Chapter 2 – The Other Man

Will felt his heart drop instantly to his stomach. The heat found it's way in his veins and he shivered from dread. 'Don't back down now Turner.' He said to himself.

"Jus' what do you think you're doing there mate?"

It was Jack Sparrow, the infamous captain stepped into the light and his eyes glittered with malice.

"What do you think I'm doing Jack?" He said and pulled the trigger on his gun. The shot disturbed the silence of the bar and it took a moment for anyone, including Matthew, to realize he had been shot in the chest.

A woman screamed and Jack seemed to blink out of his stupor. Grabbing his gun he set the barrel on the man's temple.

"I'll see you in Hell. Tell Satan I said hello."

William Turner was dead before he hit the floor. Alex had ran to his nephew and cradled him in his arms. Jack looked over at his son and touched his head lovingly. Matthew jerked away.

"Matthew I."

"Don't say another word. You don't have to explain yourself to me. Explain it to her."

Jack knew who he meant. Elizabeth. His wife and the mother of his two children. None of this was supposed to happen, he was supposed to be gone no more than a year and here he was gone for a decade. He didn't expect to be greeted warmly but after watching his son get shot in the chest then fearing the worst Jack thought the gods were being just a little too cruel.

Matthew had passed out from loss of blood and Alex had got them a room for the night.

The son was taken care of by a doctor and Jack sat in the corner, watching.

"Matthew can I talk to you?"

Both the other men in the room looked at Jack. Alex wanted to tell Matthew that he deserved to give his father the benefit of the doubt but something was holding him back. It was almost as if he wanted an explanation himself.

"No."

The pirate put his head in his hands and rubbed his face. "I want to tell you what happened."

"Go tell someone who cares, dad."

Jack was getting what he deserved and he knew it. He really didn't have a good explanation for his son for missing most of his childhood but he had to try.

"Well since you're just sitting there anyway you have no choice but to listen." He said matter of factly.

Matthew didn't say anything but closed his eyes trying to fall back into a black unconsciousness. Instead the lull of his father's voice was putting him to sleep.

"I never ment to be gone so long son. Honest. I just ran into a few pirates while I was looking for that damn place they called paradise. I couldn't find it, someone must have just believed in some lie so long that they thought they had the map. Anyway, I saw some people I never thought I'd see again, I lost track of time, got my head in a noose or two and thrown in jail more times then I can count."

"What were the charges?"

Both Alex and Jack looked up at the younger man, neither one expecting him to be listening, let alone asking questions.

"Umm, just the normal stuff you know, stealing, plundering, being a pirate."

Matthew got a sick look on his face as he watched his father. "Pirate stuff huh? What about murder, accessory to murder, and raping. You obviously have been gone so long that you've had other women besides my mother. She doesn't love you by the way, none of us do."

Jack was speechless, he didn't have anything to say except two words. "You're wrong."

Alex glared at his nephew and grabbed a hold of his brother's shoulder. "Don't worry Jack, Elizabeth is still waiting for you in Timlan."

"Where's my daughter?"

Alex was worried Jack was going insane, having a mental breakdown of some sort. "She's in Timlan too, don't worry."

Matthew's hatred just kept coming up out of his gut until tears started to fall from his eyes. "I hope someday my mother realizes we're not your children. I hope to god that she was raped and I'm the product." His tears were flowing down his face so fast now he couldn't wipe them away. He was sobbing when he just kept digging a dagger into his father's heart.

"Jessica doesn't even know you. I was eight when you left, she was five. She's fifteen years old and has had more men then you have fingers and toes. What can I do? I've tried dad, I have. Mom cries every night and it's only when Stan comes around that she's happy."

His words were so broken up Matthew barely understood what he said. Jack was across the room in a heart beat, wrapping his son in his arms and rocking him back and forth. "Come now boy, you don't mean that. I know you don't believe me but I love you and your mother. Jessica too. I wouldn't have left if I didn't think you guys couldn't handle it."

Alex was a little nervous when Matthew mentioned Stan but calmed down a little when Jack seemed to have not heard.

Matthew was crying into his father's shirt as Jack's hand ran through his dark hair. "I love you Matthew. Don't worry about anything ever again. I won't leave."

POTC

(Two days later, Timlan)

Elizabeth stood outside on the front porch waiting for the outline of Matthew to come out of the shadows, her son had been gone longer than he said he was going to be and it was worrying her. She had long ago given up hope that Jack Sparrow was going to come back into her life and she learned to move on, secretly calling herself a widow. Jessica had grown up without a father and was already out of her control at the tender age of fifteen. Matthew was like her, he craved adventure but he had a full head on his shoulders.

She was about to turn back into the house when something caught her eye, it was a man, coming up from the street. Jack. It had to be, he was finally coming home to her. Of course, it wasn't.

"Good evening Elizabeth."

She almost found herself disappointed that it wasn't Jack. "Good evening Stan, how are you tonight?"

"Much better now that I got to see you."

Stan was from Scotland, his beautiful blue eyes complemented his light brown hair. He had been a friend of the family since before Jessica was born. He and Jack had gotten along quite well and he never once made a pass at Elizabeth until recently. He had always admired her from afar and when Jack had been gone for five years he thought, along with everyone else, that the pirate was never coming back. Which put Elizabeth back on the market.

"You always know exactly what to say." She said and ushered him inside where she had a fire already going. They sat down on the couch and Elizabeth was starting to feel the loneliness that was associated with her everyday life.

Stan saw the opportunity and draped an arm around her shoulders. "Now Elizabeth tell me what's on your mind."

She looked up at him, right in the eyes and said plainly. "I'm done mourning. Jack is dead."

Stan moved closer to her and bent his head. Before their lips touched her heard her say what she had needed to say so long.

"I've let go."

TBC

Ok for those of you who need to be reassured: This is a Jack/Elizabeth story, come on! Elizabeth is lonely and Jack has been gone 10 Years I would be a little annoyed and if some hott Scottish man came into my life I would go to him to.