A/N: Yup, I'm still here. Sorry for the huge delay - here's a new chapter at last!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
10. J is for Jealousy
It was a ridiculous notion, if not completely unfounded. Elizabeth had really never thought of herself as the jealous type, not in any way at all.
When she and Jack formed an alliance, she was well aware that he was fickle and predisposed to wandering, if not any other part of him but his eyes.
There were women aplenty that had been charmed by Captain Jack Sparrow, she was certain, though he perhaps had embellished on his many encounters as he was want to do with all things.
Still, when they became all but wed, Elizabeth had trusted in Jack to leave go his infidelities and habits with any local wench or women of disrepute that came his way. He was faithful, as ridiculous a notion as that might seem to anyone who knew him before, or had yet to meet his good lady wife.
No, there was never a time when Elizabeth felt jealous of a woman, and never a time when she was jealous of Jack, despite the fact the crew clearly paid more heed to his orders than her own.
They were both Captains, and her the Pirate King, she could almost out-rank her husband in that respect, but she never did try. He saw her as an equal and it was all that mattered where status was concerned - she never cared the men would always look to him over her, it suited her just fine.
All these people for which Elizabeth found no jealousy at all, and yet a green-eyed monster still dwelled within, one she was entirely ashamed to realise she possessed.
If anyone had accused her of such a thing, she would deny it to her last breath, and yet it was as true as ever anything had been. There were times when she was jealous of one simple relationship aboard ship, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not make that feeling go away.
Jack and Annabella were so very close, she was clearly going to be Daddy's girl before ever her Mother's angel.
Of course, this was petty jealousy and one that Elizabeth would not allow to rule her, besides, there were times aplenty in the future when Bella was bound to be all too glad of the single female presence aboard the ship.
Let Jack enjoy his time being the centre of his daughter's universe, she would pack away that spark of jealousy, not allowing it to burn into a fire, not least because she loved her darling husband and child too much to ever suspect them of hurting her deliberately.
Besides, Elizabeth knew that, come her teenage years, Bella was bound to find all men ignorant and repulsive in many ways, and only a mother's love, support, and shoulder to cry on would do.