11. Grimy Pit

I awoke from a sudden rustle. I sighed and shifted so I could feel comfortable again. Suddenly I was aware of a warm breath on my right ear. "Belle?" Will's voice, so soft and so close to me, sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. I quickly remembered what had happened and I realized that I fell asleep in Will's arms, which were still wrapped around my body, holding me close. If I had been fully awake, I would've blushed insanely.

"Hm?"

I could picture his mouth curving into a smile. "I think we should move you to your hammock."

My hammock. Just thinking the word brought a sad mental picture of me falling and a terrible ache in my bottom. I groaned just remembering it and shook my head. "I'll fall," I complained. My voice cracked from drowsiness. Will laughed, probably picturing my drop himself. I sat in silence and let him get his fill of amusement.

"I'll help you."

"How-" Before I could finish my sentence, Will's arms grabbed a hold of me, one grasping my back and the other under my knees. I gasped as I was suddenly jerked forward. Will carried me to my hammock; all the while I could feel his flexed muscles under my body. He set me gingerly in my new bed and, within two seconds, also had the blanket we shared wrapped around my body. I just stared at him, wide eyed and like a child tucked into bed. Will gave me a weak smile as his fingertip ran down the path my tears had just created on my cheek. I smiled back, savoring the feeling.

"Goodnight, Belle." With that said, he quickly turned and left.

My eyes were stinging with sleep. I closed them, giving them rest. I could still feel his fingers running along my cheek, even though he already left. I swayed in my hammock, feeling more comfortable than ever.

"Anna!" My eyes flew open at the sound of my name being screamed into my room. I looked and noticed it was very bright and sunny outside. I must've fallen asleep. "Wakey-wakey!" Jack's voice sang.

I giggled as I stretched my stiff body. "What time is it?" I asked, observing the sun out my window. I turned and looked at Jack then, who was standing in my doorway. He looked anxious.

"It's nearly afternoon, darlin', and time to set foot on Tortuga."

My body jolted and I sat up. "We're here?" I asked. Excitement poured over me. One more adventure and one step closer to my sister.

Jack's grin widened immensely. "Aye."

Very cautiously, I slipped both of my feet around and slid off the hammock. I was glad it'd been successful. I ran over to him. "I'm ready."

Jack raised an eyebrow as he looked me up and down. "Don't ya want to get ready first?"

My eyes followed Jack's at my appearance. I hadn't changed last night and even though my sides were slightly aching from my loose corset, I didn't mind. As for my hair, I had no pins to put it up, so it just jutted from my head in long, crazy dark waves. I shrugged, smiling at Jack. "Nope. I'm wearing clothes, aren't I?"

He laughed heartily, putting an arm around me and steering my body out of the room. "Ya know, you're a different type of lady."

I smiled. "So I've heard."

We met Will on the deck of the ship and made our way into Tortuga on a dingy. As the waves rocked the tiny boat, Jack sat perched next to me as he forced poor Will to painstakingly row us to shore. I watched amused. Jack's character was very unique indeed. Once we hit shore, we climbed out and made our way to the town. Jack led us through the streets, enthusiastic and making dramatic gestures. "It is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep this sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy?" He stopped a moment. "What do you think?"

Will and I looked around. Actually, I found it to be a marvelously dirty place. The men, who obviously hadn't seen a bath in a while, chased around the women, trying to get their grimy hands on their bodies as the women giggled and flounced around. Every being had a bottle containing a foul and strong alcohol. Mostly, I could only see perverts, booze, and dirt, but based on the gleam in Jack's eye, those are probably the reasons he is so fanatical about it.

"It'll linger," Will answered.

Will and I paced ourselves slower so Jack led the way quite far ahead of us. It was then that I murmured to Will, "This place looks like a grimy pit." He chuckled.

"Agreed." He looked at me with a serious thoughtfulness playing in his eyes. "Belle, I don't know if this is the safest place for you."

I almost laughed at his statement. "Will, I've helped commandeer a Naval ship with a pirate who was doomed to the gallows. I very much appreciate the concern, but it is impossible to protect me anymore."

"Yes, I know, but I still will do the best I can to keep you from corruption."

"That will be a dreadfully difficult task," I laughed.

"It still doesn't hurt to try," he pointed out with a smile.

Will and I followed Jack around town. We encountered many women with promiscuous appearances and two in particular who slapped Jack across the cheek. He would try to claim his innocence by telling us he didn't deserve the strike, but we knew better. Each time I tried to seal my roaring laughter, but it never fully worked. Jack was the most interesting and amusing person I'd ever met.

Jack, Will, and I were bent out to find a man named Mr. Gibbs. He was supposedly a great friend of Jack's and was to help us find a fine crew so we could properly sail and have a greater chance of finding Elizabeth. We stepped into a pig barn. Oddly enough, that is where we found him fast asleep, laying in the mud and dirt with the swine. My nostrils stung with the horrid stench.

Jack walked to Gibbs and poked him several times. He didn't budge. "The brute," Jack mumbled as he looked around for a plan. He walked toward a couple pails of water. After handing one to Will, Jack threw the cold water on Gibbs. The plan worked as Gibbs was instantly on his feet, cursing at the sudden and freezing wake up call.

"Curse you for breathing you slack-jawed idiot!" he screamed in the air. I giggled a bit at his words and drenched appearance. Mr. Gibbs opened his eyes fully for the first time and immediately smiled as his vision landed upon our captain. "Mother's love! Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. 'S bad luck."

Something struck me just then. Mr. Gibbs looked terribly familiar and his remark about bad luck pushed me to realize that I knew him. He had been on the ship with us when we picked up Will from the water. That is how we first met. Mr. Gibbs hadn't changed much despite the fact that it'd been so many years. His biggest trait, the extreme superstition, never left him.

Jack answered to Gibbs' comment. "Ah, fortunately I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys, the man who was sleeping, a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking." As Jack spoke in circles, Will looked at me confused. I could only shrug. I knew about as much as he did.

Gibbs thought for a second, but then smiled. "Aye, that'll about do it."

Without warning, Will throws the water from the bucket in his hands at Mr. Gibbs. I squealed with laughter, but tried to drown it by covering my mouth with my hands. Jack looked at me, obviously just as amused by both Will's action and my face. Now Gibbs was drenched and annoyed with the water. "Blast! I'm already awake!" he screamed.

"That was for the smell," Will explained. Both Jack and Gibbs shrugged, taking it as a liable excuse. I already knew that this was going to be a fascinating and interesting adventure.

A/N: Thanks so much again for the reviews and for all the people adding me to their alert and favorites lists. I appreciate the support so much!