Coming Along

I'm answering reviews from AFF.net first, then FF.net at the bottom.

Heehee, the one picture that inspired this whole thing (aside from the movie itself and the numerous suggestion for a plot like this, I could go on.); http://orlandomultimedia.net/pirate/p43.jpg

"I'm a dishonest man, and you can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest. Now, the honest ones, you can rely on them to do something stupid." -Jack, gotta be one of my favourite parts.

Chiri: Hm, can't think of anyone else to take an interest in Will, but I could add a few things in later. Confused Jack is cute too. ;)

miranda: Yep, I stayed to watch, that monkey is creepy. That's a good idea, I'll see what I can do. Same goes with the cannon idea, maybe a modified long-nine or something in that effect, or a swivel cannon with better range... Wonderous brilliance? Me? I think there's a conflict in there somewhere...

Pookie: Heehee, glad you like it. And if I can make someone's co-workers think that that person is crazy, all the better. ;)


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Will had his sword drawn before his feet ever hit the solid wood of the merchant ship. Jack was by his side a second later. The crew of the merchant ship started the fight, and the Pearl's crew disarmed them of their pistols first. Anamaria and Cotton took a few others to secure below deck; Cotton's parrot flying ahead and startling a few of the British guards before they were cut down.

Jack's style had developed to just securing the ship, picking one or two people to survive (usually the cabin boy and the youngest crew member), dumping those two off the side of the ship, getting what they wanted, then burning everything else. It usually only took a few minutes at the most to round up the victim ship's crew, and this was no exception.

Jack had stepped aside from the fight when he saw it starting to wind down, most of the merchant's crew dropping their weapons in surrender. It wasn't long after that the Pearl's crew had their victims in the center of the ship while Cotton, Ladbroc, and Duncan starting bring what they could find over to the Pearl. Will relaxed slightly, going over to where Jack was keeping an eye on their prisoners.

"Jack," Will started. Just as the captain turned to look at him, Will saw the glint of metal and his eyes widened. "Move!"

Jack stumbled as Will pushed him away. Turning confused eyes on his friend, he saw a small dagger embedded in Will's gut. The younger man fell to his knees, pulling the bloody weapon from him slowly and gasping as it dropped from his hand.

"Will!" Jack caught Will before the latter fell back. He held a hand over the bleeding wound, trying to stem the flow. He looked up when Cotton came with Gibbs. "Take him to the ship. Stop the blood and make sure he's taken care of."

The two nodded and Cotton picked up Will. Gibbs was talking, trying to keep the young man awake. Jack turned to the merchant ship's crew.

"Which one of you bloody bastards threw this?" Jack held up the knife, even his own crew backed away a few steps when he got closer. "Answer me now; or the stories they tell will be held true and none of you get away from this."

There was an uneasy silence before Jack walked over and grabbed the youngest crew member he could find; the cabin boy, who looked to be about thirteen. He held the knife to the boy's throat, "Well?"

"I did, leave the kid alone."

Jack let go of the boy and looked the officer that spoke over. He shrugged, "Okay."

The knife was quickly embedded in the officer's chest, and the man dropped dead. Jack turned to his own crew, "Put that kid in a boat, then burn this."

The Pearl's crew nodded and Jack left as they obeyed.

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"Just a few more, Will," Gibbs said as he pulled the thread threw the torn flesh for the last time. "See, nothin' to worry over."

"Says you," Will groaned, wincing when Gibbs finished the stitches. Both turned when the door opened and Jack came into the First Mate's cabin.

Gibbs pulled Jack from the room, "He needs to rest. And to not pull those stitches. Nothin' important was hit, I think. Clean though, shouldn't take long to fix."

Jack nodded, "Go make sure everyone's onboard and lift anchor."

Gibbs nodded, "Do we head back? Or find another port?"

"Head back, we find a real surgeon to take a look at Will if it's taking longer than you figured."

Jack opened the door to Will's cabin and saw the young man lying on his bed. "How many times do I have to tell you not to do anything stupid?"

Will smiled weakly, "I'm an honest man, remember."

"You're a pain, whelp."

Jack's smile dissolved any insult in those words and he ruffled Will's hair affectionately as he pulled the chair from the desk and sat down. The captain lifted the blanket that hid the wound from sight and grimaced, "I hate to say it; but I owe you now."

Will smiled, "I might hold you to that."

Something caught Jack's eye and he smiled, picking up a bottle of rum. He took a drink and offered it to Will. "Heals all aches."

"Or causes more," Will said, accepting the offer. "Gibbs poured that on me to disinfect."

"Could've been worse."

Will snorted, "Yeah."

Jack smiled and Will lay back, groaning as the wound stretched but the stitches held. Jack watched as Will closed his eyes, trying to relax enough to relieve any pain. Jack knew he held affection for Will, as he had for the boy's father. But the second he saw the knife in his friend, it had driven him mad, that was something he couldn't remember happening before. He reached out, smoothing Will's hair as gently as he could. Will smiled up at him, used to the light touches on shoulder or back that were usually as close as Jack came to actually saying that he cared about a friend.

That smile undid Jack and he couldn't stop himself. The captain leaned down and captured Will's lips in a soft kiss. He drew back slightly, then realized what he had just done and sat up; tense and judging Will's reaction while his mind worked to think up a way to get out.

The tension seemed to last too long and Jack contemplated getting up and out, but as he made to move, Will grabbed his arm. Jack looked down, confused now.

"Do that again?" Will asked quietly. "Please?"

Jack blinked, "Will...what?"

"Will you do that again?"

Jack knelt by the bed, "Are you serious?"

Will only nodded and that was all Jack needed. This time, he nudged Will's lips apart with his tongue, thrilled with Will's compliance. Panting for breath when he pulled away. "Why?"

"'Cause you're a scoundrel, amazing...and I...want you to do that again..."

Jack barely heard the last part and the words suddenly made things clearer to him. He just smiled and kissed Will again, passionately this time. Jack pulled away when he heard a hiss of pain from Will. He pulled back suddenly.

"Are you okay?"

Will nodded, "Yeah. Nothing to worry about."

Jack lifted the blanket again, seeing a small trickle of blood seeping from the wound again. He scowled and placed a hand over the opened part. "You're incorrigable."

"That wasn't something stupid."

Jack smiled, "No, I suppose it wasn't."

The captain found the cloth bandages Gibbs decided he wouldn't need and pressed one to the wound. "You're going to rest for a few days. Make sure you heal."

Will sighed and nodded. When Jack was satisfied that the bleeding had stopped, he pulled the cloth away and smiled. "Now," he leaned to give Will a quick, soft kiss; "I need to go make sure we're on course. I'll be back in a few minutes. Move and open that wound, and I will kill you."

Will rolled his eyes and Jack stood. As expected, Gibbs and Anamaria had taken command while he was with Will. The woman at the wheel while Gibbs gave orders to get their looted treasure below deck for now.

"How is the kid?" Anamaria asked, relinquishing her hold on the wheel.

"He'll be fine."

"There's something you're not telling me."

Jack gave her a confused look and she smiled. "A woman's intuition never lies. Spill it."

"I think I'm starting to shy Ghy Gibbs is always saying that's it's bad luck to have women aboard."

Anamaria just crossed her arms in front of her chest and Jack sighed.

If you say anything to anyone else, dead or alive, I will personally see to it that you find a nice little home on the bottom of the ocean."

"Fine, on my honour."

Jack raised an eyebrow and Anamaria narrowed her eyes.

Finally, the captain relented. "I kissed Will. Four times."

"Jack..."

"I think I love him," Jack confessed. "The little whelp that he is."

Anamaria smiled, "About damn time."

"What?"

"It's about time you've figured that out. Don't worry, mate. Goes with me to the grave."

"See that it does," Jack smiled.

"Captain!" Crimp called from his lookout post. "A ship on the horizon and coming fast."

Jack handed the wheel over to Anamaria's control and jumped from the d Cri Crimp handed him the looking glass and Jack scanned the sea where Crimp had pointed. Sure enough, there was a ship, but Jack noticed that it wasn't a merchant ship.

"Red flag," Jack told the crew, and a red flag was raised above. He turned his attention back to the ship, trying to find a name. "No name..."

He frowned, the ship was almost as fast as the Interceptor had been. But there was no show of arms, and except for a smaller Union Jack, there was no flag. A lisenced ship, most likely buccaneer. Another look revealed a white fbeinbeing raised. Not long after, they were almost side by side, keeping time.

A man was on the rail of the unknown ship, standing in a similar fashion to how Will had taken to standing. Each crew member on the Pearl heard the shout. "Parley!"

Jack nodded and they dropped anchor, seeing the move mirrored by the other ship. They stopped side by side, the Pearl facing west and the other ship facing east. A board was placed across the distance and the man that had yelled the request started across with three others.

Jack and Gibbs stopped in their tracks, eyes widened. "Bootstrap?"

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Heh. Told ya he'd play a part.

It appears that AdultFanFiction.net updates faster, at least shows the new chapter sooner, anyway. And I've quite efficiently screwed the plot of my own story now. Heh.

FF.net responses: Ch. 4;

Gami: Thanks. :) I'm really just following my impressions of him from the movie, and I'm estactic that it happens to be true to character.

Jedi Master Calriel: *huggles* More updates to come.

Palindrome: I like the name. More coming.

Static-X-fan: Here you go.

Lady-Willowish: heehee, I was wondering when someone would react to that. ;)