A/N I do not own anything.
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Once Anne was satisfied by the condition of the ship, she let her crewmembers have free rein to do whatever they pleased… she had worked them hard. She leaned over the helm, and then decided she needed a break, so instead tied a rope to the wheel and then walked over to the ship railing and stared into the open blue sky. Her thoughts raced back to Captain Jack… would he find them? She sincerely hoped so, and that he would forgive her.
If he didn't, though, it would be understandable. She was ruining his life, with whatever scrap of security he liked to hold on to. Besides, he could kill her if he wanted to. Not that it would matter. What did she have to live for?
Treasure is treasure is treasure… it's not happiness, not love, not security, and it's not one of the things needed to live. Anne didn't even have the things needed to live, so she might as well die.
Her heart was stolen… by the late Captain Jack Rackham, Calico Jack.
Her happiness was suspended… just as her old crew form the Revenge had been hung.
Her security was gone… along with The Revenge, it was banished to the depths of the sea. In fact, all she had to live for was the hope that maybe she might get her hope back, somehow.
At least she had someone to talk to… Anamaria seemed to have regrets and the way to be her friend was to just forgive them. Anne wished that Jack were here… one of her few pleasures was tormenting him… but if she hadn't left him, who knows what ,might have happened? She was useless… as soon as she had the treasure, she would be turned away from the ship under the idea that she had a place to go… she could buy herself a new ship.
But she didn't like that idea. It was not time for her to leave… no, she felt that for some reason, she had to stay, if only a little bit longer, just to get something done, and who knows? Maybe someday she would be remembered.
She needed to provide a challenge for Jack… her plan was to hide the Pearl somewhere, in some cave or island or something, and then let the crew go where they pleased for about a month, while she gave Jack a chance to find her and let her escape, but not before she would tell him where the ship was.
She honestly didn't want to go… she would be totally alone, yet again.
She was scared of leaving.
Jack decided that the first thing he would do would be to find Anne. Or the Pearl. Or both, but either one would do. It didn't matter. If he found Anne, he would simply make her tell him where his ship was. And if he found the Pearl, then he could have the Pearl back… simple plan, to be honest, but it would work… if only he could get some sort of leverage, but most likely Anne would just hand over his ship… she was that sort of person, but still, he didn't like that she still had the upper hand.
Anne had sailed in a smaller boat back to Nassau, just to see if Jack was there. If so, she would leave him a note in a bar to see if he could find her again… she felt terrible leaving him with no clue where she was.
So when the boat was docked in Nassau, she was very surprised to see that Nassau was brimming with guards from the Navy… it was surprising because Nassau was a pirate haven, not a place for red coats. Nevertheless, she would stick to the plan, so she walked into the first bar she came to, the Whales Breath Inn.
Jack sat in a corner in the filthy tavern, in a place where he could watch the whole place and no enemies could surprise him. But an enemy did take him by surprise… he sat much straighter in his chair when a woman with striking red hair entered, standing out significantly in the small crowd. Right behind her, a small brawl started between two men, but she just pushed right past it.
Jack knew it was Anne. The only thing he couldn't figure out was why she had come back to Nassau. He thought she hated it here.
He edged closer to where she was so he could hear the conversation she was having with the bartender. Sure enough, once he got a better look, it most definitely was Anne, her green eyes looking in disgust at the drunken men all around.
Jack decided that he would have to listen to the conversation, and tuned in.
"So he's still here? If he comes by, will you give him this?" Anne handed a off-white piece of paper to the bartender, who took it and nervously glanced at Jack. Anne didn't notice.
"Thank you for doing me this favor." Anne said. "Here's a coin for taking the trouble." And she pulled a coin out of her purse resting on her belt. Jack decided now was the time to act.
"Why give it to him, darlin, when you could just give me your little note in person?" Jack said, grinning at her and watching her expression as she turned to him.
"Why, there you are, Jack!" She exclaimed sarcastically. Jack noticed that she drew back a little. Perhaps afraid of him?
"Well, I'm afraid I don't have the Pearl with me, and I won't tell you where it is. But that note will." She said, and snatched the note out of the bartender's hands. She handed it carefully to Jack and then stepped lazily over the two men wrestling on the floor near her and out the door. Jack followed quickly, but as soon as he got out the door, she had taken off, running down an old alley, a backstreet. Jack followed her, running as quickly after her as he could.
He came to an intersection where the alley came back to a busier street, and caught sight of Anne's flaming red hair, but it was next to two other red patches.
Redcoats. Anne turned toward him, and he saw her face… shocked at first, but then she smiled slightly and winked at him, shoving the redcoats off and then allowing herself to be herded in the direction of the jail.
"Good luck finding the Pearl, Jack!" She shouted over her shoulder.
Jack's first thought was to run after the redcoats and outnumber them… Anne could help him overtake them.
So his second thought was to maybe come to her that night and help her escape. But what if she didn't want to escape? Well, too bad for her.
But his third thought was that he should read the note that she had pressed into his palm before taking off. He uncrumpled it and read;
Jack,
Frustrated? Don't worry, you'll find us soon. I promise. The Pearl is currently hidden in a cave close to Barbados… good luck in finding it. At the end of the month, I shall retire from my position as captain. If you are not there by then, Anamaria will claim that title, and she is not as likely to give it up to you… but don't worry, I have faith you shall find it… look to the shadows for direction away from Barbados. But anytime after the sixteenth of this month, that direction will be useless.
-Anne
Jack decided to get in his boat right away and sail to Barbados… Anne had said he needed to be there before the sixteenth! He didn't quite understand the clue she had given him, but he would figure it out when he was there… but he would need to get there soon… very quickly!
He headed down to the docks to find a suitable ship he could board to leave, but found his thoughts were dwelling on Anne. She would be hung tomorrow, woman or not… her trial had already been held, and as it turned out that there was no child, she faced certain death tomorrow. Would Jack ever be able to forgive himself if she was hung?
It was a hard choice to make. If he sprung her from her cell, there was no guarantee she would be grateful. And he would miss his deadline. Nevertheless, he headed for the jail… he had to do it.
But was there another reason that he didn't want to see Anne hanged?
No… of course not…