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The Joy of the Hunt

By: Dragon Demon

Rating: PG-13 for violence, brief language and sensuality.

Summary: Set in motion after Jack's escape from Port Royal, the crew of the Black Pearl pay a visit to Tortuga where Jack repossess a valuable trinket he left behind. In doing so, he has unleashed a chain of events that will lead him on a wild goose chase for treasure, love and survival.

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"I've come for me treasure."

The sentence was clear, plain and demanding. Jack stood rigidly, his eyes never leaving the old man.

The old man fidgeted in his chair. "Treasure? W- what… treasure?"

Anamaria looked on in earnest contempt. This ought to be good, she thought inwardly to herself as Jack pressed the matter of his missing treasure.

"Ye know what treasure I'm talkin' about, dun play dumb wit' me now."

As if on cue, a glint returned to the man's eyes as his face lit up. "Oh. Y-ye mean th-that treasure?"

"Aye, that treasure." Jack assured.

The old man changed his position in his chair. "Well, ye see… after so long, Jack, I didn't think ye was comin' back. There be rumors that ye had gotten yeself killed. I waited only so long, then I finally… that is, I mean-"

"Spit it out ye old fool!" Jack all but bellowed.

Cowering the old man said, "I-I sold it Jack. I had no idea ye was comin' back fer it, I swear."

Jack dropped his gaze. "Ye sold me treasure?"

"Jack, I'm terribly sorry, but I-" he was cut off at Jack's insistence.

Jack paced the floor. "Who did ye sell it to?"

The old man thought long and hard before answering, "It's in Port Antonio, Jack. The Gov'nor was in port for some days for supplies. 'e bought it then, he did. Paid a big sum o' money for it to."

Jack looked perplexed as he rubbed his chin. "Port Antonio, eh? As in Dragon Bay?"

The old man nodded quickly. "Aye, that be t' one."

"And the Governor… what be his name?" Jack asked somberly.

Pausing to think, the old man stuttered, "Ga-Garrison."

Jack smiled as a glint of familiarity passed over his features. Anamaria titled her head as the roguish captain rubbed his chin and said, "That's interesting."

"Jack, what are ye planning to do?" the once quiet woman spoke up as she moved from her spot in a nearby corner.

"We, love, are going to Port Antonio and get me treasure back," he replied cheerfully.

Jack quickly headed for the door. "For wha' it's worth, Jack, I'm terribly sorry fer selling ye're family heirloom," the old man offered as he waddled behind the two pirates.

"Yeah, well not as sorry as I am for havin' left it with ye." Jack growled in response as he slammed the door to the old shack behind him.

---

It had been hours since Jack and Anamaria had returned to the ship. Guessing from the location of where the sun was when they returned- to its position now, Anamaria figured it had been at least 3 hours since their return. Upon returning, Jack had gone straight to his cabin without a word or orders for his crew.

When questioned by Gibbs of the captain's strange behavior, Anamaria promptly replied, "None of ye business ye scoundrel," and deftly walked away to her own cabin below deck.

It wasn't long before she emerged from below to find the crew bustling with activity. From the looks, she held her nose in mid-thought, and the smell, I'd say they are drunk.

Sure enough, as she rounded a crate to the forecastle, she saw most of the men passed out on the deck while others still drank. A select few had even banded together and were singing, their voices screeching and morbidly off key. Anamaria cringed as one man hit a high note in soprano, his other mates laughing and nodding.

Looking towards the helm she saw a lone figure leaning against the railing staring down at the over-drunk crew. Sighing, she headed for the person.

The sight that greeted her made a twinge of guilt pass through briefly. Very briefly. Putting a fake grin on her face she stepped forward announcing, "Ye know, ye can keep staring at that bottle an' it's never gonna fill back up."

She was prepared to say more when the captain, who was desolately starring at an empty rum bottle, turned to her and quipped "Ye know love, ye are quite the bright one."

Anamaria frowned at his comment and changed the subject. "Jack, I know you're mad about what happened with that old man, but sitting here feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to help ye get your family heirloom back."

Jack's head swiveled around as he glared at her. "Don't you think I know this?" he asked with a slight edge of anger on his voice as he picked up the empty rum bottle and tossed it out into the water.

"Jack."

Finally the flare in the man's eyes died down as he said to no one in particular, "I need a drink," and made his way past Anamaria, his drunken crew and back into Tortuga.

---

The moon was high above when a figure came swaggering down the docks towards the Black Pearl. As the person stumbled over the side of the boat, he heard laughing, swearing and singing. Righting himself, he heard a loud shout of, "What about the captain?" An equally loud feminine voice rose over the swell of masculine voices saying, "He's a filthy two-timing pirate. What would he know about love?"

"Aye, that he is, Anamaria, but still, surely the Captain knows a thing or two about love, after all, he does know how to keep the ladies happy." A drunken Gibbs came to the captain's defense.

There was a snort and a sharp retort, "I wouldn't count on it, Mr. Gibbs. Jack wouldn't know love iffen' it came up an' bit him on the as-" A loud crash made her stop as a shadowed figure stumbled over the side of the boat.

Anamaria jumped up from her spot on a crate in the middle of the guys and made her way to him, "Jack, where've ye been?"

Jack blinked and studied her. "Consorting with the ladies at the tavern. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe I have to set sail for Port Antonio," he all but answered happily as he made his way to the helm.

"Port Antonio?" Gibbs asked the woman standing there with a confused look upon her face. "Why-" he never finished his sentence as she turned around and ordered, "Ok, ye heard him, let's get moving. Well don't jus' stand there, move your sorry tails and get goin'."

The crew, what had not passed out on the deck, quickly dispersed and soon the Black Pearl was gliding over the moonlit waters, it's destination weighing heavily on every one's mind.

---

"Jack?" The voice was soft yet firm.

The eccentric captain never lifted his head in acknowledgement as a lithe figure stepped up beside him. Jack leaned heavily against a railing, his gaze locked on the dark horizon.

The shadowed figure leaned against the railing as well, their eyes on the silent man. Jack turned without a word and placed his back to the person. There was a hollow sigh and then, "Jack? Jack why won't ye talk to me?"

The man then tilted his head slightly and shot a small glare at the person.

"Fine, if ye won't say anythin' to me, then fine. It's not like I care anyway."

The person stepped away from the railing and turned to go when Jack spoke up, "Sorry love, it's just… me back hurts a bit. It feels like someone is shovin' a bloody knife in it."

"What?"

"Ye heard me." Jack retorted. "Back-stabbin' I believe it feels like."

The person whirled around quickly and stared at Jack. A shocked look passed over the features as they whispered, "Back-stab- oh god! Jack ye heard us didn't you?"

Jack smirked. "Did more than just hear, Anamaria." he spat out.

Anamaria hung her head as she once again leaned against the railing beside her captain. "Jack, I didn't mean any of those things I said. I was- I had too much to drink Jack. I got carried away and I'm sorry. I honestly, don't know what came over me."

Jack looked at her and for a second his frown had vanished and he knew she was sincere in her words. The words floated back to him, He's a filthy two-timing pirate. What would he know about love? Again the frown grew on his face as he turned away from the woman.

Finally he spoke. "Well sorry or not, what's been done can't be taken back. Ye don't know a thing about me, love, and therefore, have no right in sayin' I'm a cheat and that I don't know how to love. In fact of sayin' so, I think it's ye who doesn't know what love is. Always arrogant, self-centered, and never lettin' a man get close to ye.' He turned to her then and said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you was afraid to be loved, probably cause ye don't know how to love back."

It was Anamaria's turn to be angry as the fire flashed in her eyes. "And tellin' every wench ye come across ye love them, feeding them lies, makes you capable of loving? Ye use them, and then when you are done with them, ye drop them faster than you can drink. If that's you're version of love, then I'd hate to see the woman who truly falls for ye in the end."

Jack spun on his heels and looked at her. "Now that was a might below the belt love. And a painful blow it was too." He said sarcastically.

The woman's head snapped up then as she pointed a thin finger in Jack's face. "Pain?" she asked loudly not caring who heard her. "Let me tell ye about pain, Jack Sparrow. Pain is the result of losing something you care for so badly.' She paused and glared at him before screaming, "Pain is the result of losing the one you love. You have no idea what pain is!" Taking a deep breath she continued with a shaky voice, "Pain was… a young man whom loved life, loved adventure, loved… me. He was so eager to discover the world and with me by his side. We were madly in love, Jack. He held so much anticipation for his.. no our future. He was going to be great in whatever he did. And I- I was going to be there, right by his side, sharing his newfound love for life with him. It was all we ever wanted. Each other and a life together. It was all we… needed." She stopped, tears threatening to rush from her eyes.

She dragged a hand over her face; the sleeve soaking up any tears that had already been shed. She roughly pulled a chain from around her neck and held it up in show to where Jack could see it clearly. Looking at him she saw that all his anger was gone and where mere hatred once rested on his features was now a sad smile and a wistful expression.

Turning her attention back to the chain she gestured at a tiny silver band looped around the necklace. "We.. were to be married. We both were excited and being so young and in love, nothin' else mattered to us. Nothin' at all."

Jack, unable to hide his sadness, turned from her. Anamaria looked dejected at his action, but said nothing. A long silence hovered above them before Jack broke it. "Did I know him?"

"No."

"So why didn't ye two get hitched like ye had planned? Ye said you both were madly in love, what happened?"

Anamaria closed her eyes as the memories flooded back to her. "He died," she whispered. "Died protecting our families, our home. Died protecting… me. It was during the winter, a week before we were to be wed. It was that week that pirates invaded our home, Port Maria, and slaughtered everyone, burned everythin' to the ground and stole what they could. It was that week that my world was turned upside down. I lost a family and a lover all in one night. I… I didn't know what to do or where to go. That was until I landed myself in Tortuga." Here she stopped as she thought for her next words. "Then I met you… and that's when my bad had gone to worse.'

She heard Jack give a soft chuckle at this and she saw him nod out of the corner of her eye. "So, ye aren't from Tortuga?" he asked surprised.

Anamaria shook her head and offered a forced smile. "No."

Jack straightened himself out and turned towards her, looking at her fully for the first time that night. "I had no idea you had gone through that, love, and I'm sorry."

"No, Jack. I'm sorry. Sorry for having held that in for so long. Sorry for having been a bitter old bag. Sorry for havin' run you in the dirt, even though, half the time I think that's exactly where ye belong. I might not always sound sincere, but I am sorry."

"And ye should be." Jack almost laughed out as he responded. "Look love, no offense, but ye can be the meanest creature on legs at times, and when ye get like that, I'm downright afraid to be around ye. Afraid you'll gouge my eyes out and feed 'em to Cotton's bird."

Anamaria chuckled. "Is that so?"

"Aye."

A glint in the moonlight caught Jack's attention as he felt the press of cold metal upon his chin. "Why be afraid of me, Jack Sparrow. After all, I am just a woman." She emphasized the last words to get her point across.

Jack grinned as he drew his own sword from his side. "Do ye think it's wise crossing blades with a pirate, love?"

"And do ye think it's wise crossing words with a woman?" Anamaria scoffed.

Jack's face scrunched up in thought before he replied, "Aye. I guess there be only one way to find out." He gave her a wide toothed grin and added, "Ladies first."

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Author's Corner: Heh, well… I'm not very impressed with this chapter. It didn't go where I wanted it to, but it'll have to do for now. I might get back later after I have had time to think this part over and revise it. So keep a sharp eye on it.

This chapter may seem even, uncharacteristically not having anything to do with the story, but hey, it's a starting point for something beautiful. Geez, even the best novels have their slow points. Aye?

Ok… ok… I'm starting on the next chapter, just, keep your hats on. I hope that this chapter didn't scare anyone away, but believe me… this isn't as good as it's gonna get.

-Dragon Demon