Disclaimer: Ah if only Will and Jack were my creation and not Disney's.
For the first time in AnaMaria's life she panicked. The quantity of blood pouring from me chest was making her half sick to her stomach. She had seen a good many men die from losing half the amount of blood that surrounded her now and it was still coming. Trying to stay calm but loosing it fast, she yelled.
"Where the bloody hell is Cotton! I need help! Jack needs help!"
Cotton and Gibbs came to her side. Gibbs was moving slowly. He could not believe the whole scene that fell before him. Gibbs and I go back a long way and he knows that Will and I have a volatile friendship, but we are as close as brothers. Will always looks up to me and is always asking for help. I would always give into his requests but I would tell him I never do anything unless there's something in it for me. I would make sure there was. Gibbs also knows, not that I would ever admit it, that I depend on Will. Will is the best swordsman on the Black Pearl, or he was the best one. You would not want to fight against Mr. Turner. Being his enemy is not a good idea. Obviously, I found out the hard way.
Gibbs caught a glimmer of the past. Will was so like his father, Bootstraps Bill. Good old Bill, he also had a short fuse, especially when someone messed with his woman. Bill, like William, was quick with the sword and he too took me down when I made a move on his girl or should I say wife. I swear, someday I will learn from me mistakes. Will had saved my neck many a time, and now he strikes me down.
Cotton and AnaMaria carried me to my cabin and placed me on the bed. Gibbs remained on deck ordering the men to maintain the ship. He was going to do anything he could to occupy their minds.
"You Rogers, go pull that bloody dog and boy out of the water." Gibbs bellowed as he pointed to a large portly pirate.
"But sir, the Captain said.."
"I know what the Captain said, and I said pull them both out. Mr. Turner did what any pirate would do. Jack did not engage in a fair fight and though I love Jack as me own son, we cannot condemn Mr. Turner to the fate of sharks. Mr. Turner is cursed by the burdens of his life. He never knew his father and Jack teases him unmercifully. The captain had no doubts on Mr. Turner's seamanship but he did on piracy. I'd be willing to wager those doubts are gone. Now do as I say Rogers."
Rogers without delay went to retrieve Amanda and Will.
Elizabeth approached Gibbs and put her arms around his neck. "Mr. Gibbs, thank you."
"Don't be thanking me yet missy. When the Captain finds your Mr. Turner is on board, there will be hell to pay. Ya know this wouldn't have happened if you had just kept your distance. Woman and dogs are frightful bad luck on board a ship."
"Mr. Gibbs, if I may so kindly enlighten you. It was your Captain that saved me from the Jamaican Queen. It was your Captain that approached me and it was your Captain that plied me with that vile alcohol, called rum and impregnated me."
"Jack?"
"Aye Mr. Gibbs, the one and only. The lone thing I want from Captain Sparrow is for him to get my daughter back. Now, thanks to Will that may not happen. Barbossa's son, Jeffery came aboard the Jamaican Queen and pillaged the vessel. Jeffery is the splitting image of his father. He has the same wicked laugh and a retched monkey on his shoulder.
Capitan Thornway knew he was not going to win the battle when the pirates started firing on us. He told me to take cover and to hide Katheryn and myself. The screams from the crew were blood curdling. The shots from the long guns were deafening. When I ran into the Captains quarters, Barbossa was standing there. He grabbed the child from my arms and slapped me down. I begged him to spare my child and me. I was so terrified I told him the child was Captain Jack Sparrows. Oh Gibbs, you should have seen the evil grin that spread across his face. At that moment I realized my mistake. He looked at me and then at Katheryn and said:
"So you are the offspring of a daft bird. Not even a strong one at that. Well, if Sparrow wants to see you again my wee lass, he will have to give me his treasure. Aye not all treasure is silver and gold. Not all treasure can be bartered for either. He will have to give me The Black Pearl in exchange for you."
"I ran at him Gibbs. I wanted my daughter back and that is when he shot me. On his way out I heard him say to one of his crew. You may have command of this ship. I will be sailing on. If Sparrow wants his treasure he will know where to find me.
I was on the Jamaican Queen, heading for England. I left Port Royal to have my baby in secrecy and not to disgrace my father. He wanted me to abandon the child and return to Jamaica to marry the Commodore. I could not forsake my sweet daughter and I would not marry the Commodore. Will, my true love, asked me to marry him but he did not know of my condition and I could not let Will be the father of Jack's child. As your Captain so eloquently put it, he marked me for life. I am an unwed mother. A strumpet an undesirable."
Elizabeth tried to keep a stiff upper lip but her lips started to quiver and the tears came streaming down her face.
Gibbs put his arm around her and then stepped back. Sensing he best stay away from this woman.
"Come, come Miss Elizabeth, you are not all that. Now take yourself below and tend to Mr. Turner. I am sure Rogers has pulled the lad out of the sea by now and he will need you. It is his ears that should be hearing this, not mine. I shall be down shortly."
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I fought the swirling torrent of darkness that was trying to drag me down. I would not let it get the best of me. Somehow the single thought of not letting go pervaded my thoughts. I must stay alive. The stab. Yes, the stab had come from nowhere. The fight had reached its end it was over. I could dimly remember standing in front of Mr. Turner and grinning at him. He was standing there and then. I cried out in agony.
Cotton had removed the sword. The wound was deep and the pain was shooting through me. My whole chest was on fire and there was no amount of water that could put it out.
Medical supplies were virtually nil aboard the Pearl. I had used them on Elizabeth and Gibbs had used them on Mandy. Cotton used some relatively clean strips of coarse linen from the bed covers. Tearing the cloth into strips, he soaked them in clean, salted water and bound me chest. I howled as the salt stung me wound. Cotton claimed the salt would clear up any infection.
"Ugh! Bloody Hell! What are you trying to do kill me?"
AnaMaria had been sitting and watching Cotton as he removed the sword from my chest. She came and stood over me and stroked my hair. My red scarf was gone and my black hair was disheveled more than usual and it hung in a tangled mass sweeping down my shoulders. The matted braids were damp and dreadlocks were twisted amide the beads and blood. I had sheens of perspiration on my face and chest. The bandages Cotton had wrapped around me clung to my body as if soaked from swimming.
"No Jack, Cotton is here to help you. It is Mr. Turner who tried to kill you."
"Ah yes, the blacksmith. Surprising speed he has. So he did not kill me? I'm not dead?" I put my hand in front of my face to make sure I was still with the living.
"No Jack, you're not dead, but you won't get well if we don't get you proper medical attention. We are less than a days sail from Port Royal and we will get you help."
"Help in Port Royal? HA! They would watch me hang before they help me."
I attempted to get up but I dropped down on the bed. I was trembling all over and felt as if I were going to hurl.
The deep wound was still flowing and showed not signs of slowing down. AnaMaria found that she had to change the bandages, as they were so soaked. She was getting more worried by the minute. I seemed to have a fever along with the wound.
"It's bloody freezing in here. Bring me some rum lots of rum and then bring me Mr. Turner."
AnaMaria looked at Cotton and then back at me.
"Jack you have a fever and that is why you are cold." She placed some blankets on me to stop me from shivering so. "No amount of rum will take care of that. As far as Mr. Turner, you gave orders to let him drown."
The sweat was dripping into me eyes and I started to breath faster and more labored. My skin was scalding hot but I was freezing cold. I looked at AnaMaria perplexed and murmured.
"And you scurvy dogs listened to me?"
AnaMaria did not bother to acknowledge my last words. She turned to Cotton and in a low whisper she said. "I will go get Gibbs. Please give him his rum and get him to rest."
My eyes closed wearily and then I shifted restlessly against the mattress and yelled again.
"Cotton bring me the bloody rum! AnaMaria bring me the Whelp!"
My head rolled again and I either went to sleep or unconscious. Either way I never did get the rum.
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Gibbs weighed anchor in a small hidden cove, about two miles from the main bay of Port Royal.
Elizabeth and Will felt the ship slow to a stop as the anchor was dropped. She had been so engrossed with talking to Will and tending to his wound that she took little notice as to where she was. She went up on to the deck to seek out Gibbs.
"Ah Miss Swann, your looking better. You should gather your things and prepare to go to shore. You are home."
"Home?"
"Aye, Port Royal" he shifted back and forth avoiding her look.
What? Why? Dammit Mr. Gibbs, Why?
"The Captain set this course before he became injured. He wanted you to be cared for properly. He wanted to take you home."
"I can't go back Gibbs, I just can't."
"You will go back Elizabeth. You will go back and face your father. You will tell him everything you told me. I will even go with you and support you." Will's soothing voice came from behind her.
Elizabeth turned around and looked into Will's deep brown, sensitive eyes. She could see the love he had for her. She could tell he would follow her to the ends of the earth. This man really did love her.
"Elizabeth." Will pulled her closer to him, taking in every inch of her face. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "Let us not waste any more time."
"Oh Will, I'm so sorry, I let you down." Elizabeth tentatively stepped back and brushed a strand of hair from his face. "Your love means everything to me."
"You didn't let me down. I have loved you from the first time I saw you. I still want you to be my wife. As Jack said, when you find true love you should fight for it. The world is a cold place without love and it is a very cold place without you."
"Will, I should have come to you sooner. I should have…."
Will interrupted Elizabeth by pressing his lips on hers. Relief clearly showed on her face and her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest.
"Are we going to be alright?" She hesitantly asked.
"You love me?" He smiled, brushing his lips against hers again, until they both felt dizzy from lack of air.
"I love you Will."
Elizabeth returned the kiss then broke it off, as Gibbs interrupted them with a discreet cough. Elizabeth then lay her head on Will's chest.
"Sorry to interrupt, but you cannot go ashore with Miss Swann, Mr. Turner. Jack wants words with you."
"I don't understand. Why does Jack want to see me? Please tell me he is not looking for another fight? Does he want to be defeated again?"
"I don't know." Gibbs said, frowning at Will. "He sounded weary and defeated. When he started asking to see you we didn't know what else to do. We told him we were not that far from Port Royal. We will be pulling into the harbor soon."
"As for you Miss Swann, there is a boat waiting for you and Rogers will take you ashore." Gibbs pointed the way to the boat.
Will held Elizabeth close to him and buried his face into her loose hair. Kissing her neck, her face and then her lips.
"Go Elizabeth, I will come later. I will go speak with Jack." Will's jaw clenched, torn between anger and frustration. "It is the least I can do."
Gibbs offered Will his flask and made a hasty escape with Elizabeth.
She climbed down to the waiting boat, which contained Rogers and various other crewmembers. She sat in the back of the boat. She looked about the familiar harbor noting the naval ships were in port. 'Lucky me,' she thought.
Her mind wandered and a smile appeared across her face. She held the image of Will, as she closed her eyes. She could see her and Will sailing across the open waters setting sights for new and far exotic places. She imagined how he would hold her in his arms and kiss her. William did want her. He still loved her. She came out of her daydream as the long boat reached the dock.
Elizabeth walked in silence along the cobbled streets of Port Royal, heading for her home. Then she heard the distinctive voice of James Norrington.
"Elizabeth? Elizabeth is that really you?"
Norrington hurried over to Elizabeth, not believing his eyes. She was wearing an oversized shirt; brown breeches and her feet were bare. She looked pale and weak but happy.
"Oh my God it is you. Where have you been?"
Elizabeth's mouth went dry. Why did he have to be around? She forced a smile. "James, it's good to see you again." She embraced him as he pulled her close to him.
"How did you arrive here?" The Commodore looked at her with concern and then towards the harbor. He saw no new ships anchored in the harbor. "Come let me get you home safely. Your father will be glad to see you. He has become very ill; the doctor fears it is his heart."
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Will glanced toward the captain's cabin. "He in there, AnaMaria?"
"Yes, and tending him ain't been easy. You'll see for yourself. You'll see how he is."
"What more do I need to know? This whole thing seems like a nightmare." Will swallowed hard and went to the cabin.
There was a lantern lit in one corner of the cabin and candles on the table. In the dim light I know I must have looked like a ghost. My breathing was loud and I could tell Will was assessing my condition.
"I didn't think you'd come." I spoke softly.
Will glanced briefly at AnaMaria, and then back at me. "Of course I'd come."
"As you can see I'm not dead. Come here, I have something I must confide in ya."
Will came over and I put me hand on his arm. Will drew back in shock.
"My God Jack your on fire! AnaMaria he needs a doctor and he needs one now."
"Will did ye bring any rum?" I moaned
Will spotting a glass of water on the table, picked it up and knelt beside me.
"This will be better for you." He lifted the glass to me lips and I sipped. I immediately pushed the glass away and spit the water out.
"What are you trying to do kill me again? Do not give me any more of that rotgut."
Will frowned. "What is it you wanted to see me about Jack?"
"I wanted to say I'm….I'm sorry."
I raised a limp hand and curled my burning fingers around Will's arm.
"My fault innit? If I'd stayed away from your woman this wouldn't have happened."
I coughed and the pain went riveting through me. Will could see that the bandages were once again saturated with blood.
"Shhh." Will was almost to choked to speak. "It's alright Jack. I accept your apology." Brushing back the dark, damp hair from my brow, he looked at me with deep concern. "Close your eyes and rest for a bit."
"AnaMaria." Will called softly. "Tell Gibbs to bring water for Jack's bathing cask. The water should be tepid not hot. We most soak him to break the fever before it burns him alive."
AnaMaria followed Will's request. She turned and rushed to go get Gibbs. Will turned back into the room.
I kept a close eye on him. I did not totally trust him. "And how…how are you, Will?"
"I've been better Jack, but it is you I am concerned about now." Behind him AnaMaria and Gibbs were pouring bucket after bucket into the bathing cask.
AnaMaria stood by Will's side. "It's done."
"Help me get him into the water." Will said as he gathered me off the bed.
"What about his clothes?" Asked AnaMaria.
"They're already soaked. We'll worry about them later." Together they lifted me up one on each side and placed me in the tub. My eyes shot open as I was going into convulsions.
"Bloody hell" I cried.
"Shhh, its alright." AnaMaria said soothing. "Just be still."
Her worried eyes held fast on my face. "Your very sick, Jack." She stroked my face and carefully sponged the cool water over me. "Be easy now and let me take care of you."
I did relax. I laid my head back against the rim of the tub. My breathing deepened as I fell asleep.
AnaMaria and Will concentrated on bathing me and coaxing the heat from my body. Will finally broke the silence.
"I'm sorry. I can only blame this on my rash temper. I never imagined…"
AnaMaria put her hand over Will's mouth. "Mr. Turner, I know. Jack has his faults too. You do not know Captain Jack Sparrow the way I do, he has a very sorted past."
Will frowned. "AnaMaria, my father was Jack's friend and now I think I am? Jack is probably the closest thing I'll ever have to a …to a brother.
He looked up into AnaMaria eyes begging for her understanding. "I don't think he's as tough as he pretends. I did not want to hurt him."
"He's my captain, Will. He is also my friend and I will make no secret that I would like to have more than friendship between us." AnaMaria said with a cynical smile.
After my fever had broken, Will and AnaMaria had removed my wet clothing. They had dried me off, carried me to the bed and redressed my wound. Then they piled warm blankets on me.
The trinkets had been removed from my hair and the dreadlocks combed out, the kohl around my eyes removed and the braid from my beard trimmed. It gave me an innocent and younger look.
I woke up during the early morning hours to see Will slumped in a chair beside me. He had settled himself there to watch over my condition. He had fallen asleep in the chair and lying beside him was my trusted dog.
"What are you doing there, Whelp?" I asked Mandy in a hoarse, weary voice.
"Taking care of you Jack. Will smiled, only slight, unwilling to show how relieved he was that I was back. Will's face told me everything. He had never seen me looking so bad.
A/N Yes, Will and Jack are the best of friends. When all is said and done, Will, Gibbs AnaMaria and Mandy are all loyal comrades. Enjoy this chapter and send reviews.
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