Author's Note: I am being bad and posting this fic before writing a sequel
to Meeting His Match. All you MHM fans out there, I'm sorry and don't hurt
me. To anyone reading, I hope you enjoy.
-PineAppleLint
Disclaimer: I do not own any of Disney's noble characters, nor do I own the song "The Cellblock Tango" from Chicago.
Dedication: To my good friend Katie, who without her help, writing this fic would not be possible.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was a night like any other, just the way she liked it. She was beginning to enjoy the daily ritual she found herself taking part in. Here she was, standing at the bar, cleaning it was a stained cloth, listening to him as he poured his heart out from behind a mug of the strongest rum they had in the place.
He was a daily customer now. Every night, around the same time, he would waltz in and sit down, briefly smiling at her before his face set in a grim expression. She would hand him his usual, their hands would touch for an instant, and she would wink at him, asking him how his day had gone.
William Turner. How the name rolled off of her lips like the sweetest of all sounds, savoring it in her mouth. Those deep chocolate brown eyes, that wild dark brown hair tied into a loose ponytail, the small goatee and sharp face structure. But most of all, that captivating voice got to her. The kind of voice that was made for romancing.
His fiancé had died two months ago and he had been drowning in a pit of despair ever since. What was the lass's name.........Elizabeth? Ah, yes. It was. Every time he spoke of her, his face lit up with longing and love as if she was still alive and not rotting in the ground somewhere. The deepest kind of love that made her sigh with a certain need that she wanted fulfilled.
"How about another, Anastasia?" he asked, finishing off the mug she had settled in front of him only moments before.
"William, darling, by the rate your going you are going to be rightfully smashed in fifteen minutes or so," she said, wiping her hands on her crimson skirts.
He gave her a small smile and she instantly melt, her hands betraying her as they reached for the half empty bottle of the Drunken Wench's finest.
"Have a hard day?" she said softly, pouring more liquor into his mug.
"It was fine. Finished off a couple of swords today."
"You make your customers very happy, Will. No doubt about it!" Ana replied, desperately trying to cheer him up, "Always did have a way with your hands."
He cocked an eyebrow at her and she instantly flushed, realizing how dirty that simple phrase sounded.
"ANA!" a loud voice boomed.
She glanced over to find her boss glaring daggers at her, shaking his finger.
"No social time in here! Not on my watch!" he growled.
"Yes sir. Anything ye say, sir," she said hastily. Before she moved to a few other tables she leaned in close to Will and whispered, "Ol' Joe always did have somethin' stuck up his arse."
Will chuckled and Ana beamed instantly. His laughter was one of the finest rewards she could have ever been granted.
"Enjoy yourself, mate," she added, patted him on the back, and began to clean some far off tables, which were littered with booze, glass, and rotten food.
"Dirty slobs," she hissed as she scrubbed viciously.
It was late, she realized. Joe began to sweep up the floors and the drunken pirates slowly made their ways out, singing off key and flailing themselves into the streets. Soon, only Will was left.
And a stranger hidden in the dark corner.
Ana made her way slowly around the mysterious man, cleaning up plates and mugs until his husky, weathered voice said quietly, "Me bonny lass, I was wonderin' if ye could help me out with somethin'."
She paused and slowly looked up. The man was grinning mischievously, a few gold teeth glinting in the dim lamplight. There was a tricorne hat propped sideways on his head, long brown dreadlocks cascading past his shoulders had beads weaved intricately in them. He wore dark kohl around his brown eyes. He had beautiful cheekbones, and a goatee parted in two small braids. He was clad in a heavy coat, his large sea boots propped up on another chair.
The man was definitely a pirate.
"And who might you be, sir?" she questioned with a hand on her hip.
"Cap'n Jack Sparrow at yer service, luv," he answered, nodding slightly with a crooked smile.
She smothered a gasp. Surely this man could not be the pirate she had heard stories of throughout the years? The infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. The man who sacked Nassau Port without firing a single shot, killed a whole crew of rogue skeleton pirates, escaped a godforsaken spit of land on a raft made of nothing but sea turtles, the man who had pleasurable company in every port?
"I suppose by the look on yer pretty face ye have heard o' me?" Captain Sparrow said with a slight smirk.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Sparrow. Your reputation does precede you. What do you need a bar wench's help for?"
He studied her for a bit before asking, "What's yer name, luv?"
She hesitated before saying, "Anastasia Walker."
"Anastasia. A fine name for a beautiful thing such as yerself. I was wondering what ye could tell me about THAT man," he said, pointing to the bar.
Ana slowly turned her head and found that Jack was pointing directly at Will Turner. Her heart leapt in her throat. Did Jack Sparrow mean to harm him?
"Do you know that man?" she asked after pausing for a moment.
"William Turner. One of the best swordsmen in the Caribbean," Jack said with a nod of his head, "We have met on a previous occasion."
"ANA!" her boss suddenly yelled, "Get yer ass back to work or else I will throw ye out on the streets!"
Jack lazily cocked his head to one side before stating, "Want me to shoot the bugger for ye?"
Ana chuckled a bit before saying hastily, "I have to go. Come back tomorrow night and I will tell ye what I know. Do we have an accord?"
"Yes, young missy. I suppose we do," he said, took her soft hand in his rough one and shook it firmly.
She bowed her head slightly and picked up her tray of dishes, heading back behind the bar. Will was pulling on his coat, grabbing a few shillings and placing them on the table.
"I suppose this is good night then, Miss Walker," he said with a friendly smile.
She almost dropped the tray from the sudden surge of warmth she felt spread from her fingers to her toes.
"Then I shall see you tomorrow night, then?" she asked hopefully.
He placed his hat on his head, tipped it in her direction before proclaiming, "As always. It has been a pleasure," and walked out into the cold, foggy night.
"No, the pleasure is all mine," she whispered to his shadow, then headed into the kitchen to wash her share of the food encrusted dishes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next night she felt jittery, excited that she was getting mixed up in the dealings and whereabouts of Captain Jack Sparrow. She twirled her golden curly hair into a respectable bun atop her head before tying the apron around her slim waist. She stared at the small dirty mirror in the ladies washroom in the back. The glow of the candle illuminated her pixie like features. She had a sharp chin and a sloped nose, making her seem delicate and angelic. Her piercing green eyes examined her features, the flecks of gold in them sparkling in the evening glow.
Men had always offered to pay her for certain 'services', but she always rejected them politely. She just wasn't that kind of girl. Anyways, there was only one man she would give herself to.
And that man was untouchable.
She began her usual job in the Drunken Wench, taking orders and cleaning up spills when necessary. She saw Jack Sparrow sitting in the same dark corner again, surrounded by three or four whores, who were sitting close to him, running their hands along his body in inappropriate places. When she realized he was staring back, he winked at her mercilessly.
She shook her head in disapproval, going back to her chores when Will Turner walked in again. Same time, as always.
Her sorrowful and tired face instantly lit up at the sight of him. He grinned and took his usual seat at the bar.
"Hello, love. Want the usual?" she said cheerily.
"If you have any, Anastasia. That would be wonderful."
"Of course, dearie. Coming right up!" As she reached for the bottle, the door to the tavern slammed open to reveal a person she never thought she would see again.
Ana froze in shock. June Oleander. It couldn't be. When June ran away from home those many years ago, she was a young respectable lady. Standing before her was no lady.
Long wild black hair cascaded down to June's buttocks like a waterfall. Her piercing black eyes scanned the crowd in a determined and cocky manner. A pirate's hat was atop of her head, causing a shadow to fall across her face. She wore a man's breeches and a large white shirt, a large coat over her shoulders. As she walked into the tavern, her boots clunked against the wood. Her red lips were stretched into a thin line but instantly transformed into a huge grin as her gaze fell upon Ana.
"Holy shit, Ana, luv, is that really ye?" She walked unsteadily forward, as if she were drunk, and leaned in close, squinting at her.
"Hell, it is you!" she said with a laugh and pulled Ana into a huge hug.
Ana hugged back and said, "Oh my goodness, you have changed so much!"
"Well I thought I'd stop by for a drink and it's a good thing I did! How have you been?" she asked while taking a seat at a nearby table, motioning for her to sit down.
"I really shouldn't. I'm working," Ana replied.
"Oh, sit down for pete's sake." Ana did so, instantly relaxing.
"ANA! What the hell are you doing?" her boss instantly shouted.
"Hey! Stupid cad! Shut yer hole before I shoot ye between the eyes!" June hollered back.
Ana grinned as she heard her boss "Hmmpf" loudly but remain silent.
"So how is your life? Wow, I can't believe after all this time..." June said with a shake of her head, "So got yourself a man? Is he a looker? Is he good in bed? Share all, share all!"
"June!" Ana laughed, "This is not entirely proper conversation."
"This is not entirely proper conversation," June mocked in a civilized British accent, "Well, darling, do I look fuckin' proper?"
"No, you do not look fuckin' proper."
"There ye go, lass," June said with a nod of her head, "Loosen up a bit. You have been workin' here too long. Kind of drains the fun out of things."
"Not all things," Ana said and her gaze drifted towards Will, who was sitting at the bar still, staring into his mug deep in thought.
June followed her gaze and let out a low whistle.
"Be still me heart," June said and held her chest, "Is that yer love slave?"
"No," Ana said bitterly, "But I do find him quite wonderful."
"Then let me tell him!" June declared and stood up. Ana let out a shriek, grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.
"If you utter a single syllable to him I will flog you!" Ana said in panic.
"I'm just jokin', Ana," June said with a chuckle. Her eyes widened a bit and her mouth formed a slow evil smile. "I have got meself an idea."
"What? What are ye doin'?" Ana asked as June began to peel off her coat.
She jabbed her finger in the direction of the piano and fiddle players who were beginning to set up on stage. "Somethin' tells me that ye need to get dear William's attention."
"And what is your plan?"
"Show him you are not a sweet innocent little virgin," June retorted, pulling her close so she could whisper her plan into her ear, "Now listen up..........."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Fifteen minutes later Joe was introducing them both to the crowd of men. June and Ana stood behind the curtain. June was busy tostling her hair and unbuttoning a few buttons on her white shirt. Ana grinned, jutting one hip out sexily.
"Are ye ready to do this, luv?" June whispered with a wink.
"Ready as ever," Ana whispered back, her eyes twinkling with excitement. This was the day the clumsy, shy bar wench would be gone forever. In her place would be a mysterious, seductive woman.
The men roared as the piano and fiddle began to play a sassy, melodic tune.
"Pop......six........squish........Cicero......" they both began to whisper. As soon as they stepped out from behind the curtain, the crowd went wild. It had been a long time since the Drunken Wench had any good female entertainment.
June and Ana began to perform the exotic dance they had choreographed only minutes before, rolling their hips in perfect unison.
"He had it coming," they sang out, "He had it comin', he had it comin' all along...........if you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it, you'd never tell me that I was wrong!"
Ana glanced quickly at Will, who had straightened up in his seat and was staring at her with wide eyes. She winked at him before saying, "You know how people have these little habits that get you down? Like Bernie. Bernie liked to chew tobacco. No not chew.pop. So I came home this one day and I'm really irritated and I was looking for a little bit of sympathy," she paused, walking sexily through the hooting crowd, "And there was Bernie, lying on the bed, drinking rum and chewing. No, not chewing," she paused next to Will, "Popping! So I said to him, I said if you pop that tobacco one more time........." She sighed dramatically, running a few fingers along his broad shoulders, "And he did. So I took the rifle off the wall and fired two warning shots........Into his head." The crowd hollered and clapped as she headed on stage again.
"He had it comin, he had it coming, he only had himself to blame........if you'd have been there, I you'd have seen it, you would have done the same!" They sang again, doing a few more captivating moves. Ana scanned the crowd quickly, finding Jack Sparrow in the back to be very interested in their little performance. She followed his gaze and realized he was staring at June Oleander.
"I met Ezekiel Young from the Caymans about two years ago. He told me he was single, and we hit it off right away," June said huskily. Ana watched as Jack leaned a little closer in his seat towards the stage. "So we started livin' together. He'd go to work he'd come home.I'd fix him a drink, we'd have dinner........and then I found out.......Single he told me......." she paused, brushing her body against some male pirate in the front, "Single my ASS! Not only was he married......Oh no. He had six wives. One of those Mormons, ye know? So that night when I came home from work, I fixed him his drink.......as usual." She sat in some other man's lap, held up his drink and said thoughtfully, "You know some guys just can't hold their arsenic!" She sat up and joined Ana once more on the stage.
"He had it comin'! He had it comin'! He only had himself to blame! If you'd have been there, if you'd have heard it, I bet ye you would have done the same!" they sang with their beautiful voices. They grabbed each other's hands and began to do intricate dance moves, gracefully going along with the Tango.
Ana lay out lithely on the bar table top, saying, "One day I was at home in the kitchen, carving up a chicken for dinner, minding my own business, when Wilbur storms in in a jealous rage. You've been screwin' the milkman! He said. He was crazy! And he kept on screaming over and over 'you've been screwin' the milkman!'" She paused, sliding her skirts dangerously up her thighs and saying, "He ran into my knife. He ran into my knife ten times!"
"He had it comin!" some of the bar wenches joined in, "He had it comin! He took a flower in its prime! If you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it, It was a murder, but not a crime!"
"My sister Veronica and I had this double act, and my husband Charles traveled around with us. Now in the last number of our act we did these twenty acrobatic tricks in a row: One, two three four five, splits, spreadeagles, backflips, flipflops, one right after the other." June caught Ana's eye and nodded slightly towards her, telling her that it was time for the big surprise. "So one night we were down at the inn Cicero, the three of us boozin', havin' a few laughs, and we ran out of rum, so I go to get some." June caught sight of an intriguing, handsome pirate in the back, deciding it would be a bit of fun to mess with the ol' bloke.
She sashayed over at the exact time Ana walked up to William, who gawked at her. "I came back, opened the door, and there's Veronica and Charles..........doing number seventeen..........the spreadeagle." Ana slowly slid herself in Will's warm lap. His brown eyes darkened as he stared at her curiously. June did the same to Jack Sparrow, the man instantly grabbing a hold of her hips and keeping her intimately pressed against him.
"I was in such a state of shock," June breathed as the men hooted, "I completely blacked out. I can't remember a thing." She ran her lips down the side of Jack's face before saying, "It wasn't until later..........." Anastasia pressed a chaste kiss to Will's temple before removing herself from his lap, walking seductively back up on stage.
"When I was washing the blood off me hands I even knew they were dead," June said and got off of Jack, who had sweat beading on his forehead.
The bar wenches all began to shimmy in their skirts, joining in for the big chorus. "He had it comin! He had it comin! He had it comin' all along! If you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it! You'd never tell me that I was wrong!"
A few more swivels of their hips while whispering, "Pop, six, squish, Cicero..........." and the music faded out and they winked at the crowd, bowing as the men went nuts. Then they disappeared back stage.
"That was incredible!" Ana whispered.
"Will was certainly all hot an' bothered," June said with a shake of her head.
"I see you singled out the infamous Jack Sparrow," Ana said with a sly smile of her own.
"THAT bloke was Jack Sparrow?" June asked with a frown, "Are ye shittin' me?"
"Nope! Introduced himself to me yesterday, he did! No lie!"
"And ye didn't jump his bones? He's a handsome bugger," June said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
Ana sighed and peered out from behind the curtain. The tavern was it's usual self again.
Except Will Turner was gone.
"Where did he go?" Ana said in frustration, "After all that.........he didn't even bother to stay and talk to the likes o' me."
"Men are tricky, pet," June said wisely, "Probably made him a bit uneasy by yer sudden peak o' interest. Caught him off guard. It isn't easy for a man who's lost someone dear to him."
Ana frowned and said tiredly, "You are absolutely right."
"At least we had ourselves a bit o' fun! Haven't done that in a while!"
"You mean, you've done that before?" Ana said, raising her eyebrows.
June grinned wickedly before saying, "I'm not revealin' nuthin."
"Ana!" a wench called.
"Yes, Violet?" Ana answered.
"Mister Sparrow wishes to speak with you immediately."
"All right. I'll be there in a second." Ana turned to June, who was sitting there calmly, taking in her surroundings.
"Want to come with me?" Ana questioned with a nudge of her elbow.
"Hell no, luv. I best be goin', anyways. Places to be, people to threaten, ye know the whole bit."
"Where will ye be goin'?" Ana asked curiously.
"Wherever the wind takes me, Ana. Ta, luv." She pulled on her coat and hat before adding wickedly from the doorway, "Hope ye get naughty with that Turner lad sometime soon!"
Ana huffed as June disappeared as mysteriously as she had entered.
Ana quickly made herself look presentable and walked out to Jack's table, sitting down next to him. He instantly pulled out a bag of coins and placed it next to her.
"A lovely performance ye put on tonight, pet. Now I need a bit o' information."
"About William Turner?"
Jack stroked his goatee thoughtfully before adding, "And that lass ye were with."
"The one dancing with me?"
"Yes."
"William Turner. He comes in here every evening for some strong rum. Has been depressed ever since his fiancé died about two months back............"
"Elizabeth?" Jack questioned with surprise.
"Yes. How did you know?"
"I used to know the lass. A pity. They were always waltzing around like two love birds." He took the hat from his head and placed it on his heart and said, "God rest her soul."
"Yes. She was very nice woman, or so I was told. He works at the blacksmithery most of his wakeful hours, probably trying to rid himself of her memory by straining himself with hard labor. I'm worried about him, Captain Sparrow."
"Well, well. This is interesting," Jack murmured, "And I know exactly what to do."
"And what is that?"
"He needs some cheering up! An adventure!" Jack cried, "With lots of rum and scantily clad women and violence!"
Ana grinned and said, "Just the thing I'd imagine the infamous Jack Sparrow would say."
He smiled and said, "Now.........on to other business. That woman ye were with. What's her name?"
"June Oleander. We were childhood friends. Ran away from home a couple years back. She used to be a stuffy aristocrat. Now look at her."
"Probably surprised the shit out o' you, she did," Jack stated.
"You have no idea," Ana agreed.
"So what about you, Miss Walker? What do you want out of life?" he asked, stretching lazily.
"Ah, well I have been working here for about two years now."
"Do ye like it?"
Ana laughed bitterly. "There isn't a day that goes by where I don't wish I were out of this hellhole."
Jack stared at her for a moment before saying, "Yer a spirited lass, I'll give ye that. And I think I can help ye."
"What can you do for me, Mister Sparrow?"
"I was thinkin' o' inviting Will to come to Tortuga with me. Have a bit o' fun, sail the seas for a bit, give him some time to move on. Would ye like to join us?"
"Of course!" Ana cried at once and flung herself at him, hugging him hard.
"Easy on the goods, darling," he said, his voice muffled by her hair.
She broke away, her cheeks flushed with excitement, "When will we be leaving?"
"Well, dearie," he said, standing up, "This very instant! We best be headin' towards Will's house quickly if we want to leave without causin' a scene. Port Royal doesn't exactly take kindly to the Black Pearl and I."
Jack offered her his arm and she took it with a warm grin. "Ready for the adventure of a lifetime, Miss Walker?" he asked and began to pull her along. She fought to keep up with his long, swaggering strides.
"Of course, Sparrow. Lead on!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Feel free to review! Reviews are wonderful. : )
-PineAppleLint
Disclaimer: I do not own any of Disney's noble characters, nor do I own the song "The Cellblock Tango" from Chicago.
Dedication: To my good friend Katie, who without her help, writing this fic would not be possible.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was a night like any other, just the way she liked it. She was beginning to enjoy the daily ritual she found herself taking part in. Here she was, standing at the bar, cleaning it was a stained cloth, listening to him as he poured his heart out from behind a mug of the strongest rum they had in the place.
He was a daily customer now. Every night, around the same time, he would waltz in and sit down, briefly smiling at her before his face set in a grim expression. She would hand him his usual, their hands would touch for an instant, and she would wink at him, asking him how his day had gone.
William Turner. How the name rolled off of her lips like the sweetest of all sounds, savoring it in her mouth. Those deep chocolate brown eyes, that wild dark brown hair tied into a loose ponytail, the small goatee and sharp face structure. But most of all, that captivating voice got to her. The kind of voice that was made for romancing.
His fiancé had died two months ago and he had been drowning in a pit of despair ever since. What was the lass's name.........Elizabeth? Ah, yes. It was. Every time he spoke of her, his face lit up with longing and love as if she was still alive and not rotting in the ground somewhere. The deepest kind of love that made her sigh with a certain need that she wanted fulfilled.
"How about another, Anastasia?" he asked, finishing off the mug she had settled in front of him only moments before.
"William, darling, by the rate your going you are going to be rightfully smashed in fifteen minutes or so," she said, wiping her hands on her crimson skirts.
He gave her a small smile and she instantly melt, her hands betraying her as they reached for the half empty bottle of the Drunken Wench's finest.
"Have a hard day?" she said softly, pouring more liquor into his mug.
"It was fine. Finished off a couple of swords today."
"You make your customers very happy, Will. No doubt about it!" Ana replied, desperately trying to cheer him up, "Always did have a way with your hands."
He cocked an eyebrow at her and she instantly flushed, realizing how dirty that simple phrase sounded.
"ANA!" a loud voice boomed.
She glanced over to find her boss glaring daggers at her, shaking his finger.
"No social time in here! Not on my watch!" he growled.
"Yes sir. Anything ye say, sir," she said hastily. Before she moved to a few other tables she leaned in close to Will and whispered, "Ol' Joe always did have somethin' stuck up his arse."
Will chuckled and Ana beamed instantly. His laughter was one of the finest rewards she could have ever been granted.
"Enjoy yourself, mate," she added, patted him on the back, and began to clean some far off tables, which were littered with booze, glass, and rotten food.
"Dirty slobs," she hissed as she scrubbed viciously.
It was late, she realized. Joe began to sweep up the floors and the drunken pirates slowly made their ways out, singing off key and flailing themselves into the streets. Soon, only Will was left.
And a stranger hidden in the dark corner.
Ana made her way slowly around the mysterious man, cleaning up plates and mugs until his husky, weathered voice said quietly, "Me bonny lass, I was wonderin' if ye could help me out with somethin'."
She paused and slowly looked up. The man was grinning mischievously, a few gold teeth glinting in the dim lamplight. There was a tricorne hat propped sideways on his head, long brown dreadlocks cascading past his shoulders had beads weaved intricately in them. He wore dark kohl around his brown eyes. He had beautiful cheekbones, and a goatee parted in two small braids. He was clad in a heavy coat, his large sea boots propped up on another chair.
The man was definitely a pirate.
"And who might you be, sir?" she questioned with a hand on her hip.
"Cap'n Jack Sparrow at yer service, luv," he answered, nodding slightly with a crooked smile.
She smothered a gasp. Surely this man could not be the pirate she had heard stories of throughout the years? The infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. The man who sacked Nassau Port without firing a single shot, killed a whole crew of rogue skeleton pirates, escaped a godforsaken spit of land on a raft made of nothing but sea turtles, the man who had pleasurable company in every port?
"I suppose by the look on yer pretty face ye have heard o' me?" Captain Sparrow said with a slight smirk.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Sparrow. Your reputation does precede you. What do you need a bar wench's help for?"
He studied her for a bit before asking, "What's yer name, luv?"
She hesitated before saying, "Anastasia Walker."
"Anastasia. A fine name for a beautiful thing such as yerself. I was wondering what ye could tell me about THAT man," he said, pointing to the bar.
Ana slowly turned her head and found that Jack was pointing directly at Will Turner. Her heart leapt in her throat. Did Jack Sparrow mean to harm him?
"Do you know that man?" she asked after pausing for a moment.
"William Turner. One of the best swordsmen in the Caribbean," Jack said with a nod of his head, "We have met on a previous occasion."
"ANA!" her boss suddenly yelled, "Get yer ass back to work or else I will throw ye out on the streets!"
Jack lazily cocked his head to one side before stating, "Want me to shoot the bugger for ye?"
Ana chuckled a bit before saying hastily, "I have to go. Come back tomorrow night and I will tell ye what I know. Do we have an accord?"
"Yes, young missy. I suppose we do," he said, took her soft hand in his rough one and shook it firmly.
She bowed her head slightly and picked up her tray of dishes, heading back behind the bar. Will was pulling on his coat, grabbing a few shillings and placing them on the table.
"I suppose this is good night then, Miss Walker," he said with a friendly smile.
She almost dropped the tray from the sudden surge of warmth she felt spread from her fingers to her toes.
"Then I shall see you tomorrow night, then?" she asked hopefully.
He placed his hat on his head, tipped it in her direction before proclaiming, "As always. It has been a pleasure," and walked out into the cold, foggy night.
"No, the pleasure is all mine," she whispered to his shadow, then headed into the kitchen to wash her share of the food encrusted dishes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next night she felt jittery, excited that she was getting mixed up in the dealings and whereabouts of Captain Jack Sparrow. She twirled her golden curly hair into a respectable bun atop her head before tying the apron around her slim waist. She stared at the small dirty mirror in the ladies washroom in the back. The glow of the candle illuminated her pixie like features. She had a sharp chin and a sloped nose, making her seem delicate and angelic. Her piercing green eyes examined her features, the flecks of gold in them sparkling in the evening glow.
Men had always offered to pay her for certain 'services', but she always rejected them politely. She just wasn't that kind of girl. Anyways, there was only one man she would give herself to.
And that man was untouchable.
She began her usual job in the Drunken Wench, taking orders and cleaning up spills when necessary. She saw Jack Sparrow sitting in the same dark corner again, surrounded by three or four whores, who were sitting close to him, running their hands along his body in inappropriate places. When she realized he was staring back, he winked at her mercilessly.
She shook her head in disapproval, going back to her chores when Will Turner walked in again. Same time, as always.
Her sorrowful and tired face instantly lit up at the sight of him. He grinned and took his usual seat at the bar.
"Hello, love. Want the usual?" she said cheerily.
"If you have any, Anastasia. That would be wonderful."
"Of course, dearie. Coming right up!" As she reached for the bottle, the door to the tavern slammed open to reveal a person she never thought she would see again.
Ana froze in shock. June Oleander. It couldn't be. When June ran away from home those many years ago, she was a young respectable lady. Standing before her was no lady.
Long wild black hair cascaded down to June's buttocks like a waterfall. Her piercing black eyes scanned the crowd in a determined and cocky manner. A pirate's hat was atop of her head, causing a shadow to fall across her face. She wore a man's breeches and a large white shirt, a large coat over her shoulders. As she walked into the tavern, her boots clunked against the wood. Her red lips were stretched into a thin line but instantly transformed into a huge grin as her gaze fell upon Ana.
"Holy shit, Ana, luv, is that really ye?" She walked unsteadily forward, as if she were drunk, and leaned in close, squinting at her.
"Hell, it is you!" she said with a laugh and pulled Ana into a huge hug.
Ana hugged back and said, "Oh my goodness, you have changed so much!"
"Well I thought I'd stop by for a drink and it's a good thing I did! How have you been?" she asked while taking a seat at a nearby table, motioning for her to sit down.
"I really shouldn't. I'm working," Ana replied.
"Oh, sit down for pete's sake." Ana did so, instantly relaxing.
"ANA! What the hell are you doing?" her boss instantly shouted.
"Hey! Stupid cad! Shut yer hole before I shoot ye between the eyes!" June hollered back.
Ana grinned as she heard her boss "Hmmpf" loudly but remain silent.
"So how is your life? Wow, I can't believe after all this time..." June said with a shake of her head, "So got yourself a man? Is he a looker? Is he good in bed? Share all, share all!"
"June!" Ana laughed, "This is not entirely proper conversation."
"This is not entirely proper conversation," June mocked in a civilized British accent, "Well, darling, do I look fuckin' proper?"
"No, you do not look fuckin' proper."
"There ye go, lass," June said with a nod of her head, "Loosen up a bit. You have been workin' here too long. Kind of drains the fun out of things."
"Not all things," Ana said and her gaze drifted towards Will, who was sitting at the bar still, staring into his mug deep in thought.
June followed her gaze and let out a low whistle.
"Be still me heart," June said and held her chest, "Is that yer love slave?"
"No," Ana said bitterly, "But I do find him quite wonderful."
"Then let me tell him!" June declared and stood up. Ana let out a shriek, grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.
"If you utter a single syllable to him I will flog you!" Ana said in panic.
"I'm just jokin', Ana," June said with a chuckle. Her eyes widened a bit and her mouth formed a slow evil smile. "I have got meself an idea."
"What? What are ye doin'?" Ana asked as June began to peel off her coat.
She jabbed her finger in the direction of the piano and fiddle players who were beginning to set up on stage. "Somethin' tells me that ye need to get dear William's attention."
"And what is your plan?"
"Show him you are not a sweet innocent little virgin," June retorted, pulling her close so she could whisper her plan into her ear, "Now listen up..........."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Fifteen minutes later Joe was introducing them both to the crowd of men. June and Ana stood behind the curtain. June was busy tostling her hair and unbuttoning a few buttons on her white shirt. Ana grinned, jutting one hip out sexily.
"Are ye ready to do this, luv?" June whispered with a wink.
"Ready as ever," Ana whispered back, her eyes twinkling with excitement. This was the day the clumsy, shy bar wench would be gone forever. In her place would be a mysterious, seductive woman.
The men roared as the piano and fiddle began to play a sassy, melodic tune.
"Pop......six........squish........Cicero......" they both began to whisper. As soon as they stepped out from behind the curtain, the crowd went wild. It had been a long time since the Drunken Wench had any good female entertainment.
June and Ana began to perform the exotic dance they had choreographed only minutes before, rolling their hips in perfect unison.
"He had it coming," they sang out, "He had it comin', he had it comin' all along...........if you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it, you'd never tell me that I was wrong!"
Ana glanced quickly at Will, who had straightened up in his seat and was staring at her with wide eyes. She winked at him before saying, "You know how people have these little habits that get you down? Like Bernie. Bernie liked to chew tobacco. No not chew.pop. So I came home this one day and I'm really irritated and I was looking for a little bit of sympathy," she paused, walking sexily through the hooting crowd, "And there was Bernie, lying on the bed, drinking rum and chewing. No, not chewing," she paused next to Will, "Popping! So I said to him, I said if you pop that tobacco one more time........." She sighed dramatically, running a few fingers along his broad shoulders, "And he did. So I took the rifle off the wall and fired two warning shots........Into his head." The crowd hollered and clapped as she headed on stage again.
"He had it comin, he had it coming, he only had himself to blame........if you'd have been there, I you'd have seen it, you would have done the same!" They sang again, doing a few more captivating moves. Ana scanned the crowd quickly, finding Jack Sparrow in the back to be very interested in their little performance. She followed his gaze and realized he was staring at June Oleander.
"I met Ezekiel Young from the Caymans about two years ago. He told me he was single, and we hit it off right away," June said huskily. Ana watched as Jack leaned a little closer in his seat towards the stage. "So we started livin' together. He'd go to work he'd come home.I'd fix him a drink, we'd have dinner........and then I found out.......Single he told me......." she paused, brushing her body against some male pirate in the front, "Single my ASS! Not only was he married......Oh no. He had six wives. One of those Mormons, ye know? So that night when I came home from work, I fixed him his drink.......as usual." She sat in some other man's lap, held up his drink and said thoughtfully, "You know some guys just can't hold their arsenic!" She sat up and joined Ana once more on the stage.
"He had it comin'! He had it comin'! He only had himself to blame! If you'd have been there, if you'd have heard it, I bet ye you would have done the same!" they sang with their beautiful voices. They grabbed each other's hands and began to do intricate dance moves, gracefully going along with the Tango.
Ana lay out lithely on the bar table top, saying, "One day I was at home in the kitchen, carving up a chicken for dinner, minding my own business, when Wilbur storms in in a jealous rage. You've been screwin' the milkman! He said. He was crazy! And he kept on screaming over and over 'you've been screwin' the milkman!'" She paused, sliding her skirts dangerously up her thighs and saying, "He ran into my knife. He ran into my knife ten times!"
"He had it comin!" some of the bar wenches joined in, "He had it comin! He took a flower in its prime! If you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it, It was a murder, but not a crime!"
"My sister Veronica and I had this double act, and my husband Charles traveled around with us. Now in the last number of our act we did these twenty acrobatic tricks in a row: One, two three four five, splits, spreadeagles, backflips, flipflops, one right after the other." June caught Ana's eye and nodded slightly towards her, telling her that it was time for the big surprise. "So one night we were down at the inn Cicero, the three of us boozin', havin' a few laughs, and we ran out of rum, so I go to get some." June caught sight of an intriguing, handsome pirate in the back, deciding it would be a bit of fun to mess with the ol' bloke.
She sashayed over at the exact time Ana walked up to William, who gawked at her. "I came back, opened the door, and there's Veronica and Charles..........doing number seventeen..........the spreadeagle." Ana slowly slid herself in Will's warm lap. His brown eyes darkened as he stared at her curiously. June did the same to Jack Sparrow, the man instantly grabbing a hold of her hips and keeping her intimately pressed against him.
"I was in such a state of shock," June breathed as the men hooted, "I completely blacked out. I can't remember a thing." She ran her lips down the side of Jack's face before saying, "It wasn't until later..........." Anastasia pressed a chaste kiss to Will's temple before removing herself from his lap, walking seductively back up on stage.
"When I was washing the blood off me hands I even knew they were dead," June said and got off of Jack, who had sweat beading on his forehead.
The bar wenches all began to shimmy in their skirts, joining in for the big chorus. "He had it comin! He had it comin! He had it comin' all along! If you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it! You'd never tell me that I was wrong!"
A few more swivels of their hips while whispering, "Pop, six, squish, Cicero..........." and the music faded out and they winked at the crowd, bowing as the men went nuts. Then they disappeared back stage.
"That was incredible!" Ana whispered.
"Will was certainly all hot an' bothered," June said with a shake of her head.
"I see you singled out the infamous Jack Sparrow," Ana said with a sly smile of her own.
"THAT bloke was Jack Sparrow?" June asked with a frown, "Are ye shittin' me?"
"Nope! Introduced himself to me yesterday, he did! No lie!"
"And ye didn't jump his bones? He's a handsome bugger," June said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
Ana sighed and peered out from behind the curtain. The tavern was it's usual self again.
Except Will Turner was gone.
"Where did he go?" Ana said in frustration, "After all that.........he didn't even bother to stay and talk to the likes o' me."
"Men are tricky, pet," June said wisely, "Probably made him a bit uneasy by yer sudden peak o' interest. Caught him off guard. It isn't easy for a man who's lost someone dear to him."
Ana frowned and said tiredly, "You are absolutely right."
"At least we had ourselves a bit o' fun! Haven't done that in a while!"
"You mean, you've done that before?" Ana said, raising her eyebrows.
June grinned wickedly before saying, "I'm not revealin' nuthin."
"Ana!" a wench called.
"Yes, Violet?" Ana answered.
"Mister Sparrow wishes to speak with you immediately."
"All right. I'll be there in a second." Ana turned to June, who was sitting there calmly, taking in her surroundings.
"Want to come with me?" Ana questioned with a nudge of her elbow.
"Hell no, luv. I best be goin', anyways. Places to be, people to threaten, ye know the whole bit."
"Where will ye be goin'?" Ana asked curiously.
"Wherever the wind takes me, Ana. Ta, luv." She pulled on her coat and hat before adding wickedly from the doorway, "Hope ye get naughty with that Turner lad sometime soon!"
Ana huffed as June disappeared as mysteriously as she had entered.
Ana quickly made herself look presentable and walked out to Jack's table, sitting down next to him. He instantly pulled out a bag of coins and placed it next to her.
"A lovely performance ye put on tonight, pet. Now I need a bit o' information."
"About William Turner?"
Jack stroked his goatee thoughtfully before adding, "And that lass ye were with."
"The one dancing with me?"
"Yes."
"William Turner. He comes in here every evening for some strong rum. Has been depressed ever since his fiancé died about two months back............"
"Elizabeth?" Jack questioned with surprise.
"Yes. How did you know?"
"I used to know the lass. A pity. They were always waltzing around like two love birds." He took the hat from his head and placed it on his heart and said, "God rest her soul."
"Yes. She was very nice woman, or so I was told. He works at the blacksmithery most of his wakeful hours, probably trying to rid himself of her memory by straining himself with hard labor. I'm worried about him, Captain Sparrow."
"Well, well. This is interesting," Jack murmured, "And I know exactly what to do."
"And what is that?"
"He needs some cheering up! An adventure!" Jack cried, "With lots of rum and scantily clad women and violence!"
Ana grinned and said, "Just the thing I'd imagine the infamous Jack Sparrow would say."
He smiled and said, "Now.........on to other business. That woman ye were with. What's her name?"
"June Oleander. We were childhood friends. Ran away from home a couple years back. She used to be a stuffy aristocrat. Now look at her."
"Probably surprised the shit out o' you, she did," Jack stated.
"You have no idea," Ana agreed.
"So what about you, Miss Walker? What do you want out of life?" he asked, stretching lazily.
"Ah, well I have been working here for about two years now."
"Do ye like it?"
Ana laughed bitterly. "There isn't a day that goes by where I don't wish I were out of this hellhole."
Jack stared at her for a moment before saying, "Yer a spirited lass, I'll give ye that. And I think I can help ye."
"What can you do for me, Mister Sparrow?"
"I was thinkin' o' inviting Will to come to Tortuga with me. Have a bit o' fun, sail the seas for a bit, give him some time to move on. Would ye like to join us?"
"Of course!" Ana cried at once and flung herself at him, hugging him hard.
"Easy on the goods, darling," he said, his voice muffled by her hair.
She broke away, her cheeks flushed with excitement, "When will we be leaving?"
"Well, dearie," he said, standing up, "This very instant! We best be headin' towards Will's house quickly if we want to leave without causin' a scene. Port Royal doesn't exactly take kindly to the Black Pearl and I."
Jack offered her his arm and she took it with a warm grin. "Ready for the adventure of a lifetime, Miss Walker?" he asked and began to pull her along. She fought to keep up with his long, swaggering strides.
"Of course, Sparrow. Lead on!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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