Chapter Two: Blades and Storms
It was Jack's intent, Trini gathered, to dock in every port in the entire Caribbean. They had set out from Tortuga the day after they'd chosen the new crew and immediately stopped in New Haven, a port on a nearby island that was welcoming to pirates and similar to Tortuga, though not quite as famed. Apparently, with no clear purpose, Jack had decided to reacquaint himself and his crew with the Caribbean, teaching his new men as they went.
Trini had remained wary of Sky, who was quiet and kept to himself, but did prove an able and strong sailor, usually leading the crew in whatever task Jack had in store for them.
He had spoken to her once or twice in passing, and she kept on her guard, trying to find out from observation what this man was all about. He had a history, she could practically smell it, but she didn't press matters; instead she waited for the opportune moment to figure out what was behind all his formality.
It was on their last night in New Haven that Trini thought she had found that opportunity. She was sitting in a local tavern with Jack, Gibbs, and AnaMaria, as usual. They'd finished supper a while ago and were just having a few drinks before heading back to the ship for the night. As Jack began to stand up to head back, swaying a bit drunkenly, Trini caught sight of Sky out of the corner of her eye.
She felt Jack's hand on her arm. "Coming, love?" he drawled.
"You go on," she said to her three companions. "I'll be there in a few minutes."
Jack nodded, and they turned, exiting the tavern slowly. Jack didn't think twice about leaving Trini alone in a pub she was unfamiliar with, for she'd learned to protect herself, and she could best anyone she tried at the sword, excepting only her fathers, Jack and Will.
Trini made her way over to the table where Sky sat alone, a mug in front of him. She turned a chair around and plopped down, resting her chin on the back of the chair. He was drinking, and it seemed like an excellent time to pull a surprise attack.
He barely looked up when she sat down, but she could read the question in his eyes. "Having fun?" she asked.
"Are you mocking me, miss?" he asked.
"No," Trini said, a bit indignantly. "I'm trying to talk to you. You know, speech, like normal people."
"Are you," he said, smiling sardonically. "And why would you want to talk to me?"
"Because you've got something to talk about," Trini reasoned, her eyes shining with challenge. "Come now, you didn't just suddenly appear in Tortuga and decide to turn pirate for the fun of it. What's your story?"
Sky actually looked like he was opening his mouth to answer her, but Trini was distracted when a large, grubby, and very drunken man stumbled over and practically fell on top of her.
"'ello, love," he slurred. "'ow's about you an' me---"
"Get off!" Trini cried, shoving him off her and knocking him into the table next to them. Its occupants jumped up, and immediately a fight had broken out.
The man Trini had knocked over stood up and looked around, confused. He spotted her again and scowled. "'ey, now, love," he said, grabbing her arm. "That's no way to---"
Trini struggled for her sword, and she had just had it drawn when the man released her. She glanced up to see a different blade at his throat, and, following it back to its owner, saw Sky holding the weapon. She frowned.
"You'll leave her alone," he said to the drunken man, who nodded hastily. "You'll not touch another woman tonight." The man nodded again, and Sky lowered his sword.
"We'd better be heading back to the Pearl," he said to Trini, and he began to weave through the tavern, making for the door.
Trini followed after a moment, still slightly shocked. "You didn't have to do that," she said when they'd reached the street. "I'm not some weak, helpless little lady. I can bear a sword as well as any other man on the Pearl."
"My apologies," Sky said, not bothering to look back at her.
Trini's blood was up; he was infuriating, this man, and she was going to show him who he was dealing with. She leapt in front of him, sword still drawn, and lifted her chin defiantly.
"Excuse me," he said, stopping and refusing to raise his sword.
"What?" Trini said. "Are you scared you'll be bested by a woman?"
Sky looked at her incredulously. "Are you sure you want to be fighting in the street, miss?"
Trini had her sword at his throat in a split second. "I told you not to call me that," she said sweetly.
She grinned as he raised his sword at last, and off they went, fighting furiously in the middle of the street.
Trini was having quite the time, back in battle at last; there hadn't been much call for swordfighting in Spain, despite Jack's idea about going down the mainland rivers. She noticed, however, that Sky was just as good as she, if not perhaps better in some aspects.
"You've perfect form," she said when they had paused for a moment, swords crossed. "But you'll find that when you're in the midst of a battle for your life, perfect form doesn't seem to matter as much." She grinned, remembering the last time she'd heard those words, rotated her blade, and they fought again.
Trini hated to admit it, but he was tiring her. He was a worthy opponent, but still naïve in the ways of fighting like a pirate. So she decided to end this little escapade on her terms, and when he had cornered her, she spun around and kicked his sword out of his hands, then pointed hers at his chest. He held up his hands in surrender, and she sheathed her blade.
She even picked his sword up and handed it to him, in high spirits once more. "I'll give you this," she said as he took his sword from her. "You've been well-trained. We'll make a pirate of you yet. But no one," she added, moving closer to him, their noses almost touching. "No one beats Trini Sparrow, save her fathers."
With that, she flashed him a grin once more and turned, making her way jauntily back towards the Pearl.
Sky was left standing in the streets of New Haven, utterly shocked. "Sparrow?" he mused. He chuckled to himself; he was just as naïve as everyone believed. Then he followed Trini back to the Pearl, mulling over the events of the evening. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Storm brewin', Cap'n," Gibbs said as he stood beside Jack at the helm, shaking the last drops from his flask.
Jack looked upwards; Trini was in the crow's nest gazing at the dark horizon through her spyglass. "What d'ye see, lass?" he called up to her, but Trini could barely catch his voice; the wind was already beginning to howl.
"Not good, Jack!" she screamed back down, wondering if he could hear even that.
It was the day after Trini's little adventure in New Haven, and Jack had wanted to head out for a new island, hoping then to make for Isla de Muerta. However, the storm that they were sailing into did not look like it was going to help their cause.
"Any way to get around it?" Jack asked Gibbs, who looked around at the black clouds surrounding them and the water growing ever more furious.
"I don't believe so, Cap'n," Gibbs said.
"Well, go and prepare the crew," Jack said. He glanced up at Trini, who was barely staying perched in the crow's nest as the ship began to rock violently. "An' for god's sakes, get her down from there."
"Aye," Gibbs replied, and he charged down to the deck, bellowing out orders to the crew and calling for Trini to come down. She could see him yelling up at her, but his voice was lost on the wind. She guessed what he meant, though, and began to descend as steadily as she could with the wind whipping the ropes around. She lost her footing a few feet from the deck and nearly toppled down, but someone caught her by the arm, and she was able to swing down and land on her feet.
"Thanks," she said as her arm was released, and she turned around to see Sky walking away from her, towards a group of men trying to pull the sails down. She shook her head and made her way up to Jack at the helm.
"What's the plan?" she asked her father as she stared out into the raging sea.
"Sail straight through," Jack said calmly, and Trini glanced at him, startled. She nodded; they had no other way. It could not be avoided in time, and there was no land nearby on which to dock until the storm had passed.
"What would you have me do?"
"Stay here," Jack replied. "Help the crew as they need it. Don't tire yourself too much, love; she's yours when this is over."
Trini nodded; that was how it had worked since she'd returned to the Pearl. Jack liked to keep her out of the action if he could, claiming she had to take over the helm afterwards, but she felt it was because he liked to keep an eye on her, and she didn't object too much. Storms were tricky; sometimes you didn't realize someone had been washed overboard until they failed to turn up the next day.
The water was churning around the ship, rocking it mercilessly back and forth. Waves sloshed over the sides, soaking everyone on board, and now the rain was pelting down in torrents. The crew was still fighting to pull down the last sail; Trini glanced over at Jack, who nodded his approval, and she made her way down to the deck to offer what little assistance she could. She grabbed a space on the rope, and she could hear Gibbs screaming through the wind for them to pull. Trini pulled with all her might along with the rest of the crew, but the wind was bent on keeping the sail for itself.
"C'mon, lads!" Gibbs could be heard wailing over the wind. "Once more, now!"
With one more great heave, all their wills bent against the wind, they managed to bring the sail down. Immediately, the men burst into cheers. Small victories, Trini thought, as she made her way, grinning, back to Jack.
The crew was not in high spirits for long. Soon the wind and waves became so vicious that one or two men were almost swept overboard; only by the swift hands of their fellow crewmembers were they pulled aboard before they hit the water and were lost.
"How much longer do you think it'll be?" Trini screamed in Jack's ear as he spun the wheel to keep them from sailing straight into a large wave.
Jack shook his head. Trini looked out at the horizon; even now, it was still filled with great, dark clouds.
Another wave rocked the ship, and Trini, not holding onto anything, was flung from Jack's side against the side of the ship, hitting her head soundly against the railing. Everything went black for a moment, and then the sights and sounds of the storm began to flicker back.
She ignored the searing ache in her head and stood up again. Jack was still at the helm, but he was looking at her, something like concern etched across his face.
"You all right, love?" he bellowed as she returned to her place at his side. She nodded, wiping away the blood that streamed down the side of her face, and Jack looked back towards the ocean.
The rain pounding onto the ship began to lessen gradually, and the soaked crew was relieved when the waves stopped sloshing over the deck. Slowly the clouds dispersed, and the bright Caribbean sunshine took over, bringing the crew to cheers again. Gibbs ordered the sails up as soon as they were sure the storm was past, and then he and AnaMaria joined Jack and Trini at the helm. The four of them were soaked, aching, and exhausted, but they were all smiling.
Jack turned towards Trini. "You can take her, love?" he asked wearily, looking pointedly at the gash on her forehead.
"I can," she said stubbornly, wiping the blood from her face. "Go on, all three of you. We'll be fine."
Jack nodded and laid a hand on her arm in passing, his typical sign of affection. Trini smiled as the three of them broke off to their separate cabins to rest. She didn't let any of them know it, but some of her favorite moments were when she was alone at the helm, without Jack to instruct her, however she might love him. But today was slightly different; the peace of solitude and the comfort of the ship beneath her feet were not enough to chase the searing pain from her head nor quell her shaking, even after the sun had dried her clothes and sufficiently warmed the rest of the crew.
Four or five hours later, Jack returned to the wheel of his beloved ship, dry and rested, and found Trini there, smiling but shivering. He immediately took the wheel from her.
"What the 'ell were you thinking?" he asked roughly. "You're ill, lass."
"I'm fine," she protested. "I just need to lie down."
"You needed to lie down hours ago," he said, tilting her chin up and looking into her eyes. "You're feverish. Go below, love, and don't let me see you up 'ere again until I say so."
Trini nodded, too tired to argue with him at the moment. She made her way below decks and towards the sleeping quarters, where she immediately met AnaMaria.
"You look like hell," AnaMaria said bluntly, stopping to examine the cut on Trini's head. "That's awful. Hey," she turned and called to someone behind her. "You, come 'ere and clean her up."
Trini saw Sky stand up from the cot he had been sitting on and make his way towards them.
"No, no," Trini protested. "I'm all right, really, Ana. I'll just go lie down and---"
"Nonsense, girl," AnaMaria growled. "Jack'd have our throats if that got infected. This lad knows what 'e's doing. Go on." She shoved Trini towards her sleeping quarters and watched as Trini reluctantly ducked behind the curtain. Sky stood outside the makeshift cabin uncomfortably until AnaMaria began glaring furiously at him, and then he, too, ducked behind the curtain.
Trini perched on her cot, watching Sky pull a flask, a rag, and several strips of clean cloth from his pockets. He sat cautiously on the bed beside her, and nodded to the cut on her forehead. "If I may?" he asked.
Trini nodded, and he examined the gash carefully. Trini bit her lip to keep from crying out; the wound stung, and her head was throbbing.
"It won't need stitches," he said at last, opening the flask. "Just cleaning." He let some of the liquid from the flask drip onto the rag and applied it to the cut. Trini jumped back, startled; it stung tremendously.
"Sorry," he said. "I should have warned you."
"That's all right," Trini said, the smell from the rag reaching her nose. "Is---Is that rum?"
Sky laughed. "It is," he said. "It works wonders for cleaning wounds, when you don't have plain alcohol."
Trini nodded as though she knew what he was talking about. He bound the gash with a few strips of the cloth and the rest returned to his pocket.
"You really should sleep," he added, looking back at her. "Or the fever will get worse."
Trini nodded, but she couldn't quash her curiosity. "Where did you learn all that?" she asked.
Sky gave her his wry smile again. "Here and there," he replied cryptically, knowing he could get a rise out of her. "Perhaps I'll tell you, if you'll rest first."
Trini narrowed her eyes. "I don't think I want to know," she retorted.
Sky shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said, echoing her final words from their first meeting, and he disappeared behind the curtain.
Trini sighed in frustration, but she was running out of strength to argue with everyone. She curled up and pulled a blanket out from under her cot, still slightly cold, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ AN: I'm getting into this storyline a bit! It's not as streamlined as my other, because there's not quite as much one main event that leads up to the climax as there are several minor events. Still fun, though, and I'm enjoying writing something a little less dramatic. About the title, someone mentioned it wasn't the greatest title, and I TOTALLY agree. But I was hard- pressed to find one, and I just couldn't think of a good one. "For Life" was a back up that I ended up using since I was low on creative juice. It does have SOME symbolic meaning, but not until later in the story. If anyone can come up with a better title, I'm totally open to suggestions! Anyway, review if you would, and tell me what you think! ~Ellie
It was Jack's intent, Trini gathered, to dock in every port in the entire Caribbean. They had set out from Tortuga the day after they'd chosen the new crew and immediately stopped in New Haven, a port on a nearby island that was welcoming to pirates and similar to Tortuga, though not quite as famed. Apparently, with no clear purpose, Jack had decided to reacquaint himself and his crew with the Caribbean, teaching his new men as they went.
Trini had remained wary of Sky, who was quiet and kept to himself, but did prove an able and strong sailor, usually leading the crew in whatever task Jack had in store for them.
He had spoken to her once or twice in passing, and she kept on her guard, trying to find out from observation what this man was all about. He had a history, she could practically smell it, but she didn't press matters; instead she waited for the opportune moment to figure out what was behind all his formality.
It was on their last night in New Haven that Trini thought she had found that opportunity. She was sitting in a local tavern with Jack, Gibbs, and AnaMaria, as usual. They'd finished supper a while ago and were just having a few drinks before heading back to the ship for the night. As Jack began to stand up to head back, swaying a bit drunkenly, Trini caught sight of Sky out of the corner of her eye.
She felt Jack's hand on her arm. "Coming, love?" he drawled.
"You go on," she said to her three companions. "I'll be there in a few minutes."
Jack nodded, and they turned, exiting the tavern slowly. Jack didn't think twice about leaving Trini alone in a pub she was unfamiliar with, for she'd learned to protect herself, and she could best anyone she tried at the sword, excepting only her fathers, Jack and Will.
Trini made her way over to the table where Sky sat alone, a mug in front of him. She turned a chair around and plopped down, resting her chin on the back of the chair. He was drinking, and it seemed like an excellent time to pull a surprise attack.
He barely looked up when she sat down, but she could read the question in his eyes. "Having fun?" she asked.
"Are you mocking me, miss?" he asked.
"No," Trini said, a bit indignantly. "I'm trying to talk to you. You know, speech, like normal people."
"Are you," he said, smiling sardonically. "And why would you want to talk to me?"
"Because you've got something to talk about," Trini reasoned, her eyes shining with challenge. "Come now, you didn't just suddenly appear in Tortuga and decide to turn pirate for the fun of it. What's your story?"
Sky actually looked like he was opening his mouth to answer her, but Trini was distracted when a large, grubby, and very drunken man stumbled over and practically fell on top of her.
"'ello, love," he slurred. "'ow's about you an' me---"
"Get off!" Trini cried, shoving him off her and knocking him into the table next to them. Its occupants jumped up, and immediately a fight had broken out.
The man Trini had knocked over stood up and looked around, confused. He spotted her again and scowled. "'ey, now, love," he said, grabbing her arm. "That's no way to---"
Trini struggled for her sword, and she had just had it drawn when the man released her. She glanced up to see a different blade at his throat, and, following it back to its owner, saw Sky holding the weapon. She frowned.
"You'll leave her alone," he said to the drunken man, who nodded hastily. "You'll not touch another woman tonight." The man nodded again, and Sky lowered his sword.
"We'd better be heading back to the Pearl," he said to Trini, and he began to weave through the tavern, making for the door.
Trini followed after a moment, still slightly shocked. "You didn't have to do that," she said when they'd reached the street. "I'm not some weak, helpless little lady. I can bear a sword as well as any other man on the Pearl."
"My apologies," Sky said, not bothering to look back at her.
Trini's blood was up; he was infuriating, this man, and she was going to show him who he was dealing with. She leapt in front of him, sword still drawn, and lifted her chin defiantly.
"Excuse me," he said, stopping and refusing to raise his sword.
"What?" Trini said. "Are you scared you'll be bested by a woman?"
Sky looked at her incredulously. "Are you sure you want to be fighting in the street, miss?"
Trini had her sword at his throat in a split second. "I told you not to call me that," she said sweetly.
She grinned as he raised his sword at last, and off they went, fighting furiously in the middle of the street.
Trini was having quite the time, back in battle at last; there hadn't been much call for swordfighting in Spain, despite Jack's idea about going down the mainland rivers. She noticed, however, that Sky was just as good as she, if not perhaps better in some aspects.
"You've perfect form," she said when they had paused for a moment, swords crossed. "But you'll find that when you're in the midst of a battle for your life, perfect form doesn't seem to matter as much." She grinned, remembering the last time she'd heard those words, rotated her blade, and they fought again.
Trini hated to admit it, but he was tiring her. He was a worthy opponent, but still naïve in the ways of fighting like a pirate. So she decided to end this little escapade on her terms, and when he had cornered her, she spun around and kicked his sword out of his hands, then pointed hers at his chest. He held up his hands in surrender, and she sheathed her blade.
She even picked his sword up and handed it to him, in high spirits once more. "I'll give you this," she said as he took his sword from her. "You've been well-trained. We'll make a pirate of you yet. But no one," she added, moving closer to him, their noses almost touching. "No one beats Trini Sparrow, save her fathers."
With that, she flashed him a grin once more and turned, making her way jauntily back towards the Pearl.
Sky was left standing in the streets of New Haven, utterly shocked. "Sparrow?" he mused. He chuckled to himself; he was just as naïve as everyone believed. Then he followed Trini back to the Pearl, mulling over the events of the evening. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Storm brewin', Cap'n," Gibbs said as he stood beside Jack at the helm, shaking the last drops from his flask.
Jack looked upwards; Trini was in the crow's nest gazing at the dark horizon through her spyglass. "What d'ye see, lass?" he called up to her, but Trini could barely catch his voice; the wind was already beginning to howl.
"Not good, Jack!" she screamed back down, wondering if he could hear even that.
It was the day after Trini's little adventure in New Haven, and Jack had wanted to head out for a new island, hoping then to make for Isla de Muerta. However, the storm that they were sailing into did not look like it was going to help their cause.
"Any way to get around it?" Jack asked Gibbs, who looked around at the black clouds surrounding them and the water growing ever more furious.
"I don't believe so, Cap'n," Gibbs said.
"Well, go and prepare the crew," Jack said. He glanced up at Trini, who was barely staying perched in the crow's nest as the ship began to rock violently. "An' for god's sakes, get her down from there."
"Aye," Gibbs replied, and he charged down to the deck, bellowing out orders to the crew and calling for Trini to come down. She could see him yelling up at her, but his voice was lost on the wind. She guessed what he meant, though, and began to descend as steadily as she could with the wind whipping the ropes around. She lost her footing a few feet from the deck and nearly toppled down, but someone caught her by the arm, and she was able to swing down and land on her feet.
"Thanks," she said as her arm was released, and she turned around to see Sky walking away from her, towards a group of men trying to pull the sails down. She shook her head and made her way up to Jack at the helm.
"What's the plan?" she asked her father as she stared out into the raging sea.
"Sail straight through," Jack said calmly, and Trini glanced at him, startled. She nodded; they had no other way. It could not be avoided in time, and there was no land nearby on which to dock until the storm had passed.
"What would you have me do?"
"Stay here," Jack replied. "Help the crew as they need it. Don't tire yourself too much, love; she's yours when this is over."
Trini nodded; that was how it had worked since she'd returned to the Pearl. Jack liked to keep her out of the action if he could, claiming she had to take over the helm afterwards, but she felt it was because he liked to keep an eye on her, and she didn't object too much. Storms were tricky; sometimes you didn't realize someone had been washed overboard until they failed to turn up the next day.
The water was churning around the ship, rocking it mercilessly back and forth. Waves sloshed over the sides, soaking everyone on board, and now the rain was pelting down in torrents. The crew was still fighting to pull down the last sail; Trini glanced over at Jack, who nodded his approval, and she made her way down to the deck to offer what little assistance she could. She grabbed a space on the rope, and she could hear Gibbs screaming through the wind for them to pull. Trini pulled with all her might along with the rest of the crew, but the wind was bent on keeping the sail for itself.
"C'mon, lads!" Gibbs could be heard wailing over the wind. "Once more, now!"
With one more great heave, all their wills bent against the wind, they managed to bring the sail down. Immediately, the men burst into cheers. Small victories, Trini thought, as she made her way, grinning, back to Jack.
The crew was not in high spirits for long. Soon the wind and waves became so vicious that one or two men were almost swept overboard; only by the swift hands of their fellow crewmembers were they pulled aboard before they hit the water and were lost.
"How much longer do you think it'll be?" Trini screamed in Jack's ear as he spun the wheel to keep them from sailing straight into a large wave.
Jack shook his head. Trini looked out at the horizon; even now, it was still filled with great, dark clouds.
Another wave rocked the ship, and Trini, not holding onto anything, was flung from Jack's side against the side of the ship, hitting her head soundly against the railing. Everything went black for a moment, and then the sights and sounds of the storm began to flicker back.
She ignored the searing ache in her head and stood up again. Jack was still at the helm, but he was looking at her, something like concern etched across his face.
"You all right, love?" he bellowed as she returned to her place at his side. She nodded, wiping away the blood that streamed down the side of her face, and Jack looked back towards the ocean.
The rain pounding onto the ship began to lessen gradually, and the soaked crew was relieved when the waves stopped sloshing over the deck. Slowly the clouds dispersed, and the bright Caribbean sunshine took over, bringing the crew to cheers again. Gibbs ordered the sails up as soon as they were sure the storm was past, and then he and AnaMaria joined Jack and Trini at the helm. The four of them were soaked, aching, and exhausted, but they were all smiling.
Jack turned towards Trini. "You can take her, love?" he asked wearily, looking pointedly at the gash on her forehead.
"I can," she said stubbornly, wiping the blood from her face. "Go on, all three of you. We'll be fine."
Jack nodded and laid a hand on her arm in passing, his typical sign of affection. Trini smiled as the three of them broke off to their separate cabins to rest. She didn't let any of them know it, but some of her favorite moments were when she was alone at the helm, without Jack to instruct her, however she might love him. But today was slightly different; the peace of solitude and the comfort of the ship beneath her feet were not enough to chase the searing pain from her head nor quell her shaking, even after the sun had dried her clothes and sufficiently warmed the rest of the crew.
Four or five hours later, Jack returned to the wheel of his beloved ship, dry and rested, and found Trini there, smiling but shivering. He immediately took the wheel from her.
"What the 'ell were you thinking?" he asked roughly. "You're ill, lass."
"I'm fine," she protested. "I just need to lie down."
"You needed to lie down hours ago," he said, tilting her chin up and looking into her eyes. "You're feverish. Go below, love, and don't let me see you up 'ere again until I say so."
Trini nodded, too tired to argue with him at the moment. She made her way below decks and towards the sleeping quarters, where she immediately met AnaMaria.
"You look like hell," AnaMaria said bluntly, stopping to examine the cut on Trini's head. "That's awful. Hey," she turned and called to someone behind her. "You, come 'ere and clean her up."
Trini saw Sky stand up from the cot he had been sitting on and make his way towards them.
"No, no," Trini protested. "I'm all right, really, Ana. I'll just go lie down and---"
"Nonsense, girl," AnaMaria growled. "Jack'd have our throats if that got infected. This lad knows what 'e's doing. Go on." She shoved Trini towards her sleeping quarters and watched as Trini reluctantly ducked behind the curtain. Sky stood outside the makeshift cabin uncomfortably until AnaMaria began glaring furiously at him, and then he, too, ducked behind the curtain.
Trini perched on her cot, watching Sky pull a flask, a rag, and several strips of clean cloth from his pockets. He sat cautiously on the bed beside her, and nodded to the cut on her forehead. "If I may?" he asked.
Trini nodded, and he examined the gash carefully. Trini bit her lip to keep from crying out; the wound stung, and her head was throbbing.
"It won't need stitches," he said at last, opening the flask. "Just cleaning." He let some of the liquid from the flask drip onto the rag and applied it to the cut. Trini jumped back, startled; it stung tremendously.
"Sorry," he said. "I should have warned you."
"That's all right," Trini said, the smell from the rag reaching her nose. "Is---Is that rum?"
Sky laughed. "It is," he said. "It works wonders for cleaning wounds, when you don't have plain alcohol."
Trini nodded as though she knew what he was talking about. He bound the gash with a few strips of the cloth and the rest returned to his pocket.
"You really should sleep," he added, looking back at her. "Or the fever will get worse."
Trini nodded, but she couldn't quash her curiosity. "Where did you learn all that?" she asked.
Sky gave her his wry smile again. "Here and there," he replied cryptically, knowing he could get a rise out of her. "Perhaps I'll tell you, if you'll rest first."
Trini narrowed her eyes. "I don't think I want to know," she retorted.
Sky shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said, echoing her final words from their first meeting, and he disappeared behind the curtain.
Trini sighed in frustration, but she was running out of strength to argue with everyone. She curled up and pulled a blanket out from under her cot, still slightly cold, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ AN: I'm getting into this storyline a bit! It's not as streamlined as my other, because there's not quite as much one main event that leads up to the climax as there are several minor events. Still fun, though, and I'm enjoying writing something a little less dramatic. About the title, someone mentioned it wasn't the greatest title, and I TOTALLY agree. But I was hard- pressed to find one, and I just couldn't think of a good one. "For Life" was a back up that I ended up using since I was low on creative juice. It does have SOME symbolic meaning, but not until later in the story. If anyone can come up with a better title, I'm totally open to suggestions! Anyway, review if you would, and tell me what you think! ~Ellie