Chapter 13

Authors Note: Typing this up in my computer class. I hope that I can get one chapter at least one a day. It'd be a shame to break the perfect record. I dunno though, school I've been writing as much as I can but its not the same on paper. Somehow when I get to the keyboard. the words come easier than if I hold a pen. Strange, I guess.

Anamaria was gone! He couldn't help but gasp as the room seemed to close in on him. The walls were getting closer and his breath shortened. Had it all been a dream? Another division of Turak's potions to ply his mind with horrific visions? The heaviness over his heart made the fragile contours of his mind quake. He shook as he forced himself to take calm even breaths, he could not be back to being locked up again.

Somewhere, something didn't make sense, why was it warm instead of cold? It was a different warmth, not the stifling heat of the torturer's room, but comfortable, safe. Though it was an effort Jack propped himself up on his elbows as realization dawned on him. There was a soft glow to the room due to several lanterns lit in the corners and middle. No straw on the ground though, just sanded wooden boards that reminded him of the Pearl's.

"So you're awake at last." Elizabeth swept in carrying the basket he remembered form before. Elizabeth, good. Familiarity.

"How long've I been asleep?" Jack couldn't find any images in his mind other than Turak's prison. Wait, Anamaria leaning over him as she helped him to eat, then her sleeping next to him keeping the darkness away.

"About a day." Elizabeth took out a jug of water, a plate of meat and vegetables, then a steaming hot cup of what looked like chicken soup.

"A day!" Jack exclaimed, how had he not awoken before now?

"Aye, and it'll be three more if you don't settle back down." She folded her hands gracefully in front of her. Jack had to admit, marriage agreed with her. The look in her eyes was content and ultimately happy, none of the loneliness and emptiness there had been when she was on the island. Will was definitely good for her.

"Where's Anamaria?" he couldn't wait any longer to ask. A shadow of fear lodged itself in his throat. Elizabeth didn't meet his eyes anymore, she bit her lip and half-turned as if to run. "Where is she?"

"Will?" she called hesitantly looking over her shoulder. William Turner came in and again Jack was surprised. He had definitely grown since the last time. Not only physically but a sense of wisdom and tolerance in his expression.

"Things have changed from the last time you were here." Will put his arms over Elizabeth's slim waist. She wore a beautiful azure dress, white petticoat underneath but Jack refrained from looking to see if she wore a corset.

"I've noticed." Jack was glad for the interlude but his question still wasn't answered. "Where is Anamaria?"

"Eerr.. Jack.." they both looked tense now.

"Just say it, mates. No lolly-gagging, if you please."

"She's not doing well," Will said at last.

"What do you mean, not well?" Jack's eyes sharpened and all fogginess left his mind.

"It was a few hours after you came here," Elizabeth said quietly, "she started coughing and then.."

"Then?" Jack's heart raced, they hadn't said she was dead, but if it was anything like last time..

"She's in the other room. We didn't know if she caught something and we didn't want to risk having you catch the same thing."

"How bad?" Will and Elizabeth shared a look, the bluntness of Jack's questions proved how deeply worried he was.

"An hour before, she started coughing and blood.." Elizabeth trailed off, Will wanted to do something her face was so pale. On further inspection, Jack's was too. It looked as if the pirate's world was crashing around him.

"Did you call a doctor?" Jack asked.

"The doctor isn't in town. He went to another island a day ago, there was no time to call him. I'm sorry, Jack."

"Not as sorry as he'll be when he gets back." Jack gathered his strength and stood quickly, the room spun wildly before Will helped him right it again.

"Jack I don't think you should go see her." Elizabeth tried to stop him.

"Look, I appreciate everything that you've done for us. Really, I do. But pardon my language here, why the blazes not! She was.." he couldn't get the word out. Anamaria was not dying. ".. sick and no one woke me. I'll be damned if she stays alone when I can be there for her, at least for now."

This time not one of them said a word, they both supported most of Jack's weight and helped him get into the other room.

* * *

So, Jack Sparrow thought he was free, eh? Turak stared at the empty cells and moved his hand over the back of the small knives' blade he found on the floor. How had Jack managed it? Barbossa always said Jack was cunning as a fox and twice slippery as an eel when cornered. With the wounds the man had now, how had he managed it?

"Where are they?" Ruyifor released the struggling woman in his arms and laughed when she ran for the door terrified.

"Not here." Turak answered dryly. "Weren't you supposed to be on duty last night? Where were you?"

"You didn't honestly expect me to stay in that miserable room, did you?"

"Yes." Turak's voice was so even it sent ice hurtling though Ruyifor's veins. "Especially when we had Sparrow on the BRINK OF DEATH!!"

"I-I'll find him!" Ruyifor stammered petrified at Turak's rage, "I swear it."

""You'd better." Turak snarled.

"But I don't see why you couldn't have been here."

"Because I thought YOU were here!!" Turak backhanded him across the face, "And I won't tolerate questions from my crew!"

Ruyifor burned with indignation, Turak had smacked him as if he were a barmaid. His face flamed bright red from both the blood appearing under the surface and the humiliation.

"Now let that be a warning to you. If you don't find Sparrow, a lot worse is in store for you."

* * *

"Well, I had to find some reason for you to go with us." Anamaria smiled weakly, "Why does it seem that you're always trying to save me? From Turak, from prison, from the cold. Thank you, Captain Sparrow."

"Just Jack, love." He handed her a new handkerchief from the small pile Elizabeth had brought them. The coughing seemed to have subsided, at least for the moment.

Anamaria did have a point, though, it seemed like everything good that happened irrevocably was followed by some terrible tragedy. What fates were laughing at their expense now?

"Jack?" Will stepped quietly into the room not wanting to bother them, "Someone's here about your promise for a place on the Pearl."

"Cilfre." Jack had been wondering what happened to the lad. "Wait, you didn't tell him that you had to come ask me, did you?"

"Of course not. What do you take me for? No, I told him that I had to check on one of the swords and that he should wait outside in case steel went flying."

"Aye, if his name be Cilfre he's safe enough. Just keep a sharp eye out that no one be following him."

"So long as that's cleared up." Will disappeared as quietly as he had appeared. Jack again stood, albeit this time his head cleared much faster than before. He was, first and foremost the Captain of the Black Pearl. He wouldn't meet one of his crew sitting on the ground.

"Captain?" Cilfre knocked on the doorframe.

"Aye, come in, lad." Cilfre walked through the doorway and blanched at the sight of Jack's numerous injuries.

"Good god, what have they done to you?" he looked troubled and it was then Jack knew he would be a wise investment to the Pearl.

"It looks worse than it is. What's your point in tracking me down? And, more importantly, how did you find me?"

"I followed Turak's raving and then I remembered something I'd heard of a long time ago. It had to do with you asking the merchant ship to deliver a parcel to Port Royale. To a black-smith, you said, who the last time you saw him had a big feathered hat."

"Perceptive, aren't you."

"I try. But as of right now would I be right in guessing that Anamaria isn't doing as well as she could be?"

"Who in bloody hell doesn't know about that? Yes, you'd be right. You wouldn't happen to have the antidote with you?"

"No, Turak has that but I know where he keeps it."

"Which doesn't do us a lot of good considering." Jack tried to devise a plan but nothing so far was working. "There's no way that I can go walking up to him and ask him for it, aye? You are, so far as he knows, one of his crew and he might get a bit twitchy at you asking such a random question. Who does that leave us with?"

"Anamaria." Cilfre said.

"Beg pardon?" Jack really hoped he hadn't heard right, but had the lad said Anamaria?

"What about me?" she asked coming to stand next to Jack. "What's your plan?"

"Think about it." Cilfre knew he had to put this wisely or risk Jack negating it instantly. "I go back aboard saying that I caught the woman pirate, the one key to finally catching Jack Sparrow once and for all. If she coughs or faints, some such womanly thing, I'll be able to convince Turak to give her the antidote. She's well again, now all that's left is you to come onboard and rescue the lady from becoming a hostage."

"Which is a good plan, but what if he just kills her outright? Thinks it's a waste of time to keep her alive and onboard when he could just kill her to get to me anyway?"

"It's certainly a risk.."

"Bloody right it is."

"But I'm quite certain that I can stop that from happening. Turak sees me as no threat to him. As you saw on the dock, I do my best to keep that image. He will take my council to mind and then make it sound like it was his idea from the start. All you have to worry about is getting to the right position and waiting there."

Jack and Anamaria's eyes met and caught. Would she be willing to face down Turak alone? Would he be able to let her go back to the men they'd tried so hard to escape from?

Authors Note 2: I thought that a good way to end the chapter. Norrington's still not in it yet, blast it. I REALLY want him to have his chance but now I'm not so sure how that's going to come around. Good news is that I have the story pretty much planned out. The only question is how I can make it so that it's in chapter form. Hmm. gonna take some planning on that.