Part Four: Breathing Again

Gloom filled the interior of the captain's cabin on the Black Pearl, as rain batted against the windowpanes. Water droplets dibbled down the outside of the glass, rivulets merging and separating. The drumming on the windows was the predominant sound in the room, accompanied only by the softer sounds of wood creaking and the slumbering breaths of the man and woman lying on the bed, breathing exactly in time with one another.

The pallid man's left hand moved a little under the woman's.

She was pulled to the edge of sleep by the feel of his slight motion. His bluish lips parted to release a groan, which brought her to consciousness.

.

Anamaria opened her eyes to find herself lying over Jack's legs, her right hand loosely holding his left. She gently squeezed his hand and then, stiffly sitting up, she glanced towards the windows. Dark clouds obscured the sky preventing her from telling what time of day it was.

Fingers closed around her palm.

Surprised, Anamaria's gaze snapped to Jack and noted that the movement of his chest was just about noticeable through the blankets. Without letting go of his hand, she reached to turn on the oil lamp beside the bed. The golden light showed her that a hint of colour had returned to his skin and his eyes moved beneath their lids.

Suddenly, two dark-brown orbs flashed up at her in the light.

.

Captain Jack Sparrow slowly took a hold of his senses and his mind interpreted what they told him. He hurt too much to be in Heaven, he decided, and having Anamaria sat next to him wasn't his idea of Hell. That left one explanation.

"I'm not dead."

Tears glistened in Anamaria's eyes and she bit her trembling lower lip, as she tried to smile. "No, Jack, you're not dead."

She covered her mouth with her left hand, droplets spilling over her eyelashes. Jack squeezed her other hand, which clutched his.

"Oh, Ana. . ."

He winced slightly when he raised his bandaged right arm, but nonetheless continued to reach up to brush the tears from her cheeks with his thumb.

Anamaria licked the salty water from her lips, a smile finally managing to grace them and glisten in her eyes instead of tears.

Jack lowered his hand and Anamaria noticed the shadows of fatigue dancing over his pale features. His limited strength was rapidly waning. She felt his left hand slip within her hold and his head sunk deeper into the pillow. He blinked, fighting against the pull of exhaustion.

Before Anamaria's eyes, Jack began to slip into sleep. A sudden urgent thought struck her.

"Wait." Anamaria reached for the cup on the desk behind her. "You should drink something."

With effort, Jack managed to stay with her. She raised his head and helped him to take sips of water from the cup. The liquid soothed his dry throat, but his eyes soon started to flicker again.

Deciding he had drunk enough, Anamaria gently lowered him back down and brushed a light kiss onto his forehead. Then she released him to the land of healing slumber.

Anamaria remained sat on the edge of the bed, but finally let go of Jack's hand to pull a spare blanket over her own shoulders. She sighed deeply, tension falling away. A lightness filled her, as her chest relaxed, no longer clutched by an aching heart.

Eyes alight with love, relief and gratitude, she looked down at Jack's peacefully sleeping face and watched his chest rise and fall evenly beneath the blankets. He was still incredibly pale, but the grey tinge was gone and the faintest pink of a new rose petal touched his lips.

Eagerly, she took in air and then gave it back to the world she was happy to be part of. She welcomed the sound of the rain and the feel of the glow from the oil lamp warming her cheeks. Inwardly thanking the mighty Powers That Be, whatever form they or it took, she embraced life once more.

Anamaria breathed again.

TBC. . .(one more chapter). . .