A/N: Ahhh, the reviews are making me smile! Love seeing everyone donning their pirate hats and joining in on the fun.

I need to give credit where it is due…from here forward, any of the "pirate" dialogue is done with the assistance of www . fissio . com / pirate . pl (take out the spaces). I typed up what I wanted to say, plugged it into the translator and gave ya'll the pirated version…hehe

~Present~

I stood at the small table, perusing the chart I had long since memorized, the bobbing of my ship causing the lantern to sway on its hook as it cast long shadows across the space.

If my estimations were correct, by sunrise, the lost island would be visible. Thus far, my estimations had never been wrong.

I was approaching four and twenty and had been on the sea for seven of those years. Ever since I became old enough to think like a man and convinced my family to go after what we'd lost.

The Swan's, William and Renee, had been pillars of the community. They'd treated everyone equally and always did what they could to help without asking for payment in return. They shared their love and their wealth willingly, not just because he was the Chieftain.

They had two young children. Their youngest, Jake, took after his father more, his Indian heritage shining through. He'd been nine the last I saw him. He would be almost a man now at fifteen years. From what I remembered of him, he'd been friendly but quick to anger and he'd gotten jealous easily.

Isabella, their oldest and their only daughter, was a nice blend of both her parents. She'd been eleven when they went missing, her womanly curves just beginning to make their appearance. Her slightly widened hips and how the bodice of her gown had become minutely tighter had not escaped my notice, nor my touch.

She would be seventeen now, the age I'd been when I'd really noticed her for the first time. When I'd realized I had feelings for her and declared myself openly...to her at least.

Just before she, and the rest of her family, had been ripped from our lives by the sea.

Not wanting to relive the memory that was about to unfold, I took a swig of the swill that was being passed off as rum. Grimacing as the fire burned down my throat, I headed up on deck to check on my unlikely crew.

Not surprisingly, Emmett was stood outside my quarters, guarding me. From what, I've yet to figure out. What is going to attack me in the middle of the ocean? He was actually my cousin, but he'd always looked out for our small band of gypsies, me in particular.

I nodded at him. "How's Carol?" Carol was his woman and about as fiery as they come. Especially since missing her moon cycle.

If the island wasn't there, I didn't know what we were going to do. She couldn't bear a child on my ship, nor raise one neither!

Faith Masen, must have faith, I thought as Em informed me she was actually feeling well this evening and was helping the other womenfolk down in the galley. I suggested he head on down to see when mess would be called and then moved further onto the deck.

I found Jack, my first mate, by the base of the rigging. "Ahoy Jack!" I called as I approached him. He often got lost in his thoughts and therefore startled easily. However, he was deadly with a scabbard so you didn't want to do that lest you chance losing a body part. Benny, one of the vagabonds we'd taken on while stopped in Tortuga, could attest to that fact. You just had to speak to his left side as his right ear was now gone.

Ironic in a way, since his girl, Angie, was blind in her left eye. Between the two of them, though, they were gold. Just don't ask Angie to lift the eye patch.

Jack's head lifted and turned to watch me approach. "Evenin' Cap'n," he called to me, his ponytail blowing in the wind behind him.

"Evenin' Jack, where's your little spider monkey?"

"Ally's up in t' nest. She seems pretty certain that we be goin' t' be makin' landfall soon and be bound t' be t' first one t' see it," he answered as he lifted his chin to make me look skyward. Sure enough, I could make out her tiny form leaning on the edge of crow's nest, her eyes on the horizon.

I was having a hard time containing the grin that threatened to spread across my face at the news of her intuition. Ally was rarely wrong and if she was foreshadowin' land, then my hunches, my estimations, were right.

Suddenly a loud cry came from the nest and Jack and I both looked up to see her hop over the edge, free fall a few feet before she lithely caught the rigging and scurried her way down like she was strolling down a wooded path.

The sun was preparing to set, casting an ethereal glow across the sky and over the water as we watched her get closer, suddenly jumping from about eight feet up and landing in Jack's arms with ease. She giggled and he smiled as they shared a quick kiss that caused an ache in my chest.

Such a simple thing. To share but a moment of intimacy with the one you love. Isabella.

Pulling out my spyglass, I directed my gaze to where Ally was pointing. Sure enough, the flat monotony we'd been surrounded by was gone. In the distance, jagged peaks rose up out of the sea. I freed my trusty compass and took a reading. Comparing that with the map in my head, I knew we'd found it.

At last.

The lost island.

If the Swan's had survived, this island was where they would be. I looked at Jack and nodded.

"Gather t' crew, ready Vanquish t' lay anchor. We have an island t' explore, savvy?"

"Aye, aye Cap'n," he snapped and hurried off, Ally in tow, to set fire under the crew.

Leaving the Vanquish anchored beyond the reef, the excitement in the air was palpable as we lowered the rowboats and made our way towards the island. The waters below us were a crystal blue-green, darker blue in the deeper spots, but so clear that we could see the reef as well as the wildlife.

Colorful fish darted to and fro as we cut our path through the water. Deeper down, the haunting shadows of the monsters that could split a man in half with one bite, circled slowly.

No matter, we'd be on solid land soon enough, I shuddered. I could make do on the sea, but I preferred the safety of land. I was a gypsy at heart, a pirate only by circumstance. With the distance closing, I retrieved my spyglass and brought the land into focus. I thought I saw something up on a cliff, but when I tried to zoom in on it, it was nothing.

Are you here, Isabella? Do you still love me? Do you even remember me?

A/N: In case you haven't figured it out yet, yes, I am having fun with the names. Gold doubloons if you know why Em's woman is Carol…

I'll see all ye bilge rats on the morrow!