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 Five

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Voices swarmed in her mind, her ears detecting at least three different tones, each belonging to a separate individual. The only one she could offhandedly place, was the strong voice of Jack, laced with worry and a hint of anger. His voice was distant, the deep pitch fading the more she concentrated on it. She didn't know what was going on, or what had happened as she found herself unable to move, her body refusing her demands. There was a slight pressure on her arm as she felt fingers on her skin followed by a sharp and unexpected prick making her flinch. Something rough rubbed over the spot of the pinch soothingly, and soon the tiny pain there dulled into nothingness.

She felt a hand upon her forehead, the soft breath of lips against her ear as someone spoke to her, but she did not comprehend what was said. She heard the words form in a whisper and she absently nodded though she didn't know why. A kiss on her forehead alerted her to who the speaker was and she willed her eyes to open but had no luck. A sudden warmth came over her; a fuzzy feeling as she became drowsy once again, allowing herself to succumb to sleep.

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"Captain Sparrow?"

Jack looked up from his vigil of Ana, his brow puckered with concern. He had insisted that he sit with her, waiting for her to wake, his mind a torrent of flustered thoughts. He racked his brain for possible reasons as to why Ana could have collapsed, and the only logical one was because she was exhausted. For three days she had sat with him, never leaving his side, never sleeping. It was negligence on Ana's part for not tending to her own needs and such was the effect of said cause.

But the collapse had been most unexpected though expected in Jack's mind as he sat with her. He thought things were okay for a little while after he had woken up from his three-day coma, but when Ana collapsed, Jack knew they weren't out of the woods yet. No, there was no end in sight and if there was an end, it was being delayed.

The doctor stood in the doorway, his red vest wrinkled and his hands in his pockets. He was an older man, surely many years Jack's senior, with white hair, a small build and spectacles perched high on the bridge of his nose. "Captain Sparrow, if you please, I'd like to have a word with you."

Jack stared at him. "Anythin' ye got to say to me, ye can say right here."

"I quite understand that, Captain, but if it's all the same, I wish to speak with you in private," the doctor informed, his green eyes blank.

After some heavy convincing on his part, Jack reluctantly got up and followed the doctor to the captain's quarters. The pirate captain glanced around and then busied himself looking at all the different artifacts and trinkets in the cabin. He picked up an old wine bottle, clean and free of dust and read the label. A low whistled resonated from his throat as he set the bottle down and asked, "What was it ye wished to speak to me about?"

The doctor motioned to the desk chair gesturing for Jack to have a seat and he did so, propping his feet up on the oak surface, picking at his fingernails. The old physician sat on the desktop beside him, staring at the wall intently.

"Captain, I noticed something odd earlier when I was examining your," he paused for a second. "Wife."

Jack lifted his head cautiously. "Like what kind of odd?"

The doctor shifted so that he was staring at Jack, if not directly behind him to avoid his gaze. "Exactly when did your wife- miscarry?"

The pirate captain dropped his feet, his boots landing on the floor with a thump as he asked, "Excuse me?"

"Miscarry. Where the chi-"

"I know what it means," Jack growled cutting him off. "What I'd like to know is exactly what are ye talkin' about?"

The man looked at Jack, confusion on his face. "Captain Sparrow, your wife has had a miscarriage, and it looks pretty recent. I'd say some where in the past year at the most."

Jack stood up and walked around the room, his face unreadable as he took in the information. The past year at the most would have put the beginning of this mess, not long after the wedding. He stopped in front of a bookshelf and picked up an old book and flipped through it, placing it back and taking another. "There must be some mistake, doctor. Ana has never been," he gestured with his hand, the book in his grip. "You know-" he stated with a roll of his eyes.

"Pregnant?" The doctor supplied.

The pirate captain spun around, his arms out, "Yes! That's the word I was lookin' for."

There was a chuckle from the doctor as he assured, "Oh no, Captain, she was," he drummed his fingers on the desk. "She is."

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Ana's eyes adjusted to the hazy gray outline of her surroundings as she came to. Her body felt stiff, her muscles cramping from exhaustion. The overview of the cabin ceiling became shady as someone leaned over her, their soft eyes peering down at her. Ana focused on the person, an older woman, obviously a maid sent to tend to Elizabeth or LeeAnn. Or both. The woman set a damp cloth on Ana's forehead as she whispered, "Sleep, baby."

She didn't have to be told twice, her eyes shutting once again as she slipped into a dreamless rest.

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Jack froze, the book dropping to the floor the only sound breaking the silence. He turned and gawked at the doctor, his jaw slightly agape. "Care to repeat that, mate?"

"Your wife, Captain Sparrow," the doctor informed as if speaking with a toddler. "Is expecting."

The pirate captain stumbled back at the ghastly news, sitting rather heavily on the bed in the corner as he stared blankly at the floor. When he finally found his words, he sputtered the shock of it all still setting in. "But h-how? She never said- why?"

The doctor rose to his feet, glancing over at Jack. "For that answer, Captain, I suggest you ask your wife."

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After the initial shock had worn away, Jack had stumbled out of the cabin and to the deck, where he stood motionless watching the horizon. The recent turn of events had stressed the word caution but this revelation put a whole new meaning on it. For a while after being told of Ana's condition, Jack had sat there in the cabin, in silence, asking himself why. He wanted to know why he hadn't been able to tell- why he didn't know right away about the change or why Ana hadn't shown any signs of being with child.

The doctor had informed him that the existing signs were easy to miss; there were a number of reasons why. One being that Ana didn't suffer the wrath of morning sickness, a surprising defeat mastered with being on a ship at all times. Another being that she was healthy and in her prime, any weight she gained not showing up where it was most likely noticed. And the last being, Ana had been starving herself, in what the doctor could only guess was an attempt to not gain pounds that would bring attention to herself.

Jack had been furious at the last reason- her not sleeping, not being herself (which he supposed could be blamed on her hormones) and now starving herself. He hung his head in concern, had she been that ashamed as to conceal this by slowly destroying her body? The more he thought about it, the more her behavior made sense. Her pushing him away, avoiding him out of the sake of being discovered.

But the fact that she had not said anything to him; not the first time- not now, deeply disturbed him. Why was she afraid to tell him? He just didn't understand it.

Footsteps behind him drew his attention and he turned to see Will, his arms crossed gazing out at the horizon, his eyes holding an expression Jack couldn't place. He and Elizabeth had been informed of Ana's secret, the two having been just as shocked as Jack himself had been, but both recovering a lot quicker than he had too.

The young blacksmith rubbed his arms, suppressing a chill that ran down his spine. Without turning his gaze to Jack he said, "She wants to see you."

The pirate captain turned his head from him, giving a slight snort in response. Will frowned at his actions as he leaned against the railing, tilting his head. "You have to see her eventually, Jack. You just can't keep ignoring her."

"Ye mean the way she ignored me? Ignored to tell me that she- she's," he stopped, waving his hand out over the railing toward the water. "She hid it from me, Will. She hid the fact that she, no that we have a child or are going to have one."

Will sighed, "I understand how you feel Jack, but this is Ana we're talking about; your wife. I'm sure she had a pretty good reason for not saying something. And I think you should give her the chance to explain."

Jack didn't answer him as he turned from the railing, gave a quick nod to the blacksmith and headed below deck where Ana waited for him.

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A/N: Yay! A short chappie! A quick one I know, but right now my brain is stir-fried. Like a marshmallow over a nuclear bonfire. Curse me, hate me, call me evil- I dun care! This chapter, is this chapter- and all is fair- in love and war! (Makes no sense, I know.) And yes, more answers will be revealed soon, I promise.

Review Thanks-

Kingleby- Thanks so much! And here's the answer to 'what's wrong with Ana?!'

Cal- A big glass of rum and hat's off to you for not only guessing Ana's condition, but for also guessing her 'not again' secret. How you manage to know these things just blows me out of the water- and hopefully one day, I can write a story so full of suspense, twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat every word of the way! Congrats and n'joy!

-J