Author's Note: This will be a short two-shot that can be easily fitted into DMC (after the conversation between Jack and Lizzie regarding curiosity) and shouldn't deviate too much from canon. The second part should be uploaded next week :)
This is my first venture into the world of fanfiction, so please be nice!
Reminder that I am neither depraved enough nor drunk enough to claim ownership of POTC, which is in fact owned by Disney.
"Have you ever been in love, Jack?"
Jack turned to face her and narrowed his eyes, taken aback by both her sudden appearance on deck and her choice of question, "What?"
Elizabeth smirked, secretly pleased that she'd managed to ask a question he had no immediate answer for, "I asked if the notorious pirate Jack Sparrow has ever been in love. With somebody that wasn't the sea," she added wryly.
Jack cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes. "Even if Captain Jack Sparrow had ever been in..." rather than uttering the word, Jack opted to wave his hand dismissively and wrinkle his nose in disgust, "I can assure you that I am not at present."
"That's not what I asked," Elizabeth refuted plainly, smiling sweetly at the captain, "My question was planted firmly in the past tense, Jack."
"And as I answered in the not so distant past I believe I answered yer question, Elizabeth," Jack returned sharply, his eyes refusing to leave hers.
"Have your feelings changed in these few moments since you answered my question in the present tense?" Elizabeth inquired coolly, taking a step closer to him.
Jack leaned towards her, their lips only an inch apart, "Irrevocably changed, luv."
The apparent seriousness in Jack's eyes caused Elizabeth to draw back slightly. She stared at him a long moment, trying to discern anything she could about his previous comment, but he was still as hard to read as ever. She took a step back, "You're still not answering my question." She reiterated stiffly, trying to ignore the thrill she had experienced when he had leaned close to her.
Jack rolled his eyes, "Really?" he countered bitterly, "Then yer not making yerself clear enough with that line of questioning, darlin'."
"Surely you must have been in love at some point," Elizabeth observed astutely, ignoring Jack's attempts to wriggle out of answering, "I know you're a pirate, but that doesn't excuse you from feelings."
"What is the point and purpose of asking me such a thing, 'Lizbeth, for there surely must be a reason for you inquiring into me personal affairs in this way," Jack asked after a moment, a knowing smile playing on his lips, "Unless ye have an ulterior motive for yer enquiry."
Elizabeth fought to keep herself from smiling, determined to engage the captain in a sober conversation for once. "Don't be ridiculous," she fixed him with a stern glare, "I was merely curious, that's all."
Jack smiled darkly and nodded, before nonchalantly walking past Elizabeth and heading up the steps to the helm of his ship. He gestured at Cotton to step away from the helm, and took hold of it himself. When he noticed Elizabeth patiently standing to the right of him, he continued, "You see, 'Lizbeth, curiosity is a dangerous pastime that can betray one's deepest thoughts and desires. Best not to risk yer relationship with the whelp, dearie, given that we're trying desperately to save him from spending nine lifetimes aboard the Flying Dutchman."
"I am not in love with you!" Elizabeth protested indignantly, raising her voice to the point at which most of the crew on deck heard her outburst and stared at them both.
Jack turned to her with a roguish smile as she said it, and combined with the crew's stares, she immediately drew back in embarrassment, her cheeks reddening, "Of course not," he exclaimed, "I cannot believe yer would even conceive such an inconceivable and insupposable thought."
"Good!" Elizabeth declared, perhaps a little too enthusiastically as her response drew renewed stares from members of the crew, "Because I'm not! I don't care about you one little bit! You could die for all I care and I wouldn't even flinch."
"Oh, I think ye would, darlin'," Jack said coolly, not taking his eyes off the horizon as he steered the Black Pearl towards Isla Cruces, and to Davy Jones' chest.
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at the captain, "And why would that be?"
Jack rolled his eyes and turned to her, one hand still on the wheel, "Because if I were dead ye'd have no way of getting dear old William back from the hands of Davy Jones."
"I have the compass, your compass," she announced, "Which will lead me straight to the chest you were talking about."
"And then what?"
"I'd convince this Davy Jones to free Will in return for the chest." Elizabeth explained happily.
Jack pondered her suggestion for a moment before his gaze returned to the sea, "That would go one of two ways, luv, neither of which would end happily for you or your otherwise very much doomed husband-to-be."
"Why not? Surely this Davy Jones character could be persuaded to enter into a mutually beneficial trade," Elizabeth cut in bitterly.
Taking one hand off the spokes, Jack turned to face her and his dark eyes locked onto hers, "Do remember that ye are dealing with bloodthirsty pirates, not snivelling lords from the East India Trading Company," Elizabeth noticed that as he alluded to Cutler Beckett, the man who had started her and Will's nightmare, Jack's eyes took on a dangerous and ferocious intensity, as though there was more there than initially greeted the eye.
"As I was saying," he continued, the anger instantly gone from his voice, "The first possibility would be that ye'd reach the Flying Dutchman, trade Will's life for the chest and both of you would be killed by Davy Jones or his motley crew before ye'd even left his cabin, given that ye don't exactly look threatening, luv."
"And you do?" Elizabeth cut in, raising her eyebrows cynically.
Jack chose to ignore her insult of his ability to threaten others (he threatened her back in Port Royal, after all) and continued his explanation, "Second course of action being, that before ye'd even made the deal with Jones he'd realise that ye don't actually possess the key that be required to open the chest that contains his still-beating heart so he'd kill ye anyway and yer attempts to free Will would be futile."
It took a moment for Elizabeth to digest Jack's words and consider her comeback to his argument that he deserved to stay alive, "And do you happen to have the key that unlocks the chest?" The captain paused, uncertain for a brief moment and Elizabeth noticed his hesitation to answer her question, "You don't have the key, do you Jack?" she stated shrewdly, pleased to be winning their altercation.
"Not true." Jack denied hastily.
"Then where is it?" Elizabeth asked sceptically as she walked around Jack until she stood on his opposite side.
"It may be right to suppose that I do not possess the key in its solid form, but I am in possession of the means to acquire said key, and that is a good enough reason for me to be not dead and in command of this ship, savvy?"
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and stared at him for a long moment, involuntarily taking in every aspect of his appearance. Finally, she huffed in annoyance that she couldn't find any way to counter him, and stormed down the stairs.
She knew that she should be annoyed at him for even supposing that she could not handle herself when faced with a group of pirates, but strangely enough it was difficult to feel that way about him, even though he had publicly humiliated her in front of the rest of the crew. The only thing that did irritate her was his inability to answer such a simple question and his propensity to change the topic and throw her own question back at her. He must have been in love at some point in his life... hadn't he? It had perhaps been quite an impertinent question to ask, given that in reality she hardly knew the man. He was a pirate... yes... a good man... of course... but there had to be a human underneath the bravado and dreadlocks and hat that experienced feelings and emotions.
She'd yet to even scratch the surface of the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow and get to the plain Jack that lay beneath. There was only that one time when she'd glimpsed the real Jack Sparrow, on that island when he'd opened up to her about the outlandish lies that made up his persona and even shown her his battle scars. After that, she had felt like she knew him a little bit better, but if she'd even dared to bring up any of that now he would most likely deny all of it.
"He'll never feel that way about you, you know," A familiar voice called from behind her and she was forced to turn around and face her former fiancé leaning on the mast, his sorry state provoking a twinge of guilt in her chest.
"Feel like what?" Elizabeth asked idly, her mind racing with thoughts of that arrogant, charming, self-centred pirate and his idiotic plan to free Will.
"He'll never feel love for anyone, not even you," James Norrington clarified smugly, but with a tinge of warning in his voice, "He's too smart for that. Love makes you do dangerous things, like going to the ends of the Earth and braving a hurricane just to avoid feeling its effects," he said with a tender bitterness.
Elizabeth's heart sank, "I told you I'm sorry for what happened to you."
He smiled cynically and moved his eyes towards the helm, "I always suspected there was something between you and Mr Turner, but I must admit I would never predict you falling for him," Elizabeth traced his eye line to a certain pirate standing at the wheel, his dreadlocks and red bandana blowing in the keen wind.
Her gaze lingered on him a moment longer before she turned back to the former commodore, "I did not fall for anyone, least of all him. I'm in love with Will," she asserted firmly, though more to convince herself of that fact than anyone else.
"I fear you may need to keep reminding yourself of that, Elizabeth," he replied grimly, "I would rather you remain with Will than enter into the arms of that man. He would dishonour you without a second thought to your reputation as a Governor's daughter - in fact he would most likely revel in the chance to seduce you."
"He's not like that," Elizabeth cut in confidently, though the sceptical gaze she received from James planted seeds of doubt in her mind.
"Need I remind you that he's a pirate, Elizabeth," James reasoned, "And you're the Governor's daughter. How would your father feel if he knew you were here - with him?"
Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder if she would ever meet a man content not to argue with her. But then the thought of Will entered her mind and she inwardly berated herself for forgetting about him for a brief moment, "It's the only way to find Will, and I will do anything it takes to find him."
There was a brief pause as James Norrington appeared to consider his next words and he then took a few steps towards her, "Through what unfortunate circumstance was Mr Turner forced to consort with Jack Sparrow in the first place? Before I left Port Royal the two of you were to be married, I believe - in what way does that involve Jack? Did you wish to be married on his ship, perhaps?"
"Cutler Beckett," Elizabeth stated plainly, "He interrupted our wedding and arrested us for aiding in Jack's escape. Will agreed that in return for Jack's compass, Beckett would grant us a pardon. All I know is that Will came to find Jack and is now trapped on the Flying Dutchman."
The former commodore nodded, "Am I to understand that Jack is completely innocent in this whole affair?"
"I have no reason not to trust him," Elizabeth informed, "And neither should you."
James laughed humourlessly, "On the contrary, Elizabeth, for I have every reason to be distrustful of him."
"Why did you choose to join his crew?" Elizabeth asked all of a sudden, "Of all the pirate captains in Tortuga, you went and chose the one that ruined your life... why?"
"I'm sure you can figure that out for yourself, Elizabeth," James cast a long look at Elizabeth before walking off, leaving her alone on deck.
Her mind began racing in an attempt to figure out James' motivations for coming aboard the Black Pearl. Did he want to steal the ship? That seems unlikely, Elizabeth thought upon reflection. What would he want with the Black Pearl? James didn't strike Elizabeth as someone who would embrace the pirate lifestyle...
So what did he want? And how would coming aboard the Black Pearl help him to achieve it?
Jack.
It was simple. He wanted revenge on Jack for destroying his life. The colour drained from Elizabeth's face as she gathered the true meaning of his words. I have every reason to be distrustful of him. He was going to capture Jack... and then hand him in to Cutler Beckett in return for...
The letters of marquee.
Elizabeth began searching her person for the letters, but stopped herself when their actual location dawned on her.
"Will strikes a deal for these and upholds it with honour. Yet you're the one standing here with the prize."
"Persuade me."
So Jack had the letters, and James was planning to... kill Jack? Take him prisoner? That would be difficult to achieve when surrounded by Gibbs and Marty and Cotton and the rest of Jack's crew. Or would he only take the compass - that was all Beckett wanted, after all.
But he also wanted a chest. The very chest that Jack was sailing towards right now.
And if James took the letters of marquee there would be no pardon for Will. And if Will wasn't pardoned there would be no hope of returning to Port Royal.
"You know, when I said ye could come aboard I did so on the proviso that ye would actually help out, rather than float about the deck like some kind of-"
"Jack!" Elizabeth started, suddenly noticing that he was stood a few paces in front of her, staring with a somewhat bemused expression on his face.
"We'll be needin' another heading from ye, 'Lizbeth, to ensure the course we be heading on is the right one," Jack asked, a trace of uncertainly flickering across his features as he noticed Elizabeth stiffen slightly.
"A heading?" Elizabeth said anxiously, all too aware of what happened the last time she tried to use his compass, "But, I already gave you a heading."
"Aye, and we be needing another one," Jack reiterated slowly, her reluctance to perform such a simple task causing some suspicion. All she needs to do is open the bloody compass.
Elizabeth hesitated for a moment, before choosing to turn and walk away from him. After taking a few paces however, she came to a stop by the railing of the ship and whirled back around to face him. Jack was still stood in the same spot, his eyes betraying his amusement at her behaviour. Those eyes... She tried to block Jack from her thoughts and fill her mind with images of Will, her fiancé, the man she loved, the man whom she desperately wanted to find, to save, to be with for the rest of her life...
She carefully moved her hand towards the compass, hanging delicately on her belt, and pulled it out. Elizabeth made sure to look away from Jack and cautiously lifted the lid. The arrow on the compass rotated from side to side for a few moments, before settling in the direction of the captain again.
"So, be we on the right course?" Elizabeth had hardly noticed Jack sneaking up to her, and quickly drew back the compass in horror as she saw him trying to lean over and see the direction in which it was pointing.
"It's fine," Elizabeth lied, quickly closing the lid of the compass, "You're heading in the right direction."
Jack's eyes bored into hers and regarded her circumspectly for a few long moments, as if he was trying to figure her out. She fixed his gaze, as though daring him to question her, until he finally gave in, an impish smile returning to his face, and cheerfully responded, "Good."
...
Before Jack had a chance to engage her in further conversation, Elizabeth hurried away, heading below deck to her cabin. Jack gazed at her a moment longer before shrugging his shoulders, having already agreed with himself that it was futile to try and predict her emotions, and heading in the opposite direction.
He was greeted by the dishevelled appearance of James Norrington, a man whom Jack would have been perfectly content to throw overboard, if not for the faint possibility that, upon not retrieving Davy Jones' chest, he could be condemned to a lifetime of misery aboard the Flying Dutchman as the second of one-hundred souls required to pay his debt. Jack would be quite content with that outcome.
"I see ye've not thrown yerself overboard yet," Jack observed casually, almost jovially, "Would save me the bother."
The former commodore merely smirked in response, "I have more important matters to deal with right now."
"I should think so," Jack noted in amusement and waved his hand in the direction of the deck, "The deck certainly won't scrub itself."
"Chief among them being your fascination with my former fiancé," James inquired coolly, barely concealing his hatred of the pirate standing before him, the pirate who should have hanged more than a year ago.
Jack smiled darkly, "Former bein' the operative word, mate. How she chooses to spend her time is no longer up to you," his eyes suddenly darted left and right with a thoughtful expression on his face, "Though, saying that it was never really up to you even when she was the future-former-to-be Mrs. Commodore. She was content to spend a whole night on a desert island with me - even though she burned me rum afterwards," Jack raised his hand and waved it at James dismissively, "But that is beside the point - and that is more than can be said for yer fleeting acquaintance."
James clenched his fists tightly, trying to stop himself from drawing his sword and killing him there and then. Jack needed to remain alive for his plan to work. Nothing would be achieved by killing him now. "Just keep away from her," he warned through gritted teeth.
"Last time I checked Captains don't follow orders from crewmen. Particularly crewmen what in their former occupation had a propensity for chasing said Captain halfway round the world." Jack pointed out thoughtfully.
"You're messing with her head, Captain Sparrow. I would hate for her to be seduced into doing something she might regret later."
Jack took a few swaggered steps towards James, until the two were directly in front of one another, before he muttered knowingly, "Who said she'd regret it?"
James recoiled slightly, both at the stench of the man's breath and his shameful attitude, and he couldn't help but wonder why Elizabeth was attracted to him. Surely she wasn't gullible enough to believe that he had any shred of decency or honesty left in him. So was it the sense of adventure and unpredictability of the pirate lifestyle that captivated her imagination? For all the years he had known her, she always had a dangerous fascination with pirates, but James had never thought she would actually dare to involve herself with one in such a manner.
"As I was saying," Jack began, having taken the opportunity of James falling silent to continue talking, "Feel free to walk yerself off the plank whenever ye feel like it," he looked out onto the ocean and squinted at the horizon behind the ship, "Ye may even run into the Flying Dutchman on yer way to shore," he clapped his hand on James' shoulder with a smile, "If ye do, make sure ye send your regards to ol' William from me before you stab him in the gut as recompense for stealing yer missus."
James put on his best false smile in response to Jack's attempt at being friendly, "Sorry to disappoint you, but I think my talents would better suit me here than on the Flying Dutchman."
Jack fought to suppress a snort, "Well, if bein' a deckhand suits ye, mate, then by all means ye can stay on board if ye so wish."
James rolled his eyes as the captain smirked at him before turning away and staggering back in the direction of his cabin. He wished he could enact his revenge on Jack Sparrow right now - kill him in front of his petty little crew or, better yet, find a way to bring him to justice and see him face the gallows. But if he was going to redeem himself and find a place in Cutler Beckett's East India Trading Company, he needed to obtain the so-called heart that Jack was in search of. And if that didn't exist (which was highly likely, given that Jack was not the most trustworthy of sources), there was the compass that Beckett desired - all he would need to do is persuade Elizabeth to part with it and he could make his way back to Port Royal.