Full Summary: When Jack has no choice but to pose as a Navy officer in order to get his precious Black Pearl fixed from a sea battle against another crew of pirates, he ends up finding help in one of the most unlikely of places.

Chapter Ten

Nell looked away from Jack and busstled up the stairs, turning left and then right along a small corridor to her room. She silently entered it and closed the door softly behind her, taking the leather bag off the hook on the back and looking around. She couldn't take too much with her, so she'd not take any clothes; all she had was her maid's uniform. She would, however, take some nightdresses and she'd take the sea shell she was given by her parents, and all her money. That was about all she had worth taking... Maybe she should take her pillow, and give it to Jack? He had, after all, saved her life. Yes, she would take it, and she would force him to use it.

Grabbing the pillow, she tucked it under her arm and opened the door, glancing back at her room for the last time. She had lived here, served under the Admiral, for around seven years, since she was eighteen. Now she was leaving, forever, to stay aboard a pirate ship. She was becoming a pirate.

Why did she feel alright with this? Was it the lure of adventure, the excitment, calling her? She did love the sea, she supposed. She had been facinated with it as a child, and she had enjoyed the voyage to the Caribbean.

Closing the door, she tried to banish her thoughts. She had a new life to be getting on with, one with the pirate captain, Jack Sparrow. She would be in danger, not only from the Navy, but other pirates. Pirates from different ships... Pirates on the Black Pearl. She was a woman... She couldn't stay in this dress. It would attract too much attention. What would she wear?

Upon reaching Jack, she voiced her fears. He chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"'Course not, love. I'll get ye safely aboard me ship, me cabin, and get ye some breeches, a top and a bind." He eyed her chest then shook himself while Nell's cheeks flushed. "Can't have ye showing off ye womanly assessts, can we?"

Nell slapped his arm and shook her head, but followed him as she lead the way out of the house. It was then that it hit her. She was leaving and she would never come back. She would never see her sister again, nor anyone she currently knew, apart from Jack. She wouldn't see the Admiral put to rest, and she'd be leaving the injured behind. Could she do that? Could she leave the people she knew, people who had become her friends, to suffer? In their weakened, injured state, they would become ill. Maybe it was best that she was leaving.

Walking alongside the pirate captain, she tried to ignore the stench of blood, the agonised moans of people all around her. Some tried to crawl over to her but only collasped. Nell caught sight of a young child crying over the body of his mother, and started to rush over to him only to have Jack stop her. His eyes were sad as he shook his head.

"Sorry, love, but we can't help him. I can't bring a child aboard a ship." He looked at his feet. "I'm sorry."

Nell nodded, closing her eyes as she thought back tears. It would be dangerous for her, but even more so for a child who probably wouldn't survive. She hated to leave him in the mist of so many injured and dead, but he doubted he'd move away from his mother's body; she knew what that grief was like.

Shaking herself, she ran after the retreating form of Jack and slowled her pace as they reached the dockyard. The planks of the docks were creaky and splattered with water and blood. Nell walked around them and stared up at the only intact ship. It looked almost the same as it had done almost a month prior, but not the sheets were a deep black, matching the timber. A black gangblank was reaching down to the docks and she followed Jack up the steep slope it made. It seemed to wobble a little under her and she was glad to reach the firm deck. Jack directed her to his cabin, holding the door open for her and showing her the bed.

"Ye take that. S'only proper for a woman to have a bed. I'll make a hammock." He told her roughly, helping her store her money in one of his drawers. He quickly nodded and disappeared into the darkness after telling her he was going to salvage her some clothes.

Nell sat on the bed, placing the duck-feather pillow next to her. The bed was soft, but the many pillows were thin. But they'd do; Jack could have her own pillow for saving her. She owed him so much and she had no idea how to repay him.

As she sat in her thoughts, Jack had quickly entered the room once more and closed the door with a kick of his foot. Under one arm were various articles of clothing, and under the other, a roll of fabric. She guess it was a hammock and she was right as she watched the man set it up on the nails already in the walls. When he was finished, she walked over and held out the pillow.

"Take it."

"Couldn't, love. It's ye'rs."

"I owe you my life, Jack. It's the least I can do. You've even given me your bed."

She watched as Jack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before taking it and placing it in the hammock. Turning away, she began to fold her new clothes neatly, and placed them in the same drawer as her other belongings. She nearly jumped with shock when something tapped her shoulder. Looking over it, she scowled playfully at Jack as he stared back. Then his hand moved to his frock coat's pocket and he pulled out a bar of soap.

"Thought ye might like this if ye have a bath." He told her, and lay it on the top of the drawers. Nell hugged him once more, getting a faster response than the first time and whispered into his chest:

"Thank you Jack. You don't need to do this but you do."

He mumbled something under his breath before walking her over to the bed.

"Ye should sleep, darlin'. I'll need ye up in the morning."

Nell stopped at the side of the bed, looking at it curiously before her blue eyes landed on Jack.

"You'll, er, have to turn around." She muttered, her cheeks burning as a dull pink coloured them. Jack pouted.

"Come on now, love. Do I have to?" He begged, his eyes wide with pleading. Nell sighed and her face moulded into one of seriousness after she nearly laughed at his facial expression, and rotated her wrist with her fingers, apart from her index finger, curled.

"Turn around, Jack."

"I've already seen yer womanly assessts in that dress love."

Nell glanced down to her bossom and raised her eyebrows. Unlike some of the women at Port Davies, her dress was very modest. It came quite high, covering her "womanly assessts", as he called them.

"Stop imagining, Jack. I'm not a needy prostitute," She told him, her voice spiked with slight anger and an order. "Turn around, before I have to make you."

"Persuade me, love."

"You may see something in the future if you turn around." She was not being serious, and she had no wish to show him herself, not matter how good friends they were.

Jack, however, seemed happy by her reply and complied, turning around with his hands clasped behind his back, studying the walls of his cabin, eluminated in the candlelight.

Nell quickly pulled her nightdress over to her and removed her maid's dress for the last time, covering herself up with the cotton material and slipping into the bed, propping herself up on the multiple cushions.

"You can turn back around now, Jack." She said into the candle-lit room. She saw Jack turn and sit on the edge of the bed, pulling off his boots. She closed her eyes as he took off his coat and his waistcoat, leaving him in a flimsy shirt and breeches. She didn't open her eyes until she heard the fabric russle as he lay in the hammock. It wasn't much longer until she heard his snores. Giggling to herself under her breath, Nell rolled over in the bed, pulling the covers up to her chin as she settled down to sleep.