And I was right. After me and Jack got up from the stairs, we went to the bow. At least I did while he went to the wheel. I knew he needed some time to be by himself. The cool ocean water sprayed on me as the wind blew it around. Every once in a while, I'd turn and watch him steer the Pearl. He never noticed. I went back to watching the ocean and the sunset as we sailed. Elizabeth and Will were on the main deck talking and whatnot, the crew was working, and Gibbs was napping so Jack could be with me. As the night progressed, I noticed that Jack was no longer at the wheel. I went down to the cabin, figuring if he wasn't there, then I'd go to sleep anyways. The illness had robbed me of my energy, leaving me irritable and making Jack the victim. However, when I entered the cabin, I found him sitting at his desk, candles lighting the room instead of the usual lamp. He saw me and grinned. "Darling..." His voice was slurred.
"You've been drinking, haven't you?" To be honest, it wasn't a shocker with all the pressure of Barbossa and basically the whole of Port Royal on his case. Jack's eyes showed his guilt as he mumbled an answer that agreed with my question.
"Come 'ere." I did as I was told, only to be pulled into his lap. "Yes I have. But only a rum. Or two. But that's not the point."
I smiled weakly at him, sleep pulling at me. "Then what is?"
His hands ran through my hair, stroking it lovingly. When he finally spoke, his voice was less drunken and more understandable. "The point is, you're a beautiful, caring woman whom I love dearly. And you haven't deserved to go through this. I don't deserve you. But I have you." I gained eye contact with him, silently begging him to continue. "Don't worry about everything that's going on, Alley." I nodded and smiled sadly at him.
"Savvy." I grinned as he found my lips then pulled back, looking me in the eye.
"Go on love. I'll come shortly." I nodded and kissed him once again before proceeding to the bed. I lay between the covers, my head collapsing on the soft pillows. Sleep overtook me as I fell into a deep sleep.
I didn't wake when Jack slipped into the bed, which shocked me. When I woke the following morning, his deep cough greeted me. I turned to see his back facing me, shaking every once in a while from coughs. "Jack?" He turned and grinned lazily. His dark, usually sparkling eyes were watered and hazy. "You're ill."
"No I'm not. I never get sick. Even with all those ill people in Tortuga, and let me tell you, when we docked to get supplies while you were comatose they were everywhere. One wench who was ill with influzea or something of the sort came up and tried to go further than kissing." My eyes widened at his words, partially from the wench and partially from him being ill. "I stopped her love. I pushed her down. Probablly a drunk..."
"Jack." I caressed his clammy cheek. "You have whatever she and the others had."
"Don't be rediculous..." Jack shifted his wounded arm, making a face then trying to hide it.
"Is it where the bullett hit you?"
"No... My entire arm is sore... Along with my entire body." I smiled sadly at him and got up. "Where you going?" He began to cough once again.
"To get fresh water. You need to stay hydrated." Jack reached for me as he rolled onto his back, his face twisting at his muscle's pain.
"I'm fine..." His eyes remained hazy.
"I'll be back." I went out onto the deck. Gibbs came up to me as I was ladeling water out of a barryl on deck full of fresh water into a metal pail.
"Where's Jack?"
"Sick." Gibbs looked at me, shocked. I rolled my eyes. "Yes he's sick. With what I'm not quite sure..."
The look on my face must've said it all as Gibbs smiled sadly. "Ah. So he told you about the wench?" I nodded and continued to ladle the water while trying to avoid thoughts of the girl. "Don't fret. He pulled away as soon as she met his lips. And after she coughed into his mouth..."
"I don't mean this badly Gibbs, but you can stop now." I placed my ladle back into the pail.
With that, I turned and made my way back into the cabin. I walked briskly over to the bed and sat the pail on the table next to it. Jack eyed me with glassy eyes. "Darling are you..."
"Yep. Just fine." I helped him drink from the ladle, seeing as he was already sitting against the pillows and the wall.
His tanned ring-ladden hand held onto mine. "No you're not. This is about that wench, isn't it?" I averted my gaze so I didn't have to look him in the eyes. "I told you I pushed her away."
"Gibbs said she coughed into your mouth..."
"She did. As soon as she kissed me she coughed as I pushed her away." His gaze grew softer as I looked back at him. "Do you seriously think I would've ranted on last night about you if I wanted someone else? Alright don't answer that. But I do love you Alex."
I smiled and nodded. "Sorry... It's just we can't have one day without some forsaken illness envading our lives."
"I'm sorry Alley."
"Don't worry about it." I smiled at him.
Jack smiled back through his pain. His eyes were dull and blank. His handsome face was paled despite his dark tan and his face was clammy. I pressed my lips to his temple, bendng down and feeling the heat radiating from him. I looked at him and smiled with sympathy. He pulled me down so I was sitting next to him on the bed. We both knew that he would more than likely get worse than not if he had more than the common cold. I prayed that it was just a minor case of the flu. I looked at him. His hand landed on my right arm, rubbing it with a pained expression. I lowered his arm and helped him down onto the mattress so he was laying down. "I'm fine love."
"That's exactly why you're ill." I looked at him with firm eyes.
I made my way around to my side of the bed and crawled in next to him, bringing a long rectangular throw onto the bed with me. Once settled, I put it across his chest so it covered his upper body over the covers already there. He pulled it so that it was laying across me too and I just rolled my eyes at him, knowing that he would have his way eventually. I moved closer to him, helping him slightly prop up on the pillows. "I'm not helpless you know." I ignored him and placed my hands on his shoulders from behind. It was an odd angle but I knew his muscles were sore if he had caught the flu, and plus he had already said they were hurting. Jack looked at me as I kneeded his shoulders and back. "Thank you love."
"It's the least I can do after all you've done for me." He didn't object. He only reached for my left hand with his left and I held it, using my right one to massage his back.
Our hands rested on the space between us, which wasn't much but it was comforting. I was slightly propped on the pillows like him, only I was on my right side. He turned his head to look at me and smiled as he closed his eyes. His hand had been stroking mine and slowly he stopped as he fell asleep. I smiled and stopped my hand on his back. I kissed his temple as I attempted to pull my hand free. Finally, I succeeded and got up, glancing at his sleeping form. I never would've guessed in a million years that Jack Sparrow would get sick, let alone let me take care of him. I had a gut feeling that he was allowing me to do it to make up for the Tortuga incident. He was pale compared to his normal tan and his skin had a flushed tone to it. I assumed that it was sensitive to the touch of things and that he was better than I hoped. After yanking my gaze away from the sleeping captain, I proceeded out onto the deck.
I went up to the space behind the helm and leaned on the rail, looking into the ocean. So much had happened and was happening, leaving me and Jack vunerable to the world, mostly me. Jack didn't seem to mind being sick, but he hated me being ill. Only I would get that treatment, I assumed, knowing that Jack would die for me. I shuddered, hoping that it would never come to that. I really did love him. The ocean glittered in the afternoon sun. I must've been in his cabin longer than I'd thought. The sun was more than halfway through the sky, casting a bright light on everything in it's way. I closed my eyes and leaned into the breezes that were blowing through the water, bringing a salty mist with it. I heard footsteps behind me and I recognized the voices that came with it. Will and Elizabeth came to the rail beside me. "How's Jack?" I turned to see Elizabeth staring at me with sympathy, the look I had come to hate.
"Alright. Ill but living." I knew I sounded rude, but it was getting old.
Everything was happening at once. Me getting poisoned by stupid people, Jack getting sick, everything. I turned my gaze back onto the ocean. "He'll be fine. He's Captain Jack Sparrow. He's strong." Will was interupted by Elizabeth.
"I don't think that's why she's upset Will..." I closed my eyes against the tears fighting to spill.
"Oh..." I tuned them out until finally they left.
I opened my eyes and let the tears mix with the ocean water. I was tired and that didn't help any. I hadn't gotten much of a peaceful moment with Jack since all the illnesses occured. Barbossa was probablly going to attack once more soon. Guilt overcame me, the tears spilling faster than ever. I finally stopped crying and watched the sun set against the greying sky. "Alex?" I turned to see Elizabeth standing at the stairs. "Jack wants to see you." I nodded and went down into his cabin.
When I entered Jack was awake, watching my every move with heavy eyes. I noticed that his eyes matched mine, red but for different reasons. "Hello love." He grinned weakly as he shifted under the covers. I smiled sadly and walked to my side of the bed to be greeted with his hand on my leg. "You alright?"
It was as if his illness had drained some of his personality, hopefully it was just a lack of energy. "Yea." His head turned to look me in the eyes.
"I'll be fine."
"I know."
"Then what...?"
I sighed and looked away for a moment before answering. "I don't know Jack. I just don't know." His eyes showed his concern and love as he motioned for me to come closer. "Won't it irritate your skin?"
"Screw it." I scooted down to be pulled into his grasp, feeling slightly guilty as I lay on his chest and adjusted so I could look him in the eyes. "I'm feeling slightly better if that cheers you."
"After one nap?" I raised my eyebrows at him.
"After I had a nap and you're taking care of me darling."
"I haven't done much."
"You've gotten me water, laid with me, made me sweat with this extra blanket. I think the fever is broken."
"But your eyes are still red..."
"Lack of sleep. I don't think yours are red for the same reason however." My eyes escaped his hold on mine as I responded.
"Everything is happening at once. And don't dare appologize because it's not your fault all this is happening. But I broke down." His arms pulled me closer, my head under his.
"Shh... Just rest Alley." I closed my eyes against my will.
It amazed me that for the one who was sick, Jack took control still. I knew he was lying about the fever. His arms were covered in goosebumps from being sensitive still. I only hoped that what he'd told me would be the truth when I woke.