DISCLAIMER: I think we all know the truth. But for those who want to know, here it is: I do not claim ownership of anything you recognize. They belong to whom they belong and those people know who they are. Savvy?

Summary: For years Jack has kept his darkest secret close beside him. However, he is forced to tell Ana the truth when a mysterious figure confronts Jack and claims to know the answers Jack seeks. J/A. Rating for some violence.

Half-Life

Part 8

The man returned to the table on which the pirate lay wearing heavy leather gloves and a tray of red-hot horseshoe nails in hand. "You wrecked so many things in your father's life Jack. Do you realize that?" The man's brows knit as he saw what Ana could not: the pirate was unconscious. A twisted grin lit the older man's face. "So like him. He's retreated and so hopes to avoid the pain. I know his game well."

"Just who are you?" Ana asked, her voice holding a deep-rooted concern for Jack.

The man placed the tray on the table beside Jack's relatively still form and turned to Ana with a sarcastic bow. "Captain Nigel Stonder at your service, m'lady." The way he spat the title made it sound like the vilest curse in the world. "Well, ex-captain, really. I'm retired."

Ana's jaw fell slack. "Yer-"

"Jack Sparrow's father, yes. And disgusted of the fact. I've come to finish what I started in the hold of my merchant ship all those years ago."

Ana shoved her weight against her bonds with all her fury. This man was the same one who had beaten Jack mercilessly and without reason and now he was bent on killing her captain in the most painful way! As she tugged she was pleased to feel a slight release in the binds around her body but she was careful not to let the fact show in her expression.

"Now if you'll excuse me," Nigel said with fake charm as he turned back and picked up the tray once more. "Well Jack, it seems as if you've found a loyal wench," he muttered with a sinister grin down at the slack-faced pirate. "But loyalty will get you nowhere. You will still die here and soon after, so will she." Nigel took up a small, sharp-bladed knife and slit Jack's shirt—sleeves included—open, letting the ruined fabric lie on either side of the pirate.

Nigel took up the first blazing-hot nail and slowly pressed its tip into Jack's right shoulder. "These nails represent the things you have ruined in my life. And believe me, there's a lot. Firstly, you are the cause of your mother's death." He continued to apply pressure as the nail sunk deeper and deeper into Jack's flesh until it finally was in as far as it would go without removing the head. Nigel watched Jack's face the whole time and was irritated to find no trace of discomfort. He took up another nail and put it into the pirate's left shoulder, still watching for any results. Nothing.

"I know you can feel this Jack. Just give in. You're a broken man." He took up two more nails and pressed them both into Jack's left forearm, again with no reaction from the pirate.

"You destroyed my household." He pounded another three nails into Jack's right forearm. "My ship." Another five nails were pressed into Jack's torso. "My life." Nigel shoved seven more fiery nails into Jack's body and, much to his vexation, Jack didn't even flinch once.

Even more to his displeasure, he had run out of nails.

"Stop it! Ye'll kill 'im!" Ana cried, still struggling against her bonds.

"I think we've established that is the point of this exercise, wench."

Ana spat defiantly at Nigel's feet and glared savagely at him with blazing eyes. "I'm not a wench. An' ye'll never kill him."

"Oh? Why are you so sure?"

"Because, he's-"

"Cap'n Jack Sparrow…savvy?"

Both Ana and Nigel were shaken from their face-off and looked to the table where Jack was looking at them with a weak—but triumphant—grin.

"Ah, finally decided to come back and face me like the piece of bilge slime you are, eh Sparrow?" Nigel asked nonchalantly as he returned to the tableside.

"Th' on'y bilge slim I see 'ere…'s you," Jack muttered weakly, his throat still very sore and his voice raspy.

For his insolent remark Jack was rewarded with a backhanded slap across his face that warranted a small crack from his neck as his head whipped around and smashed against the tabletop. Once again his vision began to grow blurry as darkness reached up to offer him its rest. Jack resisted.

"Leave 'im alone! Try killin' me, yah coward!" Ana screamed, tugging roughly on her bonds until her wrists were scraped and bleeding.

Nigel grinned, the expression meant for Jack although his words were addressed to Ana. "I thought you'd never ask." He drew Jack's cutlass off the floor where it had fallen and approached Ana with his fear-inducing stride. Ana jutted her chin out rebelliously and glared daggers at the approaching man, shoving her fear aside.

The look had not been lost on Jack. He closed his eyes heavily with a small sigh and turned his face away from the scene that was about to unfold.

"How fitting that Jack's blade will be the one to shed your blood. Knowing him he will never forget this." Nigel stopped before Ana and a purely evil grin lit his face with a dark light. "Goodbye, wench."

"Nigel!"

Nigel dropped the cutlass to his side once more and Ana opened her eyes, realizing she had closed them on reflex as the blade had drawn near.

"What now, Sparrow?"

"Kill me."

"What?!" The exclamation of amazed shock had come from Ana, and both she and Nigel were eyeing the pirate captain curiously. Neither could see his face.

"Le's make a deal, Nigel. 'm sure yer a reasonable man…when yer no' bent on sheddin' yer son's blood."

"I pride myself on it," Nigel responded casually.

"Well then, 'ere's th' deal. Do wha'e'er ye want t' me, bu' let 'na go. Th' only thing she did wrong was followin' me." Ana's jaw went limp; she knew Jack was dead serious and she suddenly felt extremely guilty for following him. Just because she had he was going to take on all the bloodshed meant for her.

Nigel silently regarded the pirate captain for a moment. "Very well. We have a deal. But she will remain here until you are dead."

"Swear ye'll release 'er," Jack insisted weakly.

"I swear on the pain of your death. Which isn't much, is it?"

Jack managed a mordant grin and couldn't help but wince at the pain that flared in his wounded, stiffening cheek. "Fair 'nough."

"Well, it won't do to let that metal remain in you, now will it?" Nigel smirked as he grabbed the head of one of the nails in Jack's left arm and yanked. Hard. Jack bit back a squeal of pain as the nail came free, its long shaft coated in his singed skin and blood.

Nigel took his time pulling the next three nails free and each agonizing moment drew on Jack's inner strength. It was all he could do to remain conscious and ensure Ana was not harmed. He really didn't care what happened to himself; the thoughts of Ana were all that kept him lucid and even that was in the vaguest meaning of the term.

"Don't worry Jack, only," Nigel paused, looking the pirate's scarred body over before continuing, "fifteen more to go."

Jack took a deep breath and closed his eyes as Nigel reached for the next nail. Seeing this, the older man shook Jack's shoulder roughly, drawing a groan of pain from the pirate.

"No Jack, no taking a nap for you."

Jack forced his eyes open, fearing that if he went against Nigel's words that Ana would be harmed. As much as he detested obeying orders from someone who was trying to kill him, Ana's well-being came first.

"Good boy," Nigel taunted, yanking a seventh nail from Jack's body. The pirate's arms were now free of nails but blood was streaming from the newly opened wounds the metal had left.

As Nigel yanked two nails from his torso at once Jack felt the world spin violently and his eyes began falling shut despite his mind's protests. A sharp cuff to his already wounded cheek brought him back around with a small yelp of pain.

Ana watched in horrified concern as nail after nail was torn from Jack's flesh, shedding more of the pirate's blood. She could tell Jack was struggling to hang on, though the reason was quite unknown to her at the time. Why wouldn't he just let himself slip away and avoid feeling the pain altogether? She pulled harder at the ropes holding her and felt them loosen further.

Finally the last nail came free and Jack's eyes closed slowly, his breathing quickened as he tried to assuage the wave of darkness that threatened to overtake him. "'m still…'ere…" Jack forced out through gritted teeth, hoping his words would belay another hit from Nigel. He opened one eye lethargically when no response came and caught a glimpse of Nigel standing before the forge fire.

Inwardly he groaned. What next?

"I'm sure you're wondering 'what next?'" Nigel announced from beside the fire with a wicked grin as if he had read Jack's thoughts. Jack was too busy conserving his strength to answer. "Well, let me tell you, son," he spat the word as if it were the vilest curse in existence, "I plan to finish this sooner that previously planned. But do not worry; rest assured that it will still be painful." Nigel turned away from the forge with a fire poker in hand, its tip sharpened like a sword.

Ana tugged roughly at the ropes with a burst of strength that came from her deep desire to protect Jack and was rewarded as they loosened enough for her to slip free.

Nigel positioned the tip of the red-hot fire poker so it was just touching Jack's chest. "And now it will end Jack. Slowly and painfully. But it will be rewarding." He began to put his weight upon the poker and Jack closed his eyes with a sharp intake of breath as he felt the tip puncture his skin, go in a bit, then…nothing.