I stuck close to Jack and Will as we pushed through Tortuga, very aware of the drunken crowds of men who were giving me lust-filled stares.

There were men dragging other men behind carts, men downing ungodly amounts of rum, men out cold on the streets, men being thrown off balconies, men kissing women passionately in plain view.

There were women kissing back just as passionately, women pouring rum into others' mouths, women beating men and other women up, and women strewn about, just as drunk as the men.

I stared, expecting to be appalled, but instead I was merely curious. I had never had a drink before. I'd never courted. It was all new and different and exciting, and I felt drawn to the whole idea of pirates.

"...sweet bouquet that is Tortuga." Jack was saying. I hadn't been listening. "What do you think?" He threw his arms out, gesturing at the whole scene. A man carried someone by us, who was screaming and wielding a cane. Jack casually picked the cane off him and waved it above our heads.

"It'll linger." Will said distastefully.

I gaped. "Are all pirate settlements like this?"

Jack grinned knowingly. "All of them, love. You haven't seen anything until you--Scarlett!" Jack cut himself off as a petite woman clad in a frilly pink gown, her breasts nearly popping out of her corset, stalked up to us. Jack moved forward, all smiles, until she, Scarlett, raised her hand and slapped him.

Jack swayed in our direction, frowning. "Not sure I deserved that," He said with a glare at me. I was having an awfully hard time containing my laughter.

He turned and came face-to-face with another women, wearing a dress similar to Scarlett's but yellow, her hair falling out of her bun. "Giselle!" Jack said lightly.

"Who was she?" Giselle asked. Her makeup was horribly smeared, but I could tell she was rather pretty.

"What?" Jack asked stupidly.

She gave a slight eye roll with her overly mascaraed eyes and slapped Jack, harder than the first women had.

He faced us again and leaned backward on the cane. "I may have deserved that..." He said apologetically.

I gave up and allowed my laughter to escape. Jack at first glared at me, but then his face softened and he gave me a small smile.

Jack led us through the town, waving off prostitutes and jumping out of the way of inebriated men. He took us through a rowdy bar, where I had to punch an overly-eager pirate who had grasped at my blouse. Jack had grinned admiringly at the brawl I managed to start, while we were ducking under the fists being thrown through the air.

We walked out the back exit, into a courtyard of sorts that was empty save for a pig pen. Upon reaching it, we realized there was a pudgy, dirty pirate sleeping on top of a few pigs.

I swung the bucket Jack had handed me. "I need this because?"

"Because..." Jack swung his pail and dumped his water over the pirate's head.

"Curse ye for breathing, you slack-jawed idiot!" He shouted. He pulled a knife out from underneath him and waved it at us, raising his head and narrowing his eyes menacingly.

Jack grinned and swayed where he stood in his usual matter.

The man paused, recognizing him, and his hostile posture faded away. "Mother's love!" He whispered. "Jack! Ye should know better than ta wake a man when he's sleepin'! Tis bad luck!"

Jack's grin widened and he knelt down beside the wet pirate. "I, fortunately, know how to counter it!" He began, painting pictures with his hands. "The man who did the waking buys the man who did the sleeping a drink. The man who did the sleeping then proceeds to listen to a proposition from the man who did the waking." He finished, and stared at him pointingly.

The man looked confused for moment as he sorted through what Jack had said, then broke into a grin. "That'll about do it!"

He stood up with Jack's help and began to dust himself off. Jack gestured at me. I flung the bucket of water at him and then dropped it to the side.

He spat out saltwater and gazed at me furiously. "Blast it, I'm already awake!" He yelled.

Will nodded and bumped me with his hip. "That was for the smell," He explained bluntly.

Jack glanced approvingly at Will and I before raising an eyebrow at the soaking man.

The pirate looked as if he were to protest, but then let his arms fall to his sides and he shrugged in defeat.

Jack showed us all back into the bar, where the brawl still continued. He and the man, who had been introduced as Mr. Joshamee Gibbs, found a table after Jack had ordered them two drinks.

I won't lie. I had watched enviously as Jack carried the drinks to their destination. I was so curious to the taste that I even had the courage to ask Will.

"Have you ever tried rum before?" I asked him quietly. We were standing guard in front of Gibbs and Jack as they discussed whatever they were discussing.

"Keep a sharp eye," Jack had whispered in my ear. His warm breath on my skin had made me shiver.

Will wrinkled his nose distastefully. "No," He said, bringing me back to reality. "It's a pirate drink. I avoid pirates."

I know, I thought privately. I whole-heartedly believed Jack when he said that Will's father was a pirate; there was no reason for him to lie. Yet I had the feeling that Jack Sparrow was planning something. I knew enough that I suspected he was lying about something; pirates always were and Jack was definitely a pirate.

I listened in to Jack and Gibbs's conversation, and I could tell by the way Will's head was tilted that he was too.

I couldn't hear much over the screams and sounds of glass breaking, but I could hear enough.

"Black Pearl...fool's errand...let's just say it's a matter of leverage..."

At this, Will tilted his head slightly to hear better. I glanced at him and then reassumed my casual stance.

"...says you...Change in the wind, says I...I suppose I can find an able-bodied crew mad as you on this rock..." Gibbs was saying. Then Jack spoke. I turned slightly so I could see him.

He raised his cup to Gibbs. "Take what you can!"

Gibbs saluted Jack with a grin. "Give nothin' back!"

The two bumped their tankards together, downed the remaining rum, and then slammed their empty cups on the table, grinning as each other. I smiled at their 'handshake'.

They stood and Jack sauntered to me, Gibbs following and watching me curiously.

"What does it taste like?" My burning question burst out of my mouth, and I blushed. Will glared at me.

Jack smirked. "I'll show you, love."

He sashayed to the bar and returned with another tankard, though it was only half full. "Take it slowly," He advised. "It's always interesting the first time."

I nodded and studied the amber liquid. Taking a deep breath, I took a sip.

The rum burned my throat; I swallowed quickly and its fiery taste irritated my throat the whole way down. I gasped and touched my neck, grinning slightly. I felt all-grown-up; the feeling you get the first time you lace up your dress on your own.

"Well?" Jack asked, rolling on the balls of his feet. He was still wearing that stupid, handsome, grin.

I took another cautious sip. "It's...different." I said, swallowing and taking a bigger gulp.

Jack gestures at me, the rum, and then the ceiling. "Wonderful! Normally they spit it out and choke but you seem to be different. I think, then, we should be off?"

I finished the drink and coughed, but I was still smiling. "Sure, let's go."

He grinned and pivoted around, then began to make his way through the rowdy crowd. I glanced at Will and followed.

Will's face was carefully passive, but I could see the unease written there. Maybe I should've waited until he was out of ear shot to confess my curiosity.

We followed Jack through the mass of pirates. Mr. Gibbs seemed to have disappeared; I supposed he was off to find that able-bodied crew he had promised Jack.

Jack showed us across Tortuga: past the men and the women and the chaos, looking quite at home. I still was staring around in fascination. This place is quite the adventure.

I stepped back up the plank leading to the Interceptor and waited for Will. Jack sauntered off to his cabin. Will looked much happier being out of the mess.

"It wasn't actually that bad," I commented, giving Will a sidelong glance.

He motioned for me to follow him. I padded after Will, as he led me below decks and over to the hammock that he had claimed.

"Not bad?" He asked me upon reaching. He lit the candle that he stored in his borrowed sea chest and set it on the ground, pulling me down to sit with him. "Did you not see any of what we just passed?"

I shrugged. "Personally, Will, I think it's fascinating and--"

Will cut me off with an expression that I'm sure would've turned a less assured person to stone. "These are pirates, Adeena."

I nodded and felt my face begin to heat up. "Yes!" I hissed. "They are pirates! Jack is a pirate, Gibbs is a pirate, your father was a pirate!" At his furious expression I continued, "Accept it, Will!"

He was absolutely seething. "My father was not a pirate!"

I sighed in irritation and exasperation. "Why do you think Jack is lying?" I yelled. "Why can't you just trust him?"

He stood up. "Because he's a pirate!"

I stood up too. "Well, I trust him! And I think that pirates are fine! Because you know what they are?" His defiant stance faltered and I screamed, "Because they are free!"

Will stared at me. I cussed loudly in Spanish and stormed back above decks and headed toward Jack's cabin.

I banged on it and heard a grunt that might've been come in.

I burst into his room and over to his desk. He was leaning over some charts and a compass, his dreads swinging over his face.

"What can I do for you, darling?" He murmured distractedly.

I leaned on his desk and tapped his foot with the toe of my boot. "Are you lying to us?"

He shot up and stared at me. "Whadya mean?"

I rolled my eyes. "About where we're going and why." I paused. "Was Will's dad really a pirate?"

He sighed and waved his hands wildly at me. "We are traveling to Isle de Muerta, were we shall save Will's bonnie lace and I shall hopefully regain my ship. Bill Turner was a pirate."

I stared at him. "Your ship."

He nodded and walked across the room to a cabinet. Opening it, he said, "My ship."

I thought for a moment. Then it all came together. "The Black Pearl! It was yours before Barboassa?"

He rummaged inside the doors for a bit and then emerged with two bottles of, you guessed it, rum. "Yep."

My anger bubbled. "Are you using us?"

He grinned and tossed me a bottle, then opened his with his teeth and spit out the cork. "William, yes. You...well, yes, I'm using both of you. But I do intend on saving Miss Elizabeth."

I made fists and then sighed. I couldn't stay mad, for some reason. "Fine. Get your stupid boat back. I'm going to bed."

"Ship," He corrected.

I threw my hands up. "Ship, then! I'm the second cabin on the right, correct?"

He nodded and gestured at the rum I was still holding. He winked. "You run out, I'll be right here."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't keep the smile off my lips. "Sure. See you."

He waved and turned back to whatever he had been doing before I barged in and I exited, pushing the door close with one hand.

I jogged back below to my second cabin on the right, sending glances at the rum.

Once I was inside, I shut the door, leaned against it, and stared at the bottle.

It tastes good, part of me said.

You aren't a pirate! My other half protested.

My naughty side won and I uncorked the bottle to take a swig. Who cares? No one can see me, and there isn't anyone to say anything.

I wasn't going to say anything to anyone, but so far, I quite liked the pirate life.