Broken Wings
A Pirates of the Caribbean story by Merrie
Disclaimer: I can't be trusted to own these characters. Look what kind of hell I put them through!
Summary: Captain Jack has lost his ship, his crew, nearly his life, and now his sanity to a horrible new curse. Will this Sparrow be able soar again after his wings have been broken?
Characters: Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Commodore Norrington, Kiquan, and Lorelac the Hated.
Author's Note: To Miss B and Halia for betaing, ta mates, you lasses are the best!!
Rating: PG-13 for language, violence, and EXTREME angst. This chapter's a kick in the teeth, ladies and gentlemen. It really is. Be warned.
Chapter 14: Hurting and Hating
Will, Elizabeth and Norrington just sat there, not saying a word, Elizabeth not even daring to complain about Jack's increasingly heavy weight in her arms. After a long moment, it was Norrington who finally spoke, "He's still breathing, isn't he?" he wheezed, one hand at his bloody throat the other at the dagger stuck in his belt.
"He's still breathing," Elizabeth confirmed. "I think he's just passed out. And I can't say I blame him after all he's been through."
"We have to get him to the Pearl, somehow. It's the only place where we can take care of him. And I don't trust being on this island for long. It gives me a bad feeling. Almost as if I were being watched," Will said, shivering in the warm Caribbean sun.
"I know what you mean," Norrington agreed sitting down on the sand next to the unconscious pirate captain, trying to catch his breath.
"And it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to lie down either, James. You're still not completely healthy yet," Will admonished the naval Commodore.
"What does he mean, James? What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked, gently shifting Jack's head to her lap.
"After the storm James caught a nasty case of pneumonia. He nearly died," Will supplied looking at Norrington with a frown.
Norrington blushed a little in a mixture of genuine embarrassment under Will and Elizabeth's direct gazes, and annoyance. "I did not almost die, and I'm fine, Mr. Turner," he said, his posture straightening and unintentionally putting a distance between he and Will by saying his surname.
Will wasn't offended, however and even found himself somewhat amused to see Norrington's feathers ruffled a little. He found that somewhere during this nightmare he began to consider the Commodore as a real friend, and couldn't help worry for him though. "Still, you aren't completely recovered yet, and the rest would do you good," Will insisted.
"I don't have time to rest right now, Will. You heard what Jack said, we have to get the bodies of his crew to his ship. We owe them, and him that at least. Especially since he's carried them all out this far. Unless you helped him, Elizabeth?" Norrington directed to her.
"No, they were lined up just like that when I first saw him. I don't know how he managed to move all of them by himself out of the cave, especially in his current condition," she said, looking down at Jack's slack features.
"Indeed," Norrington said somberly. "Elizabeth, you stay there and try and stop Jack from spilling any more blood on this accursed beach. Will, help me move Captain Sparrow's crew down to the beach."
Will nodded, and the two of them began the long, grim task, Elizabeth looking on with mournful eyes at the sight of so many dead.
***
Moving every one of the 14 dead crew members from the beach to the deck of the Black Pearl had taken considerable time, effort, and invention as to figure out a way to pull up the boat time and time again from the empty ship. As had figuring out a way to return all of the empty rowboats that the crew had abandoned on the beach. But they were intelligent and more than determined people and they eventually managed both tasks with minimal difficulty.
The three of them moved to carry Jack's prone form out to the lifeboat last, at Elizabeth's insistence. She had stressed that he needed the rest, in whatever form it came, and they should leave him alone for as long as possible. She had managed to sop up and nearly stop the steady bleeding from the wound at the back of Jack's head, but she was concerned about the now blood-saturated cloths, remnants of her torn dress, beside her.
Norrington and Will frowned with her, seeing the pile of bloodied clothing as well. "How's he doing?" Will asked.
"Not good, Will. Not good at all. We need to get him back to the ship, but be careful, remember he's got more than a few broken ribs," she cautioned him.
To Will's horror, the pressure of the situation almost got to him then, a snappish retort to his clearly worried fiancé on his tongue. Norrington seemed to know what he was thinking however, and stopped the hateful retort from passing his lips by laying a firm hand on his shoulder. Will sighed in relief and sent the military man a grateful smile. Elizabeth was just worried about Jack, same as they all were.
"Let's get him up. We'll be careful, Elizabeth," Norrington assured her. On the count of three, Will and Norrington lifted Jack up, Norrington at Jack's head and Will at Jack's feet. Jack didn't make a move or a sound during the whole thing, which wasn't encouraging. They slowly moved down the beach and placed him gently in the waiting lifeboat, the three of them positioning themselves around him, before rowing back to the Pearl.
Once there, Will tied one end of the ship to the hoisting ropes slung over the side of the Pearl, while Norrington tied the other. Then the three of them reluctantly climbed up the long rope ladder Will had found, and soon stood on the deck, looking down at Jack's still form in the lifeboat below. Will and Norrington then hoisted the boat up to the deck as quickly and as carefully as they could, their arms burning from performing the same action so many times before. But they finally managed to raise it up and tied the ropes off securely so the boat wouldn't fall back to the sea and retrieved Jack's still body.
They carried him to his cabin, leaving him tied up, Elizabeth quickly clearing the bed of empty rum bottles, rolled up sea charts, and dirty clothing before they laid him gently down on it. Jack still didn't make a sound, and that fact was now beginning to seriously concern the trio, especially Will who had seen men fall asleep after receiving head wounds never to awaken. They merely wasted away. He couldn't see that happen to Jack; he wouldn't see that happen to Jack.
"Alright, Jack. You need to wake up now. I'm sorry you're tired, and hurt, but you need to wake back up," Will shook the pirate captain gently on the shoulder, but Jack didn't respond. "Jack!" Will shouted, shaking him even more forcefully, still the pirate captain did not respond.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, hoping the crazy plan her stressed mind had concocted would work, and opened her mouth to yell, "Edward John Corintin Alexandre Sperling if you don't get up out of bed right this minute I'll--- " she didn't need to finish her yell for Jack started up out of bed with wide eyes before immediately falling back with a pained gasp as the movement irritated his broken ribs.
"Bloody hell, I'm up ye bleedin' banshee," he muttered through clenched teeth, his entire countenance screwed up in a grimace of pain.
"I'm sorry Jack, but you weren't waking up. I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you alright?" Elizabeth asked softly.
"That depends," he said, not opening his eyes.
"That depends on what, Jack?" Elizabeth asked.
"That depends on whether or not I really am on the Pearl or just hallucinatin' again," he said, daring to open one eye and scanning it around the familiar room.
"You're on the Pearl and so is all of your crew, Captain Sparrow," Norrington said somberly.
Jack closed his eyes again at that in pain, but of a different sort than he had previously been feeling. "Thank you, James," he said softly.
Norrington managed with an extreme effort on his part not to start at Jack's use of his first name without mockery for the first time since he had known him. "You're welcome, Jack. It's the least we could do."
Jack nodded. "Get me up out of this bed. And untie these bloody ropes," he ordered suddenly, starting to sit up on his own, wincing all the way.
"Jack, do you really think that's a good idea?" Will asked with a frown, but not bothering to stop Jack from getting up. He knew that once the pirate captain had his mind set on something it was useless to deter him, even in his current state.
"It doesn't matter if it's a bloody good idea or not, I'm doing it. I need to see my crew buried proper like while there's still time," he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and stood slowly, before falling back down again as the room spun. "Bloody hell," he muttered, holding his bound hands to his head.
"You daft pirate! If you want to get yourself killed, you'll get no help from me!" Elizabeth shouted before stomping out of the cabin in a huff.
"What was that all about?" Jack asked with a frown. "I didn't ask for any help, did I?" He tried to stand again but once more found himself falling back on the bed. It seemed as if his legs didn't want to work. "Uh, I don't suppose one of you might—"
"Need some help, Jack?" Will asked with a small smile.
"No, not at all," Jack assured him, "I just need a start in the right direction, that's all. And if you would untie me? I know I said to tie me up, but I won't be able to do what needs to be done with my hands and feet tied up. I think it'll be all right. I'm not armed, as long as you keep your distance, everything should be just fine," he said with a small smiled, wrapping on the wood of the wall next to his bed. "Besides, you can always tie me up again when we're finished."
"Not to mention you'll need someone to catch you before you bash what's left of your skull in on the deck," Norrington muttered but moved in with Will to untie Jack's hands and feet before grabbing one of Jack's arms.
Together the three of them made a slow procession out to the dock where Jack's crew was laid out in rows similar to how they had been on the beach. Jack cast an eye toward the cursed beach; it didn't look like much really for what it contained. He supposed it was too much to hope that Lorelac had been confined to that beach and that Jack would be rid of him forever. No, it was definitely too much to hope for.
"Help me with them?" he asked to no one in particular, looking down at the deck.
***
No one said a word as the three of them acted as silent and respectful pallbearers, Elizabeth standing off to the side watching respectfully, first shrouding each and every member of Jack's crew and then committing their bodies to the sea one by one. Jack gave a brief eulogy for each man; a funny story, a brave deed, something that painted the dead in a favorable light. When it came time for Gibbs' turn, Jack found he couldn't speak.
"Mr. Gibbs," Jack started before having to take a deep breath, "Mr. Gibbs was a fine man, a fine pirate, and a fine friend," Jack paused to let out a short laugh. "And one of the only men who could almost drink me under the table. He will be missed," he said, his hat at his chest. The three of them consigned Gibbs' body to the deep without another word. There remained only one body on the deck, and that was the one Jack most wanted not to see; Anamaria.
"You have to accept that she's gone, Jack," Elizabeth said softly at his side.
"I know luv," he said silently, not needing or wanting to say anything further. In fact, he wanted nothing to do with this entire display. He had suffered through 13 of his friends and crewmember's eulogies, but the one that he had to give next left a bad taste in the back of his throat. Ana wasn't supposed to die, damn it. Especially in something so trivial as a cave-in. Especially not because she had saved him.
Will and Norrington looked at each other before going to pick up Ana's body. Jack leant against the deck railing staring out to sea, a stormy look on his face. Will and Norrington looked at each other briefly before hoisting Ana's body up on the plank they had been using to tip the bodies over the side. "Wait," Jack halted their actions. "Don't let her go yet, I have to, I have to say something."
"Of course Jack, take your time," Will said, holding Ana's body still.
Jack nodded and slowly made his way over to them, leaning heavily on the railing. He reached Ana's body and pulled back the shroud that had been covering her face. He smiled softly and pushed a lock of her dark hair out of her face. She had always hated it when he did that. She liked her hair long and free and didn't get irritated when it blew in her face. Jack was the exact opposite. "I kept my promises, luv. Let it never be said that Jack Sparrow didn't keep his word."
"Except when he promised to protect you," Lorelac said, taking over Jack in his moment of weakness. "Oh, and the gang's all here. How nice it is to see you all again. Elizabeth, you're still looking lovely as always lass, you and I are going to have that chat soon. James, I like the throat. It's a good look for you," he smirked, referring to Norrington's black and blue throat, clear imprints of Jack's hands marring his fair skin. "And dear William, it's always a pleasure," he said dipping into a short bow before swaying slightly. "Bloody hell, you're dear captain does seem to be in a bit of a bad way, doesn't he? You should probably do something about that."
"Leave," Will hissed. "You're definitely not welcome, and we will not tolerate your presence here."
"Oo, big words from the blacksmith. What if I wanted to be here? What if I wanted to see your reactions when I did something like this?" Before any of them could react, Lorelac leant over Ana's body and kissed her full on the mouth obscenely before turning back to Will and Norrington. "Take care of dear Jack for awhile for me, would you? I have a feeling this might rob him of what little sanity he has left. Ta!" he snorted at the use of Jack's favorite salutation before giving Jack back possession of his body.
In the next moment, a miracle occurred; Ana opened up her eyes wide and looked directly at him. "Jack? Jack is that really you?" she asked with a frown. "Why am I tied up?"
"Oh Ana," he whispered, cupping her face gently. "Are you real?" he asked, not daring to believe it.
"Of course I'm real, you bloody pirate! That cave-in must have hurt you more than I thought it did." She looked up at Norrington and Will who were holding her. "Wait a bloody minute, where am I? I thought we in the cave!" A thought occurred to her and her dark skin paled. "Oh gods, I'm dead. I died Jack, didn't I? Tell me the truth, is this hell?"
"It's more like Heaven, love," Jack said, tears of joy trailing down his face. "I don't know how it's possible, but you're alive! Ana, you're alive and I'm not going to let them throw you overboard," he said, casting a sharp glance to Norrington and Will.
"Throw me overboard?! Why would they throw me overboard?!" Ana shouted, and Jack grimaced, having forgotten how loud she could be when she put her mind to it.
"Easy love, everything will be fine. You don't have to shout, I'm standing right next to you. They're going to throw you overboard because they think you're dead. But we'll show them. You're alive. They can't throw you overboard if you're alive, that would be cruel; like walking the plank. I guess that's kind of like being thrown overboard when you're alive, only you're not thrown, you walk..."
"Jack, you're rambling," Ana admonished him with a small smile. "Get me out of this bleedin' shroud if I'm not dead, savvy?" she ordered, fidgeting in the tightly wrapped cloth.
"Savvy," Jack said with a smile, reaching over to untie the shroud. His attempts were interrupted however, by Will laying a hand on his wrist.
"Jack, what are you doing?" he asked quietly, sounding as if he were trying to humor him.
Jack frowned. "I'm getting Ana out of this bloody death cloak. You heard her, she wants out of it since she's not dead," he shook off Will's hand and resumed his untying.
Will winced at that, "Oh God. Lorelac, you bastard," he muttered. "Jack, Ana's not alive. She hasn't been saying anything to us. She's dead Jack, just as she was when we brought her body on board."
"Why are they talking about me as if I'm not here, Jack? I'm not dead!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Although Jack winced at the loud noise, Will, Norrington and Elizabeth didn't even seem to notice.
"What is wrong with you? Can you hear her? She just shouted at the top of her bleedin' lungs for Christ sake," Jack asked them incredulously.
"She's not saying anything, she's dead Jack," Norrington told him firmly, horrified at what he was seeing play out before him.
"Don't listen to them, Jack! Listen to me! I am not dead! Don't you think I would know it if I were dead? And you would too. Believe your eyes, Jack. I'm alive and I'm right here in front of you."
"I do believe you, Ana," oh God how he wanted to believe her. She smiled up at him and he felt his own face break out into a broad grin, not caring how it tugged on his injured cheek. Before any of them could react, he had reached over Ana's body to pull out the gifted dagger stuck into Norrington's belt which he then held out in front of him and hissed, "I don't care if you're my friends. You're not throwin' Ana overboard. And I'll slit the throat of the first person who tries," he said, his eyes blazing.
"That's right Jack, don't trust them. They're landlubbers and British military to boot. They're not pirates like you and me. They don't know our code; our ways. They'll let me die, Jack. The blacksmith has always hated pirates, you heard him, remember? And Norrington," she said with a snarl, "has hanged more pirates than you or I probably know. Don't let them kill me Jack," Ana pleaded with him.
"I won't, luv. I'd rather die than see you hurt again," he said, snarling at his once friends. He would consider them his enemies and would treat them as such if they didn't untie Ana right now and let her go. "Untie Ana and I won't be forced to do something we'll all regret, mates," Jack sneered the familiar term.
"Jack," Elizabeth said firmly, coming as close to him as she dared while he was flinging the sharp dagger about. "Don't believe her. It's Lorelac, trying to trick you. Ana's dead, Jack. She's not really talking to you, Lorelac's just making you think she is. Put down the knife, Jack."
Hurt blazed across Jack's face and Elizabeth winced. "I thought you of all people were different, Elizabeth. But I guess I was wrong. I can see how you would stand against me in this though, you have your reasons. I won't hold it against you, but I won't let you dump Ana overboard like she's nothing either. By God, I'll kill even you if I have to, Elizabeth. Now put Ana down. I won't ask again."
Will looked at Jack, across Ana's body at Norrington, and finally at Elizabeth before doing what he had to do. Before any of them could react, he tipped Ana's body into the sea. It slid down the plank slowly and sank down into the ocean's embrace before Jack could stop it.
"You bastard! I'll kill you for this!" Jack screamed, lunging at Will.
Will had just enough time to drop the plank to the deck and raising his hands in defence before Jack was on top of him, slashing at him with Norrington's dagger. It took all of Norrington and Elizabeth's strength to pull the enraged pirate off of Will's now bloodied form.
"Let me go! He killed Ana, he killed her! He let her die! Let me go, you bastards! He'll wish he'd never been born when I'm through with him!" Jack screamed, bucking in Norrington and Elizabeth's grip.
"Elizabeth, for God's sake get that knife out of his hand. And be careful!" Norrington said, holding Jack's wrists apart with all his might.
After a long minute of Jack's frenzied fighting, Elizabeth managed to wrench the bloodied knife from Jack's fingers. "I've got it!" she breathed, her eyes fixed on the blood that coated it; Will's blood. Oh God.
Norrington sighed in relief as he sat down hard on Jack's chest, still holding his wrists out at his sides. Jack tried to buck him off weakly, his broken ribs screaming at him, but it was no use. He was firmly pinned to the deck. "Check on Will, Elizabeth," he said over his shoulder, not daring to take his eyes of Jack for a second. Elizabeth didn't respond. "Elizabeth!" he shouted, chancing a quick look over his shoulder, fearing the worst.
Elizabeth knelt over Will's body. "He's still alive, James. But oh God, there's so much blood. Will, can you hear me?" she asked, her voice quavering.
"Is Jack all right?" Will asked with a groan, his face clenched in pain.
"I'll be better when I see you dead," Jack hissed. "I thought you were my friend, Will. But you've finally showed your true colours. You're no better than Barbossa."
"She was dead, Sparrow. Will didn't betray you. None of us have betrayed you. She was dead and you just attacked and almost killed one of your best friends," Norrington said coldly, knowing that Jack hadn't really been at fault, but giving up some ground on the shaky friendship that had begun to form between the two of them. "What is going to take to get you to believe that? You said it yourself, Lorelac came to you in her form, causing all of the injuries that I'm no doubt irritating right now," Norrington winced a bit, remembering Jack's broken ribs and how it must feel to have him sitting on them, but he didn't dare get up in fear that he might try and attack Will again.
"She was dead, Jack," Elizabeth said through her tears. "She was dead and now Will might die too. If he dies, by God I'll kill you myself, Jack, friend or not," she threatened.
Despite the fiery rage that was tearing through his soul, Elizabeth's words cut to his very core and Jack began to doubt. Were they telling the truth? Had Ana really been dead all along? Jack shuddered to remember her screams as she was pushed overboard; her pleading for Jack to save her. Had that all been a lie? "Oh God," Jack whispered, going limp on the deck under Norrington's weight. "What have I done?"
The tension drained out of Norrington's form to hear Jack say those words. It returned with a vengeance however as he saw Jack's face go slack, his eyes glazing over. "Jack?" he asked, getting up off of him and kneeling at his side. "Jack are you still there? Talk to me?" he cast a worried glance over his shoulder where Will was now struggling to sit up with Elizabeth's help. He was relieved to see that he wasn't injured nearly as badly as Elizabeth had thought. His thick clothing had deflected some of the knife's blows, but not all. He would certainly carry a few long scars across his chest from the attack for the rest of his life; but he would live. The relief he had been feeling quickly faded again as he thought of why he had looked over his shoulder in the first place. "Jack's not answering me," he said softly.
The two of them made their way over to Jack and Norrington, taking in Jack's glazed eyes and slack expression. Will reached out a hand and waved it in front of Jack's eyes. The pirate captain didn't so much as blink. "Jack!" Will shouted, leaning over him.
"I don't think that's going to work. He's not there, Will. I don't know where Jack went, but he's not with us any longer," Elizabeth stated slowly.
"Well we can't just leave him like this!" Will shouted, biting back a groan as the force of his chest moving with the yell brought the cuts back to his attention.
"I agree," Norrington said softly. "It's...unnatural to see Sparrow so...calm. I find it unnerves me almost more than seeing him go mad does."
"I'd be more than willing to slap him again after what he did to Will," Elizabeth ventured, her voice still more than a little cold as she clung to Will's side.
"Elizabeth, it wasn't his fault. He wasn't in control of his actions," Will assured her.
"Did you see his eyes before he attacked you, Will? Because I most certainly did. Lorelac wasn't in control of him. That was Jack who attacked you, your friend. He was in complete control of his actions, and he could have killed you; he would have if we hadn't stopped him. So don't tell me it wasn't his fault."
"If you're going to slap him again, for God's sake do it quickly and get it over with," Norrington said, uncomfortable with the whole scene. He had seen Jack's eyes as Elizabeth had, and he too had noticed that they weren't Lorelac's cold blue. But that didn't matter at the moment. The only thing that mattered was—" his train of thought was derailed by the loud crack of Elizabeth's hand across Jack's cheek. Jack's head flung to the side upon impact, but he still didn't respond. Elizabeth slapped him again on the opposite cheek; still nothing. She would have kept slapping him, tears flowing freely down her face if Will hadn't grabbed her wrist tightly.
"Damn you, Jack," she moaned, place her face down on Will's shoulder and breaking out into sobs.
"It didn't work," Will said after taking a moment to run his hand through Liz's hair slowly, trying to ease her sobs. "Please Elizabeth, don't cry. I'm really ok. And I don't blame Jack, so neither should you," Will implored her.
She looked up at him and the pain reflected in her reddened eyes made him gasp before it disappeared so quickly that he didn't know if he had even truly seen it. "What are we going to do, Will? You're right, we can't leave Jack like this, but it didn't work," she said, casting a glance down at Jack's motionless body, both of his cheeks reddened from her hand.
"Let's get him back to his cabin," Norrington suggested. "And we need to take a look at those cuts of yours as well, Will," Norrington said, gesturing to Will's bloody shirt-front.
"You're going to have to help us lift him, Elizabeth. I'm afraid I might have a bit of...difficulty in that area," he said, looking down at his bloodied chest with a wince.
Elizabeth nodded and the three of them carried Jack back to his cabin and once more laid him on the bed. He still didn't respond, and his eyes still stared off into nothingness, blank and practically lifeless.
"Let's get you cleaned up, Will. There doesn't seem to be anything we can do about Sparrow at the moment, so we might as well solve the problems were able to. Have a seat," he said, gesturing to a large plushly cushioned chair set up against one of the walls. Will leaned back in the chair and slowly removed his tattered shirt from his chest. Once the full extent of what Jack had done to him was revealed Norrington winced and couldn't stop himself for casting a glare at the still figure on the bed. Will noticed, however and raised a hand. "It wasn't Jack's fault. I don't blame him, and you're not going to either. He's got enough to deal with right now without us adding to it, understand? And there's no telling how long whatever's happening to him right now is going to last. He needs our help."
It was then that the man in question decided that it was time to return to the world, startling them all with a loud groan. "Jack!" Will shouted, standing up quickly to rush at his friends' side before sinking back down into the chair with a groan of his own.
"He's not going anywhere, and I'm not done yet," Norrington said sternly, grabbing at the bandages and small bowl of fresh water that they had found earlier to treat Jack's wounds.
"Just hurry, all right?" Will said, not taking his eyes off Jack's slowly moving form. He hadn't said anything, but at least his eyes were now closed rather than seeming to stare straight through to your soul without blinking. He frowned to see that Elizabeth hadn't moved from his side to check on Jack. She was watching the pirate captain stir with a look he couldn't quite place. It almost looked as if she were afraid of him. "He won't hurt you, Elizabeth," he said softly and she jumped as if startled. Will frowned at this reaction.
"Oh, yes. I know, it's just. I was thinking about you, that's all," Elizabeth hastened to say, one hand at her chest. Will accepted this for now, but there was more to Elizabeth's reaction than she was letting on.
Norrington looked at her suspiciously but kept silent, wrapping the linen strips gently around Will's chest as Elizabeth moved in to wipe the blood away. With the two of them working quickly, the task was soon finished. He put back on his tattered shirt and vest, having lost the other clothes he had brought when the Saviour sank, and the three of them made their way over to Jack's side.
"Jack, are you alright?" Will asked the pirate captain, his brow furrowing as he saw that Jack was trembling. Jack didn't respond, and Will laid a hand on Jack's chest, his brow furrowing even more to feel that Jack's heart was beating rapidly, and that he still didn't respond to him.
"Sparrow, come back to us," Norrington said, standing at Will's side his own brow furrowing to match Will's as he saw that Jack's forehead was beaded with sweat. "I don't like this, something's wrong," Norrington said, placing a hand to Jack's forehead. He pulled it back with a gasp. "Dear God, he's burning up!"
Elizabeth rushed off to get the bowl of bloodied water and what few scraps of cloth that remained. She soaked one of them and laid it gently on Jack's forehead, causing him to hiss at the contact. His eyes snapped open and looked up at them. Elizabeth was relieved to see that they weren't Lorelac's blue, but they weren't exactly Jack's eyes either. "Jack?" she asked tentatively.
Jack closed his eyes again in a wince. "No, I'm not here. I can't be here. Have to stay away. Hurt Ana. Hurt Will. Hurt Elizabeth. No one's safe around me. I get all of my friends killed; or worse," he said his eyes opening again filled with such sorrow that Elizabeth felt her eyes stinging with unshed tears at the sight.
"Jack, I'm ok. We're all right," Will assured him.
Jack writhed on the bed a little, his head shaking back and forth. "No, you're not all right. I'm not all right. No one's all right. I'm clearly mad, didn't Elizabeth tell you?" he said with a short laugh that chilled the blood in Will's veins. "And madmen can't be allowed to live."
"That's not true, Jack!" Will shouted.
"Which part, dear William; the fact that I'm a madman or the part about not letting me live? Because both are true, I assure you," Jack said, sounding completely rational.
"Jack you're sick, you need a doctor, but you're not going to die," Norrington said firmly.
"Oh, I didn't say I was going to die, I said I can't be allowed to live. There's a difference, mate," Jack said with a wide grin that made Norrington shiver.
"You'll get through this, Jack. We'll help you," Will said softly.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh stop dreaming, Will. There's no return from this for me, haven't you realized that yet? My crew is gone, my sanity is gone, bleedin' control over my body is gone due to that bastard Lorelac, and now it seems my health is gone too. Are you really stupid enough to believe that there's any chance for me to come away from this now?"
Will didn't have an answer to that right away and Jack seized upon his hesitation. "I knew it. You don't believe me either. I don't blame you really. I'm broken Will, just face it."
"I refuse to believe that," Will said forcefully. "You are stronger than any man I know. If anyone can get through this and come out whole on the other side, it's Captain Jack Sparrow."
Jack smiled briefly at the use of his title, but continued on, "That's what you're not accepting, mate. I'm not whole. I can never be whole again. There will be no coming back from this, no coming out on the other side. Captain Jack Sparrow is gone."
TBC
A/N: Muahahahahahahahahaha...er, was that out loud? *devilish grin* Yes, I'm well aware that I'm evil, thanks. This story will very soon be coming to a close, ladies and gentlemen. I had originally only intended to do 15 chapters, but we'll see what happens. And then the sequel will begin! I'm excited, how about you?
Reviewer Response Section
Neon, Sara, my wonderful friend: thank you sooo much for reviewing!! You're the best mate!
Otherhawk: I'm glad you liked last chapter. I hope you like this one too. If it's addicted to read, think about how addicting it is for me to write! This and Darkness Rising both! I spend entirely too much time working on these fics than I should, being a college student with homework and all. Oh well. And I'm glad you're liking Norry! He's fun to write.
Mara: Yes, I am finally back. Stupid ff.net. If only Jack had been tied up before, this story wouldn't have nearly as much angst in it as it does now...wait, what fun would that be? ;-)
Jackfan2: Will will find out about the rape sooner or later, but not yet. And God only knows what he'll do to Jack then.
Pendragginink: You are my hero! You're review made my whole day, really! You're the best!! *gives a virtual box of chocolates* Hmm, I'm not sure you're going to get a lot of closer from the end of this story, but we'll just have to see in a few chapters, won't we? As for the natives? I'm not sure what they do quite yet, I don't speak their language and Kiquan seems to have disappeared so I have no translator. I'm sure they'll let me know eventually. Norry does have some luck, but not a heck of a lot. He's still alive though?
Mistress of Destruction: Yes I dislike Lorelac with a passion as well. He seems to get off on that, the (&%$%%$#$#@. He's a troublemaker of the worst sort, and I wish he'd just leave us all alone. No such luck, I'm afraid.
Blue Trinity: You know, I think you might be the only person who actually admits to having a small like of Lorelac. Congratulations! *sends a virtual ever growing tattoo Blue Trinity's way* Oh, and thanks for the double review!!!
Neveradullmoment: Deliciously evil, you say? Why yes I am, at that. *wicked grin* I'm glad you're liking my story! Thanks for reading!
Madam Hausfrau: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!!
Savvy Renegade: Dear HF, you speed reader, you. Thanks so much for the review!!!
Lelena, the Moonstruck: I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you or the review!!
To everyone, thanks again!! You guys make my day!!!
-Merrie
A Pirates of the Caribbean story by Merrie
Disclaimer: I can't be trusted to own these characters. Look what kind of hell I put them through!
Summary: Captain Jack has lost his ship, his crew, nearly his life, and now his sanity to a horrible new curse. Will this Sparrow be able soar again after his wings have been broken?
Characters: Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Commodore Norrington, Kiquan, and Lorelac the Hated.
Author's Note: To Miss B and Halia for betaing, ta mates, you lasses are the best!!
Rating: PG-13 for language, violence, and EXTREME angst. This chapter's a kick in the teeth, ladies and gentlemen. It really is. Be warned.
Chapter 14: Hurting and Hating
Will, Elizabeth and Norrington just sat there, not saying a word, Elizabeth not even daring to complain about Jack's increasingly heavy weight in her arms. After a long moment, it was Norrington who finally spoke, "He's still breathing, isn't he?" he wheezed, one hand at his bloody throat the other at the dagger stuck in his belt.
"He's still breathing," Elizabeth confirmed. "I think he's just passed out. And I can't say I blame him after all he's been through."
"We have to get him to the Pearl, somehow. It's the only place where we can take care of him. And I don't trust being on this island for long. It gives me a bad feeling. Almost as if I were being watched," Will said, shivering in the warm Caribbean sun.
"I know what you mean," Norrington agreed sitting down on the sand next to the unconscious pirate captain, trying to catch his breath.
"And it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to lie down either, James. You're still not completely healthy yet," Will admonished the naval Commodore.
"What does he mean, James? What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked, gently shifting Jack's head to her lap.
"After the storm James caught a nasty case of pneumonia. He nearly died," Will supplied looking at Norrington with a frown.
Norrington blushed a little in a mixture of genuine embarrassment under Will and Elizabeth's direct gazes, and annoyance. "I did not almost die, and I'm fine, Mr. Turner," he said, his posture straightening and unintentionally putting a distance between he and Will by saying his surname.
Will wasn't offended, however and even found himself somewhat amused to see Norrington's feathers ruffled a little. He found that somewhere during this nightmare he began to consider the Commodore as a real friend, and couldn't help worry for him though. "Still, you aren't completely recovered yet, and the rest would do you good," Will insisted.
"I don't have time to rest right now, Will. You heard what Jack said, we have to get the bodies of his crew to his ship. We owe them, and him that at least. Especially since he's carried them all out this far. Unless you helped him, Elizabeth?" Norrington directed to her.
"No, they were lined up just like that when I first saw him. I don't know how he managed to move all of them by himself out of the cave, especially in his current condition," she said, looking down at Jack's slack features.
"Indeed," Norrington said somberly. "Elizabeth, you stay there and try and stop Jack from spilling any more blood on this accursed beach. Will, help me move Captain Sparrow's crew down to the beach."
Will nodded, and the two of them began the long, grim task, Elizabeth looking on with mournful eyes at the sight of so many dead.
***
Moving every one of the 14 dead crew members from the beach to the deck of the Black Pearl had taken considerable time, effort, and invention as to figure out a way to pull up the boat time and time again from the empty ship. As had figuring out a way to return all of the empty rowboats that the crew had abandoned on the beach. But they were intelligent and more than determined people and they eventually managed both tasks with minimal difficulty.
The three of them moved to carry Jack's prone form out to the lifeboat last, at Elizabeth's insistence. She had stressed that he needed the rest, in whatever form it came, and they should leave him alone for as long as possible. She had managed to sop up and nearly stop the steady bleeding from the wound at the back of Jack's head, but she was concerned about the now blood-saturated cloths, remnants of her torn dress, beside her.
Norrington and Will frowned with her, seeing the pile of bloodied clothing as well. "How's he doing?" Will asked.
"Not good, Will. Not good at all. We need to get him back to the ship, but be careful, remember he's got more than a few broken ribs," she cautioned him.
To Will's horror, the pressure of the situation almost got to him then, a snappish retort to his clearly worried fiancé on his tongue. Norrington seemed to know what he was thinking however, and stopped the hateful retort from passing his lips by laying a firm hand on his shoulder. Will sighed in relief and sent the military man a grateful smile. Elizabeth was just worried about Jack, same as they all were.
"Let's get him up. We'll be careful, Elizabeth," Norrington assured her. On the count of three, Will and Norrington lifted Jack up, Norrington at Jack's head and Will at Jack's feet. Jack didn't make a move or a sound during the whole thing, which wasn't encouraging. They slowly moved down the beach and placed him gently in the waiting lifeboat, the three of them positioning themselves around him, before rowing back to the Pearl.
Once there, Will tied one end of the ship to the hoisting ropes slung over the side of the Pearl, while Norrington tied the other. Then the three of them reluctantly climbed up the long rope ladder Will had found, and soon stood on the deck, looking down at Jack's still form in the lifeboat below. Will and Norrington then hoisted the boat up to the deck as quickly and as carefully as they could, their arms burning from performing the same action so many times before. But they finally managed to raise it up and tied the ropes off securely so the boat wouldn't fall back to the sea and retrieved Jack's still body.
They carried him to his cabin, leaving him tied up, Elizabeth quickly clearing the bed of empty rum bottles, rolled up sea charts, and dirty clothing before they laid him gently down on it. Jack still didn't make a sound, and that fact was now beginning to seriously concern the trio, especially Will who had seen men fall asleep after receiving head wounds never to awaken. They merely wasted away. He couldn't see that happen to Jack; he wouldn't see that happen to Jack.
"Alright, Jack. You need to wake up now. I'm sorry you're tired, and hurt, but you need to wake back up," Will shook the pirate captain gently on the shoulder, but Jack didn't respond. "Jack!" Will shouted, shaking him even more forcefully, still the pirate captain did not respond.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, hoping the crazy plan her stressed mind had concocted would work, and opened her mouth to yell, "Edward John Corintin Alexandre Sperling if you don't get up out of bed right this minute I'll--- " she didn't need to finish her yell for Jack started up out of bed with wide eyes before immediately falling back with a pained gasp as the movement irritated his broken ribs.
"Bloody hell, I'm up ye bleedin' banshee," he muttered through clenched teeth, his entire countenance screwed up in a grimace of pain.
"I'm sorry Jack, but you weren't waking up. I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you alright?" Elizabeth asked softly.
"That depends," he said, not opening his eyes.
"That depends on what, Jack?" Elizabeth asked.
"That depends on whether or not I really am on the Pearl or just hallucinatin' again," he said, daring to open one eye and scanning it around the familiar room.
"You're on the Pearl and so is all of your crew, Captain Sparrow," Norrington said somberly.
Jack closed his eyes again at that in pain, but of a different sort than he had previously been feeling. "Thank you, James," he said softly.
Norrington managed with an extreme effort on his part not to start at Jack's use of his first name without mockery for the first time since he had known him. "You're welcome, Jack. It's the least we could do."
Jack nodded. "Get me up out of this bed. And untie these bloody ropes," he ordered suddenly, starting to sit up on his own, wincing all the way.
"Jack, do you really think that's a good idea?" Will asked with a frown, but not bothering to stop Jack from getting up. He knew that once the pirate captain had his mind set on something it was useless to deter him, even in his current state.
"It doesn't matter if it's a bloody good idea or not, I'm doing it. I need to see my crew buried proper like while there's still time," he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and stood slowly, before falling back down again as the room spun. "Bloody hell," he muttered, holding his bound hands to his head.
"You daft pirate! If you want to get yourself killed, you'll get no help from me!" Elizabeth shouted before stomping out of the cabin in a huff.
"What was that all about?" Jack asked with a frown. "I didn't ask for any help, did I?" He tried to stand again but once more found himself falling back on the bed. It seemed as if his legs didn't want to work. "Uh, I don't suppose one of you might—"
"Need some help, Jack?" Will asked with a small smile.
"No, not at all," Jack assured him, "I just need a start in the right direction, that's all. And if you would untie me? I know I said to tie me up, but I won't be able to do what needs to be done with my hands and feet tied up. I think it'll be all right. I'm not armed, as long as you keep your distance, everything should be just fine," he said with a small smiled, wrapping on the wood of the wall next to his bed. "Besides, you can always tie me up again when we're finished."
"Not to mention you'll need someone to catch you before you bash what's left of your skull in on the deck," Norrington muttered but moved in with Will to untie Jack's hands and feet before grabbing one of Jack's arms.
Together the three of them made a slow procession out to the dock where Jack's crew was laid out in rows similar to how they had been on the beach. Jack cast an eye toward the cursed beach; it didn't look like much really for what it contained. He supposed it was too much to hope that Lorelac had been confined to that beach and that Jack would be rid of him forever. No, it was definitely too much to hope for.
"Help me with them?" he asked to no one in particular, looking down at the deck.
***
No one said a word as the three of them acted as silent and respectful pallbearers, Elizabeth standing off to the side watching respectfully, first shrouding each and every member of Jack's crew and then committing their bodies to the sea one by one. Jack gave a brief eulogy for each man; a funny story, a brave deed, something that painted the dead in a favorable light. When it came time for Gibbs' turn, Jack found he couldn't speak.
"Mr. Gibbs," Jack started before having to take a deep breath, "Mr. Gibbs was a fine man, a fine pirate, and a fine friend," Jack paused to let out a short laugh. "And one of the only men who could almost drink me under the table. He will be missed," he said, his hat at his chest. The three of them consigned Gibbs' body to the deep without another word. There remained only one body on the deck, and that was the one Jack most wanted not to see; Anamaria.
"You have to accept that she's gone, Jack," Elizabeth said softly at his side.
"I know luv," he said silently, not needing or wanting to say anything further. In fact, he wanted nothing to do with this entire display. He had suffered through 13 of his friends and crewmember's eulogies, but the one that he had to give next left a bad taste in the back of his throat. Ana wasn't supposed to die, damn it. Especially in something so trivial as a cave-in. Especially not because she had saved him.
Will and Norrington looked at each other before going to pick up Ana's body. Jack leant against the deck railing staring out to sea, a stormy look on his face. Will and Norrington looked at each other briefly before hoisting Ana's body up on the plank they had been using to tip the bodies over the side. "Wait," Jack halted their actions. "Don't let her go yet, I have to, I have to say something."
"Of course Jack, take your time," Will said, holding Ana's body still.
Jack nodded and slowly made his way over to them, leaning heavily on the railing. He reached Ana's body and pulled back the shroud that had been covering her face. He smiled softly and pushed a lock of her dark hair out of her face. She had always hated it when he did that. She liked her hair long and free and didn't get irritated when it blew in her face. Jack was the exact opposite. "I kept my promises, luv. Let it never be said that Jack Sparrow didn't keep his word."
"Except when he promised to protect you," Lorelac said, taking over Jack in his moment of weakness. "Oh, and the gang's all here. How nice it is to see you all again. Elizabeth, you're still looking lovely as always lass, you and I are going to have that chat soon. James, I like the throat. It's a good look for you," he smirked, referring to Norrington's black and blue throat, clear imprints of Jack's hands marring his fair skin. "And dear William, it's always a pleasure," he said dipping into a short bow before swaying slightly. "Bloody hell, you're dear captain does seem to be in a bit of a bad way, doesn't he? You should probably do something about that."
"Leave," Will hissed. "You're definitely not welcome, and we will not tolerate your presence here."
"Oo, big words from the blacksmith. What if I wanted to be here? What if I wanted to see your reactions when I did something like this?" Before any of them could react, Lorelac leant over Ana's body and kissed her full on the mouth obscenely before turning back to Will and Norrington. "Take care of dear Jack for awhile for me, would you? I have a feeling this might rob him of what little sanity he has left. Ta!" he snorted at the use of Jack's favorite salutation before giving Jack back possession of his body.
In the next moment, a miracle occurred; Ana opened up her eyes wide and looked directly at him. "Jack? Jack is that really you?" she asked with a frown. "Why am I tied up?"
"Oh Ana," he whispered, cupping her face gently. "Are you real?" he asked, not daring to believe it.
"Of course I'm real, you bloody pirate! That cave-in must have hurt you more than I thought it did." She looked up at Norrington and Will who were holding her. "Wait a bloody minute, where am I? I thought we in the cave!" A thought occurred to her and her dark skin paled. "Oh gods, I'm dead. I died Jack, didn't I? Tell me the truth, is this hell?"
"It's more like Heaven, love," Jack said, tears of joy trailing down his face. "I don't know how it's possible, but you're alive! Ana, you're alive and I'm not going to let them throw you overboard," he said, casting a sharp glance to Norrington and Will.
"Throw me overboard?! Why would they throw me overboard?!" Ana shouted, and Jack grimaced, having forgotten how loud she could be when she put her mind to it.
"Easy love, everything will be fine. You don't have to shout, I'm standing right next to you. They're going to throw you overboard because they think you're dead. But we'll show them. You're alive. They can't throw you overboard if you're alive, that would be cruel; like walking the plank. I guess that's kind of like being thrown overboard when you're alive, only you're not thrown, you walk..."
"Jack, you're rambling," Ana admonished him with a small smile. "Get me out of this bleedin' shroud if I'm not dead, savvy?" she ordered, fidgeting in the tightly wrapped cloth.
"Savvy," Jack said with a smile, reaching over to untie the shroud. His attempts were interrupted however, by Will laying a hand on his wrist.
"Jack, what are you doing?" he asked quietly, sounding as if he were trying to humor him.
Jack frowned. "I'm getting Ana out of this bloody death cloak. You heard her, she wants out of it since she's not dead," he shook off Will's hand and resumed his untying.
Will winced at that, "Oh God. Lorelac, you bastard," he muttered. "Jack, Ana's not alive. She hasn't been saying anything to us. She's dead Jack, just as she was when we brought her body on board."
"Why are they talking about me as if I'm not here, Jack? I'm not dead!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Although Jack winced at the loud noise, Will, Norrington and Elizabeth didn't even seem to notice.
"What is wrong with you? Can you hear her? She just shouted at the top of her bleedin' lungs for Christ sake," Jack asked them incredulously.
"She's not saying anything, she's dead Jack," Norrington told him firmly, horrified at what he was seeing play out before him.
"Don't listen to them, Jack! Listen to me! I am not dead! Don't you think I would know it if I were dead? And you would too. Believe your eyes, Jack. I'm alive and I'm right here in front of you."
"I do believe you, Ana," oh God how he wanted to believe her. She smiled up at him and he felt his own face break out into a broad grin, not caring how it tugged on his injured cheek. Before any of them could react, he had reached over Ana's body to pull out the gifted dagger stuck into Norrington's belt which he then held out in front of him and hissed, "I don't care if you're my friends. You're not throwin' Ana overboard. And I'll slit the throat of the first person who tries," he said, his eyes blazing.
"That's right Jack, don't trust them. They're landlubbers and British military to boot. They're not pirates like you and me. They don't know our code; our ways. They'll let me die, Jack. The blacksmith has always hated pirates, you heard him, remember? And Norrington," she said with a snarl, "has hanged more pirates than you or I probably know. Don't let them kill me Jack," Ana pleaded with him.
"I won't, luv. I'd rather die than see you hurt again," he said, snarling at his once friends. He would consider them his enemies and would treat them as such if they didn't untie Ana right now and let her go. "Untie Ana and I won't be forced to do something we'll all regret, mates," Jack sneered the familiar term.
"Jack," Elizabeth said firmly, coming as close to him as she dared while he was flinging the sharp dagger about. "Don't believe her. It's Lorelac, trying to trick you. Ana's dead, Jack. She's not really talking to you, Lorelac's just making you think she is. Put down the knife, Jack."
Hurt blazed across Jack's face and Elizabeth winced. "I thought you of all people were different, Elizabeth. But I guess I was wrong. I can see how you would stand against me in this though, you have your reasons. I won't hold it against you, but I won't let you dump Ana overboard like she's nothing either. By God, I'll kill even you if I have to, Elizabeth. Now put Ana down. I won't ask again."
Will looked at Jack, across Ana's body at Norrington, and finally at Elizabeth before doing what he had to do. Before any of them could react, he tipped Ana's body into the sea. It slid down the plank slowly and sank down into the ocean's embrace before Jack could stop it.
"You bastard! I'll kill you for this!" Jack screamed, lunging at Will.
Will had just enough time to drop the plank to the deck and raising his hands in defence before Jack was on top of him, slashing at him with Norrington's dagger. It took all of Norrington and Elizabeth's strength to pull the enraged pirate off of Will's now bloodied form.
"Let me go! He killed Ana, he killed her! He let her die! Let me go, you bastards! He'll wish he'd never been born when I'm through with him!" Jack screamed, bucking in Norrington and Elizabeth's grip.
"Elizabeth, for God's sake get that knife out of his hand. And be careful!" Norrington said, holding Jack's wrists apart with all his might.
After a long minute of Jack's frenzied fighting, Elizabeth managed to wrench the bloodied knife from Jack's fingers. "I've got it!" she breathed, her eyes fixed on the blood that coated it; Will's blood. Oh God.
Norrington sighed in relief as he sat down hard on Jack's chest, still holding his wrists out at his sides. Jack tried to buck him off weakly, his broken ribs screaming at him, but it was no use. He was firmly pinned to the deck. "Check on Will, Elizabeth," he said over his shoulder, not daring to take his eyes of Jack for a second. Elizabeth didn't respond. "Elizabeth!" he shouted, chancing a quick look over his shoulder, fearing the worst.
Elizabeth knelt over Will's body. "He's still alive, James. But oh God, there's so much blood. Will, can you hear me?" she asked, her voice quavering.
"Is Jack all right?" Will asked with a groan, his face clenched in pain.
"I'll be better when I see you dead," Jack hissed. "I thought you were my friend, Will. But you've finally showed your true colours. You're no better than Barbossa."
"She was dead, Sparrow. Will didn't betray you. None of us have betrayed you. She was dead and you just attacked and almost killed one of your best friends," Norrington said coldly, knowing that Jack hadn't really been at fault, but giving up some ground on the shaky friendship that had begun to form between the two of them. "What is going to take to get you to believe that? You said it yourself, Lorelac came to you in her form, causing all of the injuries that I'm no doubt irritating right now," Norrington winced a bit, remembering Jack's broken ribs and how it must feel to have him sitting on them, but he didn't dare get up in fear that he might try and attack Will again.
"She was dead, Jack," Elizabeth said through her tears. "She was dead and now Will might die too. If he dies, by God I'll kill you myself, Jack, friend or not," she threatened.
Despite the fiery rage that was tearing through his soul, Elizabeth's words cut to his very core and Jack began to doubt. Were they telling the truth? Had Ana really been dead all along? Jack shuddered to remember her screams as she was pushed overboard; her pleading for Jack to save her. Had that all been a lie? "Oh God," Jack whispered, going limp on the deck under Norrington's weight. "What have I done?"
The tension drained out of Norrington's form to hear Jack say those words. It returned with a vengeance however as he saw Jack's face go slack, his eyes glazing over. "Jack?" he asked, getting up off of him and kneeling at his side. "Jack are you still there? Talk to me?" he cast a worried glance over his shoulder where Will was now struggling to sit up with Elizabeth's help. He was relieved to see that he wasn't injured nearly as badly as Elizabeth had thought. His thick clothing had deflected some of the knife's blows, but not all. He would certainly carry a few long scars across his chest from the attack for the rest of his life; but he would live. The relief he had been feeling quickly faded again as he thought of why he had looked over his shoulder in the first place. "Jack's not answering me," he said softly.
The two of them made their way over to Jack and Norrington, taking in Jack's glazed eyes and slack expression. Will reached out a hand and waved it in front of Jack's eyes. The pirate captain didn't so much as blink. "Jack!" Will shouted, leaning over him.
"I don't think that's going to work. He's not there, Will. I don't know where Jack went, but he's not with us any longer," Elizabeth stated slowly.
"Well we can't just leave him like this!" Will shouted, biting back a groan as the force of his chest moving with the yell brought the cuts back to his attention.
"I agree," Norrington said softly. "It's...unnatural to see Sparrow so...calm. I find it unnerves me almost more than seeing him go mad does."
"I'd be more than willing to slap him again after what he did to Will," Elizabeth ventured, her voice still more than a little cold as she clung to Will's side.
"Elizabeth, it wasn't his fault. He wasn't in control of his actions," Will assured her.
"Did you see his eyes before he attacked you, Will? Because I most certainly did. Lorelac wasn't in control of him. That was Jack who attacked you, your friend. He was in complete control of his actions, and he could have killed you; he would have if we hadn't stopped him. So don't tell me it wasn't his fault."
"If you're going to slap him again, for God's sake do it quickly and get it over with," Norrington said, uncomfortable with the whole scene. He had seen Jack's eyes as Elizabeth had, and he too had noticed that they weren't Lorelac's cold blue. But that didn't matter at the moment. The only thing that mattered was—" his train of thought was derailed by the loud crack of Elizabeth's hand across Jack's cheek. Jack's head flung to the side upon impact, but he still didn't respond. Elizabeth slapped him again on the opposite cheek; still nothing. She would have kept slapping him, tears flowing freely down her face if Will hadn't grabbed her wrist tightly.
"Damn you, Jack," she moaned, place her face down on Will's shoulder and breaking out into sobs.
"It didn't work," Will said after taking a moment to run his hand through Liz's hair slowly, trying to ease her sobs. "Please Elizabeth, don't cry. I'm really ok. And I don't blame Jack, so neither should you," Will implored her.
She looked up at him and the pain reflected in her reddened eyes made him gasp before it disappeared so quickly that he didn't know if he had even truly seen it. "What are we going to do, Will? You're right, we can't leave Jack like this, but it didn't work," she said, casting a glance down at Jack's motionless body, both of his cheeks reddened from her hand.
"Let's get him back to his cabin," Norrington suggested. "And we need to take a look at those cuts of yours as well, Will," Norrington said, gesturing to Will's bloody shirt-front.
"You're going to have to help us lift him, Elizabeth. I'm afraid I might have a bit of...difficulty in that area," he said, looking down at his bloodied chest with a wince.
Elizabeth nodded and the three of them carried Jack back to his cabin and once more laid him on the bed. He still didn't respond, and his eyes still stared off into nothingness, blank and practically lifeless.
"Let's get you cleaned up, Will. There doesn't seem to be anything we can do about Sparrow at the moment, so we might as well solve the problems were able to. Have a seat," he said, gesturing to a large plushly cushioned chair set up against one of the walls. Will leaned back in the chair and slowly removed his tattered shirt from his chest. Once the full extent of what Jack had done to him was revealed Norrington winced and couldn't stop himself for casting a glare at the still figure on the bed. Will noticed, however and raised a hand. "It wasn't Jack's fault. I don't blame him, and you're not going to either. He's got enough to deal with right now without us adding to it, understand? And there's no telling how long whatever's happening to him right now is going to last. He needs our help."
It was then that the man in question decided that it was time to return to the world, startling them all with a loud groan. "Jack!" Will shouted, standing up quickly to rush at his friends' side before sinking back down into the chair with a groan of his own.
"He's not going anywhere, and I'm not done yet," Norrington said sternly, grabbing at the bandages and small bowl of fresh water that they had found earlier to treat Jack's wounds.
"Just hurry, all right?" Will said, not taking his eyes off Jack's slowly moving form. He hadn't said anything, but at least his eyes were now closed rather than seeming to stare straight through to your soul without blinking. He frowned to see that Elizabeth hadn't moved from his side to check on Jack. She was watching the pirate captain stir with a look he couldn't quite place. It almost looked as if she were afraid of him. "He won't hurt you, Elizabeth," he said softly and she jumped as if startled. Will frowned at this reaction.
"Oh, yes. I know, it's just. I was thinking about you, that's all," Elizabeth hastened to say, one hand at her chest. Will accepted this for now, but there was more to Elizabeth's reaction than she was letting on.
Norrington looked at her suspiciously but kept silent, wrapping the linen strips gently around Will's chest as Elizabeth moved in to wipe the blood away. With the two of them working quickly, the task was soon finished. He put back on his tattered shirt and vest, having lost the other clothes he had brought when the Saviour sank, and the three of them made their way over to Jack's side.
"Jack, are you alright?" Will asked the pirate captain, his brow furrowing as he saw that Jack was trembling. Jack didn't respond, and Will laid a hand on Jack's chest, his brow furrowing even more to feel that Jack's heart was beating rapidly, and that he still didn't respond to him.
"Sparrow, come back to us," Norrington said, standing at Will's side his own brow furrowing to match Will's as he saw that Jack's forehead was beaded with sweat. "I don't like this, something's wrong," Norrington said, placing a hand to Jack's forehead. He pulled it back with a gasp. "Dear God, he's burning up!"
Elizabeth rushed off to get the bowl of bloodied water and what few scraps of cloth that remained. She soaked one of them and laid it gently on Jack's forehead, causing him to hiss at the contact. His eyes snapped open and looked up at them. Elizabeth was relieved to see that they weren't Lorelac's blue, but they weren't exactly Jack's eyes either. "Jack?" she asked tentatively.
Jack closed his eyes again in a wince. "No, I'm not here. I can't be here. Have to stay away. Hurt Ana. Hurt Will. Hurt Elizabeth. No one's safe around me. I get all of my friends killed; or worse," he said his eyes opening again filled with such sorrow that Elizabeth felt her eyes stinging with unshed tears at the sight.
"Jack, I'm ok. We're all right," Will assured him.
Jack writhed on the bed a little, his head shaking back and forth. "No, you're not all right. I'm not all right. No one's all right. I'm clearly mad, didn't Elizabeth tell you?" he said with a short laugh that chilled the blood in Will's veins. "And madmen can't be allowed to live."
"That's not true, Jack!" Will shouted.
"Which part, dear William; the fact that I'm a madman or the part about not letting me live? Because both are true, I assure you," Jack said, sounding completely rational.
"Jack you're sick, you need a doctor, but you're not going to die," Norrington said firmly.
"Oh, I didn't say I was going to die, I said I can't be allowed to live. There's a difference, mate," Jack said with a wide grin that made Norrington shiver.
"You'll get through this, Jack. We'll help you," Will said softly.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh stop dreaming, Will. There's no return from this for me, haven't you realized that yet? My crew is gone, my sanity is gone, bleedin' control over my body is gone due to that bastard Lorelac, and now it seems my health is gone too. Are you really stupid enough to believe that there's any chance for me to come away from this now?"
Will didn't have an answer to that right away and Jack seized upon his hesitation. "I knew it. You don't believe me either. I don't blame you really. I'm broken Will, just face it."
"I refuse to believe that," Will said forcefully. "You are stronger than any man I know. If anyone can get through this and come out whole on the other side, it's Captain Jack Sparrow."
Jack smiled briefly at the use of his title, but continued on, "That's what you're not accepting, mate. I'm not whole. I can never be whole again. There will be no coming back from this, no coming out on the other side. Captain Jack Sparrow is gone."
TBC
A/N: Muahahahahahahahahaha...er, was that out loud? *devilish grin* Yes, I'm well aware that I'm evil, thanks. This story will very soon be coming to a close, ladies and gentlemen. I had originally only intended to do 15 chapters, but we'll see what happens. And then the sequel will begin! I'm excited, how about you?
Reviewer Response Section
Neon, Sara, my wonderful friend: thank you sooo much for reviewing!! You're the best mate!
Otherhawk: I'm glad you liked last chapter. I hope you like this one too. If it's addicted to read, think about how addicting it is for me to write! This and Darkness Rising both! I spend entirely too much time working on these fics than I should, being a college student with homework and all. Oh well. And I'm glad you're liking Norry! He's fun to write.
Mara: Yes, I am finally back. Stupid ff.net. If only Jack had been tied up before, this story wouldn't have nearly as much angst in it as it does now...wait, what fun would that be? ;-)
Jackfan2: Will will find out about the rape sooner or later, but not yet. And God only knows what he'll do to Jack then.
Pendragginink: You are my hero! You're review made my whole day, really! You're the best!! *gives a virtual box of chocolates* Hmm, I'm not sure you're going to get a lot of closer from the end of this story, but we'll just have to see in a few chapters, won't we? As for the natives? I'm not sure what they do quite yet, I don't speak their language and Kiquan seems to have disappeared so I have no translator. I'm sure they'll let me know eventually. Norry does have some luck, but not a heck of a lot. He's still alive though?
Mistress of Destruction: Yes I dislike Lorelac with a passion as well. He seems to get off on that, the (&%$%%$#$#@. He's a troublemaker of the worst sort, and I wish he'd just leave us all alone. No such luck, I'm afraid.
Blue Trinity: You know, I think you might be the only person who actually admits to having a small like of Lorelac. Congratulations! *sends a virtual ever growing tattoo Blue Trinity's way* Oh, and thanks for the double review!!!
Neveradullmoment: Deliciously evil, you say? Why yes I am, at that. *wicked grin* I'm glad you're liking my story! Thanks for reading!
Madam Hausfrau: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!!
Savvy Renegade: Dear HF, you speed reader, you. Thanks so much for the review!!!
Lelena, the Moonstruck: I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you or the review!!
To everyone, thanks again!! You guys make my day!!!
-Merrie