Author's note: Thank you SOO much everyone who's read and reviewed my story- it's my first ever fanfic and I was ecstatic at your support. Sorry it's been a week, but I haven't had much of a chnce to get on the computer. Oh, and I know that they're rather Out Of Character, but that's just how it is. Thank you!!

Disclaimer: very convinced i DO own it!! truly i do! really! honestly! i own it all!! still nodding her head, but her smile fades i...ido own it...i own pirates...sadly dont i? shakes her head

Chapter. 3

Elizabeth awoke, aching and disoriented, to an unfamiliar room. She was in a bed, and there was a little table beside her. On it was a burning candle, the wax dripping onto the wood. She watched the candle for a moment, mesmerized by the dancing flame. She peered round at the faded bureau and then her gaze fell on him. Captain Jack Sparrow was sitting across the small room, watching herintently with an unreadable look of concentration on his face. So, she stared back, and after a few seconds, he gave a jolt and blinked rapidly, seeming to realize she was staring at him.

"Oh Lizzie, you're awake!" he cried, apparently overjoyed. He rose from the chair, and moved towards the bed. She fought the sick feeling in her stomach, but when he was standing at the side of the bed, unintentionally looming over her, she twisted away in terror. Jack froze, his hand still hovering in the air where he had been about to brush back a stray bit of her hair. His face hardened, and only his eyes betrayed the pain he was feeling. Jack slowly reached out towards her, but she shrank away. He spoke gently.

"I'd never hurt you, love. You know that."

Elizabeth didn't respond, and her eyes were fearful and wild.

"I can see you've been hurt. Won't you please let me see?" he pleaded softly. She nodded once, closing her eyes in defeat. Elizabeth sat up in the bed, wincing at the pain she felt all over. She felt the bed shift as he scooted beside her. She held her breath as he tentatively cupped her face, slowly turning it towards him.She instinctively flinched, then froze as his rough fingers gently traced the bruise encircling her eye.

He moved his hands to her arms, looking at old and more recent injuries. Jack took her arm almost daintily, holding her wrist, his eyes taking in the sight of green, black, and blue tinged skin. There were some small scrapes here and there, which he hadn't noticed before. She opened her eyes and watched his reaction. His face was set and very still, but his eyes betrayed him, showing the horror he felt.

He wordlessly set her arm down, and rose. Elizabeth watched as he rummaged through the battered bureau. He yanked the drawers open, and after shuffling through some rags, a few empty bottles, and a candle stub or two, Jack emerged with a small jar with a faded label. He unscrewed the cap and looked inside. He seemed satisfied, and glanced up to see her watching him.

"Healing salve!" he announced proudly, and settled beside her once more. "It'll all be healed up right and better in no time, m'love."

Elizabeth smiled weakly at his enthusiasm, then eyed the balm apprehensively. She cleared her throat and, feeling slightly foolish, asked, "Will it sting?"

He chuckled, and responded brightly. "'Course not, sweet. We'll just put some on and you'll be back to your gorgeous self."

She scowled and murmured something he couldn't quite catch.

"What was that?" he asked with a frown.

"Not gorgeous," she muttered.

"I beg to differ," Jack objected, taking her small wrist in his hand before she could pull it away. He carefully applied the ointment, but noticed when she shook her head. He raised an eyebrow in a question. "Dare you defy Captain Jack Sparrow?" he teased.

She only shrugged, but replied "Tell me your adventures, Captain. Distract me with your fantastic tales of freedom."

It started off a plea, but her tone was mocking by the time she finished. Jack paused, not sure whether or not he should comply to her coldly issued request. He was a bit taken aback by the severity of her tone. But, he concluded, she needed the diversion to keep her from dwelling on the situation at hand.

"Well, m'lass," he began, tenderly smoothing the balm over a small cut along her upper arm. "it may interest you to know….."

As he went on with his ridiculous tale, he was pleased to earn a smile here, or a small laugh there.

He moved so that he was seated behind her. He saw that the damage extended onto her shoulders and neck. Still talking, Jack held up her hair to tend to her neck. However, he was momentarily distracted, for as he lifted her dirty hair, he caught a trace of…something sweet. Under the stench of alcohol, sweat, and smoke, there was the pleasant scent of vanilla. He stopped moving, just inhaling the distinctly feminine fragrance, and couldn't speak for a moment.

"Jack?" she sounded mildly concerned, and then slightly irritated. "Jack."

"Um…" his gaze fell down her neck, to the exposed part of her back. A red cut stretched down, slipping beneath her dress. He fought off the desire to follow that cut with his lips, tracing its path.

What was he thinking? An old friend of his needs his help, and he can't allow himself to be distracted by the fact that she was a woman .He silently berated himself. Besides, after what she suffered, it's going to take a lot for her to trust anyone again.

"Jack!" Elizabeth snapped again, turning to look at him. She looked irritated, but he noted the dark circles below her eyes, and without thinking, he reached out to touch her face.

She recoiled from his touch.

"Lizzie!" he said despairingly. "I'm not going to hurt you, love! Now, c'mere so ol' Jack can take care of your wounds."

"No! I can take care of them myself. You won't hurt me? Jack, I'm sorry, but I can't believe that." She spoke from the other side of the bed, where she sat glaring at him with anger and reproach in her eyes.

"But why would I hurt you? I'm helping you get better, aren't I?"

"I- well, yes…but then you stopped talking after you touched my hair and you wouldn't answer. You know why?" She didn't give him a chance to respond, instead madly continuing. "Because you saw how bad it was and decided that – hell, why not? Obviously she did something to deserve it! What's a few more scrapes?"

Her voice was shrill and she crossed her arms, wrapping them around her trembling body. Jack spoke calmly, trying to talk her out of her state of distress.

"If I for one instant believed those awful thoughts, if I thought that you deserved this, why haven't I hurt you? I've had all night to harm you, but I haven't, nor have I now."

She looked at him for a moment. "You…you were going to, but something stopped you. I guess because..." She stopped and then continued wonderingly. "You're a good man, Jack."

He snorted, as he had the last time she said that.

"All evidence to the contrary," he made the same reply, but added. "And darlin'? It's Captain Jack. Captain."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but smiled and came back to her previous position, settling herself in front of him. "Fine, Captain Sparrow. Now, entertain me with another one of your silly tales."

So Jack spun out for her another absurd story, careful not to sniff her hair. At one point he even held his breath when she leaned against him. "Steady, love" he cautioned. Elizabeth nodded and straightened her back, pulling away from him. Finally, he stopped his story, having sufficiently taken care of her neck, shoulders and arms. She turned to look at him, puzzled.

"And then what happened?" she pouted.

"I'll continue in a moment. But, Lizzie, I need to see the rest."

The playful spark in her eyes vanished, replaced by emotionless cold. "See what?"

He sighed. "What else? Those bruises and cuts that hateful beast put on you. Let me see."

"No!" She cried, pulling her knees to her chest. The skirts fell in folds around her legs, but he could see a chafed ankle and a scrape across her shin.

"Don't be ridiculous, Elizabeth." He spoke sternly.

"NO, I wont let you see, and you can't make me!" She proudly tossed her head, her eyes flashing.

Jack raised an eyebrow and asked softly, "Can't I?"

She looked at him a moment, then shrieked "Capt. Sparrow! How dare you imply such a thing!"

"Oh, just get over here, Elizabeth!" he snapped, but was smiling.

She huffed. "I'll not have you looking at my legs under the pretense of examining the cuts! And I most certainly won't let you put on the salve- not on my legs!"

He frowned. "Are you done? Good. Now get over here."

She glared at him and he sighed. "What if something gets infected, or is needs to be bound? You're being ridiculous."

"No, no, no!" she yelled, knowing she was being childish and not caring.

"Elizabeth. Get over here and let me see the injuries on your bloody legs. Now." He growled, finally annoyed.

She sullenly complied, moving closer, but before she lifted her skirts, she said firmly, "Only below the knee. The rest I can treat myself."

"Fine," Jack conceded, and rolled his eyes.

He professionally and impassively applied the balm to the various slashes and bruises along her leg- only below the knee, of course. At last, he finished, and looked at her.

"Done?"

"Done." he confirmed.

"Finally! That was wholly unnecessary." She huffed, but then added. "Thank you."

"Of course, love." He winked flirtatiously. "Anytime."

"Jack!" She blushed, but playfully smacked his shoulder. "Now, out. I'll get to the rest, and be done on a moment."

" Fine," he rose from the bed. "I'll just be out in the hall."

"Thanks." She smiled, and he grinned back before disappearing out the door. She sighed and lay back against the smelly pillows.

Surprisingly, here (where, specifically,she wasn't quite sure, but in some sort of an inn) on the pirate island Tortuga, with the notorious Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth felt safer than she had felt in months.