Reels: Chapter 4
Title: Reels
Author: nelliedances/Miss Ruby Tuesday
Beta: The amazing piratemistress
Rating: R
Pairings: Jack/Elizabeth, peripheral Will/Elizabeth
Warnings: Wee ones for DMC and Governess Swann, eventually. AU after DMC
Disclaimer: Sure I own it; that's why I live in a little apartment and write these things on a second hand iBook. On the other hand, I do own several neat whalebones.
Summary: How it all went terribly wrong.
Status: Chapter 4 of many
Will's watch was almost over when Jack appeared from within his cabin. He looked more haggard than when he'd gone in and, subconsciously, it pleased Will. Sleeping at his desk must've been terribly uncomfortable.
"Joshamee. A word? Turner, mind the helm."
“Aye, Jack.”
It must've been a very rough few hours if Jack was addressing him by his last name. Jack had a thousand different pet names for him; anything, it seemed, to avoid calling him by a name reminiscent of Will's father. He watched as the captain and quartermaster walked down the stairs together, their voices hushed.
“How long before we reach port?”
“What's the concern with reaching land? The boy asked me the same thing earlier. Gave me some bloody excuse about missing the rhum.” Jack made a face at him.
“Damned boy wouldn't know good rhum if he drowned in it. At any rate, I was just curious.” It was Gibbs's turn to frown.
“Jack, lemme see yer hand. There ain't no sea beastie after us this time, is there?”
“No, Mr. Gibbs, the only thing you'll find on my palm this time is callouses from too much time at sea, if you'll understand that.” Jack thrust out his hand indignantly.
“No, no, that be all right, I believe ye.” Gibbs threw his hands up and eyed Jack's palm suspiciously. “I think we all understand yer itch.”
“Have we sighted any land yet? Any birds?”
“Nay, not so much as a gull. I think we're a few days out still.” Jack shuddered, as Gibbs laid a hand on his shoulder.
“Jack, what aren't ye telling me?”
“Liz... Er.. Elizabeth's been having some nightmares. Said the crew was all skeletons and there was a great bloody cormorant keeping watch over the lot.” Gibbs jerked his hand back from Jack's shoulder.
“Were ye among the damned?”
“For once, no... But Will, apparently, had become the de facto king.” Gibbs looked up at Will, who smiled pleasantly at him, before spitting on the deck.
“I think, p'rhaps, we can make for land a wee bit faster. I know there's some stolen wood somewhere on this boat.” Jack nodded.
“I think I'll make my way to the crow's nest. Best vantage point, you know,” he said as he looked skyward. “And Gibbs, keep a fair eye on my cabin. I left Elizabeth sleeping, but I don't know for how long. Make sure someone takes care of her.”
“Aye, Jack.” He hurried off before Gibbs could say another word to him. By the time he reached the wheel, Jack was halfway up the mainstays to the crow's nest.
“What's gotten into Jack today?”
“Ah, who knows... Ye know Jack, always a little tetched.” Gibbs lied, hoping Will wouldn't question it. It was worse luck to talk about bad omens.
“Before the marooning, even?”
“Didn't know him before then, boy. I met up with him after, when he was already lookin for the Pearl.”
“Do you think it was the drink that caused it?” Will asked, a bit of condescension eddying into his tone.
“Yer oversteppin yer bounds, Turner,” Gibbs snapped, rounding on him. It was the first time Will had ever seen him show any anger. “Mind what ye say about Jack, he's a good man as far as I've know and he's a damn site better'n other cap'ns. I could have ye whipped fer yer insolence.”
“I didn't mean any disrespect, Mr. Gibbs... It's just that, well, my master in Port Royal seemed to act the same way sometimes, right down to the way Jack walks,” Will backtracked, muttering at his feet.
“Ye know nothing about the sea, boy, and yer actions are a discredit to yer pa. Ye'll find out soon enough why Jack walks the way he does on land and it'll have nothin to do with the rhum.” Gibbs clanged the bell marking the change of the watches and stalked down the steps, leaving Will to wait alone for Cotton and Marty to relieve him. He cast his eyes up to the crow's nest, shielding them from the sun, to look at Jack who was, in turn, watching the horizon. Today, despite the day’s earlier promise, it seemed Will couldn't do anything right and everything he touched went soft.
Will had gone below to catch a couple hours of sleep when Elizabeth finally stumbled from within Jack's cabin. She had not dreamt again, but the cold of the nightmare had stayed with her long after Jack had gotten up. She had thought about hiding in the cabin all day, losing herself in the remarkable number of books Jack possessed. Still, she had decided, it really wasn't fair for her to lay about all day, doing nothing.
The sun had shocked her eyes after the relative darkness of the cabin. It had taken her a moment to orient herself before she continued to the helm. Jack had left the cabin, wasn't on the helm, and appeared to be nowhere on deck. She didn't suppose he'd have been below decks; he never seemed to go there unless he absolutely had to.
“Good afternoon, Marty, Mr. Cotton.”
“Afternoon, Miss Beth.”
“Awk, pieces of eight!” Cotton nodded to her and Elizabeth assumed that was meant as a greeting. She scratched the bird's head familiarly.
“Have you seen the Captain? I was looking to have a word with him.” She smiled in the blinding sun.
“Aye, miss, he's keepin lookout. I can get him, if ye want.” Marty was already stepping away from the helm towards the stairs when she stopped him.
“I'll reach him myself, Marty, but thank you.”
“Ye sure, miss? Master Turner'd have me head if he thought I'd a let you go aloft.”
“Will,” she said spitefully. “Is not here to see, nor is he yet my husband to be giving orders for my person. If you don't tell him, he'll be none the wiser.” She paused for effect. “I won't be long, at any rate.”
“Aye, miss.” Marty did not sound pleased, but he went back to the helm. Over his head, Cotton shot her an amused smile.
It wasn't as though she hadn't been aloft before; it was just that she hadn't done it in a long while without one of the crew right behind her in case she stumbled. She loved the roll of the Pearl high in the rigging. Up there, it was nothing but her, the air, and the horizon. She remembered that Will had found her once and had caused a horrible scene as soon as her bare feet had hit the decks. He'd been frightened for her, he'd said, and had forbidden her to ever go aloft again. They'd argued about it, oblivious to the crew filtering in around them and, to her great dismay, she'd become so enraged with him that she'd begun to cry.
That had been the first time she'd cried in front of the crew and she'd sworn to herself it would be the last. Pretending to faint to save Jack's neck had been one thing, but this was quite another. She had felt her face grow hot with embarrassment at Will's litany of reasons why she was quite incapable of manning the rigging. He'd chastised her for acting as though she really was a sailor, reminding her of her femininity and her station in life and how, if it weren't for Jack and his soft spot for her, she'd never have been allowed to stay onboard. Later, she'd though of how she should have reminded him that she'd managed just fine on the Edinburgh Trader, but at that point, all she'd been able to do was gape at his harsh words.
Mr. Gibbs had broken up the argument, sending Will down to the galley to cool his heels. He'd tried to soothe her ruffled feathers, assuring her that she did a fine job in the rigging and she'd been every bit a sailor as long as he'd known her, but she'd been too angry to listen. Finally, Gibbs had resorted to sending her off to help Jack, who had solved things with a few strong drinks and some scathing words about Will and his own insecurities. That night had been the first night she'd really seen flaws in her betrothal to Will.
“Hang Will,” she hissed, reaching for the next line of the jacob’s ladder. Thinking about that argument now wasn't going to do her a bit of good. She couldn't afford to lose concentration up there.
“Aren't you banned and forbidden from being up here, dearie?” Jack's hand was thrust down to help her up.
“What does it matter to you?” she snapped, taking his hand to pull herself onto the platform. “You go out of your way to taunt him anyway. Why shouldn't I?”
“Don't matter a jot to me, I just saw fit to remind you.” He tipped his hat against the sunlight shining in both their faces. “What brings you to the top of the world?”
She shrugged. She hadn't really had a reason to talk to him, not like she had lead Marty to believe.
“Am I really just so irresistible you couldn't bear to be without my company?” he asked her drolly.
“Oh, of course... Because you're the great Jack Sparrow. Slayer of sea beasts, plunderer of ships, wooer of women.” She looked at him, trying hard to keep a serious face.
“You forget the Captain, Liz. Can't forget that now, can we.” A smile lit up her face. She nudged him with her shoulder.
“The infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.” He slung his arm around her shoulder. Safe from the prying eyes below, she allowed her head to lean against his shoulder. Even in that little gesture, she felt some of the iciness melt from her belly. Perhaps the sea really would cure all ills.
They sat like that for a short time before Elizabeth spoke again.
“What do you plan on doing when we reach New Providence?”
“Reprovision... Drop off the unwilling, find a few new souls. Give the men a chance to slake their thirst, as it were.” The last bit went over her head, but she didn't concern herself with it. “Find us a cat.”
“Why a cat, Jack?” She crinkled her nose, confused. “Aren’t they bad luck?”
“On the contrary, darlin’. Cats, aside from keeping us rat-free, are good luck. I'm hoping one daemon will frighten off another.”
“Are you still worried about those dreams?”
He looked at her sharply. “Yes. Any man worth his salt should be.” She shivered. “But we won't talk of that now. We still have a day or two before we reach port. I'd like to think as little of ill omens as possible.” He couldn’t stop himself from rubbing his hands against her shoulder as he said that. Something inside him twisted a bit, like the flags above, when her fingers curled around his waist, kneading the skin through his worn shirt. He listened as she sighed softly. Her fingers were tightening and drawing him in closer.
“Why'd you do it?” he said abruptly.
“...What?” Her voice sounded far away and dazed. “Do what?”
“Last night, on watch. You.. uh.. I was wondering...”
“Oh,” she blushed, frowning a little. “It.. Oh.. I was curious. I wanted to, I suppose.” He nodded, his face blank. She looked as though she was about to say something more, but her gaze wavered towards the horizon. “Jack? Is that land?”
He pulled his spyglass from his lap and adjusted it to more closely see the dark mass in the distance. Whatever it was pleased him, because he pulled himself to his feet and out of Elizabeth's suddenly strangling grasp so he could lean over the edge of the crow's nest.
“Land ho!” he boomed down, breaking into a grin. “Oi, Marty, rouse the crew. We'll make port by dusk. I want the Pearl made ready to dock.”
Elizabeth could hear the ship's bell clanging and the sound of the crew's feet pounding the decks. The cacophony of their voices, some confused, more elated rose to the top of the yardarms as they waited for instructions from Gibbs. Orders given, Elizabeth slowly snaked her arm back around Jack's leg, squeezing slightly and holding fast to him once again. He dropped his empty hand to the top of her head, patting her absently, as he watched the crew spring to action.
“I'll have to go down below soon, sweet. The crew'll be needing their captain.” Before she had a chance to respond, Will's voice broke through the din.
“God damn it to hell, Marty, she's where?” She couldn't hear Marty's response, but she could imagine that this was not going to end in a pleasant scene. Jack hand paused its slow caress. He looked down at her, a wicked glint in his eye.
“Bugger,” she cursed.
“I think, darlin, that may be our cue.”
Jack went down the lines first. She hesitated, dreading every step that brought her closer to the boards. She didn't need to see Will's face to know that it would be dark with anger. The bemused expression on Jack's face hadn't helped much, either. She paused, the ropes swaying with her weight, steeling herself until she heard Jack's boots hit the decks. She started up her progress again. Jack's hand touched her waist when she was just a few feet from the deck. He plucked her off like she weighed nothing and it caused a flicker of excitement within her. Unfortunately, when she met Will's eyes, it was quenched just as quickly.
“I can't believe you, Elizabeth. I bloody well can't believe you. You could have fallen to your death, you damn fool.”
The crew grew silent, waiting like vultures for what was likely to be the last bit of entertainment before they reached land.
“You could have been harmed or worse. You lack the skills for going aloft. Why, in God's Grace, did you not have someone else go aloft if you needed to speak with Jack so badly?” His anger from the other night boiled over and the timbre of his voice grew sharper and louder.
“Will... Please... I know what I'm doing.”
“Oh,” he hissed. “I'm sure you do. Perfect Miss Swann, never does anything wrong. I'm sick of it! You're no more better than I am!”
“Will, I never said I was... I only wanted--”
“You wanted to play pirates! You're not a pirate, you're just a bloody girl! When will this madness stop, Elizabeth? When will you give up this foolish notion so we can return home?”
“Will,” Jack interjected, sidling in between them, holding his hands up. “Do you think now-- in front of the crew-- is really the time to have this little lovers' quarrel?” Jack dropped a firm grasp on Will's shoulder, ready to steer him to calmer waters.
“Can't you bloody well mind your own business for once?” Will snapped as he angrily shoved Jack's hand off his shoulder. “I've had it with you shoving your opinion in where it doesn't belong. Elizabeth may enjoy it, but I don't!”
“Will, enough. You're causing a spectacle.” Elizabeth pleaded. Will glared at her.
“You can't seriously be worried about causing a spectacle, can you? You've spiralled so far down in your lack of propriety that you should revel in this.” Elizabeth's lips trembled before tightening. That had been a low shot at her.
“William. Enough of this.” Jack's voice was hard when he took a step towards the taller man, creating a space between Will and Elizabeth. “Elizabeth, as navigator, outranks you and I won't tolerate you dissention in the ranks like that.”
“Outranks? Outranks!” Will sputtered. “She's no navigator! I don't know what you think you're accomplishing, but I'm certain no one else thinks her the navigator.” Behind Will, the crew shifted uncomfortably. Such a blatant challenge of the captain's authority was making them skittish.
“Will,” Jack's voice was softer. “Stop this now. Don't force my hand. You are making a bad choice I fathom you’ll regret sooner if not later.”
Will blinked at him, still angry, but chastened by his words. “Fine.” He turned on his heel, stalking off towards the bow.
“Gibbs, the boy absolutely goes ashore. We'll draw lots for who stays with the Pearl later.” He turned to face Elizabeth. “Shake the words off. You'll be on watch tonight here.”
“What!?” she yelled, her voice raising an octave. “Jack! That's not fair. I don't want to watch her. I wanted to go ashore.”
“Not my problem, luv.” He sidled off towards his cabin, leaving her to gape. He’d deal with her ire after he’d had a bit more to drink and thought up a plan.
Author: nelliedances/Miss Ruby Tuesday
Beta: The amazing piratemistress
Rating: R
Pairings: Jack/Elizabeth, peripheral Will/Elizabeth
Warnings: Wee ones for DMC and Governess Swann, eventually. AU after DMC
Disclaimer: Sure I own it; that's why I live in a little apartment and write these things on a second hand iBook. On the other hand, I do own several neat whalebones.
Summary: How it all went terribly wrong.
Status: Chapter 4 of many
Will's watch was almost over when Jack appeared from within his cabin. He looked more haggard than when he'd gone in and, subconsciously, it pleased Will. Sleeping at his desk must've been terribly uncomfortable.
"Joshamee. A word? Turner, mind the helm."
“Aye, Jack.”
It must've been a very rough few hours if Jack was addressing him by his last name. Jack had a thousand different pet names for him; anything, it seemed, to avoid calling him by a name reminiscent of Will's father. He watched as the captain and quartermaster walked down the stairs together, their voices hushed.
“How long before we reach port?”
“What's the concern with reaching land? The boy asked me the same thing earlier. Gave me some bloody excuse about missing the rhum.” Jack made a face at him.
“Damned boy wouldn't know good rhum if he drowned in it. At any rate, I was just curious.” It was Gibbs's turn to frown.
“Jack, lemme see yer hand. There ain't no sea beastie after us this time, is there?”
“No, Mr. Gibbs, the only thing you'll find on my palm this time is callouses from too much time at sea, if you'll understand that.” Jack thrust out his hand indignantly.
“No, no, that be all right, I believe ye.” Gibbs threw his hands up and eyed Jack's palm suspiciously. “I think we all understand yer itch.”
“Have we sighted any land yet? Any birds?”
“Nay, not so much as a gull. I think we're a few days out still.” Jack shuddered, as Gibbs laid a hand on his shoulder.
“Jack, what aren't ye telling me?”
“Liz... Er.. Elizabeth's been having some nightmares. Said the crew was all skeletons and there was a great bloody cormorant keeping watch over the lot.” Gibbs jerked his hand back from Jack's shoulder.
“Were ye among the damned?”
“For once, no... But Will, apparently, had become the de facto king.” Gibbs looked up at Will, who smiled pleasantly at him, before spitting on the deck.
“I think, p'rhaps, we can make for land a wee bit faster. I know there's some stolen wood somewhere on this boat.” Jack nodded.
“I think I'll make my way to the crow's nest. Best vantage point, you know,” he said as he looked skyward. “And Gibbs, keep a fair eye on my cabin. I left Elizabeth sleeping, but I don't know for how long. Make sure someone takes care of her.”
“Aye, Jack.” He hurried off before Gibbs could say another word to him. By the time he reached the wheel, Jack was halfway up the mainstays to the crow's nest.
“What's gotten into Jack today?”
“Ah, who knows... Ye know Jack, always a little tetched.” Gibbs lied, hoping Will wouldn't question it. It was worse luck to talk about bad omens.
“Before the marooning, even?”
“Didn't know him before then, boy. I met up with him after, when he was already lookin for the Pearl.”
“Do you think it was the drink that caused it?” Will asked, a bit of condescension eddying into his tone.
“Yer oversteppin yer bounds, Turner,” Gibbs snapped, rounding on him. It was the first time Will had ever seen him show any anger. “Mind what ye say about Jack, he's a good man as far as I've know and he's a damn site better'n other cap'ns. I could have ye whipped fer yer insolence.”
“I didn't mean any disrespect, Mr. Gibbs... It's just that, well, my master in Port Royal seemed to act the same way sometimes, right down to the way Jack walks,” Will backtracked, muttering at his feet.
“Ye know nothing about the sea, boy, and yer actions are a discredit to yer pa. Ye'll find out soon enough why Jack walks the way he does on land and it'll have nothin to do with the rhum.” Gibbs clanged the bell marking the change of the watches and stalked down the steps, leaving Will to wait alone for Cotton and Marty to relieve him. He cast his eyes up to the crow's nest, shielding them from the sun, to look at Jack who was, in turn, watching the horizon. Today, despite the day’s earlier promise, it seemed Will couldn't do anything right and everything he touched went soft.
Will had gone below to catch a couple hours of sleep when Elizabeth finally stumbled from within Jack's cabin. She had not dreamt again, but the cold of the nightmare had stayed with her long after Jack had gotten up. She had thought about hiding in the cabin all day, losing herself in the remarkable number of books Jack possessed. Still, she had decided, it really wasn't fair for her to lay about all day, doing nothing.
The sun had shocked her eyes after the relative darkness of the cabin. It had taken her a moment to orient herself before she continued to the helm. Jack had left the cabin, wasn't on the helm, and appeared to be nowhere on deck. She didn't suppose he'd have been below decks; he never seemed to go there unless he absolutely had to.
“Good afternoon, Marty, Mr. Cotton.”
“Afternoon, Miss Beth.”
“Awk, pieces of eight!” Cotton nodded to her and Elizabeth assumed that was meant as a greeting. She scratched the bird's head familiarly.
“Have you seen the Captain? I was looking to have a word with him.” She smiled in the blinding sun.
“Aye, miss, he's keepin lookout. I can get him, if ye want.” Marty was already stepping away from the helm towards the stairs when she stopped him.
“I'll reach him myself, Marty, but thank you.”
“Ye sure, miss? Master Turner'd have me head if he thought I'd a let you go aloft.”
“Will,” she said spitefully. “Is not here to see, nor is he yet my husband to be giving orders for my person. If you don't tell him, he'll be none the wiser.” She paused for effect. “I won't be long, at any rate.”
“Aye, miss.” Marty did not sound pleased, but he went back to the helm. Over his head, Cotton shot her an amused smile.
It wasn't as though she hadn't been aloft before; it was just that she hadn't done it in a long while without one of the crew right behind her in case she stumbled. She loved the roll of the Pearl high in the rigging. Up there, it was nothing but her, the air, and the horizon. She remembered that Will had found her once and had caused a horrible scene as soon as her bare feet had hit the decks. He'd been frightened for her, he'd said, and had forbidden her to ever go aloft again. They'd argued about it, oblivious to the crew filtering in around them and, to her great dismay, she'd become so enraged with him that she'd begun to cry.
That had been the first time she'd cried in front of the crew and she'd sworn to herself it would be the last. Pretending to faint to save Jack's neck had been one thing, but this was quite another. She had felt her face grow hot with embarrassment at Will's litany of reasons why she was quite incapable of manning the rigging. He'd chastised her for acting as though she really was a sailor, reminding her of her femininity and her station in life and how, if it weren't for Jack and his soft spot for her, she'd never have been allowed to stay onboard. Later, she'd though of how she should have reminded him that she'd managed just fine on the Edinburgh Trader, but at that point, all she'd been able to do was gape at his harsh words.
Mr. Gibbs had broken up the argument, sending Will down to the galley to cool his heels. He'd tried to soothe her ruffled feathers, assuring her that she did a fine job in the rigging and she'd been every bit a sailor as long as he'd known her, but she'd been too angry to listen. Finally, Gibbs had resorted to sending her off to help Jack, who had solved things with a few strong drinks and some scathing words about Will and his own insecurities. That night had been the first night she'd really seen flaws in her betrothal to Will.
“Hang Will,” she hissed, reaching for the next line of the jacob’s ladder. Thinking about that argument now wasn't going to do her a bit of good. She couldn't afford to lose concentration up there.
“Aren't you banned and forbidden from being up here, dearie?” Jack's hand was thrust down to help her up.
“What does it matter to you?” she snapped, taking his hand to pull herself onto the platform. “You go out of your way to taunt him anyway. Why shouldn't I?”
“Don't matter a jot to me, I just saw fit to remind you.” He tipped his hat against the sunlight shining in both their faces. “What brings you to the top of the world?”
She shrugged. She hadn't really had a reason to talk to him, not like she had lead Marty to believe.
“Am I really just so irresistible you couldn't bear to be without my company?” he asked her drolly.
“Oh, of course... Because you're the great Jack Sparrow. Slayer of sea beasts, plunderer of ships, wooer of women.” She looked at him, trying hard to keep a serious face.
“You forget the Captain, Liz. Can't forget that now, can we.” A smile lit up her face. She nudged him with her shoulder.
“The infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.” He slung his arm around her shoulder. Safe from the prying eyes below, she allowed her head to lean against his shoulder. Even in that little gesture, she felt some of the iciness melt from her belly. Perhaps the sea really would cure all ills.
They sat like that for a short time before Elizabeth spoke again.
“What do you plan on doing when we reach New Providence?”
“Reprovision... Drop off the unwilling, find a few new souls. Give the men a chance to slake their thirst, as it were.” The last bit went over her head, but she didn't concern herself with it. “Find us a cat.”
“Why a cat, Jack?” She crinkled her nose, confused. “Aren’t they bad luck?”
“On the contrary, darlin’. Cats, aside from keeping us rat-free, are good luck. I'm hoping one daemon will frighten off another.”
“Are you still worried about those dreams?”
He looked at her sharply. “Yes. Any man worth his salt should be.” She shivered. “But we won't talk of that now. We still have a day or two before we reach port. I'd like to think as little of ill omens as possible.” He couldn’t stop himself from rubbing his hands against her shoulder as he said that. Something inside him twisted a bit, like the flags above, when her fingers curled around his waist, kneading the skin through his worn shirt. He listened as she sighed softly. Her fingers were tightening and drawing him in closer.
“Why'd you do it?” he said abruptly.
“...What?” Her voice sounded far away and dazed. “Do what?”
“Last night, on watch. You.. uh.. I was wondering...”
“Oh,” she blushed, frowning a little. “It.. Oh.. I was curious. I wanted to, I suppose.” He nodded, his face blank. She looked as though she was about to say something more, but her gaze wavered towards the horizon. “Jack? Is that land?”
He pulled his spyglass from his lap and adjusted it to more closely see the dark mass in the distance. Whatever it was pleased him, because he pulled himself to his feet and out of Elizabeth's suddenly strangling grasp so he could lean over the edge of the crow's nest.
“Land ho!” he boomed down, breaking into a grin. “Oi, Marty, rouse the crew. We'll make port by dusk. I want the Pearl made ready to dock.”
Elizabeth could hear the ship's bell clanging and the sound of the crew's feet pounding the decks. The cacophony of their voices, some confused, more elated rose to the top of the yardarms as they waited for instructions from Gibbs. Orders given, Elizabeth slowly snaked her arm back around Jack's leg, squeezing slightly and holding fast to him once again. He dropped his empty hand to the top of her head, patting her absently, as he watched the crew spring to action.
“I'll have to go down below soon, sweet. The crew'll be needing their captain.” Before she had a chance to respond, Will's voice broke through the din.
“God damn it to hell, Marty, she's where?” She couldn't hear Marty's response, but she could imagine that this was not going to end in a pleasant scene. Jack hand paused its slow caress. He looked down at her, a wicked glint in his eye.
“Bugger,” she cursed.
“I think, darlin, that may be our cue.”
Jack went down the lines first. She hesitated, dreading every step that brought her closer to the boards. She didn't need to see Will's face to know that it would be dark with anger. The bemused expression on Jack's face hadn't helped much, either. She paused, the ropes swaying with her weight, steeling herself until she heard Jack's boots hit the decks. She started up her progress again. Jack's hand touched her waist when she was just a few feet from the deck. He plucked her off like she weighed nothing and it caused a flicker of excitement within her. Unfortunately, when she met Will's eyes, it was quenched just as quickly.
“I can't believe you, Elizabeth. I bloody well can't believe you. You could have fallen to your death, you damn fool.”
The crew grew silent, waiting like vultures for what was likely to be the last bit of entertainment before they reached land.
“You could have been harmed or worse. You lack the skills for going aloft. Why, in God's Grace, did you not have someone else go aloft if you needed to speak with Jack so badly?” His anger from the other night boiled over and the timbre of his voice grew sharper and louder.
“Will... Please... I know what I'm doing.”
“Oh,” he hissed. “I'm sure you do. Perfect Miss Swann, never does anything wrong. I'm sick of it! You're no more better than I am!”
“Will, I never said I was... I only wanted--”
“You wanted to play pirates! You're not a pirate, you're just a bloody girl! When will this madness stop, Elizabeth? When will you give up this foolish notion so we can return home?”
“Will,” Jack interjected, sidling in between them, holding his hands up. “Do you think now-- in front of the crew-- is really the time to have this little lovers' quarrel?” Jack dropped a firm grasp on Will's shoulder, ready to steer him to calmer waters.
“Can't you bloody well mind your own business for once?” Will snapped as he angrily shoved Jack's hand off his shoulder. “I've had it with you shoving your opinion in where it doesn't belong. Elizabeth may enjoy it, but I don't!”
“Will, enough. You're causing a spectacle.” Elizabeth pleaded. Will glared at her.
“You can't seriously be worried about causing a spectacle, can you? You've spiralled so far down in your lack of propriety that you should revel in this.” Elizabeth's lips trembled before tightening. That had been a low shot at her.
“William. Enough of this.” Jack's voice was hard when he took a step towards the taller man, creating a space between Will and Elizabeth. “Elizabeth, as navigator, outranks you and I won't tolerate you dissention in the ranks like that.”
“Outranks? Outranks!” Will sputtered. “She's no navigator! I don't know what you think you're accomplishing, but I'm certain no one else thinks her the navigator.” Behind Will, the crew shifted uncomfortably. Such a blatant challenge of the captain's authority was making them skittish.
“Will,” Jack's voice was softer. “Stop this now. Don't force my hand. You are making a bad choice I fathom you’ll regret sooner if not later.”
Will blinked at him, still angry, but chastened by his words. “Fine.” He turned on his heel, stalking off towards the bow.
“Gibbs, the boy absolutely goes ashore. We'll draw lots for who stays with the Pearl later.” He turned to face Elizabeth. “Shake the words off. You'll be on watch tonight here.”
“What!?” she yelled, her voice raising an octave. “Jack! That's not fair. I don't want to watch her. I wanted to go ashore.”
“Not my problem, luv.” He sidled off towards his cabin, leaving her to gape. He’d deal with her ire after he’d had a bit more to drink and thought up a plan.