Disclaimer: Love and rum and cookies and limes for everyone! Limes are to treat the scurvy, don't ye know.

Squirrel tosses in her sleep.

Jack sits behind the black-wood table, his feet resting on it. His pose is relaxed, casual, but he's staring out of the window, one hand on his chin, thoughtful. His hat is on the table, next to the bowl of green apples.

Squirrel opens the door slightly, her face mournful. She bites her lip. "Jack?" She asks hesitantly. Jack looks over at her, the distant, slightly disapproving look still on his face. Squirrel lowers her eyes. "Jack? Can I come in?"

Jack says nothing, only nods, then turns his gaze back out the window. Squirrel slides into the room quietly, feeling the… the guilt? …the guilt building a red flush on her face. She shuts the door slowly, quietly behind her, then comes as close to Jack as she dares.

She's felt this way before. Rose Grey sent the young Squirrel to Daniel's study. 'Go see your father, you naughty girl, he'll straighten you out'. I didn't mean it, mama. I'm sorry…

How did I do anything wrong? Jack? I didn't want you to get hurt… I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I'm sorry I got the crew to lie to you, really I am, but I had to save you. I had to. I love you too much to let you get hurt. I told you that much…

I promise I will never ever EVER let you be hurt like that ever again. I'd do anything, absolutely anything for you, Squirrel, even if it meant hurting me.

You mean that?

Of course I do… And I always will…

And that's why I had to do this, Jack. That's why I have to do this.

Squirrel sits up, panting, feeling slightly sick. I need some fresh air. She rises unsteadily to her feet, trying to shake off the memory of last night's dream. But still, like most dreams that she has, it choses to linger.

She staggers out of the 'guest room', coming above deck, trying to breathe the now-familiar salt air, trying not to throw up. After a few steadying breaths, Squirrel slowly opens her eyes.

The cruel framework stands in front of her, crouching in wait like a wild tiger, mocking her, laughing cruelly at her. Squirrel sees the blood-spatter on the leather ties and the wooden frame. She sees the cat o' nine tails, the Captain's Daughter, lying at the foot of the frame. Waiting for her. Stained a darker shade of red.

Squirrel stares. And as she watches, she can see Jack again. Jack, tied to the frame, the cords of the cat ripping across his back, tearing into the skin, exposing bones and organs. She can hear his cries of pain, see him grit his teeth and tense for the next blow, smell the blood over the salt-laden sea air.

Squirrel turns, dashing past Ella, and leans over the side of the Slaver and throws up.

Squirrel feels a hand lift her hair clear of her face, and another hand rub the small of her back. "Take it easy, girl. Take deep breaths. Breathe."

Squirrel tries to take Ella's advice, but her thoughts are drawn once again to the wooden triangle behind her. Squirrel retches again. And again.

Ella's voice is sincere. "I'm sorry, Miss Grey. I'm so sorry." There's a pause. "Are you alright now?"

Squirrel doesn't seem to have heard a word Ella said. "I don't… Why am I… I can't do this… I'm sorry Jack… I can't…" She sobs slightly, and mumbles to herself. "You were right…Dawn…"

Ella helps Squirrel down from the railing. Her face is creased with concern. "Easy, Squirrel. Breathe. I'll have the crew make something to settle your stomach." Ella steadies Squirrel, and leads the grey-cloaked girl to the Captain's quarters. "Breathe, Miss Grey. Breathe."

Squirrel sips her tea, steadying the teacup with shaking hands. The hot water is sweet in a strangely familiar way.

"No sugar aboard." Ella says wryly, tossing back her own drink. "Hope you like rum." Ella face twists in a strange way for a few seconds, then resumes its usual grinning expression. "Or do you hate it?"

"No." Squirrel takes a few deep breaths. "No, I… I like it." She finishes her tea, then gives a long, drawn-out sigh.

Ella watches Squirrel silently for a few moments, as though looking not only at Squirrel's outward appearance, but also at what lay inside her. Squirrel's thoughts are elsewhere, so she does not notice Ella's silent inspection. Absently, Squirrel begins flipping her amulet between her fingers.

"That's an interesting trinket." Ella says, smiling her secret smug smile. "Did it come with the bullet?"

Squirrel slowly wakes from her daydream. She meets Ella's eyes with a soft smile. "This thing?" Squirrel smiles a little wider, a little mockingly. "Just a gift from my father."

"So that's the key you were taking about." Ella nods, then shakes her head, incredulous. "So you really did stop a bullet for Captain Jack Sparrow. Amazing."

"Actions speaking louder than words, Captain Ella." Squirrel says gently.

"Was that a present from your father too?" Ella says, pointing to Squirrel's hand.

"No," Squirrel says, smiling fondly, looking down at her ring. "This one's from Jack." She looks up at Ella. "I told you a bit of that story before."

"About Jack proposing, and you singing?" Ella grins back. "But let me guess: there's more to this story… You wanted a priest to marry you, because you wanted your wedding a little bit like Lady Elizabeth's?"

Squirrel laughs. "Of course."

"Hurry up already!"

The priest stutters, and tries to regain his composure. He tries to forget that there is a pistol aimed at his head, and a ship full of pirates behind him, yelling and whistling. He tries, instead, to focus on the fact the girl in front of him is turning a pleasant shade of pink, like the roses he keeps in his garden.

"Listen, mate." The pirate with the three cornered hat and gold-toothed grin… well, grins at him. "We haven't got all day, what with the redcoats after us and everything…"

"Jack!" The girl giggles.

"So if you just hurry up, we'll leave you in peace, savvy?"

The priest stammers and stares. The pirate in front of him sighs, and loads the pistol.

"Listen, mate, we can do this now, or we could take you aboard the Pearl and let ye walk home. So what's it going to be?"

"BythepowervestedinmeInowpronounceyou man and wife." The priest breathes. The pirate lowers his pistol, still grinning.

The girl blinks at the priest. "You're not finished yet." She frowns slightly. "There's more to it." The pirate meets the priest's eyes, shrugs, then raises the pistol again.

"Youmaynowkissthebride!" The priest looks out at the docks, at the platoon of guards rapidly approaching.

"About time." The pirate grins, and in one fluid moment, slips the pistol into his belt and pulls the girl into a passionate kiss.

"Over here!" The priest waves and shouts at the approaching guards. "Help me!"

"Belay that!" The pirate breaks away from his kiss with the girl to growl good naturedly at the terrified priest. "We're going now, don't worry!" The girl, giggling and blushing a bright crimson, is swept off her feet, and the pirate carries her in his arms, running to the ship.

I'm going to go back home, the priest thinks, sitting down heavily on a wooden crate. I'm going to go home and pretend I was not just kidnapped by a pirate and forced to marry him and a girl who barely looks out of her teens. I'm going to forget this ever happened.

But the priest can't help but look over his shoulder at the ship with black sails one last time. And he can't help but hear the three cheers from all the pirates aboard.

Squirrel smiles, wider now, and rubs the silver band around her finger fondly. Ella's eyes are huge, as though she has trouble taking in what she just heard.

"Captain… Jack… Sparrow…" The female pirate stares. "You and he… married?"

Squirrel blushes. "In an unorthodox way, but y-yes."

Ella clears her throat and blinks several times before being able to smile again. "Well. Ah. Hmm. That's… interesting. And somewhat… Unexpected."

Squirrel smiles again, somewhat fainter than before. She's letting her thoughts drift. Ella rifles through her charts and tries not to grin. She fails, and laughs softly under her breath.

"Well, well, well." Ella shakes her head, grinning. "Captain Jack Sparrow." She looks up, a curious look on her face. "But you still answer to Miss Grey?"

Squirrel nods, still smiling. "'Squirrel Sparrow' seems slightly r-redundant, don't you think?"

Ella throws back her head and laughs. Squirrel joins in.

"Ah, me." Ella giggles. "Never thought I'd see that day that Captain Sparrow settled down."

"He's not settling down." Squirrel says, grin widening. "He's still a pirate."

Ella nods, but her smile fades a little. "You don't have to go through with this. In fact, I'm willing to call off the rest of the punishment." She looks at Squirrel, assessing her, face calm and blank. "Consider the final fifteen lashes void. Those stories were quite entertaining, Squirrel. Worth fifteen lashes any day."

Squirrel shakes her head. "No need to worry about me, Captain." She says firmly. "I can do this. I have to. I gave my word. To break it would be a breech of the Code."

Ella sighs. To say 'the Code is more like guidelines' would sound childish. "I'm not just worried about you, Miss Gr… Squirrel." Ella's face is once again concerned.

Squirrel blinks, slightly confused. "Then who else is there to worry about, Captain?"

Ella stares, surprised. She doesn't know? She rifles with her maps, feigning nonchalance, hurrying to make a decent sounding excuse. "Well, my men have this superstition that a woman's blood brings bad luck. This means that whoever I order to flog you will be tossed overboard as a Jonah."

Squirrel blinks slowly. She's been reading games long enough to tell when someone's bluffing. Ella shrugs, grinning again. "Ah, well, it was worth a try."

Squirrel looks at the charts. "What are these?"

"Maps." Ella says, somewhat proudly. "Our course for the future, all planned out." Squirrel picks up one and examines it. Ella points to a large expanse of water. "See that? Pacific Ocean. Largest body of water there is. Hundreds of islands, plenty of places to hide." Ella beams. "Perfect."

"For what?" Squirrel asks.

Ella's beaming face fades a little. "For us. Me for and my crew." She shakes her head. "It's not safe for pirates in the Caribbean anymore. Our time's drawing to a close. But here…" Ella pokes the map with a finger. "Here they have pirate queens! Queens!" Ella grins. "Women pirates, feared, respected, given their dues… It's perfect." Ella sighs, lost in a daydream. "As soon as we're stocked and ready, we're heading to the East Indies. Sayin' goodbye to the old haunts, to the over-hunted Caribbean, and hello to the greener pastures of Asia!"

Squirrel looks carefully at Ella's eager face. She's like a little kid… right now, anyway. Squirrel smiles, then takes a deep breath.

"Well, I won't waste any more of your time then." She says, trying to keep a smile on her face.

Ella looks over, grin fading. "I beg your pardon?"

"I'll take the lashes, Ella." Squirrel says, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice. "I'll take all fifteen." Before Ella can say anything, Squirrel's eyes grow steel-hard. "This is the last time, I swear. The last time I try and prove myself. Please, Ella." Squirrel says, almost pleadingly. "Just do this."

Ella looks carefully at Squirrel's face, then sighs. "Alright, Squirrel. If you're so set on takin' Jack's lashes, then so be it." Ella rises to her feet. "Just let me give you some pieces of fashion advice before you go out there…"

A/N: I actually planned to have the wedding scene in Squirrel 2. Alas, it was cut. Luckily, there was a place for it in the Shortshots. A lot of things I wanted in Squirrel 1 and 2 were cut out - and placed here. The character of Captain Ella just wandered in one day… and commandeered the whole story. Frankly, I think I'll let her stay.