Dislcaimers

A short-ish chapter and please don't kill me… all will be revealed in a few chapter's time.

Xcoolcomic – I can't get in touch with you via email so if you still want to know what affnet is, mail me (click on my name) and I will tell you.

Summery-ice – go for it girl! I know how annoyed plot bunnies get if you try to ignore them!!

…

Chapter twenty two: 'You tell Jack Sparrow if I ever see his face again, I'll kill him.'

'Jack, there's another one come down wi'it.' Joshamee Gibbs looked at his captain with consternation.

'Bloody hell Gibbs, how many's that now?'

'Ten.'

Jack sighed heavily. He prided himself on running a clean, disease free ship but since their stop at Fortaleza, dysentery had struck down many of those on board, Jenny included. 'We'll ferget Isla de Muerta fer now Gibbs, make fer one o'the smaller Leeward Islands.'

'Aye Jack, best thing I reckon.' Joshamee Gibbs watched as his captain made his way to the sick bay to check up on Jenny.

'Cotton, how's things?' He glanced around at the men groaning in the hammocks and wrinkled his nose at the smell.

'Scurvy landlubber,' squawked his parrot by way of reply.

'That bad, eh? I'll just check on Jen.' Jack hesitantly made his way to the partitioned off section of the sick bay and pulled back the drapes, blanching as he saw her pallid features. She had been rambling on his previous visits, calling out and cursing, to whom he did not know. He stroked her damp forehead then wet a cloth and dabbed her face with it to try and cool her down.

'No!' Jenny writhed in the cot, her face contorted with anguish.

'S'all right Jenny, it's only me luv.'

'No, please don't.'

'All right Jen, all right, I won't.' He removed the cloth from her face and continued stroking her head.

'Please James, don't let him do this.' She cringed away from Jack's touch, her breath coming in shallow pants. 'Please don't let him do this to me, James. Stop him please.'

'Jen… Jenny, it's me. It's Jack.' Jack stood over the stricken woman, unsure as to what to do or say.

'I hate you, you bastard! You have ruined my life,' she spat vehemently, her voice reaching a screaming pitch. Jack spun as Mr. Cotton pulled back the drapes and tugged at his arm, indicating it was time to leave and with a lingering look at Jenny, still thrashing about on the cot, he turned and strode away from the sick bay, an anguished look on his face.

…

Jenny spluttered as Mr. Cotton pressed the mug against her lips, smiling as she managed to swallow quite a bit of the slightly salted water. 'Jack?' She bit back a cry of disappointment as Cotton shook his head sadly then left her to cry in peace. She had been awake for three days now and Jack had only visited once and then briefly while she was still very weak. Jenny wondered if he was afraid of catching the disease but something told her it was not that but she could not think what else would drive him away. She swung her legs over the side of the cot and tried to stand, falling back and bumping her head as she landed on the cot.

'Mr. Cotton?' she called, hoping the doctor was still around, smiling as he re-appeared. 'Mr. Cotton, would you fetch Jack for me please. I really need to see him.' The mute nodded and left her once more. She hoped he had gone to fetch his captain, but Jack never came.

It was two more days before Jenny was strong enough to get up off the cot and walk about the sick bay and another day before she felt brave enough to venture out and up to the deck. Her heart flipped as she spied Jack standing by the mast but something stayed her feet from going over to him and she watched as he disappeared down a hatch, tears springing to her eyes. She turned away and slowly made her way back to the sick bay, not venturing from there again, preferring to help Mr. Cotton tend the men who were still sick and feeling lucky to be alive when she heard that four of the men struck down had not survived.

She felt the ship slow to a stop as the anchors were dropped and idly wondered where they were. She had been so engrossed in her work in the sick bay that she took little notice of what went on outside of it.

'Jenny! You're looking well, pet.' Joshamee Gibbs smiled broadly at Jenny, a little too broadly and she wondered what was going on. 'I've brought your things for you.'

'My things?' Jenny put down the bottles she had been washing out and eyed the quartermaster suspiciously.

'Aye pet, you're home.'

'Home?'

'Aye, Port Royal.' He shifted uneasily, avoiding her cold stare.

'What? Why? Dammit Mr. Gibbs, why?'

'Th'Cap'n says it's only fair. You were only to come with us to get th'treasure an' all.'

'I don't believe that. Where is Jack? Where is he?'

'He's left th'ship, pet. Gone ashore on business.'

'On business my arse. You tell Jack Sparrow if I ever see his face again, I'll kill him.' Jenny's breath hitched as she tried not to cry and, gathering up as much dignity as she could muster, she walked from the sick bay and up to the deck, holding her head high and managing to nod and smile at various crewmen who wished her well along the way. She climbed down to the waiting boat, which contained Daniel Woods and Billy Wheeler to row her ashore, and sat with her back to the ship, not entirely trusting herself to look on what had been her home for a few months one last time and not break down in tears.

'The Cap'n's sent yer booty t'Will Turner. Ya can collect it whenever ya want.' Billy informed her over his shoulder, not expecting, nor getting a reply.

Jenny looked about the familiar harbour, noting that none of the naval ships were in port. 'Lucky for him,' she thought, bitterly. I would've thought he would have anchored in the harbour since there were no naval ships there. Not to mention that there was Jenny's chest to transport to Will's.

Jenny walked in silence along the cobbled streets of Port Royal, the two men carrying her trunk for her, safe in the knowledge that they were not known as pirates but still keeping a sharp lookout all the same and melting into the background when they spied marines, leaving her on her own.

'Jenny? Jenny, is that really you?' James Norrington hurried over to the figure dressed in a shirt, breeches and a pair of boots on her feet, not believing his eyes at how much she had changed. She had filled out since he had last seen her and her skin was a deep golden brown as opposed to the pallid Englishwoman from a few months previously. But on closer inspection he noted that she was pale and drawn and it worried him.

Jenny's heart was pounding and her mouth dry, 'Oh God, why did he have to be around,' she thought then forced a bright smile on her face. 'James. Oh James, it's so good to see you again,' She embraced her former employer warmly.

'I thought… I did not… Where have you been, Jenny?'

Before Jenny could respond she caught sight of someone watching them in an alleyway. Her eyes caught Jack's, seeing for a brief moment pain and anguish in them before he turned and strode away, his shoulders hunched. 'Jack!' She screamed inside her head. 'No!'

'Jenny?'

'Oh, I'm sorry James. I'm a little overcome at seeing you again.'

'Come, let me take you tothe mansion,we'll get you some decent clothes and you can tell me what happened.' He took her arm and started to lead her away, away from Jack.

'I… erm,' Jenny looked frantically around for her lover but he was nowhere to be seen and she bit her lip to keep from crying.

'How did you arrive here?' James Norrington looked at her with concern in his eyes as he led her towards his mansion.

Before Jenny could reply, a marine came hurrying over to him, panting with exertion. 'Governor, I'm sorry to interrupt sir but The Black Pearl is in the harbour.'

'Damn,' Norrington cursed, rueing the fact that the Commodore had taken the new ship, HMS Adventurer out on manoeuvres and no other ship was anchored in the harbour. The trio jumped as The Pearl fired at the fort, and Norrington ordered all marines down to the harbour although he knew it was futile but felt a grim sense of satisfaction when the cannons from the fort returned fire and sent up a little prayer that at least one of the shots would hit home.

'Come Jenny, let's get you safely home.'

She could not stop the tears from spilling down her cheeks at the thought of The Black Pearl leaving without her and wondered, not for the first time, why Jack had turned against her, whether it had all just been an act. She took a deep breath as she entered the house and managed a weak smile as Norah came running up to her, throwing her arms around Jenny in a tight embrace.

'Ah thought we'd never see ya alive again! Oh, but it's good to see ya.'

The warmth of her friend's greeting broke the dam and Jenny sobbed in her arms, feeling herself being led up the stairs to her old room.

'Oh Norah,' Jenny wailed, knowing she would not be able to tell her friend the real reason for her distress so let her assume it was because of being kidnapped.

'I'll get a nice warm bath drawn up for ya, I'm sure ya could do wi'it.' Norah bustled from the room excitedly, chattering to the other members of staff who had gathered outside the door, eager to find out what had happened.

Jenny stood on tiptoe, straining to see the harbour from the top of the windows but all she could see was the occasional puff of smoke from the cannons at the fort and they soon stopped as The Pearl had obviously made her way from the town.

She threw herself on the bed and sobbed into the pillows, feeling an ache deep inside and she was certain it was her heart truly breaking in half.

'Why?' she whispered softly. 'Why?'

…