A/N: Here's chapter 6. I hope this is up to everyone's standards. I'm very sad though, that no one is posting reviews. This might just mark the end for Jack and Dani.

thomthom

New Beginnings: Chapter 6

The trip to New Orleans was smooth enough. Dani worked on her dresses, which she intended to sell and played with Hazel. Jack kept saying the cat was getting fat. He was extremely preoccupied with being angry at the animal. He took to sleeping with the crew some nights because it annoyed him that much. He was…ahem…jealous.

Jack was hoping they could slip in the town for a quick stay and then sail further north around the coast. Perhaps the royal fleet wouldn't look for them in the Americas. Nevertheless, Jack was anxious about going to New Orleans; he had never been there before.

The crew was uncertain as to what to do. Jack was actually washing up, no kohl around his eyes, and had put clean clothes on. The crew was confused. Dani didn't tell him to do it. Maybe he was sick.

"Are you feelin' all righ', Jack?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, Gibbs. To what are you referring?"

"Your, er, current state of dress."

Jack looked down at himself and then back at Gibbs. "I am trying to look less…conspicuous."

"You're looking more conspicuous now that you've changed," Dani told him as she came out from their cabin.

"Well, to you maybe, but to the people of New Orleans…I'm not Captain Jack Sparrow. Unless they don't want to arrest me and then of course, I'll be me."

"Who are you if they do?" Marty asked.

"Dead meat," Cotton's parrot replied.

Jack turned and pointed his pistol at the bird. Cotton grabbed for his bird and the shot missed.

"I used to have better aim than that."

"Jack, we should go," Dani told him.

The plan was that the crew was going to stay on this ship until Jack and Dani did some reconnaissance work. They were mostly going to check if they were going to get hanged by the French navy.

Dani had her dresses ready and she tossed them into the long boat before she climbed in. She was wearing a dress again and Jack was taking advantage of looking up her skirt as she climbed down. She had told him to avert his gaze before she started down the ladder, but he just held the skirt out further to get a better view. He was rewarded with a slight smack on the shoulder and a giggle from her. She couldn't be mad at the man. For long, anyway.

They rowed up to a dock and were asked for their names a their purpose for being there.

"Newlyweds," Jack answered as Dani opened her mouth. He pulled her closer and continued, "any suggestions on where we stay?"

"There is a hotel, Le Lumiere. It is a very nice place to stay. Welcome to New Orleans, Mr. and Mrs. ?"

"Smith," Dani answered. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."

They were pointed in the direction of the hotel, but chose not to visit. Dani started to look around in shop windows, impressed by everything she saw. Jack, on the other hand, didn't like it.

People were once again speaking another language and eating unrecognizable food. They passed a restaurant and it very much looked like what Bootstrap liked to eat. Snails, Jack saw. He stuck his tongue out and made a disgusted face.

"You know, if the wind changes, your face will stay like that," Dani told him. She saw him make the face. "Escargot aren't that bad."

"Escar—what?"

"The snails on the plate. They are escargot. It a French word."

"And how exactly do you know?" He asked, completely doubting her. It sounded like she was making it up.

"Because before I was shipped away, I learned to speak French. We visited Calais once." Jack was stunned. There was still so much he didn't know about her. "That's the northern most French city, it's on the other side of the English Channel."

"I know where Calais is. Is there any other knowledge you have that you can use to make me seem any more…stupid?"

"Jack…I didn't say that because I wanted to make you feel stupid. I just didn't think you knew. I'm sorry if I offended you."

"I just can't believe that you think I don't know where Calais is."

"I said I was sorry."

They had wandered down a narrow cobblestone path and took a right turn. They did not end up where they needed or wanted to be. They ended up at a dark house, with a woman in a rocking chair. She almost looked like Tia Dalma, if you closed one eye and squinted with the other. So, really, they just had the same teeth.

"Darling, come closer…" she called to Dani. Dani was never afraid, but hesitated before moving up the stairs.

"Oh, yes. I see…" the woman said.

"See what?" Dani asked. She had dragged Jack with her up to the porch and was clutching his arm, nails digging in.

"Yes," Jack said. "What do you see?"

"People are after you. Looking for you. Want to help you. And you," she pointed right at Dani. "Big surprise…coming to you."

"We need to go," Dani hurriedly told her. "Thank you," she yelled over her shoulder as she pulled Jack away.

"What the bloody hell was all that about? Tia Dalma's predictions are better than that."

"Voodoo," was all she said as she hurried back to the main street.

"Voodoo? That was voodoo? I am unimpressed. I could have done that," he told her as he followed her.

"Let's go find a shop and sell these dresses. And I want a proper bath, so we're going to use the money to check into the hotel."

"A bath?"

"I got used to regular baths. I had a bath tub at my flat in Port Royal."

"Ew. You're really weird."

"Shut up, Jack."

"What's put you in a bad mood?"

"Never mind. Look," she pointed. "There's a dress shop. Are you coming in with me?"

"I think I'll stay outside, love. I'll be out here."

Dani was extremely successful in the sale of her dresses. She sold all four of them and made enough money to pay for a night in the hotel with extra to pay for dock at another port. She smiled all the way to the check-in desk at the small, but quaint hotel.

"Bonjour," the concierge greeted them.

"Bonjour. Nous avons besoin d'une pièce d'hôtel, s'il vous plaît." We need a hotel room, please.

"Oui, La pièce 17, en haut les escaliers et son le quart sur la gauche." He handed them the key and they were on their way. Room 17, up the stairs and it's the fourth on the left.

The room was decorated richly. Jewel-toned fabrics and heavy curtains. And extremely smooth silk sheets. Jack hated it. It was on land. And he didn't like the idea of sleeping in someone else's bed. Dani loved it. She would have hated it, but this was a nice change from everything.

She returned from her bath. Yes, it was cold, but it came from their very own private pump. Something Dani never had before. She could get used to this.

"Danielle…" he started. He was using her proper name again.

"Yes, Jack?" she was drying her hair with a towel.

"That surprise that woman told you about…what was she referring to?"