Chapter Eleven

There was a dull throbbing in his side, and his head was fuzzy. Wincing as he tried to move, Will pressed a hand to his stomach, trying to figure out why it hurt. He tried to sit but a strong hand pushed him back onto the... bed?

'Jack?' he mumbled, the first person who came to mind, and heard a low chuckle.

'Right here, love.'

Shaking his head, Will opened his eyes. It was sunny, wherever he was, and a cool breeze was playing across his face. The smell of a dirty street- rubbish, sweaty bodies, and rotten food- reached Will's nose, and he wrinkled it as his eyes finally focused.

He was in a small room, the walls a muddy brown colour, the drapes blowing in the window matching. An off-white sheet was draped over his body, and Will was naked from the waist up. Will glanced around and smiled slightly when he caught sight of Jack. The captain was sitting on a wooden seat beside the bed, his hat on the table beside them both.

'What happened?' Will asked.

Jack shuffled in his seat. 'What do yeh remember?' he asked.

Will frowned as he thought. Memories of boarding the Muddy Waters, and the fight that ensued, swept through his mind. 'We were on a merchant vessel, right?'

'We were,' Jack nodded. 'Yeh were hurt, William.'

'I was?' Will asked. 'I don't remember,' he muttered absently, and pressed a hand to his side again. It throbbed dully, and Will looked down.

'Yeh were stabbed twice,' Jack told him. 'The first was a shallow cut, the Doc said, second was pretty deep. They both got infected on the sail over and he had a hard time keeping 'em clean.' Will looked up at him. 'He finally managed to patch yeh up and keep yeh fever down. Yeh've been unconscious for a few days now.'

'How long?' Will asked.

'Yeh passed out as soon as we got yeh back aboard Pearl,' Jack said, 'and yeh've only just woken up. So about ten days.'

'Ten days?' Will blinked, then shook his head when Jack nodded. 'Where are we?'

'Port Royal,' Jack grimaced.

'Jack!' Will groaned. He was beginning to remember what had happened. He'd killed Captain Walter, who'd been about to shoot Jack. Then he'd been hurt- stabbed, he supposed- and after that he'd been aware of Jack and the others deciding on whether or not to go to Port Royal. He must have passed out just after that.

'It was our only choice, love,' Jack said. 'There wasn't a doctor in Tortuga who could help, and no other port had someone we could trust. It was Port Royal or...' Jack scowled, his fingers tightening where they sat in his lap. 'We had to,' he finished.

'Okay,' Will sighed. 'I get it.' If Jack had been injured, Will would have done anything to save him. Even if it meant returning to Port Royal. 'How long did it take us to get here?' he asked.

'Four days,' Jack said. 'Pearl went really fast 'cause she knew yeh were in trouble.'

Will smiled. He'd have to thank the ship when he re-boarded.

'Do yeh need anything?' Jack asked, leaning forward, his dark brown eyes wide.

'Uh... water?' Will asked, smiling slightly. 'I'm a bit thirsty.'

Jack grinned and nodded. He stood and swaggered over to the dresser in the corner, picking up a pitcher of water. He poured Will a glass and came back, handing it to the younger man.

'Thank you,' he mumbled and chugged the glass down. 'Where's the crew?' he asked when he'd finished it.

'Anchored nearby,' Jack explained. 'Me, Gabe, Mr Gibbs and Anamaria came ashore with yeh. We didn't wanna draw any attention.' He sighed suddenly and leaned back, rubbing his face roughly.

'Jack?' Will asked, sensing that something was wrong.

'We didn't exactly manage to get into town without being noticed,' the captain admitted.

'Someone saw us?' Will asked, his heart skipping a beat. 'Who? Was it Norrington?'

''Course not,' Jack chuckled. 'We wouldn't be sitting here if it was. Yer a pirate now, remember?'

'So...?'

'Miss Elizabeth,' Jack said just before the door opened.

Will and Jack both turned to see Elizabeth Swann standing in the doorway, a tray of food balanced on one hand. She looked up and her eyes widened when she saw Will.

'You're awake,' she breathed out and hurried in, the bowl and spoon she was carrying rattling on the tray. She shoved it into Jack's hands, and then Jack out of his seat, the pirate grumbling as he stumbled to his feet. 'How are you?' Elizabeth asked. She picked up one of Will's hands and squeezed it tightly between her own.

Will just stared from his hand to Elizabeth's face and then to Jack.

Jack shrugged one shoulder and put the tray on the table.

'The doctor wanted to talk to you, Jack,' Elizabeth told the captain, giving him a sharp look.

Jack rolled his eyes but muttered, 'Be back in a minute,' and looked at Will before leaving the room. Thankfully he left the door open, but Will still didn't feel all that comfortable being alone with Elizabeth.

'How are you feeling?' Elizabeth asked again.

'Okay,' Will said, 'a little sore.' He remembered how much pain he'd been in before passing out, and found his healing wound aching yet bearable. 'What are you doing here, Elizabeth?'

'I saw Jack and a few other pirates- Anamaria, I think her name is?' When Will nodded, she continued. 'I was taking a walk along the docks and I followed them.'

'You shouldn't have done that, Elizabeth,' Will sighed. Her curiosity had always gotten her into trouble.

'But then I would never have seen you again,' Elizabeth said. 'Unless that's what you wanted?' she then demanded.

'What? No!' Will denied. Although, if he hadn't ever seen Elizabeth again, he wouldn't have been too broken up about it. He'd made a decision to leave her, after all. It was Jack that he couldn't bear to be apart from. 'You just shouldn't follow pirates,' Will continued, 'it's dangerous.'

'Nonsense,' Elizabeth snorted. 'I've fought with pirates and I've fought against pirates. Besides, you're one now; how hard can it be?'

Will rolled his eyes. Elizabeth had proven that she was a strong woman and a good fighter, Will wouldn't deny that. But he now knew just how much work went into being part of a pirate crew, and he knew what was expected from every man- and woman- on board.

Elizabeth didn't.

She hadn't had to scrub a deck, or survive off of half-rotten food, or fight for her own safety as well as that of the crew's. Before, when she'd been kidnapped by Barbossa, she'd been safe because they needed her alive. She'd only been fighting for herself, really, just waiting for someone to come rescue her. She had no idea how hard and dangerous being a pirate was.

'So,' Elizabeth broke the silence, 'you've joined Jack's crew? Does he still have the Black Pearl?'

'Yes,' Will nodded.

'How long have you been with him?' Elizabeth asked. There was some odd emotion in her voice, but Will didn't know what it was.

'I've only been with Jack for about... two or so weeks,' Will said, adding the time he'd been unconscious to the days he'd sailed aboard the Pearl. 'I was in Tortuga for a while before that.'

'Tortuga?' Elizabeth frowned, unfamiliar with the name.

'It's a pirate port a few days' sail from here,' Will explained. 'I bought passage on a merchant ship and had it drop me off. I knew that Jack made port in Tortuga sometimes so I waited there for him.'

Elizabeth nodded and look down at their joined hands. Will took the opportunity to study her. She was wearing an expensive dress in green and gold, her breasts pushed together and held tight with a corset. Her hair was done up and fell past her face in ringlets, and her make-up was flawless yet soft. In few words, she looked absolutely beautiful.

And Will found that he still wasn't attracted to her. He'd take Jack's tanned face, dirty clothes, and gold-capped grin over Elizabeth any day. Maybe Will's life would have been a little easier if he'd felt attracted to women, but he wouldn't change himself for the world.

'You're engaged,' Will blurted when he spotted the ring on Elizabeth's ring finger. The stone was large but not gaudy, a diamond Will thought, set into a simple gold band. It suited the other jewellery Elizabeth wore; a simple gold chain with a small silver pendant around her neck, and golden earrings that dangled either side of her face.

'Yes,' Elizabeth said, her face stern. 'Did you think I would wait for you?'

'No!' Will half-shouted. 'Of course not, Elizabeth. I didn't want you to wait for me.'

Elizabeth sniffed. 'I'm a well sort-after lady, after all,' she said, 'and even though my former fiancé ran off, I was still wanted.'

'Of course,' Will mumbled. 'Elizabeth, I'm sorry. I know that you were planning the wedding, but I... I just couldn't.'

'Couldn't what?' Elizabeth demanded. 'Stay on land, or stay with me?'

'Either,' Will admitted, meeting her light brown eyes with his own. 'I still love you Elizabeth, you must believe me. But it... it's not the way that, say, Norrington loves you. You were my best friend, and I would still do anything for you. But I couldn't trap you in a loveless marriage. We both would have been miserable. And I missed the sea, the Pearl, and Jack.'

'We wouldn't have been miserable,' Elizabeth tried. 'And we could have gone on voyages. We could have visited England or other countries.'

'That wouldn't have helped,' Will sighed. 'Please believe me when I say that my leaving was the best thing that could have happened to us. I'm happy now.'

'With Jack,' Elizabeth muttered.

'Yes, with Jack,' Will nodded, ignoring her tone. 'And you're happy too, aren't you?' he added, gesturing at her engagement ring.

'I suppose,' Elizabeth murmured. 'He's a good man, James.'

Will nodded. He'd assumed that it was Norrington who'd asked her to marry him. Despite the age difference- Will knew that Norrington was at least sixteen years older than Elizabeth- he was a good man. At least to the law-abiding folk, and Governor Swann, Norrington was a good man. He'd be able to provide for Elizabeth and love her.

'He'll take care of you,' he said aloud.

'He won't run off to join a pirate crew,' Elizabeth retorted.

Will sighed but didn't say anything. He hadn't realised that Elizabeth would be this angry with him. Neither of them had been happy when Will had still resided in Port Royal. She'd been busy with wedding preparations, Will with staring forlornly at the sea. He'd been late for or missed almost every date they'd had, as well as whatever dinner or function Governor Swann had invited him to. Elizabeth had put on a brave face when in front of a crowd, but alone she'd glared at Will or looked sad. Their lives were better this way, and soon Elizabeth would realise that.

'Will-' Elizabeth began, but Jack- thankfully- chose that moment to burst noisily back into the room. Will breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at the captain, who winked before turning his dark eyes on Elizabeth.

'Isn't yer fiancé wondering where yeh are?' Jack demanded.

Elizabeth scowled but stood, finally letting go of Will to smooth her hands down her dress. 'You're due your medicine, Will,' she said, ignoring Jack. 'I'll be back soon.'

Jack poked his tongue out at her when her back was turned, and Will had to stifle a giggle as she left.

'Alright, love?' Jack asked as soon as they were alone.

'I'm fine,' Will smiled. 'My side hurts a bit, but that's to be expected.'

'And Elizabeth?' Jack inquired, re-taking the seat Elizabeth had forced him from.

'She's upset,' Will sighed, 'but I think it's more because I abandoned her than anything else. We don't love each other. She'll soon accept that and move on.'

'She has already, love,' Jack said. 'Or didn't yeh see the rock on her finger?'

'Norrington,' Will chuckled. 'I wish him luck.'

'He'll need it,' Jack snickered. His face softened out and he gathered his hair back from his face; braids, dreadlocks, and free strands all disappearing to leave his stubbly jaw and smooth, tanned neck free for Will's eyes to gaze upon. The blacksmith swallowed thickly and pressed his hand back to his side. Maybe the pain would help him focus. 'I was worried, William,' Jack admitted, his voice uncharacteristically serious.

'I'm sorry,' Will murmured, eyes leaving Jack's neck to settle on his face.

'It's not yer fault,' Jack shook his head. 'Yeh were trying to save me.'

'You didn't get hurt, did you?' Will asked.

Jack shook his head again. 'A few cuts and bruises; nothing serious,' he admitted. He smiled softly and reached forward, brushing Will's hand with his own. Will swallowed thickly. 'I'm glad yer alright.'

'M-Me too,' Will murmured.

'I thought I'd lost yeh a few times there,' Jack continued. 'Dunno what I woulda done with meself.'

'You'd have been fine,' Will chuckled hesitantly.

'No, I really wouldn't have,' Jack shook his head. 'Haven't been the same since I first met yeh.'

'What do you mean?' Will asked in confusion. Jack was acting strange; his face was soft, his eyes too, and his thumb kept stroking Will's knuckles.

Jack's smile widened. 'I had a whole plan,' he admitted, 'I was gonna build up to it, yeh know?'

'N-No,' Will stuttered.

The older man leaned forward, his face suddenly in Will's, and his fingers wrapped around Will's own. 'I was gonna let yeh get comfortable aboard Pearl before I did anything. But then yeh were hurt, and I realised that we don't have forever. We're pirates, love, and any day could be our last.'

'O... kay,' was all Will could think of to say.

'Yeh get what I'm saying, love?' Jack asked.

Will shook his head.

Jack chuckled. 'Yeh unlike anyone I met before. Yeh completely ruined me for other people, Willie. Yer all I can think about when yer around; everything else just flies out of me head. Broke me heart when yeh stayed with Elizabeth. Then it fixed itself when I saw yeh in Tortuga.'

'Jack,' Will breathed heavily, and his eyes dropped to Jack's lips- so close- before darting back up again. 'What are you saying?'

Jack rolled his eyes. 'I'm saying I have feeling for yeh, lad!' he near-shouted.

Will's eyes widened. 'What?'

'I'm close to falling in love with yeh,' Jack said.

'You... what?' Will gaped. 'R-Really?' he asked, not yet willing to let hope flare in his chest. 'This isn't a trick, is it? Because I'm injured and you feel sorry for me?'

Jack bounced forward, suddenly much closer than before, and the blacksmith leaned back. 'Now see, William, what yer sayin' doesn't make sense, really,' Jack said. ''Cause if it were a trick, then I'd be trickin' yeh to get yeh into bed, which means that I'd have to have some sort of feeling's for yeh, 'cause I wanna fuck yeh, so really the trick wouldn't be a trick, it'd be a fact, savvy?'

Will blinked rapidly, trying to understand just what the hell Jack was saying. But eventually he just sighed and looked down. 'Jack-' He cut himself off when Jack's rough fingers grabbed his chin, forcing the younger man to meet Jack's dark eyes.

'It ain't a trick, love,' Jack said, smiling warmly.

Will's eyes widened. 'It isn't?'

'Nah,' Jack chuckled. And with that, he leaned forward and sealed his mouth over Will's.

It was... wow, Will thought, his eyes sliding shut. Jack's lips were warm and dry, and his tongue- oh God, his tongue- tasted like rum as it dove into Will's mouth. It was unlike any kiss Will had had before. But then again, he'd only ever kissed Elizabeth, and those had been a chaste press of lips against lips when the two could get away with it. Jack didn't kiss softly or hesitantly like Elizabeth did; his mouth was firm against Will's, and his tongue licked against Will's all it wanted. His fingers were warm and calloused as they gently let go of Will's chin to stroke along his jaw.

'Oh,' Will breathed heavily when Jack pulled back, but he didn't go far; he immediately dove back in for another kiss, and Will groaned. He tried to wrap an arm around Jack's neck but had forgotten about his injury, and hissed when the stitches pulled beneath his bandage.

'Easy, love,' Jack murmured against his mouth.

'I'm okay,' Will said, his voice slightly hoarse. 'Come back?' he asked.

Jack chuckled. 'I ain't going anywhere, Willie.' He brushed his lips back against Will's, but kept the kiss gentle and chaste this time, not wanting the blacksmith to injure himself any further. Will wanted Jack's tongue back, but would settle for this; anything was better than not having Jack's lips at all. 'I've cared about yeh for a long time, Will,' Jack admitted as they kissed.

'Me too,' Will hummed when they broke apart to catch their breath. 'I mean, I've cared about you,' he corrected.

Jack laughed again. 'I know. Soon as we get back on-board we're moving yer stuff to me cabin, savvy?'

'Only if I'm the only one warming your bed,' Will said. 'Or any other bed you occupy.'

'Why would I need anyone else when I've got you?' Jack asked.

'So... no whores?' Will asked hopefully, snagging his fingers on Jack's shirt.

Jack smiled at him, the gesture reaching his eyes. 'No whores,' he agreed.

Will grinned and tugged Jack back down for another kiss.