author's note: Here's a little more to keep you occupied. thanks to everybody who's been reading and reviewing! here's some more sweet Jack, at least for a little longer. as always, only kaylee belongs to me, although I'd love to own James and Jack and keep them as my playthings.

Once Kaylee had sat down across from Jack back at the Golden Parakeet and he was nursing his bottle of rum, he finally told her the whole story, about why he'd been in Tortuga the last time, James' thievery, his own bout with death, his rescue, and the glorious battle that ensued, all with quite a bit of colorful embroidering. "But what about James? You never mentioned him after he stole the heart. Do you know what became of him?"

Jack sighed and took a deep swig of rum. "Well, the thump-thump got him back his commission and then some; he became an admiral, although he was still just a puppet for that blaygird Beckett. He was assigned to keep an eye on Davy Jones, and when our bonny Elizabeth got herself caught and imprisoned onboard the Dutchman, he felt right obligated to help her get free. He got caught in the act, as it were, and…" Here he looked at Kaylee, his deep brown eyes showing something like compassion. "Well, Kaylee-bird, they killed him. Stabbed 'im straight in the gut."

Kaylee was in shock. James? Dead? It couldn't be… but then she thought of that night that she'd awoken in tears, and realized that must have been the night. She buried her face in her hands, not caring that Jack was there to see her cry. Jack got up from his seat and sat down beside her, awkwardly wrapping an arm around her shoulders and trying to comfort her. "S'ok, Kaylee-bird, s'alright luv, Jack's here. You just let it out, I won't tell no one."

Kaylee sobbed, and a small bit of what Jack was saying niggled its way into her mind, trying to tell her something. Jack's here, Jack's here… She looked up at Jack, a thought flying into her head. "Jack! Why couldn't we go back to the locker and fetch back James? You and your crew know the way, it would be easy!"

Jack made a very uncomfortable face. "Well, ya see, luv, getting back from the land of the dead isn't exactly a picnic. I've made that trip once and would rather not again." He smiled that devilish smile and held out the bottle of rum to her. "I tell you what, Kaylee-bird; have yourself a few swigs o' this, and ol' Jack will do his best to cheer you up." He slid his arm down from her shoulders to her waist, running his fingers lightly over her side.

Kaylee looked annoyed for a moment, then plastered on a sweet smile. She took the bottle from him and leaned in. "You know, Jack, this conversation has shown me a whole other side of you. You're not just a scheming, womanizing lecher…"

Jack smirked and leaned closer, moving in for a kiss. "I'm not, am I?"

Then Kaylee brought the half-empty bottle crashing down on his head, shattering it and knocking Jack out cold. "No, you're also a cowardly, self-centered wretch." She knelt down beside him on the floor and rummaged through his pockets for his purse. Finding it, she counted out the cost of two bottles of rum. "And you never paid me the last time you were here." She took off toward the docks to ask someone else who could help.

ah, did I have you scared for a minute? Of course she's not gonna fall for Jack, she's gotta go fetch back our norry! Please R&R.