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 Four

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"Land ho!"

Elizabeth snapped out of her reverie and looked up to see the hazy outline of land on the horizon. She held her daughter close, a smile on her lips; she could hardly wait to get there to see Jack and Ana again. It had been so long and there was only an occasional letter or two courtesy of Cotton's parrot since they last departed an odd number of months ago.

She gazed at the girl in her arms. True, she had turned one last month, but Jack had insisted that they get together and celebrate when it was convenient for both Will and Elizabeth. Will had just been happy to get back to the ocean with his family and she was overjoyed at getting to see her friends again, this time being able to show her daughter the beauty of the sea as well. Elizabeth hugged the child tighter to her as she whispered, "It won't be much longer now."

---

Cotton stuck his head in the door to signal Ana that they had spotted land and were preparing to dock. They had also spotted The Old Reliable at the bay's shore, Will and Elizabeth patiently waiting on the beach. But now as he gazed around to find the chair beside the bed empty, Cotton began to worry about where Ana could have gone.

There was movement on the bed and he glanced up expecting to see Jack thrashing around or possibly waking up, but neither was the case as Cotton got an answer to his 'where is Ana' question.

Ana was curled up beside Jack, her arms gently cradling him. Cotton couldn't blame her; she had sat with Jack since the whole ordeal and must have been exhausted. The woman slept soundly, Jack huddled close by. Knowing that Ana was in need of sleep, the old man quietly slipped out of the room, the door closing behind him without a sound.

---

Will was the first to spot the Black Pearl on the horizon, slowly creeping its way to the bay where the Old Reliable waited. He squinted, unsure from the distance, but he was almost positive that something definitely looked different about Jack's ship. As the vessel crept closer, the blacksmith could make out the damage done as he gasped.

"Captain, the Pearl, she's in trouble!"

---

Ana felt safe in Jack's arms as she held him, her head resting on his shoulder. She breathed in his scent, the mix of salt, sandalwood and hints of rum soothing her as he embraced him. In her mind everything was right, but somewhere in there, she felt a nagging feeling that something was wrong. She prodded the thought before the feeling became clear; the ship wasn't moving.

Her eyes snapped open to find someone standing over her, their brow creased with worry. Instinctively she reached for her sword when a voice broke into her concentration.

"Anamaria?"

Ana stopped her hand's path as she focused on the face staring at her. "Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth offered a weary smile as she sat back in her chair. "How is he?"

The female pirate sighed as she gazed over at Jack whose face was wrinkled slightly in confusion as Ana pulled away from him. "I don't know," she whispered. "It's hard to say." She sat up, wincing as her hand gripped her injured shoulder, the blood seeping through the shirt. Ana cursed under her breath at having re-opened the wound; she had had a hard enough time as it was getting it to stop bleeding to begin with.

"Can I help you?"

Ana looked up at Elizabeth and contemplated the noble woman's question before nodding, her body protesting at the action. Elizabeth helped her out of her shirt careful not to bump the injury any as her hands worked, cleaning and bandaging it. She held up Ana's blood stained shirt and asked, "Where-?" as she gently shook the blouse.

Ana blankly pointed to a small cabinet in a corner, "On the right."

Elizabeth returned with a clean shirt and slipped it over Ana's injured arm, allowing the female pirate to finish the task. As Ana buttoned the shirt, a knock at the door made her look up and then over at Elizabeth who stated, "Just a minute." With a nod from Ana, she opened the door to see Will, their daughter standing on her feet, her chubby hands grasping her father's index finger's as she took a shaky step.

Ana watched with a smile, her hand holding Jack's. Elizabeth knelt down as Will wrestled his daughter's grasp from his finger's, the child standing on her own as she attempted a step for her mother. She took two steps then teetered, falling on her bottom as Elizabeth's face glowed, her arms scooping the girl up. She hugged the girl before kissing Will, exclaiming how much their daughter was growing.

Feeling she was intruding, Ana looked away from the scene, her eyes falling on Jack, her thumb caressing his hand. Someone tapped on her shoulder and she glanced over her shoulder to see Will, worried questions in his brown eyes. The blacksmith gazed at the comatose pirate beside her, his features falling in concern. "Still hasn't woken up?"

"No," Ana answered as she rose to her feet unsteadily. "Why didn't anyone wake me when we docked?"

Elizabeth sat down, her daughter in her lap. "Because you were sleeping, and the crew didn't have the heart to wake you."

Ana must have let the answer slide, because she didn't say anything as she turned the covers up over Jack and left the cabin, the blacksmith and his family close behind.

---

Jack tossed and turned, his tongue spitting out incoherent words. Ana wiped a cool cloth across his forehead, whispering to him, telling him of Will and Elizabeth's arrival, of how young LeeAnn had taken her first step. Telling him about how clear the skies had been or how calm the ocean was or how much she missed him. For the most part, it seemed he listened to her, always still during her updates, his hand gripping hers reassuringly.

Ana looked across the room, at how vacant it seemed without him dancing around the floor like he sometimes did, when it was just the two of them. His desk appeared so lonely without him sitting at it, mapping out charts or writing in the little book she had given him that had belonged to her father. And her heart seemed so empty without him there holding her, or sneaking a kiss.

So much had changed and Ana felt she was to blame. She had started pushing him away, avoiding him. At times, the hurt was so visible in his eyes that she cried. Despite the belief that Jack was a heavy drinker of rum, he was much the opposite, but when Ana turned away from him almost every night, he found the bottle to be his only friend. If only he knew why, Ana convinced herself as she sat there, thinking of how she had hurt him.

It had been two days now and there was still no change in his condition, the bump on his head swelled causing a slight fever to come to his forehead and cheeks. Ana had made preparations for a possible attack with the help of Will and Captain Bradford. When she had required if they were heavily armed, Elizabeth had made it clear that they were by saying 'Of course. My father absolutely refused to let us out of the harbor unless we were properly equipped and armed,' and Ana couldn't help but to laugh at the girl.

The doctor that had been assigned to accompany the Turner's had often visited Jack to check in on him and had once, at the insistence of Elizabeth tried to look at Ana's shoulder. But she had refused saying her injury was miniscule compared to Jack's and that she would be fine. The good doctor had eventually left her alone and occasionally would return to find the female pirate standing watch over the captain, forcing herself to stay awake. His worry for her state of health convinced him to tamper with a bottle of ale, pouring laudanum in it and had Elizabeth take it to her, but the bottle sat there, untouched.

It was most unfortunate when Gibbs had gone to see Ana and spotted the bottle intended for the woman and Ana had said that he could have it, she wasn't thirsty. That memory made Ana smile a bit as she kept a constant watch over her captain.

She had Gibbs and the crew prepare the cannons and move them to the starboard side of the ship, with the left side heavily damaged, she wasn't sure how much more it could take. Afraid to move Jack, she had left him, against her better judgement in his cabin, someone watching him every hour. The Old Reliable had taken port in a hidden cove on the island's shore not far from where the Pearl sat, waiting, acting as bait.

But for two days there was no sign of the Belladonna or Derrick and for a brief second, Ana had thought, no had hoped, that maybe he had given up. But she knew that wasn't the case. He had marked her for death, and he would be coming. It was only a matter of time.

Most of the crew had gone ashore to set up traps and covered lean-to's in the case that the battle moved on to land from the ships and water, Ana making it clear that the island may be their last chance. Every day she spent a little of her time with Jack, hoping and praying that he'd wake up soon, but each time she left his side, there was no change in him and there were no signs saying that there would be any time soon.

She drove herself purely on adrenaline, having not slept since the day they docked. Ana was slowly wearing down, finding it harder and harder to function or even stay awake. She ignored the fact that she was exhausted or hungry, her body giving off small warnings that she wouldn't be able to keep it up much longer. But even then, she ignored the little red flags going off in her mind, an action she would later regret for having done.

---

Jack's sleep was plagued by the same nightmare, each time his mind reliving it and each time he was unable to stop the worst from happening. He had lost count as to how many times he relived holding Ana as she slipped away from him, her eyes vacant. But as the dream occurred more and more, Jack found that when he held her each time, that she was trying to tell him something, but the only thing he could ever make out was 'I'm so sorry I never told you Jack. Please forgive me,' and then she would breath no more.

And the dream would start all over again.

Occasionally, Jack would find himself sitting on a beach with Ana in his arms. The first time he envisioned this, he thought she was dead for she did not move. But then she had sat up and looked at him, a smile on her face. Her hand ran down his face as she whispered, "I'm here Jack, and I'm never leaving you."

And just the same as it was every time, he leaned to kiss her and just as their lips met, she disappeared. Jack reeled back the first few times and frantically looked around her for, but after the fifth and sixth times of having the same dream, he just let her go, his face not even registering that she had vanished into thin air. He would sit for a long time afterward, sometimes thinking of what the dreams could mean, the other times, just staring blankly at the sea that beckoned to him.

A thought would suddenly cross his mind that made him frown. Am I going to lose her? But whenever the sentence reached his mind, he laughed bitterly and told himself that he had already lost her. When she turned from him, the first time she had pushed him away, he had lost her. Jack found it all to be ironic.

And now here he sat, the same dream, the same ending, but as he sat with Ana on the beach something was different. When she turned, her usual smile was replaced with a frown of worry and he instinctively reached for her, taking her in his arms. As he dipped his head to kiss her, he was startled to find that she did not disappear but instead pulled away, her lips twisting up as she spoke.

"Jack, wake up."

He tilted his head. "I am awake, love," he told her as he closed his eyes, the sun becoming too bright for him. Something soft trailed across his cheek and rested there, the touch comforting.

"Please, wake up," a soft voice pleaded with him.

But I am awake, Jack thought. And to prove it, I'll open my eyes. And he did.

---

The first thing Jack saw was a fuzzy outline of a face inches from his. He blinked and the haze went away to reveal a woman's face. A rather beautiful woman, Jack concluded. The more he focused, the clearer the face became until he could see it completely. Dark brown eyes peered at him and a small nose wrinkled in confusion as her thin lips parted, words spilling off her tongue. Her smooth brown face was adorned with concern and joy as she ran her fingers through his hair, the first signs of tears misting her eyes.

"Jack," she whispered leaning close to him until her forehead rested against his.

He worked his stiff muscles, his arms coming up and wrapping around the frail form before him. "Anamaria."

Ana sighed with relief as she embraced him, her voice quivering. "Thank God you're awake. I was beginning to think you'd never come to."

Jack held her at arm's length as he asked, "D-Derrick? Where-?" he was silenced as Ana placed a finger to his lips.

"Shh, it's okay Jack. He's not here. Do you remember what happened?"

The pirate captain wrinkled his brow in thought as Ana moved off the bed and opened the cabin door slightly, sticking her head out and shouting something Jack couldn't quite pick up. He watched her closely as she returned to his side taking his hand and pressing the other to his forehead, a frown passing over her face.

"You don't remember do you?" She asked in a low voice. She trembled at the thought of him not remembering everything, but she was thankful he remembered her. As Jack sat there, he suddenly was hit with the memory of the events that took place but the last thing he could remember was seeing the jigger mast of the ship collapsing and he was unable to get out of it's way as it crashed to the deck. After that it was just darkness he could picture.

Jack studied her long and hard, his eyes adjusting to the dim light in the room. He could make out Ana's face, wrinkled and contorted with fear, worry and fatigue. Her eyes didn't have the glimmer they usually held as he could see she had been fighting off sleep, most likely to sit with him while he recovered. Fatigue just does not suit her, he told himself with a slight nod.

He placed a hand on her chin and lifted her face to meet his, "I remember, Ana."

She looked at him, scrutinizing his features before nodding. He cupped her face as he leant to kiss her, his heart racing under her touch. The sound of the door swinging open made them part much to the discontentment of both Ana and Jack. The pirate captain looked over Ana's shoulder to see Will and Elizabeth with Gibbs behind them, relief visible on all their faces.

Elizabeth was the first to his side, with what Jack finally noticed as her daughter gently in her arms. She knelt by the bed, a smile lighting up her face. "Jack, I'm so glad you're okay."

"Aye, Jack. We was beginnin' to worry, 'specially that one," Gibbs stated pointing at Ana who blushed and made a face at him.

Will chuckled as he clasped Gibbs' shoulder. "Now come on Gibbs, be honest. You were just as worried as Ana, if not more."

Gibbs, flustered, protested and then left without another word his face a bright red with embarrassment. Jack smirked as he glanced around taking in the relieved faces of his friends and wife. Will stood over his wife watching the pirate captain intently before saying, "They're waiting for you, Captain," he nodded to the door. Jack understood and swung his legs to the side of the bed in an attempt to stand up.

Ana placed a hand on his chest holding him back. "Now don't go thinking that because you're awake that you're fine. You have a nasty goose-egg there Jack, I want to make sure you're fine before you go off gallivanting."

Jack cocked his head, his usual smirk returning to his pale face. He looked at Will and Elizabeth, then down to the girl that sat on the bed, her hands trying to grab hold of Jack's bead adorned hair. "I have no objections darlin', but are ye sure ye want to do that in front of them and the little one?"

Ana grinned knowing that her Jack was back and good as new, as Elizabeth blushed and Will laughed so hard he had to sit down saying, "He seems fine to me."

---

Ana shuffled beside Jack, his arm around her waist. She stopped and he looked at her as she nodded for him to go on ahead. "Go on Jack, they're waiting."

"But what about-" he started but she cut him off. "I forgot something back in the cabin. Go on, I'll be right behind you, promise."

With a hesitant nod, Jack crested the deck, greeted by the crew, Elizabeth and Will close behind. The young blacksmith glanced back to see if Ana was behind them only to find her leaning against a wall for support, her breathing shallow.

"Ana, you all right?"

The female pirate glanced at him and forced herself to smile and nod as she pushed herself away from the wall, her legs buckling beneath her weight as she headed back for the cabin. She was tired and sore, and barely able to hold her own self up as she shuffled forward, her steps slow and unsteady.

"Ana?"

Ana looked up with fear in her face, her eyes rolling back into her head as her legs finally gave out. Blackness surrounded her and the last thing she remembered was hearing her name as the deck quickly rushed up to meet her.

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A/N: Haha, ok. This was suppose to be a short chapter, but it seems it has become one of the longer ones. I can't seem to make a short one, and besides, I know how you all love the longer versions. Ugh- this chapter seems to be heading no where, but it's a progression. Forgive me, forgive it. You know the drill. Sorry this note is so short, but hey, duty and life calls- unfortunately. So read on and n'joy!

Review Thanks- (Gonna have to keep it short this time guys, sorry!)

Thanks so much to Tinkebelle21, Guinevere, Rat, SpecialEddie, Cal, Kingleby, Elizabeth Swan/Turner, and Jackfan2. You guys are my inspiration and moral support! N'joy!

-J