Okay! So, here's another chappie for y'all! I really hope that I can straighten this out. Someday, I'm gonna type up a whole bio on Marie, so that I can tell you guys all about her! Anywho, on with the story!

************************************************************************

So, we left off with a warning, and Marie thinking about Jack. Let's see where this goes, shall we?

************************************************************************

'Miss, LOOK OUT!' Jon called from in front of me.

I looked up just in time to walk into a low beam, falling back on my behind, and clutching my bleeding nose.

'Bloody Hell!' I cried, looking at my blood which had spilled onto the wooden floor, and looking up to find Jon standing above me. 'Miss, are you alright?' He said, and held out his hand to help me up, looking a bit worriedly at the blood on my hands and face.

I grinned, and wiped my mouth against my sleeve, saying 'Yes, I'm fine. I just need a cloth and water to clean myself up, is all.' But, I was thinking ~ Oww! Damned beam, stupid me, thinking about Jack an' not paying attention! Shit! ~

As I followed Jon to the stairwell, he said 'I've never heard a woman curse before, save for Ana Maria. Do you always do that?' I laughed a bit, and then spat out some blood which had dripped into my mouth, saying 'I've picked up a few curses from the Inn at which I worked. Y'hear a lot of swearin' around men.'

When we stepped up on deck, I bowed my head, so as not to let the hands know I'd been hurt. 'Here, miss. Clean up.' Jon said, handing me a bucket of salty seawater. My nose had stopped bleeding, and I dipped my cupped hands into the bucket, splashing cold water onto my face. After cleaning up, I sniffed, and asked Jon quietly 'So, umm, where does everyone sleep?'

He motioned for me to follow him, and we (again) descended into the hold, but Jon took me along to a far corner, which I hadn't seen when I was first down here. There were hammocks tied to pillars, more than 3 dozen, I guessed. They were all caked with dried salt, and covered in grime from God knows what, making them look like dishrags instead of beds.

Jon noticed my apprehension, and said 'I don't think you'll be sleeping down here, miss. The Captain will probably find a more suitable place for you to sleep.' I turned to him, and was thankful that it was so dim in the hold, because I was starting to blush for no reason. I suddenly felt very small on this huge ship, like a mouse in an empty barrel.

Suddenly, Jon and I were startled by someone on deck yelling 'All hands! C'mon, ye lazy swabs! The Captain said full sail!' Jon rushed over to the stairwell, with me right behind him, unnerved by what might happen.

I leaped up the stairs, and gasped as I saw another sat of sails on the horizon, catching up fast. Jon noticed too, and called up to the crow's nest 'Lymbar, what's going on?' The man-Lymbar, of course- lowered the spyglass he was looking through, and called down ''Tis a ship of the fleet! The Dauntless, Cap'n!'

I looked towards the helm, and noticed that Jack looked quite calm, considering that one of the largest ships in Port Royal was giving chase. He looked up to Lymbar, still clutching that wheel, and said 'Lymbar, run up a flag o' truce. Let's try talkin' it out with ol' Norrington this time, savvy?'

Lymbar nodded, and I crossed my arms over my chest, saying to Jon 'I feel very left out, not knowin' about anythin' that's goin' on!' Jon said 'Follow me.', and led me up to the helm, saying to Jack 'Cap'n, the lady wants to know what's going on, sir.'

Jack nodded, and then yelled over my shoulder 'Gibbs, drop anchor! We'll let 'em catch up this time. See what they 'ave t' say.' He turned back to me, and said simply 'You'll find out soon enough, lass. Ol' Norrington is 'ere t' see what I was doin' in Port Royal again, most likely. Jus' wait.'

I looked past the aft towards to Dauntless, and saw a similar flag being raised, indicating (as Jon told me) that they just wanted to talk a bit, and meant no threat. I leaned against the scuppers, and said to myself 'This is goin' t' be quite an adventure. As soon as we can get the Navy out of our hair.'

************************************************************************

I was running out of ideas, and this may not be my best chapter. And I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter! I wuv oo all!

*passes out cookies and Jack Sparrow life-sized dolls*

Enjoy!

~8@ Marie the Black Rose @8~