Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind. A/U Story

Title from a song by Organized Konfusion

Chapter 8: Prisoners of War

THUMP

Elizabeth landed before her tied up and gagged, struggling to squirm loose. Jack stopped Maddison from going to her aid eyes turning to the shadow she flew out of. Slowly a leech from his past stepped into the mild light, her eyes widening in alarm while Jacks harden like onyx.

"Where's your master?" Mercer smiled smugly indicating for him to look behind him.

In doing so both watch Anna-Maria come falling at their feet, she was unconscious with an unpleasant sort of bruise forming on her face and dried blood near her lip. She saw Jack's eyes turn cold and dangerous, you never struck a woman in his presence and admitted it if you were wise. Maddison seeing no reason not to leaned down near her friend and gently brushed at the dark mark on her friends face. At least they were still breathing, she also took note that Will was nowhere to be found and hoped he was still evading any capture as it were.

"Been a while," Becket's icy gaze met Jacks, his unpleasant sneer making Maddison's own anger burn in her veins. "It would seem you're traveling with a feminine sort now Jack, not very good for hard ship labor." She guessed that meant he hadn't found Will as of yet.

"I had hoped being blown out of the water taught you something."

"Ah, but I survived with a bit of luck Jack." Jack had to repute that, luck had nothing to do with it and he had his suspicions how he may have survived.

"More like talent from someone not keen on Jack or pirates much at all at present." She remembered what he had said about Calypso being bound to her human form, her attempt at seeking freedom failing because of the fact that a certain pirate had his last say on the matter and it wasn't wise to argue with the code or him.

"This isn't good mate, he very well could kill her."

"The others too."

"Aye, I know that…bloody shut up!"

Jack clearly was trying to come up with a clever plan, quickly examining their surroundings and then glancing down at an unpleasant sounding Elizabeth. Even though she was gagged it was clear she was very angry. Maddison's gaze ticked to her two friends, she got the message and gently examined Elizabeth, while doing so she slipped her friend the dagger she had strapped to her wrist, it was small but effective when in a situation that was unpleasant with ropes involved.

Anna-Maria slowly come around and glared up at Becket before crawling over to Elizabeth and remaining still seeing they were being watched by Mercer. Jack also knew she was keeping Elizabeth's escape attempts hidden.

"I have volunteer's about the island to take you and your friends into custody. Although I don't recall you having many friends." Maddison resisted the urge to knock the smug look off Becket's face, she knew that right belonged to the man beside her trying to maintain any form of calm he could grasp.

She had never seen him so angry in her life, with the exception to the two men that betrayed him most in his life. Becket and Barbossa, the current one being the most dangerous one at present. She heard the soft movement and the light growl, her eyes darted above them to the sound before she sparred a glance with her friends.

Will didn't shoot all the large cats in the cave, the sleek black fur caught her eye reflecting the dim light provided by the torches in the room. "Nice kitty."

She nearly laughed at Jacks tone before seeing it was the distraction they needed. All four of them made a run for the deep shadows of the cave, Jack grabbing her hand and keeping her at his side while the others went off another direction.

Every fiber of her being told her to drag him with the others, his vendetta against Becket would surely lead them back to the man. Jack had every intention of finishing the job he intended, he wouldn't let the man just walk freely around the island and possibly take the others or the Pearl.

"Parlay?"

He rolled his eyes giving Will a look, he had been hiding in the shadows watching them at a careful distance before going after Jack and her. She stifled a giggle at Will's amused tone before noting his eyes were just as hard and cruel like Jacks.

"Please don't." Pleading with Jack wouldn't be effective, she knew that but she had hoped that with Will's help she could at least get the man to think about what he was doing.

Will caught on watching Jack, no one knew Jacks past and he had a feeling Maddison knew more than others did. "Jack, we need to find the others and get to the ship." Jack glanced between the pair before pushing Maddison toward Will.

"Jack don't do it." He smiled wryly before doing exactly what she didn't want him to do.

"Take Maddie, find the others and get the ship out on the ocean, fight if you have to but get my ship to safety." Naturally his ship was more important to him. "Her to." her eyes searched his at the concern in his voice, she made a mistake thinking it was concern.

He just didn't want Maddison to follow him and see what he was very capable of when it come to Lord Cutler Becket. Will kept a firm grasp on her arm watching Jack slink off into the shadows, she wanted to go but could see Jack watching Will with one of his warning looks. She gave in momentarily, she would be back and there was nothing William Turner could do to stop her.

"Come on Maddison." She turned to go with him seeing him watch her making sure she was going to do so.

"I'll help you find Liz and Anna, don't expect me to warn you when I'm gone," she met his dark eyes with a warning of her own. "Or be able to stop me when I do leave." He glanced back the way Jack had disappeared to before eyeing her.

"Agreed." She smiled following him to find the others.

Jack kept low and to the shadows, he also kept his gun at the ready in case of any large animals he encountered. He knew very well that the large cat he saw wasn't alone, he was sure that there were others in the cave if Will found one as well. He also wasn't sure how many other wild animals might be hiding in the cave and didn't favor fighting with any of them.

"Why is it he always has a clever escape plan?" He smirked recognizing Becket's unpleasant tone and leaned over the ledge he was on getting a good view of his adversary.

He wore a dark suit, powdered wig and was toying with his own gun. He knew Jack would come back, Jack forgot just how smart the man was on occasion but he was naturally smarter in most aspects. Mercer wore his traditional black suit, much like an executioner which in most cases he was in fact such for Becket. All Jack could make out was a brief shadow of the man and a dark tone of voice.

"That was the cat's fault sir."

"Yes of coarse, it seems Sparrow has a few lucky things still happening on occasion." He kicked at the carcass of the dead cat at his feet, he seemed satisfied that the animal was dead.

"Like that strange girl?" Jack winced staring down at the pair intently.

"Ah yes…she's clever too." Becket scanned the cave scrutinizing the shadows for signs of movement. "She's the reason Miss Swan escaped and she did it under our noses much like Sparrow has before. He doesn't seem to like her much though." Mercer stepped into the gloomy light with a dark smile.

"Perhaps he might change his mind if she's sliced up?" Jack didn't like that, not at all.

Granted he wasn't able to love anyone but himself but Maddison was something, he just didn't know what.

"He might react, I don't think slicing her up is quite what I have in mind. It is quite possible she has something important to him." Jack turned hearing soft steps behind him and leveled the gun at the intruder.

"Jack don't shoot." Whispered Maddison coming into the little light he had.

Lowering his pistol he breathed out eyes hardening. "I told you to stay with the ship."

"Since when do I do what you tell me to?" She mocked him even though she could see he was angry.

"Since those two want to see what you are to me." He would have smacked himself if he was sure the two below wouldn't have heard him, he basically indicated she was something but he wouldn't admit to what.

She didn't react just met his dark eyes. "I'm nothing to you, you've made it abundantly clear." she peered down at the two men staring at them for signs of them spying Jack or her. "They don't know that though and I would rather night find out what he has in mind."

Jack didn't say anything, if he argued with her it would give her the wrong idea again. He was also sure that if he didn't say anything it very well could mean something worse in the future. Shaking his head he knew he had to get her out, he would get his revenge at a later date.

He had other focuses at present and she was one of them. He also knew that they could circle the island and that Becket wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. It was too risky to go off in the open right away.

Back on the ship Jack gave out his orders before arguing with Maddison over how stupid she was to come back. This screaming match was very public before he left her standing in the middle of the Pearl huffing and slammed his cabin door.

Maddison stared at the cabin door for so long it began to blur, she then realized she was crying over him once again. Bitterly she wiped at her tears before glancing out across the ocean, she knew about the orders and how they would circle for a few days before leaving.

He had to lose Becket and his new shipmates. "Maddie girl?" she glanced up at Anna-Maria who was watching her conscientiously expecting something to happen. "Ye do know he cares for ye in his own way?"

"Anna, I wish, wish so much I could believe that." She smiled softly at Anna-Maria's almost hard look. "Miss fierce doesn't work on me and you know it." She sighed nodding knowingly at Maddison before watching her slowly go to Jacks Cabin.

"That'll only get ye hurt worse Maddie."

She shrugged continuing her way to the cabin, it was time to face off with the pirate of her dreams and nightmares all over again.

He spent most of his time reading over the scroll and the directions carefully. He didn't quite appreciate what he had to do to get his issues gone. He had to put two drops of the liquid in his rum after he dealt with Maddison. He would have to give her three drops and he wasn't so sure that the stuff wasn't poison. He had tested it on one of the few rats on the ship he had found in the rum storage.

The thing seemed to just basically forget what it had been doing and went about it's business, no signs of sudden death or poisoning. He mad a quick decision he hoped was the right one before hearing her outside his cabin. He put the small rum bottle aside for himself later, he kept a glass of the liquid on his desk and did exactly what he was supposed to.

"Jack, I want to go home." She looked hurt, something he never really was comfortable with. "Take out your bloody revenge and let me go to Tortuga, I don't think I like it out here anymore." She started to leave in a defeated sort of way.

"Maddie," She didn't want to but still turned to his soft tone. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like I did, but I didn't like the fact you never listen when it's most important to do so. Drink this and we'll go ashore tomorrow. I need you there for my fast getaway, your about the only one that has any idea how serious this is." She eyed the amber liquid she was very familiar with then.

"Tomorrow, I may need it considering how thick I am to still listen to you." She left on that sour note hearing him curse and hearing a shattering sound inside the cabin.

The next morning didn't seem any less painful for her, slowly she went up on deck to see how things were being handled. Jack was waiting just outside the exit point and caught her unaware. She whirled meeting dark eyes, something about him was all wrong but she wasn't sure she wanted to question it. She learned in the past questioning these things got you left behind or locked in the brig.

Eyeing the mild activity she saw Gibbs was the only one going to shore with them that day, she definitely wasn't sure about this but kept her comments to herself. "Where to Jack and what exactly am I expected to do. I don't want to offend you and go against your orders again. One lecture was enough for both of us." he didn't miss the unpleasant barb aimed at him, he breathed slowly to maintain his temper.

His dark eyes gave away the fury he felt with her less than polite tone that morning, there was something more though and again she found herself examining him closely. It was rarely she had alarm bells going off when around Jack, that was usually reserved for someone that meant her harm and as far as she knew no matter how much she infuriated him he wouldn't harm her.

"We're going to the island, I need you close by so they don't get any ideas. I also need you to listen to me carefully Maddie, I don't need us both dead." She nodded uncertain to why she even cared what he was thinking, she at present felt like someone had stabbed her one too many times.

Numbness was a new thing for her. "As you wish Jack."

No more words exchange from the three of them, reluctantly and yet sensing something was wrong she still went with him. The island this time seemed forbidding and she wished she had remained behind this trip.

She glanced up at the late sky, it was still bright out but she knew it wouldn't be long before dark. Jack had timed this for a reason, they would expect an early morning or night attack. It was a fools errand to go when they could see you coming.

"Wait here Gibbs and be ready to go." His first mate nodded feeling uneasy at the way Jack was acting, Maddison too noticed this but refused to believe he would do anything to harm her.

This time they didn't have to hack a new path, he was going the same way they had gone the other day. She was somewhat glad for this but also knew very well he was walking headlong into a trap. The further they got the more undecided she became, even for Jack this was extremely unintelligent. She caught his arm before they went any farther, she met his gaze hoping and searching for something.

"I know what I'm doing Maddison."

"Trust you? Last I heard you never trust a pirate, even I had to learn that the hard way." He sighed using his fingers and prying her hand from his arm.

"You keep reminding me that every bloody day." He started off the familiar path, she quickly followed wondering why she just didn't retreat back to Gibbs.

She knew something was wrong, she could feel it and it wasn't often that Jack was this deceiving toward her. The last time he acted any resemblance to the way he was now she was left behind in Tortuga. She knew that he wouldn't just hand her over to Becket, that would be a dangerous move and it was because she knew a great deal about him.

Shaking her head and hoping someone above was watching out for them she followed surprised when they came to another set of caves, she glanced further down the path and could see a beach in the distance and a ship further off. He knew exactly where to look and from what she could guess that had been the ship she had seen before hand.

She felt herself shoved forward hearing Jack curse before he was holding his arm and his dark gaze was leveled at Becket himself, she saw no sign of his usual menace but knew that Mercer wouldn't be far away.