Disclaimer:  I own a recalcitrant muse who keeps running off to Australia.

AN:  I apologize profusely that this chapter is not only late, but only part of what I meant to put in it!  However, I wished to demonstrate that I am still alive, thus, here is a preview.  Hopefully I should update Sunday, my usual posting date, with the rest of the chapter (which will answer questions etc.).  *crosses fingers*

To Love and Protect

Part 20

"Jack, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean that to sound the way it did."  Will resisted the urge to reach out and forcibly turn the pirate to face him.  It seemed as though every time he spoke he kept inserting his foot further into his mouth.  He honestly hadn't meant it as an accusation, that the pirate had willfully done something to himself—though if he had meant it that way, it would be understandable, given the circumstances.

"It doesn't matter, lad.  Just calm down, all right?"

"All right."  If Jack wanted him to back off, he could back off . . .though knowing why the pirate was limping would still set his mind more at ease.

The pirate captain pushed through the cabin door and out on deck, blinking several times against the glare of the sun.

Will tapped the pirate on the shoulder, glancing around quickly.  "Just a word of caution.  When the children find out you're up and walk—"

"Uncle Jack!"  The girl's voice easily carried the entire length of the deck, echoed seconds later by her brother.

The blacksmith understood the kind of self-control one had to have to not bolt when your first greeting from the wide world was that of two ten-year-olds barreling into you.  Jack seemed to recover quickly from the shock, though, bending down so that he was eye-to-eye with both children, a movement that they apparently took as leave to nearly strangle him in their exuberance.

"An' hello t' ye, too."  The pirate carefully pried both sets of arms from around his neck, coughing and speaking in an exaggeratedly choked voice.  Jack's fingers wrapped into Ana's hair, pulling the silver trinket to the front and into plain sight.  "Well, this certainly has made the rounds, hasn't it?  Quite a trio we make, aye?"

The three did make quite the trio, each of them with different baubles tied into their hair.  If Will didn't have distinct memories and probably bruises from his own profuse greeting, he might have envied the pirate captain the affection the children were bestowing on him.

If the blacksmith didn't know better, he might even have taken Jack for the twin's father based on the intensity and exuberance of the children and Jack's own complacency with the situation.

The commotion the children had made had somewhat disrupted the efficient working of the sailors, several of whom were staring at the pirate and the children with expressions mixing from amused acceptance to outright disgust and distaste.  It only took him a moment to pick out Ana-Maria's dark form among the men, Elizabeth not too far to the right of her.  Both women were dressed in men's clothing and soaked with sweat.

There wouldn't be a better time to mention to the female pirate what Jack had done than when the pirate captain was distracted by the prospect of entertaining the children, even if it wasn't a conversation he was looking forward to.

                                    *                                   *                                   *

Ana-Maria rubbed her face along the sleeve of her shirt, smiling slightly as she watched the miniature mob encircle her captain.  She had already watched a similar procedure with Will, and Brian would no doubt bring this playful attack to the same swift end before too much disruption had occurred.

Disruption.

She should have been there with Jack, been at his side when he finally woke, but after the first day and a half of inactivity she hadn't been able to stand it anymore.  She had still ascertained that he came back to consciousness enough to drink, even if she hadn't managed to wake him up to eat, and she had kept the blankets firmly around him even in the heat of the day, for once more worried about the absence of heat from his skin than by the presence.  Staying by his side, though, staying by the side of a man who betrayed you, by the side of someone who obviously wasn't even aware enough to know if you were present or not . . .

That wasn't fair.  Jack hadn't betrayed her.  He'd done what he thought was right, and the fact that it hurt her in the process . . .well, he hadn't planned on being around to see her hurt, now had he?

No, it was far better for her and Elizabeth to work with the crew, to ingratiate themselves with the sailors and marines as well as their officers.

Dealing with their men could come later.

Only later had just become now.

Will's swift approach saved Ana-Maria from deciding if she had a firm enough grip to deal with whatever Jack would throw at her now.

"Ana-Maria."

"Will."  The uncertainty and veiled concern in the younger man's voice sent a snake of fear crawling through her gut, and she involuntarily took a step closer to the pirate captain.  "What's wrong?"

"Jack . . ."  The blacksmith hesitated again, glancing at the deck, and Ana-Maria felt more than saw Elizabeth drift closer.  "Has Jack . . .did you see any injury to his leg when you were with him?"

The last part of the sentence was said rather desperately, as though Will had meant to say something else and then decided against it.

"Why?  Is he limping again?"

"Again?"  Will leaned back slightly, his eyes widening in shock.

"Aye, again.  Ye didn' notice b'fore, at your house?"

The blacksmith furrowed his brow, sparing a swift glance back at the pirate and the children, still absorbed in each other's company.  "I suppose I did.  I just assumed it was part of jumping off a ship seconds before she explodes.  It wasn't as bad then as it was a minute ago, though.  I could just barely tell he was limping."

"Aye, and that's the way it'll stay.  Ye're not t' tell him ye noticed him limpin'."

The red flush that crept up Will's face spoke volumes.

Ana-Maria sighed.  "Ye already told him."

"Why shouldn't I have?"

"Because he told me he'd rather be damned than limp on that leg in front of ye, Will Turner."  Ana-Maria paused, reminding herself to talk lowly and calmly so as not to draw undo attention.  "Because he thought ye were intelligent enough t' put two and two together and reach a sum of four."

Will frowned again, shaking his head slightly.  "I don't . . ."

Ana-Maria knew the instant he understood, and she instinctively reached a hand out to clasp the blacksmith's arm tightly as his face paled.  Elizabeth did the same, despite the fact that her complexion wasn't all that much more encouraging than her husband's.

"That's what he meant . . .he didn't do a bloody thing . . .I did it for him . . ."

"Do ye want me t' slap ye, Will Turner?"  The female pirate raised her hand menacingly.

"Do you ever give Jack that option?"

Ana-Maria chuckled softly at the attempted humor.  "Jack doesn't blame ye, lad.  He's just always careful about not limpin' in front of the crew and in front of you."

"How long has it been causing him problems?"  Elizabeth moved to stand more fully beside her husband, offering him comfort through her physical presence.

"A little over a year now.  It isn't bad.  It'll hurt if he's been workin' too long for a raid or if he gets cold, but usually he's fine.  Every pirate worth his salt has battle scars, Will.  Occasionally they decide to be a bit more than scars, is all."

"And he's still a pirate."  Will was staring at the pirate captain openly now, a state of being that Ana-Maria quickly rectified.  Attracting Jack's attention was not something she wanted to do at the moment.

"He can't stop.  It's in his blood, in his soul, in his heart.  He is a pirate and he belongs to the sea."

"It's his freedom."  Elizabeth's whispered words and distant eyes told a story in and of themselves as she moved closer to her husband.

Ana-Maria simply nodded, glancing at Elizabeth and sharing a small smile.  "Was there anything more ye wanted t' talk to me about, Will?"

Will shook his head slowly, visibly dragging himself back to the present.  "Aye, there was.  I . . .He . . .Has he . . .has he ever cut himself, that you know of?"

The female pirate stiffened, her entire body straightening and her head snapping up in one convulsive movement that was almost painful to watch.

"What?"  The hiss might have come from a snake rather than a person.

"He cut himself.  Here."  Will pantomimed slicing his own palm open beneath the scar he had as a souvenir of his battle with the Aztec curse.  "It isn't really . . .that . . .bad . . ."

"I don't think she heard you."  Will nodded, wrapping an arm around Elizabeth and tightening his hold on her as the female pirate stalked towards her captain, each step heavy with suppressed emotion.

"I don't think she did, either."

Jack really wasn't going to be thrilled with him after this.

                                    *                                   *                                   *

Jack turned his head towards Ana-Maria just in time to catch the full force of her slap on his cheek.  He was almost surprised he didn't taste copper in his mouth as his ears stopped ringing.

"Well, and a g'mornin' t' ye, too."  Rubbing at his cheek as he watched both children back away out of the corner of his eye helped to alleviate the prickling sensation left from the slap.

"What in Hell did ye think ye were doin', Jack Sparrow?"  Ana-Maria didn't shout.  There was no need to.  The intensity with which she said the words spoke volumes all on its own, and her almost-whisper drove that intensity home far better than any shouting could have.

"That depends on what incident you're referring to, love."

"Give me your hand, Jack."  The pirate acquiesced with a grin, calmly extending his right hand.  "The other one, ye black-hearted fool."

The pirate captain shrugged and extended his other hand, cursing mildly to himself when a line of sanguine fluid showed starkly against his palm.  The bloody cut had to choose the least opportune moment to determine that he wanted it to bleed.

Jack was more prepared for the second slap and allowed his head to roll backward with the motion, the crack of her hand connecting with his face still grabbing the attention of many of the crewmen close by.

"Don't ye play games with me, Jack.  What did ye think ye were doin'?  Haven't ye lost enough blood and haven't we got enough people after it already?  Did ye really have t' take some for yourself?"

The pirate captain met her gaze calmly.  "Ye weren't there."

Ana-Maria raised her hand as though to slap him, studied his face for a moment, and lowered her hand again.  "What?"

"You weren't there.  I was cold.  I couldn't tell if I was really alive.  So I tested it.  It's barely a nick, love.  Nothing to worry about."

"Ye couldn't tell if ye were alive or not?"  Ana-Maria didn't even blink as she stared at her captain, his left hand still trapped at the wrist by her right.

"It's nothing, Ana-Maria.  Forget about it."  Jack coolly pried his hand free, glancing around at those crewmen who were obviously watching him and grinning at each.

"Forget about it?  Forget about the fact that ye bloody well took a blade to your own hand?  Just ignore it?  Maybe I could, Jack, if I didn't know ye bloody well chose to die this time, if I knew why in Hell ye were still up and breathin' instead o' sinkin' int' Davy Jone's locker!"

That seemed to splinter the pirate captain's calm a bit.  "If you don't know that, then—"

Ana-Maria didn't pause to acknowledge that Jack had even spoken.  "Maybe I could trust ye if I hadn't heard ye babblin' 'bout seein' Death and bein' claimed.  Maybe I could trust ye and ignore it—"

"At the moment, that is exactly what you are going to do.  I hate to interrupt this . . .lovely chat of yours."  Both pirates stopped abruptly, never having heard Brian sound quite so sarcastic or derisive.

"By all means, please interrupt, Captain."  Jack recovered quickly, turning his grin to the young captain, who returned it with a small smile.  Francis merely stared at the pirate, who returned the stare in kind, tilting his head as he examined the doctor.

"Dr. Welks would like to look at your head before I am allowed to mention anything even remotely tactical to you.  If you would be so kind as to go with the good doctor . . .?"  Jack eyed the doctor doubtfully, shifting his weight slightly as though prepared to bolt.  "Captain Sparrow, please cooperate in this.  I'm sure you are as comfortable being a guest of the British Navy as my men are to have you as a guest.  The sooner you are pronounced fit for the duty, the sooner Francis will let us discuss your future without constant interruption.  Agreed?"

"Aye.  Agreed."  The pirate captain spoke slowly, continuing to eye the doctor with obviously forced nonchalance as he followed the man back into Brian's cabin.

Ana-Maria turned away, still seething with indignation, terror and worry.

Brian's hand on her shoulder stopped her before she could return to her work.  "Three things, Ana-Maria.  First, I would thank you for not creating an even bigger disruption to the efficient working of my ship than my godson, no matter how justifiable you feel your actions are.  Understood?"

Ana-Maria stared straight ahead, never making eye contact with the young captain.  "Aye, sir."

"Secondly, if he really did cut himself, embarrassing him on the deck of my ship is not the best policy for determining why and if he might do it again, something I highly doubt.  And third, he may have died for Will, but he lived for you.  Remember that."

Ana-Maria cut her dark gaze up to the officer's blue one.  Brian returned her stare for a moment before dropping his hand.  "That will be all.  You may return to your duties."

The young captain turned and walked away, leaving Ana-Maria standing with her fists clenched, determined that she was not, under any circumstances, possibly going to shed even a single tear in front of this crew of Navy men.