Author's Note: All right, so I need to finish The King and Her Men, but I can't stop writing other stories instead. This one is probably going to be about 10 chapters. Let me know how I did!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates or the lyric from Hush Hush at the beginning there. Thanks for reading!


Chapter 1: Consequence

"I didn't mean to kiss you, you didn't mean to fall in love, I never meant to hurt you, we never meant for it to mean this much…" –Avril Lavigne

~~~~ JE ~~~~

For what we want most, there is a cost must be paid in the end. That's what everything boils down to, doesn't it; Consequences? For everything, great or small, there is always a consequence. Captain Elizabeth Swann could think of nothing more true as she stood at the bow of the Black Pearl in the aftermath of the most terrifying (and exhilarating) day of her young adult life. The pleasantly vibrant morning horizon seemed only to taunt her.

Freedom was not supposed to feel this awful and this…fantastic at the same time. She felt exultant and forlorn all at once. Life was different now, she knew more about the world…more than she could ever imagine and she hadn't even begun to touch the surface.

James would have understood…but The Flying Dutchman had disappeared in a green flash, mere hours ago along with Captain Norrington. Will was also lost to her…though they both went amicably. After the completion of their rescue mission…James…had changed sides at the last moment, preventing Jack from becoming immortal and saving Elizabeth a world of hurt that she hadn't even realized she was going to have…and Will…he left her in Singapore months before, bidding her good luck and safe travels with nary but a kiss. It seems Lord Beckett had robbed her of more than just her wedding night.

She wished she could go back to her life before all of this, if only to change a few key points…everything would be different and she wouldn't feel so bloody alone.

"I suppose perhaps I wasn't rooting for the wrong man after all." Captain Sparrow remarked, interrupting her morbid thoughts.

She turned, realizing he was rather close. "What do you mean?"

"It certainly appears that you're pinin' for our beloved former Commodore."

"Does it?" Her brow furrowed.

"Aye."

"Well you're wrong." She tipped her chin.

It occurred to her then that he might have gotten the wrong idea when he stepped closer to her, but, in a way, it wasn't exactly a wrong idea either, was it? The infamous pirate captain was always at the back of her mind…and if she dared to admit it (which she didn't) he was often at the forefront.

"Then just who were you pining for, love?" He murmured suggestively, leaning in close. So close in fact that she could see the dark circles hiding beneath the kohl under his eyes and the hard line his mouth seemed always to go back to now. Elizabeth didn't remember these parts about him from before the kraken. It frightened her to think that she might be the cause of his sleepless nights. And yet, he was still charming as ever on the surface, wasn't he? She couldn't deny the way her heart pounded every time he looked in her direction…but it didn't mean she'd be admitting to anything. Captain Sparrow had not forgiven her yet. Even now he was barely meeting her eyes.

"Myself." She answered, forcing her thoughts of him away.

He looked taken aback.

"I miss the way I was before I…" A flashback of the pain she felt when he was gone hit her like a ton of bricks and she swallowed hard.

His mouth returned to that grim line (oh how I wish for his smile, just one more time) and he too looked at the horizon. "We all do things we have to do to survive, Elizabeth."

"There should have been another way." Her knuckles turned white against the rail she was gripping as she told herself now was not the time to be weak and fling herself into his less than forgiving arms…no matter how much she longed to.

"There wasn't. Don't beat yourself up about it, darling." His soft tone immediately drew her attention to his face and the sympathetic look in his eyes.

It was then she realized he might forgive her after all…and she felt the beginnings of a smile. "Can I ask you something?"

He rested his forearms on the railing and stared into the horizon. "Hmm?"

"Of all the pirates at the gathering, why did you make me king?"

He smirked slightly. "Because I thought I'd be in control of the proceedings."

She pursed her lips and stifled the indignant remark at the tip of her tongue. "You were."

"Oh I don't know, love. I heard you made a pretty speech all on your own. You had me whole crew chompin' at the bit to hoist the colors. From the way Ragetti tells it I'd say they'd damn near do anything you asked of 'em, even dress in ladies undergarments." His eyes danced with mirth.

She laughed hard at the thought and then nearly choked on a sob when she remembered how much she had missed that look he was giving her. I want to kiss him again…

His eyes sobered up a bit. "Elizabeth…"

"Don't." She whispered, turning to stare into the waves. Don't apologize.

"I made you king because I knew you'd be willing to do whatever it takes."

"Peas in a pod." Elizabeth whispered and turned her head to meet his gaze. Holding herself back from kissing him became a hard task when she saw how soft his eyes were. This was a look he had never given her before.

She fled before she did something that might change everything. The mere thought of that had her gasping for breath.

JEJEJEJEJE


"Bite off more than you can chew, dearie?" Barbossa asked as she moved closer to the helm.

She swallowed hard and rested her back against the railing to look at the domineering pirate before her. "I don't deserve his forgiveness."

The older man grinned into the vibrant daylight. "There aren't many who would agree with that."

"Why not? I killed a good man, Hector."

"Good is a matter of perspective, dearie. He's done his fair share of awful things."

Elizabeth looked at the bow where Jack stood alone. His posture was slightly more slumped than usual and his head was down. "You hurt him once too. How did you get over it?" They both knew he'd been close to Sparrow. Thick as thieves, they were at one time.

"I never look back because I don't want to…and I don't need to." She glanced at him. They both knew that was a lie. In the month-long voyage to World's End, Elizabeth had conned Captain Barbossa into teaching her the art of sailing. This developed into camaraderie of sorts seeing as they had both managed to wrong Captain Sparrow in one way or another. At the time neither would admit that they felt horrible for doing it nor speak about what she had done (except for one night that lead to tears and an awkward sharing of rum).

. "I wish that I could go back and fix everything."

"You can't change the past, my liege, only the future."

Her eyes returned to Jack and found him looking directly at them. It was too far away to see his expression, but the feel of his eyes sent a shiver down her spine nonetheless. Could it really be possible? Could she find the courage to change her entire world?