At World's Beginning

Sparrow Song

"What're ye doin'?"

James didn't respond. He kept his eyes firmly shut, took a deep breath, and concentrated.

Nothing happened.

"Can ye hear me?" the irritating voice spoke again. "All right there, Jimmie?"

"Do not call me that," James said, scowling. "Be silent," he added.

Thankfully the voice obeyed, and James concentrated again. He focused on the space outside of the cell, imagined himself appearing there in the blink of an eye.

Again, nothing happened.

"Look," the voice spoke up, "I'm not one to begrudge a man for needin' a quick shut-eye, but I'm not sure this is the opportune moment to—"

James growled and said, "I'm not sleeping. I'm attempting something which requires my full attention. Now do stop talking."

Silence. A shuffling noise. A huff of breath. A tongue clicking against teeth.

James sighed heavily and opened his eyes. It wasn't working, and as much as he would have liked to blame the aggravating pirate standing behind him, he knew Sparrow wasn't the problem.

Reluctantly, he turned around to look at his other companion and admitted, "Jones and his men can move from one place to another with a simple thought. I was hoping I could do the same." And put my unfortunate position to some good use, he thought bitterly.

"Ah, I see," Sparrow said, accepting the impossible idea impossibly fast. "Perhaps such abilities are within yer reach, but I imagine Jones is too slick to allow ye to just pop in and out of his cage whenever ye feel like it."

Sparrow had a point. Which, of course, put James in a foul mood.

"Now that's settled," Sparrow said pointedly, his eyes suddenly sparkling, "ye haven't explained your mysterious she yet."

James rolled his eyes for the fifth time in so many minutes, releasing an irritated sigh. Sparrow had been hounding him for the better part of a half hour in regards to whom Turner had been referring to, as if that could possibly matter in their current predicament.

But the pirate wouldn't take "no" or "shut up" or "do you wish to be throttled?" as an answer.

"If I indulge your curiosity, will you please be quiet and focus on escaping this cell?" he asked through gritted teeth. Bloody Sparrow and his stupid bloody nosiness.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, mate," he responded with an admonishing finger. "Bein' quiet and escapin' brigs are my specialty."

James closed his eyes, gathered what little patience remained to him, and opened them. The sight of Sparrow staring up at him with bright, curious eyes didn't improve the situation.

"Her name is Ona. She was the one who found me and pulled me out of the water after my... death. She and her captain saved my life." He turned away from Sparrow and gripped onto the cell bars so he could hold himself upright in the sudden rough waters, but also giving himself something to do so he didn't have to meet the pirate's eye. "And because of Jones, her ship was destroyed, her captain was murdered, and she was imprisoned along with me until she was turned over to Beckett's custody."

"So, she's the she," Sparrow responded satisfactorily. "Which means ye'll be savin' the she, yeah?"

James didn't respond, clenching his fingers tightly around the rotted iron bars.

"Ah. Perhaps ye have somethin' else in mind, then," Sparrow said, his tone a little too knowing.

"Do not concern yourself with what I have in mind," James snapped, sending the pirate a glare as he turned back around to face him. "Focus your attention on escaping this cell. As soon as possible would be preferable."