Title: To the Ship

Author: tarotgal

Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean

Rating: G (Maybe one teeny tiny PG reference?)

Pairings: None (no blatant ones at least)

Disclaimer: Disney... Bruckheimer... pretty much anybody but me. But I'm just playing. Promise!

Summary: Jack has his reasons for wanting to head back to sea.

Notes: This was written in response to weekly hatching bunny #11 (an unexpected allergy, between 1 and 2 pages). Took a couple hours to finish as I was watching the movie on the comp screen at the same time and kept getting side-tracked ;-)

To the Ship

     The feeling of the ship rocking on the open sea, the smell of salt in the air, and the thrill of the unknown were all very well and good. Will Turner had needed to come into his sea legs quicker than most, but that didn't mean he was completely steady on them yet. Nor did it mean he was particularly opposed to extended stays at ports. Jack Sparrow, on the other hand, could not wait to set sail after they'd collected enough rations.

     Will wasn't completely used to the taste of grog, either, but experience drinking was almost as important to pirates as sailing so he did not pass up the chance to practice tonight when the rest of the crew hit the pub. "I'd have thought you would want to stick around and have a go at the ladies," Will said brazenly after taking a swig from his pint.

     "Says the recently unengaged young man." Jack settled down into the seat across him, twitching a bit impatiently. "But I've had them all here, already. And we've lingered long enough, savvy?"

     Will finished off his drink and set it down heavily on the table. "I'll round up the men and meet you back on The Pearl."

     Jack sprang to his feet and gave a relieved yet triumphant look along with a wide-armed stretch. "All right then. To the ship!"

     Will watched as Jack strutted from the pub with an enthusiastic air, heading straight for the docks. "He goes as though he has an allergy to land," Will remarked softly to himself.

     "Not to land, precisely." To his right stood Mr. Gibbs, with a toothy grin and arms crossed over his chest. Will looked after Jack curiously. The pirate captain seemed as normal as ever he was, which was hardly saying anything at all. But the tone of Gibbs' voice told Will there was something more going on. "I'll get the crew together if you want to have yerself a look," Gibbs said with a chuckle. And Will, terribly curious by now, went after the man at once.

     A good fifteen paces behind all the way from pub to street to dock, Will kept an eye on the man. He paused here and there, and swayed when he walked, but it wasn't until Jack reached the dock that Will noticed anything out of the ordinary. Jack would grip one of the ropes or posts and teeter as though unsteady and seasick. "Jack?" he called out, quickening his pace to span the gap between them.

     His hand on a post, Jack bent in half as he gave a sharp "ehhh... ehh-ehptshhhh! Ipchhh!"

Will froze in mid-jog as he witnessed the sneeze. "Well, that was certainly unexpected," he muttered, then resumed his pace. "Jack!" Will found Jack's side and held onto the man, who straightened as though he were fine. "What's the matter?"

     Jack shook his head. "Nothing." Will looked doubtful. "Nothing important leastways."

     "But you're sneezing," Will reminded him.

     Jack rubbed roughly at his nose. "Yes, I did notice that one. But last I checked, mate, sneezing isn't fay... fatal..." He gave his nose one more rub then cupped it to his face so he would not sneeze freely as he had a moment before. "hehhh-Iptuchhhh! ehhhTchhh! ehptchhhh!"

     "I didn't say it was fatal. I simply noticed you looked... rather distressed." Will kept hold to steady Jack with one hand while his other fumbled round in his trouser pocket for a handkerchief.

     "Distressed..." Jack repeated thoughtfully. "Yes, that just about sums things up." He sighed and waved a hand outward. "If you must know, it's these flowers."

     Will narrowed his eyes and looked around. His hand still searched for his hanky, as his eyes searched for flowers. He saw the wooden docks. He saw the stone and dirt paths leading through the port town. There were buildings and ships and all sorts of scallywags occupying both. But flowers?

     Jack recognized the confusion still upon Will's face. "They were planted in the center of the town to mask the smell of some, ah, less favorable things around here. There aren't many but there are enough."

     Lifting his nose towards the skies, he sniffed once, twice, then shook his head. "I smell nothing."

     Jack rolled his eyes. "Of course you wouldn't, you landlover. You're too used to it. I on the other... other hand..." The corners of his mouth twitched. He gave a flourish with his hand and then reached into Will's inner vest pocket. He withdrew Will's handkerchief and buried his nose into its folds. "ehhh... ehhh-HIPishhh!" The sneeze snapped him forward, but Will held him steady. "I'd hoped to make a less dramatic exit."

     Will knew Jack meant that he'd hoped to leave before Will saw him like this. He could tell the pirate was not at all pleased with the state he was in. And he almost felt guilt for following Jack the way he had and pressing the matter because of his own curiosity. So for Jack's sake, Will softened and he smirked. "But you're Captain Jack Sparrow. You can't do anything subtly."

     Slowly, Jack nodded and gave his nose a rub. Then he slid the handkerchief up his sleeve and smiled with pride. "That's true enough, Lad." He spun in place, ending up more or less pointed in the direction of The Pearl. "To the..." He froze in place, another sneeze gripping him. His nose twitched and his hands raised, signaling Will to wait a moment. "hehhh... ehhhPISchhhh! Sniff, sniff! To the ship!" he commanded, shouting loudly and sneezing unrestrainedly. Will chuckled and headed down the dock behind Jack.