Elizabeth slept on and off that first night. She shook with chills, cough harshly, tossed and turned about trying to get warm. Will comforted her as best he could, but the best thing he could do was reassure her of his presence. By 2 in the morning that night, Elizabeth finally fell into a semi-peaceful slumber and Will could let his mind go for a while. Yet his mind refused to let him rest. Why had he not been more protective of her when they'd gone ashore, making sure that she was covered in the rain? What if he couldn't get her well? What if this sickness became worse? What if…
Will was startled by a low voice. "Turner?" It was Gibbs. Will gasped a little and jumped in his seat. "Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you, lad."
"No, no. It's all right." Will spoke quietly so not wake Elizabeth. "I suppose I was so deep in thought I didn't hear you enter."
"I just a-came in to see if there was anythin' I could do to help."
"Not much, but I appreciate it." Will sighed. "Some more fresh water would be appreciated!"
"Aye." Gibbs nodded calmly. He didn't mention that their fresh water supply was running low, especially with how many buckets full Will needed to cool down Elizabeth's fever. That would only worry the boy and make him feel guilty. Besides, he had enough to worry about with his girl lying in bed so sick. And Jack had ordered Gibbs to fetch Will anything that he said he needed. "How's the lass, lad?"
Will looked wearily at the maiden in the bed. "At least she's finally resting." He whispered. "She's only been ill barely a whole day and she's already terribly fatigued." He rubbed his face.
"Well, right now sleep is the best thing for her." Gibbs said encouragingly. "How about you, Sir? You look bushed."
"I'm all right, Gibbs." Will smiled tiredly. Gibbs eyed the plate filled with hard tack over on the table.
"You didn't touch yur supper." Gibbs reminded him. Will guiltily bit his lip.
"Must've forgotten about it." He said sheepishly.
"Ye need to fill yur own stomach, lad. We don't need two sick passengers!"
"I will. Don't worry." Will said.
"Well, let me fetch you that water."
"Gibbs, wait! Uhm...I know out here on the sea we have the barest necessities, but...if only we had some chicken broth around, I believe it would really help Elizabeth, at least help her stay strong till this sickness is over!"
"Chicken broth, you say." Gibbs mused thoughtfully. "Aye. Me momma fed it to me when I was a wee lad and was in bed. Good thinkin', lad. We'll have ye some warm broth in a few hours!"
"Thanks." Will smiled gratefully. Gibbs quietly slipped out the door. Will glanced toward Elizabeth. He came to her side and felt her forehead. She was still quite warm. He gently brushed her hair out of her face and fanned her a bit.
Jack woke to find Barbossa at the wheel. "What are you doing?!" Jack scolded.
"Guiding my ship. What does it look like?" Barbossa retorted back.
"Only the captain steers the ship."
"The captain is steering the ship." Barbossa rolled his eyes.
"My rudder, my ship!" Jack grabbed the wheel. Barbossa shoved him aside. Jack nudged him away. They both clenched the rungs of the wheel, trying to push the other off.
"What's that smell?" Marty asked.
"Smells mighty good." Pintel licked his lips. Jack sniffed the air. Something did smell quite good. Jack let go of the wheel, which sent it smacking Barbossa in the face as he was leaning down so closely to it.
Jack made his way down to the small little larder that the crew called a 'kitchen'. Gibbs was standing at the small oven they had, stirring inside a pot. Whatever he was cooking, Jack wanted to be the first to taste it! He was the captain after all. He heard the crew not far behind him. "Mr. Gibbs, what be that ye whippin' up there, mate?" He asked hungrily.
"Chicken broth, sir." Gibbs smiled. "Just like me momma used to make!"
"Genius, Gibbs." Jack approved. "It shall be refreshing to taste something worth eating for a change."
"If I can spare any, Sir. Master Will Turner requested it, Sir, for Miss Elizabeth."
"Oh. Of course." Jack mumbled with disappointment. Darn, that soup smelled good! He just had to try some!
"I'll do me best, Sir. But I don't believe I can make it stretch to feed all the crew. Apologies, Jack."
"Nothing to worry about, Gibbs." Jack said casually. "You give young Turner whatever he needs for Elizabeth." Gibbs nodded and tested the soup.
"Ahh! Perfect!" He smacked his lips. He poured some into a clay bowl. "Excuse me, Jack. I have to deliver this."
"Very good, sir." Jack nodded as Gibbs brushed passed him.
Jack curiously looked into the steaming pot. The soup smelled heavenly, compared to the dry rations that they usually ate on the Black Pearl. But Gibbs was right. There wouldn't be enough for everyone. But he was the captain! He deserved at least a little, didn't he?
Gibbs knocked on the door to Elizabeth's room. "It's open!" Will answered. Gibbs stepped lightly inside the dark room. "Here it is, matey. Fresh and hot, me momma's own recipe!" Will's own stomach growled at the sight of the appealing soup. He took the bowl from Gibbs.
"Indeed, it smells wonderful." Will said. Elizabeth only watched on. She was so congested that her sinuses wouldn't allow her nostrils to take in the scent.
"Thank you." She whispered to Gibbs.
"Me pleasure. How are ya feelin', Miss Elizabeth?" Gibbs asked.
"Terrible." Elizabeth sighed. "But thank you for asking."
"Well, ye just get some of me home-cooked food in ye and you'll be a feelin' might better real soon!"
"I hope so." Elizabeth said.
"Well, I'll leave the two of ye to yurselves. Ye need anythin' else, just holler. Ye know where to find me."
"Right." Will nodded as Gibbs shuffled out.
"You taste it first, Will." Elizabeth murmured.
"What? No, Elizabeth. It's for you!"
"I know. But I can't enjoy it the way you can. You look famished. And we don't have scrumptious meals like this very often on the Pearl. Please, have a sip first."
"All right. One sip." Will complied. He licked the spoon and his mouth watered for more. But his beloved needed it more than he did. "Not bad. I didn't know Gibbs was such a useful hand around the kitchen."
"In this case, I am very grateful." Elizabeth tried to smile. Will sat next to her and placed the bowl in her lap.
"Eat up, Elizabeth. You need your strength." He insisted. Elizabeth nodded as she weakly picked up the spoon and held it to her mouth.
"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho." She sighed.
Gibbs heard a commotion as he headed back to the stove. Barbossa was charging at the noise too, like a bull, expecting a row of mutiny. Gibbs had to prod and shift his way through the grumbling men. "What be so stirrin' the kettle, boys?" He asked.
"Unfair." Ragetti moaned pitifully.
"Who keeps this fine ship afloat and clean and in proper running motion anyways?" Pintel grumbled. "We do! We's got rights! It ain't right!"
"What ain't right?" Gibbs asked, confused.
"Outta me way, ye scurvy sea rats!" Barbossa bellowed as he roughly shoved aside whoever was in his way and made his way down to the ship's 'kitchen'. He halted and rolled his eyes with his arms crossed. "Jack Sparrow." He said flatly.
Jack was sitting perched on top of a barrel, leaning his back against the wall and he was drinking-more like scarfing-from a small pot. He removed it from his mouth and licked his lips in delight and wiped his face. "Ahh. Not bad at all." He breathed. "Excellent." Then he noticed his unhappy audience. He hiccuped and smiled sheepishly. "Oui? To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"What are you doin'?" Barbossa huffed.
"Just replenishin' meself, mate." Jack said casually.
"The captain gets first choice of the better slop on this here luxury vessel." Barbossa said sarcastically.
"I am the captain." Jack grinned.
"Jack! You didn't...you did!" Gibbs gasped. "Jack, that was for Miss Elizabeth, to help her get back on her feet soon! You just swallowed the rest!"
"Oops. My bad." Jack shrugged.
"T'ain't right!" One of the crew shouted.
"We's do our share. We should be able to get a nip of some decent grub too!" Pintel wailed.
"Pirate's life, mate. Take what you can, give nothing back." Jack smirked and uncorked a bottle of rum.
"We earn our keep! Don't ye think we deserve a little reward, like a decent meal once in a blue moon?"
"Next blue moon is a long time away, mate. Years away." Jack taunted them.
"I say we take what rights we can get!" Leech hollered and the other men edged him on.
"No, no! No call for mutiny! No need for mutiny!" Jack cried, waving his hands. "You are right, of course. You earn your keep, and follow orders, and I don't show my appreciation enough. Tell ye what, lads. I will make it up to you! I, Captain Jack Sparrow, shall restore and whip up a whole new batch of mouth-watering stew like you have never tasted in your lives!"
"No doubts about that last bit." Barbossa shook his head. Jack glared at him.
"Ignore the codfish." He said. "Dinner shall be on me. What do ye say, boys?" The men cheered, unable to contain their enthusiasm at the thought of a real meal. "Great. Off ye go then!" Jack shooed them out.
"But the cap'n can't cook!" One of the men whispered to the other.
"Miracles can happen." Marty said.
"Not that kind. Not on this ship!" Pintel argued.
"Jack, do you have any idea what you're doing?" Gibbs asked worriedly.
"'Course I do!" Jack retorted defensively.
"But ye can't cook!" Gibbs argued.
"Nothing to it, mate." Jack smiled.
"I think I'm gonna be sick." Barbossa muttered, scowling as he left the room, unable to bear the idea of watching Jack botch up what remained of their meager food storage.
Half An Hour Later
"What is that awful smell?" Will winced as he dabbed Elizabeth's roasting arm with a cool cloth.
"What smell?" Elizabeth moaned.
"Just this once, be grateful you can't smell it!" Will told her.
Gray smoke rose out from below deck and the crew was complaining about the scent. Barbossa was inside the lounge when he smelled it and heard the men grumbling. "I knew it!" He puffed, rising from his seat and making his way to the kitchen.
"Why does the bloody thing have to spurt out like a..." Jack gagged, waving a towel at the smoke in the small room.
"Jack, I told ye to move the pot aside!" Gibbs groaned. "Ye kept it on the one side of the stove too long! It's too late." Gibbs sighed in exasperation. "Can't salvage it now." He was waving his arms around the smoke. Jack hadn't paid heed to instructions and now the food was burned, which contained most of their savory food on the ship! He gazed down in disappointment at the charred food remains in the pot. "And, I told ye, you need to add more water!"
"Are you questioning my cooking experience, Mr. Gibbs?" Jack narrowed his eyes.
"What cooking experience?" Barbossa hissed as he appeared. The men were behind him and quite disgruntled at the turn of events. "I could get more nourishment from a salt-watered raw fish than that hogwash you cooked up!"
"You're mocking me, aren't you?" Jack held his nose in the air.
"Clearly, deliberately, and unreservedly, I am libeling you." Barbossa said smugly.
"You vex me." Jack retorted snarkily.
"Lucky thing for you, you merely singed the chow, otherwise I'd be usin' ye for fish bait right now, for poisonin' yur own dimwitted crew." Barbossa said cockily. Jack huffed with his arms crossed.
"That is a fine way to speak to the good captain of this fine, outstandin' ship." He puffed.
"Cotton-brained captain would be more accurate." Barbossa said with his hands on his hips. "The good captain will be in his chambers, eatin' his fresh apples."
"The good captain? Ha!" Jack exclaimed. "Stick it in yur ear."
"I'll be a-stickin' you to the keel with fish spit before I let ye cook on my ship again." Barbossa said as he ascended the stairs.
"My ship!" Jack hollered.
"Well, this is a pretty mess." Gibbs rubbed his head. "Jack, ye used up what little we had left of food. Only a bit potatoes and hard tack left now, and not enough to last a week. It be four more days 'fore we land again."
Jack grimaced, feeling very humiliated. "I need a drink." He mumbled and headed for the rum cellar.
The next two chapters are dramatic, so I wanted to give you a laugh first.