"Alright. As you might have heard, there's a navy's ship passing by this route today. You're not ten-year-old boys, you know what to do. My only request is to keep Miss Elizabeth here safe while you do what you do best. The ship will be here in a few hours, as it was said to me. Prepare yourselves, because tonight we're heading to Tortuga to celebrate our success. I don't want failure disturbing my plans."
"Bossy, isn't she?" Elizabeth asked one of the men, after Anne's speech.
"One more reason to do the mutiny, eh?"
She looked to the other side of the ship and saw Jack standing there, talking to Anne. She felt jealous, as usual, but there was something else. She realized that she shouldn't be mad at him. He did what he did because he was worried about her, she should be thankful. He was right. She was expecting more from him. She wanted him to be the leader of the mutiny or something noble. But he was a pirate, and nothing could ever change that. She didn't want anything to change that, because that was one of the reasons why she liked him so much. He was a pirate. And a good man. He could be both, and he was. He did something not so good to the crew just to guarantee her safety. If that wasn't an example of a good man's action, she didn't know what was.
"Miss Elizabeth." Anne came towards her, holding a bottle of rum. "I hope you're ok with my cabin."
"Why do you ask?"
"That's where you're staying during the pillage. We don't want you getting shot or anything, do we?"
"I thought I could help."
"Well, you can't. You'd better go because the ship can be here in any minute now."
"You said in a few hours."
"It could come early."
Elizabeth walked in Anne's cabin direction. She was hoping to help on the pillage; after all, Will had taught her how to fight with a sword. Will. She hadn't thought about him for quite some time. Ever since she was dropped on that island with Jack, all she could think about was going home, and later, a few other things kept her mind occupied.
Anne's cabin was really well decorated. There was a bed on the right side of the room, covered with golden sheets, and beside the bed there was a little table with a flower-pot on it. It was a really girly room, in a way. On the other side of the cabin, there were two blue armchairs and a bookcase. Right in front of the door there was her desk, covered with maps and candles. Elizabeth took a book from the shelf and read the title; "Gulliver's Travels". Oh, so she was a fan of Jonathan Swift, that was new. And then she kept looking through the other books. More Jonathan Swift, Charles Dickens, Voltaire, Diana Gabaldon. Anne was not any pirate. She was not like a pirate at all, Elizabeth realized.
"Do you want to borrow one?" Anne said, standing by the door, with that constant sarcastic smile on her face.
"No, I was just curious. I didn't expect a bookshelf in a pirate's cabin."
"I bet you didn't." She took the book from Elizabeth's hands and placed it on the shelf. "Why are you looking at me like this?"
"How did you become this?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"You read Charles Dickens. Most of the men here don't even know who he is. Most of them can't even read. And you're here, with a bookshelf filled with great books."
"You're no maid, are you?"
"Why would you say I'm a maid?"
"That's what Jack said. He said you were a maid at the Governor's house that was kidnapped by the pirates, ended up aboard the Pearl, and, unfortunately, was left on the island with him."
Elizabeth was surprised. "No, that's true. I am a maid at the Governor's house. My mom had been working for the Governor's family for a long time, so he decided to educate me."
"That's so kind of him."
"And what about you?"
"What about me?"
"What's your story?"
"I don't think I should share my life with you, Miss Elizabeth. We're not friends." Anne sat on one of the armchairs. "But, as I think you'll be leaving in a few weeks, I can tell you a few things."
Elizabeth sat on the other armchair as Anne started to talk.
"My dad owned a library, a very good one, at the city we lived. My mom would work at a bar, cooking for the men who'd come from very long trips on their ships. That's how I got to know piracy and all that comes with it. I'd hear stories about them, all sorts of stories. One day, I was about twelve, I saw my mom talking to a very tall man called John. I never knew his last name. A few weeks later my mom ran away with him. My dad and I never knew why, she just did. Hopeless because of my mom's departure, my dad started to drink and gamble until late. And one day, he was out of coin, so he bet me on a game, and lost. I had to leave with a man and I ended up aboard the Sea King. The rest you already know."
Elizabeth was astonished by her story. Even though she didn't like her very much, Anne's story was rather sad. She could have been completely different from what she was on that moment, and all because her mother fell for some pirate. Some of that seemed familiar.
"That's how you know the books, then."
"Thanks to my father."
They were about to start talking about them when a man screamed outside.
"SHIP AT SIGHT!"
Anne stood up and opened the cabin's door. "I have to go, Miss Elizabeth. Don't leave this cabin."
Right after Anne left, Jack opened the door abruptly. He ran in Elizabeth's direction and kissed her. A kiss different from all the other they'd had. It was ardent, developer.
"What's this about?" Elizabeth asked, after some time.
"You heard the man. The ship's on the way."
"I know."
"I had to kiss you."
"Jack, I'm sorry."
"Oh, don't get started." Jack said with a smirk on his face, and kissed her again. He was leading her to Anne's bed.
"I don't think we should-"
He smiled at her, taking her dress off. "You don't get to set the rules this time."
"You wait here." Jack said, buttoning his shirt.
"What if it's Norrington's ship?"
"I'll come here and take you to him. But if I don't come, don't leave."
"I won't." Jack was looking at her. "What?"
"I know you, Miss Swann, and one thing you do best is not following orders."
"That's not true."
Jack kissed her and then left, closing the doors behind him. Elizabeth sat on the bed, trying to hear what was happening outside those doors. For a while, she heard nothing. The ship was probably still approaching. And suddenly she heard a cannon-shot. The men started to yell at the marines, and a lot of shooting started. She heard a bump above her head. Someone probably fell near the helm. She had to see what was going on. There would be no harm in opening the doors a little bit and checking what was happening.
She walked in the door's direction and opened them a little bit, and she immediately regretted doing it. There were plenty of dead marines on the deck, and there were blood pools near their bodies. She tried to find Jack, but he wasn't on her sight. Anne was. She really was good with the sword, very graceful, actually. And then, Jack's sword fell right in front of her. So he was the one who fell near the helm. He was probably really injured. She suddenly felt her heart speeding up. What happened to him? Why did he drop his sword? She opened the door and ran to the helm, hoping it was not too late to do something.
When she climbed up the stairs, she saw him. He was lying on the floor, his chest was covered in blood, and his hand, also covered in blood, was pressing his shoulder. There was pain in his eyes.
"Jack!" She cried, running towards him. "Oh my God, Jack!"
She sat beside him and placed his head on her lap.
"Elizabeth." He whispered. "I told you not to leave the cabin."
"You've been shot, and you worry about me?! What are we going to do?"
"I was going to tell you. This is Norrington's ship. I saw him, but I don't think he saw me. I was going to the cabin when I…"
"Fell down because you lost too much blood! You think you're made of rock?! You're not!"
"ELIZABETH!" She heard Norrington's voice. "IS THAT YOU?"
She looked to the other ship and saw Norrington waving his hat on the air.
"James! James! It's me!"
"You seem happy to see him, love." Jack said. "Should I be jealous?"
"Don't be silly. There's no time for that. Wait a minute here. I'll try to talk to him."
"I can't really move, anyway."
"James! James!"
She saw him talking to one of his men, and after a few moments, a bridge was placed between the two ships.
"Elizabeth, come!" Norrington said.
"I can't!" And pointed at Jack. "He's injured!"
Norrington seemed to understand, and rolled his eyes when he did. He spoke to three men and they came on her direction. She looked around to check if any Anne's crewmen were coming to stop them.
"Please take him. Be careful."
The men took Jack by the arms and legs and dragged him to the other ship. Elizabeth was about to leave when she heard Anne's voice yelling at her.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
"Anne, you don't understand!"
"I understand really well, 'Miss Elizabeth'." She saw Jack aboard the HMS Endeavour. "Why is he there?"
"There's a lot you don't know-" And on this moment, Anne was shot. Elizabeth looked at Norrington's direction and saw one of his men holding the gun. Anne fell on her knees and then died. On her feet. She didn't know what to do, and was in some kind of trance when she felt Norrington's hand on her shoulder.
"Let's go, Elizabeth."
She took a last glimpse of Anne and her ship and walked the plank. This time for a better destiny than the last time she did it.
"Where's Jack?" She asked immediately.
"He's in my cabin." Norrington said. "Can you tell me what is going on here?"
"We'll have time for this later."
She ran to Norrington's room and found Jack on the bed, with his eyes closed. Her heart stopped.
"Don't you dare dying on me, Mr. Sparrow." She said, sitting on a chair right beside his bed.
"I wouldn't." Jack replied in a very weak voice.
"How bad is your wound?"
"Not bad enough to kill me, I'd say. I'm a rock."
"Yes, you are. You are a rock, Jack." Tears started to stream down her face.
"Are you crying, love?"
"No, I'm just…"
"Don't worry about me, Lizzie. I'll be fine."
"I should be the one telling you that."
"You're such a girl."
"I don't want to lose you, Jack. I can't."
She held his hand and rested her head near his. They remained in silence, listening to the men outside and the sound of the guns being shot. After what it seemed to be an eternity, it stopped.
"You should see what's going on there, love."
"Are you sure?"
"I won't die if you leave me for a couple of minutes."
Elizabeth stood up and went outside. She found Norrington standing near the doors without his hat.
"What happened?" She asked.
"The pirates left. Their captain died, apparently."
"She did."
"She?"
"Yes, she. Anne Bonney was her name."
"Were you friends?"
"No, of course not."
"Elizabeth, what happened?"
"Can we talk about it later?"
Norrington looked at her, worried. "Alright."
"Please take us to the nearest city as possible. Jack needs a doctor."
"Now you're worried about Sparrow?"
"James, please."
"I'll see what I can do about it."
James climbed up the stairs to talk to the crew about the change of plans, and Elizabeth entered the room.
"So?" Jack said. He was pale, and looked even weaker.
"They're gone. Anne's death changed things."
"Anne's dead?"
"Yes. One of Norrington's men shot her."
"Poor lass."
"I know. Do you know about her story?"
"I do. Her father and mother were not the best people."
"Let's hope she's in a better place now."
"She might be."
"I spoke to James. He'll take us to the nearest city and you'll be able to see a doctor."
"That's good news."
She sat on the bed and looked into Jack's eyes.
"Thank you for being so loving to me." He said.
"You need love. There's a lack of it in your life."
She started to caress his face, and kissed his forehead.
"It's going to be alright, Jack."
Jack held her hand and kissed it.
"Off we go then, Ms. Sparrow." He said, with a smile.