A/N: i really really love reviews, and even constructive criticism is okay. if im going to continue this story, i want to know that people are actually reading it. thanks

Chapter One

"How long does she expect to stay here?" David asked quietly.

"She's my sister, she can stay as long as she pleases." Sarah returned.

"She should live on the streets. That's what a pirate like her deserves." he replied, practically spitting the word pirate.

Ana Marie sat at the top of the stairs, listening to the conversation between her sister and her husband. She had only been here for a week and already they were pushing her out. It was to be expected. It came with the job description. Unfortunately, she now found herself quite poor and withno one to take her in. Because of course women bring bad luck to the ship. If only she hadn't jumped at that chance to get off the Black Pearl. And away from Captain Jack Sparrow.

Captain Sparrow.

She hadn't thought of him in quite a while, and the thought was dismissed as quickly as it came. She leaned against the wall and went back to listening to the conversation.

"I don't care what you say, I won't have a pirate living under my roof!" David exclaimed.

"Well, then maybe you picked the wrong town to be living in." Sarah pointed out. Ana Marie couldn't help but chuckle quietly. She did have a point. If you ask for a definition of Pirate, one answer would be Tortuga. As the argument grew, Ana no longer felt comfortable listening in. She went up to her room and sat in the window. It was a beautiful view, she understood why they picked this house to live in.

Straight out there was a cliff that dropped down to one of the many ports. But from the window, all she could see was the cliff and then the ocean, stretching out forever. The moon was a deep orange, almost red color, and the bottom was grazing the water.

"Bad luck for sailors." she found herself muttering. A cool breeze played with her dark hair and she tucked it behind her ear. She gave one last glance to the ocean and then got into bed, trying not to worry too much about her sister and her own lack of job.

.x.

The afternoon sunlight poured onto Ana Marie's face and she was more than a little surprised that she had slept in that late. She tied a bandana around her head and quickly rushed downstairs. Any sensible Captain doesn't try to find work at night. Sensible was definitely the keyword. She remembered Captain Jack's tactics and cringed.Thesensiblecaptainsall work during the day, so as to avoid drunks. It was hard enough to get a job as a woman, but if she was trying at the wrong time, absolutely no one would take her seriously.

She grabbed her hat on the way out the door, and walked quickly to the nearest pub. It was dark with only a few beams of light shining through the windows and door. Most of the chairs were up on their tables, but there were a few men sitting on barstools.

"Has anyone stopped in here looking for pirates?" she asked the bartender anxiously.

"Nope, not today little lass." the bartender told her. She plopped down on a barstool and stared at the bar glumly. "Want some rum to cheer yeh up?"

"No thanks. I want to be thinking clearly. I need to get a job before…" Ana Marie started, but decided there was no point in telling him her sob-story. "Never mind."

"Let me get this straight. A pretty girl like you is looking for a job as a pirate?" he asked.

"Yeah…well, I suppose any job would be nice, but I love the sea." she explained.

"Ah, well, I could get yeh a job here. Just for the time being. You meet some interesting characters working here." he gave a warm smile and a wink.

"What kind of job?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Nothing bad, now don't give me that look. I'm not try ta make yeh a whore. Just a job serving drinks and such at night. It gets pretty crazy and I only have one other girl working. T'would be quite helpful, if yer interested."

"Actually…I think I am. When do I start?" Ana Marie asked.

"How about tomorrow night, sound good? It's going ta be tough, seeing as how you'll be nocturnal more or less, but I think yeh can handle it." he smiled.

"Thanks so much for this. Oh, and before I forget…any pirates that need help onboard…tell them about me, please?"

"Will do. See yeh tomorrow night." he said, and went back to washing the bar and serving drinks. Ana Marie tipped her hat at him and rushed back to her sister's to tell her the good news.

.x.

"Well, everyone, Ana Marie has someamazing news!" Sarah announced at the dinner table. Everyone looked at Ana Marie expectantly.

"I've found a job." Ana Marie announced, beaming.

"A ship finally took you on? You get to pilfer and plunder and…and ravage and loot?" William, Sarah's thirteen year old son, asked.

"Not quite." Sarah laughed.

"I'm helping at a local pub. Just down the street. But I'm sure I'll meet enough pirates there." Ana Marie explained.

"Did you meet any today?" Anne asked. She was one of the twins. There was Anne and Maria; loosely named after Ana Marie herself.

"No, not today. But just you wait, I'll have stories to tell." she smiled.

.x.

Ana Marie had promised herself to stay awake all night, and not rest until the first beams of sunlight appeared over the horizon. She did everything she could to keep herself distracted. First she went to a few pubs hoping to see a familiar face, but to no avail. Afterwards she practiced her sword fighting. The night went by more quickly then she expected, and she happened to be taking a walk on the beach when the sun rose.

The beach was windy as usual and whipped her hair around her face. Pinks and oranges were slowly seeping into the deep blue sky. She looked out into the crashing ocean waves and realized how much she missed being out there.

Not that it mattered now. She had been on the Black Pearl. The best pirate ship of them all. The most feared, best captain, most stories…and the list continues. She had been part of the crew, and she gave it all up.

She sighed and went back up to the house, and glanced one last time at the ocean. Somehow taking this job at the pub felt like giving up her dream. She looked as far out into the horizon as she could, and felt a chill creep up her spine.

Something felt…wrong. She shook the feeling away as best she could, and went to sleep as soon as she hit the bed.