Jack and Ana didn't get far until they heard voices a few yards away. He quietly followed the voices but then Ana stopped short. Jack turned and looked at her, she had a silver blade, running across her neck, slightly catching the setting sun. Jack drew out his sword and looked for anyone and anything. Eric slowly came out of the brush and said, "We meet again Ana."
Jack drew up his sword to his neck and said, "I don't think we've met mate, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, where's m'wife?"
Eric sighed and whistled, out came his crew all with guns pointed at Jack and Ana. Jack eyed the men, but never moved his head and never moved his sword.
"I don't think you got my question, mate. Where is my wife?"
"In safe hands, that's all I can say."
"Who is she with?"
"No need to be answerin' that, since you'll soon be meetin' with the same person."
"Then take me there," Jack said putting away his sword. Eric studied Jack, he seemed strong enough. But never actually meeting the pirate captain, Eric was a bit disappointed at what he saw. Some how he was expecting more…he wasn't sure of what, but just more.
"Men," Eric said, they put their guns away and Eric put down his sword and stepped fully out of the brush, and walked past Jack and started going forward. Jack and Ana followed him and Eric's crew after them. They were all silent until Eric stopped. Jack walked up next to him and saw in front of him a large house, with waterfalls around it and flowers of all sorts.
"This is where the person who threatens me lives?" Jack questioned, giving Eric a 'yea right' look.
"Go ahead Captain; Fredrick unlocked the door just for you…"
Jack looked at him and then motioned for Ana to come along. They both walked up to the house and Jack paused before trying the handle. He wiggled his fingers just above it and then opened it. Inside was dimly lit and right in front of them was a woman, standing with her legs apart and a hand on her hip and a hand on her sword.
"'ello luv, I've been waitin' for you."
Jack lifted an eyebrow, "Yer a bloody female!?" Jack questioned, not believing his eyes.
"Aye, and yer a man, what about it?"
"But Eric kept callin' you Fredrick," Ana answered.
"It's me last name, lass. I'm Scarlet Fredrick…and I'm pleased to meet you." She said pulling out her sword slowly. Jack and Ana kept their hands on their swords, since Scarlet wasn't making any swift moves.
"Where's Dinah?" Jack asked, getting right to the point.
"Ah! It's Dinah, is it? The blasted woman wouldn't tell me anything. Please, come this way," she pointed with her sword but waited until Ana and Jack started walking to follow them. They walked into a room that was lighted more than the entrance and in a chair sat Dinah, hands tied behind her back and rope, tied around her head, making it hard for her to do anything but swallow. Once Jack's eyes landed on her, he quickly walked to her, but when he was an arms length away, Jack heard Scarlet's gun cock.
"Now Jack, we can't have you goin' and takin' me hostage away! What kind of pirate would I be if let you do that?"
"An alive one," He said.
She smiled, "You're not really in the position to be makin' those kinds of threats, now are ye?"
Jack's back straightened and he turned to face her, "What do you want?"
"Well let me tell you a little story…Once upon a time I came upon Eric's ship. I raided it, took his whore, and switched ships with him. I told him the only way he'd see his whore again was if he raided ships for me for a year. He did, and then I got half the plunderin'. So I let him go with his ship and warned him if I saw him again, I do the same thing. Some odd months later, I caught him, and did the exact same thing, except told him I'd kill his whore if he didn't do this. Well after havin' a huge raid, guess who decides to raid him?" She asked looking at Jack. He suddenly remembered where he had heard the ships name before and cursed himself for what position he was in now.
"So I took everything he got and you killed his whore. Yet, it was nothin' more than bad luck, is that what you're tellin' us?"
Scarlet sighed, pulled out her gun and pointed it at Dinah's head, "Nothin' more than bad luck mate?"
Jack paused, "What do you want me to do?"
"Go out and do the same thing that Eric did."
"How 'bout I give you the location to Isle of De Muerta?"
Scarlet paused, she had heard of how Barbossa stored all his treasure in there for over ten years, but then remembered her situation. "How 'bout you go there instead of me?"
"Why can't you go?" Ana asked rudely.
Scarlet slowly turned her head to Ana and said, "What did you say to me?"
Ana stood up straighter and said with no fear, "Why don't you do it yourself?"
"You know, you're dumber than I thought! What's the real joy of being a pirate? It's one, being on the open seas and havin' more freedom than you've ever imagined and two, getting to raid ships. So then why would I blackmail someone into goin' out and doin' the one thing that brings me pleasure?"
Ana looked almost shocked, "There's something wrong with you,"
Scarlet nodded, "Aye mate, I'm soon to be dead. My doc said somethin' about internal bleedin'…"
"Why not retire?" Jack asked.
"Yuh know, I've thought about it, but if I changed me mind now, you'd get away and I'd get nothing."
"You're obviously rich enough to retire, so what do you want?"
Scarlet paused, "I want a link to the outside world, mate! It's borin' stayin' here all hours of the day! At least when someone drops off the loot, there's someone to talk to!"
"You want company?" Ana asked.
Scarlet shot her a look, "Now don't go makin' me look all weak, lass. I don't need no one, but I do need somethin' other than this bloody house!"
"You know-" Ana started, but was cut off.
"I don't bloody care what you think! Jack, are you gunna do it or not?" Scarlet asked, putting the gun closer to Dinah's head.
Jack looked at Dinah, and made eye contact with her. He used to hate how he could tell if you hurt Dinah or not just from her eyes, but now, seeing them again brought him comfort. He thought about if Scarlet was really the kind of person to pull the trigger…But she did kill Eric's lover… Jack reasoned. He wasn't going to do this for Scarlet, but he wasn't willing to let Dinah die. But if he attacked Scarlet, it would be an unfair fight. Jack wouldn't be able to live with himself if he knew that he pinned a woman and own just because he was bigger and stronger. The only person who would be able to do anything against Scarlet that was more than verbal fighting, it had to be Ana Maria.
Just when he was about to bargain more with Scarlet, he heard, "You call yerself a pirate."
Jack turned his head, "What was that?"
"Scarlet," Ana said pointing to her, but not talking to anyone in particular, "you call yerself a pirate yet you care about a what a bloody doctor says. What if he was wrong? Like modern medicine is up to speed."
Scarlet narrowed her eyes, "What are you sayin'?"
"I'm sayin' that if you really loved the sea as much as you said you did, then you would still be out there, and you would at least die on the sea, and not in a house while blackmailin' someone."
Scarlet paused and then walked slowly up to Ana, and she continued, "At least on the sea you can die an honorable death."
"Mighty big words for someone that doesn't have the gun pointed at her." Scarlet said and raised the gun in Dinah's direction. She shot but Ana pushed her hand and the bullet only skimmed Dinah. She screamed in pain, the gun got knocked out of Scarlet's hand and Ana tackled her. Jack went straight for Dinah; he untied her mouth and her hands and picked her up. She was crying and holding her side, with one arm wrapped around her husbands neck. They watched as Ana pinned Scarlet with ease. Jack threw her the rope and Ana flipped her over, and tied her hands and ankles. Ana got up, sighed and looked at Dinah.
"Her side, Jack," Ana pointed, Dinah's hand was all bloody. Ana grimaced but tore off part of her sleeve and put it under Dinah's hand, "Hold it tightly there, lass. We'll be home soon." Dinah obeyed and Jack ran with Ana out of the house, leaving Scarlet on the floor, tied up.
When Jack and Ana reached the Pearl, they noticed that Eric's ship was long gone. Dinah figured as much, he wanted to get away from Scarlet and her island for a long time, and he wasn't going to miss the opportunity to do so. Jack rushed her downstairs to the galley where Roberts was cooking. He stopped when he heard loud and hard footsteps coming down, Jack gently put Dinah down on the counter and said to Roberts while un tucking Dinah's shirt and lifting it up to see the wound fully, "She got more than grazed by a bullet."
Robert's had had some experience with medicine before he came aboard the Pearl. So he was the only person on board who knew how to treat cuts and scraps, gun wounds and sword scars. He reached under the counter and pulled out some gauze and some padding for the wound. Jack was smoothing her hair and holding her hand as he watched Roberts work.
One thing Jack did know about gun shots was that if you lost enough blood from it, you could die. Jack sighed. He was hoping to sleep with Dinah tonight, and he didn't doubt she was hoping the same thing, but with this wound on her side, they weren't going to be able to do anything more than cuddle.
Roberts worked quickly, putting on the padding, to soak up some blood, and then wrapping the gauze around her. When he was done, Jack looked at him with pure thankfulness. Roberts saw it and tipped his head slightly, as if saying 'your welcome'. "Okay Captain, don't do anything too stressful t'nite, and remind me to make her only soup and…come in tomorrow morning to change the bandage." He said, to Jack and to Dinah.
Jack nodded and Dinah meekly said, "Thanks Roberts."
He smiled, "No problem miss." Jack picked her up carefully and she wrapped her arms around his neck and he carried her up the stairs. He took her to his cabin, not paying attention to anything else but getting her there and set her on their bed. "Jack…" She said as he turned to leave.
He turned and walked to her side. She grabbed a hold of his shirt and pulled him down to kiss him. He half smiled and kissed her back, both of them putting in feelings of missing, sadness and hurt. Jack broke the kiss and said lightly, hovering over her, "Get some rest; it's been a tough day."
"I missed you so much…" She said not letting go.
"I did too luv, but I can't deny that you're hurt."
"Just come lay with me…" She said. Jack almost melt from the tone and the conviction behind that simple request, but he remembered his crew and his promise to Ana.
"I have things to tend to, luv, but it won't take more than twenty minutes, I promise." She agreed and Jack left. Once he shut the door and looked around, he saw Ana and Evan standing in the middle of his ship, both with distraught looks on their faces and both with their arms crossed. They turned to look at Jack, pointed to each other and said, "TELL (him/her) TO LEAVE!"