"Trim that sail!" Barboussa bellowed.

"Trim that sail!" Jack shot back, ignoring the other 'captain'.

"Slack windward brace and sheets!" Barboussa ordered.

"Slack windward brace and sheets!" Jack yelled over him.

"Haul that pallet line!" Barboussa limped along the railing, observing the topmen with an impatient expression.

"Haul that pallet line!" Jack copied, walking the opposite side of the deck.

They met at the mast. I followed Jack, smiling slightly. Jack and Barboussa were like an old married couple.

"What are ye doing?" Barboussa asked Jack, exasperated.

"What are you doing?" Jack threw back, rolling on his feet, trying to look intimidating.

"No, what are ye doin'?" Barboussa rose his voice, looking quite mad.

"Well, what're you doin'?" Jack yelled back.

"No, what are ye doin'?" Barboussa screamed at him.

"What are you doing?" Jack seemed to realize that they would be there forever yelling at one another. "Mm...Captain gives orders on the ship!" He tried, throwing out his arms. I cautiously walked to Pintel and Ragetti, who were looking on with wary expressions.

"The captain of this ship is giving orders!" Barboussa countered, looking furious.

Jack appeared lost for a moment. He brightened. "My ship," He said, "Makes me captain!"

Barboussa threw his arms into the air with exasperation. "They be my charts!"

Jack thought for a moment. "That makes you...chart man!"

I had had enough. I stepped out and shoved a finger in each of their faces. "You stow it, you stow it, that's an order!" I stamped my foot and glared at them. "Comprendo?"

They stared at me, absolutely shocked. My proud stance faltered a bit and I lowered my hand.

"Aye, captain," Barboussa said sarcastically and stalked away, shooting hot glares at anyone and everyone.

I blinked. "What just happened?" I asked Jack, as he came to stand beside me.

"I'd vote for ya," Ragetti told me. Pintel nodded his agreement, looking slightly affronted as he studied me.

Jack grinned, "I think you may have just overthrown us!" He threw an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side.

I stood taller. "Captain Adeena Cole," I tried, then slowly smiled. "I think I like that."

Jack squeezed me in response, and I realized he was leading me to the Captain's Cabin. I gave him a wary glance.

"Didn't Barboussa want that?" I asked carefully.

"Oh, while you were in the crow's nest, they opted it ours. Don't want to hear 'what goes on in there', as Pintel so bluntly put it." I reddened and felt warm. "Hector took the First Mate's cabin."

I chuckled. "I bet he wasn't happy."

Jack breathed a laugh. "He wasn't."

He pushed open the door for me and I entered, gazing around at the familiar setting. The only source of light was the candle on the desk. Seeing his desk reminded me of something.

"Is your compass working?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Not really. It points to what I want, but not to what I need." He paused. "Does that make sense?"

I laughed, then took a deep breath. "Jack, you never make sense."

He smirked. "I try." He wrapped his arms around my waist and met my gaze. My heart jolted and I stared into his kohl rimmed, chocolate eyes.

"I know what you want." I said, the words surprising me. "And I want it as well..."

His eyes softened. "I'm not like --"

I smiled, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I know that." My gaze fell away from his, and then back. I didn't want to appear vulnerable. That wasn't who I was. "I was saving it for you, Jack. My first time."

He gazed at me questioningly.

"You're a pirate, Jack. I'm not like Giselle, or Scarlet. No, shh," I placed a finger over his mouth, shushing his reply. "I won't just keep coming back, each time you hurt me like you hurt them. This is a promise you'll be making, Jack, if I let you do this." I rested my hands against his chest.

He smiled. "You're so dynamic." He whispered fondly. "Yes, Adeena, I promise." He reached up and pulled out the ribbon tying back my hair.

My heart jumped. "Then what are you waiting for?" I asked, and stood on my tiptoes, kissing him roughly.

Our clothes were off in record time, and we were in the soft sheets of the bed quicker than I would have thought possible. His kisses were like fire, scalding me, and I could just taste the rum on his breath.

"Wait!" I gasped, nearly speechless. Jack paused in his kisses, his hot breath under my jaw. I felt him caress my skin and let out another shaky breath. "The door! Is it--"

"What do you think?" He said sharply, and pressed his mouth to mine again.

It hurt, I'll be frank. Jack wasn't gentle. I hadn't expected him to, and I hadn't wanted him to.

But it was like getting my ears pierced--only for a moment, and then it was wonderful and, dare I say, very hot.

There is a definite difference between sex and making love.

"I can see..." I tried to regulate my breathing, "Why you are so popular in Tortuga."

He ran his hand down my side, and I shivered. "Glad you think so, love."

"You're not even out of breath." I noticed.

He smiled, his gold teeth catching the light from the candle we had never gotten around to extinguishing. "I've had a lot of practice."

"Oh, don't give me that shit," I murmured, snuggling into his arms.

He laughed, his chest rising and falling beneath my ear. "I'm never going to see Giselle again, I swear..."

I traced his tattoos. "Mm, am I that good?"

"Intoxicating."

The tone of his voice had me all hot and bothered again. "Then, if you don't mind, that type of physical activity has tired me." I felt myself drifting off.

"We'll have to practice, then," I heard the amusement in his voice.

I cussed in Japanese and smiled as the backs of my eyelids were painted with dreams.

.