Disclaimer: POTC rocks. Can't wait for two and three.
A/N: I apologise for the excessive description in this chapter, but it had to be done.
The serving girl picks up the broken glass of someone's rum bottle, casting longing glances back towards the kitchen. Ever since that girl waltzed into the tavern, life had gone from bad to worse. If it wasn't enough to be beaten every night for failing to clean up a drunkard's vomit, or leaving behind a single plate to be stole or broken, or for even forgetting to bring the tavern owner's food, but to be ousted from her father's favour by this… this bastard girl!
Now this bastard wore the serving girl's fine dresses, wore her makeup, and attracted men which had once been her lovers… The world wasn't fair. Didn't anyone care that her father had died, falling from the docks and hitting his head on a hidden rock? Sure, he was drunk at the time, but he was her father! He owned this tavern! Surely that accounted for something!
"Oi!" One of the tavern patrons, a man with mutton-chops, calls out, waving an empty rum bottle, "Another ale, wench!"
Wench? The serving girl grinds her teeth. Wench! She was a queen once! A queen! She lived like royalty on this all-forsaken rock, Tortuga. She had everything: wealth, power, respect. She had a servant! Well, given, it was only another serving girl, but she had power over her! And now it was gone. With her father's death, everything was gone.
The serving girl bows, then heads towards the bar to get another rum for the sailor with the mutton-chops. She frowns as she passes the bottle to him. His face seems familiar. Now that she thinks about it, a lot of patrons in the tavern look familiar tonight. That man in that corner with a parrot on his shoulder. That short man sitting atop one of the barrels. That Negro woman with the glaring eyes. They all seemed familiar, and they are all watching her. The serving girl feels herself cringe slightly.
Why are they all looking at her like that?
The door flies open, and two more patrons come in. The serving girl looks up. And stares. That's Captain Jack Sparrow!
The last time she saw him, it was about a month ago. He was grinning, waving about a sword and gun, laughing at the serving girl and her father. Then … wait…. The serving girl looks closer. Jack Sparrow has a woman under his arm. The serving girl grins triumphantly.
So the incident a month ago has been resolved. Jack Sparrow ran off and left that girl, going after someone else, just as the serving girl knew he would. It seems he left Squirrel for someone with long brown hair, dressed in a white blouse and blue leggings, a blue-grey cloak draped around her shoulders. He left Squirrel for a girl who wears gold bracelets on each wrist. The serving girl snorts. That silver ring has to be decoration. Jack Sparrow doesn't marry. Not the most infamous pirate in all of the Caribbean. That would cramp his style.
The woman and Jack exchange brief words, then enter the tavern. Jack pulls out a seat for the woman at an empty table, and she sits, laughing and smiling. The serving girl feels something tug inside her. This girl, smiling like that, looking so happy… and Jack Sparrow, with the same expression! What in the world is going on?
Jack saunters off and sits at the bar, watching his girl. The serving girl swallows a mouthful of bile, then slides through the crowds and fights of the bar towards the woman. She'd rather serve her than that… Jack Sparrow… any day.
"Can I get you something, miss?" The serving girl asks over the noise in the tavern.
"Another rum." The woman grins. "Aurora."
The serving girl stares, feeling the blood drain from her face. She stares, her mouth opening and closing.
"Another rum, Aurora." The woman repeats, smiling gently.
Finally, a squeak comes from the serving girl. "Squirrel?"
Dawn stares at her cousin, then at Jack, where he sits at the bar, then slowly, one by one, at the smiling and waving crew of the Black Pearl. Finally, she comes full circle and stares at Squirrel again.
Squirrel grins. "M-miss m-me?"
FIN.
A/N: I would like to take the time to thank my biggest fans, because you guys took the time to make me feel special.
Samwise of the Celeb-Gur
Mrs Capt Jack Sparrows
AJ-Sparrow
Desdemona the Slayer
Ty
Stableperson
IndiaPyro
Agey
VeganHippie
and of course, Nerwen and Tinuviel. Have a safe flight home, you two. I'll miss you!
Thanks so much for reading - and have no fear, for the sequel shall be posted soon. n-n!