Risen

Summary: Thoughts, musings, tales, and emotions, all building up over the course of ten years and then some…It's enough to drive a man crazy. Some drabbles from the crew under Barbossa.
Disclaimer: POTC and all characters save for my OCs belong to Da Mouse, and Disney. I do not claim them, I merely borrow them from they're comfortable life-styles in the Archives.

The Way - Fastball

"Say Goodbye!"

Then the cannonball crashed into the sign, and William Turner was saved by fate as he felt the grip clutching him loosen, allowing him to duck and watch as his would-be murderer was thrown back through the glass windowpane without so much as a curse.

"Goodbye!"

­Grapple

Fair thee Well aka Pain Killer

Shh…it'll all be over soon. It hurts, you see. It always has. It mauled me right at the beginning, and it'll still hurt right to the end. It won't be long, though, not now.

Somebody please put me down…let me sleep…

But they won't. Hear me out? Of course; you have no choice. I'll kill you after, though. Can't have my brother finding out I told some stranger about my voluntary woes when I don't even speak to him about it.
S'not fair, you see. Not to him, nor to you. I don't want you to bear the burden. Mind you, I never wanted to either, but…It came up so suddenly, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I am…so sorry, really, but if anyone finds out I let you go…well, actually, nothing will change. I'm the quiet one. I fight, I win, I remain stoic, and strong, and wise. Never complains, Grapple…

I have so much to say, though, but it's so bothersome to muster the effort.

I've become…content in my misery, I suppose. But you won't; you may turn away, even, which is fine. It's sick, I'm sick, and I like it like that. It's disgusting; I hate it.

I want to hurt, and I want to die in agony. I…don't remember anything else, hm. Not much, at least. For a fleeting moment in my life, I was happy. I wasn't numb and I could find the strength to smile. Not any more; I'm too tired. I just want it to end and I want to die. You recoiled…fear? Hush, now, don't strain. It's better this way, for both of us.

I once had a family, too, you know, before this curse; not even gods are capable of stopping the pain, of letting me rest. My children don't even remember me, and what they do know of me is helped along by their grandparents. It's not their fault; the blame lies entirely upon me. I let their mother die. Sara, she…she was mine, and I let her die. I let her go, I let her rest, but I was hasty. I didn't want to see her suffer, and because of my mercy I let her be killed!

Shut up, shut up…Shh, shh, s'all right, s'okay, it'll be over soon. I'm not angry at you, mate, I'm just…I'm just angry. Sit down, sit back down, please. I need you to hear this. You need to know. You need to know so this will all end and I can go.

When my Sara, my beloved, my…mine. She was mine. No. No, that's not even right. Naw… I was hers; I belonged to her. I've been lost since she died, eh. She was so beautiful, and I should never have been so lucky, but I was, and we were one. Nearly killed me, though. You looked surprise….ah, naw, s'all right. Not many people get to see me smile, let alone laugh. One of the few, mate, that's what you are. Like me, you've fought your last fight. Yah, you never heard? I was a fighter here in Tortuga. Since I got back, I've fought a few times. S'one of the rare pleasures in my life…aheh. Aw, no, aheheh…I enjoy inflicting pain.

Ironic, isn't it?

Like I was saying, when my wife, when she died, I got…what's a good word…crushed? Brutalized. It killed me in all but body. I never quite got over it, and because of that, I hurt all the time. Mallot took me on a ship, said I just needed to feel the salt water and wind, and I'd feel a bit better after a while. I said goodbye to my ankle-biters, and I left everything behind me…I didn't think it'd be for so long. What was supposed to be my painkiller just poisoned me and made it worse. It burned so viciously, and wouldn't let me bleed to drain the pressure. I'm sure demons got to bleed more than me, when they clawed and bite and tried to drag me down but...I couldn't be killed because of Sparrow, and because of Barbossa, and because of Mallot, and because I was so bloody god-damned fucking stupid!

No, no, please, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, don't yell, don't scream…Don't claw at yourself, don't bite, it'll only make things worse, you're going to have suffered enough by the time we're through. You're not that old, are you? Naw, can't be more than thirty-five. Hard life, though, eh, mate? You look worn, strained. You've worried too much over everything, hm…I've done that. I've punished myself for so long and I can't let it go, and it's hurt. Everything…hurts. Everything just hurts.

Please, somebody put me down…

We're almost done. I promise. I know, you're hurting, you're scared, you're worried; everything will be all right in a few moments. Just…hush…You were a good father. A good husband. You were loved, and you don't have to do this. Everything will end, though, and they can move on.
Shut up, shut up, I don't want to, not yet, I'm not ready, they won't understand…

Ah, yeah. They won't understand, no. But, maybe, they will. Later on, I mean. Mallot knows how much I've suffered, how much it hurts. Sara's parents, Molly, Alan, they see it. They've seen the changes; they've seen me grow up from a boy to a man. My children, my little darlings, they…they're too young, and they won't like it. Jamie, he's my boy, you know…he tries to be like me. I hope he never does it; I don't want him to hurt for the rest of his life. And Alice! Little Alice, I've already destroyed her, letting her mother die, and then going away. I was never there when she was growing up; she won't talk, eh, not a ruddy single word, not a sound, not to anyone…and it's entirely my fault.

It's my fault…it's all my fault…

I've never cried before. Not really. I held her, Sara, and sobbed into her, and that was it. I didn't even let myself do it for very long; everyone wanted to say good bye, something that I've never personally liked. I've kissed Alice good night, I've given Jamie his hug and tucked him in, I've had my drink with my brother… But you…you're special. I'll say good bye to you, and I promise; these tears, they're real. I'm crying for you. You hurt, just like me.

You're in pain…

We're…

I am.

The metal feels cold; s'nice. Cooling. I like the cold, it feels refreshing, it feels…relieving.
Somebody put me down…
Hush, now. Shh, s'all right. It's over now. Everything is fine. It's all turned out for the best. It's all alright.

The gun fired, and the pain ended. Mallot found him sitting in a chair with scratched arms and blood under his fingernails. The pressure was drained when his blood was finally allowed to spill.

He no longer hurt, Grapple.

Author's Notes:
My my, it has been a while, eh! Sorry for the wait! But, ah, I kind of misplaced my muse and only just found it again. Turns out misery is quite a sociable thing.

Kalimac: I always enjoy your reviews. I am so very glad you enjoyed Twigg's story, and yes; I will be covering that 'area' when I touch Bo'Sun's story, as well as Koehler's. As for Master Twigg, his chapter, of course, won't be the last we hear of him; Koehler still has to step up to the plate, and Twigg will, naturally,guest-star.

Kilala81: Good luck. Really; I'm cheering for you.