Disclaimer: Don't own it, won't ever own, haven't got a notion to either!

Journey To The Past

By: J.L. Dexter
Rating: PG-13 for violence, language and sexual reference.
Summary: Jack's decided to take a break from raiding for a while, but the port he's docking in hold's more story than expected as Anamaria's past catches up with her and Jack. A letter from Port Royal arrives requesting Jack's presence and find out who is taking that long walk down the aisle.

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"Cap'n," a short, bald headed man meandered up to Jack, a hat in his hands. "Cap'n sir, the ships done dock'n, what be th' orders?"

Jack looked the man up and down before stating, "Shore leave, my good man. Go and have your fun, ye earned it. Return in three days time at sunrise, that's when we sail."

The crew cheered and most hurriedly traded the decks for the docks as they disappeared, each to their own destination. Jack turned back to the quarterdeck to see his first mate blankly staring at something on the horizon, her eyes void of emotion as her hands gripped the chain around her neck.

Hurry back to me, Ana. With a tip of his hat to the oblivious woman, Jack was soon gone himself over the side of the ship, his steps taking him in the direction of the closest tavern.

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Screaming. It was all she could hear; it was all that surrounded her. And it scared her. The putrid smell of blood and smoke mixing made her stomach unsettled as she dropped to her knees heaving.

Clapping a hand over her mouth, she made her way to the docks in hopes of finding another soul alive. Her throat was dry from inhaling the dense smoke of burning buildings. Her eyes stung and watered as she struggled to find her way through the streets of dead bodies.

Squeezing through the branches of a bush that stood in her way, she soon found herself in a clearing, the docks off in the distance. She took off in a run, the skirt of her dress swishing behind her as her toes kicked up the sand under her feet. Her disheveled hair hung in her eyes and she furiously swept it back behind her ear.

She suddenly halted her escape, her dark eyes skimming the docks. A large ship flying a black flag was docked with a few figures standing at the deck. Squinting she could make out a red flag underneath the black as she paled, her mind registering the meaning of the colors.

Several men stood on the blood stained shore, their backs to her as she crept backward to the safety of the bushes.

"Well, look wha we foun'," a voice startled her as a hand gripped her shoulder.

"Iffen it ain't a gurl- we's been look'n fer some company," another voice quipped from the shadows.

A hand reached for the bodice of her dress causing her to yell out and move. Her head violently snapped back as she was struck for her actions, a red welt slowly forming on her cheek.

"Wench," someone spat out as they grabbed her by the hair roughly and shoved her forward.

"Let go of me!"

She was pushed to her knees as a figure stepped forward bathing her and her captors in light. She gasped as she saw their faces, each one scarred in some way. Some missing teeth, an occasional missing eye here or there.

Her eyes widened in fright as a man moved forward to the head of the group. "A young girl?"

"We foun' 'er by the bushes at th' edge o' th' shore, cap'n."

"I see," the captain answered nonchalantly. He sized her up and grinned. "Do as you wish with her, then make sure she disappears. We can't leave evidence lying around, now can we?"

The pirates that surrounded her laughed in agreement as the captain vanished into the night. Someone yanked her to her feet and she swung out, striking the face of one of the pirates. There was a muttered curse as she found herself sprawled on the ground, a hand covering a side of her face.

A glint in the moonlight caught her attention and she jumped to her feet. Turning, she briefly saw the sword in the hand of the pirate she had struck and fear filled her as she watched in horror at his advance.

She spun around and fled but found that she wasn't fast enough as a searing pain took over her, the fire spreading across her back and to her arms and legs. With a cry, she toppled forward, the pain paralyzing her.

"'old 'er still."

Forcing herself to her knees she gasped when someone grabbed her by the neck, a hand roughly making its way across her body. She shuddered at the contact of the pirate's hand on her but was unable to get free.

A tear slid down her dirt-streaked face leaving a trail as she came face to face with a pirate who bore several scars and was missing many of his teeth. A line of blood marked his face from where she had struck him earlier and she saw the anger flashing in his eyes for the damage she had done.

"Yer gonna pay fer scratchin' me face, ye wench."

Sticking out her chin defiantly she protested, "I'm no wench!"

The pirate took a hand full of her hair and pulled her forward, his eyes leveling with hers. "Bold one, ain't ye. We'll see 'ow bold ye are when I'm through wit' ya."

He released her hair and with a quick move had her pinned to the ground, the gash in her back flaring with pain as the gritty sand ground into her flesh. She struggled as he forced himself on her, a hand ripping the bodice of her dress in the process.

She fought back the best she could but to no avail, both her hands having been held down by two other pirates. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the things going on around her, but her concentration broke when she felt a hand slide up her leg from under her skirt.

Scared and angry, she did the only thing she could. She spit in his face causing him to rear back with rage cursing. The curses were soon mixed with a scream of pain as she quickly found a small dagger embedded in her upper arm.

The pirate pulled the blade out causing her to gasp, her eyes shut tightly. She screamed again as the pirate brought the weapon down. The dagger landed with a sickening pop into her shoulder and was just as quickly removed.

Blinded by hatred and acrimony, the pirate plunged the dagger down several more times in small thrusts, each time the tip of the blade making a small hole where it landed. She cried out as the dagger was swept across her chest tearing away the fabric of her dress and raking over her skin.

The pirate raised his dagger once more, intent on making a killing blow as he glared down at the girl underneath him. Oh God, help me. She saw him bring his arm down and closed her eyes, her body jerking in an unnatural motion.

The pressure that once was evident on her legs and stomach eased up and she opened her eyes to see the pirate who once held her down fall over, blood seeping through a wound to his back.

"Stay back or I'll send you to hell along with your friend."

The voice was steely and dangerous and the girl immediately recognized the person who it belonged to. Derrick, she thought a glimmer of hope returning to her.

She felt herself being hauled to her feet by a pair of strong arms and she gratefully clung to them, her body shaking, numb and covered in blood. Everything was shrouded by hazy fog as she allowed the person to lead her away.

She finally was hustled to a stop as a hand traveled over her injuries. "Oh Lord, Anamaria."

Anamaria opened her eyes and stared at the man who saved her. She forced a reassuring smile on her face as she whispered, "I'm all right. Where are my mother and father?"

The young man frowned. "I don't know where your father is, Ana."

Ana fell to her knees, the tears no longer being held back. Just from his answer, she knew the dreadful news before it was spoken. Her mother was dead. And her father was missing. The young man knelt beside her and wrapped his arms around his fiancée.

"Ana, I'm so sorry," he soothed. "I would never have left them if I'd known, but, I had to find you. I promised."

Ana nodded numbly as she clung to the man before her. He wiped the tears from her face and kissed her forehead. "We must leave. We can't stay here any longer."

"No! We can't, Derrick! Not without my father," Ana protested as she stood up. "We have to find him."

Derrick rose to his feet. "Anamaria, we can't go out searching for him. We'll be killed! We have to go now."

Ana was about to refuse when something from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Turning to the object, she cringed as she heard the cocking of a pistol and then the sound of it firing. Ana covered her ears at the loud ringing and looked over at Derrick who stood motionless, his face void of all emotion.

She could see his pale skin under the thick strands of brown hair that covered his face as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Ana screamed as Derrick dropped to his knees. Rushing to him, she could faintly see the red forming at his chest as she cradled his head in her lap.

"Derrick? Derrick! Oh God, please no. Don't leave me," Ana pleaded.

A noise behind her drew her gaze as she saw a pirate standing there, his pistol aimed and cocked. Ana turned her back to him, no longer caring what fate befell her. She jumped as she heard the pistol fire, the sound lingering in the air, but Ana felt no pain.

Looking up seconds later, she could see a tall man standing several feet away, a smoking pistol in his hand and a blood-covered sword at his side. Ana heard the thump of a body falling to the ground and she knew that the pirate was dead.

Ana clutched Derrick tighter as the man took a step forward allowing Ana a clearer view of him.

"DAD!"

The man ran to Ana's side and hugged her tightly. "Ana."

"Dad, Derrick. He's been shot."

Derrick's skin tone had paled considerably and his breathing had become labored and shallow. Ana held his hand as she watched her father inspect the wound. Derrick feebly opened his eyes as the older man nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Derrick."

Ana felt her heart shatter at the words knowing her father's meaning. She gripped Derrick's hand and squeezed it gently, her tears once again falling.

"Don't cry, Ana. I've always hated seeing you sad. Promise me that, you won't become bitter and that you'll be happy," Derrick requested, his eyes slowly losing their light.

Ana felt Derrick's grip fade as his hand slipped from hers, the life of the young man vanishing. Her breath caught in her throat at the loss of another loved one. She was angry and sad and full of regret. She heard the wind carry off his last words, Promise me.

Ana didn't promise.

She was shaken from her reverie at her father's touch. "Ana, we have to leave. Right now."

Ana stood in answer, her eyes fixated on something in the distance. She ignored the figure on the horizon and turned away heading for the shore when she heard a sound behind her that chilled her to the bone.

Glancing back, Ana saw her father defending himself against another pirate whom Ana had seen only seconds before. She started back for him when he stopped her.

"No, Ana! No! Run! Get away from here, save yourself! Go to the grotto, Ana," her father demanded as he dodged the pirate only to find another charge him.

Ana stood there, terror on her face. "Dad, I won't lea-"

"GO!"

With a shake of her head, Ana spun around and took off heading for the grotto her father spoke of. She heard a scream of rage and pain and cast a glance back at her father who was surrounded by several pirates. Daddy, I love you.

It was the last Ana saw of her father as she reached the grotto and discovered a longboat swaying at the shore's edge. Ignoring the searing pain from her wounds, Ana pushed the boat into the water and climbed inside. Taking one more glance at the burning town in the distance, Ana turned from the sight and never looked back.

---

Anamaria's eyes snapped open all of a sudden as she took in her surroundings. She was still aboard the Pearl, a feeling of relief flooding through her body. She shook the visions of her past from her mind as she leaned against the railing haphazardly.

The sun's rays were low to the horizon and Ana knew a long time had passed since they had docked and Jack was no where to be seen.

He must of have gone ashore, she told herself as she realized that she hadn't noticed him leave.

A slight discomfort alerted Ana to the fact that her right hand was clenched tightly around something small and hard. Opening her hand, she saw the ring she had been carrying around for the past ten years.

Ana frowned as she clutched it again in her palm. She stood there, taking a long glance over the ship she was a crewmember of as she recalled the adventures they had had. For three years she had lived on this ship, had served as the first mate and had stood beside Jack through thick and thin.

A smile came to her lips as she walked to the side of the ship, looking down at the crystalline waters below. She had never promised all those years ago to the man who died protecting her, but she was given a second chance to do so now.

She had always been haunted by those nightmares, but no longer. She was no longer going to allow them to continue plaguing her.

I'm sorry Derrick, for never agreeing to your promise, but I will now. I promise now. I'm happy, finally. I'm happy where I am- I'm moving on Derrick, and I'm letting you go.

Ana brought the ring to her lips before pulling her arm back. I promise, she thought one last time as she tossed the ring to the waters below to be lost forever.

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A/N: Yay, a longer chapter! Go story plot. And no it's not over yet! There is still a lot more planned, a lot more surprises involving Jack, Ana, Port Royal and Norrington! Lots of action for you Norrington fans out there.

I'm not sure if this chapter is confusing or not, but it reveals Ana's past a bit more as to what happened so long ago at Port Maria. (If the past confuses you, then to better understand it, you'd have to read the first story of the series, 'Joy of the Hunt.'

To clear some things before they puzzle anyone, Ana left Port Maria when she was 17- she's now 27. (Jack in this story is 39- I know he is older but he isn't much older than Ana- here he has a 12year lead on her.) I have a timeline, but if I put it up now, it'll give away some of the story, so I'll wait a bit to post it up here.

-J