Disclaimer: I do not own anything from PotC.
Chapter Eighteen: "Perhaps you should go"
Drawing a deep breath, Ana uttered words she never thought she would say. "Jack, perhaps you should go." She was careful to keep her gaze fixed on nothing as she spoke. If she watched no one, she wouldn't see the further slumping of a pirate Captain's normally proud shoulders, the slight, disbelieving smile that colored an Admiral's thin lips, or the smoldering fire in her brother's blue eyes. She heard Jack let loose a ragged sigh, but no one moved.
Unknowingly, Ana was caught up in the calm before the storm. The tense moments after windows had been boarded up and children called inside. No further preparations could be made. Townsfolk could only stand near their homes gazing silently out to see at the approaching black clouds. Soon, the winds would pick up, the sky would go dark, and the rain would begin to fall. Thunder would boom, lightning would strike, and waves would crash upon the shore. But, for now, the ominous clouds were concealed just beyond the horizon.
James cleared his throat. "The lady asked you to leave," he reiterated Ana's request, his voice soft, not pompous. She was grateful for his tact, but somewhat disturbed by the faint note of victory in his statement. Even if there were indeed a battle for her affections, a victor had not been named, yet. She knew, of course, that a choice would have to be made. However, the choice was more than one man pitted against another. She would be deciding between two utterly different lives. James merely represented one, and Jack the other. But, her future could not be determined in one instant, no matter how much the danger escalated for Jack and Prescott the longer they waited for her.
"Thank you, James," Prescott's voice was cold, aloof. "I assure you, years at sea have had no adverse effect on our hearing." His terse comments were addressed to Norrington, but all the venom that dripped from the words seeped into Ana's ears, poisoning her. Lifting her amber eyes, she stared evenly at her eldest brother. His face was uninviting, impassive, but his own eyes were ablaze. He was fighting the urge to say something, expecting her to back down. Her chin rose. She would not.
In the past, she had always trusted Prescott's judgment. He could remain clear and impartial in the most heated situations. This time was different. She was asking him to respect her decision, to respect the fact that she could not let things go on as they were. He clearly did not. He had made his choice and sided with Jack, against her.
Maybe Prescott could not see her predicament. Even Ana hated herself for saying the one thing that probably most hurt Jack. She had no wish to treat him unkindly, but she could not simply go back to the way things were. Jack Sparrow had to know that he could tread on her feelings only so long. He deserved to know how it felt to watch the one you love seek solace with another. And if this angered her brother, well, so be it.
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"Jack, perhaps you should go." Annie's voice wavered slightly as she spoke those words, but not with uncertainty. Her voice may have trembled, but only because the words it expressed surprised even her.
Prescott Tarret loved his little sister. She was the only family he had left. She was strong, and proud, and beautiful. She was a better pirate than most men he knew, and a better woman than anyone he knew. She'd seen Jack through some of his darkest hours, and she'd even saved Prescott's skin a time or two. Any day of his life, he would have happily died to protect her. However, in this moment, he had never liked Annie less.
Lifting her chin as Prescott glared at her, Annie stared back defiantly. In the past, her stubborn determination had been one of the qualities Prescott most admired in his sister, but tonight it only further infuriated him. He knew, now better than ever, that Jack was not perfect. Annie had been forced to put up with a pirate who felt like he could trust no one, not even the woman he loved. Prescott had no doubt that the mistakes Jack had made deserved some sort of retribution. He could not expect Annie to turn a blind eye to the pirate's every sin. Hell, only last night Prescott had been ready to kill Jack himself. But, how in God's green earth were Jack and Annie supposed to find happiness if they couldn't stop hurting one another? Someone was going to have to give in and just forgive. Annie, however, was unwilling, and Jack didn't know how.
Scowling, Prescott's grip around the hilt of his cutlass tightened. He briefly considered waving his sword around and demanding that everyone in the room start acting like they had been born with some degree of intelligence. While that might make him feel better, Prescott doubted that threatening his best friend, his sister, and the Admiral of the West Indies with a sword was really the best course of action. But, he could not quiet the urge, no matter how impractical. Just looking at Jack was breaking his heart.
The pirate Captain was a proud man. That pride had cost Jack many things in his life, but it had also served as an impregnable armor for the man beneath the bravado. Anyone could admit that Jack had not always done right by Annie. Prescott's gaze flickered to Norrington. Had Jack done so wrong to be stripped of that pride in front of his greatest adversary?
"Well, Captain Sparrow," Prescott spoke up, his voice softened by the hole Jack's grieved visage was blowing in his heart. He suddenly felt the need to get his best friend as far away from Annie and Norrington as possible. "Apparently, my sister has other plans this afternoon." Jack seemed not to hear. Prescott turned to James. He hadn't the time to properly process what had gone on between Annie and James, besides the obvious. But, Prescott would never defend James against his own brother. "Remember Admiral Norrington, she's a pirate," he flashed an ill-mannered grin. "If I were in your shoes, I'd keep an eye on the family jewels." James' brow rose in response to Prescott's implied warning. The former officer only smiled wider, knowing that Norrington had caught his double meaning.
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"Jack, perhaps you should go."
Silence … Then, a deafening roar.
Every time Jack had stood on deck with Ana, beneath a starry sky, he had stopped himself from professing his love for fear of hearing exactly what she'd just said. Not the precisely the words, but the tone of rejection in which she spoke them. Every time he had let his first mate get too close. Every time she'd fixed her devastating amber eyes on his own, and looked straight through him. Every time he'd been waiting to hear Ana tell him to stop hoping for something that wasn't going to happen, because she would never have him. So, he had turned tail and ran to the nearest empty bed, after all, for enough gold a whore would say anything. How simple it was to say I love you and I'll wait forever when saying so ensured payment. He'd ran from Ana because he had known from the first that he could do nothing to deserve her. Now, at least, they both knew it.
Anamaria had finally gotten the chance to remember her life before Jack Sparrow. Resplendent in a dazzling violet dress, she looked like the wealthy lady that she should have been. She was born for flowers in her hair and silk gowns, not sea spray and trousers. Jack had stolen Ana away from her life, and now, when faced with the choice, she had decided to leave him and return to the world she was intended to live in.
All the years Jack had spent wondering why Ana stayed on the Pearl, apparently, she had been wondering the same thing. He could beg her to come away with him. He could cry her pardon a thousand times. But, could he live with himself knowing that he'd be keeping her from the life she was meant to live?
No. He could not.
Slowly, the debilitating noise in his head began to subside. He heard Scotty saying something about leaving Ana to her business. The older pirate's words were genial enough, but Jack heard the unspoken warning to Norrington and Ana. Scotty expected to wait for his sister to come around and decide to leave with them. Jack knew better. Ana's mind seemed to be made up. She was through with piracy. Ana was through with him.
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"Jack, perhaps you should go."
The words seemed to echo inside of his brain, again and again, until he could almost believe that she had said them. From the moment Prescott had appeared in his study, James Norrington had been preparing himself for Annie's inevitable departure. When, he'd scaled the grand staircase and seen Annie with her hands in the pirate's hair, he had known that she was leaving. In that moment, he had steeled himself against all of the I'm sorrys and the corresponding It never would have worked between us. Nowhere in his wildest imagination had he entertained the hope that Annie would choose to stay with him, and ask Sparrow to leave.
He should be happy. James had pined after Anamaria Tarret for so many long lonely years, but between her first husband, her overprotective big brother, and then a pirate, he'd never stood a chance. Annie was his friend, and he'd given up hoping for anything more. Then, last night, she had finally given him something more. She had given him everything. He should be strutting back and forth like a peacock with his feathers fanned. England's last true pirate enemy was standing, beaten, before him, and the sight was even tugging at James' heartstrings. This simply was not how it was supposed to end, with a feeble whimper in place of a glorious bang.
"Remember Admiral Norrington, she's a pirate," Prescott's words brought James back down from cloud nine. "If I were in your shoes, I'd keep an eye on the family jewels."
James lifted his eyebrows. He was shocked, but not really surprised by Prescott's vulgar word of caution. He was surprised, however, when Sparrow, without a single word, walked past him and headed down the stairs. He didn't utter a sound, nor did he look back. He'd even left his hat hanging on the railing.
"It seems our meeting has drawn to a close," Prescott began. He nodded curtly to Norrington, not sparing so much as a glance for Annie. "James," he said. "I'm certain those poor Frenchmen in your harbor can count on the complete cooperation of the British Navy, can they not."
Norrington smiled thinly. Prescott's words had not been a question, despite the fact that the former officer stood awaiting James' response. "So long as those Frenchmen agree to vanish into the morning mist," he agreed, daring Prescott to demand a longer cessation of hostilities.
Prescott quirked an eyebrow, his hand still resting confidently on his cutlass. "Loyalty will sail at dawn," he said, turning to head downstairs. "And Annie will be aboard."
"You do not speak for me, Prescott," Annie spoke up, stopping her brother midway in his descent.
The older man's jaw twitched. "I know," he said, his voice menacingly low. "You're quite capable of saying quite enough all on your own."
"Pres – "
"Save your breath, Anamaria," the fearsome pirate had once again taken center stage, and even his sister seemed to recoil slightly. Prescott's eyes narrowed. "You've made your bed with a married man. Now, lie in it."
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The ambitious officer's mouth fell open. It really was Jack Sparrow, the very man who'd been evading capture for well over twenty years. The same man that had sacked Nassau and escaped from Spanish custody. The man who's neck hadbeen in the noose in Port Royale, and, he still managed to escape under the Navy's very nose.
Jack Sparrow just walked through Admiral James Norrington's own house, and no alarm was raised, no armed guard was in pursuit. Then, if matters weren't catestrophic enough, the only man following Sparrow out of the house was none other than Lefty Scott.
Slowly, he turned to the woman sharing his hiding spot in the shadows. He knew his jaw must be on the ground, and his eyes were probably popping out of his skull. Not one, but two of England's arch enemies had been inside of the Admiral's mansion.
The woman's brown eyes narrowed, as her brow rose. "See," she whispered. "I'm afraid the Admiral can no longer be trusted to act in England's best interest."
He nodded, still utterly speechless.
"Captain Gillette," the woman said. "You know what must be done?"
"The Admiral will have to be relieved of his command," the Captain said. "It will be difficult, but possible." He paused. "Are you sure, Mum? He is your husband."
Elizabeth Norrington pursed her lips. "I am sure."
TBC
Well, this update was a bit shorter than the last, but so many of you said you were leaving on various vacations, so I tried to get something up before you left! Not exactly a wine and roses reunion, but it keeps the plot twisting and turning and I hope you liked it anyway.
SylviaD: The last chappy was your favorite yet? I'm so happy, since you were a bit skeptical about this story in the beginning. I hope I've won you over! I know exactly what you mean about being understanding where Jack is concerned and angry about what Ana's done. I wonder if it's becauseJack's indescretions are self preservation, and really just about sex. Whereas, Ana goes to James for emotional support. They have a history, and she does love him (as a friend beforenow). It seems like more of a betrayal too, because James represents everything Ana gave up to go with Jack, and now she's going back. Almost as though she's saying it was a mistake to go after Jack all those year ago. I don't know if this sums up what you're feeling or not, but I can see what you mean.
BlackMary47: Even I had a hard time not writing about Ana smothering Jack in kisses and telling him how happy she was to see him, but, you're right, it just wouldn't have fit. So, I apologize for leaving you angry with Ana, but this story is far from over, and she may redeem herself yet.
Cal: First, I must humbly thank you for staying up so late into the night to review my story. I am at your feet my dear, Cal! So, onto your note. As for adding John to Ana's collection, I think she's having enough trouble with the men that are already in her life, but who knows what the muse holds in store. Now, I know it was a bit angsty, having to relive all of the horror of Jack's life, but Ana is finally standing up for herself, so you should take some pleasure in that, right? The "scales" over her eyes are most certainly gone. Hindsight, as usual, is 20/20, so she's beginning to see all the crap that she put up with. Sure, she still loves Jack, but she's starting to be angry about how he treated her. Now, about the one time where she gave Jack a reason to not trust her, yes, that will be a story somewhere along the line. I'm glad you appreciated the scene where Jack sinks to his knees. He's so unused to being at the mercy of others, that I imagined admitting his love would have just drained him. Have a good time on your vacation, I hope I got this up before you left!
An-Angel-in-Hell: They may yet find their way back to each other, but you know there has to be much more angst before that can happen. And I'm sorry you missed Phantom, I want to say it was going to Texas after Arizona, but Idon't know for sure.
DyingStar: Okay, I can see you're a bit upset. I didn't mean to make you angry at our beloved Ana, but she's going through a bit of turmoil herself. Of course she loves Jack, I think that's part of the reason she asked him to leave. Let me explain, they do not have a perfect relationship by any means. I think when faced with the real possiblility of his death, Ana is so angry about all the wasted time. She wants him to love her just as much as she loves him. But, if she just let him stay, she'd be so overwhelmed by his reappearance that nothing between them would be fixed. If she sends him away, then he can clearly see that his same old behavior won't fly anymore. A bit cruel of Ana, yes. But, she is a pirate! So, I apologize for making you mad, but I hope you'll stick with me.
Yuna-Flowering: Hmm ... Jack/Ana or James/Ana ... guess you'll have to wait and find out!
Thank you so much for all of the reviews!