Captain Jack rested Luke against the wall of a brick building. He'd dragged the unconscious man into an alleyway off one of the main streets so he could get a chance to wrap his head around what had just happened.
Jack, the man who'd saved his father from being the captain of the cursed Flying Dutchman, had left his own brother and father in the worst place a pirate could be. And Gibbs had agreed with him? Why hadn't they taken out the soldiers and picked the two up before leaving? Confusion, anger, and a sense of betrayal flew through the captain's head as he sat on the ground, thinking. None of it made any sense. Why had Gibbs and Jack done it?
He'd never cared for anyone, really, before he was introduced to Jack and Luke. It seemed as if being selfish took him farther than caring for others. Why bother with it? Because he'd changed. Somehow, someway, Captain Jack had changed from careless to caring. How? He had no idea.
But the real question: Was it even worth it in the end?
The captain glanced over at the unconscious man. He had a feeling that they'd be stuck in Port Royal for awhile. And that meant he had to disguise himself. He didn't like the idea, but he knew he'd have to do it. Hide his pirate gear away until the time was right.
And there was only one family that could help them...the Turners.
Unfortunately, Captain Jack would have to drag Luke across the outskirts of the entire town. His second trip across town that day. He sighed, frustrated. A single visit gone wrong is what this was. They hadn't even needed to stop by Port Royal, he'd just wanted to. And it turned into one big mistake.
The captain got to his feet, grabbing the younger man under the arms and dragging his lower body on the ground. He pulled him through to the other end of the alleyway, ducking through a hole in the brick wall surrounding the back of the city. He carefully pulled Luke through, careful not to hit the younger man's head on anything. He lifted him up again after he'd gotten to his feet, dragging him along the die of the brick wall.
After a good amount of time, exhaustion began to take over Captain Jack's body. He had to stop and sit down to rest. He propped Luke against the wall beside him, wishing he had any water at all. A few minutes after he sat down, he grabbed the dirty-blonde haired man and threw him over his shoulder, holding onto him as he began to continue onwards.
The sun was setting and they hadn't reached their destination yet. After the moon had gone down, the captain became cautious, glancing around often for wild animals. Sure enough, after just a few minutes he spotted a pack of seven wolves. They saw him too. The animals bared their teeth, ducking their heads low as they slowly approached.
Captain Jack gently set down Luke against the brick wall and pulled out his sword. Low growls came from the wolves. They charged him, all at once. He managed to drive his blade into and kill two of them before one bit his ankle and pulled it out from under him. He fell against the brick wall, pushing against it with his free hand as he fought off the wolves.
A clawed foot slashed across his cheek. He spat out blood, stabbing two more wolves. Three remained. One of them was sniffing curiously at Luke's motionless body as the other two focused on the captain. He managed to wound another, which dashed away whimpering. Seeing the one hovering over the younger man, the captain jumped in from of him, only for the wolf to accidentally sink it's teeth deeply into the shoulder of the wrong prey.
Captain Jack gasped in pain, holding most of it back in his throat. Teeth dug into his left leg, dragging him away from Luke. He stabbed the wolf dragging him, getting to his hands and knees weakly. He threw his sword into the torso of the other one, hearing it's raspy breathing fade into nothing as it's body fell limp.
The final wolf, wounded and bleeding, stood off at the edge of the nearby forest, holding a leg off of the ground and whimpering. It turned and dashed off into the trees, obviously giving up after the slaughter of it's pack.
The captain dragged himself over to the wolf with his sword in it, dislodging it from the body and sheathing the blade. He wouldn't be able to do anymore travelling in this condition, not now anyway. He leaned against the brick wall, sitting next to Luke.
Captain Jack closed his eyes, trying to ignore the pain. Footsteps sounded, pounding in his direction. It was the last thing he heard before unconsciousness overcame him.
*X*
"Jack?" A familiar voice sounded, shaking the pirate's good shoulder. "Jack, wake up!"
The captain opened his eyes, surprised to find William before him. "Where'd ye come from?" He asked, wincing as he turned to glance at Luke.
"Doesn't matter." The man responded, reaching out a hand to help him up. "Jack, why are you still here?"
"That...is a long story." Captain Jack sighed, wincing as he pulled got to his feet, staggering on his injured leg. "The Pearl was under attack and left us after he," He gestured towards Luke,"got shot out of the dinghy. Thought ye and 'Lizabeth could help, so we were on our way there when the wolves found us."
"Why didn't you travel through town?" Will questioned.
"Mate, I'm still wanted, 'member?" The captain sighed. "Ev'n walkin' outside of town is risky."
Captain Jack grabbed Luke, pulling the unconscious young man over his good shoulder. His injured leg couldn't take it and he was forced to fall onto one knee with a groan. The other man grabbed his shoulder to stop him from falling over completely and dropping the youngest of them. He carefully took him off the injured captain's shoulder and laid him on the ground.
Will sighed. "Jack, I got him, alright? You just follow me."
"Aye…" Captain Jack responded with a grunt as he got back up, his good leg tripping over his peg leg. He collapsed, cursing, before he got up again. "Stupid bloody legs…"
For the first time since earlier that day, Will looked down to see what the captain meant. His expression was a mix of shock and disbelief as he spotted the wooden peg leg that was in place of the older man's left leg, from the calf down.
"Jack...what happened?" Turner asked quietly.
"Some British Commodore." The captain shrugged. "I got him back fair and square."
Will grabbed Luke, throwing his limp body over his shoulder. "Wow...well, let's go before you get attacked by something else."
"Wonderful idea." Captain Jack agreed, following him along the brick wall and away from the wolf pack's remains.
Not long later they reached the other side of Port Royal. A building stood on a hill, a good looking one at that. The home of the Turners. They made their way up the hill, reaching the top within a minute. They walked up to the front door and Will opened it, letting the other man inside first. He closed the door behind them.
"Don't touch anything." He told the pirate captain, giving him a warning glance. "We need to get your wounds treated, so follow me."
"I'm not the one who's been shot, mate." Captain Jack reminded him. "He can go first. Honestly, I'm fine."
"Remember the...speech you gave about honesty and dishonesty, Jack?" Will sighed. "'You can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the dishonest ones you have to watch out for.' That was back when Barbossa and his cursed crew were about to chop my head off just to make sure it'd work."
"I don't r'member that." The captain responded.
"Jack, just come on…" The former blacksmith nodded to the left with his head.
"I'm fine!" Captain Jack retorted.
"Shh!" Will glared at him. "People are sleeping around here, Jack."
"So?"
"So what? Just...do me a favor, Jack. Be quiet!"
They were halfway across the large entranceway when the heard a voice from up the stairs.
"Will?"
"Now you've done it." The man sighed angrily to his companion.
The familiar face of Elizabeth appeared over the railing of the top of the stairs, looking down at them.
Her eyes widened. "Jack?"
The captain smirked. "'Ello, 'Lizabeth."
"What are you still doing here? Shouldn't you be on your ship?" She asked.
"That's a long story, I'll tell ye later." Captain Jack replied.