A/N: First Master and Commander, just a random bit I made up. And Sophie is not an OC, she is his wife in the books and you see a brief scene where he is writing a letter to her in the movie.
Jack sat beside his friend's bed with his head in his hands. He drifted in and out of consciousness periodically to check on Stephen. He knew he should go back up to his ship to prepare for the next voyage and get some rest, but Jack just couldn't pull himself away. This was his close friend. A friend he had had for many, many years, and depending on if Stephen woke up in the next few hours would determine if he would live or not.
Most of the time the doctors had predicted for Stephen's condition to improve was gone. It would only be a little longer now until one of the best doctors in this small fort came back and told him his friend's condition would only get worse. That soon he would—No! Jack couldn't even bare to think of that word associated with Stephen. Besides, it wasn't going to happen. Stephen would be up and well in time for their next voyage two days from now. He would be a perfectly able surgeon aboard the H.M.S. Surprise again.
But, Jack's rational thinking was beginning to set in. Stephen had yet to wake up. He seemed to have a burning temperature, and one doctor, just a few minutes ago had stepped in and given Jack a sympathetic look. The great Captain Jack Aubrey needed no sympathetic looks, so he had sent the doctor away with a glare. Though, any time a doctor does give you a look of that sort you know there isn't much hope left, and even he was beginning to feel despair. A sense of loneliness was creeping upon him. Stephen was his closest friend and companion during his months away from his beloved wife, Sophie. He couldn't think of what he would do without their musical sessions, or their bickering when Stephen would, most of the time, be right.
"God dammit," he murmured into his hands. "God dammit," he repeated a little louder, lifting his head to examine his friend again. Stephen's breathing was questionably shallow, and his face was paler than usual. He didn't look healthy… not at all. Jack's despair hit the lowest point it had been in a long time.
A moment later, all the control and despair Jack had felt for the last twenty-four hours disappeared into anger. He was on his feet and his hands were at Stephen's shoulders, and he began to shake him. "Wake up, dammit! You've had your rest now it's time to get back to work you lazy arse! Wake up!"
Half of the building had heard Jack during his yelling, and it sent most of the doctors running towards their room. Jack was still shaking Stephen when one of the doctors pulled him off.
"Sir, you really shouldn't do that to him. He isn't in a very stable state at the moment."
"I don't give a damn!" yelled Jack. "He'll wake up one way or another!"
"Dear lord, Jack, stop yelling," came a voice from the bed. "My head hurts enough as it is with all that shaking you were doing to me."
Jack's head turned to see Stephen smiling up at him. "You… You're awake?"
"How couldn't I be with all the noise you were making?"
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The End