Hi guys! Sorry the update took so long but I got caught up in some family stuff. ): But I found sosme time so now w/o any furhter ado from the babbling author to her agitated fans...sotyr time! Ooooooooo ya.

Terra gasped as they approached the ship. It was the biggest one she had ever seen. It bobbed up and down in the ocean sending ice like water onto the dock and her feet as many of the crew men shoved past her and swung aboard using a long rope. Annamaria cleared her throat.

"Ya know….if your scared ta go up…" she started but Terra looked away.

"I'm not scared." She said coolly. "I can handle swinging aboard your ship."

Annamaria scowled deeply and gripped the rope firmly and swung up. Her long legs kicked Terra roughly and Terra almost fell into the waved below. Jack grabbed the back of her dress and grinned.

"Now we didn' come all this way for ya to fall in the ocean and die." He quipped happily.

He handed her the rope as it came crashing down back on the deck. Terra gripped it unsurely then swung her whole body upward. For a moment she hung anxiously weightless as her feet found the hard deck below. She let go of the rope and fell onto the surface. Her knees bent as she landed. The whole crews eyes were on her as she blinked at them. Then there was a grunt and Jack flew upward. His light self flew through the air, flipped and landed gently on his feet. The whispers erupted.

"Is TA' Jack?"

"No..tha's a kid…."

"Is this what Annamaria was talking about?"

Jack grinned smugly and brushed off his clothes. He grabbed a hold of the large white rope and swung up to a raised arch on the boat.

"YA MORONS!" he cupped his hands together and barked. "I GOT AN ANOUNCEMENT TA MAKE!"

The crew gathered around with looks of awe and wonder. Terra was shoved in the gut and toppled to the floor. A few large smelly pirate men blocked her view of Jack but she could still make out his rather loud voice.

"This is how things are gonna work from now on!" he snapped. "I'm cap'in again. Annamaria was great tho' I'm sure….but the real man is back in business…whether ya believe it's me or no'. An' this is me friend Terra tha' ye polite gentlemen trampled. Terra love stand won't ya?"

Terra scrambled to her feet. The men surrounding her took a few steps back and goggled at her. They looked her up and down and the mumbling broke out again. Jack reached down and grabbed her hand. He yanked her up onto the platform with him to stand there with everybody's eyes on her.

"Well Love"….say something." He elbowed her in the ribs as Terra cleared her throat nervously.

Annamaria let out a scoff of amusement that the girl froze up as she leaned her body on the wall by the door that lead down to the lower decks.

"Hello." She said to the pirates.

Jack draped his arms around her shoulders and laughed and pointed at the group. He grinned with more of a smirk and looked at them coolly.

"Now…you're all goin' ta behave around her…aren't you?" he asked. "No toilet talk an'….hehe….OTHER things I've seen ya talk around other woman…if ya do…I'll be forced to cut off your lil friends….YA SAAVY!"

"AR!" they all yelled.

"GOOD NOW GETTA WORK!" he hoped down and grabbed Terra's hand and yanked her down with him.

Terra couldn't help but start laughing. Jack cocked his head to the side as he looked at her.

"Wha's so funny?" he asked.

"You!" she grinned. "It's so funny that you can boss all those big hairy pirates around!"

Jack frowned.

"I happen to be very intimidating." He mumbled.

"I'm sure ya are shorty." She shoved him.

He shook his head.

"Yes you would think so…..me and me sexy self are VERY intimidating and sexy."

She grinned as they shoved each other over. Annamaria watched from her spot and spit onto the ground in anger. Gibbs who was passing by as the ship drifted out to sea.

"Problem Anna?" he asked.

"Just 1." She said as she walked away. "1 very big little problem."

Jack grinned as he stared at Terra. Her checks were a lovely rosy color as she laughed after he had poked her in the middle of her stomach. Her eyes teared as she grinned. She still had on the beautiful dress from earlier.

"Wanna see something cool?" he asked her suddenly.

She nodded and he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the other end of the ship. The moon was still high in the sky and hung perfectly over the ocean. Making it look a white color. It was so close and huge Terra gasped and threw her hands to her mouth.

"Jack…it's beautiful." She gapped.

Jack nodded and stood next to her. He slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her close to him.

"Yeah…it is." He said quietly.

There was a weird silent moment between them. Not much unlike the kind they had had just a few days ago. When they drifted happily out in the cool ocean together. Now it was them…all by themselves on the abandoned side of the ship…under the stars. Jack slid his hand onto her bare back. He realized she was still in the dress from earlier. The coolness of her skin jerked Jack back to reality. He shook his head and blinked hard.

"Oh Terra….you're frozen!" he said. "You….you should go put on some pants. There're some below deck."

He was surprised the sugary tone his voice took on. Terra nodded.

"It's very….beautiful Jack." She took a step closer to him.

Like most teenage boys…he wanted that to mean something more then it did…from the girl. But Jack looked at the deck and cleared his throat.

"Ya better go get changed ya savvy?" he repeated.

Terra sighed and went off leaving Jack alone. When he was sure she left he smacked himself in the middle of his forehead.

"Jack ya idiot! What the heck is the matter with ya? She's…a kid!" he sighed and started towards the busy main deck.

He hated these hormone things…

Terra slipped the white shirt over her head and readjusted the ring necklace on her neck. It glimmered in the dim lantern light as it rocked back and forth carefully because of the waves. She looked at her reflection at the dirty and smudged full length mirror that stood in the corner. She had back on her breeches and large shirt. She felt so comfortable. At least more comfortable then the dress and corset she hung on her cot behind her. She fidgeted with the ring on her neck. There was something very special about it. She sometimes felt wondered why Jack chose to give her THAT ring? Why not the black 1 on his left pocket? Or the green and silver 1 he kept tucked away in his bandana? Why this one? She sighed. That boy was about as bigger a mystery then that. There was a sudden bang from behind her and Terra turned around quickly. The thought of what Jack had said about the perverted crew earlier rushed through her brain, only to find Annamaria standing there. Terra let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh hello Anna." She said with a polite nod.

"Oh only my friends call me Anna. Call me Annamaria." She said taking a long stride towards the frozen girl.

"What do you need?" Terra asked feeling her pulse quicken.

"I need a fava'." She was now right behind her.

"And that would be?"

In a flash Annamaria had cornered Terra to the room wall. Her dark eyes bore into her own as her breath came in long drawn out puffs.

"Stay. Away. From Jack."

Terra made a face.

"What?"

"Ya heard me!" she banged her fist against the wall and Terra winced, thinking it could have been her face. "Stay away from him. He as enough problems without ya little snot nosed prissy followin' him 'round." She smirked and leaned slowly. "Ya savvy?"

Terra didn't get a chance to answer because Annamaria turned on her booted heel and left. The only noise in the whole room was the heavy sound of foot stomps from Annamaria. Terra took a few deep breathes and sunk to the ground and sighed.

Jack leaned over the rail. He couldn't tell what time it was…at least 2 am. At the most. Annamaria leaned on the rail next to him.

"Well cap'in." she said never looking at him. "Ya know they say ya can never go back again….guess they were wrong?"

Jack nodded.

"Whoever said that didn't know me." He mumbled.

Annamaria laughed and sighed.

"It's a bit weird to be talking' ta some kid….but then again ya ain't just some kid eh?"

"Ay."

Jack was completely unaware that Terra was watching him from the upper decks. Watching Annamaria. Watching with an envy that could only come from a jealous girl. She sighed and rested her head in her hands. Terra knew well pirate women were a force to be reckoned with. She knew even more that this one imparticular must have been tough to take over a whole ship and it's crew when the captain was away. Toughest of all to be the only woman on a ship full of perverted men. She wasn't to be crossed that Annamaria. Terra knew it wouldn't be smart to go near Jack, at least not with her so near. There were footsteps behind her.

"Ya know they'll see ya watchin' if ya stand right there."

It was the pirate man she knew as Gibbs. Somebody had patched him up nicely as he leaned on a thick, twisted wooden cane. Terra grinned.

"I know….I guess I want him to see me." She mumbled quietly.

Gibbs let out a laugh and joined at the rail.

"I've been a pirate for many years missy. He said. "I have incredible intuition. An' me gut is sayin' that there's something goin' on here that is a bit more then is lead on ta believe…am I right lassy?"

She shrugged, her gaze never breaking from Jack.

"I'm not sure…" she sighed.

"Well…" Gibbs looked away for a moment. "It doesn't take a big pirate to admit to the fact he…or she o' course….have ripped off another human's head….or how much treasure they have stolen…..but it takes a big man, woman, pirate, or both….to admit how they really feel about another person…..that takes true guts. Something all pirates should have but solemn few do"

Terra sighed and nodded.

"Wise words for an old sea pirate." She eyes him from the corners of her deep violet pupils.

He laughed deep and loudly as if it was from deep in his belly.

"What Jack lacks in wisdom I make up in it. I'm the brain and he's the looks….the ugly rat…" he laughed.

Terra cracked a smile.

"He can be a bit weird though…" she began.

Gibbs laughed under his breath.

"Ya don't know the half o' it missy." He chortled.

" I mean he didn't even say happy birthday."

Gibbs nearly dropped his cane.

"It's yo birthday?" he nearly yelled.

"As of midnight yes. I'm 18 now. Legal." She laughed.

Gibbs grabbed her arm.

"Then I know just the way ta celebrate! The right way any real pirate would! That'll make dear Jack green with envy it will!" he said with a smirk of mistif.

Terra looked a bit taken back.

"I…I was kidding about the legal part….." she started.

Gibbs chuckled under his breath in a deep pirate laugh.

"No not like tha' Miss Terra…..we're gonna ring in such a joyous occasion with something I think ya jus' might like!"

With that he yanked her away and back towards the lower decks.

...o ya! Well now it's time to click the review button and show me what u think, how much u care. . Well that's all for now. Please review and I will have the next chapter out as soon as possible! I'm starting skool next week and need to get some more chapter out before I start! . Ooooooooooooooooooooo ya. .