Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. I am merely playing.
A/N: Short and sweet is the purpose of this little story. Twas going to be longer and involve Will until I started writing and then this is what ended up being produced. Enjoy and please review :D
"ACHOO!"
It was the kind of sneeze that made loose papers drift to the floor and crew members to pause momentarily and look for the cause of the eruption. It was the kind of sneeze that made its owner groan miserably and the kind of sneeze that made the owners caregiver grimace. The owner, in this instance, was none other than Captain Jack Sparrow and the caregiver was one Miss Elizabeth Swann.
"I take it you're not feeling any better?" Elizabeth asked coming into the Captain's cabin. Jack blew his nose into a well worn piece of cloth that he called a hanky and Elizabeth called disgusting.
"Sorry, Lizzie." He mumbled into his pillow. Elizabeth came and stood beside the bed of the Black Pearl's Captain.
"Can I get you anything?" she asked, feeling somewhat sorry for Jack. "A book, perhaps?"
Jack peeled his face out of the pillow and looked at her.
"A book? I want to get better, Love, not throw myself into Davy Jones' hands."
"Well," Elizabeth said indignantly. "A little reading might do you good once and awhile, Jack."
"Once and awhile, yes. Right now, no." Jack countered before burying his face back in his pillow, signalling that their conversation was finished.
"If you need anything, just call." Elizabeth said, feeling guilty for snapping at Jack like that; he was sick and everyone was allowed to be a tad short when ill. Jack just waved his hand, not bothering to lift his head, and Elizabeth took this as her dismissal. She closed the cabin door and made her way to the side of the ship and squinted out in the sunlight at the unending horizon. Mr. Gibbs joined her a moment later.
"How's the Cap'n?" he asked.
"As grouchy as a bear and no less pleasant." Elizabeth kept her eyes trained on the sea.
"He has a tendency to do that, Lizzie."
"A tendency? What do you mean?" Elizabeth turned and looked at Mr. Gibbs.
"Let's just say that this ain't the first time Jack's taken ill aboard the Black Pearl."
"What happened?" Elizabeth couldn't resist asking.
"Twas nothing more than a slight cough but the Cap'n took to his quarters and wouldn't see nor talk with anyone for almost a week. Ragetti then thoughts it might be a good idea to check up on Jack and he was none too happy to be checked up upon. Said that he didn't need no nurse. Since then, no one's ever gone to the Captain's quarters in search of him."
"But I've been looking in on Jack for four days now." Elizabeth pointed out.
"You've gots yourself a woman's touch, lassie. Something too rare around these parts."
Elizabeth was silent and turned her eyes back to the horizon.
"Don't take it personally, Lizzie. The Cap'n likes havin' you around. Says so, even."
"Thank you, Mr. Gibbs." Elizabeth didn't turn to face him and after a moment, she saw him walk away out of the corner of her eye. It was only then that she let a smile play on her lips. The thought of Jack Sparrow-Captain Jack Sparrow-not letting anyone check up on him didn't surprise her in the least. It wasn't his nature to give into human downfalls-he was a pirate, after all. But she would be lying if she said the idea of him allowing her into his world in this sense-as patronizing as it was-didn't make her heart flutter. But, of course, she realized as she heard another tremendous sneeze ricochet off the walls of the cabin, that even a woman's touch has its limits!