Chapter Seventeen

Ruby blinked hard and tried to concentrate on anything solid. Anything besides the roaring in her head and the searing pain and nausea in her gut. Nothing seemed familiar though. All she could see was white, and she felt so cold. Her hair seemed glued to her forehead, and her tongue felt like it was swollen with an unquenchable thirst, but when she tried to move her arm to help herself sit up, the pain in her stomach became the least of her worries. Agony like she'd never experienced before ricochet through every inch of her body, starting at her side seemingly, and she immediately stilled every muscle in her haste to never experience that again.

She squeezed her eyes closed against the light, it pierced straight through to the nerve centre of her brain. Gingerly she slowly shifted again, and gave up with a yelp as the wound in her side pulled and blazing pain shot up her body. She lay panting as her mind caught up. She'd obviously not died from the surprise attack aboard the slaver. She swallowed sharply; from the heat she was feeling she knew that it could only be a stay of execution. She'd been around ships and fights all her life. She knew the signs of severe infection.

She forced her eyes open again and scanned the room, a bit dismayed when nothing seemed familiar. She wasn't in her cabin, and there was no one around that she could see. Was she wrong? Had she died and this was the hell so many preached of? An eternity of thirst, excruciating pain and a lack of anyone she longed to see? Her thoughts raced, and blurred, and she gave up all pretence of rational thought, her heart crying out for only one thing. Will. He could make the pain go away. If she could just see his face, or feel his touch, he'd make it all better. She tried to force his name from her lips, but felt the keen disappointment when it seemed she made no sound. Not that she could be sure.

Flashes of his soothing voice, holding her hand, smoothing her brow, seemed to merge with a vision of him doing the same now. Was it real? Or merely wishful thinking? Was all of this a dream, or a cruel trick? Whether it was reality or not, she didn't care. She had no strength to fight it, didn't i want /i to fight it. The relief and confidence that washed over her as she felt him running a cool cloth over her forehead as he whispered over and over again about how proud he was of her, and how brave she was, was more comforting than anything she'd ever known.

Ruby held firm to it and refused to doubt it was real. She wanted badly for it to be real. She pried her eyes open, her heart soaring when his beloved face swam before her eyes; she opened her mouth to answer him, to tell him she loved him too, but he stilled her with a tender finger, then held up a cup for her to drink from. Oh yes, if this was just a dream she could live forever in this denial and be perfectly content. He made all the pain and that strange nagging ache in her heart; seem like a million miles away. He was her anchor in this storm, and she wasn't the least bit ashamed to let him be.

Ruby drank greedily, but not matter how cool the water it didn't seem to quench the burning, dryness. "More?" Her voice sounded cracked and faint. She could swear she felt his lips against hers, and she sighed in contentment, a portion of her thirst strangely dissipating. His voice washed over her in soothing waves, though she had to concentrate to really grasp them. "Not too much love. I know you're thirsty, but we have to be careful not to do too much too fast."

Lorelei protested and would have continued above the weak grumble but it took too much energy and the darkness was pulling her under again. This time she went without struggling, Will was looking over her so she had no reason to fret. Though as she sank, some memory twigged at her, but as she grabbed for it, it danced out of reach.

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Will collapsed back into the chair beside the bed, and his relief was so great that tears threatened. His legs and hands shook fiercely; his heart racing as if he'd only just finished a three hour sparring session. He pressed held her hand securely in his and pressed his forehead to the back of it, closing his eyes and saying a prayer of thanks to every deity he'd ever heard of, covering his bases. He was still shaking when the nurse entered the room and asked if she'd heard him talking to someone. He numbly nodded and told her that Ruby had awakened for a short time, and asked her to send word to Jack and Bill immediately.

When she was gone, he pressed a lingering kiss on Ruby's cheek, barely suppressing a shout of joy when he found it significantly cooler. She was still feverish, but only mildly so, and he took heart from that. He grinned up at Jack and Bill when the barrelled through the door, and nodded his head when they both asked their wordless questions. "She woke. Not for long, but she woke. She was thirsty, and she knew me."

The two men moved to stand beside him whilst the doctor and nurse rushed in and began checking Ruby's condition again. It seemed his breath stuck in his chest whilst they waited for the diagnosis.

The doctor, a youngish man who'd no doubt only ever practiced civilized medicine stood up and motioned for the three men to follow. "So far so good. She still has a fever. The wound is very red and puffy. Once her fever is down some more we may have to cut away the infected skin. Right now all I can say is it is a good sign she woke, but she isn't out of the woods yet."

Will shared a look of relief with Jack and Bill and gave the doctor a weak smile. "Thank you doctor. We'll take whatever hope we can get."

The doctor nodded, and then gave William a piercing stare." Exhausting yourself to illness will not help her in the slightest Mr. Turner. I suggest you take tonight to sleep."

Will opened his mouth to protest, but Jack silenced him with a pointed look. He opened his mouth again and this time it was his Da. He was bloody surrounded by nags. "I want to be here if she wakes again damn it."

"It will be a long while before Miss Lorelei wakes properly. She will drift in and out until the fever departs." The doctor replied.

Will ground his teeth together. He knew that. He knew she probably wouldn't remember waking to him only moments before. It didn't matter. He didn't want to miss a single moment with her, especially if she didn't make it. Each and every moment was precious. Especially if she woke again and he could hear her voice and see her precious eyes.

"Go William." Jack ordered in no uncertain terms. "Fer tha last few days since she been here ye have nae left her side. Do ye want her ta see ye with blurry bloodshot eyes, rats nest hair, when it be tha first time she opens her eyes an' seeing ye properly in days."

Will growled low in his throat but bit his tongue against the string of foul epithets that tickled there. "Fine. I'll sleep for a few hours. I mean it this time Jack Sparrow. A FEW HOURS. And I'll have a damn bath. But if you don't send for me I'll show you just how well I can spar i and /i cheat, when I have proper motivation."

Jack gave the young man his most innocent look but made no response as he settled himself down besides Ruby's bed. Bill took his son's arm and led him out of the room. "William, ye are just running yerself down. Why don't ye sleep fer a bit an' then take Elizabeth ta tha Tavern fer dinner. She has been asking ta see ye. I think ye should see how she be."

If Will had been irritated before, he was bordering on anger now. "I don't want to have dinner with Elizabeth. I want to be with Ruby. I know that seems selfish, but she's the one that left i me /i . The woman I love is fighting for her life, she's the only one that matters right now."

"William, ye need ta spend some time outside o' the hospital. Trust us ta look after her an' guard Ruby's sleep as well as ye could. After all, we both love her too." Bill sighed, tired of Will believing that the world would stop without him there and that he, Bill could never look after Ruby.

"That has nothing to do with it da. I know you can. I just don't want to miss anything. I definitely don't want to miss it because I'm having dinner with my ex-fiancé."

"Lad, ye won't be missing anything,'" Bill shook his head. Deep down he knew that William should not be present if Ruby succumbed to her injury. "If things turn worse, I'll send Jonas fer ye. I promise. But ye need ta find a focus outside o' this room."

Will's heart ached and he knew he'd do as his da asked, but he hated it. And he resented the hell out of having to spend one second of his time with Elizabeth. At that very moment, he was close to hating her again. Yes, she'd been through hell, but the thought of Ruby waking and him not being there to comfort her, her perhaps searching for him and not seeing him, or worse, her not even realising he wasn't there, was enough to make a grown man want to weep like a baby.

Bill clasped his son's arm tightly. "Ye promised Ruby ye'd face Elizabeth, an' square away any doubts or feelings. Ye need ta hold ta that promise my lad." Bill's eyes were serious, "What better time ta do all that and when Ruby awakens ye'll be all sorted and ready ta reassure her."

"I don't have any doubts. But until Ruby's out of the woods, I can't stand the thought of not being there. You have no idea what you are all asking of me."

"I know William." Bill sighed tiredly again. He still felt exceedingly old. He was exhausted and felt stretched too thin, it unguarded his tongue and he replied bluntly. "I donnae want tha' last thing ye ever see o' Ruby ta be tha life leaving her. I want ye ta remember her bright an' laughing an' full o' love. If ye watch her die ye'll never see her that way again."

Will shook his head and answered sadly. "I remember mum before I watched her die. Believe me, I'm not so much a helpless child as you all seem to think. I've seen death da. I've lived with it. I'm not naive."

"Nae yer nae. But it be different when it be yer beloved. It strikes yer heart differently." Bill's shoulders sagged, "But ye'll do what ye please an' not listen ta an old man." He turned away to walk back to the i Sea Maiden /I

"I already agreed to sleep for awhile, and if it's so important to you I'll take Elizabeth to dinner, but you cannot ask me not to be at Lorelei's side da. I cannot leave her like that. I will not abandon her when she needs me. How can you even ask it?"

Bill shrugged as he continued to walk; hiding the stumble of his step. William was missing his point entirely. Bill understood what would happen if Ruby died. How could he not? His wife had died; he'd thought his son had. His world had crumbled into a billion pieces. What had kept him going was the love of a little girl, no less struck by tragedy. She'd been his focus away from his pain, had helped lessened it until it no longer incapacitated him. If Will lost Ruby he would be devastated, and unless he had other cares to focus on he would become what Bill had feared. Broken by death when life must move on.

Will raced after his father and touched his shoulder, waiting for him to turn. "Don't just walk off da please? Talk to me."

Bill was no stranger to grief. He'd lost family and friends in his long years in exile. He understood how his son felt to be separated from Ruby. Bill was a survivor, but what he wouldn't live through was the death of another child, followed by the complete collapse of another. He'd aged more in the last week than nature could account for. He rubbed his chest were a sudden pain spasmed. He sighed and turned to face Will. "What be tha' point of me talking Will? Ye ain't gonna listen."

"I am listening Da. I just may not agree with everything you are saying. It doesn't mean I don't still value your advice." Will shook his head as the gaunt sallowness of his father's skin and the dark circles under his eyes sent a shock through him. "What a pair we make. For someone trying to keep me from wasting away with worry, you're doing a damn fine job of it yourself. When was the last time i you /i slept Da?"

"Probably about tha' same time you did." Bill retorted as he resumed walking to the ship.

Will sighed. "Stop worrying about me da. Worry about Ruby, that's enough worry for all of us right now. I'm okay. No matter how much time I spend in the room with her, no matter how much or little I sleep, I'm no stranger to love and loss. I'm not even a stranger to being left alone. I'm not alone this time though, I have you. Don't think I don't appreciate that da. Even if I don't agree with you all the time, it means more than you could know."

Bill halted and turned back to Will again, "I worry about both my children. You as much as Ruby. I've seen the after effects of losing a wife. I've lived it. If I hadn't been cursed I probably would have killed myself but then Jack brought a tiny girl to me. Someone with so much spirit and fire, that it gave me new life an' absorbed some o' tha pain. Not all, I loved Ruby fer herself but she never took tha place of my son. The son who I was told was killed when Barbossa hit tha' merchant ship he'd been travelling' on ta find me. Tha son who should have been back in England with his mother. It was then that I knew what had happened. I lost that son once but I was given a second chance. How am I supposed ta feel when I see ye pining away and know that ye can give ta much o' yerself until there is nothing left."

Will sighed and gripped his father's shoulder reassuringly. "I'm not so weak as you fear da. I don't need you worrying over me. If I've proven nothing in my life it's that I'm a survivor. I don't want to be away from her because I don't want to miss a single minute with her, good or bad. I love her through it all. But no matter what happens da, you aren't going to lose me. I promise you." Will's eyes widened as he took in his father again. He felt another well of panic and bit back an impressive string of curses. "But from the way you are looking right at this moment, I just might lose you." He turned to the ship and screamed aboard. "Get Merric, he needs to look over Captain Bill."

Bill disengaged himself gently from Will's hands, "Nonsense, I be fine."

Will shook his head and wrapped his arm around his da's waist, practically carrying him onto the ship and below deck to the captain's quarters, followed obediently by Merric. He ignored Bill's protests all the way, setting him down gingerly on the bed. He turned to Merric but no words were needed. Merric's grave expression said that he too saw that all was not in fact well.

Bill scowled at both his son and the surgeon. He rubbed his chest absently. "Really William, that wasnae necessary."

Merric shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with you there Bill. Take off your shirt and tell me how long you've been having aches in your chest." He stared pointedly at his hand which Bill quickly thrust into his lap as if he'd been scalded.

"What pains?" Bill asked obstinately.

"The pains you were just trying to rub away." Merric glowered at him.

"I'm fine. Seriously Merric, all I need is some sleep." Bill did not add that, that was unlikely while his daughter was ill and his son determined to join her.

Will joined in with a glower of his own, though he teased a bit in an attempt to quell the rising fear. "Stop diagnosing yourself and answer him old man."

Bill raised an eyebrow at his son. "Watch who yer calling old. I seem to remember drilling in respect fer yer elders. How bought showin some?" He muttered a tad grumpily as there were a few more spasms, "A few days." He replied to the sombre looking surgeon with an airy wave of his hand.

Merric examined him closely and finally let out an exaggerated exhale. "Yer under doctor ordered bed rest for the next twelve hours Bill, and if ye have ANY more pains, do ye hear me, even ONE, ye are to tell me immediately. I'm going ta assume at this point it's just stress and lack of sleep, but if it continues ye are going ta find yerself in a bed right next ta Ruby in that hospital, being tested ta make sure it's not more."

Bill glowered, "I'm fine Merric. Perfectly fine. I intend to ignore your orders and return to the hospital."

Will snorted. "That's what you think."

"It be what I know William." He gave his son a challenging stare.

"You didn't give me a choice in the matter, if I have to have the entire crew hold your scrawny butt down, believe me, you won't have one either." He turned to Merric. "Do you think it might be something serious? Should we have him admitted to the hospital just in case?"

Bill's scowl deepened. "I be right here boy. Nae need ta talk as if I'm nae."

"I said what I wanted to, to you da, and I asked Merric a question, and you might as well stop your fighting right now." He growled and rolled his eyes at the ceiling. "And he says I I'm /i stubborn?"

Merric chuckled softly. "Nae William, he can stay here if he promises ta rest. If tha pains worsen, or continue I will send him ta the infirmary." Merric grabbed the young blacksmith's arm and lowered his voice." Will ye stay with him? Or should I get someone else ta look in on him?"

Will chuckled, though it hurt to do so. The very idea that his da might really be sick took his breath away and had his head reeling. "I'll stay. We both have our orders to sleep. Send in a cot and set someone at the door. I'll see to it he sleeps for at least the next eight hours." It looked like his dad had just taken the decision from his hands. So much for only sleeping for a few hours before going back to Ruby. "And send word to Jack so that he'll know where to reach us."

Merric nodded, and whispered so Bill was none the wiser. "I'll slip a sleeping draught into yer Da's cup." He whispered, "If he donnae sleep he'll not heal."

Will sighed. "Might as well slip me one as well. I doubt I'll sleep otherwise. Make sure someone's at the door though so he can't leave. If there's word of Ruby though, sleeping draught or not, wake us both."

Merric nodded, and left the room. Bill turned towards his son. " Stop fussing William. I be fine. I've told ye tha' before."

"Yeah and I told you the same thing but you made me agree to sleep anyway. You'll do the same. Merric will send us both some wine and a bit of food and a cot for me to sleep on. We'll both stay here."

Bill sank onto the bed, again rubbing his chest. He knew when he was defeated. "There is nae need fer you ta stay here Will. Ye can go back ta the hospice if tha' be yer wish."

Will shook his head and settled on the bed next to the second most important person in his life. "I promised I'd sleep as well, and I will. Now I just have a reason to sleep for longer. Now why the bloody hell didn't you tell anyone you weren't well?"

Bill shrugged, "There was alot going on. I didn't realise it meself till yesterday. An' there be more than enough ta worry about already. No need ta worry about an old man like me."

Will rolled his eyes and glowered at the man he loved so much. "I love you every bit at much as I love Ruby, and I don't want to lose you anymore than you want to lose us. What if it's serious? Not telling anyone could ensure that I lose you. What do you think Ruby'd think if she woke up only to find you'd died out of sheer stupid stubborn pride?"

Bill chuckled, "She be saying tha' I got what I be deserving fer being so stubborn."

Will shook his head and laughed with him. "Yeah, she probably would at that. Through her tears, but she'd say it none-the-less." Will took a deep breath. "Don't you scare me like that again old man. Savvy?"

Bill patted William's arm. "Ye said it yerself Will. I be an old man. If it be time, it be time."

Horror filled Will's eyes and he shook his head vehemently. "Don't you dare to speak that way da. It's a joke. You are still young yet, and if you keel over now you won't get those grandbabies or nieces or nephews you keep giving Jack hell about."

Bill gave his son a small wistful smile. "I would love ta see those grandbabies William. Life has taught me tha' we donnae always get what we wish fer. I just donnae want ye ta worry about me when ye have Ruby already ill. Ye have enough ta worry ye."

"As if you don't? I want you to quit worrying about i me /i is what I want you to do. I promise you I'll be fine da. No matter what happens. I survived being left alone in the world as a child, I promise you I'd survive it now too."

"Ye had Miss Swann ta get ye through it." His gazed sharpened on his son, "Be honest about it William. If it'd not been fer tha' girl ye'd never have made it. I just don't want Ruby's death should we be so unlucky ta be yer end too." Bill shook his head; he was repeating himself to no avail. "Enough said. I be saying it a million times already."

Will was thankful that his da didn't really know what those years on Haven had been like. How little contact he'd actually had with Elizabeth, and how much contact he'd had with a rather large fist. "It won't da. And loving Elizabeth helped yes, but I'd find something to live for, I promise." He stood to open the door at the brisk knock, and waited until the food was laid out, the cot set up, and it was just the two of them again. "Now, we'll eat a bit and then we'll both get a full night's worth of sleep."

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Meanwhile at the hospital Jack Sparrow sat in the gathering darkness, his eyes out the window on the deep blue ocean. The girl in the bed beside him, so frail and small it couldn't possibly be the fierce Ruby Lorelei. He had a hard time believing it was and yet he knew. He reached down and curled a flaming red lock around his finger.

"What happened little one? How tha hell did ye get hurt so?"

She was a good fighter, and the number of bodies surrounding her said that she'd been holding her own. He'd seen the body of the Slaver who'd stabbed her. He was big and bulky. Jack, himself had taught her how to tackle opponents like that. It simply didn't make sense. But then he was probably grasping at any straw he could to keep his mind from dwelling on what it would mean to lose her. He simply couldn't allow himself to think about it. Ruby was the only person he'd ever dared to truly love, and losing her... He let out a long string of colourful epithets and kicked the wall. He was thinking about it anyway.

He sat back in silence, the room echoing with his previous words. And gently he stroked her cheek as she murmured restlessly. He wanted to keep her calm. For her to move would be to open the wound up. He watched her, the rapid movements behind her eyes. "What are ye dreaming love. What is it that stirs ye?" He ran his hand over her hair, 'Easy love."

Jack kissed her temple gently. "Tis all a bad dream love. Whatever haunts ye is not but a bad dream. All yer loved ones are right here loving you more than ye could imagine. Let Uncle Jack battle those demons love, you just get well, savvy?"

He grasped her hand, his thumb rubbing over the back of hers softly and she seemed to settle. He continued speaking, only stopping for a glass of water as his voice became hoarse in the middle of the night. His heart beat rapidly when she woke long enough to take some water herself. Her eyes searched for Will he assumed and he reassured her he would be back after he'd had some rest. And his own eyes widened when she turned a haunted look on him before sliding back into her dreams.

Whatever it was that tormented his Lorelei's sleep, all he could do for now was do the best he could to tell her that it wasn't reality, that in reality she was loved and that they all longed for her to be well again. He prayed it was enough. It had to be enough. He refused to accept any other outcome.

He wondered again what she saw. His thumb didn't slow; stroking light twirls and whirls on her skin. Towards dawn he wondered where the boy could have gotten too, thought that maybe he'd been tireder than he thought. It was also towards dawn that something significant happened. The Dauntless slipped into the harbour. Jack grimaced, now he'd have to put up with snide remarks from Commodore Norrington. Maybe at least Elizabeth would be out of William's hair.