Usual disclaimers

Many thanks to Pendragginink, jackslittlefriends, SummerRain, Rose Pearl, Galleria, beatlechicksteph, CaptainMarySparrow, Maeghan, Ginny, Mina Sparrow, Roxula's Bride, sassfras, Miss Sophia, Orlando's Hot Chick, Chelsey, Kat, dramaced, PirateAurora and Hilary and Linnie.

…

Chapter seven: 'There's nothin' more dangerous than a wounded enemy.'

John Williams and Pete Symmonds carefully placed their captain into a boat and pushed off from the wharf, grateful that the sea battle was all but over and The Nomad was a wrecked hull, listing heavily in the water. They rowed quickly towards their ship and called several times to those on deck since it was still noisy on the water with guns firing intermittently and the cries of wounded and dying men echoed across the harbour.

'Bleedin' hell!' Shay exclaimed as he peered over the side. 'I need some help here,' he called, running to fetch the bosun's chair and rigging it up as quickly as he could. He lowered it down to the boat, then with the help of some of the other crew, hoisted it to the deck and carefully unstrapped Jack, who was partially conscious, and carried him down to his cabin. John, Pete, Joshamee and Ned Cotton with his medical bag, following closely behind.

'No…! Jack!' Jenny cried, rushing over to him as Shay placed Jack down on the bunk.

'Jen…' he murmured, half opening his eyes and looking for her.

'Here I am, darling,' she whispered tearfully. 'Oh Jack, I didn't even know you had left the ship until you had been long gone.'

'I'm all right,' he smiled weakly. 'Did ya get Valentine?' he asked Pete who was still hovering over him.

'Sorry Cap'n, they just vanished. We searched everywhere but there was no trace of them.'

Jack sighed then winced as pain tore through his shoulder. 'He's still alive,' he lamented, closing his eyes once more.

'Out!' Jenny ordered, shooing everyone from the cabin bar Ned Cotton who cut Jack's blood-stained shirt from him and inspected the wound. Jenny fetched a bottle of rum from Jack's store and held it to his lips, allowing him to take a long draught of it, thus deadening the pain. Mr. Cotton cleaned the wound with water he had brought with him from the galley and then poured some of the rum over it, making Jack hiss with pain and clutch Jenny's hand as the older man probed gently inside the wound to ensure no fabric or dirt had become embedded in his shoulder.

'Mr. Cotton?' Jenny looked worriedly from one man to the other, hating to see her lover in such pain. She smiled as the doctor gave the thumbs up, indicating that the wound was clean then she helped him to dress it, holding Jack whilst Cotton wound clean rags around his shoulder and arm and fashioned a sling in which he cradled his captain's arm then left them alone, nodding as they both thanked him.

Jack wanted to get up and find out what was happening but he felt too weak and so stayed lying on the bunk, smiling weakly as Jenny sat down beside him and stroked his head.

'Sorry luv,' he whispered, pressing his lips against the palm of her hand.

'You're safe, that is all that matters,' she smiled, shuffling down so that she was lying alongside, careful not to jar him or knock his arm.

'But Valentine escaped. There's nothin' more dangerous than a wounded enemy. We must find him an' find him soon.'

They both jumped as the door to the cabin crashed open and a lithe, dusky skinned woman strode in, searching around the cabin.

'What th'hell is goin' on Sparrow?' she demanded, casting an idle glance at Jenny before deciding she was not worth attention. 'Why did ya want a fight wi'Valentine?'

'Jack is injured,' Jenny put in, standing up and facing the woman. 'If you want details, go and see Mr. Gibbs.'

'Who th'hell are you?'

'Jack's woman, now get out.'

'I don't take orders from you,' Anamaria sneered, looking Jenny up and down contemptuously.

'No?' As quick as a flash, Jenny pulled the dagger from her belt and held it at the woman's throat. 'This is Jack's ship,' she reminded her. 'And I am his woman and I am telling you to get out. Now get out!'

'Whoa! Where'd ya find her, Sparrow?' she asked the striken man, still lying on the bunk and if the truth be told, somewhat enjoying watching someone stand up to his old friend.

'I will not tell you again,' Jenny warned, thrusting the blade against Anamaria's dark skin.

'All right, all right. I'm going. Bleedin' hell Jack, ya have my sympathy,' she retorted as she turned on her heel and stormed from the cabin.

'Is she always like this?' Jenny asked incredulously. 'No wonder you found her another ship.'

'Nah luv,' Jack croaked, wincing with pain. 'Sometimes she's worse.'

'Shh now. Get some rest.' Jenny lay back down on her side and stroked his hair until he fell into a restless sleep, sleep taking her much later after she had laid fretting and worrying, clutching at the heart he had made her.

…

Shay looked around in amazement at the pirate town through the smoky haze caused by the many fires lit during the rioting. He followed the group consisting of Pete, Davy, John, Billy, Dan and Jonas as they searched for a tavern that had not been torn apart or burned down, eventually coming to The Tortuga Arms and finding that many other pirates had had the same idea and the place was crowded. A cheer erupted as the Pearl crew entered the building and Shay found himself clapped on the back many times before he finally reached the bar and ordered an ale then followed the others to a table, just vacated.

'I guess Valentine wasn't too popular then,' he joked, raising his mug to his crew mates.

'God no, he was a bastard,' Jonas Lowe announced, pulling a face. 'I worked fer him when I was a nipper, when his wife was alive. He was just as bad then.'

'Can't imagine Valentine married,' mused John, comtemplating the thought. 'I wonder where th'slippery toad went to?'

Shay only half heard the conversation, his attention being held by a small woman with hair the colour of honey who was clearing one of the nearby tables. He smiled as she made her way over to their table to clear the empty mugs and beakers, and tried to catch her eye, hoping to maybe steal a kiss from her. But she was practised in avoiding unwanted attentions and totally ignored him.

'I reckon he must have a hidey hole somewhere. There's no way he an' Hoskins could have just gone like that,' Pete added, snapping his fingers.

Shay's eyebrows shot up as the woman blanched and backed away from the table then hurried through a door at the side of the bar. 'Hmm,' he thought to himself. 'I wonder…?' Jack had told him that many people had worked for Valentine, or were in his pocket, throughout the town, and he wondered if she was one of them. He waited quietly until she re-appeared, then made his way to the bar where she was serving. He shook his head as another wench came to serve him, waiting until the honey-haired woman passed. He reached out, tugging her sleeve.

'Have ye got any rum?' he asked as she came by him.

'Of course,' she snapped scornfully. 'This is Tortuga.' She turned away and poured him a beaker of rum, slamming it down on the bar in front of him.

'An' somethin' fer yeself,' he offered, smiling crookedly at her.

'I don't drink,' she retorted, taking his money.

'A chat then?'

'I'm busy, unless you are too thick to notice.'

'Ah, ye wound me woman. What's yer name?' He sighed as she moved away to serve someone else, his hand automatically going for his knife as the punter grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. But the wench slapped him hard and threw the drink over him, smiling sardonically at the ribald laughter that accompanied her actions.

'Well?' he asked when she came closer again.

'Are you still here?' she sighed theatrically. 'Patience.'

'Why, how long will I have ter wait? Ah! Yer name's Patience?' he laughed, pleased when he saw a ghost of a smile play on her lips. 'Me name's Shay an' I'm from the fair Erin.'

'Means nothin' to me,' she shrugged. 'Never been off Tortuga.'

'Tis a good thing that happened today,' he ventured, taking a sip of the bitter tasting rum. 'Valentine being toppled an' all.'

'Hrrumph,' she snorted derisively.

'It's not good?'

'He may be toppled but he ain't dead. So no, it's not good. He'll be back.'

'We'll just have ter find him then.'

'Patience!' a voice called and she disappeared to the back room once more, leaving Shay to ponder as to whether she knew anything or not.

…

'Drinks all around,' Job Bailey announced with a flourish and settled himself at a table in The Bell tavern, with two whores on his lap, laughing as they took it in turns to hold a mug to his lips as he drank.

'Bloody fool,' Richard Page, newly elected quartermaster of Le Brestois, muttered darkly, shaking his head at a couple of his crew mates. 'He'll spend the whole time here drinking himself stupid when we should be out looking for Valentine. We could have taken the mansion if he had let us off the bloody ship sooner. Instead all the treasure that must have been in there has been burned to a bloody cinder by mindless fools no better than him,' he grumbled, jerking his head towards his captain.

'He got us a good ship,' one of the men put in, wanting to defend his captain.

'No, Sparrow got us the bloody ship,' Page spat disdainfully, shooting a dark look towards Job Bailey as he downed a jug of ale in one, spilling most of the contents down his coat.

'Aw let him celebrate.'

Richie Page sighed then grinned. 'Aye, let's all celebrate. We deserve it.'

'Aye!' the men choruses, smashing their mugs together in toast, not noticing the dark look their quartermaster shot at their captain.

…