The weather was not as cooperative as Jack would have liked. He pressed
his face against the barred window, and watched as the fat drops fell on
the dirt ground below. Jack cursed, shivering at the draft that blew
through the un paneled window. He let go of the cold, wet bars and curled
into a ball in the corner of the cell. He burrowed as much as he could
under the hay that littered the ground, shivering as he thought about how
pitiful he must look, but didn't care as he slid into a fitful sleep.
Again, Jack was awakened too early, with the moonlight still pouring in through the window. Unlike the last time, Jack looked into a familiar face.
"Jack?" Will Turner asked "What are you doing, getting caught a second time?" Jack grunted, lips too chapped to answer. Will continued to tease, but as Jack shifted under the hay, he noticed the dried blood crusted to Jack's pants.
"Jack? Are you okay?" Will's laughter changed to concern. "Can you stand?" Jack shook his head and struggled to his feet.
"It'll take a wee bit more than a busted leg to keep ol' Captain Jack down. Savvy?" Jack's voice was little more than a whisper.
"Right, Jack" Will answered gently, keeping his surprise at Jack's condition controlled. Footsteps echoed on the stairs and Jack sunk back to the floor as he saw James Norrington, the Commodore in the British Fleet, he was followed by a lovely young girl, wearing a plain skirt and a blouse.
"Ah, mates." Jack croaked "what do you want with me?" Elizabeth rushed to the bars of the jail, after seeing Jack's condition.
"Jack, I was discussing getting you out of here, just for the time being." Jack leaned up against the bars, listening. Both Will and James looked interested.
"Just how were you planning on doing this, young missy?" Jack asked.
"well, I was just wondering, James, would you consider..."
"Its Commodore to you, Miss Swann. You used me once, I refuse to let you use me again." Elizabeth's face fell as she realized that her plan would be more difficult to execute than she thought.
Elizabeth tried again. "commodore Norrington, you cannot use Jack in this condition. You know that. Let him come home with us, let us nurse him back to his normal health, and then you can use him how you need to. Is it a plan?"
James sighed, knowing that she was telling the truth. Jack would not help in his current condition. He also knew that Jack would be more willing to help if he didn't lose his leg.
"Yes. Take him, do not let him escape, and help him. Do not let anyone see him, and do not let him see anyone else. He is the most important pirate we have, and we need him alive." Will looked at his girlfriend and smiled, still curious as to what was going on in her head. James Norrington whistled, smiling as a scruffy, tan terrier ran from the lower cells, where he had been antagonizing the longer residents of the jail. Norrington pulled the keys from the dog's teeth, and opened the door to the jail cell. Jack struggled to stand, but realized that he could not. Will stepped further and slung Jack's arm over his shoulders. Supported by Will and Elizabeth, Jack staggered to the governor's house. Elizabeth left, checking to see that their path was clear. The household was quiet and Elizabeth turned back to let the two men inside. Jack and Will followed Elizabeth upstairs to one of the many extra rooms. With the help of Will, Elizabeth lay Jack gently on the bed, leaving the covers bunched at the foot of the bed. Elizabeth left and returned with a porcelain pot, filled with warm water and rags. Will had already removed the torn pant leg that stuck to Jack's bloody leg. Elizabeth took one of the linen strips from the pot and cleaned Jack's wound. Jack moaned and grunted as she touched the torn flesh. Finally, the leg was clean enough to see the shard of splintered wood pushing from Jack's thigh. Elizabeth grasped it firmly and pulled it out, jumping back as Jack shouted.
"Are ye trying to kill me, you bloody woman?" Will placed his hand across Jack's mouth while Elizabeth bound the infected wound. Blood ran freely from the wound, and Elizabeth pressed more on the hole, thankful that Will was muffling Jack's protests. Finally the bleeding stopped, and Elizabeth left to pour the water out the window. She left for the pump, and came back with a pitcher of fresh, cool water, which she held to Jack's lips. He drank, but immediately started coughing as the water went down the wrong tube. Will propped the other man against a pillow, and they tried to give him water again. When the water was finally gone, and Jack had fallen asleep, Elizabeth and Will went to their own bed, both worried that somebody would have heard Jack's shouts.
That's it for chapter 3. Let me know what you think. I'll try to update more often, but I'm not exactly sure what is going to happen yet, so if you have any ideas, let me know. Thanks
Again, Jack was awakened too early, with the moonlight still pouring in through the window. Unlike the last time, Jack looked into a familiar face.
"Jack?" Will Turner asked "What are you doing, getting caught a second time?" Jack grunted, lips too chapped to answer. Will continued to tease, but as Jack shifted under the hay, he noticed the dried blood crusted to Jack's pants.
"Jack? Are you okay?" Will's laughter changed to concern. "Can you stand?" Jack shook his head and struggled to his feet.
"It'll take a wee bit more than a busted leg to keep ol' Captain Jack down. Savvy?" Jack's voice was little more than a whisper.
"Right, Jack" Will answered gently, keeping his surprise at Jack's condition controlled. Footsteps echoed on the stairs and Jack sunk back to the floor as he saw James Norrington, the Commodore in the British Fleet, he was followed by a lovely young girl, wearing a plain skirt and a blouse.
"Ah, mates." Jack croaked "what do you want with me?" Elizabeth rushed to the bars of the jail, after seeing Jack's condition.
"Jack, I was discussing getting you out of here, just for the time being." Jack leaned up against the bars, listening. Both Will and James looked interested.
"Just how were you planning on doing this, young missy?" Jack asked.
"well, I was just wondering, James, would you consider..."
"Its Commodore to you, Miss Swann. You used me once, I refuse to let you use me again." Elizabeth's face fell as she realized that her plan would be more difficult to execute than she thought.
Elizabeth tried again. "commodore Norrington, you cannot use Jack in this condition. You know that. Let him come home with us, let us nurse him back to his normal health, and then you can use him how you need to. Is it a plan?"
James sighed, knowing that she was telling the truth. Jack would not help in his current condition. He also knew that Jack would be more willing to help if he didn't lose his leg.
"Yes. Take him, do not let him escape, and help him. Do not let anyone see him, and do not let him see anyone else. He is the most important pirate we have, and we need him alive." Will looked at his girlfriend and smiled, still curious as to what was going on in her head. James Norrington whistled, smiling as a scruffy, tan terrier ran from the lower cells, where he had been antagonizing the longer residents of the jail. Norrington pulled the keys from the dog's teeth, and opened the door to the jail cell. Jack struggled to stand, but realized that he could not. Will stepped further and slung Jack's arm over his shoulders. Supported by Will and Elizabeth, Jack staggered to the governor's house. Elizabeth left, checking to see that their path was clear. The household was quiet and Elizabeth turned back to let the two men inside. Jack and Will followed Elizabeth upstairs to one of the many extra rooms. With the help of Will, Elizabeth lay Jack gently on the bed, leaving the covers bunched at the foot of the bed. Elizabeth left and returned with a porcelain pot, filled with warm water and rags. Will had already removed the torn pant leg that stuck to Jack's bloody leg. Elizabeth took one of the linen strips from the pot and cleaned Jack's wound. Jack moaned and grunted as she touched the torn flesh. Finally, the leg was clean enough to see the shard of splintered wood pushing from Jack's thigh. Elizabeth grasped it firmly and pulled it out, jumping back as Jack shouted.
"Are ye trying to kill me, you bloody woman?" Will placed his hand across Jack's mouth while Elizabeth bound the infected wound. Blood ran freely from the wound, and Elizabeth pressed more on the hole, thankful that Will was muffling Jack's protests. Finally the bleeding stopped, and Elizabeth left to pour the water out the window. She left for the pump, and came back with a pitcher of fresh, cool water, which she held to Jack's lips. He drank, but immediately started coughing as the water went down the wrong tube. Will propped the other man against a pillow, and they tried to give him water again. When the water was finally gone, and Jack had fallen asleep, Elizabeth and Will went to their own bed, both worried that somebody would have heard Jack's shouts.
That's it for chapter 3. Let me know what you think. I'll try to update more often, but I'm not exactly sure what is going to happen yet, so if you have any ideas, let me know. Thanks
