Disclaimer: I don't own any of Disney's valuable ideas or characters.
A/N: A big thank you to the reviewers of Chapter 26: SparrowsVixon, Evil Duckie of the BlackLagoon, brunette-lady23, Padme4000, Jeni Star, felicitousmomento, ChirikoFan, Deathly Nightshade, Vixter, luvlylena, Anastasia walker (hey!), Vanilla Sunset in the Sky, CaptainDuckula, orlyluv, BrendaC, Kait, sparrow's strumpet, Princess-Maiden, Jack Sparrow's Pirate Chick, Pirate Gyrl, CharlieBlackNails, and MorgauseNokami. I appreciate all the familiar faces and to the new reviewers, welcome! All of you rock! Thanks for the feedback…it tickles my tummy.
Enjoy Chapter 27, everyone!
-PineAppleLint
Jack grumbled to himself as he crossed the room, unlocked the door, and continued to open it…
The door was immediately kicked open, knocking him to the ground with excruciating force. Jack's head connected with the wooden floor, leaving him dazed as he watched two strange, unclean men enter with a terrified Anastasia in tow.
"If anyone tries anythin' funny, they're gettin' their head blown off," the taller one growled, pointing his pistol at Sparrow.
Sparrow raised his arms, signaling his obedience. "To who do we owe the pleasure of such an unexpected visit, gentlemen?" Jack asked, trying to ease the intensity of the situation with his usual charms.
Jack not wearing any pants only made matters more unusual.
Ana focused her gaze to the floor, her bottom lip trembling from nervousness.
"The name's Scott, and this here's my accomplice Frederick." Scott glanced to Frederick, who bowed mockingly. He then made sure everyone was aware of the pistol held under Ana's jaw by harshly pushing it into her flesh.
Ana let out a strangled gasp for air.
June placed her hands on her hips and said in disappointment, "Really, gents. This is no way to treat friends."
Scott and Frederick diverted their full attention to June--hair mussed, lips swollen, her lithe form drowned in a huge white shirt with frilly cuffs. The two strangers stared at her naked legs as June sighed.
"June, don't do anythin' stupid," Jack hissed.
Scott kept his pistol pointed in Jack's direction, but grinned at June. "Will you be makin' the deal with us tonight, darlin'?"
"Depends," June said, looking extremely bored, "What's the deal?"
"Everyone in this room gets to live if you hand on over the map," Frederick said, "Including blondie here."
"That's MY map," June pouted.
"June!" Jack growled, "Be reasonable. I'd rather not die."
"Alright. Fine," June rolled her eyes, "It's in me coat. The one on the floor over there." She pointed to the balled-up heap next to the bed.
Frederick dragged Anastasia over to the coat and ordered her to rifle around the pockets. Hands shaking, she grabbed the map from the back pocket and handed it to him.
Examining it, Frederick smiled. "Got it, Scott." He pushed Ana in June's direction.
June threw an arm around the emotionally-wrecked woman and asked, "Is that all?"
"Perhaps." Scott stepped up to June, sizing her up. "Maybe we want some company tonight. You and your friend should come wit' us to celebrate our victory."
Ana stared at June in horror as Jack cursed wildly in his corner.
"Well, I don't think we can arrange that, mate," June replied.
"And why the fuck not?" Scott questioned angrily, "You're held at gunpoint!"
"You boys smell. Real. Bad. Really. Come on, don't you bathe? Or use a bit of lavender to pretty up your oily armpits?"
Both men suddenly ganged up on June, crowding her. Anastasia felt June calmly nudge her away from the attention, gently pushing her to the other side of the bed.
June stepped over to the left and the men followed her.
"Wrong thing to say, bitch," Scott said with a hacking laugh, "I said everyone gets to live, but I didn't say we wouldn't fuck your pretty brains out. So we'll bend you over whether you like it or not."
Anastasia finally realized why June was retaliating under the dire circumstances. She caught sight of Will peering through the doorway, holding up a pistol. June was trying to get the men within Will's range.
As Will stepped into the room, the floorboards creaked.
Everything suddenly happened at once.
Both men turned around and found Will aiming at them. A shot was fired and Frederick went down, bleeding from his head. Ana screamed as she was covered in a spray of his blood.
June tried to get away from the second man, Scott, but he grabbed a hold of her wrist.
She felt the pain in her abdomen before she even saw what had happened.
A second shot rang out and Scott hit the floor as well. Both intruders were dead.
As celebratory cheers rang out in the room, June could only stare down at her torso in disbelief.
"What a great shot!" Jack cried, clapping Will on the back, "That was a manly display just now, Turner!"
"You got here just in time, Will," Anastasia said breathlessly, "Thank you so much…"
"Uhhh…Ana…"
All three glanced up at a pale June and immediately noticed the blood blooming on her shirt, right over her stomach.
"Fuck," June finished, and sank to the floor.
"Dear God," Will whispered and rushed to her side. Ana followed, horrified.
Jack stood there in shock.
"No no no no…this can't happen," Ana chanted, ripping open June's shirt. Buttons flew off and pitter-pattered onto the ground. And there it was…the nasty stab wound.
Will gathered some sheets and began ripping them. "We have to stop the bleeding."
Tears fell down Ana's cheeks as she watched the rivulets of blood cascade down June's hips and onto the floor. "June…"
"I've been stabbed," June replied dizzily, sitting in a frozen position.
"I know, June. We're helping. We'll get you help," Ana reassured her, holding her hand.
"I'm naked," June said, staring down at herself.
Jack looked up from hurriedly pulling on the rest of his clothing. "Hasn't been the first time I've seen it," Jack said cheerily, trying to lighten the mood. His grin didn't reach his eyes.
"Stop bein' a sick fuck. I've been stabbed," June complained in a moan.
"Jack, stop upsetting her," Ana added, glaring at him. Turning back to June, she said, "Don't talk. Just lie still."
Will emerged with strips of sheet and began carefully arranging them around her torso. Every time one pressed against the wound, June would curse up a storm.
Jack finally walked over to them and crouched over June, placing a chaste kiss to June's clammy forehead.
"You've got blood on you," June said sleepily, pointing to Ana, "I feel odd."
That's because you're dying, Jack thought, panic rising in his throat. She couldn't. Not because of those two bastards. Their quest wasn't even halfway over. And perhaps...I feel…no. No, I don't. Crazy talk.
"We've got to get her some pants or something," Jack muttered.
"You like it and you know it," June replied with a little half-smile. Her eyes looked glazed. Unseeing.
"We've got to get her on the bed," Will ordered. Anastasia nodded in terrified agreement.
"I'll get the top half, you grab her legs," Jack replied sternly, "Keep her as straight as possible."
As soon as the men heaved her up, June whimpered in pain.
"It feels like someone keeps scraping my flesh off, over and over," she whispered as they laid her out on the mattress. Anastasia grabbed the discarded breeches and began moving them up June's legs.
"I'm goin' to die, right?" June asked, breaking out in a sweat. Her bandages were soaking through.
"We have to find a doctor," Anastasia said calmly as she buttoned the last button of June's breeches, "At once."
"That would waste too much time," Will whispered. "We have to stay here and do whatever we can. She wouldn't last long if we left her."
Jack shoved Will against the wall and whispered furiously, "Don't you talk like that, damn you. I'll stay wit' her. You both go. NOW. And hurry."
Anastasia and Will nodded before rushing out the door.
Jack began tearing up more of the bed sheets, trying to keep busy, trying not to think. June suddenly reached out a hand towards him. He hesitantly took it, lacing his fingers within hers.
"Sit," she demanded.
He did so, the slight rocking of the mattress causing her to wince.
"Jack," she said gently, "I want to finish lookin' for the map."
"Don't talk about that now," he replied, his voice distant.
"Why are you so scared?" she questioned softly.
"I'm not."
"You won't even look at me."
"I am." He turned his head and made eye contact with her. Fearless June. She looked so different now, face pale and sweaty. Like she was shrinking away. Like her life was shrinking away.
"I'll fight until the very end, you know that," June said with a pained smile.
"June. Stop." Jack shook his head.
"Are you in love with me, Jack?"
Jack turned his head away from her again.
"It's quite alright if you don't. I just decided that I have to check every so often from now on," she continued. "In case I get stabbed or something like that. I'd like to know."
"June…" Jack began, "I'm very fond of you…"
"It's alright. I know how you are," June said with a grin. "It will just take some hard work on my part to get you to change your mind."
"Your accent's just about gone," Jack stated in realization. It was peculiar to hear June out of her element.
"Right now, I don't have the strength to keep up the façade, Captain."
"I don't believe for one moment that it's a façade. I can't imagine you all prettied up at tea parties, luv," Jack grinned. "I can see you adding hard liquor to that tea and dancin' on the tables in your skivvies."
"Well then, you can join me next time I visit my father's estate," June replied, fisting her one hand in the remaining sheets. The other was grasped tightly in Jack's.
"Does it hurt, luv?"
"Yes. But I've had better."
"Do tell, dearie," he pressed, rubbing his thumb over her clammy palm.
"It took place during a game involving a lover, some rope and the helm," she said delightedly.
Laughing, he leaned over and covered her lips with his. It was a soft kiss, no pressure. It tasted like sweet copper. When he pulled back, he realized a bit of blood was trickling from her mouth.
"I hope they hurry," she whispered.
A half hour later, June was struggling to stay conscious. Jack kept her from talking as he shared small stories from his past. Every once in a while, he'd raise a glass of water to her lips and arrange more bandages around her waist.
The door slammed open, and an exhausted Ana ran in.
"Did you find a doctor?" Jack asked hopefully.
"One better," Will answered, filing in behind Ana. "We found the British Royal Navy."
Soldiers stormed the room as Jack watched on in disbelief. Could this get any worse?
The soldiers parted and in walked an old acquaintance. One that Jack never thought he'd see again.
"Bugger," Jack breathed in irritation.
"Captain Sparrow," Norrington nodded, tugging on his navy blue frock coat. His feathery tricorne hat bobbed with the jerk of his head.
"Commodore," Jack squeezed through clenched teeth, "I'd be lying if I said it was a pleasure to see you again."
Norrington smirked, accompanying the gesture with a masculine snort. "I believe you have a wounded woman in your possession. Would you rather she die or should I go ahead and examine her?"
Jack chose to ignore that pompous arrogance he loathed so much and stepped aside.
June lifted her head a little and stared on in confusion. "James?" she murmured. "James, is that you?"
She fainted.
Lots of action! I hope it wasn't too confusing. Please review!
