Author's Note: Sorry that I haven't updated in a while. It's Regents week and my schedule is packed. But hey, good news, I qualified for States for indoor track. Long and triple jump, baby! Enjoy!

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Chapter Three --- The Black Pearl IS a Real Ship

Everything came to when I sputtered and coughed up what seemed to be all of the water in the world. I felt like I was dying and my poor lungs just couldn't enough of this sweet thing I like to call air. I rolled over onto my side, coughing, clutching my stomach.

"Where did ye get that?" a deep voice asked from above me. I stopped coughing and glanced up, my jaw dropping open.

"J-Jack Sp-sparrow?"

"Captain, love," he said, grinning. Oh my God, it was actually him. I must really have been dead. I looked around the beach I was lying on for Edana but she was nowhere to be found. And I was lying on a small sandy beach, soaked in my bikini, with Jack Sparrow kneeling over me.

He noticed the bikini too because his dark chocolate eyes began to drift downwards, pleasure filling the edges of his eyes. "Who are ye, lass?" he asked, bringing his eyes back to mine.

"Keelin Burke," I replied, inching slowly away from him. His hand reached out and grabbed my medallion stopping me from moving anymore.

"Where did ye get that?"

"I-uh-bought it at store," I replied, flustered that his hand was just a little too close to my chest.

"What's wrong, lass? 'Aven't ye been this close to a man before?"

"Not when I'm soaked and half dressed," I replied, snippy.

"Or half undressed," he offered, his dark eyes sparkling. I slid out from under him and stood up on the sand to face the infamous captain.

"Captain Sparrow, would it be asking too much if you could find something to cover me," I said in the sternest voice I could manange.

"I rather like the view." I shot a death glare at him until he backed down, hands held in surrender. He swayed off to go and find some clothes for me. I shook my head in disbelief and turned my attention to my surrrondings.

I recognized the area as Port Royale, just as it was from the movie. I was near the dock where Jack had "tied up" his boat. I turned behind me and noticed the little boat, submereged in the water. I supressed a giggle and sat on the edge of the now deserted beach.

I wanted to know how I got here. Was I dead? Was this my version heaven, or some dream because I was still unconsious? How the hell was I going to get back home?

Ten minutes later, Jack returned, and much to my surprise, had clothes in his arms. He threw it at me and said, "Well put it on, ye ungrateful wench. No more orderin' me around."

I nodded and ran to hide behind a row of bushes. There was a fern green dress wrapped around a cream colored shift. I put on the shift quickly, taking off the bathing suit underneath and threw it under the bushes. I slipped the dress over my head, feeling the heavy material weigh me down. As I laced the front, I realized just how low cut and elaborate the dress was.

I stormed out from behind the bushes and hit Jack on the arm. "What did you do, buy this off a whore?" I demanded.

"Actually, I stole 'em off of 'er," he replied, rubbing his arm, his eyes wide. At the look of disgust on my face, he added, "They look better on ye though, lass."

"Why did you rescue me?"

"Because ye were gonna drown," he said, making it seem like the most obvious thing in the world.

"What about the code?"

"Yer lady, ladies are exceptions."

"Jack, what happened? I can't seem to remember," I said.

"I want ye to answer me question first, savvy?" he said. I nodded, seeing no harm. "'Ow do ye know me name, lass?"

"I saw your tattoo and I've heard all about you," I remembered from the movie, to cover up for my mistake.

His mesmerizing eyes stared through me as though he could spot my lie. Then he shook his head and said, "Aye, I get that a lot. It's usually only the lasses that tell me that. Funny, in'nit?"

"My questioned is still unanswered, Sparrow," I reminded.

"I was walkin' up the dock, stole some money and then I 'eard a splash as I was sneakin' away. So I turn and look and I see ye slowly sinkin'. So, of course, bein' the kind hearted soul I am, I drive in after ye, and pull ye up," he explained, looking out at the water. His eyes flickered to mine as he finished. "Well, lass, I best be goin'. Business to attend to," Jack said, and with a slight bow, he began to sway away.

"Wait," I called out. "Would you mind if I came with you?"

He turned around to face me, studying me carefully, as if deciding whether I was worthy of his time. After a few moments, he said, "I suppose ye can 'elp me, lass. We oughta get ye changed again, though."

"As long as you don't steal the clothes off of someone," I agreed. He nodded and then started off again.

"So, where ye be from, lass?" Jack asked as we cautiously strolled along the docks of Port Royale.

"Not here."

"Aye, that's not an accent that ye 'ear everyday. What is it?"

"American."

"Ah...so 'ow'd ye end up 'ere?"

"Not sure." Short answers were the best until I found out the answers myself.

"Excuse me! Sir, are ye sellin' clothin'?" Jack called out as he spotted a peddler. They conversed back and forth for a bit before Jack handed over the coins he had stolen earlier and was given a small pile of clothing. "'Ere lass, ye owe me three now. Ye're just workin' yer way up there easily. Find someplace to put these on and quick."

I ducked into an alleyway and checked to make sure no one was thee before slipping behind some boxes to change. I returned to Jack's side a few minutes later, wearing a large white blouse with full sleeves, a tight maroon vest, dark brown knickers and brown knee length boots. Jack handed me a white ribbon to tie my curly hair back with and then a brown tricorn similar to his. I slammed it on my head and he nodded his approval. Needless to say, it looked like something Will Turner would wear but hey, I had to fit in, right?

"Let's go," Jack motioned and we started off. We ended up at a small dock, where a small speedy looking ship sat. On it's elegant wooden back was painted in block lettering, The Interceptor.

"Nice ship," I whispered. "We're going to commandeer it?"

"Aye," Jack replied. "At least try to."

He had waltzed halfway down the dock when a voice called out, "Hey, you there!" Two men in navy uniforms jumped in front of him, pointing their guns in his face. He looked at them, then back at me, motioned for me to stay in the shadows and then back at them. "This dock is off limits to civilians," one of the men, Mullroy, said.

"I'm terribly sorry, I didn't know. If I see one, I shall inform ye immediately," Jack said casually. He looked up to the fort and then back to the men. "Some sort of 'igh to-do up at the fort. 'Ow could it be that two outstandin' gentlemen, such as yerselves, did not merit an invitation?"

"Someone has to make sure that this dock stays off-limits to civilians," Murtogg said, sounding kind of uncertain.

"It's a fine goal to be sure. But it seems to me that a ship like that," he started, pointing off to The Dauntless. Murtogg and Mullroy moved in front of him, thinking he was going to run. "Makes this one 'ere just a wee superfluous."

Mullroy replied, with a sense of pride in his voice, "Oh, The Dauntless is the power in these waters, true enough, but there's no ship that can match The Interceptor for speed."

"I've 'eard of one," Jack said, putting up his hands in an almost thoughtful proposition. "Supposed to be fast, nigh uncatchable...The Black Pearl."

Mullroy snorted, rolling his eyes slightly. "There's no real ship as can match The Interceptor."

Murtogg looked up at his partner and said, "The Black Pearl is a real ship."

"No, it's not," Mullroy snapped.

"Yes it is. I've seen it."

"You've seen it?"

"Yes."

"You've seen a ship with black sails that's crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil that Hell itself spat him back out?"

"No."

"No."

"But I have seen a ship with black sails." I rolled my eyes, getting impatient. As Mullroy started talking again, Jack motioned to me with a quick flick of his hand to follow him. We silently snuck up the dock to The Interceptor and Jack took hold of her helm, feeling it beneath his rough hands. The two men stopped arguing and noticed that Jack was gone. They spun around to find us up on their beloved ship and quickly ran up, guns pointed. I scurried behind Jack and he gave a bit of a snort.

"Shut up," I whispered as they came aboard.

"You! Get away from there! You don't have permission to be aboard there, mate!" Mullroy called, aiming his gun carefully.

"I'm sorry, it's just a pretty boat...Ship," Jack said, correcting himself.

"What's your names?" Murtogg asked.

"Smith, or Smithy if ye like," Jack said, indicating himself. He pointed to me and said, "The lad is Jones."

"What's your business in Port Royal, Mr. Smith and Jones?"

"And no lies!"

Jack sighed and said, "None? Very well, I confess. We intend to commandeer one of these ships, pick up a crew in Tortuga, and pillage and plunder our weasly black guts out." I moved to Jack's side and nodded.

The men looked extremely confused and I bit back a laugh. "I said no lies."

"I think he's telling the truth."

"If he were telling the truth, he wouldn't have told us."

Jack interupted them there. "Unless of course, he knew you wouldn't believe the truth even if he told it to you." They nodded, considering that slight point. "Here, sit down and I'll tell ye of me life."

"Jack," I said.

"Yes, Jones?" he asked, looking at the navy men.

"You better make this a quick story."

"Why, lad?"

"You'll see." I leaned against the mast of the ship, waiting for him to begin. He did, after casting me a suspicious glance and it seemed to me that the entire story was made up. But knowing Captain Jack Sparrow, it could have been entirely true. I kept my eyes on the fort above us at all times, waiting to see the two figures. Soon enough, Elizabeth and Commodore Norrington's figures stood at the edge, near the bell. I could see Elizabeth trying to fix her corset and Norrington going on about his proposal. He turned away from the water and Elizabeth began her fall towards the rocks and water.

"...and then they made me their chief," Jack said, just as Elizabeth splashed into the water.

He looked out at the water, as I said calmly, "A lady fell in the water."

"Aren't ye goin' to save 'er?" he asked of the marines.

"I can't swim," Mullroy said. Murtogg shook his head, his eyes wide.

"Fine part of the King's Navy you are," I said. Jack gave me a funny look. "Give me your effect, Smithy. You can swim, go save the girl," I motioned for his things.

"Do not lose these," he warned before diving into the water. I nodded and made my way down the dock's edge, watching the action get better.