Author: jedipati aka immortaljedi
Disclaimer: I see no profit in this for me. I don't own these characters.
Characters: Will/Elizabeth, ensemble cast (first movie)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: AU
Summary: The characters consider the situation and its ramifications. CotBP AU

Ch3

Bill Turner stood near the wheel, leaning against the rail of the ship.

His son and apparent daughter-in-law had been taken to a small cabin and Jack had claimed that Will would sign the articles once they reached Tortuga.

"Lad's not listening t' you?" Pintel asked.

Bill shrugged, despite how much it hurt, the way his son was rejecting him.

"He has reasons t' be angry," Bill said.

"You didn't mean ta send him a cursed medallion," Pintel said.

Bill laughed. "I don't even think that's a big problem, Mr. Pintel. I abandoned him."

"You thought him dead, Bootstrap."

Bill sighed and turned away. He did, but they should have searched the wreckage of that merchant ship.

Pintel left.

Jack, who was currently at the wheel, spoke up. "He's right, ye know. It wasn't your fault. If anything, the lad should blame me."

"He never met you, Cap'n."

"Bill…" Jack sighed and adjusted his hat. "Give him time. He'll come around."

"How much time?" Bill asked wryly. "He's going to try to get away."

"O'course he is," Jack said. "And that girl will help him."

"Aye," Bill said.

The Captain and first mate looked out at the crew. "Six days," Bill said, trying to change the subject.

"And we'll be free of the curse," Jack agreed. "And I can get more crewmen." They'd been running shorthanded when they found the treasure, and once they'd realized they were cursed they had agreed that it would be best to stay shorthanded until they broke the curse.

"That will be a relief," Bill agreed. "Of course, I'll have t' find us a decent cook when we actually need t' eat."

Jack snickered. "Bill, ye c'n cook."

"Not well. And I'm first mate, I don't have time. 'Sides, most o' us are going to want more."

"And that, me friend, is why we're goin' ta load the Pearl up to her scuppers in gold and head for Tortuga once we break the curse."

Bill smiled. He actually had a reason to look forward to breaking the curse, a chance to get to know his son again. He wouldn't waste it.

Will glanced at Elizabeth. She was wearing a dress that someone had found; it was dark red and not very proper for a lady of her stature, but it was better then just her night gown. She'd pulled the dress over her nightgown, giving the low-cut gown the needed modesty the original seamstress had never intended.

She was also fast asleep on the bed in the small cabin they'd been ushered into once Captain Sparrow had finished talking with them. Will smiled. He'd never expected to be in a situation where he could actually watch Miss Swann- Elizabeth- sleep. He had to remember to call her Elizabeth or this whole charade would crumble.

Will's smile faded. His impulsive attempt (so far successful) to keep Elizabeth safe had had several unforeseen consequences. If they weren't careful, once they returned to Port Royal, she'd be considered a "used" woman, worthy only of scorn, especially in the higher parts of society.

Unfortunately, Will couldn't see any way to avoid that.

Will sighed. This was not helping him work out their bigger but hopefully solvable problems. He sat down in the cabin's lone chair and glanced at the door. He had some time to think and figure out what to do. They weren't technically locked in, but Will had no desire to spend any time with his new "crewmates."

That was problem number one: they were trapped on a ship with a cursed crew.

Problem number two: said cursed crew was going to break the curse and then head for the pirate town of Tortuga.

Problem number three: the cursed captain of the cursed crew wanted him to join the crew- once they were uncursed.

Problem number four: they were threatening Elizabeth to get him to join the crew.

Problem number five: they were under the impression that he was married to Elizabeth, and therefore they would be expecting him to engage in marital relations with her.

Problem number six; his father was a member of the cursed crew.

Problem number seven: he had to get Elizabeth back to Port Royal before something happened.

Problem number eight: Port Royal society might not accept Elizabeth back.

Will sighed. He had several problems, but he and Elizabeth might be able to work around them.

He could claim that he didn't trust the crew- which he didn't- if any of them thought it odd that he wasn't sleeping with his "wife".

And perhaps they could escape at Tortuga, and find their way back to Port Royal from there.

Will sighed. So, some of the problems were solvable, or could be worked around.

He had no idea what to do about his father.

Elizabeth listened as Will moved around the tiny cabin and then sat down. She didn't like that she had to pretend to be asleep to get him to relax even a tiny bit, but she would do it.

She shifted slightly. This bed wasn't the most comfortable. Still, it was better then the chair, where Will had apparently decided to stay. Poor Will. He was determined to protect her virtue, but he didn't realize that it didn't matter. No matter if anything happened, she'd always be tainted in the minds of high society.

In addition, he was trying to keep her as safe as he could. He was even willing to join this crew to keep her from harm. She'd never realized just how much he'd give up for her.

To top it all off, Will's father was a pirate. How was he dealing with that revelation? He'd not said a word about it to her, and barely spoke to his father.

Elizabeth didn't move; even as she heard Will's breathing deepen in sleep.

Things did not look good, but she was sure there was some way they could escape. The only question was- did she want to? Did she want to go back to Port Royal, where they would be separated? Will obviously cared for her, deeply. At least here, they could be together.

Jack sighed in relief as they reached the island, for six days he'd had to deal with far more tension among his crew- and he included the two young adults in that- then was fair.

If he'd known was a mess attacking Port Royal would bring, well, he would have still attacked. He might have gone 'bout it differently, however.

He brought the Pearl around and ordered the crew to lower the anchor.

They were finally going to get rid of this curse. They would finally be free.

Jack leaned against the wheel as he frowned down at Will Turner, who was sitting on a barrel on deck. The lad was still tense and wary, but he wasn't watching the crew right now. He was staring out at Isla De Muerta.

Jack did have to admit that the barren land and treacherous waters did not have the most hospitable appearance. The mist that seemed to be a permanent part of the Isla didn't help. Still, the lad didn't have to stare at it like that.

Elizabeth Turner- because they had no better name for her yet- had mostly kept inside their small cabin. He couldn't help but think that that was very smart of her.

Jack was already considering how to keep the lass safe once the curse was broken. It was nearly three days back to Tortuga, and some of the crew wouldn't want to wait three days for a woman. She was a comely thing, too, and the men had been without for nearly ten years. It'd be the devil's own time keeping them away from her. Even though Bootstrap had already announced that anyone who so much as touched his daughter-in-law would be keelhauled, he wouldn't stand a chance if the majority of them decided to take her.

Jack looked down at Will again. The lad had returned to working on his sword, using a small whetstone that he'd apparently found on board. He was silent as he worked, honing the very nice sword to a sharp edge.

By the time he was done, Pintel stood before him. "Lad?"

The boy looked up. "Yes?" He replied, using the same utterly neutral tone of voice he'd used for the past four days.

"When we get back, would you take a look at my sword?"

The boy seemed to consider the question for a brief moment. "It will depend on if I need to protect my wife or not," he finally said.

Pintel smiled. "Thank ye, lad," He said. "I'll help ye keep th' poppet safe. So will Ragetti."

The boy nodded. "Thank you." he finished sharpening his sword and started inspecting it.

Jack smiled. That was good. Pintel and Ragetti might not be the smartest in the crew, but they were fierce fighters. They should be able to find some way to get the lad to loosen up as well. It'd be good for the lad to make some allies among the crew, before he could possibly escape.

Well. It seemed that Pintel and Ragetti had just volunteered to guard the ship while they broke the curse.

"Gentlemen… it's time," Jack bellowed.

The crew cheered. After the cheers had died down, he nodded. "Misters Pintel and Ragetti, you're guards. Mr. Turner, junior, you'll be staying on the ship. We'll break this curse, and then load the Pearl with some o' the swag we've collected."

"Then what, Captain?" Twigg asked.

"Tortuga."

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