Disclaimer: I sadly do not own PotC :(
Rated for: Possible violence, language and sexual references
Chapter One- The Great Escape
It was a typical Friday night at The Dirty Maid as Paris scanned the small chaotic tavern. Large, burly men were drinking themselves into a stupor, brawling amongst themselves, and overturning tables and chairs, while wenches with painted faces twirled around them, whispering suggestively in their ears.
"Girl!" her Boss yelled at her from the backroom, "We've got paying customers who don't want ya just standing round looking pretty. Go see if they want anymore drinks!"
With her back still turned to him, Paris rolled her hazel eyes. 'One more drink and their all going to pass out' she thought to herself as she moved away from the bar, fixing her long, black hair that was piled awkwardly on top of her head.
Paris was a bar maid, and although many men had come through asking for her services, she had politely turned them down, saying she was only there to serve beverages and food. The disappointed look on their face never hung around for long when they realized there were plenty of other women in the tavern eager to fulfil their desires.
The walk to the few tables left upright was a battle in itself. Between flying fists and furniture, Paris always felt relieved to have made it through without sporting any bruises. As she finally reached the far end of the room, she spotted a lone table and lone man in the right hand corner. Smoothing out the creases in the white apron around her waist, Paris scooped up the bottom of her long emerald dress, and walked quickly towards him.
"Are you alright?" she asked the gentlemen before her, whose black, muddy boots were resting on the edge of the table.
"I am now," the man grinned mischievously, displaying gold-plated teeth. Taking off his tri-cornered hat to reveal black hair, decorated with beads and an array of strange objects, he placed it on the table. He had tanned skin and wore a red bandana around his forehead. There was something that seemed familiar about him, but Paris was sure he wasn't a regular customer.
Eyeing him, she asked, "Do I know you?"
His face lit up at the question. "Aye, to be certain," he answered proudly, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, love."
Recognition flickered in Paris' eyes. "Ah yes, I have heard of you," she replied thoughtfully. 'And your reputation.'
Placing a rough, callused hand over hers, Jack pulled her towards his chair. "I'm sorry Mr Sparrow. Pleasure isn't my specialty," Paris told him, keeping her tone polite.
Disentangling her slender fingers from his grip, she tried again, "Did you want anything to drink?"
Removing his feet from the small table top, he leant forward on an elbow. "Rum would be nice, love," he finally answered, his dark eyes inspecting her figure.
"Just one?" Paris inquired.
"Just the one," the man replied, continuing to flash his golden teeth at her.
Without a second glance at him, Paris pushed her way back to the bar. Pulling out a large pint-sized glass from a wooden cupboard, she twisted the lever of the rum barrel and watched as the liquor poured out. Setting the glass on the bar as it began tospill over, a blur of red and blue out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Glancing up, Paris realized with surprise that three men from the Royal Navy had entered the Tavern.
Something tugged at her ankle, and looking down, Paris saw the man from the table she had just served crouching behind the counter next to her legs. How he came to be there without her noticing, Paris didn't know, but it wasn't difficult to figure out why he was hiding there. The beads in his hair jingled as he motioned for her to join him.
Feeling slightly rebellious, Paris gazed around the room quickly before dropping to her knees beside Jack. "What are you doing?" she whispered to him anxiously, "You're going to get me into trouble!"
"Actually, love," he replied, a smirk never leaving his tanned face, "Ye gonna get me outta trouble."
Paris gaped at him. 'He can't be serious?' "Mr Sparrow, there is no way I'm going to lie for you."
Producing a pistol from his belt, Jack told her, "I was hoping ye wouldn't say that."
Her eyes flickered towards the backroom. The wooden door was firmly shut. Paris knew her Boss was probably in there preoccupied with some girl. Disgusted with the thought, she returned her mind back to the danger at hand.
Paris' eyes darted back and forth between the gun and the man crouched in front of her. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she wished the corset she was wearing was just that little bit looser. "Please," Paris begged him, "Don't make me do this."
"I'm sorry Miss -" Jack paused briefly, studying her face, "What was ye name again?"
"I didn't give it to you," Paris returned angrily.
"Ah, I see," he nodded.
A shadow fell across Paris' face. The soldiers from the navy had reached the bar. Snatching a bottle top off the dusty floor, Paris leaped up from behind the counter. "There it is!" she exclaimed triumphantly, holding it up in her hand.
The three soldiers exchanged glances with one another. The man in the middle placed a hand on the table top, and the other rested on the gun at his side as he opened his mouth to speak. "Commodore Norrington," he introduced himself, "We got a report that a man came in here, not long ago. He's wanted for a meeting with the gallows. Jack Sparrow's his name." Watching earnestly for any sign of recognition, he continued, "Do you know if he's been through here?"
Feeling the cold touch of the pistol against her ankle, Paris wondered if they could hear the beating of her heart as it raced through her chest. "Yes, he was here," Paris answered shakily, "You just missed him."
Unfortunately, the soldiers seemed unconvinced. "It seems your story conflicts with a few men we spoke with when we came in."
Paris' eyes trailed down past the bar to the pirate staring up at her. 'Nice plan, Mr Sparrow.'
Frustrated, she took a deep breath, then glancing up at them from beneath her long black eyelashes, Paris smiled cheekily. Leaning forward on the counters so that her tight corset would produce the effect she needed, she asked innocently, "Surely such respectable gentlemen such as yourselves have better things to do than chase after a naughty pirate?"
The man on the left cleared his throat, feeling obviously uncomfortable under Paris' flirtatious stance. "Then you won't mind if we take a look upstairs then?" Norrington asked, unfazed by her performance.
"Only if I can join you later," she replied sweetly, winking at the man on the left.
"Indeed," Norrington remarked coldly, before the three soldiers turned away and climbed the old, wooden steps leading to the rooms used for 'guests'.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Paris dropped to the floor once more. "Their gone; But not for long. You have to go!" she whispered urgently, helping Jack to his feet.
Walking backwards away from her, he grinned devilishly. "Next time, ye can join that 'naughty pirate' in a room," he announced with a wild gesture of his hands.
Placing a hand on her hip, Paris was unable to suppress a small smile, "I don't think so Mr Sparrow."
Heavy footsteps descending the staircase reached their ears, and Paris whirled around. "Freeze, both of you!" shouted the Commodore over the noise of the pub brawls.
Paris' breath caught in her throat. 'Both of you?'
She didn't get another chance to consider the implications of that short statement, as Jack's hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her with him. Shoving drunks and wenches aside, he tore through the crowd towards the tavern entrance, Paris dragging behind him.
The cool, clean air of the night sky hit Paris suddenly after the smoky, alcoholic and vomit stench of The Dirty Maid. As she was hauled along by Jack, Paris wondered humourlessly if this would be the last time she would see the outside world. Turning around to look back as she ran, Paris could see Norrington and the other two men following in pursuit. The whole situation seemed so bizarre to her, she almost let out a laugh.
Suddenly, Paris collided with someone's shoulder. She gasped before realising it was Jack's. "Why are we stopping?" she questioned him, breathing hard.
But Jack was not looking at her. Facing forward, Paris realized why. Her hazel eyes widened as she scanned the navy soldiers in front of them, the barrels of their guns pointing steadily at them. "Well done, gentlemen," came a triumphant voice from behind them, "I'll take it from here."
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I've been working on this story for a short time now, so the first few chapters should be ready to put up :) Feel free to review! By the way, my username use to be 'InToDepp', but originally I had always wanted it to be InTooDepp. At the time I wasn't able to have it, but now that its become possible, I changed it. Just thought I'd let you know ;)