Disclaimer: (Looks around) Shh! I'm hunting for Jack Sparrow! This means he's not mine…yet.

AN: Sorry for the late update; I've been sick.

Wow, look at all those reviews! You people rock my world! Yes, Jack and Rose are engaged to be married…even though they're waiting for the "opportune moment" to do so. And of course, what's a storyline without conflict (wink, wink)? Please review! Thanks!

Chapter 2: Arrival of Old Friends:

Stretching out lazily, Jack gave a deep yawn of contentment and fell back onto the bed, grinning broadly. All around and beneath him, the Pearl swayed back and forth to the ocean's rhythm, the wood creaking along with the movement.

"What are you so happy about this early in the morning?" grumbled the woman lying next to him.

Jack immediately rolled onto his right elbow, propping himself so that he could look down on her. Rose was lying on the right side of the bed (her side, to be precise), and had just rolled over onto her left arm so she could look up at him. Her right eye was cracked open as she gazed up at him from beneath a loose lock of hair, which was practically begging him to move it. She looked adorable that way, and Jack couldn't help but grin even wider at the sight of her.

"I'm happy because I've got the most beautiful rose in the world right here next to me," he whispered as he lifted his left hand and reached for the errant lock of hair.

With little loving strokes, Jack caressed each individual strand until it had all flowed through his ringed fingers. Once he was satisfied, he gently took the strands and moved them up and behind Rose's right ear. He was particularly fond of that ear, as it happened to be quite sensitive to his kiss, which he constantly used to his advantage when they were alone in their cabin.

'Our cabin,' he thought as he smiled lovingly down at his fiancée. 'I can't believe we're sharing a cabin like this, and that I happen to like it!'

Never in a thousand years did Captain Jack Sparrow ever imagine himself in this position. He was actually engaged to the woman beside him, the woman who was presently looking up at him with beautiful, warm brown eyes and smiling oh-so-sweetly as she reached for him, begging for a morning kiss. Of course, never one to deny a lady, he leaned down and kissed her as deeply as he could.

"Hmm…"

Jack could feel her hum vibrate through his very soul, the pleasure in it only enhancing the deep satisfaction he was already experiencing. Before Rose, he had never been a man for picking only one woman to spend his days with; and yet, here he was, engaged and more than happy to live his life with this flower, this jewel of a woman who was now wrapping her arms around his shoulders to keep him from leaving her.

However, leave her he must, as duty called. After all, the Pearl couldn't run herself, and if Gibbs was left in charge for too long, all Hell would break loose. Besides, the last thing he wanted was a mutiny because the first mate was too far gone in his flask to do much! So, heaving an inward sigh, Jack pulled back and looked down at the woman he loved.

"Sorry, darling," he said in a gentle voice. "But I'm afraid duty calls, and all that stuff."

Rose then heaved a sigh heavy enough for the two of them. "Alright," she said with a slight pout.

'God, I both hate it and love it when she pouts,' Jack thought as he stared at her mouth. 'She looks so irresistible when she does it!'

"A few more minutes?" she pleaded as she looked up at him from under her eyelashes.

"Well…"

Another kiss from her was enough to convince him.

An hour later, Jack stood at the helm of his ship, trying to ignore the knowing looks on the faces of his crewmen. Even Cotton's bloody parrot was looking at him strangely, tilting its head back and forth as it stood on the mute's shoulder. Meanwhile, Mr. Cotton stood at his usual post, just a few feet back to Jack's left, in case something needed to be fetched right now and Jack was unable to do so.

"Morning, Cap'n!" Gibbs greeted in a loud voice, climbing up the steps to the helm. "Fine day, isn't it?"

Jack sighed and did his best to smile nonchalantly. Even after being engaged to Rose for two weeks, the crew still loved to tease him about it. The great Captain Jack Sparrow, lover and wooer of women, was getting married, and that made the men practically fall over laughing where they stood. Thankfully, they respected both their Captain and Rose too much to actually laugh out loud, though it still seemed funny to them.

This was why Gibbs managed to come up with a coded way of seeing how both his Captain and the Captain's Lady was doing without saying something embarrassing in front of the men. In this case, talking about the condition of the weather was Gibbs' way of checking to see how his adopted niece was doing.

"Aye, a fine day, Gibbs," Jack declared while staring out to sea. He saw Gibbs nod in approval over Jack's way of saying Rose was fine this morning. "How're the supplies down below?"

"Food's bound to last another two weeks or so, but apparently we should have stocked up on gun powder and shot while we were in Port Andrews," Gibbs answered, a slightly concerned look on his face. "We ought to do that soon."

Jack nodded in agreement. "We'll find the nearest pirate-inhabited port and stop there for supplies," he said, his hand reaching for his compass. "We'll stock up on everything and leave nothing to chance, just in case we're unable to stop later."

Gibbs nodded. "Aye, sir," he said before heading off towards the deck.

Once he was sure he was alone, Jack sighed and gripped the wheel even harder than before. He desperately wanted to be back in the cabin with Rose, but the crew needed to see him working at least a little bit on deck. It wasn't fair, but he needed to set an example for the men and focus on getting things done instead of spending all day exchanging delightful kisses with his beloved.

Just as he was getting lost in thought over Rose, a pistol shot rang out across the water, causing everyone (except Jack) to duck or take cover where they could. Whirling around, Jack spotted another ship on their tail, one that was closing fast. Cursing under his breath, Jack looked up to the Crow's Nest and saw it empty, explaining why there had been no warning of the approaching ship.

"Why isn't anyone up in the bloody Nest?" he roared as his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Sorry, sir," Gibbs replied, his eyes narrowed as much as his captain's. "Marty's supposed to be up there, but he was called to help mend sails. I thought that he'd have been back by now."

Cursing silently, Jack vowed that someone was going to pay for this. "All hands on deck!" he yelled, watching the men scramble from wherever they were to follow his orders. "Arm the cannons and yourselves, lads, and be quick about it!"

"Aye, sir!" the men cried in reply as they ran.

'Please let Rose stay inside,' Jack prayed to whichever deity was listening. The last thing he needed was for her to be hurt again because of him!

Looking back over his shoulder, Jack was shocked to see a flag of truce going up on the other ship. Now, it wasn't unusual for enemy ships to try and trick others into thinking them friends, and Jack was always on his guard about this sort of thing; after all, he himself had tried that rouse several times, and had mostly succeeded in gaining access to a ship to raid it. Being a pirate, and a damn good one at that, Jack knew to be prepared for anything.

"Take the wheel, Mr. Cotton," he ordered the mute, who stepped forward without a word of complaint from his parrot.

After checking that his pistol was loaded and his sword was in easy reach, Jack stepped up to the starboard side of the Pearl, where the unknown ship was pulling up. It was a rather nicely washed-out -looking ship, and for some reason, Jack felt that he recognized the vessel from someplace before. The plain hull with its chipping black paint, along with its faded red trimmings, was screaming for him to remember who its owner was, and yet, he couldn't.

"Ahoy, Sparrow!" cried a Scottish-tinged voice, one that was distinctly male. "Haven't seen you for a while, you old scallywag!"

Jack could only frown in a mixture of annoyance and humor at the voice he recognized. "Old?" he blurted out in reply, his voice carrying over to the other ship. "Who are you calling old?"

The other man simply laughed in response, the sound warm and friendly as the ships drew parallel to one another. "Well, don't just stand there, Sparrow, make ready for us to board!"

Sighing, the Captain of the Black Pearl shook his head and turned towards his crew, all of whom looked extremely confused about the whole thing. It was no wonder, seeing as most of them had never had a previous encounter with Gerard Hastings.

"Alright, lads, weigh the anchor and get ready for some company!" Jack snapped at his crew. Inwardly, he thought, 'And Gerry, I swear that if you so much as scratch my Pearl while coming aboard, there'll be Hell to pay!'

The men quickly began making space on the deck for visitors, though they were prepared in case it was an attempt to take the Pearl and its men (and woman) by surprise. Pistols were within easy reach, and Jack knew that most had daggers hidden somewhere on their person. He couldn't blame them, and actually thought it very clever; he'd have to reward the men later for being so prepared.

A gangplank was soon landing over the Pearl's railings, causing Jack to wince at the damage that might be done. The crewmen of the other ship, which Jack remembered as the Storm Chaser, were soon aboard the Pearl, though there were thankfully fewer than a dozen of them. Once they had firmly settled in, the captain of the Storm Chaser swung aboard from his ship, landing gracefully and with a broad, friendly grin. Jack couldn't help but roll his eyes as his fellow pirate and sometimes-friend strolled over to him and shook his hand.

Gerard Hastings was a tall man, standing a little over six-feet, with green eyes and black hair that was cut just above his broad shoulders. Those broad shoulders, wrapped in a white cotton shirt, led down to a narrow waist, then down to long legs that were clad in expensive cloth trousers and black boots. He was from the Scottish coastline, though from where, no one knew, and was in possession of a charming smile, a great sense of humor, and an accent that tended to send women young and old into a swoon. Yes, Gerard Hastings was a very handsome, dashing man, and that was why Jack didn't want him onboard with Rose close by; competition was a bad thing when it came to looks and behaviors, which had tended to cause some friction between the two of them in the past.

On the other hand, the two of them were well-acquainted, and there was a sense of trust between the two of them, making Captain Hastings and Captain Sparrow fairly good friends. They did a sort of exchanging business together, one which had begun over ten years ago, before Jack had lost the Pearl and just as Gerard was getting a grip on the pirate-business at the age of 23. Already a successful pirate, Jack had traded his stolen goods for coins to pay his crew, and Gerard, in turn, had sold the goods for outrageous amounts of money to the Colonies in the Caribbean or the Americas. As a result, they trusted each other enough to participate in trading deals and to get involved in the occasional drinking game.

Even after Barbossa had taken possession of the Pearl, the two did business together; although Jack was without a crew and a ship, he always managed to get some kind of swag from some unsuspecting person or another, and was able to turn to Gerard for help. For the sake of their successful 'old days' that they'd had together, Gerard would exchange money or food supplies for whatever Jack brought him, big or small, as long as it was worth something. However, the crews of the two ships had never met, so it was time for Jack to become reacquainted with his old friend.

"Gerry, lad, you should know better than to sneak up on me like that," Jack said, clapping a hand on the taller man's shoulder.

"Can't help it if you're too old to remember to put a crewman on the lookout, Sparrow," Gerard replied, grinning at the nickname that Jack had given him years ago.

Jack rolled his eyes. "I'm only two years older than you," he huffed. "Stop making me sound as though I'm getting close to loosing my eyesight and my hair." He then pointed a finger in Gerry's face. "Don't you say it!" he snapped as Gerry opened his mouth.

The other man sighed. "Alright, alright," he said, holding his hands up in surrender with a broad grin.

Suddenly, Gerard's smile seemed to leave his face as his hands dropped to his sides. Confused as to his friend's change in behavior, Jack turned around. There in the doorway of his cabin stood Rose, a confused look on her face as she tried to see and understand what was going on.

I'd heard the shot being fired outside and had instantly begun to worry. Were we under attack? Jack was shouting from the helm, and I could hear the men scurrying around the deck, which scared me even more. I had just fully healed from my bullet wound, and most certainly did not want another one so soon!

Swallowing nervously, I looked around the cabin and tried to find my weapons. I was just reaching for my sword when I noticed that the shouts from outside had ceased, and that there were no more shots being fired. The sound of a gangplank being lowered to the Pearl's railing caught my attention, and I was curious as to what was going on out there. We obviously weren't under attack, so why had there been gunshots beforehand?

'Well, I'm not taking any chances,' I thought while strapping on the sword that Jack had purchased for me in Tortuga.

He'd probably be angry with me for going out there before he could declare it safe, but I didn't care. What if he was injured or being held captive? The least I could do was help the man I love out of a situation such as that! So, taking a deep breath, I pressed my ear to the door and listened. After hearing nothing but laughter and friendly banter, I decided that it was safe to go on deck. Reaching out, I turned the knob and opened the door.

To my surprise, another ship had pulled alongside the Pearl, and a tiny portion of its crew was currently on our deck, eyeing the Pearl's crewmen with suspicion. The weapons were tucked away, but hands never strayed far from them. I ignored them the moment I heard Jack's voice, my eyes scanning the ship until I found him talking to a tall, dark-haired man with green eyes and spoke with a very noticeable Scottish accent. The stranger looked a bit younger than Jack, but then, Jack had seen many more things than any man dared imagine. Those past experiences showed in the way he moved, the way he talked and acted, and in the air that surrounded him, creating an older, wiser aura around his entire being. It was that aura which had first pulled me in and made me want to be closer to him, to know more about the man that was Captain Jack Sparrow.

By now the other man, who looked like the captain of the other ship, had noticed me, and now did a remarkable impression of a stunned ox. Jack turned around and looked over his left shoulder to see what the stranger was looking at. He immediately spotted me standing in the doorway to our cabin, and, with a broad, happy grin, he motioned me over. I smiled back and obeyed, putting on a brave face as I approached my fiancée's side.

"Gerry, I'd like you to meet Rose," Jack introduced us as I came up to his left side. "Rose, my dear, this is Captain Gerard Hastings of the Storm Chaser, but I mostly call him Gerry. He and I go way back."

I smiled and nodded my head in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you, Captain Hastings," I said politely, using a lesson Mother had taught me about greeting someone I didn't know or like.

Gerard immediately reached out and captured my right hand in his, bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Rose," he replied with a charming smile.

'Oh, dear, he's one of those men,' I thought, trying hard not to roll my eyes. 'He's just like Jack was before he asked me to marry him: he knows he's handsome, he loves women, and he thinks that he can get me into his bed if he charms me just enough. Jack used to be that bad, but he's gotten better about it now.' However, after sensing that Captain Hastings wasn't necessarily a bad man, I gave him a polite smile. 'Sorry, sir, but you'll have to find a dalliance somewhere else!'

Just then, I could tell that this man was going to ask me something that I was going to dislike, so I took a step closer to Jack's side. Thankfully, Jack understood what I wanted (or could sense what 'Gerry' was going to say), because as soon as my shoulder brushed his, Jack's left arm wrapped around my waist and possessively held me close. Gerry's eyebrows seemed to lift just a bit, then lowered down to normal. Meanwhile, Jack and I gave him a civilized smile before Jack invited him into the Captain's cabin, most likely to discuss business and why there had been such a surprising welcome and encounter. Gerry nodded his agreement as Jack and I led him inside to the large greeting room. Jack took a seat on one side of the huge, round table while Gerry took the opposite chair on the far side.

Acting like a good hostess, I did my best to ignore the looks that Gerry was giving me and went towards the liquor cabinet to fetch all of us something to drink before the talking began.

From his seat at the table, Gerard watched as Rose moved around the cabin, putting empty mugs on the table and filling two of them with rum. The third, which he noticed was hers, she filled with grog, a mixture of rum, water, lemon juice, and other ingredients, making it a pirate favorite. Once the three of them were served, she took a seat to Jack's right, a rather significant seat, if one thought about it. Gerard listened with one ear to what Jack was prattling on about, but kept the rest of his attention on the woman sitting across from him.

She was very pretty, her brown hair showing red highlights after spending so long in the Caribbean sunshine. Her eyes were a luscious brown filled with an independent spark that was quite appealing. Her skin was an even, golden tan that made a few freckles on her face stand out quite charmingly. The shape of her face made her look sweet, but had a bit of stubborn strength, which could prove to be amusing in reading whenever she was happy, sad, or angry. Truly, it was no wonder that Jack Sparrow was attracted to the girl; indeed, she was every bit a rose, just like her namesake.

Gritting his teeth, Gerard risked a brief glance at her left hand. There sat the engagement ring which he had noticed after Rose had stepped close to Jack's side. To his astonishment (as well as disappointment), the ring held a large black pearl surrounded by small golden waves and had a tidal wave of yellow gold trimmed with diamonds going over the top of it, holding the round gemstone in place. It was a lovely ring, and one that had great meaning, though the girl probably didn't know it yet.

'So Jack's finally found a woman worthy of wearing a ring carrying the Black Pearl's namesake,' he thought, taking a drink of rum. 'How very interesting…'

Just then, the other captain asked a question, snapping Gerard back to the present. "Of course I could give you a good price on that swag you've acquired," he replied with a smile. Fortunately, he had the very useful talent of being able to focus on two things at the same time with little trouble, and it had come in very handy several times over. "So, Sparrow, I see the young lady has an engagement ring on her hand. Any idea when I should send over the wedding gift?"

To his pleasure, the girl blushed slightly, which only made her lovelier in his eyes. Jack, however, looked a bit suspicious of the question, but answered it, nonetheless. "Not for six months, I'm afraid," he replied, his right hand going to cover Rose's left. "The men still need time to adjust to the fact that I'm getting married first; after that, we plan on having the ceremony."

'Six months, is it?' he thought while hiding a smile. 'That's quite enough time to do some wooing. After all, what does a lovely, sweet girl like this see in a scoundrel like Sparrow?'

Out loud he said, "Well, then, a toast to the happy couple!" He raised his mug and smiled.

The other two raised their cups and smiled, though he could see that the smiles didn't reach their eyes.

AN: Uh, oh, a love triangle! Is this too cliché or is it okay? Please review and let me know! Thanks!