Chapter 14

Authors Note: Yakkorat brought to my attention that Jack wouldn't have been able to digest all that he had because he hadn't eaten in so long. Thank you so much and I added a paragraph and fixed that. Thanks to Yakkorat, JackFan2, and J. L. Dexter, for the formatting advice.

Cilfre had left promising to be back at the same time the next day. The plan was perfect, finalized to every second. While Anamaria didn't doubt Jack's sincerity or his conviction to be able to help her. . . she still wondered if he would be able to withstand such a strenuous task.

Granted, it had never stopped him before, but he'd had time to rest and recover from injuries in the past. It had barely been two days and Jack Sparrow was already planning on taking on Turak's crew, sword- fighting with the best of them, and risking further injury.

"He's going to have to cuff you, love." Jack said running his hand through her long black silken hair. They were back in their position, she wanted desperately to tell him her worries but she didn't want his pride to force him to foolishnes. What she needed was a touch of suaveness, to show her concern without raising his ire.

"I know." She replied quietly, "And there's a good chance I'll be sent back to their brig."

"Will you be able to last down there alone?" that image alone haunted him. The sight of Anamaria streaked in the mens' blood, holding the knife forgotten in her hand. Just the sight of her terror stricken eyes had made Jack vow never to let anything so horrendous happen to her again. Now he was sending her to an uncertain fate that was a hundred times worse than anything those two men could have done.

"After what you've gone through I think I could last if they sent me to the farthest corners of the earth with only a tankard of water." She smiled to veil her fear. "Besides you helped me get over that, remember? You've always been there for me, now it's my turn to help you."

"You've done more for me then you'll ever know, love." She was his beacon of light bringing him back to harbor, his first mate worthy of the title Captain had she wanted to be. It was true that she was as strong and cunning of any of his crew but she was the only one amongst them that he shared his past with, shared secrets that humbled him. She listened when he spoke of even the craziest of ideas and was always there to smack him back into line if he did something foolish.

A fresh bout of coughing had Jack sitting and bracing Anamaria against his chest not caring that every breath she took chafed across healing wounds. It went on and on until he was struggling to try and breathe for her. He could hear the hollow ringing inside her throat as she coughed to try and release the toxins within her blood to no avail.

She held the handkerchief to her mouth to try and muffle the noise. She knew blood would spray from every deep cough that was torn deep in her lungs and tried to hide it from him.

Jack saw the bright red on the cloth before she crumpled it into a ball and refused to let him see. Anamaria was glad to have it over with, now she would have at least an hour before it started again. She settled back with Jack this time propped up on one of her elbows so she could not only get air through her system easier but memorize every plane and expression of his face. If something were to happen to her she could die with the memory of Jack with her.

"Is there no way that Turak can be killed?" she asked the question that had plagued her all afternoon.

"There is always one spot of weakness that can bring even the strongest man down." Jack remembered one of the stories he'd read as a child pick-pocketing for a few shillings. It was of ancient mythology the bravest warrior in the Trojan War, twas said he was blessed in the river Styx to be made virtually invincible. His mother made one fatal mistake, as she immersed her son in the river she forgot to put him in again. As a result where she had held him, by the heel, stayed vulnerable to attack. Archilles was finally killed by an arrow to his heel. His only weak spot.

Just by that story Jack had been enlightened and strove to always find the point of weakness in his enemies. It took time and was often more trouble than it was worth, but it had served him well enough in the past.

"So what do you suppose Turak's weak spot is?"

"I honestly don't know." Jack sighed, what if Turak was really invincible? Would Barbossa have the means to bring about such a thing?

"Jack. . .?"

"I'm much better, Ana." He already knew what she wanted to ask. It was something he wasn't sure of either, but Cilfre couldn't buy them anymore time and both the food and drink had gone a long way to his recovery. "I can fight tomorrow as well as any of them can."

There was no changing his mind, she didn't even want to try. If he had the confidence and fortitude to go into battle sure of success she wasn't going to tamper with it and start doubts.

That night was different from any other, both understood the risks being involved and both wanted to say their last good-byes should anything happen. Jack's throat closed and he couldn't get it past his tongue what he wanted to say. Anamaria clamped down on her thoughts furiously and didn't allow her thoughts to become words.

~ "I love you, Jack Sparrow." ~

~ "I'll love you until I die, Anamaria Lycrae." ~

Both sighed those words before drifting off to sleep. Their friendship was solid, rock steady and to hang it precariously on the cliffs of love was a risk neither was willing to take yet. They knew down in their hearts that should something ever tear them apart, their souls would crumble and drift as fire turns to ash on the wind. It was safer to stay friends then travel to the unbroken road where nothing was certain.

* * *

"You're ready?" Cilfre bound her hands in front of her and waited for them to say their good-byes.

Anamaria's gaze met Jack's and no words needed to be said. He watched as she walked away her head held high and he knew a dangerous look sparkled in her eyes.

Please keep her safe, I'll go willingly to spend eternity in darkness if only you will protect her for me.

This was said to any deity, god, or spirit who happened to be tuning into his thoughts at the moment. It was a plea that none could resist if they heard. It came from the very bottom of his heart and though the words were simple, they meant more to him than any he'd ever uttered.

"William?" Jack interrupted as Will finished a sword and placed it with several others. "I need to ask a favor."

"Of course. What is it, Jack?"

"I need you to sword-fight me." He said bluntly. William got the gest of it though, Jack wanted to prove his strength had returned and that he could handle himself through a real fight. Even though the wounds were still puffy and red along the outside, none of them bled anymore. Jack had slipped back into his old way of walking, a rolling almost fluid gait that said more than anything that he was feeling better. As he picked up a sword to examine it Will had no doubts that at least, for a short time, Jack Sparrow could hold his own.

"All set?"

"Just waiting for you." Jack blocked and parried all over the smithy. He remembered both moves and action well enough, now if only his arm would regain some of it's limberness. He fought well enough, but if faced with more than two enemies he feared he lacked the agility to defend himself against all of them.

Just two days out of commission and already he was becoming a sop. He shook his head in disgust. Captain Jack Sparrow the scourge of the sea reduced to practice fighting to gain skill.

He tired too easily, it could barely have been half an hour since the fight started. It felt as though he and his crew had been through a sea battle, in the middle of a raging storm, during the night, following a hurricane.

He sat on the floor to wipe the perspiration from his forehead and to check the condition of his body. He hurt all over but this time it was good pain, muscles ached from non use but he welcomed it this time. So long as he rested and continued to practice he would be ready for tomorrow night.

Authors Note: Ye gods people I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. This has happened before, part of it I used when describing Jack's consciousness and exhaustion. I don't know why I'm so tired. Usually I stay up until at least 1 in the morning but I made myself attempt an ending to this chapter. I want it to continue, it's only three pages long. *groans* THREE! But if I try to write anymore I swear I will fall asleep here and continue to write in my sleep. At least I got two chapters up though, right?