"So, how did you end up a pig farmer, Gibbs?" asked Elizabeth. They were seated around a neat table covered with a checkered cloth drinking coffee. Rose felt like she was in heaven. Actual black, sweet coffee! Who would have thought it?

Gibbs placed a plate of home baked cookies in front of them.

"Well, I tried trade and piracy, as you know, but those were just not for me I felt. And seeing as I got along well with pigs and they with me, as it were, I figured why not try a secluded country life?"

"How do you like it then?"

"Well... honestly..." He moved closer and lowered his voice conspiratorially. "...it's boring as hell."

When the cookies were eaten and Rose well into her second cup of heavenly coffee, Jack filled their host in on their mission and why they needed one of his pigs. When he came to the part about the Heart of the Ocean, the farmer sat bolt upright.

"Mary, mother of God!" He crossed himself, just like the barman in Tortuga had. "Oh you've stepped into some deep crap, miss Dawson, pardon my language."

Rose's stomach plummeted at his reaction. She was already apprehensive about summoning Calypso, this certainly did not help.

"Why does she want the diamond so badly?" she asked.

"Ah, that's an interesting story." Gibbs took on a dramatic storyteller voice as he continued. "You see, Calypso is a passionate being, and often walks upon this earth like a mortal woman, seducing men and women alike, taking them to her bed." For some reason he glanced at Jack here, but the pirate was busily scraping out dirt from under his fingernails. "Now, one day she took a man named Davy Jones as her lover, but this time her feelings grew into more than mere desire. As much as Calypso is capable of loving someone, she did love Jones, and even struck a deal with him to prolong his life. He was to be cap'n of the Flying Dutchman, and every ten years he would get to come ashore and spend a day with her."

Rose blinked. So, Will was not its first captain then. Was this Davy Jones his predecessor? That would explain why he seemed so new to the job.

Gibbs continued his tale: "Now, when the ten years had passed and Jones went ashore to meet Calypso, she was not there – for she was with another lover. Heartbroken and angry, Jones told the Pirate Lords how they could trap Calypso in her human form and rule the seven seas undisturbed. But afterwards he regretted his betrayal and carved out his own heart, placing it in a box far away so he would never feel the pain of his loss again."

"He did what?" Rose stared at him, flabbergasted. "And he survived it?"

"Aye, aboard the Dutchman no time passes, the crew can never die and never grow old."

That would have sounded like a fairytale, had Rose not seen the new captain, and now she remembered the hideous scar across his chest. Had he also...? Feeling faint and slightly sick, Rose looked at Elizabeth and saw the pain in her eyes.

"Jones became heartless and inhuman, abandoning his duty to the dead souls. Now, as Calypso learned this and realized Jones could not love her anymore, her own heart became cold and hard, until finally it turned into stone – a sparkling diamond."

"The Heart of the Ocean..." Rose breathed.

"Aye, the Heart of the Ocean."

"But how did she lose it?"

"Her heart of stone chafed and grated, causing her terrible agony, so just like Jones she took it out, pulling it from her chest with her magic. She kept it close to her at all times, hoping that if Jones came back to her it would thaw and return into flesh. But one morning it was gone – stolen by one of her lovers."

"He must have sold it," Rose pondered. "My fiancé bought it in England, and he thought it had been in France first, owned by the king."

"Aye, in two hundred years it would have passed through many hands. But it was not until the Heart touched the ocean again, that Calypso could pull it back to her – dragging you along with it."

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

Twenty-something pairs of eyes were expectantly looking at them through the wooden bars of the pig pen, their feet and backs covered with varying amounts of mud. One of them poked its grey snout through, emitting cute snoring-like sounds.

"This place smells even worse than you did when we met," Rose remarked to Jack.

"Which one do you want?" asked Gibbs.

"That one," Rose decided, pointing at the projecting snout.

"Fine choice. Fat and well fed, he is. You can cut him into pork chops after the summoning is done." He slid a rope halter around the creature's stocky neck. When he tried to pull it out through the gate it squealed in terror.

"No, wait, don't frighten him." Rose took a handful of corn from a feed bucket and patiently coaxed the pig to come out on its own volition. Gibbs closed the pen behind it.

"Waste of time." Jack looked amused.

"I happen to have a soft spot for innocent animals." The pig allowed her to touch it now and she scratched it under one of its big, floppy ears. Its bristly fur was rough, but not unpleasant to touch.

"I say, that pig needs a bath," said Jack, poking it with the toe of his boot.

"Since when did you start caring about hygiene?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"Since I was about to share a small boat with a pig."

Rose gladly washed the pig, earning herself happy grunts and huffs, and then it was time to return to the Barnacle.

When they left the quaint farm, Gibbs watched them go with a look of longing on his weathered features.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

"No, you guard the boat and we go sword shopping." Elizabeth's hands were on her hips and her voice was stern. Rose said nothing, she was happy as long as she did not have to be alone in this city.

"It's me who got the item that can direct us to the sword, if there is one." Jack Sparrow, as always, seemed unmoved by her temper. He was idly watching an old, battered compass, its needle spinning slowly.

"Why is it still spinning then? You just don't know what you want."

Jack gave her a dark look and sneered. "It probably spins because there are no silver swords in Tortuga until that trader returns from Havana. But sure, go if you want, have fun." He leisurely leaned back against the mast and closed his eyes.

Walking the Tortuga streets arm in arm with Elizabeth proved to be fun, despite the crowd and ever present smell of rubbish, sewage and alcohol. She had an ability to turn her eyes into scorching daggers, and in addition a quick, biting tongue, both of which she had honed to perfection when she was a pirate captain prior to her marriage. Rose felt completely safe in her company.

"You must teach me that look," she said when Elizabeth had scared away a particularly obnoxious drunk.

"It's easy. You just stare at them and imagine their pants on fire, and their private parts cut off. Somehow they sense that's what you're thinking. You should try it too!"

Rose giggled at the mental images.

When they walked into the first weapon shop, the shabby salesman looked at them like they were stupid.

"A sword of silver?" His voice teemed with contempt. "Trust a woman to want somethin' so useless. It's too soft. Won't hold an edge."

"Never mind." Elizabeth gave him her dagger stare and the man visibly cowed.

After they left the tenth shop with the same lack of result, Rose was sick and tired of shopping and Elizabeth seemed to agree.

"We'll have to wait for the Havana guy then, even though I hate it when Jack's right about something. Let's go to the marketplace instead and buy some nice food," she suggested.

The marketplace was located in the center of the city and looked nothing like its equivalents in America. Together with common chickens and goats crowded exotic birds, monkeys and other animals Rose did not know the name of, and in the food stalls there were an abundance of oddly shaped fruits, vegetables and fish.

A bright green parrot drew her attention and she reached out to touch its long, beautiful tail.

"Dontbuyme," it cried and bit her finger almost hard enough to draw blood.

"Good luck getting that sold," she remarked to the vendor.

"It will probably be easier than selling his brother." He shrugged.

"Shutupshutup," agreed another parrot. "Bloodybirdshutup."

The two women had soon filled their basket with fruit and cornbread, and since there was no stove aboard the Barnacle they also bought some already prepared food; a small basket filled to the brim with a steaming dish of rice and red beans, and two grilled chickens wrapped in banana leaves.

"This smells heavenly!" Rose inhaled the spicy fumes.

"Indeed. I say... let's have a party tonight!"

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

As the evening proceeded Rose found that rum was an acquired taste – for every sip the amber liquor grew on her. It had felt gross to share a bottle with the others first but she soon stopped caring.

"I need to pee," Elizabeth announced as she rose on slightly wobbly legs.

"Too much information." Jack made a face that had Rose laugh.

"At least she doesn't do it on the floor like Mr Pig." She unsteadily leaned over Jack to scratch the animal's chubby neck.

"Mr Pig is the worst name."

"Make up another then." She half fell on him when the pig decided to walk away after Elizabeth.

"I shall call him Hector," he decided. "Can you move out of my lap, love? You're blocking the rum."

"Hector? Yeah, that works for me." She grabbed his arm to steady herself and sat back up. A couple of tattoos on the inside of his wrist drew her attention.

"Why is it a swallow and not a sparrow?" She touched a faded picture of a sunset over the sea with a flying swallow against the sun.

"That's an old one. Got it after I had sailed five thousand miles. It's tradit'nal." He surreptitiously slid his other arm around her waist. Rose moved a fraction closer, while a sensible voice in her head told her to get the heck away from this man, who was a pirate if she had forgotten. She smothered the voice and let her finger move to a thick P that was etched into Jack's skin. He shuddered slightly at her touch.

"What's that then?"

"'Twas made by a branding iron. Hurt like... a bad word I shall not subject your sens'tive ears to. Means 'm a pirate." He caressed her back softly and his hand felt searing hot too.

There, I told you. A pirate! said the sensible voice.

Shut up and bugger off.

"Who did it?" She traced the red edge of the branded letter.

"The East India Trading Company. They had this thing 'gainst pirates, dunno why."

A thud and a muffled cry from the stern had Rose sit up straighter and snatch her fingers from Jack's arm. Elizabeth returned into the circle of lamplight and flopped heavily down at Rose's other side, closely followed by the pig which pushed its wrinkled snout against her hand in search of something edible.

"Damn Mr Pig nearly had me trip and fall off the boat."

"He's Hector now," said Jack. He was still stroking Rose's back but she hoped Elizabeth could not see. That would be beyond embarrassing; she knew what her friend thought of the pirate.

"Hector?" Elizabeth began to laugh, nearly choking with mirth. 

Jack was grinning too. He had an enchanting smile, really. And the way those dark eyes caught the lamplight...

His gaze met hers and Rose looked away before she would do something stupid. "What's so funny about Hector?"

"That's the name of Jack's worst enemy. Hector Barbossa."

"He who stole my ship, remember?" His hand had frozen in the action.

Rose took the bottle from him and swallowed a mouthful. "I'll tell him to return it. Liz taught me how to glare daggers, that oughta teach him. Plus I can handle an ax." She turned to Elizabeth. "I hope it's alright I call you Liz?"

"Sure. And if you practice the glare real well, I'm certain that Barbossa will be inclined to acquiesce to your request," said Elizabeth, grinning.

Jack chuckled and inched himself a little closer to Rose under the pretense of taking back the rum, his fingers innocently brushing against hers. She swallowed.

Pirate, reminded the voice.

Shush.

Elizabeth took the bottle from him and tried to drink. "The rum is gone," she remarked, turning it over.

"Then maybe it's bedtime now," said Jack, emphasizing the first part of the word. 

Rose's cheeks heated at his inviting undertone and she glanced at him. He was looking directly at her, again reminding her of lions and gazelles. His fingers trailed down to her hip.

"Yes, I think it is." Her voice was slightly hoarse.

"I'm sleeping out tonight," said Jack, glancing at the starry sky. "It's less hot here."

"Good idea," said Elizabeth. "Let's all sleep outside."

Jack frowned at that and Rose bit her lip to hold back a giggle. He clearly had hoped to get rid of Elizabeth, but Rose did not mind her presence. A little flirting was one thing, but she was not ready to go to bed with Jack. Yet, said another voice, one that was not at all sensible.

They carried up a couple of old blankets from below and spread them on the wooden boards of the deck. Rose stretched out between the other two and the pig rolled itself up at their feet.

The night was warm as always in this part of the world, and out here in the bay there were no mosquitoes. Lying on her back, watching the stars with a slightly unfocused gaze, Rose felt strangely disconnected from all her worries and troubles. It was enough to just be, enjoying the fuzzy tipsy feeling and a full stomach, wondering if Jack would make any advances tonight and secretly hoping he would.

She could think about how to solve the death and afterlife issues another time.

A/N:

Things are heating up... Is Rose being unwise? What are Jack's intentions? Let me know your thoughts. :)

That a heart of stone would chafe is something I learned from 'Mio, my Son' by Astrid Lindgren, a very popular and loved Swedish children's book writer (who also wrote 'Pippi Longstocking', 'Ronia the Robber's Daughter', 'Emil of Lönneberga' and many, many other stories).

Thanks for votes and comments! ♡

Image Credits:

Screenshot from Pirates of the Caribbean.