Chapter 15 - Up and About
Louise spent the next few days staying off her leg, this was apparently 'captains orders' ever since Jack had come in and found her hopping her way to the door only to fall over at the sight of him. She found this rather tedious but admittedly it was helping, her leg was starting to feel better but the sight of the scar still made her cringe. Ana, Jack and Danny had all visited her, and she would desperately cling to any conversation they brought. It was a dull life waiting to heal. Jack meanwhile was taking the opportunity at peace and quiet to get them back on course to Nevis. Not that he enjoyed having Louise stored away below deck unable to move but it made his life a little simpler that she wasn't either on his mind or annoying him. They were around 2 and a half days from Nevis now after the detours involved with Cray and Jack had settled quickly enough into being suspicious of Abrey again, who had had on many occasions offered to take Louise her food. Abrey wanted to get to know Louise, find out more about her and Jack, or at least enough to help with his plan but Jack wasn't letting him near her.
He was standing on deck watching the sunset when he heard someone calling out about dinner. He called Cotton to take over the helm for a while and he made his way below deck but as he did it wasn't Riley, who had taken over the duties of cook, who stood there but Louise.
Swaying slightly, obviously a little uncomfortable after not walking for 3 days she stood to attention when he entered the room, "captain". He winked at her and she carried a plate over to where Ana was sitting. He joined her apparently in the middle of a conversation.
"...honestly it's fine, I'm all better", his ears pricked up as this was a topic he had a opinion on.
"Are ye sure luv I mean you don't wanna risk it too early" he stated nonchalantly, she smiled but still had a 'was I talking to you?' look on her face.
"Yes, I'm fine I mean it's still a bit sore but that's to be expected I guess, anyway you can't say the food hasn't improved now I'm up and about", both Ana and Jack nodded in agreement halfway through mouthfuls.
Ana watched them both through a critical eye as they ate, their attempts to hide their feelings for each other didn't wash with her. Sometimes it were so frustrating it was unbelievable so she decided she would get them talking even if they were trying not to, "so no chance of fixing your dress?"
Louise looked up from her food thoughtfully, "no, the skirt was completely ruined", she briefly wondered why Ana cared as she had made enough of a scene when Louise had dragged her to buy the dress.
"That's a shame, twas a pretty dress...don't you think Jack?" Louise caught on instantly and acted interested in a particular potato while waiting for his reply.
"Oh yes, very nice dress, pink is definitely your colour darling", he tossed her a Jack Sparrow grin which she pretended not to notice but he could see the heat rising in her cheeks. Ana smiled to herself but then felt a harsh kick from Louise who gave a look of impending doom. Dinner continued but with more conversation, Louise and Ana talked about playing cards later and offered Jack who declined. The evening seemed normal, however Ana did notice the nervous glances Louise occasionally threw over her shoulder, she made a mental note to ask about it later. After dinner most of the crew began drinking as usual and Louise and Ana did start a game of cards, after a few rums though Ana climbed onto her chair and waved her arms about like a madwoman.
"Oi you lot!", a few people looked so she shouted louder, "Shut it!", and like that she had everyones attention. She smiled at the silence now focused on her, "I want everyone to raise their drinks to Louise who's all better after the whole..." she mimicked a gun going off in her hand followed by her dramatically holding her leg in pain, "thing" she finished.
Everyone joined in with the universal 'aye', Louise giggled excitedly.
"That was great Ana, really, really...great", the slur in her voice didn't hinder the sarcasm in the statement. Ana then slapped her on the arm and Louise grinned widely, "it feels good to be back".
"Now don't get all sloppy on me"
Louise raised her hands in surrender, "I'm not, I'm not but I really love this ship" she threw a arm around one of the crew-members sitting next to her. "And this crew, I love this crew and..." she frowned thoughtfully as she took a swig of rum, the guy had now thrown his arm around her and they swayed together until it came to her like a divine vision, "and rum. I love rum".
"Aye" he agreed and they clinked mugs both drinking deeply.
"That's not all you love", Ana made no attempt to say this quietly but Louise seemed too engrossed in singing along with the men next to her to hear. It was many hours later when Louise got up joyfully, apparently the rum had helped with the soreness.
"Right lads I'm off to bed" she proclaimed as she took the last mouthful of her drink.
Ana asked, "you sure you're gonna be ok?" to which Louise replied with a laugh but as she got to the doorway her leg gave in and she collapsed to the floor. Louise found this extremely funny but Ana just rolled her eyes and moved to help her up. They walked down the corridor and Louise was singing something indecipherable, Danny came down the hallway from the opposite direction and watched the scene before him.
"What's this then?" he asked with a bemused smile.
Ana looked at him and grinned slyly, "she's your problem now" she threw Louise's arm onto his shoulder and walked off waving her hand through the air, "just get 'er to bed".
Danny looked at Louise who was throughly drunk but apparently her wounded leg was not cooperating in walking so she seemed to be half walking half dragging it.
"Come on then Danny wanny let's get me to bed" she said through her giggles, he sighed and helped her to her room. She quietened considerably when she got in and he wondered if she had sobered up a little but the look on her face didn't look sober but instead sad.
"Something wrong?" she was looking out of her window silently, at the sound of his voice she turned and smiled softly.
"Did you know before they took me I killed a man?"
"What ye killed the one we found in 'ere?" he asked intrigued.
She still had that smile on her face, it made her seem lost, "yes, it was do or die" she added quickly.
He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "it's not your fault", he could tell she was feeling guilty and looking for forgiveness. "Was it your first kill?"
"Yes" she replied in a mournful tone, "I guess it comes with the territory eh?"
He didn't know what to say to that, lie to her and say that things were different on the pearl? Or tell her the truth that killing was a part of life?
"Danny?" she waved a hand in front of him trying to wake him from whatever thoughts he had slipped into.
"Sorry"
"It's ok I was just saying after all that rum I am doubting my ability to think", they both laughed. "Thanks for listening Danny, I'm just being stupid" he looked at her sympathetically, despite herself and her protective shell she was hurting.
"You've been through a lot" he offered her a smile and she took it as well as wrapping her hands around his neck and hugging him. That's when she felt it, nothing. There was nothing between them, nothing deeper than friendship, something she needed right now. She liked it, it felt familiar like the feeling she had when she hugged a friend at home.
However it was at this point Jack sauntered in, "Louise luv I heard you fell over after a lot of rum so I came to check on ye". He looked at them standing there mid hug, Louise just looked back at him while Danny jumped away like Louise had some sort of disease. It was a icy silence so Louise seeing nothing wrong with the situation decided to break it.
"Danny was just leaving, right?", Danny looked at her like a saviour it seemed he wanted out of the room, he hastily agreed and left shutting the door behind him.
"So you came to check on me? Don't worry I just had a little too much rum", Jack was still staring at her, it was unnerving.
"What was he doing here?", he asked trying to lessen the bubbling anger in his voice, it didn't work.
She looked at the door as if she had forgotten who it was, "Danny? He just helped me to my room in the state I was in".
"Really?"
"Yes, is that a problem?" she now had a hand on her hip and could see where he was going with this.
"What about when I walked in? What was he helping you with then?", he knew he was wrong as soon as the words had come out of his mouth but he was jealous and he didn't know why. She slapped him, he didn't even rub his cheek his was still staring at her.
"Whatever it is you think we were doing in that stupid head of yours forget it, I was upset and he listened, that's all, now I think you should leave before you say anything else you'll regret", she said the whole sentence through gritted teeth without taking a breath, she really couldn't believe how insensitive he was being.
"And why would I regret anything luv?", he couldn't stop himself, he was as angry as her and the words just poured out.
She felt tears in her eyes and her face was flushed with anger, "just get out Jack" she shoved him towards the door, "go!".
He huffed loudly and walked out slamming the door behind him, Louise fell onto the bed crying silently into her pillow. Everything just hurt, she allowed her emotions to take over and let themselves out as she cried herself to sleep. Meanwhile outside Jack stormed to his own cabin which gave him another door to slam, it bothered him he had found Danny in her cabin, it also annoyed him that he was bothered, they had only kissed twice. He hoped the morning would be easier but he had a suspicion that dealing with the aftermath of that conversation would be anything but easy.
What Jack hadn't banked on was that he wouldn't see Louise, he was sure she would have had something to say after last night but then again she had avoided him before for a matter of days why not now? He had looked for her after he had found the galley empty but with breakfast already cooked. Jack needed to clear his head, so he returned to the helm and stood proudly steering his pride and joy, the least complicated part of his life right now, the pearl.
"You'll never let me down" he whispered as he patted the wood.
"Seen Louise?" he jumped around to see Ana arms folded obviously impatient.
He turned back to the helm, "Nope, thought you might 'ave seen 'er"
He heard her sigh, "not since last night, I told Danny to get her to 'er room, she was in a state". Jack felt that green eyed monster rise inside of him, then it clicked Ana had asked him to take her back to her room. He knew he had only assumed something was going on and now it seemed he definitely was wrong, Danny was just taking her to her room. He wanted to apologize to Louise but at the same time he didn't want to lose face.
"Are you even listening to me?" Ana asked agitated.
"No" he felt her slap his arm, "Louise not in her room?" he continued.
She huffed, obviously she had already told him, "nope I've checked, she's not in the galley or anywhere else, where's Danny?"
Jack smiled he had put Danny in a safe place, the crows nest, he pointed upwards and Ana caught on.
She looked up and shouted, "Oi Danny you seen Louise?".
Danny looked next to him where Louise was tucked shaking her head vigorously, he shook his head in disapproval but she knew he wouldn't say anything. He stuck his head over the edge and shouted down to Ana.
"No not since last night", at that point he was sure Jack had thrown a angry glare at him but at this height he couldn't be sure.
He sat back down next to Louise and gave her a big brotherly look, "they'll kill me when they find you".
"Who say's they'll find me? What if I never ever come down?" she smiled like a small child.
"Well you've got to go down and make dinner or we'll all starve", she pursed her lips defeated.
"Well you're the one who said I wasn't up here, it's you they'll kill", she laughed and he playfully hit her arm.
"Jack already looks like he wants to kill me after last night, and now you're giving him more reason to".
She frowned at him, "about last night, I mean I don't know who the hell he thinks he is, and you know I don't want to see you keel hauled", she added the last part with a grin.
"Are you blind as well as a chicken?" he asked bluntly, she pulled a shocked face which invited him to continue. "Well it's obvious why it annoyed him finding us like that, he likes you Louise". 
She frowned, even Danny had noticed, she knew he had liked her but enough to be jealous over a hug?
"Well Danny you still can't call me a chicken you looked like a kid who'd wet themselves last night when he came in".
They both laughed and continued to talk for the rest of the afternoon, she found a kind of peace with Danny. He was like her friends back home, the ones she could tell anything too, she had spoken to him about everything that had happened on the fall as well as anything else that came to her mind and he had told her about his childhood and how he ended up on the pearl. Eventually though Louise knew she had to go down, she looked over the edge warily and was surprised to see Gibbs at the helm. She told Danny she'd see him at dinner and thanked him before scampered over the edge, not knowing how long she had till Jack came back out on deck.
--Authors Notes--
I know that chapter wasn't full of action but let me off so much happened in the last one, plus everyone loves a heated argument, well I do. Let's just say in the next one Jack has to face a few home truths and admit some things, especially as he was clearly wrong :) That's all you're getting from me for now. Thanks again to my reviewers also I will be getting back into updating regularly now, rather than going a week or two between chapters.