Guess who I picture as young master Thomas? Actor Grant Gustin! I would love to hear reviews on this one!

The day after the slaves were freed, Jack as well as practically everyone else was roused from sleep by infernal cursing and yelling from Captain Conner. Apparently, he'd finally come to, and he obviously had a very sore head, and clearly was not satisfied with the accommodations the Black Pearl offered. "You bloody b-s!" Conner spat. "You'll hang for this, you will! The whole lot of you! I'll make sure of that when I return to England."

"If ye ever get back there." Pintel teased him.

"We'll hang for what? For helping fellow human beings? People?" Elizabeth spoke up without flinching to the angered sea captain. His already beet red face fumed a few notches hotter.

"Stealing! You stole my cargo, my money! And where the h- is my ship?!" Conner demanded.

"It's gone." Will said simply.

"D- it! And d- every last one of you!" Conner hissed. Then his eyes narrowed, and he was quickly whipping his head around, as if searching for someone. "Where is he? Where is that cowardly, blood-sucking, little squint of a flea?"

"Oh. You mean him?" Gibbs asked, pointing to young Thomas, who they'd brought forward. He was still bound, with two of the pirates holding him back.

"You!" Conner curled his lip. "You helped them do this, you maggot! You committed mutiny against me! Against the East India Trading Company, and against every decent Englishman."

"No, sir. I did not." Thomas said quietly.

"You are in no position to-don't you dare attempt speaking to me about decency!" Kate fumed. She'd had it. Elizabeth was about to say the same thing, but Kate had beaten her to it. Conner gaped at her.

"You? You wagging-tongued little hussy!" Conner glowered at her. "You. You're supposed to be dead."

"Oh? So sorry to disappoint you. Captain Sparrow saw to that." Kate huffed. Jack grinned.

"I wish now more than ever I had killed you." Conner said angrily. Kate just returned his glare.

"And you!" He turned to Thomas. "I should've rid myself of your putrid stench the moment I caught you stealing rations!"

"A scalawag." Pintel whispered to some of the men, as if he'd never met one before.

"I didn't steal anything." Thomas frowned at his former captain.

"Rations, set to feed the crew. Not the livestock." Conner said.

"The prisoners were people too." Thomas pursed his lips. "They were starving."

"You don't feed the main course to dogs under the table, boy." Conner slurred.

"The only dog I see on this vessel is you!" Will snapped at Conner.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Conner glared. "When I return to England, I'll see that they hunt you down one by one...until there isn't one left of you. As for you," he turned to Thomas, "whatever you filthy curs do with betrayers and mutineers, do whatever you please with that maggot. I don't ever want to see his treacherous baby face again." Kate's eyes widened. What was Jack going to do about that? Surely, he wouldn't do as the captain asked! Or didn't ask.

"As one captain to another, I'd be happy to rid the scamp off your hands." Jack smiled. Thomas eyes him warily. What was that supposed to mean?

"I'd be much obliged if you let me stick around to watch his slow, painful demise." Conner said.

"Be my guest, mate!" Jack announced happily. Will, Elizabeth, and Kate all gaped with horror. Poor Thomas looked petrified. "You heard him, lads!" Jack told his crew. They cheered with devilish grins.

"Jack! What are you doing?!" Will hollered.

"Pirate's life, William." Jack said dramatically, as if he regretted his decision.

"Jack, you wouldn't!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"It's truly regrettable, to be sure, Lizzie." Jack sighed. "But, the boy has committed a crime against his own captain. Which is punishable by death."

Kate's heart dropped. How dare he! He would go to the ends of the earth to help her find her father-a lawman-, but wouldn't lift a finger to protect a youth who had only followed the Golden Rule? She watched with growing worry as the crew once again gagged Thomas and were preparing to toss him overboard. "Jack, don't!" Kate cried.

"Sorry, luv." Jack shook his head casually. "But the code is the code."

"Bloody code." Elizabeth snarled at Jack. "Hang the code!"

"Jack, you wouldn't kill a young boy for pleasure. It's murder!" Will protested.

"Please!" Jack groaned. "Would you whelps just shut it? You're making me head ache." He strode over to the crew, then glanced at Conner. "I say a good keelhauling should do the trick. Would that satisfy your debt, captain?"

"More than enough! As long as I get to watch." Conner smirked with glee. Jack grimaced.

"Mmm. Afraid I must decline your last request, as you are still a prisoner on my ship." Jack told him.

"Then release me, you idiot!"

"Can't do that." Jack shook his head. "Toss him over, boys!" The crew laughed and jeered, hoisting Thomas to the edge of the ship. In the middle of them, a gun shot rang out, startling everyone! They all looked to see Kate standing there in front of the helpless boy. She was glowering at the men. Will watched, a smile forming on his face.

"Let him go!" She demanded. The men laughed at her. She reloaded her pistol and held it up, but her hand was shaking.

"Captain's orders, poppet." Pintel sighed.

"Aye. Captain's orders." Ragetti agreed.

"I don't care." Kate retorted, fighting back tears. "I said, let him go!"

"Best to leave this to us, Miss Kate." Gibbs tried to gently push her out of the way. Kate was furious with him. She thought that if anyone would try to reason with Jack, he would be the one!

"But he hasn't done anything!" Kate cried.

"No time for arguments." Anamaria spoke up. She knew Jack had a plan up his sleeve, so she went along with it.

"She's right, Jack. The lad is innocent." Elizabeth said. Jack rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Whelps still wet behind the ears, he thought to himself. They were becoming a nuisance. It was time to get them out of the way. He strode over to Kate. "Now come, come, luv. No need to get yur feathers all ruffled." He said in a friendly voice.

Kate watched him anxiously. Thomas was a decent fellow. He was precious, and...so cute...and so innocent. And worst of all, he was truly scared. She could see it in his blue eyes. And these hoodlums were making light of it, something she couldn't stand. "I'm not going to let you just kill him, Jack." She said sadly.

"Disobeying the captain, that's a serious offense." Gibbs warned her playfully.

"No time for trifles." Kate said firmly, her eyes letting into Jack. His face fell. She was playing her daddy card, which he didn't need.

"I strongly urge to move aside, luv." Jack said sternly.

"Don't do this, Jack. Please don't!" Kate pleaded. She was genuinely afraid for the kid. Jack slowly, firmly gripped her shaking hand that clasped her pistol and brought it down.

"Put her in the brig." He said firmly.

"Jack! Leave her be." Will told him.

"How dare you." Elizabeth growled at Jack. Gibbs and another pirate took Kate by the arms to lead her away.

"Jack, you can't do this! He's innocent!" Kate begged as they led her below deck.

Jack looked at Conner and shrugged. "Sorry for the delay, mate. But you know kids."

"Just get it over with already." Conner groaned. He couldn't wait to hear Thomas screaming bloody murder as the barnacles sliced his back.

"You heard the man!" Jack nodded to his crew. They threw poor Thomas over the edge, and he was gone. The crew laughed.

"You dirty pirate!" Elizabeth snapped and roughly shoved Jack over the edge! He fell backward, down into the water. "Bloody pirates!" She grumbled at the crew. They only laughed harder. Will followed her. Jack, drenched, climbed back up.

"It's done." He told Conner casually.

"You would really rob me of the pleasure of spectating?" Conner pouted.

"Afraid so." Jack shrugged sheepishly. "No worries. We'll be letting you and your crew off in no time!"

"Then how about cutting me loose, eh?"

"Still a prisoner." Jack smirked and walked passed him.

Kate was furious. She couldn't believe what she had witnessed! Jack had just let those miscreants kill an innocent boy! And for what? Only because he'd performed a good deed? No wonder Governor Swann didn't trust pirates, despite how much Elizabeth tried to convince him. She sat in her cell, in the corner, far away from the door, brooding and shedding tears, ignoring Conner's terrible band of men two cells over. "I should've known better than to trust him!" Kate told herself. "He's nothing but a filthy pirate!" She heard familiar footsteps coming down the stairs. "Speak of the devil." She muttered to herself, crossing her arms. Jack waltzed over to her cell door.

"Come, dearie. You can come out now." He said in an overly friendly voice.

"No, thank you." Kate said firmly. "I'd rather sit here and be miserable."

Jack cocked his head with a surprised look on his face. "Well, now! That's a fine way to talk to a captain who is granting you clemency for the melodramatic scene you created up there just a while ago." He teased. Kate gaped at him angrily.

"I was trying to save an innocent life!" She retorted. "And you just stood there...laughing!"

"One word, luv: illusions." Jack said. Kate rolled her eyes. She didn't care for his fancy, hard-to-follow explanations right now. All she knew was that he'd murdered a young man for no reason. For that, she wasn't sure she could ever forgive him! Even if they did find her father!

"I don't want to speak to you, Jack." Kate said coldly. "What you did up there was unthinkable!" Hot tears spilled down her face.

"Ahh! So...you fancy the sticky scamp, do you? I see." Jack smirked.

"That has nothing to do with it!" Kate replied sharply. "He didn't deserve to die."

"You're blushing, dearie." Jack squinted.

"Go away." Kate pursed her lips.

"Fine then. But you really ought to thank me rather piddling me down to size." Jack said cockily. Kate faced him again.

"Thank you?!" She was deeply shocked. "What for?"

"See for yourself." Jack swaggered. Kate just glared. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of getting under her skin, especially when he'd just done something horrible! But her curiosity was winning out. Jack held the door open. Kate stiffly stomped out. Jack sauntered up the stairs with her in tow, leaving behind Conner's angry men. When they came up to deck, Kate could see that Conner was no longer around at all. "If you're so sure that I am due for a flogging to which no man on deck would be so bold or stupid as to cinch me of his own free will," Jack rambled haughtily, "then just take a peek over the edge."

"You're not going to believe this." Elizabeth muttered to Kate, rolling her eyes. Kate's eyes widened. What was going on? She looked back at Jack.

"Well, go ahead." He waved her off. She ran to the edge of the rail and looked over. Down below, safely in a row boat, lay Thomas! He looked up at her pleadingly, and squirmed, anxious to be free of his bonds. Kate's jaw dropped straight to the floor! Had he been down there the whole time? Jack had hidden him there, just to humor Conner?! Kate was speechless and her brain froze. Should she be angry, or laugh? She quickly whipped her head back at Jack, who just stood there grinning like a cat in a bird house, as if he didn't have a care in the world! The crew bellowed out into laughter.

"You...you..." Kate tried to berate them, but no words came to mind. After all, there was nothing to reprimand them for anymore, except for scaring the poor lad to death! Aside from that, they hadn't done him any real harm. Kate felt very, very silly. She fought not to laugh. Her body felt like laughing, from extreme relief, but her mind told her they should be punished for what they did. "You're so mean!" She snorted, fighting the laughter. "All of you!" She tried to glare, but started giggling. Elizabeth and Will laughed too. Then Will straightened up.

"All right then! Let him up!" Will told Jack. Jack pouted and sighed.

"Fine then. Bring up the sticky tadpole and hang him out to dry." He said. The crew groaned. Their fun was over. Kate walked right up to Jack and squinted hard at him.

"Don't you ever trick me like that again!" She scolded.

"Seems you say that a lot." Jack said smugly and brushed her aside as he went to fetch some rum. Kate rolled her eyes.

"But...what happened to...Conner?" She asked. She refused to call him captain.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Will gloated. He and Elizabeth shared a knowing look. Kate followed them and Gibbs to the bow of the ship. Captain Conner was tied face down to the lady figurehead, where he could only look below him and see the rushing water under the ship. He was swearing in a very hoarse voice.

"The codfish is gettin' just what he deserves!" Anamaria boasted.

"That's more like it." Kate nodded. Drat you, Jack Sparrow! I guess you really do know what you're doing! I just wish you'd give me warning ahead of time! You let me become all worked up over nothing! You...pirate."

Two days after the ambush on the Cartwheel, Jack finally spotted a small, isolated island with hardly any shade on it. "Mr. Gibbs!" Jack hollered with glee.

"Aye, Cap'n?" Gibbs answered eagerly.

"Rally the prisoners. Prepare to haul them into the long boat. We're about to drop them off at their intended destination." Jack instructed happily.

"Yes, Sir!" Gibbs' eyes lit up. He could hardly wait for this!

"So, you're going to leave the whole lot of them on that lone pasture of sand?" Will inquired.

"Don't agree with me again, eh?" Jack groaned.

"You're wrong there. For once, I do agree with you." Will mumbled, a smile creeping up his face.

"Maybe there's hope for you yet." Jack teased. Will shook his head. Would the man never stop?

Conner's men were bound but not gagged as they were dragged up to deck and dropped into the long boats. However, Conner was not released until they rowed underneath him. "Are they all here and accounted for?" Jack asked gruffly.

"Aye, cap'n. They're all here." Gibbs nodded. Elizabeth smiled knowingly at the older man. So did Anamaria.

"Funny. I could've sworn there is one missing." Jack frowned. But he didn't have time to figure it out. He couldn't wait to get these sweaty, fancy-dressed, spouting pests off his ship, and the sooner, the better! Besides, if he found a stowaway later on, it was no big deal. They'd just toss him overboard. "Ah, well. To the boats, men!" Gibbs, Will, Pintel, Ragetti, Cotton, and a few others rowed with Jack to maroon Conner and his slave traders to the tiny island.

As they reached the shallows, they hauled the officers like crates and then dropped them down in the sand. Conner and his cronies were not very happy with this arrangement. To add to their chagrin, Jack did not release them of their bonds. Will tossed the men's pistols down on the ground. "One shot." Jack said.

"Each?" One of the officers asked.

"Nope. One shot for you entire brood of vagabonds." Jack boasted. "You'll just have to guess which one is loaded."

"D- you! D- you, Jack Sparrow!" Conner hollered at the top of his lungs.

"Ohh. Captain. It's Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack moaned.

"You'll burn for this! When they hang you!"

"Your sentimental sentiments not withstanding, we bid you you good day, gentlemen. All hands to the boats!"

"You can't just leave us here!" One of the officers shouted.

"You're sea-faring dogs. You'll figure something out." Gibbs shook his head.

"Maybe you'll think twice of this, the next time you decide to treat people like animals." Will glared at Conner.

"This is barbaric!" Conner continued to threaten.

"Gentlemen, you will always remember this day as the day you were freed of the capture by Captain Jack Sparrow!" Jack boasted as they climbed into the boats and began to row away. Conner was mad as a hornet. "Satisfied?" Jack asked Will.

"I actually enjoyed that." Will grinned.

"Good man."

When they returned aboard the Pearl, Jack stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a young, very thin man following Anamaria around, listening to her instructions. "Oui! You there!" Jack exclaimed. "What are you doing, walking about freely on my deck, on my ship?"

"Oh, I don't suppose they told you." Thomas bit his lip.

"I let him go." Anamaria said with her hands on her hips.

"We let him go." Elizabeth added. Jack scowled.

"Stowaway, eh?" He pursed his lips. "Captain Jack Sparrow does not take kindly to stowaways, kid."

"Well, technically, I was brought aboard this ship and held against my will, if you remember." Thomas pointed out. "So, if you look at it from a logical point of view, I am not the definition of a stowaway." He smiled.

"Whose bloody, idiotic idea was it to set free the scamp?" Jack asked loudly.

"Actually, it was mine." Gibbs confessed.

"No. Gibbs, my old friend." Jack sighed theatrically. "Just what is the meaning of this act of treachery, freeing prisoners behind me back, and letting them waltz like giddy ducks about my ship?"

"Sorry, Jack." Gibbs shrugged. "I was a-meanin' to tell ye. But, we could always use another man on deck. And he may not be much to look at..."

"Hey!" Thomas frowned.

"But he could be of great use to us. What'd ya say?" Gibbs asked. Jack rolled his eyes darkly, glancing from Gibbs, to Thomas, to Anamaria, to Elizabeth, to Thomas, back to Gibbs, then to Thomas.

"Aye, sir. We need another whelp around, that we can torture and put the fear of God in 'im!" Pintel piped in excitedly. The thought did brighten Jack's brooding brain at the moment.

"Good point, sir." Jack nodded. Thomas gulped when they said that, but he didn't tremble. He just eyed the captain warily.

"And I always need an extra set of hands to give me a hand, seeing as the captain and his closest mates are too much of lazy hounds to lift a finger." Anamaria said with her arms crossed.

"Anamaria, sweetness..." Jack tried to calm her.

I can't believe what I'm about to say! Elizabeth kicked herself before speaking. "And he owes you for saving his life." She flashed a winning smile at Jack. Jack glared at her. He didn't like it when he was the one being manipulated. He was the king of manipulation when it came to negotiating, not her! However, she knew how to play poker with him, and she'd just laid out her entire hand, knowing just what bait to use on him! But he couldn't deny that the term she'd mentioned worked more in his favor, than the scrawny boy's!

"True enough, luv. Good point, and well taken." Jack nodded. "This lad does owe me." He gave Thomas a very pointed look and stepped closer to him. Thomas was actually slightly taller than him, but Jack was still the captain. "You, boy." He said in an imposing tone.

"Sir?" Thomas cleared his throat.

"Have you the courage and fortitude to follow orders, and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?" Jack asked in an ominous voice.

"Aye, sir." Thomas said timidly.

"What? Oui? How's that? I can't hear you! Speak up, lad!" Jack demanded.

"Aye, sir!" Thomas declared firmly.

"Good." Jack nodded, but still looked quite unimpressed. "Gibbs will show you what to do. You follow orders, earn yur keep, and address the captain with all manner of respect, and I won't be forced to feed you to the fishes. Savvy?"

"Yes, savvy." Thomas replied. Jack grimaced. Now he had another kid, another whelp on his hands! And he thought he had it tough with Will and Elizabeth, not to mention the cop's daughter! Jack walked away from the boy as far as he could.

"Where's the rum?" He grumbled to himself. "I need a drink."

Kate was excited to find out that Thomas was joining the crew. She hoped they could talk again. She was hauling a heavy water bucket up from the hold for Cotton to use for swabbing the deck. Thomas saw her struggling with it, and scurried over at once to help her. "Here, Miss. Let me take that for you." He smiled warmly.

Kate's shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank you, but, you didn't have to do that." Kate smiled gratefully.

"I wanted to." Thomas grinned widely. Kate blushed and nodded before excusing herself. Thomas just stood there, wistfully watching her departure. Jack, however, was watching from the helm and curled his lip.

What a truly revolting sight, He thought. He marched down from his perch, and over to the young man and stood right in front of him so that he couldn't step forward.

"Captain Sparrow." Thomas grinned feebly bit his lip as the older man stared him down.

"Does your mummy know where you are? That you're out at sea, boy?" Jack squinted.

"No." The boy hung his head sadly. "I don't have one." He said in a fervent voice.

"What does your daddy have to say about it?" Jack prodded further.

"I wouldn't know that either. He's been gone for years. Don't even know what his name was." Thomas shrugged.

"Oh." Jack cleared his throat. "All on your lonesome, huh? A foundling, eh?"

"Yes, sir." Thomas mumbled grimly. He was beyond grateful that Jack hadn't referred to him with another colorful word. "It's not something I enjoy discussing, if you please."

"If you're gonna sail under me, boy, best you know now that I'll not tolerate those who do not earn their keep!" Jack growled, trying to appear as threatening as possible.

"Aye." Thomas nodded meekly.

"If you have the heart of a coward who can't pull his weight when things look bleak, then you can jump ship now! You know what? Forget that part. I will be more than happy to lend a hand in that scandalous, cowardly act by tossing ye overboard myself!" Jack teased darkly.

"You don't think I've ever sailed before, do you?" Thomas grinned. Jack looked him up and down.

"Ye don't have much to show for it." He said gruffly, patting the lad's long, not so husky arms, and shoving him in the chest. "You know, the Pelegostos would use those paper thin limbs of yours to sweep their dirt hut floors." Jack squinted.

Thomas laughed nervously. "You're joking, right?" Jack formed a creepy smile and very slowly shook his head. "Ohh." Thomas's eyes widened. "Well, ahem!" He cleared his throat. "I'm stronger than I look, captain. I'd could be a great help to you."

"Such as?" Jack scoffed skeptically.

"I can make things. I did spend a few years as a carpenter's apprentice. I can fix things up if necessary." Thomas said proudly. Jack did not appear impressed.

"Is that so?" He mumbled impassively.

"Yes, sir." Thomas nodded. "If you'll let me sail with you, Captain Sparrow, I give my word, I'll follow orders, and I'll work hard. Do we have an accord?" He asked in a friendly voice, offering his hand. Jack looked down at it as if it was a toad.

"I haven't seen any products of your said work yet." Jack grumbled.

"Give me a task, and I'll do it, sir." Thomas said eagerly.

"So be it. I suppose I'm stuck with ye, Tommy Stickywicket. You're rather handy with wood, you say?"

"Yes, I am." Thomas said quickly, eager to prove himself.

"All right then. Get below decks and start to work."

"Aye, Captain Sparrow!"

"On a coffin." Jack snarled.

"Err...a coffin, Sir?" Thomas sputtered, half-grinning, half perplexed.

"What? Am I asking too much from those kiddy fingers of yore?" Jack asked stiffly.

"No, sir. I can do the work if you ask me to." Thomas said defensively. "But, if it's not against pirate code to ask questions, what's the coffin for?"

"You, Skinny." Jack curled his lip.

"Me?" Thomas gaped, not sure whether to be amused or frightened.

"I'll need a place to keep you sealed," Jack pulled out his gun and held it to Thomas's small chin, "if you can't keep your eyes off the fetching little lady, 'stead of on your work! Savvy?"

"Uhh...clearly, like a book." Thomas grunted nervously.

"Very good. Then we understand each other." Jack said haughtily, removing the pistol. "Now then, get to work." Thomas nodded and scurried down into the hold.

"Fine boy there, eh, Jack?" Gibbs remarked as he sidled up to his friend.

"Ugh." Jack scowled. Kate returned and Jack gripped her arm.

"What is it, Jack? You have something to tell me?" Kate looked up at him quizzically.

"No fraternizing with the help, luv." Jack said cockily.

"I beg your pardon?" Kate asked in confusion.

"You're on this ship to save yur old man, not fritter about with some beanpole who can't do a lick of work without running into a wall." Jack said with disgust.

"What are you getting at?" Kate narrowed her eyebrows.

"Just this, dearie. The new recruit is an infantile spawn of his former employers. He's one of them, luv, and not someone the likes of you should be too friendly with." Jack said firmly.

Kate giggled as the reality of his implications set in her mind. "Captain Jack, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were worried about me!" Kate smiled in amusement.

"I ain't worried." Jack crossed his arms. "Just that it ain't wise to talk to strangers."

Kate laughed out loud. "Oh! I believe I was the one who made the decision to trust and sail with you!"

"That is different, dearie." Jack huffed.

"Why?"

"I am Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Mmm-hmm. A completely imperfect stranger." Kate smirked.

Jack rolled his eyes. "All the same." He tried to regain some leverage. "A stranger nonetheless. Best keep a sharp eye, lass." Kate smiled and skipped away, giggling. Elizabeth waltzed up to Jack.

"Shame isn't it, that you can't come between Will and me like that?" She asked saucily as she brushed by him. Jack glowered after her and took a gulp of rum from his pocket.

Kate had made her way to the helm and was writing in her diary, as usual. Jack noticed Thomas hulling rope, but stopped to stare at Kate from a distance. Jack scowled at the goofy look the boy had on his face. He stomped over and flicked Thomas in the face. "Oh, Captain!" Thomas blinked, rubbing his cheek. "I didn't notice you there."

"So I noticed." Jack squinted. He tilted his head toward Kate then back to the boy, and gave his shoulder a shove. "Keep yur eyes on yur work, Skinny." Jack growled at Thomas.

"Yes, Sir!" Thomas nervously nodded, not sure what he'd done to deserve that dangerous look.