A/N: Okay, not as many responses as I had wanted, but to Terra21, xthexstarlettex and agent scandalous: thank you. I'll continue for you. If anyone can figure out my random movie quote in the middle of this story, you get an invisible cookie. And I'll let everyone know the answer in the author's note in chapter 4. Please read and review. I so much appreciate it. I live for reviews.

thomthom

New Beginnings: Chapter 3

The crew of the Rum was given one last chance to stretch their legs in Tortuga before they headed north. While everyone was getting drunk and carousing with the questionable company on the island, Dani was trying to locate somewhere to get fabric and yarn. She didn't really want to have to take a sheep onboard and spin the wool into yarn. And then she'd have to locate a spinning wheel, because Jack wouldn't have one. Dani had sheared sheep before and she would rather not talk about that. And the last thing they needed on the ship was something else that smelled. After all, pirates weren't the most hygienic group of people to travel with.

Dani had intended to make Jack the new coat, but he had refused to make himself available for fittings. He didn't like her measuring him and he kept complaining that she was sticking him with her pins. All lies to get away from the uncomfortable situation. He liked his old coat anyway. And he really didn't like Dani "waiting" on him. So she left him drinking with the crew.

So Dani left the whole group of them at the Broken Bucket. It was slightly more upscale that the Green Man, but only just.

She strolled down the cobbled street, her boots clicking, checking through the lead glass windows as she went. She wished she could sing, so she wouldn't be so lonely and the street wouldn't be so quiet, but Dani trudged on anyway. Dani wondered what Will did with the fabric she had. Some were very expensive, silks from China, but that didn't matter now.

Dani spotted a filthy-looking shop. That was surrounded by other filthy-looking shops. But this one was the one Dani needed. No apartments around and no candles burning back in the shop. She tried the handle. No luck. She shoved with her shoulder.

"Ow," she rubbed her shoulder.

"Need some help, love?" Jack said as he appeared out of the shadows.

She jumped. Jack very much surprised her.

"How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough to watch you hurt yourself."

"Thanks."

"What were you doing out here all by your onesies anyway?" He asked as he pressed his ear to the door and knocked up and down the right panel of the door.

"I need fabric and yarn."

"Why do you insist on working?"

"I've been conditioned into it. You used to do it, too."

"The East India Trading Company branded it out of me," he said, before hitting the door at the absolutely correct spot. The door swung open, leaving the contents as their future bounty.

Jack helped Dani by carrying several dozen bushels of fabric. Dani led the way while carrying a small basket of yarn and some new knitting needles. They took their plunder, not Jack's favorite, back to the Rum.

They piled it high on Jack's desk. Jack hadn't gotten a good look at them since Dani tossed it at him, so he rifled through the stack now. He pulled out a deep red fabric and unfolded it. Dani set her basket down and approached him. He wrapped it around her.

"You look…royal," he told her.

"Should I take that as a compliment or be offended?"

"Only meant as a compliment, love."

"Well, stop fooling around. I'm going to bed."

Jack folded the fabric haphazardly and threw it back on the pile. He still had no idea why he let her tell him what to do.

Jack watched her undress. It was one of those simple pleasures in his life. Even though they had been apart for thirteen years, he knew every curve of her body. She turned around to see the grin on Jack's face.

"Why do you always watch me undress?"

"It's the best part."

"The best part?"

"Well, it's in the top two."

Dani was standing in her underclothes. She walked to Jack and put her arms around him.

Jack felt awkward again. He kissed the top of her head and took her hands.

"What's wrong?" Dani asked him. She was sort of hurt, but she had also expected the reaction.

"Nothing. I just don't want you to get cold." He turned and grabbed her robe. "Can't have you getting' a cold, now can we?"

Jack loved Dani. He had told her that. But they hadn't spoke of it in a year. He knew his next action would be marrying her. But these times alone were not weird for him. Jack could tell his actions were bothering her. He was going to have to get his act together.

She took the ornate silk robe from him, but put it over the bedpost. It was a gift from him a long time ago and it was one of the very few things Dani took with her when she left the Pearl. She decided to climb into their bed. Their bed. Many a night they had fallen asleep because they had exhausted one another. Dani knew how Jack felt for her, he didn't need to say anything. But if he decided he didn't want to be with her anymore, she'd prefer to know sooner rather than later.

"Good night, Jack," she said to him while he had begun to undress.

"Good night, Danielle," he smiled before he blew out the lantern and joined her in bed.

The next morning, Jack and Dani waited for the crew at the docks. One by one, everyone returned. And most were still drunk from last night.

Gibbs wandered up to Jack and handed him something on parchment.

"What is this?" Jack asked, noticing that it was a tad on the soggy side and held it with two fingers.

"Some boy gave it to me after he asked if I sailed with you."

"Who gave it to him?"

"Some man on a fishing boat."

Jack took a second to read the message. "And who gave it to him?"

"Jack, I have no idea," Gibbs slurred. He walked towards the ship.

Jack turned to Dani and found she had gone. He was nervous for a second, but spotted her petting a kitten. Jack did not like animals and Dani was now carrying the thing towards him.

Dani was making that face again. It makes Jack melt. He knew she wanted to keep it. What would they do with a cat? They would have to feed it and clean up after it. He tucked the note into the inside pocket of his coat and faced her.

"Jack…" she batted her eyelashes.

"No."

"Please, Jack? She's all alone. When I was all alone, you brought me onboard."

"But Dani, we can't have something on the ship that tiny. She'll get squashed. And I hate cats."

She had the cat in Jack's face. It mewed at him at first, and then hissed.

"And cats to not like me."

"You just made her mad. You insulted her. No one could hate you," she cooed at the tiny animal. It snuggled into the crook of her arm and purred.

"Fine, but you are responsible at all times for it." She smiled and stepped towards the gangplank to board the ship. "And for the record," Jack continued when she was out of earshot, "I didn't bring you onboard because you were alone. I brought you because you were an attractive woman with a map." He started towards the ship himself and removed the note once again from his pocket and re-read it.

"Gibbs! We need to be heading to New Orleans."