He smirked, circling around her, watching her movements.  He then went over to the hay bale that she had trouble with and took off his huge jacket.  He placed the heavy article of clothing and his prized hat on the bale and redrew his cutlass.  He took his own stance after letting a low sigh escape his lips.

"Ye know, the stakes have risen, don' ye?" he asked quirking one eyebrow, partly covered by his red bandana still wound around his head and hair.

"Higher stakes only makes it more interesting," the woman replied stepping forward, making her cutlass clash with Jack's.  A smirk grew on her determined face as Jack stares at her from behind the shield of his own cutlass, "Don't you think so, Jack?"

"Aye," he quickly leaned between the two cutlasses and kissed her swiftly on the lips.  He jumped back with his cutlass still in front of him, enticing the woman to continue, "Tha's one fer me, Kat."

Kat watched as Jack's smile played on his face.  She lunged forward again, causing the two of them to create the music of a sword duel.  Metal clashed metal; bodies lunged and dodged while still trying to make their own score.

Jack stopped for a second, a little out of breath, "Well, ye know wha' yer doin', I'll give ye tha'."

"I did learn from the best," Kat rushed over, gave him her own kiss and pulled away a little, "And that's one for me."

"Tha' ain't fair," Jack said wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into his lap, causing them both to drop their cutlasses to the ground, "I was unprepared.  Ye cheated."

Kat let a light giggle escape her lips.  She looked into Jack's eyes and traced his lips with her left index finger, "Pirate."

"Aye, so ye stole a kiss."

"I didn't exactly steal it," Kat said looking at the inner walls of the small stable Jack had found at one of the many ports, "It is all part of the game."

"It is, ain't it?" Jack whispered, placing another kiss a little harder onto her lips.

They both stumbled a little bit getting into a standing position, kicking their cutlasses out of the way and fell into a pile of unused, yet untidy bit of hay.  Jack released the kiss and looked down at her.  Kat's hair spread out among the golden pieces beneath them.  Her eyes sparkled and looked up at him.  She brought her hand up to play with his beads that were in his hair.  He was content to stay, supported on his elbows, while he watched her smile and giggle.

"Jack?" Kat asked after a few seconds.

"Aye, luv?"

"What do you think of children?" Kat asked in a slight, dream like state.

"I like 'em all righ'," Jack said thinking a little, "I mean they yell, they play… some bite-" Jack added with a grimace, probably remembering a past time when a young child bit him on the arm.

"No," Kat said, covering his mouth with her hand, "I mean children of our own."

"Oh," Jack finally got the message and looked at her before giving her another kiss, "I think with yer brains and me looks, we'll end up with 'avin' fine kids."

"But have you though about it much?"

"Not tha' much, why?" Jack looked down quizzically, "Ye aren't with child, are ye?"

"No!  No," Kat said hastily, "Just my curious mind is all-"

Suddenly the stable doors flew open with at least three naval gentlemen standing at the entrance.  Jack stood up quickly in front of Kat, with his hand on his pistol, since his cutlass was a few feet away.  Kat stood quickly to her feet, right behind Jack, looking at each of the men.  The two on the side seemed a bit young, but the one in the middle seemed older, and much more experienced.

"Ah, Sparrow.  I heard that you would be here," the one that had to be the commanding officer said as he walked into better light.

Kat held on to Jack's arm with fear.  They were after him.  They have been searching for him.  She was lucky once, but she wasn't so sure she could save him a second time from a firing squad or a hangman's noose.  She could feel Jack's arm muscles relax underneath her fingertips.

"Norrington," Jack said amusingly with a slight chuckle in his voice, "I should 'ave known tha' ye would jump at the opportunity to capture me.  But I 'ave to ask under wha' charges."

"No charges, unfortunately, this time Sparrow," the man, Norrington, seemed to struggle with in himself, "I'm sorry to say… that I need your assistance."

"Well this be a luvly change of events," Jack said clapping his hands together and smiling down at Kat before continuing, "Wha' ye need me help fer?"

"It's Port Royal… it has been attacked."

"What?" Kat's back straightened and she looked at Norrington straight in the eyes, "What do you mean it was attacked?"

Norrington looked at her, wondering how one of the pirate's women knew of Port Royal.  Then he looked at her closer, watching her straight back and 'civilized' demeanor and body language.  He gave a quick look to Jack and then back at the woman.  Her face held both fear and determination.

"And you are?" he questioned, "You seem familiar."

"Never mind my name," Kat said harshly stepping in front of him, "What happened in Port Royal?"

Norrington heard the quiver in her voice which could only mean emotional attachment, "A ship that we have been tracing sailed into Port, nearly destroying it… and its population."

Jack put a hand on Kat's shoulder when he saw her head drop, "How many people died?"

"There were thirty-eight survivors in all," Norrington looked down and dropped his head, "Many perished… and even though many of the men fought, a numerous amount of women and children were slain without a second thought or moment of hesitation."

Kat started to breathe harshly, 'What about Harriet, Olivia and Robert?  Are they of the thirty-eight that made it through?'

"Perhaps we should discuss this in a more private setting?" Norrington offered.

"I know 'o the perfect place," Jack spoke up with a slight grin on his face, "The Drinkin' Lady."

Kat whipped what was apparent to be the start of tears and looked at Jack sternly, "Jack, love, that's the tavern we were at last night."

"Aye, did ye see the crowd?" he winked down at her with a bigger smile.

"Well, how do you expect anything to be private then?" Norrington asked agitated, then turned to excuse the other two men back to the naval ship.

"Because the noise is so loud, some conversations cover others.  No one is interested in what the group next to them is discussing," Kat said matter-of-factly.

"And with tha' there will be rum," Jack patted Norrington on the shoulder.

"I told you I needed your help, not to give you permission to touch me, pirate," Norrington brushed off his shoulder and possibly some dust left behind by Jack, "You have to be the worst pirate I have ever heard of."

Jack held up two fingers, side-by-side, "But ye 'ave heard of me, and ye came to find me.  Now… off to the rum!"

Jack picked up his cutlass, put it in his belt, put his jacket and hat back on and headed for the door.  Kat followed him, picking up her own cutlass and walked toward the door.  Before she reached he doorframe, Norrington stopped her by the arm.

"This is no concern of a prostitute," he said irritably.

Kat's eyes widened with anger, "I am no prostitute, sir!  Wherever Jack goes, I go.  And I would much appreciate it if you don't refer to Jack as 'pirate', savvy?"  She tore her arm from his grip and walked up to Jack, "I don't like this Norrington, Jack.  What if all this is a clever trick to capture you?"

"It ain't," Jack said simply looking left and for his lost tavern.

"How are you so sure?"

"The way he acts," Jack looked down at her, "He is worried.  Ye got to understand, luv.  He was once I luv with Elizabeth.  I'm guessin' as soon as she married dear William, Norrington left his post at Port Royal," he looked to the right, "We need to go this way.  'Ey, Norrington!  Don' lag behind!"

Kat stood back, falling a little behind Jack and letting Norrington catch up with her.  She looked at his face as she fell into step with him and watched his movements.  He looked to his side and gave her a quizzical look.

"How do you know Jack?" Kat asked, looking forward to find Jack swaying between two different paths to take, "You don't seem to be the type to be one of Jack's friends."

"We're acquaintances," he said swiftly, putting his hands behind his back and keeping his head up.

"Ah," Kat said in a knowing tone, "Which translates that you did not want to know him, but had no choice in the matter."

Norrington was surprised at the woman, "What are you doing with a pi-"

He stopped abruptly when she gave him a glare for using the word pirate, "Um, with Sparrow… you seem to be of some what high stature."

"And yet you called me a prostitute," she added with a scowl, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"I am sorry," he lowered his head again, "Usually a woman with a pirate means that she is one."

"Hm," Kat nodded her head lightly in understanding.

"What are you in relation to Sparrow anyhow? You are of high stature, are you not?"

"True, I was born to a wealthy family, but I chose to live this life…with him," she nodded her head toward Jack who was leading the way.

"So you are his lover," Norrington said as if he understood.

Kat laughed a little under her breath, "Let me put it this way for you… My name is Kat Sparrow."

Norrington stopped dead in his tracks and stared at her, and then at Jack still walking ahead of them, "He married?"

"Yes he did," Kat said pulling Norrington's arm, "And you promised my husband some rum.  I think it is for the best you fulfill your promise."

"You seem familiar," he said off hand.

"A lot of people say that about me," Kat said back, "And you said that before."

"But I never said that I would buy the rum," he said determined.

"Oh yes you did.  You just don't know it yet," Kat smiled knowing perfectly well that Jack will find a way to get Norrington to pay the bill.

Kat and Norrington caught up with jack and found the tavern not that much later.  Jack chose a table in the back and ordered a few rums.  Most of the men in the tavern were pirates, and Norrington knew it.  Although it seemed as though most of them were too drunk or oblivious to care that there was a naval officer in their tavern with them.

"Jack I need to talk with Lilly," Kat nodded to the bar maid behind the counter, "We have a few matters to discuss."

"All right, luv," he gave her a kiss on the cheek before she went, "Jus' be careful."

"I will," she smiled and walked toward the counter, greeting Lilly with a smile.

Norrington watched her as she walked off, "She is a strange woman."

"Aye, tha' she is," Jack replied just now taking his eyes from her and looked down at his hands, more specifically at a ring on his left hand, "Sometimes I can't believe she be me wife."

"So it is true," Norrington said looking at him unbelievingly, "You did marry her!"

"Aye, jus' comin' up to a year in a month-" Jack's eyes immediately shot open, "Bloody 'ell!  I 'ave to get an anniversary gift!"

"Sparrow!  We have bigger problems than a forgotten gift," Norrington hissed at him, "The Harbinger will not release the survivors until we bring them you."

"The Harbinger?" Jack's attention was regained by the man's statement, "You failed to mention them, mate.  Why do they want me?"

"You killed their captain apparently," Norrington leaned back in his chair, having a light carefree tone in his voice, "Now they have a new one.  And their out for blood…more specifically yours."

"They won't let anyone leave Port Royal, will they?"

"Correct," Norrington looked strangely at a woman who was bringing a few drinks to the table.  She stopped briefly and gave him a wink.

"Thank ye," Jack nodded at the woman who brought the tankards of rum, "And ye wan' me to give up to them and save the Port, is tha' it?"

"That would be ideal," Norrington snorted, "But now that you have a wife… I don't want to make anyone a widow."

"So, now we 'ave to get a new plan, then," Jack put the tankard to his lips, "I'll help ye."

"Thank you," Norrington said with force.  The woman smiled and walked back to the counter.

"I'm doin' this fer Will and Liz, not ye," Jack said looking over his shoulder, "Keep tha' in mind."

"No problem there, pirate," he said, "We are set to leave at dawn."

"Before you go, Norrington," Jack started, "Why do I get the feelin', ye ain't tellin' me somethin'?"

Norrington looked away from Jack, "It's your imagination."

"Call me crazy, but I don't 'ave tha' big of one," Jack said leaning forward.

Norrington shifted in his chair, but managed to look Jack in the eyes, "I am telling you all I know."

"What about the warrant for me arrest in Port Royal?" Jack tested, trying to see if he indeed was trying to get a way to capture him.

"Your name was cleared a few months prior to the attack by one, Mrs. Harriet Blener.  I can do nothing about it, even if I wanted to," Norrington stood up from his chair and tossed a few shillings on the table, "Get your crew together.  This should cover the rum."

Jack shrugged his shoulders and watched the naval commander walk out of the tavern and toward his ship.  Jack left the shillings on the table as he caught up with Kat by the counter.  He smiled as he saw Kat standing over a man that was on the floor.

"You see this ring?" she pointed to her left ring finger furiously, "It means that I am taken and that no means NO!"

She kicked the man in the side, put some of her hair back under her bandana and walked back over to the side of the counter, "Thanks Lilly.  Sorry for that.  Men, you know."

"Aye, men jus' can't let ye go, can they?" Jack asked amused by her outburst on a man more than twice her size.

She smiled and walked over to him.  He placed an arm around her waist and they both walked from the tavern.

"So what's the verdict?" Kat asked, looking up at him.

"We 'ead fer Port Royal tomorrow," Jack quickened their pace to the Black Pearl, "Apparently the Harbinger's crew still be upset with me."

"The Harbinger?  What does that ship have to do with anything?" Kat asked remembering well the last time they crossed paths.

"They tracked me after I saved ye, and somehow connected me to Port Royal," Jack sighed, "They be killin' innocents.  Tha' ain't righ'."

"There is something else, isn't there?" Kat asked concerned.

"There be somethin' tha' Norrington ain't tellin' me," Jack said and led Kat onto the Pearl, "We'll figure it out, luv."

"I'm worried, Jack.  What if Will, Liz…Harriet, Olivia…. What if they-"

"They know better, luv.  Don' worry," he hugged her from behind and set to work in rounding up the crew that was on board.

'Hang in there, Harriet.  I'm coming,' Kat sighed, thought for a moment and then chased after Jack, "What about the warrant for your arrest?"

"It was cleared."

"By whom?"

"Accordin' to Norrington, it was yer cousin Harriet tha' cleared me name."

"I always knew I could count on her."

"Wha' does tha' mean?" Jack asked turning from Mr. Henders who was trying to balance one of the small boats.

"She promised me that she would clear you," Kat smiled, leaning on the railing at the side of the ship.

"Even so luv," Jack started looking over the railing at the rest of the crew coming back to the ship, "I doubt tha' a town tha' was attacked would be so concerned with a pirate tha' disappeared 'bout a year ago."

"True," Kat said looking over the dark waters, "Why does he trust you to sail to Port Royal instead of the other way?"

"He don'," Jack simply stated, "But if I don't follow, he'll capture me, force me to help him, and then kill me.  So either way he wins.  But I won' abandon Will and Liz like tha'.  I owe them too much."

"Neither will I," Kat looked over her shoulder at the crew coming up the rope ladder, "Well, here comes the crew."

"Let's get ready to set sail to Port Royal," Jack turned from the railing and started toward the helm with Kat not too far behind.

A/N: So tell me whatcha' think ...please.  I will love you eternally.  Believe me more plot turns are coming!