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 Eleven

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"Sail ho!"

Jack's head snapped up and he spun around, "What?"

"To th' left cap'n," someone shouted, pointing. Jack pulled out his spyglass to peer in the direction of the approaching ship. Red sails flittered in the breeze, a Jolly Roger flying high with a red flag beneath it.

Jack cursed under his breath. Things had just gone from bad to worse. Glancing behind him, he could no longer see the Old Reliable in the distance, the reassurance that the ship was safely out of range and view. Having the Belladonna approach them also insured Jack that Derrick did not know Ana was not onboard; an element that could be used to the pirate captain's advantage.

But still… the odds were not in Jack's favor. The Pearl's left side was still not battle worthy, a fact Derrick obviously took into consideration as he rapidly approached that side of the ship. Jack leaned against the helm a string of curses being muttered. The bloody bugger knew what he was doing all along, he realized.

For three and one-half days, the Pearl and the Old Reliable sat, waiting for any sign of Derrick to attack. After three days, Jack had enough of waiting and decided to sail to port to repair his ship properly. And for three days, Derrick had waited for them, knowing that the Pearl was damaged, knowing that repairs were a far way off. He waited- watching; he waited until the Old Reliable was gone, knowing he would be no match against both ships. Waiting for Jack to make his move and leave the safety of the island they anchored at. Waiting to attack.

Most of the cannons had been moved to the right side of the ship when Ana had expected a battle early on; they had yet to be moved back. With the assumption that Derrick was playing 'hide-n-seek' with them, they had left the cannons where they were. They hadn't been expecting a surprise attack, now they were sitting ducks. Think, think, think, Jack searched his mind for something, anything.

"Gibbs!"

From his spot on the foredeck, Gibbs looked up. "Aye?"

"Drop anchor on the starboard side," he called down. Jack had a plan.

---

"You have to turn the ship around, NOW!"

Will and Captain Bradford turned at the same time, both contemplating the woman before them. "Ana, why is it so important we turn around? Port Royal is in that direction," Will said causally pointing to the front of the ship.

Ana glared at him. "Because Jack's in trouble," she exclaimed. "It's the Belladonna! She's attacking the Pearl!"

"What?"

Will looked behind him, the familiar black sails no longer in sight. "I don't even see the Pearl anymore, Ana. Are you sure?"

"I know what I saw, William Turner! I'm not blind nor am I crazy!" Ana insisted. She pointed to the stern of the boat where she had been standing when the other ship disappeared. "Derrick is there, trust me! If we don't turn around now, he'll sink the Pearl!"

Captain Bradford glanced at Will, his eyes clearly stating that they couldn't possibly turn around now. The young blacksmith ran a hand through his hair, "Ana, if this is some kind of joke to go back and kill Jack for sending you with us, it's not going to work."

Ana's face flushed red with anger at the words, her hand delivering a painful slap to Will's chiseled face. "This isn't a joke! Turn us around now or there won't be a Jack for me to pummel when this is all over!"

Will rubbed his face, "Anamaria, say we did go back. There's no guarantee we'll reach Jack in time. Even damaged, the Pearl is still faster than us. There's no telling how far ahead of us they are," he stammered.

The young woman gripped the hilt of her sword as she seethed, "Either turn us around, or I'll tear this whole damn ship apart."

---

Okay, so Jack's plan didn't go as he expected. He had seen Anamaria and Elizabeth pull it off without any problems, so why couldn't he? He dropped the anchor. He let go of the helm at the right time. They turned… well, Jack thought they turned. Instead, they just veered to the right slightly, the implication that the left side was taking on too much water to complete the swivel.

So, manually turning the ship around didn't quite have the element of surprise, but it got the job done. The crew unloaded the cannons in a frenzied barrage across the water at the Belladonna, some striking the target, others landing with a kerplunk in the ocean below. When they had run out of cannons, they resorted to the grappling irons for hand-to-hand combat as several of Derrick's crew boarded the Pearl.

Jack blocked the sword that swung toward him, the sound of metal on metal ringing in his ears. He pushed past the guy, drawing his sword from the man's body as he moved on. There was only one man Jack cared to cross blades with, and he had yet to find him. Confident that his crew could manage without him, Jack stealthily made his way to the helm. Smoke from the cannons filled the air, the acrid smell making his eyes water and his throat burn. A noise to his left drew his attention and he turned, his sword stopping the blade of a shadowed figure.

"Knew you'd show sooner or later, Sparrow."

Jack circled the figure, "Derrick. Are ye gonna hide in the shadows or come out an fight like a man?"

Derrick withdrew from the smoke filled haze, the flat side of his blade gently tapping his shoulder. "Well, since you put it like that," he stood feet from the pirate captain, a feral grin on his face. "I'm game, Sparrow. What say, the first one to run the other through, wins."

A slight nod from Jack sealed the accord and Derrick wasted no time as he moved in, his sword aimed for Jack's throat. Ducking back, Jack avoided the blow, his own blade rising. The two circled before their blades crashed into each other, the blows and thrusts frantic and angry. Jack stumbled back, the tip of Derrick's blade nicking his hand.

Jack swore under his breath and studied his opponent. Derrick's style was the same as any English man's, his footwork sloppy. But his blade was different. Unlike Jack's cutlass, the sword was longer, the blade narrower making it easier for Derrick to deflect and thrust, an advantage Jack didn't have. As they stumbled across the deck, to each giving and receiving blows, a thick smoke enveloped them, blanketing anything in sight.

Doing his best not to breath in the smoke, Jack continued to block Derrick's advances, the gray haze making it hard to see where they were going. From the corner of his eye, he could see one his sails on fire, the flames growing and licking at its fuel. He could hear the shouts of his crew as they raced to put the flames out while still others kept on fighting, driving their opponents from the ship.

Jack momentarily turned to see the flaming sail, the burning bits and ash falling around them. He turned back to Derrick to see him drag his blade across the deck through a piece of the burning sail that had fallen and bring it up, the embers aimed at Jack. He stumbled back, his face stinging from the hot ash as a cinder landed in his eye. Dropping his sword, Jack reared back, the burning sending pain through his nerves.

Derrick chuckled at the sight of Jack on his knees, his face red from the ash. "It's a shame really, having to kill you this way," Derrick commented nonchalantly. "A shame that Barbossa didn't finish the job like he was told to. But oh well, no loss for me. He took care of you- you took care of him, just like it was suppose to be. Makes my job a bit easier."

Looking up, Jack moved the hand from his face. "What are ye talkin' about?"

"Oh, you mean you didn't know! Barbossa didn't just maroon you because he wanted the treasure or to be captain of your ship, Sparrow. He marooned you because he was paid to do so," Derrick informed. "See, I had a problem. Ana was betrothed to me, yet all she could ever do was talk about you. So I had your first-mate drop you off at the first island he saw fit, thus ridding you of our lives forever. However, it didn't work that way. You escaped Sparrow. How, I don't know, but you did. And so our story goes on, here you are, here I am. Once again we have a problem. Ana belongs to me, but she is in your possession. How do you think we fix that?"

"Ana belongs to no one; she isn't some prize you claim to put on your shelf, mate. It's her choice. She made it. If this is where she wants to stay, then so be it. Not you or anyone else has the right to take that away from her," Jack corrected. "And I'll be damned if I'm going to let some snot-nosed, pissant like yourself take her from me."

Derrick sighed, "That's where you are wrong, Sparrow. Ana is mine, her father saw to that. Or do you not remember that? Perhaps you're getting senile in your old age. Either way, I'll be taking her with me and you can't stop me."

An idea suddenly struck Jack as he smirked at Derrick, "I don't understand. Ana is damaged goods now, why would you possibly still want her?"

There was a moment of silence as Derrick contemplated this, a hand scratching his chin. "You are right about one thing, Sparrow. She is damaged goods, a whore for all I care- carrying that filthy whelp of yours, but no matter. It's not her I am after," he implied.

"What?!"

Derrick withdrew something from his side without answering, "Time to say goodnight, Sparrow," he commented as he aimed a pistol at Jack.

Jack jerked back with the sound of the pistol going off as a loud curse filled the air and something clattered to the deck. He felt something rip through his left arm, the sting spreading through his shoulder. Jack opened his eyes to see Derrick leaning against a crate, a dagger deeply embedded in his thigh. He yanked the weapon from his leg, letting it fall, his hand covered in blood. Jack looked on as someone appeared to his right, the outline being nothing but a shadow to his swollen eye.

"Bastard, how could you?!"

Jack knew that voice and his snapped up to see several people standing around him. One was kneeling beside him, asking if he was ok and poking at his bloodshot eye; another stood in front of him, their body shielding Jack as yet the third stood beside, a sword in hand.

"Well, if it isn't my little pigeon, come back to fly away home with me," Derrick quipped as he stood up.

"Never."

Derrick tilted his head. "I'm afraid you don't have any choice in the matter. Sparrow's given you up."

Jack growled at the statement, his hand itching for his sword. Just one swing of his blade, and he could make sure Derrick never told another lie. But he was held back by a pair of strong hands as a voice whispered to him. Will? Jack looked up to see that it was indeed Will crouching beside him, Gibbs beside him and…

"Get her out of here!" Jack hissed at the man beside him. "Ye were suppose to take her to Port Royal and keep her away from here."

Will glanced at him, his eyebrows knitted together. "Yeah, well you try telling her that and then let me know how it went."

The two looked up to see the person before them, glaring at Derrick. A few words were exchanged, but Jack didn't catch a single one, his attention drawn by the woman who stood her ground in front him. Ana, don't do anything stupid. Only Will is allowed to do that.

Ana stood, her hands balled into fists in front of Jack, the anger visible on her face as she glared at Derrick. She watched him straighten himself out, wiping his hand on his shirt, the blood smearing the white fabric. He picked the dagger up and examined it before cocking his head.

"I believe this belongs to you," he sneered as he threw the dagger back to Ana.

Jack flinched as the blade landed in the deck an inch from Ana's feet, her body never once moving. "There's only one place that dagger belongs, and it sure as hell isn't in the deck," she spat out.

Derrick grinned as he moved aside, "Yes, well that my dear, is just an empty threat. Now, I see I must be taking my leave. It has been… fun," he added as he quickly turned and disappeared through the veil of smoke.

Ana uttered a strangled sigh of frustration as she looked back at the three men behind her. Gibbs stood nearby, a sword in his hand at Jack's ready to protect to Ana. Will was crouched beside Jack, his steady hand offering assistance. Jack rested an arm on one knee as he stared back her, his face red, his eye swollen and bloodshot and a small tear in his left shirtsleeve was stained with blood from where the bullet grazed him.

"Will."

The young blacksmith quirked an eyebrow. "Ana."

"Stay with Jack and take care of that wound," she said as she shuffled forward. She snatched Derrick's sword from the deck and vanished into the haze.

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A/N: Hehe, look at that! Not long, not short, just right. There are only like 2-3 chapters left; I'm going through and seeing where I can add bits and pieces here or there to make the story longer, but so far, I have nothing. Oh wells.

Review Thanks-

Jackfan2- (laughs) Bilge rats are bad. Maybe this chapter brings your hope for that whole 'protection' thing down a bit, eh? But hey, don't worry, remember, the ending is coming shortly. Means a lot of tear jerking, gut wrenching… um, rum drinking something or another. And I like your idea of the 7pm writer's inspiration, but knowing my luck, I'll be at work 7pm. ^_^

Rat- Thanks. Had the song in mind since it first aired. As I'm sure a lot of people did. Thanks!

Cal- I know chapter 10 was a bit indifferent, maybe a little OOC, but I can't help it. If it progresses the story along, then great! The chapter was a bit hard for me to write down in terms- I knew where it was going, how it started and ended, but I couldn't find the perfect words to describe what I saw. Hence, a bad chapter. 'White Flag' is a song by Dido. It's great, as well as some of her other stuff. You should check her out. And don't worry, the 'Dickhead' (as he is so lovingly called) gets his own in the end. Perhaps. (wink, wink.)

SpecialEddie- Thanks, and I am glad you agree with 'White Flag'. The lyrics are perfect, but there are SO many songs out there that hold the vision of Jack and Ana, and I want to use several of them, but I'm convincing myself not to do song fics because I can't ever get them to turn out right. Chills are good… hot chocolate? Trying to keep everything as suspenseful as possible, hope its working. And again thank you for your support! 56 reviews aren't bad, especially for 10 chapters. 'Joy' was 17 chapters, only scored 66 reviews there… I'm gaining. Here is what I want to know though- how can all those 'self insertions' 'kill of Elizabeth' 'I fall in love Will or Jack' fics get well over 100 reviews and then some? What are they doing that we aren't?! (No offense to anyone with those kinds of fics that read this story.)

Kingleby- The Old Reliable is a ship of Port Royal, captained by someone other than Norrington- I don't think the captain likes pirates very much. I'll have to ask him. ^_^

-J