Will and Jack were talking in Jack´s quarters as Elizabeth ate her breakfast alone.
"What d´you think he did, Will?" asked Jack in a low voice.
Will turned away, tears spilling down his cheeks. He used to be a stoic man, but ever since he and Elizabeth had been together he was all too happy to show his emotions. Maybe he was a eunuch after all.
"No!" Jack said, as Will buried his face in his hands. "Gibbs. . . not Joshamee Gibbs."
"Then something like it!" Will exclaimed. Then he balled his fists and screamed, "I´ll kill him!"
"Will! No!" Jack cried as Will burst out of Jack´s room and hurled himself down to the mess hall. Jack followed him, drawing his dagger.
"Where´s Gibbs," snarled Will, his big brown eyes filled with pure animosity, ready to spill blood.
The pirates gaped at him. "Not here," one called out.
Annamaria got up from her table and joined Jack in stalking Will as he stomped to Gibbs´ quarters. They watched as Will slammed through the door and grabbed Gibbs´ throat. "YOU BASTARD! I´LL KILL YOU! I´LL MURDER YOU!"
Gibbs´ eyes popped open and lolled back. He gagged and thrashed and clawed at Will´s throttling hands. "Stop- stop!"
Annamaria leaped onto Will and tore him off Gibbs. "Will! Avast! Oh dear God-" She was backhanded by Will and fell to the floor. She scrambled back up as Jack tackled Will and Gibbs rolled out of his bed and tried to escape. But Annamaria slapped him on the head and yelled, "You scabrous cur, I´ll have yer head on a platter if ya don´t explain yerself!"
Gibbs´ head was throbbing. He lay obediently on the floor as Jack restrained Will and Annamaria placed a foot on Gibbs´ chest. "Spill all, or we´ll spill all your blood!" she said menacingly.
"I was drunk, an´ I just had to touch her- and suddenly I was a beast! Nothing but a common beast, doin´ improper things to ´er! Me hands- me hands!" Gibbs stared at them, as they were stained with his own blood at the fingertips. Mixed with the general dirt underneath his nails, it was especially disgusting. He brought his hands to his heart and started to weep loudly and annoyingly. Annamaria sighed.
"Would you have raped her?"
Gibbs stared straight up. "I think so." He went rigid and then closed his eyes. His mouth went slack.
"Unconscious," said Annamaria angrily. "All this time I thought he was a harmless souse-"
"Like me," Jack broke in.
"But instead," Annamaria continued, casting a steely glare at Jack, "he turned out to be an abusive monster!"
Will went limp in Jack´s arms. "Fainted," clarified Jack.
They dragged Gibbs to his chamber, and then Will to his. Annamaria said, "What if Will wakes up with an intention to kill?"
"Then we´ll just have ta take that chance, m´dear," Jack said.
"Shall we pay Elizabeth a visit?" said Annamaria quietly.
"I s´pose," Jack said. "Who else will? Besides Mick an´ Layla. Where are they anyway?"
"In their room doing who-knows-what," Annamaria said dryly. So they went to Elizabeth´s room, where Elizabeth was dozing. Annamaria knocked and a frightened voice squeaked, "Come in!"
Annamaria and Jack strode inside and Elizabeth, knees to her chin, was huddled on her mattress.
"Elizabeth?" whispered Jack. She jumped and sighed.
"Oh Jack, it´s only you. Annamaria, you too. Thank you."
"Yes well," she grumbled. She sat down on Elizabeth´s bed and added quietly, "We spoke with Gibbs. Will nearly killed him."
Elizabeth sat up. "Oh my lord! What happened?"
"Well, I guess Will deduced what had happened for himself and started strangling Gibbs! Luckily Jack and I jumped on Will and Gibbs, and I questioned Gibbs."
Elizabeth pressed her hands to her eyes. Flashback to last night: sloppy kisses, hands down and in her shift. Screams, tears, and blood. Elizabeth started hyperventilating.
"Calm her down!" roared Jack, rushing over and he lay Elizabeth on her back. "Breathe, darling," he whispered.
Elizabeth wrenched her eyes open and exhaled a gust of breath. "Jack."
"I´ll go alert the crew to start combing Tortuga for me mum," Annamaria said, knowing she wasn´t needed. She left.
"Jack," said Elizabeth, reaching up and grabbing his shoulders. Passion overcame the dirty feeling she was experiencing.
Hey hey hey, Jack thought and leaned down, his lips brushing hers.
Flash. Jerked neck, foul tongue shoved down her throat, squished and wet. Elizabeth pushed him away. "Bring Gibbs to me," she gasped, her eyes glassy.
Jack bowed to her and went to Gibbs´ room. Fortunately, Will wasn´t standing over him, his sword plunged deep into Gibbs´ gut. He was laying on his bed, his eyes half-closed. Jack tapped him.
"Aye, Jack," Gibbs said. "I´m a terrible man." (He was in bad enough condition to not go into his usual spiel of saying what bad luck it was to wake up a man when he was sleeping.)
"Elizabeth wants ta talk to ye, mate," Jack said, silently concurring.
Gibbs sat up. "If ye be lying I´ll mutiny, by God."
"Easy there, mate." Jack held up his leathery, kohl-smeared, ring-adorned hands. "C´mon, please tell me you didn´ have anything ta drink."
"I didn´, giving up the stuff," Gibbs declared. "All by me onesies."
"Cheers, Gibbs." Jack led him to Elizabeth´s room.
Elizabeth looked at Gibbs, horrified. A roaring was in her ears, she immediately shielded herself. Gibbs backed away and said, "Miss Swann, I´m so sorry."
"Why?" Elizabeth squeaked, her face shiny with tears. "Why did you do it?" She made a little barricade out of her blanket and pillow and backed into her corner.
"Miss Swann, I was drunk. . . spectacularly drunk. And you were there- and it´s no surprise that I´m aroused by you."
"Ugh!" Elizabeth felt physically ill. "Mr. Gibbs, how could you?"
"I deserved that," Gibbs murmured to himself. Jack grinned in spite of himself.
"But- why did you assault me? You´re a monster!" Elizabeth´s voice rose to a shriek. "The pirates´ code, Mr. Gibbs! You could be shot!"
Gibbs bowed his head. Jack said, "To be honest, dear Elizabeth, he didn´ actually rape ya."
"Ugh!" repeated Elizabeth. "Even so, Jack!" She felt disgusting, and that didn´t have to do with not bathing for a week. She felt used, and again, the memories came rushing back.
"All I can say, Miss, is that I am givin´ up the rum. . . and that I am deeply sorry. . ." Gibbs fell to his knees and clasped his hands dramatically, crying out, "Miss Swann!"
"That´s all for now," said Elizabeth coolly. "Go!" she yelled Gibbs remained on the floor.
"Yes, Miss Swann," he said and crawled out.
"Don´ wanna be doin´ that," said Jack. "Will could be awake!"
A roar emanated from the deck above them. They all heard Annamaria´s shriek and Will barreling down the stairs. "Get back!" Elizabeth hissed and Gibbs slammed the door shut. Pounding soon followed.
Elizabeth called, "Will is that you?"
The pounding stopped. "Elizabeth?"
"When Jack slams the door open, step into the space between the wall and the door!" Elizabeth hissed quickly and then called, "Come in."
Gibbs was concealed, as planned. Will walked in and immediately ran to Elizabeth´s side. "Oh Elizabeth, are you all right?!"
"Yes, yes, but still quite shaken. Gibbs, the monster," Elizabeth said, holding a hand to her forehead.
Gibbs felt worse than ever.
"If I may be so bold, milady, to offer my professional opinion?" Jack said, winking.
Elizabeth was about to say, "Certainly," when Will cut in. "Jack, leave."
"No!" Elizabeth said. "Will, we´re not courting anymore, can´t you see? Jack and I, we´re-" she stopped, and looked at Jack, just standing near her table and chair.
"In love," he supplied. He gave her his most ravishing smile and Elizabeth smiled uncertainly, then remembered back to the Barnacle Tavern in Port Royal. What Jack had promised to tell her once in Tortuga.
Will´s face turned red and stony. "Fine. Elizabeth, I love you, but- Annamaria is just as good as you!" His eyes brimming with tears for what seemed like the thousandth time, he turned away and went back to deck, muttering to himself.
"Jack, what was it that you promised to tell me once we were in Tortuga?" Elizabeth asked, after she bid Gibbs goodbye with a shudder.
Jack moseyed to her bed, sat next to her and breathed in her ear, "Pirates aren´t s´posed ta fall in luuuurve." Ever so slowly, he slithered his tongue into her ear, and Elizabeth shivered, overcome with passion and overall lust.
"Jack," she said, as he faced her, his eyelids heavy, lips curved. "I can´t kiss you without thinking of Gibbs. Please, I need some time."
"Elizabeth," Jack said, "I love you. I´d do anything for you." He gently kissed her hands and went up to deck. Elizabeth slumped over and fell asleep, not knowing how exhausted she was.
Jack noticed Annamaria staring at the Tortuga coastline. "She´s out there somewhere," she said softly. She turned and saw Jack. She had tears glistening in her eyes, and said gruffly, "Mama, she´s out there. Tortuga, I mean."
Jack patted her on the shoulder. "Be not worried, m´dear. She´s here, I know it." Annamaria smiled grimly. "Let´s go."