CAPTAIN BLOOD
Chunk No Captain Chunk
Suggested by: a friend
*coughcough* AU AH Crack!fic *coughcough*
A/N: I'm not exactly sure if this qualifies as a crack!fic…I'll call it close enough just to be safe. Oh yes and this actually has plot, this does not mean you have to take it seriously. I'm not taking it seriously either. This could be my most epic oneshot yet…
Oh yes and Bonnie is evil. Hope you don't mind…
.:.
Jeremy could not believe that so far this had gone off without a hitch. His last friend in the world had brought their tiny rickety boat right up against the much larger one and watched as he scurried up the side. Now his feet crept over the surprisingly even floorboards. Though he wasn't sure why he was surprised. A lot of money had bought this boat. His fists clenched. A lot of money. That was not what was important now. Old ghosts swirled around him. He shook them off and crept forward again. He was here now and like it or not he needed help. Damn whoever had laid the stars, there seemed to be nothing good in his. The door creaked and he winced as he slid inside the blue black interior. Even the faint light of the moon was gone and he could not see a thing. He stopped to take a deep breath before inching forward again. This would really be better if he'd known before hand what he was walking into. Then again, there had been hardly any time for planning. His foot reached the edge of a ledge and Jeremy stepped down carefully. Ha paused to take a breath. A flame of light flared suddenly, momentarily blinding him. The next second something large and heavy flew into him, knocking the breath from his chest. When Jeremy looked up, familiar brown eyes met his. A freezing blade pressed to the tender skin of this throat. He opened his mouth and it pressed in. He closed it again.
"Come to kill me in my sleep?" Jeremy slowly shook his head, wincing when the blade pressed tight again. "You were never a good liar," was the soft reply. He was dragged down to the depths of the ship before he got a word out. For hours Jeremy paced the tiny cell, fuming to himself. One former attempt did not make it a lifetime quest. He had other things to do. The worst part of everything was the tight, tiny ball in his stomach that would not vanish. Ever since he had met those eyes. He slapped his hands against the ship wall. Damn the stars.
It was well into the next day before he finally got to see him. He walked straight to the bars, desperation clinging.
"Please," he began, "I need your help."
"Leave us."
"Captain," the man standing in the corner said hesitantly. Tyler turned to him slowly.
"I said," he murmured quietly, "leave us." He bowed his head before obeying. "Now," Tyler said, stepping closer, "I am dying to know, what is this about?"
"You know that I would not be here, I would never be here, if I had any other choice at all." Tyler smirked, his eyes flashing.
"Yes," he agreed, "I am aware."
"You are one of the most feared men in these waters. I need you with me. The Salvatores have my sister." There was no reaction from the man in front of him. He was obviously unimpressed.
"And you would risk your own life?" Jeremy snorted before pacing back a step.
"I have risked my neck for less, as you well know."
"And why would I help you? Why should I help you?"
"Think of the thing that you love most in the world, no matter what it is," Jeremy clarified, "and imagine that someone had taken that away from you. Would you not do everything in your power to see it returned?"
"I imagine I would," Tyler said haltingly, touching a fingertip to his chin, "were it not in the Salvatores' hands."
"My sister is the only thing I have left of my parents," Jeremy tried again. Tyler crossed his arms. Jeremy stepped to the bars again, taking them carefully in his hands. "You owe me," he finally whispered.
There was a tense silence. "Help me," Jeremy demanded. "Help me or kill me now." Tyler shook his head.
"You are a fool Jeremy Gilbert."
"No," he murmured, "I am already dead." Tyler turned away suddenly. He took a deep breath before pulling something out of his coat. When he returned, a key was in his hand.
"This is my ship," Tyler warned before opening the door. Jeremy could not say anything close to what he wanted to so he nodded. When he moved to pass Tyler caught his arm. There was yet another tense silence. Tyler sighed before opening his mouth. He seemed to be ready to speak when there was a shout from above.
"Pirates!" Tyler dropped his arm and smiled tightly before handing him a dagger.
"We are the pirates," he murmured, heading for the stairs. Some of the pirates had already managed to board by the time they made it above deck. Before Jeremy had fully accepted it they were in the thick of battle, Tyler at his back once again. As a general rule, pirates weren't to attack other pirates without previous provocation. There was one very famous exception to this rule however. The Salvatore brothers. They were widely feared for good reason. From the snippets of news Jeremy had heard about Tyler and his crew, they avoided the Salvatore brothers widely. Jeremy knew that he did as well. He could not see a reason for this. At the same time, hope swelled within him. Elena could be in the ship right next to the one he now stood on. If he could only get to her.
He began fighting with a single minded determination, taking a sword as he killed the former owner. He did not notice when Tyler slipped away from him.
"Young Gilbert!" a voice called out. Jeremy stabbed the man in front of him and did not take the time to watch him fall before spinning on a heel. "Drop your sword now, or she dies." Damon Salvatore, identified by his flashing blue eyes held Bonnie tight against his chest, his bloody sword at her throat. Jeremy's chest caught. Bonnie Bennett. His last friend in the world. He glanced to Tyler, still fighting through the crowd of men on the deck.
"Let her go!" Jeremy tried. Damon simply pulled her tighter. The sword was pulled from his hand, nearly cutting into the flesh of his palm.
"It will go easier if you don't fight," a voice advised. Jeremy guessed it was Stefan. He didn't bother turning to check. Damon lowered his sword but Bonnie remained pressed against him, wrapping an arm around his neck. Damon's smirk spoke volumes. Jeremy caught his breath, Tyler was pinned against the rail by three men. His sword was knocked away and then, very suddenly, the battle was over. Damon shoved Bonnie away from him before crossing to Jeremy.
"Mm," he let out, handing his sword to Stefan, "I have plans for you." Jeremy stepped closer.
"Where is my sister?"
"Ah the lovely Elena. She seems to have vanished." Damon smirked again.
"You don't have her," Jeremy said slowly, "you never did."
"No," Bonnie agreed, flouncing closer. Jeremy tensed his jaw before turning to her.
"I trusted you," he said simply.
"Yes well," she pouted briefly, "betrayal has a way of following you around, does it not?" She trailed a finger down the neck of his shirt, tossing her hair. He tried to stay calm, he really did. Instead he pulled back and back handed her to the deck. Stefan dropped both swords and restrained him. Damon watched as Bonnie struggled to pull herself up, rubbing her face. He half turned to where four men were struggling to bring Tyler forward.
"Kill him," he ordered quickly, "can you handle that?"
Jeremy surged forward, dragging Stefan a few feet.
"No!" he screamed out. Damon looked amused. Bonnie still looked pissed. Tyler looked surprised and a bit sad.
"Make it slow," Damon murmured.
"Damn you!" Jeremy let out, shoving all of his weight against Stefan's hold. Stefan staggered once again.
"Brother," he said, "if the captain means so much for our hostage, perhaps we should keep him alive." He paused. "For now." Damon waved a hand quickly.
"Whatever you desire Brother. It means nothing to me. The captain is yours to do with as you please."
"Bind them and bring them quickly," Stefan ordered, handing Jeremy off to two men. The pushed him to his knees on the deck next to Tyler. Jeremy's eyes burned as he watched the blood streaming and pooling around his knees.
"I am sorry," he murmured quickly and quietly, "I have just cost you everything."
"Not everything," Tyler returned, staring straight ahead as the rest of his crew was mutilated. Their arms were tied tightly behind their backs before they were allowed to stand. They were transferred to the other boat, as well as anything the Salvatores wanted, and stood on deck to watch as Tyler's ship was lit on fire and left to sink. Tyler watched with a grim expression, his shoulders sagging as the flames grew and the air heated. They started sailing and both Tyler and Jeremy were shoved on their knees again. Damon began going through the things taken from the ship, tossing them to crew members. Jeremy mostly watched Tyler, disinterested in whatever they had taken. Or so he thought. When Tyler's jaw tightened even further Jeremy followed his eyes and could not stop himself from letting out a gasp. His father's silver pocket watch dangled from Damon's fingertips. He had not seen it in years. More than that, he had thought it was gone forever. Why did Tyler have it? He remembered clearly needing to sell it to buy them a week's food. Jeremy's eyes closed briefly. So many years ago. Why did Tyler have it?
"What say you Brother?" Damon questioned. Stefan crossed to him and held out his hand. Damon let it drop to his palm. Jeremy gritted his teeth. They split the rest of Tyler's belongings as Jeremy's thoughts went in endless circles. Finally they were tossed, literally, below deck and dragged to a cell. The door closing so that they were alone was actually a relief. Jeremy flexed his wrists before falling against a wall and sliding down. Tyler paced for a moment before sitting as far away as possible. He sighed and let his head drop. It was the middle of the night before anyone came below deck. Two men came down and opened the cell door, dragging Jeremy out. He was barely awake, Tyler jumped off the floor just as the cage door slammed shut. He threw himself against the bars, watching anxiously. The men made carrying Jeremy up the ladder seem easy. On deck he was bound by the wrists, another rope tied to him. Damon stood at the rail, watching him. "I am afraid you have made the lovely Ms. Bennett quite upset. I cannot kill you, obviously, but over the years I have found ways." Jeremy tensed, saying nothing. Damon stepped away from the railing, pushing him closer. "Gents." With that Jeremy was shoved overboard.
.:.
Tyler waited anxiously, wide awake in the chill of the night. What he estimated to be nearly two hours later, there was the loud 'thump' of a body hitting the floor. Jeremy was dragged back into the cell, sopping wet. Tyler crouched down and pulled him up, hands moving over his frigid chest. The beat of his heart was soft under his palm, barely there at all.
"Jeremy," he whispered, shaking him. Jeremy groaned, his eyelids fluttering open.
"C-cold water," he managed hoarsely.
"Yes," Tyler agreed, laughing slightly in relief. With some effort he pulled Jeremy up, tugging at his jacket. Jeremy's limbs moved sluggishly as he tried to help. Stefan appeared suddenly, handing some rough blankets through the bars. Jeremy's teeth were chattering too hard to him to say anything. Tyler was shocked speechless.
"He cannot die," Stefan explained quickly before disappearing into the dark. Together they finished stripping away Jeremy's clothes before Tyler wrapped him in the blankets. Jeremy clutched the fabric in his hands, watching Tyler as he tried to warm up.
"W-w-why," he managed, "w-w," Tyler waved his hand, staring into the blackness outside the bars.
"It was the first thing I did when we got back," he murmured. He could still remember the pride at recovering the watch, tucking it safely into his pocket. Tyler only managed a fleeting look at Jeremy. Even now, so close to death, it was good to see him. But the pain and confusion were palpable in his expression and Tyler could hardly stand it.
"B-before the b-boat," Jeremy demanded quietly. Tyler nodded in agreement.
"Could you not wait for me to return?" he asked suddenly. Jeremy laughed shallowly.
"G-got word you sailed off," he had to pause, "into the sunset. T-treasure was g-gone. What was I t-to think?"
"It was you who told me to never buy a boat I had not sailed." Jeremy laughed hollowly again before coughing.
"N-no," he let out, "s-surely it is not that simple. It cannot be."
"Had you not tried to kill me, it could have been." Jeremy began to cough so hard he was unable to reply. He curled on the floor, covering his face with the blankets. Tyler clenched his hands, but otherwise remained unmoving. Jeremy quieted down and did not say anything for several moments.
"What would you have done?" he finally questioned quietly. There was no answer for that question. Tyler remained silent.
Tyler stayed awake through the night. He wondered where they were sailing to, what Damon's game was. He wondered when Jeremy, the only person he had ever let in, turned into such a bitter enemy. Such a simple misunderstanding. All over the Donovan treasure. Was it worth it in the end? No. Now the boat he had purchased for both of them was sitting at the bottom of the ocean. Why not let him die? He was not supposed to survive his crew, let alone his ship. Everything was wrong. Completely, desperately wrong. It had been for years. The sun was rising, a faint pink light falling down into the bottom of the ship, when Tyler finally let himself fall asleep. The canon fire woke him. Jeremy was pulling his clothes back on quickly, stumbling as the entire ship quaked around them. There were screams from above them. Tyler stood and stretched before sitting again. There was nothing they could do. After a few minutes, Jeremy sat down next to him. "I suppose this is…fitting." Tyler found himself nodding in agreement.
"If I die today it is with relief that you know the truth."
"The truth," Jeremy said, making it sound like a question.
"I was never more happy than when we sailed together."
"Nor was I." Tyler turned his head towards Jeremy, watching him carefully.
"I missed you so deeply it ached," Tyler admitted. There was no point in holding anything back now. This ship was most likely going down. They were locked inside.
"I cannot…describe what it was when I thought that you left me behind." Tyler hugged him tightly.
"I never left you behind. I carried you with me all the while." They pulled apart slightly as Stefan slid down the ladder. He opened the cell wordlessly, stepping back to let them out. Tyler glanced to Jeremy and went before him. Stefan was a Salvatore; he was not going to lay his trust on him. Tyler looked back in time to see Stefan offer the pocket watch on his flat palm.
"Your sister is waiting," he murmured. Jeremy took the watch and smiled tentatively. Tyler went up the ladder first, turning to offer Jeremy a hand once he saw that everything was calm. Both Damon and Bonnie had guns pointed at them. Elena Gilbert stood in a loose shirt and trousers, hands on her hips as the wind whipped her hair around.
"Jeremy," she said, coming forward to hug him. Jeremy sagged with visible relief, still holding Tyler's hand as he hugged her.
"How did this come about?" he questioned. Elena smiled.
"We owe our thanks to one Stefan Salvatore." She smiled behind Jeremy for a while longer before crossing to Damon. "If I release you," she murmured, "you never come after any of us again." Damon gritted his teeth.
"You have my word as a gentleman," he finally offered. She turned back to Stefan.
"Mr. Salvatore?"
"He is my brother," Stefan murmured.
"I leave him to you then." She grabbed Jeremy's free hand and tugged him to the rail. "Go on," she said, pushing Jeremy towards the plank joining the ships. Jeremy finally dropped Tyler's hand to cross, waiting for him on the other side.
"Will I see you again?" Stefan questioned.
"Undoubtedly," Elena agreed, touching his cheek briefly. He smiled and she crossed as well. The rest of the crew followed before the ship set off. Jeremy only watched for a few more moments, enough time to see Damon shove Bonnie away from him. He met Tyler's eyes and smiled. "I was glad to find you alive Brother," Elena said. "Where do you desire to go?" Jeremy didn't take his eyes from Tyler.
"Anywhere."
"There is a little, tiny, out of the way island that I have in mind," Tyler added. Elena eyed the two of them before smiling to herself and walking away.
"Why are we going to this island?"
"The beach. The sand on the beach. What is under the sand on the beach." Jeremy stepped closer and smiled.
"The treasure?"
"Yes. It is ours after all."
"Lord," Jeremy let out, "I am in love with a pirate."
"You made me what I am," Tyler said, placing his hands on either side of Jeremy on the railing.
"My greatest accomplishment," he said, leaning back, "no doubt."
A/N: I love it when something starts out as a joke and I end up really liking it. I mean we all know that Jeremy and Tyler would make really sexy pirates, that much is obvious. Hope you enjoyed even though it wasn't incredibly pirate-y…I didn't want to go overboard. Oh dear, now I'm using puns. Time to stop ranting and publish. Edited very quickly, sorry for whatever I missed!
