A/N I don't own anything
Wow, thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate it…
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Jack was made to cross back to the Pearl first. It was actually quite uncomfortable being that once again, he wasn't in the best position to maneuver so that he could get a little leverage. What he would give to have a knife to Liz's throat…
Next went Anne. It was only natural that she go next, because Liz didn't quite have her trust. And after Anne went Liz. Liz made sure of all of this because she did not want to be stabbed in the back on her way over, or anything of the sort. But Liz also brought about ten men across with her; it seemed she was very unstable in her trust of any of these people. It was right for her to be unstable, but unfortunately, it did not do her any good.
When Liz got to the other side, she immediately had out her cutlass and told Anne to lead the way to the treasure. Which Anne did, much to Jack's dismay. When he got close enough to her, he muttered, oh so softly in her ear.
"What's your plan?"
"Shut up, Jack." She said in a hostile voice. Jack faltered for a moment; he was beginning to suspect that she really was going to betray him and leave with Liz. But she wouldn't do that; would she? He had been about to leave her… now she was in the same place that he had been.
The whole situation was risky. Jack didn't have any clue what she had in mind, and everything was resting on how Anne played this out. Jack didn't have the control anymore.
"Why does this always happen?" He muttered to himself. Anne made a noise from beside him, and when he turned to look at her, she had a smile playing on her lips… obviously amused. But she wouldn't look at him. All he could do was wait.
Anne walked up to the treasure room and pulled a key off a hook in her belt. She unlocked the door slowly, and then it swung open, and she turned around immediately to face Liz, not even looking at the treasure.
The look on Liz's face was one of pure delight. If you were just offered something that you had been waiting for for years and years, you would feel the same way. Forgetting all authority, she ran up to the treasure and picked up a few jewels, running them through her hands. Jack was about to go in after her, but Anne held on to his jacket. He looked back at her in wonder, his eyebrows raised, and she put a finger over her lips.
The door swung shut and Anne thrust the key in the lock, and the mechanism clicked. She turned and smiled at Jack.
"Easy." She said.
Meanwhile, up on deck, the crew of the Black Pearl had managed to get the other crew to the point where they surrendered; the Pearl's crew was experienced and well trained fighters, and the crew on the Serpent's Kiss hadn't sailed nor had a real challenge in years. What would you expect of sailors who had been locked away underground for the past ten years?
When Anne and Jack got back on deck, the sailors of the Kiss had surrendered and were tied up by the Pearl's sailors. Jack felt absolutely light; what else could go perfectly in his life. But Anne seemed distracted.
"What's wrong, Red?" Anamaria asked her. She shook her head.
"I don't know… something's not right."
"Red?" Jack stated, slightly amused. Anamaria smiled, but Anne did not.
"Something's wrong." Anne said, turning and walking back to the treasure room. Jack followed her.
Anne opened the door slowly and quietly, making as little noise as possible so that if Liz was still in there, she would not be prepared.
Too late.
When the door was opened, Liz was standing there, her face a mask of fury, her pistol pointed straight at Anne's throat.
"Slowly, take me back on deck." Liz said, nodding toward the door. "No quick movements, or I'll shoot."
Jack walked quickly back on deck, Anne and Liz following close behind, the pistol still at Anne's neck.
Anamaria was shocked to see them standing there like that. Jack glanced at Anne; she looked calm, as if she was thinking, or making a decision of some sort. Before anyone could make a move, Anne spun around and knocked the pistol away with her cutlass. She almost wasn't quick enough, but she made it, just barely. The pistol went off in the air and there was a loud bang as the whole world seemed to freeze.
Anne hadn't been right with her aim. The bullet grazed Anamaria's rib cage and she crumpled to the ground. Liz didn't waste any time; her cutlass was out in the blink of an eye and she challenged Anne.
But Anne refused. She wouldn't step forward, or accept the challenge; she just stood staring at Anamaria in shock.
So Jack picked up his sword.
Liz was skilled with the cutlass. Jack could tell that from the way she moved; and she was definitely not out of practice. He supposed that she had practiced within the darkness of the cave, she was that good. The two of them were entwined in a twisting, dangerous dance, light-footed and and both skilled with the blade. Sparks flying everywhere, both were deep in concentration and took no noticed of their surroundings. Jack gave her a scar along her left shoulder, tearing her sleeve, and she gave him a long cut on his right upper arm.
Then the unthinkable happened. Jack stumbled over the coaming around one of the hatches on the deck, in fact the very same one that Anne had stumbled over in their fight, and Liz instantly had her sword pointed at his neck. She smiled evilly and opened her mouth to speak.
A gunshot went off, cutting of Liz's words. A look of pain and horror crossed over her fair features and she crumpled onto the ground, blood pouring from her back. Jack sat up and looked at Anne, holding her pistol in her hands, staring at Liz lying on the ground. She refused to look at Jack, meet his eyes. She dropped her pistol on the ground and bent down over Anamaria, who was lying on the ground, clutching her side.
Anne winced when she saw the bullet wound.
"I'm sorry Ana, this is my fault." She said softly.
Jack stood up and walked over to them, kneeling beside Anamaria.
"Not your fault, Red. I'll be fine." Anamaria said with a weak smile. Jack could have kissed her. But Anne still looked distressed.
"Jack… you take care of Ana, and I'll take care of the crew." She said, refusing to look him in the eyes. She stood up and started giving orders to the crew, like what they were going to do with the other ship, and Jack watched her for a few moments before gathering Ana in his arms and carrying her downstairs to the galley, where he would be able to get supplies.
Over further inspection of the wound, Jack was dismayed to find that it was a lot more serious than he thought previously. Ana was obviously in immense pain, and Jack knew that they had to get her to a trained doctor, or the wound wouldn't heal properly, and Ana may not be okay. Despite her pain, Ana still managed to smile. It was a weak smile though. Jack got some rum and an almost clean bandage, hoping that maybe disinfecting the wound might help.
"Jack…" Ana started to say.
"Yeah?" Jack said, not looking at her, preoccupied by his task.
"Look at me." Jack looked into her dark, serious eyes. "You know, she's going to leave." Ana said. Jack looked away again, and started soaking the bandage with rum. Ana continued.
"She told me that she is going to buy her own ship with her share of the treasure. She said that she needs more freedom, and she wants her own ship to do what she wants." Jack remained silent, so Ana continued. "I can't understand that though… she already has freedom! But Jack… you know that you can't let her go."
Jack found himself desperately wishing that she would find another subject to talk about, but Ana was stubborn. Finally, he just sighed.
"If she wants her own ship, there's nothing I can do. Half of that treasure is right fully hers."
Ana remained silent. But Jack found himself thinking… once again he had no control over what might happen.
But what might happen?