Drabble: 'Surrender' (J/E, Gibbs - PG)
Jan. 31st, 2010 10:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dwgmA triple drabble, really, for the 'Handkerchief' prompt, with thanks to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for editing.
~ Surrender ~
Though it had been raining drearily for days, Elizabeth thought Jack would wait upon her shortly after the Pearl docked. But it was Gibbs who came, instead.
"Jack guided the Pearl through the Devil's Throat, then took to his bed while the rest of us brought her in. He's been struck down by a cold. Says it's worse than the bloody Kraken."
Elizabeth gaped. "Are you sure it's only a cold?"
"Likely turn to an inflammation of the lungs soon. He's bad, and not the best patient, neither."
*
The cabin door creaked, making Elizabeth wince. She closed it behind her and approached. Jack lay shivering under the covers, his hastily discarded clothing in a sodden pile on the floor beside it.
One eye barely opened. "'Lizbeth. Go 'way."
Her lips twitched. "I will not." She gestured toward the corner of the cabin, where dozens of white handkerchiefs, freshly laundered by Ragetti, were strung on lines to dry. "You appear to have surrendered."
He groaned.
She sat down beside him on the bed, put a gentle hand to his forehead – hot! – then drew from her coat pocket the small, ornate flask she'd brought him and removed the stopper. "Here's a gift for you. Drink some."
He pouted, suspicious, but the gleam of jewels and shining silver were irresistible, of course. He struggled onto one elbow and accepted the offering. Sniffed the contents. Took a sip. "It's good. What's in it?"
"That's a secret. It's a cordial, a recipe of my mother's."
"You made it?" He drank another sip. And another. Then his rheumy eyes peered from beneath those absurdly long lashes. "Not just another pretty face."
She smiled. "Me or the flask?"
"Both." He sipped again, then sighed happily and said to her, "Seems I'm not ready to surrender, just yet."
~.~
hereswith for editing.~ Surrender ~
Though it had been raining drearily for days, Elizabeth thought Jack would wait upon her shortly after the Pearl docked. But it was Gibbs who came, instead.
"Jack guided the Pearl through the Devil's Throat, then took to his bed while the rest of us brought her in. He's been struck down by a cold. Says it's worse than the bloody Kraken."
Elizabeth gaped. "Are you sure it's only a cold?"
"Likely turn to an inflammation of the lungs soon. He's bad, and not the best patient, neither."
*
The cabin door creaked, making Elizabeth wince. She closed it behind her and approached. Jack lay shivering under the covers, his hastily discarded clothing in a sodden pile on the floor beside it.
One eye barely opened. "'Lizbeth. Go 'way."
Her lips twitched. "I will not." She gestured toward the corner of the cabin, where dozens of white handkerchiefs, freshly laundered by Ragetti, were strung on lines to dry. "You appear to have surrendered."
He groaned.
She sat down beside him on the bed, put a gentle hand to his forehead – hot! – then drew from her coat pocket the small, ornate flask she'd brought him and removed the stopper. "Here's a gift for you. Drink some."
He pouted, suspicious, but the gleam of jewels and shining silver were irresistible, of course. He struggled onto one elbow and accepted the offering. Sniffed the contents. Took a sip. "It's good. What's in it?"
"That's a secret. It's a cordial, a recipe of my mother's."
"You made it?" He drank another sip. And another. Then his rheumy eyes peered from beneath those absurdly long lashes. "Not just another pretty face."
She smiled. "Me or the flask?"
"Both." He sipped again, then sighed happily and said to her, "Seems I'm not ready to surrender, just yet."
~.~
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 07:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 07:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 07:36 pm (UTC)As always your dialogue sparkles!
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Date: 2010-01-31 07:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 08:02 pm (UTC)And yes, I'm sure Jack must be a terrible patient. Liz may be the only human on earth who can make him take his medicine without a bloody battle.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 08:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 08:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 08:27 pm (UTC)*hugs*
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Date: 2010-01-31 09:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 09:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 09:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-01 01:12 am (UTC)In O'Brien's The Ionian Mission, Jack Aubrey comes down with a terrible cold and there's a similar detail about the handkerchiefs all strung up to dry in his cabin. Sometimes it's the little details, rather than the big events, that one remembers.
Thank you for everything, the so effective beta and your comments here. I'm so glad you liked this.
*hugs*
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Date: 2010-01-31 11:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-01 01:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-31 11:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-01 01:14 am (UTC)Praise from Willofthewisp
Date: 2010-02-01 01:52 am (UTC)Aw, Elizabeth, no one likes a joker when they're sick. This was funny, though. Poor Jack! His affliction sounds awful...even though with his discarded clothes on the floor it does get him naked in a bed... I digress.
"Not just another pretty face." That's an understatement. I love the description of his eyes and lashes. My goodness, to look into those and have them looking at you... I'm guessing she joined him once he was feeling a little better.
Re: Praise from Willofthewisp
Date: 2010-02-01 02:00 am (UTC)Could be... such things have been known to happen. ;)
I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Thank you for reading and for your thought-provoking comments, too!
no subject
Date: 2010-02-01 05:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-01 05:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-01 07:09 pm (UTC)As the beginning of the end of my dear Lost draws near, I find myself thinking with longing of Jack and James and (sometimes) Elizabeth. It's been your consistent contribution to that fandom which has acted as my lifeline, stretched thin by time, but not severed. I'll be adrift in May...you never know.
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Date: 2010-02-02 01:40 am (UTC)I'm so happy you enjoyed this, and I really appreciate you commenting! With PotC4 beginning to film soon, maybe the fandom will get a little busier again. And if you are inclined to join in the fun, I for one would be thrilled!
no subject
Date: 2010-02-02 02:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-03 10:34 pm (UTC)I love that your Elizabeth is a woman of many skills :)
Poor Jack... But he's lucky to have such an awesome girl beside him!
Greetings!
no subject
Date: 2010-02-04 04:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-14 01:37 pm (UTC)