A/N: As promised, another scene for you today. This one got a little sad and serious... Hope thats okay with you!

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

D is for... Dress

For months she had lived in clothes that were all but meant for men, but today was different, as Elizabeth emerged from the Captain's cabin, much to the surprise of her crew, wearing the only dress she had onboard.

No-one was willing to question her outfit, nor why she sat alone at a gap in the railings around the edge of the ship, looking out to sea in silence, or even why today she had decided that she needed to drink her way through several bottles of rum.

Of course, eventually, her strange behaviour got the better of one crew member.

"Not that you don't look lovely, Lizzie, but does the dress serve a certain purpose on this particular day?" asked Jack as he came to sit beside her, uninvited.

"No" she answered sharply, entirely on reflex, immediately changing her mind with a heavy-hearted sigh "Yes" she admitted, putting the rum bottle back to her lips for another drag.

Jack picked the vessel from her hand the very next moment, and though she looked as if she might protest, she never actually bothered as she watched him take a drink.

He was waiting for her explanation, but he wasn't going to ask again.

"It would be... It is" she corrected herself, "It is my father's birthday" she smiled a sad smile, "I just thought I should look more as he would remember me... Does that sound foolish?" she asked, bringing her eyes from the ocean to look at Jack.

"Not a bit, luv" he assured her, "but y'know, I reckon whatever you wear and whatever you did or do, old Governor Swann would be proud as punch to have you for a daughter. You're a hell of a woman, Elizabeth, and he knew that" he told her sincerely as he had ever said anything, as far as she could tell.

Tears welled in her eyes, partly from the memories of her poor dear father, but just as much from hearing those kindly spoken words from a man she could honestly call a friend these days.

"Thank you, Jack" she said in all but a whisper as she leaned into him a little.

Whilst it occurred to him that he was close as ever to Lizzie right now, the dress a stark reminder of her womanly curves and charms, he didn't make any moves that might be all too correctly construed.

Jack just put a comforting arm around her shoulders and held her close for as long as she needed - it was nice to be needed, he'd come to find, and not so very difficult to realise that perhaps he needed her too.