Just out of Reach

Part 1

It was a fierce, cold night and Elizabeth Swan sat by her window doing what she had done every night since they had returned from saving Jack Sparrow. She was watching the sea, watching the waves beat feverishly against the sea wall. Tomorrow she was to marry her childhood sweetheart Will Turner, but her heart did not rejoice at the thought of being Mrs. Turner; in fact her heart was no longer a part of her. Elizabeth Swan's heart had been stolen by the very pirate told of in the legends, and he refused to give it back. The pirate that had beaten death itself, Captain Jack Sparrow.

Jack Sparrow stumbled out of the one of the many pubs situated on the island of Tortuga. He drunkenly swaggered through the bustling streets, a half empty rum bottle in one hand and his compass in the other.

"I know bloody well where Port Royal is, now point me to something more….shiny," he muttered. By the time Jack had reached the Black Pearl the bottle of rum was gone and he was cursing loudly. The few crew members who had been elected to stay behind to keep watch, scurried away to various parts of the ship that were far away from their captain for none of them wished to feel his anger. Jack stumbled into his cabin, muttering about the lack of rum.

"Oh bugger, I should've traded you for rum," Jack yelled, throwing the compass against the wall of his cabin. He grabbed a bottle of rum from his private stash and sat down in his chair, preparing himself for another long night.

"She's getting bloody married tomorrow, it's too late, she's better off with the bloody eunuch. The whelp will treat her good, like a proper lady."

Jack's ramblings were interrupted by cabin door being thrown open by a very angry Gibbs.

"Made a bloody fool of yourself, you know that Jack," Gibbs shouted.

"Everyone in Tortuga is claiming ye have gone soft. They're saying you let ye self fall for a governor's daughter."

Jack remained unusually silent; no witty response to what Gibbs accused him of. How could he defend himself against what is true. He had gone soft, not because he fell for Lizzie, god no, but because he left Lizzie to marry a bloody eunuch of all things. Lizzie was a pirate at heart and he knew it. If she married Will, she would be locked in a cage and her wings would be clipped. She wanted freedom and he could give it to her.

"Gibbs, get the crew and set sail for Port Royal," barked Jack.

"We have a wedding to attend"

PartTwo

Elizabeth sat in her satin wedding gown, waiting for her father to arrive and take her down the aisle. To take her to Will and give her away and have her freedom stripped from her. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes but she refused to cry. She refused to cry for herself, for Jack or for what they had. He had sent her away, told her to marry her blood whelp and to not bother him again. She asked him to tell her that he did not love her and never did, so that she could let him go. But Jack had refused and told her to get her bloody arse off of his ship. So he sailed away, her heart going with him and a part of her dying when he left. How she wished to hear him call her Lizzie, just one last time. To feel his arms around her, and feel his hot breath on the back of her neck. She looked at the locket that lay around her neck, the one Jack had given to her so long ago, during her stay on the Black Pearl and the one she had kept hidden from everyone. It was a golden heart, with tiny sapphires around the edges and one large heart shaped sapphire in the middle. Elizabeth had told Jack on the Island that sapphires were her favorite for they reminded her of the sea. When Jack gave her the locket he told her "Lass by wearing this locket, the sea will always be with you, and of course where the sea goes there is old Jack". The tears were threatening to spill out and she could hear her father calling her from the other side of the door. Carefully she slipped the necklace off of her slim neck. Elizabeth hung it on the window that faced the eerily calm sea.

"Good bye Captain Jack Sparrow"

Part 3

Governor Swan led his daughter down the aisle, pride filling him at how beautiful she looked. Her mother would have been so proud of her if she could only see Elizabeth now. He looked over at the young woman on his arm and was disturbed to find a deep frown etched into her lovely face. It was her wedding day, she should be smiling. Elizabeth had been distant since the whole fiasco with the pirates, since Captain Jack Sparrow. Governor Swan was no fool. He could see that his daughter was desiring someone else and that someone else was a pirate. It broke his heart to see her pain, but it was out of his hands and he would support her in whatever path she chose, even if she chose the path of a pirate.

Jack Sparrow threw open the door to Elizabeth's dressing room. The only thing to greet him was silence. He cursed under his breath as he turned to leave the room, but something stopped him. A shimmer by the window caught his attention and he moved gracefully across the room to the window. His heart almost broke at what he discovered. The locket he had given Lizzie all those months ago hung there, the Caribbean sun glistening off it. She had given up, accepted her fate. His Lizzie thought he had abandoned her for good. Jack Sparrow picked up the tiny necklace and clenched it in his hand before running out of the room. He wasn't going to let her say good bye.

Part 4

The minister's words echoed through the silent church. Elizabeth struggled to keep her stone face but when it finally came to take her vow, for a second she faltered. Everything that occurred between Jack and her flashed before her eyes. The day they met, the island and of course their kiss. Elizabeth could still feel his lips on her and could still remember how he had tasted like rum and the sea and in a weird way he tasted like freedom. Jack Sparrow stood for everything in life that she wanted and yet could never obtain. With that thought she recited the vow and pledged herself to Will for eternity. In the second that the words left her mouth, her eyes lost their spark and whatever was left of Jack's Lizzie died.

"Now does anyone object to the union of this young couple, if so speak now or forever hold your peace," cried the minister. Elizabeth begged silently that someone would object but she knew it was hopeless.

"I bloody well object, My Lizzie ain't marrying no Eunuh" yelled a voice at the back of the church, a voice Elizabeth knew, and voice she loved.

Captain Jack Sparrow stormed down the aisle, his loyal crew behind him, taking care of any of the many Navy officers who charged forward to protect the Governor's daughter. Elizabeth seemed to suddenly come alive again and began to run towards Jack before she was pulled back by a very angry Will.

"Elizabeth, what are you doing, he's a pirate," Will spat out, trying to comprehend why HIS Elizabeth would want anything with the man who had almost destroyed their relationship.

By this time Jack had reached the pair and was currently fighting off one of the guards.

"I'm sorry Will, but I can't deny it anymore, I love him," Elizabeth whispered, her voice getting louder as she grew more confident.

"I Love Captain Jack Sparrow with all my heart, he's my freedom and I will not let him slip through my fingers again," shouted Elizabeth, feeling a great weight lifted off her chest as she stared straight into Jack Sparrow's eyes.

"Don't be foolish Elizabeth Swan, Jack Sparrow will never settled down with one woman and is incapable of loving anyone else but him self," screamed Will, harshly grabbing Elizabeth's arm in attempt to take her away from the pirate. This angered the pirate and within seconds Will Turner lay on the ground of the church will a cutlass against his throat.

"You wait one bloody minute there; I love me Lizzie as much as I love the sea. Jack Sparrow may not have been prepared to settle for one woman before but with her I am. She's as much as a pirate as me and I have no plans on letting her stay here with a eunuch like ye self," shouted Jack, removing the cutlass from Will's throat and turning to Lizzie.

"Love, what do you say? Will you come away with good old Jack?"

Part 5

Jack ran from the church with Lizzie in his arms, both of them laughing as they ran down to the docks. The crew ran ahead, preparing the Pearl for departure. Lizzie looked back to the church, as the guests bustled out after the bride. She saw Will, standing there looking angry and confused and immediately she felt a stab of guilt. Then her eyes fell upon her father. Governor Swan stood there, smiling at her. He knew all along that she longed for the freedom of Jack Sparrow and the sea. She returned his smile, and for the first time in many moons, the governor and his daughter understood each other. The Black Pearl sailed out of Port Royal as fast as the winds and currents would take them for no one on board wished for a fight with the Navy. But the Navy did not follow due to Governor Swan's orders.

"She's gone, it's time she found her own path in life," whispered Governor Swan.

Part 6

On the Black Pearl, the newly reunited couple stood on deck, watching the ocean's waves and for the first time in many fortnights, felt complete peace.

"Lizzie, I'm not a man who has ever committed to one woman before," said Jack, pausing before he continued on with his speech. "But I love ye, and I'm saying it will never happen but I ain't ready for marriage."

Lizzie only laughed and shook her head.

"Jack Sparrow, you brag that you have great women intuition, but that is not what I want. I do not need a ring or some silly vow to know you are devoted to me and love me. I just need you by my side always."

Jack Sparrow looked at her amazed by her reply, before gently taking her face in his calloused hands and claiming her lips. Their kiss started off slow but soon their passion erupted into a burning blaze. They broke away, neither able to catch their breath.

"I believe this is yours," said Jack, taking something out of his pocket and holding it up to her face for inspection. In his hand hung her locket, the sunlight dancing off of it.

"How," Lizzie asked completely stunned

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow," he replied with his trademark smirk plastered on his face.

Together they sailed into the horizon. Finally having what they both thought was out of their reach and impossible. Freedom.