Her eyes widened as a the man aimed the musket at her. Right at her, no way he could miss. Everything seemed to stop as he pulled the trigger and...
Boom!
She was knocked off balance, pushed to the floor, crushing weight pressing her down. Elizabeth knew that she hadn't been shot, somehow, but she could feel hot blood on her skin.
Someone above her groaned and the weight subsided, she was able to turn and see her guardian.
"Bar...Barbossa?" She stammered.
He looked up from checking something underneath his coat. "Aye.
"Are, are you alright?" she asked, unsure.
"Just a flesh wound," he grumbled, pulling away from her hand. "Leave it be."
She slapped his hand away and pulled his coat open. His shirt was stained red from the pulsing wound in his chest.
For a second time stopped as they both stared, him in grim defiance, Elizabeth in shock.
"We need.. bandages. Compress, something..." Pushing him down with one hand, she pressed down on the wound, determined to stop the bleeding, shouting, screaming for help.
He gripped her hand in a grip still strong. "Don't lass." She looked down at him. He smiled at her, roguish. "Don't forget to guard yer left side, you still forget."
She opened her mouth, but a cry of "All clear!" distracted her. She looked up for a moment, she wouldn't noticed any difference if the grip on her hand hadn't suddenly slackened or the blood flow slowed then ceased.
Looking down, not even wanting to accept it, believe it, she screamed silently, tears coursing down her face as her crew danced in victory, unaware of the loss they had sustained.
-fin-