The Aftermath

It stirred something deep inside Esmeralda when she awoke early the next morning to Jack sleeping soundly at her side. He looked peaceful, and for a moment, she thought he might be dead, but the sight of his rising chest quelled her worries. Esmeralda leaned down to kiss his cheek then she rose from the bed to find get some food and James along the way.

James was in the galley drinking some grog when Esmeralda walked in. He spied her over his mug rim and set it down to say, "'Ello Emesto. 'Ow's the Cap' n?"

"He's still sleeping," Esmerlada replied.

"That's good. 'E needs 'is rest. I've got some more salve ye can spread on 'is wound," James told her. He indicated to the jar in his hand that he was in the process of handing to her.

"Thanks James," Esmeralda bowed slightly and retrieved the jar of what looked like green paste.

"Put some on ev'ry couple hours or so. Should 'elp with scarring and infection," James explained.

Esmeralda nodded and exited the room. The horrible smell of the salve invaded her nostrils as she carried the jar to the captain's cabin. She toed the door open gently when she reached Jack's room. After setting the bowl on a cabinet, Esmeralda then went to open the porthole for some fresh air to take the invading smell of the salve away. There was quite a breeze, but once again, it was a dismal day.

Esmeralda sat on the bed at Jack's side with her legs crossed and lowered the sheet to his waist. Removing the bandage from his chest, Esmeralda discovered his wound had become an angry red splotch and seemed to have grown larger.

Concerned, she stirred the salve with her fingers and then plopped a lump of the stinky stuff on Jack's chest. He bolted upright with a surprised yelp, then slowly sank back onto the pillows in pain. "Are you trying to kill me love?" he murmured, a wince passing over his face as Esmeralda gently rubbed the salve in.

"Nay Captain. You've done well enough on your own," Esmeralda said gently and smiled, glad that he was awake. She continued to spread the foul ointment.

"That stings," Jack hissed even though the internal throbbing resulting from his injury hurt much worse.

"Quit being such a child," Esmeralda teased.

"Humph. This is coming from the lass who nearly died from scrubbing a deck. I didn't see you leaping into the abyss late at night, fighting off sharks and dodging lightning," Jack answered stubbornly.

"You forget. I'm not Captain Jack Sparrow," she grinned at him. Esmeralda finished with the salve then rapped one of the semi-fresh bandages James must have left behind around his injured flesh.

"What a horrible smell. I hope James isn't trying to kill me," Jack pondered.

"I assure you he's not. I watched him work on you last night," Esmeralda guaranteed him. "All of your men were here holding you down. Gibbs held a piece of leather in your mouth. Joel branded you to stop the bleeding after the doctor pulled the wood loose," Esmeralda forced a smile through silent tears, trailing down her face, at the thought of everyone working together to save their captain.

"Don't cry," Jack murmured raising his hand to thumb away a tear. He groaned quietly with the effort.

"I'm not," she said with a sniffle. "You should be very proud of your crew. They're good men."

"Yes, they are." This, for some reason, caused more tears to roll down Esmeralda's cheeks. Her shoulders shook.

"Come 'ere love," Jack coaxed her into lying across the part of his stomach not covered by a bandage. He placed a hand on her head, and she turned her face to kiss the flesh near his navel.

"I'm so glad you're alive," Esmeralda whispered against his smooth skin.

"Me too, love. How'd Stench make out?"

"He's fine as far as I know." Esmeralda wiped her face on her sleeve and leaned on her arm on his stomach, so she could look at him while they spoke. "I have yet to go see him. What happened out there Jack?"

"I don't remember everything. Stench was floating on a piece of debris that had washed overboard when I found him. He was fine but much too tired to swim back to the ship. I wrapped the rope about him and grabbed onto him. Then I gave the rope a mighty tug to indicate the crew should pull us in. We were nearly back when a wave pushed me away from Stench into a ragged edge of the debris he was floating on. I began passing in and out of consciousness. I remember vaguely coughing up water on the deck as well as getting branded. The rest is a haze," he finished the story with a sigh. "I woke up to pain and a horrible stench, but this beautiful women dressed as a boy before me makes it all worth my while," Jack whispered with a grin. "Perhaps that beautiful woman dressed as a boy might have a kiss for the wounded?" he suggested.

Esmeralda did not answer as she reached up and kissed Jack softly on the lips. She did not linger there. Instead, she rose from the bed, feeling Jack's eyes on her as she moved to the cabinet. Her untouched food from the night before was there. Esmeralda retrieved it and brought it to the bed. She also poured Jack a glass of water then sat once again at his side. Esmeralda helped him drink from the mug, and he did so gratefully. Jack could still taste the saltwater he had choked on the night before. Esmeralda replaced the mug on the night table once Jack had drained it of its contents.

"Are you hungry?" she wondered.

"Yes, but I don't think food will satisfy me," Jack's voice sounded raw as he said this.

"It will have to do for now," Esmeralda replied, fascinated with the lustful look in Jack's eyes. She broke off some bread and pressed it to his lips waiting for him to open it and except the food.

"You are truly evil. How can you deny an injured man?" Jack mumbled through a mouth full of bread after taking the bight she offered.

"Because he's injured. Didn't your mother ever teach you not to speak with your mouthful?" Esmeralda sounded irritated and Jack was sure she was just as frustrated as he was.

"No," he answered with a grin after she shoved more bread in his mouth.

Once Jack had finished eating and drifted back to sleep, Esmeralda went to take a stretch on the deck. Once again, clouds blocked the sky from view. The men were all looking glum as she made her way to the lookout. A couple of the crewmembers asked about Jack, and Esmeralda told them he was doing well.

"Stench!" Esmeralda yelled to the man on the lookout.

"Emesto? Hold on, I be right down," Stench replied.

Esmeralda noticed how slowly Stench made his way to where she stood. He steered her over to a private corner. "How be the captain lass?"

"He'll be fine I think. He's in pain, but he looks good," she answered. "How are you Stephen?"

"I'll be fine lass. That Jack Sparrow, he be a great man coming out there to rescue me. I wasn't sure I was going to make it. I got a bad feeling about this hunt for Eva. I'm hopin' I'll be feeling better once we reach Port Royal later on this evening. It'll be good to be on land if only fer a day or two." Stench decided.

Esmeralda had forgotten they would be stopping, hopefully before the nonexistent sun went down. She would be meeting Jack's friends Will and Elizabeth.

"I'm sure Port Royal will cheer everyone up," Esmeralda muttered more to herself than to Stench, thinking of the possibility of a hot bath.

Stench nodded. "Well lassie. I must get back to work now. You keep yerself safe."

"I will Stephen. You do the same," Esmeralda advised.

Stephen winked at her and climbed back up to his post. Esmeralda went back to the cabin to see how her captain was fairing.