The Pearl was a haven. For the first time in a long while, Alex felt the sea actually rock her. The crew called her Lady, never Alex, by Jack's orders. And she was well cared for. For some reason the purpose as to why she was traveling had never crossed her mind. She missed William every day, Elizabeth even more. And every blue moon or so, she caught a reflection of her tears in the ocean, followed by a glimpse of what she thought to be Aaron. It was horrible going to be at night alone. And she was, just that. Sure then men would offer their sweet dreams and g'nights, but the one man who led her on this insane exploration never came out to greet her. Jack was a quiet man, self absorbed, always staring into a bloody compass. Every day or so he'd come out and trace the clouds with the barrel of his pistol. All in all, Alex was very upset by his behavior. Which is why she found herself on the upper deck, her legs hanging through the banister. It was hard not to sob loud, or even stop herself from grabbing attention. Maybe she wanted someone to notice her, someone to care. Alex felt hurt, she felt abandoned. And for the first time since the funeral, she found herself angry with her mother. A pirate's daughter. She would never be given the chance at being a true lady, never admired by men for her luscious lifestyle and charm. People would tell her the same thing till the day she died, she looked foreign. A whiff of rum hit her cheek, not the most pleasant smell. But a warmth came from that strong wind, because she knew who was behind her.

"You've been sulking on my ship since the first bloody crossing. So, either tell me what's itching your knickers or I'm tossing you to the depths of the sea." He was tottering lightly. Alex almost smiled, but felt more of a sigh reach her throat.

"Nothing Captain, just thinking, I suppose." Jack's eyes narrowed for a second, before dropping down beside her. He offered the rusty bottle in his hand towards hers, but she declined.

"Well, love. It is my good and honorable opinion that the young in general should not waste their dawns pondering on silliness."

"It's not fool I'm thinking of...it's my mother."

"Ah, so you find yourself resting in the past?" He gave her a cocky half grin, as if he understood her completely.

"Captain Sparrow, have you no decency for the dead? Yet then again, do I? All I find myself doing is regretting. Regretting moving in with the Turners and courting Aaron. Falling in love with those who have stayed around me. And then that leads me to anger, which I take out on my mother. She left me without a name, without any word as to who my father might be. She left me up to fate." Jack swung his legs in circles, then sighed a good while.

"From what I've heard, love, your mother's death was not planned out. And from that information right there, we can deter two things. Your mother never meant to leave you, and she was going to give you answers in her own time. I'm not sitting here saying I understand why she waited, maybe she was scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Herself...her lover." Alex laughed sadly.

"Wonderful, my father was an abusive troat." Tears fell from her eyes, soaked into the fabric of Sparrow's sleeve.

"Wherever your father is, he loves you. And if he doesn't his loss. And I bet you look exactly like your mother." Alex eyed him.

"Did you know her?"

"I know a lot of people, trumpet. I've traveled every sea, crossed many's paths. But yes, I might've knew your lovely Ms. Crowe, is she is the lady I remember."

"How are you so sure that they're the same Ms. Crowe?"

"I'm not...I do know she was the only really lady I ever loved. And I've never seen another such as yourself who can mirror the storms of her musty eyes, which I fell into many a time. And only Mina would give her daughter a name such as Alex." Alex gasped, and turned her head out towards the sea. Something there inside the reflection of alabaster light told her.

"Mina..." Jack smiled lightly, and placed a hand on her shoulder, just as he did not too many months ago in the sun lit room after disaster of Port Royal thundered.

"Aye..." Alex let that rest on her tongue for a moment. Aye, his words. And how much did that answer to? Was he saying yes to being in love with Mina, to wanting to marry her, to fathering her child? Was this strange demurring man her second half of life? Or was this a stretch, a stitch in her cycle of days to piece together a little peace to sleep. She didn't know, all that really came out her mouth next was something she had felt, had known, but now understood.

"Jack...I want to go home."

"To William?"

"To Aaron..."

"Where be the sturdy lad?"

"...I don't know..."

"Thought as much." Alex scrunched her face up in cries. At first, Jack stiffened as she rested in his chest, but after a few moments ran his finger up and down her spine.

"Come on, bonnie lass, dry your tears. Would you like a bath?" A bath? Alex almost forgot about hygiene at sea. She nodded greatly, a small grin curving at her corners.

"Let's heat some water up...I think there's a bottle of lavender in my cabin. He stood up, extending his hand out to Alex. And as she touched his skin, she noticed something to make her note mentally...There, on his upper wrist, was a tattoo. It was the same sparrow off the sword in Will's study.