.:.Disclaimer.:. As much fun as it would be to own any part of Pirate of the Caribbean, the elusive exectives at Disney won't let me have them. Although I can stake claims to anything that comes out of my little mind. Enjoy.

A pianist played the finale from Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 from the corner of the brightly lit ballroom, women with the dignity and grace of swans flowed through the hands of their handsome partners. Laughter coursed around the room as a young gentleman, having not perfected the dance, stumbles slightly, similar to a new born foal taking its first hesitant steps.

Alexzandria, or Ali as she wished to be called by people close to her, stood next to her father, respectfully denying as many of these supposedly delightful dances as she could. Many said she was the mirror image of her mother Lana, which she knew too be true seeing as she did not get her dark complexion from her father. No, Alexzandria with her striking waist length bistre colored hair, her gold flecked brown eyes, and her naturally tan skin, she was definitely her mother's daughter. In fact, the only thing she seemed to have inherited from her father was her stubborn attitude and her strong urge to be out at sea.

Looking around she noticed the man who was to be announced as her fiancé, Lord Thomas Bray. Sighing, she found herself wishing that she had been born a pauper, for the only reason that he wished to marry her, was for her families money, and for the challenge of marrying her, for it was wide known that Ali had never accepted any of her many would be suitors and now was his chance to gain the prize.

"Lord Bray, it is a pleasure to see you again," announced Robert, Ali's father.

"Yes, well when I heard you were to have this dance in honor of your daughter's birth, I decided it was time to make another appearance," responded Thomas while seemingly staring a hole into Alexzandria.

Before her father had a chance to exclaim how delightful it was that he cared enough about her to return, Ali cut in, "I insure you Lord Bray, that was entirely unnecessary, for I have had many birthdays, and plenty of them have gone by without your notice."

"Alexz…" Her father began, before Thomas interrupted him.

"Well, that was before I had the honor of meeting and becoming engaged to you my lady," retorted Thomas, looking smug, for he thought he had come out victorious in this small battle of words.

Alexzandria despised the look that spread across Thomas's face and decided then and there that he would never win when it came to anything involving herself. "If what you say it the truth and it is such an honor to meet me, then wouldn't you have met me before a year ago?"

Realizing he was not going to win, he bowed at the waist, "Forgive me Ali, I did not mean to upset you."

"It's Alexzandria to you," she mumbled before her father got the chance to speak. Both men pretended not to hear her barb towards Thomas.

"There is no need for you to be apologizing Lord Bray," informed Robert, disappointed once again in his daughters actions towards her fiancé, "In fact, think it would be wise for Alexzandria to be asking your forgiveness for her brass words."

Alexzandria glared in the direction of her father, if he thought she was going to apologize to this pompous jerk, than he was sadly mistaken.

Thomas, wanting to remain on the semi good side of her, jumped into say, "That will not be necessary, we were just having a bit of fun you could say. I see someone I must speak to, please excuse me." With that Thomas took his leave to go talk to someone else high toned and fancy.

"Alexzandria," started her father, using her whole first name to make sure she knew she was in trouble, "he is the finest man who has come here in search of your hand in marriage and yet you are still hostile to him."

"I am not looking for a man who is rich or has the right connections father," sighed Alexzandria, "I just want a man who I love, is that so much to ask for?"

"For God's sake Ali, you are engaged to him, it will be announced to all of these people tonight," exclaimed Robert.

"I hardly think this is a conversation appropriate for this time and place," reprimanded Lana, Alexzandria's mother as she walked up in all her splendor. "Anyways, I have two gentlemen I would like you to meet," pointing at two men standing slightly behind her conversing in soft yet urgent voices.

"Must I?"

"Yes Alexzandria, you must."

Mumbling something about not caring, Alexzandria put on a fake smile to meet two more people whom she did not care a lick about. Looking them over she noticed that neither were found wanting in looks.

One gentleman's hair was tucked in a hat, how he managed to talk Mathew into letting him keep in on, she couldn't guess. He had a darker tone to his skin and slightly kohl rimmed eyes. He had an almost drunken appearance to him, seeing as he could not seem to stand upright without slightly swaying. There was something about him that made her think she was missing something.

She let her gaze turn towards the other, not as mysterious seeming as the former man, but there was something that caught her attention when looking into the deep depths of his brown eyes. His shoulder length hair was tied back with a strip of black satin ribbon, and his black and white attire seemed to suit him well.

Of course, a tiger does not change its stripes in a mere moment, so Alexzandria was still distrustful of basically all men.

"Alexzandria, this is Jack Swallow," Lana announced, pointing to the first man, "and this is William Brown."

Both men bowed to Alexzandria as her mother introduced her to them. Knowing that she was expected to say something Alexzandria began to snap out of her assessments of the men.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," informed Alexzandria, holding her hand out for the customary greeting, upon Mr. Swallow taking her hand she thought she saw something on his arm, but brushed it off, thinking she had just mistaken it. "What by chance is it that you two do for a living?"

"Captains of Merchant ships."

"Lieutenants in the Royal Navy"

That's very interesting Ali thought as she saw the glances pass between the two men. By this time, lucky for them, her parents had become engrossed into yet a conversation with Lord Bray, most likely talking when they could expect grandchildren.

Apparently they had figured out what they wanted to say for Will addressed her, "What we mean is we used to be Captains of merchant ships, but now we have became Lieutenants."

"Oh really now," Ali replied skeptically. She didn't believe them at all, but it didn't mean she wouldn't play along.

"You heard what the whelp, I mean the boy said," Jack blurted out.

Smiling at his slip up and at Will's slight blush, Ali nodded to them and took a sip of her champagne, looking around the ballroom.

She watched out of the corners of her eyes as Will hit Jack in the arm and whispered urgently in his ear about what she couldn't guess.

Will could not believe they hadn't thought of a cover story and he could tell by the sound of her voice that she didn't accept the answer for the truth. He was so absorbed in his thoughts about how badly this was all going, just for some key Jack thought he needed that it took him a minute to realize that Jack and Alexzandria were talking again.

"So, other than your birth, what's the reason for this lil' shindig?" He heard Jack asking her.

"My parents are bound and determined to make me into a proper lady who enjoys these types of gatherings," Ali divulged, for some reason deciding to leave out the part about her marriage announcement.

"Everyone 'ere is just a tad too up tight for me tastes," Jack slurred out, unconsciously sliding back into his normal talking habits.

Both Will and Ali noticed this and as Ali was opening her mouth to speak Will slid in, "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" He asked as Four Seasons Winter, Vivaldi began being played by the orchestra in the corner of the ballroom.

Ali looked at him for a moment before nodding her agreement. Slightly picking up the bottom of her red and gold ball gown, silently cursing all of the petticoats and lace that she was forced to wear, and ignoring the look her fiancé gave her; Ali took Will's proffered arm and stepped out onto the ballroom floor.

Taking the normal dancing positions and following along with the music, Ali decided that it was time for some answers to her burning questions.

"So where do you and Mr. Swallow hail from?" Ali asked with curiosity.

"The Caribbean, well, in all actuality I was born in England but made the passage over to the Caribbean when I was younger," Will reply, not seeing the harm in telling her.

"Oh, so where was Mr. Swallow born?"

Will appeared to think for a minute before chuckling softly, "You know, I have no idea, I will have to remember to ask him."

They went a minute before Ali spoke up again, "How do you know my father Mr. Brown?" Ali inquired, while the dance was going by without much thought.

"I…well…" stuttered Will, "It's really Jack who knows him so you would have to ask him, hoping that she would in fact forget about her question and if she did happen to remember that Jack would be able to make up a better story than him.

The song wound down and Will slowly let go of her, oddly missing her warmth; after a second he bowed to her and she slightly curtsied to him.

"Thank you for the pleasure of dancing with you Miss Jones," Will conveyed to her.

"No, the pleasure was all mine Mr. Turner," Ali replied while turning to walk back over to her parents and fiancé.

.:.Wait…Mr. Turner? She knows who he is? How did she figure it out? What about Jack? His response and other things in the next chapter. Please review, constructive criticism more than welcome.

I would like to thank M.J.L.S who has already reviewed! Thanks again!

-Azrael