A/N: I do not own POTC or any of its characters. I only own the storyline and my original characters.

A/N II: Sorry this is so delayed but I tried something a bit different during this chapter. It's also very long but I could not find a stopping point any earlier. Let me know what you think. Lots and lots of information (and good stuff!) in this chapter.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Neptune's Curse

Chapter Eighteen

"I am in trouble," was all that Jack kept saying as he nestled a tankard of rum in his right hand. His left hand cradled his head, barely keeping it off of the table. Sitting across from him was Madame Clio, an annoyingly all-knowing smile splitting her youthful face in two.

"Why do you say that, Jack?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes to look at the clairvoyant.

"She's a mermaid. I now have her brother on board and he will not take his eyes off her. And I almost got captured by the Royal Navy when we dropped her dear old dad back off at Port Royal. If it weren't for Elizabeth, I'd still be stuck behind bars in that measly excuse for a fort," he listed these complications off one by one.

"And why are you in trouble? None of this would have phased the great Captain Jack Sparrow before. What has changed?"

He didn't like how she kept asking all the right questions because he didn't want to give her the answers. It would only prove her point.

"What's changed is that you want her all to yourself. And you no longer have the luxury of that flippant attitude of yours because for the first time in your life, you have something to lose." Madame Clio took the words almost verbatim right from his thoughts but he just laughed bitterly.

"What do I have to lose?" he asked her.

"Miss Adrianna Taylor, and I'd call ya daft but I know that you're just being stubborn," she bit back.

He shuddered. No matter how many times she did that to him, read his mind, he never got used to it.

She stood up and grabbed another bottle of rum from her stash. Uncorking it, she poured another tall measure for the captain.

"Jack, why don't you tell me what happened after you discovered she was a mermaid?"

He took a deep pull from his mug and let out a sigh. This was going to take a long time.

They had stayed on the island for another two days while Addy practiced the transformation to and from her mermaid form. The moment that they had shared under the moonlight, that passionate embrace that had held such promise, went unspoken of while Jack tried to make peace with the fact that Addy was something other than human. Addy didn't really notice how he was distancing himself from her because she was too busy focusing on honing her skills.

By the end of that third day, all she had to do was think of one memory with an extreme emotion, fixate on it, and her tail would appear. She always thought of that day the soldier had come to her home to tell her family that her father and brothers had been presumed dead. It drove her into such deep sadness every time. It wasn't as if she wanted to go to that dark place within her mind, but that memory seemed to have the strongest effect on her.

That night was colder than the others and Jack had made up a fire to keep warm. Addy approached the campsite and took a seat on the ground across from the pirate. She was exhausted from the work she had done. She stared intently into the flames, all thoughts flying from her mind.

Jack looked up to see her face illuminated in the light. As each flame crackled, a shadow of it seemed to lick Addy's face. And that drew his attention to her slightly parted lips.

He had kissed those lips. And if he was honest with himself, he wished he could kiss them again. He wished he could kiss them so hard that he'd leave them swollen and slightly bruised as his mouth would trail down her body to lay kisses on places that had so far been forbidden to him.

But as his eyes scanned down to her legs, he was reminded of their unusual circumstances. It didn't matter that she had spent most of her life on land. She was a mermaid. And he scolded himself for not seeing it earlier. Mermaids were created to draw men in and become their undoing. He knew few men that had had relations with a mermaid and had lived to tell the tale.

He thought back to that preacher he had encountered during his trip to the Fountain of Youth. He fell for a mermaid and suddenly Jack never saw the man again. Of course, that may have had something to do with him getting gutted like a pig during the battle at the fountain.

And though he wanted to lump Addy in with the few other mermaids he had encountered during his many years at sea, he realized that in a sense she was an entirely different creature. She hadn't been raised by mermaids and hadn't even discovered her true form until adulthood. So she wasn't like those vengeful, nasty wenches, was she?

He was roused from his thoughts when he saw Addy fall on her side, fainting with exhaustion. She only woke when her head smacked the ground.

"Ooow!" she cried out, rubbing the side that had made contact.

Jack lightly laughed under his breath as he scooted over towards her. He pressed his back against a tree to anchor himself.

"Here, lean on me," he offered.

Her brow furrowed in suspicion but when he remained silent she merely took him up on his offer. She set her head against his shoulder. It was only then that he noticed the pink flower she had tucked behind the opposite ear. He breathed in the scent of it and of her. It was an intoxicating brew. He was just about to make a move on the young woman when she interrupted.

"Jack?"

"Uh, yes luv?" he replied.

"Let's go back to the ship tomorrow. I think I've practiced all that I can. I'm ready," her voice sounded low and as if she was already on her way to dreamland.

"Sounds good, luv."

She snuggled closer into him, letting her head drop into his lap. It was only when he heard her breathing even out that he tenderly pushed a stray hair behind her ear with the flower.

They remained like this until the sun rose over the hills the next morning.

A few days later they found themselves far off the coast of Dry Tortugas. Any closer to the fort and Jack knew they would be spotted.

Addy waited for his command, watching the cannons get roped down. All the men found a safe place to steady themselves on deck. When Jack was satisfied with the preparations, he joined her at the bow of the ship. They both could see the island off in the distance. He took hold of her hand and she looked over to him. A simple nod of his head told her to begin. Jack let go and took a few steps to the side to get a good grip on the rigging. Addy widened her stance and closed her eyes. Her hands curled into fists.

It started out small. The clouds began to darken and the wind picked up. Then the birds above them, sensing the incoming danger, began to crow. The sea grew choppy. Then the rain began to fall. The intensity of these forces of nature built and built until The Pearl found itself in the middle of a raging storm. As it plowed toward Dry Tortugas, the storm began to envelope the island as well, blocking out any view of what was on the horizon. Addy could hear the men behind her calling out. Some, she was sure, felt that she had brought the devil down upon them as they tried to hold on for dear life.

Gibbs stood at the helm, trying his damndest to keep the ship on course. He could feel his hands bleeding from the grip he had on the spokes of the wheel. Once Addy felt like the storm could sustain itself for a while, she let go of the energy and she collapsed upon the deck. Jack rushed to her to help and though she hated to show weakness, she did not refuse it. She knew that she didn't have much time to recuperate before she had to put the next part of their plan into action.

They were a about half a league away from shore. That would be a long distance for her to swim after all she had just done. But she knew that getting The Pearl any closer could jeopardize their mission. And she could practically feel her brother and father's souls upon the island.

Jack held up a very wet sheet for Addy to preserve her modesty as she removed her clothes. After all, she was masquerading as a mermaid. It would be somewhat suspicious if she was discovered wearing a blouse. Even in the pouring rain, all the men stared as she handed her trousers and pantaloons over to a very red-faced Gibbs. Finally Jack dismissed the lot of them, sending them down to the galley for their lunch. They would have to wait for nightfall and for the storm to die down enough to commence the next part of the plan.

It was only Addy, Jack, Gibbs and Tate on deck now. Over the roar of the winds, Tate recited her instructions for probably the tenth time while Gibbs gave his final word of warning and then wished her good luck. During this, Addy saw Jack trying to catch another peek at her naked form. So it caught him off guard when she called him out on it.

"What?" he complained.

"Stop it," she scolded him but the smile on her face was as wide as his.

"I figure that if you die, at least I'll have gotten an eyeful of the goods," he smirked.

She laughed, a flirty laugh.

"When I do make it back to this ship alive and with my brother and father, if you play your cards right you'll be getting more than just an eyeful."

Then she leaned forward and kissed him hard. Just as he was about to lean into her she pulled back.

And with a wink, she dove gracefully overboard.

The three men looked over the rail. At first they saw nothing but disturbed waters. But a few moments later Addy broke the surface. She let her tail do the waving and then she took off toward Dry Tortugas.

Jack watched her for as far as he could see her, her kiss still fresh on his lips and his thoughts focused solely on making sure she got back aboard The Pearl in one piece . . . if it was the last thing he did.

Several hours later the storm and sea had calmed only slightly. With all of the lamps doused on The Pearl, Jack knew it would take a very powerful telescope for anyone on land to spot the black ship. He had to admit that it was a challenge, rowing the small boat in the rain all that way with only the faint moonlight to guide them. But eventually they made it.

The group of three, Jack, Gibbs and Mick found a spot to pull their dinghy ashore that was shrouded by some cliffs. Tate had wanted to come, he'd even threatened Jack that he'd take off with The Pearl if he was left behind. And though for once Jack had wanted him to come along, since the older man did know more about the situation than any of them did, he had to refuse him. Tate would slow them down and Jack would not be held responsible if something happened to him.

They snuck down the beach and up the hill to a shorter wall of the fort. They knew that their would be no opening for them to just waltz inside, unannounced, so they had brought rope and hooks to climb the wall. It wasn't the way Jack liked to do things. This was the man that had somehow nailed himself into a coffin to find the key to Davy Jones' chest. But right now he saw no other way that would not jeopardize his entire crew and Addy. Captain Every was known to be a cruel man that enjoyed torturing even the most vulnerable. One wrong move and they would not be leaving this island alive.

First to make it over the wall was Mick. Then Jack sent Gibbs but the man found that between the pelting rain, his still bleeding hands and his large belly, he could not scale the wall. Jack told him to stay by the rope in case they needed it to exit the compound. Gibbs looked somewhat guilty that his journey had ended here but he nodded gravely, determined to still make his Captain proud. Jack shimmied up the rope with ease.

As soon as he stepped down onto the ledge, the two men were spotted by a guard that had been standing just a few feet away. The man went to call out, drawing his pistol. But Mick rushed at him and before the man could make a peep, he had been run through. Mick retrieved his sword from the man's stomach and without much thought, tossed the body over the side of the fort. They could not risk anyone finding it and sounding the alarm.

They walked quickly and quietly, eyes alert and on the search for the captain's quarters, where they knew Addy would most likely been kept. After all, it wasn't every day that a mermaid flopped onto the shore. They spotted a tower on the far side that was still lit. And from Jack's spyglass he could see that it was well guarded. That had to be where Every was.

Now they had to find the slaves quarters. Though the sheets of rain made it hard to see, He scanned the bottom level of the fort, looking for another cluster of guards. He found them, just a hundred or so yards to the right of the tower that was their first destination.

But evidently, Captain Henry Every was very impatient to make his fortune. Jack counted at least thirty men in the middle of the fort. Strangely enough there were streams running through the forts center. The men must have been digging and panning for gold. Despite the horrendous weather, they were all barebacked as they toiled away. Near each group of five or so men stood a guard. Jack seethed as he watched a whip rain down on one poor soul. The man struggled to stand and when he failed the first time, the guard grabbed him by the hair and forced him to look up at something that made him hurry to his feet. Jack followed the man's gaze and saw that on the perimeter wall their looked to be five scarecrows impaled on large stakes, all in a row. Jack's eyes narrowed, he doubted their were any birds large enough in this area of the world to worry about. It wasn't like they were growing crops.

He nodded to Mick and they began to trek along the top of the wall to the captain's quarters. With ease, Jack and Mick slipped through the night, knocking out guards silently as they made their way. As they approached the line of "scarecrows," Jack stopped dead in his tracks. Those were not scarecrows, but men who had been recently tortured and executed judging by the lack of decomposition. Two had their eyes closed, their heads nodding forward while a large spear protruded a foot into the air from the back of their neck. The other three you could not even see their eyes as their heads were rammed back and the spears rose from their wide open mouths.

Jack had seen many things in his time on the seas. But this had to be one of the most disturbing. And he felt his stomach lurch when he thought that Addy was most likely in the company of the man who had ordered such torture.

With a soft shove from Mick, who was also sufficiently unsettled by the scene before them, the two continued towards what they assumed and hoped was Every's quarters. They stopped and hid behind an empty guardpost that was probably right above the slaves quarters. Jack snuck a peek around to count how many men stood watch at the door of the tower.

He held up his hand with four fingers raised to signal to Mick and the younger man nodded. Mick went to stand up when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, pressing him back down.

"So, on a scale of 1 to 10, even though you are a poof, how is she?" Jack asked, eyes wide with anticipation.

Mick looked back at him incredulously, "You really want to do this now?"

Jack nodded eagerly.

"Mate, she's good enough to almost turn me away from riding the pole," he said slyly, somewhat excited to be in confidence with his captain.

Jack made a somewhat strangled sound in the back of his throat. After a minute, he seemed to recuperate.

"That makes it all the more worth it," he said to no one in particular before jumping out of his hiding spot, Mick close behind, and the two men took the four guards on with gusto. They made quick work of the situation and before they knew it, they were opening the large wooden door before them, afraid, though neither would admit it, of what they would find on the other side.

What they did find was far from what they had expected. An old man, much too old to pose any kind of physical threat to anyone, was seated behind a large, ancient desk. Instead of a chair on the other side, a large glass claw foot tub filled with water sat across from him. In the tub was Addy, obviously still in her mermaid form. They had given her a shirt and she was perched on the side so that all that was underwater was her tail. The two had been having a very heated discussion as was evident by the shade of red that colored the old captain's cheeks. Both of them turned to look at the intruders. And while Addy's face immediately broke into a glorious smile, Every looked even more furious than before.

"Jack Sparrah."

"Henry Every."

"I see you took care of my guards. Too bad that you put in so much effort to get onto this island since you will not make it off alive," the old man's voice was low and cracked every so often.

"Cut the act, Every," Addy said, only adding to the tension in the room.

"I would speak carefully, you overly large fish," he spat at her.

A swish of her tail thoroughly soaked him and the papers that littered his desk.

"All we want is two of your prisoners and then we will -"

"No," Jack interrupted her, "we want you to release all of your slaves."

He said that last word as if it was poison on his tongue.

Addy looked to Jack nervously, this had not been part of the plan.

"Gentlemen," Every began, "Fish woman, with what army are you going to free every single person on this island and take out all of my guards?"

"Mate, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow," and the dashing captain bowed just low enough so that he still had both eyes trained on the villain before him.

Every rolled his eyes with exasperation while Addy had to admit that she felt her heart swell just a bit.

"I bet you think that if you kill me, that my guards will abandon their posts and you can play the valiant hero in front of this freak of a creature," he gestured to Addy who simply sneered at him with indignance.

"But you have bitten off far more than you can chew, Jack."

"How so?" Mick spoke up. Jack looked like he wanted to murder the whelp for asking such a simple, mundane question.

Every retrieved his gun from his belt and in a flash, he had pulled the trigger, shooting himself squarely in the temple. But instead of falling down dead on his desk, he replaced the gun in its holster and the three in front of him watched as the bloody hole in his skull healed up, without even leaving a scratch in its place.

Jack gulped audibly. This was going to be a bit more difficult than he expected.

"Uhhhh, would you give us a moment?" Jack said weakly.

Every moved his hand with an elegant flourish as if to say, go ahead.

Jack and Mick ducked down to Addy's level and the three of them huddled close together. Mick kept one eye locked on Every.

"Jack, even though your desire to free everyone here is noble, we do not have the time or the manpower to do it. Unless the whole crew of the Pearl is waiting outside of that door?"

"Addy, no man, nor woman for that matter, should be kept in shackles at the mercy of another man," he replied fiercely.

This was a completely different Jack in front of Addy. Never had she seen him so serious or intent on helping out his fellow man.

She let out a deep breath. There was no arguing with him on this, that she knew.

"Well then, Captain Suddenly Heroic, how do you intend we complete this suicide mission?" she asked him.

Jack was silent for a moment.

As she waited for his reply, suddenly she had an idea.

"Give me your coat," and she motioned for it.

"Uhhhhhh, is no one going to mention the fact that the man just shot himself right in front of us and he's still alive?" Mick was panicking.

Jack just gave the young man a pointed look as he took off his coat. He handed it to her and she stood, wrapping it around her middle to preserve her modesty. She had transformed back into her human form and everyone could see how surprised Every was with this development.

After securing it by tying the arms of the jacket tightly, she stepped out of the tub and faced off with the man of the hour.

"Now, let me handle this," she smiled.

Her eyes narrowed. At first nothing was happening. But suddenly the water in the tub began to stir. In front of them all, two fists, similar to the one that Addy had threatened the crew with on that day they had found out her true identity, rose from the water in the tub and made its way towards Every. He sat, frozen in fear, before the fists wrapped themselves around him.

With little trouble, the elderly man was lifted from his seat, dragged across the desk and dropped face first into the tub that Addy had once occupied. Though he put up quite the struggle, the water surrounding him kept him firmly underneath. They knew that this would not kill him. He had proved that he was immortal. But this would temporarily incapacitate him and hopefully for long enough.

"Let's go, Addy," Jack grabbed her arm.

"No, if I leave eventually he'll be able to break free," she told him, "Go. Get my father and brother and whoever else you can out. Then signal to me that you're done and I will come."

"You'll be alone if a guard finds you in here, and I'm sure that gunshot will have drawn some attention," he pleaded with her.

She looked over to Every who was still struggling and looked back at Jack, a hand on her hip.

"Fair enough," he said before he turned to leave.

"Jack," her voice stopped him in his tracks and he looked back to see her face had softened.

"I'm putting my trust in you. Get my family out."

Though he wanted nothing more than to leave her with some funny or witty quip, all he could do was reply, "I will," and then he left.

Mick and Jack retraced their steps back to the stairwell that they knew should lead them right to where some of the slaves were being kept.

They flew down the stairs swiftly and quietly, stopping just short of the last step. They checked around the corner. Sure enough, the guards were still there, waiting just outside the door.

Jack turned back to Mick, "We get these guys out and then they'll have to help us fight off the rest of the guards. It's the only way they'll be free."

"And how are they going to get off this island? We don't have room for all of them on The Pearl," Mick pointed.

Jack hemmed and hawed for a millisecond before coming back with, "trifles."

And then they launched their attack. The ground underfoot was pure mud which made it hard to maintain a good footing. Eventually they had each one knocked out cold. Jack took a step back and drew his pistol. With one shot the lock fell to the ground. He took hold of the chain that held the door closed and pulled it off. The door flew open and at least a dozen men came bolting out.

The guards that had been watching the workers attacked the escapees. And even though they were armed, they were outnumbered by their prisoners who let their anger and desperation guide themselves to victory. After a twenty minute battle where a few from both sides fell to their deaths, the guards surrendered and the former slaves marched them into their old quarters. The door was wedged shut and secured with a whip and the chain.

Jack knew that it wouldn't hold the guards back for long. He left Mick in charge of evacuating the rescued and he took off back up the stairs. Just as he made it to Every's tower he saw the large doors to the fort creak open. They were out. Now he had to save Addy.

He opened the tower door to find the scene he had left had changed very little though their were a few guards that were either dead or knocked out, he was not sure which, lying in the corner of the room.

Addy saw Jack's eyes widen.

"Told you I could take care of myself," she laughed.

"That's my girl," he smiled and then reached for her hand, "C'mon."

Without another word the two fled the tower, knowing that at any second Every would be freed from her power and that with no proper lock to keep them in, the guards would be breaking out of the slaves quarters.

Instead of climbing down and running through the door, where Jack knew they would probably be trapped like rats, he led her over to the hook and rope that was still there, waiting to take them to freedom. He instructed her to go down first but as she was mounting the rope, a shot rang out and Jack pushed her aside. It sent her flying over the wall and into a bed of soft seaweed and sand.

It took her a moment to get to her feet, her back was aching and her head felt as if it was going to explode. She looked up just in time to watch Jack fall to the beach, landing just a few feet from where she had just lain. She ran to him and without thought, pulled him to his feet. He groaned as the two of them jogged to the boat.

The Pearl had sailed as close as possible to the island and the rescued men had already started to swim to it.

"Captain," Gibbs called out over the choas, "we can't bring all the men aboard! We don't have enough room!"

Addy answered for Jack, "We don't have a choice. They have nowhere to go and it was Jack's idea to free them all. Also, we haven't yet found my brother and father. And we are not leaving them behind."

They grabbed a few of the men to help them row the dinghy back to The Pearl. As they made their way, Addy leaned over the side of the small boat and touched the water reverently. Her eyes were closed and everyone could see she was concentrating. Though the sea had calmed considerably and the rain had stopped, the water below them became disturbed. Dozens of dolphins popped their heads from under the surface and swam to the men that were having difficulties swimming. With little coaxing, the men grabbed on and each dolphin brought them over to The Pearl where a few lines had been cast down.

Jack stared in awe at the power before him. He didn't even realize that they had already been pulled up the side of the ship and onto the deck which was now overrun with those rescued. The crew of The Pearl had no idea what to make of their situation. Once everyone was aboard and gathered together, Jack, with Gibbs' assistance, made his way to the helm where he addressed the lot.

"Gents, you will never forget the day that you were saved by the one and only, Captain Jack Sparrow."

A great cheer was heard from all, even the crew was very impressed with their Captain's heroic act.

"Now as you can see," he continued, though his voice was strained, "it's a bit cramped aboard The Black Pearl. If anyone wishes to sign up to join the crew, we need a few strong men, but no more than a few. The rest of you will be taken to the nearest inhabited island where I'm sure you'll all be able to find another ship to crew or a job to be had."

Another cheer was heard.

"Now, if Captain William Taylor and James Taylor would please make their way to my cabin, the rest of you can all grab a spot on the deck to call your own for the next few days. I expect some hard work in return for the ride, but you'll receive a share of the rations in return."

"I just hope we can find an island to drop them off quick or their will be no rations to be had," Gibbs whispered to his Captain.

Jack turned to his first mate, "We'll worry about that later, but for now, I need some rum."

He leaned heavily on Gibbs as the two ambled down the stairs. At the bottom, they found two men waiting for them. One was much older but they looked almost exactly alike. They could only be Addy's father and brother.

"Captain Taylor, I assume," Jack greeted and the older man nodded.

He was thin. Too thin. And his skin was gray despite it's dark tan.

"What can we do to repay you for saving our lives, sir?" The younger man, James Taylor, asked.

He was thin as well but his youth was on his side.

"You can say hello to someone who has been looking for you for a very long time," Jack smiled. He shooed Gibbs, who was being rather insistent that he take a look at Jack's wound that no one else had seemed to notice, and then opened the door to his cabin. He motioned for the two men to go inside.

Then he hesitated. He thought that he should probably give them their privacy, but if he was being honest, he wanted nothing more than to see the look in Addy's eyes when she was reunited with her family. And he was not disappointed.

Addy, who had changed back into her breeches and shirt, could not help but burst into tears the moment she saw them both. She ran to her father and hugged him tightly though as soon as she felt how fragile he was, she relaxed her grip for fear of breaking him.

"Who is this?" Captain Taylor smiled through his own tears, "Is this my brave Addy that has come to rescue me?"

At this James stepped forward to take a good look at the young woman he had last known to be just a little more than 10 years old. He joined the embrace, wrapping his long arms around both his father and sister.

Jack thought he had been forgotten when Addy peeked her head around her brother's shoulder.

Thank you, she mouthed.

Jack smiled. That was right before he collapsed to the ground. Seeing this, Addy broke free and rushed to her captain's side. She opened up his dark brown jacket to see a large pool of blood staining his shirt over his right shoulder.

That gun shot, it had hit him and she hadn't realized it.

"Gibbs!" She called out and within seconds he was helping her take off Jack's soaking wet coat and shirt. Then with the help of her brother and father, they brought him over to the bed. He was still conscious but she could see a sweat breaking out on his forehead.

She set to work cleaning the wound and then, with a sturdy pair of pliers, she removed the bullet. It was not a deep wound and it was mostly clean, which was promising. Again, she sanitized the area with rum (all the while Jack lamented the waste of a good drink) and then bandaged him tightly. She gave him another bottle of the liquor to quell the pain and within minutes he was asleep.

She sat on the edge of the bed, watching over the man who had saved her family when she felt Gibbs' hand on her shoulder.

"I'll watch over him lass," he said.

She stood and walked over to where her father and brother had been watching the entire ordeal, stunned at the brave woman Addy had become. She began to usher them out of the cabin when she turned back to look at Jack.

That bullet had been aimed at her and he had pushed her out of the way. Her heart began to beat wildly at this realization. She wanted to thank Jack for saving her life. But with him fast asleep, she knew the best thing she could do for now was to leave him to heal.

She'd find a way to show her gratitude.

The Black Pearl had three new crew members and two temporary guests when it left the rest of those rescued on Santiago de Cuba a week or so later. Now that Jack was back on his feet, it was time to head to Port Royal to drop off Captain William Taylor and James Taylor.

But the younger Taylor was not having it.

"James I have been aboard this ship for months and I've been sailing for years! And look at me, no bumps, no bruises, not even a bad scar. I will be fine."

"Some things don't leave outward proof, Addy," he replied warningly.

"I think you've witnessed what I'm capable of. If you are referring to rape, no one has ever touched me against my will," she announced defiantly.

He was about to say something when she deadpanned, "In fact I'm usually the one doing the touching."

Her brother's face fell at that somewhat lewd comment. No big brother ever wants to hear such a thing from his little sister and the fact that he had missed out on more than half of her life made him feel guilty. If it hadn't of been for him and their father, Addy would have never signed up for such a life.

But he had to put that behind him now and focus on the task at hand.

"Father is weak, it will be good for him to go back to Port Royal and rest. But their is no way in hell that you are going and finding some bogus treasure alone."

"Well, James, I won't exactly be alone. I am part of a crew."

"Which makes things even worse!"

"Well there's no way in hell that I'm not going and finding this treasure. I promised the Captain who made good on his promise. I have my family back and now I need to repay him for that. And besides all of that, I'm curious! This treasure has something to do with my birth mother. I want to figure out who I am."

She could see the hurt in her brother's eyes.

"You're a Taylor. That should be all you need to know. Or are we not good enough for you Adrianna?"

She softened, "You know I didn't mean it like that. You are my family. I think I proved my feelings for you when I went to the ends of the earth to save you! But I have the right to know why I can talk to fish, control the weather and the ocean, why I can transform into a mermaid. But most of all, I want to know why I was given up; why she didn't want me."

"We wanted you Addy and that should be enough," her brother sighed with exhaustion, "but if you insist on such a fool's errand, then I am going with you."

"James, you've been through enough these past years. You need to rest as well," she coaxed him gently.

"I will not rest until you are home and safe and if that means you must complete your task before coming home, I am not letting you do it alone. And my word is final."

"Well I think you have to talk this over with the Captain before you announce your plans to stay aboard, don't you mate?" Jack had heard the tail end of their conversation and decided that he needed to intervene if he intended to ever get any kind of alone time with a certain cabin "boy."

"I'm sure one more worker aboard is not going to break your back, Captain," the slight disdain in James' tone was evident and Addy could feel a knot in her stomach that was growing with the tension.

"Son, there are no free beds aboard. I would think you'd have realized that after a week of sleeping on deck."

"I don't think Addy would mind me sharing with her. And I'm not much younger than you so I would quit the 'son' act."

Jack placed his hands firmly on his waist. He winced slightly from the pain that was still coursing through his right shoulder.

"You're not off to a very auspicious start," he warned.

"If you want that treasure, you need Addy and from now on, Addy only goes where I go."

From behind James, Jack could see Addy's face, red with embarrassment and confusion. Never had he seen her bow down to a man. He knew it was because of guilt. She had told him why she felt it was her fault that her father and brother had ended up in this mess, even though from what he had learned, she had had nothing to do with it. But he did not want to bring her any more troubles.

"We'll string you up a hammock downstairs," Jack replied.

"I don't think my sister should be left alone with a man of your reputation, Captain Sparrow. We've heard all the whores talk about your sly tongue and it's many talents."

"And what have you been doing hanging around with whores?"

James grew red in the face, knowing he had dug himself into a hole he could not climb out of gracefully.

"I'll share my cot, Captain," Addy interrupted the exchange.

Without a word, Jack walked away knowing that it would be a bit longer until he could work out some of his sexual frustration with one very frustrating mermaid.

It should have been an easy task. Why Jack had insisted on coming along was still a mystery to Addy but now here they both were, locked up in Port Royal's gaol.

"This must be familiar to you Jack," she sneered at him through the bars of her cell.

"Hasn't changed a bit," he lamented.

"Actually, I think the hay is less comfortable than the last time," she pronounced.

He looked over to her, "You talk as if you've been locked up in here before. I doubt they'd do that to the daughter of one of their noble captains."

She tsked three times, "Oh ye of little faith. I spent a lovely night in here once after the despicable Cutler Beckett locked me up. And it was on Elizabeth's and Will's wedding day!"

"What did you do? Throw your bouquet at Beckett?"

"No, I punched out one of his guards. I wish it had been him though," she seethed.

"I will assure you, he was the recipient of a slow, painful death if that makes you feel any better."

She smiled morbidly, "It does, thanks. But do you know what does not make me feel better? The fact that we are locked up and awaiting trial for pirating activities. This never would have happened if you had stayed aboard The Pearl."

"If I hadn't of come with you, you probably wouldn't have returned and then I would have had to have torn this whole island apart looking for you," he bit back.

"You trust me so little that you think that I would abandon our deal after you saved my family?"

He had never seen her look so heart broken.

"That's not what I thought would happen. Your dear brother has been more than vocal about his displeasure with your newfound path in life. For all I know, he could have locked you up in your parents' basement!"

"If that's true then you should know that nothing on earth could keep me from fulfilling my promise," her voice was no longer shaking but he could hear the anger behind her words.

"I'm never going to win this one with you. I give up," he threw his hands up in the air to emphasize his surrender.

"Well that's the first smart thing you've ever said," she smirked.

He just let out a harrumph.

"Don't worry, Jack. I'll make sure you get your precious treasure."

In a voice just slightly higher than a whisper she heard him reply, "That's not the only reason why I want you back onboard."

Just as she was about to ask him what he had meant, they heard hurried footsteps heading their way. It was dark so they could barely make out the figure that came around the corner moments later.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I think it's time I got you both out of there."

"Wait a second, I'd know that annoying voice anywhere," Jack laughed.

"Elizabeth!" Addy rushed to the bars.

Elizabeth took hold of her friend's hand and stepped into the moonlight. She looked tired but healthy, her cheeks a little fuller than the last time Addy had seen her. She was dressed in black breeches and a black overcoat.

When Addy gave her friend the lookover, Elizabeth explained, "No one really cares with the daughter of the late governor wears anymore now that she has a son and her husband is some mythical sea guardian."

"I heard about Will," Addy felt herself beginning to well up. He had been her dear friend and confidant, "I am so sorry."

"I'll see him in another 8 or so years," she let out a deep sigh, "Well, let's waste no more time. As I said, we need to get you both out and I happen to have the key."

"But you'll get in trouble. I can't let you put yourself and your baby in danger because of us," Addy said.

Jack chimed in, "Let's let dear ol' Elizabeth decide for herself, eh?"

"Though I appreciate your concern Addy, Jack is right, though I don't know how I feel about being called 'old,' she huffed at him before looking back at Addy, "Besides, the current governor is very superstitious. As the wife of the 'new' Davy Jones, I have some power over him. He thinks I can just call upon Will at anytime to drag him down to the locker. I figure that it doesn't hurt to have a little bit of fun with this somewhat tragic arrangement."

"Well then, open'er up!" Jack clapped his hands together and rubbed them anxiously.

Elizabeth did just that and once they were free, the three of them ran from the fort so as to avoid any unpleasant company. She walked them both down to the docks where a boat was waiting to take them out to meet The Pearl.

Jack smiled smugly. There was no way James was going to make it back aboard before they set sail and then he would have Addy all to himself. His victory was short lived when he saw the man in question stand up in the boat, the oars in his hands.

As they climbed in, Elizabeth told them to sail as quickly as possible to avoid the incoming East India Trading, Co.

"They are not nearly as strong as they once were, thanks to us, Jack," she boasted, "but still, you do not want them catching you."

"Aye."

"Once I return, I would so love to meet the baby, Elizabeth," Addy said.

"And you will. Just a warning, Danny is out looking for you. You know how he can be. If he finds you on a pirate vessel he will drag you back here kicking and screaming."

"I can handle him. Thanks for everything."

And with that they cast off. Once again, Elizabeth stood watching as yet another friend took off for adventure. She was just grateful to have her son to love and remind her of Will.

Back aboard The Pearl, Jack took up his post while he watched the Taylor siblings continue their fight from the dinghy. Both stood at the bottom of the stairs to the helm, talking as loudly as they could without outright shouting at each other.

Big Brother did not like that his little sister had spent time in the local gaol for acts of piracy. Jack just shook his head and laughed under his breath. James obviously did not know Addy very well.

"And how are you ever going to return to Port Royal?" He asked his sister.

"You know perfectly well why I was arrested. They have no proof that I've committed any sort of piracy. My only crime was being in the company of Jack," she replied, her hands firmly on her hips.

James took another stepped closer, making Addy's head snap upwards so she could maintain eye contact. It was an intimidation tactic and she was well aware of what he was trying to do. So without breaking their stare off, she walked backwards up two steps. She was just barely looking down at him now, but it made her point.

"That's another thing I don't like, Addy. Your relationship with this scallywag," at this remark, Jack's ears perked up. He was more than curious as to what Addy would say in reply.

"What about it?" She asked.

"Well you've made it very clear that you are no longer," he looked around the deck and his voice became softer, "a virgin."

"Well that's a good thing since I was married!" Her laugh was ripe with sarcasm.

James winced, "I think you know where I am going with this."

"I think you mean to inquire as to whether or not I am shagging the captain," she replied boldly.

Shocked to hear her say such a thing aloud, yet relieved that he hadn't had to, all James could ask was, "Well?"

Addy could feel a certain set of eyes boring into the back of her and she turned just in time to catch Jack before he looked away.

"Gibbs! How about that mainsail?" She heard him say.

She turned back to her brother's disapproving gaze and shrugged impishly, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

With that she ducked around him and locked herself away in her small cabin. James went to chase after her but was immediately put to work swabbing the decks, leaving him to stew.

Now no, Addy had never shagged Jack. And she had no plans on shagging him. No doubt she was attracted to him. No doubt he would be a good shag. And with anyone else she knew she'd be able to scratch the itch and then split. But she was starting to think that maybe she was a little too attracted to him. And she knew their was no future to be had with the infamous womanizer, Captain Jack Sparrow. The last thing she needed was a broken heart.

But boy, had she enjoyed the look on her brother's face just then. James had always been good to her but much too traditional, especially when it came to Addy's place in civil society. Now that he was back, it was time for him to be introduced to the person she had become.

Of course, if she was being honest with herself, part of it was because she wasn't entirely sure that if Jack had tried at some point to seduce her, she wouldn't give in.

Jack and Gibbs entered the cabin just a few moments after Addy had. As she tidied up the cabin that had somehow become a pig sty despite the fact that its sole inhabitants had been on land for the past few days, she listened to them plan their next course.

"Are we headed back to Madame Clio's?" She asked.

"That's what she said to do once we had returned your dear ol' dad to safety," Jack said, "but first we need to restock on a few supplies so we'll be stopping back in Santiago de Cuba."

"Santiago de Cuba . . . that's where things got sticky," he said. Though by the sly smile on his face and the far off look in his eyes, Madame Clio had an idea that "sticky" merely meant he was getting to the point of his entire story.

"Well, go on."

Jack held out his tankard and she refilled it to the brim.

"Where do I start?" He looked genuinely confused.

"How about at the good part?" She suggested.

The smile on his face grew.

A/N: Thank you all so, so much! Huge thanks go to Linalove. Also big thanks to Jokerlover13, 60433, Blue Bird Heaven, Guest, WamapokeIndian, Kit-cat99, ssn, hannahhobnob, Josophina, oOo Dreaming of the sea oOo, Lady Ravanna, Sea Rover, Aut Viam Inveniam Aut Faciam, Piratica II, Guest, Sabina-Sofia, Atlafan1286, TUWK, xxyangxx2006, Guest and ssjbura-briefs for their encouragement.

Thanks!

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