A/N: Alright, I admit it's my fault this took so long. School gets in the way sometimes, you know, but I guess if I hadn't spent so much time watching the anime Bleach, this chapter would've been done faster. And to make up for that, this chapter is longer than any of the previous ones. Quite a bit of fluff, but I don't want to rush things, earnest as I am at getting to develop the actual plot. Now we get to see Will and Elizabeth, a little of Norrington (who's not evil in my story) as well as lots of Jack.

Chapter 4: Drinks All Around!

The governor's mansion was in a state of frenzy and organized chaos. Servants bustled around, carefully wiping, polishing and cleaning until every surface gleamed. Governor Swann himself was supervising the elaborate preparations, for the wedding of his only daughter was a much-anticipated event, and he would spare no expenses in ensuring it got all the celebration it deserved. Not a speck of dust could be seen on the stone mantels, on which glass and ivory figurines were placed, and the crystal chandeliers sparkled. The halls were draped in long flowing ribbons and filled with a lavish display of orange blossoms and pink roses. The air tingled with excitement. Out on the streets, civilians were chatting enthusiastically to one another, many hoping to be able to witness the eloquent splendor of the wedding. It almost seemed no grander affair had ever been held in the history of Jamaica.

Elizabeth sat very still in her room, so tightly laced-up in her corset that she was barely able to breathe. There were less than two hours before the ceremony began, and while her maid Estrella brushed her beautiful golden curls, she began to worry about Will, who had most probably worked himself into a bundle of nerves. Elizabeth was well aware of his fears of tarnishing the Swanns' already smeared reputation, for which she cared not, and of not fitting in with proper English society, not for lack of social graces — though it was certain her Will could be just as gentlemanly as any noble, and perhaps more so than some — but because he was beneath her station. She, too, had noticed the barely-contained whispers, the looks of disdain, and at times pity. She had heard about how unfortunate it was that she should fall in love with a blacksmith; a blacksmith was unbefitting of a governor's daughter, they say. The marriage was beyond inappropriate, it was audacious! And yet, not one of them had turned down the invitations.

Elizabeth sighed.

"I do hope Will's alright."

Estrella smiled reassuringly. "Mister Turner will be fine. You must be very happy to marry him, Miss."

"Yes, of course. I've never been happier," said Elizabeth, who would not have put up with wearing a corset on any other occasion.

"I did think you would prefer Mister Turner to the Commodore, Miss. He seemed more suited to you." The comment was a little too bold, but Elizabeth did not mind. She saw a tiny spark of mischievous spirit in Estrella's eyes.

"I am grateful to Commodore Norrington," she admitted. He had loved her, had done a great deal for her, even knowing she did not love him back. As she stared out the window, she recalled that day on the battlements of the fort, where James had unsheathed his sword and told Will, 'I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life.' The words had been offered with sincerity, trust, and not a sign of bitterness. He had truly been able to let her go, and Elizabeth was glad. "He is a good man."

Will Turner was nervous.

Even in all of his wildest dreams which revolved around Elizabeth, and which sometimes involved himself walking down the aisle with her as his beautiful bride, he had never envisioned performing the slow, light steps of the waltz with a hundred pairs of eyes on him. The fact that he had practiced everyday from when he first heard the rather distressing news that he was expected to dance during the wedding reception did little to boost his confidence. And while Elizabeth showed blithe disregard for the opinions of others, Will was determined not to disgrace his lady in front of her guests. Still, the very idea unnerved him. Dancing, of all things! But if it was what had to be done, then he would damn well make sure that he did a good job out of it.

Evening fell. As the sun sunk lower, its last rays streaking the vast horizon with orange and lavender and pale rose, a lone figure crept along the walls of the governor's mansion, desperately wishing those heavy brick walls could be a little less solid or that he would be able to find a crack large enough to offer him a view of the festivities going on inside. Since neither wishes were likely to come true, he aimed for the nearest of the many stylish windows, through which soft light spilled out onto the grassy lawn. A gentle breeze drifted across the lush gardens, bringing with it the sweet scent of roses and violets. Jack allowed himself a tiny smile as the slow melody of strings floated to his ears. The pirate slinked towards his target, making very sure to keep to the shadows. He did not particularly fancy being caught sneaking outside the governor's residence, for it would mean yet another visit to the gaol, and he was sure Anamaria would not be overjoyed if that happened.

A cricket chirped, and he jumped, then silently cursed himself for being so edgy. What was he doing here, lurking outside a governor's house, sneaky as a thief — getting frightened by a bloody cricket, for scurvy's sake! — trying so hard to get a glimpse of a wedding reception he would most certainly not be welcomed to, while inside that magnificent hall, amidst the lights and music and extravagant celebration, people lived their wasted, luxurious lives in a world of their own? What was he doing here, when he should be at the helm of the Pearl, with the wind in his face, a bottle of rum in his hand, and not a care in the world?

It would be dark soon. Jack skulked forward again, until he was almost able to touch the golden windowsill. He stole a quick glance around, took a few more carefully measured steps, and peeked in.

The hall was huge, and to say it was filled with quite a number of guests would be an understatement. It appeared as though half of Port Royal had turned up; people milled about, engaged in polite conversations and sipping their drinks. Jack wondered if Will and Elizabeth — now Mr and Mrs Turner — would somehow learn of his presence and materialize at the window, where he was crouched. Not bloody likely. Perhaps he should gatecrash the party. Those drinks did look quite nice. But that would certainly result in getting himself thrown into a stinky, dirty, confining cell, which he really preferred to stay out of. So the rather appealing idea was dismissed and he remained hidden, still calmly searching the crowd for the newlyweds.

The crowd shifted, revealing a waltzing couple, the lady dressed in a white gown made of finest silk, long blonde hair piled elegantly atop her head, the gentleman donning a sophisticated coat, gently guiding his partner through the dance with slow, steady steps. Jack was unable to see their faces clearly, but since the spotlight of the entire room seemed to be upon the pair, he decided to risk a closer look by moving to another window.

It was them. Will and Elizabeth stood in the centre of the room, the light falling upon their shining faces serving to accentuate their features. The first thought which came to Jack's mind was, The whelp can dance? Ha! But then, as he observed the two lovers dancing, completely lost in each other, he felt an unexpected rush of affection for them. Aye, the whelp can dance. Not too badly, either. In fact, one could go so far as to describe the lad as… elegant. And, needless to say, Elizabeth was captivating. To move lightly, smoothly and without effort gave her an exquisite beauty that was only enhanced by the graceful swirls of her flowing dress. The drowsy music followed the movements of sure feet across the polished ballroom floor, as did the admiring gaze of all those in the room.

And Jack knew. The reason for risking his life to watch a wedding, for leaving his crew scattered around Tortuga and Port Royal, and his beloved Pearl in a secluded cove nearby… was just to see Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann happy. Two individuals than whom he could not have come from a world more different, and yet, who were closer to his heart than he would ever admit to anyone. Star-crossed lovers destined to be together… and a pirate. Bound by the inexplicable twists of fate, and by friendship. It was friendship that had led him here.

William would be proud.

Though he supposed it was partly — alright, entirely — his fault that Bill could not be around to watch his son get married. Back on the Pearl, he had specifically told Bill not to leave the ship after informing him of the wedding. Perhaps yelling, 'You stay in my cabin, and that's an order!' had not been the most tactful way of doing so, but at any rate the message had gotten across. Just in case the anxious father managed to appear at the wedding anyway and shocked the couple to death, Jack had entrusted Gibbs with the responsibility of keeping an eye on him. Unless Bill was clever enough to bribe the old fool with a few bottles of rum, which could easily be stolen from his personal store, he should have nothing to worry about.

He couldn't help thinking, though. How would Will react, if his father had really turned up? Surely not in the same manner in which his crew had responded when Jack had returned to the Pearl with someone else. Those who had recognized Bill had seemed a little surprised (Gibbs had choked on an especially large gulp of rum), but otherwise no one had dared to interrogate the captain about how a person presumed dead was back on the ship. After all, only Anamaria would have enough fiery courage to do so, and she had not known Bill. To the rest, he was just another pirate, and they had simply accepted him as part of the crew.

But for Will… for a son who had been left on his own to survive in a strange, harsh environment, who had never really received the love and care of a father for more than twenty years, acceptance wouldn't come as easily. After the initial shock, there would be anger, he'd expect. Or rejection. In any case Jack very much doubted Will would run into his father's arms with shining tears.

The dance ended. Jack watched as the couple drifted around the room, thanking well-wishers. A respectful bow, a charming smile; Will was turning into quite the refined gentleman. And the lad was most positively glowing. Jack frowned. How was he supposed to break the news to him? It was unfair, really, that the responsibility of conveying the message should fall to him, for this was such a sticky situation that no matter how gently or tactfully his words were phrased, the impact of the truth would be just as great, yet since it was expected of the messenger to, by some means unknown, soften the blow for the recipient, when the time came for the telling it would inevitably be he who would have to take the blame for failing to do so. Jack frowned some more.

His gaze wandered over to the long satin-draped table where the drinks were… and spotted a solitary figure — why, if it wasn't dear Commodore Norrington! Poor chap had naught but a glass of punch and that wig for company. Though of course, he could hardly be blamed for not being in the mood for festivities. Losing a woman you loved would not fall under the category of Things Worth Celebrating, would it? In fact, the man seemed to be taking things quite well, considering the circumstances.

The commodore's stance changed slightly, as though he was vaguely aware of being observed. Jack tensed, crouching lower and watching warily while Norrington casually scanned the hall… and suddenly looked right at his window, causing Jack to duck immediately. Damn the man! At present he was staring at nothing but a block of bricks inches away from his face, with no way at all of knowing whether or otherwise he had been discovered, blast it. The pirate did not trust the commodore enough to think that he wouldn't come sprinting out of the house with ten redcoats, adamant on locking him up in the gaol a third time. Jack scowled at the wall. He could run. Escaping was what Captain Jack did best. Except… nothing was happening. Jack silently counted to five. Brows knitting together, he slowly raised himself and peered in. The commodore was currently amongst his stiff, straight-backed officers, seemingly exchanging a few friendly words. Strange, thought Jack. Had he not been seen?

At the loud click of a door, he scurried behind a nearby tree. A shaft of yellow light was cast across the dark lawn, momentarily blocked as two figures exited, one closing the door shut. Only their silhouettes were visible to Jack, from which he could tell no more than the fact that one was a man and the other a woman.

"Jack!" The hushed whisper held a note of panic. Jack's jaw nearly dropped right to the ground when he recognized the voice. "Jack! Jack, come out!"

"Jack?" came the female's calmer voice.

When they received no more than silence for a reply, the lady started advancing towards the trees, which prompted Jack to reveal himself. Hitting a low branch out of his way and conscientiously adjusting his hat, he stepped out from behind the tree and looked up into the stunned faces of the couple.

"Oh, hello, Will, lovely Elizabeth," said Jack mildly, as though he was making a casual comment regarding the weather.

"Jack! What on earth—" Will was abruptly interrupted by Elizabeth grabbing the arms of both men and hurriedly leading them away from the mansion, towards a small, dilapidated hut some distance away. Not until the trio had reached the safety of the worn-down shelter did any of them speak.

"Do take care not to be so rough next time, love," Jack pointed out, rubbing his arm with a slightly reproachful look at her, who snorted in a most unladylike manner.

"You shouldn't be here, Jack!" exclaimed Will.

"What, even you don't fancy seeing me? Oh, that really hurt, Will." Jack responded by dramatically putting one hand over his chest and letting out a long-suffering sigh. Will opened his mouth to argue, but before he could explain how risky it was for the pirate to be present, Elizabeth cut in.

"Calm down, Will. Jack's going to be fine here."

To that, Jack nodded his head rather vigorously, saying with a rather sly grin, "Your wife is right, Will."

The delicate emphasis on the word achieved the effect that was intended. Will blushed a little, and more to avert the focus on him than anything else, he inquired, "How did you know about the wedding, Jack? We didn't…" He trailed off awkwardly when he realized what he was about to say.

"Send me any invitation?" taunted Jack, pausing to watch the lad's face redden some more before deciding to put him out of his apparent discomfort. "Relax, boy, I ain't gonna shoot you over that. And the news of your wedding was all over town and beyond, did you really think I wouldn't know?"

"Well then, I expect you would be wanting to offer us your congratulations, wouldn't you, Jack?" Elizabeth smirked.

"Ah." Jack's face lit up in comprehension. Pressing his palms together and inclining his head in customary fashion, he continued, "My utmost apologies, Mr and Mrs Turner. However, I assure you that you will forgive me for that modest oversight on my part, once," he raised both forefingers, "I present you with a most precious item. As a wedding gift."

"Oh. What have you brought for us, Jack?" Will asked.

For a fleeting instant Jack felt a sudden mad impulse to declare, "Your father! TADA!" so that he would no longer have to rack his poor brain any further to find some approach to the matter, except that a tiny, rational voice in his mind reminded him that that might not be the most appropriate of ways to deliver the information to the couple. Now that Will had grown more at ease, the lad could not stop beaming, and a soft radiance shone from Elizabeth's face. They seemed so happy. Perhaps it would be a little cruel to break the news now.

"Thing is," replied Jack, "the item in question is presently hidden in a certain secluded spot somewhere in the garden outside your father-in-law's grand mansion. So, shall I go get it, or will you two fancy a little treasure hunting yourselves?"

And so it was that the trio found themselves back on the grounds outside the governor's residence, Will and Elizabeth keeping a silent lookout while Jack rummaged around in the bushes. Then there was a triumphant shout of "Aha!", which, naturally, gave Will a near heart attack.

"Jack! Be quiet! Are you trying to get us all caught, you fool?" he hissed.

Jack raised a remonstrating finger as he sauntered over. "As I've already informed you, Will, you need to lighten up. And guess what I've found?" He held up a bottle of golden, swirling liquid.

"Rum? You're giving us rum?" Elizabeth looked incredulous.

"What else does it look like to you, dear Lizzie?"

"That's your 'most precious item', then? Rum!" Elizabeth's voice was rising by the minute. Will chose to step in before the situation got of hand, for they were certainly going to be discovered if he allowed them to get any louder. Placing a comforting arm around his spouse, he said firmly, "Elizabeth, please, calm down." Then, turning to shoot Jack a glare, he added, "What were you thinking, Jack?"

"But this is from Isla de Ron! They produce the finest rum in the world!" Jack protested.

"That does not erase the fact that rum is a vile drink which—"

"Rum is not vile!"

"It—"

Jack threw his arms up in frustration and thrust the bottle into Will's hands, stating in a conspiring whisper, "Hide it well."

"Jack!"

Briskly cutting Will's objection short, the pirate said, "I really should be getting back to me ship." Taking a few steps back, he made to leave but spun around in the last minute, asking, "Do you two happen to live together now?"

The couple appeared rather taken aback. It was Will who answered, after a short silence, "Yes, we're moving into a new house. It sits on the hill near my smithy."

"Your smithy, eh? Rather fast, boy, aren't you?" Jack grinned at him approvingly before continuing, "Well now. I better go before the dear Commodore comes out with a bunch of redcoats and arrests me."

"Actually, Jack," Elizabeth's voice had a biting edge to it. "It was James who informed us of your presence."

"That's a surprise," remarked Jack. "I expect I'll be paying you two a visit sometime soon."

And with that, he left. As the pirate captain disappeared into the shadows, a lazy voice floated back. "Nice dance, Will."

TBC

A/N: Been saving what I wanted to say for until the end of this chapter. I watched Pirates 2! And as much as I wanted to fall in love with this movie, I honestly found that it was a disappointment. I know usually you shouldn't expect too much from a sequel 'cause the first is always better, but after months and months of waiting and what with the whole record-breaking sales thing, I thought it couldn't be too bad, even if it wasn't as great as the first. But after I finally went to watch it, it left me feeling kinda empty. I didn't like it. Yeah, the element of humour was there, and it wouldn't be fair to say I didn't enjoy parts of the almost three-hour-long movie, but frankly, there was too much action. Lots of confusing, chaotic (and mostly morbid) scenes which were really unnecessary. The plot didn't pull together nicely. And it seemed like all the main characters have turned evil. I know they're supposed to be darker, but often I couldn't understand their actions. I didn't like what happened to Norrington, Will was okay, and I disliked Elizabeth towards the end, especially because of the kissing scene with Jack, which was gross, but I guess the main reason was that Jack wasn't likable anymore. He was rather charming in the first one, and you guys may not agree, but in this he seemed like a selfish jerk. Which made me sad, because he really was my favourite character, before this. He may not be a hero, but he wasn't supposed to send Will to his death! Still, I did enjoy parts of it, and when you watch the scenes separately, like in the trailer, or when they show you the behind-the-scenes stuff on tv, it's really quite fun to watch. So I think since this is more of a filler installment for the next movie than anything else, the third one would be much, much better. Hopefully.

Reviews, anyone?