Disclaimer:  I own a slightly deranged muse . . .well, actually, a few . . .and seven chapters of unfinished calc homework due tomorrow . . .ha ha . . .not good, not good . . .very, very bad . . .

AN:  Muchas gracias to all reviewers and readers.  As you can tell, this is the next installment.  As I am writing this I am sitting down because if I stand up the world starts doing funny tilting things and I either walk like I'm drunk or fall down.  When I'm seated the world sits still, but I'm still nauseous and my throat hurts.  Please criticize accordingly.  Despite these facts I was planning to go to school today.  My mom told me no.  I said I have a calc test.  She said she'd wake me and send me to the Center to take it but that I should skip my home school.  I agreed wholeheartedly.  When she called to wake me I put on a sweater, as it's cold at the Center and if I'm cold I already have problems functioning (I'm the only one who ever passed out in our band because I got too cold and couldn't handle it anymore), and drove slowly and carefully to the Center.  Taking calc tests when ill is an exceptionally bad idea, definitely not good, not good.  My teacher is going to think I'm incredibly stupid . . .which, considering what I did, might just be true.  Back to the story.  I've gotten some conflicting comments on how IC Jack is, so if everyone could tell me what they like about my characterization and what they don't like I'll see what I think.  Go ahead and tear it apart, if you like.  My ego can take it.  I'll respond to anything that I'm given in the next chapter.

To Love and Protect

Part 7

Ana-Maria twitched her nose, hoping to dispel whatever it was that was tickling it without jolting herself off her perch on the verge of consciousness.  As it was, she could fall back into sleep and dreams within a minute, but if she had to move to catch the offending object, it would be a hopeless cause and she might as well wake up now.

She had already come to once, but after taking a quick glance around to assure herself that Jack was close by and relatively well, she had fallen back to sleep, relishing in the feel of a solid ship around her.

Jack.  Ana-Maria sighed, accepting that she had knocked herself off the fence and into the realm of full consciousness.  She wouldn't be able to sleep now if she didn't at least look to make sure he was still doing well, and once up, she knew she would start thinking about where they needed to go from here, at which point she would hunt down Brian.

Oh well.  It had been nice while it lasted.

The something was back at her nose, and she reached one hand up to slap it away, sitting bolt upright on the cot as her hand connected with someone's head and a high-pitched yelp sounded through the cabin.

The boy had grown quite a bit since she had last seen him, and he was relatively tall for his age.  His brown hair had darkened some, though glints of red highlights showed that he had been in the sun a fair amount, and hung loose down to his just above his shoulders.  His brown eyes were the same as always, and it always struck her as odd at how similar and yet dissimilar to his father's they were.  Though the same shade of brown, Will's eyes usually reflected a gentle good humor, while his son's could only be described as mischief-filled.

"Jack Turner, what in God's name are you trying to do?"

The boy grinned at her, the expression almost frighteningly similar to one of Jack's grins, though he had the decency to lower his eyes at the reprimand in her voice as he quickly tied his hair back into a respectable ponytail.

"Captain Lanebridges said if you and Uncle Jack were awake to come and get him 'cause he wants to talk to you."

"Yes.  Did he mention anything about waking us if we weren't awake?"

"He didn't say not to.  Besides, you weren't s'posed to wake up that fast.  Ana never does."

"Ana isn't a pirate."

"Now that you're awake, though, we might as well wake up Uncle Jack, too, right?"

Before Ana-Maria could think to reach out and grab him, the boy had moved over to Jack, who lay on his right side on another cot at the opposite end of the cabin.

"Uncle Jack, time—"  The boy never finished his sentence, jumping back in surprise as the pirate captain bolted upward and to his feet, one hand reaching on instinct for the sword and pistol that were no longer strapped to his side.  A moment later he was again seated on the deck, doubled over and fighting for breath against the same deep, wracking cough that had plagued him since the Pearl sank.

Ana-Maria was at his side when he finally straightened, breathing heavily, wiping his face on the grimy sleeve of his shirt.  "You should really tell someone when they've died and gone to hell."

Ana-Maria frowned, not following his logic.  "I don't understand."

"Isn't that where all the demons are supposed to live?"  Jack pointed back over his shoulder at the boy, still sitting on the deck, his eyes wide.  About three seconds after Jack had made the statement, they narrowed.

"I am not a demon, Uncle Jacky!  I'm a 'sponsible young man, and I'm going t' be a captain just like you and Godpapa Brian some day!"

Jack smiled, slowly standing again.  "It's Captain Jack Sparrow, not, I repeat, not, under any circumstances, even at pain of death, Uncle Jacky."

"If you don't call me a demon, I won't call you Uncle Jacky.  Deal?"  The boy held out one hand, his eyes large and solemn as he stared at the pirate.  Jack stroked a finger over his mustache, cocking his head as he looked at the boy, before slowly reaching down and gripping the proffered hand in a firm shake.

"Deal, lad."

Before Jack was entirely certain that the young man had moved he found himself the recipient of a tight hug.  He grimaced slightly as the boy's hands pressed down on the partially healed gash across his back, but he nevertheless returned the gesture.

"How come you didn't come see us?  Are you mad at us?  Papa keeps going down to the docks and into the tavern to see if he can get the older sailors to tell him anything about where you've been."

"Why can't he ask the young sailors?"

"He says that they aren't int'rested in a drink or a talk.  Says they're a bit like you in that respect, though they don't go back to get hit later."  The tone of voice and the small frown on the boy's face told Jack that Will hadn't told the boy what, exactly, the younger sailors were interested in.

Oh, this left so many possibilities to make this homecoming so very entertaining . . .

"Don't even think about it, Jack.  Will would kill you."  Jack just grinned at the female pirate.

"Uncle Jack . . ."  Jack looked down at the boy and sighed.

"It didn't have anythin' to do with ye, lad, or your family.  We were just busy."

The boy frowned.  "You're a pirate captain.  Don't you make your own schedule?"

"Brian's a captain.  Does he make his own schedule?"

The boy tilted his head.  "Kind of."

"Well, it's kind of for me, too, savvy?  How're your parents and your sister doing?"

"Papa's a partner at the forge, and he used to let me help before Godpapa said I could come on the Intrepid with him.  Mama and Ana do girl things most of the time, though Papa's teaching Ana and me how to fight."

"Doesn't make you practice three hours a day, does he?"

Ana-Maria watched in amused fascination as the young man slowly shifted his stance and bearing until it nearly matched the pirate's.  "Only if I want to."

"Jack."  Both the pirate and the boy faced the door as the stern voice cut through their conversation, the boy stepping around the pirate and scampering towards the door quickly.

"I was just on my way to tell you they were awake, sir."

"I believe I told you to report back immediately, Jack Turner."  The pirates exchanged a knowing glance, both smiling slightly as they recognized the repressed grin on Brian's face as he stared at his young charge.

"I was going to, sir, honestly, but Uncle Jack started talking to me, and you said that I'm supposed to respect m' elders, sir, so I was just waiting for a chance to tell him I had to go and find you."  The boy sounded incredibly earnest, and Jack frowned as he recognized something familiar in the arm movements that were accompanying the speech.

"Well, now that I have come to you, I believe it would be wisest for you if you were to go search out Rollin and relieve him of the bundle that he has collected."  The boy nodded once, quickly moving to sidle around the young captain in the doorway, who caught him by the shoulder before he could make his escape, his face suddenly deadly serious.  "Remember, lad, his name is Jacob, and you don't know him at all.  Both their lives could depend on it."

The boy nodded, his brown eyes wide again, before scampering out the door and on his mission.  Brian turned back to the pirates, his strict military demeanor slackening.

"It's been a while, Jack Sparrow."

"Captain.  Why can't anyone ever remember that it's Captain?"

"If I asked you to call me 'Captain' all the time, would you?"

Jack seemed to consider for a few seconds.  "No, probably not, lad.  I still have problems seeing you in blue at all."

Brian smiled, one hand rising to the right side of his face as though on instinct.  "Things have changed quite a bit, haven't they?  Seems I'm still watching your back, though, same as your lady friend.  What happened?"

Jack's eyes lost their focus and he stared at a point over Brian's left shoulder.  Ana-Maria stepped in quickly.  "We were attacked by a British naval ship.  I didn't get a good look at it."

"There aren't that many in these waters.  Why did you engage them?  Why didn't you run?"

Jack snapped his gaze back to Brian's, his body stiffening.  "Because I misjudged.  Traitor on the crew.  Everyone else died.  I would have died, if not for Ana-Maria here."

Brian nodded, his expression thoughtful.  Before he could say anything else, he was flung unceremoniously forward as a large weight landed in the middle of his back.

"Jack Turner, how often . . .!"

"I'm sorry, Captain!  Really, I am.  I got everything from Rollin."  The boy looked down and gestured to the various articles scattered across the cabin floor.  Jack and Ana-Maria struggled to look stern as Brian clambered to his feet, only his dignity slightly damaged.

Brian sighed and straightened his uniform.  "That's good, Jack.  I think that you should go help Rollin while I talk to your aunt and uncle.  I promise that you'll get a chance to visit with them later, all right?"  The boy nodded.  "And remember, Jacob and Ana, not Jack and Ana-Maria."  The boy nodded again before leaving.

"It must be amusing havin' him on board for long periods of time."

Brian grimaced.  "You have no idea."  Jack laughed softly.  "Will hasn't spoiled him, and he honestly doesn't try to cause problems most of the time, but that infernal humor of his . . .Yet he has the makings of a decent sailor in him, maybe even a decent captain, and I'll feel bad if I ask Will to take him back."

The young captain gestured to the floor.  "There's clothing here for both of you.  We don't have any dresses or other feminine clothing on board, just shirts and trousers for the sailors and uniforms for the soldiers.  I'm sure that breaks your heart, Ana-Maria."

The female pirate smiled, bending down with the men to help pick everything up.

"There's also a kit with a razor, standard military issue."

"What's that for?"

"If I really have to explain it to you, Jack, I'll be disappointed.  Everyone says that you're brilliant.  Figure it out."

"Guess I could use a trim after five days."

"No.  Clean-shaven, Jack.  I've seen you look respectable before, at the Turner's house.  Try it again.  How bad is your head?"

Jack shifted uncomfortably.  "Not bad."

Ana-Maria sighed in exasperation.  "Bad.  It's not really healing.  Still bleeds every time he touches it or I take off the bandage."

Brian broke eye contact with the pirate captain before he spoke.  "Any . . .other effects . . .from the injury?"

Jack stared at Ana-Maria, and she couldn't help but feel pity for him.  He looked like someone was repeatedly kicking him in the gut without giving him a chance to get up.  She smiled slightly at him.  "Not that we can't handle."

Brian nodded.  "How long were you out there?"

Ana-Maria answered again.  "Five days . . .maybe six.  I'm not sure."

Brian nodded his head towards the bloody bandage on Ana-Maria's arm.  "How bad is your arm?"

"Not bad."

Brian nodded again, turning his attention back to Jack as they dumped the various items on his cot.  "I know it's been a few days, and it isn't pleasant, but either I or someone else on board could stitch your head.  Maybe then it'll actually start healing."

Ana-Maria looked over at Brian.  "If you have the things, I can stitch him back together.  I've done it enough times before for pirates and their clothing alike."

Jack lifted his left hand, letting it hover just above the bloody bandage.  "Only if you let me get incredibly drunk first."

The young captain smiled slightly.  "That could be arranged.  Once your head's stitched up, you're going to unbraid your hair and take all the beads, all the trinkets, and most especially that bone out.  Understood?"  Brian cut in before Jack could voice any protests.  "We'll make port tomorrow afternoon.  If you look at least semi-respectable, chances are none of my men or anyone on the docks will recognize you.  That should buy you time to get to Will's house."

Ana-Maria moved to stand beside Jack.  "And what do we do from there?"

"I have no bloody idea in hell.  I was hoping one of you would have an idea, but, failing that, we improvise when the time comes.  Savvy?"

Jack grinned.  "Savvy, lad."

Brian turned to leave the cabin.  "I'll see you in a few hours, then.  Try to stay out of trouble, please."

"Lad."  Brian turned back, raising one eyebrow in silent question.  Jack placed his palms together and bowed slightly.  "Thank you."

The young captain merely smiled and nodded before exiting the cabin.