DISCLAIMER:  I do NOT own Pirates of the Caribbean:  The Curse of the Black Pearl or any of the characters included in the package.  I do like to play with them and often end up giving them back worse for the wear.  (Especially Captain Jack Sparrow!)  ;

CLAIMER:  I do, however, own the plot of this story and all my OC therein.  Some stay around, some don't.  That's life, ne?

Part 7:  Tempest

            "Mr. Gibbs, will you kindly show our new guests t' their lodgings?  Chelsea and th' dogs can have Ana's cabin, savvy?"

            "Aye cap'n."  Gibbs led Dozell, Chelsea, Kona and Hunter below decks, while Jack faced a glare from Ana.

            "My cabin?  Jack, where'm I gonna sleep?!"

            "My cabin."

            "Jack!  I'm not sleepin' wit' you...we've been through this!"

            Jack held up a finger, demanding her full and undivided attention no matter how dangerous it may be.  "No worries, luv.  I'll be at th' helm; you'll have th' bed t' yerself."

            Ana's expression darkened further, but Jack ignored it.  "Oh no you don't Jack.  Ye'll not spend th' night at th' wheel again."

            Jack smiled innocently at her, but the determined set of his chin told her arguing was useless.

            She'd never been one to give up so easily.

            With an aggravated sigh, Ana grabbed Jack's arm in a vice grip and dragged him into the cabin.  She had been sure to get an advantageous grasp and her palm was placed over the stitches on his arm, making him give into her wishes.  Entering the cabin, she shoved him towards the bed, and then closed the door firmly behind them.

            "What're you thinkin'?" she demanded, planting her fists on her hips.

            "Tha' I need t' get me ship away from Port Royal as soon as possible."

            Ana knew by the stubborn set of his frame that arguing blindly would lead to nowhere.  She was silent as he stood and passed her on his way to the door, waiting for the opportune moment to speak.

            "Jack, please listen,"

           The troubled tone in her voice hit the softest part of his heart; he never could ignore her when she sounded so sincere.  With a gentle sigh, he allowed his shoulders to relax as he turned to face Ana with warm eyes, encouraging her to continue.

            "Jack, please…just let me take the helm fer the night.  You need your rest."

            "I got it, remember?  It was albeit a little forced-"

            "You need to eat as well.  Don't even try to argue that one, you haven't eaten all day and you need something to keep your blood strong."

            "Yer right luv, I have no argument t' tha' one," Jack said slowly, knowing this admission was treading on dangerous ground.  Give her an inch and she'll be all over you.

            "Please, rest while yer at it?"

            "That I will not.  Not while th' Pearl's in these waters."

            "Alright Jack, I'll git ye somethin' t' eat, but you'll eat it in here."

            As she left the cabin, Jack sat himself on the edge of the bed once more, mindlessly rubbing a calloused hand over the bandages on his upper arm.

            Crossing the main deck on her way from Jack's cabin, Ana's mind was on one thing:  Jack's health.  The man more often than not lived up to people's views of him, but not in the ways most people thought.  Most everyone who saw him on the street would pass him off as a daft drunk with nowhere to go in life save for the gallows.  But the Jack she had grown to know, and love, was the most stubborn being on the planet.  It was times like these when his pig-headed ways would get him in well over his head and she and the crew would have to dig him out.  More times than she could recall he had stared death and insanity squarely in the face, yet somehow he always walked away with, at most, a scar to show for it.

            Lost in her thoughts, she did not notice the ship's newest occupant even though she almost trampled him in her rush to get to the galley before Jack got it in his mind to leave his cabin.

            "Ana,"

            Ana stopped so suddenly that she almost tripped on her own foot as she spun to face the voice.  Her eyes widened in surprise when it was Will she saw standing near the gangplank awkwardly.

            "Why are ye here?"  Her voice and composure in general were suddenly ice-cold.

            "I was just…uh…did you find Jack?  Is he…okay?"

            Ana nodded shortly, her lip twitching in irritation.  "Aye, he's his old idiotic self."

            "Well, that's good to hear-"

            "Ye best git back t' yer family."

            "Ana, look, I feel really bad about having denied you my help earlier.  I spoke with Elizabeth and, well, we both think it'd be wise for me to see if I could be of service on the Pearl?"

            Ana sighed and as the breath left her lungs, so did all the anger drain from her.  "We'll see.  I've got t' get somethin', wait here and I'll take yah t' see Jack when I come back."

            Will nodded his understanding and leaned back against the rail to wait.  It didn't take Ana long to retrieve the food from the galley and she rejoined him on the deck not ten minutes later with a tray of food in hand.  She jerked her head in the direction of the captain's cabin, indicating to Will that he should follow.  The two crossed the deck and were momentarily standing before Jack's cabin door.

            "I'll go in first; he won't be expecting you," Ana muttered, opening the door and stepping in with the tray of food.

            What she found was definitely the last thing she expected.

            Jack lay sprawled on his right side, only halfway on the bed as if he had been sitting and slumped over as he dozed off.  He had removed his boots, probably to make himself a bit more comfortable, and his heavy overcoat rested on the foot of the bed.  His breathing was soft and regular and his face bore the innocent expression of a deep sleep.

            Ana set the tray down silently on the table and slipped out of the cabin to face Will.  "Find Gibbs an' he'll set ya up wit' a hammock below."

            "What about Jack?"

            "He's…busy.  We can talk t' him later."

            Reluctantly, Will paced across the deck and descended the stairs, disappearing from sight.  As Will left her sight, Cotton appeared; heading the opposite way of Will with his bird perched faithfully on his shoulder.  Ana nodded towards the helm, silently ordering the old salt to take it.  As Cotton ascended the quarterdeck stairs, Ana stepped back into the cabin and closed the door.  She had faith that Cotton could handle guiding the ship out of the deep bay, and allowed all her concern to rest with Jack.

            She crossed over to the bed noiselessly and settled herself watchfully near his head.  Being extremely careful not to wake him, she settled her hands around his arms and pulled him further onto the bed, consequently resting his head in the crook of her arm.

            Slits of hazy amber suddenly appeared, looking sleepily up at her with a perplexed expression, making her hesitate.  "'na?"

            "Shh, rest Jack," Ana whispered, lightly brushing back his wild raven hair.  To her amazement, Jack's eyes fell shut once more and his breathing smoothed again.

- - - - -

            A light brush of skin against skin and wisps of a muttered phrase broke into Ana's half-sleep, but did not drag her into full consciousness.  Had she been able to decipher it, she would have known that Jack was awake and heading for the helm, his food untouched despite their agreement.

            Jack swaggered out of his warm cabin, leaving Ana alone on the bed with a thin blanket pulled up to her shoulders.  A light drizzle was falling and by the look of the clouds a storm was fast approaching.  The wind had already begun to pick up.

            "Take in sail mates!  We've got a storm comin' an' we need tha' canvas!" Jack yelled, his voice carrying easily over the deck and sending men up into the rigging to carry out the order.  He turned and climbed to the quarterdeck to take the helm from Cotton.  As he gripped the spokes he realized how disappointed he was that Ana hadn't woken him and so he had been driven to also break his end of the bargain.  Each to his own.

           Thunder rolled through the dark clouds and strands of lightning jumped around in the sky.  Jack looked up at the sky, then down at the churning ocean beneath the Pearl's hull.  "Gents, git below!" he bellowed without lashing the wheel and disappearing into the safety of his cabin like he should have.

- - - - -

            Ana woke with a start as the ship bucked hard, sending her sprawling to the floor.  Untangling herself from the sheet she looked wildly to the window in time to see, and feel, a large wave slam into the Pearl's starboard side.  Glancing frantically about the cabin, her suspicions were confirmed:  Jack was gone.

            Staggering to her feet on the rapidly tilting deck, Ana grabbed Jack's slicker and pulled it on.  She flung the door open and half-stepped, half-fell into the torrential downpour.  She narrowed her eyes against the cold, needle-like rain and looked up to the quarterdeck.  Sure enough Jack was behind the wheel guiding his ship through the tempest with steady hands.  He had tied himself to the helm's base with a spare rope and didn't even flinch as the rain pelted his body.  The pirate captain was quite a sight, standing behind the helm of his beloved ship with legs braced.  His clothes were soaked through and as the ship bucked and pitched, transparent tendrils of water flew from his sodden clothes and poured from the grooves of his worn leather hat.

            Ana scrambled up the slick steps to the quarterdeck and kept a firm grip on the railing for support.  "Jack!"

            Jack blinked several times, drawn from his concentration by Ana's voice carrying over the wailing winds.  He frowned when he saw her fighting the pitch and roll of the ship with only one hand securing her to the rail while the other grasped the oiled coat around her slim form.

            "Jack, lash th' wheel an' git in!"

            "I have t' guide her Ana."  Jack's reply was quiet and barely audible over the gale.

            A giant wave slammed into the Pearl's larboard side, throwing Ana to the deck in a spray of dark water.  Jack was caught up in the strike too, but his strong grip on the helm and the rope at his waist kept him on his feet for the most part.

            "Ana, git back in!  I don' want t' lose you!"

            Despite her stubborn urge to stay and argue the point with Jack caution won out.  Reluctantly she crawled to her feet and disappeared into the safety of Jack's cabin.

[a/n:  Thanks to all who reviewed and I swear that once the muse gets over a minor road block, this story will pick up.  Thanks for putting up with me.  Please review!!]