Chapter 7 - The Morning After

As it was Anamaria was already at the pearl when Louise arrived back, apparently a knowledge of Tortuga's back-streets had helped. She was standing on deck talking animatedly with Jones when Louise walked up the gangplank.

"Miss me?", Louise assumed Ana had been talking about her.

"I was wondering where you were, thought maybe he'd caught up with you", Ana had a slight twinge of worry in her voice but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

Louise laughed, "Me? Never. Well Danny may have helped me out a bit but thats not the point" Ana glanced at Danny who just shrugged and made his way below deck. "So Ana want to tell me what that was all about?" Louise continued.

"Not really, but I'm not gonna get away with not telling ye, am I?"

"No so you may as well just talk"

Ana sighed "There's not really much to tell, there was a time when I was in Tortuga and I needed money"

"And you borrowed it from him?" she cut in, her voice showing clear disgust at Ana's choice of loan shark.

"Well there's not really a lot o' people who lend money, most would see a girl work as a whore to pay their way" Louise nodded at this, understanding, the profession didn't sound desirable. She felt maybe she had touched upon a nerve with Ana as there was a awkward silence which followed the words, broken only by,

"Wind in yer sails", Cottons parrot landed on the railing by Ana and Louise let out a small yell of surprise.

"Bloody parrot" she mumbled out of earshot of Cotton, Ana just smiled at this.

"Twitchy tonight aren't we?"

Louise's face tightened, "It's the rum" she retorted as she decided it was time to call it a night.

Sunlight poured in through the small window in Louise's cabin indicating morning, refreshed she got up and after rubbing her eyes she decided it was time to change her clothes. Wearing her original outfit she had felt more herself however she was now becoming self conscious, it wasn't as if there was a shower on board. She took out the outfit she had been given for her birthday and just spent a few minutes looking at it with apprehension. Eventually she tried it on and examined herself, the cut-off trousers were more comfortable than they first seemed and the shirt was a bit baggy on her small shoulders but fit well enough. She still had her converse's on and wondered if this was a good idea, they were slowly becoming dirtier and encrusted with saltwater but she didn't have any other footwear. Thats when the idea struck her, she was docked in a town, there had to be shops, maybe not high street stores but shops all the same. Her gambling the night before had left her with more than enough money, even if some winnings were left behind. She smiled at the thought of going shopping, after all she was a woman, and with her spirits slightly lifted she went in search of Ana, hoping for some guidance in the matter. Ana seemed anything but the shopping type, but if all else failed Louise was confident she could guilt trip Ana into helping with a reminder of the chase they had to put up last night. Finding Ana on deck Louise walked up to her with her usual strut, but with no plan.

Luckily Ana started "Where'd you get that?" Forgetting she had changed Louise stood dumbfounded for a few moments, realised, looked down to check it was in fact a different ensemble and smiled.

"Oh that, I had it with me when I got here", she paused swallowing hard, it still played on her mind as to how she had got here, "and well my other clothes were starting to smell".

"tis the life of a pirate" the older woman's gaze was apparently fixed on something the distance.

"Yeah well I was wondering, feel like coming back into Tortuga today?"

Ana seemed interested, "I didn't think you'd want to after last night but yeah, the bars are always packed so I'm sure we can avoid 'em".

"No, I meant today, like now" Ana looked at Louise with a confused expression, "well it's just I wanted to go shopping, I wanted to get some boots and I figured you'd know your way around".

"I guess I could go into town", Louise smiled stupidly, it had been easier than she thought, but then again she guessed pirates were full of surprises.

Jack, after leaving his coins on the dresser and grabbing his effects, had left before she had woken. Walking into the sunshine he squinted slightly feeling the light harsh to his eyes. However he still had a smile on his face after last nights antics and now he wanted to go and check on his pride and joy. Straightening his hat he began sauntering down the street, littered about were drunks sleeping off the nights alcohol, well some of them were sleeping some had simply passed out. Besides the drunks, the only others in the streets were the locals. This was the only time of the day that Tortuga seemed picture perfect, and Jack would almost admire it if he didn't enjoy the night life so much. Nearing the docks, he could see the pearl waiting for him faithfully as the smell of the sea reached his nostrils, inhaling deeply he smiled to himself. He had given the crew a weeks shore leave and although he knew they deserved it for him it would be too long away from the sea, even in Tortuga. The only way he would keep sane would be to spend his days on his pearl feeling the gentle rocking of the waves beneath him. Merrily making his way aboard he looked around, Cotton was sleeping in the sun while his parrot circled the mast, calling out something about cannons every so often. Jack couldn't see anyone else but didn't linger his thoughts on it for too long, the majority of the crew would still be in Tortuga and there was a good possibility a number of them were the sleeping drunks in the streets. Walking over to the helm he stood there for a moment stopping to admire his ship, wondering how he really lived without it for ten years. Trying to shake it off, the memories continued to bother Jack as he made his way to his cabin, where he hoped to find some rum and drown them out.

Louise meanwhile was trying to convince Ana to try on a dress and Ana was trying to convince Louise not to buy a dress.

"Come on, when was the last time you wore one?" Ana stopped arguing momentarily, she really couldn't remember. "See, just try it on" Louise pressed.

"No, no and no" Ana was stubbornly refusing, she was not a lady, she was a pirate.

"Don't worry you won't suddenly get table manners when you put it on" she smirked as she said this, and Ana's face was a picture.

"Why are you so bothered about me trying one on anyway? and why are you buying one?" Ana put a harsh emphasis on buying, she couldn't bring herself to try it on let alone pay money for it.

"Because although I live in trousers, it's still nice to feel girly once in a while", obviously Ana didn't agree and Louise could see she was fighting a losing battle. "It'd be easier to get Gibbs in a dress" she commented before handing the money for her own dress over to the elderly seamstress.

Ana had to laugh, the image of Gibbs in a dress was enough to lift her mood, "I see him in blue".

"With lots of lace" Louise chimed, they walked out of the shop laughing between themselves and onto the slightly bustling street. They had already been in Tortuga for a few hours mainly because Ana was being cautious about bumping into Harold again. Louise had bought some boots, a better fitting shirt and now her dress, Ana had seen nothing worth buying that is until they were walking back through town towards the docks.

"Stop" she commanded, now moving towards a rickety looking wooden door. Louise looked around to see Ana practically skipping into a cobbled building. Following Ana she found herself in standing in a blacksmiths, she noticed familiar equipment to the blacksmiths in Port Royal, as she remembered from the film, but everything seemed a little less organsied and there were less swords adorning the walls. Ana was admiring some of the finer looking blades when a gruff man made himself visible from the shadows.

"What can I do ye for?" he asked her, while wiping his hands on a cloth.

"After a new cutlass" she answered without taking her eyes off the more impressive weapons.

"Aye" he proceeded to take her order as Louise looked at the blades as Ana had done, except she didn't have the full appreciation Ana had. After a few minutes of discussion with the blacksmith they both left, and with less money each they continued to the docks.

Eventually finding herself back in her Louise tried on her boots again but quickly removed them taking out the dress she had bought. Louise had never been a girls girl, she didn't wear mini skirts, she didn't have a million pink handbags, she wasn't that kind of girl. However on the rare occasion she liked to feel like a girl and this dress did just that. It was a basic cut, simple, and not covered in lace, in a pale pink that delicately accented her quickly tanning skin. Louise admired her hourglass figure in the dress and twirled around like a 5 year old playing dress up. Collapsing on her bed she sighed, thinking back to last time she wore a dress, her 18th birthday. Again she thought back to her friends, her life back home. She had settled fairly well into life here, but would it ever replace life back home? She shooed away the thoughts but they didn't disappear completely, just subdued themselves. Louise quickly changed back into her shirt and trousers, and proceeded to the galley where she prepared dinner for those still onboard.

Jack was as usual in a tavern by nightfall, and so missed Louise's dinner. It was tonight though when he was approached by a stranger, who unknown to Jack had been watching him since they docked. This short but stocky man looked aged beyond his years and as he sat down he received no reaction from Jack, who just continued to drink.

"Captain Jack Sparrow?" his coarse voice was dull, again giving the impression of someone who once had a better life, now he gave off the persona of a wild eyed drunk.

"Aye" Jack muttered from under his tipped hat, still indifferent to his presence.

"Got a proposition for you captain, ever heard of Howell Davis?"

--Authors Notes--

Hey.

My hardest chapter to write so far, had a bit of writers block when beginning this one and re-wrote it countless times. But I'm hoping it's ok :S Thanks to my reviewers, yes I know the potential Danny/Louise action was 'interesting' it was as much a surprise to me as I wrote it, so you'll have to see where that goes and how it effects Jack/Louise. (I know there wasn't much Jack/Louise action this chapter or the last but like I told some of you, slow and steady). Oh yeah also thanks to those who added the story to either alerts or fav's, much appreciated.

But other than that hope you enjoyed and I am going to try to get some more done tomorrow, but it's more likely to be Monday so don't hold me to it. As usual please R&R, or PM me, I like hearing your thoughts.