::Author's notes:: I guess it goes without saying that I, yet again, took longer than intended to update this story. I've been having real writer's block on it and I really don't think this is the best chapter I've written. Sorry about that. In any case, I am hoping this will help me move on and finally get this monster completed before we reach the next century. :) Thanks as always for your support.::

Jack stared at the cabin's ceiling, as he had for so many sleepless nights since they had brought Bill back to the Pearl and locked him shrieking in the brig. Even now, he could hear poor Bootstrap's inhuman cries rising from beneath him. Jack had never considered himself a sensitive or sentimental man, so it was with considerable embarrassment that he found himself often fighting tears to hear it every night and every day.

Jack had tried repeatedly to reach William. Certain that he could find some spark of his former companion hidden in the pathetic creature in the brig below, the pirate captain had to admit he had been less focused on Barbossa and recapturing The Pearl. Jack spent hours every day trying to break through the madness and to find some glimmer of the William Turner he had known. So far, it had been to no avail. Bootstrap, or rather, what was left of him, most often reacted to Jack's presence by shrieking even more loudly and throwing himself at the bars. Sometimes, Bill didn't even respond to Jack's presence at all, but simply sat there staring at nothing, lost in his own insanity.

As if the situation weren't difficult enough already, the new "guest" was also having an understandable affect on the rest of the crew. Anna Maria made her displeasure at having "that demon" on board loudly known at every opportunity. Always a superstitious man, Gibbs had taken to posting "talismans" all over the ship and his person to protect himself from harm. No one had dared to advocate forcing Bill to walk the plank again after Jack had nearly slit Gibbs' throat for the suggestion, but Jack was sure it was a topic of whispered discussion when he was not around.

'To be honest, lad, can you really blame them? He's nothing to them but a monster.'

Without warning, Bill's shrieking and wailing reached a fever pitch, and Jack rolled onto his side, pulling his soggy pillow over his head. 'William, dear William...is there anything of you left in there? Is there anything at all? You shouldn't have defended me, lad. Why did you always have to be such an idealistic fool?'

"Jack."

Jack recognized the hollow voice as belonging to the younger Will Turner. Tossing the pillow off his head, Jack regarded Will with sympathetic eyes. Having his father on board in such a state was clearly taking a heavy toll on the younger man, as evidenced by his pale skin and hollow eyes. The poor boy looked thoroughly exhausted.

'I'd wager nobody has been getting a good night's rest with all the ruckus and Bill's carrying on. And young Will... Probably hasn't had a stitch of sleep.' "What is it lad?"

"The crew and I have been talking. About...the situation."

Jack sat up straighter, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Have you, now?" he said, tone guarded and carefully neutral.

Will's eyes scanned the room, resting anywhere but on his captain's face. He was silent for long moments, clearly uncertain about what he wanted to say. After several moments of this, the boy steeled himself with a visible effort and stared Jack defiantly right in the eyes. "We believe you've become distracted from the mission. We believe that...the creature...has become too much of a diversion for you and that you've forgotten why we're all here."

"Really?" Jack's voice was colder than the Arctic.

"Yes, really." Will seemed to have found his courage, and was becoming bolder by the moment. "The crew was promised this ship as their own once you find Barbossa and reclaim The Black Pearl. And the only reason I freed you from that cell to begin with was to rescue Miss Elizabeth. I shall not allow your unfounded obsession with that thing in the brig to place her life in further danger."

"And have we not continued in our course," Jack countered, pushing himself off the bunk and towering rising to his feet. "Have Gibbs and Anna Maria not been maintaining our pursuit."

"Yes," Will admitted, refusing to back down. "But the fact remains that you are supposed to be the captain of this ship, and only you know how Barbossa's mind works and what he may be planning and how to precisely read the compass with no needle. If anything happens to Miss Elizabeth because of your dallying, I will gut you myself!"

Jack couldn't help but laugh. "Are you threatening me, child? That's rather funny."

Will looked terribly affronted. When he spoke, it was through gritted teeth. "You should have left that thing to rot on that ship, or better yet, sent it overboard, back to the depths of Hell where it belongs."

Jack grabbed Will roughly by the arms and slammed him against the wall hard enough to set the younger man's teeth rattling. "You listen to me, boy," he hissed. "That man has suffered more than you or I can ever imagine, that I am sure of. Furthermore, he suffered said fate for coming to my defense, so I will not abandon him. It should be further noted that he was on the stinking Pearl in the first place because of you. He didn't even really want to be a sailor. He left London and his pretty wife behind because he wanted more for his boy. He told me himself the night we kissed. He was pining for you and your mother, but he gave it all up to give you a better life, and frankly I hardly think you were worth the sacrifice. That man is your father, and if you speak ill of him again, it will be you who I shall send to Davey Jones' locker!"

Will's eyes widened at the assault and it was all he could do to stare back at the pirate. "What? Kissed? What?" he stuttered, rather unintelligently.

'Huh. Don't know why I had to go and let that bit of information slip.'

"I know this is hard for you lad," Jack said, much more gently, loosening his grip on the boy. "But it's true. Your father loved you with everything he had. You owned his heart...and I don't believe you appreciate what a gift that was, especially to those of us who wished it belonged to us."

Will swallowed and looked about to reply when Gibbs burst through the door so hard, the top hinge broke. "Cap'n! It's gone! Anna Maria went down to the brig to check on it and it was nowhere to be found."

Jack and Will stared at the terrified crewman, then back at each other, before they both rushed out of the door and up to the deck. 'Ah, Bill,' Jack thought, with a sinking feeling in his gut. 'What have you done now?'

::Feedback response::

Galadryal: Thanks! Hey, I am happy for any feedback at all, so please don't worry about how "short" it is.

Lyowyn: Sorry you didn't like the last chapter. I really just don't see how Bill could have gone through what he went through without going a little insane and I don't think he could just shrug it off...but I am trying for a happy ending if that helps.

Bluekrystal1: blushing Thanks! Yeah--I mean, I know if I spent years at the bottom of the sea I'd probably be a bit psychotic, so I figured Bill would probably be too. I'm glad you liked it.

emeraldwolf: laughs Well, even though I love my angst and suffering--sick person that I am--I am a strong believer in happy endings. I will see what I can do for poor Bill and Jack's happiness. You rock, by the way. :)

bittersweet46: Thanks for the feedback! I am addicted to angst, so naturally I have to write it into my fics. And I really am gonna try to save Bill--but only if I can find a way to do it without it feeling forced.