Always have, Always Will

Chapter 11: Status

There was a slight chill in the night. The stars were hidden under the thin blanket of dark clouds. There was only a slight wind to help the Pearl along. It’s captain sailing it expertly through the waters. There were a couple other crewmen awake and on lookout, but everyone else was asleep.

“Jack you’ve been out here all night. What are you doing?” A man asked as he walked up to the helm to stand by Jack.

“Mr. Turner, surprised to see you awake.” Jack replied, not even taking his eyes off of the horizon.

“Couldn’t sleep. Why are you still up?” Will asked again.

“The girl still has the fever and I don’t want ta wake her.” Jack said. Will gave him a side ways look. That’s interesting.

“We are happy you came and talked to us. Then again Elizabeth is quite mad that you didn’t come to our wedding.” Will said and looked back out at the sea.

“I did come to yer weddin, just a month to late.” Jack replied coolly. Will let out a chuckle and shook his head.

“Elizabeth told me that some of the women in Port Royal think the girl you have is insane.” Will said quietly, not wanting the two other crewman to overhear this part of the conversation.

“Aye, she might be.” Jack replied. “What do they say about her?” Will furrowed his eyebrows as he raked through his brain, trying to remember.

“She hates going outside alone and she talks to herself. Only a couple women have seen her actually talk to herself. But they said she was talking as though someone else was there.” Will explained.

“She hates going outside? I’ve seen her outside more than once by herself.” Jack said quietly to himself. Will overheard him and gave him another confused glance.

“How well do you know her?” Will asked after a moment of silence.

“I don’t really. I just seen her get into trouble on more than one occasion and saved her is all.” Jack replied with a smirk on his face.

“What kind of trouble?” Will asked uncertainly.

“She’s almost been killed three times.” Jack said. Will’s face contorted into one of pure surprise.

“What in the hell has she done?” Will asked, practically shouting.

“Shhh lad, I have no idea.” Jack replied finally turning around to face Will. “Why did you and Elizabeth agree to come anyways?”

“I don’t know Jack. She just wanted to for some reason so I agreed.” Will said.

“Ahh yes, can’t deny your dear Elizabeth anything eh?” Jack slurred and rolled his eyes.

“Make fun all you want, your going down that same path.” Will retorted quietly before leaving Jack alone with his thoughts. He stared back out over the dark ocean, not giving any attention to Will’s last statement. He had gone to visit the couple right before they left port. He had asked them if they wanted to join him, hoping it would make up for missing their wedding. It surprised him that Elizabeth was the one to jump out of her seat and practically scream yes. Will just stayed seated and went along with his wife’s decision. They left the next morning. Jack kept Abby out of their sight but had mentioned her to them. Elizabeth said she had met her at the wedding, Will said he had never heard of her before. They left early the following morning, no questions asked about where they were going. Everyone just wanted to get out of port and onto the sea.

Jack took a swig of rum and adjusted the helm a little before tying a rope around one of the spokes and setting off towards his cabin. Abby’s last lapse had taken all energy out of her body. She had slept the entire day, not waking up or even stirring once. Jack slowly opened the doors into his cabin and looked over to his bed. Sure enough, she was still sleeping. The fever was completely gone. But Jack didn’t want the crew to worry about having an insane girl on the ship so he continued to tell everyone she still had it. He wasn’t totally sure if she was actually insane but didn’t want to take any chances. Especially now that they were back out at sea, to far from any port to just turn and drop her.

Jack slowly made his way over to his bed, taking off his effects and coat, throwing them on a nearby chair. He looked down to Abby’s sleeping form. Her brown hair framed her face with small curls. She hadn’t moved in over twenty hours. It would be a lie if Jack said that he wasn’t worried about her. He may not be that worried about her. But he was, even if it was only slightly.

He carefully pushed her limp form closer to the opposite side of the bed, giving himself a little more room. When he was satisfied with his amount of space, he crawled under the sheets, instantly letting the darkness of sleep takeover his mind.

888

Her eyelids were heavy the next morning, almost making it impossible for her to open them. But she was sick of sleeping. All she can remember is the blackness of the back of her eyelids. She focused all her strength on opening her eyes, and finally succeeded. She remembered she was on the Black Pearl. But couldn’t remember why or how she got there. She stretched her arms but immediately regretted doing so. Pain instantly shot through her body. She let out a load groan and stopped all other movements, praying the pain would subside quickly. She looked back around at her surroundings. Everything was covered with a black shadow. She looked over to the window and noticed the sky was almost pitch black. No stars painted over the sky on this night. The pain from her shoulder was forgotten quickly, it was replaced by an empty feeling. Something was not right. She looked down at her shoulder, her memory coming back when she seen the blood red bandage covering the bullet wound. She let out another groan and let her head fall back onto her pillow.

“Mornin’ Ab.” Jack mumbled. Abby let out a shriek and scooted away from his body. She hadn’t even noticed him seconds ago.

“W-what are you doing in here?” She practically yelled. Jack just sat up and rubbed his eyes.

“I was sleepin’, but I got rudely woken up, so now I’m goin’ ta get up and captain my lovely ship.” Jack replied quickly before getting out of the bed and grabbing his effects and coat.

“I mean why are you on this bed? It is completely improper.” She shouted back at him. Jack turned around to face her and gave her his best innocent look he could muster.

“Didn’t do nothin’ luv.” Jack replied calmly and turned back around. Abby sat on the bed and watched him leave the cabin without even giving her a second glance. She looked back down to her shoulder and slowly unwrapped the bandage. The wound was healing nicely but still had a long ways to go.

She gave a started shriek when the cabin door opened again. She mentally scolded herself for letting her guard down. When she finally focused in on the persons face she could have screamed in frustration. It was Elizabeth Swann, a rich pompous good for nothing woman. Abby made sure to hide her anger under a fake mask of some sort of happiness. Elizabeth smiled back at her and grabbed a clean bandage off of Jack’s desk.

“How are you feeling this morning?” Elizabeth asked quietly.

“I’m fine, and you?” Abby replied casually. It was not in her nature to be mean to anyone.

“I’m doing alright. This wound seems to be healing quiet well.” Elizabeth said as she looked over Abby’s shoulder. After a few more moments she nodded her head and started to rewrap the bandage.

“You don’t need to do this Miss, I am quiet capable.” Abby said quietly. She felt awkward having a high class woman help her, a maid.

“Nonsense, I hate seeing people hurt like this.” Elizabeth replied and continued to wrap her shoulder. Abby stared at her in disbelief. Of course she wouldn’t listen, she doesn’t listen to what a maid would have to say.

“Then why are you on a pirate ship.” Abby retorted coldly. She closed her eyes when she finally realized what she said. No doubt she would be getting a wiping for that.

“Well, it’s a long story really, but my husband and I are friends with Captain Jack Sparrow.” Elizabeth replied. There wasn’t even a slight hint of anger in her tone.

“Friends? But why?” Abby asked curiously.

“He saved both of our lives, and we in turn saved his. It’s really a story for another time, it’s not good for casual conversation.” Elizabeth said and gave a sigh of satisfaction when she finished with the bandage.

“There we go.” She whispered quietly and stood up from the bed. “I have a few other dresses you could wear, we look to be the same size.” Abby looked at her curiously.

She’s planning something.

She shook her head to get rid of the voice. She hadn’t heard it in a while and was liking it. Then without warning, she remembered.

The fever had clouded her mind, but she could still remember it. The voice taunted her every thought, every move, every breath.

“Are you alright?” Elizabeth asked, shaking Abby from her thoughts. She nodded her head in reply and tried again to remember the last few days. She could only remember the voice whispering in her ear every second. She remembered smashing bottles and destroying anything she could get her hands on. She looked around the room and for the first time she took notice of the mess. Papers were thrown around all over on the floor, pieces of broken glass were everywhere. There was even a ripped up sheet from the bed. “Are you sure your alright? You just got ghostly pale.”

“Yes, yes I’m fine.” Abby replied quietly.

“Do you want me to go get a loose dress or something?” Elizabeth said in an equally quiet voice.

“No you don’t need to do that.” Abby said and made to get off the bed. Elizabeth quickly moved to help her. “It’s alright, I can manage.” Abby said to Elizabeth.

“Please just let me help, I feel terrible.” Elizabeth said, her grip on Abby’s shoulders not loosening at all.

“And pray tell what makes you feel terrible. I am the one with a bullet whole in my shoulder.” Abby retorted and wriggled her shoulders away from Elizabeth’s grasp.

“Look Jack said you would be a little angry when you seen me but I can’t help the status my father gave me.” Elizabeth replied coolly. Abby turned and gave Elizabeth the best glare she could.

“Doesn’t it suck when people make snap judgments about you because of your status?” Abby said and made her way over to the chest at the foot of the bed.

“If you think that then why are you doing it?” Elizabeth asked thinking she had made a point. Abby just snorted and continued to look through the chest.

“I suppose you forgot about your wedding then, just because I am a maid doesn’t mean you can treat me like shite.” Abby said.

“I’m sorry for that.” Elizabeth replied. Abby looked up at her with a blank expression.

“Me too, you seem really nice but you ruined any chance there was for a friendship.” Abby said. She stood back up slowly, her brows furrowed in anger since she didn’t find any extra clothes.

“Do you not forgive anyone?” Elizabeth asked. Abby looked over to her and shook her head.

“My entire life I have worked to serve under people of your status. Each one treating me worse than the last. I have forgotten what forgiveness is.” Abby replied quietly, the harshness that was evident only seconds ago was completely gone.

“Well I suppose I can only hope that we can become friends then. I’ll go now, if you need anything just shout for me.” Elizabeth said and quickly left the room. Abby sat back down on the edge of the bed, tears threatening to spill at any moment. Never in her life had she ever been so cruel to someone. Especially someone of a higher class.