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

read all about it...more danger coming this way.


Chapter 50: Bad News

"More pirates chasing us and involved with Grisham…this so stinks." I thought stumbling over a passed out form in the road and falling on my hands and knees. I glanced up as Elizabeth and Will both paused offering to help me to my feet, then I spotted Jack pause and turn making sure I was alright, before leading us down a street I didn't recognize and straight into another tavern called Twilight Hours. I was starting to wonder what he was thinking when I spotted Gibbs and Anna-Maria in the back talking avidly with some other pirates. Jack waved them down and motioned that they were to return to the Pearl and soon, Jack then exited the three of us lingering after him in case he started to rant again, which he did all the way to the ship and up into his cabin. I hesitated on deck for a few minutes and nodded as though coming to a decision, quickly turning to go to the farthest corner at the back of the ship to sulk as always. I was angry at the fact that things had gotten good for a brief while and then all hell yet again had broken loose.

"Miss can I help ye?" questioned Ragetti hesitating out of my reach just in case I went for his ears again. "Ye don't look happy…I kind of got use to ye and Jack being happy." He said quickly polishing his eye and nodding at Pintel who was standing there watching in thought.

"Poppet?" Pintel questioned as I glared out at the ocean rolling my eyes at the familiar greeting of Pintel's and wishing I could avoid them both at the moment. "Miss Elizabeth is looking for ye too." He said hoping to get me to stop sulking.

"Don't care." I murmured turning to face both men and wrinkling my nose in thought. "I didn't mind Pintel, but I think Ragetti is easier on my patience." I thought hearing a hesitant cough and seeing Elizabeth had joined them with a meek smile of apology. "You send those two to do your dirty work now?" I asked seeing both Ragetti and Pintel exchange odd looks with one another.

"No, actually they're concerned with the fact that you didn't join Jack and he's been hiding out all day in the cabin. We have no heading and he won't let anyone bother him right now." Elizabeth answered seeing both men scuff their feet before glancing behind them at a very confused Gibbs, who was drinking at the helm of the ship trying to decide whether to leave Tortuga or not.

"Why me?" I asked crossing my arms and eyeing the three figures irritably. "He never gives anyone a straight answer…I'm annoyed with him." I muttered staring from one face to the other and groaning. "Clearly he has returned to the dark personality otherwise Elizabeth would have had him in her yelling clutches again." I thought ignoring the three figures and turning back to stare out across the water, my face scrunched into a sour look.

I heard three sighs and then a shuffling of feet, which meant I had won and they were going to leave me alone. I didn't get a chance to say a word as Elizabeth tugged lightly on my arm and I turned startled when both Pintel and Ragetti lifted me from the deck and marched after Elizabeth who was waving at them and calling out when to avoid steps. I found myself let loose in front of the cabin and was promptly shoved through the door by Elizabeth as Pintel held it open, that followed with a careful click and left me in a dark cabin, except for a single light at Jacks desk. Jack was again going over several maps and coordinates but had apparently forgotten to announce our new heading, I cringed as he looked up with that all too familiar dark look and sighed miserably walking over toward the desk.

"Ye didn't come in by choice did ye?" Jack questioned his attention momentarily drawn from his observations followed by a small smirk.

"Um…not really." I answered observing him as he glanced back at the map a scowl on his face, before he stood quickly making me jump. "I got ganged up on." I murmured seeing he was still smirking but he was in a very agitated mood.

"Elizabeth and?" Jack questioned as I sighed and explained the whole incident in a few seconds hearing a brief chuckle. "I see those two have made it a point to become her pawns." He said walking toward me and smiling as I jumped feeling his arm around my shoulders. "Let's go let Gibbs know our next heading…we'll be leaving in the morning." He said leading me out of the cabin and watching as several crew members scuttled quickly from his path.

Jack let go and walked up briefly discussing things with Gibbs, before seeing Elizabeth coming towards me and smirking briefly at her hesitation. "I think Elizabeth is as afraid of Brandi as she is of me." He thought with an annoyed frown, Grisham and his other helpers never far from his mind. Jack thought over everything that had happened and came to the conclusion he was not happy that Norrington had gotten away with Grisham, Grisham was Jacks enemy and he wanted to handle it on his own. "Next stop Port Royal…I'm sure he'll be hung soon, but maybe we can make it in time." He thought instantly giving Gibbs the new orders seeing the puzzled look on his face, but Gibbs wasn't going to argue no one really dared to at that point. I was ignoring Elizabeth's hand and shaking my head as she tried to ask me some questions, finally I motioned for her to go away ignoring the dirty look she gave me before she saw Jack and went away a little faster then I would have expected her too. Without a word Jack placed an arm around my shoulders and led the way off the ship down the now crowded night streets of Tortuga.

I ducked around several drunken men and saw Jack watching around him carefully for any sign of trouble, while keeping me in sight at the same time. "Female alert." I thought seeing a woman coming toward us in a black dress with dark brown hair, I promptly hauled Jack out of view seeing her pause before stomping away huffing angrily. Jack smirked faintly at the retreating form before leading the way to the Faithful Bride and then we were inside at a table in the far back of the bar. Jack ordered rum from one of the maids and smiled faintly seeing I was curious to what his next scheme was.

"You're in too good of a mood all of a sudden…I don't like it." I said wrinkling my nose irritably as someone got sick across the room. "You're back to scaring the crew again too, even Elizabeth wouldn't come near you." I murmured thoughtfully sipping at the rum he had ordered for me and glaring at the smirk that broadened on his face.

"What's wrong with me mood change?" Jack asked seeing another glare aimed in his direction and ignoring the dirty look. "I can't help it if Lizzie and the others aren't happy with my mood change." He muttered returning my glare with a forced smirk.

"He's annoyed with me." I thought sighing and resting my head against my palm in thought. "Elizabeth, and that's not my problem…you're up to something Jack and I know for a fact it has everything to do with Grisham." I said seeing him place his now empty glass on the table and give me an annoyed look.

"So what if it is…ye don't want to know what I'm thinking love and yer starting to annoy me." Jack said leaning back casually in the chair and placing his feet on the table, lowering his hat over his eyes. "I am not about to let him off that easy." He hissed irritably watching me from narrowed eyes in thought.

"Easy…you nearly got us all killed, and your still sore over the fact Norrington helped." I muttered noting his eyes narrow and hearing a few choice words in retort. "You're going to make sure he's hung." I said seeing a faint smirk cross his face before he shook his head no. "No? What are you going to do then?" I thought before I lowered my eyes thoughtfully. "You're going to kill him yourself." I muttered seeing a flash in his eyes that meant I was right on the mark. "You have finally lost it Jack." I said irritated and knowing a public screaming match in his current mood would not be wise.

I stood briefly placing my hands on the table and saw him make no attempt to find out what I was doing. I growled irritably before lifting his feet roughly from the table seeing a brief look of surprise as he fell backwards crashing rather ungracefully on the floor. I then exited the tavern and headed toward the Pearl. I knocked two drunks down on my way by as they tried to pick me up and finally found myself pausing near an alley hearing a crossed sounding person headed my way. I glanced in the direction I had come from and it wasn't long before I saw a raving Jack walking in the direction I headed. "Uh oh…screaming match 101." I thought ducking into the alley and seeing Jack stop not far from the spot still cursing under his breath and probably guessing I hadn't gotten too far yet. I watched as he started on by and then I carefully stepped out of my hiding spot watching him inspecting a small alley further down. I made my way as carefully as I could by him and as I made it by I heard an annoyed curse and paused turning carefully seeing Jack turn out of the alley and spot me. "Bye." I thought bolting as fast as my feet would allow toward the Pearl hearing Jack wasn't far behind and knowing I was in serious trouble.

"I'm in no mood to be chasing ye all over Tortuga Brandi!" called Jack as I glanced over my shoulder and decided it was time to run faster, much faster I might add. I was finally close to the docks when I felt something wrap around my waist and lift me in mid run.

"Hey!" I cried squirming to be free and hearing a grunt behind me. I knew Jack had crashed into the form that managed to catch me and heard a very defined grating of metal as he pulled his sword and aimed it at the man holding me. "Let go." I hissed.

"I would let her go mate." Hissed Jack as I heard a familiar annoyed sigh and was allowed to the ground to turn and face a now bruised and sore looking Ransom. "Kind of stupid Ransom." He muttered as I peaked around Ransom seeing momentarily Jack had calmed down some, but knew I wasn't that easily off the hook as of yet. "Leave, before ye find this through ye." He practically snarled watching as Ransom bolted back into the pile of crates he had come from and rushing quickly from sight. "You come quietly." He muttered placing his sword back into place and motioning his finger in my direction.

"Um…no." I said eyeing him suspiciously before taking a small step back.

"Love…now." Jack said gritting his teeth and forcing a small smile.

I wasn't that stupid, I made a pretend attempt to go toward him and whirled dashing off again but wasn't as fast that time feeling Jack's arms wrap around my waist as he hauled me off my feet squirming trying to wiggle free. Without another word he carried me down to the gangplank of the Pearl finally allowing my feet to touch the ground and turned me to face him, seeing I was clearly annoyed and was about to smack him. Jack caught my wrist in the process and to my annoyance yanked me over his shoulder cursing irritably as he carried me onto the ship and into the cabin. "Bloody damn pirate." I thought sourly finding myself dropped onto the bed and sitting up to glare at Jack.

"I really should hurt you a whole hell of a lot Jack." I hissed crossing my arms and watching as he stood there arms on his hips a brow quirked at my threat.

"Ye already did." Jack muttered stretching and rubbing his lower back slightly. "Ye are the most violent woman I've met I think love." He said allowing a small smirk to cross his face and realizing he had just bought himself another ticket into the dog house. "Let me guess stay on me own side." He muttered as I rolled across the bed and far away from Jack giving him the finger, which I had actually explained to him about the meaning behind it. "That means yes." He thought sourly before returning his attention to documents on his desk for a while.

I woke the next morning seeing Jack had fallen asleep at the desk and glared at the chipper morning light in the cabin. I snorted irritably as I made my way from bed and out the door, I wasn't about to start another fight with Jack and finally after a few minutes I found myself in the galley ignoring the now rocking ship. "We're on our way back to Port Royal and Jacks Revenge, as long as Wyatt doesn't catch up." I thought irritably finding my way around the partially empty galley and sitting next to Ragetti, Elizabeth was on the other side eyeing me carefully. I could tell she knew something had happened and wanted to ask but after the venomous look I exchanged between her and Ragetti they both decided against it. Pintel stared from across the table eyeing me as though he was going to say something but I saw Elizabeth shake her head and smile meekly at a curious looking Will. "Wise move." I thought eating whatever I had in front of me and finding my way out of the galley back up on deck. I nearly collided with Anna-Maria on her way to the galley and apologized before walking smack into a half awake looking Jack and crashing to the deck. I lay there mumbling every curse I could think of before seeing Jack was looking down at me no trace of amusement on his face only in his eyes. "Don't." I thought as he offered me a hand, which I slapped away and then I made my way to my feet and around the back of the Pearl.