Title: Fires of Purgatory: Alpha and Omega (8/10) WIP
Author: QteCuttlfish
Author email: mizbara@yahoo.com
Rating: R
Type: Angst/Slash/Rape
Summary: Elizabeth is captured, and only Jack and Will can save her. Will they be able to get past the anguish to find forgiveness within themselves to rescue her?
Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean, its characters, and plots belongs to Disney. I do not own any part of them, even though I wish I did…*starts dreaming of owning Jack and Will*
WARNING: Mentions of m/m RAPE! PLEASE do not read if you no like!
Pairing: Jack/Will, mentioned Will/Elizabeth, Jack/Elizabeth, will be Jack/Will/Elizabeth
Author's Notes:
QteCuttlfish: (still in hiding) (whispers) Thank you so much for your reviews! I'll try to finish up as quickly as I can.
Fires of Purgatory
Chapter Eight
Alpha and Omega
"Jack!" loud knocking and a shout jolted Jack out of his sleep. Not that it took much. He hated sleeping now. Too many nightmares attacked him.
The door abruptly opened, to reveal a half-dressed Will Turner. Will's eyes were wild, and he ran over to Jack, shaking him, throwing the pirate captain into shock.
"What is it lad?" Jack dared to hold onto Will's arms as he sat up.
"Elizabeth. She's been taken!" Before Will had finished speaking, he and Jack had run out of the room, and headed towards the kitchen. Several of the servants were scandalized by the sight of the two men in states of undress, but Jack ignored them, as he followed Will.
They sprinted into the room, and took in the scene. The back door was wide open, still. Will had ordered the servants not to change anything. Jack examined the outside, and found the trail of where Elizabeth's kidnappers had dragged her. Jack swore. The trail headed towards the ocean. Something told him he already knew who had taken her. He felt Will step behind him, as Jack knelt in front of the door. He glanced up at the younger man, and saw Will holding a piece of parchment. Jack stood up, and read it along with him.
We'll be waiting at the Isla de la Muerta. Come alone, and we swear on the Code, the lady will remain safe. Bring help, and lady and the whelp she carries will be lost to Davy Jones' locker.
Will crumpled the note up in helpless rage and anguish, which emanated outward from him. Jack knew how he felt, since the pirate's eyes had narrowed in rage as well.
"Who is it addressed to?" Jack asked, his voice betraying none of his emotions. But he was afraid he already knew the answer.
"To both of us,' Will said, dangerous anger in his voice. He turned toward Jack. "If anything happens to her or the baby…" Will trailed off, his emotions so out of control he couldn't finish.
"Nothing will happen to them," Jack swore, molten hot anger sharpened with the sword of pain pouring from his core. It wasn't enough that Will had been humiliated and raped…that they'd made Jack a betrayer, by being the one who raped Will…Now they had to drag the lass into it. He felt like shouting. He should have seen this coming. After all, Elizabeth had had just as much to do with the whole debacle as Will and Jack had. Of course the pirates wanted revenge against her as well. Jack's fist tightened for a moment, before releasing. The pirates had gone too far this time, and they would pay for it. Jack and Will would kill them for this.
"What are we going to do?" Will harshly asked.
Jack's mind quickly spun. How to get to Elizabeth…well, they'd need a ship, of course…but how to get one without loosing Norrington on their trail…
"First we have to commandeer a ship," Jack said, still thinking. He vaguely saw Will nod. "Have they replaced the Interceptor with another fast ship?" Since Jack had been concerned with other things for so long, he had no idea of what the affairs of the sea were. A pang hit him as he realized just how long it had been since he'd been on his first love…before he shook that off, to listen to Will's answer.
"A few days ago, they got a new ship they call the Majestic. She's no Pearl, but they are calling her the fastest ship in the Queen's navy, and I do believe she is faster than the Interceptor was," Will explained.
"Good. Then that's the one we'll take," Jack decided. Now what to do about Norrington…
As though he read Jack's mind, Will said, "What about Norrington and Governor Swann?"
Jack's mind kept spinning. Over the last few months, he'd seen firsthand the Commodore's affections for Elizabeth, and Jack knew the man would want to be in on the rescue of her. But Jack also knew the pirates would have no problems in murdering the lass, being desperate men and all.
"We'll leave one a note, and send one to the other," Jack said.
Will looked at him in surprise. "What?"
Jack rolled his eyes. "Just trust me."
Will shrugged, as the two scrambled to get dressed. They got their weapons together, taking swords, knives, and pistols. Their minds focused on the moment, pushing aside the painful memories from months ago, in their concern for Elizabeth. Jack found parchment, and jotted down a quick note, before sending a messenger to Commodore Norrington. He hoped the rather fervent man would follow the instructions in the note. Elizabeth's life, and the life of the babe she carried, depended on it.
Once they were dressed, they began sneaking to the dock. They walked through alleyways, to remain unseen.
"Can two of us crew the Majestic all the way to the Isla de la Muerta?" Will asked Jack.
"Do we have a choice?" Jack shrugged, not liking their options, but accepting them.
Will sighed, and Jack noted the tension in the body beside him. He understood. The anger they shared…How dare they take Elizabeth! Jack was not an easy man to anger. Barbossa was one of the few men who had ever seen his true anger, and that had been the night of the mutiny. Jack shuddered, pushing the memories aside.
Will put his hand on Jack's shoulder, startling the older pirate for the second time that day. The boy's touched me twice today. He must really be worried, Jack thought.
"What is it?" Will said.
"Nothin'," Jack answered. "Old ghosts from the past. Nothin' to worry about."
Will opened his mouth to ask another question, but Jack stopped him, since they'd reached the dock. They watched the busy workers hurrying to and from their ships.
"How are we going to do this, Jack?" Will asked.
"If Norrington understands the message I sent him, all should be well, and he'll do all the work," Jack told him, his eyes flicking to the younger man.
Will seemed to be holding up fairly well, in spite of the circumstances. He nodded to Jack, their eyes catching, before both quickly looked away. They watched as the messenger Jack had dispatched handed the Commodore the note. He read it, and looked up, his emotions clear on his face. Indecision wracked the man's face, before it hardened. He shouted orders, and the sailors scrambled around. They got the Majestic ready to clear out, before Norrington called everyone off the ship.
"Now's our chance," Jack muttered, as he discretely ran to the ship. Will followed him, and they boarded the ship much like they had the Dauntless before. They caught the wind, and got out of there. They heard the shouts of the sailors as the ship cleared the dock, but heard Norrington's orders.
"How long until he follows us?" Will asked.
"A day," Jack answered. "But we'll be finished by then."
Will agreed.
A few hours passed. Jack kept checking his compass, to make sure they were on the right course. He stood at the helm, where he belonged. His eyes closed, as he breathed in the salty ocean air. Jack knew he'd missed this, but he had been unable to take any joy in the sea for so long….not since the day before he'd been dragged from Tortuga. He shivered, realizing eyes were avidly watching him. He opened his own, and looked at Will, who quickly looked away, before drifting back to Jack.
"What be on yer mind, Will?" Jack said, gently, unable to take the silence, but not wanting to scare the boy.
Will sighed. "I was just thinking…this is the first time we've been completely alone since…" he trailed off.
Jack nodded. Will was trying to keep his mind off Elizabeth…but unfortunately that meant other unpleasant memories grabbed the surface. Jack found himself in much the same state. He sighed.
"I'm not goin' ta hurt you, lad," Jack said.
"I know," Will quietly answered.
Jack quickly twisted around to look at him, surprised. Will forced himself to meet Jack's gaze.
"I think I know that better than you do," Will said.
Jack averted his gaze, concentrating on steadying their course.
"Ye trust too much," Jack said, resigned.
"Do I?" Will's voice seemed strangely calm.
"I hurt you once, Will. Why believe it will never happen again?" Jack could not allow either of them to forget what had happened. He would never forgive himself for what he'd done…for his body's enjoyment of Will's body. Every night since, he'd relived those moments…and found himself longing to be able to touch Will again…to not give him pain….to kiss him. Jack ruthlessly pushed that part of him away. He would never get the chance again. Why would he? He was what he'd always most despised: a betrayer. And life was rather cruel to him…having to live with the two people he most loved in the world…and being unable to touch them…sometimes it was more than Jack could stand.
"I know you, Jack. You will never hurt me again, if it is in your power to prevent it," Will said with conviction. He sighed. "I wish you would believe me."
Jack smiled bitterly, as fiery self-anger boiled in him.
"Lad, I'll tell you what? You ever approach me without fear in your eyes, and touch me, while looking me in the eye, then I'll believe you, savvy?"
Will's breath caught in his throat for a moment. Jack suddenly, desperately needed a drink. Living without rum for several months was killing him…as was the knowledge that Will would never be able to get over his fear enough to make the first move.
Will changed the subject. "They won't hurt her, will they?"
Jack thought carefully, his eyes dark and shuttered. Who honestly knew what those demented, vicious pirates would think of? They'd spent ten years as skeletons after all. Who knew what that did to a man's mind? And people thought he was crazy. He could be, of course, when he wanted to be but…he returned his attention to Will, who needed reassurances.
"I doubt it. They are so few now, and with Norrington's one-man war against piracy, they know that if anything happens to her, they'll die," Jack said. He didn't add that the pirates wouldn't live long enough to worry about Norrington. He and Will would finish them off.
Jack heard the scrape that told him Will was sharpening his sword. He smiled, despite himself. Will was proving himself his father's son. As had become a habit, Jack found his thoughts drifting to William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner. He wondered sometimes whether the man was still alive. After all, Bill had been cursed as well. Unless the pirates had blown him to bits, which was, in fact, likely, the possibility existed that the man could still be alive. Of course, that didn't explain why he hadn't come after his son.
Jack had many questions he wanted to ask the man, including why bill had gone along with the mutiny. He had an idea of why…but he wanted the chance to ask the man. He believed much of the reason involved the boy sharpening his sword behind him.
Sometimes Jack wondered why Will, after the first time they met, had never asked about his father since. Jack knew Will had discovered what ultimately had happened from Pintel, but the boy had never asked anything beyond that. To be fair, Will's year or so since they'd met had been rather busy, what with breaking a curse, getting married, and getting kidnapped. Will's mind was probably too full to really think of anything else, especially at the current moment.
Jack's eyes narrowed. The lass had better be in good health when we catch them, he thought. He wouldn't, couldn't fail another Turner he loved. Jack already knew he wasn't going to show the pirates any quarter. For what had happened to Will, they were already walking-dead-men, for the second time in their miserable lives. They just didn't know it. For this, though…Jack would insure their deaths. He hoped the deaths would be painful, for they deserved hell for this latest outrage.
The rest of the day passed in peace, with the two men keeping relative silence. The Majestic proved herself worthy. She was no Pearl, but she was actually better than the Interceptor had been. They made even better time than Jack expected. He was happy about it, as he looked forward to finally finishing his one-time treacherous crew, once and for all.
TBC