A/N: Glad you liked the last chapter! Hope this one's just as good.
obliviongates: Eh, don't be sorry about my little cousins. I love them, they're just crazy. lol. I really don't know how to disable a rudder chain. I just took that one line from the movie and made stuff up. lol. I don't know much about ships. I do know what a rudder is though! lol. Not sure about the rudder chain but I have a good idea for what it is…anyway, I'll stop rambling and get on with the story!
Forensic Photographer711: Yeah, you could say Anna's jealous. Who wouldn't be? I hope everything comes out right, too, but don't expect a Hollywood ending. How much I love for stories to have them, it gets old after a while. I outlined this story the other day so I was assured that it had a point to it and well, I'm kind of mad at myself for what I'm going to do. Oh well, that's what makes it interesting, eh? lol. Thanks for reviewing.
Sexxi Guys My Anti Drug: Have fun…um…procrastinating over your pennames. Glad you LOVED THE UPDATE. lol. Hope you like this one.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Pirates of the Caribbean. I only own Anna Wilson and any other characters you don't recognize from the movie.
Chapter Six: Tortuga
The Interceptor had finally made it to Tortuga and docked in its harbor. Jack smiled proudly as he watched his beloved town in the state of chaos it is normally in. Will raised one eyebrow and looked at Jack questionably. Jack smiled right back and walked off the ship onto the docks.
"Jack!" Will said running down after him. Jack spun around and looked at him with raised eyebrows.
"What?" he asked.
"I do not think this is a very appropriate place to bring a lady," Will said glancing at Anna who was still standing on the ship.
"Well aren't ye the gentleman," Jack said, "She'll be fine."
He turned and started walking forward. Anna walked off the ship.
"Jack, really! This is no place for a lady!" Will pleaded.
"Well ye want her to come with us or do ye want her to stay on the ship all by her onesy?" Jack asked. Will opened his mouth to speak but was cut off. "I know what yer going to say. But if she stays on the ship, she'll have more of a chance of getting hurt than if she was with us."
"How's that?" Will asked worried by Jack's answer.
"These men are ruthless when drunk. If they want a girl for pleasurable company whether she's a wench or not, they will stop at nothing to get what they want. If the girl's with us, ye can be a hero and defend her. If she's on the ship, ye can't defend her, savvy?" Jack said making Will shut up.
Anna walked up behind them. "What are you two boys talking about," Anna said smiling.
"Oh, nothing," Will lied.
"You're not planning on leaving me on the ship all by myself are you?" Anna said smiling, not knowing that's what Will originally wanted to do.
"Of course not, luv," Jack said slinging his arm around her shoulders. They began walking forward down a small alley-type street.
"More importantly," Jack began, "it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep this sweet proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy?"
"Oh, yes, a sad life indeed," Anna said dodging a bullet fired by a drunken pirate on the side of the street.
"What do you think?" Jack asked looking at Will.
"It'll linger," Will said looking down at the pirate on the ground next to him, pouring rum into his mouth and onto his face.
"I tell you, mate, if every town in the world were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted," Jack said looking forward. A wench was walking towards them. Jack smiled as though he knew her. "Scarlet!" Jack said eagerly walking towards her. She raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. "Not sure I deserved that," Jack said wincing in pain.
He looked forward. Another wench was walking forward. She looked just as mad as the other. "Giselle!" Jack said smiling.
"Who was she?" the wench asked.
"What?" Jack asked confused and was slapped across the face yet again. "I may have deserved that."
"You deserved them both, Jack," Anna said smiling.
"Yes, well," Jack started again and walked forward, "we should escape this wretched pit as quickly as possible."
"I thought you loved this wretched pit?" Anna asked smiling amusedly.
"When did I say that?" Jack asked throwing her off.
"With a crew," Will said.
"What? Oh yes. Of course we'll get a crew don't worry. It just so happens, that you know the man who knows the man who knows the fines sailors in all Tortuga!" Jack said leading Will and Anna towards a tavern called the Faithful Bride.
They walked inside to see almost everyone in a fight, whores chasing men, or men chasing whores. Anna stayed close to Will so she wouldn't get caught in any of these chases and be separated. Jack neared the back of the tavern and went out a small door. They walked to a pig pen in the quiet alley behind the tavern and saw a dirty man sleeping with the pigs. Jack picked up a bucket of water and dumped it on the man.
"Curse you for breathing you slack-jawed idiot!" the man yelled with his knife out. He looked up and realized who was standing in front of him. "Mother's love, Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. 's bad luck."
"Ah fortunately I know how to counter it," Jack smiled and crouched down to the man. "The man who did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking."
The man looked confused and tried to figure out what it was that Jack had just said. Realization struck and he looked up at Jack smiling. "Aye, that'll about do it!"
He stood up. Will picked up another bucket of water and dumped it on the man.
"Blast, I'm already awake!" the man said yelling at Will.
"That was for the smell," Will explained. Jack smiled and the man sighed knowing he couldn't argue with that fact.
They walked back inside the tavern. The man, whom they later found was Gibbs, sat at a table. Will stood near a post away from the table and Anna with him. Jack left to buy the drinks.
"Ye sure ye don't want one?" Jack asked Anna and Will.
"No we don't want one, Jack. We all don't need hangovers when we leave with a crew," Anna said.
Jack shrugged. "Suit yerself," he said and walked off.
He came back a couple of minutes later and stopped next to Will. He looked around. "Keep a sharp eye," he said just above a whisper to Will as though somebody would be listening to his proposition with Gibbs.
Jack walked back over to Gibbs and gave him the smaller of the cups and Jack took the larger. Gibbs began drinking it and was cut off. "Just the one," Jack said.
Gibbs nodded. "Aye, best make it last, then. Now what's the nature of this venture of yourn?"
"I'm going after the Black Pearl," Jack said making Gibbs choke on his drink with surprise. "I know where it's going to be, and I'm gonna take it."
Gibbs shook his head. "Jack, it's a fool's errand. Why, you know better than me the tales of the Black Pearl."
"That's why I know what Barbossa is up to," Jack said. "All I need is a crew."
"What I hear tell of Captain Barbossa, he's not a man to suffer fools nor strike a bargain with one," Gibbs said unwilling to help Jack do something that only a fool would do.
"Well, then I'd say it's a very good thing I'm not a fool then, eh?" Jack said.
"Prove me wrong! What makes ye think Barbossa will give up his ship to ye?" Gibbs asked trying to stop Jack from doing something stupid.
"Let's just say it's a matter of leverage, eh?" Jack said. Anna and Will both turned their heads. Both had been listening to the whole conversation.
'Jack's going to trade Will for a ship?' Anna asked herself in her head.
Jack nodded his head towards Will several times to get Gibbs to understand what his plan was without having Will hear it. It was too late though. Will was waiting to hear more but a clearly drunken wench came up to him, laughing. He looked worried as the wench pushed him away from the post making him lose his balance. Another drunken man came up and took the wench away from Will and glared at him as though Will had stolen her. Anna laughed.
"Having fun there?" she asked Will. He glared at her and attempted to hear the rest of the conversation.
"The kid?" Gibbs asked.
Jack nodded. "That is the child of Bootstrap Bill, 'is only child, savvy?"
"Is he now?" Gibbs asked now actually believing that Jack had a chance to get his ship back. "'Leverage,' says you. 'I think I feel a change in the wind,' says I. I'll find us a crew. There's bound to be some sailors on this rock crazy as ye."
"One can only hope," Jack said smiling at Gibbs. "Take what you can!"
"Give nothing back!" Gibbs finished.
They clicked their cups and finished them off. A new wench was now bothering Will. Anna attempted to get her to leave him alone but a man came up behind her and grabbed her around the waist. She struggled but his grip was too powerful. She could smell the rum in his breath as he whispered in her ear.
"Ye look new 'round 'ere, wench. Maybe I can show ye 'round. Take ye to me room fer the night?" the man said and attempted to pull her away. He was cut off when Will lunged from his spot and kicked over a table and drew his sword. He aimed it around at anyone near him. The man holding Anna let her go in shock and ran out the back door. Anna walked back towards Will and he looked down at her worriedly.
"Are you okay?" he asked. Her hair was a lot messier and she looked flustered.
She smiled weakly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just stupid drunk men, that's all," she said.
They heard Gibbs talking behind them.
"Kid's a bit of a stick, isn't he?" Gibbs asked Jack.
"You have no idea," Jack replied looking at Will.
Will put away his sword, glaring at Jack.
"Well, it seems that Mr. Gibbs and I are done talking," Jack said getting up walking towards Will and Anna. Gibbs followed.
"I'll give ye tonight to find us a crew. Bring 'em to the docks tomorrow and I'll look 'em over," Jack instructed Gibbs.
"Aye," he said and walked out of the tavern.
Jack led Will and Anna out of the tavern. "Now we need to find us an inn," Jack said smiling as he walked toward his favorite inn.
"Why don't we just stay on the ship?" Will asked.
"Well because the ship isn't a very nice place to sleep when ye have a bed available for ye right 'ere, savvy?" Jack said.
They walked inside one of the inns and Jack went to the counter where a woman was standing. He smiled at her and she smiled back thinking she knew what Jack wanted.
"What can I get fer ye, Jack?" the woman asked. "Need pleasurable company fer the night?"
"No, not tonight, luv. I got meself some important business to take care of. I just needone room fer the night," Jack said disappointing the woman.
"One room?" Will asked Jack.
"Fine, two rooms," Jack said rolling his eyes.
"Yer lucky. They be the last two rooms we 'ave for the night," the woman said and handed Jack two keys as he paid for the rooms.
"Come on then," Jack said walking up the stairs. Will and Anna followed.
They reached the rooms which were right across the hall from each other. A thought struck Will.
"Where's Anna going to stay?" Will asked as Jack unlocked one of the doors and handed the other key to Will.
"With you," Jack said and then smiled. "Unless ye want her to stay with me. I wouldn't mind at all."
Will looked at Anna who was staring at Jack wide-eyed. "I am not staying with you!" she said practically scolding Jack for thinking of it.
"Suit yerself," Jack said, "If ye change yer mind, ye know where to find me."
Jack went into his room and closed the door. Will glared at him until he left. He unlocked the door to their room and put the keys on a small table in the corner. There was a double bed in the middle of the room and an oil lamp on a dresser. The window in the room looked out to the sea.
"I'm sorry we have to share the room, Anna," Will apologized. Anna just stood there awkwardly as he sat on the bed and took off his shoes.
Anna walked over to the window and looked outside to the Sea. They couldn't see any part of the pirate town from the window. The moon was full and reflected on the water that lapped gently against the shores. She turned and found Will standing next to her, smiling.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," Anna managed to say quietly. Her hand rested on the windowsill and she turned to look outside.
Will touched her hand lightly. Anna's heart lurched. She pulled her hand away and gasped slightly.
Will turned away and ran his hand through his hair which was now out of it's usual ponytail. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" he said trailing off at the end.
"No, it's fine. I'm just a bit jumpy tonight, that's all," she said not making eye contact with Will.
Anna looked down at the double bed and sighed. "There's only one bed," she said quietly.
Will looked at the bed and nodded. "You can sleep in the bed and I'll sleep in the chair." He sat down in an uncomfortable looking wooden chair.
Guilt flooded Anna. "I can't ask you to do that. This is probably the only night that we have the chance to get a good amount of sleep," she said looking at Will who was trying to make himself comfortable. He looked up and sighed.
"Where're you going to go then?" he asked.
Anna looked down. "Oh, um, in the, um, chair?" she said shrugging and smiling.
Will shook his head. "Here I thought you were the one that thought things through," Will said smiling.
It was true. She normally thought things through, but that night, something was different. She slumped onto the bed and held her face in her hands. She tried to think straight but she couldn't. Will sat up and watched her rub her temples. He walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. Anna jumped again.
"Don't do that!" she nearly screamed at Will. He backed up and looked at her with concern in his eyes.
"Anna, are you sure you're okay?" he asked taking a step towards her. She took one back.
"I don't know," she admitted. "Ever since…ever since I met you I-I…" she stopped suddenly and shook her head.
"What?" Anna didn't answer him. "Anna you can tell me. You've told me a lot so far so I don't think you don't trust me," he said softly.
"I-I can't think straight," Anna said just above a whisper and walked back towards the window. "I probably never should have come here. I should have just stayed home."
Will didn't move any closer towards her because he was afraid she would hurt him the next time he startled her. He stood there waiting for her to say more, but she didn't.
"You know you would have regretted it," Will said.
Anna nodded and turned to face him. The moon shone on her face, illuminating her soft and fair skin. Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle as she looked at him. Will moved forward without thinking. He mind told him to turn around buthe kept moving towards Anna. He stopped when he was only a couple of inches away from her. He touched her cheek lightly with his hand. Anna closed her eyes and let out a shuddering breath.
Will quickly pulled back realizing what he was doing. He turned and started moving away. "I'm sorry," he said quietly and sat back down in the chair. Anna's heart sank. She knew why he walked away. He was in love with Elizabeth. She could see it in his eyes from the moment she met him. She tore her eyes from him and looked back out the window. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears. Her throat was starting to close up.
'Why did I let him do that?' she asked herself. 'I'm such an idiot.'
She wanted to run away somewhere but there was nowhere for her to go. She backed up and lay down in the bed and hoped she would get to sleep. It was near an hour before she could clear her mind and get to sleep. But her dreams were just as bad as when she was awake.
Will held his face in his hands. Anna had finally gone to sleep. He knew why it was hard for her to get to sleep.
'Why? Why did I do that,' Will thought. 'Why did I do that to her? Why couldn't I have just gone to sleep in this stupid chair? Why did I have to ask her nearly five times if she was okay? If I just left her alone, none of this would have happened. What am I going to do when we get Elizabeth back? Elizabeth…'
His mind wandered to the dark blonde haired woman he had loved since he was old enough to know what love was. He could see her smiling at him. He squeezed his eyes shut.
'Oh god, what am I doing? I just led Anna on to thinking that I liked her when I'm in love with Elizabeth.'
Will scolded himself long into the night and finally fell asleep in the uncomfortable wooden chair.
A/N: Argh! That's not what I was planning to write. It took me forever to write that last bit and this is all I could come up with? (Bangs head on my computer desk.) Well I hope you like it better than I do. Please review!
