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Whose Guilt?
A Tribble, written for the 'What Have I Done?' Drabble Challenge

by Honorat Selonnet
October 5, 2005

“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.”

~.~

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