Disclaimer: I really really wish POTC was mine but alas I can only claim Millicent (Ugh) and Katherine and Valentine. Two out three ain't bad.

AN: Sorry about the delay. Work has been crazy.

He sat in the chair and watched as the young woman restlessly moved in her sleep. After the brief and impersonal ceremony they had registered at an inn. Actually it was the small inn that Annabelle and Tristan had booked into but by the time they arrived the hour was quite late and they did not run into the other couple. The innkeeper cheerfully showed them to a room and with many a wink had left them to "enjoy their evening."

It would have taken a blind man not to notice the sudden look of wariness that had crossed Valentine's face when the door softly closed. In an attempt to allow her some time to adjust to the sudden change in their relationship, Jonathon made a rather lame excuse about going downstairs to forage a late night supper for them. He had spent close to an hour in the downstairs pub whiling away the time in the hopes that she would feel more comfortable when he returned.

Jonathon let out a soft laugh at that thought. Well she certainly had relaxed. A still fully clothed Valentine was curled up in a small ball and deeply sleeping when he had returned. He had toyed with the idea of waking her but recalling the combination of fear and exhaustion that had graced her face earlier he had decided to let her sleep. Thus it was several hours later with dawn approaching that he found himself still awake and wondering what had possessed him to rush headlong into this marriage. It was tempting to dismiss it as a drunken moment fueled by passion but he had not been so very drunk and he had certainly indulged in many a passionate affair without benefit of matrimony. Pushing aside these uncomfortable thoughts, Jonathon began to assess the situation in which he now found himself. He had never intended to marry let alone marry at such a young age. However, here he was now shackled for life to a young woman who more often than not infuriated him with her sharp tongue. Since they had yet to consummate their relationship an annulment was still possible but as soon as this thought crossed his mind Jonathon dismissed it. For some inexplicable reason their union seemed right and almost fated. Their marriage would stand.

On the heels of this decision followed the truth that he was going to have swallow his pride and visit his father. Asking for forgiveness was not going to be pleasant but he now had a wife to support and he could not afford the luxury of being pigheaded and proud. With a sigh he stood up and went to place a soft kiss on his wife's cheek. No doubt she would likely sleep for several more hours and now was good as time as any to start mending fences with his father.

"Captain?" Gibb's voice slowly penetrated through Jack's reverie. "Captain, you've not been out here all night?"

'Aye. That I have Gibbs. Time seems to have slipped away." Jack answered returning to the present.

Gibbs was used to his Captain's unusual and erratic behavior but this was odd even for him. "Captain, you do realize that the ship is moored and there be no need for manning the wheel?"

Jack gave a grin. "I've not had that much rum Mr. Gibbs. Never enough rum around when you really need it. I just find it easier to think out here." He lovingly ran his hands over his beloved ship.

"Captain… Jack, I know it's not my place but are you sure you be doing the right thing by marrying? The sea is in your blood it is and I can not see you giving it up. Title or no title."

"You're a bit late Gibbs."

"Captain?" inquired a puzzled Mr. Gibbs.

"Gibbs can you hold your tongue?"

"Aye, that I can Captain. You've my word. I swear by the code I'll not breathe a word of whatever you tell me."

"Ah but do you swear by all you hold dear that upon pain of death you'll not reveal to another soul whether living, dead, or undead what I'm about to tell you? That you'll carry it to the grave with you?"

Mr. Gibbs' curiosity had now been thoroughly whetted. "Aye captain, on all I hold dear I'll not speak of it to anyone."

"By writing?"

"Aye."

"Pantomime?"

"Aye."

"Semaphore?"

"Captain what is it you need to be sharing with me? May the Kracken come back and rip out my tongue if I break my word."

"Get me some rum mate for I've a tale to tell you." Half a bottle of rum later found Jack and Gibbs in the captain's quarters sprawled comfortably in some chairs. "And then after a morning spent groveling at my father's feet he finally conceded to reinstate my allowance if I could talk my way back into Oxford." There was no disguising the anger in Jack's voice.

"Well with your silver tongue that'd not have been much of a problem,"

"Never got the chance mate. By the time I made it back to the inn the fair lady had fled never to be heard from again."

Both men sat silently for awhile contemplating the vagaries of women. Then he could not contain his curiosity, "So did you seek an annulment?"

"Didn't seem a point to it."

Gibbs gave a low whistle. "Now that's a right fine pickle you're in Jack. Still I suppose that if no one else knows there's naught to stop you marrying Miss Witherspoon except of course your sense of honor." The last was said ironically.

"Well there's the rub my friend. My darling wife, Mrs. Sparrow, has decided to make Port Royal her home. Course nowadays she goes by Widow Smith."

"Damnation what kind of miserable luck be that. What are you going to do Jack?"

For once Jack had no scheme in mind and it bothered him a great deal. Frustrated he admitted, "I don't know mate. I don't know." and took another swig of rum.

The maid bobbed a curtsy and apologetically explained, "I'm sorry to be disturbing you so early ma'am but you have a caller waiting in the parlor. I tried to tell her that you weren't receiving callers this early but she took no notice."

"That's all right Mary Jane. I shall not hold you accountable for another's rudeness. I take it that it is Miss Witherspoon who has come calling at this early hour? I only met her last night but she does strike me as more than a little pushy."

Mary Jane smothered a grin at her mistress' assessment of Miss Witherspoon. Amongst the servants of Port Royal Miss Witherspoon was not a popular entity. She had run through three lady's maids in as many months and her father had had to send all the way to England for the last one. "Yes ma'am it is Miss Witherspoon. I've put her in the front parlor but I'd not take too much time I joining her if I were you." she advised.

Dryly Val queried, "You mean she's likely to snoop if left on her own?"

"I wouldn't put it past her."

Val recalled the spoiled young woman that she had met last night and she had to agree with her maid's observation. "I do believe that you are right in your opinion of Miss Witherspoon's character. I am so glad that Jenny recommended you. We shall get along splendidly. Now please go downstairs and tell my uninvited guest that I'll be a few moments."

Mary Jane was beaming at her mistress' approval. "Yes ma'am. Shall I bring some tea and biscuits? You've not even had a chance to eat breakfast."

"Yes Mary Jane that would be most appreciated. Also, please send someone round to fetch Mrs. Norrington. Have them tell her that it imperative that she come here as soon as possible. I have the feeling I am going to need reinforcements."

Mary Jane departed and Val mindful of the maid's warning hurried with her morning ablutions before heading downstairs. As her hand turned the doorknob to the parlor, the patter of hurried footsteps sounded from behind the door. However, when she opened the door Miss Witherspoon was seated demurely on the settee with her hands folded in her lap. Millicent's hurried breathing gave lie to her innocent pose but Val decided to overlook the matter. This interview was going to be difficult enough to navigate without deliberately calling out the other woman and Val was not foolish enough to ever leave anything of great interest laying about for curious eyes. Still she could not resist a subtle jibe, "Good morning Miss Witherspoon. I am sorry to have kept you waiting. I do hope you were not too bored?"

Widening her eyes in what she had been told was an appealingly naïve manner, Millicent simpered, "Oh no apology necessary Mrs. Smith. I've just been sitting here drinking my tea and enjoying the peace and solitude. I find it such a relief to have a few moments away from the social rush to gather my thoughts and ponder important issues."

"Oh really? I find the same thing myself. Tell me Miss Witherspoon what weighty thoughts currently occupy your mind?" Val chided herself for baiting the other woman but despite her good intentions she could not pass by the opportunity.

The younger woman looked confused for a moment and then her eyes narrowed with irritation. It was a rare occasion when her word was not taken at face value no matter how outrageous the falsehood she told. She decided to ignore the question and begin to turn the conversation to her purpose. "So Mrs. Smith, tell me how you are finding Port Royal. It must seem terribly dull after London."

"I wouldn't call it dull. There seems to be a great deal to do here and the weather is certainly more hospitable." Val could play the game of exchanging social inanities as well as anyone. She knew that if she just bid her time that the younger woman would soon enough get to the real reason for her visit and it amused her to observe the dance.

"Well you certainly are brave to live out here all by yourself. Why this house must be at least a quarter mile away from the closest neighbor. I know that I should be terribly afraid to have no gentleman around to protect me." Millicent paused deliberately before adding, "Or do you have a paramour who is this very moment sailing his way here to join you? I daresay that would be so very romantic."

Val smiled serenely before replying, "Romantic or not, I'm afraid that I alone shall inhabit the house." Then she provocatively added, "Of course I imagine that I will have all sorts of visitors. You know how it is when one is new to the neighborhood. Everyone is so eager to meet you and strike up new friendships or in the case of some renew old ties."

With an artificial laugh that grated on Val's nerves, Millicent pretended to have just recalled an important fact. "My goodness I had quite forgotten that you already have some friends here in Port Royal. I believe that you and Mrs. Norrington are well known to each other and of course there is your old friendship with Jack. Tell me exactly how long have you and Jack been acquainted?"

Smiling at the other woman's obvious attempt to ferret out information, Val began to reply, "Mr. Sparrow and I …" but she was interrupted when Mary Jane announced the arrival of Mrs. Norrington. Several minutes passed in greetings and pouring more tea. Val shot Katherine a look that was a combination of thankfulness for her speedy arrival and apology for the surprise that she was about to impart. "Katherine you stopped by at just the right time. I did not have a chance to speak with you last night but the most unexpected coincidence has taken place. Your friend and Miss Witherspoon's fiancé, Jack Sparrow, and I were well known to each other in our youth. He was a friend of my brothers and we often attended the same functions. Of course we had not seen each other for over a decade before we happened to run into each other on the balcony last night. Is that not the most amazing piece of news?"

Katherine absorbed the information with admirable aplomb. It was obvious to her that there was much more to the story than Val had just revealed but she was not about to prod with a curious Millicent present. There would be time enough for that later. She simply agreed, "Amazing."

Val secretly cheered her friend's ability to assess a situation and react accordingly. It was one of the things about Katherine that had moved Val to offer her friendship. She had no doubt that Katherine would pepper her with questions as soon as Millicent departed but for the moment she had an unwavering ally. "Yes. I mean he was a few years older than I but you know how it is when one runs with a particular set. Actually his best friend and my best friend ended up marrying. I do believe that they are still happily wed and have several children."

Millicent decided to stop the pretense of disinterest and just outright voice her queries. After all, as Mrs. Smith had said, their past was only a youthful social friendship and most assuredly Mrs. Smith could never be a real rival for Jack's interest. "So tell me what was Jack like when he was younger? He is such an annoying man to refuse to divulge his secrets to me. Why he will not even share with me his basic likes and dislikes."

The three women were so intent in their conversation that they did not notice when Jack slipped in unannounced.

Recognizing a golden opportunity to cause Jonathon a great deal of discomfort Val grinned and leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner. "Well that will never do, will it Katherine? I mean how can Millicent marry a man when she knows nothing of him? Hhhmmnn, you wish to know his secrets. Where shall I start? Perhaps I should tell you of the time…"

Jack's voice drawled, "I'd not be telling tales if I were you Mrs. Smith. Unless of course you've no objections to me doing likewise. Fair is fair." He had meant to arrive first thing in the morning but the half bottle of rum had prolonged his sleep.

Val's gaze flickered and caught his. She mumbled under her breath, "All I need now is the elephant."

"Sorry, can't oblige you there. Perhaps an undead monkey?"

An unwilling smile crossed her face at his reply. She had no idea what an undead monkey was but he had evidently caught her reference to the fact that her morning was turning into a three ring circus. Despite their mutual lack of warm feelings for one another they had always had the curious ability to understand each other's most cryptic comments.

Both Millicent and Katherine noticed the shared smile and joke. Katherine mentally filed it away intending to ask Val at a later time about the level of intimacy that it indicated. Millicent, who was vexed that her examination of Val had been derailed by the arrival of Jack, crossly said, "Don't be absurd Jack. An undead monkey? What a silly thing to suggest." Then she took a good look at her fiancé, "Whatever have you done with your hair? You look like a savage."

At her words the two other women examined Jack's appearance. Though his hair was still neatly tied in a queue, he had taken several strands towards the front and woven in some of his trinkets. The effect was rather odd but not altogether unappealing. Jack had undertaken the styling shortly before passing out in the early hours of the morning but upon wakening he had found that he rather liked the effect. More importantly, he no longer kept reaching for something that was not there. To him the style seemed the perfect compromise between his old self and his new self and he said as much to Millicent.

"Jack you can not possibly mean to keep your hair like this? Why you'll make us the laughing stocks of society. I insist that you remove that junk right now. Mrs. Norrington do tell him that he looks ridiculous." she petulantly demanded.

"I don't know Millicent; it looks rather dashing to me." Katherine offered.

"Mrs. Smith?" Millicent appealed. What had moments ago been a potential enemy had just turned into a potential ally.

Val was torn. She neither wanted to agree with Jack nor Millicent. Since both options were unrewarding, she went with the truth. "As much as it pains me to admit, it doesn't look half bad. I would not worry about what the rest of society says Miss Witherspoon. You forget that Jack will soon be an earl and you a countess. It will be your prerogative to set trends rather than follow them. Why I would not be surprised if this time next year half the men in London are not sporting the same hairstyle."

Valentine's words took all of the fun out of trying to shock. She had reminded him of the future that lay ahead of him and it made him grumpy. Since it was obvious that his private tête-à-tête with Valentine was going to have be postponed he churlishly said, "Make your goodbyes Millicent. Your father will be wondering where you are and I've a ship to see to."

It took just a few moments for them to take their departure. Millicent was not usually one to allow herself to be managed in such manner but she had an ulterior motive. If Jack accompanied her back home she could spend the time convincing him to remove the beads from his hair. Surely a few pretty words and perhaps a kiss or two would do the trick.

No sooner had the door closed behind the happy couple than Katherine turned to her friend. "You had better have a very good reason for leaving the party early last night and then summoning me at such an ungodly early hour." Katherine complained and then added as Val started to pace back and forth, "And do sit down. I had rather too much champagne last night and trying to follow you is making me nauseous."