Summary: The Black Pearl begrudgingly returns to Port Royal to get supplies. Captain Jack Sparrow and his latest fling, Zora Leighland, meet up with the Turner's; meanwhile, Zora has to face the reason she left Jamaica years ago: her parents. On top of that, the pirating pair must come to terms with just what they mean to one another during their visit. Jack/OC, Will/Elizabeth. Rated mostly for language and some slight sexuality.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or any characters from said movie. If I did, boy... my hubby would be pretty annoyed with me always drinking rum with Jack. I DO own Zora, though, and of course, the PotC DVD and soundtrack, though sadly, both are in Canada right now.

Author's Note: Yes, 'tis my own Pirates of the Caribbean fanfic featuring an OC. I know, my OC is most likely considered an evil Mary-Sue, though I've tried to un-Sue-ify her as much as I could, and Jack is most likely OOC a bit too often as well. Truth be told, this is written to soothe the fuzzies in my head. If you like it and want me to continue, wonderful! Please tell me so in a review! If you don't like it want me to stop, that's cool, too! Please tell me so in a review: )

This little prologue is to gap the time between a meeting between Captain Jack Sparrow and Zora, and the actual beginning of the story. Someday, I may actually write out a prequel, simply to detail their little adventure further. For now, it serves its purpose.

Read, Enjoy, Review!

Chapter One

A Short Prologue

Three years ago, Zora Leighland ran away from her parents' home in Port Royal with all the money she had in her possession and the red velvet dress on her body. She stole away on the first ship that was leaving the port city, vowing to never return. Her goal: to end up in Tortuga. The pirate stories she had learned during her childhood told her that to find the life she sought, the life of a pirate, she needed to get to Tortuga, one way or another.

For two years, the brunette girl regularly found herself hiding in large barrels or shipping crates upon whatever ship she managed to get herself on, staying within the Caribbean thankfully. Her determination paid off one summer, and the latest ship she'd snuck onto docked in Tortuga. For the next few weeks, Zora took to frequenting the Faithful Bride Tavern, where all the newest gossip reached her ears. She learned which ships would be coming in, and which famous crews would come ashore. One name had always struck her fancy, so when she heard Captain Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl would be docking in Tortuga, she spent her last few coins on a small bar of soap to wash herself up in hopes of meeting him.

Captain Jack Sparrow didn't disappoint, either.

He came into the Faithful Bride, took a seat at an empty table, and began contemplating his life while downing many a tankard of rum. However, when a young brunette woman asked him to take a seat with him, his life contemplating was put on hold. She was a might dirty, but his drunken mind didn't care much about that; to him, she looked like good company for the time being. Of course, the more he talked to her, the more he began to think she'd be good company for the night as well.

It was all too easy to get Zora to accompany Jack to the Black Pearl; after all, she did express her like for the sea and ships. He even drunkenly promised her a spot in his crew, not really sure if he meant it at all or not. His mind was, after all, on getting her into his bed and having his way with her. Which became a bit harder when she insisted to know her duties upon the ship. Jack, in his surprising brilliance, told her that her first duty was to help him to bed. When that was accomplished, and Jack looked to be passed out from the rum, Zora took a seat in the captain's cabin to take the chance to sleep as well. Until the captain moved from his bed to let his hands have free roam over her body; his altered thinking kept him from realizing that Zora was not asleep, and when she spoke, he fell backward onto his rear.

Somehow, he still managed to get the girl into his bed... Jack Sparrow was sure lucky that night.

The following morning, before Jack could get the chance to ask her to leave the ship, he found her hard at work, scrubbing the deck, with dirt streaks still upon her face, kneeling on her only dress. Gibbs, his first mate, eyed her wearily, holding tight to the suspicion of having women aboard; Anamaria, apparently, didn't count as a woman anymore. But when Gibbs told the captain that she'd been scrubbing for two hours already, Jack Sparrow lifted his head, looking down his nose toward the odd girl. Something, he wasn't sure what exactly, but something about her intrigued him.

Hard to imagine that a little bit of hard work early in the morning would keep a one-night bed warmer from being left in Tortuga; the moral is hard work always manages to pay off in the end.

In the months that followed, Zora worked as hard as she could to earn the right to remain part of the crew of the legendary Black Pearl. She did every task handed to her; scrubbing decks, helping the cook in the galley, cleaning chamber pots, sewing sails, tying knots, whatever was ordered. Often, she floundered in her chores, being caught staring at the ocean instead of doing what she was supposed to be doing, but that only made her try harder. Eventually, the crew soon began to warm up to Zora, beginning to accept her as one of them.

This drew the attention of Captain Jack Sparrow. After all, once the crew had bonded with the new girl, it'd be too difficult to dump her off at some random port. So he took to surveying her when he was sure he wouldn't be caught. He even began to show her how to properly use a sword; Zora ended up with a thin gash across her right cheek and both received cuts on their arms from this teaching experience.

Along the way, Jack Sparrow began to respect the woman as an individual, and months since their chance meeting in the Faithful Bride, the infamous captain took her to his bed again. Not as a means of release, but as a lover...

For it was obvious the pirating pair had grown to care for one another during those few months.

However, ask Captain Jack Sparrow, and he'd say nothing of the sort.

---

Now, the Black Pearl was sailing closer to Jamaica once again. The ship was in need of supplies, and the closest port was one neither Jack nor Zora wanted to visit. This trip, nonetheless, would be one that would enlighten both pirates to the thoughts within themselves while discovering just what they mean to one another.

Herein lies the tale of that stop in Port Royal.