You'd have thought The Mouse would have forgotten about Jack by now, but nooo – so usual disclaimers!

With thanks to Killer K, Lexie, RandomGal, Mrs. Depp, A Depp Girl, BoricuaSparrow, beatlechicksteph, Galleria, Orlando's Hot Chick, Sparrow's Lover, Tru Spirit, Ginny and Hilary for reviewing and editing.

Tru Spirit – why were you pleased the horses had a main part? Ani scratches her head in bewilderment!

Galleria – yay! Welcome back!

RandomGal – I did toy with the idea of James helping them, but needed a way of getting Luke on board, so ditched it.

I am now four reviews short of my entire total for Another Time, Another Place – just for this installment. A thousand thank yous! XX

I'll stop waffling now…

…

Chapter Twenty two: 'If we were that wise, we wouldn't be sittin' on a pirate ship

in th'middle o'Tortuga harbour,'

'Thank gawd you're safe,' Joshamee Gibbs beamed as Jenny was hoisted aboard in the bosun's chair.

'Y-yes… I'm fine,' she whispered, flinching as the men crowded around her.

'Leave her be,' Jack ordered he as stepped onto the deck. 'C'mon, let's get yer down to th'cabin. Ned, Luke, I want ya both there as well.' He scooped Jenny up in his arms and carried her down the steps and to their cabin with Luke following behind, getting nasty looks from the crew as he was still in his naval uniform. Jack placed her gently on the bunk and stood aside to let the ship's doctor examine her.

'This is Luke Martin, he's… was the surgeon aboard The Sutherland,' Jack said at at the surprise written on the older man's face. 'He's only stayin' until we find him a safe haven. He killed Gillette.'

'Pieces of eight, pieces of eight!' the parrot squawked, bobbing up and down on the window ledge.

'Cotton approves of ya,' Jack grinned. 'Cotton is our doctor,' he explained to Luke who was slightly bewildered as to why he wasn't the one to attend to Jenny. 'He's a mute. Your lot cut his tongue out…'

'I never claimed that the Navy were angels,' Luke sniped. 'But then neither are pirates…'

'Most pirates,' Jack reminded him. 'An' I'd be watchin' yer tongue around here. Most of th'crew won't take too kindly ter that tone.'

'I'm sorry,' Luke apologised. 'It's just been a very trying day.'

They all looked up at a knock on the door and Jack went to open it.

'How is she?' Patience demanded, pushing her way past Jack and into the cabin.

'Come in, why don't ya?' he muttered sardonically.

'Patience!' Jenny smiled weakly, beckoning her over to the bunk.

The younger woman ignored the look from Jack and hurried over to the bunk, reaching cautiously to hug her friend. 'Welcome 'ome, she grinned.

'It's good to be back home,' Jenny agreed, returning the hug. 'Are you all right? The bastards hurt you…' She reached for her friend's still swollen and bruised eye.

'Just ruined another dress – blood's a bugger ter get out,' Patience grumbled. She glanced at Jack and Cotton, before turning back to Jenny. 'Ya all right?'

'Physically not too bad, despite Gillette's best efforts…'

'Bloody bastard,' Patience swore. 'Pasty faced, ill-mannered bloody nob!'

'That's a polite description of him,' Jenny chuckled, leaning back against the pillows and closing her eyes.

'Yeah well…yer tired. D'ya think yer up to some food? Th'stove's still hot.'

'Just some broth maybe, I couldn't face anything more.'

'I'll see what's there,' Patience hugged her friend again before leaving the cabin on her errand, smiling sweetly at Jack as she passed him.

'Cotton, take Luke ter Shay. He'll be safe enough with him. Any problems, come straight ter me, savvy?'

'All right,' the surgeon agreed reluctantly, following the mute out of the cabin and not looking forward to facing the crew of pirates.

'Are ya all right?' Jack asked when they were finally alone.

'Fine, just come here,' she choked, the façade she had been putting on, crumbling.

He sat on the bunk and wound his arms around her, rocking her to and fro as she cried.

…

'Bugger!' Jack cursed as someone hammered on the door. He carefully climbed off the bunk so as not to disturb Jenny who was snoozing and yanked the door open, about to shout at whoever was on the other side of it, but checking himself as he saw Patience with a bowl of broth in one hand and a plate of bread in the other. Obviously the hammering had been done with her foot.

'Ain't got a free hand,' she smiled, breezing past him and heading towards the bunk.

'Ya could try balancin' somethin' on yer head,' he replied sardonically, following behind and sitting at the end of the bunk.

'Thank you, Jenny smiled, having been woken by the noise, sitting up as Patience placed the bowl on her lap.

'Well take this then, an' I'll head back.' She shoved the plate into Jack's hand and turned to leave again, knowing her friend would want some peace alone with Jack.

'Thanks luv,' Jack called as the door closed. 'I'll go an' tell Gibbs not ter disturb us, eh? Don't want all an' sundry botherin' ya.'

'It's all right, really,' she smiled. 'It's nice to know they care. Is Luke all right?'

'Shay's lookin' after him, so he'll be fine. Especially when word gets out that he killed Gillette, albeit unintentionally.' Jack moved up to the top of the bunk and kissed her on the cheek. 'Will ya be all right fer a while?'

'Fine, go on. Where are we headed?'

'Tortuga fer now, safest place fer you an' Luke. Then we can think about somewhere else fer ya ter live, if ya want?'

'We'll see…'

'Try an' sleep, I'll look in on ya later, savvy?'

'All right,' she smiled, watching as Jack made for the door then putting the untouched bowl and plate of bread on the side table and settling back against the covers, weariness washing over her like a wave.

…

Jenny woke alone for the first time in two days, missing Jack but glad of her own company at the same time. She gingerly climbed off the bunk and walked over to her trunk, fetching a cream short sleeved dress and an undershift, pulling them both on, making sure the wooden heart was sitting on the outside of the dress. She made her way slowly to the door and pulled it open, half expecting to see Jack standing guard outside and smiling to herself when she saw no-one about. Jenny carefully made her way barefoot to the galley, pausing for a rest and a chat to various crewmen on her way, but she eventually made it and stood in the doorway, wobbling slightly, watching Patience do her old job of dishing out the food.

Her young friend looked at her in surprise. 'Are ya sure yer should be up?' she gasped, ladling a bowl for Jenny and carrying it to the table, ignoring the queue of men.

'I'll go as mad as Jack if I don't get out of that cabin,' Jenny laughed, sitting down gratefully all the same.

Patience put her bowl before her, smiling. 'Nah, nobody's as mad as that bastard,' she snorted with a grin, before heading back to the serving trestle and picking up the ladle and serving the men once more.

'I won't tell Jack what you said,' Jenny winked, tucking into her food.

'Don't care if ya do,' she grinned, spooning the next bowlful out.

'Come and join me when you've finished,' Jenny invited her friend. 'I've barely seen you since we left Port Royal. I want to catch up on the gossip.'

Patience nodded, busy with the crews' breakfast and Jenny chatted to the men around her whilst waiting for her friend, glancing up every time someone came into the mess in case it was Jack.

Eventually, Patience scraped what was left in the cauldron and joined Jenny at the table, sighing as she sat down.

'How are you?' Jenny asked. 'You look a little tired.'

'Been workin', ya know how it is,' she shrugged, tucking into her food. 'Although these past few weeks haven't been the easiest of times...'

'You've been through a lot,' Jenny agreed. 'Thank you for what you did for me,' she said quietly.

'That's what friends are for, eh?' she smiled sadly. 'Look, can I talk with ya?' Patience asked, glaring at one of the nearby men who had clearly been eavesdropping. 'Private like…?'

'Of course,' Jenny replied, wondering what was the matter with her friend. 'Come on.'

They stood and made their way to the captain's cabin, Patience still eating her breakfast from the bowl, and sat on the stern seats in the empty cabin.

'I need ter ask ya something...' Patience ventured hesitantly.

'What? There's nothing wrong is there?'

'No, no. Look, I don't want ter seem uncarin', what with all yer've been through, but I need ter know what yer plans are,' she explained. 'Are yer goin' ter stay onboard or settle somewhere again?'

'Jack and I have been talking about it a lot the last couple of days,' Jenny admitted. 'I am going to settle somewhere again. Maybe not immediately, but within the next couple of months or so. Were you wondering whether I want you around or not?'

Patience nodded. 'I had ter leave everythin' behind when we left,' she explained. 'If I'm ter settle somewhere an' yer want me nearby, then I'd have ter find a job an' somewhere else ter live.'

'Would you want to live nearby? You don't have to live by me if you'd prefer to choose a place yourself. Don't you want to live here again?' Jenny asked, indicating the town of Tortuga through the window.

'Shay doesn't want me to,' she confessed.

'I can't say I blame him…' Jenny chuckled wryly. 'I'm sorry, I know it's your hometown and all, but I think it's a very dangerous place for a woman to live and if word got about that you're the woman of a Black Pearl man, some might take exception to it,' she reasoned.

'So yet again I have ter leave me home,' Patience sighed.

'I know all about that,' Jenny sighed with her, feeling as if her whole adult life had been spend moving from pillar to post, and not entirely by her choice.

'But wherever I live, it will have ter be somewhere th'ship visits, else I'll never see me husband - if we ever get to th'church,' Patience snorted. 'He won't marry 'ere - wants a fancy church…'

'There's plenty of churches on the islands. I'm sure we'll come across one that suits. So, do you want to live near me?'

'That would depend on yer,' her friend replied.

'I would love to have you close by,' Jenny confessed. 'I've never had a close female friend before, I enjoy it.'

'But ya won't need me as a companion, unless ye intend ter try fer a child again.'

'We're already trying,' Jenny smiled, blushing slightly. 'I know it's probably not wise, so soon after…'

'If we were that wise, we wouldn't be sittin' on a pirate ship in th'middle o'Tortuga harbour,' Patience snorted, a grin splitting her face.

Jenny chuckled. 'No, very true,' she agreed.

'If ya want me, then I'll stay. Thanks.' Patience rose, taking her bowl with her as she headed for the cabin door.

'Good, I'm glad,' Jenny smiled. 'Come by later and we'll have a look at some of Jack's charts, see where might be a suitable place.'

'Means nothin' ter me,' the Tortugan woman shrugged. 'B'fore I left with ya, I'd never set foot off this island.'

'Still, it will be your home too, it's only fair you have a say as well,' Jenny reasoned.

'But I know nothin' of the other isles. As long as it is where Shay will visit, then I'll be content,' she smiled, reaching for the latch.

'Shay will visit wherever you live, even here,' Jenny laughed as her friend left the cabin with a wave.

…

'Everyone treatin' ya well?' Jack asked Luke Martin as they leaned on the starboard rail and looked out through the harbour entrance to the open sea.

'I have no complaints,' Luke replied, not wanting to admit that he had been getting some very dirty looks from the pirates and was being whispered about wherever he went on board. 'It was good of Mr. Gibbs to let me share his cabin.'

'He's like that,' Jack smiled sardonically, although he had been grateful for his quartermaster's offer as it gave him one less headache. He turned and faced the surgeon. 'Why did ya help us escape? D'ya have a thing fer Jenny?'

'A what?!' Luke exploded, looking incredulously at the pirate. 'If you really thought that, I wouldn't be on board right now, or alive at least…'

'True enough,' Jack nodded. 'So why?'

Luke sighed, pulling a face as he struggled to explain himself.. 'I had an older sister who died many years ago. Jenny reminds me so much of her,' he replied simply.

'So ya see her as a sister then?'

'Yes… yes, I suppose I do,' he nodded. 'I can assure you, I have no untoward feelings for her.'

'That's all right then,' Jack grinned, clapping him on the back. 'Ya thought about what ya want ter do?'

'Not really, except find somewhere safe to live.'

'And what will ya live on? People on the islands tend ter be poor, they wouldn't be able ter afford ter pay ya an' ya couldn't be doctor to the upper classes, they'd ask too many questions.'

'What are you suggesting?'

'Cotton's getting' old an' probably thinkin' about retirin' with Tom when we find somewhere else ter live. Ya could be our ship's doctor.'

'Me?! A pirate?! I… I'm not sure…' he stammered.'

'Mull it over,' Jack suggested. 'We haven't decided where ter live yet, so plenty of time.'

'T-thank you, I will…'

'Right, time fer me ter see how me missy's doin' today.' Jack swayed towards the hatch, laughing at a joke he heard some of the crew below telling each other and leaving a rather bemused Luke still leaning against the rail.

…

'Patience!' Jenny called through the open door of the cabin as she spotted her friend walking along the corridor. 'Do you want to look at the charts now?'

'If ya like,' she smiled. 'But it still makes little difference ter me. It's Shay ya need to be talkin' to.'

'Why? He won't be the one living on land, so it's your decision and don't let him forget it.' Jenny had heard rumours that the pair of them had been arguing and hoped it wasn't too serious.

'But he knows more than me,' Patience argued. 'As long as I've a home I don't care. Shall I find him?'

'No, leave him. He doesn't know that much about the Caribbean himself. He'd only been here a few weeks before he met you.' Jenny stood from the chair she had been sitting on and went over to the table, where Jack had spread a chart out, various places clearly marked on it. 'Jack would prefer me to live on an English island, even though there's a danger attached to that. He's marked those which he thinks would be suitable.'

'Where do ya think?' she asked, clearly puzzled by the chart.

'I'm not sure. It would have to be to the north, or we'd never see them… maybe another one of the Bahaman islands or the Caymans. Nevis is fairly central too.'

Patience shrugged. 'Yer choice...'

'Jack likes the Cayman islands. Says it nice there. It's a little close to Jamaica though,' Jenny mused.

'Well, he'd be th'best one ter judge where is safe, although it didn't work out too well last time.'

'No, thanks to Richard bloody Page,' she replied bitterly, staring at map but at nothing.

'Aye, well he can't be held accountable fer traitors an' storms, can he?' Patience replied.

Jenny shook herself. 'Would you prefer a small village or a larger town?'

'A larger town would have troops... be more dangerous wouldn't it?'

'True,' Jenny agreed. 'But I got the feeling Spring Point was a little quiet for you…'

'Which one's th'Caymans?'

'Those islands just there.' Jenny pointed to them on the chart. 'They're not very big, are they?'

'Where's Tortuga?'

'Erm... here. About 5 days sailing by my reckoning.'

'An' this one is?' Patience pointed at a large island close to the Cayman's.

'Jamaica and Port Royal, although that is the other side of the island.' Jenny looked closely at the chart, mentally crossing the Cayman Islands off in her head. It was far too close to Jamaica for her liking.

'I don't suppose Ireland is on this chart then? Shay says it is far away.'

'Ireland? No, that would be on another chart and I daren't get them out without asking Jack or he'd have my guts for garters,' Jenny chuckled.

Patience smiled at the image. 'Is it pretty there?' she asked. 'Shay says it is green.'

'Not when we were there in the middle of winter, it wasn't.' Jenny shuddered at the memory. 'It did look green though, even in winter and I imagine it would look pretty when the sun shone.'

'Shay wants ter take me there. Ter meet his family,' she announced uncertainly.

'Really? It's a long way to go,' Jenny warned. 'Would you be staying on a while?'

'I don't know,' she admitted. 'Shay hasn't said.' Patience looked again at the chart. 'I honestly don't care where I live Jenny, as long as th'ship will visit an' I'll see him. Just make sure it has a church!'

'I don't think they Cayman's will be any good,' Jenny mused. 'Shall we see about Nevis?'

'That's fine with me,' her friend smiled. 'Can I tell Shay where we'll be lookin' at?'

'Of course you can. Bring him here and show him if you like.'

Patience grinned and dashed out of the cabin in search of Shay, excited in spite of herself at the thought of settling in another home.

'Where's th'fire cailin?' Shay asked as she found him swabbing the gundeck.

'Jenny wants ter see yer in th'cabin, ter show yer where we might be livin,' she replied, her enthusiasm bubbling over and she threw her arms around him and kissed him. 'Come on...'

'Great!'he beamed, caught up in her fervour. 'Where?'

'Nevis. She showed me on a big chart.' Patience dragged Shay through the corridors at breakneck speed until they reached the captain's cabin and she knocked eagerly on the door. 'Can we come in?'

'Come in,' came Jack's voice from within.

She blinked in surprise, not having expected Jack to have been there, but entered, pulling Shay in with her.

'I hear ya like th'sound of Nevis?' he drawled from the table where he had been looking at the location.

'As long as it's safe fer th'ship ter visit, I don't care where I settle,' she smiled

'Jack has fetched another chart showing Ireland,' Jenny smiled. 'We can look at that afterwards if you like.'

Patience lead Shay over to the chart. 'Ere,' she says, pointing to where Jenny showed her. 'This one...'

'Bit small isn't it?' Shay remarked. 'I thought ye wanted somewhere a bit bigger with a proper town an' all.'

'But it has ter be safe fer th'ship else I'd never see yer!'

'We'll check it out, don't worry,' Jack assured her. 'I ain't ever getting' caught like that again.'

'No…' Jenny agreed.

'I know ya will,' Patience smiled, looking at Shay. 'Did ya say ya had a map of this Ireland place then?' she grinned. 'Can ya show me how far away it is?'

Jack spread another chart on the table, anchoring it down with large stones and a lantern. 'Here it is.'

'An' where are we?' she asked.

'Here...' Jack trailed his finger across a vast expanse of sea, then stopped somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean islands.

Patience gasped as she considered that Jenny had said that it would take five days to travel the short distance from the Cayman Islands to Tortuga. 'But that'll take fer ever!' she exclaimed, looking in shock at Shay.

'In good weather it'd take about a month ter travel,' Jack informed her.

'Good weather?' she queried. 'An' how long fer bad?'

He shrugged. 'However long it takes, missy. 'An th'Atlantic can be a bugger ter sail…'

'I doubt we'd be in a big ship like this,' Patience worried, looking at Shay 'It's an awful long way.'

'We'll see cailin, it was just a thought,' he smiled, placing his hand on her shoulder and squeezing. Looking at the distance on the map, it did seem like an awful long way.

'I said I'd go,' Patience replied. 'I just never realised how far it was.'

'So ya thinkin' of desertin' me?' Jack enquired, folding his arms and regarding the young couple. 'Permanently or just fer a while?'

'I just thought I'd show me new bride off ter me folks,' Shay replied. 'Me Ma would want ter know I'd settled down with a nice girl.'

'Yer don't mind, do ya?' Patience worried, staring at Jack and daring him to say something about her being nice.

'It's a bloody long way ter go, espcially as ya've only just come out here,' Jack drawled. 'Why not leave it a year or so?'

'We might have a nipper by then...' Shay trailed off, looking aghast at Jenny. 'Sorry cailin, I never thought...'

'That's all right,' she smiled sadly.

'An' yer've got ter get me to a church first, since th'one here ain't fancy enough fer yer!' Patience put in, kicking Shay in the shins for his gaffe.

'Well we could get married here I suppose. Yer friends would be able ter come then,' he shrugged.

'Nah, ya said ya wanted somewhere fancy. I don't think that place was fancy even when it was new. P'raps Jack could tell us?' she teased.

'Well, as it happens…' he grinned. 'I know a lovely little church in Montserrat... Ah! It's Church of England, sorry,' he shrugged, his grin growing wider.

'Well, yer'll have ter find one then,' she sighed. 'I ain't sleepin' in that hammock fer ever!'

'You're sleeping in a hammock?!' Jenny exclaimed. 'In the crew's quarters? Jack, she can't sleep there!' she admonished, glowering at him.

'It's all right,' Patience assured her. 'Except I keep fallin' on me arse every morning - I think me bruises have bruises!' she grinned.

'I'll get some blankets an' put them on th'deck,' Jack joked. 'Break yer fall…' He bowed elaborately as Patience blew a raspberry at him

'Well, d'yer know a church or not?'

'No, but I know a man who will. Gibbs is th'one ter ask, being a God fearin' man an' all. I bet he can even tell ya if there's a church on Nevis.'

Patience turned and looked pointedly at Shay.

'All right, all right.' He threw his hands up in surrender. 'I go an' ask him, shall I?'

'Heaven's preserve us, a mind-reader!'

'Do ye want me ter go now?'

'T'would be nice,' she sniped, turning back to Jack. 'If yer've decided where we are goin' ter live, I'd best get back to th'galley,' she sighed, turning to leave.

'Don't mention Nevis ter anyone,' Jack warned. 'Th'fewer people that know, th'happier I shall feel.'

'All right,' Patience nodded, yanking the cabin door open and bumping into Luke as he was about to knock on the door. She stood aside sharply. 'Watch it!' she hissed, glaring at him then stomping off to the galley.

Luke looked at the strange girl then entered the cabin as Jack beckoned him in. 'She doesn't give ya any trouble does she?' the pirate grinned at the former naval man. 'I reckon she hates Navy worse than pirates do, owin' to them burnin' Tortuga down a few times durin' her life…'

'I'd best go an' find Mr. Gibbs if I want some peace,' Shay grinned, exiting the cabin on his errand.

'Am I to be held accountable for everything the Navy has done?' Luke sighed, taking his spectacles off and rubbing his eyes.

'They'll come round,' Jack assured him. 'Yer not th'first naval man I've had on board.'

'I hope so,' he smiled ruefully. 'When will we be leaving Tortuga?' He was extremely uneasy at being in the pirate town, even though he had yet to set foot off the ship. He knew that one slip of the tongue by one of the Pearl crew and he would most probably be done for.

'Tomorrow. We're headin' fer Nevis, check it out fer Jenny an' th'minx.'

'Nevis is a good place. Although there is a naval base there, it is only small and they don't tend to be much use. The reefs are treacherous though,' Luke warned.

'Thanks mate,' Jack smiled. 'But not a word ter anyone, savvy? Would ya like a rum?'

He hesitated, not wanting to offend his host but knowing that he and Jenny would probably welcome some privacy. 'Thank you, but no. I just wanted to know when we were leaving, that is all. Goodnight Jenny, Jack,' he smiled, nodding his head at them.

'Night Luke,' Jenny replied, watching her friend leave the cabin before turning to her lover. 'Come to bed Jack,' Jenny beckoned, holding her hand out to him.

'Are ya sure?' he asked uncertainly. Although they had made love a couple of times since she had been rescued from Port Royal, Jack was still afraid of hurting her.

'I wouldn't say so otherwise, would I?' she smiled seductively.

'No…' he murmured as she pressed her lips against his. 'I… suppose… not…' He broke away and lifted the simple dress and undershift from her, running his hands down her naked body and smiling as she responded to his touch.

Jenny gasped as he lifted her up and carried her across the cabin to the bunk and lay her down gently on it before undressing himself. She knew that she was being foolish allowing him to sleep with her, she still felt very weak and bruised. But she needed him with a hunger than frightened her a little. Not just for the coupling, but a deeper need. A feeling right within her core that unsettled her and only Jack could make her feel normal again. She smiled as he lay his equally naked body beside her and turned on his side, his rough, calloused hands caressing her soft breasts.

'I wish I could promise ter look after ya,' he whispered, looking into her green eyes. 'Every time I do, you end up hurt.'

'Comes with the territory,' she smiled sadly, turning over herself so she was facing him.

'Ya never had any choice about th'territory though,' he replied, frowning to himself.

'If you hadn't kidnapped me, we would never have got together,' she reasoned. 'And we would never had had John…' Jenny leaned forward and kissed his lips. 'I don't regret being with you, Jack. I never will, no matter what happens, savvy?' she smiled.

'Aye savvy,' he grinned, kissing her hungrily and rolling them both over but careful not to press his full weight onto her.

Jenny parted her legs and thrust her hips upwards, gently grinding herself against his length and chuckling at the moans it elicited from Jack.

'Stop teasing,' he growled, guiding himself into her slowly until she completely enveloped him. 'Tell me if I hurt, promise…?'

'I will,' she promised, wrapping her legs across his back and her arms around his shoulders and rocking to a rhythm with him, revelling in the secure feeling she had once more.

Jack concentrated on taking it slowly, scared of hurting her. If he were honest with himself, he would admit to not enjoying making love with Jenny at the moment. He knew she was too weak and that the physical wounds had not yet healed properly, let alone the ones in her head. But he also realised that she needed this, she needed him, so he hid his feelings and made love to her tenderly, then held her afterwards until she fell into a fitful sleep.

…