A PIRATES TREASURE

Disclaimer:- POTC belongs to the Disney Corporation along with it's characters. I have no claim to any of their work and make no money out of my stories. I have introduced some characters that belong to me to fit with the story.

JEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJE

A Pirates Treasure

Chapter 11

Mr Gibbs was at the helm of The Black Pearl. As First Mate of the ship he was second in command, in charge of the day to day running of the busy pirate vessel and in total command when Jack wasn't about or available. Jack, he mused, was currently 'unavailable', having commenced drinking a couple of hours out to sea and now, three days later, was last spied spark out on his bunk, clutching his pillow in his arms and muttering about peeping toms and herding pigs! Mr Gibbs shook his head, no longer perplexed by anything Jack did, or didn't do. He had a heading and he would follow it until he heard from Jack, hopefully before they beached in Africa.

He was suddenly aware of the ship's cook, Cuthbert, weaving in and out of the busy crew on deck, heading straight for the helm. He looked agitated and Gibbs quickly handed the helm to Cotton and made to intercept him.

"We g't trouble, Sir. Yer needed in't hold immediately. Got ourselv's a stow'way we 'ave, Sir!" Cuthbert, Gibbs knew, was not the type of man to let his imagination run riot, a steady, dependable sort, although he had only been a crew member for a few months, he fed the men well in a difficult setting and Gibbs respected him for both attributes. He was surprised tho, that the man was so worked up. They had come across stowaways on board before, and, once they had been discovered, Jack usually gave them two options, work or swim. All to date had chosen to work, some had even joined the crew and still sailed, it really wasn't a discovery to get so upset about.

"Lead on, Bert. We'll see if this one'll b' as feeble as t'rest were when first they joined our merry band!"

Cuthbert looked, if anything, even more flustered. "Sir, ye don't understand…tis not another crew member I b' findin'…" he leaned closer to Gibbs, his voice a whisper, "Tis a woman in't hold. Sick too if I not b' seein' things!"

Mr Gibbs was startled and looked quite taken aback. "A woman?" he all but shouted, before looking about him to check he had not been overheard. He lowered his voice, "Tis bad luck t' have a woman on board. Dear God…how did she manage t' get here?" His mind quickly swung back to practicalities. "Sick, ye say? How sick?"

Cuthbert shrugged his shoulders. "Speak up man!" Gibbs rapped. "An' b' quick about it!"

The poor cook looked as if he wished he had never gone down to the hold for supplies, had never discovered the wench in the rat infested bowels of the ship. "Jus' sick, Sir. I didn't wait, jus' came straight t' find ye."

Gibbs moved quickly towards the stairway. "Well, don't jus' stand there! Come on, man! Come on!"

Together, Mr Gibbs and the cook rushed to where the unknown woman lay. As Gibbs lifted his lantern to illuminate the area, his face fell and his eyes widened in shock. She lay wedged against the bulkhead, between two barrels of water; her head flopped onto one shoulder, cheeks flushed against the deathly white pallor of her skin. Her body was slicked with sweat, the arms of the shirt she wore ripped and dirty revealing festering bites beneath the ragged cotton.

"Oh! Where there b' sea there b' pirates!!" breathed Gibbs. "Tis Miss Elizabeth! Quick! We need t' get 'er t' Jack! Move man!"

Gibbs quickly lifted Elizabeth over his shoulder and hastened up the stairwell. Ignoring the astonished stares of the crew, he walked quickly through them to Jacks cabin, where he flung open the door and made his way to the bunk where Jack was lying.

"Jack! Jack! Wake up! Move, man! Miss Elizabeth's sick!"

Jack's nose twitched. "Now!" bellowed Gibbs. Jack was suddenly aware of flying through the air, before being deposited on his backside on the hard boards of his cabin.

"What in God's name…?" he slurred.

Jack sat on the cold floor and narrowed his eyes to bring Mr Gibbs into focus. He seemed to be bending forward and making his bed for him!

"Mr Gibbs!" he said drunkenly. "There be no need fer ye t' b' actin' as me chambermaid! Kindly get out o' me cabin!"

"Fer God's sake, Jack!" shouted Gibbs, straightening up from the bed, "Tis Miss Elizabeth! We found 'er in't hold! She's sick, Jack! Very sick!" Gibbs turned on his heel and disappeared out of the door.

Jack took a moment, fighting the onslaught of his words, until with a sudden clarity they lodged in his brain. He walked on his knees towards the bed and slowly peered over the side of it. He could see a form on the bed, but couldn't manage to see who it was. He staggered to his feet and his legs chased his body around the cabin, each part fighting the other for supremacy. Finally, they merged together and became whole, allowing Jack to walk back to examine the figure on the bed.

He reached out a hand and poked it. It was real! He leaned in closer and stared at the face. Elizabeth! It was Lizzie!

"Move, Jack! Get out o' t' way!"

Gibbs was holding a basin of hot water and a chunk of salt. "By all that's holy, Jack, do somethin' useful an' undress 'er. She's b'n badly bitten by t' rats an t' wounds need cleanin'. If she's not tended to she'll die! Jack! Are ye listenin'?"

Jack slowly started to remove Elizabeth's shirt. As more of her was revealed, he was shocked into sobriety by the masses of festering bites that crisscrossed her body. It seemed that as she lay in the hold, the rats had taken the opportunity of a feast. Jack felt his stomach turn at the thought.

"Get rum, Mr Gibbs" he thundered. "Now!"

"Yer had enough Jack! Tis Miss Elizabeth that needs tendin' to!" Gibbs countered in disgust.

"Not fer me! Fer her!" Jack replied, hurt that his friend would think otherwise. "We need alcohol t' clean the wounds! Savvy?"

Gibbs hesitated, confused and surprised by Jack's clear thinking, then left to do as he was bidden.

"Oh dear God! Lizzie! What 'ave ye done?" Jack breathed, worried beyond belief at the sight that met his eyes. Slowly, with infinite care, he eased her tattered clothes from her body, revealing as he did so yet more bites covering her arms, legs and torso. Gently, he pulled the thin coverlet up to preserve her modesty in front of the older man. He reached to the table and picked up a pitcher of water, poured a small amount into a glass, tenderly cradled her head and drizzled some of the life giving liquid between her dry, cracked lips.

Murmuring endearments to her, he held her to him, kissing her closed eyes, her lips, her forehead. "Please, Lizzie, luv. Don't leave me! I'll never leave ye again, darlin'! Get well, sweetheart. I can't go on without ye!"

As Mr Gibbs re-entered the cabin, his good friend and Captain was imploring her not to leave him with tears flowing unchecked down his cheeks.

JEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJE

Well…not quite the reaction Elizabeth thought she'd get, but, hey, who's complaining? I wouldn't!

Now PLEASE review! It doesn't take long! Honest!

Thanks to everyone who HAS taken the time to review so far. You are all superstars and I owe you a huge debt of gratitude. Thanx! ;-)