"He's a pirate!"

"And a good man." –Governor Swann and Will Turner, Pirates of the Caribbean

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A week later a letter was dropped on the Governor's doorstep telling him his days were numbered. Just four words. At once Elizabeth made her way over to the battlement, to tell the Commodore. He sighed, thinking he needed to leave as soon as possible.

"Commodore?"

James smirked, "'ello, Gillette."

The lieutenants mouth dropped as James Norrington walked into the office looking like a street rat. "What happened?"

He merely shook his head and headed towards the stairs leading to the cells. Gillette followed him though. "Sir, I hardly think this is the time to dress up for a costume party!"

Norrington turned, facing him, "You don't know what I'm doing- that's alright. Just hold down the fort, would you?"

Gillette looked at him, unsure, but responded with, "Yes sir."

Norrington nodded and walked the rest of the way down the stairs. He walked down to the cells and quickly dismissed the guards there. Jack stood up and stared as Norrington unlocked the door and went inside to unlock the chains around Jack's wrists.

"Commodore?"

James looked up, "Call me Nathan."

Jack's eyes widened, "Well tie me up an' throw me over board..."

He looked at the pirate, "Do I look suitable?"

Jack backed up and looked at him. He had done away with his wig, making him look so much younger, and over his brown hair was a black cap. He had grown a thin mustache and a little bit of sideburns. He was wearing a faded white shirt with a black vest over it and had faded gray pants and sea boots on. Around his waist was a gun and a sword. Jack smirked and looked at him, "If I didn't no better, I would say you've been sailin' for years."

Norrington nodded and was glad that he did have experience on ships, or this would've been a grand mistake. Jack and he started going up the stairs before Jack asked, "So now, can you get your...voice out of your voice?"

"Uh..."

"Your Commodore voice. Your voice of authority...'cause now yer a riffraff like me."

He rolled his eyes, he's enjoying this too much. "I hope you said your goodbyes Sparrow."

Jack turned, "To who?"

"The Turners..."

Jack snorted, "Whatever you may think, Commodore, the Turner's aren't my business anymore."

James nodded and as they exited the fort office and the battlement quickly Jack went over the rules. "Remember- I'm the captain."

"Except when we're in private..."

"Never say 'Aye, a vast'."

"Uh...okay..."

"You'll be rooming with Gibbs..."

"Gibbs?" Norrington stopped, "Mr. Gibbs?"

Jack raised a brow, "That's right! I forgot he was from England..." Jack smiled and kept walking. James shook his head and followed him, "The galley is down stairs and that's Roberts who handles it. Ana Maria is the short-tempered black woman who likes to remind me that I stole a boat of hers...Cotton has a parrot but no tongue, you know Gibbs..."

"And I'm Nathan."

"Nate." Jack said as they made their way a hidden dock that was behind some sort of a mountain. James stopped and said, "This is where you dock?"

Jack smiled and nodded, "Sneaky, eh?"

James rolled his eyes and followed Jack up the gangplank, "And remember," he whispered harshly, "I talk, I call the shots an' I am the Captain."

"Why didn't they hang you?" A smooth voice called out from the ship Jack and James were currently standing on.

Jack sighed and turned to face a woman who was about five foot six, with long, curly hair and deep, blue eyes. He looked at Norrington and said, "And this, this 'ere is Bianca White."

Her blue eyes cut into Norrington like he was cheese. "Who are you?" she asked, not as harshly as Norrington would've expected though.

"Nathan Anderson." He said, almost wanting to put out his hand, but decided against it.

She eyed him and then took in a deep breath, she nodded and looked at Jack, "Ana's been lookin' for ye."

"Of course she bloody has."

"She said that if you weren't back in two more days we were gonna take off. We couldn't stand waitin' for ye, Jack. That stiff Commodore would've hung us all!"

Jack rolled his eyes and then shot a glance to Norrington. He nodded once and said, "Tell Gibbs he has a roomie an' then weigh anchor an' set sail for Tortuga."

"Aye Captain." She answered, and then walked away, throwing one more glance towards Norrington that he saw and they both quickly looked away.

Jack nodded and then went to his cabin, Norrington paused, feeling a little unnerved with all these pirates running around. He looked at Jack and then Jack turned his head and yelled over his shoulder, "Go help them!"

"You look familiar..." Gibbs started out, looking at Norrington closely.

James swallowed, "I grew up in England as a boy and then I moved here..."

Gibbs nodded, "Aye- that must be it. I did too. Moved t' the Caribbean when I was younger...must be eleven years ago."

Norrington nodded, that sounded right. "How long have you been with Jack?" he asked as they both moved to a different sail to tighten the ropes.

Gibbs shrugged, "Known him a while. Be on his crew? Two years only. Came on when he asked for help with Barbossa."

He nodded, "I heard you left him, what happened."

Gibbs smiled, "Came back for him- here in fact. The code kinda got lost t' the sea after then, if you know what I mean."

Norrington didn't know what he meant, but he nodded anyways. There's a code? Who would be absurd enough to make up a code?

"How 'bout you," Gibbs asked, looking at him once they got the ropes securely tied.

James paused and looked at him, "Uh- I came to the Caribbean a couple years ago...just as you...in fact around the same time..." He thought about what else he could add but Gibbs beat him to it.

"How long have ye known Jack?"

James' eyes widened, "A year or so..."

Gibbs nodded. Their conversation seemed to end before they ran into Ana Maria.

"Whose this bloat?" she asked Gibbs, examining Norrington.

"Nathan Anderson. Came from Port Royal."

"Really?" She questioned, "Gettin' away from that stiff?"

James swallowed, "Aye."

She nodded, "The Captain must've brought you on,"

He nodded. Ana Maria took in a deep breath and said, "Well just make sure you don't get in the way."

Norrington narrowed his eyes, the insults finally getting to him as she walked off, "How long do you think I've been on ships?" he called after her.

She frowned and turned around on her heel. From the helm, Jack paused and looked down, watching to see if Ana Maria would wait or shoot him now. "I don't bloody care how long you've been on ships- this isn't the Navy."

He paused, thinking she knew but kept going, "And you think I'm just some scamp off the road who knows nothing of piracy?"

"Piracy and pirate are two very different things, Anderson."

"You don't think I can do either..."

She walked up to him, and got close enough to whisper, "When you've lived with nothin' but pirates yer whole life- then come an' talk t' me." She waited a moment, being quiet, and then she left, slamming her cabin door. Norrington sighed as the ship seemed to get quiet. He looked up and saw Jack staring at him, with a raised eyebrow, that he desperately hoped wasn't a look of approval. James quietly left his spot on the deck to go down stairs- he was hungry.

"What's the deal with him Jack, really."

Jack's dark eyes darted up, looking at the two women in front of him. He figured they would become good friends when he had picked up Bianca in a port outside of Cuba, but he never thought they would gang up on him.

"Questionin' my judgment, ladies?" Jack asked.

"Bloody hell yes!" Ana Maria answered, "What was with him on deck?"

Jack smirked, "I found it amusin' that he would challenge you like that, luv."

"You would." She spat at him.

He merely laughed to himself and shook his head, then looking at the two women, "What do you want me to say?"

"Tell us why he's bloody 'ere!" Bianca said.

He sighed, swallowing, "He's here for pillagin' and raidin'...why are you here?"

Bianca raised a brow, crossing her arms and somewhat backing down from Jack. Ana Maria wasn't so easy however.

"Jack- he doesn't seem like the pirate type. Like he has a hidden agenda."

He sighed, she was getting to close. He got up from his desk that he was sitting at, "Whether he does or not- that's no concern of yers, is it?"

She pursed her lips, "You know somethin' yer not tellin' us..."

"I know a lot of things, luv. Now get t' bed. Big day in the mornin'."

"Oh? What exactly are we doin'?"

"Go!" he roared, pointing out the door. The two women paused and then left the cabin in no hurry. Jack sighed and sat down, thinking he got himself in deeper trouble than he may've thought. If they found out Nathan was actually the Commodore, the crew wouldn't be very happy and might consider Jack a traitor. I'm no traitor. Norrington is doing nothin' on pirates- he sticks to assassins alone. Jack only hoped that was going to be true, otherwise both their reputations could be at risk.

"Nathan is kinda attractive though...don't you think?"

Ana shot Bianca a look, "Stick t' Tortuga, Bianca."

She frowned, "It gets borin'...all the men there want one thing."

"And you don't?"

Bianca turned and stuck out her tongue at her friend. The two had followed Jack's orders and gone to their cabin and started getting ready for bed. After they changed and blew out the candle, Bianca went on. "Why do you have such a problem with him, Ana?"

Ana Maria turned onto her side, her back facing Bianca. "There's somethin' 'bout him...somethin' I don't feel right 'bout..."

"You're too tense..." Bianca said, getting comfortable. "Loosen up, would you?"

"I just don't want Jack to be betrayed again..." she said, finally confessing. Bianca paused and turned looked at her friend through the dark. She had a feeling Ana Maria and Jack had a growing affection towards each other- but she wasn't sure of anything. Just comments from both of them gave her an underlining feeling. She shook her head and turned back around, "G'night Ana."

Ana sighed, "G'night Bianca."

"What are you doin' down here?" Jack said exasperated, walking down the steps to the galley. Ana Maria had moved his liquor cabinet down here, hoping he wouldn't get as drunk, but Jack just snuck an extra bottle up to his room whenever he did get one.

"I was awful today."

Jack paused, turn around. Don't get into anything now. Turn around and go back to your cabin. Against his better judgment he asked, "What is it, Nate."

Norrington shook his head, "I should've never said those things to her. I was totally wrong to do that...I'm not even sure why I did. I've never spoken to any woman like that."

Jack sighed and sat down next to him, "Never had a sister?"

Norrington shook his head, "Had an older brother but he died when I was a boy..."

Jack frowned, sorry he brought it up. Again, his conscience told him to get out of there. Good idea, before I make an even bigger idiot of myself. He stood up, "Don't worry 'bout it. Ana's a tough one t' like. But I have t' warn ye... ye're now on her bad side...and that's not a side I would want t' be on."

Norrington grimaced. Jack smirked, "You didn't think this would be easy, now did you?"

He shrugged, "It would've been easier if I wouldn't have opened my mouth."

Jack laughed, "That's true for everyone mate. Don't worry 'bout it. Get some rest."

Jack started going up the stairs and Norrington quickly turned around, hesitating, "Jack?" he asked finally. Jack turned, giving him his attention, "Should I apologize?"

The pirate smirked, "No. Don't even think bout 'suckin' up...just stay out of her way." As Jack went up the stairs, Norrington hoped that would be an easy task.

Author's Note: There's no Author Thanks because I'm currently in South Dakota, and my wonderful Beta posted this for me! Thanks again! But I'll be back on the 30th and I'll post prolly sometime around the 4th!