Jolly Sailor || Elizabeth Swann

01

Will had been having a few very bad weeks. First his marriage had been rudely interrupted by a Lord Beckett, then he had been blackmailed with his and Elizabeth's freedom to go and steal Jack's compass. Which had started with lacklustre travel to Tortuga and a fortnight following old rumours in a chase after the black pearl. The black pearl had of course turned out to be resting on an island full of cannibalistic tribesmen, because nothing could be simple when Jack was involved.  Will had led the crew to escape and somehow they had made it back to the ship despite the chaos and it was only out on the sea with the island locals far behind them that he managed to breath. (He was very glad that the tribe didn't seem able to swim).

"Let's put some distance between ourselves and this island and head out to open sea", Mr Gibbs stated as soon as Jack was on board and pulling on his coat. Will was looking round the ship. The crew were familiar yet someone was missing. The lack of presence stuck out like a sore thumb, a visible absence that left him unsettled. A certain merman was not here. 

"Yes to the first. Yes to the second, but only insofar that we keep to the shallows as much as possible", Jack replied. 

"But that seems a bit contradictory Captain". 

"I have faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills. Now where is that money? I want to shoot something!" Above them in the rigging the small chimp (still undead and still a horrid little thing) gave a shriek and began to climb away. Jack flicked out his pistol and checked the rounds eagerly.  

Will took this chance to step forwards. "Jack. Elizabeth is in danger". 

"When is she not? Have you considered keeping a watchful eye on her?" Jack replied with barely a glance as he swept across the deck after the monkey. "Maybe just keep her locked up somewhere". 

"She is locked up!" Will exclaimed, all the frustration from the several terrible weeks building up in his chest. "Bound to hang for helping you". He climbed up onto the quarter deck in a fluid motion after him. Jack's hat was missing, he noticed. The man was wearing exactly what he had been wearing when Will had seen him last, three months ago. The cannibals had painted eyes across the man's face and the effect did not help him seem any more sane than usual. It was both comforting, frustrating and irritating that Jack was the same. (He wondered is Benj was the same too. The man's lack of presence was growing more disconcerting by the second. Will thought that Jack and Benj were practically bound at the hip, but he was wrong). 

"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one's mistakes". 

Will snatched up a cutlass from a crew member's belt and swung it up just as Jack turned. The blade hummed against the man's neck. "I need that compass of yours, Jack", Will grinned without humour. "I must trade it for her freedom". 

Jack was sent for a second, then he frowned and smoothly lifted the blade over his head to rest on the other side of his neck. The four extra pairs of painted eyes staring at him as the man took a step to his left so that he was at Mr Gibb's side. "Mr Gibbs". 

"Captain", The white bearded man barked from where he was steering. 

Jack leaned in close to his shoulder. "We have a need to travel up river".

Gibb's eyes widened slightly and an uncertain look passed over his face. "By need, do you mean a trifling need? Fleeting? As in, say a passing fancy like the one that blew across us a couple of months back?" 

"No", Jack stated in a non-argumentative tone. "A resolute and unyielding need". Mr Gibb's winced heavily as Jack stepped around him. 

"What we need", Will snapped. "Is to make sail for port royal with all haste". He glanced over the ship again as Jack leaned on the railing. 

Jack sighed. "William", he began. "I will trade you the compass if you help me find this". He pulled a rag of material from his coat. Will blinked as it was unfolded. 

"You want me to find this?" He waved a hand at the drawing of a key. An old fashioned, rusty key by the look of it. 

"No. You want you to find this", Jack met his confused gaze. "Because the finding of this finds you incapacitorially finding and/or locating your discovering the detecting a way to save your dolly belle, ol'what's-her-face". The man paused for a second to frown. "You still with her? I know a nice fish who is rather taken with you. I have tried dissuading him, but we all have our little faults. Savvy". 

Will had forgotten how snake-like Jack was with words. This was proving to be a unpleasant reminder.  He grimaced in disgust (Jack didn't smell terribly nice and they were standing a bit too close) but snatched up the rag anyway. "This is going to save Elizabeth?" He shook the material. 

Jack was still watching him. "How much do you know about Davey Jones?" 

Will shrugged. "Not much".

Jack relaxed. "Yeah, it's going to save Elizabeth". Above them, the crew called out as the sails unfurled. Will paused to take a breath of sea air. The last time he was on this ship, Benj had been there too. He never knew if the man smelt like the sea breeze because it was actually apart of him, or if it was just their environment. Elizabeth had smelt warm and soft like cotton sheets and dried flowers the last time he had seen her. Benj had never been on land with him long enough for his scent to be determined and the reminder sent a pang of guilt in his chest. 

He had been about to get married to the woman of his dream. Yet a certain merman still haunted them, waking him in the middle of the night with shame in his gut. He loved Elizabeth, of that he was certain; but some part, a deep and buried part that was growing bolder by the day, yearned for for a man with eyes darker than night and long dark hair. Images of shimmering  grey blue scales on bare skin and sharp teeth grinning at him kept him awake at night. Clawed hands gripping into flesh and lips sealing over his to push sweet air into his lungs. Elizabeth had long been a unattainable dream that carried him onwards through his troubles with fierce devotion, and now that it was his, constantly kept him on his toes and filled him with joy. He loves her, he did, but Benjamin Bennet had hit him like a whirlwind and months later he was still windswept and reeling. 

"Jack", he called. The man turned from where he was firing his gun at the chittering undead monkey with murderous joy. "Where did your merman of a first mate go? I rather had the impression that chaos kept company". 

Jack fired off another shot and the monkey scampered along the railings. "Oh, our fishy friend Benj? He's visiting family. We might see him soon, if he hasn't already returned to Tortuga. There is only so long any of us can deal with his relatives. You'll soon find out". Then he fired off another cracking boom of a shot and the monkey shrieked. Will frowned in confusion. The words as cryptic as usual. 

unedited

I love will turner, but you have to admit that he is a bit of a himbo. (Elizabeth has all the brain cells in their relationship).