Title: Aye
Author: Eurothrashed
Feedback: Yes, please. E-mail in bio.
Disclaimer: So not mine...
Rating: Pg13
Summary: Mummy won't wake up...
A/N An idea that wouldn't leave my angsty self alone.
"Mummy won't wake up."
Jack Sparrow's bright smile faded and his weaving, drunken stance dissolved as he looked at the little girl in front of him. Dirty face and dirtier curls were tilted up into the unforgiving glare of the moonlight, her brown eyes wide and pleading as she tried to rouse the fallen woman.
A memory repeated in his mind, telling him that everything was wrong - screaming that everything was wrong.
A bag of coins, a flash of a gold-capped smile, and a woman with a little girl waiting on a lonely pier.
"How long will you stay this time, Jack?" the woman would ask, trying to coax the child out from behind her skirts and into her arms.
"Depends on the current, darling," he would say, leaning in and giving her a peck on the cheek.
But now, there was no kiss hello, just an abrupt goodbye and a heavy pouch of coins fastened to his belt.
Picking up the girl, he tried to replace her mother's cold hand with his. "Milly, love," he whispered into her ear, "You need to let go."
"Mummy said not to," Milly said, slowly uncurling her fingers.
"How long..." Jack's words wouldn't come, so he swallowed, smiled painfully, and tried again. "How long has- -" he gestured vaguely, "- -she been asleep?"
"She wouldn't get up for breakfast," she said, turning her dirt-smudged face towards him. "Is mummy sick?"
He nodded, "Aye, lovey."
"I got sick once," she said helpfully, "And mummy gave me soup." She twisted in his arms to look at him. "Can you make soup?"
"No," he said, his voice hoarse, "Sorry, darling. I've never been too good in the kitchen."
"Oh." A tiny disappointed sound that broke his heart and twisted his stomach with guilt.
Small, thin arms twined about his neck, and Jack held the girl closer.
"Uncle Jack?"
He moved his eyes away from the pale, unanimated face of his sister to that of his niece.
"Aye?"
"Can we see your boat now?"
"Ship," he corrected half-heartedly. "She's a ship, love."
Milly was undaunted, "Well, can me and mummy see her?"
Jack slowly turned away, Milly on his hip, the bag of money jangling against his leg as he moved, and focused on The Pearl floating off in the distance.
"Aye."
END