Hi, all! Sorry I was slow on updating! Oh, and, "Tinania Lindaleriel:" I'm
sorry if the stuff about scarlet fever is inaccurate, I had it myself once,
but that was when I was a baby, so obviously I don't remember anything
about it. Sorry about the inaccuracies again, I tried to fix them as best I
could in this chapter. :)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The Fever Breaks
"We will know by tonight," said Doctor Brown, "if the fever breaks then we're in safe waters again."
"And if it doesn't?" Jack asked anxiously.
The doctor just gave him a sad glance.
"Oh," was all Jack said in reply. The pirate captain looked to the west to see the setting sun. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The rest of the crew had been onshore since the doctor recommended that they stay away from the ship, thus preventing further cases.
"I'm just surprised that you haven't caught it by now, Mr. Sparrow."
"Well, I've been all over, you see, and over time I've been up a strong resistance to most diseases. I mean, the worst I've ever had was a cold."
"Hmm . . very interesting."
Every hour or so, Doctor Brown kept checking Anamaria's temperature by pulling out the little glass thermometer he had with him. (Did they have thermometers back then?) Jack sat by Anamaria's bedside unmoving for the entire time.
Finally, the last hour came. Doctor Brown put the thermometer in her mouth and looked at it.
"What does it say?" Jack asked with apprehension in his voice.
"Her fever has broken!"
Jack jumped up with his hands in the air, "Lord be praised!" he yelled, and he meant it. Then he rushed over to the doctor taking his hands and shaking them up and down, at an alarming rate. "Doc, you have know idea what this means to me . . . thank you for all yer help!" Jack was so overcome with happiness and gratitude that went so far as to kiss the doctor on both cheeks. "Any sum of money ya want, anythin' on the ship you like, you can have---except the rum! . . . And the ship i'self."
"Actually, your gratitude was payment enough, Mr. Sparrow. I must say, I've heard of you and how you helped governor of Port Royal against those cursed pirates of the legendary Black Pearl . . .just to get to meet you and then to stand on the decks of the infamous ship herself! That is payment enough, Mr. Sparrow."
Although much flattered by this praise, Jack insisted that he take the bag of gold he handed to him. Finally, the doctor gave in. "If you insist . . ."
"I insist."
"Speaking of Port Royal, have you been back to visit lately?"
"Well, I have the Commadore lettin' me go free for a bit since I am invited to my friend Will Turner and his lass, Elizabeth Swann's wedding. Actually, that's where I'll headin'in a few days time." *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Anamaria was soon up and about a few days later and the crew was let back on board. But, still Jack would not let her do her regular jobs.
"The doc said give it at least one more week for recovery and until then, you're not climbin' the rigging."
"Than what I am I bloody supposed to do? I'll be bored out of me skull jus' sittin' on your bunk."
Jack gave her a mischievous grin. "Oh, I wouldn't be to sure about tha' mate."
Anamaria glared at him, but Jack saw the corners of her mouth twitch. The young woman then got up with a sigh and strolled back into Jack's cabin.
Jack gave a casual glance toward the men then covertly followed Anamaria.
The pirate captain saw his crew member begin to straighten things up on his table and put things away. She went to pick up his hat that he had left on the corner of the chair, when a hand stopped her.
"What are ye doin'?" Jack asked.
"Well," she began, trying to regard him coolly even though she was uncomfortably aware of how close he was to her, "I was straightening up this pigsty of yours just to give meself somethin' to do, you know I hate sittin' idle."
"Aye, but my pigsty does not need straightenin' up---the rum!" Jack cried suddenly, when noticed his bottle missing from it's usual spot. "Where'd ye put the rum?"
"In the cabinet over there."
"Ah, good!" Jack said and he swaggered over to his cabinet.
"Jack?"
"Hmm?"
"When I had the feva' I don' know if I was dreamin' or no but, I heard you mumblin' somthin to me. .'"
Jack froze with the rum bottle at his lips.
"Were you at my bedside? Were tryin' to talk to me?"
"Well, I um----"
"What were ye sayin'?"
"Nothing of consequence, love," he said with his back to her, "nothing of consequence."
When Jack did turn around he found Anamaria standing very close to him.
"I also recall the feelin' of bein' kissed . . ." she added with a raised eyebrow.
"Welll, you must've been dreamin' that time, lass," Jack said, and after taking a long swig of rum.
Just then, Mr. Gibbs walked in. "Ah! Anamaria, good t' see ye up and about,!"
"It feels good to be up and about, Gibbs," she answered.
"Oh, Cap'n---"
"Aye?"
"We'll be headin' out of port in about five minutes, if tha's good with ye."
"Oh, that's beautiful," Jack replied absently with a wave of his hand.
When Mr. Gibbs left the cabin Anamaria followed him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That night as Jack lay on his bunk and was about to go to sleep, he felt a hand on his arm.
"Wha---?"
"Shh . . . it's me."
Jack squinted in the darkness to see the face of the one he longed for.
"'Maria?" he whispered.
"Jack, I'm sorry to wake you, but---"
"Anamaria, I told you a hundred times, I can't get you another boat, well, not right now, anyway."
"It's not about the boat, Jack."
"Then, what is so bloody important, that you had to wake me up in the middle of the night for?"
"I just wanted to say thank you."
"For what, love?"
"Well, Gibbs told me tha' when I had the feva' you never left my side, except to kidnap a doctor." In the dim moonlight Jack could see a warm smile spread across Anamaria's face. "Tha' was real sweet of you, Jack."
"Really?" he asked, quietly "I mean---- it was nothin' less than what I would've done if it were Gibbs or Mr. Cotton----"
"Did you kiss me Jack?" Anamaria asked straight out.
Jack opened his mouth then closed it. He then gave the pirate lass a sidelong glance before facing her again and saying softly. "What do you think, love?" Jack then put a hand behind her head and drew her lips down to his. In between kisses he suddenly heard Anamaria whisper: "I love ye Jack."
Jack smiled then kissed her hard. "An' I love ye, ye bonny wench!"
Anamaria laughed and snuggled up against him.
"So, we goin' to a weddin'?" she asked.
"Aye . . ."
"I love weddin's."
Jack turned his head to her. "Me too, lass." Then Jack gingerly got up off his cot and kneeled, a little clumsily, onto the ground.
"Jack, what are ye doin?" Anamaria hissed.
"Proposin', what does it look like?"
"I thought I'd never see the day when Captain Jack Sparrow would ever think of tyin' himself down."
"Then close yer eyes." Jack said with a grin, but then turned suddenly serious. "Anamaria, will ye marry me."
"Jack, I----"
"That's allright, I can accept rejection . . . I think. I dunno, I'm new at this. Except that one time I was really drunk. I think I proposed to pig in Tortuga."
"Jack, I would love to marry ye, if you're completely serious and not as drunk as you were that time."
"I am completely serious!"
"Then I accept!" Anamaria said sitting on Jack's lap once he got back
on the cot.
She then kissed him again.
"I wonder," Jack said, when they came up for air, "if we could
'borrow' Will's clergyman . . ."
"Just as you 'borrowed' me ship?"
"Aw, Anamaria, are ye still mad about tha'?"
"No," Anamaria said with a grin, wrapping her arms around his neck "this makes up for it."
The End!!
*Well, did ye like it? I hope so!!!! :)
The Fever Breaks
"We will know by tonight," said Doctor Brown, "if the fever breaks then we're in safe waters again."
"And if it doesn't?" Jack asked anxiously.
The doctor just gave him a sad glance.
"Oh," was all Jack said in reply. The pirate captain looked to the west to see the setting sun. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The rest of the crew had been onshore since the doctor recommended that they stay away from the ship, thus preventing further cases.
"I'm just surprised that you haven't caught it by now, Mr. Sparrow."
"Well, I've been all over, you see, and over time I've been up a strong resistance to most diseases. I mean, the worst I've ever had was a cold."
"Hmm . . very interesting."
Every hour or so, Doctor Brown kept checking Anamaria's temperature by pulling out the little glass thermometer he had with him. (Did they have thermometers back then?) Jack sat by Anamaria's bedside unmoving for the entire time.
Finally, the last hour came. Doctor Brown put the thermometer in her mouth and looked at it.
"What does it say?" Jack asked with apprehension in his voice.
"Her fever has broken!"
Jack jumped up with his hands in the air, "Lord be praised!" he yelled, and he meant it. Then he rushed over to the doctor taking his hands and shaking them up and down, at an alarming rate. "Doc, you have know idea what this means to me . . . thank you for all yer help!" Jack was so overcome with happiness and gratitude that went so far as to kiss the doctor on both cheeks. "Any sum of money ya want, anythin' on the ship you like, you can have---except the rum! . . . And the ship i'self."
"Actually, your gratitude was payment enough, Mr. Sparrow. I must say, I've heard of you and how you helped governor of Port Royal against those cursed pirates of the legendary Black Pearl . . .just to get to meet you and then to stand on the decks of the infamous ship herself! That is payment enough, Mr. Sparrow."
Although much flattered by this praise, Jack insisted that he take the bag of gold he handed to him. Finally, the doctor gave in. "If you insist . . ."
"I insist."
"Speaking of Port Royal, have you been back to visit lately?"
"Well, I have the Commadore lettin' me go free for a bit since I am invited to my friend Will Turner and his lass, Elizabeth Swann's wedding. Actually, that's where I'll headin'in a few days time." *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Anamaria was soon up and about a few days later and the crew was let back on board. But, still Jack would not let her do her regular jobs.
"The doc said give it at least one more week for recovery and until then, you're not climbin' the rigging."
"Than what I am I bloody supposed to do? I'll be bored out of me skull jus' sittin' on your bunk."
Jack gave her a mischievous grin. "Oh, I wouldn't be to sure about tha' mate."
Anamaria glared at him, but Jack saw the corners of her mouth twitch. The young woman then got up with a sigh and strolled back into Jack's cabin.
Jack gave a casual glance toward the men then covertly followed Anamaria.
The pirate captain saw his crew member begin to straighten things up on his table and put things away. She went to pick up his hat that he had left on the corner of the chair, when a hand stopped her.
"What are ye doin'?" Jack asked.
"Well," she began, trying to regard him coolly even though she was uncomfortably aware of how close he was to her, "I was straightening up this pigsty of yours just to give meself somethin' to do, you know I hate sittin' idle."
"Aye, but my pigsty does not need straightenin' up---the rum!" Jack cried suddenly, when noticed his bottle missing from it's usual spot. "Where'd ye put the rum?"
"In the cabinet over there."
"Ah, good!" Jack said and he swaggered over to his cabinet.
"Jack?"
"Hmm?"
"When I had the feva' I don' know if I was dreamin' or no but, I heard you mumblin' somthin to me. .'"
Jack froze with the rum bottle at his lips.
"Were you at my bedside? Were tryin' to talk to me?"
"Well, I um----"
"What were ye sayin'?"
"Nothing of consequence, love," he said with his back to her, "nothing of consequence."
When Jack did turn around he found Anamaria standing very close to him.
"I also recall the feelin' of bein' kissed . . ." she added with a raised eyebrow.
"Welll, you must've been dreamin' that time, lass," Jack said, and after taking a long swig of rum.
Just then, Mr. Gibbs walked in. "Ah! Anamaria, good t' see ye up and about,!"
"It feels good to be up and about, Gibbs," she answered.
"Oh, Cap'n---"
"Aye?"
"We'll be headin' out of port in about five minutes, if tha's good with ye."
"Oh, that's beautiful," Jack replied absently with a wave of his hand.
When Mr. Gibbs left the cabin Anamaria followed him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That night as Jack lay on his bunk and was about to go to sleep, he felt a hand on his arm.
"Wha---?"
"Shh . . . it's me."
Jack squinted in the darkness to see the face of the one he longed for.
"'Maria?" he whispered.
"Jack, I'm sorry to wake you, but---"
"Anamaria, I told you a hundred times, I can't get you another boat, well, not right now, anyway."
"It's not about the boat, Jack."
"Then, what is so bloody important, that you had to wake me up in the middle of the night for?"
"I just wanted to say thank you."
"For what, love?"
"Well, Gibbs told me tha' when I had the feva' you never left my side, except to kidnap a doctor." In the dim moonlight Jack could see a warm smile spread across Anamaria's face. "Tha' was real sweet of you, Jack."
"Really?" he asked, quietly "I mean---- it was nothin' less than what I would've done if it were Gibbs or Mr. Cotton----"
"Did you kiss me Jack?" Anamaria asked straight out.
Jack opened his mouth then closed it. He then gave the pirate lass a sidelong glance before facing her again and saying softly. "What do you think, love?" Jack then put a hand behind her head and drew her lips down to his. In between kisses he suddenly heard Anamaria whisper: "I love ye Jack."
Jack smiled then kissed her hard. "An' I love ye, ye bonny wench!"
Anamaria laughed and snuggled up against him.
"So, we goin' to a weddin'?" she asked.
"Aye . . ."
"I love weddin's."
Jack turned his head to her. "Me too, lass." Then Jack gingerly got up off his cot and kneeled, a little clumsily, onto the ground.
"Jack, what are ye doin?" Anamaria hissed.
"Proposin', what does it look like?"
"I thought I'd never see the day when Captain Jack Sparrow would ever think of tyin' himself down."
"Then close yer eyes." Jack said with a grin, but then turned suddenly serious. "Anamaria, will ye marry me."
"Jack, I----"
"That's allright, I can accept rejection . . . I think. I dunno, I'm new at this. Except that one time I was really drunk. I think I proposed to pig in Tortuga."
"Jack, I would love to marry ye, if you're completely serious and not as drunk as you were that time."
"I am completely serious!"
"Then I accept!" Anamaria said sitting on Jack's lap once he got back
on the cot.
She then kissed him again.
"I wonder," Jack said, when they came up for air, "if we could
'borrow' Will's clergyman . . ."
"Just as you 'borrowed' me ship?"
"Aw, Anamaria, are ye still mad about tha'?"
"No," Anamaria said with a grin, wrapping her arms around his neck "this makes up for it."
The End!!
*Well, did ye like it? I hope so!!!! :)