The gangplank crashed on the white pine dock as it fell from the ship.

"Captain Cobblepot! How goes it?"

"As well as can be expected, Sir...He got hold of a sword once, but forgot that he was still

manacled...kind of pathetic that it took us so long to capture him, really."

"I trust, captain, that you won=t be telling the governor about that little incident."

"Of course not, that would just be embarrass-"

A loud bang ripped through the air as the hatch was flung open.

"Hey! Give me back that hat! It takes a long time to shape a hat to dreadlocks!"

Jack snatched his worn hat from a soldier's hands, and plopped it on his head before once

again being restrained by his staunch guard.

He looked around the ship in an appeasing manner, arms spread, palms up.

"Dreadlocks make a man's head..lumpy."

"I'll be making your head lumpy if you don't shut up, pirate"

"Take him to the jail, and don't go easy on him." Called Norrington.

"I want him on half-no- quarter rations. He's been stealing enough from us to warrant it."

Turning quickly to hide his smirk, the young commodore sprinted up the stairs to his

ladylove.

"Elizabeth!"

She turned gracefully and smiled at him.

"That was the famed captain Sparrow we just brought into port."

"Really? I've heard of him. They say that he's a washed-up drunk."

Norrington looked down at the port, where Sparrow was weaving crazily around the

dock, a guard stumbling after him, his hand still gripping the pirate's coat in an attempt

to stop his drunken flight.

"Well he's surprisingly wily. And intelligent."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. " Wily? He hides it well."

XXXXXX….XXXXXXX…..XXXXXX…..XXXXXX….XXXXX…..XXXXX

Will sat in his favourite spot, at the very back of the ship, the highest spot to sit other than

the crow's nest, reading his one book. He liked being up high in the nest, but Barbossa

didn't. He liked Will to stay where he could see him. So he read his dog-eared text in his

usual place, his lithe body curled up like a child's.

"Ya wanna learn to fire a cannon?"

Will dragged his eyes from his book to the sockets of the pirate standing above him.

"No, thank you." He said softly, politely. Always politely.

"Good, 'cause I ain't much of a teacher." The skeleton, Biggs, plopped down next to

Will, looking over his shoulder.

The young lad scootched further into his corner.

"Don't you worry, Will. I ain't about to touch you and have my head removed by

Barbossa. Can't honestly say why he cares though. 'S not like he can feel ya."

"He will, someday, and we'll be happy." Said Will.

"Oh, so those tears you cry when he cuts you inside are tears of happiness? Your screams

are joyful?"

"He doesn't know that he's hurting me. He can't feel it." Will pulled his knees to his

chest.

"He can see. He can hear. He knows your pain."

"He teaches me...He cares…" He stood up sharply.

"Leave me alone! I'm trying to read! I'll tell the captain!"

"I'm not looking for trouble, youngster. I'm just sayin' he knows, is all."

"Well you're wrong. Go away. Go fire your cannons or something."

Biggs stood up and went to the port rail. "I should. They've already started burning the

town."

Will saw the smoke and flames. He heard the screams.