LAST TIME:
"He and his crew are in my custody…I was hoping you could help me."
"Help you with what?"
"Have you heard of The Flyer?"
---------------------------------------------------
Ana paused, the name sounded familiar, but from where, she wasn't quite sure. "I can't remember, tell me 'bout it and it might help my memory."
Norrington shook his head, "No…You don't understand…the ship is no longer in existence…"
"Well then how do you know 'bout it?"
"Ana, as far as we know, Evan is responsible…"
Ana waited and sat up, "Responsible for what?"
"A week ago we found The Flyer, barely intact and its crew brutally murdered."
Ana swallowed hard, "How so?"
Norrington sighed, obviously reluctant to what he was about to explain. "The crew, skinned, insides ripped out, decapitated, were floating on top of the water…and a single pirate flag floating on top."
Ana narrowed her eyes, she knew what he was getting at. They were blaming Evan and his crew for the murders of those men. "That was a merchant ship, wasn't it?"
Norrington nodded.
Dinah, somewhat feeling sick to her stomach from the description, asked, "But if they were dead, then why were they floating?"
Norrington turned to answer, but Jack answered first, numbly he said, "Putrification."
"What's that?" Elizabeth asked, now holding a sleeping Jackson.
"Dead men can only float on the water in certain conditions…mainly warm water cause them to float. The temperature causes the body to grow moss and algae in a sort…"
"You mean it pretty much starts decomposing?" Dinah asked, totally grossed out.
Jack nodded his head. Pretty much numb to this situation. Who would do such a thing? I mean, pirates did have some sort of respect. But why kill a ship full of merchants and leave them in the water no less? Merchants weren't mean, spiteful people. They wouldn't start shooting guns carelessly when raided; they'd stand aside and make sure they weren't killed.
"So why do you think that Evan did it?" Ana asked, trying to get the mental picture of the crew out of her head.
"Because when we sailed around looking for pirates ships, his was near 50 kilometers of the wreck and his flag gone."
"But that doesn't mean anything…I mean it can't mean anything. Evan wouldn't do that…"
Norrington raised an eyebrow, "You know him on a personal basis?"
Ana paused, stopping herself and putting up a wall, "Evan's a pirate and pirates wouldn't do that…That's all I know of him."
"Uh-huh." Norrington responded. He straightened and said before exiting the room, "Merry Christmas to you all."
"Christmas…That's right. Lizzy, aren't you havin' some sort of get together tomorrow night?" Jack asked that night at dinner. It was the eve of Christmas Eve and the news that the Commodore had brought wasn't settling with Ana. Knowing that Evan was only a horse ride away made her nervous.
Elizabeth nodded, "Yes…um Ana, do you want to be here…or be up in your room or anywhere else?" She asked, trying to be discrete about asking if she wanted to see Evan.
"You know parties much fun for me…I've haven't been to a party in over ten years." She said staring at her food while she picked at it with her fork.
"Okay…Jack? Dinah? Are you two going to stay?"
"Uhm…I think I have a dress that still fits me," Dinah chuckled, "The best thing about being pregnant is no corsets!"
Elizabeth smiled and made eye contact with Jack, "You?"
"Are you kiddin' me? I love parties! Drinks all around!"
"Jack, there isn't going to be any rum…" Elizabeth said harshly.
Jack looked slyly at Will who winked at him. Jack looked back at Elizabeth, "What ever you say, Lizze, Luv."
She narrowed her eyes and pointed to her husband, "Don't you two even think about it! I'm not serving rum in this house!"
"Who said anything about serving it?" Jack asked.
"I don't want Will drinking it! And if he does, then he won't be allowed in our bed for two nights!" She said, making sure she made a threat she could carry out but knew she wouldn't have to.
Will's eyes bulged and he looked at Jack. He was pouting, of course she threatens the bed. Why couldn't she threaten her first born or something? Jack thought.
"So is that a no on the party Jack?"
"No, I'll go." Dinah looked at her husband in surprise and tensed almost immediately.
"You'll have to wear something of Will's…and no weapons, darling…"
"What? Why?"
As the two argued over what Jack was going to wear, cover and say Ana started to feel queasy. Thinking about Evan and what he was accused of doing was intolerable. And then these fools were fighting over a Christmas Party. Ana wasn't quite sure why Jack had any wanting to go. But it was possibly for being with his wife and showing her off…or something along those lines.
She quickly excused herself and a maid who was near by helped Ana up the stairs to her room. She thanked the woman and asked for some hot tea. The woman nodded and quickly went down stairs. Ana didn't know why so many people had servants when they had two legs themselves, but now, when she was pregnant and not feeling too particularly good, the servant came in hand.
Imagine me, killing a ship full of innocent merchants sailors. My reputation isn't that horrible is it? That a commodore would blame me for doing such a thing? Sure, I'm not as…successful as Jack, but wouldn't he have at least heard of me? And now I've gotten my whole crew branded. If this won't cause a mutiny, I don't know what will. Evan sat in a jail cell with five other men of his crew thinking about what had happened in the past two days. He had been captured. And branded. He had always prided himself for never being caught, or if he were, never for very long to get branded. But now he had, and his whole crew too.
You just don't kill a ship full of merchants…especially like that. And why in the bloody 'ell would you leave your flag? The whole thing just doesn't make sense. And of course it was quite…convenient that our flag had been ripped off by the blasted winds three days earlier. Is it really my fault that we left our flag up while in a blasted storm?
Evan paused when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He stood up while the rest of his crew just stayed where they were. Commodore Norrington came into view and Evan put his arms through the bars lazily. "We free?" He said sarcastically.
"If you're lucky you might have a visitor tomorrow…"
"If I'm lucky?" He asked skeptically.
"Yes, I would behave myself if I were you Miller."
Evan frowned and the Commodore left. Visitors? Who here would come and visit me?
Ana knocked lightly on Will and Elizabeth's door the next morning. Will opened it, fully awake, for what seemed to be for a while. With the door open Ana looked in and saw Elizabeth sleeping with her baby. Ana's face softened and realized that would be her sooner or later.
"Yes?" He whispered.
"Can we talk?"
"Sure…" He said sighing and stepping fully out of his room and following Ana down stairs. She was wearing her familiar green pants and white shirt. The shirt still covering her stomach, but in two months, wouldn't be able to. They sat on the couch and she pushed some hair out of her face. She sighed and said, "I need a favor."
"Yes?"
"I want to see Evan…and I would ask Jack to come with me, but he's a pirate and wouldn't dress up to look different if he didn't want to…I don't want to get him sent to the gallows."
"I understand…So you want me to come with you?"
Ana nodded.
"That's fine. I would've suggested such a thing if you brought up the subject anyway. But what about you?"
"What 'bout me?"
"Are you going to…dress up?"
Ana hadn't really thought about it. She knew that it would be a safe idea if Jack would so he wouldn't be recognized, though she wasn't sure what would have to happen for him not to be recognized. He had such a look that anyone who saw him knew it was him. But her- she wasn't so recognizable. She wasn't that 'famous' in Port Royal. But she had never been branded and she rather liked to keep it that way.
She pictured herself in one of Elizabeth's dresses. She hadn't worn one since she was an adolescent. But would she do that just to keep herself and her baby safe? "Yea…I guess I should, shouldn't I?"
Will nodded.
She sighed and agreed. They heard a door open and the close and saw Jack and Dinah, holding hands and coming down the stairs.
"Why Lad, isn't there supposed to be breakfast cookin' this late? My stomach is growling."
Will smiled at the fact that Jack still called him 'lad' even though he was twenty four. But he guessed that compared to Jack Will was still a lad. And Will liked to think that it was more a term of endearment than anything.
"Aye, I'll get to it, Jack."
Late that afternoon, about two hours before Will and Elizabeth's party, Will and Ana left to go to see Evan. Elizabeth and Dinah had been through both their wardrobes to find a dress to fit Ana. She wanted something that wasn't pink, big-skirted, and frilly or had bows. The two finally decided on a light blue dress of Elizabeth's that fit Ana perfectly, even with her stomach which seemed to show just the same.
They washed, curled and did Ana's hair much to her whining and complaining and cursing. They put heels, make up, gloves and a hat on her. When she slowly (for fear of falling) walked down the stairs to where Will and Jack were waiting, she looked completely different. Jack and Will stood up and their mouths dropped at how different she looked. Yes, Ana was beautiful without everything Dinah and Elizabeth had done, but she was now more beautiful than ever.
"Are you sure Evan's going to recognize you?" Jack asked, after getting over his initial shock.
"That blasted pirate better. He doesn't know how much bloody trouble I went for him…and he better be thankful or I'll shove this dress up his nose." The four laughed, realizing that under all the curls, make up and silk, Ana Maria was still Ana Maria.
As Ana, with her arm entwined with Will's, walked down the streets to where Evan would be, she felt herself being stared at. A few men whistled but most of them were gentlemen and kept their comments to themselves. Everyone who knew Will Tuner knew he had a wife, and they knew that the woman he was with now wasn't Elizabeth. Now she wished she would've taken the carriage. But Elizabeth and Will had suggested they walk, knowing that it wasn't that far and also knowing that she needed to get used to the heels.
I feel ridiculous. She thought trying to hide her eyes with the hat that she had on. She was doing a nice job and figured she could do this while she talked to Evan if she started to cry or something. "Will?"
"Hmm?"
"Can we take the carriage home?"
Will smiled, "Certainly." They finally reached the jailhouse and Will opened the door for Ana. Her hands started shaking once they had nothing to hold on to and she clenched them to make the stop. Will came in and saw the Commodore.
"Hello Commodore. We're here to visit Captain Miller."
Norrington nodded and said, "Who do you have with you? Distant cousin?"
He held out his hand as Ana lifted her head to make eye contact with Norrington. His eyes widened and he said, "Ana Maria?"
She smiled, "'Ello Commodore."
He rolled his eyes and looked at Will. Will shrugged and smiled. "Is it alright to go down?"
Norrington nodded and led the way.
Evan awoke when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Except it was more than just the Commodore. It sounded like two others. One of them was a woman, she was walking lightly. What woman here would know me or my crew? He thought. He never opened his eyes just kept his back against the wall and he head back.
He heard the guards straighten up when the Commodore came down and then he said, "Miller, you have a visitor."
Evan didn't move.
"Captain, I suggest you put on your best behavior for this lovely lady." Then he heard two people go back up the stairs. They left a woman down here with a bunch of pirates? Oh yea, the redcoats.
"I suggest you leave luv. There's no reason for you to be here." Evan said without getting up and looking. Willis hit him on the leg. He opened his eyes, "What?"
"This woman you better take a gander at…"
Evan stood up and faced the woman in front of him. She had dark skin, a pushed out stomach, gloves, a beautiful dress and a hat covering her eyes. Her hair was in ringlets and she had a few dark strains coming down and making contact with her shoulders. Her face was smooth and clean and had a hint of color to it, but beyond that Evan couldn't recognize the woman.
"I won't bite luv…" He said coming closer and grabbing on to the bars in front of him.
"I have good authority, Captain, that you've done some mighty untellable things," She said with an even tone, never lifting her head.
Evan was taken aback by the statement. Whoever this was knew what he was being charged with. "Well the good authority is wrong. Though I'm not sure why it would concern someone of your sort."
The woman smiled and Evan thought it seemed familiar. "When is your appointment with the gallows, Captain?"
"Next week I figure. Could you please give me a name?" He asked finally, getting fed up with all these questions by an unknown person.
The whole crew seemed to hold it's breath as the woman slowly untied the hat from behind and then lifted her head. Her eyes met with Evan's and he wasn't sure it was the person he thought it was. "Ana Maria." He breathed out.
"You clean up pretty good!" Willis said smiling. She smiled back and blushed. She looked back at Evan.
"What are you doin' here?" He asked.
"Well I'm not here t'break you out…if that's what yer wonderin'."
He shook his head.
"Have you put on weight, Ana?" Willis asked, he was looking at her stomach. One of the guards turned and looked at him. She looked at the guard to show that the question was okay.
"No Willis, I'm pregnant."
Evan's eyes widened. "What?"
She snapped her head to look at him, "Somethin' wrong?"
"Yea! You get mad at me because I spent one night with a woman and then you and go and get yerself pregnant? What part of that am I supposed to be okay with?"
"Evan, the part when you said that you didn't want a family! So why should it bother you that I am making one?"
Evan almost blurted out that he loved her, but then remembered where he was. He wasn't quite sure he wanted this to be the place to be the woman he loved that he loved her. Of course he wasn't sure that he'd ever see Ana again.
"Because I don't you to be making one at all. I wanted you to stay with me and now yer pregnant with another lover. Was this all you wanted to tell me? That you found someone new?"
A lump formed in Ana's throat from hearing the sweet words from Evan, the man that she still loved with all her heart.
"Just whose baby do you think this is?"
He shrugged, "The man you came here with?"
"Yea, except if you had yer eyes open you would've seen that it was Will Turner, who might I remind you has a wife and child."
"Well whose is it? Obviously no one I know."
"It's actually someone you know very well Evan!" She said, tears threatening to come down her cheeks. She looked at a guard and whispered something to him. He nodded and left. She looked back at Evan. Even in the dimly let room he saw her eyes glistening with tears. This was probably the first time he had ever seen that happen. He heard footsteps come down the stairs, the guard took his place and Will came up next to Ana. She grabbed her hat, but before leaving said, "The father of my baby is you." With that Will helped her up the stairs, leaving Evan in complete shock.