across stormy seas ( sequel to across stranger seas)

ch28

Ch28

I wake up to the swaying of the boat and jack still next to me i look at the pocket watch on the bedside table and see it is only four am i lay down next to jack and try to get back to sleep but now since i'm up i start to think about everything. I worry about ethen wondering what we're going to do, i think about having to mary Langro and it makes me shudder in fear i sigh and roll onto my stomach. I hate these moments wear your up and you want nothing more than to sleep. I close my eyes and take a deep breath when i hear a coughing sound coming from ethan's room. I stand up and walk over to the chair in the corner pulling my silk robe over my nightdress i pek into ethan's room and see him sitting up in bed coughing into the blanket again. I grab some water and a bason boal and some rum.

"Poor baby" i whisper patting his back softly a have him take a sip of rum and spit it into the basin then i hand him the water and he drinks it down. Hr looks up at me with tirad and watery eyes. I wish i new what else i could do.

"That's a good boy" i say i look and see the blanket covered in more blood but i leave it because there will probably be more. I close his door and walk back into my room i sit back down on the bed and lay my head on jack's chest thinking.

"Mary, what wrong" jack says stretching his arms as he wakes up slowly.

"I didn't mean to wake you" i mumble. Hugging him. He strokes my hair with his hand. I take a deep breath trying to calm myself.

"I'm scared jack, for ethen" i state tracing lines on his chest i just don't know what i can do to help ethan and it's killing me. The not knowing is worse if there was only something i could do. He needs to see a doctor and soon.

"I know pet were doing all we can" he replied and i know it's true there's only so much we can do.

"I can't lose him jack" i say the boat sways some and i can hear the soft sound of rain on the wood. I don't mind a small storme i always sleep better to the sound of the rain. I listen to the sound of jack's heart beat and let it calm me.

"And we won't. We can't" i hear jack whisper and i slowly drift back to sleep. I roll over in bed as i wake up a few hours later i rub my eyes and get out of bed. I toss my wavy hair into a bun and look into ethan's room were his peacefully sleeping. The rest will do him good. Quietly close the door and walk down the hallway to the storage room looking for anything to give ethen. I grab honey and i look through the jars until i find one labeled elderberry. I've seen people mix it with liquor before but i remember it being good for the immune system i grab the jar and walk back to my room i mix honey rum and elderberry in a small dish the walk in to ethan's room. I gently remove the blood stained blanket from his and and place a kiss on his cheek.

"You got to take your medicine honey" i whisper as he starts to wake he opens his eyes and they're all red and bloodshot from crying and skinless.

"Open up" i say and i give him a spoon full of the mixture and he swoles. I then wet a rag with warm water and wipe his face and upper body with it he yawns and lays back down on the pillow.

"You rest now dear" i say i take the bloody blanket and put a clean one over him. I go into the bathroom and set the blanket in warm water to clean it. It's a wool blanket with green and purple stripes but with the red spots of blood it almost looks like some abstract painting. I ring it out then proceed to put vinegar and baking soda on the bloody parts rubbing the fabric together as it bubbles. I put it back in the water and let it soak for a while.

"How's the lad" jack asks the second he sees me when i go on deck a look of worry and concern across his face.

"Hard to say i can't tell if he's getting better or worse" i reply honestly.i wish i knew more about madison but that might not even help considering we don't have much abord.

"Iv rerouted us we should be coming to port in a couple days instead of weeks" jack states pulling out a map from his cotat. He holds it out to me and points.

"Were in this general ari" he points dramatically to an aria of water how he is able to tell exactly where we are i will never no but i trust him he's been sailing for god knows how long and knows what he's talking about, most of the time anyway.

"And here is the nearest port, if we make good time in this direction we should be there in three or four days" he finishes i'm not sure what port that is it's somewhere in london but there should be some type of doctor or specialist we could see.

"Alright at least there's something" i say giving a weak smile jack puts his arm around me supportively.

"Don't worry dear we'll make it" he say reassuringly he leans in and kisses me nice and slow. With everything that's happened recently we haven't had any time for ourselves. Out of view of the rest of the crew he cups the back of my head with his hand and deepens the kiss.

"I've missed that" i breath out inhaling deeply when we brake for air he chuckles softly running his thumb across my face.

"So have i love" he takes my hand and squeezes it. He goes back to giving orders. I only hope we make it to this port before ethen gets any worse. I'm about to go back and check on him when i see him standing in the doorway on deck.

" ethen" i call out walking toward him i let out a small scream as i get closer and see him drenched in his own blood his gray pajamas almost pink from faded and dried blood.

"ethen " i yell as i start to run he falls over just as i get to him i'm just able to keep his head from hitting the wooden floor.

"Jack" i yell not knowing what else to do. I pick them up and hold him in my arms jack comes running over some of the crew circle around us. Jack usher me and ethen back to our room

" it be bad luck if a child is harmed on a ship we best all be counting are luck right about now" i here gibbs say. Just as we're leaving and he's right we should all count are luck in times like these.