Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to Pirates of the Caribbean. Well, except a Jack Sparrow poster, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: Hello! I'm back from vacation, and here with another chapter. Thanks so much for waiting; it should be worth it. Also, thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!

Chapter 14: Planning and Suspicions:

Waking up with a hangover is no picnic for any man. However, waking up with not only the hangover, but also a particular problem, is even worse.

Such was Jack's situation this morning. The day was clear, without potential of rain, and he was in a good French port. It should have implied a good day for him, but it didn't –not after what had happened the night before.

Groaning, he buried his face in a pillow and cursed. He'd been carefully 'testing the waters' when it came to Evie, and just when he'd thought he was beginning to make progress in his attempts to win her over, he'd ruined the whole thing.

'That has to be a new record for me,' Jack griped to himself.

But he hadn't been able to help himself, not when it came to an attentive wench after he'd been at sea for months. Granted, he had been probing the idea of winning Evie, and even had a strong suspicion that she might even like being wooed by him, but things hadn't gotten very far between them, and a man has needs, after all.

'But I did alright while we were in the Caribbean,' he tried to reason.

Aye, but they had made port more frequently, and though he had told Evie the truth about not bedding any women, he'd spent a few hours in their company, just to ease his 'itch.'

'Of course, she hadn't known about that, at least until last night.'

Jack winced, first at that thought, then at the pain in his head. "First, I deal with this hangover," he growled. "Then I plan on winning Evie."

If she would let him, that is.

I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised that Jack would seek out female company after being at sea for so long. After all, given who he was and his reputation with women, it aught to have been obvious.

However, part of me was disappointed. That was the part which had made my heart beat faster during our sword lessons, and the part that hoped that Jack was "interested" in me, even in the tiniest way. It had also caused a few fleeting thoughts of romance to form in the back of my head, which I hadn't experienced in quite some time.

But that small bit was beginning to wither and lose hope. This was Captain Jack Sparrow, after all, and I was a fool to think that he might feel that sort of thing for me. He wasn't the type to fall in love –he enjoyed his freedom, his rum, and his women far too much to settle for marriage to one single woman, even if that was what he said he wanted.

Sighing, I went to see if Anna was available for a game of cards. I badly needed a distraction, and perhaps she'd be able to provide it.

His head was finally clear, thanks to one of Rosa's potions (which he always kept bottles of in his cabin). Sitting down at his desk, Jack pulled out a quill and bit of paper. The inside of his head was spinning with ideas, and he had to scribble them all down quickly, before he forgot them.

Europe was full of marvelous destinations. There was a great deal to see and do here, and Jack hoped that perhaps a few of them would exude enough of their 'romantic charm' to help him win over the feisty young lady who slept in the cabin next door to his.

Under his quill, a list of places, foods, and trinkets formed on the paper. Jack knew how to gain the attentions of a woman, but Evie wasn't a wench he intended to woo for one night and leave the next morning. No, she was far more precious than that, and though she wasn't a "lady" like noblewomen were, she was still a decent, strong woman, one who was a good step above the women he usually associated with.

'It's so hard to find those in the world these days.'

Once his list was finished, Jack looked it over and shook his head. There were so many things that it would take a lifetime to see them all. He would have to whittle it down to something more manageable.

Down the list he went, scratching out places that were too dangerous to take even his best crewmen, much less a ship with women onboard. England was out of the question; he was very much a wanted man in that realm, and there were many men in the Royal Navy who would love to get the reward for his head. The Mediterranean was the safest place in Europe for pirates right now, so here was where they would stay.

Sitting back in his chair, Jack stared at the sheet of parchment and frowned. France could be a beautiful place, but right now, he had the feeling that it might hold bad memories for Evie, so he would have to choose a different country altogether if he wanted to get things set on the right path.

He smiled. 'I know just the place.'

We left the little French port after two days, and I couldn't have felt happier about it. I had done a great deal of thinking, and come to the conclusion that I'd been imagining things when it came to Jack "showing interest" in me. I was too inexperienced in the area of "being wooed" to recognize gestures of mere kindness, and had mistaken it for something…more. Silly me.

Thank goodness for Anna-Maria. She had seen that I was upset about something, and attributed it to my monthlies, so she'd gone out of her way to try and cheer me up. We had walked through town, eaten a great deal of French food, shopped a little, and I managed to learn a little bit of French –well, just enough to bargain in the marketplace, but it was still more than I'd known before.

Not long after we left the little French port behind, rumors began swirling around about how we were going to visit various places in Italy.

The moment I heard that, all of the unpleasantness in France flew from my mind. Instead, a hundred happy possibilities replaced it. Images of art, music, rich food, and glorious history beckoned to me, and I immediately began to grow excited.

When one really thought about it, the Caribbean was relatively "new" when compared to Europe –there was so much more history and art in the Old World, and I was thrilled at the opportunity of being able to see some of it.

"Italy," I breathed dreamily.

Rome and Venice were the top of my list to visit, as were Genoa and Naples. Merchants who had paused in Port Thomas sometimes brought Italian goods with them, and though few were able to afford the expensive items, the merchants still displayed the laces, jewelry, and artwork that they carried. Best of all were the tales of the different cities, and the beauty they possessed.

Unable to bear the excitement, I timidly approached Jack, who stood at the helm, carefully guiding the Pearl towards its destination. "May I ask where we'll be heading to first, Captain?" I asked, keeping my voice respectful.

He grinned. "I was thinking of visiting whichever port showed up first, but if you have a request, luv, feel free to chime in."

Oh, dear, he shouldn't have asked me to do that. There were so many European cities to see, some of them I was sure were nowhere near the ocean, and now I had to randomly throw out a place I would like to visit? That was not fair.

I chewed my lower lip in thought. "Venice?" I timidly suggested.

To my relief, Jack seemed to agree with my choice. "Excellent idea, Evie. Venetian goods are always in demand, and if I can trade or bargain my way into a few pieces, then I'll be sure to get a good price for them in the Caribbean. Well done."

Blushing, I turned and headed down to the deck to join Anna, who needed help with the ropes.

Well, that was unexpected. Jack had planned a quick trip to one of the islands hovering off the Italian peninsula, but since Evie suggested Venice, that was where they would go.

And he hadn't been lying when he'd complimented her choice –Venice was a prime place to trade some of the goods he'd raided, and to acquire a few precious Italian objects that he could sell in the Caribbean for a sizable profit. It was an opportunity he could not pass by.

'It will also give me the chance to obtain pretty trinkets for a particular venture of mine.'

Jack couldn't hold back a grin. Honestly, Evie couldn't possibly be more helpful when it came to him and his efforts towards her. She had pointed him in a direction that would not only make him a tidy profit, but also towards a romantic, beautiful city that would certainly assist him in his wooing endeavors.

'And there are a few friends of mine I'd like to visit,' he thought with a savage grin. 'It doesn't hurt that they owe me a few favors, too.'

They wouldn't like him calling on those debts, but as the saying went: all's fair in love and war…

Something was going on –Anna could feel it.

There was the undercurrent of something in the air, and she had a feeling that it had to do with Jack and Evie, both of whom she respected, but in different ways.

As her Captain, Anna had a certain respect for Jack, even if he was a liar, a cheat, and sometimes an idiot. However, he was a good man, and a good Captain –he always cared for his crew, for his ship, and made sure that every bit of swag was shared out equally, even to her, the only female crewmember.

As for Evie, she was the first real female friend that Anna had made since childhood –which had been hard, and friends few and far between. Evie was sweet, but strong and determined, which made her a great woman, at least in Anna's eyes. The young matchmaker was also hard-working, friendly, kind, and open to being friends with everyone, a rare trait to be found indeed.

But the difference in the air worried the second mate of the Black Pearl. Anna suspected that it had more to do on Jack's side of the matter rather than Evie's –she was willing to bet a great deal on that.

Jack's sudden change in demeanor was subtle, at least to most folks, but not to Anna-Maria –she knew the man's manners and ways, and she could see a great deal that others couldn't. And what she saw, she didn't like.

Jack Sparrow's escapades with women were well-known throughout the pirate world. Women knew him instantly because of his unique appearance, as well as from his "Wanted" posters, and many of them flocked to him in droves, which was exactly the way he liked it. The fact that he now wanted to marry was completely against his character –but then, it had happened to his father, Captain Teague, who had always thought he'd die a bachelor. And there was the slight chance that Jack felt the need to have a wife and heir to his ship, which was probably why the young matchmaker was onboard.

However, Anna knew that the sword lessons had to have some kind of hidden agenda behind it. Although it had also been a good idea for helping Evie defend herself, Anna had observed them from a distance, and there was no mistaking the way he had begun looking at Anna's friend. She immediately knew that it had been an act on Jack's part, and she did not like the idea of Jack toying with Evie's affections. He was a sly fellow, and she didn't doubt that he was using the lessons as a way to try and find a way into Evie's bed.

Anna-Maria would not let such a thing happen to her dear friend. Evie's heart and feelings were not to be toyed with, and she would see that no harm came to her.

And to do that, she was going to go have a word with her Captain.

"I won't have it, Jack," she hissed, crossing her arms as she glared at him. "You know I won't bloody well let it happen."

Biting back a groan and a sigh, Jack leaned against the table and looked at his crewmember. She had practically ordered him down from the helm, citing some sort of need to talk. Since Anna was a fine second mate, Jack had decided to oblige her, and left the helm in Gibbs's care as he retreated to his cabin, Anna leading the way.

Once he was within the confines of the room, Anna had shut the door and glared at him as he took a relaxed position by his large table. This was the situation he'd found himself in, and he wasn't sure as to what this was about, but he had a good idea. Still, it was best to be sure before proceeding.

Tilting his head to the side, Jack pasted on an indulgent smile. "And what won't you allow, Anna-Maria?" he asked, feeling somewhat amused at the whole thing.

She huffed. "I won't have you treating Evie like some kind of play thing," she retorted. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Jack, but Evie is my friend, and I won't have you winning and breaking her heart. If you do, you'll regret it."

He glared at her –if there was one thing Jack Sparrow didn't like, it was a threat. This one was particularly dangerous as it was coming from his second mate, a woman who was not only strong, but also skilled with weaponry and with a great amount of respect amongst the crew.

"Anna," Jack drawled, keeping his tone calm and controlled, "You know I dislike my crew saying such things, either behind my back or in front of my face."

Standing straight, he approached her, walking slowly and purposely to face her. "Now, in regards to Evie, I'll tell you that my intentions towards her are certainly honorable. However, right now I'm 'testing the waters with her,' as it were, to see if she's the sort of woman for me and to examine my own feelings towards her. Anything further than that is an uncertainty."

She, of course, didn't believe him. "You rarely do anything you're unsure of, Sparrow. You know that Evie is a good, honest girl, and your playing with her is not going to be tolerated, either by me nor by the other girls on the ship. And there are bound to be a few men who wouldn't like anyone leading the poor girl around, much less their Captain!"

Anna was right about that, but Jack wouldn't admit it aloud. Instead, he said, "I'm well aware of that, Anna-Maria. I also happen to know what I'm doing, and I will be sure to handle the situation as delicately as possible so as to avoid an unfortunate outcome. Now, I believe there's some work for you to do on deck?"

Much to his relief, she took the hint and stalked out, muttering curses under her breath. Left alone at last, Jack allowed himself a sigh. "Well, that was unexpected," he murmured.

Having Anna thrown into the matter was not part of his plans, but there it was. He now had to be sure that she didn't completely destroy everything he was putting into place, and that could be tricky.

"Or I could get her to help me with winning Evie," he muttered.

No, she might just try to ruin it all anyway. Jack immediately decided to do this on his own, and if he needed Anna's help, he would ask her. For now, it was all in his very capable hands.

And that was exactly how he liked it.

AN: A shorter chapter this time around, but next time it'll be longer. Thanks so much for reading, and please review!