His Majesty's Navy didn't waste lamp-oil on prisoners, and so the brig of the Dauntless was pitch-black by night. Will steadied himself on the damp wood of the bulkhead and tried to blink the afterimage of the sentry's lantern from his eyes. He could hear the hull creaking, and the constant rush of the sea beyond it. Somewhere up above, footsteps sounded against the topdeck. The brig smelt of tar, brine, urine and rum.

Rum.

"Jack?" Will called.

"Aye."

He turned blindly towards the voice. "Where are you?"

For a moment there was no reply: then Jack said, "Here," and Will could hear the faint clattering of his braids as he moved. He went carefully towards the noise.

"Don't tread on me, boy," said Jack out of the darkness, and his hand closed suddenly about Will's wrist, pulling him down onto the decking.

Will tugged his hand free and leant back against the bulkhead, sighing. He could hear Jack's breathing, slow and steady, and feel the faint warmth of his body in the darkness.

"At least it's dry," Jack offered after a little while. "Not like—"

"They're going to hang us, aren't they?"

"Now, they won't go hanging you, Will. You're a good lad who's been led into bad ways by wicked men. I reckon your Miss Swann might—"

"She is not my Miss Swann!"

Jack sighed. "Aye, but that's for lack of your seizing the opportune moment. Me, now, me they'll probably hang. On account of me bein' a verminous black-hearted pirate, see? Miss Swann's gratitude is a fair and flexible thing, but her Commodore seems to have taken against me. Hmmm. Perhaps Miss Swann's been telling tales."

Will bit back a furious retort. "She told me about your stories," he said scornfully. "Couldn't resist another chance to spin the legend of Captain Jack Sparrow, I suppose?"

A jangling noise: Jack had shrugged, or shaken his head, or scratched a louse. "Told 'er what she wanted to hear, mate." He chuckled. "Always best, with the ladies."

"That's why you get slapped so often, is it?"

"I'm an honest man, Will. Didn't I tell you so? Sometimes the truth will out, no matter how hard you try."

Will smiled in the darkness. "So you'd tell me the truth, would you?"

"Well, now. You're not a woman. You might be a eunuch—not that I'll demand proof either way, bein' a trustin' sort—but ... aye, you'll get the truth. If you want it. If you think you'll know it when I tell it to you."

"Try me," said Will. "Tell me what really happened."

"What really happened when?"

"You—" Will sighed. "Tell me how you came to be a pirate. Tell me where you got your tattoo. Anything. It'll pass the time."

"You're asking me for all my secrets?"

"I'm hardly likely to tell them to anyone but the hangman, am I?"

"Ah, but what if they don't hang you?"

"The legend of Captain Jack Sparrow will live on," retorted Will.

There was a scuttling noise in the darkness.

"Rats," said Jack, with disgust.

"But if you don't trust me—"

"Give me your hand," demanded Jack. Will reached out blindly into the darkness. Jack's hand closed around his immediately, firm and warm, drawing him closer until Will's palm was flat on Jack's arm.

"Feel it?"

Will put out his other hand to steady himself. "Elizabeth told me about—"

"Never mind what she told you! Do you feel it?"

"I feel it," said Will slowly. "Like a handprint in mud." He tightened his hold, and Jack's breath hitched. "A hand as big as mine."

"It was before your time." The air in the brig was still: Will's hair lifted against his cheek when Jack spoke.

"I never saw anything except the tattoo and the brand," said Will. He let go of Jack's arm and settled back against the bulkhead. "Why hide something that nobody can see?"

"Wasn't hiding it," said Jack. "I was trying to stop it hurting."

"And this was where the ghost dragged you down to Hell?" Will's voice was quite level.

"I knew she wouldn't believe me," said Jack ruefully. "All true, every word. No one believes an honest tale any more."

"If you were in Hell, how did you come back?"

Jack laughed, and he sounded as carefree as ever. "Remember the sea turtles?"

"Elizabeth told me how you got off that island the first time," said Will smugly. "Rum-runners."

"Damn the wench," said Jack, without spite. "Spoilin' all me best stories. Well, Will, the truth of it is ... they threw me out."

"They threw you out of Hell," said Will slowly.

Jangle. "Aye."

"They dragged you down to Hell, and then they threw you back." Will paused, peering into the darkness. He shook his head. "Why? Weren't you wicked enough for them?"

"Oh, I was wicked enough. She tell you that? A murderer an' a rapist, and that weren't the half of it."

"I don't believe that," said Will.

"Oh, it's all true. Every evil deed of it." Abruptly, Jack's breath was warm against Will's face, and his voice was soft and menacing. "Took what I wanted from those as wouldn't fight back."

Will brushed aside Jack's braids where they'd fallen on his arm. "I'm not afraid of you. I—"

"Tell you everything, did she? There we are, just the two of us, all alone on that pretty little island in the tropical night. Stars like diamonds overhead, and only the rum for company." Jack curled himself onto Will's shoulder, leaning in. His breath still smelt of rum. "The night, the rum, the sound of waves ... The lovely Miss Swann, in her petticoats, all alone with Captain Jack Sparrow, positively the most fearsome pirate anywhere." He chuckled. "And you believe I did nothing?"

"I do believe that," said Will steadily, gaze fixed on the darkness. "You're a good man."

"Oh," said Jack after a moment. The pressure on Will's shoulder lessened as he rocked back on his heels.

"Why did they throw you out of Hell?" said Will. "Too evil? Not evil enough, I'd say."

"That's a base calumny!"

"Then why—"

"Hell was dull," said Jack solemnly. "Dull as a Sunday sermon, after the life I'd led. All I wanted was freedom to do as I pleased ... That's all I ever wanted, Will."

"So you repented and they let you go?" Will shook his head. "I can't believe I'm sitting here arguing theology with a pirate."

"Who better, love? But never say I repented. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"I'll bet that's not even your name," Will muttered.

"I left my old name there in Hell," Jack whispered, leaning close once more. "I used it to rope together all my old vices and crimes, there among the eternal flames. Puffed 'em all up into the shape of a man—a fine Spanish gentleman, mind, with pure hidalgo blood and a fancy education—and let the demons have their way with that. And then ... then I slipped free one dark night and made my way up to the world again."

Will bit his lip. "I preferred the sea turtles."

Jack laughed quietly in the darkness, and settled himself beside Will again.

"And anyway," Will said, "you can't've left all your vices and crimes and what-have-yous behind. What about the treasure? The women? The rum?"

"Oh, I came out of Hell pure as you please, but it didn't take long for me to acquire some new ... tastes. But it's funny you should mention the women," said Jack thoughtfully. "I'd had enough of women before I went to Hell. My valet used to keep count of them for me, y'know."

Will began to laugh.

"I was young!"

"I'm sorry," said Will, chuckling. "It's just—"

"Not a problem you'll ever have, mate," said Jack from out of the darkness. "You bein' a eunuch, an' all. Must be why you never seized the opportune moment. Afraid of being found out."

"It's none of your business," said Will bitterly.

"Of course it's my business. Wouldn't be here—" Jack struck the bulkhead a resounding blow, and Will started "—if it weren't for you and your Miss Swann."

"I'm sorry, Jack."

"Now, Will, don't let yourself be downed by circumstance." Jack's hand came to rest on Will's shoulder. "Fortune favours the brave."

"How can you be so cheerful?" Will burst out. "You're in the brig of the Dauntless, commanded by a man who's vowed to see you hang!"

"I've talked my way out of worse," said Jack, chuckling. "I'll try my natural charm on the Commodore, see if he changes his tune."

Will snorted. "I wouldn't count on it."

"I can be ever so charming, you know."

Jack's hair brushed Will's arm, and Will tensed.

"Jack ..."

"Thought you weren't afraid of me, Will?" Jack's breath was warm on his face.

"I suppose this is another of your new vices," said Will, back flat against the bulkhead. "Or didn't you have time to pester men, what with all those women?"

Jack laughed, and Will screwed up his face against the tickle of his own hair as it fluttered in Jack's breath.

"Never thought of it back then," Jack admitted, chuckling. "But I'd always been a passenger when I sailed the sea."

"I don't understand," said Will, frowning.

"I didn't bring much out of Hell," said Jack. "No money, no weapons, no place to call home. I didn't even know where I was. But it was a port, see, and the sea was callin' to me. And there's always work for new hands on one ship or another."

"Yes, but what—"

"I signed on as the purser of the Passat," said Jack, "seeing as I could read and write. Captain Gould took quite a shine to me, as I recall. A month out of port, becalmed in mid-ocean..."

Jack's knee was against Will's, and his hand was on Will's shoulder, and he was breathing the last traces of rum into Will's face. He shrugged, noisily, and settled closer.

Will swallowed.

"Couldn't you have ... I mean, didn't you say no?"

"Oh, Captain Gould was a very charming man himself," murmured Jack fondly. "A gentleman through and through. Had me convinced in no time. It's amazing how quickly one takes to it."

"But I don't want to take to it!" said Will, with heat.

"Ah, but you don't know that," said Jack.

"I hardly think this is the time or the place to find out," said Will. His fists were clenched at his sides.

Jack hadn't moved. "Will," he said mournfully. "Would you truly let me hang without ever kissing anyone—ever being kissed—again?'

"I—"

"You know, there is one thing I regret," Jack announced suddenly, levering himself off Will's shoulder.

"What's that?" said Will, raising his eyebrows in the dark.

"I never kissed Elizabeth," said Jack. "Lovely girl. And me with my reputation to think of, too. Captain Jack Sparrow, all alone with a young lady on a desert island! Ironic, really." He brightened. "Though she did teach me that wonderful song."

He began to hum softly.

"One kiss," Will said recklessly. "And I'll pass it on."

"That's the spirit," said Jack, swaying forward.

Footsteps clattered on the companionway, and there was a rattling of keys. Lantern-light dazzled them both as a pair of Marines appeared at the door. Jack squinted, and snarled, and swayed back again.

"Mr Turner!" called one of the Marines.

"Yes?" said Will, screwing up his eyes against the brightness.

"You're to go above. Governor Swann's orders."

"But what about—"

"Come along, sir," said the other Marine. "We don't have all night." He held up the keys and shook them, meaningfully.

"Go on, Will," said Jack. He was lounging back against the bulkhead once more, eyes closed, smiling faintly. "Put in a good word for me, won't you?"

"I won't let them hang you," said Will fiercely, scrambling to his feet. He stood looking down on Jack for a moment, but the pirate did not look up: and the Marine rattled his keys again, impatiently.

Will looked back, once, but the lantern was ahead of him and the brig was dark again.


-end-


Read the other two:
From Hell: Flames
From Hell: Judgment Day