Chapter 4 - A Round of Drinks

As Louise sat in the crows nest feeling bitterly cold and wishing she had brought either a coat, extra shirt or her iPod she began to realise she was probably supposed to be looking out for something up here. What Jack had neglected to mention is they were 2 days from Tortuga and they wouldn't be seeing land for at least a day of that, at best she could hope to see a ship although it wasn't best for the rest of the crew if it was a navy vessel.

After what seemed like a lifetime in the cold but was only a few hours a head popped into her viewpoint. To say she screamed loudly was a understatement and the string of profanities she did scream even made Jack raise a eyebrow from the helm.

"Calm down, it's okay" said the smiling face that had scared the life out of her.

Catching her breath she glowered at him "who are you?", eyeing him suspiciously as he had now made himself comfortable next to her, which was a feat in itself in the small space.

"Me names Daniel, but most call me Danny" he offered her his hand which she reluctantly took, "and who might you be, to have such a mouth on ye?"

"Louise, but if you want you can call me any one of the names I just called you" she smiled apologetically, on further inspection it seemed Danny wasn't so bad after all. He looked to be about her age if not a few years older and his sandy hair fell around his face floppily giving him a puppy dog look.

He laughed "Wouldn't dream of calling someone so pretty something so foul".

She blushed like she had earlier that day with Jack, "Look at me I'm blushing" she giggled, she only ever giggled when she really had nothing else to say.

Below at the helm Jack heard her giggle fill the air, he had just sent Danny up to take over from Louise so he knew who it was that had made her laugh and for some reason he felt a sting of jealousy. She hadn't laughed like that when he was telling jokes and stories earlier, sure he hadn't told her the best and most exciting stories yet but still. But then what worried Jack more was why was he jealous at all?

"So why have you come to visit a foul mouthed girl you don't know?" she asked Danny almost flirtatiously.

"Captain sent me to take over and I aint surprised you're as cold as ice" he replied placing the back of his hand on her shoulder. She laughed and nodded, then throwing herself over the edge of the nest and finding her footing she offered her hand once more.

"Nice to meet you Danny"

"Pleasure was mine Louise" he said graciously as he shook her hand once more. With that she began the windy journey back down, which was considerably quicker as she was eager to get back on deck.

Jack saw her coming down and checked the course, they were sailing on a particular straight of the journey and would be for a few hours. He called over to Cotton and asked him to take the helm before walking over to where she now stood stretching her legs.

"How was it luv?" he asked giving her a trademark grin.

She looked at him a smiled sweetly "cramped, cold and boring, lovely really, what now Captain?"

He was briefly taken aback by her sarcasm but it was nothing he hadn't heard before "well luv seeing as you had so much fun why don't ye join me in the galley for some dinner?"

She smiled again but this time genuine "as long as it's hot".

He chuckled "it's hot but it might not be good", the ships cook had always been a little on the basic side. That's when it hit her, maybe she had found her new job.

As they sat in the galley Louise appreciated the warmth of the room, and forgot completely about judging the food. She was sitting next to Jack who had just handed her a mug of rum she took it readily and swallowed a big mouthful. Louise was not new to alcohol and neither was she new to rum, so she happily welcomed the warm sensation. Ana, who was sitting opposite, and eyed her impressively, "you drink like a man".

"Jealous?" she asked with a smirk, Jack raised a eyebrow at this.

"I think thats a challenge there Ana" he heard Gibbs say a few chairs down.

Ana looked at Louise weighing up her opponent, "What say you Louise?"

Louise didn't need to be asked twice "I never back down from a challenge", and with that they were both handed a bottle of rum.

It wasn't long before everyone had drunk more than enough but Louise and Ana we still waiting for the other one to pass out. However it was taking longer than either one thought, both were determined to win but now both of them were drunk enough they were stopping to sing along with the crew, who were throwing a party in celebration of absolutely nothing in particular. Louise was currently singing louder than the rest of the crew and Ana was growing impatient.

"Oi come on I'm winning here!" she shouted over the noise.

Louise smiled down from her imaginary throne "No chance Annie because I-am-the-champion!" it was only then she realised that she was a few hundred years early to be singing Queen so she settled for sitting back down and swigging more rum to prove her point.

"By the way don't call me Annie" Ana glared menacingly as Louise rejoined the game.

"Awww Annie Annie Ana" Jack sung while swaying to a sea chanty the rest of the crew were singing. "I like it Annie" he winked at her.

Ana may have been drunk but she didn't hesitate in looking him square in the eyes and slapping him. Louise almost spat out the rum in her mouth as she tried to stop herself form laughing at Jacks shocked face.

"I'm not sure I deserved that"

"I'm sure you did" Ana retorted through gritted teeth. It was then that Louise slammed her empty rum bottle on the table.

"Look who's playing catch up now Annie!" Louise giggled in a very drunk way as she swayed on her seat, both Jack and Ana watched in amusement as she raised her hands to make some profound point but all that came out was a second round of giggles before she fell back and passed out, slumped over the chair.

--Authors Notes--

Thank you guys who have reviewed, put me on alerts and favorite lists. Really means lots to me and my first fanfic :D

Also I have kind of been swaying a bit with exactly where I am taking the plot but I have firm ideas now so YAY!