A/N: Okay, she may get a little Marysueish in this chapter for some of you. But it is only for a while.

Disclaimer: I better stick in a disclaimer again. I only lay claim to what I claimed in the first chapter. Disney owns the rest.

Different Styles of Persuasion

Chapter 11

Barbossa looked at the other men in the cabin as Tia walked into the room. They just stood there looking back at him. So he yelled, "Get yer scurvy hides back ta work ya sea dogs!"

Gibbs ran into Will and then Jack in his haste to leave the cabin, hoping that Barbossa would forget for the time being that he'd given Niece the knife. Will gave Gibbs an amused look, walked over to Lydia and asked, "Would you like to go out on deck or stay here with your friend?"

"I will stay, Tia may need my help. Since we went to that place we didn't want to go to at the faire just now," Lydia said as Will brought his hand to her lips and kissed it before he took his leave.

Jack looked questioningly at Elizabeth, "I will stay also." Elizabeth answered his unasked question. Jack followed the other two men out of the cabin.

"Don't talk as if I can't hear everything you are saying," Niece looked around the room, pinning each one of them with her glare. Then she turned it on Barbossa. "You should go with the others."

"I think not Missy. This be my cabin ye be usin'. Fer yer information, ya will stay here until ya are better. So get inclined ta seeing me here," Barbossa sat back folding his hands across his chest grinning at her.

"That is not proper, nor warranted Captain Barbossa," Niece insisted haughtily. "You stated earlier that I would not be allowed to stay here. Unless I made it known that you are my protector. I am still disinclined to accept your protection."

"Suit yer self Missy. I be not leaving and ye are staying. That be my final word on the matter," Barbossa leaned forward his blue eyes and expression intimidating her.

Tia had brought with her some jars and pouches of things. She muttered unintelligibly as she arranged them on the table. As she reached for Niece's shirt, Niece scooted to the next chair over. Barbossa deciding to stop that action sat in the next chair behind Niece. Tia reached for Niece's shirt again. Niece did the same thing putting her hands on the table and scooting over to the next chair. She got a puzzled look on her face when the chair was hard muscled legs and not a chair seat under her.

She jumped up and swung around. "Bloody Pirate, you should have made your presence known in that chair."

Barbossa laughed, "It was more exciting this way." He pointed to the chair she had just vacated. "Sit in it by yer self or be put in it. And let Tia tend ta ya, or I will tend ta ya myself."

Niece sat muttering about bloody pirates, scoundrels, and womanizing men. Tia pulled Niece's shirt back. Then said to Barbossa, "Do you have something do cover her wit'? Her shirt mus' come off for me do work."

Barbossa smiled lecherously but got up and got a blanket from the bed and handed it to Tia. Niece glared at him until he sighed and turned his back. She took off the shirt and put it on the table. Tia dropped the blanket around her shoulders. Niece brought up her right hand to hold it in place and Elizabeth gasped audibly as Tia took her hand and stared at the tattoo of Pegasus.

Lydia started to speak, "What is the problem with her ta…..," Lydia stopped as Elizabeth and Tia both put a hand up to silence her.

Barbossa turned to look at Lydia. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as Tia covered up Niece's tattoo. He continued to glance suspiciously from one to the other. So Lydia finished, "With her tan? We are in the Caribbean."

Barbossa's eyes narrowed even more. He took Niece's face between his thumb and fingers turning it this way and that. He dropped his hand, but looked as if he didn't believe a word Lydia said. Tia motioned for him to turn around which he reluctantly did.

Tia quickly took a strip of cloth and wound it around the tattoo. Elizabeth took off her guard for her sword hand and gave it to Niece. She indicated for her to put it on her hand and wrist. Tia pointed to the tattoo and then shook her head wiggling a finger negatively at Barbossa. Niece got the message that Barbossa was not to see the tattoo.

All of them except Tia jumped when Barbossa barked, "Hurry it up, it is too long ye be takin'."

"Dis things take time Captain," Tia explained, her voice softly soothed him. Barbossa started to pace as the monkey jumped on his shoulder from a perch.

Niece stopped Tia from putting a pungent smelling concoction on the wound. The blanket fell away as she used both hands to intercept Tia's hands from touching her. "What is that? Do you know what you are doing?"

Barbossa swung around his eyes going to Niece's bare chest. Niece picked up a plate and threw it at him. He dodged it easily, but his eyes went to her right wrist. "Keep her eyes to yourself Barbossa!"

"Now why would I be doin' that with such a sight afore me, hmmm," Then he changed the subject so quickly Niece shook her head in confusion. "When did you put on that guard?" Barbossa pointed to the item in question.

But she didn't miss a beat as she replied offhandedly, "I have had it since we changed clothes."

"I not be noticin' it afore now." He continued looking at her suspiciously. She looked at him like he was crazy for effect.

Still quick with and answer, "My shirt. It was under the cuff of my shirt."

He stared at the guard for a moment longer before he shrugged his shoulders dismissing it. Niece read his mind as she thought, 'He still thinks I am trying to hide something. I am going to have to watch that. I am also going to have to find out what Pegasus has to do with all this.'

His eyes lit up as they shifted back to her chest. All he did after that was smirk not removing his eyes from her chest. His eyebrows went up and he gave a compliment to her attributes by kissing his fingers in the sign of merit when she glared at him.

Lydia muttered, "Here we go again." As Niece picked up a fork off the table and threw it at him. He laughed continuing to annoy her until she threw several more things at him that he just as easily side stepped.

"Do you want do get out of dis cabin?" Tia captured Niece's hands to stop her.

"Yes, I guess he has already gotten an eyeful and it's too late now. Stare all you want you bloody, womanizing, pirate," Niece frowned and sighed. Barbossa raised his eyebrows and smiled in victory. Watching what Tia was doing to the wound as he slowed his pacing.

"Den let me do dis an' you will get out soon," Tia gently rubbed the stuff on the wound. 'Hmmm, maybe Tia does know what she is doing, it acts a bit like peroxide. It does sting a bit and bubbles. ' Niece thought.

"Only as soon as the fever goes away," Barbossa informed them. Niece said nothing but she was obviously pouting.

Tia waited a bit and then wiped it off. When she removed it, it brought some wicked green looking infection with it. Barbossa took the cloth from Tia to look at it and then leaned over Niece. Tia asked Lydia to bring her some water and she poured some into a mug and then mixed some powder with it.

"Haven't you had a close enough look? Do something useful and give me that blanket back," Niece said snottily.

"No I haven't, but I am looking at the wound and nothing else at the moment. Here be yer blanket," Barbossa picked up the blanket. She snatched it from his hands and covered herself with it. His face was serious as he touched around the wound. He poked and pinched it to see if any more infection was going to come out. Niece grit her teeth not giving into the sharp pain it caused her.

"I truly be sorry ta cause ya pain Niece. I want ta make sure all the infection is out. Ye see I not wantin' ta have yer shrewish presence in my cabin, any more than ya want ta have my womanizing pirate presence here," Barbossa smiled gently. Niece was taken back by the concern and sincerity of his voice. Because he'd called her by her given name, it told her he was being truthful.

"You not trust Tia's powers Captain?" Tia gave Barbossa a sideways glance.

"I trust ya dear Tia," Barbossa grinned at her.

Tia took the powder and water mixture and spread it on the wound. "Dis we leave on 'til it hardens. Den I remove it and any festering dat has been left behind." Tia was talking to Barbossa but explaining to Niece at the same time. "Now I mix some thing for her do drink do put her do sleep. Sleep will heal."

"I don't want to go to sleep. Things can happen if I go to sleep," Niece tilted her head back so she could pin Barbossa with her ice blue glare.

"No worries, Niece," he stressed her name. "I will leave and let Tia finish. When she leaves I will lock the door so ya are not bothered." He was true to his word when he walked to the door. "Jack, ya stay behind an' watch that the lady is not disturbed." He told the monkey. He waited until Niece looked at him before he continued. "If she is ya come an' get me." He ruffled the money's fur and then left.

"Dis will make you sleep, but not so much dat you will not waken should you need do. If you do den you will not be sleepy. Do as I tell you and you will be rid of da Captain before we reach Tortuga."

Niece did as she was told, but the fever had taken more of a hold than Tia had thought. Niece was in and out of delirium for days and missed going into Tortuga. They had signed on a few more crewmembers to replace some of the crew that had been lost in the fight. The women took turns watching and caring for Niece. Even tough unemotional Barbossa, kind Gibbs and gentle Marty had taken turns at watching over her. Barbossa was gruffer than normal with the crew and short tempered. They were glad when he was in his cabin with the wench.

Niece woke a few times. It was mostly Marty by her side when she woke. They talked a little, and found that they had more in common than they'd thought. Niece had lost a son who was a little person. Twice when she opened her eyes it was Barbossa that sat in a chair next to her bed. She saw the concern in his eyes. When her eyes opened she heard him say through her foggy fever filled mind. "Come on girl, you have to fight this." He smiled gently and took a cool cloth to her face, chest and arms.

One time all of those that had been at the faire were in the cabin talking. They talked in low un-staged voices this time. Pintel and Ragetti stood by the door. Niece heard them discuss that they had to pull her out of this. That she could die. They were afraid it would be irreversible if she did. They were not sure but things had been irreversible before when they were here.

Niece spoke weakly, "I will be alright, just don't take me to a doctor. Doctor's here bleed a person. They think it gets the infection out when it only makes the person weaker." Her weak voice trailed off and she motioned for Barbossa making a motion for something to write with and on.

Lydia was crying and both Jack and Gibbs were comforting her. When Barbossa brought the writing implements she said, "Lyd, I need you now. You work with medicine back home. Think Lyd. What do you need to break this fever? Write it down, I know the others will go to any extreme to get what you need."

"Is there anything else that you want us to do Niece," Barbossa asked as he sat next to her on the bed.

"Lyd, knows better than I do. She works in the medical field. Thank you Captain, for everything you have done for me. I will repay you when I am back up and about," Niece's eyes closed as she fell back to sleep.