Disclaimer: I do not own PotC

Chapter 10- The Vindication of Truth

My warning to Edward did not go unheeded; hours later he apologized to Jack. Whether my fiancé truly meant it or whether Jack truly forgave him were other matters entirely, but when Edward came to bed that night, it was clear things between us remained strained. My fiancé would hardly meet my eyes whenever we did manage to make conversation.

"Emily," Edward's voice broke the black silence of our room.

I turned to look at him from my position at the dresser table where I was untangling my hair, preparing for bed. "It wasn't just Mr Sparrow I needed to apologise to," Edward said. "I believe I also owe you an apology."

Finding I had no reply to that, I glanced down, sensing the awkwardness of the situation. "You were right, of course. I should not have hit him," Edward shrugged helplessly. "With everything he has dragged us into lately, I just lost my temper."

I gave a small nod of agreement. "I'd never known you to be like that before," I said quietly.

"It's relatively hard to stay sane around a man like Jack Sparrow," Edward answered.

"Captain Jack Sparrow," I corrected subconsciously, having heard the pirate Captain inform the unaware of his title on numerous occasions.

Edward sighed. "I've tried to like the man, for your sake, Emily," he told me. "But it's next to impossible."

I shook my head. "I don't expect you to like Jack, Edward. Just tolerate him," I replied, before adding. "At least until we arrive in Italy."

Edward ran a hand over his face, looking tired. "How long will that be?"

"Approximately two weeks," I said, sliding into bed and under the covers.

Edward soon joined me and when the candles, which had given off a faint light in the gloom, had been blown out, I rolled over onto my side to face away from my fiancé. Two weeks. Despite my strong words and the concern about the health of my Mother, two weeks seemed such little time. True enough, I had already spent over a month aboard The Black Pearl. However, when I had embarked on this voyage, I had been dreading spending time with Jack and could hardly wait for it to be over. Now though, something had changed.

When it occurred and what it was exactly, I couldn't be sure, but one thing was certain; it was coming between mine and Edward's relationship. Or perhaps, it had always been there. When I had met Edward, there was a wall between us that could not be overcome so easily. I had experienced a great deal of freedom when I was with Jack, but in the upper class society, that liberty had nearly completely been removed from me. With great difficulty on my behalf, I gave that freedom away to find contentment in a stable courtship and in the hope of erasing all memories of Jack's unfaithfulness.

Now it appeared that was all in vain. Tasting independence aboard Jack's ship had rekindled my love of the high seas and now Edward and I were back to where we started. Closing my eyes, I took in a deep, relaxing breath, convincing myself that my plans to marry Edward would remain unchanged.

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That night, I was haunted by visions of Tortuga. My dreams warned me that I had been wrong in accusing Jack of betraying me; but it was merely a dream, wasn't it? The very idea that it might be true was implausible and I refused to believe that I could have made such a grave mistake.

The vision plagued me throughout the day and the following night, and every time I saw Jack, I fought the urge to inquire about our night in The Faithful Bride tavern. Edward, meanwhile, was attempting to prove that the feud between himself and Jack was well and truly behind them, regardless of the faint bruise over Jack's eye that stayed as a reminder.

"So tell me," my fiancé asked the pirate Captain after we had finished our meal for the evening. "Have you found yourself a woman yet?"

Jack and I exchanged glances. I'd never told Edward the reason I had left Jack, only that things had not been working. At this particular moment, I very much wished I had. "Plenty," Jack answered with a cheeky grin.

I lowered my eyes to the table, not wanting to see him look so pleased about that fact. Edward managed to conceal his disgust at the behaviour of pirates when he tried again, "No one special then, Mr Sparrow?"

"It's a fine goal, to be sure. But what sort of man would want only one?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

I glanced up at him to pull a face. "One who does not need to buy the affections of every woman he meets," I supplied with distaste.

Jack winced, scanned the galley before standing up and saying, "I'll jus' get me coat."

He was, of course, wearing said coat, which completely stumped my fiancé. "He'll get his coat?" Edward asked me, perplexed.

I laughed, staring after Jack's retreating back. "That's Jack's way of avoiding a situation he doesn't like," I explained, knowing the pirate Captain would not return to finish the conversation.

Despite endeavouring to act as though everything was fine between us, Edward and I sat in reflective silence after Jack left. I wished he would return if only to distract us from the uncomfortable stillness that now filled his place. I knew the cause behind the disquiet; Edward, contrary to his apology, still held Jack in disregard and I could not forgive my fiancé's actions as easily as he hoped.

Hours later, we headed off to bed, the uneasiness only appearing to deepen. I desperately wanted to heal the rift, and before climbing into bed, we shared a brief kiss, offering a show of affection. Regrettably, this was without any true conviction.

------

Restless sleep and wild dreams pursued me for a third night in a row, until at last I pushed back the sheets and placing my bare feet on the cool floorboards, stood. Ensuring I did not wake Edward, I wrapped my dressing gown around me and silently padded out of the room. Then I headed for the one person whom I hoped could give me the answers I needed.

I knocked quietly on Jack's cabin door. Once…twice. On the third, insisting knock, it swung open. "Emily," Jack said, but not in question as to why I had come to visit him at this time of the night.

His dark, chocolate eyes looked heavy with fatigue and I wondered if perhaps, he too, had been having trouble sleeping. "May I come in?" I asked.

"Actually, Em," Jack ran his forefinger across his mouth. "I'm incredibly tired. Apologies."

While I could easily see how exhausted he was, I got the distinct impression he knew why I was here and was anxious to evade the discussion. "So am I," I ducked past him and into the room. "Which is why I've come."

Clasping his hands together in an imitation of one about to pray, he pressed his fingertips to his chin. Jack was nervous, I realised. "Darlin'," he pleaded with me. "I'm in the middle of somethin' important. Savvy?"

"I thought you were going to bed?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Only if ye were planning on joinin' me onesies, which is, unfortunately, highly unlikely," Jack stated looking forlorn.

I ignored the comment. "You're not at the helm tonight?" I asked, knowing Jack normally commandeered his ship alone under the moonlight.

"On my way there now, love," he said, pulling the door further open and hurrying out onto the deck.

I watched as he began to make haste towards the helm before swiftly following his drunken swagger out of the cabin. "Is it true?" I called after him.

Jack froze. Even with his back to me I knew a thousands thoughts were passing through his mind. Slowly, he turned around to face me. The pirate Captain didn't require any more information from me; he knew what it was I was asking. The bright moonlight cast shadows across his features as Jack studied me. "Jack, I need to know," I went on quietly.

The dreams I'd been having were so vivid, so real. The tavern brawls, the bar maid, Madison and the drinks she had drugged; but the visions had not stopped there. There had been flashbacks of Jack and I…together; So close I could feel his warm breath and the taste of his mouth even in my memories. Had any of it been real? It was much too blurry to distinguish between reality and the truth. While I dreaded it, Jack's confirmation was all I needed to hear.

"Aye," he answered. "Tis true."

I closed my eyes, the veracity piercing me. The ground was swallowing me whole much as it had the night I'd found Jack with Madison. Only this time, I was being devoured by my own shame and guilt. Jack had taken me to Tortuga, not to force me to endure my previous hurt, but to prove his innocence. In my naivety, I had drunk so much I nearly missed the purpose entirely. Yet now the truth was clear.

It took me some time before I could find my voice and open my eyes to meet his. "Why didn't you tell me this?"

"Ye ran off," Jack said.

"You should have come after me."

"I tried, love," he returned, and I knew he spoke the truth.

The day after the incident, I'd watched him searching for me from a safe distance. I had made certain I was not found. "You should have tried harder," I returned feebly, desperately wanting to lessen the blame on myself.

"Ye should 'ave trusted me."

"I did," I insisted, fighting to stay strong and hold back the all-consuming sorrow. "I do. After all the stories of your infamous ways with women, most, you'd told me yourself, what was I supposed to think Jack?"

"If ye'd stopped to ask instead of running off-"

I gave a short, disbelieving laugh. "You were in bed with another woman and I'm supposed to stop and ask why?"

Jack shrugged. "Couldn't 'ave done any harm, love."

I ran a hand over my face, attempting to remove any signs of grief that may be giving me away. My throat was tight and my hands shaking. The conclusions I had drawn from seeing Jack in Tortuga that night had completely changed the course of my life. Would Jack and I have still been together? Would I have ever met Edward? The answers to these questions were impossible for me to comprehend.

The gold band around my fourth finger would now be a permanent reminder of an engagement to a man I may otherwise have never chosen to betroth myself to. I stared hard at Jack, searching his impenetrable eyes to discover what he thought of me. To my constant frustration, he was exceptionally good at hiding his emotions.

My mind was numb as I tried to find the right words to express the lament that caused each aching beat of my heart. Unshed tears stung my eyes as I stared back at Jack. After my foolishness, there was only one conclusion I could draw from this. "You must hate me," I managed, my voice wavering.

Jack tilted his head to the side, his expression unreadable. Agonizingly slowly, Jack swaggered towards me. "Accordin' to The Pirates' Code, marooners are ne'ver to be forgiven," Jack informed me quietly while he approached. 'Course, ye 'ave to be a pirate for the pirate code to apply."

Jack stopped short of me and I swallowed back the lump in my throat as his hand reached up and rough, familiar fingers gently brushed my cheek. " 'm glad ye not a pirate, darlin'."

A rush of relief washed over me and unabashedly I buried my face in his shirt, further staining it with tears. No more words were said as Jack's arms wrapped securely around me, providing the comfort I needed.

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter was a bit slow, but it kinda needed to be :) I hope you liked it anyway and another big thankyou to those who reviewed!