Tribble: Whose Guilt?

[honorat]

By Honorat
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I must be a mouse for PotC profit to apply, and I’m not.

Summary: Before Will gets pardoned, he and Jack have some heavy conversations in the Dauntless’ brig. A triple drabble for the “What have I done?” challenge at Black Pearl Sails.

Thanks to geek_mama_2 for the beta read.

* * * * *


“Jack?” Will’s voice was low.

“Aye?” Jack turned his head just enough to see the lad.

“Did you know what Barbossa did to my father?”

He should have known some version of this conversation was coming. Jack tipped his head back against the bulkhead and sighed. No chance of escaping this one.

“I knew,” he admitted.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

A week ago that would have been an accusation, but now there was only a bewildered hurt in the boy’s voice.

“It wasn’t the opportune moment,” Jack evaded.

No, Will hadn’t needed that bit of knowledge tying his hands.

“So I had to learn about him from Barbossa’s men?” Will asked incredulously.

Jack imagined that they’d told him that story in the cruelest way possible.

“That wasn’t a part of my plan,” he said evenly.

The silence in that cell all but drowned out the constant murmur and creak of the Dauntless as she sailed towards Port Royal.

“My father was cursed, wasn’t he?” Will’s voice finally broke into the stillness.

There was a long pause.

“He was.”

“So when I returned the coin . . .?” Will trailed off uncertainly.

Jack had wondered when that would occur to young William.

“Jack, did I kill my father?” Will whispered, horror shivering his voice.

Now there was an unbearable burden for a lad like Will. What words were there that could make any difference at all? And yet, Will did not deserve any of that guilt. Jack knew exactly who did. He hoped the bastard was in a position to feel it, preferably for eternity.

“No, son. Barbossa killed your father.”

It was the truth in every sense but the literal one, in every way that truly mattered.

“But if I hadn’t done it . . .” There was anguish in Will’s voice.

“If you hadn’t, Elizabeth would be dead along with all Norrington’s men,” Jack spoke firmly. Of this, if nothing else, he was sure. He reached over and gripped Will Turner’s shoulder, forcing the boy to meet his eyes. Believe this. “Ol’ Bill would have been proud of you, son.”

Comments

[jackfan2.livejournal.com]

Morning angst and coffee, a great combination.

The feel of this was so perfect and the dialogue very much in character. Really nicely done! Poor Will, and I even felt sorry for Jack because he seems so empathic to Will's pain. And, he also lost a very close friend. Hope Will realizes all that.

And then there's you. You did this so wonderfully that WE could feel it as well.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Bitter, with no sugar!

So glad you found this in character. If Jack can empathize with Will, it's because he's done what he had to do fully realizing what the consequences would be.

Thank you so much for the review.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Still perfect.

The silence in that cell all but drowned out the constant murmur and creak of the Dauntless as she sailed towards Port Royal.

This line sets the atmosphere so simply and effectively. Wonderful work.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy you liked this. The conversation had been percolating in my mind for some time, and the drabble challenge seemed perfect for it. I could do a whole series of these conversations, some more humourous than others.

My one line of setting--it had to pull an awful lot of weight. I'm glad you think it works. Thank you for the lovely comments.

[triskellion.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like. One always wonders just when Will realizes what happened to his father, and this is really a perfect moment for it. It makes one wonder if that realization was part of his impedus to try and rescue Jack in the end, how it must have influenced his mind in this time.

On a side note, I was wondering if you would mind terribly if I borrowed your image of Will as cooling lava for a drabble. Something is trying to come together in my brain around that image, but since it is yours I want to ask first.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I felt that this moment, after all the fear and action were over, would be when the implications would hit Will. I've been writing quite a few conversations between Will and Jack for this stretch of time. Up until now, Will hasn't had much chance to learn to trust Jack. He's spent most of the time being highly suspicious of Jack's motives.

I'd be honoured to be an allusion in your writing. *Feels like Shakespeare*
I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

[ref-1985.livejournal.com]

Well what can I say - that was an amazing read, well done indeed.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much. I'm glad you enjoyed this.

[virgo-79.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Beautifully done...but ouch.

Will breaks my heart in this, and Jack shines. Absolutely excellent.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Will's life is such an unending tragedy. He has to make decisions far too heavy for him. He denies himself all happiness. He always strives to do what he thinks is right. It's just such a relief when he at least gets Elizabeth's love in the end.

I do love Jack in this--standing in for Bill and telling his son what Bill would have wanted to say.

[demishock.livejournal.com]

Love it. Especially those two little italicised words, right at the end; they add a whole extra 'oomph' to the scene. *wipes away a tear*

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I'm glad those words had the emphasis I wanted them to. I visualized this as one of those few moments when Jack goes that incredibly dead serious that is such a contrast with his usual light approach to things. This is one of the times that matters.

Thank you for the comment.

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. *gapes at perfect gapfiller* Stunning. The last paragraph especially - Jack going completely still except for grabbing Will's shoulder ... no fluttering, no flash, totally serious. Wonderful.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the affirmation. I think this would be one of those topics where serious is the only option. I'm glad the stillness of the ending comes through. Thank you.

[araestel.livejournal.com]

Now *that* was perfection!

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you liked this. Thank you.

[gryphons-lair.livejournal.com]

This could be an out-take from the movie; you've got their voices and characters down pat, and I can see their expressions.

You've packed a lot of emotional whallop into a very short piece, and done it without resorting to bathos. Excellently done!

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your comments. I'm happy you hear their voices in this piece. The humourous tones are sometimes easier to catch than the serious ones. I'm glad the emotion works in this. I wanted it intense, but not sappy.

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

Just luscious==stark and fierce and so hard to see Will's heart breaking over and over as he considers what he knows. And Jack being quiet and strong for him and not brushing the conversations aside. Wow, just absolutely too cool.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you for taking the time to comment on this. Will's search for his father in this movie is entirely heart-breaking, and the realization, eventually, that his actions doom his father must have been terrible. I'm glad you like Jack's effort to help Will deal with that.