"Jack!" the boy screamed excitedly.
"Aye lad?" Jack asked amused.
"That's our island!" he was informed.
"I know that's your island" Jack smiled. "Before you know it you'll be home again"
"Mom says you'll stay for awhile"
"I thought I might" Jack confirmed. "If that's okay with you?"
"Yes!" the kid assured him. "I don't really want you to leave"
"Well, what about I promise to come visit from time to time, eh?" Jack offered. "Deal?"
"Deal" his namesake nodded before taking off.
"He's just as crazy about you as his mother was in that age" Elizabeth laughed as she joined him.
"Nice to see he has your eye for talent luv" Jack smirked teasingly.
"Jack?"
"Aye darling" Jack acknowledged.
"Do you ever regret meeting me? Do you ever regret everything that went down between the two of us?" she wondered softly.
"I may regret a lot of things, but you will never be amongst those things" Jack told her. "I don't regret a single moment I spend with you, a single sacrifice I made for you… and I never will"
"But I chose Will…." She trailed off.
"Lizzie" Jack cut her off and she looked at him. "Has he loved you and made you happy all of these years?"
"He has" she assured him.
"Then I'm happy for you" Jack stated simply. "That's all I ever wanted for you. And don't worry about me, I've been doing quit well for myself"
"I know you have" she smiled. "I've been trying to keep tracks of your adventures whenever I had the chance. Sounds like you've been busy"
"That I have" Jack grinned. "Been quite interesting having my freedom back, not having to worry about my enemies coming to kill me… Well, I suppose there's still people who might try should they see me again, but still. And my father… let's just say he's an interesting person to have back in my life"
"He seems like a good man" Elizabeth commented.
"Oh, he is" Jack agreed. "He's taught me a lot about life and how to live it. I believe it was him who taught me the importance of doing the right thing"
"How did he do that?" Elizabeth asked in disbelief.
"By telling me about the flaw in my plan to gain immortality" Jack smiled. "How did it go again? Oh yeah, something like: 'It's not just about living forever Jackie. The trick is living with yourself forever' or something to that effect"
"That's very sweet and true" Elizabeth said softly. "But 'Jackie'?"
Jack laughed and nodded his head in understanding. His nickname had never been a favorite of his, but seeing as his father insisted in using it he had come to accept it. He had almost forgotten that Elizabeth had never heard it before.
"Yes, now you know that about me too" he grinned.
"I like it" Elizabeth told him gently. "It's very you. Jackie and Lizzie, what a pair right?"
"Jackie and Lizzie" Jack chuckled. "Well, I suppose it does have a nice ring to it"
"But not very helpful when trying to strike fear into the hearts of our enemies I'd imagine" Elizabeth carried on.
"Probably not" Jack agreed. "But we have our reputations and our actual names and titles when that need arises, so we should be okay".
"So I can call you Jackie?" Elizabeth asked amused.
"Not if you have any desire to be alive tomorrow" Jack warned her with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Whatever you say Jackie" Elizabeth bowed mockingly.
Jack smiled as their eyes met and her teasing stopped. Jack's breath caught in his throat at the tenderness in her eyes, a tenderness he knew was reflected in his own. He was just about to get closer to her when he was interrupted by Gibbs.
"Captain, we're making port" he was informed.
"Thank you Mr. Gibbs" Jack nodded. "I'll be there shortly"
"Aye Captain" Gibbs saluted before leaving them alone again.
Jack sighed and shook his head to get himself under control. He had been just about to make a huge mistake, and he knew he owed Gibbs a huge favor for stopping him. He met her eyes and put on a smile once again.
"Well luv, you're home again" he informed her.
"Yes I am" she confirmed.
"Let's go, shall we?" he motioned.
"Let's go" she nodded and turned. "Jack" she called for her son.
"He's here Miss Elizabeth" Gibbs called.
Jack followed Elizabeth off the ship and took in the surroundings. He had to admit that it was a beautiful island, and he could definitely understand its appeal, but he still had trouble seeing Elizabeth living there year after year and being completely happy about it. She had always been too fierce, too uncontrollable, too independent, too adventurous and too passionate for that kind of life.
"What was that luv?" he asked when he realizes that she had been speaking to him.
"I said come home with us" Elizabeth repeated. "We have a guestroom where you can sleep, and tomorrow I will show you around"
Jack knew he should say no, but he couldn't find it in him to do so. That was the reason he hadn't visited her for so many years, because he knew that he would never stop coming back if he saw her again. He had always known there would be no such thing as 'just one visit' if he opened himself up to her again.
"Sure Lizzie" he caved in. "Sounds like fun"