Freedom's Slave

Nicole: I do what on purpose?! Hee wel well, I hope you realize you're getting all the one-shot things I can think up. I should prolly post the ananlysis I've made of the characters sometime... And this is deffinately for you! Seeing as how you kept pushing me, and helped me get rid of excess bunnies by requesting those one-shot dealies. Of course, now that we've left the newly developed story for little Will and started on that Norrington concept, I don't know if I should hug you, or hit you.

Nita: Awww... *huggles* I still say you're not a pirate, so ;p. Nicole listen to her; lots and lots of lollies, and maybe even a plushie or two!

Kary_Asakura: Slash should be up by the end of this chapter. I don't write graphic scenes because I have no reason too. I have more concerns on the plot rather than the romance that takes a backseat. So please try to be patient, and wait, just enjoy what I'm putting out here since you've chosen to read it. If you want stories that focus just on slash, there are any number of PWPs you can look at.

Earen: :P *points at muse currently using plot bunnies as pillows* You wanna try waking her up? I'm just short of shock treatment.

MadoushiClef: Well, up until this chapter, Jack has no intimate interest in Will. In case you missed the little plot development; he promised to protect Bootstrap's family and failed, thereby giving him a reason to want to look out for Will. And the average length of time a woman can stay angry (a couple of scientists figured this out for some reason) is ten years. I'm clearing things up considerably quicker than that. My computer may be a piece of crap, but that's not affecting my writing speed or chapter length. Short chapters are to develop certain plot aspects, or would you rather a long and crappy chapter to a short and well-written one? Please make an attempt at being polite, I'm havenouenough trouble with idiots.
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By the time a month had passed, Jack was getting frustrated. He rather enjoyed listening to any banter the crew had, especially if it involved Cotton's parrot. But the silence between Anam and and Will was starting to annoy him. And upset Will, but Jack wasn't going to admit that as part of the reason he wanted to at least get them to talk to each other.

He had woken to Will having a nightmare every so often, and really had no idea what to do about them. So deciding that he needed to be on speaking terms with Anamaria, Jack joined Gibbs on watch one night.

"So you'll get th' lass t' the captain's galley?"

Gibbs nodded, "Aye, but only 'cause I want 'er t' stop pouting. A mak make sure she knows 'twas ye Jack, that thought this up."

Jack smiled, "Alright, mate. But you're still th' one t' bring 'er."

"Aye, aye. Don't say I didn't warn ye, Jack."

"I know what I'm doin'."

"One can only hope."

************

"I'm not goin' t' talk t' th' bastard!"

Gibbs sighed, "It's only Jack, lass. An' what'll he do? I'll bet 'e just wants t' talk 'bout Will."

"No."

"Ana-"

"No!"

"You can 'it 'im."

Anamaria thought about that, "Well..."
**************

Jack smiled, sitting at the table and putting his feet up. "C'mon, lad. You haven't had much t' eat. An' I'll be damned if I sail wit' a half-fed crew. Even if it just is one man that's not eatin' 'is share."

Will frowned, "I'm not hungry."

"No, I suppose not. What wit' all that not eatin' you've been doin'."

Standing, Jack moved to place his hands on Will's shoulders, keeping the younger man in a loose grip while effectively making sure Will didn't get up from his seat.

"Now, you're goin' t' sit right here, an' wait."

"For what?"

Jack shrug loo looking up when Gibbs opened the door. "For that."

Anamaria immediately stopped and glared at Jack, Gibbs left quickly. Grinning, Jack released Will's shoulders.

"Well, you two enjoy yourselves."

He was stopped by an unmoving Anamaria and frowned. "You 'ave t' move, lass. 'Less you want me t' sit in on this."

"You can tell us what's goin' on."

"I could? Oh! Yes, I could. But there's no fun in that," Jack slung an arm over Anamaria's shoulders, leading her to the table to sit by Will. "See, fun is t' be had in makin' sure things like this stnternterestin'. This isn't interestin' any more, so it's not fun. Well, for me. But I find fun in other things that I can find fun in. Savvy?"

Anamaria wondered if she should still be angry or confused. She settled for something in between ait tit the captain's arm. Grinning, Jack quickly left.

"How do you put up with that?"

Will smiled, "After a while, he starts to make sense."

There was an uneasy silence between the two before Will spoke again.

"Why don't you trust him?"

"It's not him. Well, it is, but so mso much," said Anamaria. "I just don't want you t' get hurt."

"I think it's obvious that he won't hurt me."

"He's a pirate."

"So are we."

Anamaria frowned, "True. But..."

"You don't need to protect me. You know that by now."

"You didn't need t' help me, and you knew that when we first met."

"I wasn't going to sit back and let them-"

"I know. And that's why I'm not goin' t' sit back and let this bastard hurt you."

Will smiled, "If he hurts me, you can kill him."

The woman thought for a second, "Could I torture him first?"

**************

"Think they killed each other?" Gibbs wondered, taking the wheel from Jack. The cin gin grabbed his friend's flask of rum and finished off what was left in it.

"Just keep 'er steady. I'll go save the whelp."

Jack wasn't surprised that Anamaria was the one to react to him first. Quickly standing and slapping him.

"I suppose there's a reason for that?" Jack asked, rubbing his cheek.

"I'll kill you if you hurt him."

"Sounds fair. But that isn't a reason for hittin' me."

"Do I need a reason?"

"I'd prefer it."

Will sighed, "Could you two at least try to get along?"

They both looked at him in confusion and answered at the same time. "We are."

Jack made a move to step past Anamaria and the woman placed herself directly in front of him.

"I could think o' this as mutiny, lass."

"No you can't. I'm not questionin' your command."

"You hit me."

"You deserved it."

Will leaned against the table, watching the two argue. Gibbs came in, walking past the two unnoticed and looked questioningly at Will. The younger man shrugged, "The least they haven't pulled weapons yet."

"Oh, aye. How did it go?"

"Ana and I are talking."

"Good, lad. I'll wager ye that Jack wins this."

Gibbs indicated the continuing argument over whether or not Anamaria was mutinous. Will shook his head.

"I know Jack'll win. No point in arguing with him."

"Either 'e'll confuse ye, or 'e'll kill ye."

Anamaria blinked at Jack's latest argument and Wimilemiled. "At least he didn't kill her."

*************

Jack looked up from where he was sharpening his sword (grateful he remembered to pick up a new whet stone) when the soft cry reached his ears. Resting his sword on the desk, the captain moved to kneel by the bed, intent on using his old tactics to calm the younger man.

Placing a hand on Will's bare shoulder, Jack gently shook the sleeping youth. "C'mon, lad. No need t' be havin' bad dreams. You're safe 'ere... More or less."

Will's eyes opened at the second gentle shake Jack gave him.

"Y'alright, lad?"

Will nodded, "Yes... It was nothing."

Jack sat back, "Seem t' be dreamin' 'bout a lot o' nothin' that has you upset. What is it, William?"

Sighing, Will shifted to lay on his back, covering his eyes with an arm. "I keep remembering the fire... My mother..."

Jack nodded, not really sure how to comfort the younger man; it wasn't everyday he was faced with that duty. Will sat up.

"There was someone else there too. A man, he had a weird hat."

Now Jack was interested, "A man?"
ll nll nodded, "I never see his face, but I think my mother called him... Barb..ossa?"

"Barbossa?" Jack frowned.

"You knew him?"

"In a sense. Th' bloody bastard... Well, 'e's done things I wouldn't do. A lot o' things."

Jack hesitated, his mind trying to work out two things; to ask if Will remembered anything about Barbossa, and if he should tell the younger man just what Barbossa had done. Deciding against either, Jack smiled.

"Well, I can understand you remrin'rin' the fire, nasty bit in your past that that is. But you best put it behind you, no use in bringin' up past hurts an' all that. Savvy?"

Another nod and Jack immediately decides that it's taking too long to get Will to open up. Oh, he was fine when it was just them, or with Gibbs (there was just something fatherly about Gibbs that made him seem trustworthy), but he was still too quiet and withdrawn.

Moving to sit on the edge of the bed, Jack grins. "Alright, Will. We set this straight; we're friends, savvy? You can tell anythin', an' I insist that you do."

Will blinked, then looawayaway. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not being open. I know you want me to be."

"All in good time, mate, all in good time," Jack reached out, cupping Will's cheek and forcing the younger man to meet his eyes. "You look like him. Your father, I mean. Well, your eyes're a bit darker, but that's it."

"What was he like?"

"Hmmm...Lot like you. Not as fun though. I swear, he must've had a stick up his arse at times. Bloody good pirate, and a good man."

Will smiled and Jack couldn't help brin rin at seeing the younger man's smile. He also couldn't seem to help himself when he touched his lips to Will's. As soon as he realized what he was doing, Jack pulled away, moving his hand away from Will.

"Oh, gods, Will- I didn't mean- Well, I guess I did, but I didn't."

Thin lips parted and blu blushed. "Jack... It's okay."

"No it's not. Now you're goin' t' be scared. An' that's the last thing I want."

Will moved quickly, closing the distance between them to seal his lips against Jack's. It was a clumsy movement and one Will wasn't used to, but Jack recovered from his short-lived shock to adapt and reassure Will by returning the kiss. He replaced his hand on Will's cheek, moving his other to the younger man's hip to bring them closer together.

"Are you sure?"

Will nodded, "I think so."

Jack pulled away a little, "No. I nyou you to be sure. An' this cannot be tryin' t' repay me for takin' you in."

Will smiled, "It isn't like that... I don't know what this is, but I like you, a lot, and more than just a friend..."

He looked uncertain, "Is that alright?"

Grinning, Jack touched his forehead to Will's, the trinkets in his hair tinkling. "It's perfect, love. An' we'll take it slow so you figure it out."

Will kissed Jack again, and the latter smiled at how sweet the guesture was. Jack moved so he lay next to Will, smoothing a hand through slightly curly hair.

"Try an' get some more sleep, Will. We still have practice before dawn."

**************

Gibbs frowned and struck the biscuit that was breakfast against the hard wood of the railing, disgusted at the sight of the weevils falling from it. Deciding that he shouldn't drink himself to sleep again, in case he missed another breakfast, Gibbs tossed the offending 'food' into the sea. Wandering over to Jack at the wheel, he quickly scans the horizon, eyes settling on the dark shape of a nearing ship.

"I take it you've seen it, Jack?"

"Aye. Not far, give us an hour."

"You'll be goin' for it?"

Jack gave him an incredulous look, "Of course! What kind o' pirate am I that I won't go for a ship?"

Gibbs shook his head in amusement. Jack looked over the deck, seeing the crew already starting to get themselves ready, just waiting for confconfirmation. Then something caught his eye. "Here, take the wheel. Set steady course t' th' ship."

"Aye, Cap'n."

Having seen Will paled after looking through the spyglass at the approaching ship, and Anamaria setting her jaw in a familiar guesture of anger, Jack quickly went over to see what was wrong.

"An' what's got you two so worked up?"

"It's them," Anamaria answered.

"Who?"

Will frowned, "The slavers that sold us to the one you saved us from."

Jack nodded, "Don't worry, Will. You're on th' Black Pearl, an' trust me, you're gettin' a chance at revenge."

Anamaria had a grim smile and Jack reminded himself to make sure Gibbs kept an eye on her. There was a look of uncertainty in Will's eyes and Jack tried to smile reassuringly.

"You're plenty good with that sword, lad. An' I'll keep an eye on you, savvy?"

Will nodded and Jack turned to the crew. "Alright scalawags! Prepare for some fun!"

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Okay, took a while (and the soundtrack) to get back into this groove, and I'm seriously working on getting Jack back into character. As well as trying to add a bit of that melancholy menace that was in the movie. I'm using the sounck fck for a bit of inspiration, and the coming fight scenes should be interesting to write.

I've done a serious analysis of the characters, and written out four (Barbossa, Will, Jack, and Elizabeth) in an essay form. I'm working on the same for the others (mainly Ana, Norrington, Gibbs, and Gov. Swann), but I doubt anyone'll be seeing them anytime soon. Though I did manage to put Jack's into a kind of short fic (Nicole's treat ;-)). And I'll work on doing the same for Will.

In response to reviews; I know this is technically at the top, but this is a general reponse. I am getting really tired of things I can't respond to, like "good, I like, more soon". Or things that can be percieved as rude, regardless y moy mood, like "where's the slash" or "too short". I'm aware you're mostly trying to encourage me, and I'm grateful, but just trust me. I will get it out, and the chapters will be either long or short, depending on where the natural end is. There's nothing more frustrating than a long chapter that really would have been better as a short one.

I'm confident in my hold on the characters now, and it should be a little more familiar with their responses now. I honestly don't know how long until the next chapter is out, but considering I have school coming up, I'm thinking updates may have a bit more of a distance between them. Also, my thought patterns seemed to have taken on a Jack-like quality (whether that's a good or bad thing, I'm not sure ^.^;), making for some interesting possibilities when I get back to classes.

Sorry to ramble.