A/N: I've got more! I spent all week working on it. And I will try to update more often but I can't promise much. I do, however, promise not to give up on this story.


Btw, my characterization of the original characters could use some work. If you have any suggestions please let me know!



Disclaimer: *throwing a glance at the group of lawyers glaring at her* Um, yeah, not mine. Except Cat. And her bar. And the necklace. Oddly enough I own a necklace like that to. Well, not anymore, I took it apart and now the key is on a different necklace and.... (Rambles on for half an hour)

______________________________________________________________________


Chapter Three: Of Rum and Redcoats


When Cat threw open the door, she was not exactly certain what to expect. So she found herself feeling surprised when she was greeted by Jack Sparrow standing guiltily over three broken bottles of rum. His hands were stretched out as though he had tried to catch the bottles as they fell. Cat's eyes traveled up to see where they had fallen from. The small cabinet on the wall, the one she kept her best rum in, was open and now there was only one bottle in it. Eyes flashing she looked back at Sparrow, who gazed mournfully at the broken bottles on the floor.


"An awful waste that," Sparrow muttered, almost to himself. He just then noticed Cat, standing there with her hands on hips, eyes glimmering dangerously. He forced a grin but to her it looked like the sheepish grin of a little boy who has been caught misbehaving.


"I would appreciate it," Cat said, her voice deadly quiet, "if you would explain to me what is going on here." She looked pointedly at the broken bottles on the floor.


"Ah, well, I was reaching for that bottle," Sparrow said, pointing to the one remaining bottle in the cabinet. "And the others just fell out."


"I see," she said, her voice now growing louder. "And you thought I wouldn't mind if you just helped yourself to my best rum?"


"Well, I didn't know it was your best," Sparrow said. "If I had I would have been more careful..."


Cat turned her angry gaze onto Will now. "And you let him?"


"I tried to stop him!" Will protested.


Cat closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself. Don't do anything, just calm down, she thought to herself.


"I'm sure you can replace them," Sparrow's voice said. This was the last straw for Cat. Her eyes flew open and she advanced upon him, no other thought in her mind than to slap him as hard as she possibly could. However, her hand never reached its intended target. Sparrow reached up and caught her wrist before her hand even stood a chance of hitting his face. She pulled at her hand, trying to free it. An amused smirk found its way to Sparrow's face, only infuriating her more.


"Let go of my wrist!" Cat demanded in anger.


"Only if you promise that you're not going to slap me, Miss Cattilia," he said calmly, as though he had nothing better to do than to keep her from slapping him.


Cat glowered at him in hate. Finally, after the longest pause ever, she muttered, "All right, I won't slap you." Still smirking, he released her hand. Cat's thoughts raced a moment then she said, "Clean it up."


Sparrow looked at her as if she were daft. And perhaps she was, expecting one of the "most fearful" pirates in the Caribbean to take responsibility.


"Come again?" Sparrow asked, still looking at her as if she were stupid.


"You heard me," Cat said. "Clean it up. You broke them. You can clean it up." She walked over to the side of the cabinet. She grabbed the mop leaning against said cabinet and thrust it at Sparrow. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she narrowed her eyes thinking, Do it or you'll get to see a side of me that I can guarantee you won't like.


As if he heard her thoughts Sparrow took the mop and began to clean up the mess, muttering something under his breath about the indignity of it. Cat smirked triumphantly at him before turning to Elizabeth.


"Would you make sure he does it?" She asked softly. Elizabeth nodded, a smile in her eyes. Cat grinned once, said, "Thanks," and proceeded to her room to finish changing.


Closing the door softly behind her, Cat took a deep breath. Today was not turning out at all like she had planned. Sparrow had a habit of throwing her perfectly random, yet somehow organized, life into complete chaos. It was incredibly annoying. She changed as quickly as she could. If Sparrow chose to break another of her rum bottles she wished to be there when it happened.


Cat finished dressing, pulled on her boots and strapped on her belt. There, now she would be prepared in case anything happened. What she was expecting to happen she had no idea, but with a pirate around it was probably best to be prepared for trouble. And speaking of trouble...


Cat ran to her window and cursed softly. Norrington and a group of redcoats were making their way up the road and it looked as though they were headed straight for the bar.


Cat all but ran into the other room. Jack had finished mopping up the floor and now sat at the bar. They all turned and looked at her in surprise. Cat supposed it looked amusing, her suddenly rushing into the room for apparently no reason at all.


"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.


"Redcoats," Cat answered. At that one word Sparrow sat bolt upright and stared at her. "Norrington and some soldiers are approaching." She threw a nasty glance at Sparrow and said, "I assume they're searching for you." He nodded. Cat sighed and gestured to the door to her room. "You can hide in there. But don't make a sound."


Sparrow nodded and moved quickly towards the doorway to her room. His swaying gait had been replaced by a brisk walk as he hurried over to the doorway. He moved to close the door and before he did Cat hissed, "And don't you dare touch anything!" Sparrow smirked amusedly at her and closed the door.


Cat practically ran to behind the bar and tried to make it seem as though she was doing something worthwhile. Grabbing a rum bottle off the shelf behind her she reached for some glasses. One fell onto the floor and shattered with the impact. Cat, in frustration, cursed very loudly just as the door to her bar opened. Norrington stepped in and Cat promptly forgot about the broken glass on the floor. Her social smile found its way to her lips and she hid the fear in her eyes behind a her social mask.


"Commodore," she said politely, "to what do I own this visit?"


"Perhaps, Miss Cattilia," Norrington said dryly, "it would be due to the fact that Mr. Sparrow was here and you failed to inform me."

______________________________________________________________________


Ha-ha, a cliffy! Don't worry, I'll have more up A.S.A.P. School seems to be doing its best to try and stop me from posting more but I don't care. I won't abandon this though, even if it looks like I am.


Reviewer Thanks:


LadyAkhana: Glad you like! I suppose you'll want more now huh? I'm working on it don't worry.


Lizzie: Yay! You love it? I'm flattered.