Story [PotC] Ferrying Souls (Will, Bootstrap) One-Shot

Title: Ferrying Souls
Author: JEDIGUNSHIP
Characters: Will Turner (after he is the Flying Dutchman's captain), Bootstrap Bill
Genre: Drama
Summary: Bootstrap Bill teaches his son how to ferry souls to the afterlife.

Ferrying Souls

Captain Will Turner stood at the bow of the Flying Dutchman, staring at the endless stretch of the seas before him. It had been only a few days since the climactic battle between the Brethren Court pirates and Lord Beckett?s armada near Shipwreck Cove. He himself had been stabbed by the sword of Davy Jones, only to be made immortal by the quick thinking of Jack Sparrow. Will had disliked Jack?s actions in the past, and still had a few doubts about he witty pirate captain. However, he also knew that he would never have survived if not for Sparrow and his selfless act on the Dutchman. For that, Will knew that if he ever ran into Sparrow ever again, and he guessed that he probably would at some point, that he would have to thank him for what he had done during the battle. If Sparrow died before Will got a chance to see him, then at least the two would see each other once more during Sparrow?s passage to the afterlife.

Will?s thoughts were interrupted by footsteps coming up behind him. Turning around, he recognized ?Bootstrap? Bill Turner, his father and former indentured sailor to Jones when the ship was in evil hands. The elder Turner?s hair was still wet, just like his clothes, and he had a half-grimace on his face. ?Captain, it?s time that you learn how to ferry souls to their final destination,? he said flatly. ?As you know, it is the duty of the captain of the Dutchman to learn how to do that.?

?I am aware,? Will said. ?I suppose that it?s not an easy or enjoyable task. If it were, Davy Jones never would have turned out the way he did.?

?I suppose not.?

?So, where do we start?? asked Will, raising any eyebrow. ?There doesn?t happen to be a manual??

Bootstrap smiled. ?I doubt that there would be one. You are witty like Jack Sparrow himself. ?

?I could just have stayed in Port Royale the rest of my life,? Will said, ?and have been happy doing my blacksmith work. But I?ve learned so much by sailing the seas with Jack Sparrow, even if did not agree with his decisions most of the time.?

?Jack Sparrow, he was always like that,? Bootstrap commented. ?Always looking out for his best interest. It?s how he came in possession of the Black Pearl in the first place.?

?Did he ever mention a fascination with sea turtles while he was the captain?? Will asked casually. He doubted that the elder Turner would understand his reference.

?A Sparrowism?? Bootstrap asked. Will had to admit; the man was good.

?Quite. It 'explained' how he got off the island.?

?Oh, the island. Still don?t like that we marooned him there,? Bootstrap replied. ?It?s why I died in the first place. Not physically as much as mentally. Joining the crew of the Dutchman was even more Hell than death itself; sometimes, I wondered why I had ever taken the offer; but it seemed so . . . promising at the time.?

?Aren?t you supposed to teach me how to ferry souls?? Will asked. Bootstrap grinned foolishly.

?Sorry, captain. How much do you know of the green flash??

?Gibbs told me enough when we were going to save Jack from the Locker,? Will said. ?It signifies that a soul has left or reentered this world.?

?Very good. I take it that you have seen some of these spirits??

Will could vividly remember the encounter with the dead people in the boats after they had rescued Jack from the Locker. Elizabeth had gone ballistic when she had seen her father, who had been killed over curiosity about the Dead Man?s Chest by Beckett. He had had to restrain her from jumping over the side of the ship in an attempt to reach him. That seemed so long ago, yet it was only a couple days previous. ?Yes, I have seen dead souls.?

?The ghost kind??

?I have seen dead people floating in little boats with lamps. Each person had their own littl

 

Nice to see that Will's fitting into his new life rather than being unhappy about it. Cute vignette!

 

Thanks!