Chapter 10
The night seemed to drag on forever; Will still struggled through his illness, coughing up whatever fluid was left in his lungs. Elizabeth sat by his side the entire time, changing compresses whenever they would dry out, and fell asleep in her chair by at least midnight.
When morning finally broke over the Caribbean, the sunlight danced over Will's face, causing him to open his eyes slowly. He was stunned when his breathing came much easier, and he raised his head off of the pillow, peering around the dim cabin. He smiled when he glanced at Elizabeth, who had the side of her head resting in her palm, sleeping soundly. On her lap sat a bowl of water, which was nearly empty.
He took a deep breath after a moment, struggling to sit, and blinked wearily. He felt much better than he had all week, and wanted desparately to stretch his legs. He slipped off of the hammock, tiptoeing past Elizabeth, not wanting to wake her. He checked on Mary, who was asleep in her own hammock, before heading up onto the deck. His legs felt like rubber, and he knew that was because he'd been in bed for quite some time.
Very carefully, Will pushed the hatch open, stepping outside into the cool morning breeze. Anamaria was the first to catch sight of him, and he begged her not to raise alarm, for he wanted to surprise Jack when he found the Captain. "Oh thank God you're all right," she breathed, throwing her arms around him, and Will laughed, patting her back. "You gave us all a right start there, Mr. Turner, I hope you realize!"
Will blushed, hating to think he worried them so much. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "Do you know where Jack is?"
She nodded, pointing in the direction of the wheel, and he thanked her, heading that way. Sure enough, Jack was steering, his eyes focused on the horizon ahead.
"Jack?" Will spoke after a few moments of silence, and Jack whirled around, clutching a hand to his chest with alarm. The two men stood staring at each other, and the Captain narrowed his eyes.
"What're you doing out of bed?" he asked, and Will sat down on one of the nearby benches, which had been repainted since the last time he'd been on the Pearl. In fact, most of the ship was re-done, which gave it a less…evil appearance.
"You've done a lot with the ship," Will said quietly, folding his arms agains the chill, and Jack cocked his head to one side.
"Don't dodge the question," Jack retorted, and Will gave a snort.
"I'm feeling much better," he admitted. "What exactly happened to me? Anything before this morning is kind of hazy in my mind." he cleared his throat, his head still a bit congested, and Jack blew out his breath just as Mr. Gibbs came to check on things.
"Good to see yeh awake and alert again, Mr. Turner," he announced, and Will thanked him with a nod. "Want me to take over, Cap'n?" he added, and Jack nodded, letting Gibbs take the wheel. He then encouraged Will to take a walk with him, so they could have a bit of privacy. The rest of the crew greeted Will with waves and shouts, and a few patted him on the back if they were close enough.
"That's enough, mates," Jack warned, and the two of them sat down by the side rail. "You were doin' badly there the last couple o'days," he began, " so we took you to a healer in Tortuga…it was the closest land we could reach, mate," he added, when Will started to interrupt, and the younger man shut his mouth at once. "Anyways--the healer was trying to get you to cough up whatever was in yer lungs, and you kind of suffocated a little, I guess. You left us for a minute or two, and then you came back by sheer luck."
Will stared. "Oh," he replied, looking down at the deck, and Jack wet his lips.
"Seein' you laying there not movin…scared the hell out of me," Jack continued. "I've done a lot of things in my life that owe me a hanging, and if letting you die was one of them, I'd have hung meself." he looked away for a moment, and Will frowned.
"Jack…" he began, just as Elizabeth came flying up from the hatch, her eyes wild with fear. She was relieved when she saw Will and Jack sitting together, and covered her mouth with her hands.
"Will!" she breathed, and he stood slowly, allowing her to come and embrace him. She burried her face against his chest, and he gripped the fabric of her dress, resting his cheek against the top of her head. She couldn't even speak she was so relieved, and when she pulled her head up, all she could do was kiss him passionately. Jack stood and cleared his throat, causing both of them to turn to him.
"Elizabeth?" he asked, and she raised an eyebrow. "Can you give us some time alone, eh?"
She looked at Will, who kissed her forehead, and nodded in agreement.
"I'm sorry, love," he apologized, and she suddenly understood what was going on. "Is Mary awake?" he asked, and she shook her head, touching his rough cheek with her fingertips.
"Not yet," she replied. "I'm going to get her up now, though." she apologized for interrupting, and headed back down below decks. When she was gone, Jack encouraged Will to sit down again, not wanting him to over exert himself too much.
"Will, I er…there's something I want to tell you, and it's long overdue. Not even sure what it's worth, but I figure I owe you this much."
Will sniffed and nodded in understanding watching as a couple of seagules flew overhead.
"Oh boy," Jack continued, turning away away again, and tried to come up with the best strategy for breaking the secret to him. "You er…you remember how I told you I knew your father real well?" he asked, and Will nodded, unsure of where this was going. "Yeah, uh…well, the day he was told to walk the plank, he asked me to make a promise to him. He wanted me to look after you, and treat you like you were me own kid."
Silence filled the air, and Jack smacked his forehead. "Your wife called me your godfather, which I guess that's the best wording for it."
Will continued to stare at Jack, unsure of how to respond. Was he hearing what he thought he did?
"Say something," Jack begged, and Will opened his mouth and closed it, unable to produce sound.
"I don't know what to say," he admitted. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
Jack smirked. "I don't think that would have gone over very well," he admitted. "Besides, we weren't on the best terms at the time. I didn't even know you lived in Port Royal when I came there the first time. Wasn't like I came there lookin', and then when we met up in the blacksmith shop, I thought you looked familiar, but you certainly weren't much of a help in figuring it out."
Will gripped the edge of the bench, dizziness coming over him for a second. "You seem somewhat familiar; have I threatened you before?" he could hear Jack's voice in his head at their first meeting.
"Does Elizabeth know?" he asked, and Jack nodded.
"Yeah…she cornered me about it a few days ago," he replied, and Will had to smile to himself, amused that his wife had convinced the pirate to tell him something that was probably torture to even think about.
"Ah." Will smirked. "Well, er…I guess…I don't know, Jack, it's not like I can say thank you?" he added, and Jack threw up his arms.
"All right, listen," Jack continued, "In the end, I saved you and your bonnie lass, didn' I? You got married, and had a kid."
Will was about to respond just as there was a shout of, "PAPA!" he turned to see Mary running towards him, and he stood to lift the little girl into his arms, forgetting just how adorable she really was. Elizabeth came up behind her, watching as her husband spun their daughter around, making her squeal and giggle with delight.
"How is my little pirate lass?" Will asked, setting her down again, and she grinned. Her hair was once again back in her braid, and she had on the bandanna Jack had given her while they were in Daktari's hut.
"Good," she replied. "Mama says you're all better!"
Will laughed. "Not quite all better," he admitted, "but I'm going to be fine, love. Is that what Uncle Jack gave you?" he pointed to the top of her head.
She nodded. "Yep! He said he's going to take me away with him when I'm seventeen, if you say it's all right!"
Will turned to Jack, who merely grinned innocently, and Elizabeth gave her daughter a warning look.
"Is that so?" Will cocked his head to one side.
"As I said, it's up to you of course," Jack insisted, and Elizabeth folded her arms.
"Mary, you're not going to be seventeen for a long time," Will began, and she looked at him with wide eyes. "But, if that is what you'll want to do when you're that age, then of course I'll allow you to go."
She beamed, throwing her arms around him. "Just don't harp on it," he warned. "I want you to enjoy your childhood. I don't want my little girl to grow up too fast."
Mary giggled, kissing him on the cheek, and promised she wouldn't. Will stood after he touched her cheek, and then paused to sneeze twice. "HEtCHUUUH! ESHHH!"
Elizabeth shook her head, offering a fresh handkerchief. "Darling, you should really be in bed still," she told him, and Will looked at her, after blowing his nose. "You've only just recovered, and I don't want you to relapse."
Mary rushed over to Jack, tugging on his hand. "Can I steer the ship?" she asked, and he looked down at her, amused.
"Mmmm, I don't know," he began, and glanced at her parents, who were looking at each other lovingly, as they had many times before. Will took Elizabeth into his arms again, slipping one around her waist, and brushing a few stray locks of hair away from her lips. "William?" Jack interrupted, and Will turned to him. "Mary wants to steer, if that's all right with you, mate."
Will glanced at Elizabeth, who shrugged her shoulders, content to cuddle with her husband. "That would be fine," he replied, and Mary cheered, begging her mother to let her father watch for a few minutes.
"I'm not sure, love," Elizabeth replied. "Papa's very tired, and…"
"I'll be all right for a few more minutes, Elizabeth," he insisted, and she frowned, feeling him kiss her forehead again. She nodded at last, letting him lean on her as they made their way to the wheel. Mary was so exicted she couldn't stop bouncing, and Jack took the wheel back from Gibbs.
"Guess what!" Mary told the first mate of the Black Pearl, who raised his eyebrows. "Uncle Jack's letting me steer the ship, Mr. Gibbs! I get to be a real pirate!"
He laughed heartily, and winked at Will. "Aye, that be true," he replied. "An' a very respectable pirate at that."
Will chuckled warmly, watching as a couple of the crew members piled a box or two so Mary could reach the wheel, and Jack stood directly behind her so she would be safe. He thought for a moment, and then removed his tri-cornered hat, placing it on her head, but had to tip it so it wouldn't cover her eyes. Mary gasped and looked at him, grinning with delight shortly afterwards.
"Just for now," he explained, and she gripped the wheel, ready for instructions. Jack told her to keep an eye on the thin line of the horizon, and to turn the wheel very slowly each direction. Mary was practically breathless with excitement as she continued to do the steering, and kept glancing back at her father to make sure he was watching her.
"You're doing just fine," Will promised, closing his eyes, for he suddenly felt very tired again. Elizabeth frowned and felt his forehead, relieved he wasn't feverish any longer. "Will," she began, "I think it's time to go back downstairs and into bed."
He nodded, massaging his forehead, and allowed her to help him stand. "Mary?" Will called, and she turned to him again, allowing Jack to take the Black Pearl from her for the time being. She returned his hat to him, and he thanked her with a chuckle, placing it back on his own head.
"Papa?" she asked, and he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm going to head below and lay down a bit," he told her. "You are doing a fine job, my little one."
Mary grinned, hugging him tight, and looked at her mother. "Can I still stay up here with Uncle Jack?" she asked, and Elizabeth glanced at the scruffy captain, who was once again peering out at the ocean.
"As long as you don't bother him too much, of course," she replied, and brought Will down below decks. When they were at the bottom of the steps, the two of them stood facing each other, and Will placed his hands on her arms. "What would I have done without you?" she asked in a very quiet voice, and he pressed his forehead against hers.
"Jack told me what happened, Elizabeth," Will replied. "I'm so sorry, love."
She frowned deeply. "Don't apologize, Will," she begged. "You were ill, you couldn't help it." she touched his chest. "But let's get you to bed; we have a few days yet before we return to Port Royal." She helped him to his room, and eased him onto the hammock, tucking him in with one of the fresh quilts. "You're going to have to take it very slowly when we're home," she continued, once she was sitting beside him. "The healer said your heart has weakened from the fever."
Will swallowed; the work he did in Port Royal was very physical, and he often spent hours at the blacksmith shop. "Don't worry," he promised. "I'll be all right." he touched her cheek, smiling weakly, before closing his eyes.
The last couple of nights aboard the Black Pearl were uneventful; Will slept as much as possible, and ate what he could to regain his strength. Jack had a bit of a party on the deck the night before they were to go ashore, and had Mr. Cotton and Anamaria playing the fiddle and the flute.
Everyone laughed as Captain Sparrow danced with young Mary Turner, and Will sat with Elizabeth perched on his knee, clapping to the beat of the bouncy music. It was clear they would do well together sailing one day, but it hurt both Will and Elizabeth to think of possibly loosing her forever.
"At least if she married she'd still be close by," Elizabeth told her husband once another jig ended, and Mary began to dance with Mr. Gibbs to the next one.
"But if that's not where she wants to be, I would not want to force her to do so," Will admitted, patting his wife's hand. "We should not think about this now. She is still with us for a good while."
Elizabeth nodded, leaning back against his shoulder, and smiled as a couple of the other crew members joined in the party. Rum was poured and passed all around, though Will was still too sick to have any just yet. He never truly drank anyway, which was a great relief.
"Let's have a toast," Jack announced, standing on top of the rum keg, and everyone looked at him. "To the health of our young William Turner, and the official naming of Mary Turner as crew of the Black Pearl."
Everyone burst into applause and cheering, and Mary was grinning so widely, it hurt. "Here, here!" Gibbs called.
"Now we'll have to wait ten years before we can have her," Jack continued, "but I want you to know, a place on the ship is always open for ya."
Mary smiled again, and Will glanced at his wife, who chuckled. When night fell, Will stood at the rail with his daughter, spending some time alone with her. She was fascinated by how the stars above made patterns in the water below, and asked him what he thought was at the bottom of the sea.
"I've never thought about it," Will admitted. "I'm sure old shipwrecks full of your treasure." he winked, and she giggled. "Papa?" she asked, and he raised an eyebrow, smiling. "When Uncle Jack comes to take me away, can you come, too? I don't know if I'd want to go away and leave you and Mama."
Will planted a kiss on her forehead, brushing a few stubborn curls away from her face. "Of course, my dear," he replied. "I did make a promise."
Mary beamed, and hugged him again.
When they arrived in Port Royal the following morning, Gibbs and Cotton helped Mary and Elizabeth carry their heavy suitcases onto the deck, so they were ready when the ship docked.
"Thank you so much, Uncle Jack," Mary breathed as they came to a stop, and she realized just how much she truly had missed home. An overwhelming sense of peace filled up inside of her, and she couldn't wait to see their two story house in the village. "You won't forget to come back for me, will you?"
Jack laughed, patting her on the head. "Of course not, girl," he replied.
"Can Mummy and Papa come when I go with you?" she asked, just as Elizabeth and Will approached, looking weary.
"Aye," Jack said. "If they wish it."
Mary smiled. "I'm gonna miss you, Uncle Jack." Mary embraced the pirate, closing her eyes and fighting the urge to cry. He hugged her tightly, and gave Will and Elizabeth smirks.
"I'll miss you too, button," he agreed. Once he let go of her, he went to her parents, offering a hand to Will. "Take care, mate," he said. "Try not to overdo it."
Will eventually hugged Jack as well, and Elizabeth smiled, knowing Jack had told him the secret at last. When it was time to go, Will lifted Mary into his arms, and the three of them began waving at the pirates on board, disembarking the ship as quickly and smoothly as possible. Once on land, Will set his daughter down, and she took his hand, watching as Jack began shouting orders to cut the ropes and steer her out, and she sighed sadly.
They turned to head home once the ship was out of sight, and Mary looked up at her parents, smiling to herself as she began to sing: "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me…"
The family turned the bend, following the familiar road home, leaving the sea behind them. For now, Mary thought, glancing over her shoulder, and knew the ten years wouldn't be very long at all.