Swallowed in the Sea

"Elizabeth, I swear. I did not know."

"Know what? Which side you chose?" her head cocked sharply, tilted at an accusatory angle. A few steps back and she was before her crew, lips pursed in an annoyed little pout as she bit out. "Now you do."

Feeling the sting of her unwarranted anger towards him, James furrowed his dark brow and opened his mouth to speak to her, but thought better of it.

"Take these men to the brig," he commanded his men, though he never looked away from Elizabeth. "Captain Swann and I have some things to discuss."

He swept past her and she only realized that he had a hold on her when he let go and they were inside his quarters. Though she faced away from him, in her mind's eye she could see his face as he sighed and leaned back against the door, no doubt exhausted from his new position as Admiral. His eyes would be closed as he willed his body to calm.

Expecting him to be unaware Elizabeth turned on her heel, hand raised to strike him across the cheek; an act that would secure her position in the brig with her men.

James had expected such an outburst and caught her wrist before it had even made a move towards his face. He held her other hand captive as well, just in case, and stared down at her.

In that moment he knew he could never have her; never keep her as he so wished he could. He would forever love her, but she could never be his. He released her hands and they dropped to her sides like dead weights.

"Go, Elizabeth. Be with your crew. It was wrong of me to--"

He had not expected this. Had not expected her hands to cradle his head and pull it down so that she could brush her lips against his.

"James," she whispered his name as he always wished she would, and he could not help the sound that escaped him as he pressed his lips firmly against hers. His hands spanned out over her back as the kiss deepened and his eyes slipped shut.

They parted all too suddenly and James nearly gasped at the pain that her absence caused him. Elizabeth pressed her face into his coat, tugging slightly at the lapels as if fixing some invisible imperfection.

She shook her head and tugged hard on his lapels as she pressed her cheek to his, whispering in his ear. "Forgive me, James."

And then she was gone.

Just a little note. I own absolutely nothing.