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Damned to the Depths

-Chapter Seven

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Through the silence, Ana herself remembered that raid from not to long ago, a sadness covering her features as she gazed at Jack. He knew everything from the time they docked to the time he sprung her from the cell at the Fort, but nothing more. She had endured captivity for three days before Jack had been able to get to her, and those three days had been a living hell for Ana; three days she wouldn't soon forget.

Ana looked at Jack who seemed to be lost in the memory of that night, but he knew nothing of the whole story, of what had happened once she had been captured. She had never told him, she thought it was for the best. She thought she could keep it hidden forever, but it seemed fate was not on her side in this case. She'd have to tell him.

"You know," Ana commented bringing Jack's attention to her. "I was so mad at you that night for making me scout the place out instead of letting me go with you. I shouldn't have been, and I remember when I walked away from you how I was hoping that you were kicking yourself for being such an ass. And it wasn't until I found myself in a cell that I realized I was the one being the ass and how I wished I had at least said goodbye," she paused, tilting her head slightly. "I didn't think I was ever going to see you again."

Jack quirked an eyebrow. "Why did ye think that? I'd have come for ye."

"I know you would have, Jack," Ana replied, shaking her head. "But still, I didn't think I was going to see you again."

The pirate captain leaned against a wall, his arms crossed as he watched her. "Ana, what happened that night ye were taken? How were ye captured?"

Anamaria's eyes became distant as she hugged herself, a chill spreading through her. Hanging her head she said, "I was stupid, not paying attention to what I was doing or where I was going. I was too blinded by my anger to see the trap I was walking into…"

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Ana walked briskly down the cobble stone street, pulling her cloak closer to her body to block the wind. Cotton's parrot sat perched on her shoulder, its beady eyes watching the night intently. She was grumbling and complaining, an occasional curse slipping here or there as she walked, her anger at Jack for making her the lookout distracting her from her task.

Oh, who does he think he is? Where does he get off appointing ME as the lookout! Ana argued with herself as she trekked through the quiet town. "He has some nerve," she grumbled. "I hope the fleas of a thousand camels infest his armp-" A sound from behind her cut her off and she spun around only to find darkness.

The bird making rest on her shoulder flapped its wings before flying off screeching, "Run away!"

"What?" Ana pivoted on her heels and came face to face with a shadowed figure.

"Well look at what we have here," the figure stepped forward into the light, shock registering on Ana's face as she gazed at a guard, a malicious look in his eyes.

Ana reached for her sword but a hand grabbed her from behind causing the blade to clatter on the road, the sound echoing in her ears. She struggled as someone pinned both her arms behind her back, the grip tightening making her wince. "Get your hands off of me," she hissed as she fought against her holder.

"Feisty one, aren't we," the person in front of her commented. "Now, what to do with you…" he thought taking a step closer where his face was inches from hers.

Ana glared at him and brought her knee up, watching him drop to the ground, writhing in pain from where she had kneed him. The man holding her chuckled, "She sure nailed you."

The guard on the ground didn't look up as he ordered, "Take her to the garrison and lock her up. We'll deal with her later."

Kicking and screaming, Ana fought against the man as he drug her away. "Let go of me," she shouted as she struggled to free herself. From the corner of her eye, she saw the glint of metal and then blackness as the butt of a pistol was brought down upon her.

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The throbbing pain on her left temple made her cringe. She opened her eyes and quickly closed them again, the searing pain intensifying at the action. Ana rolled over and rubbed the spot gingerly easing the throbbing, her eyes once again cracking. Her vision was blurry and she blinked trying to focus on her surroundings.

She heard a jingling of keys and looked up to see the guard she had kneed earlier sneering at her, his dark eyes roaming her body. Her hand absently traveled to her side to find herself unarmed. She remembered having dropped her sword and they must have taken her pistol after capturing her. Glancing down she flexed her right foot to see if she felt the blade of her dagger still hidden in her boot.

Ana rested her head against the wall closing her eyes. It was still there. One less weapon they had managed to deprive her of, one more weapon for her to defend herself with. Now she'd just wait for Jack and the others, provided Cotton's parrot made it back to the ship. While the bird itself lacked brainpower, Ana had to admit it was far smarter than half the crew.

"Why don't you just make a painting," Ana quipped feeling the guards eyes still on her. "It'll last longer."

The guard muttered a curse under his breath before leaving, the clicking of his boots on the concrete floor drilling in Ana's ears. She heard the closing of the hold door and sighed, hugging her knees to her chest as she buried her face into her arms. She hoped she wouldn't have to wait long for Jack to come for her, if so, she feared that a fight just might yet ensue between her and the guards.

She must have drifted off to sleep because she was jolted awake when someone clasped a hand over her mouth as someone else grabbed her legs. Her head snapped over to see the two guards who locked her up, the taller of the two tying her legs together at the ankles. Ana struggled to remove the hand from her mouth, her nails digging into the guard's arm.

She heard him curse and say something as she was yanked up by the arms and dragged across the floor. The last thing she remembered was being drug from her cell, watching the safety of the bars fade along with her vision.

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Ana rolled over, her eyes shutting tightly to block out any unwanted light. Every part of her body screamed out in pain- her arms and legs bruised and cut, the dried blood caked on her skin. After she was drug from her cell the night before, the guards had taken her to an old storeroom where spare weapons had once been kept. Hay covered the floor as well as a few burlap sacks in a corner and a single barred window was all the room consisted of.

She blocked out the memory of the night's events, her body shivering from the damp air. The musty smell overwhelmed her senses as she struggled to sit up, her wrists bound together. Small abrasions lined her hands from where the course rope ate away at her skin when she had tried loosening the knot. Several smaller cuts adorned her cheeks, arms and neck and a purpling bruise was forming under her right eye. Ana scooted back against the wall, her knees coming to her chest as she huddled on the floor.

Her throat was parched and her stomach was empty and she remembered she had not had anything to eat or drink for days now, a continuing routine she'd picked up after having lost her appetite weeks before. Ana lifted her head and watched the fading colors of the sun being overtaken by the shadows of the evening, her spirit dying a little more when she realized night would be upon her soon. The two guards had promised to return on ten bells of the clock tower, and with each bell and each passing minute, Ana became more and more paranoid.

At first she had fought having been able to get her hands on the dagger hidden in her boot, but her efforts were cut short and her own weapon had been used against her, each cut of the blade making her cringe in pain. She could feel the welts forming under her shirt, the hard concrete wall being of no comfort to her.

Jack, where are you? Ana thought he would have come for her by now. He wouldn't abide by the code, would he? She pushed that idea from her mind, knowing that he wouldn't leave her behind. She had overheard the guards saying that a pirate had been caught sneaking into the Governor's mansion and then escaping, taking with him some of the Governor's most valued jewels.

Ana knew that pirate had been Jack and she was thankful to hear that he had escaped, but because of the attempted raid, security had been extra tight- a guard at every dock, every post, every road. She convinced herself that it was because of security that he had not come for her yet; she hoped and prayed that it was the reason. And so, until he came, Ana would continue to wait for him and continue to count down by the hours, the time until her nightmares would once again come for her.

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As promised, the guards had returned, but this time they did not come alone. Ana studied the four men standing there, knowing that she would not be able to take them all on in her state. Her sides ached and her muscles burned with anxiety, waiting. What happened next, she couldn't exactly remember, but she remembered feeling their hands on her, remembered fighting back and remembered she somehow grabbed a pistol that rested at the side of one guard, her fingers trembling as she fired the weapon in hopes of scaring them away.

The four men scattered and the pistol dropped to the floor, a young guard dropping to his knees at the same time, the bullet of the pistol having struck him in the chest. Ana watched with horror as he fell, his shirt soaked in his blood.

"Bane!" The other three men rushed to his side, one pressing his hands to the young man's neck, shaking his head. "He's gone."

One of them turned to Ana, hatred in his dark eyes and she recognized him as the guard who had assaulted her the night she'd come to shore. He pointed a finger at her, his anger swelling. "You killed him, he was only a lad!"

Ana felt hands grab her by the throat and she dug her nails into the man's flesh drawing blood. She felt his grip tighten and she gasped for air. She could make out the other two guards behind them, pulling them apart as the man released Ana. She sunk to her knees gasping, coughing. She heard a rustle from her side and looked up in time to see a boot connect with her side.

Ana screamed out, the force from the kick knocking the breath out of her. She tried to move but found she couldn't get her arms and legs to cooperate and she was unable to react as another swift kick was received to her midsection. She grunted; choking back the scream as the pain from the second kick grew and intensified, her body convulsing in distress.

Her mind blacked out, her vision fading. In the background she could hear numerous voices, screaming and yelling. She wasn't sure how long she was out, but it must not have been long or so she thought.

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Red. It was all she could see as she groveled on the cold floor in pain. Her eyes fluttered open, the red swirls flooding her vision. When the haze on everything finally disappeared, Ana could make out the soft face of an older man leaning over her. She could distinctly hear shouts from within the room, the man next her arguing with someone else.

"But sir! She resisted arrest and assaulted myself and another!"

"Regardless, this is no way to treat a prisoner, much less a woman!"

Ana wanted to argue that point, but was too weak to do much of anything. The man beside her placed a hand on her shoulder, "Lie down." She did as she was told, her eyes studying him. She eventually closed her eyes, her eyelids too heavy to hold open. From somewhere in the room she could hear the man next to her bark our orders to some guards. She dismissed his words, not paying attention to what was said, but when she heard him tell someone to fetch the doctor, Ana became worried.

The voices finally died down and Ana thought she was alone. The only thing she could see was red. After a while, she realized it was blood and it was everywhere. It was on her arms, her legs, her clothes and her hair. It took her a while to figure out that it was her own blood she was sitting in, but where it was coming from, she didn't know. Opening her eyes once more, she saw the man gazing at her, the worry on his wrinkled face.

She started to say something when the sound of steps coming toward them drew her attention to the door where a young man appeared, a black bag at his side. She couldn't move and she couldn't find the strength to talk before everything went black again.

The next time she awoke, she was back in a cell on a cot. Her body ached from the inside out, every move she made, the pain screamed out. Cutting her gaze to the cell door, she saw the young doctor talking to the man who had fetched him. The older man looked over at her, a slight smile coming to his face.

"Oh good, you're awake."

The doctor turned, his expression filled with worry. "Commodore, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a word with the lady alone, please."

"Of course," The Commodore nodded to Ana and then left.

Ana tensed as the doctor knelt beside her, his hand brushing across her forehead. "Do you have a name?"

Unsure if she should tell him or not, Ana simply nodded, her eyes boring into his. "Wonderful. The name's Grant, but you can call me Seth. And you are…?"

Still skeptical about the situation Ana studied him. "Ana," she whispered hoarsely.

"Ana?" She nodded. "Well Ana, you're lucky to be alive. Though you're not out of the woods just yet. I'm surprised you haven't keeled over after losing that much blood."

Ana just stared at him, confusion on her face. "Also," Seth continued. "I'm afraid I have some bad news." He watched to see Ana's reaction but there was none. "Sadly, I wasn't able to save your baby; you miscarried. I'm sor-"

"My what?"

Seth gazed at her, the pieces falling together. "Ana, you did know you were pregnant, did you not?"

The silence was enough answer for him; she hadn't known. And now it didn't matter, the child was gone. Ana paled visibly at the news, her dark eyes contorting in anger and confusion. "How far?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"Four months," Seth sighed. "I'm sorry, there was nothing I could do."

Ana looked away hiding her tears. She had never known. Jack would never know, and the secret would remain safe with Ana- there was nothing they could do now. She rolled over and stared at the wall. Perhaps it was for the best, she thought. Besides, were she and Jack really ready for that kind of commitment? Ana wasn't sure, but now she would never know.

What now? Ana asked herself. She would wait; wait for Jack. After all, it was all she did to begin with.

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"After that well… you pretty much well know what happened," Ana finished. She watched Jack for any reaction he'd have but he remained silent, his hands in his pockets. He did know from that point what happened next. He rescued Ana and then set sail to where ever the wind took them. Jack realized it was about this time that Ana had started to push him away, now he knew why.

It was months after that raid that she started to turn him down again and Jack just figured she was still in shock over being captured and let her have her space thinking she'd come around eventually. Now he knew it was because of what she had gone through, and on top of that, she was pregnant again. Jack wasn't positive, but he was sure that it had knocked Ana for a loop giving her cause to shy away, afraid to say something. Afraid she'd lose this child as well.

Jack was pulled from his thoughts as Ana suddenly covered her mouth, panic on her face. He watched in mild amusement as she turned green, searching for something in the room. Moving past her, he grabbed an empty vase from a display shelf and held it up. "Ana?"

The pirate captain barely had enough time to center the vase before Ana started heaving, emptying her stomach as she experienced her first ordeal with morning sickness. Jack's hand rested at the base of her neck holding her hair back as he rubbed her arm, whispering to her. The sound of Ana retching made Jack cringe; if this was to become a daily routine, he seriously doubted he'd have the patience to listen to this every morning. Oh Lord, give me patience.

Jack took a deep breath as he sat next to Ana on the floor. Not only was this the beginning of a new life, but a new start, a new adventure for both Jack and Ana for many years to come. The pirate captain sighed, a small grin gracing his lips as the woman beside him continued to heave, bits of what she regurgitated landing on Jack's boots.

Lord, are you there? I need more patience. Lots more. Right this minute, Lord. Are you listening?

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A/N: Evil, evil, and evil! Yes I know! Not much to say except, hope this is somewhat accurate, if not, well then… Life's a Cookie! A long chapter I know, but this was the completion of chapter 6, a new beginning for chapter 8. N'joy!

Review Thanks-

Cal- Glad you enjoyed the tension relievers in chapter 6, not many of those here though, sorry. And thanks for the support and lengthy reviews!

Rat- Awesome! Keep um… writing your story too. (Anyone who hasn't read her story Momentary Indecision's, get off your butt from reading this, and go read it! Now!)

A special thanks to Jackfan2- For always being my second pair of eyes when I can't see, what I have right in front of me. For always believing that my writing is good no matter what I think about it. For always encouraging me, for the support and the pep talks! Thanks so much!

-J