Title:Do You Fear Death?
Author:Tegril aka Calenlass Greenleaf
Disclaimer:This is a work of fanfiction. POTC and its characters belong to Disney, and to the people who thought up the idea. There are quotes from the movies, and I trust you know what they are. I'm merely borrowing them.
Spoilers:For AWE, and all other POTC movies in general.
Genre:Combination of Drama, Action, Adventure, Angst, and Romance.
Rating:PG-13. See Warnings.
Warnings: Violence, perilous situations, and mild swearing (Nothing worse than the movies themselves).
Pairings:I'm a Willabether for life. No slash at all because I dislike it, and will never write it.
Characters: Will, Davy Jones, Jack, Elizabeth, and Bill.
Summary:CD warning. Half AU, half gapfiller oneshot for that one moment when Davy Jones asks of Will, 'Do you fear death?' Meaning if it had taken Jack a little longer to find the key, the chest, unlock it, take the heart out, and find his sword, how would the events turn out differently?
A/N: In all my POTC stories, William II will always be called Will. His father is Bill. (For the sake of simplicity.)
A/N #2: Thoughts are in italics, "-" signifies a change in scene, time, or a person's point of view. Spelling is American spelling.
Important Note: I am going by what the script writers have said about Will's fate. I can't stand the fact that these two would actually be parted every ten years; seems too cruel. So I'm going against the "Pirate's Secret Revealed" paper found in the DVDs.
That the script writers will always final word is my belief.
Do You Fear Death?
Will was flung against something. Caught unaware by this, his head collided painfully for the umpteenth. He tried to sit up, tried to reach for something that could work as a weapon as Jones drew nearer to him, laughing in the odd, grating voice of his.
As the captain of the Dutchman towered over him, he suddenly turned to look at Elizabeth and grinned, as if something had dawned upon him. "Ah," he said, a cold smile on his face. "Love. A dreadful bond. And yet..." he swiveled to look at Will. "...soeasily severed." He brought his sword to rest on Will throat. "Tell me, William Turner, do you fear death?" The words were spoken in a mocking, almost amused tone of voice.
He felt the tip of the sword dig into his chin as he stared up into the cold blue eyes of Davy Jones. He could barely speak, much less think. A number of knocks to his head had not helped, nor the stinging rain that seeped through his clothing.
Some distance away, Elizabeth watched, breathing hard and trembling. This was all wrong! She tried to get to her feet, but as she tried, her head spun and her feet slipped on the rough planks. "Will," she whispered in fear.
Will glanced at her briefly before returning his gaze to Jones. His breath caught in his throat, choking the words off.
"Do you?" The man shouted, digging the tip of blade a little deeper. A drop of blood appeared. "All right then, I give you one minute, one minute to think of an answer!"
He wanted to shout at him to shut up, and let him think. Never before had he been asked this question, and now he was hard-pressed to find a reply. Truly, how was he supposed to know, unless he died? Yet if did not know, when why did his mouth go dry and his heartbeat quicken as soon as Jones had asked the question?
-
Jack was crawling about the ground. "Come on, come on," he muttered. "Where's that bloody key gone to?" His ears will still ringing, and he could swear there he could see double of everything. At least Jones was no longer after him...for the moment, anyway. But as soon as Jones was finished with Will, he would be next. And Elizabeth was going to kill him if he didn't do something about Will. "If she's killed me once, she can kill me again." Fingernails scraped the planks. "Why is it that people always want me dea—"
"Ah!" he spotted the key, along with that...thing that held it. As he grabbed it, someone stepped on his wrist.
"Lookin' for this, birdie?"
"Bugger," he said under his breath. Looking up, the pirate saw one of Jones' men, the one with the spikes coming out from one cheek. "Oh, 'ello there." He managed a grin, blinking the rain out of his eyes. "Would you be so kind as too—"
"No to that." The half-monster, half-human stamped painfully on his wrist, forcing him to release the key.
"Pity. I thought you would say that." Jack pulled out his pistol, aimed, and fired directly into the pirate's face. The pirate screamed and fell backward, right out of the ship "Bye-bye, puffer fish!" He snatched up the key with one hand and stuck his gun back into his belt. "Now for the chest..."
-
Elizabeth finally got up. Snatching her sword, she ran in the direction of where Jones was towering over Will. She reached out a hand and gave the handle that stuck out of Davy Jones' back a sharp tug. "Let him go, or I'll—"
"What? Kill me?" Jones did not even bother to look at her. "You can't."
She pulled harder. Suddenly, Davy Jones kicked backwards, sending her sprawling across the deck. "Just try and stop me," he rasped, spraying spittle. "If you really think you can."
Tears blinding her vision, Elizabeth clenched her sword tightly, ready to stab it even though she knew it wasn't going to kill the madman. Her eyes were hard and angry, yet they were also desperate.
"One more move, and I'll kill him this instant."
"Curse you, you-you monster, you—!"
Will tried to wiggle back, but found he couldn't. He could now hear Elizabeth spewing out some rather colorful words she had picked up when she had become a pirate. Had the situation not been so dire, he might've smiled. His hand reached out, and touched something cold and sharp.
"Well, what say you?" The figure above him sharply jerked his sword upwards, making him grit his teeth and tip his head back as far as he could. "Answer me question."
Brown eyes steadily met the blue ones. "Why don't we find out?" he said evenly, before suddenly kicking out his feet. With his hands, he managed to shove the captain of the Flying Dutchman away from him and stand to his feet, clutching a blade in his hand.
Jones growled. "As you wish, Turner." With that, he lunged forward.
-
Jack was annoyed. "Sweet Virgin, where did that chest go?" he said. "Aha!" he sprang forward and fell onto his.
Hurriedly, the pirate stuck the key into the lock. The chest sprang open, revealing the heart. He put his ear close. "Still beating. Good."
Just as he grasped it gingerly, and reached for his sword, he suddenly remembered—it was broken and lying somewhere on the ground. Cursing, he swiveled his head this way and that, trying to locate his weapon. Why was he always searching for something? He tripped and nearly dropped the heart. Bloody hell, why did it have to raining? Every time something this bad happened to him, it was raining, raining, raining. Curse that Calypso. As he regained his footing, he saw it. There! Close to where Elizabeth was standing, watching Jones and William were fighting. He quickly moved forward and took it up.
-
The son of Bootstrap Bill parried easily enough and riposted with a thrust. "Why did you tell the Brethren Court how to bind Calypso?" he demanded, ducking. "If you loved her, Jones, what drove you to?"
Davy Jones laughed. It was an unpleasant sound. "Why, indeed." he aimed for Will's arm this time. "They say that love is blind," he continued, tentacles flying as a wave washed over them. "And the arrow was shot well. Should the sea not love the one who is in charge of it?"
The sound of their weapons meeting was loud and fierce. Will had to shout to be heard. "Why weren't you faithful?" he asked, "Was it not said that after ten years, you could return?"
The other pirate spat. "I did my duty, and when I returned, she was not there!" He was breathing hard, and glaring at his opponent. "She betrayed me."
"You've already told me before." Their swords locked. "But tell me, Davy Jones, why did you become captain in the first place?" he narrowed his eyes as he answered his own question. "Perhaps, because you yourself feared death?"
"Silence!" With his clawed hand, Jones roughly grabbed Turner by the front of his shirt and pulled him close until their faces nearly touched. "Say anything more, and I will cut out your tongue, whelp!"
Will pushed away from him, pointing his blade at Davy Jones. "Do youfear death?" he inquired, in a rather conversation tone.
"Do you?" A new voice answered. Both pirates turned to see Jack Sparrow, triumphantly holding in his left hand the heart, and in his right his broken sword. Davy Jones glanced sharply down at the chest to see it gaping wide at him.
"Heady tonic, holding life and death in the palm of one's hand." The pirate commented loudly, grinning and revealing his gold teeth. He was savoring this moment of triumph.
"You're a cruel man, Jack Sparrow," Jones growled, angry that Jack had somehow gotten his hands on the chest again.
"Cruel is a matter of perspective." The pirate replied coolly. And what are you going to do about it? his eyes seemed to say.
"Is it?" Without warning, Davy Jones turned, and stabbed his sword right into Will's heart.
The young pirate gasped, both from surprise and pain, arching from the sheer agony. Mercilessly, Jones twisted his sword, making Will writhe, all the while smiling quietly. He was leaving Jack with very little options.
Elizabeth and Jack were too stunned to do anything as Jones chuckled and began to walk away, with Will's blade still stuck in him. At last, Elizabeth made her way over. "Will?" she whispered shakily, blue eyes wide and frightened.
He didn't reply; breathing was torture enough. Yet he wanted to say something to his newly-wed wife before he died...something of importance. He struggled to stay conscious. Odd how it was no longer so cold...he blinked his heavy eyelids.
"Look at me! Stay with me!" Elizabeth collapsed on her knees, her hands going to his face. The tears spilled down her face, mingling with the rainwater. "You're all right." Her voice broke.
Torn, Jack looked from the heart to Will. Stab it, his mind told him. Yet his own heart was pleading with him to help Will. After all he's done for you, shouldn't you at least do something for him?
Meanwhile, Bootstrap was bodily attacking Davy Jones, roaring something incoherently. He had finally come to his senses, realizing what had happened.
Yet Jack was oblivious to this as he stared down, pressing his mouth together in a tight line and tightening his hand about his sword handle. To plunge his blade into it was incredibly easy...
Just do it...
Think of Will...
Jones threw Bill away from him with a curse. He slammed the other pirate with his claw. But Bill would not be placated. He struggled gamely on, forcing Jones to forget about Jack for the moment.
'It's not just about living forever, Jackie. The trick is living withyourself forever.' His father's words to him only yesterday echoed in his mind. Jack looked once again at Will. The young man's eyes were beginning to blink shut... Damn conscience!
"Will? Will?" Elizabeth's frantic pleas were on the verge of hysteria. "Look at me! Look at me!"
Bootstrap was thrown against some broken mast of the ship. "You will not forestall my judgment!" Day Jones shouted. As he raised a hand to pummel the other, he suddenly gasped.
Someone had stabbed his heart.
Reeling from this, Jones managed to turn and see Jack's hand, wrapped around that of Will's, release the broken blade buried into the deck itself. Jack stared coldly at him, as if daring him to do something.
The captain of the Flying Dutchman staggered backwards, toward the railing. Things shouldn't have happened this way… "Calypso," he brokenly whispered, before he fell out of the ship, and into the maelstrom.
Elizabeth didn't even see this happen. "Will?" she said desperately. "Will, you can't leave me yet. We only—" She swallowed. "—only just married."
His eyes, though clouded with pain and death, still held her gaze. One hand grasped her arm. "Don't-don't cry for me, 'Liz'beth." he finally managed to gasp out. "I'll be back, I promise...promise you." He sucked in his breath, eyes never leaving that of the one he loved. Finally, they shut. His body visibly sagged as he took his last breath, letting it out slowly. "Liza…"
Elizabeth shook her head. "No," she begged, "No, no." She gripped Will's face, trying to keep him awake. "NO!" This last word ended in a scream.
Jack was beginning to worry. Will shouldn't be dead, he thought, if he's stabbed—
A strange creaking sound made him turned around. He heard chanting filling the air. "Part of the crew, part of the ship..." Slowly, the sailors of the Flying Dutchman walked toward him, Elizabeth, and Will. "Part of the crew, part of the ship..."
Jack realized what was going to happen; something that he knew would make any woman go into hysterics. He quickly pulled Elizabeth to her feet, even though she protested vehemently. "Don't! No!" she shrieked. "I won't leave you!" But Jack was insistent, dragging her away from the scene. He snatched up some canvas, rope, and a gun, all while holding a sobbing, struggling Elizabeth. Even with one hand, he managed to make a crude parachute of sorts.
Bootstrap Bill approached his son, knife in hand. Another pirate held the open chest. Bill knelt down. "The Dutchman must have a captain," he quietly intoned, before steeling himself and bringing his blade down—
Elizabeth winced. "Hold on!" Jack shouted, shooting at the rope that held them down. The wind was good, and caught them up as the Flying Dutchman slowly began circling down into the maelstrom. As the ropes trailed across the deck, something made their parachute bob. Jack looked down, sighing. He was hoping to get rid of that monkey. Apparently not.
They watched as long as they could, until the ship finally was swallowed up by the sea. Distraught and exhausted, Elizabeth pressed her face into the fabric of Jack's coat, and silently cried for the one that was lost to her.
Love indeed was a dreadful bond.
Yet, it has always proven stronger than Death.
-
There was darkness...yet no pain. Voices, both soft and loud assaulted his ears. He tried to move, but found that he could not.
He should be died. The last he had seen was the face of Elizabeth...and yet, this did not feel like he was dead. He frowned trying to remember recent events. A heart...Did Jack stab it? No, wait, Jack helped him stab it! Then...he must be the captain. Panic seized him. If his memory was correct, that meant—
Elizabeth could not be his anymore. Gods, this was all wrong. Jack had wanted the opportunity, not him. Why hadn't he killed Jones? Will frowned. It was odd, because usually the pirate had only thought for his own life...
Something cold touched the side of his face. He jerked away in surprise, opening his eyes. It was still dark, but he could make out the form of someone, someone familiar to him.
Calypso?he mouthed, not trusting his voice. He was sure it was she.
The figure did not answer, but ran her hand down his face. One day ashore, ten years at sea. It was the voice Tia Dalma. But if you are faithful, you will not be bound to this fate forever...
What do you mean? He was confused. I thought—
If Davy Jones had been faithful and not corrupted his purpose, he would not have become the monster that he was. Something like the feeling of lips was pressed against his forehead. May your days as the captain of the Flying Dutchman surpass those of the former in reputation.
Will felt her presence leave him. For a moment, he faltered. His eyes were slowly becoming used to this darkness, and he could make out the forms of men, looking up at him. He cringed at their appearance; they still look part-sea monster. And he was supposed to be their leader? He touched his chest, and felt the long, jagged scar directly over the area where his heart had been. Looking at the crew, he saw that his father held the chest and key in his hands. Out of habit, his hand went to his head, and he realized that someone had tied a bandanna. Bemused, he decided not to worry about it at the moment.
Orders, Cap'n? He thought he could hear someone ask.
There is still a battle to be fought, he inflected. But this time, the Dutchman fights on a different side. He pointed. Make for the surface! We can only hope that Beckett has yet to fire upon the Pearl.
-
Hours later, after sunset, he was found once again brooding. With an exasperated sigh, Will tugged on the strip of cloth on his head. He realized he was going to get very tired of wearing it.
"Ten years isn't that long, Cap'n." He turned to see one of the crew members shuffling awkwardly, gaze downcast. "After a twenty, thirty some years, maybe more, you get used to it." But his demeanor belayed his words. "The idea of it, I mean."
Will looked at him. "How long have you been serving?" he asked, curious
The man shrugged. "Don't know," he replied. "But long enough to forget how old I am." He crossed his arms and sighed. "Jones gave me the choice, and I accepted." He chuckled humorlessly. "Don't know whether I've done a hundred yet, or whether I was long finished. But 'least I got a longer life. Until I realized how long a century could turn out, living under some cap'n that cared 'bout nothin' but hisself."
For the first time, he looked up, a faraway look in his eyes. "But I would love to be ashore again, and see how's me children have grown up, and the like..." A wistful sigh. "But it's only fanciful thinkin', seeing that I can't." He began to walk away. "Or, at least, I could die, freeing meself from this fate."
Will watched him leave, a frown upon his face. He was still a bit, well, overwhelmed by the events. Touching the long, jagged and ugly scar, he let his thoughts overwhelm him.
One could only prolong their life for so long. And for the moment, Will was supposedly immortal, his heart locked away and kept safe. But it didn't mean that he was an emotionless, cruel person, like Jones had been. He had reveled in being known as a terror of the sea. Men would rather wander and try to find their way to the other side on their own than be found by Jones, and be asked the inevitable: "Do you fear death?"
The pirate smiled thinly. He still hadn't answered the question. Perhaps he never would. Yet now it fell to him to ask this question, and the offering of a hundred years of service. He sighed. He hadn't exactly wanted this; it was literally forced upon. Then again, plans that involved a certain pirate never went as expected. Will remembered the first time he had met Jack, and how they had stolen a ship from the British Navy, right under the nose of Commodore Norrington. Life had never been the same after that incident.
As he pushed himself off the railing and made his way to check on the conditions of the ship, he wondered what sort of adventure lay ahead of him. He felt rather unprepared, maybe even a little overwhelmed. In only about year, he had gone from being only a blacksmith, to a pirate of the Caribbean, to a captain of the Dutchmen.
"I suppose I don't fear death," he said softly, turning so the wind caught him full in the face. He closed his eyes, remembering Elizabeth's face and the last, fierce kiss they had shared. "Even though it'll always be inevitable. It's just the way life is."
Being immortal didn't mean he couldn't die. Such at Jones, whose arrogance had gotten the best of him. One thing he knew for sure: Like his father had said, this ship now had a purpose again. And he would not be wasting his time. Will hoped that he could only do a better job than Jones did, and that he would survive ten years of this. His life now lay in the hands of Elizabeth.
The End
A/N:I've read some on sword-fighting techniques and on fencing, but I'm still no expert. Neither am I an expert on sailing; I get seasick (or motion sickness) very easily. Only a week ago I was taking pills on a cruise down to Antarctica…
A/N #2: I seriously hope I didn't mangle their characters/personalities. -Wince- Let me know if they're OOC.
A/N #3: In DMC and AWE, it always seemed that Tia Dalma aka Calypso was always eyeing Will...probably she loved him a little. Will is certainly more trustworthy than Jones would ever be. But that's only my own idea.
A/N #4: About Will's bandanna—When you first see the Dutchmancome out of the ship, right before both ship aim for theEndeavor, you get to see all the crew in their human form, and you can see the all of them wear bandannas. I took that as a symbol of servitude aboard the Dutchman. Again, my own idea. Feel free to borrow it. (Besides, he looks better without it! -Grin-)
Thank you for reading!
— Tegril