MEANT TO BE
Captain Jack Sparrow sauntered up the waterfront of Port Royal humming a sea shanty under his breath. His rolling gait showed years of maintaining his balance on the swaying deck of a ship. Glancing around he noticed familiar sights and sounds. Before he could stop it the words, 'and really bad eggs are we' came out unbidden. He had not been back to Port Royal for almost five years. The city brought back both good memories and bad. This was where he was almost hung yet again, also where he spent more time behind bars again. Then a face flashed through his mind, eyes the colour of honey, silky golden brown hair, a flashing smile and a spirit as free and untamed as his own. Elizabeth. That name still haunted his dreams just as the memories of a deep passionate kiss hung on his lips.
Ah, but she was a respectable married woman now. Mrs. William Turner. Jack could not help a mocking smile touching his lips. Her days as pirate king were behind her. Now she was bound in holy matrimony to a man she would see once every ten years. Jack could not help comparing her situation to a prison sentence. A girl as high spirited and passionate as his Lizzie deserved better. Jack hesitated, did the word 'his' just cross his mind in relation to the new Mrs. Turner? Yet it was true wasn't it. He had often thought of her as his since he first felt her slender form pressed to his, her eyes spitting hate at him as she called him despicable. Those same eyes had swum with a combination of passion and guilt as she pulled back from his lips. Eyes that knew she was sending him to his death. His whispered 'pirate' was both a condemnation and a compliment. He was proud of her. She had used deceit to attain what she wanted. She had shown every characteristic of a pirate's heart and that was when he knew he loved her. His footsteps faltered, he loved her? A sigh escaped him it would seem the cynical heart of Jack Sparrow had been lost to a slip of a girl. He began whistling without realizing it. It was a new experience to feel love for a woman and a newer one still to realize his love was in vain. After all she had given her heart and her vows to another man.
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Elizabeth sat in front of the fire of the small cottage she had found to try and create a marital home. Her fingers moved nimbly as she stitched a torn seam in one of her two gowns. Her memory could not help going back to a time when she had a multitude of gowns to choose from each day. It was also a time when she had a lady's maid to take care of mending and caring for her clothes. Now she could not afford such luxuries. The small income she earned working as a nanny to the local governor's two spoiled children barely kept her roof over her head. Did she ever imagine this life when she had been that carefree girl?
Her restless heart yearned for something she could not quite explain. A face entered her mind, a flash of gold teeth lop sided smile and dark eyes glinting with mischief. Funny she should think of Jack Sparrow now. She should be thinking only of her husband. She used to dream of being married when she was a girl. She never dreamed though that she would be married to a man she only saw once every ten years. The one day she had spent with Will had awakened a passion and a need that now went unfulfilled. Again Jack's face went through her mind. She could not help remember the feel and taste of him when she had kissed him. She could not forget the scents of spice and rum that were so much a part of him. She had purely planned on distracting him long enough to shackle him to the mast. It was a last desperate act to save their lives from the kraken. The kiss had surprised her. What had started as a simple kiss soon became a deep, overwhelming union of souls. She still remembered the light in Jack's eyes as she pulled back from him. She knew he had felt the same heat and hunger she had experienced. This heat had lit a fire inside her that had burned since. A fire that Will's kisses could not quench.
She gasped as the needle pricked her finger and stared down at pearl sized bead of blood that formed on her fingertip. Her blood reminded her of the blood cost that was almost hers at the Isle de Muerta those years ago. She remembered the sensation of Barbossa's knife cutting her palm. The palm he thought had belonged to Bill Turner's offspring, the palm that still bore the scar. Elizabeth sucked the blood from her finger. Sighing she folded up the gown and put her sewing basket aside.
Moving to the small bedroom she undid her gown then slid between the sheets still in her chemise. As her eyes closed a lyrical voice called her 'Lizabeth. Again that face filled her mind and her heart. A single tear slid down the side of her face as she realized she was bound to a man she did not truly love. She finally understood that her heart had been given a long time ago to a pirate who smiled as he held a chain to her throat. A pirate who had saved her from drowning only to hold her hostage so he could flee. Who had whispered 'pirate' as he realized she was ending his life. Elizabeth rolled over and tried to stifle a sob as she was overwhelmed with loneliness and grief. Grief for what she had lost her freedom and her heart.
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Jack stood at the helm of the Black Pearl as it glided into Tortuga. The ship that he had fought for and longed for the years after Barbossa betrayed him. His position standing at the helm no longer filled him with the same sense of satisfaction it once had. For some time he had felt incomplete as if something crucial had been lacking. It had only been when he had stopped in Port Royal that he finally realized exactly what that something was. He was unsure exactly why he decided to come to Tortuga. What he hoped to achieve here. Could he be hoping for some word of where his bonnie lass now called home?
'Jack we've arrived,' spoke Gibbs his second in command. He nodded in acknowledgment then gave the order to lower the portside anchor.
A short time later the crew of the Black Pearl laughed and exchanged ribald remarks as they walked down the gangway. Clearly they were keen to sample the delights of this pirate's paradise. Jack stayed behind until the ship was deserted. Now that he had arrived he wasn't sure he wanted to be here. Instead of joining his crew he went below back into his cabin. Flinging himself across his bed he gazed up at the beams sighing, 'Oh, Elizabeth, where are you?'
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Elizabeth returned to her cottage after completing her working day in Governor Rayburn's mansion. His two children Betsy and Samuel spent the whole day squabbling which was typical of their behaviour. Elizabeth had a privileged upbringing but she had also been disciplined when required. She smiled as she remembered Nanny Hobbs look of horror when she found Elizabeth knee deep in mud. As she harshly scrubbed her mischievous charge clean she scolded her that ladies did not indulge in such behaviour. This tenet had been so firmly drummed into her that she now felt paralysed.
A huge part of her wanted to leave this place. She missed being on a ship, she missed the sting of salt and the cry of sea birds. She missed the comforting rocking motion and the gentle creak of the hull against the pressure of the sea. She missed the snap of the unfurled sails billowing in the breeze. Most of all she missed Jack. Yet she also knew this was where Will would return to when the flash of green appeared. Once again she was held in place by the need to do the right thing.
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'Jack,' a familiar voice said with a knock at his cabin door. Next moment Gibbs appeared a strange expression on his face.
'Yes, Mr. Gibbs?' Jack asked.
Gibbs approached him shiftily transferring his weight from one foot to the other. Jack could see a small piece of paper clutched in his hand. The paper was already grubby from being held in the seaman's grasp.
'What have you there Mr. Gibbs?'
Gibbs hesitated. Finally he held the paper out to Jack. Jack took it then looked at his first mate in confusion when he saw an address he didn't recognize. He gazed at Gibbs his eyebrows raised. Gibbs cleared his throat,
'Captain, it's where Elizabeth is living.'
Jack shot to his feet before he could stop himself his eyes wide. Then recovering himself he covered his excitement in his usual mocking expression,
'How may I ask did you come by this information?'
Gibbs smiled knowing Jack needed assurance it was true;
'Let's just say someone owed me a favour'
Jack walked back and forth surely it was dangerous for him to feel so excited about such a small piece of information. But was it small? His heart screamed 'no' but he could not allow his crew to know of his emotional weakness. Finally collecting his thoughts he turned to his first mate;
'And why should I care for that information?'
Gibbs smiled. In many ways he saw Jack as a son. He had served him loyally for eight years. Jack had extraordinary instincts. He was without a doubt the canniest and most blessed pirate he had ever known. Yet in some areas he was oblivious. Gibbs had seen the effect the lovely Elizabeth Swan had on the cynical pirate. He also knew of Elizabeth's rather peculiar marriage. He had always believed that everyone had the right to happiness. He somehow knew that neither of these free spirits would be truly happy until they were together. Finally he smiled at Jack,
'Will that be all Captain?' he asked avoiding Jack's question.
Jack nodded then watched as his first mate left his cabin. Unable to hold back any longer he sat heavily on the edge of the bed his hand trembling as he gazed at the small piece of sweat stained paper. It was the paper that would lead him to his lovely 'Lizabeth his enchanting murderess.
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The sky was awash with the pinks and golds of sunrise as the Black Pearl sailed once again into Port Royal its captain standing proudly at the helm. The crew could not help but notice their captain once again had a spring in his step and the familiar cocky grin on his face.
They murmured amongst each other how good it was to see the fire back in Jack Sparrow. Rumours flew among the crew at what had caused the captain's decline in spirits and what now brought about the improvement. None of them knew why they were sailing back to Port Royal after leaving the port only a few days ago. Yet it was not their place to question their captain. They also had enough experience and knowledge of the peculiarities of Jack to treat such occurrences as almost normal.
A short time later the Pearl tied up at the dock and again the crew were surprised to see their captain be the first to leave ship. They exchanged glances as Jack whistled a familiar sea shanty to accompany his jaunty step.
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Elizabeth wiped flour from her brow with the back of her wrist as her hands kneaded the dough for bread. She had surprised herself by becoming quite an accomplished cook in the last few months. No longer having servants to answer her every need forced her to develop new skills. She actually enjoyed making bread the rhythmic process of kneading dough gave her plenty of time to think. She finished kneading the dough and transferred it to pan, covered it with a cloth and rested it on the shelf above the small range. The warm air from the stove would help the dough to rise. She wiped her hands on a towel then checked the stove to see if it needed more wood when a rapping knock broke her concentration.
Elizabeth gazed at the closed door for a few moments suppressing her fear. She did not receive visitors regularly and could not help wondering who would call this early in the morning. By her calculations it was probably just after 7am. She wiped her hands again on her apron then moved to open the door.
She pulled the door open then froze as she saw an achingly familiar figure lounging against the doorframe. Jack Sparrow, complete with his cocky grin, battered tricorn hat and myriad of trinkets woven into his dreadlocks. Elizabeth blinked several times, sure she was hallucinating. She was sure that her dreams over the last few weeks had created a mirage. Her heart rate had increased and her palms became slick with sweat. A small voice spoke in her mind, 'please let this be real.'
''Ello Lizzie, luv' that low slightly husky voice confirmed her vision.
Elizabeth suddenly felt tears sliding down her face. Such an extraordinary surge of relief and joy made her dizzy. She swayed slightly and a ring bedecked hand reached out to steady her. Elizabeth finally found her voice;
'Jack, is it really you?' her voice broke on the last word afraid she would shatter the illusion.
'Every last bit of me' he murmured.
Jack reached up and brushed the back of his hand lightly down her cheek. She was still the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. He brushed her tears away with his thumbs then could not prevent himself pulling her into his arms. Elizabeth slid her arms around his neck, feeling like she would explode with happiness. A small sob escaped her throat. Jack's finger came up under her chin and he lifted her face to meet his gaze.
'No tears,' he murmured before leaning down and fastening his lips over hers.
Elizabeth swayed against him, overcome with the scent of spice and oranges, the taste of rum and the warmth of his touch. In that moment she knew she could not allow this man to walk out of her life again. Her heart made the decision for her that she would not sacrifice her happiness by waiting ten lonely years for one day with Will. She knew now where her heart belonged and her grip around his shoulders tightened. Her lips parted under his and she welcomed his searching tongue into her mouth. The kiss slowly evolved into a slower more gentle exploration of each other, full of love and tenderness. Elizabeth leaned into the strong wall of Jack's chest, her knees weak, her heart and mind overcome with desire. Slowly the two lovers drew apart. Jack surprised her by murmuring his voice hoarse with emotion;
'Damn, I have missed you Lizzie!'
Elizabeth smiled, her face pressed against his chest. She never wanted this moment to end. Finally blinking back tears of joy she leaned back and gazed at the man she knew she would love until she died and beyond. She finally spoke the wish that had been filling her days and nights;
'When do we sail Jack?'
A flash of gold appeared as Jack's face broke into a broad grin. Lifting her off her feet he spun her around making her giggle. She had not felt this happy for a very long time, probably since her last time on the Pearl.
'Luv, if you really are sure we can leave as fast as I can get that anchor up.'
Elizabeth brushed her fingers down his cheek;
'I have never been more sure of anything in my life.'
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The sun set over the Caribbean as the Black Pearl headed out to open sea, its destination uncharted. The crew members still on deck were not concerned about this development, they knew when Jack decided their heading they would be informed. Their captain however was occupied with more personal matters. Pintel and Ragetti smiled at each as they scrubbed the deck each wishing they were in the captain's place. Both exchanged more anxious glances somehow they knew their thoughts would make their captain very unhappy.
'Concentrate on your task you two!' a voice ordered from the helm.
The two men in question hastily began scrubbing as if their lives depended on it. Mr. Gibbs smiled as he watched the crewmen scurrying about their appointed duties. He felt a sense of pride that he had helped bring about the happy union taking place below deck.
Down in the captain's cabin two exhausted sweat covered bodies lay tangled in the sheets on the bunk barely wide enough for two people. Elizabeth felt she had finally found the place and the person she was meant to be with. Jack's lovemaking was both passionate and tender. Time and again he brought her to the brink of ecstasy only to slow his movements and leave her teetering on the edge. Finally when both reached the peak they plummeted over the edge, falling into a whirlwind of pleasure and sensation. Elizabeth uncomfortably remembered her one time with Will. Now she knew she had really not understood what true passion and true happiness felt like. Although she felt a twinge of guilt over leaving Port Royal part of her knew that Will would understand her need to move on with her life. Will cared about her enough to want her to be happy and now at long last she was just that. Sighing deeply she nestled her head more comfortably in the crook of Jack's shoulder, pressing her body against the length of Jack's side. He turned his head and smiled at her;
'Now luv that kind of movement is only likely to tempt a man beyond his control.'
Elizabeth moved her hand to lightly skim over the smooth broad plains of his chest, down to his taut abdomen and lower. As he gasped she smiled knowing she was pleasing her man;
'Perhaps losing control is just what we both want.'
Jack rolled her onto her back and gazed down at the beautiful woman he would protect, live for and die for without a moment's hesitation. A wry smile quirked his lips, he realized he no longer was capable of purely selfish motivations. At least not where one person was concerned. The one person he now knew he was meant to spend his life with.
THE END