Disclaimer: No matter how much I want to, I will never own PotC ;)

Chapter 9- A Few Good Men

The door to Pierre's room swung open and Paris was thrown brusquely inside. She cursed herself for hitting him. 'He deserved it,' a small voice conceded in her head as Pierre wiped away a slight trickle of blood from his nose. He stared at her, fury in his blue eyes. "You stupid wench," he growled, taking a menacing step forward.

Paris took a hesitant step back, her mind racing. Jack was locked up below deck; there could be no one to stop Pierre this time. Again, she silently cursed herself. Jack, who had been trying to protect her, was lying in the brig, hurt because she had ignored his warnings.

Angry at herself, regretting her actions, and wanting nothing more than to be with Jack whom, despite their incessant arguments, she always felt safe around, Paris asked Pierre much more boldly than she felt, "Everything you told me about yourself, was any of it true?"

Pierre paused and laughed, a cold and merciless sound. "I told you only what I knew could win you over," he answered simply. "In truth, my Captain, for the time being, hired me to bringSparrow to him." He shrugged as though the matter was of little importance. "Getting involved with a whore was just something a little bit extra."

He made to move closer to her. "Pierre," Paris begged, feeling sickened that she was doing so, "Please don't do this."

Suddenly his door swung wide open and a tall man, well into his prime old age with a large grey hat, stood before them. "Pierre!" the man barked, "What the 'ell do ye think yer doing?"

"What does it look like Captain?" he hissed back, his eyes flaring with contempt.

Pierre's Captain held his own. "I've told ye countless times. Women are never to be taken captive!" With that, he turned his gaze towards Paris. She didn't break his glare, as if somehow praying despite histroubles with Jack, he would allow no harm to come to her.

Something flickered across his green eyes, and while she missed what it was, Paris felt as though an understanding had passed between them in that fleeting moment. Once more, his attention returned to Pierre. "Jack's claiming he can't recall me. Says ye must 'ave knocked it outta him."

"Surely you don't believe him," Pierre scoffed.

"Perhaps ye should 'ave reconsidered yer actions," his Captain lectured, "The deck is in search fer someone to scrub it."

Pierre appeared rigid while he stormed from the room, cursing every inch that was Jack Sparrow under his breath. Paris feared she wasn't out of the situation like she'd hoped as the Captain remained behind. "Ye shouldn't 'ave been brought 'ere," he told her, "Ye'll be escorted back to the brig."

Locked behind bars with Jack once again, Paris felt his dark eyes on her. "It's alright, he didn't touch me," Paris reassured him while looking at the floor.

"I'm sensin' a 'but' here?" Jack said with a wave of his hands.

"Pierre's Captain was furious with him for bringing me here. I don't understand why…" Paris began before Jack broke in.

"Captain Moroney 'ad a lady once. Long time back. She was taken by a band of cutthroats," he told her, "The Cap'n never saw 'er again."

"What a terrible thing to have happened!" Paris exclaimed, wondering at the much more complex lives of pirates than she had ever even considered. "The poor man."

"Aye," Jack replied sympathetically, staring off into space. A brief thoughtful silence followed the conversation. "What about 'ol Jack?" he finally continued, pointing a dirty black finger at his bruising eye where Pierre had hit him.

Smiling and knowing he wasn't in as much pain as he made out, Paris joked, "Would you like me to kiss it better?"

Jack raised a suggestive eyebrow. "I think that would be quite necessary, love," he quipped.

Leaning over his outstretched legs, Paris planted a gentle kiss over his tender right eyelid. Jack smirked pleasantly at her as she sat back on her legs. While a smile played across her lips, she asked,"Feel better?"

Before Jack could answer, something rocked the ship. "Not again!" Paris moaned, grabbing hold of the cell bars.

Grinning to himself, Jack said, "The Pearl."

Standing up, he peered out the small round window. Paris was earnestly watching him when all of a sudden the trinkets in his hair swirled around and Jack dived forward, tackling her to the floor. Not a moment later, a hole was blown through the side wall and window, sending debrit flying over them.

"Are they mad!" Paris gasped, dusting her emerald dress off as Jack helped her up.

Frowning, Jack said, "That sounds awfully familiar. You'd get on well with dear William."

Whoever 'dear William' was, Paris forgot to ask once the soft sound of trinkling water reached her ears, and looking down noticed that the blast had created a leak, seemingly in the floorboards. "Jack," Paris said, grabbing the sleeve of his shirt and pointing to the ground.

"Thankye darlin'," Jack replied, giving her a strange sideways look, "I hadn't noticed."

While the water crept past their ankles, Paris made her way over to the cell bars, scanning the room outside their confines for anything that could help. The sound of the water which had now begun gushing in mixed with the sounds of a battle overhead.

"Do something!" Paris finally exclaimed to Jack, who seemed to have been inspecting the lock on the door for far too long as the water finally reached their waists.

"What the bloody 'ell does it look like I'm doing?" Jack shot back in frustration, "Painting a mural perhaps?"

"It wouldn't entirely be unexpected," Paris said throwing her hands up exasperated.

"Let's be honest then, the thought had crossed me mind, love," he told her sarcastically while continuing to fiddle with the lock while the water rose.

"Captain!" a voice floated down to them over the flooding water.

Moments later, Gibbs and Martinez came into view, pushing their way through the water towards them. To their immediate relief, the keys where clenched tightly in Gibbs' hand. He unlocked the door and with the efforts of all four, the brigs cage was finally shoved open.

The swirling chest height water fought against them as they moved slowly over to the stairs. Upon the deck, Paris barely had time to squeeze rivers of water from her skirts and brush back her wild, dark hair from her face when she was called to hurry onto The Pearl.

"Sparrow!" Someone shouted Jack's name insolently.

Jack swirled around where he found his mutinous crewmate Pierre eyeing him with distaste, appearing oblivious to the chaos surrounding him and the ship which had become very unstable. The Atticus was having trouble staying buoyant; canon fire had ripped irreparable damage into its hull.

Pierre held up his sword in a threateningly manner, daring Jack to duel with him. "Where do you think you're going?" he growled.

"Back to me ship," Jack replied with a carefree shrug, "The lady already beat ye, there be no use in ye gettin' beaten a second time."

Pierre scoffed, making to move closer and touching his bruising nose subconsciously. The Atticus gave a strong shudder as it began disappearing beneath the ocean. Aboard safety at last, Paris was watching the encounter from The Pearl. She fervently hoped Jack wouldn't fight Pierre, and from where she was standing, he looked reluctant to do so. Fortunately, that choice he never had to make. With an almighty crack, the masts pole broke in half, and the sails and wood came down so fast and hard, Pierre never had a chance to move. Paris closed her eyes as Pierre was crushed beneath it.

A rope was tossed to Jack who swung over to his ship, landing ungracefully on the deck floor. Relief and sadness washed over her while the remaining embers of the ship disappeared from view and debrit floated to the surface. Clinging to a piece of wood was Captain Moroney, his grey hat floating metres from him. "Their Captain's in the water!" Paris called to Jack's crew.

They returned looks of pityon her, but no sign of movement came. Scanning their faces in disbelief, Paris grabbed a rope attached to the side of The Pearl and threw the end into the ocean, calling to Captain Moroney. Still, the crew remained motionless.

Paris was soaking wet and now furious that no one would help her. 'What's wrong with them?' "Have you no hearts?" she yelled at themwhen they continued to watch her struggle to pull him up.

A few had the nerve to chuckle at her comment. Spinning round, she called to Jack who strolled over, albeit reluctantly. "You can't just leave him there to die," Paris told him quietly.

"It's part of piracy, love," Jack told her, emphasizing his argument with hand gestures. "Pirates' Code."

"Stuff the code, Jack!" Paris snapped, "This man saved me! If you had just given him his share in the treasure, which I'm sure is the problem, none of this would have happened."

Jack pulled a face, indicating his internal struggle of whether to listen to an angry woman, or if his reputation and the code were more important. Paris's narrowed eyes seemed to help him make up his mind rather quickly.

"Get 'im up," Jack called to his crew, and two of his men moved forward to do as he asked.

Captain Moroney was raised up and onto the deck, his clothes soaked through. "This is most unexpected Captain," he said to Jack, but his green eyes showed gratitude.

Nodding so the trinkets in his hair jingled, Jack replied, "Ye 'ave the the lady to thank."

"What do ye want done with 'im Cap'n?" Gibbs inquired arriving at his side.

Jack's dark eyes travelled to Paris's hazel ones. "Let 'im dry off. If he causes any trouble, throw 'im in the brig."

Paris gave him a small, pleased smile. She knew Jack was a good man, though sometimes, he just needed a little coaxing.

Author's Note: Well, here's chapter nine :) Thankyou to all those who have reviewed so far, it's wonderful to get feedback! I just hope I can keep you guys interested ;)'

LegolasLvr71- Lol! Well, Pierre is in davey jones locker now ;) Thankyou for reviewing! Hope you keep enjoying it ;)

The Future Mrs. Jack Sparrow- Here's the update! I think Pierre finally got what he deserved ;) Hehehe :) Thanks for reviewing!

Beadedreams- Lol! I'm glad I didn't make you hide behind your chair! That's always a bonus as a writer, hehehe :)' Thankyou for reviewing! Oh, by the way, I noticed you took down the second chapter to 'Anamaria', just when I was going to review it too :( I guess you decided against it?

Queen.Bowie.Jack.Sparrow.Lover- I guess everything turned out all good in the end, right? ;)' Hehe, thanks for the review!

Grittlebone- I thought I'd include you here, since I only just got your review ;) I hope that you have had time to finish it now and are still liking it! Thankyou for the tips, and I'll try to keep up the description :) Thankyou so much for the kind words!

caitspotter- So glad you like! Thanks for reviewing, and yep, Jack is hot! Hehehe;)

MISS-SOPHIA- You're right! This was Jack's 'little mess', hehe ;) Thankyou so much for reviewing, glad you like it, and I hope I won't disappoint:)