Disclaimer: Sadly we own nothing but the plot.
A/N: Samluvsbanana and Jacquelin Sparrow apologize for the delay. We hope you will forgive us. We'll give you a cookie!!!
"My thanks good man for my life," Strider said gratefully with a companionable slap of Jack's shoulder.
Jack still wary of his surroundings reclaimed his effects from Will who had disembarked and turned to Strider while futzing with his hat. "Think nothing of it, mate. Happens all the time."
"We would be eternally grateful if you would accompany us on our quest," Strider offered.
Jack suddenly uncomfortable with the many pairs of eyes pinned upon him, eyed Strider warily. "What sort of quest would that be exactly," He inquired.
"We're on our way to destroy the One ring!" Pippin blurted out with his usual over zealousness.
Jack and Will exchange a confused glance as Merry and Sam shoved Pippen with more violence than strictly necessary.
"Why would you want to be destroying a ring," questioned Jack.
Frodo stepped forward his face grave "Because its evil," he said quietly. "It corrupts all those who touch it or even gaze upon it."
Jack thought about this for a moment "Sounds a bit like the ladies at the Faithful Bride aye Will."
Will grimaced in agreement.
"Let's have a look at it, mate." Frodo unwillingly relinquished the ring to Jack but kept a close eye on it as Jack peered at the trinket with great interest. The Fellowship watched in horror as Jack slipped the ring on his finger BUT to everyone's amazement he did not disappear.
"That's interesting!" Jack murmured while the others looked at him in amazement.
"The ring does not corrupt him," noted Legolas to Will.
"Perhaps he has already been corrupted enough," Will replied. Legolas eyed Jack in distaste and took a half step away from the pirate pair.
Sam who was watching the ordeal from a distance, drew his sword and stepped gallantly into Jack's path. "Give the ring back to Mister Frodo or you will have to deal with me." Immediately Merry and Pippin follow suit while Jack gave them an implacable look.
"All right little masters, no worries," Jack soothed as he pulled off the ring and handed it back to Frodo. "Makes my fingers tingle anyway." Jack turned back towards Strider and smiled slyly. "I still don't know what all this fuss is about but I'm up for an adventure. What say you Will?"
"Ay! Avast!" Will replied enthusiastically.
The group eyed him askance for a moment before Legolas once again had the urge to state the obvious. "The sun sets. Darkness is falling. We must find shelter."
Jack glanced sidelong at the elf then sidled to Strider's side. "That's going to get annoying. Is he always like this?"
"Indeed he is," Strider answered in a longsuffering tone.
"Then for heaven's sake why do you keep him around?" Jack hissed.
Strider only shrugged, "His presence enhances my manliness and besides he is the only one who can do Gimli's hair."
"You need to find yourself a girl mate. Did wonders for my friend Will here. Although he serves much the same purpose as your eunuch friend."
Strider snickered and left with Borimir to scare up some game.
Meanwhile, as Gimli gathered firewood, Jack held the hobbits enraptured with his tales of piracy.
"And then," he said with a flourish. "They made me their chief." Pippin smiled dreamily as Frodo's baby blues opened even wider. (Close-up on the eyes here)
On the other side of the campsite, Legolas and Will had come to an accord.
"This conditioner," Legolas exclaimed, securing another of Will's dark locks in a sponge curler "will not only make your hair shine, it will prevent dandruff and leave your hair smelling like apple blossoms."
"Really!" Will said hopefully while flipping through the pages of The Elf Within. Suddenly a new character made herself known. "William Turner!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I can't believe you went and left me sleeping on a ship with a bunch of bloody pirates!"
Will startled and rather frightened, tossed the magazine over his shoulder and began yanking curlers from his hair ("You have to leave them in until they set," Legolas exclaimed.)
"Oh! Hello," Elizabeth said demurely noticing Legolas for the first time. "Have we met before?"
"Elizabeth," Will inquired hesitantly.
"You must introduce me to your new friend, William," Elizabeth told him.
Legolas waiting for no introduction glided gracefully in front of Will and took Elizabeth's hand into his own. "I, lovely maiden," he said awarding her hand with a kiss. "am Legolas, elven prince of the Woodland realm."
Elizabeth dimpled at him shyly. "Lovely to meet you, good sir."
Legolas grinned "Skin such as yours, my lady should not be neglected. Would you allow me to show you the elven technique for keeping skin soft and supple?"
By this point Elizabeth was hanging on his every word. "That would be wonderful."
Legolas pulled her hand through his arm with a wink as Will's mouth fell open. "Elizabeth!" he began in shock but neither party would listen to him.
Gimli, seeing that Will was dismayed, sought to comfort him somehow. "The elf did that to me once to laddie. Every maid seems captured by his charm no matter how debonair the competition. I really don't know what they see in him." The two watched in resentful silence as Legolas sectioned Elizabeth's hair for braiding.
Jack, out of tales to keep the hobbits' interest watched this scene with amused empathy as he poked through Strider's things hoping to find a bit of rum. The hobbits meanwhile were poking through the effects of their new hero Captain Jack Sparrow. Disappointed with his search Jack reached back to retrieve his discarded hat only to find a hobbit dangling from the rim. Pippin smiled merrily "Hullo."
Jack glared at the Halfling, shaking his hat until Pippin was obliged to let go. He then stalked over to where the other three were discovering that Jack's great coat was far to long for Frodo to wear.
"Let's get something straight mates. No one messes with the effects of Captain Jack Sparrow! Savvy!"
The hobbits stared at him with mingled fear and admiration. "Can hobbits be pirates too." Merry asked wistfully.
"Only if they can provide me with rum," Jack answered.
"What about ale? Will that work?" asked Frodo hopefully.
"Yes, it comes in pints you know," chimed in Pippin.
Jack grunted noncommittally and found a quiet spot to sulk about his rumlessness.
After watching Legolas shampoo AND condition his beloved's hair, Will had had about enough of the flirtatious elf. He stalked over to the giggling pair. "Now look here you pointy eared womanizer. Not only are you stealing the affections of my fiancée but you promised to condition my hair first," exclaimed the enraged blacksmith. With that Will drew his sword and Legolas readied his bow just as Strider and Borimir returned with dinner.
"Legolas! What is your quarrel with our new ally?" Strider admonished.
Jack finally noted the unfolding confrontation and swaggered over to the campfire. "Don't do anything stupid, mate."
"Stop, both of you. This is childish. My heart is mine to give to whom I will." Elizabeth stalks away from the campfire and heads into the woods.
"Is dinner ready?" Jack inquired.
The other men agreed that dinner was probably a good idea for the moment.