Author's Note: I'm back with another update! Thank you once again for the good reviews! Hope you enjoy chapter 6!

Chapter Six

"If I go to Port Royal they'll hang me!" Norrington yelled.

"Don't ye worry Commodore, ye won't be goin' in Port Royal, ye'll stay on the Pearl, which will be hidden" Jack said calmly.

"How are you going to hide it? It's a bloody ship!" Norrington demanded.

"Like I said, don't ye worry, ye'll be perfectly safe, I won't let ye hang" Jack said as he walked toward the door.

"Oh I feel so reassured now", Norrington snarled sarcastically.

"Good" Jack said as though he hadn't detected the sarcasm. "Oh and Commodore, I've decided if ye are well enough to get up to find me, then ye are well enough to help me crew run the Pearl. Ye'll start tomorrow."

"I'm not going to help pirates! You've got to be crazy!" Norrington said indignantly.

"Right now ye're not much better than a pirate", Jack said in a cool voice, "and this pirate ship and the pirates on it are the only thing keepin' ye alive mate."

"You're right, I'm sorry, I suppose I'll help" Norrington grudgingly.

Jack nodded and said, "There's one more thing Commodore, yer gonna be bunkin' with a member o' me crew form now on since yer feelin' better. So I'll send someone along to show ye where." Then Jack exited the room.

Norrington stared at the door where Jack had been standing only seconds before. 'Did he just say I was not only going to be working with pirates, but also sleeping in the same room as them?' he wondered to himself.

Jack smiled to himself as he walked to the helm of his ship, his thoughts were on Will and Elizabeth and what their reaction would be to his return to Port Royal. He bet they would be surprised to see him, and was very much looking forward to their expressions. Jack wondered if they thought the Commodore was guilty. He didn't think they would. "Captain!" Gibbs called out as he jogged up to Jack. "What are ye plannin' to do with Bates' crew?"

"I dunno, I haven't decided yet. For now just see to it that they get regular meals" Jack said.

"Aye Cap'n, I'll see to it" Gibbs said affirmatively.

"Gibbs, tomorrow our guest will be working with the crew," Jack told him, "and I want him to be treated as part of the crew, savvy?" Jack said. "Make sure the crew knows if they treat him in a way I consider unsatisfactory there will be punishment."

"Aye" Gibbs said.

"Right, and I also decided that he is well enough now to bunk in yer cabin with ye, so I can get me cabin back" Jack said with a sly grin.

"With me?" Gibbs said in horror.

"Aye, I've decided ye are the best choice, 'sides he already knows ye, so I won't 'ave to make introductions" Jack said, his grin betraying how amused he was by Gibbs' expression. "So ye can go get him now, he already knows he's movin' and he'll be expectin' someone to come and collect him."

"Aye sir", Gibbs said and reluctantly went off to get the Commodore.

Jack grinned again as Gibbs walked off and turned to look at the horizon.

Norrington was sitting on Jack's bed and staring out the window thinking of his conversation with said pirate captain. Suddenly a knock came at the door, "Come in", Norrington called out listlessly.

Gibbs entered the room and said, "The Captain wants his cabin back now that ye are feelin' better and all, so ye'll be bunkin' in me cabin with me."

"With you?" Norrington said with a horror perhaps only matched by the horror Gibbs felt at having him for a roommate.

"Aye, the Captain said me cabin was the best choice for ye" Gibbs told him.

"Indeed" Norrington said curtly. "So does he want me to move right now?"

"Aye, he sent me to show ye the way" Gibbs said with the air of one getting the worst over with. Norrington sighed in a resigned sort of way and followed Gibbs. "The Cap'n also says yer gonna be workin' with the crew tomorrow" Gibbs said, trying to make some sort of conversation.

"Yes, he and I already discussed that" Norrington replied.

"Did ye now? That's good. Here we are" Gibbs said as they arrived to his cabin. "Ye'll be sleepin' in that there cott", said Gibbs pointing out a tiny cott in the corner. "I suggest ye go to sleep now, the Cap'n likes his crew up early and ready to sail," with that Gibbs left the room and Norrington looked around. It was significantly smaller than Jack's cabin, but that was to be expected as the Captain always had the biggest cabin. The room had to cotts in separate corners. Norrington shook his head; he couldn't believe he was sleeping in the same room as a pirate. Not only that, but a pirate, that at one point had served under him. Norrington wondered how he had come to be here of all places.

Jack was very relieved to have his cabin back. He wouldn't have to listen to Gibbs snore anymore. He supposed Norrington wouldn't be so very happy with the arrangements, but really, Jack felt he was doing enough for Norrington without protecting him for Gibbs' snoring. He did however think he should go see how the Commodore was doing his first night in another cabin. So he got up and headed to their cabin.

"Come in" Norrington called out when there was a knock on the door to the cabin. Gibbs was not there yet, and Norrington did not have any idea where he could be. Jack entered and grinned when he spotted Norrington sitting on the tiny cott in the corner of the room.

"Oh, it's just you" Norrington said expelling a breath.

"Who else would it be?" Jack asked curiously.

"I don't know, you seem to have a relatively large crew" Norrington said shrugging nonchalantly, but Jack sensed there was something there so he pressed on.

"Are ye worried about somethin' concernin' me crew Commodore?"

"Why would I be worried about your crew?" Norrington asked.

"Possibly 'bout how me crew will treat ye?" Jack asked keenly.

"Why would I be worried about that? It's not as though I am a Commodore in the Royal Navy with a reputation for wanting to rid the Caribbean of pirates, or anything like that" Norrington said icily.

Jack nodded and studied Norrington for a moment before saying, "This may seem like an empty promise to ye Commodore, but me crew will not do anything to ye. They respect me decision to have ye here, and won't try anything."

"Well it has become apparent that they will not do anything when you are around, you have made it clear that for some strange reason you seem to be helping me, however, how are you going to ensure they will keep up their good behavior when you are not around?" Norrington asked, "Are you going to be beside me always? Because if so, then that would get very annoying."

"For me too," Jack said with an amused grin, "so we won't do that, however I have already given me crew orders concernin' ye, and believe it or not they will listen to me."

"What if you are mistaken and they don't listen?" Norrington asked quietly.

Jack studied him for a couple minutes before saying, "I've given instruction that if ye are treated in a way I consider unsatisfactory there will be consequences."

Norrington nodded slowly and said, "Fair enough then. I suppose we will see how that goes."

"Aye" Jack said with a nodd, "I suggest ye get some sleep now, I expect everyone up and on deck at dawn. Norrington nodded and Jack left him to his thoughts.