"And he was just like a great dark wing
Within the wings of a storm
I think I had met my match -- he was singing
And undoing the laces
Undoing the laces

Drowning in the sea of love
Where everyone would love to drown
And now its gone
It doesn't matter anymore

Hold on
The night is coming and the starling flew for days
Id stay home at night all the time
Id go anywhere, anywhere
Ask me and I'm there because I care

All I ever wanted
Was to know that you were dreaming
(there's a heartbeat
And it never really died)"

-Fleetwood Mac

Chapter 2: Liquor of the Gods

Jack and Elizabeth had walked quite some time, until coming upon the cave Jack had spoken of. Close by to the north edge of the forest, the cave was majestically cut into the side of towering rock. She was relieved to find that the cave contained several blankets, and what looked liked supplies, including of course bottles of rum. Jack gestured towards the cave, bowing low, "your palace princess," he uttered. Elizabeth giggled, "As good as any, kind sir." They both entered, and in unison looked towards the supply of rum bottles. Before she could grab one, he surprised her by seizing her hand, sending a spark up her arm. A strange look crossed his handsome face; quickly he dropped her hand, "No funny business, seriously Lizzie, tis for drinking…. Not burning." Elizabeth, liking his utterance of his nickname for her, nodded her head, "I wouldn't think of it Jack, really," she said convincingly. Sighing in defeat, "alright," he said and handed her a bottle.

An hour later, they were both lounging in front of a blazing fire, a sizzling bird set up on a spit. Although Jack had allowed Elizabeth to commandeer a bottle from his cherished rum supply, he had strictly forbidden her to drink too much before their dinner was to be consumed; after all he was quite knowledgeable of her inexperience with liquor. Soon darkness was closing in on their small encampment, the sky turning a dark velvety blue amidst shimmering silver stars. The sounds of the forest echoed all around them, strange birds calling out, the sound of trickling water, and the crackling of their fire. Jack had been absently staring into the hypnotizing flicker of flames, but happened to glance across the fire at Elizabeth. She was sitting there, eyes skyward, her golden lucks shimmering with ethereal brilliance, pale skin highlighted by the warm glow of the fire. The rightness of her sitting across the fire from him struck him with a deafening blow. He mentally shook himself; Elizabeth was a passionate and beautiful young woman, not treasure to be plundered by the tar darkened fingers of a jaded pirate like himself. Besides, he had enough problems as it were, involving her in danger again would cost him dearly. As if she had been listening in on his internal debate, she lowered her head, amber eyes sparkling, smoldering into him.

He fumbled his bottle of rum when their eyes met, clumsily saving it from its near collision with their fire. She laughed at this, her laughter floating musically into the oblivion of the night closing in on them. Elizabeth started, was Jack actually blushing? He sat there across from her, a disturbed look on his face, high cheekbones flushed with color. She shook her head, Jack was the most mysterious man…. No make that person she had ever met, his complexities intrigued her to no end. She giggled, tilting her rum bottle, so that the spicy liquid filled her mouth, burning a path to her stomach. The realization that she was quite a lot tipsier than she had promised that she would be to Jack hit her as the flames of rum licked through her veins.

Jack had slipped away from the fire in order to relieve himself, perhaps distance himself from her allure for a few moments, gather his thoughts and whatnot. When he came back, he was greeted by the rich scent of fire roasted pheasant, and a rather drunk Elizabeth. She had stripped off her riding Jacket, exposing a white ruffled blouse, gaping open at the neck. Currently she was lying on her back, golden hair strewn around her head like an omnipresent halo, her still girlish voice lilting out piratical melodies. He barely stifled his moan of distress, he should have known that giving her rum would be a bad….horrible…terrible thing to do. She noticed him standing at the edge of fire, half in shadow, half lit by wisps of flame; he had an expression of acute horror upon his chiseled visage. She laughed again, amused at his obvious distress over her inebriated state. "Jaaacckkk, don't look so gruesome, tis fun to feel rum running through my veins, besides after I eat a little I'll be much subsided… I promise!" she slurred. That gave him good cause to carve up the bird, hastily serving the meat to her on a dented metal plate he had seemingly pulled out of thin air. She noticed that he took great care to avoid prolonged contact with her when she was in such a state, which of course gave over to senseless internal debate over just how vile she must really appear.

Jack was thinking in an extremely opposite fashion, his brain unable to move past how seductive, soft, and pure, she was. With that last thought he downed more rum, berating himself for such foolish thinkings. Ever since the day he had dived after her mercilessly sinking figure, he had intentionally kept his feelings for the young adventurous wench on a surface level, despite the pull he had always felt towards her. Although, he had many a night regretted what had not transpired on that god forsaken island they had been deposited on. Lost in thought, he nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt fingers run coolly over his exposed arm, startled he looked up into Elizabeth's face a mere inches away. She smiled an endearing smile, and promptly vomited to the side of his sitting figure, concern over her welfare triumphed over any further contemplation. Laying her gently upon a blanketed corner of the cave, he brushed a damp handkerchief over her pale face. "Thanks Jack," she mumbled sleepily. He was about to pull away when she seized his arm in a fierce grip, "stay, I mm cold" she whispered. Despite all the warning bells ringing shrilly in his head, he obliged her, god knows why. Enfolding her slender frame with muscled arms, he held her; golden locks intermingled with raven dreads. He slept like that, a deep sleep that banished the dark mists that invaded his subconscious nightly. That night it rained again, a sharp staccato against the rock, water running in rivulets that wiped all evidence of inhabitance clean.

A/N: Alright, that was a bit shorter… and faster coming then I expected. However, it seemed to be a natural end to the chapter. Comments, suggestions, concrite greatly encouraged. ;D