He looked down at her, obviously worried, as he made it to the docks. Natalia was sitting in the boat, looking over some documents from the trade. She looked up in surprise, her pretty blue eyes widening. "Jack, what-" she began. "Please, Nat. We have to get back to the ship. She's really hurt." Natalia frowned but unfastened the engine. "Get in." He got in, holding her on his lap. He took his free hand and pressed it against the wound. "It's okay, Av," he murmured. "You're doing great. Just keep breathing."
"Stay with me, Av, okay?" he said, brushing the hair out of her face. "Talk to me about something. Tell me about where you want to live when we leave the ship. What town are we going to?"
"Tell me about that painting you were working on," he urged. "What did it look like?" The ship couldn't get there fast enough.
"Because it's so vast and uncertain and crazy," she said, inhaling shakily. "I didn't understand," she said, trailing off before suddenly passing out.
"Avice?" he asked, shaking her slightly. "Avice!?" He turned to Natalia. "Nat, please..." "I'm going as fast as I can, Jack," she said sharply. He bit his lip and kept the pressure on the wound.
He took her hand in his warm one and kissed it, frowning. They got to the ship, and Jack carried her to the infirmary, holding her to his chest. When they got there, he put her on the bed and began to work, his fingers shaking but precise.
He stitched up her wound and stuck a needle into her arm, bandaging her up quickly, his brow furrowed in concentrations.
She shifted, her lips parting slightly as she inhaled, her expression changing into a mixture of pain and confusion.
