Bete Noire

by D4rK Sid3

Mid-AWE. In the end his highest desires betrayed him. Torn between madness and rage, a new trait enters Jack personality, murderous vengeance as a heart stricken Elizabeth, Will and the crew sails at world’s end to save Jack from his torment. Angry JXE.

A/N: You gotta love Jack, but yet, I always expected Jack being angry, angry at everything…especially at Lizzie. Being devoured by a monster, living in the belly of the beast for some time among rotten corpses of sailors and other meaty entrees. Desire of freedom shadowed by the gloom of a doubt that eventually led Jack to be, uh…more crazy around himself most likely. And yet he didn't remain angry, angry at Elizabeth that fastened Jack fate by a single kiss. Still, this won't be an Elizabeth bashing and still my first POTC fic. Anyway let's begin shall we? This story starts where everything began, the Black Pearl. Although things have changed lately; among the faux Caribbean beach stood a silent man watching with cold eyes the never ending sunrise…

-Summary: Mid-AWE. In the end his highest desires betrayed him. Torn between madness and rage, a new trait enters Jack personality, murderous vengeance as a heart stricken Elizabeth, Will and the crew sails at world's end to save Jack from his torment. But is this the captain they once knew? Mad JxE

-Disclaimer. Pirates of the Caribbean and their characters belong to Walt Disney Films and I gain no profit out of writing this story.

Bête Noire

Chapter 1

Language of the Mad

'You came back…I always knew you were a good man…'

He woke up with a scream. The sea felt cold, far colder than the Caribbean's water should be. Where was he? He felt the floor beneath his mangled body, the deck perhaps?

But it was so cold, so cold; he was going to die right there. He couldn't see past his hands, he felt like dying…what happened?

And then the reality crash through his skull…the fight, the oversized calamari, the screams, tentacles pulling man alike into the jaws full of pointy teeths. Ah…Elizabeth. He came back after all even after the compass directed his course to open waters, he came back. She came closer, angry at him, that he decided to take the easy wait out and let them die. But goddamn it he came back took the rifle from Lizzie in that absurd man clothes and shot the net full of powder saving them from being eaten by the sea beastie.

Is that what happened? Have he drank too much again, 'til past out over the charts like always?

No…

It wasn't a dream, her words singed death on his head, and they still sting in his mind with their poison.

He wasn't a good man; he was a pirate, an uncanny one but a pirate eventually. He plundered, robbed, looted; ravage anything with a form of value. Not all treasure was made of gold and silver; he wasn't an easy man, he gave himself that. Society got a little nice word for the likes of him, scoundrel. The stench inside wasn't anything new, his body felt numb with just a heavy pain on his right leg. With a big ferocity of an effort he lifted half of his body, just touching something very big that penetrated skin and live tissue. Buffing in pain he took the alien object on his leg, blood was now poring freely. He lifted the object closer to his eyes; it was a tooth a big tooth five times of a white shark that covered most of the insides. He was crestfallen that the wound didn't kill him; there were no tears no thoughts. Funny…most people said that your life flashed before your eyes prior to your demise.

There was nothing he could do. His thoughts centered again in Elizabeth; it was no longer the british gal whom he saved once in Port Royal from drowning.

How could you Lizzie?

It was the way she held her face high in rebelliousness, the way her eyes, that were mostly filled by a warm embrace of mischief and young fascination; her eyes were filled with something else, hatred. He had never seen any sort of sordid abhorrence in her eyes, with fury and determination that betrayed her motives even before he could hear the click of the shackles. And he gave her a roguish grin, gold teeth sparkling in the sun amidst the battle and pronounced what she despised, what she was now.

Pirate…

The few seconds of hesitation revealed far more than any moment since he had know her. And she revealed her true self to him; a side not even the eunuch hasn't suspected that it was there. It wasn't the fake lady like daughter of a wealthy English governor, how could he trust those warm brown eyes, that perky body of hers, dancing in the flames and singing pirate songs at the top of her lungs next to him.

"Woman're the very devil" He eavesdrop to himself as this way the biggest revelation on his life…oh ironic, the ones he never chased are the ones who bite him in the arse.

It's after you, not the ship. It's not us. I mean, this is the only way, don't you see? I'm not sorry.

Jack gritted his teeth.

He regretted though, repent for not taking her sooner to his quarters and had his way with her. Regret because he schemed for far too long looking for ways to get around problems instead of facing them straight in the face. Like the wench did it when she chained me to my own damn ship…Find another way to conciliate that bloody squid. It was not use, he used everything he had and lost. Sword broke, plunged deep in the insides of the beastie, skin hard as steel, only quarter of a piece remained, hilt secured tugged in the sheath, couldn't move at all. Jack was surprised that the stench of the eternal thousand rotten corpses didn't kill him, but he had his Flintlock with him loaded.

It's funny what a man will do to forestall his final judgment. You'll sell your companions; give out what you want the most. Give or take but you will always lose something in return. Reeked water moved around in wave splashing him, the captain wiped the remains with his sleeve, giving time to his thoughts.

You'll have the chance to do something... something courageous. And when you do, you'll discover something. That you're a good man.

How could he be such fool? He wondered again, how he couldn't foresee this predicament? Now he was on his way to the locker among rotten corpses, their ships and his beautiful Pearl with him. He could at least keep his wish, captain her pieces.

Why would I need remember the same words the wench inform me of my disobey forbidder? It took another ye pirate to do someth'ng.

And so his thoughts wandered over his life.

A childhood better left forgotten, his mother was murdered, discarded by his father for him to pursue a better life; the chains of society couldn't hold him. He tried to be an honest sailor but failed miserably. Betrayed by the ones he once thought to be companions and market by that; Jack softly stroked the place over his sleeve where the scarred 'P' laid. But there was no going back, he was dead and going to hell he presumed. Perhaps everyone does eventually, life is harsh why the afterlife should be different? Perhaps there was no god after all just man's inhumanity to man.

Then what waited for him? Perhaps just the wrath of the world set upon his shoulders.

But Captain Jack Sparrow was a man of principles, well not exactly well mannered ones; but he had his sane pirate judgment and that was enough for him at the moment. Yet the painful betrayal of Elizabeth that eventually let to his death, burned in his mind. But another thing burned in Jack's mind, his last memories. He still could feel her warm lips caressing his own. As his tongue swept with her's. He slammed his mouth over hers devouring Lizzie's lips in an instant with the whelp no more than ten feet away and Kraken getting closer and closer. Her ragged breath, the way his tongue danced across hers, it was a forbidden taste, a taste that Jack was more than used making it permissible by his own means. Her lips tasted like nothing he had experience before; a wild fragrance of lilac mixed with the salt of the beautiful sea, perhaps rum or it was just the outcome of his favorite elixir.

A simple kiss wouldn't erase a hatred that formed on his mind.

If he ever met with the traitorous bitch, he will surely have his way with her. Nobody was going to stop him from doing that, not the whelp and certainly not his conscience…do pirates have even a sense of right and wrong? Then shot her, or drown her, break her delightful and lovely neck. He wouldn't be moved by her death, it was an eye for an eye. In the world of piracy such rule held importance. An unspoken code made by those who lived and died pursuing freedom. A pirate is who follow his own liberty; he told her that remarkable night filled with pirate songs and a giant blaze.

He was tired, so tired. And so the hold from his hat that he had clutched since he was swallowed began to slip. His eyes draw heavy, the leather tricorn hat, profit from his first robbery, fell from his fingers slipping into the deeps of the kraken insides. He ingested what little saliva held his mouth, licking his lips unintentionally. Then there was nothing; not the stench of corpses, not the feel of his body touching everything at all, nor his thoughts and wants. Just a warm unforeseen caress of the wind, and so he welcomed the feeling, held it with the slight forces his body retained.

And then fell into darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I could feel the heat of the fire. I could smell the flesh burning ... I stay a few seconds and say a prayer to set' er soul free. Suddenly I realized I forgot to get the kids' three pet rabbits out of their bedrooms. I ran upstairs and got two cages and brought them outside. Then I ran back in to get the third one. The heat was pretty intense. On my way back downstairs I hear a big bang. And I see the kitchen floor collapse and I realize it's time for me to get out of there. I barely get out alive ... then I grab my bottle of rum and sit across the street and watch the fire..."

Elizabeth half listened, half ignored the one sided conversation of one of the sailors, while Will sited on a empty barrel, caressing what little beard he had wishing it was longer just…like Jack did when he wanted to be charming. Just two miserable days had passed; they were found drifting away in the sea in a medium sized merchant ship. The captain although reluctantly, agreed to take them close to Tia Dalma's hut, near the Bahamas; to save Jack from his torment…torment that she caused.

Jack…

A pang of guilt went through her heart, her knees felt weak and she just fell to the deck, arms almost supporting her trembling form. Will signaled at the sailor to wait, walking peerlessly with worry towards his fiancée.

"Elizabeth" He spoke softly, helping her to her feet and catching her again at the last bring of falling again.

She closed her eyes sharply stopping the tears threatening to fall. Still she gave him a bogus reassured smile. "Im alright, just lost my balance. I guess Im not used to the violent flow of the sea"

"Are you sure? You can rest if you want to; I don't want you to see like this. We still have a long time ahead of us, let me come with you"

"NO!" Will gave her a shocked gaze. "I mean" She corrected herself. "It's alright, I can find my way, thank you Will. Im tired, the day is been far too long".

Like the inestimable gentleman he was, he took her hand into his, looking at her with worry in his eyes. "I insist Elizabeth; it's been a long day for all of us. I thought we, we could do something, something that implied more guts. But it was for nothing, now the Pearl and Jack is gone with it. Like my father, sink at the bottom of the ocean in the beast chops" He turned around sharply slamming both hands at the wood rail. "I couldn't do nothing, I feel like I had betrayed Jack"

"Oh c'mon!" Barked Elizabeth. "He betray us before".

Will nodded. "I admit that Jack can be selfish and a coward. But look at the bright side; he made me meet up my father. Even if I have to endure the Flying Dutchman harshness for a time. I found him, found him again; after all this years. He's still the same man, I feel that I owe Jack for that, even if that came out from his cowardly acts…I am at his debt".

"Will, Jack is a good man, I do admit that. But you can't be half serious, right? It was bad that he decided to sell you out. Even me and the crew. And then just left in a longboat the miserable him. While the kraken destroyed the Pearl and killed everything at the monster path. It, it was outrageous"

"But he came back, right?" Retorted Will.

In the end his loyalty didn't let him. Who I am to talk? Thought Elizabeth sadly turning around again to the rail and sighed, caressing her hands together and looking at the silent waves as the ship made her way through across the sea. "He came back, just to die" She said. What had she done? Elizabeth looked at her hands as if they were covered in blood. She murdered and betrayed a great friend, how he must be suffering…No, No! She said she wasn't sorry right? He left them to die; he was an ungracious coward and a bloody pirate. Why he should deserve a good though from her? He tried to sell them as property, tried to have both of them killed. And it wasn't a single time, who was he to talk calling her a pirate. She did what she needed to do.

"Elizabeth"

"I did what I had to do Will, I want you to know that" She muttered, and without another word left for her quarters without acknowledging Will calls.

He diced not to follow. The memory of her body throwing herself against Jack still burned at his mind, he snarled tearing his eyes from her body sitting again at the barrel and motioning at the sailor to continue his tale.

Elizabeth hurried her walk, watching the floor as she walked. The tears that she held for a few hours finally leaked from their eyes, a sob came from her throat eyes blurry and tearful. She kept her gaze at the floor, never tearing her eyes from it, until she bumped into something or someone she reputed.

"'ello puppet"

She held her breath, not in shock but in surprise. She suddenly realized that her hands were in Pintel old threadbare clothes. Elizabeth looked at his face for a moment, where the traces of a gloomy smile a minute ago left his features. Elizabeth took some distance between them, smiling apologetically.

"Im sorry, I didn't quite notice your presence at all" She smiled again.

Pintel gave her a slight smirk, in that moment came Ragetti climbing the stairs, slapping his wood eye into the empty socket blindly, almost losing his balance. Elizabeth cringed visibly at the noise it made. Now Ragetti came to her with a serious face that was so unlikely for him at all. So was she going to care then? Of course not, they were pirates, and although they could be half as good of the man that Jack was, they also tried to betray them in the past.

"Hello Miss Elizab'th. I kno' Im not e correct pirate to say this. Im deeply affected by the lack and absence of Captain Jack Sparrow" Said Ragetti with a grim face.

"Ye, cap'n was the best. Make us regret betrayin' in the past". Pintel said strict along with him.

Ragetti huffed exasperatingly "Yer suppose say Captain Jack Sparrow, don't use diminutives, they are inclined to shorten things".

"Diminutives? Im going to diminutive ye head big jessie!" Retorted Pintel.

Folding his arms defiantly, Ragetti gave him a disapproval look. "Im disgruntled by your words"

Elizabeth took a step back just before Pintel smacked Ragetti in the head with the back of his hand. The wooden eye came out smacking in the floor, rolling through the main deck. The eye bounced in the stairway, smacked against one step, then the other and bounced again in the air.

"My eye!" Screamed Ragetti chasing after it.

"Ye deserve that gormless fool. Trying to be all smarty ye ass with me!" Barked the pirate. "Stupid fool" He muttered obvlious to the silent laugh of Elizabeth. She felt bad immediately. She followed Ragetti with her eyes until he disappeared from her sight.

"So….mister Pintel?"

"Aye Poppet?"

She cleared her throat. "How did you become a pirate? Im sure it most be a wonderful story, giving that you double me on age"

He chuckled under his breath. "And what the missy wants to do with the info, uh?"

"Nothing, I just want to past the time, whatever Im alone. I think of him, of Jack. Hard to imagine he is gone"

"It aint important, somethin' you shouldn't even ask".

Elizabeth huffed. "And why is that the case?"

"Because you are a bloody woman! Woman's don't ask pirates their past. The hell it matters puppet" He said, throwing his arms up exasperatingly, not catching how she trembled now in fury.

Elizabeth screamed in anger, hurling herself at him and started to choke him while moving him side to side. In that instant, Ragetti started his way back, with his wood eye on his right hand.

"Why do you do this?" He signaled to the wood eye. "Its bad education leaving yer elders do not leave me again. I won't let you" He pointed his index finger at the fake eye ball scoldingly.

"Ragetti!" Pintel called for him.

"What? Im kinda busy. I need to scold someone" Ragetti said, preparing to get the fake eye into his skull socket.

"COME HERE YE BLOODY IDIOT, SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ME!"

Elizabeth enraged, reverted their position, smacking Pintel against the wall, choking him again. Moving onward and backward with her choking hands, smacking his head against the wood.

SMACK

"OW!"

SMACK

"OW!"

SMACK

"OW!"

SMACK

"OW!"

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! I'll tell ya. BUT LET GO OF ME!"

Elizabeth stopped her attack, but still giving him a piece of her mind with an evil eye.

"So you were saying…?"

Ragetti approached towards them. "You were calling me? Ye wanted help with what exactly?" He asked, totally obvlious of what happened. Pintel just shake his head angrily, snarling at him.

"What?" Asked Ragetti, stranged by his behavior.

Elizabeth cleared his throat.

"So Mister Pintel, why don't you begin for telling me why was your reason to fall to piracy?"

"Are you telling a story?" Interrupted Ragetti casually.

"SHUT UP!" Both Pintel and Elizabeth screamed in unison.

"Fine, believed or not I wasn't this cunning pirate you see"

"Right…" It's all she can say, although sarcastic in tone, Pintel did not take notice.

"We were once part of the English Royal Navy, ya see? Serving as measly infantry fer eight years. Serve aboard ships, doing errands. The food was bad, the treatment worst. Officers thought they were bigger because they were from tea pot land, so we kicked the bucket very hard. We didn't have any money and stuff, so we weren't exactly losing anything important"

He made a pause, reflecting if to tell the whole story, or it would be enough for Elizabeth to predict what happened next and be gone already to not further annoy him. But Elizabeth remained firm, offhandedly shifting her right boot for the other one reclined in the rail.

"Tell her, tell her what happened next" Ragetti laughed.

"Im telling the story!" Growled Pintel at him.

Pintel stabbed his eyes again into Elizabeth ones, she met his vile gaze defiantly, so he continued. "One day we were reassigned to a fort in the Indies. To guard the freshly occupied brigs. There pirates in there, some weird Chinese but we met a pirate who talked about the fortunes and gold opportunities of piracy. A life of freedom, away from all bigoted and hardships of life. So we listened to the offer, he got a ship near the fort and he said he was gonna paid us"

"It was a lotta gold. Like forty years of work I say" Added Ragetti.

"So you accepted?" Inquired Elizabeth.

Pintel nodded. "Aye. That we did puppet, we set'im free and he took fly"

Both pirates nodded remembering the past. "Of course, then we realized we played da fools of de pirate. Discovered, whipped and prepared to hangin'. Next of course, support and a nice verbal communication with da generals. Before rigor mortis set in, the pirate came back shooting, and cutting everyone in her path 'til she got to there, kick the hangman in the nuts and free us. She-devil said that she needed a crew to command a ship, so we offered our services and sail to Tortuga, then we never saw'er again"

Elizabeth opened her eyes in interest. "A woman?"

"Yup" Answered Ragetti, a little too happily for Pintel, who voiced his dislike with a punch to his shoulder. "Aghh!" Complained Ragetti shooting Pintel a dirty look who just answered with a smirk.

"So then what happened?" Asked Elizabeth, in an effort to keep the conversation open.

"Nuthin', we disembark and we sair our goodbyes 'n stuff. Then we parteh'd ways to never see again lady pirate. Das was a good experience, so we decided to let go de stinky brit times of yore and join da first pirate ship looking for crew" Continued Ragetti with a smile.

"And that's when we met good 'ol Jack Sparrow in the tavern some ten years later" Pintel added.

"Captain Jack Sparrow" Corrected Ragetti.

"Bah! Enough alr'dy, a man past in somethin' private. Why de hell ye want to inquire into somethin' that don't have a place in yer head missy. Let's go, Rag. Im bloody hungry. Let's fetch dose pair tender meat we saw in de kitchen" Signaled Pintel, starting to walk away without another glance.

"Far sure" Said Pintel, then he looked at Elizabeth. "Pardon him Miss Elizabeth. Im sure dat he's just tired, it was a pleasure to swap some words with ye, even it were our words and not yours, I can hope only ye can talk about yer life some oder day" His statement surprised Elizabeth so much that she thought she heard wrong. Ragetti rubbed his neck in thought of how to make a proper farewell.

So he did the only thing that came to his mind. "Til later Miss" And he bowed, although an imitation of a bow just seen in mocking fights in Tortuga and other save Pirate havens. The move became a little clumsier, with both legs twisting against each other, a hand high in the air over his shoulder while the other too close to the ground. Even so Elizabeth returned the curtsy with a move of her head, Ragetti smiled noneless satisfied.

He waved at her as he sprinted to the fading Pintel at the lower deck. "What took ye so long? Exchanging fancy words you dimwit" Exclaimed the aged pirate.

"Exchanging a few pleasantries with misses'lizabeth" He muttered, looking over his shoulder as Elizabeth turned around in the direction of her quarters.

Pintel huffed "Enough with the poppycock words ye fool" He slapped his calve; with a yelp, Ragetti slapped his palm on his face, so the eye wouldn't go bouncing in the deck again. Leaving both sides of his skull in throbbing. Enraged, he kicked Pintel knee making the pirate jump around in one leg.

"You little shitze!" He screamed both annoyed and furious, Pintel charged at him, a maneuver intercepted by Ragetti. Although in the right terms, they just were tried to push each other like little children. One making the other fall to the ground, while the other chanted victory. Ragetti slowly began to push Pintel face, while supporting his body with both legs, Pintel into an equal position. Both didn't notice as Marty, the dwarf pirate passed around the deck and just stopped by the weirdness of the moment.

Both clogged their actions, sensing someone was looking. They directed their eyes around them, afterward lowering their eyes into the minor height of Marty.

"What?" Said both pirates in accord. Marty who couldn't help but laugh, turned around from were he came from, shaking his head absurdly still laughing.

Now that the anger was vent there was no more reason to fight, followed by a loud roar from Pintel stomach. Ragetti laughed at this, but he followed by an even louder roar.

"Oopsie" He muttered. Pintel didn't care letting him go and cracking his neck. After both usher their tattered clothes, they started to walk towards the ship kitchen.

Hoping to satisfy their hunger and maybe some rum wouldn't be so bad.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sound of the air woke him. He felt warm, relaxed, the coldness and darkness he remembered were gone. Replaced by the relief of silencing a longing feeling of the Caribbean he loved. He smiled the air with a smile in whatever he was resting, but found that the air didn't felt like the Caribbean. There was not salt in his lungs, the sun didn't bring him heat, the air didn't blow against his skin. Then he opened his eyes looking directly into the sun, he closed his eyes more in habit, but he opened them again. The powerful warm light didn't bother his eyes, so he opened them again, blinking. And again, and again. He took a breath, only to blew it away.

This wasn't the Caribbean.

Despite the fact that he could still hear the sounds of the waves moving and crashing against the hull, there was not water, not heat and certainly not the chanting of the sea life that every sailor and pirate alike knew by heart. No gulls, no the fish gurgling at the water. There was nothing, nothing at all.

Finally the captain lifted his torso from his resting place. Surely this was a nightmare or a dream coming true again. The deck he loved, the nice curves of the helm that remind him of the most beautiful woman in the Caribbean, the dark sails that gave his ship her characteristic name were there. There was not a single piece amiss, not a splinter, not a gun, not even a single rope was from her place. He caressed the wood, it was not warm nor cold, there was not the rumble of wind caressing his hand. And so the captain looked again in the direction of the sun fearful of bursting into flames when he'll look away. But nothing happened, the sound of the wind was loud and before he knew, he lifted his gaze at the floppy black sails. But they lay there, unmoving, not even the most insignificant wrinkled moved, like if the wind decided to sloth away.

He stood up, not understanding. He half walked half glared at anything but the infinite horizon of blues, straighter this time because of the lack of rum, and smacked his hands against the handrail.

"Impossible" He muttered not quite understanding what was happening.

He was in the oblivion, oblivion of inactivity. A sea of pure sand stood into infinity, the cloudless blue sky met his gaze again. He ran towards port, it was the same hellish sight, then the bow, then ran the main deck, passing the helm and jumping over the ornamental lamps like a madman. Then he looked down the ship stern, sand waves enclose the wood.

"Bugger"

Pure sand, and not a drop of water. He followed the lines of the infinite horizon, until his gaze was blocked by the demonic and angelical statue of a child with a trident, his gaze fell over his.

"What are ye lookin' at boy, know your place" He huffed directing his gaze over a rope to take a closer look in what was exactly the Pearl floating, but then again they were too far away in the mast, and he wasn't in the mood for such work.

It was not the fact that the ship couldn't move he though to his immoral self. Thrall of confusion, Captain Jack Sparrow could only stare at the cloudless sky; the bright sun didn't bring any warm, the wind didn't blow against his skin, didn't blew his hair and certainly did not keep him fresh. He smelled his armpits for insurance but there was no smell coming from him. He wasn't sweating at all, and then came again that sound he kept hearing.

Knock…

Jack inclined his head in confusion.

Knock…

Eccentricity feeding his mind, the captain saunter across the deck and looked down towards the sand.

Knock, knock…

But there was nothing, it was unnerving and irritating. And sound again and again, gritting his teeth in anger, Jack made his way to the hull ladder. Although falling in the process to the sand below. He huffed angrily, kicking the sand in vengeance, but failed and fall again in the sand. Jack stood up more calmly, observing the sand for any trick involved, after a mere moment of clarifying his mistake, he gave giant steps until his head met the hull. The captain turned around sharply observing the sand if she decided to attack again before turning around to the hull of the Pearl. Every single piece was in place like above. Every clay head, no mistakes about it. His boots kicked something, curious he lowered his gaze to find white rounded under his ship. Prowling in oddness, the captain of the Black Pearl kicked the object in question.

If destiny could be a judgmental fuck, Jack would be expending what little time remained drinking water, fresh water free of rum.

He cringed at the though, but still picked the rock that dared to kick the hull of his beautiful pearl.

A simple white round rock, no trick involved, it smelled of the sea. The fact that it wasn't wet was enough to throw the rock as farther as his tired arms could allow.

"Bloody hell!" The hell is this place where a man cannot relax under the sun" He moved his hand randomly, noticing for the first time how the faithful Pearl was. Even pieces amiss in her body, round pieces missing from cannon fire, old sea life wasted by the years, carcasses of small snails and mollusk bond with the hull, dry as sand.

He let himself go; dropping over the unsympathetic sand it wasn't cold or hot, like dead skin over artiste linen.

"Day after day, day after day" He began, followed by the raspy clear of his throat.

"Day after day, day after day
we stuck nor breath nor motion
As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean
Water, water everywhere and
all the boards did shrink
Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink."

No life, no wind, not movement, that the ship knew, but only slope she is.

"There, calls the mariner
there comes a ship over the line
But how can she sail with no wind
in her sails and no tide".

The sails didn't blew, they did not move, not the ropes, brigs full of broken memories, goods of lament and sorrow.

"See... onward she comes
Onwards she nears, out of the sun
See... she has no crew
She has no life, wait but there's two"

His voice stopped in boredness, Jack sighed dropping his hat over his eyes.

"I didn't know you could sing so well Mr. Sparrow, I dare to say that is that the way you sang when the Kraken chew on you? Why…for someone who never sing song before. And aye, there's two but you are not one of them Jack" A very familiar voice said that made Jack enraged.

The captain stood up immediately forgetting the hat atop of his head stroll against the sand.

"I think I should take offense at that but I can't be sure". He said facing the owner of the voice "And is Captain, 'Captain' Jack Sparrow, savvy?" The voice huffed cutting the distance between, none other than Elizabeth Swann.

She laughed coldly, hardly the difference noticed took a hold of confusion of his mind, another more to sum the others. Similar body, same gorgeous golden hair, same sensual mouth and curves. Full blossoms breasts even perceptible by the white shirt and brown breaches. There was no hat, but there was something that the captain did notice, her cadaverous eyes.

Even the eyes that keep him enthralled by her presence were not there. They were dull of life or any other visible emotion; there was no hatred, not happiness just the cold gaze upon his own. It was a sight that paralyze him and enthrall him. His mouth twitched uncertainty and doubtful over his next course of action. Then he remembered, she murdered him.

Jack gave her a smile, flashing his golden teeth. Her face changed, and turned upwards, sadistically grinning, groping her chest over her clothes. "Is this what you want Jack?"

Ah…Captain Sparrow doses'n kno' what he wants'a?

Elizabeth loosened the shirt, giving a full view of cleavage. A smile adorned his face, only to be shacked by a hateful grin that took hold of his face. His fingers tapped his flintlock shaking his head to dismiss the spectacle of her's.

"I know what I want love, and that you cannot give" He said drawing his pistol and cocking it.

The shirt fell, and she posse delicately just for him. His hand wobbled for a moment, then he took a heavier breath and held it.

Jack sighed. "You took everything from me 'Lizabeth, I have the Pearl, but not a freedom to set sail with, I have my life, but no person or companion to share with. You just gave me a bitter kiss and plunge a dagger in my back, twisting it for your, ummm, selve sadistic bliss, and I will kill ya for that" He aimed at her, Elizabeth smile remained.

She just laughed in his face, twisting a strap of hair with a middle finger, while the other caressed her lips. "Kill me?" She laughed again, softly, but felt like canon fire in his ears. "Would you want to kill the thing that must desire, Jack? Would you kill the woman that steal your heart? Do you hate me that much Jacky?" It was a fake song for his ears, the soft tune of her voice, the way her breast shacked with her breathing.

"Aye" He pulled the trigger.

The bullet went through the back of her head, ripping her calve, she spat blood. The eyes wide as saucers, lips twitching in momentum as her body rocked and then she fell flat against her face, legs later, subsequently her boots cuff the sand below. Golden hair didn't shine though, her calve started to fill with blood, making way to the sand and then he looked away holstering the smocking pistol.

Jack sighed, letting his knees drop over the white sand.

"You have no shame Jack? Look what you did to my hair-you think its way easy to braid my hair everyday so you can tear it from my head?" He lifted his head speechless, courage having the guts to turn around.

"AHH! He screamed in surprise only to met with another Elizabeth motioning to the hair of the dead Elizabeth.

"You think its easy don't you?" She repeated brushing the sleeves of her dress, much like the one in what he first saw her.

He shake his head, checking his breath for rum, but there was nothing. "Im talking to you!" Elizabeth screamed.

"Leave me alone" He said shakily starting to walk away from her. He heard the annoyed huff, and then something dragging it with her. He looked over his shoulder while Elizabeth straitened her walk dragging her carcass behind her.

He hastened his walk, but Elizabeth kept dragging her dead self.

"What do ye want from me?" He screamed taking a run for it, dashing madly over the sand. Jack tiredly looked over his shoulders again, but found nothing. Just the Pearl in the distance; he gave himself some time to stop and rest; he bent his knees supporting his torso with his hands.

"Feh" He sighed in relief.

What the hell was happening? With a ragged breath Jack turned around just finding the Pearl at her resting place and no blood trails, no body and no Elizabeth at sight.

"Ahem" He heard, he lifted his hands, slowly turning around to find Elizabeth with her hands around corpse Elizabeth, parting the bursted head around her bloodied hair.

"Look at my hair, it's a mess" She spoke more to herself than the terrified and confused Jack, tapping the bullet exit for emphasis. Blood squirted over her hands; she still held the blonde hair stained with gray matter. His stomach churn at the sight, disgusted he took out his pistol again.

Elizabeth cracked a smile. "You can only kill me once, you know?" She giggled softly sitting on her knees, dragging the carcass in her lap. "I though you consider me stunningly beautiful"

"I find you stunningly sinister and blood thirstily looking luv" He said in a straight voice, while his insides still churned and his mind beg of him to ran away. Elizabeth doppelganger inclined her head, just as the corpse head slump forward. She cracked a grin, putting her delicate fingers around the blood stained forehead, then making sure he was watching, one of her fingers find the way to the fresh wound scraping the edges. The blood ran through the curves of her breast, staining her stomach and making way to her breaches while it started to leak over the sand.

She-devil grinned at his reaction. "I though you wanted this?" She lifted her blood tarnished hand to show, and slipped a finger inside the mangled hole. The hole gurgled more blood, as she slipped and educe her finger repetitively.

"Is this you want? You want to fuck my brain senseless?" Jack had to turn away in disgust, the gushing sounds made it even worst. He did not want to turn around and did not though about the time that enlaced; not want to see a fidget of his imagination he supposed, destroy the skull of another imaginary thing.

"Stop it" He spoke harshly.

His inattentiveness annoyed her so she-devil stopped. When he slowly looked across his shoulder, the body was a mess, torrents of blood tricked from the hole. Her blossoms were soaked; the one beautiful white dress was soaked in blood and splattered brains. But her slender hands, they were the worst. Gray matter was sliding in her hands, she clicked one nail against the other scrubbing splattered matter. The sand turned dark red, he found her staring at him calmly, not the kind of smirk she expected that now was drawn into his face. He holstered his pistol and started to walk away from her, not watching the two Elizabeth's, and certainly no the gore.

"Is this the way Captain Sparrow resolve all his problems…by running?"

"Aye, watch me" Retorted Jack hurrying his pace.

He heard her buff "Oh bet that mommy died like that isn't it Jacky? Why, you run away too?"

At that he stopped but did not turned to face her, rather deciding to lift his left hand in an insulting gesture, then he resumed walking.

"The hell is ye talkin' bout? Even me imagination is crazy" He muttered to himself starting to climb the hull ladder. Even now that his feet touched the main deck he felt he was not alone.

"I think you what she's talking about mate, you and I both know that" Qualms of sanity now appeared. His eyes shifted and jump over the next apparition, and now he though as himself as a lunatic.

He past brushed the ghost or whatever. "I though life taught ye never turn yer back to a friend, cause you can only count your friends with one hand mate"

He ignored him, passing the main deck into his quarters. Yeah that was a sight he wanted to see. He opened the door, passing the small hallway into his cabin; he could still hear loud footsteps behind him. As quickly as it came, it stopped and he closed the door and lock it behind him. Jack took a deep breath to calm the recreating memories in his mind; it was much to bear right now. He needed some sleep, yes that's what he needed right now…or maybe not. He didn't even glimpse at the food at the dinning table or how things had gotten any better since he took over his Pearl again, did not notice all the stuff he dumped of that bloody idiot Barbossa or the things he decided to keep. He kept a straight line and took a mad walk at his desk. Where all the maps, charts and documents laid. He opened the right cabinet, not caring what his hand brushed aside, until his nails touched something glassy that made his mind scream in happiness. His fingers find themselves caressing a bottle of his nectar in anticipation of his digits going up to the bottle's neck and wrap around it.

Impatience building, he harshly took out the bottle. He observed the amber liquid, how it recoiled in the bottle and the nice sound it made. He licked his lips in anticipation, bit the cork and spat it not caring where it landed. He drank and drank fibrously not caring if he choked or died right here. His stomach burned, his throat drinking every single stream of rum until the bottle was empty. He panted for breath, but still stuck his finger inside the bottle and suck on it. His sight started to shake and then his body, fighting the urge to throw up, the captain sat on his chair, slump his throbbing head over the desk. He found himself drumming his fingers against the wood

He sighed reclining in the chair but found that the light disturbed him for the first time, it didn't felt right somehow. He stood up, throwing his legs neither side, but quivering beneath them. He put himself straight and then he fell forward, avoiding a painful headache smacking his hands against the wood. The captain cracked his neck slapping his face to keep a straight look and drunkenly made his way to the window and closed the curtains, the light died giving place to the darkness inside

He didn't feel light heated, didn't feel the usual feeling of the alcohol running through his insides. Jack felt dizzy but not from the rum, it was something else. Bullheaded or not, he wasn't going to let his mind ran free against his wishes. The captain felt like dying of boredness, how he could entertain himself now? He didn't want to talk to himself or any other folly mirage, it didn't felt right somehow and there was no one else left to tell him otherwise.

He didn't want to think at all, he wanted to pass out, drunk and nothing else to think. Thinking always required to remember, and remember was a sign of annoyance. He already got too many physical memories somewhat more than the past that lies with him, dormant and inexistence like he wanted to be. The past comprised approximately of pain, reminiscences of what he do not wanted to know not wanted to see…he only needed the future on his Pearl by his side. THAT, and a good bottle of rum.

He rubbed his temples, he was already mad, annoyed, he let his head drop in the desk expecting to pass out but he didn't. Jack just groaned, sighing against the wood, his bloody feeling wasn't warm, one more to write on his head.

He heard new steps then, but he didn't want to lift his head to look at the new ghost of his mind. "You just cant put dirt in your past boy"

Jack groaned again. "That voice?" Asked Jack to himself. Music floated into the room, a six accord instrument, arpeggios followed by a crescendo of tranquility.

"Leave me be ol' man. You don't got to say nuthin' to me" In the darkness someone moved, by the mere shadow that now covered Jack face he assumed in that sat in his desk so he turned the head to the other side. His ears perked up when the music stopped, replaced by the gloom he wanted to see, the only thing that didn't shut up was that ragging breathing in the room. It became louder and louder, a ring on his ears that simply wanted to eat him alive!

"Will ya shut up already!" He snapped, his eyes traveling around the room, but found nothing and heard nothing. His face twisted in fury for a few seconds, the gesture was not recognized by him or his mind didn't remember it, like the flickering flame of a candle. He twisted his head, hit the table with both fist subsequently the silent groaning of a angry man. He gripped the edges of the desk but that did nothing; his whole body was shaking in fury and he could not control it, and not what came next. His mind was assaulted by constant memories that should be at the bottom of the ocean, he saw red, his teeth clattering against each other. His breath came in sudden gasp, his eyes shown by a certain level of confusion. Pupils shrinking into his mind, that he wanted not to see was thrown over his mind, over his eyes over and over again.

Your mother was a harlot, infidel, and heretic. It's a blasphemy unto the name of our Lord, she deserved her fate boy now learn yours. A simply auto de fe was required but she did nothing, she's a whore a filthy bitch slave of the demon. She deserved the flames that douse her filthy body!

The veins at his neck bulged and throbbed, the shaking didn't stop it was worst. Like incontrollable dementia of fury, his eyes shuddered, his lips tremble, his face twisted erratically from a simple frown to a horrible and vile look like a monster that a mother calmed her child about.

His hands clenched into fist, nails digging into his skin drawing blood.

Captain Jack Sparrow did not know nothing or anything at all, he wasn't certain where he was or what was happening couldn't take too much about it. The truth is what his mind snapped.

The man stood mutinously of the confusion that rained his mind. He passed his desk, kicked the door open and found his way outside.

This fake place, this sand, this ship. The fake sun and air screamed for him and so he did.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Jack screamed and then nothing, just darkness again.

He always found comfort in darkness, it didn't show the abhorrence of the world, he could always imagine something else that wasn't his and that usually was enough and he felt good and warm at the thoughts of new ways to enjoy his freedom. But not this time, he felt again cold, callous of any emotion other that fury, but could do nothing about. He could think of her, the traitorous bitch that put him through this new hell and he will be forever until he was part of the sand that now raided his ship and mind. If he ever saw the heartless bitch, he did not want to think about what he'll do.

His eyes collapsed and so he did.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elizabeth couldn't sleep, for thee days she had wander the ship looking for a way to drop asleep. She wanted to be dead to the world, but she couldn't, no while what she did still burned in her eyes, and in her heart. The bed wasn't too comfortable anyway, the covers not cozy enough; her eyes could just not simply shut close, to what end nonetheless. Everytime she close them, she could see him smiling at her. A golden grin among the red dawn that day, and that word bouncing in her mind spoken that day.

Pirate…

Her chest tightened and she wanted to cry, cry until her eyes dried like a desert but she couldn't, they simply refused as the crying dead that simply refused to go. A knock at the door interrupted her reverie.

Elizabeth took a deep breath before letting it go. "Come in, the door is open" Nothing happened, the door remained closed. She cleared her throat. "I said come in, the door is open" But nothing, it remained close.

"Will? Is that you? Look, Im presentable. If you want to talk, I…I, Im sorry for not doing it before. Its just, I. Darn it! Im worried, of the future, and well Jack, he, well he died. It's so sudden I don't want to believe it my self" She cracked a smile, but keep her gaze at the floor. "It was not true what I told you about not doing something, it was worth it. I mean, know Jack and live a life that should only exist in children's books. But now, now it is real and Jack started it a long time ago"

Elizabeth shake her head to disperse the memories, but she was annoyed when Will didn't step through the door. "I told you I am presentable, are you listening?" She sighed annoyed, sighing and making her way to the door, barefoot, tights nude in the warm air of the cabin.

"Will, Im sure you can be the most crapulous gentlemen sometimes, but this is ridiculous" She said jokingly, put her hand in the knob and opened the door. She laughed expecting Will to come out of his hiding and giver her a playful scare or a hug but nothing was there, the hallway was empty.

She followed the room the small corridor with her eyes, but found nothing. "Will?" She came to realize that she suddenly felt very cold, which was unusual.

"Presentable? I have seen better ladies in the red zone luv, not so sure about yourself. Gaze around ye, there's nothing uglier than you Lizzie"

She found herself at the floor, dropping in shock and fear backing off to the wall behind her as the owner of the voice boots clamp in the wood advancing towards her

"Now, now 'Lizabeth didn't mommy and daddy teach you good manners? You are suppose to say hello mister before he manages to cut your throat open luv" Her heart hammered so hard in her chest, she didn't stop backing off until her back touched the wood wall. Her fingers found her way behind her as she stood up shockingly, never tearing her eyes of the shadow like man walking close and closer to her.

The shadow draw a sword, that seemed to shine through the darkness. "Will! Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Cotton, somebody help me! J-Jack"

The shadow stopped, slowly, very slowly the shadow closed in. His features distinctive even before he slammed a hand where her head used to be. She took off running only to recoil in pain as the shadow grabbed her hair and slammed her against the wall. She could hear his laugher, his strong breath reeking of rum blowing against her skin, and she feel hot suddenly, it confuse her. She settle her eyes in her attacker as the shadows of his face disappeared, and all that remained was a golden grin, an unmistakable leather tricorn hat, mischievous eyes surrounded by kohl and his insurmountable grin.

Recognition filled her eyes, but she couldn't bring herself to trying to free from his steel like grip over her shoulders. "Jack!" She screamed.

"Aye, Jack, Jack is dead girl. Pity, I was starting to like ya"

Jack punched her across the jaw sending her to the floor, she turned around to face him one more time then he lifted his sword high in the air and hold it for a moment so she could see the hateful eyes that landed on hers and then bring it down over her head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jack lingered in eyes of apparitions, now look alike him starting poking around the ship, screaming his lungs out about that and there. It made him annoyed and angry, but not as angry as before. He lose control he did not want to feel again like that, if he was up there in the real sun and land, he bet he would just kill somebody with his sword, mutilating his victim until he was just meat and he would be screaming all along. But it was gone already, like sand slipping against the wind. He couldn't remember no more, and he did not hear the voice again, not his past and just concentrated in the future. Elizabeth was here in the ship too, she was chatting up with the corpse, doing her hair as she putted it. At least it was clothed, and there was no more blood. The corpse found herself nodding to all remarks about her hair and they both blame him for it. A goat was here too, and a sheep running around the deck chased by a crazy man that was him he suspected, shirtless and screaming like a numb nuts. More alter ego's joined the main deck, there were several trying to stear the ship from a unseen threat, screaming their lungs out like it was the end. But it was the beginning, there was more he suspected it.

Back there, he felt like his mind was numb for minutes, and then the rage started it. Elizabeth posed herself for him again, murmuring what she wanted for him to do, while the other Elizabeth slapped her and they began to argue. Then two more Jack's ran of the opposite of the other, while the other stupidly stumbled over the bow to the sand.

He sighed, taking the hull ladder to the sand, ignoring every scream and every blabber that clouded his ears. He took out the remains of his sword, placing his right hand over the hull and carefully put the tip of the sharpest remnants, carefully applying some pressure to draw a simple line against the dark wood of the hull. The line was clear as water in the dark mass, he planned to add other tomorrow. Counting twenty four hours with a present from Africa, his personal hourglass that only served as furniture now it would be useful to him.

He let the broken sword drop, he would need it again to draw another mark. Right now he could plunge his eyes into the fake sun, as a shocked Elizabeth screamed from her nightmare, the sun that shine in the skies began to drop below the sea until it disappeared from sight.

But Jack keep staring at the sun, still shone, still suspended in the fake skies. His eyes contract into slits, his bitter eyes watched the never ending sunrise until he fall sleep under squeals of fights and the faint, otherworldly sound of children screaming.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: Done with chapter one, I will enjoy this fic, not only Jack will meet his worst fears and hateful memories, but so will Elizabeth do the same. Jack will be more time in the locker that he ever hoped to be, and always the question 'how long is forever?' will poop in his mind everytime. 'Till later folks, I'll update this fic very soon.

From Venezuela

D4rK

P.S: Oh by the way, this fic will be translated soon into Spanish for those who speak a couple of languages.