You Forget One Very Important Thing Mate – (28)
Port Royal. They had finally arrived, the crew cheered at the thought of maybe getting some rest. Even if it was Port Royal, they still had rum. Jack however, was miserable. Ashley hadn't stopped coughing all night, she no longer talked, the smile that once was had vanished and been replaced with a frown. She was hot; all of the time, and always needed tending too. Jack, appointed himself with that duty, he'd left Gibbs in charge. He was unsure of what to do with Ashley; he could take her to a doctor...but she would surely be noticed, taken back into the Swann household OR caught by Norrington.
Ashley had informed Jack about her escape from the Swann household. How she had knocked out a young gentleman in order to get away. She could be thrown in Port Royal's jail for it, they would discover that she was now a pirate, a real pirate. She would be hanged, and if he was with her so would Jack. Norrington had said that, 'Very well, but if I here anything has happened, if ANYTHING goes wrong, I'm coming straight to you Sparrow,'
If that wasn't a death threat Jack didn't know what it was.
"Captain, what are yer orders now?" Gibbs asked, as Jack walked up onto the top deck.
"Well, ye and the crew must stay 'ere, watch on Ashley, I be takin' Metheros ashore, and doin' some business on my own, if by any chance ye come across Will or Elizabeth, we haven't seen Ashley, we don't even know she escaped," Jack said, beginning to walk down the gang plank, holding on to Metheros with one hand.
"Aye Captain," Gibb's said quietly, he stared sadly after Metheros. She and him had become good friends in the small time she was on the ship. It would be sad to see her go.
Then, Gibbs was distracted, very distracted. The sound of coughing and small cries of 'Jack!' were coming from below deck.
"Wha's that?" Marty asked.
"Mothers love! It be Ashley!" Gibb's said.
He ran below deck and into Jack's cabin, Ashley was on the floor.
"What did ye do lass?" Gibb's asked, as he helped her back into Jack's bed and gave her some water.
Ashley said nothing, she simply pointed to her throat drowsily.
"Eh?..oh..ye still can't talk...did ye try to move again lass? Ye know what Jack said about that don't ye?" Gibb's exclaimed.
Ashley nodded and looked down at the floor.
"Not ta worry though eh? He don't have to know now does he?" Gibb's said, trying to comfort the girl. Who appeared to be in much discomfort.
He didn't really know how it all happened, she had just fainted. It all seemed rather quick, at first, Gibbs thought she could have been pretending. But in the state she was in, there was no way she was faking anything. It was all real.
"'Ive got just the thing ta cheer ye up lass, though you mustn't tell Jack," Gibbs said.
Ashley shook her head.
"Are ye sure, Pirates honor?" Gibb's asked, holding out his hand.
Ashley nodded and shook it.
"Good, now drink this" Gibb's said. He pulled out a small flask from his pocket and handed it to Ashley.
She took it, puzzled; then opened the cap and sniffed. It was something very nice. Jack's favorite drink, and hers too. She grinned, and went to hand it back to Gibb's.
"No lass, as soon as Jack gets back, he'll probably send some of the crew ta go and get more, you just drink that. Good for clearing the throat according to me old ma," Gibbs smiled.
Ashley smiled back, and drank it. Her throat burned, but felt exceedingly better, until it was all gone, then, the familiar dryness came back. She nodded in appreciation and handed the flask back to Gibbs.
"Now, I'll see if I can find ye something ta eat, I doubt it though, with the bloody gits that work on this ship,"
(Back To Jack and Metheros)
"Jack, what are you doing?" Metheros asked, looking at Jack as he handed some old man an envelope with an address on it.
"Writing to someone,"
"Who?"
"Ashley's mother," Jack replied.
"Oh...where are we going now?"
"Well, my original plan was ta get ye a job, but I have a new idea, one probably more to yer liking,"
"What is it?"
"Well, I have some friends here, they might be willing to take ye in," Jack said.
They walked for a while until they got to the Swann household, Jack knocked on the door. To be greeted by Elizabeth.
"Miss Swann" Jack nodded; he didn't quite know how to talk to her, after everything that happened.
"Jack,"
She was reluctant to let Jack in. She thought he didn't know about Ashley, how could she tell him she'd lost her daughter.
"Going to invite us in then?" Jack asked.
Elizabeth looked to Metheros.
"Oh, I didn't realize you were courting someone Jack," Elizabeth said, letting them in.
Jack and Metheros glared at each other.
"No, no definitely not, I was rather hoping you could do us a favour," Jack said.
"Yes?"
"Well, ye see, I found Metheros 'ere on an island, she has nowhere to go and I can hardly let her on the ship, could she stay here? She'll work, as a maid if you require it," Jack proposed.
Elizabeth looked to Metheros. "Of course,"
"Thanks," Metheros muttered, however she wasn't to thrilled at the thought of becoming a maid.
"Jack..we need to talk," Elizabeth sounded cautious.
"Aye?"
"Well, you remember the ball I was having to find Ashley a husband?"
"Aye?"
"She ran away, we haven't seen her since," Elizabeth exclaimed.
"I know love," Jack said, he might as well tell her, it's not as though Elizabeth would be able to drag Ashley back into her home, and if she tried, he wouldn't allow it. Not like last time.
"What? How do you know?" Elizabeth asked.
Jack sighed, "Tis a long story love,"
"I have the time"
And so Jack began retelling the account of events that had happened to him over the past weeks. Elizabeth seemed absorbed in the story, Metheros seemed very bored. Until it got to her island. When Jack had finished, Elizabeth looked at him awkwardly.
"So, Ashley's sick?" Elizabeth asked.
"Aye, an' NO ye are not gonna bring her back 'ere, she'll be just fine," Jack said, unsure.
"How do you know that Jack? Let me call a doctor,"
"I told ye, she can't leave my cabin,"
"Well, let me get a doctor to come to her," Elizabeth asked.
Jack rolled his eyes.
"Fine, who else is coming?" Jack asked.
"Not me, I'm not going back onto that ship," Metheros said, crossing her arms.
"Oh, yes, my servant Mary will sort you out," Elizabeth said, smiling.
Mary came into the room and escorted Metheros out.
"Not an inch of manners that one! Didn't even thank me!" Jack said.
"She's probably just tired, I'll get Will to fetch the doctor, then we'll all go back to the Pearl" Elizabeth said, walking into another room and leaving Jack alone in the hallway.
It was strange really, Elizabeth had seemed a lot meaner last time Jack saw her, maybe time had changed her.
Jack looked up as Will came out into the hallway.
"Lets go shall we, Ill fetch the doctor on the way?" Will asked, as they walked out of the door.
"Aye, lets be quick about it, Ashley's really bad," Jack said.
"Don't worry, its nothing" Will reassured him.