Disclaimer: Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, all other Pirates characters, and all included dialogue belong to Disney. I own none of the above.

A/N: First POTC fic, just a oneshot focusing on Jack and Elizabeth when the crew of the Hai Peng arrive at the Locker. No real pairing.

The Hand Which Deals The Blow
By: Sinnamon Spider


"Jack...this is real. We're here." - Elizabeth Swann, POTC: AWE


He stares at her, as though trying to place her in his thoughts, tilting his head to one side. Then his eyes narrow in recognition and she watches as half a dozen emotions flit through their dark depths - terror, confusion, betrayal, lust - in a split second. His lip curls back, but with which of those feelings, she cannot tell.

He raises his hand, half-pointing at her, but clenches his fingers back into a fist again, his lips opening and closing like a fish, his hands flexing. He turns away, looking as though he's trying to speak, but words appear to fail him. He keeps a watchful, nervous eye on her as he moves, before he scuttles back across the sand to Gibbs. "The Locker, you say," she hears him question.

"Aye," Gibbs replies, nodding and staring at his captain, worried.

His hand moves to rub across a furrowed brow as she steps forward again, afraid to get to close to him.

"We've come to rescue you!" Her words are tinged with desperation, seaching for absolution and forgiveness. He turns, finally able to face her. She finds no forgiveness in his dark expression, suspicious eyes, and cautious movements, a sharp contrast to the amiable, bemused, but confident pirate captain that tried to seduce her aboard the Pearl.

She is shocked, but relieved when he speaks to her directly.

"Have you, now? Well, that's very kind of you. But it would seem that as I possess a ship and you don't, you're the ones in need of rescuing, and I'm not sure as I'm in the mood." He walks towards her as he speaks, staring at her, his eyes veiled.

She watches as he banters with Barbossa about the Pearl. Will follows him. "Jack, Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones. He controls the Flying Dutchman."

Jack only half listens, casting about as though only truly seeing the Locker for the first time.

"He's taking over the seas," Elizabeth tries again. She grabs his arm, forcing past Will to stare directly at him. Tia Dalma takes his other arm, drawing his attention. "The song has already been sung. The Brethern Court is called."

He looks around at all of them, perturbed. "Leave you people alone for a minute, look what happens, everything's gone to pot!" he exclaims. He strides away across the beach.

"Aye, Jack, the world needs you back something fierce!" Gibbs agrees.

"And you need a crew." Will's reminder brings the captain up short. He turns back to face them, the ragtag band assembled on the sand, pleading with him to return. "Why should I sail with any of you?" he asks, gesturing. "Four of you have tried to kill me in the past." He points her out, finally. "One of you succeeded."

Will turns around to stare at her, his face stunned. She opens her mouth, tries to explain herself, but the words won't come. She can say nothing in her own defense. She settles for glaring past Will at Jack, who smirks. "Oh, she's not told you." He walks back towards them. "You'll have loads to talk about while you're here."

He moves along, choosing some of the crew to join him. Others are refused. Will continues to gawk at her in disbelief. She ignores him. Jack approves Tai Huang, and orders the anchor weighed, preparing to make sail. She is forgotten in the midst of the preparations, merely a part of the unwanted group Jack is forced to bring along to give him a heading.

Forgotten, but not forgiven.


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