The entire room froze, as if in a bizarre tableau, as the sound of a gunshot echoed through the room.

An uncomfortable sounding gurgle spilled from the female pirate's lips. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth. Anamaria wiped it away with the back of her hand, before collapsing in an unconscious heap on the floor.

Alicia gasped, eyes following Ana's body to the floor. The whole thing took mere seconds, though it felt to Alicia to have happened in slow motion. She made a move to help the fallen pirate, but froze in place as another familiar figure stepped through the open doorway.

Murtogg (or was it Mullroy? She kept confusing the two guards...) lowered his weapon only after kicking the gun away from Anamaria's prone form. "Commodore." The lanky soldier seemed surprised to see his superior standing there, gun lying discarded on the floor at his feet. "Is everything well here?" Noticing the fellow officer lying unconscious on the bed, he let out an exhalation of surprise. Whether it was the fact that his wound was treated or just that he was there in the first place, Alicia couldn't tell. "Gillette..." He turned his attention back to Norrington. "Will he be alright?"

"He'll be fine." Murtogg (?) seemed to have not noticed her until she spoke up. "If I could have your gun, though..." Hopefully she could do it correctly. She'd never treated an injury more severe than the usual scrapes of a clumsy child. Though, she was rather eager to try, she was just as wary of doing so on a living person.

Norrington nodded his consent. "Mr. Murtogg, if you'd be so kind." The soldier gave him the long weapon, obviously eager to please. "Thank you." The Commodore acknowledged, before giving Alicia the gun's volatile black powder.

Cautiously, she removed the bandage covering the wound, revealing to them for the first time the true nature of their comrade's injury. She heard Murtogg gulp and take a step back. With as steady a hand she could muster, she poured the gunpowder along the open flesh, standing and stepping back herself when she finished. "I'll need something to light it with." When no response came she faced them. "I said I'll need to light it. The powder's not doing any good just sitting there."

Norrington was the first to react. Retrieving a lit candle from the desk (one of the few points of illumination in the room), he handed it to her, being careful not to spill the wax onto either her or her patient. He then took a position beside Murtogg, watching her ministrations keenly.

The raven—haired teen swallowed nervously as she returned to the task at hand. She pushed her glasses up habitually, before touching the candle's flame to the edge of the powder. The spark it caused made her jump back, startled.

The flare was bright but brief. It fizzled out in seconds, leaving a red, burned mark, following the shape of the gunpowder. The bleeding, nevertheless, was no longer an issue. 'As long as no one reopened the area.' Pride filled her, knowing she succeeded in her mission. Her jovial countenance faded, however, when she turned to face the British officers and her eyes landed on Anamaria's figure instead.

Remembering the female pirate's prior collapse, and hoping she still had a chance to make it; Alicia hurried the woman's lifeless body. Both men stepped aside as she rushed past them. "Help me move her to the bed." She knew it wasn't wise to move someone when she didn't know the extent of their injuries, but there was little other choice. "But carefully. I helped your man, now help me help her..." She only prayed they could get over their stiff—necked hatred of pirates to assist her in saving a life.

Murtogg, the ever obedient soldier, knelt beside Alicia and lifted The Black Pearl's first mate into his arms. He rose unsteadily to his feet, nearly falling. Commodore Norrington led him to the other side of the bed, helping the other officer lower her gently to the mattress 'Or whatever the pirates use for mattresses'.

As the two men stepped back, Alicia checked on Ana's condition. She started with the basics... First, the breathing; it was shallow but present. Though it sounded like she could have blood in her lungs, she couldn't do anything about it, so she moved on. 'Besides observation is first and foremost.' Reminding herself didn't help the guilt much... "She saved me. Now it's the time to return the favour." 'If I can...'

-----+\\\\\+-----

-.--. . -. -.. --- ..-. -.-. ... .- .--. - . .-. ... .. -..- -.--.-

Well, this is getting more morose than I had planned, sorry. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I don't know why my PBs (Plot Bunnies) feel the need to jerk me around like this... It can be quite infuriating. And I know that this is getting OoC... But bear with me, alright?

To those of you looking for more Jack: don't worry... He's on his way. Ana's in trouble, of course he'll be there! And quite cross with anybody who gets between them.

(-Cue Hellsing Theme-)

Telomeric: You forgot that again last chapter...

Me: (-Yawns-) Did I? Oh, well... I'm tired... You guys can finish this off by your onesies, right?

Telomeric: Sure!

Disclaimer: None of these characters (besides herself and Alicia/DD) belong to GG. They belong to their respective affiliates. And Fire—Claw and I belong to her (As in Fire) Man I'm whipped... Oh well... Netalak is his own Shadow.

Please read and review... GG is a review whore. She'll write nearly anything to get reviews! (-Looks around nervously-) She didn't hear that, did she?... No? Good! Feedback is a necessary part of the writing process. Without it, she'll just keep making the same mistakes, over and over, and over and over and... You get the picture.

THE END!

Ed: Ooo... Kitty! Can I pet you again?

Telomeric: (-Shrugs-) alright... (-Rolls over to get his belly scratched-)

Now that that's done, Ta!

Fire—Claw: Wow, you kept it short...

Telomeric: Why can't you let me have the last word?

Fire—Claw: Because your idea of a last word is a question.

Telomeric: A rhetorical question.

Fire—Claw: Fine have the last word...

Telomeric: Thank you.

Fire—Claw: Just make it a good one.

Telomeric: If you'd let me...

Telomeric: (-Satisfied-) Good. My Last word is:

Mary—Sue! The name of the story type.

Fire—Claw: Technically, your last word would have been type...

Telomeric: Fine! MARY—SUE!

(-Imaginary curtains close, cordoning off the Felines and Ed from readers-)