Chapter 21: A Little Trip Up River
Oh my god…
Oh, gods…
What the hell have I done?
Despite their desperation for escape, Will felt like time had slowed down as he stared into Peggy's eyes, his lips still pressed into hers.
It was not much, a mere press of skin against skin. No tongues had touched, and no mouths were opened. It was just a simple peck by sheer accident—nothing more and nothing less.
And yet, even that mere touch seemed to spark something like lightning in his soul as he pulled back, staying close enough to breathe the same air that escaped her mouth.
A part of him hissed at him to pull away, reminding him of his oaths to Elizabeth and the vows of matrimony he was supposed to take with her. But there was also another piece of him snarling and hissing at him to chase the lightning once more. It was such a heady, carnal need it nearly overpowered all common sense and had Will leaning in again to-
"OI! Pegsy! Where are ye?" Jack Sparrow's voice barked across the deck of the Black Pearl.
Quickly, Will pulled himself off Peggy, holding her by the shoulders, his cheeks burning hot as his stomach performed massive backflips. Yet somehow, he knew it was not from disgust but rather-NO! No he could not think like that.
"S-sorry", he apologised, and Peggy turned her face away from him with a cough.
"S'fine." She mumbled, gulping down on her embarrassment. "Accident…it happens."
"R-right…accident…" Will nodded, his heart clenching as he caught sight of the slightly sad glint in her blue-grey eyes. Shaking himself, he quickly patted her down for injuries. "Sorry, I didn't-You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
"N-no, I'm fine."
"You sure?" Will frowned as he quickly pulled her head down to inspect it. "No bumps, no-"
"No. I'm fine, Will." Peggy pulled her head up, only to blush as she realised how close their faces were.
"Pegsy!" Jack called again, sounding much irate, and Peggy quickly drew away from Will as she scrambled to her feet.
"Coming, Captain!" She called and almost tripped on her feet in her haste to reach Jack, her face red as her hair.
By all the sea gods that had been such a disaster.
What the hell? Why had that had to happen now of all times?
Good gods, it was bad enough she was struggling to keep Will at arm's length without this sort of trouble adding to her stress.
She was relieved to see Jack and Gibbs talking up on the deck while Pintel and Ragetti (Poseidon knew where they came from) carefully draped the captain's dry coat over his shoulders to help him stay warm. Now that Peggy was getting closer,, she could see the strange eye orbug-style face paintnning down his face, g,iving the pirate the look of a melting waxy candle.
"Let's distance us and this island and head out to open sea!" Gibbs proposed as he shook himself off from the wet.
"Yes to the first and yes to the second, but only insofar as we keep to the shallows as much as possible." Jack agreed, and Peggy frowned.
Was it just her, or did he seem twitchier than usual? Usually, he could not wait to get out into open water.
First, beaching the Pearl and sailing in the shallows? What the hell is going on in Jack's head? What's got him so spooked?
She wondered and was glad that even Gibbs seemed confused by the order.
"That seems a bit contradictory, Captain." He prompted, hoping for a better explanation.
"Oh I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills master Gibbs. Now, where is that monkey? I want to shoot something."
"Monkey?" Peggy frowned only to wince as something hard and round fell from above onto her head. "OW!"
"Me eye!" Ragetti dove for the wooden eyeball as it bounced off Peggy's head and rolled onto the floor.
Peggy, however, was too busy looking up to the rafters, where a familiar little capuchin monkey in a red vest was screeching and hollering with glee at his shot.
"That little shit!" she growled, only to frown as Jack waved off the two stooges and reached into his sash and pulled out his gun. "Jack? Won't the powder be all wet?"
Jack looked at her and then looked at the gun, cursing as he noticed how wet it was.
"Ah.. shame. Well spotted, Pegsy." Jack muttered bitterly, glaring up at her. "Speaking of disappointments, love, you've got some explaining to do." The pirate glanced at Will's face as the blacksmith began swerving around crewmen and barrels to reach them.
"Like I said before, it's complicated." Peggy rolled her eyes, cheeks flushing as her mind recalled that accidental kiss from a few moments ago. Yet even as she tried to force the image from her mind, her chest stung horribly.
"Pegsy?" Jack frowned as his cabin girl's hand flew to her chest, and her breathing sharpened.
"I'll tell you later." She mumbled as he leaned in to check on her. "this isn't something for the crew."
Jack nodded, his eyes unusually serious, as he rubbed her shoulder. "Get into my cabin and start cleaning up. I'll meet you there when I'm done up here."
"Yes,, captain!" Peggy nodded, glad for the excuse to be out of sight because Gibbs, Marty, and Cotton were eyeing her worriedly.
"Just a catch!" she called as Marty opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong. "From all that running."
All the men on deck nodded and grunted in sympathy as they began complaining about a couple of their aching thighs and arms from their recent escape.
"Need any help in there?" Sloane muttered as she approached the double doors that led to the captain's cabin.
"I'm fine." Peggy sighed.
"Has it been getting worse? The pain?" The male selkie touched her shoulder, and Peggy nodded slightly.
"A little…but I don't know if that's because of my recent transformation. Sometimes, my body aches for hours after I change forms."
Sloane nodded, though he did not seem convinced.
"Let me know if it starts getting too bad." He mumbled. "So that we can keep an eye on the symptoms. Don't want too many tongues wagging if you collapse from the pain."
"I will. Thanks, Sloane." Peggy managed a slight grimace of a smile as Sloane opened the door for her and shut it behind her gently.
"Oi! You? Blondie, over here!" Jack called as soon as the door was shut, frowning at the male selkie with curiosity and suspicion. The selkie seemed quite friendly with Peggy, though Jack could have sworn he had never seen him on his ship before or at Tortuga.
He was around the same age as Will, maybe a few short years older, for he lacked the innocent whelpishness of the blacksmith. Or was that just because his light green eyes were sharper than his age belied?
Either way, Jack was intrigued by his presence. Now, what would his little Pegsy be doing in the company of this handsome stranger when she had her beloved whelp trailing after her like a lost puppy again? Unless she had switched her pursuit…
"Yes, Captain Sparrow?" The younger man strode confidently to Jack, not even batting an eye as the Pirate Lord looked him up and down. Strapping arms and legs, broad shoulders, and yet Jack had been around the block long enough to sense that there was something not quite human about the man before him.
"What's your name, lad?"
"Ronan Sloane." Sloane nodded at Jack, taking in his eccentric appearance. "Captain Labelle sent me to help Blake and Turner reach the Pearl safely."
"Ahhh!" Jack nodded, his shoulders relaxing "So you're one of Jacquline's lads. Right 'course. She probably wants you to keep an eye on me and ensure I pay up my end of the deal?"
"That, among other things," Sloane admitted with a shrug. "She had a feeling you'd need help, and I quote, 'getting out of whatever sticky mess that mad lad's gotten himself stuck in', not to mention she was worried about your cabin girl. She's been through a lot since you two last met." He added, and Jack frowned a little.
It was true that his sister was fond of Peggy, but for her to send one of her men to keep an eye on her meant something nasty had happened while he was gone.
"Was it the whelp?" Jack asked lowly, and Sloane sighed.
"He is part of the mess." The fair-haired man admitted, leaning forward to mutter into the pirate's ear, "But I'll leave Blake to tell you all about that. This is important, and you should hear it from her. Though if you need any clarifications, I will be more than happy to provide them."
"How very helpful of you, Mister Sloane," Jack smirked as he glanced at the man's chest and caught sight of something fur-lined and grey peeking out from below his open collar. Fur-lined, grey and reeking of old sea magic.
Well, that was very interesting. Jack had no idea his sister had a little selkie under her thumb.
Was she trying to copy him, or had this lad been employed by the Brethren court? Selkies occasionally helped them during tumultuous times.
But such questions could be kept for later. Right now, Jack could see Will Turner finally navigate a clear path towards him, his scowl darkening upon seeing Sloane's face.
It was not the usual scowl of annoyance for being interrupted. No, this was a scowl full of loathing that was turning the blacksmith's usually friendly face green.
Well, well, well. What have we here?
"Well, since you'll be with us for a while, lad, why don't ye make yourself useful and report to Mister Gibbs? See if he's got any chores you can help with."
"Aye, captain." Sloane nodded and strode away just as Will stormed up to him and barked.
"Jack, Elizabeth is in danger."
Of course, she is. Jack though,t rolling his eyes as he turned his back on the lad and began striding up to the helm.
"Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her, maybe locking her up somewhere?"
"She is locked up in a prison, bound to hang for helping YOU!" Will snapped, following the captain like a hunting dog chasing a fox.
"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one's mistakes," Jack grunted as he came up onto the poop deck, only to turn around and find Will pointing a sword to his neck.
Stupid whelp will he never learn?
"I need that compass of yours, Jack." The blacksmith sneered, eyes pointedly glancing at the compass hanging from the pirate's sash. "I must trade it for her freedom...and Peggy's."
My compass? Jack wondered. Why the hell would the lad need his compass to trade for Elizabeth? And Peggy's freedom? What the hell had the girl done while she had been away?
But Jack could think about that later. Right now, a bright cannon spark had just lit up in his brain at the sight of the blacksmith's face.
Though the whelp tried to look confident and threatening, Jack could smell the desperation from a mile off.
With a calm hand, Jack casually pulled the edge of the blade from one side of his neck to the other and smirked.
"Mister Gibbs!" He called to his first mate, who was currently at the helm wheel, doing his best to adhere to Jack's earlier confusing orders.
"Aye, Captain?"
"We have a need to travel up river." Jack muttered pointedly and Gibbs gulped as a shiver ran through him.
"By need, do ye mean a trifling need? Fleeting? As in, say, a passin' fancy?"
"No." Jack's smirk widened "A resolute and unyielding need."
"What we need to do is make sail for Port Royal with all haste!" Will snarled sword lowered to his side as he followed Jack to the railing of the poop deck where the pirate was pulling out something from inside his sash.
"William." Jack cut across the younger man's rudeness with a calm but cold sneer. "I shall trade you the compass if you will help me find this." He opened the wad of cloth to reveal a rough drawing of an ancient key.
Will frowned at the drawing. The fabric was ancient, and the key had an odd design. He had never seen anything like this, yet it felt so familiar. He reached out to touch the cloth; his body almost pulled towards the drawing as if by some strange magnet.
"You want me…to find this?" He looked at Jack, whose smirk widened.
"No. You want you to find this. Because the finding of this finds you incapacitorially finding and or locating in your discovering the detecting of a way to save your dolly bell ol' whats-her-face and dear lovely Pegsy…Savvy?"
Will frowned as he desperately tried deciphering the pirate's convoluted and bizarre explanation. Had those cannibals fed him something that made him stranger than before, or was this Jack trying to be clever in the hopes of getting him to do whatever he wanted?
"This…is going to save Elizabeth and Peggy?" Will took the cloth with the key drawing from Jack, whose smile widened as he licked his teeth.
"How much do you know about Davy Jones?" He murmured, and Will's frown deepened.
"Not much." He admitted. What the hell did the old legend of the devil of the deep have to do with their current problems anyway?
But before Will could ask any further Jack shrugged and turned to face the rest of the ship.
"Yeah, it's going to save Elizabeth…and as for Pegsy, what do you care about what happens to her?"
Any confusion and curiosity Will might have felt about Jack's earlier statements about Davy Jones flew out of the window as he glared at the pirate beside him.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He snarled, and Jack's lips curled into a sneer.
"You know exactly what I mean,n mate." The coldness in those kohl-lined brown eyes of the pirate was enough to form icebergs in the ocean. "Now, get a move on! We need to reach the mainland, and I don't have time to listen to you yappin'. Mister Gibbs, give him some chores. I'm gonna be down in me cabin cleanin' up!"
"Aye, Captain!" Gibbs grunte,d turning to bark at Will. "Turner, go help Diggs and Marty check the rigging on the shrouds!"
Will opened his mouth but thought better of objecting.
Whatever anger he felt towards Jack's comments, the pirate was right. They had no time and a tiny crew.
Also he was not sure it was wise to push Jack any further right now.
Something was bothering the man; something had made him trigger-happy enough to shoot a monkey and make his eyes turn deadly cold.
But what?
The woman in the shack stared at the bowl of seawater before her.
In it, she could see faintly on the surface, images of a young woman with copper-red hair, a dreadlocked pirate with kohl-lined eyes, and a young man with warm brown eyes and a short beard flashing across her vision.
Finally, after six long months, Fate was leading them right up to her door.
It had taken a while for this to happen, and the lady in the shack had almost given up hope.
Yet now she smiled as she stood and looked around at her shack. She would need space for her guests and a room to check on the girl in private. She had not put in all that hard work for the selkie to die on her as soon as she stepped over her threshold.
"Looks like we've get sum wuk tuh do."
Peggy sighed as she slumped onto Jack's freshly made bed. It was early evening, and it had taken her a long time to get the captain's cabin spick and span.
Jack had been messy while she had been gone. Unwashed clothes had been thrown over surfaces, while books, pieces of parchment and maps were strewn all over, along with some toppled candles and a few knocked-over trinkets. Her room was thankfully only a little
Peggy found the dreaded copy of Percival "Silverbeard" Stafford's book half buried underneath the messy, sweat- and rum-stained blankets of Jack's bed. She quickly put the book somewhere safe before replacing the sheets and putting them in the bucket hamper, ready to wash tomorrow when she had her strength back.
Gods, she was feeling tired. Transforming twice and running away from Cannibals on top of her usual chores were one thing, but her heart had been put through its paces every time she accidentally made eye contact with Will.
She knew the kiss was an accident. Six months ago, they would have both shrugged it off and laughed at their clumsiness.
But even Will seemed embarrassed to meet her eye now. On the plus side, it made not having to be near him easier.
On the other hand, it made the ache in Peggy's chest grow more painful.
She knew he did not love her in that way, but it hurt to know that any potential romantic interest she might have shown would have been snubbed like this. Deep down, she supposed that the bonded selkie within her still held out hope that he might have chosen her had she shown him how she felt.
Now, here was real physical proof that her love was truly one-sided.
She whimpered and clutched at her chest as it throbbed. Now that she was alone and in the quiet, she could almost feel the bond inside breaking thread by thread.
Not even caring where she was, she curled on Jack's bed, cringing as she heard the squeak of the unoiled door.
"GAH! Finally! I can drink in peace." Jack's voice called through the cabin. He sounded tired but in a good mood, even as he tutted at the sight of her on his bed. "Y'know, love, while I do love having beautiful women lying in my bed, I'd appreciate a little warning before they-"
His voice fell sharply as she whimpered in pain.
"Pegsy?" Jack frowned.
Peggy cringed at the sound of his voice, biting down hard on her lip as she desperately tried to suppress the groan of pain that swept through her.
There was the quick, clumsy thudding of booted feet and the clink of a glass bottle on a nearby table.
"Oi! Love, what is it? What's wrong?" Jack frowned, prodding her shoulder carefully as if she were covered in green slime, and he did not want to get any on himself "Oi! Pegs. Gah, please don't tell me it's contagious-"
"Issnot" Peggy moaned, eyes tight shut as she buried herself into the fresh sheets. "hurts."
"Ohh…you on the rag again?" Jack recoiled, pulling a face. "Because if ye are love, please move back to your bed. As much as I like you, I don't want you to bleed on my sheets."
"I'm not bleeding, Jack", Peggy whined. "It's my chest."
"Yer chest again?" Jack's eyes narrowed, remembering how she had nearly bent double when they had spoken up on deck earlier that day. "What's goin' on Pegsy? What the blazes happened to ya while you were gone?"
"It was…I was…" Peggy mumbled as she gingerly pushed herself back up to sit, aided by Jack's hands flying to her shoulders. "It's a long story…"
"Then ya better start from the top." Jack reached out and plucked his bottle of rum from the bedside table. "But first, take a sip. I know-I know, you think this tastes like piss." He rolled his eyes at her as she opened her mouth to protest. "But this is the good stuff, lass; it'll take the edge off. Trust me on this one."
Peggy nodded as she let her captain help her take a drink from the bottle. What else did she have to lose? She was dying anyway. Who knew? Maybe the alcohol might preserve her innards and keep her alive for a little longer.
"That's it, love. Take a good long swig."
To her surprise, the rum was not too bad. She did not know if it was because of the pain or her terrible state or if it was some of the good stuff. Whatever it was, Jack was right; it dulled a little of the pain in her chest and made her head buzz pleasantly.
"Better?" Jack quirked a brow, and Peggy softly belched.
"A bit."
"A'right then. Start from the top. Tell ol' Jack what happened to ye after we said goodbye?"
And Peggy did tell him. Through tears and small sips of rum, she told him everything about her father, Sloane, the Selkies' bond, and her feelings about Will.
While she spoke, she did not notice the Pirate's brown eyes staring at the black ring of ink on her wrist, gleaming with a cold light.
Now, what have we here?
Will Turner was pacing up and down the Black Pearl's bow, rubbing his chest over his heart.
It had been an hour since he tried to sleep in his hammock. One whole hour since, his chest had started stinging terribly.
He'd never felt anything quite like it, and he had been beaten and injured quite a few times. But this pain was somehow more profound than any other he had felt before. It felt just as emotional as it was physical.
Is that even possible for chest injuries? Will wondered to himself
It had died down a lot since then, though the dull ache persisted as he turned his eyes towards the glass doors of the captain's cabin. It was like that strange moment when he heard that horn blow on the cannibal's island.
He knew where it came from but did not know why.
I need to talk to Peggy. Will frowned as he strode up to the doors. If this is connected to her, then I need answers. This is driving me mad! But will she even want to see me?
His heart sank as he remembered how pointedly she avoided his eye after their accidental kiss that morning. He understood why she was embarrassed. It was a very vulnerable situation, and with all the strange and confusing feelings flying like static electricity, it was no wonder she felt awkward.
Yet something inside Will also felt disappointed that she had recently recoiled so much at his touch or look. She was always warm and affectionate when it was just the two of them in the past. Nowadays, she was desperate to push him away, only letting her guard down when distracted by something else or was in her seal form.
He knew that it was improper of him to long for her affection. After all, he was betrothed to Elizabeth, and to be so desperate for the touch of a woman he was unrelated to by blood was bordering on infidelity. But this was Peggy. His Peggy.
They had been by one another's side for so long and had cared about one another so much…unless Peggy had loved Will enough to form a Selkie's bond…
But no…it can't be. It just can't.
And why not? Another voice hissed in his head. A voice that eerily sounded like Jack's. What if she was in love with you? What would things be like then?
Will leaned against the ship's railings, looking over the darkened waters.
As much as it pained him to think along these lines, his inner voice had a point. What if Annamaria was right and Peggy was really in love with him? What would that mean for this situation?
But if she were in love with him, why would she not tell him? his other inner voice groaned in confusion. Why would she not just tell him how she felt if not being with him caused her this much pain?
Unless…Unless it was because she knew his heart lay with another…
Will's breathing came out shallow as horror welled up within him.
He had told Peggy years ago of his feelings for Elizabeth. She knew he had loved the noblewoman from afar. He even supported and comforted him whenever Elizabeth was forced not to associate with him publicly.
And yet…
"Why? Do you want me to leave so you and Lizzy can sail off into the sunset in one another's arms and enjoy your happy-ever-after while I rot in the bottom of some old, leaky tub?"
Will remembered how bitter Peggy had sounded when she had said those words aboard the Interceptor. He had always shrugged them off as she was messing with him, as they usually did; however, deep down, a part of him wondered if it had not been true and if she was trying to cover up her hurt.
He remembered how she had sung the Torment of Calypso only moments before that conversation and how angrily she had chopped vegetables with that knife. He would never forget the sorrow in her eyes.
Was it because she loved him and was pained to see him with Elizabeth?
But if it had hurt her, why didn't she say anything?
Why?
The door to the captain's cabin opened, and Will turned to see Jack striding out. He had long since removed the bizarre face paint from his eyes, reapplied his kohl, and changed into cleaner clothes. His footsteps were cautious, and he carefully shut the door behind him.
His expression was unnaturally grim as he looked out over the deck. When he spotted Will at the ship's bow, his gaze darkened.
"Ah, Will. Just the man I was hoping to see." Jack smirked, eyes cold as ice as he sauntered oh-so-casually towards the blacksmith. "Can't sleep, ey?"
"It's been a hectic day," Will muttered, unable to meet the man's gaze and choosing to look out over the ocean instead.
"I can imagine." Jack snorted. "Being chased by cannibals? Hunting me down. Kissin' Pegsy behind me back and usin' her bleedin' heart to get what you want-"
"Jack, what are you-"
"Don't play coy with me, mate." Jack snorted, leaning back against the ship's railing. "You've been happily skippin' out into the sunset without a care in the world for what happened to that girl, and now here you are, usin' her to get me to save your beloved Lizzy once again? And people call me selfish." He snorted bitterly, looking up at the railing.
"Selfish?" Will hissed, his chest now burning with angry heat. "Me? I'm not the one who used Peggy to get back the Pearl-"
"Yes, but at least I'm honest with her about my selfishness, lad!" Jack sneered, keeping his cool despite his obvious derisive pleasure. "I use her as me cabin girl, and she uses me for protection. It's a win-win for both of us, one that's all fair and above board. You, on the other hand, use her, then dump her for six months and pretend you care when you need her again for something. And worse still, you believe it's your divine right to do so because you're a 'decent person' who knew her for ten years-"
"You're wrong!" Will's nostrils flared as white-hot rage flooded him. However, he willed himself to stay calm. Jack was trying to rile him up for a reason. Most likely hoping to find an excuse to dump him in the brig or lord something over him. But Will would not fall into that trap.
"Really?" Jack chuckled darkly. "So these past six months, you never bothered to reach out to Pegs to see if she was fine? Weren't you worried at all for her-"
"Of course, I was worried about her!" Will growled, his grip on the ship's railing tightening so hard his knuckles were going pale. "Of course I was! There wasn't one day that I wondered if she was fine! You don't have any idea how many nights I lay awake worrying if she was still alive out here or not. But I thought she was happy sailing with you. I saw her on the Interceptor, Jack. She was different than she was at home. More herself. Happier. And after everything her father put her through I…I did not want to hold her back."
"I see? And yet you did not care enough to check in or send word?"
"Just because I was not there for six months doesn't mean I stopped caring! Why does everyone assume I don't care about what happened to her while I was gone?"
"Because actions speak louder than words, mate," Jack grunted, fixing the young blacksmith with a piercing stare. "And let's face it. Your actions hurt Pegsy."
"But I didn't mean to-"
"Didn't mean to what, mate?" Jack cut across him, his tone sharp as a blade "Didn't lap up her attention, enjoy her affections, lead her on by pretending to play house in that dingy little hovel? Didn't put her in danger and use her to save the life of the other woman you supposedly love? And then, when you had the chance, you traded up for said other woman right in front of everyone else, humiliatin' her and screwing her over in front of everyone? And now here you are, six months later, bold as brass, chasin' after her the minute she becomes useful to you again? I'll say one thing: I've broken my fair share of hearts, it's true, but never have any of those affairs ever killed a lady like you have."
Will felt his stomach jolt like the ground had just vanished beneath his feet.
"What did you just say?"
"I said, I've broken a lot of hearts…but never have I killed someone because of it." Jack took a hearty swig from a rum bottle he had been carrying. "At least, not that I know of. A few of them wenches have been pretty upset at me, but I don't think it's ever made them kick the bucket by rejectin' them."
"No…" Will shut his eyes, dread building in his chest despite his attempt to swallow it down. "No…it's not true."
"Who'd have thought it ey?" Jack mused, ignoring Will's desperate attempts to keep himself from breaking apart. "Ruddy selkies, I tell ya. Strong as an ox when you piss them off, but oh-so-delicate in matters of the heart-"
"No-no-no-no!" Will leaned to press his head into the ship railing.
"Especially Pegsy. Then again, I don't know why I'm so surprised. The girl was always so soft underneath all that temper-"
"Stop it!"
"Practically begged Barbossa not to kill ye. And I ain't known that girl to beg for anything, not even me." Jack rolled his eyes as he took another swig of rum. "I tell ya mate, if I weren't so pissed at ye for what you did to Pegs, I'd be bowin' to you and beggin' you to teach me how a eunuch like you manage to make a selkie so devoted to you she'd literally die for you-"
"Shut up, Jack!" Will's shout pierced across the deck of the Pearl, echoing through the still night air. "Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about so shut up!"
High above in the crow's nest, Paulie the Parrot squawked indignantly, the flaps of his wings the only sound to be heard on the now silent deck of the Black Pearl. Even Gibbs, who had been stationed at the helm for the first half of the night shift with Sloane to keep him company, was silent as they watched Will tower over Jack.
The blacksmith was panting for breath, his brown eyes wild and furious, and his fists clenched tight into the scruff of Jack's shirt. Jack himself was looking surprised but satisfied and smug at the result as he hissed:
"Oh, don't I?"
Will cursed himself as he caught sight of the gleam in the pirate's eyes.
He had played right into the knave's hands. Jack wanted to get under his skin, and Peggy's condition gave him the ammunition he needed to hit Will where it hurt most.
"Funny you of all people would accuse me of not knowing," the man sneered as Will let him go and quickly stepped back. "Especially since you know I know exactly what I'm talking about."
"What are you after, Jack?" Will growled, the dregs of his self-control hanging on by a thread. "Why are you doing this?"
"Oh, many reasons could come to mind. I could easily waste away the night listing them chronologically or alphabetically" Jack leaned back casually against the railing of his ship. "But since your simple brain cannot comprehend such matters, I'll keep it short and sweet." His brown eyes narrowed and his voice softened to a sneer "You hurt my girl; now you got to pay the price. The question is…how will you pay for it, hmm?"
Will shivered as the kohl-lined brown eyes bore into him with such icy fury that he almost stepped back. It was eerie how flamboyant and bewildering the pirate could be in one moment and deadly terrifying in the next.
Will always prided himself on being brave in the face of danger. However, being on the receiving end of Jack's hatred and ire was perhaps one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of his life. Not even Peggy, furious in her selkie form, held a candle to this.
Jack was not one quick to temper, but if there was one thing his killing of Barbossa proved, it did not mean he was a man easily crossed.
"Jack, I…" Will gulped down on his nerves, though he could not meet the pirate's eyes. "I…I never meant to hurt Peggy. Truly, I swear I did not know!" he cried out as Jack scoffed and took another quaff of his drink. "I…I always thought we cared for one another only as friends. I did not realise she felt so strongly for me, and she never told me-"
"Probably because she knew you were in love with someone else." Jack snorted, and Will groaned as his head fell into his hands. "Probably because she had to grow up listening to your sorry arse mooning over that noble brat while she slaved away and did everything for you without any gratitude."
"Shut it, Jack! I was always grateful for what Peggy did for me. We had a good lif,e and we were happy-"
"And yet you chose to give up that happy life for the high life the minute you saw your chance." Jack's eyebrows rose coldly. "Just like your father, ey?"
"How dare you-" Will breathed, feeling like he had been punched in the guts. Jack, however, did not seem to be bothered by his distress.
"Oh, I dare quite easily. See, I knew your dad well in the days before he got tied up by the old bootstraps. Guess I should have seen the signs. You may have inherited most of your good looks from your mother's side, but you are your father's son."
Will stared at the deck, unable to look Jack in the eye from disgust. He could not believe Jack would stoop so low…even if he did know his father better than he did…and had sailed with him…had trusted him like a friend.
"Let me ask you something, Will," Jack coughed as he accidentally swallowed some rum down the wrong pipe. "Let's just say" – Cough – "If Pegsy had told you that she loved you right here, right now, and that you had broken her heart and doomed her to death because of what you did. What would you do ey?"
"What do you mean 'what would you do?' I'd try to help her any way I could!" Will stared at the pirate incredulously.
"And how would you do that ey?" Jack rolled his eyes "What if the only way to help her was to return her affections and leave Elizabeth for good-"
"Jack, you can't just ask me to abandon the woman I love for-"
"Ahh! There we have it!" Jack steamrolled over the top of the blacksmith with a roll of his eyes. "You claim to care the world about Pegsy, but when push comes to shove, and your cushy life gets threatened, you back out. And yet, despite all that, you want to have your cake with Pegsy and eat the one you have with Elizabeth, too."
Will shut his mouth, though, from anger or horror at himself, he could not tell.
"Just because I don't return Peggy's feelings doesn't mean I want to see her die." He whispered, feeling his eyes burn with unshed tears. "Besides, it would be cruel of me to pretend to return her feelings to save her life. What if she found out that I did that…it would break her heart even worse."
"Ha!" Jack laughed, a hollow, derisive sound that sent chills through Will's bones. "Funny…Pegsy said the exact same thing when I asked her the same question."
"She did?" Will felt his heart sink at this. Then again, he reasoned, she did know him better than most.
"Aye. She did." Jack sneered at Will. "Right after she started wallowing about how she'd never be able to compare with how perfect Elizabeth is. Stupid girl," Jack shook his head and sighed, "got it in her head that she's ugly and worthless because she ain't some prissy and posh English Rose like your fiancé. Can you imagine? Pegsy, a gorgeous child of the ocean, calling herself ugly? I would have slapped her if she weren't in such a state."
With every word, Will felt like a shard of glass had been hammered home into his heart.
Peggy, a beautiful woman Will had seen men fight for, thought herself ugly. Peggy, who was so proud of her skills as a pirate, her prowess with a sword, and her ability to fight her own battles, thought herself worthless.
Will could feel his legs shake from the shock. He could not believe what he was hearing. It was bad enough to know he had hurt her feelings. But to know that he had not just broken her heart, but also her self-esteem, her happiness…her spirit…
"Where is she?" He gulped down on the hard lump in his throat. "Where is Peggy?"
"Where do you think she is, mate? In her nook." Jack shrugged. "Why?"
"I've got to talk to her." Will took a step away, but Jack quickly grabbed his arm.
"And why do you need to talk to her?"
"Why do you think Jack?!" Will snapped, jerking his shoulder out of Jack's grip. "I need to talk with her about all this. I need to hear the truth from her—the whole truth."
"Ahh. Don't trust ol' Jack with this, do you?" Jack smirked.
"You said so yourself; you wanted me to pay for hurting Peggy," Will growled. "How do I know you're not just saying this all to me to get back at me?"
"Good question," Jack admitted. But I would not bother talking to Pegsy right now. She's a bit indisposed."
"Why?"
"Because she's three sheets to the wind and passed out in her bed, that's why." The pirate lord shrugged.
"You mean you plied her with drink? You know she's a light-weight!" Will snarled, and Jack sighed in exasperation.
"It was the only way to get her to sleep after all that pain she was in."
"Pain?" Will's nostrils flared, and Jack grimaced, looking uncomfortable for the first time since the conversation began.
"Aye. Apparently, these selkies take this broken heart thing a bit too literally."
Will felt all the blood drain from his face as he touched his chest.
"Well, as much as I enjoy watching you squirm, I got to hit the sack. This ship ain't gonna captain itself in the mornin'." Jack clapped him on the shoulder as if they were old buddies chewing the fat rather than captain and crew arguing.
Will watched the man walk away, his heart sinking lower and lower into his chest till he almost swore it was falling out onto the deck below.
So that pain he had felt earlier…was that from Peggy?
She was dying in pain…because of him?
Will Turner shut his eyes.
Oh god, was she in that pain right now?
Was that what he was feeling in his chest?
Will barely heeded Jack's warning shout as he rushed past him into the captain's cabin. It was dark and lit only by a few candles burning in candelabras along the walls. However, based on all her descriptions, Will quickly found the door to Peggy's nook.
Quickly, he turned the handle of her door, pushing it open with a hard thrust of his shoulder as he called:
"Peg?!"
Will looked around the tiny space. It was only a tiny bit larger than the nook on the Interceptor, and it was more lived-in if the trinkets and silks hanging from the ceiling were any indication. The full moon glowed through a large window on the wall opposite the door, illuminating the bed cot built into the wall.
And there she was in that bed under a thick grey blanket. Peggy's copper hair strewn about the thin pillow and her skin pale under the moonlight. She was on her side, curled into a tight ball, her hand clutching her shirt around her chest. Will felt something inside him crack as he saw the glistening tear tracks staining her freckled cheeks as she whimpered and moaned softly in pain.
Will knew the sounds well, for he had looked after her often whenever she caught a fever. Swift as lightning, he reached out to touch her forehead. Her temperature felt normal. However, the second he tried touching her skin again, she recoiled, eyes shut and whispered desperately:
"No-no-no!"
Will pulled his hand away sharply, staring down at her in horror. He noticed her claws had extended from her nails and were scratching nastily at the skin on her chest.
"Will, get out here!" Jack warned as he slouched into the cabin after the blacksmith, but Will was not listening. "That's an order lad!"
Without pausing, Will reached out and grabbed Peggy's hands. He was unsure what he hoped to achieve, but anything had to be better than watching her claw at her heart like a beast digging up dirt. His eyes shut as he caught sight of the dark red scratches over her skin, one or two marks, dribbling a few droplets of blood.
Half-asleep, Peggy squirmed desperately, trying to get her hands out of Will's grasp as she curled in on herself. Still, Will held on, lacing his fingers in hers to stop her from twisting out of his grip.
"Disobeyin' a direct order from your captain? I should have ye thrown in the brig for this." Jack shook his head as he stalked up behind Will's back.
"She's hurting herself!" Will whispered fiercely, and Jack sucked in a sharp breath as he, too, caught sight of the scratches.
"Damn, girl. You, Sloane, go get some sea water and some rags."
"Aye, captain."
Will clenched his hands on Peggy's as he heard the male selkie leave. Of course, Sloane would become the captain's pet so quickly. The man was just so helpful.
But Will's bitterness at the man was overpowered when Jack moved to lean on the wall by Peggy's head, arms folded.
"Do you believe me now?" The pirate snorted. However, Will could not sense any of his sadistic pleasure from before. Not even Jack could find anything amusing about this situation. "Truth hurts, don't it?"
"There has to be some way to stop this," Will whispered, staring at Peggy's claw-like nails as they withdrew and became normal human ones again. He could make out the stains of fresh blood just beneath her nailbeds on a couple of them. "We can't just let her die like this. Whatever I did to her…I can't just…"
"We all die eventually, William." Jack snorted bitterly. "Some just get to the finish line faster than others. You just happened to push her along to get there faster. Now…if only there was a way to pull her somehow back that would be somethin' savvy?"
There was a pause as Will looked up at the pirate. His eyebrows were quirked conspiratorially as he nodded to the rag that Will had tucked away in his belt.
Will looked down at the scrap of cloth, remembering his earlier deal.
"I take it you have a plan then."
"Nope. None whatsoever." Jack admitted. "But I'll figure it out soon. Just need a few more bits and bobs. Besides, if you're serious about savin' this one and makin' amends-"
"Of course I am!"
"-Then you'll do everything in your power to help me find that key first, ey?"
"Why? What's so special about it?" Will frowned suspiciously, and Jack shrugged.
"Dunno yet." Jack shrugged nonchalantly. "That's why we need to find out as soon as possible. An' accordin' to Master Gibbs, we should be there in the morning."
"Where?"
"You'll see, mate." Jack gently brushed some of Peggy's curls from her face before patting her cheek. "Now, if you want to sleep here tonight, that's fine. But if Pegsy wakes up and boots you out, then out you go, savvy?"
"Aye…I will." Will nodded, grateful that Jack was letting him off the hook for his blatant invasion of his space.
He should have thrown Will in the brig for insubordination when he had yelled at him.
But Jack needed Will. As angry as the pirate was at him, he needed Will's help to get what he wanted.
"Captain Sparrow. The seawater and rags." Sloane hissed from behind Will's back.
"Good man, pass 'em here. You Will," Jack swatted Will's shoulder and thrust a small bucket of seawater and the clean rags into his hand. "Clean her up, and no funny business. You, Sloane, get back on deck with Gibbs toot sweet."
Will sighed but kept his mouth shut as Jack left the nook and shut the door behind him. At least the pirate captain had not told Sloane to clean Peggy up. Will did not think he could handle it, knowing that Selkie had put his hands all over Peggy while she was asleep and helpless.
She was still dead asleep to the world, the alcohol and her exhaustion rendering her utterly oblivious to his presence. Will wished she'd wake up. He had to tell her how sorry he was and make things right. She had to know that he did not mean for any of this to happen. Even if he did love someone else, that did not mean she was worthless or unworthy. She had to know that. He could not let her die in all this pain, thinking she was useless and unloved.
He shut his eyes as an image flashed across his mind. It was of his mother, with her long brown hair and a tired but lovely face, lying pale and still in a bed. He clutched at her hand and begged her to wake up while one of his neighbours tried to pull him away to a safe distance so he would not catch any of the disease that had taken her so swiftly in the night.
He had almost forgotten about that day, not because he did not love his mother, but because it was too painful to think about. One moment, she had been tucking him in for bed with a gentle kiss goodnight; the following day, she was gone. And now the only person who would comfort him whenever he woke up in tears from the memory was about to face the Grim Reaper…because of him.
Jack sighed as his brown kohl-lined eyes peeked through the keyhole of his cabin girl's nook.
Inside, he could see the young blacksmith sinking to his knees and resting his head on the side of Peggy's bed. His shoulders shook as quiet sobs overtook him.
Good god, he had never seen Will Turner look so pathetic. The boy had faced Barbossa and cursed pirates and not even folded once. His stubbornness and courage in the face of danger were both traits that Jack was annoyed by and admired.
And yet, you put the consequences of his actions before the lad, and he crumpled like paper.
Then again, Jack would not deny he had expected some sadness, some impertinence and stubbornness, but this was…you'd think he had told the boy he had lost his wife and-
Jack froze as he looked over his shoulder at the sobbing whelp.
Oh, hell no…And yet Jack could not think of any other reason why the boy had such an intense response to all this mess.
You've got to be kidding me.
Peggy stared at the sun rising over the horizon. Unlike the day before, the sky was a perfect gradient of pink, orange, and gold. The breeze that flowed into the sails was gentle as it brushed through her curls and against her skin. The sky was cloudless, promising a nice dry day after all the rainy storms from the past week.
Though she did love the hustle and bustle of a busy ship, she did love these small moments at the crack of dawn, between day and night shifts, when the deck would be nearly deserted, and she could listen to the gentle waves, the whistle of the winds and the creaking of the wooden boards beneath her feet.
Even now, as her heart was heavy and her mind full of worry, Peggy could not help but relish in this small moment of peace.
According to Jack, who was stumbling around his cabin and getting dressed, they'd reach her shack within a few hours if Peggy had any guesses. By all the sea gods, land could not come any faster.
How long has it been since I first saw that witch? Peggy sighed to herself. Not since before I first met Jack, I think…and now here I am going to see her close to the end. How fitting.
Peggy sucked in a deep soothing breath of salt air, her eyes glancing back over her shoulder to the hutch that led below deck. Will was still fast asleep on the floor of her nook after helping tend to the scratches on her chest.
Peggy reached up to touch the two marks remaining. Even with the seawater he had swabbed, the deepest marks were hardly faded.
How fitting I should now have a scar over my heart like the devil himself.
That nightmare…the devil…It would not be too long till she had to see him again.
A small part of her wondered if that demon's damned ship would be as terrifying to her as it was when she was little. After all, she had a few years of sailing and even fought undead cursed pirates. Yes, the Devil himself frightened her, but that was more because she knew what he was capable of than because of his appearance.
And yet, for all his actions, it was not the Devil that hurt her the most.
"In rage and sorrow, he did swear, To curse her name, her love laid bare, He carved his heart from out his chest, And hid it where their vows did rest." She sang softly, a smile creeping up her lips as her gaze drifted to the churning foam of waves splashing against the red and black hull of the Painted Lady.
"Now cruel and cold, he sails the sea, A heartless man, in agony, Yet deep within, he longs for death, To find her arms in final breath."
Was this how the devil felt as he sailed across oceans, chasing the night and pillaging lost souls to fill the void left by the one who betrayed him? She could not blame him for being harsh and cold if it was. But unlike him, she did not have the luxury of being able to put her heart in a chest and bury it where no one could hurt it.
She sighed as he remembered her talk with Jack the previous night. Well, she called it talk. Truth be told, it was more her weeping on the bed and sipping at his rum while he listened and drank.
He had been surprisingly patient as she recounted every miserable thing that had happened to her since they had parted ways. Of course, he had been surprised by the revelation that she was Cutler Beckett's daughter, though, to her astonishment, he was not angry or disgusted.
As Labelle had said, he found her parentage quite amusing. He laughed when Peggy recalled calling her father a 'hornswoggling bilge-rat.'
"Serves the bastard right." He had chortled, "Ahhh, wish I'd been there to see his face! To think, after all he put me through, his own flesh and blood would become a pirate."
Of course, he had gone on to warn her not to let anyone else know about this particular tidbit. Peggy could see why. Beckett had made himself many enemies who would be only too glad to use her to exact their revenge even if she opposed him.
Peggy's smile widened as she shut her eyes, letting the sea spray below hit her in the face, the sprinkle of cold droplets and the light breeze soothing against her face. Whatever Will had stolen of her heart, a piece of her would always belong to the sea; at least, that was some comfort.
She was so absorbed in soaking in the sun and the sea that she overlooked a figure clambering onto the deck behind her.
Will Turner sighed in relief as he caught sight of the back of a familiar head of fiery copper curls flying loose in the wind. She was wearing her breeches, shirt, and sash again, with a sword and pistol on her hips and a small smile playing on her lips as she basked, eyes closed, in the glory of the sunrise bathing the Black Pearl in golden light.
The call in his throat was silenced as she turned her head, eyes sliding open a fraction. Pricking her ears towards the rigging, she listened to the clanking of metal and the ship's creaking.
That smile was like the one that had haunted him for six months in that lonely apartment above the forge.
The one she had worn all those months ago, just before she had jumped off the Fort Charles bluff with Jack. She even had the golden sunlight shining on her hair. Her freckled face was soft and gentle, her grey-blue eyes sparkling like the water below as a couple of tears escaped them to trickle down her face.
Normally, Will would have leapt at the chance to wipe those tears off her face, but for some reason, he found himself rooted to where he stood, staring transfixed at the moisture on her cheeks as the sunlight danced off the droplets.
Was it the sea spray that had irritated her eyes? But then, why was she smiling in such resignation like that? Was she still feeling the effects of what happened last night?
He opened his mouth to call for her, only to shut his mouth as a familiar voice barked:
"Oy Lass! Get yer head outta the clouds and get ready!"
Will turned to glare at Gibbs, who had strode up from below deck, his expression haggard and tired from spending half the night at the helm.
Peggy, however, did not seem phased by the order. Indeed, she seemed glad, even a little fond of the older sailor.
"Morning Joshamee! You're in a lovely mood this morning." She quipped sarcastically as Gibbs shook his head.
"If by lovely do you mean my thighs and knees are still killin' me after that run from death yesterday, then yes, I suppose I am. How're ya feelin'? Better than last night?"
"A bit." Peggy nodded with a smile, and at once, Will felt his shoulders relax.
It was not a fake smile that she had worn aboard Labelle's ship but a real one. Now that he thought about it, though Peggy was still distressed, she was far more relaxed now she was back on the Black Pearl.
Almost as relaxed as if she were back at home in their apartment.
This is her home, his heart ached at the thought. For the past six months, this has been her home…without me…
His heart sank as he felt Gibb's tired eyes turn on him.
"Oh, Will, you're up? Good. You can go and help me with the longboat. And You, Peggy, get the Captain his breakfast, though I warn ya he's in an odd mood."
"The man is in an odd mood." Peggy rolled her eyes but nodded at the First mate before ducking her head to Will and mumbling.
"Will,"
"Peggy." He nodded back, his heart sinking as she dashed by him without a second glance, her cheeks flushed.
Gibbs watched as Will sighed in dismay, his brown eyes staring wistfully after Peggy as she dashed below deck for her chores.
As angry as Gibbs was at the lad for everything that had gone down in the last six months, he could not help but feel a little sorry for him, too. Whatever was said and done, the news Jack had dumped on him last night was not easy news for any man to swallow, and to the boy's credit, he was trying his best to put things right…even if his attempts were as clumsy as an oversized bull in a potters workshop.
"I've failed her…haven't I?" Will muttered, his tone listless and hollow as Gibbs strode up to him.
"Only if you give up on her now." The old sailor gripped his shoulder. "She ain't dead yet, lad. As me old ma used to say, it's not over until it is over. Now, come on, help me with this longboat. Put those blacksmith hands to good use."
Not long after breakfast, The Black Pearl and her crew reached the mainland of Cuba, very close to the mouth of a narrow river that led out to sea and started from deep within the bowels of a dense, lush jungle.
Will and Peggy somehow found themselves side by side in the large, soot-coloured longboat, which was being rowed by Pintell and Ragetti and guarded by Marty and Gibbs. Both had their guns loaded and prepped at the ready.
In a smaller boat a few feet ahead of the upriver were Jack, Cotton, Paulie, and Sloane, who had been tasked to row by Jack while Cotton held onto a birdcage that now contained Jack, the Undead Monkey. It had taken Pintel and Ragetti all morning. Still, eventually, they had managed to lock the primate away with unintentional help from Sloane, who had been eating a piece of fruit that they had stolen straight from his hand to lure the animal.
The male selkie had been especially peeved at the two buffoons, and so Jack had thought it best to keep them separate if only to keep the already mounting tensions from exploding.
Now that Peggy had considered it, Jack managed to keep his crew in line pretty well despite the anxieties plaguing his mind.
For starters, he kept Will working closely with Gibbs. The older sailor had always been fond of the blacksmith and was good at keeping him busy. Marty had been put to work keeping an eye on Sloane, and after serving Jack his breakfast, Peggy had been put in charge of keeping her eyes on Pintel and Ragetti to see if they were behaving themselves.
Now that the two men had been freed of the curse of Isla de Muerta, they were far more skittish around Jack and his new crew and incredibly nervous around Peggy.
They kept calling her Miss Blake or Miss Peggy. Peggy found it weird, as she remembered how often they sneered at her when she first joined Jack's crew as a young girl. However, they were nearly as bootlicking and deferential to her as they were to Jack.
Was it because she was a selkie? Or was it because of her connection to the pirate lord?
Either way, Peggy would be watching them for any deception moving forward. Leopards, even two as cowardly and snivelling as them, did not change their spots so easily.
"Why is Jack so afraid of the open ocean?" Will whispered as they watched Jack flinch at the sight of a fish's fin skimming above the river's surface.
"Well, if you believe such things," Gibbs coughed, leaning forward conspiratorially. "There's a beast does the bidding of Davy Jones. A fearsome creature with giant tentacles that'll suction yer face clean off and drag an entire ship down to the crushing darkness. The Kraken."
Gibbs's shudder was echoed by everyone else on the boat, even Will, who was listening with horrified fascination as the old sailor continued:
"They say the stench of its breath is like…" Imagine, the last thing you know on God's green earth is the roar of the Kraken and the reeking odour of a thousand rotting corpses…Well…if you believe such things." Gibbs gulped down on his fear as he readjusted his grip on his gun.
"And the key will spare him that?" Will frowned.
"Well, that's the very question Jack wants answered," Peggy mumbled, looking at Gibbs, who nodded.
"Aye, bad enough even to go visit…HER."
"Her?" Will quirked a brow, glancing again at Peggy for an explanation.
"Tia Dalma…an old friend of his." Peggy coughed stiffly. "She's a voodoo priestess."
"Voodoo?" Pintel scoffed. "What as in witchy stuff like ooh! " The grimy pirate wiggled his fingers in Peggy's face, which Will was quick to swat down.
"I would not try that if I were you." Peggy's lip curled, and the coldness in her stare quickly cowed the pirate. "but yes, she does practice magic...of a sort…the powerful…really old kind."
"You seem quite familiar with her work." Will tilted his head at her, and Peggy grimaced.
"I stayed with her a while when I was young." She shifted in her seat. "After I fell off my father's ship, and I overstayed my welcome on another ship, I was dumped off near this very river. She took me in and helped me get back on my feet. She told me when I was ready that I should head for Tortuga…That not all pearls of freedom were to be found in oysters." Peggy glanced pointedly at Jack's stiff back. "She and Jack were quite 'close' back in the day. Helped him find a few interesting artefacts, and gave him information, so long as he paid the right price...or satisfied her curiosity…among other things." She grimaced in disgust, and Will smirked as he guessed her meaning.
"I'm guessing he hasn't seen her in a long time."
"As far as I know." Peggy glanced at Gibbs, who shrugged.
"Your guess is as good as mine, lass."
"We can trust her, though?" Will frowned at Peggy, who sighed.
"That depends,"
"On what?"
"If she likes you." Peggy answered, "And she can be very fickle. I'm amazed she likes Jack, given how often he likes to nick stuff from his lovers."
"Captain Jack has always had a way with the ladies." Ragetti sniggered at Pintel as he hauled on his oar. "Remember that fussy noblewoman from Hispaniola?"
"Which one?" Pintel snorted.
"Y'know, the one with the huge knockers." Ragetti tried only for Pintel now to roll his eyes.
"That doesn't narrow the list down at all!"
They kept bickering softly, much to everyone's exasperation. Everyone except Peggy was keeping a close watch on Jack's back with a pensive look, and Will was watching her closely.
Was it just his imagination, or did she look guilty?
She might feel embarrassed about last night,… he mused, though he did not say anything about it.
After that, they kept rowing in semi-silence, the only sounds coming from Pintel and Ragetti as they argued and bickered about Jack's numerous escapades.
Still, Will watched Peggy listlessly stare over the river, her eyes occasionally flickering to a few of the natives that lived along its banks.
According to Gibbs, a whole village lived in and amongst the jungle stretched along the entire river. They were very secretive and dangerous, but as long as the crew of the Pearl kept to themselves and stayed in the good books of the voodoo priestess, they would not face any threat from anyone along their journey.
She must be quite a formidable witch if she can garner the respect of Jack and a selkie. Will thought, shutting his eyes, his ears pricking as Peggy began to hum the now familiar tune of The Torment of Calypso…all the while tracing her chest where the scratches had once been.
They had long since healed after Peggy had taken the opportunity to splash herself with seawater as they rowed out from the Black Pearl. But Will would never forget the sight of the blood on her skin in a hurry. And nor it seemed, would she.
How much pain did one have to be in to claw at their own body like that?
Then he remembered the song she was singing and felt his insides shudder.
Hadn't there been a line about a man carving out his heart?
Even so, he found himself leaning tiredly into Peggy's shoulder, his body seeking her warmth as they drifted along the river.
"Will?" Peggy frowned as she felt the blacksmith sigh and melt into her side.
"Let him be." Gibbs hushed her as they watched Will's breathing slow down. "He's been up most of the night."
Peggy sighed and gently took Will's head, manoeuvring him down so he was draped over her lap instead. As much as her brain told her to shove him off and wake him up, she could not help but remember all those lazy Sundays they read in front of the fireplace in Mister Brown's apartment after church. Or rather, she would read on the floor, and Will would fall asleep with his head in her lap as he listened to her, occasionally piping in when he missed a passage or wanted to laugh at some line.
They had not done that in years…not since Will had taken over most of Mister Brown's workload that would force him to work late into the evenings, even after dinner.
Those had been simpler days.
If I had told him everything back then…could we have been happy? Or was it never enough for him? Would he always have pined for more? Peggy wondered as she continued to hum under her breath, her fingers drifting through Will's brown locks.
As she stared out over the passing riverbank, she was completely unaware of the blacksmith on her lap, sighing in contentment.
Contrary to what his crewmates believed, Will was not fast asleep. He was tired but not so much that he would drift off so easily. He had been about to pry himself from Peggy's shoulder when she moved his head over her legs.
He would have protested the change in position had he not felt her fingers thread themselves into his hair.
Then, he felt like all his thoughts had flown out the window.
God, he had missed this.
He had almost forgotten what it felt like to have her hands on his head like this, gently stroking through his locks, brushing them away from his face, untangling the occasional knots with such a tender touch he hardly felt any pain.
And on top of that, her lap was so warm and soft, the familiar sensation of her body moving up and down as she breathed so soothing against the back of his head…
How long had it been since he had been so calm in her arms like this?
That's right, not since he was sixteen. He had stopped sitting with her in the afternoons after church because Mister Brown had doubled his workload.
That old drunk bastard, Will, cursed his old master. It had been one of the few times in the week where Will could safely relax and sit and be without having to think, and even that had to be taken from him. It was also the only day off he and Peggy had shared. They had gotten so busy with work that apart from breakfast and dinner, they could hardly spend as much time together, just enjoying one another's company save that one day.
Only after Will got engaged to Elizabeth he got those free afternoons back. At first, they were fun as he spent many of them officially courting Elizabeth, getting to know her again and spending time with her. But once the ring was on her finger, boom, all his free time was gone, and it was off to appointments for wedding planning or visiting other noblemen friends, taking lessons in etiquette and politics, and talking to vendors. Any rare time Will did have time to himself back at his apartments, he also monopolised doing all the chores around the house. Chores that Peggy used to keep up with like clockwork.
Of course, Will had adapted quickly to life alone again, but even he had to admit, Peggy had left him some pretty big shoes to fill when it came to keeping up with the housekeeping. Of course, he did help her out when they were living together, but those moments hardly felt like work, for they would while away the hours chatting or simply enjoying each other's quiet company.
Spending time with Elizabeth…well, it was fun. But it also left him feeling a little on edge. She often had many things planned in her day and was always rushing to go somewhere or talk to someone. Not a day went by when she was always either hosting someone or visiting one of her many friends and though they were her friends, Will was not quite sure he liked their company. They were polite with him, but it was a sharp, cold sort of politeness that made him feel less included and more tolerated. And they always seemed to be chipping and changing their minds about who or what they liked depending on how fashionable it was. Will often wondered if many of her friends weren't just nice to Elizabeth because of her station as the Governor's daughter. When dealing with him alone, they were far more awkward and, in some cases, just snide. One or two were genuinely nice people, but even they were few and far between.
Then there was Elizabeth herself. Yes, she was no longer the same sweet girl he had once admired in their youth, and yes, she had grown into a very astute, capable, beautiful and adventurous young woman. However, she sometimes fell into the trap of superficiality, just as her noble peers did. Will felt his chest ache with guilt as he remembered one dinner party two months ago when one of the single men who had been invited had gotten a little tipsy and would not stop flirting with her. Will had gotten quite uncomfortable and had politely asked him to stop, but Elizabeth had quickly shushed him and told him to let the man continue to make a fool of himself.
However, Will sensed that she had secretly enjoyed the attention since the next day, and she could not stop talking and giggling about it the next day. It did not help that the man had been handsome and one of her previous admirers before either Will or Norrington entered the picture. It had taken her father, Governor Swann, to get her to understand Will's perspective, as he had also disapproved of the man's behaviour. Of course, Elizabeth had apologised profusely to Will when the point had gotten through, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was to keep the peace and stop an argument.
Now that Will thought about it, he nor Elizabeth had hardly fought in the last six months, and if they had, she often won in some form or another. Usually, people would have boasted and felt pleased about such an achievement, but to Will, it felt odd. Everyone had told him it was all a part of the newlywed/honeymoon phase, never to argue and be over the moon about one another. However, Will had grown up watching many courtships and marriages in the village, and even the most loving of couples would occasionally argue about small things. Hell, even he and Peggy bickered and ragged on one another while they lived together. But Elizabeth seemed almost desperate to snuff out any conflict before it happened, even if it meant stifling any room for any tough conversation about their future.
Sometimes, it seemed to Will that the wedding was more important to Elizabeth than their married life afterwards.
Whenever Will brought up a tough conversation about the future beyond, he was often sent to talk to her father. Yet, while Governor Swann was a good person to look to for advice, he was, first and foremost, Elizabeth's father, not Will's. Of course, he would take his daughter's side over Will's in any argument.
Also, he was marrying Elizabeth. Surely they should be on the same page to share a life? Or did she believe they would have a life separate from one another like all the other noblemen and noblewomen did when they married?
Will kept telling himself to be understanding that she had grown up differently from him and would most likely expect different things in her marriage…still did that have to mean his views were shunted to the side? What if they had children together? He knew it was unusual for a man of his new social standing, but he did want to be more involved in his children's lives. But would Elizabeth foist their future child off to a nursemaid or a governess without consulting him like Beckett had done to Peggy and her little sister Katrina? Would he just be expected to follow along with what she wanted because he should count himself lucky to have married into her wealth and status?
Unbidden Will remembered Peggy holding little Timmy Barker after the attack on Port Royal. How natural she was with him even in the face of danger. Then how patient and kind she was with young Katrina, despite the girl being the daughter of the woman who had tried to kill her?
Would Elizabeth be as hands-on or understanding with her future children?
All these questions, and yet his bride-to-be would not even talk to him about any of them.
He buried himself into Peggy's lap as she shushed Pintel and Ragetti before their newest round of bickering could get loud and out of hand again.
Oh, how Will wished all this mess about the Selkie bond never existed, if only so he could talk to Peggy properly like they used to.
It did not have to be about Elizabeth or his marriage. He just wanted to talk with someone without feeling stifled into agreeing for the sake of keeping the peace. He wanted to discuss his problems or even argue with her if she disagreed. He wanted to hear her swear at him and get exasperated, to see her facepalm at his stupidity or make a snide remark to his face to rile him up.
Even with all the drama of the past few days, Will had never felt more free. Hell, he would take being punched in the face any day over being forced to sit through another dinner where concerns were shoved under the carpet, never to be talked of again.
I shouldn't think like that. I love Elizabeth. I chose to marry her. This is just our bump in the road to our happiness. That's all it is. We'll figure something out. We will…
Yet as the thought crossed his mind, so too did another voice pipe up viciously.
How can you figure something out if she won't even talk to you about it? Face it. If it were Peggy, you wouldn't have this problem because she'd tell you if something bothered her.
Except now, she was not telling him a thing. Now, she was hiding away, flinching from his touch, avoiding his eye, hardly able to stay in the same space with him without someone to act as a buffer. Her heart weighed with sadness, and she refused to put it into words to spare his feelings. However, given what Will had discovered, he could not blame her for wanting to keep her distance.
He had hurt her. He had hurt her so badly and so brutally she could not be around him without it causing her such ungodly pain in her chest.
The fact that she had lowered her guard around him to let him rest on her lap like this after all they had been through surely had to mean that, deep down, the same feisty, loving, kind girl he had picked up on that beach was still in there and still cared for him.
She was just buried under all the hurt…hurt he had inflicted upon her when he had broken her heart.
But how had he done it? Was there a catalyst? When was the damage done, and how?
She always knew he had feelings for Elizabeth, so when had it all changed? When had it gotten so bad and so painful that she had no choice but to leave? Was it when she met Jack again after all those years? Was it when Barbossa forced her to reveal her true selkie nature?
Will felt that if he knew those details, it would go a long way in helping him find a way to stop the broken bond from killing her. Whether or not he returned her feelings, he could not bear the thought of watching her die in such agony.
In the meantime, however, he would settle for being in her arms and listening to her soft humming.
He knew it was rotten of him to lap up her attention like this, especially now that they came from such a deep place of love.
God, Jack was right, wasn't he? He was selfish and stupid. But still, Will lay there with his head on her lap, just breathing it all in, letting the sounds of the jungle and her soft humming soothe his soul as he tried his best to push aside all other thoughts from his mind.
What he would give to be back in their dingy apartment on a Sunday afternoon, his head on her like this as she read a book aloud to him on the floor. The stew they would have made from their visit to the market would be gently simmering, the sound of the crackling hearth mingling with the noises of the village outside, adding a pleasant background ambience to her voice.
There was the scuffling of shoes and Marty's voice hissing softly from the bow of the longboat.
"There it is!"
"Will. Will, wake up," Peggy whispered as she gently shook his shoulder and ruffled his hair.
Will almost stayed put where he was, a piece of him hoping she would repeat the action.
However, he could feel Gibbs' boot nudging him and knew he could not get away with his act for long.
With a grunt, he opened his eyes and prized himself from Peggy's lap, stretching out his arms.
"Sorry, Peg." He mumbled, pinching his nose. "Just drifted off."
"Well, you better wake up quick, smart." Gibbs hissed, his face a foreboding mask as he nodded ahead in the gloom.
"We're here."
Yes, we are finally at Tia Dalma's shack.
Will finally knows what he did to Peggy, and Jack gives him the wake-up call he needs. It's nice to have Jack and Peggy reunited again before all the crazy stuff goes down. I figured that even if Annamaria had opened the floodgates, only Jack could truly hammer the point home for Will, if only because he seems like the kind of character who enjoys digging and twisting the knife. Apologies if anyone is OOC, but we'll soon get into the more juicy meat.
It was interesting to delve more into Will's thoughts in this chapter, especially his past with his mother. She's mentioned a few times in passing, but she always seems to be thrown aside in favour of the drama with his dad in the movies. You'd think having a mother die when you're young would have a profound impact on a person.
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please keep reading, reviewing, faving, or following for more.
Cheers
Fuzzybeta