A/N: I am such a mean person. I have been busily writing away at this FanFic, but I haven't posted in ages. I have about six chapters already, and I was keeping them all to my onesies, how cruel am I? Oh well,

I decided to bring in Mullroy and Murtogg, the two soldiers cum pirates from CotBP and AWE, but as of yet there are still no real spoilers.

Disclaimer: I do not have giant ears. Ergo: I am not the mouse.

Chapter 4: Dinner With The Captain

Elizabeth was a fast learner. Another point in her favour was that as a young girl she had ravenously devoured books on pirates, ships and the sea, much to the growing dismay of her father. As she grew older, of course, this became unacceptable, so from the age of ten onwards she had had her maids smuggle books in for her and would spend secret moments scanning diagrams, engrossed in descriptions and instructions and practising knots on delicately embroidered handkerchiefs.

She quickly picked up her assigned tasks with little or no help from Marty. And so when the ship's bell rang out the end of her watch, Elizabeth straightened up, brushed the hair from her eyes with a forearm, wiped her hands on her breeches and looked around. She spotted Cotton, who was not on her shift, handing out food and made her way towards him.

Later, Elizabeth sat between Marty, Pintel, Ragetti, Mullroy and Murtogg on the deck, learning a shanty, Fifteen Men on a Dead Man's Chest. She, Mullroy and Murtogg were having the lyrics hammered into them by Pintel, with the occasional word from Ragetti, and he seemed to be somewhat a perfectionist.

"'Twas a cutlass swipe, or an ounce of lead,

Or a yawning hole in a battered head,

And the scuppers glut with a rotting red,'"

She shuddered, enjoying the horror and preparing to repeat the song from the beginning when the bell sounded again.

"Dinner time!" yelled Marty, who had been singing along. The crew rose and began to flow towards a hatch that led to the galley. Elizabeth got to her feet. She felt someone nudge her and, looking round, saw Marty. He pointed with a wry expression and when Elizabeth followed the direction of his outstretched arm she saw Jack, leaning against his cabin door, watching her. He raised his eyebrows. Elizabeth glanced back down at Marty, who was grinning. He walked past her, still smirking, and she rolled her eyes and approached Jack. He opened the door and, as she reached him, stepped aside and gestured elaborately for her to enter.

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"Am I to dine so well every day on your ship, Captain Sparrow?"

Elizabeth was piling her plate with meat and bread and grinned as she asked the question.

"Only the best for the respectable Miss Elizabeth Swann, governor's daughter,"

"And what about Elizabeth Swann the pirate?" she said, looking up at him.

Their eyes locked for a long moment. Jack said nothing. Finally he replied;

"Only the very best for Elizabeth Swann, in any guise."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to respond but remained silent. All at once she felt like his eyes were burning her and she looked quickly back down at her overflowing plate. The food seemed suddenly unappetising as she sat under his scrutiny for a moment that stretched on longer than logic should allow her to believe. At last Jack broke the silence.

"So are you ever going to tell me why you've been tracking me down?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes, sorrow tainting her face. Jack watched, his expression unchanging, as she looked back up at him. Her eyes glittered with unwilling tears and as she inhaled her breathe wavered with emotion and her voice caught in her throat.

"Jack, I-"

An insistent knocking shattered the crystalline moment. They looked at one another a moment longer, then Jack called;

"Come in,"

Marty opened the door. Jack turned away from Elizabeth to look at him.

"Sorry to interrupt, Cap'n, but a ship's been sighted,"

"Colours?"

"French. She's a merchant vessel, sir,"

"Eugh, hardly worth it, she'll be full of raisins," Jack muttered, standing up, then raising his voice said, "Right, I'll be out in a minute,"

"Aye aye, Cap'n, Miss Swann" Marty nodded to them both and left.

Jack turned back to Elizabeth.

"Miss Swann, I suggest you ready yourself for battle,"

She swallowed and nodded. Rising, she made as if to walk past him, but Jack caught her wrist and spun her round to face him. She gasped as their bodies crashed together and took half a step back, staring up into his dark eyes. Jack's gaze flickered briefly to her lips. He leant forward and his breathe rustled her hair as he whispered in her ear.

"Don't do anything stupid,"

He released her and stood back. Elizabeth turned, feeling his gaze on her as she left his cabin.

One good, quick battle coming right up! Hope you're still enjoying it. I think I may have over-used Marty a bit in this chapter, but he's so cool I just couldn't help myself! Don't forget to review, you don't need to be signed in, just leave your email address or let me know your FanFiction PenName or whatever so I can reply.

xWho-Wouldn't-Waver-With-Jackx, formerly XJackAlmostTooMuchX, formerly RoseTheLuckyOne.