To Love Another
Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or any of the original characters or storyline, Disney owns all. The only things I own are the things that are not mentioned in the Movies, so please do not sue!
Summery: Pirates of the Caribbean 3, written my way for all you JE shippers. Just incase the third film doesn't go our way, at least in my World it does. Hopefully a bit of something for everyone in here so R&R!
Intro
The sea was calm, yet a storm raged. Hardly a breeze stirred the torpid air, yet a storm raged. The crew slept, peaceful undisturbed, yet a storm raged. A ship slipped quietly through the velvet black of the midnight sea, yet the storm still raged.
The sole observer of this storm stood slumped against the rail of the ship as the storm raged though her mind and heart, battering her with it's fury, yet for all the pain, it's battering incurred she welcomed it, hugged it to her fiercely like the arms of a jealous lover. It was her storm, she was its cause and only she could see its end if there was ever to be an end, but as the miles slide smoothly beneath the keel of the ship taking her forever close to their destination, the storm raged on no end in sight.
Endless images flashed through her mind, his walk, so uniquely, his half swagger, half drunken stumble (even on those rare occasions when he was sober) that with anyone else would seem ridiculous. Dark fathomless eyes that gave nothing away yet at the same time could express so much laughter, a teasing glint, mockery, affection, acceptance, determination, and thoughtfulness. But once, only once, anger, and that over a bonfire made of rum.
Hand's that were rough and callused from years at sea, but were as gentle as the touch of a feather when caressing a young women's hair or cheek, that were never still, punctuating every word and sentence with strange waves and gestures, as much apart of his speech as the words he spoke. Long black hair tangled and wind tossed, the slight clink and clatter of it's many adornments as the wind played through it, all this and more flashed through her mind and every image was unique, every image that of a pirate, the walking contradiction that was Captain Jack Sparrow.
One image played over and over again, one image that was at the heart of the storm and the cause of all the pain. Half lidded eyes, a gentle smile, and one word spoken as soft as a caress Pirate, spoken when she became the pirate and he, when he was betrayed by a kiss, her kiss, when she stole from him that which he valued most, freedom. She had chained him to the mast of his own ship, left him to a certain death at the attack of the Kraken, his freedom stolen by a kiss.
How she wished he had answered her theft with anger and harsh word, eyes filled with hate, which would have been less painful, she deserved it, all of the hate and anger he could throw at her, but no, when had he made anything easy for anyone, when her actions deserved no demanded his hate, there was only forgiveness.
His eyes, those dark fathomless wonderful eyes contained only acceptance, and pride, pride in her for doing what was necessary, and last and most painful of all just for a fleeting moment she though she had seen love shining there in his eye's, for her, and the soft puff of his breath stroking her cheek as he spoke one word Pirate, a strange word to use but she got the massage it contained. He understood and he forgave her.
If he had only hated her she could of justified her actions, and what of Will with that kiss she had also betrayed him, the man she was supposed to love, no… did love, didn't she? If so why where all her thoughts those for the man she had sent to his death rather than the man her betrayal was meant to save.
Why could she recall every slight detail that was Captain Jack Sparrow, a man that was over three months dead by her own hand, when she struggled to recall those same little details that were unique to Will the man she loved, had love from the moment she first saw him all those years ago when they were no more than children, and whom she had only seen less than two hours ago as she past his sleeping form on her way to the deck to spend the rest of the night struggling against the raging storm that were her own thoughts.
From the way he had looked at her and acted towards her ever since they had made their escape from the doomed Black Pearl and her Captain, she was sure he had either seen or suspected something of her actions. His eyes when he looked at her were full of sorrow and loss, pain and confusion, he rarely spoke to her now but his eyes seemed to follow her where ever she went asking her why, why, why.
She could tell him why, she could explain why she had done what she had done, could explain that it was the only way. She could tell him that she loved only he; could tell him she had only done it to save all their lives. He would understand and forgive her she knew he would, and then he would once more look at her as before, tell her she was right to do what she did by betraying Jack, that she had no choice and help to calm the storm in her mind and heart, but she remained silent and let the storm rage on, and why? Because deep down in her heart she was afraid it would all be a lie.
They were only a few hours away from their destination now, the rising of the sun would herald their arrival at Worlds End, where they would do what ever it took to get Jack back, to bring him back to the world of the living, to a world that so desperately needed his unique talents, to a world that seemed to have lost all its colour and excitement and become flat and dull at his loss.
How was she to face him, what would she say to the man she had betrayed with a kiss, a man who forgave her when she could not forgive her self after three long months of trying, even though she had told her self time and time again she had done the right thing, had done the only thing she could to save them all.
She gripped the rail of the ship tighter and lifted her head to gaze out to sea with sightless eyes, watching the images flash though her mind, trying desperately to listen to the message her heart was trying to tell her, to find an answer to calm the storm as the first fingers of the dawn stretched slowly over the horizon. They were there, they had arrived at last at Worlds End, time had run out for Elizabeth and still the storm raged with no end in sight.
He stood watching, leaning against the wheel above her, he knew she was unaware of his presence, was unaware that he had been awake when she crept past him in the night and that he had followed her out on to the deck, he had been worried for her safety out on deck all alone at night with naught but the star's to keep her company or give warning should anything befall her, and so he had followed to keep watch over her as she stood by the rail, lost to all but her own troubled thought's for hour after long hour.
As she raised her head to gaze sightlessly out towards the dawn, the first raze of the sun caught her face highlighting the tears as they made a sparkling path down her face to drip like glowing pearls into the sea to be lost for ever in it's dark depths, as he watched them fall he knew he had lost her forever to the sea, and to the Captain it reminded her of.
He knew she was unaware of this her self yet, any more than she was aware of the tears she shed, but he knew, after all who knew her better than he, better than the man who had loved her for ten long year's, he felt his heart clench with the knowledge that she could never be his, but with the pain came a calm acceptance, he loved her more than anything else on this earth, enough to let her go with out recrimination, enough to want to see her happy no matter what pain that caused himself.
William Turner turned slowly to make his way quietly back to his own buck before she became aware of his presence, she would be safe now, and soon the rising of the new day would bring the crew back on deck. "I'll get him back for you Elizabeth," he vowed quietly, as he slipped back into his bunk although he knew she could not hear him. He closed his eyes to try to get a few hours sleep before his shift on beck began tears of his own making silent tracks down his face.