Disclaimer: POTC, sadly, still not mine.
A/N: I cannot possibly thank my reviewers enough for all of your kind words. I'll say thank you, anyway, no matter how insufficient. Okay, onto the next chapter.
"Jack?" Anamaria was surprised by how small her own voice sounded.
The pirate was lying, his knees pulled tight to his chin, in the cell against the stone wall of the hold. In the dim light, Ana could make out a gash on the left side of his head, wet with Sparrow's blood. As though the man did not already have enough injuries, that twisted Spaniard had to inflict more pain on Jack. He had not moved since Ana entered the hold. Her eyes searched the dingy room for some way to open his cell. Unfortunately all she saw, was the lit torch, and another unlit torch sitting on a stool against the wall opposite the cells.
Ana exhaled. What was she thinking, that she was going to burst into the hold and find the cell door unlocked and Sparrow ready to go? She shook her head, sadly. Kneeling by Jack's cell, she was about to try to wake him, when she heard keys rattling outside of the main entrance. Someone was coming.
"Damn," she whispered, watching as the door opened slowly. She flew to the opposite side of the room, hoping that the shadows would hide her from whoever was visiting the pirate.
A marine entered first, closely followed by Don Antonio. What was he doing here? Surely Prescott would not allow this. Ana closed her eyes. Prescott was no longer here. He had gone to see James on his ship. Most likely, Don Antonio saw her brother leave and jumped at the opportunity to antagonize the pirate in his absence. The marine opened the door to Jack's cell and stepped aside to allow the Spaniard access. Ana saw Jack's dark eyes open and he sat up with his back against the wall. He rested his arm on one knee and his other leg was stretched out in front of him. If it were not for the blood staining his cheek, Ana would not know that anything was wrong with the pirate. But she had seen him only seconds before. Something was wrong with him. She could only imagine the pain he was feeling and the battle he was fighting to appear so relaxed.
"Leave us," Don Antonio commanded the marine, who nodded and left. "So good to see you again, Señor Sparrow."
Cornado stood with his back to Ana, but she could visualize the malicious grin that was probably coloring his face. For some reason, nothing delighted the man more than seeing Jack Sparrow suffer.
"Buenas noches, Señor, y soy Capitán Sparrow." Jack's voice was soft as he baited the animal that stood before him, telling Don Cornado in Spanish to call him Captain. His eyes were tired, but Ana could see the same sparkle that she had seen only a few days ago, when he had teased her about not wasting any time getting him in bed.
Ana watched as Don Antonio pulled open the cell door and stood in the opening. He was saying something to Sparrow, but she had stopped listening to his words. The cell door was open, and she was concentrating on the fact that this Spaniard, whom she hated, was all that stood between her and Jack. If only she could get Cornado out of the way, somehow. Her eyes traveled once again to the unlit torch. Cornado was so involved with taunting the pirate. If she was quiet, he would never know what, or who, hit him.
Ana bit her bottom lip. She was seriously contemplating adding assaulting an officer to her ever lengthening list of crimes. Cornado stepped into the cell. Ana saw red as he gripped Jack's shirt and hauled the injured pirate to his feet. She heard Jack hiss in pain as Cornado held his brutalized back against the wall.
She reached out and wrapped her fingers around the torch. Don Antonio may wear the appropriate uniform, but he was no officer in his heart. He probably did not even have a heart. He had no integrity, and he certainly had no honor. Prescott was an officer. Her husband had been an officer. Findley could have been an officer. Ana rose slowly to her feet. Cornado could barely be called a man, much less an officer. He was a monster, and she would be damned before she let that filth touch Jack again.
"It is my pleasure to inform you that we will sail for Spain tomorrow," Cornado was saying, "and then Capitán, we can continue where we left off."
Ana emerged from the shadows. Jack's dark eyes met hers only for an instant, but in that second she saw all the pain that she had seen in his face when he had woken from his nightmare in her bed. He had suffered so much at the hands of Cornado. Ana lifted the torch. He was not going to suffer anymore. In one fluid motion Ana swung the torch and clubbed Don Antonio as hard as she could over the head. The Spaniard let go of the pirate and fell to his knees. Ana saw her fury reflected in Sparrow's surprised eyes. She saw Jack in the prison yard hanging from the shackles on his wrists. She saw him shivering in the prison infirmary. She heard his agonized scream. She brought the torch down sharply against Cornado's back. His upper body hit the ground.
Ana's eyes widened slightly, taking in what she had just done. She let out the breath that she did not realize she had been holding. Sparrow still stood up against the wall, no doubt needing it's support. He was searching her face as he had done when she offered to clean his wounds and give him refuge in her house. She still did not know what he was looking for.
Raising one eyebrow, he took the torch from Ana's shaking hands. "Looks like I was wrong, luv," he said quietly.
"Wrong?"
"When I said you would make a good pirate."
Ana's mouth dropped open slightly. She had just knocked a man out cold to save Sparrow's life, and he had the gall to insult her? "What?" she demanded.
"You've harbored a fugitive, broken into a navy prison, and freed a criminal."
"Yes?"
"I think you already are a pirate, luv."
Ana dropped her eyes, suddenly ashamed of thinking that Jack was insulting her and somewhat embarrassed by his compliment. "I'd love to listen to you shower me with praise, Captain, but I really think we should save it for another time and definitely another place."
Jack grimaced as he moved to step over the unconscious Spaniard. Ana slipped her arm around his back, and he slung his arm around her shoulders, without hesitation. Ana smiled slightly, happy to see that he apparently was letting himself trust her a little more.
"So, what's your plan?" Jack whispered from the shadows as Ana pulled the door to the hold closed.
Scanning the dark fort, she let a small sigh of relief escape from her lips. Apparently, no one had noticed that the rear entrance to the prison had been left unlocked. That, at least, was good. Not so good, however, was the fact that she had no plan. She and an injured pirate were in the middle of a fort, surrounded by men who would see Sparrow hang, and she did not have the foggiest idea how they were going to get out. Worse, was the fact, that she could see Prescott's horse only a few yards from where they were standing. He had returned from the Interceptor. Not only did she not have a plan, now, she did not have the time to think of one.
Ana returned her gaze to Prescott's horse. Beside the magnificent animal, stood a smaller black horse beneath an ornate saddle. She could almost feel the flash of inspiration take hold of her as a ramshackle plan formed in her head. Quickly and quietly as she could, Ana re-entered the hold and relieved Don Cornado of his uniform coat and hat. Back outside, she handed the coat to Jack. "How are you on a horse?" she asked.
"Well, I'd prefer a bed, but if you want –"
Ana shot the pirate a glare that could be seen in spite of the darkness, and he abruptly stopped speaking. "I mean, can you ride?"
"Aye."
"Good," she said pulling off the pirate's bandana and replacing it with Don Antonio's hat. "Now, put on his coat, pull his hat over your eyes, and don't say anything." Ana turned and headed for the horses.
With a low grunt, Jack pulled himself onto the black horse. "You know, darling, I've heard of better plans . . ."
"I'm open to suggestions," Ana hissed.
Sparrow opened his mouth to reply, but Ana heard Prescott's voice coming from the office, instead. "Collins!" her brother was yelling. "Where is my sister?"
"This one'll do," Jack whispered.
On top of Prescott's horse, Ana guided the stallion to the gate of the fort as naturally as was possible, with Jack close beside her.
"Good evening, Miss Annie," the sentry greeted. The gate was only lit better than the rest of the fort, but the guard's face was still partly obscured by shadows. With any luck, Jack's face was similarly hidden.
Ana did her best to keep her body and the horses body between the marine and Sparrow. Her plan was feeble, but . . . "Good evening, sir."
"A bit late for you to be out riding, Miss."
"Yes, well, Don Antonio has agreed to see me home."
The sentry nodded, sparing hardly a glance for the Spaniard she claimed to be riding with. If she had not been praying for this very reaction, she might have been disturbed by his incompetence. "Goodnight, then."
"That wasn't so hard," she said, as soon as the pair was out of sight of the fort.
She could hear Jack coming up beside her. She tried not to worry about how labored his breathing sounded.
"Aye, luv, that was the easy part, but I wonder how long it will take that brother of yours to figure out what's happened."
"Not long enough," Ana agreed.
"Aye, and then what?"
Then what? Well, you'll just have to check back to see what happens next. I hope that you do, and I hope that you leave me a review to let me know what you think!