Disclaimer: Sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip…

Disclaimer to the disclaimer: No, I don't own Gilligan's Island either.

Squirrel shudders, trying to get her tears under control. Ella paces back and forth, still smiling her strange self-assured smile. She waves away the two crewmembers, who shut the door behind them.

"I still don't understand what it is you want, Miss Grey." The female pirate tugs on one of her long red braids. "Captain Sparrow's taken this kind of beating before… and worse, I've heard. And there is only fifteen lashes left to go." Ella turns to face Squirrel, a sly-intrigued look on her face. "What is it you think you can bargain with?"

"His life." Squirrel says, tersely. "It's n-not the first time I've done so, and I intend to w-win again."

"Ah." Ella nods, then sits down opposite the grey-cloaked girl. "But why would you do that?"

Squirrel swallows, and fights to keep her cool. "Because I love him."

Ella raises an eyebrow. "Really?" She tilts her head, thoughtful. "Fascinating."

Squirrel glares silently, resisting the temptation to reach up and spin her amulet between her fingers, pull on her hair, or twist her cloak between her hands. These three things are her habits when she is nervous or unsure. Ella leans back in her chair, but continues to watch Squirrel.

"Well, you can't gamble his life this time, Miss Grey. Sparrow volunteered to be lashed, and I agreed to it, and between us we negotiated the number of lashes." The female captain shrugs, her palms up. "I just don't see how you can 'parley' your way to saving him this time, Miss Grey." She narrows her eyes, as though a thought had just struck her. "Unless you already have thought of a way?"

Squirrel lets her eyes wander around the cabin. Ella's quarters are plain, decorated only with a few shells, carved pieces of wood, and a few small paintings hanging on the far wall. "I have." Squirrel says softly, unable to meet Ella's grinning gaze. "I have something to parley."

"Really?" Ella leans forward. "Well, let's hear it."

Squirrel takes a deep breath, then meets Ella's eyes. "I'll take his place. I'll take the punishment for him."

Ella throws back her head and laughs so suddenly Squirrel jumps.

"Miss Grey!" Ella laughs. "You are, I must say, full of surprises." She giggles, then calms herself. "But seriously… You would take fifteen scratches from the cat… just because you love him?"

Squirrel meets Ella's incredulous gaze evenly. "I would."

Ella sighs, still smiling, and shakes her head. "You'll have to give me a few more reasons than just that, Miss Grey, because, frankly, I don't believe you." Ella smiles warmly. "I've met many girls who've all told me they love Sparrow, so I have to say, I count you among them. So…" The female captain sits straighter in her chair. "Is there any other reason you think could convince me to let you take his place?"

Squirrel looks down, biting her lip. After a moment, she looks up again. "Number one," Squirrel says, with a smile of her own, "It would be a chance to have some decent female companionship. I doubt you get much conversation from your crewmen."

Ella inclines her head with a grin. "True. But you'll have to try harder than that."

Squirrel nods. "Number two… I want to know what happened between you and Ana."

Ella's smile vanishes. "Not an option, Miss Grey." Squirrel is struck by how cold the red-headed woman's face suddenly looks.

"And number three," Squirrel hazards, "I can sing?"

"You can sing?" Ella raises an eyebrow. "This could go on for hours, Miss Grey." She sighs, then smiles. "I tell you what: I'll let you stay, if only to hear some stories about your adventures with Captain Jack Sparrow." Ella grins and sticks out her hand. "Do we have an accord?"

Squirrel shakes the female pirate's hand after a moment's hesitation. "Deal." She pauses. "But why do you want to hear…"

"Never mind that right now." Ella waves a hand, and goes to her cabin door. She looks back at Squirrel, her smile fading slowly. "I just have one question, Miss Grey. Are you serious about staying?"

Squirrel smiles slightly. "I have a reputation to uphold, Captain Ella."

Ella shakes her head, amused and puzzled, then goes above decks, shutting the door behind her.

Ana looks up, hearing someone approach. She looks down quickly again.

"How is he?" A cheery voice asks.

Ana scowls. "He could be better. No thanks to you."

Ella shakes her head. "Anamaria, this has been going on for far too long. Isn't it time for old wounds to heal?"

"Go to hell."

Ella grabs Ana by the collar of her blouse and hisses at her, the smiling mask falling away to reveal the dangerous woman beneath. "Listen up, bitch, because I'm only going to say this once. Ever since I saved your life, I've BEEN in hell." Ella releases Ana and steps back, forcing a smile.

"Y'see," she explains, "My father's never been the forgivin' type of bloke. You know that." Ella's forced smile dissipates into a scowl. "You may think you had it lucky, only having to kill a handful of guards to get away. But if it wasn't for me, there would've been a lot more than just those drunken three. You and the rest of those slaves wouldn't've stood a chance getting off our island without some help from the people that ran it." Ella smiles unpleasantly at Ana. "You still have the scars, I imagine, from the cane fields?"

Ana nods, reliving unpleasant memories.

"Well," Ella says, bitterly, "So do I." She shrugs. "Like I said, my father's not the most forgiving of men." Ella smiles again, this time without any trace of venom in her smile. "How's the Jolly Mon?"

"Jack stole it and sank it." Ana says. She looks down. "Ella, I'm sorry, I had no idea…"

"No." Ella says shortly. "No-one was meant to know." Ella shakes off the past with a sigh and smiles once more. "So, in regards to Captain Sparrow… How is he?"

"He's alright." Ana says softly, with new respect for her old friend. "He'll live."

"Then take him back to the Pearl and see to it that he gets well soon." Ella grins. "He's done his time on the Slaver."

Ana narrows her eyes suspiciously, out of habit. "You're letting him go? That's not like you, Ella."

Ella shrugs, still smiling. "She said parley, so we parleyed." Ella smile turns secretive again. "She's a stubborn young thing, isn't she?"

"She'd do anything to protect Jack." Anamaria affirms with a nod and a faint smile. "And he'd do the same for her."

Ella's sly smile widens. "Really? Hmm. Fascinating."

Ana looks over at her old friend. "Why? What did she…?"

Ella smiles, pulled out of her thoughts. "Oh, she's staying."

"What!" Ana stares, almost bug-eyed. "But there's no way she can withstand the bite of the cat! She'll be killed!"

Ella shakes her head. "That all depends on the stories she tells, really."

Ana frowns. "Stories?"

Ella grins. "It's been a while since I've had intelligent female conversation. I don't see why you should be the only woman I talk to this year, Miss Maria."

Ana lowers her eyes. "But she's… she shouldn't…"

Ella places a hand on her old friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, Ana. Have some faith in your friend." Ella's smile grows distant. "Like I had in you."

Ana blinks back sudden tears. "Aye… Aye, I shouldn't… Shouldn't fret like this."

"That's the Anamaria I knew." Ella grins. "Now, get your Captain back to his ship, and tell him to meet us in Tortuga in a few days."

"Yes, ma'am." Ana says softly, and both women chuckle mirthlessly.

"You don't have to do this, you know." Ana says softly, watching as the crew lifts an unconscious Jack Sparrow into the lifeboat. "You could jump overboard just as we're leaving."

Squirrel shakes her head firmly. "Jack didn't run away, and n-neither will I."

Ana sighs, then places a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Then take care of yourself." Ana allows herself a wry grin. "As much as you can, anyway."

"I will." Squirrel smiles back. "Thankyou, Ana."

Anamaria snorts, and turns away. "I still think you're a fool, lass, for doing this."

"Whatever you think she is, Miss Maria," Ella saunters over to stand next to Squirrel, "She's a brave girl."

Ana raises and eyebrow and grins. "Don't call her 'girl', Ella. She hates that." Ana touches the brim of her sou-wester in an unofficial salute to Squirrel, then leaps over the side into the waiting lifeboat. A few moments later, Ana is on her way back to the Pearl.

Squirrel feels a lump in her throat. This is the first time I've been separated from the Pearl… From the crew - my family… She feels a hand on her shoulder, and turns to look into Ella's smiling face.

"Come below, Miss Grey." Ella beckons. "Let's hear some of those stories of yours."

A/N: That Ana and Ella stuff was all backstory I intended to write but never got around to it. I blame the government.