A/N: Ok, now the story really gets going! This is set 10 years after the prologue; that was so ye'd all understand Jack an' Lilac's relationship!!! Oh yeah, no more diary entries coz that would give away the plot! I think I forgot the disclaimer last time, so:

I do not own anything ye recognise from POTC, but I do own Lilac, her family and any other characters I may introduce!!!

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"Ship ahead, Cap'n!" came the cry from the crow's nest.

"Colours?"

"White, but I don't think they've seen us."

"Keep the white flag up unless they raise otherwise, savvy?"

"Aye, sir."

Jack steadied the wheel with his hand as the approaching ship neared. He glanced at his compass, wondering why a merchant ship would be in this area; there were no ports for miles.

"Cap'n, sir! They've raised a red. What are we gonna do?"

Looking through his telescope, Jack vaguely recognised the girl standing at the helm, and if he was surprised that the captain was female, he didn't show it.

"Cap'n, it's the Nightshade!"

"Now Jack was worried. The Nightshade, so called because of its deadly crew and preference to sailing at night, was captained by the fearsome Streak. She was known by no other name, though some said she was searching for her first love, a well-to-do man turned pirate, though no-one knew his name. Where she attacked, none lived to tell the tale.

Streak stood at the helm of her ship, eyeing the familiar name on the side of the nearing ship, Black Pearl. She recognised it, not just from the stories, but something triggered in her memory, and she saw flashes of her past, things she'd long since forgotten. A man, no older than 21, mention of piracy, a garden at night.

"Cap'n? Milady?"

"Aye?" Streak was woken from her reverie by the voiced of her first-mate, a man named Scar.

"Nothin'. Ye looked a bit dazed, tha's all."

"Well I'm fine," she snapped, not wanting her crew to know she had a weakness, "Now, run out the cannons, load all of 'em."

"Aye, milady."

"We'll see what ye make of this, Captain Sparrow."

As he drew alongside the Nightshade, Jack eyed the girl standing before him. Her violet eyes shone with apprehension and her midnight-blue hair gleamed in the midday sun.

"Cap'n Streak?"

"That be me."

"Aye, I thought as much. Why be ye travelling by day? I thought ye preferred the cover o' darkness."

"That I do, but we were threatened in our last dock, and left without ado."

"Aye," Jack considered this, at the same time wondering why this woman was so bloody familiar, "Ye seem somewhat familiar. 'Ave I threatened ye before?"

"I'm sure I'd remember meeting someone as ... interestin' as yerself."

"Ye intrigue me, Cap'n. Care ter come aboard an' negotiate in the confines of me cabin?"

"I'd be honoured, Captain Sparrow." So saying, she swung across the gap between the two ships, after giving the order to raise the white flag and that no-one was to attack unless she gave the order.

"So, Captain Streak..."

"Aye?"

"What brings ye ter these waters?"

"D'ye not know?"

"Care ter educate me?"

"Indeed. Five years ago a man named Jacob lived in my Port. Only I knew him as Jack. He was twenty-one, I was nineteen and we were in love. One night he came to me and told me that he had enough money to buy a ship, though I forget the name. He left the following night and I have seen neither hide not hair of him since. He broke my heart by ne'er returning, though he promised he would. But then, who was I, to trust the word of a pirate?"

Streak was close to tears remembering her love, but she would not let the pirate captain opposite her see. She took a swig of the open bottle of rum by her, wiped her mouth on her sleeve and continued.

"I left after 3 years of devastation. My family were in ruins and I had no wish to help them; my father disowned me when he discovered my relationship with Jack had been more than a rumour. I bought a ship and, filled with bloodlust, killed anyone who got in my way."

Jack sat, silent for once, and watched the distraught woman before him. She was so familiar, her story brought back memories yet he could not place her.

"Why be ye tellin' me this, luv?"

Streak's eyes flamed.

"Ne'er call me 'luv'. Only one person owns the right to callin' me that, and that person be Jack."

"This Jack ... tell me 'bout 'im."

"He was everything a gentleman should be: kind, considerate and ne'er once did he force me into doing anything I didn't want to."

"Did ye ever..."

"No. That be the one thing I regret. I am still a maid, and intend to stay one unless I find him again."

"What if I told ye I could take ye to 'im?"

Streak shook her head in despair.

"No-one can bring him back. I can feel in me 'eart that he's alive but I don't 'ave a chance in 'ell of ever findin' 'im."

"I like ter test that theory. Come with me an' me crew an' I'll find 'im for ye."

"Wha's in it fer ye?"

"The satisfaction o' helpin' a damsel in distress."

"Ye seem ter be makin' an 'abit o' that, Sparrow."

"Aye. So I do."

"What'd be the conditions o' me staybin' on yer ship?"

"Ye'd 'ave yer own cabin. Most unlike me, I admit, but ye've already put yer point across, an' I'd only be tempted by 'avin ye in 'ere. Ye'll 'ave ter do yer share o' work on deck as well."

"Well that's that sorted, but what 'bout me crew?"

"Send 'em 'ome. I've no doubt they'd be likin' a long 'oliday in Tortuga, aye?"

"Aye."

Streak smiled. She knew he was right, and he seemed trustworthy enough. Though after Jacob left her, she wasn't going to trust a pirate willingly.

"Yer conditions are fair, an' I'm 'appy ter stay if ye promise yer crew won't lay a hand on me."

"On me pirate's honour, I swear it by me own life."

"We 'ave an accord then."

"We 'ave an accord."

With that, Jack walked out the room, leaving Streak to finish her rum.

"Yer cabin's jus' down the hall," he called back to her.

"I'm sure I'll find it by me onesies,thanks."

"Yer welcome, lu- Streak."

He walked up on deck singing one of his favourite songs.

"Goin' this way, that way,

Forwards an' backwards,

Over the open seas.

A bottle o' rum

Ter fill me tum,

A pirate's life fer me."

"What be ye so 'appy 'bout, Capt'n?" Gibbs came up behind Jack with a compass in hand.

"We 'ave a new crew member."

"Who?"

"Captain Streak o' the Nightshade."

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That's the longest chapter I've EVER written!!!!!!!!!!!! Please review for me an' tell me what ye think!!!!!!!!!!! If ye 'ave any questions, ask away!!!!!!!! I promise ter try an' answer 'em!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jackoholic xXxXxXx