A/N: 'Ello, loves. You are being spoiled by all of this updating. But I have no homework tonight, so I don't think I need more of an excuse to spoil y'all, do I? Oh, and I had a bit of fun… so it switches pov's A LOT... hope it's not too confusing. : )
Stella italia: So sorry for not mentioning you before! Thank you for the compliments! … and who doesn't love Jack's soft chewy center : )
Cal: Dear Cal. I hope I did well on my test too… I'll find out this week crosses fingers and if you find mistakes, please don't hesitate to mention them, especially if they're something big (like the whole Anna thing…) lol hope the humour gave a bit of the break from crying! Oh, and don't worry about 'the bastards who hurt her'… I'm planning something for them. evil laugh and let's just say that Jack's rep is a bit of a sham, perhaps… but hush… and our little hellcat will recover soon enough! Alright now, I don't want to give away too much now… : )
Dedicated to Cal for unwavering (and delightfully long hint-hint everyone!) reviews!
Disclaimer: I have now joined a support group. Hi, I'm Sparrow's Someone. Hi, Sparrow's Someone. I… sniff… don't own Jack. Claps
Chapter 4
Learning to Love
(Ana's P.O.V.)
I woke up in Jack's cabin, about an hour before dawn. I dragged myself out of bed, and looked in the tall wardrobe for something clean to wear. I opened the door, and I must admit it, my jaw dropped. Hanging up were about six or seven beautiful gowns. I fingered the soft silks, satins, and velvet dresses, and none of them were, well, over-revealing. They were quite modest, really. I pulled one out to hold it up to me. Looking in the full length mirror, the size seemed to fit me perfectly. However, there was one problem.
The corset.
Well, not the corset itself, but the fact that I highly doubted that there was another woman on board to help me into it. Not that I was about to go looking in a nightgown, either. I contemplated various ways of tying the corset strings to bedposts and such, and pulling with my body weight… but that still wouldn't tie them. I sighed, hanging up the beautiful sea-green gown back up in the wardrobe. The sash fell off the hanger, and I reached into the bottom of the wardrobe to retrieve it. My hand did not fall on the soft velvet of the dress, instead it touched satin. Confused, I pulled out the silky garment. What I saw horrified me. Memories came pouring back.
The brothel.
The men.
The pain.
I managed to scream just before I hit the floor in a dead faint.
(Jack's P.O.V.)
The Pearl's me first love- I know every little sound she makes, every rustle of sails, and can identify where a creak comes from on any part of the ship. Makes it very difficult for the crew te swipe me rum.
I'd been up 'bout two hours before dawn. I sat on me hammock, watching the water, waiting for the sunrise… and listening to Gibbs snore as loud as a bloody cannon. I tried to focus my hearing to something of a different pitch, hoping me bloody ears didn't fall off from the racket Gibbs was makin'.
Suddenly, I heard a sound. A creak. Good ol' Pearl was lettin' me know someone was up an' about. Me crew wouldn't be up, men with hangovers usually don't voluntarily wake up before the sun. I listened harder. Another creak. Opposite end o' the Pearl than the crew's quarters.
Then a scream.
And a faint thud. Me quarters. Ana. I tried to jump out of my hammock too fast and it dumped me sprawled on th' deck. Instantly I was running down the steps to where I heard th' scream. I reached me bedroom door, an' pulled out me skeleton key. Ramming it in th' lock, I flung open the door, only te see Ana collapsed on the floor. I scooped her up, and set 'er on me bed. She had dropped somethin'.
Damn.
It was a rolled up bunch o' rags that Scarlet and Giselle had been wearin' at th' Faithful Bride. Complete with a little dried blood from cuts and bruises. How could I have been so BLOODY stupid? I try te treat 'er good so she forgets the bloody brothel, and what do I do? First day on me ship and se faints dead away! I must 'e tossed 'em in five years back now- and forgotten. Damn, damn, damn!
I sighed in frustration, grabbing the garments off the floor. I opened the porthole with difficulty- it had only been, what say you? Fifteen years since it'd been opened? Once unlocked I tossed the sorry excuses for frocks out. She don't need no reminders o' what happened back there.
I went over to Ana. Her beautiful, soft, black hair (no, Jack! What're ye thinkin'!) was now blossomed with a red flower. Shit. I glanced back down to her rather see-through nightgown… Can't bring 'er to Gibbs in that- if she woke up an' Gibbs was there, with rum- (A/N: for disinfectant to her head wound, not for drinkin') she'd… she'd… I don't know what the bloody woman would do! I pulled a proper blouse out of the trunk. She was wearing breeches, thank god. I held me breath, half-hoping she would wake up and put on the blouse herself, saving me the trouble of explaining meself later…
I propped her up into a sitting position. I went aroun' back of her, so if she asked I could tell her I didn't see anythin'. I'm a bloody good liar when it comes to the likes of men, but womenfolk make it hard… They've got this scary look where their eyes go all hard and they can sense fear… Gibbs told me. An' I believe him. I've never gotten the look 'afore, but I've seen it given to others- not a pretty sight. Usually followed by a smart smack, if ye catch me drift. So I went 'round back of 'er and pulled off the nightgown, tryin' not te let it hit the bloody bit on 'er head. That lass'll feel like the worst hangover I've ever had, an' that's sayin' somethin'. I quickly put the blouse on 'er, using every bit o' me strength te not look…
(Ana's P.O.V.)
What in god's name…? Why aren't I wearing a shirt? Why does my head hurt…? Play dead. Or unconscious. That way you can evaluate the situation without being seen before you make your move. That's what my mum had taught me, for when I went out hunting with my father. 'Bears won't think of you as a threat if they think you're not responsive. Same with men, too…" my mother trailed off. Too bad I didn't have with my bow with me. She'd always been right in the past, so I kept my body limp, and opened my eyes so minimally they couldn't be seen through my eyelashes.
A man grunted. Behind me. He was pulling my shirt off! I glanced around carefully. The Pearl. Jack. Cabin. Jack? I listened to the grunts of effort made by the mysterious man behind me, hoping that it wasn't that same deep soft pitch that I knew as Jack's. But it was. I held my breath. Apparently this is not normal in an unconscious woman, because all of a sudden Jack stopped moving. I continued to breathe. And he continued to move about. Why was he behind me, taking off my shirt! Did he get me out of the Faithful Bride with that entire emotional act just so he could rape me in the privacy of his own quarters!
But why wasn't he facing me then? The little nagging voice said in the back of my head. I don't know! I responded angrily. Maybe he has some perverted fantasy or-
My mental ramblings were cut short by Jack pulling my arms above my head. Oh god, this is it… But then the material of a soft white blouse covered my range of vision. He gently pulled it down around my middle, and did up the buttons in the back.
I felt awful. Why was I so quick to judge this stupid, annoying, handsome, sensitive, gentle- What am I thinking! …Well, it is true… Jack had tossed the nightgown onto the floor in my range of vision, and I could see the floorboards through it.
"Oy, Gibbs! Get yer lazy snorin' arse down here! Ye've got a patient te look after!" I heard Jack roar from behind me. The volume made my head spin, but at that moment I realized why Jack had changed my shirt. He didn't want Mr. Gibbs to see me without proper clothing. Sweet man.
Hurried clunky footsteps came from the stairs. Jack gently lifted me so I was lying down on the bed properly. Unable to take the suspense, I made my eyes flutter open as I had seen the ladies do back at court when awakening from a faint. I almost immediately met Jack's eyes. He was kneeling down next to the bed, his eyes locked on mine. His eyes brightened when he saw I was awake, and smiled his relief. His smile was reflected in his eyes, how they got softer, and went a slightly lighter brown. I smiled weakly back: I couldn't help it. His smile was contagious. Just then Mr. Gibbs came through the open door.
"Aye Cap'n?" Mr. Gibbs said breathlessly.
"You could knock, mate." Jack tried to look annoyed, but I could tell he was actually relieved to see him.
"Sorry, Cap'n… aye, that's a nasty bump. How'd ye get this, lass?"
"I… don't remember. I think I fell, and hit my head on the floor…" I hated lying. Well, it was only a half-lie. I just didn't want to discuss it right then… Later. With Jack.
(Jack's P.O.V.)
"Er, Cap'n? Migh' I have a bit of a word wif' ye, outside?" Gibbs asked. I shrugged an apology to Ana, and went out the door with the closest thing we had to a doctor on the Pearl. Gibbs closed the door once we were out of me quarters.
"What say ye, Jack?" he said with a devilish grin.
"What say me about what?" I retorted impatiently. Gibbs' grin grew bigger.
"The lass! It's a simple bump, ye coul' clean it yerself… no need for anything more powerful than a bit o' rum. It coul' be… bondin', if ye please." I wouldn't have been surprised if the pirate in front of me had started bloody gigg'ling. I rolled me eyes.
"Yer right, Gibbs. Wha' do I need te do?"
"Well, clean rag an' rum'll do th' trick fer cleanin' it up," he said. While pulling a bottle out of his bag he added, "this'll help wif the pain fer the lass. An' rum, rag, an' bottle'll work fer her other bumps n' bruises she got at Faithful Bride's…"
"All righ', all righ'… I'll do it."
"Good then. Now ye'll tell 'er tha' I hafe te see another patient, an' I'll leave…"
I grimaced. "Nah, Gibbs. Ye'll be tellin' 'er."
His face turned pale as a British merchant ship's sails. "But… Cap'n…"
I couldn' help it. I grinned. "Yer not much of a pirate if ye can't lie, cheat an' steal."
He grumbled, movin' te the staircase. "COTTON!" he roared. Seconds after, Cotton came runnin' down the steps. Gibbs took out a sewing needle, an' pricked Cotton's finger. Cotton stared at 'im, confused. "Back te yer quarters, Cotton," I said curtly.
Gibbs looked smug. "I'm not lyin'. I need ter disinfect tha'." Gibbs opened the door te me quarters. "Here lass. I've got me anoth'r patient I need ter attend te, an' Jack 'ere is gonna look after ye. I don' think it's anythin' too serious, no stitches 'r nothin'." He nodded briskly te Ana, and shut the cabin door.
She tried te set 'erself upright. "'Ere, love, I'll 'elp." I helped set 'er upright in th' bed. She smiled. I grinned. Damn, Jack, yer turnin' inteh a softie! But the way 'er eyes sparkled when she smiled… Bloody hell! What's happinin' te me!
I started fumblin' over me words. Now, I'm one of th' most articulate pirate yer likely te meet, an' 'ere I am with this girl an' me tongue in a knot. "Er, love, lessee… I've got rum-rag-bottle…" God this was embarrasin'. I couldn' take actin' like such an ass.
I said the first useful thing tha' came in me head.
(Ana's P.O.V.)
"How high's yer tolerance fer pain?" Jack asked. Hmmm. Now let's think. I was taken, beaten, and raped by a bunch of pirates. HOW BLOODY HIGH DOES HE THINK MY TOLERANCE FOR PAIN IS? And the worst thing was that he didn't realize he offended me. I just sat there, staring at him.
Over a long pause, his quizzical look turned to one of confusion, then steadily to fear.
"Oh, no, love, I didn' mean…"
You better not have, you filthy, mangy, cur…
"…I meant yer head… th' disinfectan' stings a mighty bit."
"Oh," I replied a little sheepishly. I always jump to stupid conclusions. It had cost me my best friend, Elizabeth, in the past. I vowed not to let my imagination cost me this man's kindness.
"Um, fairly high, I suppose." I gulped. Jack smiled his sympathy.
"Alrigh', this is gonna sting a bit." He poured some rum onto a white rag. I could smell it from across the room. I tried to push back the memories.
(Jack's P.O.V.)
"Alrigh' this is gonna sting a bit." I tried te sound convincing, but methinks that din' do too well. She held 'er breath.
I walked over te the side of 'er with the head wound. I rested me left hand on th' bed, and gently put th' coth with th' rum on her head.
I looked in 'er eyes with an apologetic look as I felt long fingernails dig into me hand on 'er bed. I glanced back at Ana's face.
Her eyes were open an' emotionless.
Her mouth was set in a strai' line.
Bu' she never screamed 'r shed a tear.
I was 'n awe of the lass. Never 'ave I seen a pirate, let alone a lass, show as little pain as Ana. Not te brag, mind ye, but she was prob'ly on par with me!
"Sorry, love," I whispered te her. She forced a brave smile. I don' think I showed it, but it broke me heart te see her like tha'. I winced for 'er.
I finished cleanin' her head, and I put on the cream on 'er wound. Aft'r that, I pulled 'er hair over it gently, so tha' It wasn' quite so obvious. As the cream numbed 'er gash, she smiled her relief, and her whole body relaxed.
Her face tensed again in horror as she noticed that she had made me hand bleed with 'er nails. I grinned. "S'allright, love, I've had worse." I pulled up my sleeve, showin' her me pirate brand.
She touched it gently. Then her eyes met mine.
"At least let me help you with that," she said, noddin' towards me bleedin' hand.
(Ana's P.O.V.)
"At least let me help you with that," I said, trying to compensate for making the poor man bleed. He paused, and then gave me his hand.
It was warm, partially with the warmth from my own hand, and partially from the life coursing through the rugged pirate's veins. His hands were tough as leather, showing years of calluses and exposure to sun and wind. The texture of Jack's hands was rough, but he touched with an almost indescribable gentleness. I looked down at the five puncture wounds caused by my fingernails.
I took the cloth that he had used to clean my head and used a clean corner to wet with the rum. I held his hand gently in mine, though firm enough to not let him draw away in pain. Of course he wouldn't, he was a rugged pirate!
Though somehow I had some doubts…
A/N: Heh… and so the romance-ish starts! No death threats pleas. Please review all:)
