Standing Guard
By Namarie
Boots scraping the sand, Jack made his way up the beach from the cove. "Damned undignified way to come ashore," he thought, as he waved back to the two crew in the rowboat.
Commenting to the moon, he made his way up the beach. "The things I do in the name of.Nope, not going to go there yet, matey. Soon, but not yet." Casting a smile down to his fully formed human hand, he waved his fingers in the moonlight. Being mortal was a marvelous state, especially if you threw a nice meal, good rum and a warm body into the mix.
Eighteen months of pillaging, with a bit of adventure thrown in for good measure, and here he was right back where he started from: boots wet, parrot running reconnaissance over head and trying to avoid Norrington's inept, but still visible, guard. Luckily, it being two days before Christmas, he counted upon a bit of laziness in the ranks, not to mention a bit of whisky on the lads' tables.
Glancing up, he watched Cotton's parrot. It sat quietly perched on a window. No alarms yet. Stepping into the cobblestone street, his eyes slid in scrutiny, but no one was about at this hour of the night. His only company was the single cat that sat bathing on an old barrel. Heading toward the smithy, Jack filched an apple from an open cart and took a big, sweet bite. Three bites later, the apple was mostly gone, and he tossed the remains toward an open alley. A mouse immediately snatched the core. Smiling, Jack watched as the old orange tabby quickly pounced on its new dinner. Winking, he whispered at the cat, "We pirates need to stick together, mate," then proceeded across the square.
Pushing open the smithy's doors, Jack paused to watch. Standing over the fire pit, Will intently worked the bellows as he pulled a sword from the fire. Will's hair was tied back, and Jack watched as sweat drizzled from Will's brow down to his jaw -- a bead hung suspended for an endless moment then dropped, disappearing into his open shirt. Licking his lips, Jack slid through the door and closed it softly behind him.
Will placed the molten blade on an anvil, reaching his hand out to grab at a mallet. At the last second, Jack saw Will's body tense and the hand aim instead for a rapier lying to the side. With a whirl, Will grabbed the sword, swung around and smashed smartly up against Jack's now drawn cutlass.
Parry, stroke, block - Jack tried backing Will into the forge, but the strategy didn't work any better than the first time he'd tried it all those months ago. Feigning to the left, Jack brought his blade up, slapped the width of the blade across Will's backside and reached for a bucket. Seconds later, Will stood before him, drenched, bucket on his head, swinging his blade in blind defense.
"That wasn't fair."
Rolling his eyes, Jack pushed the edge of the bucket up with the tip of his sword. Peering into the warm brown eyes he smiled, "Pirate!" and let the bucket drop back.
Will shrugged out of the bucket and set it on the floor. Setting the rapier aside, he grasped Jack on the arm in a bid of welcome. "What brings you back?"
Jack cocked his head allowing his beads to rattle, "You."
Brows drawn together, Will stared back. "You need more arms?"
Biting down the thought of 'only two', Jack replied. "No, well, yes. More arms are always good, but what I need is a new first mate."
Stepping back, Will's eyes widened. "What about Briggs?"
Jack waved his hands in a dance of interruption. "He's still there, but getting old. He needs an easier job that keeping that crew in line. Savvy?"
Will nodded in understanding. "And Ana Maria ? She -"
Jack cut him off. "Fell in love is what she did -- with a barkeep off the coast of Telios. Horrible thing: romance, flowers, strange singing all hours of the night, free rum for the crew after the ceremony." He paused a moment, "Well, that part wasn't so bad."
Jack shuddered. "Nasty thing, respectability. Do you know she actually wanted me to give her away?" He stopped again to peer wide-eyed in revulsion. "Cad was something of a pirate himself once, lost his sea legs a few years back and now sells ale at his own place. When we shipped out, Ana Maria was talking about curtains. Can you imagine? 'Curtains'!"
Will's warm grin widened and then Jack watched as it started to fade.
"So, I says to me self, I need a new right-hand woman. Well, in your case, man. And I know exactly where to find her. Him. So, what do you say?"
Shaking his head, Will walked back to the forge and began to bank the fire. "Not exactly what I had planned, but thank you for the offer."
Jack walked forward, peered at the rack before him, then pulled a rapier from its scabbard. Balancing it, he sighted down the blade. "Elizabeth's been gone over a year. That isn't going to change. And staying here, in this town, running this forge - you're not going to change."
He looked up at Will's short gasp. "Oh, yes, I may have been to sea, but the winds carry the news as strong as any gale. Not much gets missed, if you just know where to listen."
Jack flipped the sword up, balanced it by its handle on his forefinger. Slowly circling to keep the sword straight, he purposely didn't look at Will.
"I don't want to discuss her."
Flicking his hand up in the air, he watched as the sword neatly arced, somersaulted and then sailed back down. It, of course, landed neatly in his grip. "Never asked about her, did I?"
Slicing through the air twice, he nodded over the clean sound of the blade as it sang. "I need a first mate. You need a change of scenery. I need someone who isn't going to try to slit my throat in the night, or, worse yet, commit mutiny. You need to stop practicing three hours a day with these swords, after having spent twelve hours making them. I need a good right hand - someone who understands the differences between rules and 'guidelines'. You need, well," he paused. Replacing the blade in the scabbard, he turned to Will. "We both know what you need, and it isn't here." Reseating the scabbard in its rack, he leaned into the wall.
Will looked at him dubiously. "Give me one good reason why I should go with you?"
Pushing off the wall, Jack bowed gallantly, "Why my boy, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. That's all the reason any one needs."
***
An hour later, Will was following Jack up the beach. He still wasn't sure what exactly had convinced him - but a deal had been struck. Truthfully, he believed Jack wore him down. It was hard enough keeping up with the work, day-to-day. But the exhaustion of fighting to keep everything else from his mind and Jack - well, he decided it was easier to give in -- for this round anyway.
So here he was, slogging towards a longboat and watching Jack's boots as he followed them down the beach. It was only for the night, after all. He'd take a tour of the ship, say hello to the crew and he'd see what the morning brought. Besides it was so late it was almost morning anyway.
Footing slipping a bit on the sand, he refocused on keeping up to Jack's pace. This seemed harder than it normally did. He'd known Jack didn't walk straight - Will had decided long ago that Jack seemed to sashay everywhere. But Jack's steps seemed to flounce more than normal. Tired eyes following the boots, he noted that they were almost perpendicular to him.
Wait, that couldn't be right.
Now the boots were above him. Above?
He followed the boots up to the breeches and watched as a face came into view. Beads rattling, Jack's face was close.
"Will, my boy, when was the last time you slept?"
Will blinked at the question and thought hard. "I don't know - maybe two days ago? Could have been three. Why?"
The face came closer and the beads brushed against his face. "It's common for most people to sleep once a day. Sometimes for hours at a time. Maybe even through an entire night. As much as I want to encourage you to get some rest, sitting in the incoming tide on a chilly beach is not where I'd encourage you to do it."
Will blinked again and tried hard to understand Jack. A beach? He pulled a hand up to wipe at his tired eyes and found his cuff wet and his fingers crusted with moist sand.
Oh, he was flat on the beach! Well, that wouldn't do at all. Looking back from his wet hand to Jack, he struggled to sit up. "I thought we were going to the ship. Why are we sitting on the beach?"
Will watched as Jack's head cocked to the side and the beads rattled again. They were beginning to get quite distracting. He reached up to stop the noise and found his hand grasped in Jack's.
"We're not sitting on the beach. You are sitting on a beach. The rest of us," he stopped and nodded his head to the parrot who was sitting on a nearby rock, "Are going to the ship. Perhaps if you weren't sitting on the beach and instead were sitting on the long boat, you'd be closer to getting to the ship. Savvy?"
Will looked from the hand that held his, to the parrot and back to the beads that were now rattling again. The face was gone and his arm was being pulled. He allowed himself to rise and then listed sideways. The beads really rattled this time and he stared hard to see if he could find which ones were making the racket. The rattling grew louder and his face brushed against the beads as he was propelled up over Jack's shoulder, then swung down his back.
He was back to looking at the breeches and boots again. This time they were now upside down! He decided to close his eyes for just a moment to allow everything to settle back to where it was supposed to be. He felt himself sway once again, heard the beads rattle and then knew nothing.
***
Jack sighed. First he found the lad almost working himself to death at the forge and now he was struggling with an exhausted Will Turner who seemed to be developing an obsession with rubbing wet sand into his hair. Will's fixation on Jack's beads would have been much more disturbing, or enjoyable, Jack thought - if it weren't for the fact that Jack had no faith that Will could see anything at this point. Much less, understand it.
Pulling Will to his feet, Jack used the forward motion to swing the man up and over his shoulder. It wasn't the most decorous of positions, but it would allow Jack to carry Will to the transport quickly and efficiently. And, Jack admitted, he was nothing if not fabulously efficient.
They approached the long boat as Cotton's parrot settled onto his owner's shoulder. Jack gingerly stepped into the boat, then gently lifted Will from his shoulder and cradled him in his lap. Will's head lolled backward and Jack shifted to tuck Will's head under his chin. Once he was situated and assured Will was comfortable, Jack nodded to Cotton and Clancy, instructing them to begin rowing back to the ship.
***
A gentle rocking was the first thing he noticed. A slight creak echoed with the soft motions. He shifted a bit and slowly opened his eyes. Wooden rafters were above him. But these were too low to be from the forge. Blinking his eyes, he tried to think. Pulling a hand up to rub at his face he stared down his naked arm.
"Clothes should be dry in a bit."
Startled, he tried to sit up and shift toward the sound of the voice. Underestimating the rafter's height, he swiftly smacked his head on a beam.
Falling back against the bed, he waited for the flashing lights to clear from his brain.
" 'Err, now, none of that. You've been asleep most of the day as it is. I'll not have you putting yourself back out without at least having some tea and a proper meal."
Squinting, Will rolled a bit to the side and found Jack sitting on the side of the bed. "Jack? What? When? Where am I?"
"You're on me ship, that's where you are. Don't you remember? I came to the forge, plied you with logic, charm and a captivating argument. You, swayed by my unquestionable personal magnetism, agreed to come aboard for a visit."
Will stared hard at Jack. "Oh, I remember now. You came to the forge, we had a sword fight. You cheated again. I was tired, gave in and agreed to a short visit. I then fell asleep on the way here."
Jack nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what I just said." He looked over at the table. "You obviously do need some more rest, as you're repeating everything I say. But, first you really must eat. Hold on."
Jack rose and pulled a tray from the table. He settled on the far end of the bunk with the tray between them. "Eat."
Will was surprised to find that he was hungry, very hungry. He dug into the fresh food and bread, sharing a companionable silence with Jack while they cleared the tray.
Content, Will leaned back against the ship's wall, this time carefully avoiding the low beams. Pulling the blankets up to maintain some modesty, he looked around. "How long was I asleep?"
Settling back comfortably, Jack replied. "Well past four. You've slept more than twelve hours. I was beginning to think you'd never stop snoring."
"I do NOT snore!" Will protested as he noted the sparkle in Jack's eyes. Shaking his head, he faced toward the window and quietly added, "I also don't sleep undisturbed for hours at a time."
The slight rattle of beads was the only indication of Jack's movement. The next thing Will knew, Jack was leaning over him, with as intense a look as Will had ever seen.
"Do you remember anything else about last night?"
Will paused and thought back. It had been a dream, hadn't it? He closed his eyes and issued a long exhale.
Refusing to open his eyes and meet the penetrating gaze, Will softly spoke. "You promised. You carried me aboard and put me in bed. And you promised if I trusted you, that you'd make sure I slept peacefully. You promised to stand watch over my dreams."
Finally opening his eyes, Will noted that Jack's face had softened. Smiling slightly, he shook his head. "It shouldn't have worked. But I slept. And I awoke hungry, something that hasn't happened in a long time. How? How did you do it?"
Jack raised an eyebrow. "How? Well, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. I made a promise and I kept it."
Grinning widely, Will stifled a yawn. "That isn't really an answer. But it's probably the best I'm going to get, isn't it?" He shifted in bed. "I should be getting back to the forge. There are many new orders for the Port Guards that they're bringing in."
Jack sat back down on the bed. He straightened his legs, so that Will's were pinned beneath them under the bed covers. Sitting perpendicular to each other, Will couldn't help but notice the heat that penetrated the blankets and soaked into his thighs. It sent cascading warmth through his whole body.
"Wasn't it interesting that Norrington wasn't able to leave port to chase me after my last escape?"
Will watched as Jack's eyes focused back on him. "I hear there was a terrible fire in the armory the night before they were to leave in pursuit. So many of the weapons were destroyed, Norrington had to send out to the surrounding islands for supplies. I understand it took months for him to properly rearm."
Will looked blankly at Jack. "Yes, it was quite a mess. Took days to clean up. Not to mention the loss of the gun power and cannon balls - it was quite the fire. A pity really."
Jack nodded in agreement. "Yes, and yet, no one was injured. The stories were rampant in Tortuga about how all the guards had been called off on wild errands. One to investigate an odd light at the Governor's mansion, the others to chase down a wild boar that got loose in the armory's courtyard."
Will shrugged. "Wild boars are nothing to be trifled with. But then neither are fires. Everyone was extremely lucky."
Jack grunted at that. "Some of us, more than others, I believe."
Will's eyes widened.
"Amazing that. First the armory fire, then there was the incident with the mainsail on Norrington's new ship. Oh, and then there was the odd difficulty with a mast after that. The commodore and his men have been able to stay in port and defend the citizenry, but every time he tries to set sail to go pirate hunting, some tragedy befalls one of the fleet. It really is quite the run of luck for him."
Will studied the blanket on his lap with great intensity.
"Caused quite a rift didn't it? First with the Governor and then with Miss Swan. You seem to be choosing the odd side in this particular skirmish."
Will raised his eyes at that. "No. It wasn't odd. But there was no proof - I didn't - What I mean is, they couldn't."
Throwing up his hands, he groaned. "I couldn't let them catch you, Jack. It wouldn't have been right. I couldn't just stand aside, any more than I could have when you were standing on that gallows platform."
Ringed hands stopped his from fidgeting with the blankets. "It cost you a lot to protect me, Will. It cost you Elizabeth and your future with her."
Will nodded. "But it would have cost me more not to protect you. You once told me that I could accept that my father was a pirate and a good man. That being a pirate was in my blood and I'd have to learn to live with that one day. I finally did."
Will looked up from their clasped hands to Jack's eyes. "I also accepted that you're in my blood as much as anyone could ever be. There was no choice Jack, not for me. You were the only choice."
He slumped back against the pillows, closing his eyes in exhaustion and defeat.
"Took you long enough."
Eyes flashed open to meet Jack's laughing ones. "What?"
"I said it 'took you long enough.' I knew what was in your blood the day you stepped out of the crowd at the gallows with that hat on. That was the hat of a pirate, Will, not a blacksmith. I only had to bide my time until the rest of you caught up with your head - or, in this case at least, your hat." He cocked his head. "You've been choosing me for months, William Turner. Choosing me over everything else. I finally decided the time was right to let you know that I knew that you knew what was in your heart - and on your head. Savvy?"
Will lay stunned. "But how could you know? You knew? Why didn't you come, after Elizabeth and her father returned to England? Why now? And how did you know? The milliner's was selling that hat to others, it isn't a pirate hat, Jack!" Indignantly, Will grabbed the pillow from behind him and slapped it forward.
They scuffled over the pillow and then the blankets, each searching for more ammunition. Out of breath, Will found himself fully pinned below Jack on the bed. He could feel the cold metal of Jack's belt buckle as it pressed into his bare stomach. The soft rasp of breeches slid along his bare thighs. Jack held both of Will's hands in a firm grip beside his head.
"I'll tell you what I know. You belong here - on this ship. Beside me, beneath me and if you're a very good man, on occasion above me. You needed to be sure of you, of me and of your choices before I could come back. You're sure now and each time you sabotaged something of the Royal fleet's you told me how sure you were. You may not have believed that I would come back, or that I'd feel the same way, but you did what you did. I also know, in my heart, that that was the hat of a pirate!"
Before Will could object, Jack lowered his head. I light brushing of lips deepened as Will opened his mouth to tug at Jack's bottom lip with his teeth. The kiss intensified as tongues dueled. Finally pulling back, Jack studied Will for a long moment. "You need rest. You've been working way too hard to rebuild what you burned. Only you could have a guilty conscience for doing what you believed was right."
Will considered that for a moment. "It wasn't guilt exactly. They needed the weapons to defend the fort - and it takes time to replace that many blades. Besides, I had nothing else to do."
Leaning his forehead against Will's, Jack replied. "Well, you'll have much to keep you occupied now. I'll repeat my promise. Rest here and no dark dreams shall come to you. You don't need to worry about me, the crew or anyone else getting caught tonight."
Will nodded as Jack released his hands and stood up. "You're leaving?"
"No. I'm undressing. Unless, of course, you want to spend the rest of your day with a belt buckle and pistols digging into your back, I thought we'd be more comfortable if both of us were wearing the same thing. Savvy?"
Smiling grandly, Will watched as Jack quickly disrobed and then climbed back into bed. Jack settled Will on to his chest and bade him to rest. "I'll be right here when you wake. Enjoy the feeling and the freedom of the open seas."
Nestling down, Will allowed himself to revel in the strong embrace and the comfort of a protected rest. In moments he was fast asleep.
***
The pink sky of dawn began to stream through the window. Will shifted to look up at the man who held him.
"What time is it?"
"Early morning, December 25th - Merry Christmas!"
Jack leaned over, kissed him gently and whispered, "Take note William Turner, you'll always remember this is the day that you *caught* Captain Jack Sparrow!"
The End
By Namarie
Boots scraping the sand, Jack made his way up the beach from the cove. "Damned undignified way to come ashore," he thought, as he waved back to the two crew in the rowboat.
Commenting to the moon, he made his way up the beach. "The things I do in the name of.Nope, not going to go there yet, matey. Soon, but not yet." Casting a smile down to his fully formed human hand, he waved his fingers in the moonlight. Being mortal was a marvelous state, especially if you threw a nice meal, good rum and a warm body into the mix.
Eighteen months of pillaging, with a bit of adventure thrown in for good measure, and here he was right back where he started from: boots wet, parrot running reconnaissance over head and trying to avoid Norrington's inept, but still visible, guard. Luckily, it being two days before Christmas, he counted upon a bit of laziness in the ranks, not to mention a bit of whisky on the lads' tables.
Glancing up, he watched Cotton's parrot. It sat quietly perched on a window. No alarms yet. Stepping into the cobblestone street, his eyes slid in scrutiny, but no one was about at this hour of the night. His only company was the single cat that sat bathing on an old barrel. Heading toward the smithy, Jack filched an apple from an open cart and took a big, sweet bite. Three bites later, the apple was mostly gone, and he tossed the remains toward an open alley. A mouse immediately snatched the core. Smiling, Jack watched as the old orange tabby quickly pounced on its new dinner. Winking, he whispered at the cat, "We pirates need to stick together, mate," then proceeded across the square.
Pushing open the smithy's doors, Jack paused to watch. Standing over the fire pit, Will intently worked the bellows as he pulled a sword from the fire. Will's hair was tied back, and Jack watched as sweat drizzled from Will's brow down to his jaw -- a bead hung suspended for an endless moment then dropped, disappearing into his open shirt. Licking his lips, Jack slid through the door and closed it softly behind him.
Will placed the molten blade on an anvil, reaching his hand out to grab at a mallet. At the last second, Jack saw Will's body tense and the hand aim instead for a rapier lying to the side. With a whirl, Will grabbed the sword, swung around and smashed smartly up against Jack's now drawn cutlass.
Parry, stroke, block - Jack tried backing Will into the forge, but the strategy didn't work any better than the first time he'd tried it all those months ago. Feigning to the left, Jack brought his blade up, slapped the width of the blade across Will's backside and reached for a bucket. Seconds later, Will stood before him, drenched, bucket on his head, swinging his blade in blind defense.
"That wasn't fair."
Rolling his eyes, Jack pushed the edge of the bucket up with the tip of his sword. Peering into the warm brown eyes he smiled, "Pirate!" and let the bucket drop back.
Will shrugged out of the bucket and set it on the floor. Setting the rapier aside, he grasped Jack on the arm in a bid of welcome. "What brings you back?"
Jack cocked his head allowing his beads to rattle, "You."
Brows drawn together, Will stared back. "You need more arms?"
Biting down the thought of 'only two', Jack replied. "No, well, yes. More arms are always good, but what I need is a new first mate."
Stepping back, Will's eyes widened. "What about Briggs?"
Jack waved his hands in a dance of interruption. "He's still there, but getting old. He needs an easier job that keeping that crew in line. Savvy?"
Will nodded in understanding. "And Ana Maria ? She -"
Jack cut him off. "Fell in love is what she did -- with a barkeep off the coast of Telios. Horrible thing: romance, flowers, strange singing all hours of the night, free rum for the crew after the ceremony." He paused a moment, "Well, that part wasn't so bad."
Jack shuddered. "Nasty thing, respectability. Do you know she actually wanted me to give her away?" He stopped again to peer wide-eyed in revulsion. "Cad was something of a pirate himself once, lost his sea legs a few years back and now sells ale at his own place. When we shipped out, Ana Maria was talking about curtains. Can you imagine? 'Curtains'!"
Will's warm grin widened and then Jack watched as it started to fade.
"So, I says to me self, I need a new right-hand woman. Well, in your case, man. And I know exactly where to find her. Him. So, what do you say?"
Shaking his head, Will walked back to the forge and began to bank the fire. "Not exactly what I had planned, but thank you for the offer."
Jack walked forward, peered at the rack before him, then pulled a rapier from its scabbard. Balancing it, he sighted down the blade. "Elizabeth's been gone over a year. That isn't going to change. And staying here, in this town, running this forge - you're not going to change."
He looked up at Will's short gasp. "Oh, yes, I may have been to sea, but the winds carry the news as strong as any gale. Not much gets missed, if you just know where to listen."
Jack flipped the sword up, balanced it by its handle on his forefinger. Slowly circling to keep the sword straight, he purposely didn't look at Will.
"I don't want to discuss her."
Flicking his hand up in the air, he watched as the sword neatly arced, somersaulted and then sailed back down. It, of course, landed neatly in his grip. "Never asked about her, did I?"
Slicing through the air twice, he nodded over the clean sound of the blade as it sang. "I need a first mate. You need a change of scenery. I need someone who isn't going to try to slit my throat in the night, or, worse yet, commit mutiny. You need to stop practicing three hours a day with these swords, after having spent twelve hours making them. I need a good right hand - someone who understands the differences between rules and 'guidelines'. You need, well," he paused. Replacing the blade in the scabbard, he turned to Will. "We both know what you need, and it isn't here." Reseating the scabbard in its rack, he leaned into the wall.
Will looked at him dubiously. "Give me one good reason why I should go with you?"
Pushing off the wall, Jack bowed gallantly, "Why my boy, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. That's all the reason any one needs."
***
An hour later, Will was following Jack up the beach. He still wasn't sure what exactly had convinced him - but a deal had been struck. Truthfully, he believed Jack wore him down. It was hard enough keeping up with the work, day-to-day. But the exhaustion of fighting to keep everything else from his mind and Jack - well, he decided it was easier to give in -- for this round anyway.
So here he was, slogging towards a longboat and watching Jack's boots as he followed them down the beach. It was only for the night, after all. He'd take a tour of the ship, say hello to the crew and he'd see what the morning brought. Besides it was so late it was almost morning anyway.
Footing slipping a bit on the sand, he refocused on keeping up to Jack's pace. This seemed harder than it normally did. He'd known Jack didn't walk straight - Will had decided long ago that Jack seemed to sashay everywhere. But Jack's steps seemed to flounce more than normal. Tired eyes following the boots, he noted that they were almost perpendicular to him.
Wait, that couldn't be right.
Now the boots were above him. Above?
He followed the boots up to the breeches and watched as a face came into view. Beads rattling, Jack's face was close.
"Will, my boy, when was the last time you slept?"
Will blinked at the question and thought hard. "I don't know - maybe two days ago? Could have been three. Why?"
The face came closer and the beads brushed against his face. "It's common for most people to sleep once a day. Sometimes for hours at a time. Maybe even through an entire night. As much as I want to encourage you to get some rest, sitting in the incoming tide on a chilly beach is not where I'd encourage you to do it."
Will blinked again and tried hard to understand Jack. A beach? He pulled a hand up to wipe at his tired eyes and found his cuff wet and his fingers crusted with moist sand.
Oh, he was flat on the beach! Well, that wouldn't do at all. Looking back from his wet hand to Jack, he struggled to sit up. "I thought we were going to the ship. Why are we sitting on the beach?"
Will watched as Jack's head cocked to the side and the beads rattled again. They were beginning to get quite distracting. He reached up to stop the noise and found his hand grasped in Jack's.
"We're not sitting on the beach. You are sitting on a beach. The rest of us," he stopped and nodded his head to the parrot who was sitting on a nearby rock, "Are going to the ship. Perhaps if you weren't sitting on the beach and instead were sitting on the long boat, you'd be closer to getting to the ship. Savvy?"
Will looked from the hand that held his, to the parrot and back to the beads that were now rattling again. The face was gone and his arm was being pulled. He allowed himself to rise and then listed sideways. The beads really rattled this time and he stared hard to see if he could find which ones were making the racket. The rattling grew louder and his face brushed against the beads as he was propelled up over Jack's shoulder, then swung down his back.
He was back to looking at the breeches and boots again. This time they were now upside down! He decided to close his eyes for just a moment to allow everything to settle back to where it was supposed to be. He felt himself sway once again, heard the beads rattle and then knew nothing.
***
Jack sighed. First he found the lad almost working himself to death at the forge and now he was struggling with an exhausted Will Turner who seemed to be developing an obsession with rubbing wet sand into his hair. Will's fixation on Jack's beads would have been much more disturbing, or enjoyable, Jack thought - if it weren't for the fact that Jack had no faith that Will could see anything at this point. Much less, understand it.
Pulling Will to his feet, Jack used the forward motion to swing the man up and over his shoulder. It wasn't the most decorous of positions, but it would allow Jack to carry Will to the transport quickly and efficiently. And, Jack admitted, he was nothing if not fabulously efficient.
They approached the long boat as Cotton's parrot settled onto his owner's shoulder. Jack gingerly stepped into the boat, then gently lifted Will from his shoulder and cradled him in his lap. Will's head lolled backward and Jack shifted to tuck Will's head under his chin. Once he was situated and assured Will was comfortable, Jack nodded to Cotton and Clancy, instructing them to begin rowing back to the ship.
***
A gentle rocking was the first thing he noticed. A slight creak echoed with the soft motions. He shifted a bit and slowly opened his eyes. Wooden rafters were above him. But these were too low to be from the forge. Blinking his eyes, he tried to think. Pulling a hand up to rub at his face he stared down his naked arm.
"Clothes should be dry in a bit."
Startled, he tried to sit up and shift toward the sound of the voice. Underestimating the rafter's height, he swiftly smacked his head on a beam.
Falling back against the bed, he waited for the flashing lights to clear from his brain.
" 'Err, now, none of that. You've been asleep most of the day as it is. I'll not have you putting yourself back out without at least having some tea and a proper meal."
Squinting, Will rolled a bit to the side and found Jack sitting on the side of the bed. "Jack? What? When? Where am I?"
"You're on me ship, that's where you are. Don't you remember? I came to the forge, plied you with logic, charm and a captivating argument. You, swayed by my unquestionable personal magnetism, agreed to come aboard for a visit."
Will stared hard at Jack. "Oh, I remember now. You came to the forge, we had a sword fight. You cheated again. I was tired, gave in and agreed to a short visit. I then fell asleep on the way here."
Jack nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what I just said." He looked over at the table. "You obviously do need some more rest, as you're repeating everything I say. But, first you really must eat. Hold on."
Jack rose and pulled a tray from the table. He settled on the far end of the bunk with the tray between them. "Eat."
Will was surprised to find that he was hungry, very hungry. He dug into the fresh food and bread, sharing a companionable silence with Jack while they cleared the tray.
Content, Will leaned back against the ship's wall, this time carefully avoiding the low beams. Pulling the blankets up to maintain some modesty, he looked around. "How long was I asleep?"
Settling back comfortably, Jack replied. "Well past four. You've slept more than twelve hours. I was beginning to think you'd never stop snoring."
"I do NOT snore!" Will protested as he noted the sparkle in Jack's eyes. Shaking his head, he faced toward the window and quietly added, "I also don't sleep undisturbed for hours at a time."
The slight rattle of beads was the only indication of Jack's movement. The next thing Will knew, Jack was leaning over him, with as intense a look as Will had ever seen.
"Do you remember anything else about last night?"
Will paused and thought back. It had been a dream, hadn't it? He closed his eyes and issued a long exhale.
Refusing to open his eyes and meet the penetrating gaze, Will softly spoke. "You promised. You carried me aboard and put me in bed. And you promised if I trusted you, that you'd make sure I slept peacefully. You promised to stand watch over my dreams."
Finally opening his eyes, Will noted that Jack's face had softened. Smiling slightly, he shook his head. "It shouldn't have worked. But I slept. And I awoke hungry, something that hasn't happened in a long time. How? How did you do it?"
Jack raised an eyebrow. "How? Well, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. I made a promise and I kept it."
Grinning widely, Will stifled a yawn. "That isn't really an answer. But it's probably the best I'm going to get, isn't it?" He shifted in bed. "I should be getting back to the forge. There are many new orders for the Port Guards that they're bringing in."
Jack sat back down on the bed. He straightened his legs, so that Will's were pinned beneath them under the bed covers. Sitting perpendicular to each other, Will couldn't help but notice the heat that penetrated the blankets and soaked into his thighs. It sent cascading warmth through his whole body.
"Wasn't it interesting that Norrington wasn't able to leave port to chase me after my last escape?"
Will watched as Jack's eyes focused back on him. "I hear there was a terrible fire in the armory the night before they were to leave in pursuit. So many of the weapons were destroyed, Norrington had to send out to the surrounding islands for supplies. I understand it took months for him to properly rearm."
Will looked blankly at Jack. "Yes, it was quite a mess. Took days to clean up. Not to mention the loss of the gun power and cannon balls - it was quite the fire. A pity really."
Jack nodded in agreement. "Yes, and yet, no one was injured. The stories were rampant in Tortuga about how all the guards had been called off on wild errands. One to investigate an odd light at the Governor's mansion, the others to chase down a wild boar that got loose in the armory's courtyard."
Will shrugged. "Wild boars are nothing to be trifled with. But then neither are fires. Everyone was extremely lucky."
Jack grunted at that. "Some of us, more than others, I believe."
Will's eyes widened.
"Amazing that. First the armory fire, then there was the incident with the mainsail on Norrington's new ship. Oh, and then there was the odd difficulty with a mast after that. The commodore and his men have been able to stay in port and defend the citizenry, but every time he tries to set sail to go pirate hunting, some tragedy befalls one of the fleet. It really is quite the run of luck for him."
Will studied the blanket on his lap with great intensity.
"Caused quite a rift didn't it? First with the Governor and then with Miss Swan. You seem to be choosing the odd side in this particular skirmish."
Will raised his eyes at that. "No. It wasn't odd. But there was no proof - I didn't - What I mean is, they couldn't."
Throwing up his hands, he groaned. "I couldn't let them catch you, Jack. It wouldn't have been right. I couldn't just stand aside, any more than I could have when you were standing on that gallows platform."
Ringed hands stopped his from fidgeting with the blankets. "It cost you a lot to protect me, Will. It cost you Elizabeth and your future with her."
Will nodded. "But it would have cost me more not to protect you. You once told me that I could accept that my father was a pirate and a good man. That being a pirate was in my blood and I'd have to learn to live with that one day. I finally did."
Will looked up from their clasped hands to Jack's eyes. "I also accepted that you're in my blood as much as anyone could ever be. There was no choice Jack, not for me. You were the only choice."
He slumped back against the pillows, closing his eyes in exhaustion and defeat.
"Took you long enough."
Eyes flashed open to meet Jack's laughing ones. "What?"
"I said it 'took you long enough.' I knew what was in your blood the day you stepped out of the crowd at the gallows with that hat on. That was the hat of a pirate, Will, not a blacksmith. I only had to bide my time until the rest of you caught up with your head - or, in this case at least, your hat." He cocked his head. "You've been choosing me for months, William Turner. Choosing me over everything else. I finally decided the time was right to let you know that I knew that you knew what was in your heart - and on your head. Savvy?"
Will lay stunned. "But how could you know? You knew? Why didn't you come, after Elizabeth and her father returned to England? Why now? And how did you know? The milliner's was selling that hat to others, it isn't a pirate hat, Jack!" Indignantly, Will grabbed the pillow from behind him and slapped it forward.
They scuffled over the pillow and then the blankets, each searching for more ammunition. Out of breath, Will found himself fully pinned below Jack on the bed. He could feel the cold metal of Jack's belt buckle as it pressed into his bare stomach. The soft rasp of breeches slid along his bare thighs. Jack held both of Will's hands in a firm grip beside his head.
"I'll tell you what I know. You belong here - on this ship. Beside me, beneath me and if you're a very good man, on occasion above me. You needed to be sure of you, of me and of your choices before I could come back. You're sure now and each time you sabotaged something of the Royal fleet's you told me how sure you were. You may not have believed that I would come back, or that I'd feel the same way, but you did what you did. I also know, in my heart, that that was the hat of a pirate!"
Before Will could object, Jack lowered his head. I light brushing of lips deepened as Will opened his mouth to tug at Jack's bottom lip with his teeth. The kiss intensified as tongues dueled. Finally pulling back, Jack studied Will for a long moment. "You need rest. You've been working way too hard to rebuild what you burned. Only you could have a guilty conscience for doing what you believed was right."
Will considered that for a moment. "It wasn't guilt exactly. They needed the weapons to defend the fort - and it takes time to replace that many blades. Besides, I had nothing else to do."
Leaning his forehead against Will's, Jack replied. "Well, you'll have much to keep you occupied now. I'll repeat my promise. Rest here and no dark dreams shall come to you. You don't need to worry about me, the crew or anyone else getting caught tonight."
Will nodded as Jack released his hands and stood up. "You're leaving?"
"No. I'm undressing. Unless, of course, you want to spend the rest of your day with a belt buckle and pistols digging into your back, I thought we'd be more comfortable if both of us were wearing the same thing. Savvy?"
Smiling grandly, Will watched as Jack quickly disrobed and then climbed back into bed. Jack settled Will on to his chest and bade him to rest. "I'll be right here when you wake. Enjoy the feeling and the freedom of the open seas."
Nestling down, Will allowed himself to revel in the strong embrace and the comfort of a protected rest. In moments he was fast asleep.
***
The pink sky of dawn began to stream through the window. Will shifted to look up at the man who held him.
"What time is it?"
"Early morning, December 25th - Merry Christmas!"
Jack leaned over, kissed him gently and whispered, "Take note William Turner, you'll always remember this is the day that you *caught* Captain Jack Sparrow!"
The End