Ends of the World
Chapter Two
A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
Will blinked a few times as he stared at Barbossa's smiling face, and could not help but need to rub the sleep from his eyes. "I'm sorry, what do you mean, 'post wedding jitters'?" He asked tiredly, but also with a spark of interest Barbossa had not seen in him during their two hour long discussion on rescuing Jack from the hideous Davy Jones' punishment.
"Oh well, your failed wedding, in a fury over it. Rather jittery about ever marrying you." He moved to walk away and could almost smell the indignant and angry scowl on the younger man's face, so he turned back to him. "You know, I can almost feel it burning off you, the anger, of having watched him hold her, watched their mouths together. And you know, as much as she says it was to trick him, and as much as you like to tell yourself that, it sure looked good, didn't it?" He whispered before returning to work, leaving Will to bite his lip hard.
In the morning Elizabeth came onto deck rather tiredly but tried her hardest to smile at Will when he looked over to her from his train of thought. He hadn't slept, or gone to bed since Barbossa's taunt, and he could tell she had hardly slept as well. He moved to her and bent to draw her into a heated kiss, hotter than usual. He wouldn't give her up so easy. She was limp in his arms so he bent to take both of her hands and that was when he felt it. It was cold and harm in his palm, unlike her soft, warm sun kissed skin.
He blinked and pulled his mouth from hers, gazed into her suddenly anxious and frightened eyes. She opened her mouth to speak and began to sputter a few useless sounds as he looked at her left hand, his hurt eyes moved to her face now and she saw tears burning in them as he bit back that hard feeling in his throat. "Elizabeth?"
She moved away from him, her hands clasped nervously before her. She wet her lips and gazed about until she found something in her heart to say to him, tears choking her voice slightly, dampened her soft cheeks with glistening salty wetness. "In all the Spanish Main at any point in time I never thought I'd be here, William. Married, yet alone. Twenty years old, the daughter of the governor, once engaged to a commodore, once to a blacksmith and then. . .wed. To a. . . a pirate."
"But I am here, Will. It isn't easy for me to tell you this, to let you go. But. . . I don't know. The love I feel for you is something I feel for no one else but I fear that very quickly, it has become an expectant love. I'll get captured and you'll come and rescue me and we'll all have a grand, wide terrifying adventure." She swallowed past the growing lump in her throat, wiped at her eyes and turned to face him. "I can't say that I love him, Will. I barely now him but I know. . that I need this. Need him. We're so alike, Jack and I."
Will watched her, his face growing damper and damper with tears. "I would have given everything for you. I risked everything for you. My job, my lifestyle, my freedom. You're a fool, Elizabeth. You're a fugitive of the law and so am I, but Jack, he's just a downright enemy of the law, and you would become engaged to the likes of that?"
Elizabeth shook her head slightly, her hair sticking to one cheek, causing one eye to be blocked. She flicked the hair away quickly. "No, Will we're not engaged. We're married, we were married. Jack is the captain of a vessel and well, we were able to wed." She sniffled. "I know this hurts you and is a shock and everything but we made a vow to come here, this is for Jack."
"I didn't say anything when I saw you two kissing!" He blurted suddenly just as she finished speaking. "I never said a word when I saw him watch you, when I saw you watch him. When Barbossa said that you two wanted each other. I loved you so much to trust you and you married my worst enemy behind my back? When you are supposed to be MY fiancé?"
"Will, I. . ."
"There is no apology that fits this, Elizabeth. Yes, I care for Jack as a friend but he always seems to get me farthest away from what I want to have the most." He moved from the railing and took her wrist harshly, held it a while, gazing down at her as she shrunk back and tried to move away. "You will act as if he doesn't exist when we see him, or by God, Elizabeth I will turn us both in to the gallows."
She stared at him in disbelief, in horror. He would never and yet, when she looked into his beautiful brown eyes and read that pain and anger, she knew he would. She freed herself and ran back down to her room, flung the door shut and locked it, threw herself to the bed and cried for a bit until she was too warm to stay awake.
Warmth, the kind of warmth you never feel at sea during the night, even in the Caribbean. She was so hot and when her eyes fluttered open she realized she'd slept for hours. Half the day. She looked about her room and looked around, her neck and face slick with sweat that made her feel uncomfortable and sticky. She tried to sit up but a strong hand coaxed her to lay back, and so she did.
"Easy there now, you've got the Scarlet Fever." Came Barbossa's softened voice. "You're hotter than a tin roof, have a peeling rash and appear to be showing some strawberry tongue." She heard water dripping into water and then a cool rag was on her forehead, she was grateful for the feeling. "We're going to make a stop at land to get you to a doctor."
"We can't," she whispered. "Jack . . ."
"Jack Sparrow will have to wait. Master turner will not permit us to go any further without you seeing a doctor. He wanted me to bring him to you when you awoke but I suspect you'd rather me say you're still sleeping." He said softly, standing from her bedside. "I'll send someone in to continue tending to you."
She watched him leave, her vision was swimming, hazy. She had a headache and felt she may throw up at any given moment, even though she hadn't eaten at all. She suspected they'd tried to force feed her in her sleep. Her eyes grew dim again and she passed out just as a crew member came in to dump the bucket and bring cooler water to use with the rag.
Her eyes opened on the Pearl again, the wind was cool, a substantial relief to her fiery skin. She still felt ill but rather improved, her heartbeat was rising at just the thought that she may see him tonight. That they would speak again. Her husband, her captain and soon to be her lover. Perhaps tonight he would have more time. . .Don't be so brazen, Elizabeth.
"Hello love."
She turned to him, felt sweat filming her brow again despite the sea air but still smiled when she saw him, brushed some hair from the face. "Jack, I'm so glad to speak to you." She murmured, her voice weak, her body feeling as though she may sway at any moment. She began to fall downward, still smiling when he caught her in his arms and moved to his knees.
"Elizabeth!" She looked up into his eyes and read concern, smiled more softly and reached to touch his face. "Oh Jack, I'm ill. I caught the Scarlet Fever and Will is making me go to land for help, but I see no benefit. If he knew I saw you tonight, he would let me die." She shook her head. "He wants me to pretend I don't know you when we reach you, that nothing happened between us but I. . .I don't want to."
"You don't have to." He said rather gruffly with a sneer, wiping some sweat from her face. "He can't make you do anything, Elizabeth. You are not his wife, savvy?"
"Oh Jack," she shook her head, growing tearful. "He'll take us before the East India Company should I not comply and I cannot simply ignore that. I'd be hung with him and he would win. At least this way I'll be with him wishing it was you." Her voice grew to be a whisper toward the end.
"Elizabeth I am not gonna let you go." He looked around, the dream was fading. "I had hoped I wouldn't have to do this but I'm gonna bring you to be with me here." He let her slide to the deck and moved to the helm, spun the wheel once clockwise and then twice counterclockwise. The dream was gone, she was laying on the sand now, it was not quite daylight. She looked around, frightened and shocked and when she saw Jack above her she nearly jumped, he was not as well kept as the dream had let her believe.
"I'm gonna get you help." He said softly. "But we have to get past Davy, all right? He's the way to the Pearl." He stood and helped her into his arms, carried her around the bay of that little island so she could see the Flying Dutchman just offshore. "I'm gonna send you in the boat I found, you distract Davy, I'll come about on the Pearl and get you and then we'll find some way to get away."
"Jack," she whimpered. "There's no way anything is going to go that smoothly. Besides, the Pearl went down in pieces, did it not?"
"Love," his smile was somewhat devilish. "The Pearl never goes down for good, even if it were just ashes sinking. Now come on, find your strength." He helped her into the boat. "I know you can do this. I have faith in you, Elizabeth Swann."
"Elizabeth Sparrow." She said softly and pushed the boat off with what little strength she could muster, he watcher her for a moment and then ran into the shallow water and grabbed the boat. She gazed at him curiously and he moved around to kiss her very softly. No words were needed now. She moved from him and rowed back as hard as she could. She climbed the rope of the ship and took a while to gather her breath before calling out to the working crew.
"I want to speak with Davy Jones. Immediately."
They all stared at her and then looked up at the grim, frightening sound of a . . well some form of a foot and a peg beating against the deck as he made his way down onto the lower deck where Elizabeth half stood, drenched in her sweat. He eyed her carefully, recognized her almost immediately. "Ah, young Mr. Turner's. . ." He paused, catching her hand in his gaze, stared at it and then looked at her, suddenly enraged. "Jack Sparrow's bride?"
She took a deep breath, trying to keep her wit together. "I am here to negotiate the cessation of hostility against my husband." She said softly, all that came to mind, she could almost hear Barbossa inside of Davy. She hoped to God Will wasn't wigging royally right now. She swallowed thickly after a silent moment.
"I will negotiate nothing. . ."
"You will, or else I'll serve you to the King as a five course meal myself." She said hotly. "Do not underestimate me, Mr. Jones. Being someone who has loved and lost, I would imagine you would be able to reason with Jack and I, especially now that your heart is in the hands of the enemy to both of us."
He looked over to her and considered what she had said. "I might mistake you for delirious did you not make more sense. But I have never made to be an ally to anyone before, why should you and the Captain be any different? Speak quickly or both of you will be dinner to my Kracken before he even steers the Pearl over here."
She gulped at that, getting too hot. "Jack and I are an unbeatable pair, we've presented that too many times already. He never loses to anything, he even cheats death. We can get your heart back and come to some form of an agreement should we be able to earn your trust, perhaps not your liking, but your trust would be crucial and as his wife, I would see to that he did keep his word."
He considered her a moment and whistled. Two crewmen came out carrying a sort of gurney and she was brought to lay on it, realized one of them was Will's father, Bootstrap Bill. His eyes seemed sympathetic but then, they always had. She looked to Davy with worry written on her every feature, and saw Jack be pulled onto the ship behind him. "Fear not Mrs. Sparrow, we shall see about thwarting William Turner, as he is coming this way, and when you are better you can help in planning the Commodore's downfall. It will take but a night."
She was carried away, wanting to call out to Jack but too tired to fight or suspect anything may be wrong, and it wasn't. Davy was highly interested in the idea of taking over the sea with some help. Jack looked to him once Elizabeth was gone. "Mind filling me in, or shall I run to save her?"
"She'll be fine, she is in good. . . hands." He smiled menacingly and led Jack up to the helm to discuss fighting Will without harming anyone else.
Elizabeth woke feeling refreshed, other than that disgusting stench that was wafting her way. She turned from it and heard someone yelp in pain, looked to Jack and saw she had lain right on his arm. She moved off of it quickly and sat up, pushing hair from her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't see it there."
"'s all right." He muttered, rubbing the arm and sitting straight as well. "Are you ok?"
She nodded a little, raising her eyes to look into his. "I feel much better. Except for this disgusting. . .sticky feeling all over me." She moved her arms for emphasis on how her skin stuck to her clothing.
Jack nodded and pointed to the door nearby. "You can go bathe, I was just. . .well I didn't feel comfortable with you bein' alone." He handed her some plain but clean nightclothes and waited in the room as she bathed and washed her hair. She came out with her hair hanging around her shoulders, damp and dark in the moonlight. "I know this may sound strange but. . ." He paused. "You look . . really. . ."
"Compliments are not your strength, Jack, nor do I expect you to use them any more than you did." She sat on the bed, which he had changed and made up so she wouldn't sleep in the previous few hours' sweat. He nodded a little and reached to brush hair from her face, having bathed and changed himself shortly after boarding.
"Look I know this may be. . .strange. It's strange for me as well. But. . . I think I can change, for the better if not only just for you so . . let's. . . not be too pessimistic, aye?" He hadn't made the least bit of sense but somehow she knew what he meant. She smiled lightly and wet her lips, eyes lowering briefly before she laid back on the bed. She beckoned him to her, her heart beginning to pound wildly in her chest.
He watched her in shock, suddenly very uncomfortable, moving to go to the door. "I can't Elizabeth, I mean . . ."
"Am I wrong or does a marriage have to be consummated before it is legal? Besides, Jack. I thought we understood that we both wanted each other and cared for one another enough to be married and make said marriage work."
Jack swallowed hard, eyes moving wildly from her to the door. "Yes, yes, you're all right but you see, you've just been very ill and we're both very tired and there's pain and mess involved and. . and heat and. . and. . ." He swallowed, his mouth becoming dry. "I just don't want to hurt you."
She stood and moved to him, took his face into her hands. "Then do not push me away when I so freely offer myself to you." She murmured, bringing his face down for a kiss, moving her lips across his softly. His arms were around her suddenly and his mouth was on hers, his tongue moving to meet hers.
She moved back to lay on the bed again, this time he joined her. Her thoughts raced from that moment on and were never quite clear through the rest of the night. The pain was brief, he seemed to know how to make it hurt less, or at least so it wouldn't last the entire night. Once it was over and they were lying there, him half asleep, the full impact of it hit her and she couldn't hide a smile.
Torn tissues stung lightly even now, but it wasn't something she would lie in bed for two days, moaning over as her cousin Lissy had. She looked at him as he slept, he was considerably older than her but by no means old, nor did he look old. Mature, well learnt in the ways of life, but not old. She soon fell asleep there, woke up alone but was not hindered by this. She dressed and went onto the deck where he stood, watching the waves.
"Jack?" He turned to her and she smiled timidly, afraid she may have upset him somehow. He did not smile but he did not glare, he looked content yet. . .troubled. She moved to stand by him and looked down over the port side. "What is it?"
He sighed deeply. "You do realize now, Elizabeth, you can never ever return home? That you'll never see Port Royal again? At least not while all the current law is there? I do not want that sort of life for you, the kind of life I've been forced to live."
She nodded slightly, thinking everything through calmly. "Jack, you lived it alone. And no matter what one says, one never wants to always live alone. Living alone is so much different from living with someone you care for," she tilted her head, watched him carefully. "Someone who cares for you."
He looked over at her and moved from the railing to go up a deck. "We're going to be making berth in Oranjestad. I trust you'll be rested up, because we have quite a bit of hiding to do, we need to make Turner believe you cannot be found."
"Cannot be found? I thought we were going to fight him!" She cried, following after him. He stopped midstep and sighed softly, turned to her with a tired expression. "Elizabeth, there's no sense in killing a young man who can simply forget you and move on. Aruba is nice, this time of year. You should enjoy it immensely." He turned again and went up the stairs, leaving her to sit on the deck and stare out onto the ocean.
Review please! Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter!