Chapter Two: Rumors

A/N: Soooo sleepy........


"I've heard rumors."

"Have you now?" Jack responded in a bored tone. He expected the man in front of him to strike him, but he'd hoped – foolishly enough he knew – that he'd avoid the side of his face that was all ready swollen and bruised.

"Show some respect to the Admiral," the man hissed.

Jack glanced up at him. He was young, perhaps twenty-three or so at the very most, and that was stretching it. He'd seen the lad following Cromwell around like a lost and hungry puppy would follow a man with food in his hand. He wasn't one of Norrington's men.

"The rumors, Mr. Sparrow," Cromwell prompted.

"It's 'Captain' an' I dunno wha' the 'ell yer talkin' 'bout," Jack grumbled. It was the truth, honestly. Cromwell had failed to tell him anything but he had heard these said rumors, and Jack could make guesses about what he was talking about, but he couldn't be sure about it. Better to irritate the man in front of him if he found he had no friends there. He hoped the Pearl and her crew were long gone by now.

Cromwell sighed from his place on the opposite side of the jail bars. His young lackey had been the only one to enter. "The rumors about Commodore Norrington's dealings with you, you fool," he growled out irritably.

"Ahhh..." the pirate captain answered at length. "Those rumors!"

"Yes. Now tell me about them."

"I 'aven't 'eard 'em," Jack answered with a strait face. He felt his head jerk to one side as the lackey slammed his open hand along side his ear and face. The pirate let out a small moan.

"You HAVE heard them," Cromwell stressed as he stepped through the door of the cell. He motioned to the lad to leave. "I'll take care of this, Richmond."

"But sir!"

"Out!" Cromwell hissed and watched the young man leave. He turned back to the pirate captain that sat against the wall, head tilted so his hair covered his expression. "What deal did Commodore James Norrington strike with you, pirate?"

Jack lifted his head only enough to set a glare on the elder man. "Ya really think tha' a man like Norrington would strike a deal with a pirate like me?"

"I know he has or you wouldn't have been walking in the open as you were."

"Well 'e obviously doesn' 'ave any deal with me now or else I wouldn' be in 'ere, eh?" Jack responded with a slight smirk, eyes fixed on Cromwell's.

"So you're saying that the rumors are false and you were simply foolish enough to walk in broad day light across open ground."

If Jack had gone with his first impulse, he would have ratted Norrington out so at least he'd take the traitorous commodore down with him, but he didn't. He wasn't quite sure why, but something deep inside of him was sure he'd be useful later. Somehow he could turn this to his advantage... or die trying, as the case might be. "No one ever saw before. Seems like ya just 'ad more men to cover yer ground this time."

"Is that so?"

Jack simply shrugged, deciding not to waste his breath with the man before him.

"I asked you a question, pirate, is that so?" Cromwell hissed.

Jack looked at him lazily. "Ye'll never get anywhere talkin' like tha' to people," he muttered. "Just not nice." The blow he received could probably have rivaled anything Richard had done to him as a lad and the pirate captain fought the blackness that was creeping up on his vision.

"Don't even think about passing out, pirate," Cromwell growled.

Jack let a smirk cross his face. He was almost pleased he'd said that, because now he could allow the darkness to swallow him just to spite the already irritated admiral.


What had been a sunny morning had become overcast quickly in the early afternoon and the storms rolled in by late afternoon. Amidst the screaming wind and pounding rain, Ana Maria was sure she'd heard a knock on the door. She ran to the stair railing and peered over towards the door. The butler was opening it, offering to take the man's drenched coat. The man in question removed his waterlogged hat to reveal James Norrington beneath it. Ana was furious. "Where the hell do you get off comin' 'round 'ere without my captain in with you?" she demanded.

Norrington looked up, startled. He hadn't noticed the pirate woman standing and looking down on him from her place at the top of the stairs. He sighed tiredly. "Miss Ana Maria... My deepest apologies."

"Send yer apologies where they belong," she growled as she pulled a knife that was hidden in her trousers. "An' I'll send ye after it."

"Ana Maria!" Marie's startled voice brought Ana from her vengeful rage for long enough to keep her bearings. "Please, Ana Maria, Commodore Norrington is here to help."

"With what I can."

"And no more, I'm sure," Ana spat.

"I had no choice, Miss Ana Maria."

"You can drop yer bloody formalities, Norrington. Get to the point before I slit yer throat and leave ye out on the streets to dry. Yer nothin' but a bloody liar s'far as I can tell."

Norrington took a deep breath, calming himself from the sharp response he nearly gave her. "I'm doing what I can, Ana, and that is all I can do without getting our only allies tossed into jail with Jack."

"We had no warning," Ana mumbled as she started to descend the stairs, slipping the knife back in its place.

"I didn't know you were coming," Norrington admitted quietly. "But that cannot be helped now and there is no use in looking at what has happened. We should focus on what will happen from here on out."

"Getting Jack back."

"Yes."

"Speak quickly, Commodore. What ye 'ave say is what yer life depends on."

"Then shall we begin?"


A/N: I'm terribly sorry for the delay. I've been busy, oh so busy ::sigh:: Thank Julie for getting my rear in gear to write tonight though! I promised her I'd work on it :)

Dawnie-7: Glad you like it! I hope I can live up to my other stories since everyone seems to like them... Thanks for the congrats on college :)

Flute Damioh: Lame son of a biscuit eater... I like that!! That's great! Hehe... very creative, my friend! Yeah, it gets confusing after a while through these stories and I go back to something that happened in the first story, sorry ::sweatdrop:: The deal was made at the end of "Love's Curses and Love's Blessings" and Norrington and Jack signed an agreement basically saying that if Jack and the Pearl kept other pirates out of the Port Royal area then Jack could visit the Turners any time he pleased without hassle.

Lynx Ryder: Wow... "New Saiko story! I'm so pleased :D!" You don't know how happy that makes me to hear... er... read someone say/write that (that was more confusing than need be). Thanks so much! It's so cool to hear people say stuff like that! Makes my confidence in my writing go up! (which it turn makes me write more). Yeah, about Richard and Marie and the kids, I kind of wanted to put them as an extended aunt and uncle title... So I guess I got that right! Yay! Great to know you'll be sticking with me! Makes my day to hear you say that! And thanks on the congrats again! :)

JackFan2: I feel sorry for him too, so at least I'm not the only one. When I first became a fan of PotC, I wasn't sure how much I liked Norrington, so I decided to make him a semi good guy in my fics, and he's progressed so that I like him very well. I think he's a respectable man that Jack would respect on several different levels, but this story puts that respect to question, so who knows what will happen with that. ( I never know what will happen next, I'm pretty much as in the dark as the readers until the words come out on the screen) Thanks for the congrats again! I'm going to major in art and probably going to minor in some sort of creative writing/English or something of that sort so I can write as well as draw/paint. Much fun!

Mich: Aww! Thanks so much! Wow... people are waiting for my fics! Makes me feel really special! ::is excited:: And thanks on the congrats! Really nice of you! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Rose Noire le Mort: Thanks very much about college and about your lovely review. :)

A/N: One last thing, everyone. I'd just like to ask everyone that prays to God to please keep me in your prayers. I'm having a bit of health trouble that's flaring up again and it's making things a wee bit difficult, so if ya'll could just keep me in prayers, I'd very much appreciate it! Thanks very much!

TS