Disclaimer: I still own nothing from PotC.

A/N: Thank you so very much to all of my reviewers for all of the positive feedback. I am unspeakable happy that so many of you are following this little story.

Chapter Eight:

Ana chewed on her bottom lip as she returned to the miniscule box in which she was currently residing. Still turning the tiger's eye in her fingers, she was puzzled by Chris' reaction to the jewel. He had almost seemed hurt to discover that she had received a gift from someone else. His last words, that he thought she would be happy aboard his ship, did not make sense. How could she be happy to be kidnapped and taken to sea?

Pausing in front of Chris' cabin, Ana stared blankly at the closed door. Did he really believe that she would be happy to see him? After all he had put her through? Did he really believe that she could forget all of her heartache and just pick up where they left off?

Flashback

"But I thought you were going to come with me?" Ana stood with her arms folded as her husband sheepishly explained that he would not be able to take the trip to the colonies that they had been planning for ages.

"I know, my dear. I'm dreadfully sorry, but I received orders this morning that I'm to sail to Hispaniola. I cannot very well disobey a direct order."

Ana contemplated pouting. "I suppose not, but we've been planning this for weeks. I've never been to the colonies."

Chris shrugged. "Then, by all means, see the colonies. Admiralty would not dare order you around."

Fighting against the laugh threatening to make itself known, Ana said, "what about Prescott. He will be disappointed that you are not joining us."

Now, it was Chris who laughed, his tawny brown eyes sparkling. "Prescott wants to spend time with his sister. He will not miss me. Besides, the Resolute is not a pleasure cruise, it is a ship of war. He will have enough trouble keeping her afloat with one passenger, let alone two."

"Are you implying that I will disrupt my brother's ship?"

"If you wear this dress, you will," Chris said, producing a devilish grin that perfectly showcased his dimples.

Ana smiled. "When are you to leave."

The grin fled from Chris' face. "This afternoon."

"What!"

"I am sorry, Maria. Admiralty claims that there is some sort of emergency, something to do with pirates. I must leave right away."

"You'll be making this up to me, when you return," Ana said.

"I had no doubt," Chris said, leaning in to kiss his wife, before turning to leave.

"Be safe," Ana called after him, "and don't forget your coat."

"I will, and I won't!"

End Flashback

Ana closed her eyes remembering the last day that she saw Chris, and their final conversation. She had not even told him that she loved him. She and Prescott would leave the next day for the colonies, but the Resolute would never complete her journey. They would soon be caught in the storm that brought her to La Cerradura and claimed the life of her husband. In all that time, why didn't he try to contact her? To give her some sign that their love was not lost? She had stopped living and began merely existing. She wore black, refrained from dances and social gatherings, and went to church every Sunday to pray for his soul. She had cried herself to sleep so many nights. She had screamed at God for taking her brother, her father, and her husband. All of these things she did. Why couldn't he have at least sent a letter?

"He isn't in there," Doyle Matthews interrupted her stream of unanswerable questions.

"Where is he?"

Doyle did not answer right away. Ana searched the blonde man's face. He knew exactly where the captain was.

"Did I make the wrong inquiry, or are you simply forbidden to answer any of the nagging wife's questions?"

"Sick berth."

Ana furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"I'm sure you could wait inside, if you want to see him," Doyle's green eyes darted back and forth, refusing to meet her stare.

"Is he sick?"

"No."

"Gone mad, then?"

"There is nothing wrong with Capt'n Laffley's 'ead, Miss."

Ana held up her hands to halt further objections to her insulting the infallible captain. "Injured?"

"Miss, if you'd just wait inside, you could ask 'im yerself."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Ana regarded the pirate. "Did he teach you to avoid direct questions, or was that something you were good at before you knew my husband?"

Doyle produced a lopsided grin, "I could tell him yer waitin."

"I see, good at it long before you knew Chris," Ana concluded. Doyle laughed, before turning to disappear down one of the ship's narrow corridors.

She did not really want to speak with him so soon after their encounter on deck, but her husband's visit to the sick berth had stirred her curiosity. Rolling her eyes, and musing on the impossible task of getting a straight answer from a pirate, Ana pushed open the door to Chris' cabin. The redwood boards which had such a warm glow in the daylight, made the cabin seem foreboding in the failing light. A lantern hung from the ceiling casting an occasional glow about the room. Inching forward as not to crash into anything hidden from view, Ana moved to sit behind Chris' small desk. A little box sat in the center of the desk, overflowing with bits of paper. Glancing quickly at the door, still closed, Ana opened the box. Pulling out the top piece of paper, she discovered the box contained letters written in her husband's hand.

Dearest Maria,

I still cannot send this for fear that my enemies will discover that I have a wife, but just to write to you lessens the aching in my heart. I have been over a year without the sight of your sweet face or the taste of your mouth. I yearn to feel your warm embrace. I move forward in life only by the knowledge that you are safe, and that we shall meet gain one day. I pray for your continued health and safety everyday, and I pray that when we do meet again, you will understand why I have stayed away. My heart breaks at the thought of you alone and weeping. I hope you endure my absence as you endure everything in life, with strength and courage.

I love you, forever,

Chris

Ana brought her hand to cover her mouth. Rifling through the letters, she found that they were all written to her, with the same words of regret and undying love. What did he mean, that he could not write because he was afraid his enemies would find her? What enemies?

Rising from her husband's seat, Ana almost ran from his quarters. If his letters could be believed, then Chris did still love her. He had never stopped loving her. He stayed away from Kingston because he believed he was protecting her, but protecting her from what?

"Doyle," Ana said, discovering the blonde pirate in the hall leading to her tiny cabin.

"Aye?"

"Inside . . . now." Ana stood, holding her door open.

Doyle looked understandably confused, but he entered her cabin in spite of himself. Ana lit a candle, and closed the door behind her. "Sit," she insisted.

Eyes wide, Doyle did as the lady asked. "What's goin' on 'ere Miss?"

"For heaven's sake, you know my name. Use it!" Ana placed her hands on her hips and colored her face with what she hoped was her iciest glare.

"Maria, I don't –"

"Listen, Mr. Matthews," Ana interrupted. "I want to know what exactly is going on here."

"What do ye mean?"

"I mean, anytime I let slip a disparaging remark about my husband, you fall all over yourself to defend him. Why?"

"E's the captain –"

"We both know it's more than that," Ana said. "That man let me believe he was dead for two years. I grieved for him every single day. Why is it that you still think he walks on water? Why do you refuse to see this my way?"

"Yours isn't the only way."

Ana sat on the bed, staring straight into the pirate's green eyes. "Tell me the other way."

Doyle remained still, his eyes wide like a man caught in the path of a speeding carriage with no means of escape in sight. Clearly, he would rather be anywhere than this cramped cabin, talking to the captain's irate wife.

"Tell me why you seem to think that I should just come on board and run back into his outstretched arms. You told me he never even told you about me."

"I said that 'e didn't tell me 'e was married, not that I didn't know about ye."

"What?" Ana was taken aback by Doyle's remark. "So, you did know about me?"

"E named the bloody ship after ye, didn't 'e?"

Ana's body stiffened. "Did he talk about me?"

"Everyday, Miss Maria." Doyle's green eyes seemed to plead with her to stop asking him questions.

"Then why didn't he come back!" Matthews did not answer, she had not really expected that he would. For whatever reason, he was loyal to her husband, and felt that disclosing information was some sort of betrayal.

Bloody pirates. Jack was exactly the same as this man. When she first met him, he had neatly avoided almost every question she had asked him. Ana buried her face in her hands. Jack. She was beginning to think that she should have ran away with him the night he showed up on her balcony. She should have given him her heart and her soul, not some tattered leather hat.

"Can I go now?"

"Yes."

"Should I tell the capt'n you want to see 'im?"

"I suppose you can tell him I'll be to his cabin presently."

TBC

Don't forget to review, and don't worry, Jack and Prescott will be back next chapter!

a/n: Pendragginink, in response to your last review, I realize that Prescott's toast last chapter may have been worded a bit strangely, but whenever he refers to his brother-in-law, he is refering to Chris, not Jack. Prescott is saying that he sent James out after Chris, under the pretense that he is chasing Jack. Sorry, for any confusion.