"Hoist the sails!" Jack called, popping out from below deck.

"Belay that!" Hayes snarled. "Don't undermine me, Sparrow."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Jack smiled, "Captain."

He winked, spinning around and walking up the stairs to the helm. Hayes followed him stiffly, almost stomping, and he noticed in satisfaction that her cheeks were tinged pink.

"Captain?"

Hayes looked over the rails. Members of her crew were quizzically watching her and the man behind her. Jack pushed the guy at the wheel aside and took charge. Hayes muttered a dismissal at him before turning to Jack.

"So, where are we going, Jack?" she asked through gritted teeth.

That gave Jack pause. He knew he wanted his ship back, and he knew he wanted to live forever. The way to eternal life was the Fountain of Youth. His plan had always been to get the Pearl back and then make the journey to the Fountain. After Hayes had first made the deal, his plan had altered itself. Now, did it really matter in which order his goals were accomplished?

On one hand, he could trick Hayes and her crew into thinking they were heading to the Fountain when really, if his compass pointed him the right way, they were finding his ship. Then he could leave them and sail away on his own.

On the other hand, he quite enjoyed getting under the young woman's skin...

He pulled out his compass. For a moment the needle spun wildly, and then it stopped directly on the two ships in the distance.

"What are those ships there?" he asked with a grimace, pointing.

Blinking, Hayes replied. "A trading ship and a naval ship."

Jack's eyes got very big very fast. "Rum!"

"What?"

"Rum!" he repeated.

The crew's attention gravitated to him as he spun the wheel to steer the Lust towards the ships.

"What are you doing, Jack?" She reached out to try and stop him. He slapped her hand away, earning himself an evil look.

"That ship has rum on it," he explained excitedly. "They are transporting rum."

As her men's eyes lit up, Hayes asked, "How are you so sure?"

Exasperated, he turned to her and shoved his compass in her face.

"See this compass? It points toward whatever I want. What I want is rum, and this little needle is pointing to that ship. That ship, therefore, has rum, and this compass will point to nothing else until I get my rum."

Hayes stared at him. "Unbelievable."

She stormed away, and Jack sported a huge grin.

"All hands on deck!" he said. "We're going after that trading ship."

The men hesitated. Hayes waved her hand, uncaring, before slamming the door to the lower decks, and they slowly got to work.

James came in the room quietly. "You never walk away from a fight. Something wrong?"

"Wasn't really a fight," she grumbled. Hayes lay on her bed, one arm tucked under her pillow behind her head. Her other hand was on her stomach, fingers making incessant tapping motions. It was what she did when she was thinking, he knew...or agitated. "Who cares that much about rum?"

He chuckled, sitting on a chair and pulling it close to the bed. "He's a pirate, Danni," he said gently.

She snorted. "He's a joke. I'm a pirate."

"Danni..."

"At least I can keep a ship in my possession for more than a month. Just because he escaped the East India Trading Company and Davy Jones, everyone thinks he's so clever. It disgusts me. I'm a much better pirate than he is, but no one's heard of me!"

"Danni," James said forcefully. "You're not a pirate."

She bolted up into a sitting position. "Like hell I'm not!"

His expression softened. "You're a woman, French by birth, you have a family back home—"

"My family is a lie, James." She shook her head. "What's your point?"

"My point is, you're so different from him." He leaned forward earnestly. "You're not a ruthless rum-drinking pirate, Danni."

"I am," she stressed. "I pillage and plunder and all that nonsense. I destroy ships and leave no survivors. I stab men through the heart and watch them die on my steel. I hunt treasure. So what if I don't really care for rum?"

"That's not what I'm getting at—"

"Then what are you getting at?" she asked, throwing down her arms. "Do you miss our old life, James? Is that it?"

He looked trapped. "That's not—"

"Do you?"

He met her eyes, and told her the truth. "Sometimes. I miss being a child and playing on the beach. I miss having a warm home instead of a rocking vessel. I miss the simplicity our life held before." James sighed. "I miss how we were."

Daniella took his hands. "We're still us, James."

"You've changed, Danni." His thumb absently stroked the soft skin of her hand. "There's things you want now that you didn't before...and things you wanted then that you want no longer."

She flinched. "James—"

He stood, shaking his head. "It's alright. Forget I mentioned anything." He gave her a smile, his good-looking features brightening. "Try not to let Sparrow bother you so much. After this excursion with the Fountain you never have to see him again. I'll come get you when we get closer to the trading ship." There was a sadness behind his face, and he leaned down briefly to press his lips to her forehead. "Don't worry, Danni. You're doing a good job."

A/N: chapter four :) thank you all for reviewing, keep it up!