A/N: I sincerely apologize for not updating for so long. With summer here now, things should get better. Thank you so much for your patience.

Thank you to TavyBeckettFan, Jennifer Lynn Weston, kweenofmagic, Starling Rising, LostWitch5, Eldonyx, and Countess Sasha the Weird for your awesome reviews!

Disclaimer: I found a cave! It keeps going...I might get lost...good thing I brought my Pringles with me. And I don't own POTC.

Chapter 14

"Rachel? What are you doing here?" Lawrence asked.

"I'm here to help the doctor." Rachel stood before him, drably dressed as a nurse. She held a blanket and a cup of water.

"But Walters only stepped out for fresh air," Lawrence said.

"I know. I'm to watch over the patient until he returns." Rachel fidgeted. "Please let me by."

It figured that Lawrence would be guarding Jack Sparrow's room just when Rachel needed to get in. Lawrence had a nice face, but she didn't want to see it now. "Please, Lieutenant," she said.

He softened when she used his rank and shrugging, opened the wood door. The guards sitting inside looked out curiously. Rachel almost flinched as all eyes fixed on her with interest. Beyond the red uniforms was a bed. A figure with a tousled head of black hair sprawled there...Jack Sparrow.

"This is Rachel. She's come to watch the pirate until Walters returns," Lawrence said. "Can we let her in?"

They all exchanged glances. And kept exchanging glances. Finally, a blond man said, "Why not? Let her come in." The others nodded.

Something flashed in the corner of Rachel's eye. She turned, and felt her blood turn to ice.

Beckett was fast approaching down the hall. Mercer was on his heels.

"I have to go!" Rachel whirled and walked as fast as she dared down the hall.

"Wait!" Lawrence called, and then his voice changed. "Oh. Sir."

She was headed into a dead end. What if they had recognized her face? She hurried into a dim room, gasping, neck tingling. The room was not empty - two older men woke on their cots and looked at her groggily. Her first impulse was to turn tail and run to another room, but Beckett's voice stopped her.

"Who was that woman? I swear you were about to let her in."

"I..." Lawrence said, "she was only a nurse come to watch over the pirate, sir."

"That is not possible. You're under strict orders grant only Walters, myself, and Mercer entrance. And Walters should not have requested a nurse...unless he's not in there. Open the door."

"Yes, sir. Walters stepped out for some fresh air, sir."

"Well you just go an fetch him," Beckett snapped. "He'll learn what happens when he disobeys orders. We're taking Sparrow out – too many people are asking questions. Mercer, see if you can get the rest of this swine to help you move Sparrow. Just carry him with a blanket. I want him out of here now."

"Aye, sir."

"And when you're done, I want you to investigate the woman who is only a nurse. She looked familiar."

Rachel clutched the door jamb in a panic. The room was spinning.

"Whatsa matter, darlin'?" one of the sleepy men asked her.

"Be quiet," she choked, "please."

"Wot? Why?"

She snapped her head around. The mute plea on her face brought the patient's eyebrows up.

"Aww, do as she asks," the second man croaked, "or she'll cry."

"An' then I'd cry," the first agreed. "Could never stand to see a woman in tears."

"Please," Rachel gasped.

They grunted good-naturedly. She stared at the wall before her, trying to focus. She couldn't go into the hallway. But there were no windows. She could only wait.

They were taking Sparrow away! Panic washed over her again.

And then she heard a muffled thud. The floor quivered beneath her feet. Shocked, she looked around her. Shouts of alarm came from down the hall.

Jack woke up when he hit the floor. He heard men gasping in alarm. A dreadfully familiar voice spoke: "What the hell was that?"

The Beckett-lizard himself! Jack blinked repeatedly, forcing the room into focus. All around him, soldiers were looking around with wide eyes. Jack himself was in some sort of blanket sling that apparently had been dropped.

"Explosion, sir."

Ah, there was Mercer, too. What a lovely party. "Who's got the crumpets an' rum?" Jack inquired. His voice didn't quite work. By the Rhinoceros's Ribeye was he hungry!

Everyone looked at Jack. Jack looked at Beckett, whose eyes narrowed. Then Beckett took control. "You three and Mercer, get Sparrow down to the lower levels. The rest of you get out of here."

"Whoop!" Jack exclaimed as he was swooped up by four men. They rushed from the room and down a hall, and then into the sunlight. Jack could hear people calling to each other and running about, but all he could only see up two soldier's nostrils, plus a lot of sky. The motion of his sling made him dizzy, but it was good to feel the sun again.

They suddenly stopped. Jack was almost catapulted forward.

"Mr Beckett, sir! What is this?"

Jack got his eyeballs to stop spinning and saw a tall, charismatic man addressing Beckett. The sight of Beckett squinting up made Jack snort.

"Sparrow has recovered and must be returned to the lower levels," Beckett said crisply.

"That's not going to happen. There's been an explosion in the lower levels. It took out the main staircase entirely. You." He addressed the guards holding Jack. "Set him down and come help. We have wounded men, escaped prisoners, and fires to be put out."

"Captain Taylor, Sparrow must be taken back to the infirmary," Beckett said sternly. "He cannot remain out here unattended."

"Then you attend to him. You can't take him back to the infirmary - the infirmary's about to be overrun and I need all my men. We'll arrange all this later – there are lives at stake this very instant!" With that, Captain Taylor strode off, and Jack's guards followed. Jack was left lying in the sun with Beckett's shadow over his legs.

"You will be held responsible for any trouble Sparrow gives!" Beckett shouted after Captain Taylor in a ringing voice.

Captain Taylor threw up one hand without turning. "As bloody if. You can kill him any time you want, you know."

Beckett's glare would have melted a French débutante's face paint and the name he called Captain Taylor would make the devil blush. He turned in a circle, encompassing the entire court with ill-will, muttering curses. He didn't seem to want to look at Jack.

"You!" he grabbed a young man as he ran past. "Drag him," he pointed at Jack, "over to that portico. He's sick and cannot remain in the sun."

When Beckett spoke like this, no one said 'no.' The young man grabbed the blanket at Jack's feet and hauled him across the cobbles. Beckett stalked at Jack's bouncing head, an icy tower of rage. Smoke was in the air. Horses were neighing and people were shouting. Jack was almost run over, but a strange lassitude had overcome him. The vibrations of the cobbles running beneath him turned him quite gooey inside, and he smiled sleepily at the world.

The lad left Jack tucked against a stone wall, in the shade. Beckett paced jerkily a few feet away, and Jack groggily watched him. "Jus' you an' me again, eh Beckie?"

Beckett's head snapped around. "Shut up. You haven't escaped anything yet." He stepped into the sun and caught a running Marine. "Can you tell me the exact location of the explosion?"

Sweat was running down the Marine's cheeks and his brown eyes were impatient. "Somewhere below the main stairway – which would have to be a kitchen."

Beckett released him. Then he stared straight ahead, blinking, hands limp at his sides. "Kitchen," he whispered, "and pantry." Slowly, he turned. "Sparrow?"

Jack grinned sunnily. "...Pirate."

How DOES Jack do that? Thank you so much for reading!