Disclaimer: I don't own anything… but I want to own Jack
Chapter 1
Blood mixed with sweat was covering every inch of Jack's body. He was hanging shackled and chained to the rock in a cave, surrounded by other prisoners, neither of them as wounded as he was.
Suddenly he heard their steps… he knew they would come, after all they always did. A faint smile appeared on his lips, theyfed themselves with fear and screams of the victims, and he didn't want to give them satisfaction. That's why he suffered here most. They couldn't break him and that made them even angrier.
The heavy gates opened and a strange creature entered the cave. It had a deformed body, full of scars and fresh injuries, remains of its long hair hanged in a matted mess around its head. It stopped and carefully examined the place looking closer at every single prisoner as ifit was trying to remember his features.
Then its stare fell upon Jack and a creepy, cold smile appeared on its strange lips.
Jack lifted his head and returned creature's gaze.
"Hello Beastie, you came to good ol' Jack, didn't ya? Tellin' the truth I was looking forward to yer visit, it's kinda' borring here…"
The creature didn't response, though there was a flicker of disappointment on his features quickly replaced by excitement and awaiting. It moved forward and took the long whip that was laying in the corner of the cave, then it approached Jack and with an awful pleasure on it's face started flogging his already horribly wounded body. Every blow was heavier than the other but Jack didn't let out a single scream, the only proof of his suffering were new bloody welts that were appearing on his back and his white knuckles clutching the iron shackles.
But he didn't scream
Even once…
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A loud shriek reverberated through the ship. There it was. Again. The dream.
Will got used to hearing it every night so he took his things and started sleeping on the deck, just a few steps from her room. He wanted to be ready to wake her when the dream returned. Will was on his feet a few seconds after he heard the firs noises, she began screaming just when he opened the door and in a blink of an eye he was by her bed waking her. Elizabeth was crying loudly and Will knew that there was nothing he could do to help her, he just took her fragile body in his arms and waited until she stopped sobbing.
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She had The Dream for the first time, when they were still at Tia Dalma's place, but they didn't pay it much attention, they thought that it was normal after all they'd been through, after all they had seen. They all had nightmares about the Kraken so it wasn't really unusual. But after the first night the dream came back, and the again and again…
She didn't want to tell anyone what it was about, what was it that made her feel so scared. She didn't even tell him. He asked, he begged… but the only answer was always that distant look that appeared on her face every time someone mentioned Jack, every time someone speculated where he was and if he was in pain.
Will was worried about Elizabeth. She almost stopped eating, her breath was shallow and she didn't look like a governor's daughter anymore. In fact she looked more like a ghost than a real woman and the fact that she didn't want Will's help made him feel even worse.
He saw them kissing on the Pearl but it didn't mean that she actually loved Jack, he tried to convince himself that it was just a last wish, something that Jack asked her to do, so that he could die with a smile on his face. But as much as he tried to act as if the kiss never happened he couldn't deny that she was certainly in great pain, and that was because of Jack.
All of them grieved after his death, however her feelings strengthened by the strange dreams made her life the most difficult. She couldn't even seek for oblivion during the nights because even there she was haunted by Jack's memory. Elizabeth never mentioned what was her dreams about but Will was certain that she dreamt of Jack and that made him hate the man he swore he would rescue even more.
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When Will left her room Elizabeth closed her eyes trying to fall asleep, she knew though that it was hopeless and that the sleep would not come. With every night it was harder for her to even think about sleeping because she knew that again she would find herself in the cave.
She tried to tell herself that it was just her imagination, that her guilt made her see things that didn't exist but deep inside she knew it was true. Jack was out there somewhere, abandoned, surrounded by half-dead people. She knew that one day they would break him and she had a feeling that once they succeed there would be no coming back for him. That he would become as numb as every other prisoner around him, feeling nothing more but pain and loneliness.
Jack Sparrow… listen to me…you need to survive this, you need to fight and not surrender because this is your only hope. We are coming for you… I am coming for you…
Elizabeth was repeating those words silently, like a prayer. Knowing that he couldn't possibly hear her but hoping that maybe, maybe there was a slightest chance he actually heard her calling, that maybe he would find strength to bear another night.
She was aware that if he started screaming, she would not be able to bear it herself. Every night she witnessed his fate, she saw like with every minute his back and legs were turning into a bloody mincemeat, but it was her who ended up screaming and crying, not him.
But one night it'll be him. He will start begging for their mercy but they won't listen, and you will have to listen to it or… yes, or die… but do you really know where you will go after your death? You'll probably go to the cave just like he did. You're a traitor, you're a coward, you deserve it even more than he does. You deserve his punishment…
Then I'll take it, I'll take his suffering. I sent him there… I can't lay in this bed and see what he's going through. I…just…can't…
The thoughts were running through her head as she was laying on the bed. She would rather go out on the deck and watch the stars but she knew that after a minute Will would notice her and come to ask if she was all right. No, she bloody wasn't…
God, I could certainly use some rum. She thoughtwith a delicate smile appearing on her lips, but then as suddenly as it came the smile disappeared.
He doesn't have any rum… you remember the last time when you were drinking together? He said that he could marry you… If only he knew what kind of a woman you were. If only he knew that he was a hundred time better person than you were.
If only he knew that you would condemn him to death…
Glittering tears appeared in Lizzy's eyes and sorrow filled her heart.
If there is anyone who deserves it, it is you…
………………………
The creature left the cave and he was alone again. He felt drops of blood trickling down his back. It was close… so close, he wanted to scream, cry, beg… but he didn't. Just when he thought that maybe it would be better if he just surrendered, if he just stopped thinking and fighting and become like one of his "friends" hanging silently around him in the cave, he heard her. She said that she would rescue him, that she was thinking about him.
And even though he knew that it was only his mind playing tricks on him, that he was most probably going mad, he believed her, closed his eyes and imagined her staying right in front of him. Beautiful, full of life, his.
He knew that even if there was a chance for him, she would stay with her blacksmith but he didn't care, it was better this way. After all he was Captain Jack Sparrow and he didn't care about women.
But she's not just a woman, is she? She's a Pirate…
Jack's features softened, he didn't feel any pain now, he closed his eyes and escaped into light sleep.
He was standing on the deck of Black Pearl again, feeling the breath of wind caressing his skin. He knew that it was a dream but it was a damn good one and he didn't care as long as he was here. After all, it was all that mattered, that and rum of course… They could bring him unbearable pain but he couldn't ask for mercy… because prisoners who surrendered didn't dream… they forgot… and he didn't want to forget…
I will never forget you Sea…
I will never forget you Pearl…
I will never forget you… Lizzy…
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Kind reviewers, tell me what you're thinking… it's my first Sparrabeth fic and I'm not sure if it's even good enough to show it to you guys but hell, I'm kinda addicted to POTC and I just couldn't resist… if you've got any clues about how I could make it better, if you want me to continue or if you notice any mistakes (spelling, grammar, etc), let me know…
Kath
