Drabble: 'Labor of Love' (J/E - PG)

[dwgm]

Got in the shower this morning, and was attacked by a plotbunny. You never know when they'll spring.

This is a triple drabble (300 words), post-AWE (somewhere in the middle of artaxastra's Four Days of Advent, actually). Thanks to hereswith for editing. Written for the potc100 drabble challenge...





~ Labor of Love ~

At the midwife's urging, they'd been pacing the breadth of Elizabeth’s room for what seemed hours and hours, back and forth, back and forth. They talked a little, at first, and then it was only Jack talking, telling his stories, his arm about her, holding her hand, returning her grip when her pains came on, hard, then harder. She began to pause, trying to breathe, her eyes fixed inward, determined and, increasingly, afraid. Jack knew what fear was like, had felt it often enough himself. There were times it saved your life, and there were times when it just got in the way.

Eventually, she was hanging on, trying not to make a sound (though that wouldn't fadge much longer), and he said, "Got loose from that shackle, y'know."

She looked up with a wide-eyed gasp. "Wh-what?" More an exclamation than a question: she knew which shackle he was talking about, right enough. He smirked at the success of this gambit, and she gripped his hands for quite another reason, demanding, "How?"

"Oldest trick in the book, darlin'. Lamp oil. Worked me hand out just in time to grab me sword."

"Jack!" She stared at him, wonder and horror all over her face.

"Got me hat back, too," he added. "Spat it out at me, the bloody thing." He wrinkled his nose, remembering.

"Jack... why are you telling me this now?"

He focused on the present again, on his bane, beautiful even in extremis. "The other stories stopped working."

She hugged him, as fierce and close as she could. Which wasn't very.

He ran his hand over the obstacle in question. "Be easier to do that when you're shut of this lad," he suggested.

She straightened, her eyes now alight and focused ahead. "Or lass," she said. "Yes, it certainly will."


~.~

Comments

[sharklady35.livejournal.com]

> "Jack... why are you telling me this now?"
"The other stories stopped working." <

Doing whatever it takes again, eh?

Jack can be annoying in the extreme, but there's no question he gets things done. Though midwifery is a new one for me...

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

midwifery is a new one for me...

If you haven't read artaxastra's story (linked above) get thee to it! It's great!

But yes, whatever it takes, eye on the horizon. That's Jack all over.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Four! I only had the two, and one was a planned c-section, so my hair and nails were perfect, LOL!

And how could he resist a story like that?

I'm very glad you liked the drabble -- thank you for letting me know. :)

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

"The other stories stopped working."
Now, why does that make me want to hug him? ;)

[sequence-fairy.livejournal.com]

I agree with you, I want to hug him right there too

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Because he's the perfect man? LOL! He can be, when he feels like it, anyway. *g*

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

He certainly can be wonderful when he wants to, but the phrase "the perfect man" always makes me think of this. ;)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

LOL! Yes, so true. Can't talk back if you bite his head off. *G*

[gea-luv.livejournal.com]

"Got loose from that shackle, y'know."

Ah, the little things which are never revealed or thought upon by other characters that tend to slip our minds. I loved this! Of course Jack would be there helping her along. Can't expect him ever not to be *laughs*

Wonderful :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Of course Jack would be there helping her along. Can't expect him ever not to be *laughs*

That's what Jack does. I think he must be resigned to it by now.

So glad you liked it!

[equilibrium44.livejournal.com]

Must have been me.

But is Jack thinking of using lamp oil for this? Not the best of midwifery technique.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I must admit it was, and I thank you most sincerely for inspiring the plot bunny, which kept me entertained all day!

Now where's that pirate plotbunny icon...

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I think Jack's job is more along the lines of hand holding and trying not to get sick or pass out. *g*

[djarum99.livejournal.com]

Oh, I loved this one. Of course he told her, and of course he picked the opportune moment. This follows Stormalong, doesn't it? And the child is his - they've come full circle. Beautiful, wonderful work ♥

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm very very glad you enjoyed it. And yes, how could he resist telling a story like that?

[felaine.livejournal.com]

Good ficlet; Jack would tell that in reserve for the opportune moment, wouldn't he?

What was the premise you didn't agree with, if you don't mind me asking?

I recall how I finally left POTC because I saw things so differently from most there. As it turned out they were right and I was wrong, from the direction the latter films took.

'Sokay, I'm wrong a lot.
No worries ;)
Felaine

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

What was the premise you didn't agree with, if you don't mind me asking?

I can't remember!! *sobs* I barely have time to look at LJ anymore, just a few minutes in the morning, but I read the drabble in question and POOF! there's this plotbunny nibbling at my heels. Wrote it during lunch.

I still miss your presence so much here and at BP Sails. I always adored your take on the characters you wrote, especially Gillette.

There are lots of folks who didn't like the sequels. They really went in a different direction than we thought they would. I think it's perfectly fine to ignore them and write post-CotBP fic, if one is so inclined.

Thank you so much for reading and commenting!

[dharma-slut.livejournal.com]

He was saving that story for a rainy day ;)

So very beautifully visualised! I can just see him, remembering. Only the reality of Lizzie's eminent cataclysm is scary enough to make him willing to face that memory again...

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Only the reality of Lizzie's eminent cataclysm is scary enough to make him willing to face that memory again...

Jack's all about that opportune moment. ;) I'm so happy you liked it! Thank you for letting me know.

[js-1245.livejournal.com]

Oh! I absolutely loved this! With Elizabeth in labor and Jack trying to distract her from the pain and fear, and so he ends up telling her that he wasn't so helpless after she left him to die...

Amazing job! I enjoyed this drabble very much!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Jack knew what fear was like, had felt it often enough himself. There were times it saved your life, and there were times when it just got in the way.

To borrow from the Cowardly Lion, "Ain't it the truth! Ain't it the truth!" Sometimes fear just makes getting the thing done nearly impossible - which isn't really an option when you have an 8-pound meatloaf on its way out of the oven. *G*

Jack's continued loyalty to Will and Elizabeth can be seen as either amazing, in light of the trouble they both gave him (even considering that they've both taken their turns at saving his neck, too), or par for the course, since Jack seems to hold remarkably few grudges. I go back and forth. But this is a cute story!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! When I wrote Harry & the Pirate, I had the midwife kick Jack out, as you might recall. But I was really intrigued by the idea of him staying, as artaxastra presented it, and could see him wracking his brain for things that would both distract and encourage Elizabeth.

Jack's continued loyalty to Will and Elizabeth can be seen as either amazing... or par for the course

My own feeling is that Jack might feel just a bit responsible for their involvement in his history, what with his old dealings with Beckett and Jones. And Will and Elizabeth are both very pretty, of course. ;)

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Eye candy contributes to long life. (I think that's an ancient Chinese proverb or something. ;-) )

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

LOL!! Those Chinese are smart people.

[tanith75.livejournal.com]

Loved this.

Esp this bit --

"Jack... why are you telling me this now?"

He focused on the present again, on his bane, beautiful even in extremis. "The other stories stopped working."

I think maybe my labors would've been a little more pleasant with Jack around ;)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I think maybe my labors would've been a little more pleasant with Jack around ;)

Quite possibly, LOL!

That's a cute icon!!

[tiamary.livejournal.com]

Lovely labor story! I wonder if, when he gives her more details about his escape from the shackles after she has the baby, sea turtles will figure into it. :D

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Sea Turtles... could be.

Glad you enjoyed the story! Thank you for letting me know!

[p0wdermonkey.livejournal.com]

You did it again! Lovely stuff!
It had crossed my mind that Elizabeth wouldn't know Jack escaped the shackle unless he told her. You've created absolutely the PERFECT moment for him to bring that story out. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I doubt if there could have been a more opportune moment to reveal that little piece of info.

Right after DMC came out, I did a story called Wings in which Elizabeth dreams (possibly with Tia Dalma's influence) that Jack escaped that shackle. I may have to do a follow up to this regarding same.

These plotbunnies just breed like made. It's pretty crazy.

Thank you for letting me know you liked it! (And I'll be reading the additional versions of Nuts 7 as soon as I get some time -- it'll be interesting to compare the different versions, and fun to revisit Jack and Barbossa -- they are such an entertaining pair in your skilled hands!)

[p0wdermonkey.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a promising plot bunny!

The additional versions of Nuts are pretty similar - except the Early Reader version, but you know that already. You may have trouble spotting the difference between the part 2s...

The commenter made me think that the story didn't need to have quite the ick factor it did. It was an interesting challenge to take out the little I could without really changing the story. Then it was even more fun to take out almost everything and see what happened. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

These plotbunnies just breed like made.

Uh, that's 'mad'. In case you were wondering. 0.o

The commenter made me think that the story didn't need to have quite the ick factor it did. It was an interesting challenge to take out the little I could without really changing the story.

Having wallowed joyously in the Impverse, I wasn't shocked in the least, but I could see where less enlightened souls might cavil. And frankly, if you can convince me of Barbossa's desirability you are a really good writer (and you are!).

I do find that suggestion is often as hot (or hotter) than graphic smut, and it's kind of a game for me to see how hot a sex scene I can write and still keep it PG-13, or soft 'R'.

[p0wdermonkey.livejournal.com]

I do find that suggestion is often as hot (or hotter) than graphic smut, and it's kind of a game for me to see how hot a sex scene I can write and still keep it PG-13, or soft 'R'.

You're so right about less sometimes being more - even the tiny changes I made to bring it down from a hard (cough) NC-17 made me think harder about ways to get the same point across less directly. This one really needed to be pretty explicit because who does what to whom (hey! I used 'whom'!) really matters to the story. (Even in the version where I took it all out, it somehow crept back in when my back was turned.)

Even with subtler plots, the trouble with writing slash is that the rating rockets simply because both characters are male, so there's less room to play with. But I hope I've managed to tone this one down a bit for the sake of non-Impverse regulars.

As for making Barbossa desirable, I'm not sure I've entirely convinced myself, let alone anyone who isn't already in lust with the old walrus. But I think the point is to convince that Jack finds him desirable (or at least acceptable for the time being). Jack - luckily - is a lot braver than I would be. And I'll happily watch Jack shag pretty much anything he cares to!

[sparrows-lass.livejournal.com]

lovely - again-, m' dear!!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

He couldn't have thought of a more perfectly distracting story to be sure ^^ Awesome drabble, I totally LOVED it!!!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Jack's always focused on that opportune moment. *g*

[mary684.livejournal.com]

We really do take for granted all the loose ends floating about, don't we? Or is it just me?

Would that someone had been present to drop such a bomb on me whilst I was in the midst of my hours long ordeal, god love the man! Makes ya just want to go 'awwww'. Thanks, enjoyed this greatly.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! So happy to've given you an "Awww!" moment here. Jack's a pretty handy guy to have around. ;)

[komandant-krech.livejournal.com]

Awww, cute! Trust Jack to find the right ways to lighten up any situation ;)

Wonder how he had managed to not brag about his heroic escape from the shackle before :p

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Wonder how he had managed to not brag about his heroic escape from the shackle before :p

I think the whole Kraken/Locker experience was too horrendous for him to talk about, for a long time. And then there's the issue of her guilt over leaving him helpless and his forgiveness for same. I think that's what he was upset about. He had come back to go down with his ship, to play the "good man" she saw in him, and it hurt that she had lost faith in him. And her guilt/desire to be forgiven gives him leverage -- until it's no longer of use to him. In the relationship they're beginning to build here, it would just get in the way.

I'm very happy you enjoyed this! Thank you for letting me know. :))

[this-weirdness.livejournal.com]

"The other stories stopped working."

Gah! You made me cry with that line!

Brings back memories this, and I can honestly say that had my hubby not been by my side, I would happily have had Jack next to me to hold my hand, tell me stories and take my mind off things! ;)

"Jack... why are you telling me this now?"

I like that she didn't know what happened on the Pearl after she left. I can imagine Jack not talking about it for one reason or another. I sometimes forget that the characters aren't as familiar with their own stories as I am.

Great ficlet. Perfectly crafted as always! :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm glad to know that your hubby was there by your side -- mine was too, and I know what a comfort that is. I don't think it was the usual thing, back in the 1700's, though, and the facts that Elizabeth wants him there, and Jack wants to stay, show what a close and unusual relationship they already have.

I can imagine Jack not talking about it for one reason or another.

That guilt of Lizzie's is too good a piece of leverage to throw away. And I think his sense of amour propre was highly offended by her lack of faith, in spite of her having good reason for it. I don't think he'd tell the tale to her, or anyone else, very readily, not at first. But a lot of water's passed under the bridge by the time this scene takes place, and the tale is too fabulous for Jack to keep to himself forever. The opportune moment was at hand.

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

He he he... Making sure she concentrates on the task at hand, eh? Good one. :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Yes, precisely! So glad you enjoyed it! :)