"Jack?"
The pirate captain looked between his friend and his lover, both returned his look with a questioning one of their own. Will looked even more confused than Ana. "What was that?"
Jack shook his head again. "Nothin', lad. Don' worry 'bout it. Just... Never mind. No worries."
Will watched the pirate saunter off along the deck and looked at the first mate. "What on earth was that?"
Ana sighed as she ran a hand along the railing. "I'm not entirely sure. He's been acting strange since we decided to make Isla de Muerta our destination. Strange dreams an' the sort, and moments like tha' where ya just loose 'im for a time. 'e won't tell me what 'e sees though."
"So why is he so hell bent on going if it's causing himself so much grief?"
"You think I know? Will, you know as well as I do that Jack doesn't tell what's on his mind more times than not."
"But you two are..."
"That doesn' matter one bit, boy, and so don' expect me to know what goes through that daft man's 'ead."
Will chuckled at this, but inside his mind was running over all possibilities.
"Don't worry about it, Will. We'll still be goin' to the island, and after that who knows? Who knows at any time? I'll tell ya somethin' I do think though. He trusts you more'n 'e'd ever admit."
"How do you come to that conclusion?"
"He asked you along."
The door cracked open and Ana looked over her shoulder at the figure moving as quietly as he could through the darkness, avoiding all of the dangerous obstacles in his path. "Jack?"
"Aye, luv," the pirate captain answered as he finally made it to the bed and sat down on it, tugging his boots as he went.
Ana smiled and wrapped her arms around him from behind, pulling him close. "I thought maybe you weren't plannin' on comin' to bed tonight."
"Figured I'd need to sleep as much as possible the next few nights."
"If yer dreams are botherin' ye, Jack, maybe you should-"
The pirate turned around in her embrace and put a finger against her lips. "What 'ave I told ya about tha', luv?"
"Jack, you can't keep it locked up forever, ya know," she growled.
"Sure I can, luv. It's worked well enough all the years of me life. It'll work all the years left in it."
"Fine," Ana hissed. "If tha's 'ow it is."
Jack watched in the darkness as she turned over on the bed, her back to him. A confused look crossed his face. "Ana?"
"What?"
"Luv? What are ya doin'?"
"Givin' you yer space to dream whatever ya damn well want to dream without me talkin' to ya 'bout it."
Jack stared for a moment, then frowned. He leaned forward, one arm over Ana so he was leaning over her still form. She swatted at him. "C'mon, luv," he asked in an almost pleading voice. "Don' do this."
The pirate woman turned her chilled glare to him. "You lock me out, Jack Sparrow, I can lock ye out just as well." That said, she turned back over and pulled the sheets up around her to sleep.
Her captain sighed as he settled himself down for a night he was sure would be filled with nightmares.
When she heard his breathing even out in sleep, Ana peered at the dark haired captain and could not hold back a small smile. She draped an arm around his middle, careful not to wake him, and nestled in next to him. Just because she was trying to get through to him didn't mean she had to suffer, right? Right.
Ana was awakened in the middle of the night by Jack's tossing and turning. He moaned something in his sleep that she couldn't figure out. "Jack?" Her brows knit when he didn't wake. "Jack, wake up, Cap'n."
The pirate shot up in his bed, eyes wide. Ana pulled back just in time for him not to slam into her. "Jack? You all right?" she whispered, watching him as he leaned forward, burring his face into his hands. He peeked up through them, dark hair shadowing his face.
"Aye, luv," he managed.
She reached forward, touching his face gently. "Jack... 'm worried 'bout you... You 'aven't slept a night's sleep since we set course to pick up Will."
Jack forced a small smile to play on his lips as he reached his hand for hers. "Don' worry, luv."
Ana glared slightly. "Jack..."
"I said don' worry. I know me own limits, Ana. Trust me."
"I do trust you, Jack," Ana said quietly as she reached over to him and kissed him softly.
He grinned and pulled her back down to the bed.
Isla de Muerta came into view a few days later. Jack had been at the helm a good part of the trip and Will had not seen what he had on the first day again. He'd received a glare that shut him up quickly from the eccentric pirate when he'd brought it up. So he was only left to wonder.
"Ana? Will you be joinin' us, luv?"
Ana nodded as she hauled a sack over her shoulder. "Off we go to the cursed island."
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but oh well, it's a chapter ne? I know Julie told me to tell the muses to give me a break, but what can I say? They scream louder when I tell them to hush.... Suddenly I feel like poor Mort... :p
Flute Damioh: I'm hurrying... best I can... Sorry if I disappear at any given time, school is like that
Taurus-Sparrow-0506: I went in and added some of the romance just for you! Glad you like the story :)
Kungfuchick: ingredient for a good and lasting friendship: death threats on a regular basis. Hehe... My boyfriend's sitting here and getting a kick out of what I'm writing. He goes "ya'll are so morbid" Hehe.... Nah, we're insane girls that go off the deep end eveyronce and a while (or on a daily basis in my case....)
Dawnie-7: it took me a couple times through to figure out what you meant... Hehe... poor kid's going to get the same jokes as his father...
Lynx Ryder: I know, I could see it too. It's so much fun to do that when people don't know you're there.....
JackFan2: Was it really that long? Oh well, short chappy this time. That's a great idea about Norrington!! I saw that review this morning and my mind started running with the idea. Blasted muses.... Always hard at work and making me look crazy in the middle of class... Ah well. Ah!! Two weeks is too long!! ::sob:: Oh well... every other day will work :)
