A/N: Don't shoot me. I know I am very confusing.

This is the chapter I wrote after the last one, and I'm only posting it because I left a (omg...i am having a MIND BLOCK! I FORGOT HOW TO SPELL MAJOR! oh wait...lol okay never mind) major cliffhanger, so yeah

---

My eyes fluttered open. Millions of gleaming candles lit my room; sending flickering lights of gold and dark brown and black around the room. Once I fully opened my eyes, I saw it was only three lone candles sitting on my bedside table. A full moon was casting milky blue light as far as the window would allow. Elizabeth was sitting on the edge of my bed, dipping a rag into a basin. She raised it to my forehead, and smiled as she realized I was awake.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey," I whispered back, my tense muscles relaxing at the touch of the cold rag. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Captain's bed," she whispered. "But Jack said it's off to the brig with you once you woke up."

"What happened?" I asked, sitting up on my elbows, and pushing my body up against the pillows weakly. Elizabeth didn't answer, but she had a piece of cotton in her hand. She poured a few drops of liquid from a bottle onto it.

"This is going to really hurt," she said regretfully. "But you need to hold still." She placed the cotton on my hip, and a feeling like a hundred knives stabbing my hip spread unimaginable pain ripping through my body. I clenched my fists, and a scream pushed out through clenched teeth. Elizabeth winced.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "But we've got to keep it clean. With no doctor out at sea, infections are a pirates' true enemy."

"Keep what clean?" I asked through gritted teeth. Elizabeth's eyes met mine.

"You don't remember?" she asked quietly.

"Remember what?" I cried, anger pulsing through my veins. She pulled back the cotton and placed it on the side table.

"Jack shot you," she said.

"What?" I cried. Then it all came back to me. The pain, the blood . . . I remember a voice, a look of horror on Jack's face, then darkness.

"Who was it who warned me?" I asked.

"Me," replied Elizabeth. "Will wanted to talk with him, but I came in just in time to see him shoot you. At least I was able to catch you. Gibbs and Will came running, and it was Gibbs who convinced Jack to let you rest in his bed for the time being. He said the brig was no place for tending to a wound. So Will carried you in here, and I've been with you practically ever since."

She reached behind her and grabbed a pair of tweezers. Large tweezers.

"What is that?" I asked nervously. Elizabeth gave me a sad look.

"The bullet's still in you," she replied regretfully. "We've got to get it out."

I rubbed my forehead anxiously. I knew how much this was going to hurt. I took a deep breath.

"I'm ready," I beathed. Elizabeth gave a brisk nod before leaning forward. I looked away, not wanting to see metal tweezers plucking apart my skin. There were twinges of pain before Elizabeth looked up.

"Okay, I've got a firm hold," she said quietly. "I'm going to pull now. Take a deep breath."

I sucked in air through my teeth, clenched my fists and braced myself. Elizabeth pulled. I screamed in agony, the pain was almost unbearable. Then Elizabeth stopped.

"That's not good," said Elizabeth quietly.

"What?" I panted.

"I barely even wiggled it!" she cried. I moaned.

"Just wrench it out," I replied. "I can handle it." Elizabeth nodded and pulled harder. I screamed bloody murder.

"Don't stop! JUST KEEP PULLING!" I screamed. Elizabeth winced. A tear trickled down my nose and my eyes burned from being clamped shut...and then it was gone. My tensed muscles relaxed.

"There," breathed Elizabeth. "All done." She placed the bullet on the table and began to wrap the wound. There was a minutes silence as I caught my breath.

"Where is he?" I asked finally. "Jack, I mean."

"He's in his quarters," she replied. "But he wants to see you."

"No," I said quickly. "I don't ever want to see him again!" Elizabeth took my hand in hers.

"He feels awful," she whispered.

"I don't care! I'm the one with a bullet hole in my hip!" Elizabeth sighed.

"Yes, but-"

"I think I can take it from here."

Elizabeth turned to see Jack in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" I spat. "Get out!" Jack didn't answer.

"A moment?" he asked Elizabeth. She pursed her lips for a moment, then gave a small nod and turned to me. She gave me an "oh-well" look, and nodded herself out. There was silence in the room once she left.

"What are you still doing here?" I cried. "Get out!" I thrust the wet rag at his head but it missed. Pain burst from my side. "Oooh," I muttered, wincing. He rushed over to help me, stretching out to feel the wound.

"Don't touch me!" I spat. "Haven't you caused enough trouble?"

"Emma-" he whispered.

"Captain!" I shouted.

"Captain Emma," he said again. "I am so sorry, I never should have-"

"Shot me?" I said, spitting venom.

"Well, yea," he finished. "It was stupid of me, and it was just an impulse-"

"Stupid? Oh, just a bit," I cut in sarcasticly, angrily. "Then I guess you need to learn to control your impulses Captain Sparrow!" He sighed deeply, lifting a hand and rubbing his forhead.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. I lifted a hand to my ear.

"I'm sorry, what did you say? I couldn't hear because of this hole in my hip!" I shouted.

"I'M SORRY, OKAY?" yelled Jack, tearing his hands from his face. "I feel terrible! It was the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life! Are you happy now?" I glared at him through glassy eyes.

"No," I said stiffly. I stared out the window blankly, looking at it, but not truly seeing it.

"Why do you want my ring so bad, anyway?" I asked softly. I saw him look up at me from the corner of my eye.

"Ye don't know?" he asked. I turned to look at him, my eyes filled with disdain, even though I had no idea what he was talking about.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Your ring holds the secret to a map," he began. "And it leads to a treasure!" I looked at him blankly for a moment before I burst out laughing.

"Oh my god...you're kidding, right? That is the worst joke I have ever-!"

"I didn't make this up, Will told me," objected Jack. My laughter faded away.

"Well, then, Will must be crazy!" I said. "Because my ring is-"

"Why do you think your mother never wanted you to lose it?" asked Jack. I glared at him.

"How do you-"

"Why do you think your mother told you never to let it fall into the wrong hands? Because it's important, Emma!"

"Captain, for the love of God, CAPTAIN EMMA!" I shouted.

"You are denying the facts, Emma! You're scared because this ring...what this ring leads to is something bigger than you are!"

"Who do you think you are?" I spat. "First, you kidnap me, then you steal my ring, then you give it back to me, then you take it again and then you shoot me when I won't leave you alone about it!" He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "So don't tell me that my ring leads to something bigger than I am because-"

"You know it's true! Deep down you're beginning to wonder..." I gave a small laugh, then stared at him through glassy eyes.

"You don't know me," I hissed. Jack stared at me with a melancholy smile.

"No," he sighed. "No, I don't." I gave a snort of disgust, and folded my arms. Jack looked at me, perplexed.

"So you're not even curious?" he asked.

"Oh, don't patronize me, you stupid git!" I snapped, massaging my bandanged wound with my left hand.

"I'm not trying to patronize you, love," he said.

"You're wasting your time," I said, staring out the window. "My ring leads to no treasure, I can assure you that much."

"Oh, I think you're very mistaken."