CHAPTER TWO: I'm Captain

Disclamer: I don't own any one, if I did why would I write about them??

Jack was almost to his beloved Pearl, Barbossa (damn the man) Ragetti and Pintel were right behind him. The first cannon had missed his precious ship, barely. But since it wasn't in the dock it made a perfect target. Why can't the bloody navy stay in Port Royal where they belong? Jack thought in annoyance. Ya don't see me going over there trying to blow up their sorry little boats. He ran faster, too much was happening too fast even for his taste. And why in the world did I have to ran into Barbossa when I least need it?

When they got to his row boat all four of them climbed in, falling over each other in the process. Jack stared at Barbossa like he'd suddenly grown horns. They both had an oar in their hands, Ragetti and Pintel were watching them with puzzled expressions on they faces. This wasn't the best time or place to start fighting again!

"What are ya do in me boat?" Jack demanded of his rival.

"Going to save me ship!" he answered, exasperation clear in his voice. "What else would I be doin'?"

"You don't have a ship." Jack quickly remind him.

"Yes I do!" Barbossa shouted, he looked like he was about to knock Jack out with his paddle. "You're the one that's ship-less."

"Neither of you are going to have a ship if we don't start moving soon." Ragetti interrupted them nervously. Both pirates turned to look at him, their own argument momentarily forgotten. "Sorry." he muttered hastily. Just then Jack the monkey came rushing out of the crowd, screeching madly. He quickly jumped up on his master's shoulder, where he soon settled down that nothing in the world could go wrong. A hat dangled from his dirty little hands.

"Me hat!!" exclaimed Jack, snatching his precious hat away from the mammal. "I always knew there was a reason ya named that monkey after me." he placed the worn old hat on his head, withholding his actual disgusted feelings about the filthy monkey playing with his hat. At least he had it back! Jack looked back out at the Pearl and the Dauntless which was getting steadily closer. Quickly he decided to ignore Barbossa and focus on getting to his ship in time to save it. Besides if the mad man insisted on rowing then let him row.

Barbossa rolled his eyes, as if he named his monkey after Jack Sparrow! "That monkey was around before you, ya rattle brain. So it seems rather unlikely that I named him after you."

It seemed Barbossa wasn't going to let himself be ignored…well if that be the case…Jack quickly snatched the paddle away from Barbossa, he'd had enough of this! While they were sitting here fighting about something utterly worthless his ship was in danger of being blown to bits by the navy of Port Royal! "Pintel! Ragetti! Get us to the Pearl." he handed both of them a oar.

"Yes captain." they replied as one and began stroking at the water.

"I'm captain." Barbossa stated.

Ragetti and Pintel raised their eyes brows, exchanging secret glances with each other. "Yes captain!"

Jack ground his teeth but since this seemed to satisfy Barbossa he made no farther comment. If he insisted on coming with them Sparrow could always throw him overbroad later. Jack smiled at his own silliness, no wonder everyone liked him! And how did he know people adored him? Simple, women paid special attention to him, every other pirate would give his ship to be like him and there was wanted posters all over the Caribbean.

By that time everyone else in Tortuga had spotted the Dauntless and were acting accordingly, though half were too drunk to be useful. There was a lot of useless shouting going on. Jack ignored the crowd behind them, they could worry about themselves. Besides he had a suspicion that the Royal Navy wasn't here on the account of a few mindless drunks.

"Your rowing too slow." Ragetti complained, bring Jack back to the situation at hand.

"Your rowing too fast!" Pintel retorted quickly.

Jack sighed inwardly, why was life an inconvenience sometimes?

James Norrington walked across the deck of the Dauntless to stand beside Cutler Beckett who was looking out at the calm sea with his spyglass. They were coming up on Tortuga, the last real pirate port in the Caribbean. Normally they steered clear of this little port, but right now they had a reason to be here. Jack Sparrow! The top on the list of wanted pirates. By pure luck they'd met up with an older man who'd known the whereabouts of Sparrow, it seemed he had some important business in Tortuga—though what it was no one could be certain.

James smiled at the thought, most likely it had something to do with rum! That man was hopelessly in love with that vile drink!

"There's his little ship, the Black Pearl I think he calls it." Beckett said flatly, taking his spyglass away from his eye so he could look at the commodore. "Care to took a look?"

James took the spyglass holding it up so he could see through it, all the while rolling his light brown eyes; Beckett knew perfectly well what 'his little ship' was called. He was just being sarcastic. It didn't take long for him to spot the Black Pearl floating just outside the bay but he didn't see Jack anywhere.

Lord Beckett smiled. "Man the sails!" he called, then walking calmly over to the wheel he turned it hard to the left. The ship cut sharply through the water, James grabbed hold of the railing to keep from being thrown overbroad. Soon they're ship was turned so they could easily hit the Pearl with their right cannons.

Beckett let go of the wheel, the Dauntless quickly adjusted to the new course and began sailing smoothly forward once more. "Load the cannons on the right side." he commanded before going to stand by the commodore.

"What are you going to do?" James asked, trying to sounded indifferent. Truth was he didn't want to hurt Jack or his ship. I don't? He's a good for nothing pirate, why should I care? But a part of him refused to think that. This other part wanted to call the whole thing off, just let Jack go and forget about him. Beckett though, was oblivious to James's inner turmoil.

He chuckled. "Just send Sparrow a little greeting of course! I want him to see me sink his ship."

"But he's going to try and get away and everyone knows the Black Pearl is the fastest ship in the Caribbean." Norrington reminded him.

"That's why we have backup. Besides I don't want to make a big spectacular in front of all those idiots. Let him run, he wouldn't get far. And when we catch him we will send his beloved ship down into the depths."

James sighed, that's what he'd been afraid of. Afraid of? He should be happy that they were finally going to get rid of that troublesome pirate, after all Jack couldn't do anything without causing problems. He'd turned both Will and Elizabeth into pirates and now no one knew where either of them were, or if they were still alive for that matter. James's face fell, he wished he knew where Elizabeth was; for all she'd become he still loved her. Or did he? Love wasn't one of his strong points, he just didn't know how to express deep feelings like that. Nevertheless he still wanted to see her again, though the chances of ever marrying her were slim at best. It simply wouldn't be proper for a high ranking commodore to marry a pirate, even if she was the Governor's daughter.

The loud sound of a cannon going off brought him back to the present with a start. He quickly turned his gaze to the Pearl, relieved when he realized the cannon ball had missed the ship—barely!

"That should get Sparrow's attention." Beckett said with satisfaction.

James only nodded, not trusting his voice—and not understanding his mixed emotions.

"Gibbs!" Jack shouted, looking up as his first mate glanced down at him over the railing of the Black Pearl. Despite all else they'd make it to the ship—though he'd had to hurry Pintel along more then once, and the monkey had tried to throw his hat in the water several times as well.

"Yes Captain?" Gibbs asked.

"Throw us down…" he began but was interrupted.

"I'm the Captain now." it was Barbossa. He monkey screeched loudly from his post on the man's shoulder as if to emphasize the statement.

Jack snapped his head around, shaking his finger in Barbossa's face warningly. He'd been half waiting for the idiot to say something like this. "Will you please shut it!"

"It's not my fault you have these poor people misled, I'm simply enlightening them on the truth." Barbossa replied, appearing quite unperturbed by Jack's former out burst. "Now that I finally found my ship again there's no way I'm going to let you sail off with it, so hand to over." he smiled crookedly.

"Sorry to have to break this to ya but my Pearl is kind of big to be picking up and handing to you—even if I wanted to, which I don't!" Jack stood up in the little boat so his was towering over his enemy (at least that's how he perceived him right now), making the boat rock dangerously. Barbossa stood up as well, balancing himself expertly in the center of the craft. He couldn't let Sparrow get the upper hand in this!

"Now!" he demanded. "It's mine!"

"I don't think now's the best time to be discussing this." Jack motioned carefully over his shoulder at the Dauntless. Barbossa laughed, surprising Jack who couldn't resist the urge to look behind himself. What he saw amused him, the Dauntless wasn't getting much closer, it fact it wasn't moving hardily at all. They weren't firing and there was still a good distance between them. The Royal Navy must be even more unorganized then he'd thought. Jack smiled, but his smug grin was short lived as Barbossa grab a hold of his shirt, pulling him close. Jack winced as foul breath washed over him. Didn't he ever brush his teeth? Then again maybe his teeth are so rotten if he brushes them they'll fall out!

"Don't worry it won't take but a second to kill ya." Barbossa smiled, revealing yellowed teeth. "I'm willing to spare you the discussion part."

So, what do you think???? Reviews people, us writers live on it!!! Constructive criticism welcome!!!!