A/N: well then, I got a couple of happy reviews, so I suppose I'll continue on. Although I probably would have anyway because I'm having way too much fun with this. :D so enjoy my strange little musings…gahahaha. -strokes Sweeney-

Chapter 1

Benjamin Barker's body was numb. It had been all right at first when it had only been his feet, but the crawling feeling had seeped up his legs and through his torso, and finally to his mud- and water-streaked face. The ship must have a leak, his brain told him brokenly.

"I don't care," he mumbled to himself. "Let it bloody sink."

"Oh, shut up," barked one of the other prisoners. "None of us like it either."

"None of you are innocent," Barker snarled.

"Of course we are!" the other said.

Barker turned away. The prisoner clapped him on the back. "Hey, sorry 'bout that, chummy. Name's Silverbrass. What's yours?"

"Barker. Benjamin Barker."

"Well then, Mr. Barker. What's your sob story? Silverbrass asked, not unkindly.

"I was sent here on false charges," Barker said, hoping his voice wouldn't break. "The judge…Judge Turpin…he wanted my wife. So he had me arrested…and…"

"Yeah, we know the rest," Silverbrass said, almost sounding bored. "Evil judge sends you here, you sob the entire way to the ship and sober up to look tough and then sit here thinkin on how bad you got it."

Barker whipped around, eyes flashing. "Mine's true, but what sort of slander did you cook up for us all? Go on, let's hear it!"

Silverbrass stared at him for a moment and then let out a bray of laughter. Barker blinked in surprise.

"I like you, Barker!" Silverbrass proclaimed. "Actually, I am guilty. This is my third time bein caught in the act, so they figured on teachin me a lesson. I'm all right with it, though." He slipped a pipe from his pocket, clenched it between his teeth, and then struck a match on the shackles holding him to the boat. "Mmm. Better."

"You'll be caught," Barker said. He was nervous for the man, though still not sure if he liked him. Silverbrass rolled his eyes.

"What'll they do, ship me off to Australia? Now there's a scary thought."

Barker almost smiled.

The entire deck of prisoners looked up at the sound of footfalls. Silverbrass's pipe disappeared into his pocket once more.

"Why do I smell smoke?" bellowed a voice as Lieutenant Penton strode around the corner. Silverbrass stretched luxuriously and exhaled a cloud.

"I dunno, officer. Maybe your nose's goin as well as your brain."

That got an appreciative laugh from the prisoners, quickly silenced by Penton's black look. The lieutenant stalked over and unlocked the shackles, then hauled Silverbrass to his feet.

"Let's go, you cheeky little bugger."

Silverbrass allowed himself to be led up the stairs, cheerfully calling Penton every swear in the book. Barker could see the lieutenant's ears glowing from where he sat against the wall. He decided he liked Silverbrass…with certain reservations for his near bipolar behavior.

"You know him?" said the nasally voice of a man he was fairly sure was called Jenning.

Barker shook his head.

"What was that? Couldn't hear you," Jenning said, cuffing him on the back of the neck.

"I shook my head, you ignorant little bug," Barker said coldly.

"Bug, am I?" Jenning said in indignation. "What does that make your wife, then, buddy boy?"

Barker lunged for him. "YOU SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW MY WIFE!"

"What makes you think that?" Jenning said with a smug grin.

Barker made to bash his nose in, but was held back by chains. "You're lucky I can't tear these bloody things out of the floor," he hissed, wishing for his razors to do harm for the first time.

"Mr. Barker. Hey, Mr. Barker, calm down," said a soft voice on his left.

Barker looked around, eyes blazing.

"Don't listen to him," the man advised. "It's what he wants."

Barker closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. "Okay."

"My name's Peter Stanley. I was sent here falsely as well."

"You mean you believe me?" he said, incredulous.

"You don't seem the type to do anything really bad," Stanley said.

They looked up as Silverbrass stumbled back down the stairs, accompanied by a complacent Penton.

"Did they whip you?" Barker said.

"Yep."

"You okay?"

"Fine," Silverbrass growled.

Stanley touched his arm. "Does it hurt very much?" he murmured.

"A bit," Silverbrass said in an embarrassed voice.

"You'll be okay."

"Yeah.

By the end of the trip, the only man that any prisoner believed was innocent was Peter Stanley.

… … …

"Mr. Todd, sir?" Benjamin said after a few minutes. Mr. Todd looked back at the boy.

"Eh?"

"Are you all right? You seem a bit…"

"Fine, fine," he said. "It's getting late, now. Better be off home."

"May I come back tomorrow for more?" Benjamin said.

"Of course," Mr. Todd said in his curiously soft voice. "You're the only one that would ever listen to what would be construed as an old man's ravings."

… … …

Later that night, Benjamin picked at his carrots, thinking about Mr. Todd's most recent story.

"Mum?" he said finally.

"Mmm?" Johanna replied.

"Who's Benjamin Barker?"

The table went silent.

"Mr. Todd been telling you stories again?" she said.

"He told me that's who I was named after."

She sighed. "Benjamin Barker was my father. He died long ago."

"And Mr. Todd knew him?" Benjamin pressed.

"Yes."

"Okay."

He cast a glance at the forlorn carrots scattered about his otherwise empty plate. "May I be excused?"

"After you eat your carrots," Johanna scolded. "Your father will be home soon."

Benjamin resigned himself to the carrots, stabbed one with his fork, and placed it as far into his cheek as it could go. He nearly gagged on it. "Stupid carrots," he muttered.

A/N: there you have it, the first installment of many. Many manys. Whyistherumgone pointed out that Anthony's last name in the movie was Hope, something that I obviously had no clue about in the prologue – gracias Skippy! –hugs- So I've got the second chapter started (well pretty much a paragraph but it's a start, eheh) and hopefully that'll be up soon, but I'm leaving for Wyoming tomorrow for a week – we'll be horseback riding for 5 HOURS A DAY. So I'll get lots of time to write, but I don't think I'll be able to put it up for a while. Love leaving much welcomed :)