/I don't own anything you recognize in this story. /

Chapter Sixteen

As we made our way to the shores of Tortuga, I watched Jack curiously. I had so many questions unanswered and I wanted to ask them, but somehow I knew Jack wouldn't answer them. Jack wasn't the kind of person who answered your questions. He preferred to show his answers in everything he did. As frustrating as it was, I knew it was the best way, otherwise I would think it impossible.

"Why are you doing this, Jack?" I finally asked. "You're not the one who readily agrees to defend anyone who needs it."

Jack broke into a smile. "Does love need a reason, Elizabeth?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Jack," I lifted. "But if you're referring to my love life, you should probably know by now that I already have the love of my life and I'm perfectly happy right now."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Do you honestly think Will's going to come after you?"

I fell silent. How did I honestly know that Will was going to follow me to the ends of the earth and back? He was probably only being with me because he didn't know how to end it—didn't want to hurt my feelings. Well, he wouldn't have to worry about finding the right words to say goodbye. I already left.

Jack stops rowing and leans toward me, his arm curling around my shoulder and his fingers rest one at a time on it. I tense slightly, wondering what he was going to do. I had a feeling that he already had his usual morning five glasses of rum this morning and he was slightly drunk. Still, I didn't allow myself to put my guard down. A woman alone with a drunken pirate wasn't a very good combination despite how close a friend a person was to that pirate.

"There's still me, love," Jack slurred, his head leaning too closely to mine. "We would make the perfect couple, you and I."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "I'm afraid I haven't gotten that desperate, Jack. Until I've run out of options, I'm afraid you're going to keep on a desperate hope."

Jack swerved backward, his eyes blinking, his hands slowly going to back to grasping the paddles. I shook my head. He was hopeless, no matter what you tried.

"Right you are, Elizabeth. You always know what was best," Jack exclaimed before continuing his rowing.

It was nightfall before we finally made it to Tortuga's port. Making sure the boat was securely tied, Jack and I headed into the town. It was the same as always had been with people fighting and people toppling over drunk. Every corner had people sleeping with the pigs and people throwing out waste from the windows and cannons firing. It wasn't my favorite place to be, but the town offered every opportunity one could ask for.

Suddenly, Jack started striding quickly, his arms opened towards a small, petite young woman. She seemed rather familiar to me as I hurried to keep up with my companion. I didn't want to find myself lost in this place.

"Ana Maria!" Jack exclaimed, a broad smile on his face.

Before he could get any closer, Ana Maria strode over and smacked him hard across the face, sending him twirling around from the force of it. I stifled a laugh as Jack recovered himself and turned back to Ana Maria, who had a hand on her hip and a finger thrust in his face. Jack never had the luck with the girls, no matter how hard he tried.

"Where have you been, Jack Sparrow?" Ana Maria shouted. "I've been hearing rumors about your escapades and then I hear this really good one about how you've been killed by Davy Jones' monster. What am I supposed to be doing about you if you keep coming back from the dead?"

"If the dead were as solid as I, Ana Maria, you wouldn't be here in the Caribbean," Jack stated.

"I don't have time for your riffraff, Jack," Ana Maria scowled. "Where have you been all of this time?"

"I've been on a mission," Jack said, "and as you see me, I'm on another mission as we speak. I'll need your help, Ana Maria."

Ana Maria's lip twitched. "And what makes you think I'm going to help you, Jack Sparrow?"

"Let's just say it's a favor between friends. Don't say I wouldn't do the same for you," Jack said.

"Not unless I was really desperate," Ana Maria exclaimed.

Jack sighed with frustration. "Well, let's just say I'm really desperate right now and need the kindness of an old acquaintance, savvy?"

Ana Maria sighed. "And what is it that you're so desperate to have, Jack?"

"I need a ship and Commodore Norrington, if you can have the patience to find either one of those," Jack answered.

"I might find one or the other," Ana Maria said thoughtfully. "But you'll have to have the patience of several days while I sort myself through this town for you."

"Elizabeth and I will have the patience as long as we have the room and board to keep the patience in," Jack said smiling.

Ana Maria's eyes widened in shock at hearing my name. Walking over to me, she looked into my face curiously before yanking the hat off my face, my hair tumbling down in curly knots behind my back. Ana Maria smiled softly.

"What has life dealt you, Elizabeth Swann?" Ana Maria asked. "I would never have thought you so desperate."

I shrugged helplessly. "You don't want to know, Ana Maria."

Ana Maria shook her head. "No, I suppose I don't." She turned back to Jack, her eyes narrowed. "You can stay at my place as long as I don't catch you rummaging around and making my place a wreck. I remember the last time I let you stay out of kindness."

Jack pressed his fingertips together and cocked his head slightly. "How could I forget, Ana Maria? I promise nothing will happen during our stay at your place."

I could see that the woman didn't believe him but she gestured us to follow her anyway. "Come with me then, and you better hope that your promise is kept or else."

"Of course, Ana Maria," Jack smiled.

Soon we were on our way. As we walked through the streets of Tortuga I couldn't help but give a sigh of relief. At least a familiar face was found on this island was willing to help us. The adventures were beginning to wear thin on me and I wanted to be back home as soon as I could. Nothing was stopping me now.

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Author's Note: There's no excuse for making me not update for a long time, but once again other things have been keeping me busy on top of not knowing what to write until now. On another note, I'll be leaving on vacation this Friday, the fifteenth and if it doesn't seem that I'm updating, that's the reason why. Other than that, I thank you for your patience and for the reviews that you have submitted. I greatly appreciate it and I hope you continue to read the story.

Don't forget to review, it makes the writer happy!