Well, I don't know what happened to my reviewers. But please review! I do like them! Thanks to Chileen, Biz and purplediamond7. So yes. Review!!!

hifo x x

I have a great joke, James announced as Gibbs led them down to the dock, where a line of men stood.

Didn't realise ya knew what one was.

Oh, ha ha. No, it's really good. You ready?

"Let's hear it then," Jack muttered. Will looked at him strangely, and took a small step away from him.

"Ok. It is hilarious. Well, two pieces of go to the park. They are having such fun until one string decides to go on the roundabout. The string feels really dizzy and falls off, scraping across the ground and making as tangled and falling in a heap. The second string looked at him and said "you're not very good on that roundabout are you?" and the first string looked at himself and, He paused dramatically, said "I'm a frayed knot". Ha! Get it?

I wish I didn't.

"Please don't talk anymore," Jack growled, rolling his eyes.

Will looked dumbfounded. "I wasn't talking…" He said slowly.

You people have no humour.

Gibbs gestured at the small gathering. "Feast your eyes, Captain," He announced. "All of them, faithful hands before the mast. Every man, worth his salt. And crazy to boot." he added as an afterthought.

I certainly hope they are not contagious.

As long as they don't tell jokes, we'll be fine.

"So this," Will said, disgusted, "Is your ambled body crew."

Negative little sap, isn't he? Get some bones, boy!

Quick, James said, poking Jack in his neck with his elbow, convince him. He has doubts. Oh, how sweet it is to see young people in love…

"You, sailor!" Jack said quickly, cutting James off.

"Cotton, sir," Gibbs supplied quickly.

We trust someone who's named after a bit of fluff? Ohh, I feel safe.

"Mr Cotton," Jack said, stepping forward, "Do-you-have-the-courage-and-fortitude-to-follow-orders-and-stay-true-in-the-face-of-danger-and-almost-certain-death?"

A silence followed.

Why isn't he talking? Johnny stage-whispered.

He might be sh-

"Mr Cottons!" Jack barked. "Answer man!"

Jack! Other's feelings? We have talked about this-

No, you talked about this. Jack was raiding that little village, remember?

No, no I don-

"He's a mute, sir." Gibbs said. "Poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he trained his parrot to talk for him."

Ah… how?

"No one's yet figured how."

James and Johnny looked at each other, astonished.

How'd he hear me?

I don't know. Better keep a low profile then. We cannot be seen by others, you know that.

Low profile. Right. So Johnny climbed under Jack's hat.

"Mr Cottons … parrot," Jack said, wincing as Johnny yanked at his dreads. "Same question."

"Wind in your sails! Wind in your sails!" The parrot cawed.

Hmm. That's interesting.

That bird better not come on board with us! Johnny's muffled voice came out of Jack's hat. You know how I feel about birds, Jack.

Remember when that owl tried to eat you?

No, no I don't.

"Mostly we figure that means yes." Gibbs informed Jack.

James walked over to Jack's hat. Cawww. He said softly. CAWWW!

AHHHHH!!! Johnny burst into noisy tears. IT'S GONNA EAT MEEEE!

"Of course it does!" Jack said to Gibbs over Johnny's hysterical sobs. "Satisfied?" He snarled to James, who was crying with laughter.

"Well," Will said, "You've proved they're mad."

Who's he talking to?

"Insane." Jack muttered back. "The kid talks to himself."

"And what's the benefit for us?" A voice shouted out.

I...is it a ghost?

Jack slowly walked towards the speaker, and pulled up her hat to reveal Anamaria.

AHHHHH!!! James screamed, and dove under the hat with Johnny.

Was I right? A ghost?

Close enough.

"Anamaria!" Jack said, giving her his most charming smile. The angels jolted as Jack's head swung back.

"I suppose you think you didn't deserve that one either." Will said.

"No, that one I deserved."

"You stole. My. Boat!" She shouted.

Damn. I thought she might have forgotten it. Anyway, is that bird gone?

"Actually-" The angels jolted again as Jack's head slammed back once more.

Hey!

Cut it out!

That reminds me, I have another joke-

"Borrowed!" Jack said loudly. "Borrowed, without permission, but with every intention of bringing it back."

"But you didn't!" She howled.

Well, I wouldn't say that was true-

I don't think sending the remains back in a cigarette box would count as 'returning it', would you?

I think that was my idea, actually.

"You'll get another one!" Jack said wildly.

"I will."

"A better one." Will informed her. Johnny poked his head out of Jack's hat.

Did I miss the memo giving him permission to talk?

"A better one!" Jack agreed.

"That one!"

"What one?" The angels and Jack demanded. They followed Will's line of vision to see the boat they had just stolen, rocking gently on the sea.

"That one?" Jack growled.

But all that energy… stealing it… and we're wasting it on her?

"Aye." Jack said. "That one. What say you?"

"Aye!" She shouted.

"Aye!" The crew chorused. And they all ran off.

Don't worry matie. We'll drown her at the next Port.

Caw…

Stop it!

"No no no," Gibbs said, shaking his head at Jack. "It's frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir."

Jack shook his head. "It'll be far worse not to have her."

"So," Will said, "Can I steer her out?"

That reminds me of this joke-

"No!" Jack and Johnny screamed.

"Alright," Will said, shocked. "I was just asking."