A/N...Well, I finally finished the big move...except now everything is in a box :o( This chapter was written in a bit of a cold medicine induced stupor so I hope you don't find too many errors. ;o)

As always, you know I thrive off of reviews so keep 'em coming!

Chapter Twenty-Three

During the best sailing season of the year, the two pirates established a reputation like none before had ever managed in such a short time. It was a strange feeling to walk into a tavern and hear the brief silence followed by the hushed voices that Jack knew spoke of him. And yet, he enjoyed it. In fact, he thrived off of it. Anamaria was not as keen on the popularity their success had drawn, but she did like the respect it drew her.

The two captains had become possibly the wealthiest seamen this side of the world in a matter of months. Pirates respected them, the navy had been chasing after them for months, townspeople feared them, and entire islands had surrendered their wealth to prevent attacks. The combined crews were definitely a force to be reckoned with.

However, for all the success that was brought them, the time they spent apart from each other seemed to wear on their relationship. As the weather grew warmer and hurricane season rapidly approached, The Black Pearl and The Sea Wench dropped anchor in Tortuga for the first time in many months.

Anamaria met Jack on the dock, "Don't even think about heading into that town."

Jack smiled a lusty smile at his former first mate, "But I'm out of rum."

"I don't give a damn what you're out of, we're getting back on that boat," Anamaria stated.

"What say we compromise and we get a room in town? I've had enough sleeping on a ship."

"I don't think I can wait that long," she grinned.

"Sure you can," he offered, beginning a brisk walk into the crowded streets.

"Jack!" she shouted, hurrying to follow after him before she lost him among the other sailors.

The Blue Dragon had become Jack and Anamaria's favorite tavern over the last six months in an attempt to stay out of Giselle's way. It was close the docks and had a nice view out back that overlooked the ocean. By the time Anamaria found Jack inside, he was already dangling a key from his fingertips. Anamaria was just reaching for it when one of the barmaids called out to them.

"Captain Sparrow?"

Despite being distracted by his lustful thoughts, Jack turned to the young girl, "Yes?"

"You had a letter come for you," she said, turning her back to begin looking through a cabinet. "Where did it get off to?" she wondered aloud. "I believe it was originally delivered to The Briar Rose, but one of the girls brought it by here, saying that she heard you had been frequenting here lately instead. Ah, here it is," the girl said, pulling out an ecru envelope with neat script across the front. "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what exactly it's in regards to." She handed the letter over the counter to Jack who looked at it strangely before placing it inside the pocket of his coat.

"Thanks very much," he said.

Jack and Anamaria practically raced each other up the stairs. It was all either of them could do to get the key in the lock of the door and turned under their extreme excitement. Jack knew the last couple of months had been busy ones, but he wasn't sure that he had ever gone this long without having sex. Sure, the pirates had had their share of rendezvous at sea, but it had still been a while.

By the time they had made it halfway across the room they had managed to rip each other's clothes off. Jack pushed Ana onto the bed and entered her forcefully. She screamed out half in pleasure and half in pain, digging her nails deep into his back, causing him to moan as well. She thrust her hips against his as he ground against her forcing him deeper and deeper inside her until he could take no more. Jack halted his motion to stop himself from coming too soon and Anamaria took the opportunity to get on top. She rode Jack hard and it seemed that in only a moment's time he was ready to come again. He grabbed her waist to get her to stop, but she continued to grind against him, meeting his lips with fevered kisses. He couldn't control himself any longer and a deep low moan rumbled from his throat as he came inside her. He collapsed on top of her and she put her arms around him, pulling him into an intimate embrace as she shook against him. He lay there for a minute against her, letting the rest of his seed spill into her as he felt her contracting muscles pulling it out of him. He lay there for a minute against her, letting her contracting muscles pull the rest of his spilling seed into her. He lay there for a minute against her, feeling her contracting muscles pull the rest of his seed into her body.

It took a great deal of effort, but Jack did manage after a while to pick himself up off the top of her and roll to the side. The weather made the room stifling hot and sweat still dripped down Jack's face as he rested his head on the pillow to stare at her. She picked her head up to kiss his lips softly and he returned the sweet gesture.

"Who needs rum anyway?" he asked just above a whisper.

Anamaria giggled as she caressed his face with her fingertips. Putting his hand behind her head, he pulled her into a deep kiss. Even though Jack had just come, he felt his body stiffening, preparing to go again. Anamaria felt it too and she stroked him roughly before mounting him again.

By the third time, both pirates were so worn out that the sex was much more romantic and at a slower pace. Their eagerness had worn off and as a result they were able to go much longer and pleasure each other more fully. Before they drifted off to sleep, Jack could feel the familiar burning sensation across his back that Ana's nails left. He smiled to himself and pulled her closer into his arms just before he slipped into dreamland.

The late afternoon sun was spilling through their window by the time Jack and Anamaria actually got up the next day. Jack stretched his muscles and probably would have fallen back asleep had Anamaria not poked and prodded him to get up and cracking at the day. He dressed as she watched with mild interest. It was much better to see the man undress, she thought, but at least for a brief moment she had gotten to see those tanned chest muscles. The scars that might make most girls flinch in imagined pain actually attracted her. She saw them as an autobiography on sketched on canvas and stretching their way across his body. A romantic tale of sea, and sun, and sailing.

"You're not going in to town with me?" he asked, adding his hat as a finishing touch to his ensemble.

Anamaria realized she had been staring and hurried to dress. "I've got some things I need to tend to today so I'll join you, but at some point I've got to go my own way."

"Alright," Jack agreed as they stepped out the door.

The tavern Jack bought his bottles of rum from was just across the street from The Blue Dragon. While The Dragon's atmosphere was good for privacy and it's prices for mugs of rum were reasonable, Jack had found the bottles to be rather expensive for his taste. Therefore, he continued to stock his ships with rum from Dead Man's Lair. Short Leg Petey had always given Jack a good deal and today he slipped Jack an extra two bottles since it had been so long since the Captain had stopped in to see him. As Jack reached into his pocket for the money, he drew out the letter the barmaid had given him the previous night.

"What's this?" he said to himself, turning it over. Seeing the neat script writing that bore his name on the front he remembered that in his and Anamaria's haste they had completely forgotten about the odd letter.

"Oh yeah," Anamaria said, taking it from him and tracing her finger over the looping letters as Jack paid Short Leg Petey.

It took both of them to lift the two boxes full of liquor and carry them back to The Black Pearl. Anamaria had insisted that she would buy rum for The Sea Wench at a later date.

After they had made sure the rum was safely in Jack's room, he took the letter back from Anamaria.

"What do you think it is?" she asked.

Jack had crossed the room and seated himself at his desk to study the wrinkled off white envelope. The swirling ink had come from a blue quill and was slightly smudged as if perhaps the letter had gotten wet during its journey. Jack turned it over and studied the dark blue wax seal that was stamped across the back. An exquisitely embossed S stood out.

"S?" Jack wondered aloud.

"Well," Anamaria said, "open it."

Jack traced a finger across the wax one final time before sliding his thumb under the edge and breaking the seal. He slowly withdrew the sheet of paper enclosed and began reading to himself. Anamaria peered over his shoulder and her mouth dropped open.

Jack,

I have no way of knowing when you will receive this letter

and no assurance that you will at all, but I have no one else to send

it to. William is dead, killed by the same fire from which he tried to

rescue our son. Because of the rift between my father and I, caused

by my marriage, I have no family and few friends here in Port Royal.

James Norrington has called on me, but I want neither his support

nor his sympathy. I do not know what I am asking of you, Jack.

perhaps a comforting voice, if nothing else? I just thought you should

what is going on here.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth

The paper slipped from his hand as Jack remained seated and speechless. Anamaria's hand rested on Jack's shoulder, but she dared not speak. He leaned forward, resting his head in his hands and causing her hand to slip down his back.

"I have to go see 'er," he said, his voice sounding gravelly in his throat.

"I'm coming with you," Anamaria said.

Jack raised red eyes to meet hers. "You should stay here, be with your crew. Enjoy the time off."

"It wasn't a request Jack." Anamaria's tone was firm. "The weather is about to get bad and I'll not have you sailing around out there without me. I'll prepare a minimal crew, but a good one. We'll sail first thing tomorrow morning."

Anamaria stepped to the door to begin her preparations and then turned to add, "Don't console yourself with too much rum tonight. I need you to be clear minded and able-bodied for this run."

Anamaria left Jack to his thoughts and his rum as she began her trek around town to find the crewmembers she trusted to sail with them. She planned on leaving Nuri in charge of The Sea Wench while she was gone. Even though the ship wasn't leaving port, she would still need someone to take care of her. It took her almost all night to round up the sailors they required.

As dawn broke on the horizon, Anamaria made her way up the gangplank and onto The Black Pearl. She made her way straight to Jack's room and without knocking, twisted the handle, allowing herself access to the room. She trusted that Jack would forget to lock the door behind her and her theory proved correct.

He remained sitting at his desk, his shirt open, boots kicked off and lying on the floor. An empty bottle of rum sat beside him and his eyes were bloodshot.

"You should have tried to get some sleep, but at least you didn't drink yourself into a stupor," she told him.

Jack did not respond.

"Come on. Snap out of it. He's dead Jack. You've seen death too many times to let it affect you this way."

Jack blinked several times and then raised his eyes to meet hers. "He was the only memory left of one of the few men I have ever been able to consider my friend."

"I know," she said softly.

"Are you ready to set sail?" he asked, slowly rising from his desk.

"Your crew is ready."

Jack nodded as he led the way out of the room.