Sparrabeth

Summary: Elizabeth and Jack have fallen in love and he has persuaded her to run away from Port Royal and join the Black Peral's crew.... Or he's going to.

Elizabeth Swann fingered the long gleaming silver chain, which was warm from her body heat. She let her fingers run all the way down to the heat shaped pendant, with the initials EJS on the back. Her mother had given her this necklace before she died and said she must take care of her heart. Elizabeth, smart and quick, though only eight at the time, understood completely.

The heart on the necklace was a symbol of her own, her spirit and soul. She wore it all the time, never taking it off. Without it, Elizabeth felt like a pirate captain without his hat - bare.

Only three people (besides her late mother and herself) knew of the necklace's existence - her father, Will Turner and just recently, Commodore James Norrington.

Today was Elizabeth's wedding day. She was ready and left to calm her nerves alone, as requested. In half an hour she would be walking down the aisle, the good Commodore waiting at the other end. She don't know what she detested more - the faux love she showed the Commodore or the fact that she was going to spend the rest of her life bored out of her mind.

If only there was an escape. Elizabeth had tried and failed many times to call off the wedding. It just wasn't that easy and it infuriated her to the extend that she felt herself shaking from anger, clutching the pendant until her knuckles turned white.

''Lizzie, luv, you look lovely.' Jack's voice reached her ears in a whisper and she looked up, shocked. What was he doing here? He could get caught!

'Jack-'

'Why you be crying, young Swann?' asked Jack lightly. Elizabeth hadn't noticed, but now she felt a wet trail on her cheek. Quickly she wiped it away and stood up. 'You'd be crying too if you had to wear this bloody corset.' She joked. Jack smirked.

'Nothing to do with the good Commodore then. A smart match that is, the Commodore and the Governor's daughter. So.... boring, isn't it, 'Lizzie?'

Elizabeth took a double take. Did he just call her boring? She opened her mouth to protest, but thought through it. In truth, he was reading her mind. She watched warily as he took a step closer, his eyes unblinking as he watched her. 'What are you getting at?'

'Elizabeth... you insult me! Why must you always accuse me of scheming?' He pouted. She didn't reply, just cocked one eyebrow. Jack let out a small laugh and stepped forward again, placing his hands on her shoulders lightly. 'Alrigh', I may have come up with another option...' He paused, judging her response.

Another option? Thought Elizabeth, confused.

[i]If only there was an escape...[/i]

Another option...

'Go on.' Lizzie said. Jack smiled, letting go of her shoulders and swaggering to the window, looking out into the sunset. 'You escape. Run away, if you will.' He turned to her with a glint in his eye. He was going to win this, no doubt about it.

She had already considered this of course and of course there was a reason she hadn't done so already. 'Where will I go?' She asked Jack. Jack smirked and took off his hat, putting it on her own head.

'Welcome to the crew, luv.'

*

[b]Months Later...[/b]

'Jack....' Elizabeth moaned, her fingers curling around the sheets. 'It can't be time to get up yet....'

Jack, sitting on the other side of the bed, legs dangling over the side as he put on his boots, smirked. 'Ye right, 'Liz. Staying up all night wasn't the greatest of your plans.' He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, lingering for only a second. 'Luckily,' he continued, 'Ye don't havta get up just yet.'

'You stayed up too!' Elizabeth protested, then blushed. Jack's smirked widened. 'Right again, me luv. But i'm the Capt'n, responsible for getting those slackers outta those hammocks and to work. This ship can't run itself.' He pressed a final kiss to Elizabeth's temple and got up to start work. Before he reached the door, he was almost knocked out by said vertical wooden plank as Gibbs burst through.

'Steady on, Gibbs, I won't be able to give the bearings if i'm out cold.'

'Capt'n!' Gibbs puffed, ignoring Jack's statement completely. 'A ships been spotted sir, she's on us!'

'Colours?' Jack asked, completely serious now.

'Well... That's the thing, Capt'n. It's the Dauntless.'

'It's James.' Elizabeth whispered, stunned.

There was a shocked silence until Gibbs spoke up. 'Orders?'

'Gibbs, I need you to man the Helm. Full Canvas.' Jack ordered.

'We can't outrun them, Jack. The wind's against us.'

'We can try.' And with that Jack gestured to shoo Gibbs out. He turned to Elizabeth.

'We need a plan.'

Elizabeth sighed.

*

'Commodore, are you sure you want to do this? Jack Sparrow is a great Pirate, he's bound to think of something.' Gillette offered.

'I am quite aware, Lieutenant, thank you very much.' James Norrington snapped. 'I made a promise to Governor Swann to bring Elizabeth home safely and I don't break my promises. Is that clear?'

'Cyrstal, Sir.'

'Good, now get me onto the Pearl.'

'Yessir.' Gillette hurried away, giving orders to every man he could find. When the Commodore was determined, it was best not to get in his way, as it could be hazardous to your health. That is, unless your name was Jack Sparrow.

*

Elizabeth, clad in the first clothes that Jack could find (his own), stood amongst the crew as Norrington boarded. 'I wish to speak with your Captain.' he announced, then spotted Elizabeth. 'Elizabeth!' He gasped, running to embrace her. Elizabeth, however, did not return the hug.

'Hello, James.' She said simply, her voice devoid of emotion.

Norrington stepped back, sensing something wrong. 'Where is your Captain?' he asked the crew again. Elizabeth cleared her throat to get his attention once more. 'You're looking at her.' She said, sounding braver than she felt.

Norrington looked shocked. Luckily, he was the only one. Being with Jack so many years, being suprised was no longer a valid emotion to display. The crew just learned to run with it.

'You?'

'Yes.'

Norrington made a decision. 'I'd like to speak with Jack Sparrow.'

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at James, but he wasn't looking. Instead his focused was trained on the Captain's door, surveying a freshly-clad-in-another-set-of-clothing Jack Sparrow, minus the hat. There was only one of those and Elizabeth was wearing that.

'Ah, Commodore! Come for a social visit then? You met our new Capt'n, I presume?' Jack swayed as he walked over to them. He was ignored for the second time that day.

'Mr Sparrow, I have two questions.'

'Ask away.' Jack mock-bowed.

'What have you done with Elizabeth Swann?'

'Elizabeth Swann? No one goes under that name 'ere, Commodore.' He gestured towards Elizabeth. 'That's our Lizzie, a fearsome Capt'n indeed. Anyone to cross her be better to run screaming.' He watched Elizabeth smirk behind the Commodore's back, matching his own features. Norrington sighed 'I was afraid of that.'

'Second?'

'I happen to know that being Captain of the Black Pearl is not a position you will give up easily. Since you're here and not on some Godforsaken island, what did she trade you in order to gain the status?'

'What makes you think I traded anything?' Elizabeth objected, but Jack was already rummaging inside his shirt. He pulled out a long, Silver necklace with a heart pendant... with EJS engraved in the back. He brought the chain over his head and wound it around his hand, holding it up for all to see. The diamonds decorating the front glittered in the early sun.

Now four men knew about the necklace. Not to mention the crew, but they did not know the value of it.

It was that point that James Norrington nearly fainted. He backed into one of the crew, who growled convincingly and he jumped. He knew that necklace. He also knew that Elizabeth had vowed to give it to another only if she truly loved him... the man who owned her heart. He never got it, but here it was, in the hands of the worst pirate ever. He turned to Elizabeth.

'He... [i]he[/i] has you're heart?' James muttered with sad eyes. Elizabeth bowed her head once. Jack slung his arm around Lizzie's shoulders and said heartedly 'Commodore Norrington, meet Captain Elizabeth Sparrow.'

A resounding gasp was heard. The crew were good, but they we're [i]that[/i] good. The words Jack Sparrow and Marriage never went together.

Fortunately, it covered Elizabeth's own gasp. This had not been part of the plan. She turned her head toward Jack with a worried glance. He cocked his eyebrow -apparently that was an acceptable "How bout it Lizzie? Marry me?" because Elizabeth nodded just as Gibbs did when he agreed with Jack to buy him a drink after Jack woke him by chucking a bucket of freezing water on his person.

Truly happy, they both turned to beam at Norrington. It was a nauseating sight for him, to be sure. But he kept his composure well, as trained. He narrowed his eyes. 'I don't believe you.' He said suspiciously.

'Well, we're a little light on plunder at the momen', but i'll get one eventually, count on that.' Reassured Jack. Norrington shook his head, addressing Elizabeth. 'Show me that you love him.' He said bluntly. Elizabeth frowned and the crew held it's breath. Every Scallywag on board knew that Lizzie and Captain Jack were together, but they were careful not to show affection outside the quarters.

But Elizabeth grinned. 'Gladly.' and grabbed Jack's face, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. The crew clapped and wolf-whistled and they broke away, laughing.

Norrington was halfway across the plank when he turned. 'You're father wishes you home. I promised to fulfill the duty.'

This time the whole crew growled and Elizabeth crossed her arms. 'You've forgotten the pirate code, mate.' Jack told him.

'I never bothered to learn it.' Norrington returned coldly. Elizabeth leaned to whisper something to Gibbs and he dissapeared to carry out the task she requested.

'Oh, good. Here's a lesson then: The Captain goes down with the ship.'

Norrington frowned. 'You're ship isn't going down.'

'Capt'n, how high can you throw?' Gibbs grunted as he handed Lizzie a cannon ball. She grinned. Norrington looked horrified. 'You're just as mad as he is!'

'Thank God for that,' Lizzie said, pecking a beaming Jack on the cheek. 'Or this would probably never work.' And she threw the cannon as high as she could into the sky. 'Look out below!' Jack shouted and the crew scattered. He stealthily ordered some of the crew to go and fix the bloody hole before they sunk.

Norrington stared.

'Off you go!' Shouted Elizabeth, using Jack's shooing hand gestures. 'Give my regards to Will and my father!'

Norrington never pursued the Black Pearl again.

Elizabeth felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her from behind. She turned to smirk at Jack. 'Well?' She asked for judgement. Jack smiled.

'Pirate.'