It was a busy night, as it usually was at Fig's. The lonely drunks paying for company and comfort with their last shillings in the moon lit city of the dammed and forgotten.

Red smiles as she receives a wink from the raven haired harlot working the wealthiest dupe in the tavern while handing out a picture of ale, she shakes her head at the blonde man beside her with a smile "Looks like Hattie's having a good night"

"Your boy's jus' come in" Thomas smiles and makes his way into the back

Red's gaze instantly turns to the door and sees James, a deep frown on her face, he looked a mess, like he hadn't bathed in days, as she hurry's back to work, dancing around the crowds "Red! Red please…"

She hears him shouting but blatantly ignores it until a hand grabs her arm "Red please, will you just let me explain!"

"Explain what? You don't need to explain anything to me, after all I'm just a serving wench to the scum of the earth, right?" she says while pulling her arm from his grip with force

His face is fallen and sorrowful as he follows her "I'm sorry! It was a mistake, a foolish, drunken mistake!"

She turns to him, a smile on her face "Look you don't have anything to be sorry for, it's your life, you do whatever you want, love. Not like it's any of my business… look, James I have to get back to work so…"

He watches as the mass of crimson floats through the sea of bodies with a bitter taste in his mouth and a tautened chest… she called him James!

Eight Days Ago-

It had been a night of familiar's as the young spitfire sat beside a freshly beaten James Norrington, thankfully he had started to sober up. He wiped a hand over his disheveled face as he complained "…they didn't even know them, why would perfect strangers join in a fight that pays them no mind?"

With a shrug the barmaid sighed, whilst pouring ale onto a reopened wound "I told you wearing that old uniform aint good in these parts, love. People don't like it! …and done"

"It's my uniform and I'll wear it if I wish!" he states with pride as she stands, smiling down at him

As the old sailor takes to his feet his knees give out beneath him, slender creamed arms catching him before he meets the floor "alright, time for bed I'd say"

His arm round Reds small shoulders as she heads for the bed, only for James to stumble into her, a light chuckle escapes the girl as she supports him.

Their eyes meet and their suddenly so close, his broken bare chest gliding with her silk covered breasts. A wisp of a smile merges on the gentleman's face as his hand comes to cup her marble cheek "Red Teague, no star shone brighter"

A blush creeps to her smiling face "Jimmy…"

However as she looks at him, this man whom she had befriended and cared for, his jade specked orbs admired her crimson lips, inching ever so slowly forward and without realizing it so had she. With his breath warm on her face and lips grazing merely, her eyes flutter to a close…

"Ow! Bloody hell" James suddenly yelled in pain, gripping his bruised side that had collided with the mantle of her blade

The redhead couldn't help but laugh "it's not funny, that hurt"

"Come along you baby" she smiles and helps him to the bed, he breathes a breath of relief as she blows out the candle

Opening the door and letting the moonlight flood the room she turns to him "G'night Jimmy"

He doesn't respond, sleep having gripped him and the girl made her way back to work, just because he could sleep doesn't mean she could

Present-day-

The nights shift was long and hard on the girls aching bones, so when first light streamed in from the shutters and most the customers gone but for the few, Red sighed in joy and headed to her room, only to find a green clothed blonde whore lent on her door, who straitens at the sight of the waitress "Red…"

With closed, tired eyes the pirate shakes her head "its bed time Mary"

As the fire lit girl tries to bas the blonde clings to her arm "Red, please, it was just business"

Those words seem to engorge a blaze in Red as she turns, the harlot instantly finds herself looking down to the tavern below, arched over the wooden rail with a fierce grip in her hair and sharpened blade to her throat "I told you… you knew! Just stay the bloody hell away from me"

With a quick foot the blonde was released and Red barricaded in her quarters. Her back met the bed as a sliver of light gleamed in through the shutters, a small breeze caressing her skin as she played with the her mother's ring, twirling the emerald around her finger as caramel orbs stuttered closed.

Before her a sea of memory echoed, the color as clear as day…

Brown, gold dusted gems look out into the endless tide, a body slumps to the rail beside her, giving her a watchful eye "You alright kitten?"

"Perfectly fine, I was just thinking… it's so big, magnanimous" the girl thinks wonderfully

"Great place to get lost she is" these words bring a smile to the child's face as she looks to her companion

"I don't mind getting lost, not while I have you at least" this seems to catch the elder's attention

Carefully placing an arm over her small shoulders, minding the freshly changed bandages he knew lay beneath the pink gown he spoke "what you mean 'while'? You and me kitten, that's forever!"

With an adoring gaze she looks up to him "Really Jack, forever?"

With a firm nod he brings her into a side hug, letting her tiny arms circle him tightly as he confirms "forever!"

The Redhead woke with a start, blades in hand, ready to fight "what is it!?"

"Calm yourself, sweetheart. I just brought you some dinner, cabbage soup!" Figs smiles, placing the tray drown on the nearby table

Sitting up Red sees her windows are now open, the evening cloud beginning to line the sky "what time is it?"

"Hour before opening, Red, love… I heard what happened. You alright?" the elderly man offers her kindly

Coming to the table, dunking a piece of bread in the soup and saying with a full mouth "I'm fine, Figs"

"Come now, I know you where sweet on the boy. Do you want me to sort him or maybe call for Captain Teague?" he says with a raised brow and a cruel smile

Swallowing the bread with a shake of her head Red sighs "No, no there's no need for any of that, especially writing Daddy. Besides it don't matter much anyway, Jack wrote me note long ago, said he'd be here within the month, I'll be leaving with him"

A cheerless thin lipped smile comes from the man as he sighs "Aye, well if that's what you wish. We'll miss you round 'ere"

"I'll miss you to Fig's and the girls. Thanks for the soup" she smiles as he leaves the room, now everything was just a matter of waiting and avoiding… if only things where that simple

A short while later Red emerged in her usual attire, her stature strong and unaltered as she looks to the crowds below, an array of laughter and drunken joy. Making her way down the stairs she quickly gets to work, not paying much mind the suggestive slurred and appreciative glares, however out of the corner of her eye she sees him, James Norrington, slouched in a corner, pitcher of ale in hand. He seems even dirtier than yesterday, and only god knows how bad or infected his wounds have probably gotten… no, no, it wasn't her job to worry about the man. He'd made that much very clear, very clear indeed

Four Nights Ago-

They'd all noticed, even Fig's, how she seemed to bounce with each step, to smile at the empty walls. Truth be told she was still in delight about the near encounter with James, she had told some of the girls about it, who of course encouraged her. That night they had been so busy, a sailing ship had docked along with the pirates, meaning more business for the Tavern.

Gold dusted orbs searched the flock of bodies, but to no avail. She had yet to see the familiar mop of brown hair once that night, frankly she was getting worried.

With a bite of her scarlet lip she decided to leave and go check on him, but first she had to get someone to cover her shift. She knew all the girls on the floor were working so decided to head up to find one that had fulfilled their duties for the evening. She knocked on a few doors before coming to Margaret's; when she didn't get a response she opened the door a crack "Margaret?"

As the door opened fully her jaw dropped and chest tightened, for there was James pants around his ankles with a blonde, who only days ago told the girl to make the first move, was now sat over him, skirts hiked up

"Oh God…" At her gasp the pair turn to her wide eyed, only for her to quickly march off

"Red!" James calls, pushing the harlot off him and pulling up his pants with some difficulty

With a hand over her mouth, she fought tears, hearing his voice call after wasn't helping "Red, Please!"

As his hand meets her shoulder she jumps back as if burned "please what? What do you want Jimmy?"

He was wobbling and slurring his words, eyes half covered as he spoke "look, that was, it… honestly nothing!"

She scoffed and bit back the tears "nothing? Jimmy you just paid a woman for sex! A woman I now, I work and live with! I thought… never mind, I was quite obviously mistaken. I should have known your just like the rest of them, you can put on a uniform and a wig but in the end you're just a pirate rat"

His drunken form seems to take rage as the answer as he yells "what would you even know? Poor little girl whose father has everyone running scared, always gets her way, but when the sun comes up your just a serving wench to the scum of the earth!"

Her eyes widen to sauces, lip trembling and hand over her shattered heart as realization breaks forth on the former commodore's face "My, I… Red, I'm sorry I…"

He reaches for her but she pushes him back "don't touch me! Go; just go get what you paid for!"

Without thinking she runs to her room, falling the cold ground behind her door as he calls to her from the other side and she lets the tears fall with a bitter laugh "Oh Red, you bloody fool"

Present-day-

The crimson dipped girl swallows hard and shakes her head; she couldn't wait to get out of this place. Then without warning, without preparation a voice dances over the noise of the tavern "Hello Kitten"

Turning she meets Chocolate washed orbs and open arms, without hesitation she runs into them, strong arms that pick her up and twirl her around like she's eight years old again and screams with joy "Jackie!"

The pair unaware of the rage filled, hateful glare watching them from the corner of the room, piercing the table as he scars it with his blade and grits through his teeth "Jack Sparrow…"