Chapter 8

                Jack's eyes fluttered open, only to find himself standing in a dark corner of a tavern.  A very familiar tavern at that.  Searching his memories from the most recent and sinking into the past, he strived to remember this tavern's import.

                "Why so gruff, sir?"

                Jack swung around, facing the all too familiar voice with twinges of both guilt and longing tugging at his heart.

                "None o' yer business."  The man snapped, clutching the handle of his mug tighter.

                "So be it," Ana huffed, turning on her heel and making sure her skirt brushed the back side of his leg.

                Jack's eyes widened as he realized why the tavern was so familiar:  it was where he and Ana had first met.

                "Lass, wait."

                She stopped mid-step, slowly looking over her shoulder at him and allowing her most innocent pout to surface.  Jack sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.

                "Come 'ere."

                Ana complied and sat herself gracefully on the stool to Jack's right and casually placed a hand on his right arm.

                "There was no need fer me t' be so rude," Jack began, his tone adding sincerity to the words.  "Let me buy you a drink?  I'll need yer name, though."

                Ana smiled widely and nodded.  "Jus' a light ale, if ye please."

                "And your name?"

                "An innocent enough meeting," Jack said to himself, crossing his arms before him and nodding decisively to himself.  The trinkets strung in his hair jingled as if in agreement with the thought.  'Although why I'm reliving it as a copy of myself doesn't make much sense…'

                "Still confused Jack?  Really, remember what happened next…?"  The sinister voice echoed the question.

                Jack opened his mouth and was about to reply matter-of-factly when the world around him decided to demonstrate instead.  The colors blended together, destroying all the supposedly solid objects in the blink of an eye, only to reshape them later to reveal yet another familiar scene.

                Ana's hand traveled unnoticed to the pillow beside Jack's head.  She returned the grin to ensure no suspicions were raised, doing her best to imitate his drunken condition.

                "So luv, wha's yer name?"

                "I tol' ye, 's Joanna."

                "Nay, tell me yer real name."  Jack persisted, his eyes becoming much more focused than they had been a moment ago.

                Ana took in a sharp breath, realizing he had been toying with her at least half as much as she was with him.  With a frown of anger, she lifted the pillow up and quickly placed it over his face.  Using both hands, she kept the pillow pinned firmly in place.  She had to call on all her strength to keep the pillow over his head as the man thrashed wildly in an attempt to get a breath.

                "Now wait a minute!  Tha's not-"

                "True?"  The voice chuckled at correctly having guessed the answer.  "You know it is."

                Ana gritted her teeth as one of his fists connected with her elbow, almost causing her to lose her grip on the pillow.  Much to her relief, his movements soon became sluggish, then slowed until they were only the occasional twitch.  Finally, the man laid still.

                "One problem, she didn' want t' kill me…it were all her brother's faul-"

                Jack was cut off as the room around him once again melted into a mixture of murky colors.  When it reformed, he was back in the tavern's lower level, watching as his own self staggered after having been heavily drugged by Ana's brother.

                Ana stepped up beside her accomplice now dressed in a loose shirt and breeches.  When her gaze fell on the motionless form by Muent's feet, she frowned in disgust.

                "What is it?"  Muent asked, not taking his eyes off Jack's body.  He noted casually that the pirate's breathing seemed labored.  "Hmm…that's interesting."

                "How's he alive?  I though' you were gonna take care o' him?!"  Ana asked angrily.  "Ne'er mind 'im.  I'm here t' collect my reward."

                Muent nodded shortly.  He pulled a large pouch from his vest pocket and dropped it into her waiting palm.  She bounced the pouch in her hand, expertly testing the weight of the contents to its value.  She glanced at Muent, then at the pouch, and then nodded.  "I expect t' see my boat t'morrow."  She hissed, glaring down at the pirate.  "An' take care o' him."

                Muent nodded again.

                Ana's temper flared unexpectedly and she released her vexation on the closest object—Jack's nearly lifeless body.  She drew back his foot and viciously jabbed the solid heel into Jack's side, drawing a satisfying crunch as the boot connected with Jack's ribs.  A nasty smile spread over her face as no reaction was forthcoming.

               "You see?  She wanted you gone more than her brother did.  And to think you actually trusted her with your real feelings…your life.  Stupid pirate."