Disclaimer: Each story we go through this, and each time we all agree that none of us, whosoever we may be or claim or think we are, own the legal rights to this movie theme, the characters, the ocean, the rum or the chicken dressed in a man suit. Thank You.

Damned to the Depths

Chapter Three

---

Ana reached Jack's side moments after he hit the deck, buried underneath the tattered sail and mast. She didn't waste any time calling for him as she quickly began to sift through the sail, several of the crew running over and giving a hand. When they found him, she dropped to her knees, her heart pounding loudly in her throat as she took his hand.

"Jack. Jack, can you hear me?" She pressed a hand to his wrist and her hopes picked up as she felt the faintest of pulses beneath her fingers.

Everything after that was a blur as Ana found herself sitting beside Jack, the crew having moved him to his cabin, as she struggled to keep from dozing off. Several times she had slipped from consciousness only to suddenly wake in a cold sweat afraid she'd be met with the horror of being alone. But Jack was still there. Still comatose, unmoving. He had taken a nasty bump to the back of his head from the mast, and Ana prayed that it wasn't too serious; hoping it would be nothing but the bump and the bump only.

She wrapped an arm around his shoulder as she rested her head on his chest, her free hand taking his and grasping it firmly. "Please wake up, Jack," she whispered softly, the dimming light of the candle casting shadows on his face.

Ana knew Derrick wouldn't leave them for long, he would be back- and in full force. It was only a matter time. She needed Jack to wake up before then, without him, Ana and the crew was lost. They'd not have any luck defeating the Belladonna if Jack weren't there. It was an issue of trust. The crew trusted and relied on Jack to see them through every raid, every pillage- every scrape. And right now, it wasn't looking good.

"Do you hear me Jack- you have to wake up, you can't do this to me. I can't do it alone, I need you," Ana gripped his hand and pushed a strand of hair from Jack's face. She felt so useless and out of place without him. She rested her forehead against his chest, reassuring herself with every breath he took and every pulse of his heart.

The cabin door creaked open and Ana's head shot up as she turned, her face creased in worry. Gibbs stood in the doorway, concern flickering across his features as he approached her.

"Any change?"

Ana shook her head as she bit back tears. "No, nothing."

Silence hung in the air between the two and Gibbs fidgeted as he struggled to find something to say. He was saved when Ana broke the quiet, her eyes turned back to Jack.

"How could I have been so stupid?" Ana asked, her voice muffled. "If I hadn't of told you to retreat and sail away, none of this would have happened. It's all my fault."

"Now ye know that's not true, Ana," Gibbs protested as he shuffled into the room.

"What am I going to do, Gibbs? I can't-"

"Ye can," Gibbs interrupted placing a hand on her shoulder. "And ye will. You're not alone, lass."

Ana looked up at him and nodded, a small smile coming to her lips. "Thank you Gibbs. I- everything is a mess- it's all falling apart."

"Aye, no one said it would be easy, especially not wit' the Turner's an' t' wee one on the way now," Gibbs added taking up a spot at the end of the bed.

The female pirate's head shot up, surprise etched in her face. "Oh no! Tomorrow- I forgot we're supposed to meet Will and Elizabeth."

Gibbs nodded. "King's Bay I recall."

Ana sighed as she glanced at Jack. "Now is not a good time. Not a good time at all," she bit her lip, allowing her mind to turn the thoughts in her head. "How far are we from King's Bay?"

The old sailor tilted his head and tapped his chin, "Why, I'd say less than a half day at t' most. Why?"

"A half day at the most," Ana repeated. "Set sail for King's Bay, Gibbs."

"But what of Jack," Gibbs asked incredulously. "What iffen he needs a doctor?"

Ana gripped Jack's hand. "King's Bay is our only option right now Gibbs, please. If we can make the bay there's land to hide, streams for water and help. Provided Will and Elizabeth are there when we arrive, they can help us. The Belladonna is looking for us, if we can take refuge in the bay, we just might stand a chance against them in a surprise attack. We're a sitting target out in open waters, especially with a damaged mast and sail."

Gibbs seemed to be turning Ana's idea in his head before she said, "Please, trust me."

"I do trust ye Ana," Gibbs assured as he rose to his feet. He started for the door, his hand on the knob before glancing back at the woman, "And Ana- when Jack comes to, tell 'im. He 'as a right t' know," and with that he was gone.

Ana hung her head. Superstitious he was, but Gibbs would forever stump her in the depth of his intelligence and his ability to see what was not pointed out. Leaning over, she gripped her husbands hand as she rested her head on a folded arm, carefully placed on Jack's chest as she whispered, "I promise, Jack. When you wake, I will tell you everything. Just please, please- come back to me."

---

Darkness. It was the only he could see as he made his way through the holds of the ship. Another ship was growing in the distance and he needed to warn the others before they were spotted. As he had started his search, he noticed that not a single man of the crew was on deck and that he was alone.

Great, he told himself angrily. They're probably all down in the brig drunk and playing strip poker again. Don't they know now is not the time, especially with a possible battle on the horizon.

Gathering his composure, he made his way down below to give his crew a piece of his mind. He stumbled through the darkness, his hand on the wall guiding him. From down the way, he could see the tiniest flicker and made his way cautiously to it. He thought he heard the voices of a few men and restrained himself from yelling out at them and giving his arrival away. But the closer he got the more he realized that it wasn't voices he heard, but a single voice coming from one man.

Peering around a support beam, he gasped in shock as he saw a familiar person kneeling on the floor hunched over in pain. Before them stood a man, as equally familiar as the first with a sword in his hand, the blade pressed firmly to the person on the floor. The person on the floor looked up, defiance in their eyes and he gasped as he realized who it was.

Anamaria, he thought as he made his way to the two. The closer he got, the more of the second person he could see, but his face was covered in a shadow; too much to be recognized. The man said something and laughed before bringing his sword down upon the woman who knelt at his feet.

He screamed as he rushed forward, seconds too late as Anamaria fell to the ground. Running to her, he held her as he watched the life in her eyes slowly fade. Shaking his head he said to the killer, "How could you?" as he turned to face him. He gasped at the sight of the man and suddenly jerked back in pain. Looking down, he saw the man's blade protruding from his abdomen. Shaking out of fear and shock, Jack let his hands go to his stomach where he felt his own blood covering his fingers.

Dropping to his knees he glanced at his attacker with angry eyes. His shirt was soaked in blood, the warmth of the red liquid chilling him to the bone. Just before he passed out he cast one last glance to the man before him and whispered, "Why-?"

Jack's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he hit the floor, his life flashing before his eyes as he took his last breath.

---

Ana was jolted awake as Jack thrashed wildly, the covers entangling around his body. He was mumbling something she couldn't make out, but when her name left his lips, she froze trying to hear what else he was saying. She leaned back to dodge a wide sweeping arm before grabbing it and pinning it down, his other arm in the same position.

"Jack! Jack- wake up. Stop this, Jack," Ana commanded as she struggled to keep him from hurting himself or possibly her. "God Jack, please- wake up."

The pirate captain jumped in his sleep breaking Ana's grip on him as he swung his arm, his fist connecting with Ana's cheek. She jerked back letting him go the sting on her face slowly passing by. She shook her head, the slight pain fading as she reached for his hand. A tear slipped from her eye as she laced her fingers with his. "JACK!"

Ana was too busy fighting him to realize the cabin door had swung open and Gibbs rushed in after hearing the commotion. The old sailor grabbed Jack by the shoulders, his added weight holding the younger man in an attempt to calm him. Ana squeezed Jack's hand as she ran her other through his dark locks whispering, "Jack, shh, it's okay."

Jack's brow creased as he gripped her hand and mumbled her name. "A-Ana."

"I'm here Jack," Ana answered, her hand stroking his face. He mumbled something else and she leaned in close asking, "What is it, Jack?"

The pirate captain turned into her embrace, his brow puckering as he muttered, "Ana, don't leave me."

Gibbs glanced at the woman perplexed. "What do ye think 'e means?"

"I don't know," Ana offered.

"Do-don't go," Jack murmured his grip tightening on Ana's hand.

"Jack, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here, with you."

After several moments of Ana's soothing whispers, Jack settled back into a peaceful sleep, his grip never loosening on her hand. Gibbs stuck around a bit just in case the captain decided to have another spell- the helm in capable hands in his absence. Ana knew the ship would stay on course even without Gibbs guiding her.

They had a system. Jack was first and foremast, captain. He controlled the helm. If not him, then Anamaria. If not Jack or Ana, then Gibbs and if for some reason Gibbs couldn't take it, then Cotton did. Somewhere, somehow between the four of them, someone would take the helm regardless.

Gibbs sat in a chair in the corner his feet propped up on a bedside table, his arms crossed and his eyes resting. Ana sighed heavily as she wiped a cool cloth across Jack's forehead, her hand gently rubbing his cheek.

"Still no change?" Gibbs asked, dropping his chair to the floor on all four legs.

"No, no change," Ana agreed. "I'm beginning to wonder if he'll ever wake up."

"Don't talk like that, lass. O' course 'e will, e's Cap'n Jack Sparrow."

Ana forced a smile to her face as she rubbed her tired eyes. The quartermaster studied her intently. "Why don't ye let me sit wit' 'im while ye get some rest," he suggested hopefully.

"No, no. I can't leave him. I'm fine, but I thank you though," she politely declined.

Gibbs sighed. "But you're injured, Ana. At least let us clean and bandage the wound so it doesn't get infected."

"It's only a flesh wound Gibbs. Its superficial, I'll live." Flexing the muscles in her neck she asked, "How much farther to the bay?"

"We should make berth by morn'n," Gibbs told her quickly forgetting his offer of sitting with Jack and giving in on the demand that she take care of her injury.

Ana nodded her acknowledgement without looking up at him, her attention on Jack. "We're making good time," she said out of randomness.

"Aye lass. I'll send Cotton to inform ye once we've spotted land." Gibbs implied as he turned to go. Ana grabbed his arm as he retreated, an emotion in her eyes he had never seen before.

"Thank you, Gibbs."

Gibbs gave a slight nod and then disappeared behind the door leaving Ana and Jack alone. Ana stroked her captain's pale cheek as she whispered reassuringly to him, hoping that he could hear her.

The light from the rising moon shone on Jack's face, highlighting him in an angelic shadow as Ana watched him sleep. For the past hour or so she sat trying to figure out their next move, but each one came up useless or at a dead end. She finally gave up and decided the best thing for her to do was wait- it was the only thing she could do.

---

A/N: Yes, yes. I know. Rather crappy chapter and drug out, but it was needed. I've re-written this chapter three times, each time I was jumping ahead of myself and each time I deleted and started over. This was the best I could come up with without hopping around so much to where I'd lose anyone. Sorry for the randomness of this chapter, but hey- no one said I, or this story was perfect.

Review Thanks- (sorry, but I'm gonna keep today's thanks brief. ^^)

Cal- (laughs) I'm gonna stop trying to be secretive cause nothing gets past you. You did nail something on the head though, but what, I can't say! And there is more secrets up ahead!

SpecialEddie- Hey, updating is my specialty. And I can't wait to see some of your stuff up! I'll be first in line for sure!

Elizabeth Swan/Turner- Giraffe? Did I say giraffe? I mean to say um... a raft, um, yeah a raft. Say hello to the lab men for me.

Kingleby- Correctomondo! No resting for this pirate couple! Not By a long shot!

Tinkabelle21- Hi! And yeah… they sorta did the 'good deed.' I'm afraid the reason why though is in the previous story… the name of the spilling chapter I believe is 'Jack's Story' so this way, if you'd like to know, you won't have to read through all the boring literature to get the juicy stuff. And hey, keep up the awesome work with your stories! Love them!

-J