First fic for POTC, hope it's good enough! Feel free to leave reviews, good or bad. Thanks for reading (:

Elizabeth sat on the steps, staring out to the open sea. Her thoughts had wandered to a dangerous place, of thoughts she had wrapped up, put in a box in the corner of her mind labeled "do not open" and locked away. The lock had a way of wiggling itself lose when she let her thoughts run wild. As someone passed by her on the stairs, she was slightly startled and noticed Jack approaching her. She leaned back on the steps, a look of displeasure crossing her face due to her allowance the thoughts to come out of their hiding place in the back of her mind.

Jack swung around the post of the steps, seating himself too close for Elizabeth's comfort at the moment. His scent hit her like a brick wall. "My tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature informs me you are troubled." She swallowed as he spoke, meeting his eyes for a moment before looking away and rolling her eyes.

"I just thought I'd be married by now. I am so ready to be married." She defended, speaking a little too quiet and feeling guilty for such a lie. She had to push Jack away to prevent these thoughts that drove her mad. Jack was startled by such words from her mouth, knowing her love for freedom conflicted with the words tumbling from her mouth. How can she marry such a whelp, who would allow her but a moment o' freedom before settlin' for the rest of her life?

Jack uncorked his rum, tilting it toward her invitingly as he carefully phrased his next words. "You know, Lizzie" he cleared his throat as she processed the pet name, giving him a confused look. "I am Captain of a ship. I could perform a marr-i-age right here, right on this deck, right... now." Elizabeth looked in disgust before shoving the rum back to his hands.

"No thank you," Elizabeth said as she walked away. What an improper proposal of marriage, for one. The thought slipped through her mind before she could give a better reason. She walked away but Jack persistently followed.

"Why not? We are very much alike, you and I. I and you. Us." He approached from behind as she looked off to the waters.

"Except for a sense of honor and decency and-and a moral center... and personal hygiene." She listed off whatever came to mind, damning herself for her stutter.

"Trifles," Jack said after sniffing his underarm. "You will come over to my side, I know it." He came closer, testing her boundaries with each step. She noticed his voice had dropped in the slightest.

"You seem very certain." She avoided his eyes. He didn't miss that she avoided commenting on her stance on the matter.

"One word, luv: curiosity." He moved closer to her. "You long for freedom... You long to do what you want to do because you want it. To act on selfish impulse. You want to see what it's like. One day... you won't be able to resist." He felt rather pleased, leaving her at a loss for words for a split moment as he could almost see each wheel in her head turning about.

"Why doesn't your compass work?" The question threw him off. You! he wanted to yell, embarrass himself by telling her it was all her fault.

"My compass works fine." His lame retaliation came.

"Because you and I are alike. And there will come a moment where you have the chance to show it—to do the right thing."

"I love those moments, I like to wave at them as they pass by!" Jack interjected before he stepped away, trying to put distance between them as his plan had apparently failed.

"You will have a chance to do something, something courageous and when you do, you'll discover something." his eyes flickered from her lips to her eyes sadly "That you're a good man." A smile found its way to his face. And here I was, believing the lass would put me down.

"All evidence to the contrary." He retorted, not accepting her pleasant response but feeling the pride swell in his chest due to her faith in him.

"Oh, I have faith in you. Want to know why?" She turned to face him

"Do tell, dearie" Elizabeth looked at him knowingly, getting closer.

"Curiosity." He was at a loss as she turned his statement around on him. "You're going to want it. A chance to be admired … and gain the rewards that follow." Her huff made him wonder what rewards she spoke of. "You won't be able to resist. You're going to want to know... what it tastes like." His mouth hung open for a moment, showing his surprise. His eyes widened in realization of the power her words held over him, how arousing she was to him by nothing more than words.

"I do want to know what it tastes like." He turned, pinning her to the railing. His hand traveling up to her face to brush away a few stray hairs. He didn't hear the words she spoke as he imagined the many ways he could turn her sweet words into sweet cries, and not but a second later he felt an odd sensation in his hand. Upon peeking at his hand, he was startled by a black spot.


Elizabeth felt true fear when tentacles scattered the crew of the Pearl, destroying everything in their path. After seeing Jack paddle away without so much as a fight, her will to defeat the Kraken had been even stronger. The fight was hard, most of the crew ran as she aimed the gun to the barrels but didn't want to shoot until Will was freed. She felt certain death had come when her leg was gripped, pulling her down hard. Damn you, Jack, damn you and your cowardliness.

Luck came as the tentacle was severed and she was free again. She recovered quickly, but the gun was snatched up before she could reach it. The holder quickly let loose as they were flung through the air by another tentacle. She climbed for the gun, trying her damnedest.

She finally held it when a boot stomped down, preventing her from her duty. Looking up, warmth spread through her icy, betrayed heart even at such a terrible time. You came back. A smile spread across her as she continued up the steps, holding onto his leg like a frightened child to their mother. Jack took the gun, shooting right after Will dropped from the tangle. Elizabeth held tighter, watching the barrels explode before the crew emerged as the Krakens burns subdued it shortly.

"Captain, orders?!" Gibbs called

"Abandon ship, into the longboat," Jack replied as he walked, knowing time was limited and the odds were against them.

Elizabeth's mind was wild. The Kraken, it wants Jack. Not us. He abandoned us before, who's to say he won't again? Why do I care so much that he is alive? That he came back? How can I feel safe as the boat around me crashes to the ground, just because of a pirate?

"Jack, the Pearl!"

"She's only a ship, mate."

"He's right, we have to head for land," Elizabeth interjected, agreeing with him. It hurt all the same that she would agree with such a statement about the Pearl.

" 's a lot'a open water"

"It's a lot'o wa'er" the interjections followed.

"We have to try. We can get away as it takes down the pearl." Will joined the conversation.

"Abandon ship. Abandon ship or abandon hope!" Gibbs declared, beginning the process.

As the others went, Elizabeth turned to Jack as he goodbye to the Pearl. I don't know what it is that draws me to you her thoughts jumbled her mind.

"Thank you, Jack" she approached him.

"Yer not free yet, luv." She knew something had changed, with how he looked into her eyes. Full of sadness, and something she couldn't quite name.

"You came back." She smiled, coming closer. "I always knew you were a good man."

"Lizzie, ye have to go, now." The kohl around his eyes seemed to bring them a depth she had never seen in anyone else.

"We have to get on the long boat, Jack." She corrected him, taking his hand to pull to the waiting crew.

"No, 'Lizabeth. Jus' you 'nd the crew." She turned to face him, the confusion and hurt flashing across her face. She started to form words but was unable to decide which ones.

"Jack!" She shook her head in disbelief. "You can't be serious, you have to come with us."

"It wants me, luv. While it takes down the Pearl ye can escape and get to land. Ye have to." He guided her closer to the longboat waiting below.

"No!" She cried "You can't Jack"

"We have to go!" Will hollered from the boat.

She threw herself at him, met his lips and allowed herself to get lost for just a moment in what could have been. A heat blossomed in her chest, spreading to each part of her body. She felt as though she couldn't breathe, and at the same time, it was if she had never breathed true air before. His tongue met hers with a fire she had never felt, a fierce compassion that had been left to burn slowly for far too long as it now spread like wildfire throughout them. He tasted of rum, salt, and something entirely Jack in itself. His right arm wound about her waist, pulling her close as he admired the new feeling as well.

Before she could comprehend the kiss fully, he took her by the shoulders, pulling her to face him. An engaged woman kissing another man, Captain Jack Sparrow at that, while her husband-to-be waits in the boat for her so that they may row to safety. And I don't feel the slightest regret for wishing to stay with the Captain instead.

"I'll stay with you." The words tumbled out as a whisper.

"And what o' William?" He shook his head at her.

"To Davy Jones locker with William! I won't leave you here, Jack."

"Pirate." His accusation was not one of malice, but more of an admiration that she so willingly could state her desire to stay with him than keep William and herself alive. He kissed her again, backing her toward the boat as she didn't take notice. He pulled back "This be the only way, don't ye see?" He wanted to kiss her again but feared William would see them. " 'm not sorry, Lizzie." He pushed her over the edge of the railing, allowing her to fall down to the waiting boat, landing mostly on Will.

"NO!" She screamed

"Go, I'll take the Kraken meself lads, get out while ye can!" Jack hollered to the men before returning to the middle of the ship, watching the boat paddle away as Elizabeth's sobs grew faint. The last voice he heard was that of a fair-headed governor's daughter using all her might to yell "Pirate!" Before the Kraken emerged from the depths of the sea once again.