Disclaimer: POTC is uber spiffy!

Jack stirred gently in his sleep, and opened his eyes. He found himself smiling. Squirrel's little treasure stash, high up in the branches. That was almost an adventure in itself. What that was girl thinking when she dashed up that tree is anyone's guess, but Jack remembers the way his heart leapt to his mouth…

… The rotting rafters tumbling down in flakes of wood and dead leaves, and the grey-cloaked girl, high above him, scampering through to the heart of the 'attic', searching for her father's parting gift to her...

Jack smiled again, and closed his eyes. Squirrel was special, there was no doubt about that. He knew it from the start. All those years ago, sitting in Tortuga, telling anyone who would listen of his latest adventures, he could sense a pair of hidden eyes watching him. Always watching him. Jack sighed, then drifted back into a dream-filled sleep once again.

And, as was the case nowadays, he dreamed only of her.

Squirrel squints in the afternoon sunlight, holding onto the rigging with one hand. The rest of her body seems suspended out in space, as she leans as far forward as she can in order to see the ship better.

"I owe you two, Sharky." She whispers. Once for getting me out of Tortuga, and once for letting me know what happened to Jack.

"Here be monsters." Mister Cotton's parrot hangs on the rigging by her head. "Reefs abound, reefs abound." Squirrel nods shortly. She's been part of the crew long enough to know the basic meanings of the bird's phrases. It's risky. Proceed with care.

"I will." She assures the bird. "I will." Squirrel jumps, grabbing a loose rope with her free hand and swinging down to deck level.

Ana glares over the helm as Gibbs squints through a telescope. "They're slowing down." He announces, confused. "Raising a flag of truce."

"To hell with truce!" Ana barks. "I say open fire!"

"No." Squirrel scowls, and, if it's possible, her expression is even darker than Anamaria's. "We don't have any choice. Jack's on board that ship. We can't attack them." She drops her hood over her face. "I'm going over there. Who's coming with me?"

For a moment, the crew are silent, then Ana steps forward. "I'll come." She sets her jaw. "I know who we're dealing with, so there'll be no surprises with me there."

"Anyone else?" Squirrel turns to face the crew, trying not to show her surprise. Ana knows the captain of this ship? And she didn't say anything? No-one else steps forward, but their faces are full of admiration for the bravery of the two women.

"We'll be here, preparing the guns." Gibbs nods, a grin on his face. "Once ye're off the ship, give us a signal, and we'll open fire on them. If'n you want us to, that is."

Squirrel grins back from under the shadow of her hood. Ana fixes her hair and puts her sou'wester firmly on her head.

"Let's go get Jack back."

Barnaby lowers his telescope. "They're sending a boat over, Captain."

"Good." Ella leans on the railing, her braids swinging in the breeze. Barnaby hands her the telescope.

"Well, well, well." Ella chuckles. "Anamaria. So that's what you've been doing with your time." The female pirate frowns. "And who's this?" She lowers the telescope, looking thoughtful. "A grey cloak. Interesting." She raises the telescope to her eye again and watches as the rowboat comes closer. Then she focuses on the Black Pearl.

"They've got their cannons on us." Ella says. She laughs. "They've very protective of their captain, aren't they, Barnaby?"

"Aye, captain." Barnaby says, nervously. "Should we ready our own guns?"

"I wonder." Ella lowers the telescope. "Would you come sailing after me if I was kidnapped?"

Barnaby squirms slightly. "We'd follow your orders, ma'am. Stick to the Code." Ella fixes her First Mate with a steely glare, then looks back out at sea. Barnaby tries again. "Sorry. Captain, not ma'am. Captain. But we would stick to the Code… Captain."

"Help them aboard." Ella says absently. "I'll go wake Little Boy Black and Blue."

Barnaby tries not to snicker. "Aye, Captain Ella."

A/N: I take complete and utter responsibility for Captain Ella. Squirrel too.