Ad Infinitum
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Pirates of the Caribbean (All) › Slash - Male/Male › Jack/Will
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
18
Views:
2,427
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Pirates of the Caribbean (All) › Slash - Male/Male › Jack/Will
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
18
Views:
2,427
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
Disclaimer: We do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. We do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 4: Quid Nunc?
****
Chapter 4: Quid Nunc?
****
“What now, Cap’n?”
Gibbs gestured to the crumbled canvas bundle lying on the deck of the Black Pearl.
Jack glanced briefly down before returning to scanning the horizon. Apparently satisfied with what he saw – or more accurately, didn’t see, he closed his spy glass with a definitive snap.
“We summon the Dutchman.”
Ana scowled. “And how?” She nodded her head towards the vast expanse of empty sea surrounding them. “Stick our heads under water and shout?”
“No.” Jack gave her an exasperated look. “We wait for the opportune moment.”
She folded her arms and glared at Jack. “And just when is that? We’ve been sailing around in circles for two days.”
“These things take time,” Jack huffed.
Ana narrowed one eye. “How much time?” She jerked a thumb towards the shroud on deck. “Much longer and there won’t be anything left of her.”
“Ana’s right,” Gibbs added. “What with this heat, one might say that time was of the essence.”
“That ain’t all that’s of an essence,” Ana muttered, wrinkling her nose.
Jack didn’t appear to be listening. “Perhaps he doesn’t know we are here,” he mumbled, scanning the horizon once again.
“Maybe we need t’ perform a proper burial,” Gibbs suggested.
“That’s it!” Jack, having apparently come to a decision, whirled and waved his hands at his crew. “We’ll just have to chuck her in.”
As his crew members stared incredulously, Jack began barking out instructions.
“Well! Don’t just stand there! Gibbs, fetch a line and make fast the body. We don’t need her drifting off, just yet. Ana, we’ll need some rum, and a Book of Prayer, if you can find one. Nix, scratch that last one, won’t do no good for what we need.”
After another speechless moment, the two did as directed.
As he tied the line, Gibbs observed the carefully stitched shroud that contained the remains of Elizabeth. He had wondered why Jack had asked for the body to be taken to the great cabin when they’d boarded the Pearl. Always a deft hand with a needle, Jack had painstakingly sewn the shroud closed, a final, traditional gesture of respect for the dead.
Ana returned with several bottles of rum, one of which she took a healthy swallow from before handing it to Gibbs. The others she gave to Jack, along with a black, leather-bound book.
“I couldn’t find that book. So I brought you this.”
Jack gave the first pages a cursory look. “Ah, Ovid. Good choice!” He took a swig of rum and began leafing through the mouldy tome. With a tarred finger he tapped on a page, propping the book atop the capstan and weighted it open with another bottle.
Jack gestured to Gibbs and the others, who hoisted the shrouded body of Elizabeth and poised it over the rail. Clearing his voice, he began to read, stumbling over the translation.
My hands are tired from the many blows
They have inflicted on my punished flesh,
But still I stretch them to you across the sea,
And show the tragic remnant of my hair
And pray you through the tears wept for my crime:
Turn back your prow, O Theseus, reverse your course!
Though I should die before you come to me,
To you I trust my bones and burial.
Finis
The crew murmured their responses and gently let go, the soft splash sounding a final farewell.
Jack reached over the rail and poured a stream of amber rum as a solemn benediction. “Ta, luv. Sleep well.” Then, with a whirl of coat tails he made his way to the helm, where he once again proceeded to scan the horizon.
“Well, that’s that,” Gibbs said wearily, running a hand through his hair. “All that’s left is for the Ferryman to see her home.”
“Aye,” Ana said softly. “Suppose he’ll show up?”
Gibbs gave her a puzzled look. “The Dutchman’s Captain is duty bound to escort those that die at sea to the other side.”
“Aye!” Ana said. “But she didn’t die at sea.”
Gibbs opened his mouth to reply but slowly shut it again. He peered over the railing, where the pale shroud could be seen bobbing beneath the surface. “Don’t reckon Jack thought of that.”
After a short while, Jack came striding over to the two of them, peering over the rail as well. “He ought t’ have been here by now,” he muttered. He gave the tether line a tug or two.
“Ana was saying that perhaps it’s ‘cause Elizabeth didn’t die at sea,” Gibbs offered helpfully.
“Was she now?” Jack frowned.
Ana frowned back. “According to my people, if a body is not given a proper burial, the soul is doomed to wander. She could be anywhere by now.”
“Well isn’t that just bloody perfect!” Jack began pacing, waving his arms around. “I didn’t go through all this bloody trouble t’ feed the bloody sharks!” Grabbing up a line he quickly tied a slip knot and flung the end over the yardarm and made fast. “If it takes a bloody buggering death at sea to get bloody Will Turner’s attention, that’s what he’ll bloody get.”
“Cap’n?” Gibbs gave Jack a worried look.
Jack continued to mutter, tugging on the line before stepping up onto the edge of the rail.
“Don’t be daft, Jack,” Ana snapped, her sharpness betraying her worry. “I’m sure there’s another way to summon him.”
Jack slipped the noose over his head, shooting an annoyed glance at Ana. “Aye, but this way is much faster.”
And with that, Jack stepped off the edge of the rail, only to jerk upward with a clean snap, before dangling lifeless above the tranquil sea.
****
Chapter 4: Quid Nunc?
****
“What now, Cap’n?”
Gibbs gestured to the crumbled canvas bundle lying on the deck of the Black Pearl.
Jack glanced briefly down before returning to scanning the horizon. Apparently satisfied with what he saw – or more accurately, didn’t see, he closed his spy glass with a definitive snap.
“We summon the Dutchman.”
Ana scowled. “And how?” She nodded her head towards the vast expanse of empty sea surrounding them. “Stick our heads under water and shout?”
“No.” Jack gave her an exasperated look. “We wait for the opportune moment.”
She folded her arms and glared at Jack. “And just when is that? We’ve been sailing around in circles for two days.”
“These things take time,” Jack huffed.
Ana narrowed one eye. “How much time?” She jerked a thumb towards the shroud on deck. “Much longer and there won’t be anything left of her.”
“Ana’s right,” Gibbs added. “What with this heat, one might say that time was of the essence.”
“That ain’t all that’s of an essence,” Ana muttered, wrinkling her nose.
Jack didn’t appear to be listening. “Perhaps he doesn’t know we are here,” he mumbled, scanning the horizon once again.
“Maybe we need t’ perform a proper burial,” Gibbs suggested.
“That’s it!” Jack, having apparently come to a decision, whirled and waved his hands at his crew. “We’ll just have to chuck her in.”
As his crew members stared incredulously, Jack began barking out instructions.
“Well! Don’t just stand there! Gibbs, fetch a line and make fast the body. We don’t need her drifting off, just yet. Ana, we’ll need some rum, and a Book of Prayer, if you can find one. Nix, scratch that last one, won’t do no good for what we need.”
After another speechless moment, the two did as directed.
As he tied the line, Gibbs observed the carefully stitched shroud that contained the remains of Elizabeth. He had wondered why Jack had asked for the body to be taken to the great cabin when they’d boarded the Pearl. Always a deft hand with a needle, Jack had painstakingly sewn the shroud closed, a final, traditional gesture of respect for the dead.
Ana returned with several bottles of rum, one of which she took a healthy swallow from before handing it to Gibbs. The others she gave to Jack, along with a black, leather-bound book.
“I couldn’t find that book. So I brought you this.”
Jack gave the first pages a cursory look. “Ah, Ovid. Good choice!” He took a swig of rum and began leafing through the mouldy tome. With a tarred finger he tapped on a page, propping the book atop the capstan and weighted it open with another bottle.
Jack gestured to Gibbs and the others, who hoisted the shrouded body of Elizabeth and poised it over the rail. Clearing his voice, he began to read, stumbling over the translation.
My hands are tired from the many blows
They have inflicted on my punished flesh,
But still I stretch them to you across the sea,
And show the tragic remnant of my hair
And pray you through the tears wept for my crime:
Turn back your prow, O Theseus, reverse your course!
Though I should die before you come to me,
To you I trust my bones and burial.
Finis
The crew murmured their responses and gently let go, the soft splash sounding a final farewell.
Jack reached over the rail and poured a stream of amber rum as a solemn benediction. “Ta, luv. Sleep well.” Then, with a whirl of coat tails he made his way to the helm, where he once again proceeded to scan the horizon.
“Well, that’s that,” Gibbs said wearily, running a hand through his hair. “All that’s left is for the Ferryman to see her home.”
“Aye,” Ana said softly. “Suppose he’ll show up?”
Gibbs gave her a puzzled look. “The Dutchman’s Captain is duty bound to escort those that die at sea to the other side.”
“Aye!” Ana said. “But she didn’t die at sea.”
Gibbs opened his mouth to reply but slowly shut it again. He peered over the railing, where the pale shroud could be seen bobbing beneath the surface. “Don’t reckon Jack thought of that.”
After a short while, Jack came striding over to the two of them, peering over the rail as well. “He ought t’ have been here by now,” he muttered. He gave the tether line a tug or two.
“Ana was saying that perhaps it’s ‘cause Elizabeth didn’t die at sea,” Gibbs offered helpfully.
“Was she now?” Jack frowned.
Ana frowned back. “According to my people, if a body is not given a proper burial, the soul is doomed to wander. She could be anywhere by now.”
“Well isn’t that just bloody perfect!” Jack began pacing, waving his arms around. “I didn’t go through all this bloody trouble t’ feed the bloody sharks!” Grabbing up a line he quickly tied a slip knot and flung the end over the yardarm and made fast. “If it takes a bloody buggering death at sea to get bloody Will Turner’s attention, that’s what he’ll bloody get.”
“Cap’n?” Gibbs gave Jack a worried look.
Jack continued to mutter, tugging on the line before stepping up onto the edge of the rail.
“Don’t be daft, Jack,” Ana snapped, her sharpness betraying her worry. “I’m sure there’s another way to summon him.”
Jack slipped the noose over his head, shooting an annoyed glance at Ana. “Aye, but this way is much faster.”
And with that, Jack stepped off the edge of the rail, only to jerk upward with a clean snap, before dangling lifeless above the tranquil sea.
****