A/N I'm still alive!! I am also currently working on a sequel to Dora Sanchez (still juggling whether it is a good idea or not) anyway here is the next chapter, hope you like. Please review on your way out!

Chapter Fifteen.

Three months later Annamaria was residing in the merry portside town on Tortuga. Its colourful outbursts, and strange characters delighted all her senses, and she'd never been happier then in those first few months. It seemed her life had taken a drastic turn for the better. She had escaped Tobias and his eternity of darkness, the flat, colourless town where she had lived, the constant painful reminders of Harriet, and her uncle's domination over image and appearance. There was of course a few downfalls to living in Tortuga.

For a start she had to put up with Jack. After all it was him who brought her here. He had found her collapsed by the pier, tired of running and hiding from the fiends that chased her. He offered her a chance to escape, and she took it.

Though he wasn't particularly pleased to have her tagging along by his side, he put up with her, knowing that it was mainly due to him she had been forced to leave in the first place.

Another reason that vexed the child was that the reverend believed her guilty of such a heinous crime. And of course, she never found out the name of her mystery father, the man who had fallen down the cliff during a drunken frenzy. It seemed it was a part of her life that would forever go unanswered.

She'd quickly adapted to the rather open way of life in this town of few morals. She saw a new side to the fifteen year old boy, a side that both excited and repulsed her. He was a blood thirsty, gold hungry person, and at that young age he was already shrewd and ready to con anyone who crossed his path. Charlotte was a woman of little morals and seemed able to sell herself to every Tom, Dick and Harry that passed under her nose.

The thirteen year old sloped out through the yard, and down the cobbled street. She had a couple of shillings jangling in her pocket, Charlotte's way of disposing of Annamaria for a few hours.

She wondered through the crowds, not eager to spend her money, but desiring everything she saw. It was quite a bring down in the world really, going from the comfy house of Tobias Richards, to the dank, dirty pub on the corner of a Tortuga Street.

She emerged by the docks and sat down watching the men as they fought over a pretty lass that was already gone.

"We'll leave tomorrow night then. You're either in or yer not." Came a gruff voice. "I don't except no half hearters, in or out."

"I'm in." Came the confident voice of Jack Sparrow.

"Good." The man coughed. "I need all the supporters a can git, an' yer a good fighter Jack."

Jack grinned. "We'll see."

Annamaria didn't fully understand what she had just heard, and nor did she wish too. It sounded like Jack was planning to go away, but what would happen to her then? She'd have to stay with Charlotte. But that woman would throw her out as soon as look at her. She was deeply passionate in her love and devotion to Jack, but she cared not a jot for the scruffy girl he had brought with him.

That night she confronted him. "I heard you today, you can't leave, Jack." She began.

He pulled away. "Eavesdropping' ain't good. The listener ne'er hears anything good about 'em."

"That doesn't answer my question, or explain why you're running away."

"Running away?" He exclaimed. " Anna, this is one chance to make it big. I'm gonna be famous one day."

She scowled. "That's what Harriet used to say. She's dead, Jack."

He smiled softly, and put his arm on her shoulder. "And you're worried about me, is that it?"

She pulled away in disgust. "Far from it. Far more arrogantly selfish I'm afraid. I'm worried about myself. What will happen to me, after you have gone."

"You'll be fine. Yer resourceful ain't you?" He said, stepping past her.

Annamaria smiled softly. "Those jewels you stole, they belonged to my family. Now they belong to me. Give them to me and you can go."

Jack laughed uncertainly. "Yer joking right? Why would I want to give 'em to you?"

"Give them to me, an' then yer can go."

He stared at her suspiciously. "I need 'em."

"More then me? I wonder have you told Charlotte your plans to leave."

He scowled at her.

"She'll be loathe to let you go!" Annamaria continued.

"Tell you what, I'll come back for you."

"I don't believe you."

"I will, look this voyage, it's under Captain Nero. He's travellin' round the tip of Africa to intercept a slaver returning to England, not with slaves, but wit' gold."

"What is this obsession you have with gold?"

"It's the only object in the world that's value increases with age."

Annamaria laughed. "If only you could hear yourself. You sound ridiculous. Planning to swan off half way around the world as cabin boy to some murderous captain. How much of that gold do you really think you'll get? I mean what is your share really going to be?"

"I don't care what you say."

"And what about Charlotte? Jack she risked her life to save yours that day in the church, the least you could do…"

"I'm doing this for her. Once I bring back all the gold, she won't need to be a hooker any more." Jack insisted.

"You're not coming back, Jack. I'm old enough to know that. Just give me my jewels, and you can go to wherever the hell you want." Annamaria claimed.

That night Annamaria lay awake. She could not sleep due to two reasons. Charlotte was making a terrible racquet downstairs as she tried to get the local drunks to leave the pub. The second reason was worry. Annamaria had often lain awake at night worrying, it was a common occurrence to this troubled little girl. But she hadn't done it for three months, ever since she'd arrived in Tortuga. And now Jack was planning to leave her, she wasn't particularly attached to Jack, she didn't care about him, and doubted she would miss him at all. But it's nice not to be alone. And for the first time since she had lost Harriet she wasn't alone, she had someone looking out for her, even if it was the selfish Jack Sparrow. She didn't mind that she had to live under the same roof as Charlotte, or that she was completely penniless, as long as she had someone with her. But now he was planning to leave. She could feel the world slowing caving in on her again. She clutched her pillow in an attempt to hold onto something, as the rest slipped away beneath her.

The next morning she awoke, groggy from lack of sleep, and stretched her aching limbs, as she clambered from the wooden bed. Jack was gone. She could sense it immediately. The building was silent. Normally, it was consumed by noises of banging crockery as Charlotte set up below, Jack would be arguing with her, or charging up and down the stairs. But on that day, the house sat silent. She closed her eyes, and walked blindly down the hallway to Jack's room. Her eyes shot open as she pushed open the door to reveal an empty room.

"You pig!" She screamed. "You're no better then Tobias. You're no better then Harriet! Just walking out and leaving me, after you got me into this mess!"

She threw herself down on to the floor, huddled up in a ball, but still refusing to cry. Crying over jack meant she missed him, meant she liked him, which she most certainly did not.

Charlotte appeared behind her. "Jack's gone." She sniffed.

Annamaria had to stop herself from a sarcastic reply, she bit her lip instead.

"He left you this." Charlotte held out a piece of paper, but moved it away as Annamaria reached for it. "I want you to leave, I want you to get out of this house, now!"

"But I have nowhere else to go!"

"Get out!" Charlotte screeched, pointing to the door. "I only put up with you for Jack's sake."

Annamaria grabbed the paper, went to her room, and stuffed all her belongings in a bag. She took one last look at Charlotte before leaving the pub for good, stepping outside to the lawless streets of Tortuga.