CHAPTER 6 - Lies And Love

"That’s all I need..." he said quietly, and you breathed a sigh of relief. He leaned down and captured your lips with his, drawing your soul to the base of your throat. After a few moments, Will cleared his throat. You and Jack broke apart slowly, resting your forehead against his and staring into his eyes lovingly.

"Perhaps you'd like to get a room..." Will suggested amusedly. Jacks eyes never left yours as he replied.

"Perhaps ye'd like t' leave, Turner." Will chuckled.

"Of course, Captain." He left, closing the door behind him. Jack whispered your name, and small electric shivers ran through your body. He grabbed your hand and brought it to his lips slowly. Jack looked into your eyes, before taking your hand from his lips and slowly pulling you towards the Captains Quarters. You followed, heart racing. He closed the door quietly, and turned to you. You blurted out what you had to say quickly before you lost your nerve.

"I lied." Jack blinked, and you sat down on the bed with a sigh. He sat down next to you, and wrapped an arm around your middle.

"I lied. What I said earlier....I didn’t mean it. I do...I do love you. " You said it all in one big rush, wincing. You looked at your hands, not having the courage to look up at Jack.

"I lied too." he whispered. Now you did look up at him, searching his eyes too see if this was the truth. He didn’t flinch as he looked back.

"I'm completely in love with you." Your insides completely melted, your hand involuntarily flew to the base of your neck, and your breath caught in your throat. Jack leaned over and gently captured your lips. He kissed you tenderly, before pulling back and curling your hair in his fingers.

"God help me, I am so in love with ye...." he pulled you swiftly into his arms, kissing your head. You wove your fingers through his, and sighed. After a few moments, Jack spoke up.

"Yer going t' be the death o' me, ye know?" you laughed, and kissed him deeply. You lay back in his arms, closing your eyes. You were in the arms of the man you loved, the man who made everything in the world disappear. You were in bliss.

* * * *

You woke up facing Jack, with your arm around his waist and his around your hip. You thought about the current situation, and to tell the truth, were a little uncomfortable about it. You crawled out of Jacks arms and silently slipped on your boots. You headed out to the helm to relieve Will of his duties. It was just after sunset, since you and Jack had spent the afternoon sleeping while Will took his shift. Now it was your turn.

You approached Will at the wheel, and waved a good morning. He grinned and looked at you expectantly.

"........."

You held back a smile at the silence. Will was absolutely bursting to ask you what went on, and you knew it.

"Oh for goodness sakes, woman! Just tell me!" you chuckled, and winked at him. He snapped his fingers and grinned.

"I knew it! Ha! I knew he'd tell you. Super. Most excellent."

"Wait, you knew?" He waved his hand about impatiently.

"Of course, of course. Well I'm glad it's out now. I shall alert the crew immediately!"

"NO!" you stopped him, and he frowned.

"No?" You searched for words.

"Uh....jest not yet....I....me an' Jack haven't' really...haven't talked about... jest, uh, not yet. Ok?" Will nodded and disappeared below deck. You turned to the ocean and thought about the situation you were in. Not an undesirable one, for sure, but a sticky one nonetheless. You were so lost that you had all the pixie dust scared outta you when Jack suddenly spoke up beside you.

"So, um, good morning, Captain." You winced inwardly at the formal address, and didn’t look over at him. It was.... awkward.

"Good morning, Captain. Sleep well?"

"Aye."

"Good." A long minute of tension of awkwardness followed, and you felt as if he could hear you swallow forcefully.

"So, uh....."

"Well, I....." you both spoke at the same time, then fell silent.

"Go ahead." Jack muttered. You sighed.

"So, uh, this is, um odd. What are we supposed to do, now that we're, like, ye know...." you blushed and stammered over your words.

"I dunno. Le's jest do things normally, aye?"

"Aye." Another moment of tense silence ensued, and Jack stepped over to you. He kissed your cheek swiftly, and waltzed off to take care of the rigging. You sighed. This was gonna be one hell of a long night if this kept up.....

* * * *

The entire shift had been like that, and now the rest of the crew had risen and could sense the tension. You and Jack were still cautiously addressing each other with nods, or formal "Captain's" and such. It was insanely frustrating. Jack was at the helm when you made your mondo (ok, I had to put that word in once. Come on, it's a neat word) brave move. You strode straight up to him and kissed him deeply, winding your arms around him. You ignored the whistles of the crew and pressed him up against the wheel. Breaking away, you grabbed the rope and hook it on the wheel, took his hand in yours, and towed him away.

"I love this man more than anything here, and if any of ye dare interrupt, ye'll all be castrated. Aye?" you hollered out to the staring crew.

The crew looked at you in horror; many reached to their crotches and winced. You grinned as Jack looked back at them and cocked an eyebrow before swaying along after you into the Captain's Quarters. Jack closed the door after him then headed straight towards you. You locked your arms around his neck and completely lost yourself in his kiss.

"God that was hell..." you murmured in his hair as he kissed your neck.

"What was, pet?"

"THAT. All that...formality."

"Ah, yes. Rather uncomfortable." You gave up on words and let yourself sink onto the bed with Jack still attached to you. You were trying to think about something, but Jacks ministrations behind your ear were quite distracting.

"Mmm, Jack?" you mumbled, tangling your fingers in his hair.

"Yes, love?"

"I'm not drunk, am I?" He stopped kissing you to examine you strangely.

"Noooooo......" You bit your lip nervously.

"And yer not drunk, are ye?"

"Not much."

"So, my state of mind and ability to make conscious decisions wouldn't be questioned, right?"

"Love, what are ye getting at......?"

"Jack, do you remember the other night? Remember what ye said? Do ye think that answer would be......different.....now?" He looked at you incredulously, and you bit your lip harder. You were almost drawing blood.

"Are ye sure?" he asked gently, pushing your hair off of your face. You nodded and placed your hand on his.

"It hurts, love. I don't want t' hurt you, but it will hurt." You frowned. Hurt? Not that you were afraid of pain, but this was news to you. Jack lowered his voice to a gentle whisper.

"And ye may bleed. I'd do me best t' be gentle, but what with ye being virgin an' all....I don't know. I just don't want t' hurt ye." You nodded, but this information didn't change your mind.

"I'm sure, Jack. I trust ye." He kissed your temple and hugged you.

"I love ye....."

* * * *

You lay peacefully with your head resting on Jack's chest, playing with the braids on his chin. Below the sheets, your legs were tangled, and the feel of his skin against yours was incredibly delicious. Jack had been right; it had hurt, but the pain was nothing compared to the completeness and love you had felt. Jack had been patient, allowing you your curious explorations of his body, and he had been gentle and loving every second. He had adored every inch of your body, and you still felt as if you had no bones whatsoever. You felt him stir in your arms, and half-smiled into his shoulder. He ran his fingers through your hair slowly.

"Morning, luv."

"Morning, Jack." You mumbled in reply, stifling a yawn. Jack slowly massaged the back of your head.

"Sleep good?" he asked lazily, and you nodded. Covering another yawn, you hugged him.

"Thank ye Jack. 'at was.....*well.* thank ye." Jack chuckled deep in his chest.

"What did I say, luv? 'Once ye'v had Jack, ye can never go back.'" You laughed, and curled your toes against his leg.

"Love ye..." said Jack sleepily, and you grinned.

"Love ye too..." you replied.

"Jeezus, woman, ye have bloody cold toes." muttered Jack. You giggled and rubbed your toes along his legs.

"I know, positively freezin'. Figgered ye'd warm em for me." He quirked an eyebrow and pulled up your leg onto his lap. You lay back. He kissed your toes slowly, and you smiled. God that felt reeeeeeeally nice. Suddenly he raked a finger lightly along the bottom of your foot, and you jerked.

"Ja-ack! That bloody tickles!" he grinned evilly, and attacked your foot. You shrieked and rolled around, trying to pull your foot free of his grasp. He let go of your foot, but grabbed you by the waist and pulled you down on his lap, tickling you crazily. You were gasping for air and yelling bloody murder. No wonder you didnt hear Will knock....

You were completely surprised when Will burst in. in fact, you were so surprised that you 'eep'-ed and promptly fell off the bed. Looking down, you remembered your, um, lack of clothes, wincing, you pulled the sheet off the bed. Which, of course, left Jack lounging in the nude. Will grimaced and covered his eyes.

"Hmm. Must not be a eunuch. Only a very firm man can take only one look a' Jack Sparra'...." you chuckled. Jack stood up and wandered over to you, pulling some of the blanket around him, and wrapping his arms around your waist. He grinned at you and kissed you deeply.

"Ye wanted summat, Will? Are were ye jest hopin' fer a glimpse of me beauty?" you snorted and Will blushed.

"No, uh, not at all...I, uh, we....we're comin' up on this island, see? And there's a person....uh, on the island. Marooned, aye? And, uh, I was wondering if we should pick them up." He was purposely avoiding your eyes, and you grinned mischievously.

"Oh, why yes, Will. Why don't ye drop anchor, let me mosey on into a lovely hot bubble bath, then I'll take care o' the whole thing, alright, dear?" He nodded, still staring firmly at his feet. Jack chuckled. Will stood there for a few moments, apparently not aware that he was blatantly staring at you. You cleared your throat, and his eyes snapped up and widened.

"Right. Going. To, uh, write a letter to...Elizabeth. My wife, Elizabeth. Right. And play with my child, Anabelle. Daughter of Elizabeth. Cheerio then." And he turned to swiftly walk into the closed door. You suppressed a chuckle, as did Jack. Will looked down sheepishly and muttered something else about 'Elizabeth' and pulled open the door, slamming it behind him. You snorted and dropped the sheet to draw a bubble bath.

"Poor whelp..." Jack muttered. You chuckled.

* * * * *

CHAPTER 7 - Gabriele

"C'mon, luv. Can't wait all day. We have t' see about this poor stranded soul!" Jack called through the bathroom door. You blew some bubbles off of your arm and grinned.

"Aye, aye, Captain. Hold yer horses. Unlike some pirates I know, I like t' be clean, an' smell nice, an' look somewhat decent...."

"Oh Gods, love." He sighed exasperatedly. "Yer beautiful, ye smell like a flower, and ye are possibly the cleanest pirate I know. Are ye done yet?" you grinned and dried off.

"Wait, what are ye implying......" said Jack slowly. You laughed.

"Little slow on the uptake, Jack." He just mumbled something incoherent through the door, and moved off. You slipped your breeches on, shook out your hair, and pulled on a clean white shirt. Making sure it was yours, you went to get Jack and see about this stranded person.....

* * * *

"Hmm. I can't tell...is it a woman?" you peered through the small telescope at the island that was still a little over a mile off. There was a figure lying on the beach, unconscious, it would seem, or dead.

'Or sleeping.' you reasoned with a giggle.

"We think so." replied Will promptly; apparently the morning's blunders had been forgotten.

"Alright." You snapped the telescoped closed and strode to the boats. "Me an' Will...uh...will go get 'er, and bring 'er here." Jack nodded along with Will. You carefully lowered the boat, and climbed own into it. Will followed, and soon you were approaching the island. You still couldn't tell whether she was even alive.

The bottom of the boat ran up on the sand, and you both clambered out, pulling up on the shore. You strode purposefully over to the girl, prepared for the worst, and expecting to carry her back to the ship. Imagine your surprise when you find yourself looking down at her, and she staring right back up. You frowned, and hesitantly held out your hand to help her up. She looked at it, confused. You knelt down and examined her. She seemed to be about 17, maybe older. She had such a look of innocence about her it was startling. It seemed that she had never seen another living soul before, the way she regarded you with polite curiosity. She was dressed in a torn skirt that ended above her ankles, and no shirt. Her flat chest was bound in an old cloth, and her jet black hair fell down to the middle of her back in sleek sheets. You smiled, but she only continued to stare at you. Clearing your throat, and shooting a confused look over your shoulder at Will, you introduced yourself. She frowned, but didn't offer her name.

"What's yer name, lass?" you asked tenderly. She didn't say anything.

"Oook! Right then. Let's, um jest get ye back to the ship. Is that ok? We'll take you onto our ship. Do you understand?" Once again you were met with a blank stare. You sighed and stood up, offering her your hand once more. She reached up and traced the lines on your hand, and hesitantly grabbed on. You heaved her up, until she stood unsteadily on her feet. She was quite pretty, this one, but something about her made your heart wrench in two, there was just something about her. A sadness, perhaps. An air of sorrow. Whatever it was, it made you feel for the girl, this poor creature. You dropped her hand and pointed to the boat. She turned and stumbled. You grabbed her elbows, and guided her to the boat, all the while eyeing her nervously. You were confused at her innocence; her naivety. You seated her in the boat, and shared a look with will. Not one thing was said during the short ride back to the Pearl, and Will carried her up the rope ladder carefully. You clambered up quickly after, to find her clinging to Will, eyes wide and afraid. The crew stood assembled around them, with Jack in front of them all. He eyed the girl strangely, before turning to you. You shrugged, and grabbed her by the arm lightly.

"Here, love. This way. We'll get ye cleaned up and sorted out. It's alright, this is me crew, and tha's Jack, the other Captain. Yer alright, love. Here, this way..." you guided her off, motioning to jack that you needed to talk to him. He nodded shortly. You steered the girl into the Captain's Quarters bathroom, and stood back. Without your arms supporting her, she looked terrified and unsteady. You spoke to her gently as you drew a bath.

"I have some extra clothes, if ye'd like... "

'God I don't even know if she can understand me...' you thought ruefully. Looking back up at the girl, you were surprised to see her shaking her head fervently.

"No? No clothes? Alright then...let me jest clean up yers..." she seemed frightened again as you approached. You circled her, examining her for any scars, lashes, cuts, bruises, anything that would help you figure out what had happened to her. You couldn't see any, but she was so covered with dirt it was hard to tell.

"If ye want me t' leave, ye can take off yer clothes..." you pointed to the clothes she was wearing and she nodded quickly. "...and ye can get in the bath." You pointed to the bath, now full of nice warm water and smelling of lavender. She eyed you cautiously, then nodded. You heard Jack in the next room, and you smiled at her.

"I'll be right back in. If ye need me, call, alright?" she only frowned, but you left, closing the door almost the entire way behind you. Jack was lounging back in his chair, and you sat down opposite him. He quirked an eyebrow curiously in the direction of the bathroom, and you sighed, dropping your hand onto your arms.

"Somethin's wrong with 'er. I jest can't figger out what. She's young. 17, 18 at the most. And she has this air...this air of sadness, or summat. I dunno. It's unsettling. And she hasn't told me 'er name yet." You looked up to find Jack stroking his chin thoughtfully, still looking at the bathroom. He was balancing in his chair, tilting backward with his feet on the table.

"So? What do ye think?" He turned to you and shrugged.

"I think we should keep 'er. Try an' figger 'er out. Always liked a mystery. We can always drop 'er off at a port, maybe Liz would take 'er in if she can't take care o' 'erself." You nodded. That was always an option. You stood up and headed for the bathroom to get her clothes. When you opened the door, she was standing in the tub, looking down somewhat comically. Her clothes, what was left of them....they were rags almost, were folded neatly on the dresser by the door. You walked over and sat her down. She smiled timidly, and you grinned back. She sat silently and still while you soaped her off, reveling in how much filth was caked on her. There was layers and layers of it! When she was finally clean, you were stunned. She had fair ivory skin, pale and beautiful.

"Alright, if ye want t' put on some o' me clothes, I can clean these fer ye, then ye can put them back on." she nodded, and stood up. You handed her a towel, and she wrapped it hesitantly around her shoulder. You smiled and left the room. Jack was looking at you expectantly, and you smiled and raised your eyebrows, pleased at the progress so far. He grinned, and you headed to the galley to ask Fey to run the clothes through with the rest of the crew's laundry. Then, smiling and humming slightly to yourself, you walked back to your quarters. You nearly burst into laughter at what you saw. The strange girl had apparently walked into the room, still naked, as she was standing hesitantly in the doorway, scared eyes fixed on Jack. Who was lying flat on his back, chair underneath him, on the ground, as if he had tipped over completely in his chair. You bit your fist to hold back a laugh, and addressed the poor girl.

"Here ye go. Ye can wear these." You pulled a pair of breeches out of your drawer - your smallest pair - and a small white tunic. She held them hesitantly, not taking her eyes off of Jack as she slipped them on. You grinned at her appearance. She was quite the looker. No wonder Jack had lost his balance. You combed out her hair and toweled it dry between your hands. You looked her over appraisingly, and smiled. She smiled back. Yes, she was definitely opening up. You saw Jack leave out of the corner of your eye, and pulled her over to the bed.

"So, lass." You sat down on Jack's chair; she remained sitting on the bed. "What be yer name?" And again; the blank look. "Ye do have a name, lass, don't ye? I can't jest keep callin' ye lass and whatnot." She regarded you somewhat sadly and you sighed.

"Alright then, we'll jest have t' call ye somethin'. Not give ye a name, per se, but jest something we can call you. What would ye like?" She looked up hopefully, and you sighed. You were beginning to suspect she couldn't talk at all, which was a bit unnerving.

"Right, then. We'll call ye Gabriele." She nodded and smiled, her eyes glowing. "Yes. Gabriele. I think it fits ye." Alright then, Gabriele, let's get ye introduced t' the crew." You stood up, but she immediately retreated, shaking her head fervently.

"No? They're all nice men, ye know...." but still she shook her head no. You sighed. Fine then.

"I have t' get back up on deck. Ye can come with me, or stay here." She shyly made some sort of motion with her hands, pointing to the chair you were sitting in and then pointing at the floor. You frowned. She shook her hair with a hand, and you grinned.

"Oh. Jack." She nodded. You grinned. How was it that Jack always had this affect on women? "Ye can stay with Jack at the wheel if ye'd like." She nodded shyly, and you grinned again. The girl had a thing for him. How cute.

'So long as she doesn't steal' 'im...' you thought quickly. Then, shaking yer head, you led her slowly on deck. The crew turned to stare at her, but she didn't notice. She was too busy taking in the scenery, looking out at the ocean, and the mass of ropes and pole and sails. She was awed, and her eyes were shining excitedly when you reached Jack. She timidly let go of your arm to wander to the railing and tentatively look over. You went and stood next to Jack, who grinned and slipped an arm around your shoulders.

"She can't talk." He looked at you, bewildered, and you nodded. "...but she can understand ye, so talk t' 'er. Tell her yer stories. Try an' figger out what happened. Oh, and since we don't know 'er name, we're calling 'er Gabriele." He nodded.

"And fer gods sake, watch 'er. She's curious, but absolutely terrified of everything. Watch the crew around her." He nodded again and kissed your temple. You smiled and went to the galley to see if Gabriele's clothes were clean.

* * * *

"Love, uh, where's she goin' t' be sleepin'?" Jack asked you hushedly at dinner. Gabriele was sitting on the other side of you, hungrily tearing at some bread. You replied in a quiet tone

"Well with us o' course. We can't let 'er down with the crew!" Jack looked pained, and you grinned.

"Oh, Jack. Ye weren't getting any tonight anyways. Still a bit sore, ye know..." you smiled, and he winced, looking guilty.

"Sorry, luv, I didn't..."

"Naw it's ok. Tell ye what...we can set up a hammock or summat fer her tonight, then figger out summat more suitable tomorrow." Jack nodded, sliding his hand on your leg, you grinned and out your hand on top of his and grinned. You had to admit, you liked being in love, and liked even more being loved back. The old saying stood: "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return."

Later, after the crew had retired and Will was at the wheel, you brought Gabriele back to the Captain's Quarters. You pulled a spare sheet from the dresser in the bathroom (which was, we know, where the spare sheets were. Of course.) you couldn't find a place for a hammock to attach to, so you pulled out all the other blankets and arranged a bed on the floor right next to yours. She stood silently at the end of the bed, watching you with those strange eyes. You nodded her thanks, and quietly climbed in and closed her eyes, apparently asleep. Jack looked at you and shrugged. You climbed into bed next to him, and he pulled you up against him. You sighed. Goddess, what a day. Jack held you tight around you waist and you closed your eyes, ready to be taken by sleep.

* * * *

"What in the name a'....." you rolled over, out of Jack's arms. Something was pulling at your shirt, poking your arm and shaking your shoulder. You peeled open an eye to see the tall form of Gabriele standing next to your bed. You sat up, wiping the sleep from your eyes. She stood still, and clutched your arm tightly.

"What is it, Gabriele? Something wrong?" She looked to the side nervously, still clinging to your arm, and you held back a sigh. Jack was still asleep. You pulled back the covers and looked up at her. You climbed out of bed, and motioned for her to take your place. She looked at you, and you nodded. She stood, hesitant, before pulling you up against her somewhat awkwardly. You hugged her warmly, and she slid into your bed. She lay on the very edge; as if nervous to get too close to Jack.

'No matter,' you thought ruefully. 'He'll have gotten all cozy by morning...' you shuffled around to the makeshift bed and crawled under the blankets. The last thing you heard before falling into a rather lumpy and uncomfortable sleep was a slow tune being hummed. What it you? Jack? You shook your head and slipped off to sleep.

* * * * *

CHAPTER 8 - South Of Sicily

You didn't sleep well at all, and as soon as the first light of morning peeked into the room, you stood up, rather painfully. You cast a glance to the bed, and growled in jealousy. Jack was curled around Gabriele, who was lying rigidly on her back, eyes closed. Jack's head was nestled in her neck, his arms around her stomach. You forced yourself to calm down, after all, you were the one who created this situation, and counted to ten. You reached over and gently shook Jack awake; he rolled over and blinked blearily. When he saw you above him, he frowned in confusion. You smiled a bit, and he turned to look at who was next to him. When he saw Gabriele, he turned back to you, eyes wide. He started to speak, but you placed a finger to him lips. You cast another glance at Gabriele, before quietly leaving the Captain's Quarters, motioning for Jack to follow.

Once on the deck with the door closed firmly behind you, Jack spluttered out.

"Love, I didn't... I jest thought ye.... and I didn't know she was there..." you smiled and shook your head, interrupting softly.

"It's ok Jack. I knew that would happen. She woke me up middle o' the night, absolutely terrified. I let 'er have the bed; I took 'ers." Jack looked at you questioningly once more, but said nothing. You sighed and leaned out over the railing.

"What happened to 'er, Jack?" He only shook his head in response.

"Ah, I see here we have our two lovebirds..." Rayna waltzed on deck and rested on the other side of Jack, carefully avoiding your eyes.

"I must say, Jack, I never thought it possible." You clenched your fists and bit your tongue.

'God, here it comes....' you thought. Jack spoke cautiously.

"What?"

"I said, I never thought it possible. Word is that ye and.......her are in love." She said the word with such distaste that even you recoiled. Besides, it was weird to hear it put like that. Neither you or Jack spoke, and Rayna looked over expectantly.

"SO?!"

"So what?" you replied dryly. She made a frustrated noise of exasperation.

"ARE YE?" you grinned despite yourself. This was reeeeally annoying her...

"Aye." Jack turned and looked at you, winking. You grinned. Rayna made another noise of frustration, and threw her hands up in the air, defeated. She walked off below deck, muttering to herself and shaking her head. You laughed, and Jack slid his arm around your waist.

"Should we go check on Gabriele?" you nodded in reply and headed off to the Captains Quarters. Jack headed for the wheel. You opened the door, and were surprised to find no one there.

"Gabriele? Uh, Gabriele?" No answer.

'Well, duh.' You thought stupidly. 'She doesn't talk.' You hurried back on deck, looking around frantically. You search the galley, the lower cabins, the storage in the hulls, everywhere. She isn't anywhere. As you walk back on deck, a sudden thought hits you and you pause. Looking up, you manage to make out a small figure at the crows nest. As you watch, it grabs onto a rope and gracefully swings down to land on two feet in front of you. She stands up, and you gape at her in shock. With a quick smile and friendly nod, she scurries off below deck. You stand still for a moment more, before shaking your head and walking to the helm.

"Was that really Gabriele that jest practically flew down in front o' me? Or was I jest imaginin' it?" you asked Jack as you approached. He grinned and nodded.

"Aye. Found 'er wanderin' around on deck, decided t' put 'er t' use. She's damn handy." You shook your head once more in disbelief.

"'Ey, lass." You looked at Jack as he addressed you. He gave you a lopsided grin and raised an eyebrow.

"Ye ready fer that treasure?" You frowned, and he nodded off in the distance. Squinting, you could barely make out the land visible on the horizon. You grinned gleefully. He pulled you over in front of him and rested his chin on your shoulder.

"To whatever comes." he whispered, and you smiled.

"LAND HO!!!!!!" he yelled suddenly, making you jump and clap your hands over your ears. Turning, you shot him an angry glare before digging your finger in your ear, trying to clear out the incessant ringing. He winked, and you growled.

* * * *

"C'mon, c'mon, lets hurry it up a bit...c'mon folks, we haven't got all day....get yer dandy little arses moving!" No one listened to you as they chatted happily and took their time getting ready to anchor and head ashore. You rolled your eyes and hopped onto the railing.

"TREASURE!!!!" you cried out, and each man turned to you with a look akin to greed and love plastered across their faces. You smirked. "Alright, now that I've got yer attention, listen t' me. We'll be takin' 4 boats, yes, Eric, only four, one of which will be empty. Hold on, Walker, I'm GETTING THERE!, in order t' safely transport the treasure back t' the ship. We need t' be quick, so as we don't get caught in the dark. So c'mon, men. Le's get our arses moving. And by 'our', of course I mean yers, seeing as I'm the Captain 'ere." You bowed and jumped off the rail. You winked at Jack, who stood grinning by the helm. Soon the sound of boats hitting the water was heard, and you pulled one of your men aside.

"Mic, I want ye t' pick a few able men and stay 'ere. Watch the ship, aye? And watch the girl. She don't talk. 'er name's Gabriele. And don't ye lay a hand on 'er." He looked at you, slightly offended.

"I know, I know ye'd never do that. But I don't necessarily mean it in that way. She's very...er....jumpy. So don't even literally touch 'er." He nodded, and set off to collect his men. You followed Jack into one of the boats, and pushed off. You could barely contain your excitement as you reached the shore, and Jack clasped your hand tightly. He was excited too. as you approached and the fog cleared, you were totally shocked. They had built a town! There was a bloody town on top of your treasure! Jack looked at you, confused.

"Somethin' wrong, love?" you nodded slowly. He frowned.

"What is it?"

"That town isn't supposed t' be there. They....they built a town over me treasure." Jack dropped his mouth open, and stared at the quickly approaching town. Lights shone in the windows of taverns and homes, the sound of raucous bar music could be heard faintly. The boats silently slid into a cove, and you and Jack climbed out.

"What do ye mean, they built a town over the treasure? We can still get it, right?" Jack asked frantically. You reached into your pocket for your father's instructions, and scrutinized them carefully.

"Aye. I think we might. We may have t' get int' someone's house. Fer all I know it could be under a tavern or summat." You grimaced, wishing for the best. You told half the men to stay with the boats, and took the other half with you, incase the treasure was heavy, or there was a lot of it.

"Well, let's go." You set off in the dying light, headed towards the town. You followed the map carefully, but not too obviously. If someone saw what you had, and realized how valuable it was, you'd be followed and put in danger. Your entire crew would be put in danger. You traipsed through town, sometimes coming face to face with a wall, or a building. You had to walk around, and sort out where you were now according to the map. It took quite a while. All hope of getting back before dark had been eliminated. You finally drew close to the end of the trail, and excitedly hurried forward the last few steps. Thankfully you were still outside someone's house. Taking a deep breath, you look down at your feet.

A well.

Someone dug a bloody well where the treasure was. So no doubt they had the treasure, spent and fretted away here and there. You fell to your knees next to the well, holding your had in your hands. Jack placed a hand on your shoulder.

"We'll find it. C'mon, maybe the old man still lives here." He pulled you up, and escorted you to the door. You knocked tentatively, and it was answered immediately by a young man, maybe about 13 or 14. he looked up expectantly, and you cleared your throat. You were a tad distraught.

"Um, 'ello. I know this'll sound odd, but how long have ye and yer family lived 'ere?" the boy frowned and looked behind you. Jack waved with fake joviality.

"Three years, ma'am." Despite your horrible predicament, you couldn't help but felt a smile pull at your lips at being called 'ma'am.'

"And...and when ye moved here....was the well built?" Again, the boy looked utterly confused.

"....yes, ma'am. Yes it was." You nodded, and the boy started to move away. You stuck out a hand to hold the door.

"Wait! One last thing. Who lived 'ere before?" The boy opened the door hesitantly, and appeared to think before answering.

"Old man it was, ma'am. He got rich or something, and he moved away. Gave us the house pretty cheap." He grinned lopsidedly, before stammering "ma'am." You waved it off, and bent down so you were eye-to-eye with the boy.

"Can ye tell me where he moved? Do ye remember?" The boy thought hard for a moment, and you bit your lip so hard you tasted blood. Jack leaned in next to you, his hand grabbing yours tightly.

Suddenly the boy's face lit up, and he smiled.

"Of course, ma'am! He said he was headed for somewhere hot. Somewhere tropical he said, ma'am." You hardly dared breathe.

"Where? Where is he, boy?"

"He said he was headed t' Cayman, ma'am." The boy looked triumphant, but you just frowned. Cayman? You'd never heard of it. You looked over at Jack, and he shrugged.

"Where's Cayman? Do ye know?" The boy nodded, excited to be of help.

"New settlement, miss. Just south of some place called Sicily or something. He said he had business over there, ma'am." The boy looked at you hopefully, and you reached into your pocket for a few coins. You dropped them into his waiting palm, and said your thanks. He grinned and rushed into the house, closing the door in your face.

"Nice boy." you muttered.

"Yes indeed, ma'am." replied Jack. You punched him and made for the boats.

"Jeezus, Jack, by the end o' this, we'll have been halfway 'round the world! Now we're headed t' Sicily!"

"South of Sicily, actually."

"Yes, Jack, I know."

"Well, ye have to..."

"Jack! Yes. Alright? South of Sicily. Good?" He grinned cheekily.

"Aye. That's good."

* * * *

You climbed back over the railing of the Black Pearl, and were met with downfallen faces when the crew saw your empty hands.

"New course." you barked out, and Will nodded. You and Jack moved off to the Captains Quarters, and climbed in bed. After a few moments of silence in which you curled around jack and got yourself settled, you sat bolt upright.

"Wha'?"

"Where's Gabriele?" you looked around frantically. Her makeshift bed was no longer on the floor, and her clean clothes were gone. You rushed out on deck, still only wearing your black undershirt and breeches. You looked around frantically, and Jack rushed out by your side. He was only wearing his breeches, and you could help but take a moment to admire his chest in the moonlight. He saw you looking, and grinned. You chucked and looked upwards. Something fluttered in the breeze, and you steadily began to climb to the crow's nest. Jack stayed down on the deck; no doubt watching your progress with a quirked eyebrow. When you reached the top, you saw Gabriele curled comfortable around the mast, half-covered by the blanket. You smiled and drew the blanket up over her shoulder. You watched her face, and saw that she was considerably more relaxed than when you found her. She started humming softly, and you frowned. The tune seemed familiar, like something you had heard long ago, but couldn’t place it. Still frowning, you clambered down the mast and into Jack's arms. He looked at you, eyes asking if she was ok. You nodded.

"She seems pretty comfortable. She's humming....this song...I swear I know it...." he shrugged and drew his arms around you snugly.

"Beautiful night." he mumbled into your hair.

"Aye." you replied sleepily. He half carried, half led you over to the helm, where he sat down against the railing. You sat down next to him, and he held you securely. You yawned.

"So, this one time I was in Port Cadence, and there were these men after me, twelve of 'em, well, more like seven, but it seemed like twelve, and....."

* * * * *

CHAPTER 9 - Friend Or Foe?

Music wafted through your dreams and your semiconscious-state, and you frowned. That tune! Again! Where on earth had you heard it before? You blearily opened your eyes, and immediately jumped in surprise.

Gabriele's face was inches from yours, and she was scrubbing the deck with a content look on her face, as if she wanted nothing more than to be on her hands and knees, cleaning old slimy wood at obscene hours in the morning. She smiled at you, and you smiled back hesitantly. You blinked, and sat up. You had fallen asleep against Jack on the railing, but during the night you had both slipped onto the hard ground. His arm dropped to the deck when you sat up. You looked back at him with a small smile, watching the easy rise and fall of his bare chest against the slowly rocking hull of his ship, and the way his dark hair fell gracefully over his shoulders, and the early morning light casting shadows on his beautiful cheekbones, and his fingers fluttering ever so faintly at his side, and his lips curved delicately in his trademark smile, and....

You bit your lip. If you kept this up much longer, nothing would get done! You turned back to Gabriele, who was once again scrubbing at the deck happily.

'Bloody nutter...' you thought as you stood up. You walked off towards the Captain's Quarters to dress properly and freshen up. When you re-emerged 20 minutes later, the deck was beginning to buzz with energy, and Jack was standing lazily at the helm. Gabriele was carefully sidestepping any crewmember in her path, and you furrowed your brow when you saw Anabelle trotting along behind her. She was nattering on and on; you could hear her tiny voice across the deck, seeming not to care that Gabriele never responded. You walked up to the wheel next to Jack.

"How long do ye think?" he shrugged.

"Maybe a month. Less if we get good winds. The problem is I have t' go around it. Ye know, around Africa and then int' the Mediterranean." You frowned. Wasn’t there a shorter way?...

"Jack, what if we bear towards the Middle East. We can head through the Red Sea, then cut through the Suez Canal, landing us right in the Mediterranean. It would only take a coupla weeks." Jack looked at you appraisingly.

"Soo-whaty canal?"

"Suez Canal."

"Yer sure it's there?" You chuckled and nodded.

"Don't see how a canal could move, but yea, I'm sure it's there." Jack grinned, and adjusted his bearings.

"Suez Canal it is then. Only thing is, love, yer gonna have t' sit yer pretty head right next t' ol' Jack for the next while, since I have no clue where I'm headed. Savvy?" you grinned and nodded.

"Fine by me." Jack grinned and chuckled, turning back to the ocean. After a few moments he began to hum the song that Gabriele had been humming so often. You jumped up and turned to him.

"Jack. Where did ye hear that tune?" He looked at you questioningly before shrugging.

"That mute girl 'as been hummin' it. Guess I caught it up." You nodded and sat back down; fervently trying to remember why it sounded so familiar....You closed your eyes and leaned your head back against the railing. In a few moments, the soft rocking of the ship had lulled you to sleep, and you dreamed.

It was back on board the Hellfire again, this time you were locked in the brig, your small face peering out from the darkness. One lazy guard sat in a chair a slight ways away from the door, picking his teeth with the tip of his dagger. Occasionally he would toss a lascivious look your way, and you would scowl, baring your teeth like a caged animal. That's what you were, actually. A caged animal. The guard started to sing out a shanty in his raspy voice.

"So you see little missy. That's why I can sing ye that song. Ye won't be livin' t' see the rest o' the world again...."

You woke up, mind suddenly alight with realization. That's where that tune was from! But...then that would mean.....you placed a hand to your mouth and scanned the deck for Gabriele. She was securing a rope to the rail as Anabelle swung at her side. You tried to think this over before you talked to her about it. Either she was part of that man's family, or she had also been a prisoner and somehow escaped. You glanced once more at Gabriele, and she looked back. She smiled and waved, and you motioned for her to come your way. She finished tying the rope down, and strode up to the helm next to you. In the few days she had been on board, she had become a lot more confident. You cleared your throat.

"Um, Gabriele." She looked at you expectantly.

"That song you hum...I recognized it. And I need to know, dear. I need to know what happened. Did you escape from them? Or are you one of them?" Jack glanced over sharply, and you ignored him. Gabriele bit her lip and looked around.

"It's ok, you can tell me. or, uh show me." she started motioning wildly in the air, waving her hands above her head then miming swimming, the placing her hand on her hips and assuming a stern expression. You shook your head hopelessly. She frowned, and glanced at Jack. She reached over and swiftly pulled his dagger from his belt.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, but you shushed him with your hand. Gabriele began again to wave her hands about, and then held the knife close to her throat, putting on a scared expression. She motioned to Jack, and frowned exaggeratedly.

"Jack? Jack was there?" she shook her head, frustrated. She pointed to some of the crew on deck, then to Jacks chest.

"A man? Was it a man?" she nodded and wrapped Jack's arm around her throat, and placed the dagger close to her face.

"Was that it? Did they capture you?" she nodded, and you sighed. So she wasn't one of them. Thank the goddess for that...

"Did they hurt you?" she nodded and pointed excitedly to a series of scars you hadn’t noticed before; they ran right along her jaw line and down the sides of her neck.

"Is that why you were on the island? Did you escape?" she shook her head, the aura returning quickly, with it a rush of sweet sadness.

"Why were you one that island, Gabriele? What happened?" she only shook her head and went off in the direction of the galley. Anabelle fell in line behind her, still chattering away.

"Well that was educational." said Jack. You shook your head ruefully.

"At least I know where that bloody song was from..." you mumbled before heading off to help a struggling crew member sort out a tangled mass of ropes.

* * * *

You sat in the galley, utterly bored and without things to do. You had prepared a stew, cleaned the Quarters, asked if anything could be done on deck, begged and pleaded with Jack for the wheel, and ended up sitting at the table in the galley with a bottle of rum in your hand. Will (the lucky bastard) was doing a routine check of the boats and supplies, Gabriele had retreated to the Captain's Quarters with a faraway look in her eyes, and Rayna was absolutely no where to be seen.

'Probably sulking somewhere...' you thought bitterly. Suddenly a loud scream came from the crews cabins. You paused for a moment, then recognized the scream as Anabelle's. Standing up, you rushed to the door of the crews cabins. Will skidded to a halt beside you looking completely panicked. You swung the door open and saw Anabelle hanging happily by her ankles, Rayna holding her up with her back to you. Ana shrieked again, giggling madly. Rayna righted her, and Ana led her by the hand to 'her corner,' where all her books and toys stood. She offered Rayna a small porcelain dolls shyly.

"Her name is Marie. She's my favorite, but you can play with her."

"Oh! Thank you, Ana. How nice! Do you have another doll for yourself?" Ana nodded and picked up a slightly small doll, equally precious.

"Her name's Claire. She's Marie's big sister." she said sagely. Rayna nodded, and they began to play quietly. Will glanced at you and leaned against the doorway. They still hadn’t noticed you two.

"Not such a bad girl, is she?" he whispered. You scowled and watched them play. Will smiled and walked away quietly. You continued to watch for a few moments more, before turning away and closing the door silently.

"Hmph. Maybe."

* * * * *

CHAPTER 10 - Ana's Peril

You caught Rayna playing with Ana several more times in the next few days, but Rayna never said anything about it. One day as you were wandering the deck (again) Anabelle walked towards you. You smiled and bent down to talk to her. She grinned and told you of her exploits fighting a 'ginormous' rat in the galley, among others. You laughed and told her to run along. She shrieked and whipped out her 'sword,' brandishing it at imaginary enemies. She raced off around the deck, screaming like an Indian. You grinned. That girl never got tried. You sat yourself down on the stairs leading up to the helm, and rested your head in your hands. Life at sea wasn’t as exciting when you weren’t steering the ship. Ana finished her rounds, and raced up to collapse next to you. She climbed into your lap, breathing heavily, obviously tired.

'Hmm. Maybe I was wrong. She can get tired. Who'd a thunk?' You chatted with her, noticing she paid very little attention to you at all. She coughed for a bit, you rubbed her back uncertainly. It didn't sound good, she was really hacking and her small body was shaking in your arms.

"Are ye alright?" you asked timidly. She nodded quickly.

"Yep!" and with that, she leapt out of your arms and resumed her crazied racing over the deck. You laughed and joined Jack at the helm.

"No," said Jack as you approached. You pouted.

"Pleeeeeeeeeease?" He grinned and shook his head. You sauntered over and draped your arms over his shoulders.

"Please? I was rather thinkin' ye could go have a little lie down, rest up fer tonight." He raised an eyebrow, and you flashed your best smile. He chuckled deep in his chest, and stepped to the side, bowing and sweeping his arms wide. You cheered and stepped up to the wheel.

"Now this is more like it." You declared. Jack laughed and addressed you.

"Now ye jest remember, love, what ye said. Deals a deal, aye?" You nodded vaguely and waved him off, too exhilarated to bother with making up an excuse. Jack chuckled.

"So excited over a wheel. Puts a man t' shame, that does." You laughed. He moved behind you, slipping his arms around you middle and resting his chin on your shoulder.

"'Sok. I'll have the chance t' redeem meself tonight." He kissed your neck, and you smiled. He hummed his pirate song against your ear, sending pleasurable shivers down your spine.

"Drink up me 'earties yo ho...."

* * * *

"What?! You can't do that! That's not in the rules!" You grinned and slapped down another card.

"Will, me boy, when will ye learn? Rules don't apply t' pirates." He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I should have guessed..." You slapped down your last card, and whooped in glee.

"Mine again! Fancy another go, Turner? Yer on a roll." He rolled his eyes again and shook his head.

"No thank you. I'm not daft. I know when t' quit." He stood up and grabbed his belt from the chair next to him. He nodded to you and the drunken form next to you.

"G'night, Captain. And Captain." You winked and waved him off. You watched Jack for a moment as you piled the gold on the table.

"I take it nothin' will be happenin' tonight..." you muttered. Jack chuckled and pushed his hat up over his eyes.

"'At's what ye think, missy. Thank god Turner's gone." He caught you up in his arms, planting kisses along your neck.

"I've wanted.....nothing....fer the last few hours.....except t'......git ye outta those clothes......an' int' me bed... t' ravish ye...completely and wholly....."

"Boy ye sure do have a way with words, Jack." you commented dryly. He finished by placing a breathtaking, soulstealing, mindblowing kiss on your lips. When you broke away you smiled wryly.

"But then again, words are overrated." He chuckled and led you off towards the Captain's Quarters.

* * * *

Jack propped himself up on one elbow, looking over the now sleeping form of his love. She lay on her back, arms splayed around her head. Her head was turned to the left, and her left arm rested by her face. Her right arm was over her head. A linger of a smile played upon her lips, as if in a very good dream. Her eyelids occasionally fluttered, and her breathing was calm and peaceful. Her hair was also splayed around her head, some falling in beautiful waves on her neck. He reached over and brushed it off, relishing the immediate jolt of emotion that shot through him. He wondered briefly when he had changed so much; earlier he would have recoiled at such a strong feeling. But now....now he looked forward to them, the rush of energy, the tingling in his stomach, the quickening of his pulse... his dark eyes took in the graceful curves of her breasts, her smooth stomach. He couldn't resist leaning down to place a quick kiss above her belly button. She whimpered at the sensation, and Jack grinned. The creamy ivory sheet lay across her lower stomach, and for once Jack did not feel the urge to lift the sheet. His gaze traveled back to her face, and he smiled. He placed the back of his fingers along her cheekbones, and she stirred. She blinked, and looked up at him. He smiled and leaned down to capture her lips sweetly. She responded by gently trailing her arms around his shoulders and winding her fingers in his hair. He wrapped his in his arms and lay down snug up against her. She made a small noise of content, before yawning. He kissed her neck.

"Jest sleep." He whispered, and her eyes fluttered closed. Then, in the best of moods, Jack let sleep take him as he held her in his arms.

* * * *

You were woken by something pressing uncomfortably at the nape of your neck. You shifted, turning slowly in Jack's arms. He didn't wake. You turn to face him, smiling as you watched his face. His grip on you never once lessened, though he slept on. You discovered that the blanket was no longer covering you two; it had been pushed down to the bottom of the bed. You didn't make any move to pull it up. You were so comfortable, his body next to yours, skin against skin, two people that were, for one beautiful moment, one. The door of the cabin suddenly flew open, but fortunately the person caught it before it slammed against the wall and woke Jack.

'We really need t' get a bloody lock...' you thought frustratedly. Casting a glance over your shoulder, you found Will completely red and trying not to gawk. You sighed and reached down to pull the blanket up over you two.

"Ye seem t' be makin' a habit outta this, Turner. Somethin' ye want t' tell me?" you said hushedly. He turned, if possible, even redder, mumbling frantically.

"Uh, yes. No, not that, uh, but yes, I need ye...we need ye, uh would ye happen t' know anythin' medical?" Suddenly you were wide awake. Why was 'something medical' needed? This was never good.

"A little. What's wrong?" you slowly slipped out of Jacks embrace, making sure to keep the blanket over your body. Jack grumbled and frowned in his sleep, but didn't wake. Will turned when you rotated your finger, and you grabbed your clothes (which were, thanks to Jack, everywhere).

"It's Ana." You snapped your head up as you buttoned your shirt. Anabelle? She was fine this morning....she was coughing a bit, but don't all kids cough?

"What's wrong with 'er?"

"She was jest screaming crying. And terribly hot. Vomiting, coughing, and shivering." With each symptom Will listed his voice sounded more pained. You felt for him. It must be tough to have a child with an affliction you can't control.... you didn't even other to shove your feet into your boots, but rushed out of the cabin to below deck. Will followed quickly.

"When did this start?" you asked as you hastened down the stairs.

"Few hours ago. I figured she was only sea-sick, since she was only vomiting. The shivering and temperature started just an hour ago." You reached the door, and hurried inside. Half of the crew was crowded around her bed, Gabriele among them. You shook your head. This wouldn’t do....

"Will, they need t' go. Git them out." Will nodded and presently his voice boomed across the room.

"Everyone OUT! Captain's orders! Back on deck, men!" Gabriele looked at you pleadingly, and you nodded shortly. She sat down at the foot of Ana's bed. You stepped over to the bed, and got your first look at her.

She was indeed terribly sick. Her light blonde locks stuck to the sweat on her forehead and neck. She was currently in a fitful sleep, tossing and crying and whimpering. Her jaw was clenched tightly, and upon closer examination you could tell she was grinding her teeth. Her small body was absolutely rigid, and shaking ever so slightly. Despite all this, her right fist remained clasped desperately around her worn blanket. The sight of it sent your mind back to the day when you saw her place it carefully around Rayna. You thought quickly of Rayna. As much as you disliked the girl, she seemed to genuinely care for Ana. You motioned to Will.

"Go git Rayna. Find 'er and bring 'er here." Will nodded. He threw a loving and worried look at his daughter before rushing out of the room. You set to work quickly.

"Gabriele, can you listen to me? I need ye to go int' the galley, find some rags. Soak them in cold water and bring them here. Can ye do that?" She nodded and scurried off. You packed the blankets tightly around Ana, pulling the others off of all the beds. You packed her tightly as possible, remembering how Anamaria had said you had to sweat out fevers. Rayna came racing in, followed by Will moments later. She cried out, hand flying to her mouth as she caught sight of Anabelle's state. She hurried to her bed and pushed back her hair. Suddenly, she shot you the most hateful look you had ever received.

"What did ye do? What the fuck did ye do?" You calmed yourself; this was no time to get worked up.

"I did nothin'. She's sick. Listen t' me, now Rayna. We don't git along. I don't like ye, ye don't like me. That's fine. But here was have something in common: we can't let Ana die. So are ye goin' t' help me?"

"Of course." Without a moments hesitation. You sighed and looked around for Gabriele.

"Are ye getting damp rags?" asked Rayna sternly.

"I sent Gabriele out fer some rags....she hasn't come back yet....." Rayna looked around quickly, before bending down and pulling the blankets off of Anabelle.

"Ye have a bath in yer quarters I presume?" you nodded and helped her unwrap Ana.

"We'll take 'er in there. We can sit 'er in hot water, an put a cold towel on her head." You nodded and scooped the girl into your arms. She was so light, it unnerved you. Rayna rushed ahead of you, kicking the door to your quarters open. Jack bolted upright in bed, looking around frantically. He caught sight of you and Rayna racing into the bathroom. Soon after Will followed. He was carrying Ana's blanket, and one of her dolls. Rayna turned on the water, testing it with her fingers. She shoved the stopper in the bottom of the tub, and turned to you.

“So ye said you have towels?” you nodded. She took Ana from your arms, and you rushed to the dresser, pulling out a small hand towel. You ra it under the cold water tap in the sink, and placed it on An’s forehead. Rayna crouched on the floor, still holding Anabelle, and gently mopped her small face with the towel.

“shh...shhh love, it’s ok, Rayna’s here.... we’ll be alright....” The tub was filled now, and you shut off the water. Rayna gently lowered Ana into the steaming hot tub. The tub was too deep, and ana would drown. So Rayna stepping, holding Ana’s head in her arms, sitting behind her. Anabelle fretted and fussed, her eyes still closed. Jack rushed into the bathroom, sheet wraped hastily around his wasit, looking completely bewildered. You motioned to Ana and Rayna in the tub, and his eyes widened. He stepped closer to you.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered

“Ana’s sick. Fever, shakin’, sweating, nightmares....won’t wake up.” You informed him solemnly. Will stood in the doorway still, clutching his daughters blanket so tight his knuckles were white. He look terrible. His face was white and terrified, his eyes wide with fear. You thought you saw a tear slide down his cheek, but he wiped it away quickly, and started pacing back and forth. Suddenly he rushed to the side of the tub and knelt down. He reached out and grabbed Ana’s hand, placing it to his lips. How bowed his head, and soon his shoulders were shaking with silent tears. Ana started crying, he small body shaking even more. Rayna bit her lip and wrapped her arms around the girl tightly, leaning her head on hers. You stood up next to Jack, watching sadly. The girl, shaking and shivering, Rayna barely containing tears and rocking her tightly in her arms, Will sobbing at her side.

Jack’s hand found yours at your side and he squeezed tightly. You watched the scene solemnly, hoping for the best.