Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to Pirates of the Caribbean. Well, except a Jack Sparrow poster, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: Here you are; a second update this week, as promised! Thanks so much for reading, and please review!

Chapter 18: A Night of Elegance:

It was early evening when we returned to the Pearl, and by then, I was exhausted. While making lace was interesting and fun, it was difficult and exacting. It would be useful to learn, but even though I at least knew the basics of the art, I was far from being proficient in it.

"You still need a great deal more training if you wish to become a proficient," Nicole had told me as we finished up. "And practice wouldn't hurt, either."

Still, I was grateful for the lesson, and told her so. For now, I was a beginner, and Nicole had been kind enough to give me a book on the art so that I could continue my studies. Perhaps, after a great deal of practice, I would be able to make my own lace, but that wouldn't be for a while yet.

After leaving Nicole's shop, Jack led me back to the Pearl, where he ordered Anna-Maria to feed me and put me to bed, saying that I'd had a full day and needed rest. The other girls heard his orders, and proceeded to fuss over me until I told them about my day. After that, they insisted on looking at the book on lace making, and I knew that from now on, we would be spending a great deal of time and money making our own lace.

Supper was a simple fair brought onboard by Gibbs, as Mr. Cotton had decided to take the evening off. Pasta with tomatoes, basil, garlic and shrimp filled my belly, and a glass of wine caused me to seek my bed earlier than usual. While the girls sat together over my – or rather, our – new book, I took the rest of Nicole's gifts back to my cabin.

Once the door was locked behind me, I tucked the spool of lace and the handkerchiefs safely into my clothes chest, sighing over them before I went to bed. That night, my dreams were filled with clouds and oceans that shimmered of white lace.

Since he refused to leave Venice without experiencing at least one romantic evening with Evie, Jack decided to go "all in" and spend a little extra coin to make things more memorable.

Many wouldn't imagine him to be a wealthy man, but Jack knew the value of saving for a 'rainy day,' and often kept a few caches of money stored in his cabin for certain occasions. Most of these funds were to act as payment for the crew in the event that raids and pillages were scarce, but the rest of it was for his own personal use.

After securing the door to his cabin, Jack fetched the pouches that held his money, and began counting them out. Soon, several stacks of gold, silver and brass stood before him, glittering in the flickering candlelight that cut through the darkness of the evening. He didn't have to worry about interruptions or someone catching him with the money. Most of the crew, including Evie, had long since gone to bed; he'd heard her movements next door cease hours ago.

Sighing, Jack pondered what he could do with his money. None of the crew knew he had it, and for good reason –if they did, he'd come back to a trashed cabin and no funds. As much as he trusted his men, they were pirates, after all, and trust only went so far with a captain who'd already had one mutiny onboard.

Staring at the stacks of coins, he thought long and hard. For the right price, he could send Evie's heart soaring –the problem was finding what, exactly, could do it. Did she like music? Art? Opera?

'Can't abide opera,' Jack thought with a shudder. All those screeching females and bellowing men creating what they called 'music' just weren't his taste. Plus, they wore ridiculous costumes and headpieces that no one in their right mind would wear.

"A play, however, might do the trick," he mused, rubbing his chin.

Aye, a play and a sumptuous dinner was just the sort of evening Jack had in mind. It was private, romantic, and involved a great deal of beautiful scenery –though Jack was probably going to be admiring the lady beside him more than the theater's artwork.

He couldn't resist a grin. She was going to look spectacular; he knew that for sure. In his head, Jack imagined Evie wearing one of the finest gowns he'd procured, and her hair being done up beautifully on top of her lovely head. Her cheeks would be flushed with excitement, making her glow. He did so like seeing her glow…

Snapping himself back to reality, Jack reached for a bit of parchment and a quill to scribble down what needed to be done. Once the list was complete, he scooped some of his coins into a small pouch and the rest went back into their hiding places. When he began yawning, he knew it was time for sleep. He would need his strength for tomorrow.

The next morning, I woke to someone knocking furiously on my door. Though it wasn't early, I had clung to the hope that I would be able to sleep late at least once while we were in port. That hope was shattered, at least this day.

Groaning, I sat up and went to unlock my door. When I swung it open, it revealed a surprising sight –namely Gibbs standing there with a bright smile on his face.

"Good morning, Evie!" he said cheerfully. "Rosa and the other lasses wanted to know if you'd like to join them for breakfast below decks before heading off to do a bit of sightseeing."

Well, why not? "I'd love to join them," I said, returning his smile. "Give me a few minutes to get ready."

In ten minutes, I was down below. Breakfast with my friends was always fun, and today was no exception. Rosa and Penny had fetched pastries from a bakery early this morning, and when they served the marvelous delicacies, everything was still warm and very fresh. The fruit combined with the light, flaky, buttery crust and a thin drizzle of icing over the top had all of us sighing with joy.

"I love Italy," Selene told us dreamily as she licked strawberries off her fingers.

Anna laughed. "Nah, you only like the food," she said, finishing the apple-filled pastry in her hand. "But then, so do I!"

We all laughed at that, and when we had stuffed ourselves silly, we decided to take the leftovers to Rannoch, Marty and Gibbs, who were all sitting together and having a breakfast of their own. Their meal, however, consisted of bread, cheese, and a slab of cold roasted meat split between them. It wasn't fancy, but it was good, filling food, and something that all the crewmen enjoyed.

"Ladies!" Gibbs greeted us, smiling as he set aside the knife he was using to eat. "What have you got there?"

"Leftover pastries," Rosa said, giving him a fond smile. "You three are welcome to have them."

Penny went over and pressed a kiss to Marty's bald head. "Joining us today in town?" she asked.

Rannoch shook his head as he swept Selene off her feet and plopped her in his lap, causing her to giggle. "Not today, ladies," he said with a regretful smile. "Captain's said we've had enough fun, so now it's time to do some work aboard the ship. Will you be alright on your own?"

Rosa nodded. "We'll be fine. Right girls?" We nodded. "There, you see? And don't worry; we're prepared to defend ourselves."

The men looked skeptical, but said nothing, which was smart. I truly did not want to witness a fight between Gibbs and Rosa, or between any of the men and their ladies, so I was happy to see that the men said nothing against us women going out on our own. Besides, we'd have Anna-Maria with us, and we'd each take a hidden dagger or two, so we were probably safe enough.

"Ah, Evie, there you are!" exclaimed a familiar voice behind me. Turning, I saw Jack swaying towards me, a smile on his face. "I see you're getting ready to head out?"

I nodded, and wondered why he looked so happy. "Yes, we're going to dress in a minute, then leave. Is there something you wanted from the market? Or anything you need?"

Jack shook his head. "No, thanks, luv, but I wanted to speak to you privately for a moment. Come with me."

Puzzled, I followed him to his cabin, where I promptly shut the door behind me. Once we were alone, Jack turned to face me as he leaned against the big table.

"Evie, I wanted you to know that I wanted you back early this afternoon," he said, all seriousness. "My reason is that I expect you to be dressed for an evening out in Venice, and I know how long it takes women to prepare."

I stared at him. "An evening out in Venice?" I echoed, unsure if I was hearing him correctly.

"Aye," he confirmed. "You'll need to wear one of the more elegant dresses I provided for you, since we'll be going somewhere more…refined. You might want to do your hair up with your combs and wear that pretty necklace of yours, too." He had suggested that last part, gesturing to my head and neck with the fingers of both hands.

By now, I was starting to get worried. "Jack, what are you-?"

"No, no questions!" he exclaimed, waving my words aside. "Just do what I ask, will you, darling? Trust me; you will not be disappointed with what I have planned."

At this point, I knew there was no arguing with him. "Alright, Jack, you win," I said with a sigh. "I'll come back early and dress nicely for tonight."

He grinned at me. "My thanks, luv. Now, go have fun, and I'll see you this evening. Ta."

I was at the cabin door when I heard him call my name, right before he said, "Catch!"

Turning, I barely managed to get hold of the small pouch he'd thrown at me. It jingled a little, the sound of coins clanking together telling me what was inside it.

"Try not to spend it all in one place," he said, gently shooing me out the door with a wave of his hand.

My mind still whirling, I went to join my friends, thinking about what an odd day it had already been, and how strange it was going to be later.

When I told the other girls about what Jack had said about this evening, they had all stared at me in shock before Penny and Selene suddenly started squealing in excitement.

"He's trying to woo you!" Selene cried, grinning broadly as she hugged me.

"What?" I blurted out in shock. "No! No, he isn't. He's just trying to show me Venice, that's all."

"Pfft!" Rosa said, waving her imperiously hand at me, like a queen dismissing a servant's words. "Of course he is, Evie! You ought to know, being a matchmaker. I'm sure you've seen fellows trying to win the hearts of the young women they were courting."

I blushed. "Well, yes, but watching something from afar is quite a different matter than when it's actually happening to you." I looked down at floor. "And I've never been courted, so how would I know?"

Glancing up, I saw them staring at me. "You've never been courted?" Penny quietly asked. I shook my head. "But you're a wonderful person! How could you not have at least one suitor?"

"Well, it's a fairly long story, but I'll give you the short version," I said, my cheeks still flaming. I quickly told them of my past, and found sympathy in Penny and Selene. Rosa and Anna, however, seemed offended that no one had shown the least bit of romantic interest in me, their good friend.

"The men of your town must have been blind and stupid," Rosa declared hotly, tossing her hair imperiously over her shoulder. "I do not know what they were thinking!"

Anna crossed her arms. "Well, we'll change that now. Let's head into town. If the Captain wants her looking her best, we'll find something that'll make her shine like the sun!"

Now I began to panic. "This is a mistake," I hastily told them. "I'm telling you that Jack isn't interested in me that way! I mean, he's Captain Jack Sparrow! He couldn't possibly want me."

"Of course he does!" Penny cried. "Now, since you've already got dresses to choose from, and those silver combs, what else does she need?"

"Perfume," Rosa put in. "She must smell as wonderful and enchanting as she looks. We ought to go into town and find a scent that suits her."

As we put on our day gowns, I immediately had a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. What had I gotten myself into?

Rosa was a god-send when it came to choosing perfume. We managed to find a small local shop with a merry old man minding the counter, and when he saw us, a group of potential customers, he encouraged us to look around.

For well over an hour, we did exactly that. I liked several scents that were heady and rich with musk, woods, and floral scents. A few had wonderful accents of fruit, and that only made choosing a perfume harder to do.

Finally, it was Rosa who came up with the scent that we all felt was 'mine.' It was a small vial that smelled of roses and a touch of fruit and musk, something that was lovely and elegant. It was almost something a noblewoman would wear, though we purchased it for a fraction of the cost.

"Everyone comes to buy my wares, whether they are rich or not," the shop owner said in heavily accented, but decent English. "And your Spanish friend there bargains like my own mother used to, so you've no need to fear being cheated, either!"

Giggling over my good fortune, my friends took me back to the Pearl, ready to begin preparing me for the evening. Imagine our surprise when we set foot on deck and were immediately greeted by Jack, who turned us towards his cabin.

"I want Evie to have plenty of room to dress," he said. "I hope you'll be ready in two hours? I'll be down below, getting ready myself."

"Two and a half," Rosa declared as she ushered me into the cabin. "See you then, Captain."

I barely heard her close and lock the door, because on the large table in the center of the room was a lovely gown of deep blue satin with a light silver sheen to it. The underskirt was black silk shot with silver, and along the bodice were elegant designs in the same colors, with silver lace trimming the neckline and sleeves. I couldn't help but think that wearing this dress would be like wearing the night sky.

Once I was dressed, Selene spent nearly half an hour combing my hair out and putting it in different styles to see which one looked best. The other girls added their opinions, and in the end, Rosa put my hair up on the top of my head, my combs tucked neatly into it to keep any locks from straying. A light touch of kohl around my eyes brought out their color and accented their shape, while a touch of red on my lips gave them a nice contrast against the light dusting of pale powder that Penny applied. Where they had obtained these accessories, I had no idea, but I suspected that they had either brought them aboard or purchased them somewhere during our travels.

Finally, I sent Anna-Maria to my cabin for the black velvet pouch that held my necklace. When I produced the stunning piece of jewelry from its dark confines, the other girls gasped.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Selene cried. "Where did you get it?"

I flushed. "Jack took me to a Venetian glassblower's shop," I explained as Anna fastened the delicate chain around my neck. "I was able to take this as a keepsake, to remember my time there."

The other girls smirked. "I knew it!" Rosa said triumphantly. "If that isn't a sign of Jack's intentions towards you, I don't know what is!"

Before I could reply, a knock sounded on the door, and Selene rushed to answer it. "Captain Sparrow," she said, greeting him respectfully. "She's ready."

"I certainly hope so," I heard him mutter. "Can I come in, or should I wait for her to come out here?"

Selene gestured for me to come to the door. Anna, Rosa and Penny all grinned broadly as I made my way past them and to the door.

Jack almost swallowed his tongue when he saw her. He knew that the gown he'd purchased in town would suit her, but never had he thought that she'd look like a goddess of the evening sky! The silver in her gown glittered like stars, and the twinkling combs in her hair were like crescent moons. Around her neck, the silver-and-gold necklace was like a swirling constellation, drawing his eyes towards the gracefulness of her neck. She was exquisite.

When he realized he'd been staring, Jack cleared his throat and offered his arm. "Milady?"

Smiling, she took it, her hand soft and delicate on the brown velvet of his coat. Jack scented a whiff of perfume in the air, and felt his heart jump into his throat. Lord above, he was doomed.

He wasn't the only one staring. I could not understand where he had procured the dark brown velvet coat, brown leggings, boots, and a new brown tricorn hat, but he looked so handsome I didn't care. Most significantly, he'd bathed thoroughly, and applied fresh kohl to his eyes. Before, he'd been dashingly handsome –now he was enough to wring any female's heart.

Blushing, I let him lead me into town. We didn't travel far, for Jack had somehow managed to hire a gondola as our evening's transportation. My cheeks heated significantly as I seated myself on the red velvet cushions, with Jack seated a mere inch to my right, so close that I could feel the heat from his body. Oh, Lord, how was I going to survive the night?

Down the canals we traveled, the large lantern at the stern lighting our way while others hung about the outside, so that others could see us. Much to my delight, the lamps did not diminish the astounding views around me –I could clearly see the lit up palaces of the wealthy, most of them full of light, music, people, and laughter, no doubt the scenes of great parties and events.

We eventually stopped near a tremendous theater, and I was surprised when Jack stood up and exited the gondola. I didn't hesitate when he offered me his hand to help me on shore, though I nearly panicked when he began leading me towards the entrance to the theater.

"Jack, what are you doing?" I whispered. "We can't go in there!"

He gave me a smirk. "Of course we can! We look just like any mucky-muck with deep pockets, and besides," he said with a grin, "I paid for a marvelous evening, so we had better go in, or else I'd have wasted all that money for nothing!"

It was hard to argue with his logic. Holding back a nervous sigh, I let him lead me inside the building.

AN: Evil cliffhanger, I know, but it keeps things interesting. Review?