Jack was sitting cross-legged on the floor in Bill's quarters, using the last morsel of his bread to sop up the last of what might, by a generous and imaginative soul with a failing to nonexistent sense of smell, be called stew, when Bill returned carrying a bucket of heated water and an armful of clean rags. Taking note of the nearly empty state of Jack's bowl, Bill chuckled. The sound drew the young man's suspicious gaze to him sharply.

"Share the joke, mate?"

"Sorry, lad. It's not you. I just don't think I've ever seen anyone that enthusiastic over my cooking before." He set the water and cloths down on his trunk and took a seat on the remaining space beside them. "Word gets around you got it down that easily, I might have to start pulling my weight in the galley. Half the time they let me off the hook to spare themselves."

"Oh." Jack polished off his bread and set the bowl aside. "Well, if it helps your reputation at all, mate, I didn't exactly take the time to taste it. But if anyone asks, I'll be sure to tell them it was utter crap."

"Thank you, Jack, I appreciate that."

Jack's mouth twitched in a half-smile, and a spark of mischief burned away a few more of the shadows in his eyes.

"If you're done eating, come over here." Bill dunked one of the rags in the water and wrung it out.

Jack made no attempt to move whatsoever. "What for?" he demanded.

"Do you argue every bloody thing everyone asks you to do, or do I just bring out your cooperative side?"

"You were tellin', not askin'." Jack pointed out obstinately.

Bill rolled his eyes, and propped one arm on his knee. "Would you please be so kind as to come and sit over here, Master Jack Sparrow, so I can see to that bump on your hard little head?"

Jack glared, but came reluctantly to sit down on the floor in front of Bill. "It's Mister Jack Sparrow. And hadn't you better see to your arm first?"

"I stitched it up already. Thanks for your concern. Turn to face me a moment." Bill instructed, reaching for the lantern he'd re-lit upon bringing Jack to his quarters. "Chin back," he ordered, tilting Jack's face up and holding the lantern close.

"You stitched your own arm closed?" There was far more awe than repugnance in the question. Bill snorted.

"On this ship, lad, I'd have to be a lot braver to let someone else do it for me. Stop squinting."

"Then get that bloody light out of me eyes! What're you doing, anyway?"

"Making sure they're the same size."

"The same size as what?"

Bill bit back a grin. "One pupil bigger than the other's bad. It can mean there's swelling inside, or bleeding." He set the light aside. "Yours are fine. Turn the other way so I can take a look at that cut."

"It's just a scratch." Jack protested.

"Good, less chance we'll have to amputate. Now turn."

Jack stared at him incredulously, and then a giggle slipped out. He rotated so his back was to Bill, and drew his legs up against his chest. Bill pushed Jack's hair away from his ear and began washing the blood that had dried on his neck away with a light touch. He had just started dabbing at the cut itself when Jack's whole body suddenly jerked beneath his hands. Thinking he'd touched something particularly sore, Bill drew back, and realized the younger man's shoulders were shaking slightly.

"Jack?"

Another giggle answered him. Jack curled up, face pressed against his knees to staunch the thin, brittle laughter spilling out of him. He caught his breath in a sound akin to a sob, and Bill waited.

"They're all dead, aren't they?" Jack asked after a moment. "You didn't find anyone else?"

Bill dunked the cloth in the water, watching the droplets patter down into the bucket when he squeezed the excess out, faintly rust-colored. "No. Just you."

Jack's head bobbed as he nodded. "Can't fuss too much over a knock on the head when I got off that easily, can I?"

Bill's eyebrows crept upwards. "That's...one way of looking at it, I suppose."

Jack half-turned towards him. "What's another? I'm alive." He picked at a fraying thread on his sleeve. "I wasn't supposed to be there, y'know. Got found out right before...right before."

Carefully, Bill slid out from behind Jack, and moved to crouch in front of him. "Before what, Jack? What killed them?"

"I didn't see anything. I was where you found me. All along." Jack ducked his face then, letting his tangled hair fall across it.

Bill sat back, folding the rag over and setting it aside. "You know that's the only reason you're alive, don't you?" he said quietly. "Because you stayed where you were. Kept quiet. Kept out of sight." Getting no response, Bill reached out and tucked a knuckle under the boy's chin, lifting his face up until he had to meet Bill's eyes again. "You did exactly what you should have done, lad. Understand?"

Finally, Jack nodded, and Bill stood, giving Jack's shoulder a squeeze as he rose.

"Let me get you a fresh shirt to change into, Jack." He looked the younger -- and considerably smaller -- man over once, and the corner of his mouth curled up. "It won't be the greatest fit, but it'll do. Then you can take my hammock for a bit of rest."

"'M not tired."

He sounded so like Will that Bill's hands faltered momentarily as they cleared the trunk off, his breath catching in his throat. "Aye, well," he wrestled to steady his voice, "give it try." He lifted the lid and drew one of his shirts out, and there was a smile on his face by the time he turned to hand it to Jack. "You might find it feels good just to close your eyes for a while."

Jack shuddered visibly, though he tried to cover it with the movement to take the garment from Bill. "Think I rather prefer 'em open, mate."

"Well, you're free to go up topside if you want," Bill said. "When I get back I can see about getting you something to help you sleep, if you're ready--"

"When you get back?" Jack repeated sharply, stopping halfway out of his shirt.

"I have to go back to the Charybdis for a bit."

"Why?" Jack demanded, and Bill swore he could see the boy's pulse double its pace.

"The captain wants any supplies they had on board brought over so we can be on our way. It'll be all right." This last in a lighter tone, with a reassuring smile to soothe the anxiety Bill saw boiling up. "It won't take long, lad. And as soon as that's done, we're going."

Jack's expression was surly, but Bill caught flashes of fear glinting through, even as the young man turned quickly away, tugging his borrowed shirt on.

"Jack, it'll be fine," Bill stated firmly. "You were the last thing breathing on that ship."

"Bootstrap." One of Bill's crewmates stepped up to the doorway just then, interrupting them, and casting a quick, bored glance at the extra body in his quarters. "You done screwin' around in here yet? Cap'n wants to get this over with."

Too-long sleeves were methodically rolled back, and Jack walked over and hoisted himself up to sit in the hammock, arms crossed over his chest. "It was a mermaid," he announced flatly, staring at the third man hard for a minute before giving his attention back to Bill. "They pulled a mermaid up in their net, and she got loose and killed them all." Jack didn't so much as glance at the other man when he snorted derisively.

"For Chrissakes. Turner, whenever the hell you're ready."

"I believe you know the way, Parks," Bill replied coolly. "You just scurry on over there if you're in such a rush. Oh, and if you meet anything with a mouthful of teeth like this one," he held up his find from earlier, "shoot it."

Parks went satisfyingly still, his throat working in a painful swallow. Bill couldn't resist a small smirk as he left the room quickly. Turning back to Jack, he arched an eyebrow and nodded in the departed Parks' direction. "Arserag," he confided to Jack, and it took a moment, but Bill got a smile from the younger man. "You put your feet up and relax in here, lad. I'll be back before you know it."

Bill gathered up his rifle once more, and he was almost through the door when Jack spoke again.

"William?" His brown eyes were wide and grave. "I heard her. She sang to herself...when she was done with them. She sang while she..." He trailed off, and raised his chin defiantly. "I heard her."

Bill nodded. "I believe you, Jack."

After Bill had gone, Jack twisted himself up onto the hammock and lay down, but he didn't shut his eyes.

TBC