"I know it was your mum's choice and your sister just did what she was supposed to, but I couldn't look at her the same." Teague sighed sadly. He couldn't help it. Part of him blamed his daughter. After that day, Teague couldn't look at Julia the same again. When he saw her, this first thought was always the same: 'Murderer'.

Jack had noticed that there was something cold between his dad and sister's relationship, but didn't know what. He did notice that Teague seemed to avoid Julia. They didn't even eat together. It was like they were two strangers living together.

When Jack saw Julia ten years before, she was a quiet eight year old. She welcomed Jack's company as she read a book. She always had a small smile on her face. Then, on the night before the Black Pearl left Shipwreck Cove, Jack saw her really smile.

Julia had the same old smile on her face as she cleaned the table with a wet rag. The eight year old sighed, scrubbing the table. Then, she looked over and saw Jack the Monkey sitting where she just finished cleaning, eating peanuts from a pouch. "Hey! I was saving those!"

"Saving them for what, I wonder?"

Julia blushed, turning to face Barbossa. She remembered seeing him during the Brethren Court. She admired him. At first, it was the hat. Then she noticed his jacket. After a few moments, Julia started watching him as he spoke. Soon, she was just watching him. Her interest in the man only grew when he actually stood on this very table. She only knew his last name because he voted for himself as the Pirate King. Julia learned the next afternoon that Barbossa was onboard the Black Pearl during the battle of the Maelstrom.

And now Barbossa stood in front of her.

"I was going to eat them after I finished." Julia replied nervously.

Rolling his eyes, Barbossa took the pouch away from the monkey and quickly slipped a coin in before handing it to Julia. "You ought to keep a better eye on that Missy."

"Yes sir." Julia nodded, watching as Barbossa walked up the short steps to the door. "Barbossa?"

Barbossa turned to her. "What is it?"

Julia gave him a genuine smile. It was one of those rare smiles a person gives when they first fall in love. The eight year old did have a crush on the man. She didn't care about the facts that he was much older and that he and her brother did not get along. She fell in love with the man who was brave enough to stand on her dad's table. "Thanks!"

Julia smirked when she noticed a light approaching the entrance to the brig. She recognized the familiar step-scrape sound that made up Barbossa's footsteps. She stood up and walked up to the bars. "Took you long enough. I was starting to get bored."

"We're stopping at an island for the night. The men are too tired to work, thanks to you." Barbossa said, pulling a ring of keys from his pocket. He unlocked the door and opened it, then grabbed her arm. "I'll not be leaving you alone on my ship."

"Apparently you don't understand the concept of the word "borrow"." Julia commented as Barbossa lead her out.

"I understand it requires permission."

"You were unconscious."

"And I suppose you had nothing to do with that?"

"Maybe a little." Julia replied, before kissing Barbossa's cheek. She then held his hand as they walked. "You think there might be a hot spring? I heard that they're wonderful! Mum told me about them."

Barbossa smirked as she kept talking about how amazing hot water springs supposedly were. Part of him was impressed with her. How she so easily took command of the Revenge. He wouldn't have suspected that Julia had it in her to be a captain. Even now, she kept one foot ahead of him.

Suddenly, Julia stopped to face him in the dark hall. "Was it a matter of not leaving me alone on your ship or leaving me alone to please myself?" She asked, before leaning up against his chest. "The idea that with me being alone in the brig, pleasing myself as I wish, too much for you?"

Before he could answer, Julia placed his hand down her trousers. He felt her hand over his, curling his fingers. Barbossa thought that he had experienced everything there was to be experienced, but this was new. He had seen Jack do something similar in the Town of Shipwreck, but Jack always had to sneak his hand in. The fact that she not only invited it, but actually put his hand down there was a surprise to Barbossa.

Julia shivered at the sensation of Barbossa's long nails against her private area, but kept a smirk on her face as she led his fingers to the right spot. This was a new experience for her as well. A few times, men have done this to her and she used it as an excuse to charge extra. She never actually led someone to it. "You know you were thinking that."

Even if he hadn't been thinking about that, he was now. How could he not think that, feeling the moist warmth of her under his fingers? Still, he wasn't too fond of being told what to do. To take back some control, Barbossa forced her against the wall. He took both of her wrists in his free hand and held them above her head. He leaned closer to her as he rubbed, feeling himself get hard. "I don't need you to show me."

"Prove it."

This time, Barbossa kissed her. He pressed into it, forcing her head against the wall as well. The kiss deepened as his fingers rubbed faster. They had slept together enough times in the past few weeks for him to know when she would finish. So right before that, he stopped. To Julia's confusion and frustration, he pulled his hand out of her as he pulled back.

"That's it?" She asked as she watched him walk away.

"I'll be the one to decide when you finish."

Later that night, Julia decided to take a walk around the island. Barbossa let her go, assuming she could use the two swords she carried. Then an hour passed. And then two. Finally after almost three hours, he decided to look for her. He followed the path they had taken deep into the jungle when they first arrived, and kept walking until he heard her singing to herself.

In the past five weeks, Barbossa had literally seen every inch of Julia's body. He had seen many women's bodies in his lifetime. But something about the way the moonlight hit her body that night and something about the way it's reflection on the water seemed to sparkle around her cause him by surprise. She looked like a mythical creature, like a water nymph. Barbossa half expected her to vanish before his eyes.

Julia looked back at Barbossa from over her shoulder and smirked, holding out her hand to invite him….

I'll be honest...this chapter was...interesting to write...

...and a bit awkward...

...when am I not awkward?