Authors Note: Im so sorry this took so long! I had a bit of a misunderstanding with the cable company, they thought I should pay and I thought I shouldn?t. =.= Did I mention they won in the end? Disclaimer: I own nothing, if I did I would be molesting certain pirates right now. Warnings: Mention of rape and slash.
The ship rocked angrily on the heaving waves. Masts of far grander vessels than their own who came before them littered the treacherous waters like giant teeth, longing to take another down to the brawny depths. To the crew it seemed as though more water flooded on deck than existed in all seven seas and it was only through the gods good graces that the mammoth hammerheads did not wash on deck and swallow them whole. The ropes screamed in agony as they ripped, piece by piece, from the sails they sought to hold. Time and time again the ship came deathly close to the protruding death traps and several times they did not escape unmarred.
"Captain Barbossa!" Pintel, the larger of the two named to guard the prisoners, yelled over the roar of the ocean.
"What are ye doing! Get back to work ya scurvy dog!" Barbossa yelled while trying desperately to keep his ship from a watery grave.
"It's the prisoners! There is a whole in one of the cells! He is 'alf drowned as it is and the whole is big enough for him to fall through!"
"Which one is it?" Barbossa swore violently as he was thrown from the wheel and was forced to stumble his way back to his post in a most undignified manner.
"The lad!" Pintel now held desperately to a rope that slipped treacherously in his grasp, threatening to dump him into the churning waters below.
The undead captain had only a moment to think as the ship lurched beneath them with a loud crack that could not be attributed to the thunder overhead. "Put him with Sparrow and get up here to do some real work before I feed you to the sharks myself!"
Barbossa watched Pintels journey across the ship until he was masked by the unnatural fog and blankets of uncharacteristically frigid water. As he did so one of his faceless crewmembers was washed overboard and doubtless found his grave among the dead, unnoticed and cared for by the rest of the crew.
"Damn it all!" Only just inside the passage, a long labyrinth of fallen ships littered the way to Isle De Muerta. They would have to turn back; the ship faired much better chances in the open sea.
Jack didn't know weather to laugh or cry. The heathen gods had certainly cursed his mutinous fist mate in more than one way. The ferocity of the storm ensured their journey would take a few more days than planned giving all the more time for those aboard the Pearl to prepare. On the other hand, the graveyard of ships had taken its toll, several crippling injuries maimed the vessel, one of which is could be found in Wills cell. Luckily Will had not been hurt on impact but water gushed through the gaping whole, blinding him with its stinging salt. Every time the ship dipped Jack feared that the nearly spent Will would simply topple back and fall into the crushing black oblivion. After every dip another crushing wave attacked Will with a relentless ferocity that threatened to drown the freezing boy. Wills cherry red lips were tainted with a blue hue, as he held steadfast to the bars. Nothing compared the icy touch of the midnight ocean in the midst of a storm.
One of the pirates 'guarding' them left to tell Barbossa as the second, who was now clutching pathetically at a pole in the center of the room, rubbed nervously at his wooden eye. Jack would have loved to taunt his former crewmember if he looked even slightly less pathetic, and if he himself were not so preoccupied with the gasping Will not five feet from him but still torturously out of reach.
"Just a little longer luv! Hang on there, that's a good lad!" Will couldn't even look up as a wave crashed into his back sending him sputtering into the bars.
An eternity came and passed before the larger guard came back looking significantly more worn.
"Ragetti stop yer whimpering and help me move this one." He thrust his hand at Will to show whom he spoke of, as if it were not the most obvious thing in the world.
The door was unlocked and they met no protest as they picked Will up off the floor and dragged him from the cell. Jack held his breath as the ship bucked beneath them causing the trio to fall backwards teetering on the edge of disappearing but saving themselves at the last possible moment. He didn't even think of an escape as his own cell was unlocked and Will thrown into his waiting arms. The two guards took their time walking up the stairs, fear evident on their faces, but Jack couldn't care less.
Jack retreated to the reassesses of his cell where the water had not completely taken over. Will groaned and blinked up at Jack from his place in Jacks lap. Jack crushed Will to his chest, mindful of the others wounds but not willing to let go. After more than a year of waiting Will was finally in his arms. Without thinking Jack brushed a stray hair from Wills face and couldn't repress the smile that graced his lips. Even half drowned Will looked beautiful, chocolate eyes still so full of innocents despite all the heart aches he had been though, framed by thick black lashes that clashed beautifully with his pale skin. But the reason he couldn't remove the smile even after long moments of trying to do so, was the situation they were in. Any other time the high strung, unusually uptight boy, that is William Turner would be flushed with a thousand shades of red if he found himself naked, in the lap of captain Jack Sparrow, who also happened to be naked. As it was now Will lay blissfully unaware of the duos position and state of dress.
Will shook violently and twisted in Jacks lap, his breath came in short pained gasps. His body was trying to dispel some of the water it had taken in and Jack tried to sooth the ailing boy, rubbing circles on his back and waiting for the coughs to subside.
"Shh luv, its alright now."
"J-Jack." Wills voice was shaking with the same cold his body suffered from.
"I'm right here luv, I got ya." The sputtering coughs stopped for the most part and Will had spit up a decent amount of water in the process. Jack noticed this and cradled the lithe form in his arms, pulling him up so that his head lay on Jacks chest.
"What now?" Will asked, his sleepy brown eyes peering innocently into Jacks. Jack caressed Wills cheek lovingly before he answered.
"We will escape of course! Barbossa and his crew will return to Davy Jones locker where they belong and it will be us who sent them there! It will be a grand adventure, of magnanimous proportions and we will tell the world!" Will nuzzled into the heat of Jacks chest and Jack continued on, unaware of his startling resemblance to a mother telling her child a bedtime story. "We will have the treasure of Isle De Muerta, the Black Pearl, and the ocean, freedom to do anything and everything we want and no one can take any of that away from us!"
"We?" Wills voice was riddled with sleep now, now that the immediate danger had vanished so too had his last remaining reserves of strength.
"Aye we, I said I would take care of you, how am I suppose to be doing that if you are not here with me?" But it was too late, it appeared that Will had already fallen into a peaceful slumber, content in Jacks arms. He freed one of his arms from around the boys waist in favor of letting his hand explore the exposed skin of Wills arms and chest, heating the sea chilled flesh. "I'm never letting you go again."
"What did you say Jack?" Will asked softly, his voice tainted with strained effort and the sleepiness that comes with over excursion.
"Nothing luv, nothing at all." Will seemed to accept the answer because he just snuggled deeper against Jacks chest, trying to envelop himself in the comforting heat that was Jack.
"Jack what are we going to do?" It was asked with sedated contentness despite the questions nature. Will simply couldn't find it in himself to worry about the future when the now was Jacks embrace.
"We will escape!" The ship lurched viciously and Jack struggled to keep Will in his arms. Will stirred and made an attempt to get up but Jack wouldn't have it and pulled the boy back to his chest with frightening ease. Outside the storm grew worse and the room filled with a few inches of water that made it impossible to escape the sting of salt water on abused flesh. This seemed to wake Will slightly and the boys formerly relaxed movements took on a nervous air. This, in Jacks humble opinion, is completely unacceptable; Will should never be ill at ease when Jack is there to protect him. Jack thought quickly of everything he could do to make Will feel safer and came up with absolutely nothing. The troubled feeling Jack despised so much was gripping his heart once more. He wanted Will to feel safe with him, needed Will to feel safe with him, always. Completely out of options Jack turned to what he did best, tell stories.
"Once we reach Isle De Muerta we will escape, it will doubtlessly include supernatural feats that merit stories to be told for years to come. Then after our ingenious escape we will meet up with my crew, who will provide pants!" Will actually managed a smile at that, not the polite smile used for dinners in Port Royal or the fake smile that never seemed to prove that everything is alright, but a genuine smile, such as had not been seen gracing Wills features in a long, long time. "And the epic battle we will fight! As my pistol has already found its revenge we will use the knife you so helpfully pilfered, or the sword of legend that is sadly with my pants at the moment and not with me." Jacks hand found its way to Wills dirtied hair and began stroking it fondly. "I have yet to think of a way for thanking you for that, but be sure, I will when I think of something worthy for the feared pirate Will!"
Will mumbled something undistinguishable but definitely embarrassed sounding into Jacks chest.
"It's the most amazing thing anyone has ever given me and if anyone insults it they will pay and that includes you Will." Jack answered without hesitation, knowing all to well Wills new tendency of self-doubt. Brown and Barbossa had made Will feel like dirt, something to be used and bartered, Jack took it upon himself to bring back the overly confident boy of old, if to some lesser degree.
"Anyway, we will kill Barbossa again, together this time. It will be amazing, like a dance, but infinitely more powerful! Without a word I will know what you are doing and you I. A force to be reckoned with! The amazing Captain Jack Sparrow and William Turner! Our names will live on in infamy! We will be the most feared and revered pirates in the world, you and me Will, together until the end, which will not be now."
Jack looked down at Will again to find the boy rubbing his face slightly on Jacks chest, sleep giving him a serene look as he spoke softly in reply.
"I'd like that Jack."
The rest of the night Jack spent trying to keep Wills open wounds from the bite of the salt water while still being mindful of his own fresh slashes and the burning pain slightly lower, evidence of his brutal rape that he could do nothing about. After an hour of violent rocking from the storm the water became inescapable, water sloshed on top of them soaking their already damp hair, but a feeling of numbness had set over both of them and the pain no longer reached them. With his last reserves Jack tucked Will and himself into a corner, the constant touch of Wills skin against his bringing him into an easy slumber.
The storm came and went, leaving the ship miles off course with several serious injuries and a multitude of smaller tasks to be done. The first day, in the little time Will spent awake he feared that the extra time before reaching Isle De Muerta would mean more time for Barbossa to torture them. It soon became apparent that Barbossa, like the rest of his crew, would be hard pressed to complete all the tasks required of them, let alone spend leisure time on their captives.
Jack hoped that this meant that he could finally spend time with Will but it was not to be. After being tortured for such a long period of time the only thing either of them could manage to do was sleep. Even when they were both awake at the same time Jack was forced to feign sleep. At some point on the trip Will discovered his serious lack of clothing to be a problem. He made as if to stand and get away from the naked pirate next to him but Jack managed a fake sleepy groan that sounded more like a mewl and had Will frozen in place for fear of waking Jack. Another discreet move and Jack had his arm around Wills waist once more and pulled him back toward himself. The days passed much like this until they reached Isle De Muerta.
The ship stopped creaking and the sway of the boards Jack lay on grew softer. They were in a cove, protected from the full force of the sea, and the smell of camphor filtered into the ship; they had finally made it to Isle De Muerta.
"Come on Will, wakey wakey!" Jack shook Wills shoulder slightly and the boy blinked up at him owlishly. "We're here." Will nodded and sat up next to Jack. The rest had done him some good. Will no longer looked as though he would pass out if someone poked him, some of the color had returned to his skin hinting at the return of his blood. But the state of his wounds and stomach were of some concern to Jack. Many of the wounds covering Wills body had become infected, some still have yet to close and bled freely when provoked. His abused skin was pulled tight over ribs giving him a starved look. For a moment Jack fancied that he had breathed on Will too harshly and the boy had flown away on the gush of air. Despite the impossibilities Jack found comfort in closing his hand over Wills wrist, constant reassurance of his presence.
"Time to go Sparrow!" Pintel and Raggeti were back, a length of rope in tow. "'old out yer 'ands."
Will stood and helped pull Jack to his feet, both repressed a grimace as wounds were aggravated but both refused to show their pain to the other, preferring the façade of everything being fine and dandy. Wordlessly their hands were bound and they were led topside.
Barbossa was waiting for them on deck and immediately flashed the duo a menacing grin. "Seems I have been too gracious as a host, both standing tall and having done not a stitch of work. I 'ave decided that two of you is a bit much with all the work to be done." As he spoke Barbossa let his eyes rake over the barred bodies in front of him.
Will took a step closer to Jack as if he meant to protect him, if only from the mans eyes. Jack stood apparently unhindered by his lack of clothing or the wounds marking his tanned flesh.
"The whelp is a nuisance and serves me no purpose, he will be destroyed once we have finished here."
"Your forgetting Barbossa, our deal, the boy is to go free."
"Yes Jack, and would that be now? Dashed upon the rocks? Maybe you would prefer the island? Where most of my crew roam free and are quite eager to get their hands on the whelp." Jack was fuming as Barbossa arranged for the three of them to share a boat along with two of the crew to do the rowing.
Once in the little boat that rocked easily with the waves and on their way to the cave Barbossa began to speak again. "All there is left to do is have me crew return to the living dead. They escaped your little commodores prison flesh and blood; think of what they can do immortal. Cities will fall and bear the name Barbossa in its smoldering ruins. Once that is through and I?m sure your blood is unnecessary the whelp shall die and you Jack, shall be my new bitch." Jack glared through kohl-smudged eyes but retained the swaggering, drunkenness of legend.
"Why is it that the bad guy always feels the irrepressible urge to tell the hero his plan for ultimate destruction? You are definitely the bad guy in this instance Barbossa, for you are far to hideous to be anything but, and your unique smell does not lend its self to strapping hero, such as myself." A cocky grin graced Jacks features as he watched Barbossa, seethe.
"Yer right Jack, why tell you I?m going to kill the whelp when you can watch? You'll get to watch as I carve up his arms, my gift to the whelp, he enjoys it more than I do. Then a B in his chest, marked forever, even in death by me. Then, then I?m going to impale him, so you can watch the face he makes as blood pours from his lips. You will see first hand the life flicker out of his eyes. I'd save that pleasure for myself usually but you Jack are a special case." Will was watching the bottom of the boat intently, ever sense the quip about his arms Will couldn't find it in himself to look either man in the face. Jack turned a brilliant shade of red behind his dark hair and kohl-smudged eyes. All at once he was terrified and inflamed, the only reason he stayed put was because he couldn't decide if he wanted to pull Will into his arms or strangle Barbossa, curse be damned.
The arrival in the caves was a silent one, but as they grew closer to the main room shouts could be heard. Upon reaching land Barbossa was so disturbed by the yells he didn't bother with Will and Jack, stuck as they were. He ran the last turn into the room and froze dead in his tracks. The mountains of gold and jewels, the stone chest that held the cursed coins of Cortez, were all gone. Coins glittered in the water, a few scattered among the stones but it amounted to nothing in comparison of the former treasure of lifetime?s worth of plunder.
Barbossa shouted orders at his crew, search the water, search the tunnels, it must be there. He himself franticly searched, unable to comprehend that his riches were gone. Maybe they were in the wrong cave, or he had the gold moved and forgotten about it, anything rather than except that it was gone.
"Ana Maria" Jack whispered happily to a dumbfounded Will as they stood just inside of the entrance.
"You mean you actually had a plan?"
"...Sure! Course I did! Just haven't figured it out till just now." While Will translated what Jack had just said Jack grabbed the knife stashed in Wills makeshift bandage and cut their binds.
"Hurry! We can steal a boat before they notice we have gone!" Will began to walk in the opposite direction of the would-be treasure hold.
"Not so fast. I have a better idea." Jack grabbed the collar of Wills shirt and pulled him back letting his arm fall down around Wills shoulders. "There is a back opening to this cave, if we can get into the forest they wont catch us. We need to find me crew anyway, bound to be that way, didn't row the treasure away, to lazy."
Cut ropes were placed back on their wrists and they walked into the room in what Jack considered an inconspicuous way. In other words Jack and Will stuck out like Norington in Tortuga, luck have it the suddenly poor pirates were too distraught to notice. They were almost to the exit, not ten feet away when a screech echoed throughout the chamber.
"Jack?" Barbossa turned to the monkey, which had found its way across the room and was currently shrieking at Jack the pirate.
"Monkey!" Jack yelled at the creature but it was to late, all eyes were on them.
"GET THEM!" Barbossa roared.
With a swift kick that sent the hellish excuse for a monkey flying Jack bolted up the tunnel, Will at his side. They had a small lead as they burst into the daylight and ran blindly into the woods. The forest lasted for only a minute before the trees made way for a clearing, which appeared to simply drop off where normally there would be more grass. They ran to the edge of the clearing and looked down at what they hoped would be a hill or a river. Instead they found themselves teetering on the edge of a high cliff, blue water staring ominously back up at them, overgrowth hiding the true depth of the water from them.
It only took a minute for Barbossas men to catch up. Wordlessly they formed a semicircle around Jack and Will. They were trapped.
"Gentleman! I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement about this hm?" Jack smiled graciously at them and threw his arms casually around Will. This time he spoke softer, only for Will to hear as he took a step back.
"This is going to hurt."
"I trust you Jack."
Jacks arms tightened around Will and then, before anyone knew what was happening, themselves included, they were hurtling down the cliff.
Bad, yes I know, and a cliffhanger! But my cable is paid and the next chapter is planned and will be out soon! Please review, it makes the world go around! and everyone who reviewed I LOVE YOU!!!! im not joking you RULE!
The ship rocked angrily on the heaving waves. Masts of far grander vessels than their own who came before them littered the treacherous waters like giant teeth, longing to take another down to the brawny depths. To the crew it seemed as though more water flooded on deck than existed in all seven seas and it was only through the gods good graces that the mammoth hammerheads did not wash on deck and swallow them whole. The ropes screamed in agony as they ripped, piece by piece, from the sails they sought to hold. Time and time again the ship came deathly close to the protruding death traps and several times they did not escape unmarred.
"Captain Barbossa!" Pintel, the larger of the two named to guard the prisoners, yelled over the roar of the ocean.
"What are ye doing! Get back to work ya scurvy dog!" Barbossa yelled while trying desperately to keep his ship from a watery grave.
"It's the prisoners! There is a whole in one of the cells! He is 'alf drowned as it is and the whole is big enough for him to fall through!"
"Which one is it?" Barbossa swore violently as he was thrown from the wheel and was forced to stumble his way back to his post in a most undignified manner.
"The lad!" Pintel now held desperately to a rope that slipped treacherously in his grasp, threatening to dump him into the churning waters below.
The undead captain had only a moment to think as the ship lurched beneath them with a loud crack that could not be attributed to the thunder overhead. "Put him with Sparrow and get up here to do some real work before I feed you to the sharks myself!"
Barbossa watched Pintels journey across the ship until he was masked by the unnatural fog and blankets of uncharacteristically frigid water. As he did so one of his faceless crewmembers was washed overboard and doubtless found his grave among the dead, unnoticed and cared for by the rest of the crew.
"Damn it all!" Only just inside the passage, a long labyrinth of fallen ships littered the way to Isle De Muerta. They would have to turn back; the ship faired much better chances in the open sea.
Jack didn't know weather to laugh or cry. The heathen gods had certainly cursed his mutinous fist mate in more than one way. The ferocity of the storm ensured their journey would take a few more days than planned giving all the more time for those aboard the Pearl to prepare. On the other hand, the graveyard of ships had taken its toll, several crippling injuries maimed the vessel, one of which is could be found in Wills cell. Luckily Will had not been hurt on impact but water gushed through the gaping whole, blinding him with its stinging salt. Every time the ship dipped Jack feared that the nearly spent Will would simply topple back and fall into the crushing black oblivion. After every dip another crushing wave attacked Will with a relentless ferocity that threatened to drown the freezing boy. Wills cherry red lips were tainted with a blue hue, as he held steadfast to the bars. Nothing compared the icy touch of the midnight ocean in the midst of a storm.
One of the pirates 'guarding' them left to tell Barbossa as the second, who was now clutching pathetically at a pole in the center of the room, rubbed nervously at his wooden eye. Jack would have loved to taunt his former crewmember if he looked even slightly less pathetic, and if he himself were not so preoccupied with the gasping Will not five feet from him but still torturously out of reach.
"Just a little longer luv! Hang on there, that's a good lad!" Will couldn't even look up as a wave crashed into his back sending him sputtering into the bars.
An eternity came and passed before the larger guard came back looking significantly more worn.
"Ragetti stop yer whimpering and help me move this one." He thrust his hand at Will to show whom he spoke of, as if it were not the most obvious thing in the world.
The door was unlocked and they met no protest as they picked Will up off the floor and dragged him from the cell. Jack held his breath as the ship bucked beneath them causing the trio to fall backwards teetering on the edge of disappearing but saving themselves at the last possible moment. He didn't even think of an escape as his own cell was unlocked and Will thrown into his waiting arms. The two guards took their time walking up the stairs, fear evident on their faces, but Jack couldn't care less.
Jack retreated to the reassesses of his cell where the water had not completely taken over. Will groaned and blinked up at Jack from his place in Jacks lap. Jack crushed Will to his chest, mindful of the others wounds but not willing to let go. After more than a year of waiting Will was finally in his arms. Without thinking Jack brushed a stray hair from Wills face and couldn't repress the smile that graced his lips. Even half drowned Will looked beautiful, chocolate eyes still so full of innocents despite all the heart aches he had been though, framed by thick black lashes that clashed beautifully with his pale skin. But the reason he couldn't remove the smile even after long moments of trying to do so, was the situation they were in. Any other time the high strung, unusually uptight boy, that is William Turner would be flushed with a thousand shades of red if he found himself naked, in the lap of captain Jack Sparrow, who also happened to be naked. As it was now Will lay blissfully unaware of the duos position and state of dress.
Will shook violently and twisted in Jacks lap, his breath came in short pained gasps. His body was trying to dispel some of the water it had taken in and Jack tried to sooth the ailing boy, rubbing circles on his back and waiting for the coughs to subside.
"Shh luv, its alright now."
"J-Jack." Wills voice was shaking with the same cold his body suffered from.
"I'm right here luv, I got ya." The sputtering coughs stopped for the most part and Will had spit up a decent amount of water in the process. Jack noticed this and cradled the lithe form in his arms, pulling him up so that his head lay on Jacks chest.
"What now?" Will asked, his sleepy brown eyes peering innocently into Jacks. Jack caressed Wills cheek lovingly before he answered.
"We will escape of course! Barbossa and his crew will return to Davy Jones locker where they belong and it will be us who sent them there! It will be a grand adventure, of magnanimous proportions and we will tell the world!" Will nuzzled into the heat of Jacks chest and Jack continued on, unaware of his startling resemblance to a mother telling her child a bedtime story. "We will have the treasure of Isle De Muerta, the Black Pearl, and the ocean, freedom to do anything and everything we want and no one can take any of that away from us!"
"We?" Wills voice was riddled with sleep now, now that the immediate danger had vanished so too had his last remaining reserves of strength.
"Aye we, I said I would take care of you, how am I suppose to be doing that if you are not here with me?" But it was too late, it appeared that Will had already fallen into a peaceful slumber, content in Jacks arms. He freed one of his arms from around the boys waist in favor of letting his hand explore the exposed skin of Wills arms and chest, heating the sea chilled flesh. "I'm never letting you go again."
"What did you say Jack?" Will asked softly, his voice tainted with strained effort and the sleepiness that comes with over excursion.
"Nothing luv, nothing at all." Will seemed to accept the answer because he just snuggled deeper against Jacks chest, trying to envelop himself in the comforting heat that was Jack.
"Jack what are we going to do?" It was asked with sedated contentness despite the questions nature. Will simply couldn't find it in himself to worry about the future when the now was Jacks embrace.
"We will escape!" The ship lurched viciously and Jack struggled to keep Will in his arms. Will stirred and made an attempt to get up but Jack wouldn't have it and pulled the boy back to his chest with frightening ease. Outside the storm grew worse and the room filled with a few inches of water that made it impossible to escape the sting of salt water on abused flesh. This seemed to wake Will slightly and the boys formerly relaxed movements took on a nervous air. This, in Jacks humble opinion, is completely unacceptable; Will should never be ill at ease when Jack is there to protect him. Jack thought quickly of everything he could do to make Will feel safer and came up with absolutely nothing. The troubled feeling Jack despised so much was gripping his heart once more. He wanted Will to feel safe with him, needed Will to feel safe with him, always. Completely out of options Jack turned to what he did best, tell stories.
"Once we reach Isle De Muerta we will escape, it will doubtlessly include supernatural feats that merit stories to be told for years to come. Then after our ingenious escape we will meet up with my crew, who will provide pants!" Will actually managed a smile at that, not the polite smile used for dinners in Port Royal or the fake smile that never seemed to prove that everything is alright, but a genuine smile, such as had not been seen gracing Wills features in a long, long time. "And the epic battle we will fight! As my pistol has already found its revenge we will use the knife you so helpfully pilfered, or the sword of legend that is sadly with my pants at the moment and not with me." Jacks hand found its way to Wills dirtied hair and began stroking it fondly. "I have yet to think of a way for thanking you for that, but be sure, I will when I think of something worthy for the feared pirate Will!"
Will mumbled something undistinguishable but definitely embarrassed sounding into Jacks chest.
"It's the most amazing thing anyone has ever given me and if anyone insults it they will pay and that includes you Will." Jack answered without hesitation, knowing all to well Wills new tendency of self-doubt. Brown and Barbossa had made Will feel like dirt, something to be used and bartered, Jack took it upon himself to bring back the overly confident boy of old, if to some lesser degree.
"Anyway, we will kill Barbossa again, together this time. It will be amazing, like a dance, but infinitely more powerful! Without a word I will know what you are doing and you I. A force to be reckoned with! The amazing Captain Jack Sparrow and William Turner! Our names will live on in infamy! We will be the most feared and revered pirates in the world, you and me Will, together until the end, which will not be now."
Jack looked down at Will again to find the boy rubbing his face slightly on Jacks chest, sleep giving him a serene look as he spoke softly in reply.
"I'd like that Jack."
The rest of the night Jack spent trying to keep Wills open wounds from the bite of the salt water while still being mindful of his own fresh slashes and the burning pain slightly lower, evidence of his brutal rape that he could do nothing about. After an hour of violent rocking from the storm the water became inescapable, water sloshed on top of them soaking their already damp hair, but a feeling of numbness had set over both of them and the pain no longer reached them. With his last reserves Jack tucked Will and himself into a corner, the constant touch of Wills skin against his bringing him into an easy slumber.
The storm came and went, leaving the ship miles off course with several serious injuries and a multitude of smaller tasks to be done. The first day, in the little time Will spent awake he feared that the extra time before reaching Isle De Muerta would mean more time for Barbossa to torture them. It soon became apparent that Barbossa, like the rest of his crew, would be hard pressed to complete all the tasks required of them, let alone spend leisure time on their captives.
Jack hoped that this meant that he could finally spend time with Will but it was not to be. After being tortured for such a long period of time the only thing either of them could manage to do was sleep. Even when they were both awake at the same time Jack was forced to feign sleep. At some point on the trip Will discovered his serious lack of clothing to be a problem. He made as if to stand and get away from the naked pirate next to him but Jack managed a fake sleepy groan that sounded more like a mewl and had Will frozen in place for fear of waking Jack. Another discreet move and Jack had his arm around Wills waist once more and pulled him back toward himself. The days passed much like this until they reached Isle De Muerta.
The ship stopped creaking and the sway of the boards Jack lay on grew softer. They were in a cove, protected from the full force of the sea, and the smell of camphor filtered into the ship; they had finally made it to Isle De Muerta.
"Come on Will, wakey wakey!" Jack shook Wills shoulder slightly and the boy blinked up at him owlishly. "We're here." Will nodded and sat up next to Jack. The rest had done him some good. Will no longer looked as though he would pass out if someone poked him, some of the color had returned to his skin hinting at the return of his blood. But the state of his wounds and stomach were of some concern to Jack. Many of the wounds covering Wills body had become infected, some still have yet to close and bled freely when provoked. His abused skin was pulled tight over ribs giving him a starved look. For a moment Jack fancied that he had breathed on Will too harshly and the boy had flown away on the gush of air. Despite the impossibilities Jack found comfort in closing his hand over Wills wrist, constant reassurance of his presence.
"Time to go Sparrow!" Pintel and Raggeti were back, a length of rope in tow. "'old out yer 'ands."
Will stood and helped pull Jack to his feet, both repressed a grimace as wounds were aggravated but both refused to show their pain to the other, preferring the façade of everything being fine and dandy. Wordlessly their hands were bound and they were led topside.
Barbossa was waiting for them on deck and immediately flashed the duo a menacing grin. "Seems I have been too gracious as a host, both standing tall and having done not a stitch of work. I 'ave decided that two of you is a bit much with all the work to be done." As he spoke Barbossa let his eyes rake over the barred bodies in front of him.
Will took a step closer to Jack as if he meant to protect him, if only from the mans eyes. Jack stood apparently unhindered by his lack of clothing or the wounds marking his tanned flesh.
"The whelp is a nuisance and serves me no purpose, he will be destroyed once we have finished here."
"Your forgetting Barbossa, our deal, the boy is to go free."
"Yes Jack, and would that be now? Dashed upon the rocks? Maybe you would prefer the island? Where most of my crew roam free and are quite eager to get their hands on the whelp." Jack was fuming as Barbossa arranged for the three of them to share a boat along with two of the crew to do the rowing.
Once in the little boat that rocked easily with the waves and on their way to the cave Barbossa began to speak again. "All there is left to do is have me crew return to the living dead. They escaped your little commodores prison flesh and blood; think of what they can do immortal. Cities will fall and bear the name Barbossa in its smoldering ruins. Once that is through and I?m sure your blood is unnecessary the whelp shall die and you Jack, shall be my new bitch." Jack glared through kohl-smudged eyes but retained the swaggering, drunkenness of legend.
"Why is it that the bad guy always feels the irrepressible urge to tell the hero his plan for ultimate destruction? You are definitely the bad guy in this instance Barbossa, for you are far to hideous to be anything but, and your unique smell does not lend its self to strapping hero, such as myself." A cocky grin graced Jacks features as he watched Barbossa, seethe.
"Yer right Jack, why tell you I?m going to kill the whelp when you can watch? You'll get to watch as I carve up his arms, my gift to the whelp, he enjoys it more than I do. Then a B in his chest, marked forever, even in death by me. Then, then I?m going to impale him, so you can watch the face he makes as blood pours from his lips. You will see first hand the life flicker out of his eyes. I'd save that pleasure for myself usually but you Jack are a special case." Will was watching the bottom of the boat intently, ever sense the quip about his arms Will couldn't find it in himself to look either man in the face. Jack turned a brilliant shade of red behind his dark hair and kohl-smudged eyes. All at once he was terrified and inflamed, the only reason he stayed put was because he couldn't decide if he wanted to pull Will into his arms or strangle Barbossa, curse be damned.
The arrival in the caves was a silent one, but as they grew closer to the main room shouts could be heard. Upon reaching land Barbossa was so disturbed by the yells he didn't bother with Will and Jack, stuck as they were. He ran the last turn into the room and froze dead in his tracks. The mountains of gold and jewels, the stone chest that held the cursed coins of Cortez, were all gone. Coins glittered in the water, a few scattered among the stones but it amounted to nothing in comparison of the former treasure of lifetime?s worth of plunder.
Barbossa shouted orders at his crew, search the water, search the tunnels, it must be there. He himself franticly searched, unable to comprehend that his riches were gone. Maybe they were in the wrong cave, or he had the gold moved and forgotten about it, anything rather than except that it was gone.
"Ana Maria" Jack whispered happily to a dumbfounded Will as they stood just inside of the entrance.
"You mean you actually had a plan?"
"...Sure! Course I did! Just haven't figured it out till just now." While Will translated what Jack had just said Jack grabbed the knife stashed in Wills makeshift bandage and cut their binds.
"Hurry! We can steal a boat before they notice we have gone!" Will began to walk in the opposite direction of the would-be treasure hold.
"Not so fast. I have a better idea." Jack grabbed the collar of Wills shirt and pulled him back letting his arm fall down around Wills shoulders. "There is a back opening to this cave, if we can get into the forest they wont catch us. We need to find me crew anyway, bound to be that way, didn't row the treasure away, to lazy."
Cut ropes were placed back on their wrists and they walked into the room in what Jack considered an inconspicuous way. In other words Jack and Will stuck out like Norington in Tortuga, luck have it the suddenly poor pirates were too distraught to notice. They were almost to the exit, not ten feet away when a screech echoed throughout the chamber.
"Jack?" Barbossa turned to the monkey, which had found its way across the room and was currently shrieking at Jack the pirate.
"Monkey!" Jack yelled at the creature but it was to late, all eyes were on them.
"GET THEM!" Barbossa roared.
With a swift kick that sent the hellish excuse for a monkey flying Jack bolted up the tunnel, Will at his side. They had a small lead as they burst into the daylight and ran blindly into the woods. The forest lasted for only a minute before the trees made way for a clearing, which appeared to simply drop off where normally there would be more grass. They ran to the edge of the clearing and looked down at what they hoped would be a hill or a river. Instead they found themselves teetering on the edge of a high cliff, blue water staring ominously back up at them, overgrowth hiding the true depth of the water from them.
It only took a minute for Barbossas men to catch up. Wordlessly they formed a semicircle around Jack and Will. They were trapped.
"Gentleman! I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement about this hm?" Jack smiled graciously at them and threw his arms casually around Will. This time he spoke softer, only for Will to hear as he took a step back.
"This is going to hurt."
"I trust you Jack."
Jacks arms tightened around Will and then, before anyone knew what was happening, themselves included, they were hurtling down the cliff.
Bad, yes I know, and a cliffhanger! But my cable is paid and the next chapter is planned and will be out soon! Please review, it makes the world go around! and everyone who reviewed I LOVE YOU!!!! im not joking you RULE!