Chapter 3
"…don't know when he'll wake up…"
"Poor boy – to be in such pain… 'tis a shame."
Light pierced through his eyelids. He groaned and turned over. A hand was placed on his forehead.
"Alright," Jack's voice was firm, "You can go now."
Will heard footsteps, and then a click as the door was closed.
"Will?"
Pain, lots of it, passed through his lower back. He groaned again and opened his eyes, finding himself face-to-face with Jack Sparrow.
"Feeling better?"
Will nodded and rubbed his eyes wearily, feeling somewhat more relaxed than he was earlier on. He found that he was still in Jack's bed, but clad in new clothes, and it seemed that he'd been patched up nicely.
"Thank you for… everything," he sighed gratefully, slowly pulling himself up to rest against the pillows.
Jack smiled gently and sat at the end of his bed. "I bandaged you up as best I could, then got a doctor's opinion – without him actually examining you, of course. I figured you wouldn't… want to be put under that pressure. He said you'll be fine, but not to do anything too physical for a week or so."
"But how will I do my share of work on deck?" Will asked, determined not to let the other men know he wasn't allowed to do any heavy lifting because of his injuries.
"Quiet, Will – I'll not have you injuring yourself further on account of your pride."
Jack seemed firm with his decision as he stood up, crossed the room, and came back with a flask of water in his hand.
"Drink this, and then get some rest," he said gently.
Will drank as he watched Jack yawn, rub his eyes, and glance wistfully at the bed he was currently occupying.
"Where am I sleeping? I don't want to push you out of your own –" Will started, but Jack silenced him with a wave of his hand.
Jack shook his head. "It don't matter, luv. You can rest in there all you want."
"You're too good, Jack," Will sighed and then added, "I refuse to see you break your back in that chair of yours… sleep here."
Jack tried to hide his gratefulness, but he couldn't as exhaustion finally overtook him the moment he laid his head upon the pillow next to Will's. He was determined to stay awake and keep an eye on the boy, but the bed was so soft, and the body next to him was so warm…
He drifted off to sleep almost immediately. Will lay awake for a few more minutes, thinking of the day's events, unintentionally replaying the terrifying scene he'd had to relive over and over again.
With fear and heaviness in his heart, the young blacksmith fell into an uneasy sleep.
Jack yawned and opened his eyes. He saw a figure sitting at the edge of the bed, shoulders hunched and head bent as if it was cold.
"Will?" he asked groggily. "Are you alright, luv?"
"Hm?" Will lifted his head and looked over at Jack. "Yes, I'm okay. Just can't sleep."
Jack yawned and sat up next to the blacksmith, putting an arm around his shoulders and saying, "Thinking?"
Will nodded.
"About what?"
"Everything, Jack… not just today, but before – and all he put me through, forcing me to live through everything he did to me, not letting me dieand be put out of my misery."
Jack shuddered at the thought and moved closer to the boy, feeling an overwhelming need to be by him at all times and to protect him with his life.
"I can't imagine how it feels…" he murmured, rubbing his hand over Will's shoulder. "But he's gone now, both of them are…"
"Just the thought of them…" Will trailed off and shivered. "I don't know how many times, when he was in the middle of molesting me, it hurt too much and I wanted to pass out – I could always feel the blackness surrounding me, Jack – and he'd stop thrusting and let me come back to my senses. Then he'd laugh and start again, doing everything twice as hard. I always prayed to lose consciousness, but he'd never let me. Said he loved to see a bratty child like me bleed… cry… beg…"
Jack was breathing shallow by the end of Will's confession, and his eyes were clouded with sympathy, protectiveness, and love. He pulled the blanket over the boy and turned him so they were face to face. With a sharp intake of breath, Jack hugged Will as close as he could, one hand on the back of his head and the other on his waist. The young man smiled gently and hugged back, soon becoming lost in the sensation Jack's hands left on his body.
"Sorry I keep doing that," Jack chuckled briefly, "But you sure do know how to make a man feel wretched, lad."
"Oh," Will blushed, "I – I didn't know –"
"Don't worry… I'm not telling you to stop; you've got to get these things out," the pirate said quickly. "How about this? For tomorrow, you stay with me at the helm and get used to… to being around pirates. The likes that hurt you, you know you won't find here, but still…"
Will nodded; he knew what Jack meant, and was glad for the man's understanding.
"Thank you."
He stifled a yawn then, but Jack saw and ordered; "Now it's off to bed with you. With the things that you had to endure today, you need at least twelve hours rest."
Will sighed and smiled slightly. "Thank you for taking care of me, Jack."
The pirate returned the smile and lay back down, heaving a content sigh when his head hit the pillow.
"Night, Jack," Will said, lying down next to him and closing his eyes.
"Night, luv."
"Jack, wake up," Will pleaded. His lower back was aching more, as was everything under it. He felt like he couldn't breathe. He put his head back onto the pillow and tried not to concentrate on the pain. "Jack!"
Jack stirred faintly, mumbled something, and buried his face in the pillow, but didn't wake.
"Jack!" Will cried, for the pain had intensified.
The pirate opened his eyes and sat up, immediately worried by the pained tone of the young man's voice.
"What? What is it, Will?" he said, scanning the blacksmith's body for injuries.
Will took a shuddery breath and locked eyes with Jack. "Can you get me something to drink?" he implored pleadingly.
"Of course, luv," he said at once, making his way over to the jug of water and medicine and bringing a ladleful to his friend. Will drank and closed his eyes momentarily, feeling himself relax as Jack ran his thumb down the side of his face.
"Okay?" Jack asked quietly.
Will nodded. "I think it was just panic. I'm alright."
Jack held out a hand and helped Will up and off the bed, and the blacksmith felt better being up and about as he followed his Captain up the stairs and out onto the sunny deck.
Jack looked around the deck at his working crew and settled his eyes on Will.
"Alright, lad - you can do any odd job you like, but don't strain yourself," he ordered, speaking seriously and smiling once Will nodded in agreement.
As the Captain took the wheel into his hands, Will made his way over to Gibbs, who was currently tying up the rigging at the mainsail.
"Morning, Gibbs," he said, smiling lightly and asking, "Is there anything I could do… that isn't too…" he trailed off awkwardly, feeling terribly humiliated to ask for such a thing.
The man just nodded understandably and replied, "Yes, Mr. Turner – there's the rigging to be put up and tied to the front sail with Blackjack."
"Thank you." Will walked towards the front of the ship, thinking.
He knew Blackjack; he was one of the first ones he and Jack had picked up at Tortuga, and they'd always gotten along comfortably. The pirate gave him a gap-toothed smile and said, "Long time no see, Turner, eh?"
Will smiled back and said, "It's good to see you, Blackjack. So, what do we have to do here?"
"Tie it 'round the metal, then throw the rope over that sail and I'll do the rest," the man instructed, pointing to everything as he said it.
He followed the man's instructions and was fine until the Pearl hit a reef. Will overbalanced and hit the railing, and Blackjack was thrown forwards, accidentally pinning the young blacksmith to the hard wood.
"Everyone alright?" Jack called out, dark eyes scanning the ship and stopping to rest on Will and the other pirate.
"Sorry, lad," Blackjack said, and then chuckled as he got off the young man, "I guess Jack's been hitting the rum a little hard lately."
Will managed a small smile, but his entire body had suddenly tensed, he'd seen Drogo once more, and he felt as if he couldn't breathe. He looked up, and, locking his eyes with Jack's, ran below deck without a word. Jack followed immediately, worried by the look on his friend's face. He couldn't let Will relive it again. He just couldn't.
