Yet again, usual disclaimers apply throughout this tale. If you recognise it, it probably belongs to the Mouse – else it is mine!

Chapter 62 - Ouch!

Catherine woke to find herself in the bunk, a warm body lying next to her. Gingerly she turned over, hissing in pain from the cut along her ribs. She smiled, noticing Jack's bandaged wrist and leg. They were alive and that was all that mattered to her.

Joshamee Gibbs wandered into the cabin, surprised to find her sitting upright. "Kitty, you should be resting!"

"I couldn't Joshamee, just couldn't," she sighed. "Where are we?" she puzzled, trying to see out of the windows.

"I brought us to Tortuga - not knowing what happened back there." He paused, hoping for an explanation.

"DeWitt nearly killed Jack, I shot DeWitt." She chewed her lip. "Gillette tried to kill Jack… I had to stop him Joshamee…" She looked up at him tearfully. "But I didn't mean to kill him…"

"You killed Gillette!" he gasped.

She nodded. "Guess we won't be going back to Port Royal any time soon." She sighed. "Theo saw me…"

Jack slowly stirred, eyes blinking in the light. "Ouch!" he moaned as he tried to sit up, swinging his good leg out of the bunk, then more carefully the injured one.

"Stop moaning," Catherine teased. "You'll live!" She slid gingerly from the bunk, walking hesitantly across the cabin to where Jack stored his rum. She opened the cupboard, taking an unopened bottle and walked back to the bunk, handing it to him.

Jack took a long swig, happily blurring the pain. "Could you leave us alone a minute Gibbs," he asked. "Kitty an' I need to talk…"

"Sure…" Joshamee Gibbs turned and quietly left the cabin.

"Come 'ere," he smiled. "I just wanna hug yer!" But the hug turned into a long, loving kiss. "Thank you, that was very brave standing up to Gillette like that…"

"It was an accident…" she protested.

"Maybe th' end result was," he paused, kissing her again, "but you had th' courage t' face him in the first place…" He held her as she started to cry, realising she was still in shock from the incident. "An' th' crew won't think ill of you if yer never touch that blade again." She nodded, sniffing as he kissed her again.

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Joshamee Gibbs smiled to himself, correctly interpreting the various ouches, ows and hisses of pain that drifted from the cabin. Realising that it would be some time before they emerged, he passed the order for them to be undisturbed.

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