Author's Note: Yay, another update. I'm so glad everyone is reading. Also a few of you have been in contact with me, either on MSN or by email (which I will return soon, I'm just lazy) and I've got to say I'm so flattered! You guys rock! Hopefully this chapter will tie together the plot a little to give you an idea of how things in the sequel come about (though it doesn't answer what I feel is the most interesting question: why are Jack and Carmen trying to kill each other in it?). It also answers questions from Vertigo- who the hell was that guy who broke into Jack's cabin? Anyway, I'll stop rambling. No Jack or Carmen in this one, but another not-so-loved character, as well as a character from the first one, who won't play a real part in this. I also got some 18th century slang from:
www(dot)georgiarefugees(dot)org(slash)oldslang(dot)htm

Slang I used in this chapter:
off the hooks- crazy
Earwig - a malicious flatterer
Gammon – nonsense
Shift one's bob- to move or go away
Blood and 'ounds! - an exclamation
REVIEW PLEASE!

Chapter Two: Siblings

It was night-time in Tortuga too, but it was a hot, damp one. Especially in this tavern, the Singing Wench. It was packed with people, mainly men, all squeezed in to watch the sensual dancer who was working there that night.

A red-headed man pushed his way through the crowd, a strange figure in a grubby white shirt that was much too large for his skinny frame. His slack black trousers were tucked into large boots, and he was heavily armed. He reached an empty table at the back and sat down, scanning the crowd automatically with brown eyes.

The bar-wench came over. She was a tiny, pretty woman, with curly red hair and bright green eyes. She was wearing a blue dress that revealed a lot of cleavage, and his eyes lingered there as she leaned over him. "What can I get ya?" she asked, tossing her curls back.

He smiled. "Oh, I'm sure there's lots a girl like you could do for a guy like me." He extended his hand. "Tobias Hawke."

"Coral." She took his hand and he kissed her fingers.

"I'll have a rum, please, Coral. And one for yourself?"

She batted her eyelids. "I'd love to." She walked off, wiggling her shapely behind as she did so. Tobias smirked to himself. He had pulled already. The great Jack Sparrow must have taught him something. He glared angrily as he thought of Jack Sparrow. Because of stupid Sparrow, his sister was going to be heartbroken.

Coral came back over quickly, sitting down elegantly beside him and placing two rums on the table. She smiled at Tobias. "So what's your business in Tortuga? I ain't seen you in here before."

"I'm a pirate," Tobias said simply, watching with pride as Coral's face lit up. He continued casually, "Used to sail with the Black Pearl, as a matter of fact. Didn't work out, though."

"Why on earth not?" Coral asked, as though anyone leaving the Black Pearl voluntarily was insane.

Tobias drank some rum. "Jack Sparrow. He went soft over a girl, some princess he picked up in Tortuga, Lainey or Carmen or something..."

"Lainey?" Coral demanded, suddenly flushed. "Lainey went off with Jack Sparrow? And- and she's a princess?" She looked shocked.

"You knew her, then?" Tobias commented, with a small smile. "Yes, she's really Princess Carmen of Evaneta." He was glad to have such a keen audience for his story. "And she and Jack seem to have fallen in love. I don't know what happened to them, mind you- I left a couple of months back, or so."

"Lucky bitch," Coral murmured, looking angry for a moment. Then that smile was back. "So, you still haven't told me what exactly you are doing here."

Tobias raised an eyebrow. She was very nosey. "I'm here to see Tally Hawke."

"Who?"

Tobias pointed to the dancer, a short, curvey woman with olive skin, curly black hair and wonderful blue eyes, currently showing off her wonderful body in a skimpy green dress as she danced erotically on a small stage. "That's her. She's my sister. She goes by Pussy these days."

"She's gorgeous," Coral said.

"So are you," Tobias said, back on flirting. He decided to see what this woman knew about Lainey. "So, did Jack meet that girl in here, then?"

"Yes," Coral said, and her face clouded over. "I remember it like it was yesterday. The place was off the hooks, what with Jack Sparrow's ship coming into Tortuga and all. And then-" She paused dramatically, "-Jack Sparrow himself walked in here, with a fellow named Will. By, he was putting the moves on me- what an earwig he was! Then he saw her at the bar and forgot all about me, aye. And I supposed they sailed off and lived happily ever after!" Twisting her face, she downed all of her rum.

"Gammon!" proclaimed Tobias, smiling at her, trying to keep her sweet. "Jack Sparrow couldn't make any woman happy."

Suddenly all the men began to clap. Tobias looked around and saw that Pussy was bowing elegantly, preparing to head off the stage. It was time for him to make his move.

"Sorry, dear Coral, but I really must shift my bob," he said, finishing his rum. "I don't know if I'll be back."

"I'll be waiting if you are," she replied huskily, winking and heading off.

Tobias rose and pushed his way through the crowds to get to the steps of the stage. This was a very difficult job, but eventually he managed it, reaching a door beside the stage which was just swinging closed. Pussy must have gone through here. He opened it and stepped through, into a cold, shadowy back room, empty apart from a rack of clothes and several rum bottles on an old table.

Pussy was standing before him with her back to him, unfastening her dress. "Can I help?" she asked without turning around.

"Hello, Tally."

"Brother!" she exclaimed brightly, turning around and falling into his arms. He held her tight, feeling a hot sweat on her skin. Her curls were damp with it. "Blood and 'ounds! Tobias! I'm so glad yer here!"

Tobias smiled, glad at having his dear sister back in his arms. He had missed her so. The pair were very close. "How have things been, dear Tally?"

"Not too bad." Pussy reached for a bottle of rum and sat on the table, taking a long swig. She looked worn out. Then her eyes lit up. "Tobias, where is Frederick?"

All of Tobias' happiness was drained from him. Frederick, Pussy's large, black-haired lover, had been killed by Jack Sparrow himself after he had threatened stupid Carmen. "He's... not here..." he said weakly. Pussy, Tobias and Frederick had planned to sneak Frederick onto the Pearl when the rest of the crew were gone to steal a hell of a lot of swag. Carmen had ruined everything.

"He's dead." Pussy's eyes filled with tears as she spoke the words sharply. For a moment she looked like a small child, a stark contrast to the sexy dancer she had been moments before.

"I'm sorry." Tobias didn't know what to say. He took Pussy back into his arms. She sniffed and cried into his shoulder. He had always hated it when girls did that.

She choked out, "But- how?"

"Sparrow. Sparrow killed him, because he threatened Princess Carmen, Jack's whore."

"Princess Carmen?" Pussy asked, momentarily distracted from her grief.

"Princess of Evaneta. She used to work in this very tavern, but then Sparrow took it upon himself to take her back to her homeland. Along the way, he fancied her."

Pussy was looking up at him now, a truly evil look in her blue eyes that was sometimes seen in his brown ones. "I want revenge," she said acidly.

"How?" Tobias was intruiged. He knew his sister would come up with a better revenge plan than he could.

"I'm going to call for an old lover," she said, and he knew exactly who she meant. A cruel smile twisted her beautiful face. "Captain Aron Chiltingham."