Disclaimer: POTC isn't mine.


"We got a stowaway, Cap'n!"

Barbossa watched, amused, as Kohler swore and chased after a flash of black-and-white fur. The pirate's hand was bleeding. Twigg was helping his friend, but half-heartedly, as he was too busy trying not to laugh.

The monkey leapt up into the rigging, paused to hiss at the man who was pursuing him, before turning his attention to the climb. Kohler readied his pistol.

"Leave the thing alone," Barbossa said, expansively. He was feeling generous after the recent turn of events. "Stowaway or not, I'll not have a slaughter on my ship."

"Your ship?" Bootstrap muttered. "Oh, aye, you won't let a slaughter on 'your' ship, Hector. Better to leave men to die…"

Barbossa pretended he didn't hear the comment. Instead, he turned his attention to the rigging. He whistled.

The monkey paused, and looked back down at Barbossa, curiously. Barbossa narrowed his eyes at it, and tilted his head, studying the creature. The monkey did the same thing appearing to be copying the captain.

No-one moved; no-one laughed. They just watched.

The monkey leapt down from the rigging, and landed on the deck in front of Barbossa. It sat one its haunches and tilted its head at Barbossa, considering him. Seeming to evaluate him.

Barbossa smirked, and held out a hand. As though offering a handshake.
The monkey didn't move, but it narrowed its eyes, as though suspicious. It crept towards Barbossa.

The pirate continued to smile at the creature. A viper's smile, the same smile he'd showed Jack when he'd asked for the bearings of the island. The smile of a true friend - until you saw the fangs.

Barbossa could almost touch the monkey when it showed fangs of its own. It tore into Barbossa's hand, then turned and scurried away with the shredded glove in its hands. It chattered, laughing at him, as it sat on the deck, in reach and range of everyone, and tore Barbossa's glove to ribbons.

Barbossa hadn't even had time to cry out in pain. He stared at the bold little creature, a slow incredulous smile crossing his face as he massaged his hand. He grinned at his crew. "Cheeky jack, that one!" He laughed. And the crew laughed too, because the captain's jokes were always funny.

"Is that what you're calling him then?" Bootstrap said dryly.

Barbossa didn't let the man's sullen face ruin his good mood. He shrugged. "I don't know. I think 'e'd be better served up with a side salad!" More laughter from the crew.

Barbossa turned away from the hissing monkey and the dark-faced Bootstrap. Jack. Trust Bootstrap to remind him of the fool of a captain who sailed before. The man had been a fool! Handing over the bearings with a trusting smile. Smiling as the mutiny took place under his very nose. Staring in horror as his trust was betrayed. Such a fool did not deserve the Pearl, did not deserve to be captain. Did not deserve the treasure.

But Barbossa had been fair, hadn't he? Given Jack Sparrow a chance to sail under Barbossa's command? But, like the fool he was, he'd turned down that one chance.

"Are ye sure you don't want to, Jack?"
Silence.
"Is that a no?"
Hatred shone out of those dark brown eyes.
"Pity," Barbossa shrugged.

"Ah, Jack," Barbossa shook his head sadly at the ocean, at the island they could no longer see, "If you'd showed a bit of spine, you might still be here." With a bit of spine, you might've been a stronger man. If you showed a bit of spine, I might've made you my right-hand man…

Movement, a flash of black-and-white fur. Barbossa looked down at the monkey, who was sitting on the railing. Watching and waiting for Barbossa's next move. Tense, like a snake coiled to spring at any moment, but swaying with the ship with an easy grace that belied its savage nature; the monkey waited.

Like the fool, when Barbossa had first met him. With a bit of spine…

"You have a name?" He asked it; but softly, so no-one else could hear him. He did not want to be mocked for speaking to a dumb animal.

The monkey looked sceptically at Barbossa, prepared to bare his fangs at an instant's moment.

Barbossa gave his viper's smile. "Then Jack will suit you fine."


A/N:
I'll probably be doing more 'monkey theories' - as in, who the monkey belonged to and why they called him Jack - later.