The first sensation James felt was a spike of fire racing down his spine, agony dancing through his veins. With a groan, he opened his eyes, lashes fluttering. "Unghhh…"

A familiar figure sashayed into his blurry view, and baubles clinking, Jack Sparrow leaned in close, gold teeth catching in the sunlight and flashing. "'Ello, mate." He drawled.

"Sparrow?" James asked quietly as his head cleared. "Wha…?"

"Glad to see you're finally awake, Commodore." The pirate said, smirking as James struggled to keep his eyes open.

"Where am I?" James demanded weakly.

"My cabin." Jack said, gesturing dramatically.

James peered around at his surroundings. "Your…your cabin?" The room was decorated quite plainly, and he began to notice the fading daylight through the windows and the rocking of a moving ship.

Scowling, he felt the back of his skull gingerly. "You kidnapped me, you rapscallion!" He snarled, green eyes flashing furiously.

"Aye." Jack said calmly, watching as James flailed about, attempting to get into a sitting position.

"Well, I demand you return me to Port Royal immediately!" He shouted. "Now, pirate!"

Jack tutted. "Now, luv, you've got to understand that I'm in need of your assistance." He said smugly.

"My…? You expect me to help you after you've injured and abducted me?" James shrieked.

Jack leaned in and gently stroked James' hair out of his eyes, ignoring the Commodore' smacking at his wrist. Then, he reached down and heaved James up and over his shoulder again. "C'mon, then, mate." He said.

"Unhand me, you fiend!" James screeched, wriggling in the other's grasp.

"Nope." Was Jack's only response as he calmly walked them out of the room and out into the slowly diminishing daylight.

As they strolled across the deck, James growling and kicking, Jack began to hum a song under his breath. Then, he merrily set James onto the deck and squatted beside him.

James leaned back against the rail, groaning as blood trickled down his neck again. "What do you want with me?" He panted, glaring weakly up at the Captain.

"I need your help, to help me, save this." He gestured wildly all around him.

James shook his head, making a face. "What?"

"The Pearl. Me ship, me crew." Jack said, nodding seriously.

"What?" James repeated.

"I need your help, Commodore." Jack told him.

"Oh." James felt incredibly stupid. "Why?"

Jack sighed in exasperation. "To help get me outta' here, Norrie."

"Why?" He asked cautiously.

"Because as our dear Beckie says, the world is shrinking. And I'm a dying breed." Jack shrugged, then placed his palm against James' cheek.

James flinched, but didn't object to the pirate's touch. "And where shall you go? And why do you need me?" He asked, brow wrinkling and scrunching together.

"Because you're the good Commodore." Jack smirked, then leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to James' forehead.

This time, James shrugged him away, scowling. "Don't touch me, pirate."

Jack grinned. "Aye." Then, he gently pulled James back into his arms, and carried him bridal-style.

Squirming, James spat, "I am not an invalid!"

"I know that, Jamie." He merely continued to carry James, then dumped him on the deck near the helm. "Ah, Anamaria. Thanks, luv." The female-to James' shock-nodded, grinned down at him, and relinquished the wheel.

James lay sprawled on the ground from where Jack had set him, eyes wide. "Was that…a woman?"

"Aye." Jack said, caressing the wheel lovingly.

James shook his head, sighing. "My head hurts."

"Gibbs!" Jack shouted.

A scruffy man ran up, and James scowled up at him indignantly. "Captain?"

"Take care of Mr. Norrington's head, aye?" Jack said, gesturing in that mad way of his.

"Alright, then, Cap'n." The man offered his hand. "Can yeh walk?"

James scowled harder, ignored the hand, and hauled himself to his feet himself. "Yes." He spat, folding his arms across his chest angrily.

Gibbs grinned, then said, "Right this way, then, Commodore."

James sighed, cast a glare in Sparrow's direction, and allowed himself to be led around the ship and below decks. His head was treated with a damp cloth in hot water, and then was bandaged.

"Sorry about the wound, Commodore, but I had to hit yeh, or yeh'd never've come." Joshua said apologetically, patting his arm.

James rolled his eyes. "That's damn right."

"Aye. Well, better get you back up to the Captain." He slapped James on the back, then pulled the Commodore to his feet.

James' eyes narrowed. It was going to be a long time before he got used to this.