Jack stared unappetized at the meal on the table before him. Teague sat across the table, arms crossed, as he watched his son. Something in the younger man's eyes showed that he wasn't paying attention to anything in the real world.
Poor lad, must be stuck in the world of memories. Teague thought to himself, sighing. Hope he'll be back to himself by 'morrow. The day's already halfway over. For the first time, he decided something about his son. We need the ol' Jackie back. It in't right seeing him like t'is. All the years trin' to get 'im to shut up and now the Locker's done it for me. No man should have to go through that pain, no matter who they be.
"Jackie, ye best eat somethin'." The Keeper spoke up, only to get no visible response. "Jackie." He reached across the table and gave the younger pirate's shoulder a not quite gentle or rough shake. The man jumped, his head snapping up. "Boy, eat somethin'."
"Not hungry." Jack responded, emotionless, as he shifted in his chair, recovering from the shock of being suddenly shaken.
"John Teague." The older man narrowed his eyes, knowing how to get the younger captain to listen.
"Oi! Don't call me that." He piped up. A sparkle of the man's old self showed. "Ye know I don't like bein' called by me real name."
Teague stood up, roughly pushing in his chair. "Eat somethin' before I'm back. Don't need a Pirate Lord back from the dead to starve himself, not already."
The Keeper left the room without waiting for the younger pirate to object.
*X*
Jack sighed deeply after his father had left. To be honest with himself, he really was hungry. His stomach was twisted with hunger pains, considering the last meal he ate was the one Elizabeth forced him to eat. But he continued to look at the food, trying not to be attracted to it. Then he remembered what Teague had said. The man didn't take things like this easily. If he wanted him to eat, it was best to do it. If he was any other man besides himself, Jack'd be shot for not obeying. But that didn't mean he could still get away untouched for disobeying.
The pirate captain sighed, grabbing the fork and beginning to eat. He ate it all, soothing the pain in his stomach. He got to his feet when he finished, going over to where his bedroom was. The one he'd spent a good portion of his childhood in. Everything was as it'd been the day he'd last left it; nothing had changed.
Why wasn't he surprised?
Jack yawned, glancing at the bed with a sigh.
*X*
"Jackie!" Teague called, nearly yelling. "Where ye gone off to?"
The empty plate and fork sat on the table, the chair not pushed in. At least the younger man had ate something. But where'd he disappear to?
The Keeper searched most of the house before coming upon Jack's old bedroom, door mostly closed, room dark. He opened the door and went in, seeing the lump of a sleeping form in the bed.
"Jackie?" He called softly.
There was no audible reply. The younger captain was getting the sleep he needed, finally.