"What da ye think I'm doin' here, Gallagher?" Dorian replied with a look. "Mind ye, it wasn't easy to track the bastard." Dorian said with a chuckle. Gallagher felt the corner of his lips turn up slightly. Gibs and Adrian looked back and forth between the two men, confused as to what they were talking about.

"So where is the scalawag now?" Dorian asked as he moved around the alley, in the way a large cat would when restless.

Gallagher grimaced slightly. "I...uh...I don't know at the present." Dorian snapped around, and those golden brown eyes steeled dangerously, giving Gallagher a piercing, dangerous look.

"Ye don't know! Good GODS, Gallagher, boyo, yer supposed ta know!"

"Well he's here, in the Port, this I know. I mean, I can still feel him here of course, but I just don't know WHERE in the Port he is..." Gallagher replied meekly.

Dorian threw up his hands in irritation. "I tell ye to watch him and ye lose him!"

"I didn't lose him!" Gallagher replied in his defense, "He went off this mornin' with Davina. Maybe it wasn't the BEST idea, but I figured...they'd had been back before sundown." Dorian continued to peer at Gallagher with that look.

"Who's Davina?"

Gallagher sighed. "A young woman we rescued from a wreckage. As if that's only PART of the trouble... Ravenclaw was the cause of the wreckage..." Gallagher told him with a sigh, looking up at the sky.

Dorian swore vulgarly. "Ravenclaw? Ye should have known from that moment the fatifer would soon be following!" Dorian said in a tone, as if Gallagher were a child and Dorian a father, rebuking him for his mistakes. Gallagher hung his head. Dorian took a deep sigh and moved away from Gallagher to lean against the wall.

"We'll have ta find him. Jack doesn't know what's going on and if we don't get to him first, he can end up in far more trouble then he needs to be in."

Gallagher snorted. "Jack Sparrow is ALWAYS in more trouble then he needs to be." Dorian tossed Gallagher a grin that both Adrian and Gibs found more then familiar.

"Aye, that's Sparrow. Now lad...focus." Gallagher sighed, taking a deep breath.

He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the cold stone and focused every amount of energy on what he was about to do. He reached out with every sense, searching. Every thought was directed towards the presence of Jack Sparrow. He snorted, amusedly, if Jack Sparrow ever knew his best mate was keeping tabs on him like this, he'd have a fit. But there was so much Jack DIDN'T know, all for his own good. It was more then just fate that had brought Jack and Gallagher crossing path as boys to be best mates.

Finally, he found Jack's presence, not far from where they were. A contented, warm feeling radiating from Jack. Gallagher's eyes snapped opened, he knew that feeling all to well himself and he began laughing in good humor, despite himself.

"What?" Dorian asked, watching Gallagher.

"I've found him, but there's something more."

"What?"

Gallagher grinned at Dorian. "The fool's in love!" Dorian eyed Gallagher, but even Gallagher could see the amused sparkle in Dorian's dark eyes.

"'Bout bloody time, mate." Dorian whispered. "All right, ye two." Dorian turned back to Gibs and Adrian. "Head straight back for the Pearl."

Adrian began opening his mouth.

"Do as he says, Adrian." Gallagher commanded.

"And don't stop fer anything." Dorian added as he and Gallagher left the alley way.