What in the World

Chapter 2

James was less than a perfect gentleman on the way to the Pearl. He disgorged himself of excess rum more that a few times during the walk, much to the chagrin of Jack and Mr. Gibbs. Luckily they were both a little less drunk and still agile enough to avoid being hit by any of the mess.

"How could you have even a bit of that remaining in you Commodore after all you have left lying along our path?" Jack asked making a face and not really expecting an answer.

Trying to pull himself up to his full height and straighten his shoulders unsuccessfully and in the process almost sending them all to the ground, he replied in a very drunken but trying to sound haughty tone, "I mmm a Comorder in the Roygal Navvv yy 's ow." Followed by several hiccups and one very loud belch.

"Well I guess that explains it then. You are full of it. Royal Navy that is." Jack said cheerily rolling his eyes at Mr. Gibbs.

They arrived at the longboat and loaded James in with a loud thunk to several parts of his anatomy, which elicited quite a few more grunts and groans from said Commodore.

"He's gonna feel that in the mornin Cap'n." Mr. Gibbs said.

Jack just smiled in reply.

They rowed to the Black Pearl and managed to manhandle James aboard avoiding too many more thunks to the Commodore's person. Jack had a couple of the men take him to one of the cabins to sleep it off.

"I'll bet me Mother's apron he don't feel much like a Commodore in the mornin." Mr. Gibbs smirked at Jack.

"I would imagine you're right on that account Mr. Gibbs." Jack said with a none too sympathetic smile. "Now prepare to get underway. I feel a need to travel… seaward."

"Do we have a heading Cap'n?" and seeing Jack smile and point out to sea Gibbs said nodding his head, "Aye Cap'n seaward it is."

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James woke the same way he had for much of the time he had been on leave. A headache to beat all headaches throbbing inside his head, a nasty left over rum taste in his mouth, nauseated, and no immediate memory of what had or hadn't happened the night before.

He lay still on the bunk for a time, afraid to move and bring on the heaving from his guts he had experienced in the past when he had moved too quickly after waking up.

He felt the pitch of the ship, which didn't help his stomach any, and figured he must have somehow made it back to his ship before they had sailed off without him. His body ached and was very sore, which was rather unusual, almost as if he had been in a fight or something. He didn't remember any fights, but then he couldn't remember much from the time they made port and he had left the ship.

He continued to lie there and just be until he could get some semblance of his normal self to surface. He spoke to himself, "You know you have to get a hold of yourself James, else you will wind up a drunken deck hand on some scow somewhere. If you haven't managed to do that to yourself already."

He lay there for a little while longer listening to the sounds of the ship. He had almost dozed back off when he heard a voice call out that brought him to an upright position in a hurry, and also brought on the heaving he had hoped to avoid.

"Mr. Gibbs, we shall head that way for awhile."

He had to be dreaming. Then he started to remember a little of last night, and a certain face of a certain person sitting next to him. No, it wasn't possible. It had to be a mistake.

"Aye Cap'n that way it is." He heard another familiar voice call out in return.

James buried his head in his hands when his insides decided to give him a brief respite, "What in the world have I gotten myself into? And why do I feel this is not the most opportune time to give up the rum?"

He felt the ship turning sharply which brought on another wave of heaving. After he had emptied more than he thought he could possibly had left in his stomach he slumped back on the pillow. He would just lay here for a bit. No need to go jumping headlong into something until his mind was a little clearer. After all he was where he was and probably far out to sea now by the movement of the ship beneath him. He needed to be more in control of his faculties before he dealt with this particular person.

He did go back to sleep but fitfully at most. He tossed and turned dreaming about pirates, skeletons, pirate skeletons, and a pirate skeleton with a tri-corn hat and gleaming gold and silver teeth shining like a beacon from his skeleton-y mouth. And standing next to the pirate skeleton with the tri-corn hat was a tall skinny man with a big plumed hat on his head and a blacksmith's hammer in his hand grinning at him. And in between them both stood a girl in pirate garb who kept repeating over and over again "I shall never marry a Commodore of the Royal Navy. That's not where my heart lies."

The turning once again of the ship, and the fact that this turning of the ship was at such an angle that it threw him out of the bunk awakened him. He landed on the floor with an oath. He stumbled to his feet and headed for the door. He would find that…that…pirate and give him what for!

He emerged on deck and spying his intended target by the rail strode in that direction.

Unfortunately he didn't quite convey the effect he was hoping for as the minute he started to shout at the target his stomach once again betrayed him and he wound up heaving over the rail.

"You might want to think about going a little lighter on the rum from now on Commodore, seems it doesn't settle well with your delicate constitution." Jack said in a quasi-sympathetic tone.

"Blast…upchuck…you…upchuck….Sparrow!"

"Now now Commodore," Jack said with his normal floppy hand and wrist movement, "I don't really feel it's fair to blame your excessive consumption of rum on me. I believe you did that all on your onsies. And it's Captain…Captain Jack Sparrow. Drunken slovenliness is no excuse for bad manners even for a Commodore."

All James could do is glare at Jack as he leaned over the rail hoping his stomach would stop heaving long enough for him to throttle the man standing next to him.

"So," Jack said in an extremely chipper tone, "I'll bet you're wondering just where we're headed."

"For Hell?" James choked out between heaves.

"Much more better Commodore." Jack said with a smile.

To Be Continued

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