A sad one, but I like it.

--

Disclaimer: Currently working on buying Jack and Lizzie. Negotiations not going well.

--

This be the record of Mister Joshamee Gibbs. I do not know what day it is, nor do I know the time. Ye see, I haven't left the captain's cabin of the Black Pearl for three days now. Three days I've been trying to make sense out of all of this. Three days I've been wondering how this could happen to two fine mates of mine. This story should be told. Maybe not out loud, but definitely on paper.

When Elizabeth Turner showed up on the Pearl that day we were docked at Tortuga, all of us were equally surprised. However, I knew that no one was as glad to see her as Jack. "Hello, lads," she greeted us all as she stepped onto the deck. This was only a few days after Jack had weaseled his way back onto the Pearl, making himself captain once again. Elizabeth asked to speak with Jack in private.

They went into his cabin. A few minutes later, Jack came out and told me that he didn't want to be disturbed until morning. He winked at me them, giving me a hint as to what was going on. I'll let ye decide what happened next. I will tell ye that Jack loved Elizabeth. Only I knew, of course. I think even he didn't know sometimes. But he did. It was a shame that she was married to Will.

Anyways, I went to see Jack in the morning. He was sitting on one side of his bed, shirtless, staring at the other side. It was empty. "Jack," I asked, "where's Miss Elizabeth?" "I don't know," he answered.
"What happened?"
"She said she loved me. She knew it was wrong, but she did. She just wanted one night... she's gone..." He rubbed his eye. I knew he was crying.
"She broke yer heart, Jack."
"No. I'll be alright. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! My first... and only... love is... the sea."

Elizabeth had put Jack out like the burning end of a midnight cigarette. She'd broken his heart. For the next few years, Jack tried to forget. The crew and I watched him drink his pain away, a little at a time. But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind.

Then came the night Jack put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger. He'd finally drank away her memory. I know life is short, but I also know that, for him, this time it was bigger than the strength he had to get up off his knees. We found him with his face down in the pillow, with a note that said "I'll love her till I die." And I think that when we buried him, the angels sang a rum lullaby.

The rumors flew. One Elizabeth heard, she couldn't believe it. I went to go see her myself. She blamed herself. I tried to convince her otherwise, but she wouldn't sway. I left, discouraged. Once Will returned from World's End, Elizabeth told him everything. Everything. From then on, only he and I knew how much she blamed herself. For years and years, she tried to hide the rum on her breath. She finally drank her pain away, a little at a time. But she never could get drunk enough to get Jack off her mind.

Then, one night, Elizabeth put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger. And finally drank away his memory. Like I said before, life is short, but this time it was bigger than the strength she had to get up off her knees, as well. We found her with her face down in the pillow, clinging to his picture for dear life. We laid her next to him at Port Royal Island, where they first met. And the angels sang a rum lullaby.

That was three days ago. It's been six years since Jack died. Will is still at World's End, ferrying souls. I'm not sure how much longer it is until he gets to come back home once again. I've got a feeling I won't have to tell him what what's happened. He'll probably see Elizabeth passing in one of those boats.

Two of my best mates are gone.

Any man who fall's behind, is supposed to be left behind. I did not leave Jack behind. He was my dear friend. I don't blame Elizabeth.

This be the record of Mister Joshamee Gibbs, captain of the Black Pearl. Our next course, I'm unsure of.

Joshamee Gibbs