Chapter 2: Welcome aboard!

Sorry people for not updating sooner! I hope you like this chapter and keep reading cos it will relate to the summary in the next one ... :).heh. Just fleshing out the plot a bit! R&R this is my first fic lol :p. I am a novice at this whole thing xhugsx

Jack turned around at the wheel to the cry of:

"The Rat's gone down!" And looked to find the stowaway collapsed on the deck. Feeling that he should help him, Jack came over with a slightly drunken gait and scooped the boy-or young man-as he now saw, easily into his arms. He didn't really want to have to be responsible for killing the lad by making him clean the deck. Setting him down in some shade the pirate captain swiftly checked his weak pulse and barely visible breaths.

"Gettim some water!" A nearby deck hand supplied a full pitcher and Jack poured a little into Tom's mouth, holding his head gently. It was no use. He checked the boy's breathing again and tried to tip a bit more water down his throat. Unfortunately it just trickled back out. Jack stared into Tom's immobile face for a moment, then sighed and chucked most of the pitcher into it. Tom jerked into consciousness and began to choke violently as the water went down the wrong way. By doing so he headbutted Jack in the face. Both men reeled backwards, Jack clutching his nose.

"Watcha bloody tryin to do, Boy!"He cursed as blood flowed freely from his nose. With his other hand he waved around for a cloth and one was readily supplied by a member of the crew that had come to watch.

"Y'alright Cap'n?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine." Tom glared reproachfully at Jack, head pounding and world spinning a little.

"I'm sorry Captain Jack."Jack replied through the cloth something that sounded like:'...nearly broke my nose..." and threw the pitcher of water to Tom. Tom mentally thanked Jack for the water, drank a few deep handfulls, then poured the rest over his head. It was surprisingly refreshing.

By the end of the day Tom really knew the meaning of hard work. Since he'd never lifted a mop and bucket in his life, the first day the ship was an eye-opener for him. Not to mention the storm that night. Everyone was on the deck helping, shouting, pulling, hauling until it had passed. The crew went to their hammocks and slept till dawn.

Waking with a start as the boat made a particularly violent heave over some waves, Tom rolled out of the hammock and hit the lower deck with a solid thump. He made a moan of protest and pulled to his feet, his body aching everywhere. The crew's headquarters were empty so Tom vacated them and went to the main deck. Looking around he was spotted by Shreever and beckoned over. Him and Jack were sat by the mast on two rum barrels.

"Is there likely to be any rich folk followin' you, lad?" Tom examined Jack's boots.

"Yes, probably," He admitted grudgingly, "Why?" Shreever passed him the telescope.

"Behind us." Tom raised it to his eye and looked. In the distance he could see a ship with red sails. Oh dear. Even though they were far away he didn't fancy his chances. The crew of the Black Pearl wouldn't want him on board, they would see him as a nuisance. He returned the telescope dejectedly to his knee, because, although working on a pirate ship was bad, his now looming and previous fate was a lot worse. He turned to say 'How long have I got?', then frowned.

"Wait a minute," He spoke his thoughts out loud,"They shouldn't be missing me for at leats a week!" Both Jack and Shreever looked at him blankly. "Oh, I said I was going to get some exotic perfumes for the..wedding..." He spoke the last word sheepishly, knowing how it would sound to a stranger.

"Whose wedding, Boy?"

"Just...my mother's..." It was a bad lie and he knew it.

"You're running from your mother!" Exclaimed Shreever in disbelief.

"Yes, no, well, I-" Shreever shook the words away with a wave of his hand.

"No matter. But we ain't wanting trouble...Captain Jack?" Jack and Shreever looked at eachother. The Jack looked at Tom, his eyes were every dark brown.

"I have a great belief that my ship can outsail then anytime. She is the Black Pearl.And the fastest ship in these waters!"

"Aye," muttered Shreever fervently,"We can outsail her, Jack, but to what cost?How many other royal ships will come tailing us?How important is this boy?" Tom could guess the Captain was listening, but Jack's gaze was elsewhere over the sundrenched sea.

"What is your name, Master Stowaway?" Tom stared directly into Jack's dark eyes, trying to boost his lie. He knew if these pirates..these men found out his true name he would be shipped over to the royal boat he knew as the 'Mayflower' in a matter of seconds in exchange for double the cost of any exotic perfumes he'd supposedly set out to buy.

"James Quillson." Jack narrowed his eyes slightly, as if against the sun, a slight frown crossing his tanned face, then looked away, past Tom.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

"You don't, Captain;"

"Then we shall have to give you up to the royal navy and see, shall we?"