Disclaimer:  if I owned PoTC, or even just Jack, I'm not sure I would be writing this, because then I would have Jack all to me onesies.

AN:  I am so sorry about the wait!  I've had a paper to write for English and a test to study for in Anthropology, so I haven't had much time to write.  But nevertheless, here it is.

PED-sarah: in answer to your question, no the pirate was not Jack.  The pirate that dropped the paper was leaving it there as a sort of summons for him.  As you'll find out in later chapters.  The next one maybe. . .  

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 3: The Black Pearl

            Ashleigh stared, wide-eyed, down at the man who held her pinned against the wall.  Her mind and her heart were racing, partly because this man who held her was dangerous and partly because this was the man she had been looking for.  "You are Jack Sparrow?"

            "Captain, if you please, love," he said, glancing up from her chest to meet her eyes.  "Now what would a lass like yerself be doin' alone in Tortuga?"

            "Looking for you," she answered, trying to twist her right wrist in his grasp.  His grip was beginning to cut the circulation off to her hand, making it go numb.

            Jack jerked his head back to stare at her.  "Lookin' fer me?" he leaned back in, his nose almost touching hers.  "Why?  Yer not a member of the Royal Navy, are you?"

            "No, Mr. Sp-"

            "Captain," he interjected.

            "Yes, sorry.  Captain Sparrow.  I'm not a member, as you call them, of the British Navy.  But we do have some friends in common, you and me."

            "Do we now?  And who would they be?"

            "Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann," she replied, staring in his dark brown eyes.  "Now, will you please let me go, I cannot feel my hand."
            Jack drew back slowly, releasing her hand and removing his arm from her chest, letting her land on the ground.  He stepped back from her, looking down at her from underneath his hat.  "If yer friends with the whelp and 'is bonny lass, then why'r ya lookin' fer me?"

            Ashleigh reached up and removed the large brown hat, releasing her long black hair.  She looked up at him, her green eyes flashing in the dim light.  "Because William Turner told me to find you if anything happened to them."
            Jack tucked the toe of his boot underneath the sword that he had knocked out of her hand and kicked up.  The sword flew into the air and he caught it by the hilt.  He flipped the sword in his palm, holding the hilt out to her.  Ashleigh took the sword from him, staring up at him incredulously.  "Did you hear me?  They told me to find you. . ."

            "If somethin' 'appens to them," he finished.  "I heard you.  Now, if you'll stop yer yammering and let me think. . ."

            Ashleigh stopped him, exasperated.  "What is there to think about!?  We need to go save them!  We. . ."

            Jack held up his hand to stop her.  "We, love?  What do ya mean 'we'? 'Ow do I even know yer tellin' the truth? 'Ow do I know yer not the one 'oo kidnapped them?"

            "Honestly, Captain.  Do I look like a pirate?"

            Jack lifted his hat up slightly with his finger, looking her up and down.  "To be honest, love, yes, you do."

            Ashleigh blushed.  "Oh, well, of course.  Dressed like this, I would."

            Jack rubbed his forehead slowly, as if the conversation were giving him a headache.  He watched as Ashleigh unsheathed her second sword, holding it out to him.  "Will told me that if you did not believe me, to give you this sword, and then you would trust me."

            He took the sword from her slowly, holding it up to the light to look at it.  In the semi-darkness, Jack could make out the full length of the weapon.  A smirk formed on his lips as he noticed the small inscription of the initials J. S. and a bird on the blade.  This sword was definitely made by Will's hand.  "He gave this to you?"

            Ashleigh nodded.  "Yes.  To give to you."

            "Fine," he replied, turning on his heel and starting to walk away.

            "Wait!  Where are you going?" she called, following him.

            "To me Pearl, where do ya think?"

            "But . . . what about me?  You cannot just leave me here!"

            "I, love," he began, turning around quickly, causing Ashleigh to stop short to avoid colliding with him.  "Can do anything I want.  That comes with being captain of my own ship.  And, I still don't completely trust you."

"Don't trust me?  Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?"

Jack smirked at the familiar saying.  He had said it several times himself. "Aye, lass, ya 'ave.  You did hold a sword against my throat."

            Ashleigh looked down.  "I'm sorry.  I was confused.  I saw your tattoo and I thought that you were the one who had kidnapped Will and Elizabeth," she paused, pulling out the small piece of paper that she had found after the attack.  "I found this after the raid.  I didn't know what it meant, but then I saw your tattoo."

            Jack took the paper that she held out to him.  He unfolded it slowly and glanced down at the image of his marking.  "Oh, hell," he muttered and then started to walk away again.

            "Oh for the love of. . . Captain Sparrow!  You cannot just leave me here!"

            "I thought we already covered this, lass.  I can do what I want."

            "I have no way to get back!"

            "S'not my problem, love."

            With a frustrated growl, Ashleigh grabbed him by the arm, turning him around roughly.  "Damn you!  Elizabeth is my closest friend!  I have need to see her home safely!"

            Jack opened his mouth to reply, but closed it as he stared down into her eyes.  Eyes filled with a mixture of anger, hatred, and sadness.  "What's yer name love?"

            Ashleigh hesitated for a moment.  "Ash," she said, staring back at him.

            "Very well then. . . Ash.  Come along.  I'm in a bit of a hurry," he replied, swatting at the hand that still gripped his arm.

            She let him go reluctantly, and then followed him as he swaggered down the road, the beads in his hair jingling.  "Does this mean I can come with you?" she asked.

            Jack heaved a sigh.  "Aye, lass that it does.  But on one condition.  You have to continue acting as your male counterpart, savvy?"

            "What?   Why?"

            He continued walking, not bothering to turn around.  "Because I don't need Gibbs getting on my case about bringing another woman on board.  It's bad enough that he still goes on about AnaMaria, I don't need 'im goin' off about you too."

            Ashleigh nodded slowly.  For some reason, what he said actually made sense to her.  "But, what about my hair?  It's too long for a male."

            "I'll give ya a bandana, lass.  Now stop jabbering an' just follow me," Jack answered, and then shivered as a sudden chill made its way down his back from the dirty look that he knew she was giving him.  He smirked, revealing a few of his gold teeth.  He was going to like this one.

            Ashleigh followed Jack through the dark streets of Tortuga, making their way to the docks.  At some point during the trek, he had grabbed her hand.  Whether it was to make sure he didn't lose her or to make sure she didn't get pulled away from him, she wasn't sure.

            She kept her eyes down, not daring to look in the eyes of any of the drunken pirates or prostitutes that walked around them; for fear that they would take it as a challenge.  Ashleigh's forehead slammed into Jack's back as he stopped suddenly.  She looked up to find that they had stopped on the dock, right in front of a large black ship.

            Jack spread his arms out, a grin on his face, saying, "Welcome to the Black Pearl, Ash."

AN:  Up next, Chapter 4: Templeton.  We'll find out exactly who it is that is after Jack and see how Will and Elizabeth are faring!  See ya next time!

Plz r/r!!!!!!