A/N: Hey! I had this idea last night after watching POTC 1 again (it was on TV, I was flipping through the channels… you would have watched it too!) and I just decided to get it down. There will be more chapters so it's not a one-shot. Please review and let me know what you think and NO, I am NOT stopping Another Time or The Only Reason. I promise. )
Disclaimer: POTC belongs to Disney.
Spoiler: Cygnet Baby Swan…
After a failed attempt at finding the Fountain of Youth, Jack wanted nothing less than to go to Tortuga and spend the night with a wench. He'd been out at sea for nearly 5 years and, in the end, found nothing. He was disappointed, yes, but also grateful. He was grateful that the adventure had gotten his mind off of a not-so-recently married pirate king that had vexed him so. All he needed was the happiness that Tortuga brought.
But in Tortuga, he had caught up with Gibbs and, along with a new crew, decided that they would overtake the Pearl and give it back to its rightful captain. So they set out, found Barbossa, and let him keep the ship they had used to find the Pearl. With the Pearl, they were able to get to the Fountain of Youth and all of the crew became immortal. He had even sent a bottle of the enchanted water to Elizabeth… so she could always be with Will. Damn his good manliness, he thought, remembering that inexplicable act of kindness.
But he was a happier man now. So, after nearly 15 years of good, honest pirating, they decided that this time around, they would stay in Tortuga a little longer. A celebration of all they had accomplished.
He pulled into port that night with the Pearl and immediately went to his favorite bar, the Faithful Bride. Inside, he saw the usual Scarlett and Giselle, who were aging quite beautifully, waiting at the back table. Then, he saw another woman. More like a girl. She looked far too fancy to be from Tortuga and a strumpet she was not. He walked up to her and offered her some rum, seeing as he had already had enough. She looked up and, even with a disgusted look on her face, she was beautiful and vaguely familiar.
"What do you think you're doing?" she said in a very refined English accent.
"Just offering something to drink, Luv."
"In exchange for what, I wonder. To answer your first question, no. I am not on duty and secondly, I won't be any time soon. I am not one of them.", she said, pointing to Scarlett and Giselle. "And I would kindly appreciate it if you'd stop undressing me with your eyes."
"Are you an obeah woman?"
"Beg pardon?"
He stifled a gasp, recalling a certain someone who had said that certain something to him so long ago… on an island. On the island in which his heart broke.
"Nevermind. So, what brings a girl like you to Tortuga?"
"I am hardly a girl!" she said defiantly. "I am the daughter of one of the most notorious pirates to ever sail the seven seas so you would be smart to watch yourself!"
"Sorry, Luv. Didn't mean for ye to get all… woman-ish."
"Too late." She said, crossing her arms childishly.
"Ye got a name?" he asked, sitting down next to her.
"It's Annabelle."
"'Ello, Annabelle. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Nice name ye got. But I doubt it's only one." He said with his usual, cocky grin.
"Well it's the only one you'll be getting, Captain Sparrow. It was my father's favorite name."
"He be the notorious pirate ye were speakin' of?"
"Hardly. Well, yes, I mean he is but… I speak of my mother, as well."
Jack took a big gulp and looked at the girl with new eyes. Could it be…?
Her eyes were amber with little specks of brown. Her bone structure as delicate as a flower but with a ferocity that could send hundreds down. Her hair… he knew that hair. It was long and wavy, partially brown but with obvious hints of gold. And the clothes she was wearing… a pair of black breeches, a white shirt, and a maroon vest that clearly accentuated her figure, which was quite small… small like Lizzie…
"And what was her name, Luv?"
"The great King Elizabeth. I'm Annabelle Turner. My father is William Turner. I met him 9 years ago…"
"I bet ye miss him a lot, aye?"
"Yes. But it doesn't matter now. You see, I'm heir to the pirate throne. Once Mother is done ruling, I'll be King."
"Lizzie? She never told you about me?" he asked, shocked.
With a hint of mischief in her eyes, she laughed softly.
"Of course she did, Jack. That's why I came to Tortuga in the first place. I was hoping I'd find you, I didn't recognize you before, I'm sorry."
"But then… why did… how come… bugger."
"I was just teasing, is all."
"Bugger, you're just like her."
"Is that a good thing?"
"So long as ye don't try to kill me…" he said, with a grim look on his face.
"I wouldn't. Jack… the truth is, I need your help. You see, Mother's told me all about you and how you always helped her. And now, I need your help more than ever. After an encounter with some vile pirates at sea, Mother decided to keep me on land. Indefinitely. You have no idea how much I've missed the sea…"
"Wait. So yer mother doesn't know you're here?"
"No. But please. Please. Don't tell her, I don't want to go back. She wouldn't even listen to me! I had to barter with the little money I had in order to get here."
"Wait… yer Lizzie's second-born, aye?"
"Yes…" No, third born.
"Even still, you would be older. Why aren't you older?"
"Why aren't you?" she asked, haughtily. My sister would be older… if she were alive.
"She didn't… you're not…"
"Yes, Jack. I'm immortal. She didn't want to watch her only child die." She didn't even know she was going to have children…
"Child? What about…"
"My brother? Will Jr. died some time back. So she gave me the water from the Fountain."
"And she still won't let ye out to sea?"
"She says there are worse things than death. That despite not being able to die, I could still suffer a great deal." How simple it is to lie…
"So Lizzie… she's not immortal?"
"No." So very simple.
"She's going to die." He said, his voice cracking a bit.
"Unfortunately, yes." No, she's not. She'll live forever…
"And your father… he's still at sea?"
"Yes. The curse was never broken…" That much is true.
"Interesting."
"So, will you help me?"
"I'd love to, Dearie, but I'm not quite sure what a pirate like me can do for an heiress like ye."
"I've lived in Shipwreck Cove all my life. It's not the same as being out at open sea. I hardly know anything about how to be a pirate! Mother taught me some things but… I can barely swordfight. I don't know how to sail a ship. How am I to take command of all the pirates in the world if I can't even be a pirate myself? I want to learn…"
He eyed young Annabelle curiously and then gave her his signature lopsided grin, taking a sip from the bottle of rum he had previously offered to her.
"Alright, Luv. I'll help ye. But ye've got to promise me one thing."
"Anything." She replied, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Ye have to promise to contain your mother when she tries to kill me for even thinking about puttin' ye in harm's way. Do we have an agreement?"
"We certainly do, Captain Sparrow."
"Call me Jack."
"Alright, Jack… Call me Anna. Or Miss Turner, whichever one you prefer. Though I've never really liked Turner…"
"Then Anna it is!" he proclaimed, jollily.
"Thank you so much, Jack. You have no idea how much this means to me." She said, sincerely touching his arm, smiling.
"Well, Anna me belle, I hope ye know what you're getting into."
"And why is that?"
"This won't be easy, Luv. You don't just turn pirate over night."
"I know. And I don't care."
"How far are you willing to go… to become a pirate, I mean."
"I'm not afraid to die, if that's what you're asking."
She widened her eyes, shocked that she had revealed her secret but was relieved when no sign of suspicion appeared on Jack's face.
"Well, it's not like you can though, is it?"
"No… I suppose I can't, can I."
She's a positively brave lass, he thought to himself. He only hoped that she would be smart enough to take it slow. And not jump into it, like her mother had. And, although she was immortal, he wouldn't let anything happen to her. After all, she was Lizzie's child…
"Let's get going, then, Luv. We'll find a place to stay for the night and get started tomorrow morning, aye?"
"Agreed."
And as they walked the streets of Tortuga, all Anna could think of was how dashingly charming Jack Sparrow truly was.