He was in a right bloody mess.

And that was quite literal too. Dried blood was everywhere, all over his beautiful face, in his beard, his hair. He was bruised; those horrible black-blue bruises were all along his cheekbones. His eye was blackening. If your gaze had travelled down his chest, as Will's was, you would have seen the deep wound from the stabbing. It looked dangerously too close to yellow.

"Wha' can I say?" he murmured, and Will jumped as he realised he was awake. "Some people jus' don' bond wi' me." His eyes were still closed, but his mouth turned into a faint golden grin.

"Jack, thank God. I was so scared." Will chewed his lip and walked over to where Jack was lying, on his bed. He wrapped his fingers around Jack's. "You must be in so much pain."

"Pain is in the mind, boy," Jack smirked, chocolate eyes fluttering open. "And as I'm out'er me mind, then it doesn' affect me." He was trying to reassure Will, and not doing a very good job.

Will's eyes were wet with unspilled tears as he shook his head. "I was so... so scared..."

Jack watched in uncomfortable silence as his lover broke down before him. Will fell to his knees and cried. Jack forced himself to sit up, wincing at the pain it did actually cause him, but pulling Will into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, William. I don' mean ter upset ye, yer know."

"I know." Will felt so useless. He was a terrible pirate. His feelings made him weak. So weak. He tried to lose himself in the hug, but it wasn't working. "I'm sorry I'm such a bad pirate."

"Ye ain't a bad pirate," Jack assured, lying down again and sighing painfully. "You're a bloody good 'un if I say so meself. Ye have somethin' no other pirate has had before."

"What's that?" Will asked.

"Love. Ye have love, not just for the sea, or treasure. Ye have love... for me."

Will nodded. A small, reassured smile curled his lips. "You don't half talk all romantic when you're dangerously ill..."