Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners.


I tried to control my butchering of Jacks language in this one and now it still strikes me as funny but ah well I don't think I will ever be happy with it lol. Anyway onto another adventure and my second ever POTC fanfic. Warning may contain DMC spoilers.

thank you for R&R i appreciate it muchly

How do we avoid trouble again?

Chapter 36: Freeland

Before I could inquire on anything Jack had me again around the waist and we returned to the ship the same way we left. "I am thankful he has skill enough to not drop me." I thought eyeing the cold water below from the deck of the Pearl, surprised when Jack easily pulled me tight to his body and started to walk toward his cabin. "Sometimes I feel like an object he can carry around at will." I thought sourly before hearing the door shut and feeling his arm release me. Jack then started to pace the cabin and since I didn't dare intrude on his thoughts I made myself comfortable on the bed watching him as he did so. "He's going to wear a hole in the floor." I thought noticing a small black shadow scamper across the floor and duck into its hole.

"Jack?" I questioned as he paused and thoughtfully eyed the hole the mouse had taken residence in since my stay on the ship. "Gaston is dead, why would Norrington think otherwise?" I asked seeing him shrug and go back to pacing, clearly not planning on answer me anytime soon. "Goodie another round of twenty unanswered questions." I thought irritably.

I watched Jack pace back and forth again for what seemed like too long, suddenly he whirled making me jump a foot and walked briskly over to his desk glancing over charts thoughtfully. I walked over cautiously peeking over his shoulder and frowned in thought at the old Sapphire Island charts he had pulled out of a drawer. He was tracing over some information he had written along side Entrapment Island, which had been the last place we had seen Gaston alive and he couldn't be alive after what those plants had done. "No one would survive that." I thought feeling queasy at the memory. Jack then started to go through trunks and books, clearly a man on a mission to find something. I watched him do this familiar dance around the cabin searching for information, going through things one after another swearing conveniently when he didn't find what he was after. "This looks like it's going to take a while." I thought standing and walking over to his desk sitting down and glancing over the old map thoughtfully wondering what had made him start his search. After a few minutes I returned my attention to his ramblings and rolled my eyes at the sight before me.

"Not it." Jack murmured again shaking his hand as a trunk lid crashed on his fingers, which was promptly followed by many curses. "Again not it." He muttered sounding frustrated tossing a book literally over his shoulder which made me duck before impact. I heard the book crash behind me with a light thump. "He watch it Jack." I thought ducking another flying book and hearing him murmuring more forcibly in irritation. "Where did I put that?" he questioned scratching his head in thought before hearing my annoyed sigh moving away from another tossed object, this time a pile of maps bound together. "Oh…sorry love." He said returning to his search again.

"Now what are you looking for?" I asked dodging a scroll and sighing again at the fact he was paying very little attention to the other form in the room. "Forget it." I thought using my fists to prop my head up and watching several more objects fly in different directions of the room.

"I know it's here somewhere." Jack muttered hearing me curse as I ducked another book. "Sorry." He said still searching and throwing things around the room. "I give up." He muttered looking thoroughly crossed and sitting on the edge of his desk, hand against his chin in thought.

"What were you looking for again?" I asked seeing for the moment I had his undivided attention.

"My notes I took before you stumbled aboard the Pearl. They were details and such about the islands and Gaston Barlow." Jack said looking around the cabin in thought as though still searching for what he hadn't found.

"You mean before you moved me from the room or after Gibbs found me in the rum storage?" I questioned thoughtfully.

"Before I moved ye…thank ye love." Jack said leaning forward and kissing me before swaggering quickly from the cabin and shutting the door.

"What did I do?" I wondered aloud sighing and walking around picking up after Jack's destruction of his sorted cabin. "Now I know how the people of Tokyo feel when Godzilla drops by." I mumbled glancing around placing things where I hoped they actually belonged.

Two hours later I had given up waiting for Jack and found myself outside the cabin heading directly to the room, which I often visited to go home. I nearly ran down a surprised looking midget, whose name I couldn't quite remember and apologized before returning to my search for Jack. I peeked in the room and noted that the desk drawers were still hanging briefly open but there was no sign of Jack. I made my way to the rum storage and heard sounds from inside seeing Jack had settled in the room with what appeared to be some papers and was drinking a bottle of rum as always.

"Find them?" I questioned watching Jack nearly jump out of his skin and turn to face me in his usual surprised way. "Maybe I should be the one wearing the bell." I noted seeing him give me a brief smirk before returning his attention to the papers.

"Yes." Jack answered thoughtfully glancing over the various notes lost in thought. "Ye should wear that bell." He said chuckling as I gave him a dirty look. "Nothing, nothing, and again nothing." He thought taking another drink of his rum and staring straight at the curious blue eyes following his every move. "Nothing." He muttered tossing the papers aside and tossing aside the empty rum bottle. "I know I wrote something important down…somewhere." He remarked before lifting the papers and again leafing through them irritably.

"Maybe if you get some rest you will notice something in the morning. Jack you are tired and it's very late." I pointed out seeing him wrinkle his nose in an irritated look.

Reluctantly Jack nodded watching as I gathered his notes and followed him back to the cabin. He notably took a second glance around the cabin and turned to me his brow raised curiously, I just shrugged and walked over to bed smiling as he crawled in beside me pulling me close. I glanced around the cabin as light hit me in the face and stifled a groan tilting my head up hearing Jack was still sleeping comfortably beside me. I smiled then and carefully untangled myself from his hold sliding out of bed to greet the morning, sadly I was in an unusually good mood that day and wasn't annoyed at waking up early. I walked over to the door nearly yelping as Elizabeth stood there in surprise holding what I assumed was breakfast. I quickly accepted the tray with a thank you and returned to the cabin seeing Jack hadn't stirred yet.

"Jack." I said softly startled when a pillow landed squarely between my eyes sending me backwards onto the floor with a thump and annoyed curse. "Bloody pirate." I muttered standing and glancing down at the now covered head of Jack. "Jack wake up." I snapped grabbing the pillow and jumping back as another came from nowhere.

"Not Elizabeth." Jack muttered finally opening his eyes long enough to see who the voice belonged to and smirking at the obviously annoyed look I was giving him. "Sorry love…I was ready for Elizabeth…didn't mean to make you the target." He said sitting up.

"Target hell…that would have knocked her clean out." I said with an annoyed growl walking over and waiting for him to get out of bed.

I returned to my perch on the bed and ate breakfast while watching Jack going through his notes barely paying attention to what he was eating, which wasn't too bad but could have stood to have some more sugar added. "Oatmeal and bread…original." I thought wishing I had a waffle or bagel right about then. Jack stared at the papers tapping his fingers irritably and then suddenly they stopped his eyes widening at his notes. I watched as he quickly stood and walked out the door without so much as a word. About an hour later Jack returned tossing me my coat and handing me back my sword, before promptly grasping my arm on his way back out, half dragging me as I scrambled after him.

"Sparrow…are you sure this place is safe?" questioned Norrington as I glanced around Freeland and frowned at the near replica of Silverton.

"For you mate of course…the rest of us will have to be less noticeable." Jack murmured ignoring the fact Norrington had not addressed his title and quickly walking down the gangplank me obviously trying to keep up.

Freeland was even larger then Port Royal or Silverton and louder then ever, the guards barely had enough time to deal with one problem before another promptly started up a street or two over. Jack and I were barely noticed as he again took me down one alley after another, his arm had easily wrapped around my waist by then and he was clearly in no mood to talk reading signs as we passed buildings. "My head is spinning." I thought startled when Jack ducked into a small alley pulling me close and watching guards running by chasing after something, then we were back cutting down one alley after another briefly pausing outside what I assumed was a storage building of some kind. "Garret Holdings…sounds like a bank or something." I thought seeing Jack reach around behind a loose board and pry it open, he then helped me in following behind locking the board back securely in place.

Inside the building was musty and the dust flew freely as Jack made his way around the dozens of crates. I sneezed several times while Jack again firmly locked his hand around my waist leading me around the maze of crates halting suddenly turning his head toward a sound and smirking as though something had greatly amused him. He then lead the way to the noise and paused behind several crates watching two forms with a lighted candle playing from what I could tell were cards or some other game. "What the hell?" I wondered thoughtfully watching Jack very cautiously staring around the room as though something was out of place before he turned catching an arm coming to wrap around his neck and slamming the form headfirst into a crate.

"Goodnight mate." Jack murmured softly before giving me one of his smirks and chuckling at my obvious confused look. "Stay here love…I'll let ye know when it be safe." He whispered before making his way around the crates, leaving me with a now very unconscious thin male form that looked as though he had seen better days. "Ouch." I thought staring at the now cracked crate that Jack had used as a weapon.

--Jack--

Jack made his way slowly around the room carefully ducking behind one crate after another and straining his ears for any sign of movement or sound. He continued to circle the area knocking two other men into crates, before pausing very close to the two individual distracted with what was actually maps and trade offs from rich families. "Alright…knocked out three of yer men, I know there's one other left." He thought staring around the room and seeing the last figure he had been searching for making his rounds through the crates and realizing he would eventually find Brandi if he didn't get a move on. As silent as a skilled cat Jack easily made his way around the crates and headed off the last individual using a board as his weapon of choice, and knocking him out cold. Jack then made his way carefully toward the pair discussing business and watched a few moments seeing her eyes watching him from the distance.

"Hello mates…I need a bit of a word with ye." Jack said interrupting the men rather suddenly forcing a round of surprised yells and scuffling noises. He sighed clicking the hammer of his pistol forcing both men to freeze at the very defined noise. "I just need a few questions answered…savvy?" he questioned seeing both men grudgingly sit down annoyed that Jack had cornered them so easily.

"Wha ye wan Sparrow?" grumbled the tall one with graying raven hair and hard green eyes. Both men were wearing clothing encrusted in dirt and grime, which were basic white shirts and brown breeches.

"Captain." Jack said sighing irritably before staring in the distance at Brandi who was crouching eyeing him curiously. "Safe love…come around." He said with a smile.

--Brandi--

"Alright." I muttered making my way around the crates and carefully avoiding any closeness to the currently seething men in the room. I quickly made it to Jacks side and eyed the two men thoughtfully. The other was balding and had steel blue eyes, he also made me a great deal nervous with his nearly toothless smile. "What is going on?" I whispered seeing him give me one of his don't worry about it just yet smirks.

"Now if ye be so kind…tell me a bit about Gaston Barlow's brother Grisham Barlow, since ye used to be part of his crew." Jack stated his gun aimed at the balding man who made a grab for his own pistol. "How about ye both toss those aside." He said watching as both men gave him a murderous look and dropped their guns in front of him. "Gaston had a brother?" I thought seeing Jack staring coldly at both men his face revealing he was not toying with them.

"Ye don wan ter mess with Grisham…he be much more dangerous then Gaston." Said the balding man staring around in thought.

"Yer men are currently resting." Jack muttered sounding extremely cross with both men staring at him "I will not be asking twice." He stated matter-of-factly.

"He's far less stupid then Gaston was…he's out for yer head Sparrow." Snarled the graying man eyeing me as though I was meat. "Ew." I thought wrinkling my nose in disgust. "Little birdie told us he's out for all of ye who killed his brother. Twin's have a sixth sense about that ye know." He muttered irritably.

I watched Jack and these men fight back and forth rambling insults in between and tuning out. "TWINS!" I wanted to yell but stopped myself and realizing why Norrington had it in his head that Gaston was alive, apparently no one saw much of Grisham and that was the reason for all the hired pirate hands that were also out to get Jack. "You make enemies rather quickly Jack…he knew about Grisham, what else is he hiding?" I wondered remembering that he wouldn't tell me until it was a suitable opportune moment for himself. Jack wouldn't tell Norrington anything that had happened today and I didn't plan on getting in the middle of it, finally my attention returned to the conversation, or at least what was left of it.

"Ye can inform Grisham…I do not like his way of thinking and will reunite him and his brother if he doesn't back off. Savvy?" Jack stated returning his gun to his side and glaring at both men who gave him a sour look.

I was surprised when we made it outside and nothing had happened, Jack then grasped my hand and started leading me around different alleyways and another hundred directions before pausing outside of a store spotting Elizabeth, Will, Norrington and a very nervous looking Gibbs staring around as soldiers ran by stopping one problem after another. "They're too busy to notice a bunch of pirates under their noses with all that's going on." I thought wrinkling my nose in disgust as a woman dumped what appeared to be left over garbage over a soldiers head.

"Where did you go?" Elizabeth inquired looking relieved to see us return to them. "I was worried you had gotten caught." She said softly ignoring Norrington's cold stare as she smiled at me.

"Not with Jack." I said sounding proud and ignoring a muffled murmur of irritation from Norrington who had looked more annoyed then usual. "Why are you all down here?" I asked thoughtfully.

"I ordered Gibbs to meet us…didn't expect the extra company." Jack said pointedly glaring at Norrington, before flinching under Elizabeth's cold stare. "Right then…back to the Pearl nothing to see here." He said patting Gibbs on the shoulder and heading straight to the Pearl.

By the time we finally made it to both ships safely night had fallen and Norrington was by far from sociable. I watched him practically stomp aboard the Dauntless and watched as Elizabeth and Will went after in hopes to smooth over the brief verbal wars, which he and Jack had, had since meeting up with them in town. "This is going to be a long trip." I noted seeing Elizabeth would most certainly have a lecture for Jack upon returning to the Pearl. Both ships were looking much better due to their repairs and would be ready to sail very soon, which was a good thing as far as I could see at the moment. If Norrington had used a bullet for every snide comment he used that afternoon, Jack would serve as a package of Swiss cheese by then. I made myself present on the edge of Jacks desk while he murmured some curses and thoughts to himself for a long time and started to scribble down some notes and thoughts seeing I was concerned with the information we had just learned.

"Gaston has a brother?" I asked still a having some issues absorbing this new information. "You knew…and needed your notes for what exactly?" I asked noting the volume of my voice rise on the verge of screeching at him. "I've become Elizabeth." I thought seeing Jack flinch at the rise in my voice. "What else?" I asked trying to lower my voice with little success.

"I always said yer too smart for yer own good." Jack muttered thoughtfully glancing up and seeing I was in no mood for his smart ass comments. "Alright…me notes had some details on some of Grisham's old crew, and yes I knew that Gaston had a brother." He said ignoring the glare he was receiving. "I didn't know he was a twin, until the good Commodore shared the information he had with us…I also didn't know he was a bit worse then his brother. Grisham is by far from stupid and is easily been butting heads with me since this little adventure." He pointed out trying to give me a smirk, but flinching a very small smile instead. "I'm not entirely sure about this man and really don't like trusting the good commodore to help out in a pinch. We need to loose the man somehow." He muttered staring at me in thought.

"Hand over Ridley and admit you know that Gaston is dead. That should send him on his way." I muttered crossly glaring at him. "Besides…I just got over being sick and don't need all this stress to cause a relapse." I muttered jumping at the sharp knock on the cabin door. "Elizabeth." I squeaked recognizing the menacing knock anywhere.

"Oiy…now she decides to lecture me." Jack muttered laying his head down on his desk and lightly banging it, while cursing very irritably. "Go away woman…I don't have time to be lectured at the moment." He called staring up at the door hearing silence outside and smiling in relief. "It worked."

"JACK SPARROW OPEN THIS DOOR OR I SWEAR I WILL BREAK IT DOWN!" came Jacks answer not long after his relieved words.

"She's mad." I muttered seeing Jack flinch at each and every word. "I think I should go." I muttered startled when Jack clamped a hand firmly around my wrist and shook his head no. "I don't want to stay." I thought hearing sharp knocking repeating on the door.

"Yer going to stay…she won't kill me if yer a witness." Jack said as I sighed walking over to the bed and resting my arms around my knees knowing it would be a very loud conversation to witness.

"I wouldn't count on that." I said flinching as she screeched outside the cabin again.

"JACK…I WILL BREAK IT DOWN SO HELP ME, I WILL GET A CANNON IF I HAVE TOO!" Elizabeth yelled through the door startled when it opened and she stumbled in.

Jack quickly walked to his desk sitting down resting his chin on his laced together fingers a forced smile on his lips. "And there off." I noted sighing and wishing I had earplugs for the prolonged match off between screeching woman and screaming pirate. It had gone on for nearly an hour by the time I was starting to get a headache, finally Will found the kindness to come into the cabin and try to intervene in the argument. I then watched Will throw his hands in the air and sit down on the edge of the bed turning eyes from one face to the other. "Never give up and please…stop them." I thought my eyes pleading with Will as he turned to glance at me giving a big sigh instead of more intervention. Soon another half hour passed and we resorted to paper, rock, scissors, and then to our annoyance another half hour passed. Will and I both turned to glance at the door as Gibbs carefully made his way into the cabin, clearly needing to ask Jack about the next heading. Jack mumbled the next heading to Gibbs and gave a curt nod watching the man nearly run from the room. "Come back traitor…shut them up." I thought flinching as the fight continued the minute the door clicked shut.

"Enough already…Norrington does not need this much attention." I snapped flinching as Elizabeth's dark gaze met mine. "You've been fighting for two and a half hours now…isn't that enough?" I questioned.

"This is not over…but it is late." Elizabeth answered giving me another annoyed look before allowing Will to escort her from the cabin, still muttering curses and comments under her breath.

"Oiy me head." Jack muttered crossly reaching out for his rum and frowning noting it was empty and then avidly cursing.

"My head." I muttered tossing him another bottle of rum and burying my head under the pillow on the bed thankful for the darkness. "I'm going to sleep." I muttered from under the pillow hearing a muffled reply and then feeling a form slide in beside me not long after I was peacefully dozing.