Title: Subject To Consummation
Disclaimers: I don't own any pirate/ship and I don't wish to.
Genre: romance

Rating: PG for a little smut, not too much.
Summary/Set: Elizabeth is curious how far Jack'd go to bed her. A sort of AU DMC.

Pairing: Sparrabeth

"You know..." Jack cleared his throat sitting by Elizabeth on the wooden steps on the Pearl, "Lizzie...I am captain of a ship. And being captain of a ship, I could in fact perform a marriage. Right here. Right on this deck. Right now!"

Elizabeth giggled. It was maybe the effect of the little rum she consumed when Jack offered earlier, but more likely the pathetic deceiving game Jack was trying to play with her. He only offered to marry her to make her believe he would and mellow her heart towards him that way. He thinks he's safe, he's sure she'd say no. Would be funny to see how fast he'd backtrack if she showed any inclination to wed him, so she decided to have a laugh on his expense. "Should I take that as a proposal, Jack Sparrow?"

"Uhm, no," he shook his head, "this be improper! I'm no doing it right, I know luv." With a gesture of having sacrificed something very dear to him he set the rum bottle down the stairs and slid down in front of her till he was sort of leaning on one knee and still sitting with half a bottom, where he stalled drunkenly, holding up all his fingers close to his eyes and checking them as they moved one by one. No. Those rings were most likely a tad too big for her, even the Spanish one, its one rightful owner, the widow was more of a mature woman. Other than that, they had sentimental, and other values. Oh, yes, he's got just the right thing to surprise Lizzie with. It was an expensive piece, but since there was no chance she'd accept it anyway, he could offer it. He jumped up and without one word or further acknowledgment of his companions' existence he disappeared down the stairs.

Well, that was quick, Elizabeth frowned confused, a lot quicker than she was expecting to scare him away. She felt a little hurt by that actually, it didn't just damage her self esteem, she had been looking forward to another of those enjoyable banters with Jack she got so accustomed to during their times together. But of course she'll not let anyone know of her disappointment. She sighed, it was warm, and leaned back, trying to find something else to do than brood on Jack's erratic behavior. Seeing movement up by the main mast, she craned her neck to observe the pirates working on the rigging, there was so much more she could learn about seafaring. She found it semi-distracting, so she stood up to get a better view. Sideways by the railing she hang onto a rope a little unbalanced, not even noticing she was mimicking Jack's airy gestures. Willing herself to concentrate on the sails being pulled in to fill with wind, she didn't notice Jack coming up from behind her either and his voice sounded from somewhere very close to her ears. It took her some self control not to jump.

"So ye can't say a pirate doesn't know the comme il faut ways to propose a marriage..." He lengthened the last word in an inviting and serious manner, making her turn to face him with a smile on her face. She was happily back to the game, but had to step back mazed when she saw what he was holding stretched out towards her in his hand in a small black box. Whatever it was and whatever it was for, it was stunning.

Jack assumed she was not very familiar with solitaire jewelery. A governor's daughter would know about schmuck, but a pirate would know better. Besides, he wanted to show off. She doesn't have to find ou that's the same engagement ring he stole from Norrington, one the ex commodore never had the chance to offer to her. That the ex officer was on board and could maybe spot it, didn't bother him. Everything was really his on this ship. "A tenth carat diamond ring illusion-set in a square setting to enhance its beauty, with tapered shoulders, crafted in 9ct white gold," he said solemnly, with only a glint in his eyes giving the only non serious aspect to his appearance.

Now who was playing with who? "What's this all about?"

"It was me mam's."

"It looks pretty new, unworn. We both know it wasn't your mother's, but that doesn't surprise me and I'd better not ask where it comes from, that wasn't the question."

"As I said, why wait when we could be together tonight."

"Why would I want that?"

"Well, why not?"

"A woman would like to hear some reasons for marrying anyone," Elizabeth teased on, playing her game of seeing how far'd Jack go to try to lead her on in a conversation like this.

"I love you."

It was said with Jack's most serious voice he could muster, but Elizabeth shook her head, "Jack, Jack, did I say before you were crazy? How do you think I'd fall for that?"

"I'm mad about ye darlin, don't ye see? Ye strike me so much I can't hold back, I can't take being close to to ye and not hold ye. Wenches I met may have figures, may have tongues, but none a spirit like yers. So sad it makes me watching ye wif the whelp. Ye can sail the seven seas fe the rest of yer life and ye will never find a man as first-rate as me. And ye wanna be like me."

Did she really hear a certain amount of hurting seep through his irate tone? No, no, she couldn't have, she can't fall for it now when she said she wouldn't. Enough of this game, before she's the one making herself look ridiculous. "What? Without a sense of honor, and decency and-and a moral center. And personal hygiene? No, thank you." She edged away so she could gather her thoughts. Could he mean what he'd said or it was all deceiving?

"Yer going to wed me one day."

"When did I behave as if I even liked you?"

"Ye might no, but ye love everything I am, everything I represent just the way I'm in love wif ye fe yerself."

He loves her? He just asked her to marry him? With ring and everything? It wasn't what she was expecting at the beginning when the bantering started. Question still stood though, what would Jack do if she'd say yes?

Tbc