Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to Pirates of the Caribbean or Little Mermaid. Well, except the movies, a Jack Sparrow poster, a magazine with his picture, and the Pirates soundtrack, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: Here's the next chapter! Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!

Chapter 8: Growing Friendships:

A few days after Jack's decision to keep me ship-bound, we made port. Once again, I was able to observe a human town, except this time, I was healthy and alert. It was rather exciting, watching the crew scuttle about as Jack yelled orders from the helm, and Gibbs yelled insults to anyone who ran by him.

As we pulled up to the docks, I took a closer view of the town and decided that perhaps staying aboard wouldn't be so bad. The scents that met my nose were alternatively fascinating and revolting, while the sounds of human voices arguing and shouting left me with the feeling that Jack might be right about staying here, where it was safe.

Unfortunately, that feeling didn't last very long.

It was horrible, being stuck on the Pearl while everyone else went to enjoy themselves. I watched with an acute sense of longing as the men all drifted away, leaving me with just Anna-Maria for company.

And I could tell that she wasn't happy about having to stay here with me.

Not long after we pulled into port and Jack handed each of the men their funds to spend in town, Anna-Maria came to join me in our shared cabin, a stormy look on her face.

"Of all the foolish things for our Captain to do," she growled, eyes flashing as she paced the cabin. "I don't see why that daft man has to chain us to the ship like this. You may not be able to defend yourself, but I could keep you safe enough, at least in broad daylight! Seems like he's trying to say something about my fighting skills, particularly when it comes to keeping you out of harm's way!"

I knew that wasn't true, and tried to gesture that to her, but Anna merely smiled and said she was joking…well, sort of.

"I just don't like the idea of you being cooped up here day and night," she explained. "You need to get out and live, not be sheltered like some noblewoman who can't think or function beyond the walls of her house!"

Sadly, Jack did not agree with her, and since I was ordered to remain on the Pearl, I was forced to amuse myself with only Anna for company. This would not be so bad, if it weren't for the fact that we would be staying in port for a whole seven days. In the end, we both decided to make the best of it, and amuse ourselves as best we could.

Today, our first day in port, Anna decided we needed to clean up the galley and organize it properly, making it ready for the new supplies Jack would be buying for our next journey. All the pots, pans, plates, utensils, and tools were scrubbed till they shone, and the supplies remaining were taking note of so that Anna could inform Jack or Gibbs of what we needed. Anything that looked as though it would fall apart was tossed aside as trash –or, if it was metal, was to be sold to the blacksmith for coins.

By the time we finished, it was late in the afternoon, almost early evening, and we were exhausted to the point of merely eating something light for supper and going straight to bed.

On the morning of our second day in port, things started to look a bit more interesting…

This morning, as soon as the men were gone and we were dressed for the day, Anna forbade me from having breakfast, handed me my knife, and told me to tuck it into my belt. That was when she declared that we would be taking a trip to the shore.

"It'd be good for you to feel the sand underfoot and to stretch your legs a bit," she said, smirking. "Cotton can watch the ship, and what the Captain doesn't know won't hurt him. Besides, he wants you to get off the Pearl once and a while, aye?"

Well, she was right about that. And I was rather excited to be stepping off the ship, so why not?

With my knife firmly tucked into my belt, and Anna at my side, I felt perfectly safe as we descended to the docks, which were bustling and loud. Anna told me it was because ships needed to be loaded with goods and ready to head off with the tide, but I was amazed at how crowded and loud everything was.

'It's so different from my old world!' I couldn't help thinking as Anna linked her arm with mine. This was because I rarely saw many of my people as I explored the seas. Inside, I was too restless, and tended to explore, rather than stay in one of the more inhabited areas.

Here, people were everywhere. My ears were filled with their laughter, talk, shouts, cries, and a hundred other sounds I felt I should recognize, but didn't. By the time we were away from the docks, my head was spinning.

"Whew! Time to get to the beach," Anna said as she guided me through the crowds. "It's more peaceful there, and we'll get something to eat along the way."

Food sounded wonderful, and my stomach very much agreed. Fortunately, Anna found a seller of cooked fish near a quiet spot along the beach. The fish was warm, not hot, but it was moist and had been cooked in some variety of spices that left my tongue dancing in delight. Anna and I ate with our fingers, and tossed the remains into the sea, where birds and other animals waited to gather the scraps.

After our meal, Anna took me on a lengthy walk along the sand, where she pointed out parts of the town to me. It wasn't a very big place, she told me, but I didn't care –it was nice to learn a bit about humans and the places where they lived.

"We don't often visit Georgetown, since it's out-of-the-way and is so small, but Jack wanted to get some things we used up in the raid," she explained as we walked. "I'm hoping that he gets some decent spices for the food, or else the men are going to be bored with their meals pretty damn quick!"

As we walked, Anna would stoop once and a while to pick up a pretty shell or two, which she then presented to me as keepsakes to 'remember' this stop by. She suggested that I make it into jewelry or decorations of some kind, which I thought an odd idea. Merfolk disliked using shells for anything except tools or eating utensils –why should we decorate ourselves with the husks of dead creatures when we had the treasures of sunken ships at our disposal?

Still, some of the shells were quite lovely, especially the ones Anna called 'mother-of-pearl,' so I chose to keep them and maybe follow her advice –someday, when I had the skill to do so, I might try to craft something out of them.

To my disappointment, our small visit to the sand was short –Anna wanted to return before we were discovered having left. "Mr. Cotton won't tell anyone, no pun intended," she said, "But we don't want the Captain to suddenly come back and see that we aren't there."

Reluctantly nodding my agreement, I followed her back to the ship.

To my disappointment, our afternoon was not as thrilling as the morning had been. The food and galley supplies had arrived in our absence, and Anna had to check that everything was in order. She sent me on my way back to the top deck, a bit of bread and cold meat in my hands to occupy my hands and time. It was there that I proceeded to pace about and eat until someone called out to me.

"Afternoon, Rina!" greeted a friendly voice I recognized.

It was Mr. Gibbs, who greeted me with a friendly nod and smile. Like the others, he had been weary of me joining the crew, and had avoided me for quite some time. Anna claimed that most sailors were superstitious, meaning that they had many odd beliefs, and one of those beliefs was that women shouldn't be aboard ships.

However, in the past week or so, he had softened a bit towards my presence. I think, after hearing of Jack's restrictions on me, he must have felt sorry for my situation, and that softened his resolve. He now seemed almost happy to see me, which was far better than the avoidance I had normally experienced.

"Captain sent me to keep you and Anna company," he said, sitting on a nearby barrel, a large cloth sack in his hands. "Ordered me to show up with something special for lunch, too."

He motioned towards a barrel next to him, indicating that I should sit as he rolled another barrel over to act as a table. Watching eagerly, I shifted in my seat as he settled our makeshift table and retrieved the sack. He then began pulling all sorts of lovely-smelling things out of it.

"Roasted chicken, baked potatoes, and a nice custard for dessert," Gibbs said as he pulled out dishes and placed them on the barrel that would serve as our table. "Now, why don't I find us some plates to serve them up on?"

As he disappeared down into the galley, I turned my attention to the food. The first time I had eaten a bird was in the soup Anna had served me during my recovery, but I hadn't had any since then. Now, as I looked at the food that lay before me, I was excited for the different flavors that I would soon experience.

Mr. Gibbs soon returned with plates, forks, knives and spoons, as well as a smiling Anna-Maria, who followed close behind. "As soon as he said there was a chicken and a custard involved, I knew there was no way for me to pass this up!" she exclaimed as she pulled up a barrel to join us.

Soon, portions had been served, and even though I longed to stuff my mouth and my stomach with the delicious feast, I made sure to restrain myself, if only to savor the flavors that melted and blended together on my tongue.

Gibbs had served me the tenderest part of the chicken, which I much appreciated, as it was juicy, hearty, and a delight to eat. The potatoes were served with cheese that had been stuffed into them, as well as something that made my mouth feel hot. Wonderful!

Finally, the custard was served, and after my first spoonful, I felt my eyes glaze in bliss. The fruits I had eaten aboard the Pearl had been sweet, but this was ambrosia.

"I think Marina likes the custard," Anna teased as she ate her share. "Go on, Rina, finish that up, we've got work to do!"

Gibbs chuckled as I came to my senses and blushed. I chose to ignore their amusement so that I could finish the detectible concoction that melted on my tongue and left a slightly fruity taste in my mouth.

When we had eaten the last bite of our meal, Anna returned to the galley to finish her task, while Gibbs and I cleaned up the mess we had made while eating. It didn't take long for the two of us to finish, so that left us alone with nothing to do.

"You know, Rina, I don't think I've told you any of the stories about our Captain," Gibbs said, retaking his seat. "There are a lot of them floating about, and he's very well-known in the pirating world. Why don't I tell you a few, aye?"

Oh, stories! I did so love a good story! As a mermaid, I had "shared" stories with others by linking my thoughts with theirs so that I might experience their adventures and tales, and learn new ideas and skills from them.

Human storytelling would be much different, but I didn't think I would mind, as long as it was entertaining. Mr. Gibbs seemed like the sort of man who could tell an intriguing tale, and I very much looked forward to hearing one from him.

Settling down on my barrel, I leaned forward as he began.

Sauntering up the gangplank, Jack arrived on deck in time to hear 'sea turtles' coming out of Gibbs's mouth.

'Oh, no,' he thought with an inward groan.

It happened to be a favorite story of his first mate, and he always told it whenever he had an audience. Jack didn't mind that the legend of his escape from that wretched island was being told –he just hated it when it wasn't him telling the story. It sounded much better when Jack himself did the storytelling, and though he did embellish things, he at least get anything wrong, like add things that didn't belong in the story.

'I wonder what poor sap he hooked into listening to it this time? Hopefully not any of the sailors or wenches from the town!'

When he saw who else was on deck, he almost groaned out loud. 'Oh, no; poor Rina!'

It was bad enough that the poor girl couldn't talk herself out of a situation like this –now she was pressed into listening to Gibbs's chatter, and couldn't squirm her way out of it.

Sighing, Jack slipped up behind her as Gibbs wound the tale to a close, ready to pull the poor girl away before the older man delved into another one. To his surprise, Marina began applauding, and it seemed as though she had genuinely enjoyed the story!

Jack couldn't be more surprised. Not only had Marina liked it, she was gesturing for Gibbs to tell another. Most folk couldn't withstand one of his tales, much less ask for an encore.

"Captain!" Gibbs exclaimed, straightening on the barrel that was his seat. "Didn't expect you here so soon, sir. Back on business?"

Jack, however, wasn't looking at him; he was looking at Marina. "Luv, I hope you aren't being bored to tears by this sailor's tales of the seas?"

She merely smiled and shook her head. Using gestures, Marina indicated that she liked hearing Mr. Gibbs talk, and wanted to hear more. As for the storyteller himself, Gibbs looked thrilled to have someone who wanted to hear him talk, for a change.

And for the first time in his life, Jack found himself growing jealous of his first mate.

Biting back a scowl, Jack instead plastered on a false smile and looked at Marina's happy face. "Well, then, when Gibbs finally lets you go, Rina, you'll have to stop by my cabin and let me regale you with tales of my adventures at sea. I promise you, there are things Gibbs doesn't know about me, and more than a few things that he's got wrong!"

She gave a soft, muffled chuckle, and nodded her head, promising that she would do so. Somewhat satisfied, Jack left them to it. If Gibbs was going at the rate Jack thought he was, the poor man would be out of stories before they left port.

Then it would be Jack's turn to be the center of Marina's attention, and if there was one thing Jack loved, it was being the center of a pretty woman's attention.

"I tell ye, lads, it's nice having a pair of ears listening to you and your stories," Gibbs said later that night, as he lifted a mug of rum to his lips.

Marty the Dwarf nodded his agreement. "Aye, but I never pictured Rina to be the sort who'd like to listen to a bunch of yammering pirates. Most women are horrified at the things we walk about." He looked at the others around him. "You know what I mean."

They all nodded. "The fainting, their faces going green at the gills, the cries of horror and fear at the gruesome parts," counted off Masterson, who was the strongest, and widest, man on the crew. His arms were as wide as a palm tree, and his body was a barrel on two tall, thick legs. They called him The Mast, as he was as strong as the main mast and could lift twice his own weight. He was also invaluable in a battle, and had saved lives on numerous occasions.

"Aye, and that's only when they overhear what we're talking to each other about," commented Perkins, who was the opposite of Masterson. Tall, thin as a reed, the men sometimes called him Saber, for the weapon he wielded like a maniac. "I once had a woman run screaming after I told her about one particular battle. You know, the one off the African coast?"

Gibbs finished his drink and put the empty mug back on the table. "Makes you have a certain respect for the young lady. She didn't turn green once, or break into tears. In fact, I had trouble getting her off to bed –she was that eager for another story! If this keeps up, I'll be out of them by the end of the month!"

By then, the others were looking a bit happier as they drank from their own mugs. It wasn't often they had an attentive audience to their stories, not unless they were paying the night wenches to do so, and that was when things became too costly for a night's entertainment.

Mayhap future voyages with Miss Marina would be more interesting than before.

Our week in port went by faster than I thought it would. Anna received permission from Jack to take me on morning walks to the beach (but not into town), and every afternoon, Mr. Gibbs arrived with a satchel of food for lunch, and a wonderful set of stories about the adventures either he or Jack had experienced.

After all of the supplies had been purchased, after the treasures they had taken had been sold, and after everyone had purchased all of the things they needed and returned to the ship, Jack ordered for us to make ready for the morning tide.

That was when he surprised me with a small silver cuff for my wrist. It was two fingers wide, and brightly polished, looking like the sea on a clear morning. He could not have picked a better gift for me. When I tried to thank him for it, Jack shook his head, saying that after doing as he'd asked, I deserved it. I still kissed his cheek in thanks, which made him smile.

The next day, after the sails were hoisted and everything made ready, we sailed out into the Caribbean, all of us in a far better mood, myself included.

In spite of my being confined to the Pearl during that entire week, I was in a rather good spirits, and more than ready to return to work in the galley. Over the past few days, Anna-Maria had taken me aside and shown me how she had reorganized the tools, as well as all of the new spices and supplies that had come aboard. She also showed me how to use all of them correctly, and said that if I wanted to experiment with anything, I would have to try it on my own food first, before I attempted to serve it to the crew.

Knowing she was right, I made today's stew with its usual spice mixture, and sprinkled a bit of a new one into a little pot of stew, which would be for my own meal. Luckily, I had only used a little; when I tasted it, it nearly burned my mouth to ash! I made a note to be far more careful next time.

When we had been at sea for barely two days, Jack announced that I would be receiving instruction on how to fight and protect myself. Anna and I were thrilled at this prospect, but the men seemed a bit nervous. I guessed they worried that I would hurt myself, or worse, that my instructor – whoever it would be – might just hurt me.

'They really are sweet,' I realized as I prepared for bed that night, wondering at how things had changed since I had come onboard.

Inside, I pondered which weapon would suit be best. The sword, or the knife? Would they teach me to use that loud weapon called a pistol? I did not like the pistol.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and let myself fall to sleep, eager for the next day to dawn.

AN: Review?