Quennya: Yes the word "gel" in my story means girl. It's just my pathetic attempt at keeping Jack's accent as accurate as I can. Don't pronounce it as the stuff you put in your hair (hair GEL). LoL, but I'm glad you like my story.
PineAppleLint: I love your story, and I want to thank you for reviewing! (If you're looking for a good story, check out Meeting His Match by PineAppleLint)
Volleyballblue309: Thank you for the email and the positive feedback!]
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Ashley awoke when she had rolled over while sleeping, and crushed one of her many bruises. ~*Dammit, I swear the second I am out of this stupid cell . . .*~ She rose slowly, and grimaced as she inspected her bloodstained clothing. ~*No wonder I feel so woozy.*~ Trying to maintain her balance, she managed to stand up and get a better look at her new prison. ~*I can pick that lock, wasn't there a little boat somewhere hidden on deck? Could probably row meehself to a near port . . .*~
"Jesus." Jack's voice interrupted her torrent of thoughts. She looked at him, he was now sitting up, and looking her up and down.
"What is it?" Impatiently she waited for a response.
"Yeh look like hell." Indicating the blood all over her body, she shrugged and continued to examine the cell. Jack watched her, she really was in poor shape. Her wrist was still swollen, and there were various cuts that had not all healed. Some continued to bleed, and others looked rather pussy and yellow. ~*She's not gonna be able to walk in less than a day.*~ Suddenly, footsteps were coming down the hallway.
"Ah, Captain Wesset. I assume this isn't a social call?" Her expression remained cold as the man walked up to where she was standing. Moving his face close to the cell, Wesset grinned and began to speak.
"My apologies Fair, Miss Caroline." She gritted her teeth when he called her that. "But I fear that it's time for you to show me that 'magic' yeh had discussed earlier." Grinning madly, the man held up a set of chains and continued, "Unless o' course ye'd like to make an agreement?"
"What do you want from me, Wesset?" Ashley stared stonily into his eyes.
"Yer, how shall I put it . . . cooperation . . . fer the duration of this little excursion." Wesset laughed and Ashley mentally braced herself for the answer to her next question.
"And what kind of 'cooperation' are yeh lookin' for?"
"Oh . . . all kinds, my dear, all kinds." He reached out to touch her face, but she pulled back. "Of course . . . if yeh don't want to cooperate, I think I'd like watching some of these men sink to oblivion." He grinned again, and began moving towards one of the cells.
"Yes . . . this one would do nicely. And so would she . . . oh and he would too." He knows what I am going to say, ~*or at least what he *thinks* I'm going to say.*~
"Go ahead, no skin off my back." And with that she turned and began playing with her anklet.
Wesset wheeled around and tried not to sputter as he stared at Ashley. "You'll let them die? All of them?"
"Mm, yes." Ashley continued fingering the silver anklet, and then inspected the black skull. "I think that I've had enough of this one . . ." Taking the skull, she prepared to throw it out of a small crack in the wood, so that it would be lost to the sea. Wesset headed towards her and cocked his pistol.
"I swear if you throw it, I will make your death a hundred times more painful than your . . ." He froze. Ashley noticed the change, but did not say anything. Jack noticed it too, and he had an idea.
"Why don't we make an agreement. She takes care of the little black thingy, and you don't harm me crew until we are dropped off at nearest port. Agreed?" Jack stuck out his hand, Wesset simply stared at the outstretched hand, and turned back to Ashley.
"Wesset, I'll do as yeh say, everything yeh want with me and me anklets. All I ask is that yeh tell me what yer up to, and I'm not the ship's whore. Oh, and the crew are not to be 'armed an' neither is the captain." Wesset stuck his hand through the bar and just as Ashley was about to slice her palm she added, "And if yeh cheat, I'll also cheat." And the two sliced palms, their blood mixing and then running down their wrists.
~~**~~
Wesset had promised to reveal his plans when they had gotten closer to their destination. Ashley did not believe a word that came out of his lying, filthy, teeth, but did not argue. She spent the rest of the first day trying to remain alert, but the loss of blood was finally taking its toll. Ashley was not superhuman, and therefore began to get worse as the day continued. Finally, as the room began to get dark, she had reduced herself to shivering in the corner of her cell, and trying not to fall asleep.
"Lemme see yer cuts." Jack had made his way over to where Ashley was miserably trembling. She drew back from his touch.
"I'm fine." Trying not to sound pathetic, Ashley continued shivering.
"Look, yer bloody wastin' away over there an' if yeh want to live to kill that bastard, yer gonna have to let someone help yeh." Jack slowly traced his fingers down her arm. Taking part of his shirt, he begins tearing away part of the material, and wrapping it around her wounds.
"Really, Jack, I'm fine." Pulling away from his grip, she curled back into her usual ball, and began to shudder again. Jack sighed ~*she's a daft fool . . . maybe if she wasn't so emotionally detached . . .*~ He sighed. Taking off his coat, he draped it around her freezing body. From the moment the clothing grazed her, she stopped shaking. Allowing his hand to lazily stroke her cheek, he shook his head. ~*So many scars and flaws . . . pity she wasn't a stay-at-home kind of gel.*~ Moaning, she rolled into the pirate, and snuggled into his warmth. ~*I suppose it could be worse . . .*~
Jack Sparrow waited until Ashley had completely rolled over, and left his side before laying down to sleep. And she didn't move until dawn's first light began to glimmer through the cracks in the ship.
~~**~~
Will had been sitting in his cell for over a day now, and he was growing anxious. He had watched the other crew members sit idly for the past hours. Some spent their time moping and pouting, others enjoyed tapping their boots on the metallic bars. Jack was always silent, and his mood was ominous. And the only person who would have probably spoken to him was Ashley, but she was sleeping, and he did not want to wake her, considering how her health was rapidly failing. ~*That captain wouldn't let her die though, she's valuable for something . . .I just don't know what that is yet.*~ He wished he was sharing the cell with her, Jack was paying no attention to her depleting energy. ~*The least he could do is try to clean her cuts.*~ When Will saw her eyes open, to reveal they were somewhat glazed and slightly bloodshot, he immediately got up and walked as close to her as he could.
"Ashley . . . are you awake?"
"Mmmm . . . yeah." She sighed and tried to sit up. The amount of strength that left her as she tried to get up, shocked her. ~*Fuck it, I'm not standing.*~ Allowing her self to rest against the wall she attempted to convince Will, and herself, that she was fine.
"Is that the man you told us about, Ashley? Wesset?"
"Aye, the one and only." Even though it was meant to be a joke, Ashley did not even grin. ~*Then again, she never grins.*~ Will had hundreds of questions that he wanted to ask her. He wanted to know what he wanted with her, why were they all being held captive, where were they going, but he didn't get the chance.
"If yeh know him so well, why don't yeh get 'im to let us go." Annamaria snapped as a few other crew members nodded in agreement.
"Yeah! Why should we be here if its *you* he wants?"
"Shut yer bloody mouths, the lot of yeh! If I could get yeh out I would. But if yeh keep this up, I'll make sure yeh leave in bits and pieces." Ashley was instantly furious. ~*Talk to your captain about why you're here why don't you?*~
"Take that back, wench!"
"Never!" Seething that the crew dared to challenge her, she decided she had had enough. Grabbing a stone she found lying on the floor, she launched it through the bars of her cell, and hit one of the offending pirates in the head. Angry at the other woman's act, Annamaria picked up a sharp piece of metal on her side, and aimed it at Ashley. She ducked, but it grazed her ear, and even after all the blood she lost, more trickled down the side of her face.
"I'm going to rip your hair out!" And saying that, Ashley tried to stand up, but faltered, and fell back down. She did not feel well. ~*Stop acting stupid, get up.*~ But her body was not responding to anything she told it. Giving up she sat back down, and tried to ignore the constant jeers from the other men. Annamaria was having the most fun, challenging her to get back up. ~*When they're all sinking to the bottom of the sea, I'm going to enjoy myself.*~
Jack remained silent during all of this, as did Will. Ashley sighed, she was tired, very tired. At first she tried to fight the darkness coming over her, but after another catcall from one of the men, she surrendered to the black.
Please review! I really do appreciate it!!!
