Wow! 22 reviews and 11 favorites! Thanks so much everyone! I've really gotten into this story, and I hope you have too! I love your reviews by the way. :) Thanks so much for reading!

It only took a few minutes for my head to clear and the little black dots to disappear from my eyes, but it was long enough for me to realize that there was no way Elizabeth was lying to me. The look on her face told me that much. My father was here, in my hometown, looking for a crew. The only question was; why? Why here? There aren't enough pirates here. Maybe he's trying to find my mom. I leaned closer to Elizabeth and smiled. "I've got an idea."

I felt her stiffen. "What about?"

"Meeting Jack of course. That's why you told me isn't it?" She pulled away and moved so that she was sitting on her knees, facing me.

"Macey, you know you can't do that. There is no way he would ever allow you to be on his crew." She put her hands on my shoulders and looked in my eyes. I saw the tears beginning to form in her eyes. It was easy for her to understand me; her husband was gone, and he loved their child, but it made no difference in her life. Will was gone ten years and only home one day.

"But I can try. What would you do if Willie had the chance to join his father on the Dutchman? Make him stay here because it's too 'dangerous'?" I pulled away from her and crossed my arms. "That's exactly what you're trying to say to me. I know it's dangerous, but it's in my blood. I have a connection to the ocean, and I can't ignore it. I want to meet my father, and I want to be able to sail for him. I can go, explain what happened, and then be on his crew. Then we can go and search for mí mamá and we can all be a family"

Elizabeth sighed and pulled me into a hug. I felt her body shaking; she was definitely crying now. "Macey, I respect your father, but he left your mother over eighteen years ago, there is no way possible that he will believe you. I'm sorry. I believe he loved your mother, but without proof, there is no way he will believe you're his child. There's a good chance he won't even remember Angelica."

"I know that. He's a pirate. But he won't deny a willing crew member that can handle a sword and knows how to sail. Especially not here, there isn't enough pirate traffic for him to get a big enough crew." I pulled away from her and stood up. "I need to do this. What if mí mamá wasn't on the ship when it was attacked after all? Maybe she's still out there, looking for me."

Elizabeth stood with me. "I understand how you feel Mace, but there is no way that your grandmother will allow you to go on a ship unsupervised, especially with pirates, even if it is your father." I pulled my sword out of the sand and began to make simple maneuvers with it, practicing.

"That's the best part, she won't know." I looked toward Elizabeth to see her reaction. She must've known that was my plan. "I'll sign up for the crew tonight, and then come back here until the ship leaves. Abuelita will only think that I left for town."

I easily slid my sword back into the sand and turned toward Elizabeth. "You still can't go alone, I will not let you. You are my little sister; I can not let you put yourself in that kind of danger."

I smiled and sat back down and motioned for her to do the same. I leaned close to her and whispered, "I don't plan to go alone dear Lizzie. How else can I guarantee that I will be given passage on the ship? Well why not take a pirate king?"

"Just so you know, being the king does not give me any more pull with Jack than being the lowly cabin boy. He only thinks about himself. Yes, he saved Will, but it also served his purposes. And you know I can't leave little Willie."

"Oh, but I haven't told you everything. I have it all planned out." I innocently batted my eyelashes, mí abuelita said that I looked exactly like my mother when I did that, and I think it worked just the same for her. No one could deny me anything when I used that look, and every lie I told seemed truer. I then did my best impression of Elizabeth, English accent and all; "Oh Miss Malon, while I was speaking with Margaret today she told me of her plans to leave us. They are most frightening Miss Malon. She plans to join the crew of some pirate ship with some man she is convinced is her father. I have made every attempt to convince her to stay here with us Miss Malon. I am afraid for her life; she knows not the ways of men and knows even less of the ways of pirates. I'm sure you understand my fears Miss Malon, you having been left by that awful pirate Teach so many years ago, and with Angelica leaving to be with a pirate. But I am afraid that she can not be stopped. I must go with her and keep her safe Miss Malon." I laughed.

Elizabeth just raised her brow. "You really think that will work, little Sparrow? Your grandmother is not stupid. I can see her reaction now; 'Si mi nieta piensa que va a correr con algunos piratas, ella es muy equivocados! Voy a ver a él que ella es incapaz de llegar a ninguna parte cerca del agua para el resto de su vida!' Then I will have to calm her down and try to convince her not to harm you."

"Mí abuela knows that I have doubts about m mamá's death. That will be how you convince her. Then you will ask her to keep Willie safe for you, and you know she will. The only people who live here are those in refuge from pirates, or those who used to be pirates. She will take Willie and she will make sure he is happy until we return." Elizabeth smiled, but it quickly faded. "If you don't want to leave Willie, then I can go alone." I gave her a grin. I knew this would work, a few more minutes and she'd surely cave. I just have that effect on people, Abuelita says that my mother did the same thing, and she was a master at manipulation. I knew that for sure, after she left; I realized just how much she manipulated me.

Elizabeth sighed, "I know exactly what you are doing Macey Sparrow. But I think that you have a good reason. I'll try; if it works then I will go." I smiled. If everything worked out like it was supposed to; by nightfall I would be a crew member on my father's ship. I imagined how he looked, hopefully taller than me, and he'll smell of the sea. He'll help me find my mother, and they will fall in love, and we will….

"Margaret! It's time for you to prepare for dinner!" I sighed and rolled my eyes, I knew exactly what was coming next; "Ahora mi'ja! You must be presentable when your betrothed arrives!" The plans in her head for my arranged marriage were going to be soon disposed of.

"Viniendo Abuelita!" I stood, grabbed my sword, and turned toward Elizabeth. "I despise that boy! I do not understand why she thinks that I must marry royalty! I would much rather never marry!" I huffed and stalked toward the house with Elizabeth following me.

"You know, I was arranged to marry James Norrington when I was your age." She caught up to me and matched my stride. "It wasn't all that bad. I did grow to love him, but I loved Will more. Maybe you could work it out with Christopher." I rolled my eyes; I have no idea why she thinks that I could work it out with that annoying pest that forces himself on me.

I opened the back door and ran up the stairs to my room. I flung myself face down on the bed and silently cried. I knew for a fact that in a few seconds Elizabeth would come in to help me prepare for dinner. I had to dress formally; we were entertaining the 'royal' pain and his family. I heard Elizabeth slip into the room and quietly sit on my bed. "You know that I could never love Chris." My voice was muffled by my pillow, but I know she heard me all the same. "He doesn't understand me. I love the ocean, and he believes the superstition that women are bad luck on ships. He hates that I carry a sword and that I don't wear dresses. I just can't be everything he wants. Entonces él se enoja conmigo."

Elizabeth put her hand on my shoulder and brought her mouth close to my ear, "if all goes according to your plan, you won't have to marry anyone on the island, little sister." I could practically hear the smile in her voice; no matter how much she denied it, she wants this as badly as me. "We best be getting ready; you do not want to be late for 'royalty,'" Elizabeth laughed.

A/N: Thanks so much to my great beta reader, shialuvr222! Sorry this chapter took so long. I've been traveling! Went to New York the end of May, then to State FFA Convention, and last week I was at rodeo camp! :) Hopefully I can get another chapter up next week!