A Pirate's Life For Me (Part One)

Five years, five whole years had passed, and next to nothing had changed in the town of Crableg's Haven. The dark haired woman looked to her left at the pile of rubble that had once been her home. Once there had been parties in the top floor of a block of apartments, laughter had filled the air as another occasion was celebrated through the night. There was nothing now but deathly silence and the slight echo of the past. Her blue eyes scanned over the mess in front of her before she swallowed the threatening lump in her throat and turned again, the dog behind her groaned confusedly at the pile of bricks and memories in front of him before padding up beside her. The woman looked down the hill and pulled her light jacket tighter around her, the summer sun gleaming in the sky as it rose for the first day's light, the stallholders of the Market at the bottom of the hill were bustling about so she clipped the blue rope lead on to the big dog's collar, clapping his head slightly before continuing with the end of the lead wrapped around her hand. Her other hand was shoved into her pocket. She nodded gently to the men who would never recognize her and they politely nodded back, eying the dog slightly as it goofily loped along beside her. She smiled but her eyes spoke a different emotion, not what one would think after five years away from the place, no they spoke anger, how could she have so stupid in the first place, how could she have believed a word that had come out of his mouth? He was the enemy and he had been from the beginning. But she was back and she certainly didn't know why. She had changed, alot, her life had become somewhat different to what she had expected and with that had come certain responsibilities. She stopped outside the inn and smiled gently, many a fun and drunken night had been had there. The woman pushed open the doors and walked in with the dog in tow, nobody really looked around except the Bartender and the little girl who was sat up on the bar playing snap with him, she smiled at the four-and-a-half year old widely and brightly as the little girl jumped down from the bar using the stool as a step and ran toward the woman and the dog. The little girl couldn't have looked any happier as she shouted at the woman.

"MUMMY!" the woman still hadn't gotten used to that. "Mummy, guess what?" she didn't even let her mother answer she continued loudly and excitedly "Uncle Tommy is going to teach me Poker and Rummy and Blackjohn and lots of other card games but he says I need to get good at snap first!"

Despite her mother's accent, the little girl spoke with an English accent, probably because that's where she had been brought up so far, she had been told already that after a while at home her accent would develop much like her own had. That was where the woman had ran to, England to stay with her cousins. She smiled brightly and looked up at Tommy, the man who she had become very close to in the two years before she had left, he had helped her alot when she was dealing with certain things, he had been like a father to her. She had kept in touch with him but no-one else, she didn't want anyone knowing where she had went. He had promised her he wouldn't tell anyone, no matter who it was, even if it was him.

"Is he now?" she smiled and looked down at the girl who was now frantically clapping the dog who excitedly accepted

The little girl nodded and looked up at her Mother with that lopsided smile that pained her so much, she looked just so much like her father. "But he said that I'm getting to good at Snap now so he might teach me how to play Old Maid first. He taught me how to play Solitaire earlier, and I'm really good at it, Uncle Tommy said so." The little blond girl smiled proudy "I'm not good at other games just now but I'll get better...I think that's a funny name for a card game, isn't it mummy? Blackjohn..."

The woman nodded and with a smile she leaned over and ran a hand through her daughter's hair, the little girl's eyes were like his, they could peer into your very soul "You are going to be a right little card hustler when you're older aren't you?"

The girl nodded ecstatically as she took her daughter's hand and led her back up to the bar, the little blond girl pushed her self up onto the stool, then she stood on that and pushed herself back up onto the bar where she began playing snap with Tommy again. She laughed gently at the little girl's mistake, she had meant Blackjack, her mother knew that and it was so very cute when she muddled up like that. She took the dog outside to the blocked off area that Tommy had built to keep his old dog in many years before, but his dog had died a year before so he was more than happy to allow her dog to stay in the pen. The woman undid the leash and watched as the dog bolted over to the food and water Tommy had already put out for him. She smiled before walking back inside and closing the door behind her. She hung up the leash and removed her jacket hanging it up on the coat hook before she made her way back around to the bar, onto Tommy's side to help him out, that was the only condition of she and her daughter staying there. She loved Tommy for that because she didn't have much money left to pay for a room for an indefinite amount of time. She leaned on the bar staring into space, thinking about nothing and everything, especially him. Tommy looked around, recognizing the look on her face, he spoke quietly to the girl who nodded before he moved along to the opposite end of the bar, pretending he was cleaning the bartop as he moved. She looked around at him with a small smile and he rested a hand on her shoulder.

"She picked up solitaire quickly, she's smart, you should be proud." She simply nodded, dark brown hair falling across her face she pushed it back behind her ears. "You shouldn't be thinking about him every second of the day Del..." She cut him short by turning to him and glaring slightly, she didn't go by that name anymore. "Jacqueline...sorry." She nodded, she had certainly been thinking about him when she had babbled out a fake name to get on the little merchant ship...she smirked, she had used the cover of working on a Merchant ship the first night they had met, it had worked for a little while until the day Crableg's Haven was attacked, by the Navy. But that was only the first time it had been attacked.

"I can't exactly help it, If I could choose not to then I wouldn't be thinking about him. I just...keep on expecting him to walk through the door and...is it bad that I kind of want him to?" She looked down at the bar and sighed her mind ran over so many things. Everything had been so good between them, well as good as it could get between a Navy Musician who worked on the most famous Pirate Hunting ship in the Caribbean and she was the First Mate on a highly notorious pirate ship, it was doomed from the beginning. She sighed and pushed off of the bar "I'm going to take Ellie out for a walk on the beach, she's never been near the sea."

Tommy nodded and sighed in turn before he started wiping the bartop casually with a rag, but he was worried for her, she was yet to tell him why she was back, but he had an inkling that she didn't know exactly why, she had said she was homesick, but he doubted that totally, he figured it was something to do with that Jacques she had always been talking about, he had noticed her choice of name as well, Jacqueline Finnigan, it wasn't hard to see where she had got the idea for it from.

Delta...Jacqueline lifted Elisha from the bartop and set her down on the ground, taking hold of her hand she moved through the door to the back rooms. "Should we take Kahlua mummy?" piped up the sweet little voice from beside her "Kahlua's already been out for his walk sweetheart..." Jacqueline knelt down in front of her daughter, who was currently sulking, with a cheeky smile. "But I think he would just love to go to the seaside." Elisha's face lit up with excitement and her mouth made a little 'o' shape as she realized where she was going. "The Seaside!" Jacqueline nodded and the girl smiled a wide toothy grin, her mother smiled brightly. "You go and get his ball and I'll go and get his lead." Ellie nodded and ran off to the sofa to grab the ball from under it and Jac watched her, still smiling before she moved off to the hooks where she had only ten minutes before hung up the blue rope lead. She opened the door and whistled on Kahlua who was lazing on the ground outside, she smirked as his head lifted and he quickly pushed himself up and bounded toward her, he sat expectantly, his docked tail wagging as much as it could, she clipped the lead onto his collar and shouted through to Elisha. "Come on Ellie"

The little blond girl ran up to her mother and grabbed her free hand. "Come on mummy, lets go see the sea." Jacqueline sighed slightly, wetting her lips and nodding, she should have been eager to go to the sea again, her true home. She started walking, the well trained rottweiler beside her and her daughter grasping her hand. Ellie had grown up confident and proud but with no clue about how she had came about, she didn't think it odd that all of the other children close to where they had lived had a mother and father, she didn't mind at all really because in her words. 'A mummy is all I need, she takes care of me better than a man can', smart little girl. She smiled and looked down at her daughter, his daughter, why did it always have to come back to him?

Elisha spoke to her mum about the card games she had been playing with Uncle Tommy and Jacqueline laughed and nodded, she looked the part of an ideal happy mother, but inside she was hurting like hell every time she looked at her beautiful daughter. Those bright green eyes peered through light blonde hair as they approached the sea, the noise of the waves mesmerizing Jacqueline, it was like she was being called home. the stood at the beginning of the sand and Ellie stopped, dumbfounded.

"Mummy, it's very pretty..." the girl didn't look up at her mother she just stared, dumbfounded. "I know Ellie." was the reply she got, Jacqueline's face matched Ellie's but it was more a feeling of peace that washed over her, she had missed the glimmer of the waves and the noise they made as the creeped up and down the sand. She could say one thing that had changed about her for definite, she could swim now, not amazingly well but well enough. If it hadn't been for him coaxing her into the water with his trustworthy smile she wouldn't have been able to say that because she would have still been afraid to get in the water when she had got to England. Her cousin Paul had shown her how to swim in the river next to the house where they lived in the countryside of England. She wasn't exactly professional at it, but she could float and swim for short distances, she wasn't a fan of deep water though, she preferred to be able to stand it she felt tired. "Come on Ellie-phant."

Elisha nodded but didn't let go of her mother's hand, she wanted to but she was a little afraid, she had never seen anything like that before. "Can we play catch with Kahlua in the sand mummy?" she asked with urgency and excitement. "Of course we can Elisha." a wisp of dark hair flicked across her face, she had almost forgotten that her hair was that color now, it was being there, at the sea, in Crableg's Haven that had made her forget. She was dressed in one of her normal summer dresses, a light red and white material that went down to her ankles, she slipped off her flat shoes so they didn't get filled with sand and she let go of Elisha's small hand. Jacqueline unclipped the leash from Kahlua's collar and watched as the dog bounded off to the sea, the scene of the rottweiler running from the waves made Ellie laugh hysterically, her little giggle ringing out in the awakened town. The sun had risen much more than it had been earlier and now everywhere was bathed with the light of day, Jacqueline watched her daughter throw the ball for the now drenched Kahlua who bounded after it barking happily, he ran back to Elisha with it and dropped it at her feet, she threw it again, this time into the water and Kahlua ran straight in grabbing the ball happily and running back to Ellie with his tail awag.

"Mummy!!" Ellie yelled "Mummy! Come and throw the ball!" Jacqueline nodded and smiled, smoothly walking across the sand toward the girl and the dog. She picked up the ball from the sand and threw it up in the air, catching it again, Kahlua barked and jumped around excitedly, Ellie laughed sweetly as she watched the dog.

"Let's race him Mummy!" Jacqueline smiled and looked down at Ellie as though contemplating it before she smiled widely and threw the ball, Kahlua set off and so did Jacqueline, Ellie laughed again shouting after her "Mummy! That's not fair!" Jacqueline smiled and turned, jogging backward. "Okay Ellie, you can get a two second head start." Ellie ran in front of her mother, laughing sweetly all the way, her mother faked tiredness and ran slowly behind Elisha, smiling brightly. Kahlua grabbed the ball in his teeth and turned and Ellie stopped next to him, and clapped him happily, Jacqueline moved up and bent over, her hands on her knees, 'catching her breath' "I BEAT YOU!! Are you tired now mummy?" Jacqueline panted for a second before moving quickly to grab Ellie, she lifted her up and tickled her sides, putting her down only to pick her up from behind and swing her around, much to Ellie's delight. Kahlua barked happily around them as Jacqueline played with her daughter. She put Elisha down and threw the ball again Kahlua bounded off but this time he lay down on the sand and waited on them, probably thinking that they would run to him again, Jacqueline laughed as Ellie ran toward him shouting "Kahlua!!".


The man walked casually through the pirate town, as though he belonged there. A pistol and flute hung from his belt on the right had side. He looked around, even after all the time she had been gone he still managed to find himself in Crableg's Haven, if his Captain found out she would be mighty angry at him especially after she managed to just let everything that had happened slip and carry on as though nothing had happened. His head should have been in a noose. He breathed in the sea air and sighed as he walked away from the buildings and found himself heading onto the pier. His clothing was quite casual considering what he normally had to wear, a blue shirt and black pants, his hair had began slicked back but now it was windswept and interesting to say the least. He heard a dog bark and he turned around, a gentle smile played on his lips as he watched the dark haired woman playing with the child, racing after the dog and feigning tiredness only to tickle the child half to death, he hadn't even noticed the slight chuckle that escaped from his lips. He watched the dog as it laid down expectantly on the sand. He smiled lopsidedly but his breath caught as the wind carried the child's voice to his ears. Kahlua. It couldn't be, could it? "Delta..." His eyes widen and he htought his heart was going to beat right out of his chest.

No, the woman was dark haired, she was blond and besides that she had gone, jumped a ship and went off to lands unknown. He watched as the woman and the child spun around, arms stretched out, the woman moved like her, she was so much like her. By that point he had already started moving off of the dock and onto the sandy beach. He walked swiftly across almost half of the beach before he stopped about twenty meters across from them. he watched for a second as the woman looked up, the dog loped over to him, sniffing him for a second and then as if in recognition her nudged at his hand, but it just flopped uselessly back to his side. His whoel body numb, it was her...but she was different. She looked up, dark ringlets falling across her face as her smile fell to a thin line. Her eyes scanned over him as he stood there, totally dumbstruck. She straightened up and the little girl grabbed at her hand. He couldn't say anything, his tongue was useless, a dead muscle inside his mouth.

"Who's that...?" the little girl whispered as she moved behind Delta, still grabbing her hand tightly. "I don't know Ellie." She knew of course, he could tell by the look on her face as she narrowed those beautiful blue eyes at him. He inhaled sharply and finally spoke, confusion marring his features "Delta...?"

She shook her head and Elisha whispered "Who is Delta..." Ellie had always known her mother to be called Jacqueline, she had never taught her any different, it was better that way. "I think you are mistaken..." he cut her off, his voice slightly pained, had he put Delta to this woman's face? Did he want to see her that much? He shook his head in turn "No I'm not." He knew it, it couldn't be anyone else but her.

"Yes you are." She seethed as she turned and started walking away, Kahlua whimpered as he moved off to follow the woman and child who was gripping tightly to her hand. Before he even knew what he was doing he was moving after her, he grabbed at the top of her free arm and she spun around, looking at his hand in disgust. She looked up at him and her upper lip curled as she spoke with utter bitterness and spite. "You lost every right to touch me five years ago, take your hand off me." his hand dropped to his side as he looked into her eyes searching for anything except anger and hatred...nothing. Behind it all was emptiness and he had never seen that before in those eyes. He opened his mouth to say something meaningful but all that came out was "Who's is the kid?"

She faltered slightly before she answered quietly "S-she's mine." The little girl peeked out from behind Delta's leg and chimed in with a sweet and lopsided smile "I'm Ellie, who are you?" His brow creased as he looked at the girl, her little smile held two very familiar canine teeth, pointed like the vampires of myth, the rest of her was her mother, but those teeth were all he needed. Jacques looked back at Delta who pulled Ellie behind her leg again, her tone was sharp with the child "Elisha, what have I told you about talking to strangers?" She spoke without looking away from Jacques. Ellie muttered to Delta from behind her leg, trying to keep her head down "Sorry Mummy."

Jacques was still fixated on Delta, his brow knitting together even more. "Delta, is she...she's...how old is she?", she grimaced noticeably, Ellie didn't need a father, so he didn't need to know, but she never had been a good liar. "She's four." Elisha glared up at her mother and Delta rolled her eyes "and a half". The little girl nodded proudly. Four and a half... that girl could be his. But...she would say something would she not, Delta would have told him if he had a daughter, wouldn't she?

Ellie piped in again, from behind Delta's leg. "My mummy isn't called Delta, her name's Jacqueline." She peeked around but Jacques was still only staring at Delta "Jacqueline?". He smiled slightly, more of a smirk. She simply nodded as her hard exterior returned as clipped the leash onto Kahlua's collar again. "Delta..."

She cut him short. She didn't want him to speak to her because even being around him was making her insides turn to jelly, she had thought she could stop loving him, but she couldn't, she should never have came back. She glared at him "Stay away from me and my daughter." With that she turned around and walked away, Ellie looked back and waved sweetly, Delta quickly put a stop to that with a sharp "Elisha!" as she just left Jacques standing, dumbstruck, there on the beach. They both knew that nothing would ever be the same, but they both knew now that they were always going to have one link, Elisha, he didn't know what to think and she knew exactly what to think. She wouldn't be leaving Tommy's again for a while.