* * * * * * * * * * * *
"They don't have to know." Jack Sparrow said, holding the blonde girl as she wept with guilt. "They never have to know." The sheets were still sticking to them, the blinds turned down so that the midday sun left bars of light over the couple.
"Will is the best husband I could ever have." Elizabeth said, truthfully. She wept softly. "But I feel so alone, Jack. So very alone. And I keep thinking about how small my life has become. I'm dying in this little town." She said, her shoulders shuddering. Jack gave her a rueful look. Tears he did not know how to fix.
"Look," He ran his hand through his hair. "What happened, it was two people in pain, two friends finding comfort." He said jaggedly. For once he didn't know what to say. He felt the sick feeling of betrayal sink into his stomach like bad rum.
"Oh, Jack, I don't know what's wrong with me. And now I've brought you into this whole mess, and I don't even know why you're upset, why you came here. I'm so selfish Jack. I've always been selfish." She pulled away from him, wrapping her naked arms around her raised knees, rocking slightly.
"Look how I used Norrington without a qualm, promising to marry him for my own bidding. I'm just some petty noble girl, expecting the entire Naval fleet to be at her beck and call, searching the ocean for me, saving me. Look how I used my father, and how I've treated Will.." She moaned, wiping her long hands across her face.
"It's okay love," He said, his arm on her bare shoulder, his eyes watching the ribs on her frail body pocking through her skin. "I don't judge you."
"I know. That's why when you came here, I felt, I don't know. Being around you makes it so much easier, just to be me. With Will, I feel like, oh god, how can say these things about him."
"Just say it love, there's no one here but you and me." He said comfortingly. She paused for a moment, her jagged breath becoming quieter.
"With Will, sometimes I feel like I have to be someone I'm not. Someone sweet and kind and perfect, when I'm none of those things. I feel like I'm living a lie Jack, and that one day he'll wake up and he'll hate me. And that there is nothing I can do about it."
"Oh, Lizzie, the boy's mad about you."
"But I don't even think he knows me." She whispered fearfully, wiping her eyes and pressing her frail from against Jack's. He patted her hair, his eyes closed.
"I'm sorry, Lizzie. I should have stopped this." He said.
"Jack, it's not your fault. We both did this." She kissed his temple. "Thank you for being here for me Jack." And something in Elizabeth broke, and she wept.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Will was whistling. He felt the heavy key to the blacksmiths in his pocket, banging against his leg. The sun was heavy in the sky, getting ready to rest. Will smiled happily.
He'd left the blacksmiths' early, because there was no knowing what amount of trouble Jack could get into in one day. Elizabeth was smart, but no one was smart enough to entertain a pirate with the concentration level of a very small hamster for an entire day.
Unless she'd done the cookie thing. Elizabeth could bake cookies all day and keep a man's attention.
Elizabeth and Will had spent the first three days in their house christening every room, and baking cookies. Thank god no one had been watching them, because even Will hadn't been able to look respectful covered in chocolate chips on the bathroom floor.
He nodded at a few of the people on the street, his huge hat resting heavily on his head. He remembered going out to buy the hat. It had been to make some kind of gesture, an acceptance. Or maybe it had just been a stupid boy buying a stupid hat. Still, even though he'd now resigned to being a blacksmith, he kept the hat. It made him feel like he was honouring the father he'd never really known.
The house was dark, lacking servants because Will had sent them away on Jack's arrival. Will unlocked the light wooden front door, which swung open with polished ease. The living room and the dining room were empty; the big windows that showed the sea wide open. The wind blew the white curtains, and rustled the tapestry on the wall. Will made for them in three quick steps, a frown on his face.
The courtyard was also empty, and a cup of cold coffee rested on the dining room table. Will noticed all these things, the way that one candlestick was missing, the overturned cushions on the couch. He looked perplexed, and darted to the kitchen.
Something crunched underfoot. Will gazed down at the broken cookie, crushed into his new boots. The floor was covered in them, and they had gone from soft chewy brown to crunchy, as they had cooled. Will noticed Jack's headscarf, discarded on the kitchen floor, and picked it up. He was starting to panic.
Something caught the corner of his eye. A strip of Elizabeth's gown, caught on a nail on the kitchen table. He picked it up carefully, a mixture of sorrow and fear in his eyes. The green fabric slipped from beneath his fingers, falling to the floor. He bent down to pick it up, and then dashed upstairs.
His footsteps were heavy on the stairs, the new wood of the house sighing under the pressure. He ran his hand along the whitewashed walls, leaving stains from the blacksmith's anvil, but he did not care. Empty, empty, all these rooms empty. He made for the master bedroom, hoping Elizabeth was asleep, or the Jack had passed out in a drunken stupor and Elizabeth was at the shops.
Please let them be there, he prayed. Please let them be safe.
Nothing, nothing could have prepared him for the sight he saw.
To find your wife in bed with a pirate is one thing but to have her cheat on you in your bed with a man you loved and trusted with your life is infinitely worse.
If you had told Will a moment ago what lay on the other side of that door, he would not have believed you. Will was the honest type; this kind of infidelity did not even ever cross the mind of an honest person.
Jack lay wrapped around Elizabeth. Both of them were on their sides, facing Will. Elizabeth's breasts were bare and white in the four o'clock afternoon; her hair curled over one shoulder and cascading down her neck. Jack's arm lay draped over her waist, his lips moving fast against her ear, whispering words. His other hand stroked her hair lovingly, his naked chest pressed against her back. The sheet lay around the two of them, resting indecently just below Elizabeth's waist so that the barest beginning's of a pale snail trail could be seen climbing to her belly button.
Will felt as though his heart had dropped to his knees, and his body shook slightly with disbelief. His mouth went dry, and it was as though a black cloud had fallen into his body and was tearing every piece of him apart. He took in a sharp breath, his face contorting with confusion and exquisite pain.
A sob escaped him, one tiny noise. The other two's eyes snapped up, and Will didn't know what was worse. The picture of them in bed together, or the look in Elizabeth's eyes. Elizabeth sat up, her beautiful eyes widening with distress. She pulled the blanket up over her body guilty. Jack rolled over onto his back, closing his eyes with disbelieve.
"Fuck," Jack Sparrow whispered, which sounded like a gunshot in the desolated room. Elizabeth gave him a look with was almost disgust. Disgusted with herself.
Revulsion filled Will. How could she let that pirate touch her?
"I'll kill him." Will said, drawing his blade clumsily. "I'll tear him to pieces."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"No you won't." Elizabeth said simply. She stood up, pulling the sheet with her, revealing more of Jack Sparrow to Will then the blacksmith would have liked. She bent down, carefully not to let the sheet fall, and tossed Jack his pants. Jack pulled them over his legs, still lying on the bed, his back arching as he did the buckle up.
"How could you?" Will spat angrily. "How could you do.. With him? I'll kill him." He repeated with a shake of the head, making as though to attack. Elizabeth stepped in his way, placing her hand on his hand.
"No you won't. I said a long time ago that my place was between you and Jack. And I was right. It still is." She gave him a long look. "You'll have to kill me first Will." Will looked into her brown eyes, the woman he'd worshiped with his being for so many years. He raised his blade as though to strike her. She flinched, raising her chin slightly to steel herself from the blow.
The blade clanged to the floor, and Will's face crumpled. He raised a hand, and slapped her hard across the face. She nearly fell, the blood rushing to her head, her entire body reeling sideways with the force of the blow.
"Bitch." He spat. Then he looked at her, at the tear streaks on her face, the crumpled hair and the bruises forming around her wrist from when Jack had, no he couldn't think about it.
Jack swung his legs of the bed, running his hands through his hair.
"Look, mate, it was just..." He started.
"Shut up, for once shut the fuck up you mangy cur." Will's voice rang out. "I can't even look at you." He said, his words directed at Elizabeth. "How could you take that pirate to your bed? Did treat you well Elizabeth, nice and rough when he was.."
"Don't," Elizabeth held up a hand. "Don't Will, don't say these things. You don't understand."
"And he does? How can he understand you more then I do?" Will said jaggedly. Jack Sparrow stood awkwardly, his head hung in shame. He'd never truly betrayed anyone before. Not like this.
"Will," Elizabeth said, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. She put her hand to his face, her thumb tracing the trail of a teardrop. "Will, I'm so sorry."
Will bite his lip, another tear dripping down his face. Then he clenched his fist, and punched Elizabeth in the face, which sent her reeling to the floor this time. Jack Sparrow jumped to her side but she shook him off, holding her cheek. A dark scarlet mark appeared around her eye. She looked up at Will, he took his ring of his finger and tossed it on the ground before her.
"Take your gold, Miss Swann." Will pronounced angrily, and turned, striding out of the room.
Elizabeth reached forward, grabbing the ring, and got shakily to her feet. She pulled on her nightdress and made to follow Will.
"Liz," Jack said, doubt in his eyes. She turned and gave him a look as though she didn't know him. Jack backed away, sitting down on the bed and hanging his head between his knees.
Elizabeth made her wavering down the darkening corridor.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Angry. Not a happy chapter. I had a shitty day and got a bloody 100 dollar fine for not having a concession card, so sorry, I might have taken it out a bit on Jack. Please read and review, reviews are seriously the only thing getting me through this crappy week.
"They don't have to know." Jack Sparrow said, holding the blonde girl as she wept with guilt. "They never have to know." The sheets were still sticking to them, the blinds turned down so that the midday sun left bars of light over the couple.
"Will is the best husband I could ever have." Elizabeth said, truthfully. She wept softly. "But I feel so alone, Jack. So very alone. And I keep thinking about how small my life has become. I'm dying in this little town." She said, her shoulders shuddering. Jack gave her a rueful look. Tears he did not know how to fix.
"Look," He ran his hand through his hair. "What happened, it was two people in pain, two friends finding comfort." He said jaggedly. For once he didn't know what to say. He felt the sick feeling of betrayal sink into his stomach like bad rum.
"Oh, Jack, I don't know what's wrong with me. And now I've brought you into this whole mess, and I don't even know why you're upset, why you came here. I'm so selfish Jack. I've always been selfish." She pulled away from him, wrapping her naked arms around her raised knees, rocking slightly.
"Look how I used Norrington without a qualm, promising to marry him for my own bidding. I'm just some petty noble girl, expecting the entire Naval fleet to be at her beck and call, searching the ocean for me, saving me. Look how I used my father, and how I've treated Will.." She moaned, wiping her long hands across her face.
"It's okay love," He said, his arm on her bare shoulder, his eyes watching the ribs on her frail body pocking through her skin. "I don't judge you."
"I know. That's why when you came here, I felt, I don't know. Being around you makes it so much easier, just to be me. With Will, I feel like, oh god, how can say these things about him."
"Just say it love, there's no one here but you and me." He said comfortingly. She paused for a moment, her jagged breath becoming quieter.
"With Will, sometimes I feel like I have to be someone I'm not. Someone sweet and kind and perfect, when I'm none of those things. I feel like I'm living a lie Jack, and that one day he'll wake up and he'll hate me. And that there is nothing I can do about it."
"Oh, Lizzie, the boy's mad about you."
"But I don't even think he knows me." She whispered fearfully, wiping her eyes and pressing her frail from against Jack's. He patted her hair, his eyes closed.
"I'm sorry, Lizzie. I should have stopped this." He said.
"Jack, it's not your fault. We both did this." She kissed his temple. "Thank you for being here for me Jack." And something in Elizabeth broke, and she wept.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Will was whistling. He felt the heavy key to the blacksmiths in his pocket, banging against his leg. The sun was heavy in the sky, getting ready to rest. Will smiled happily.
He'd left the blacksmiths' early, because there was no knowing what amount of trouble Jack could get into in one day. Elizabeth was smart, but no one was smart enough to entertain a pirate with the concentration level of a very small hamster for an entire day.
Unless she'd done the cookie thing. Elizabeth could bake cookies all day and keep a man's attention.
Elizabeth and Will had spent the first three days in their house christening every room, and baking cookies. Thank god no one had been watching them, because even Will hadn't been able to look respectful covered in chocolate chips on the bathroom floor.
He nodded at a few of the people on the street, his huge hat resting heavily on his head. He remembered going out to buy the hat. It had been to make some kind of gesture, an acceptance. Or maybe it had just been a stupid boy buying a stupid hat. Still, even though he'd now resigned to being a blacksmith, he kept the hat. It made him feel like he was honouring the father he'd never really known.
The house was dark, lacking servants because Will had sent them away on Jack's arrival. Will unlocked the light wooden front door, which swung open with polished ease. The living room and the dining room were empty; the big windows that showed the sea wide open. The wind blew the white curtains, and rustled the tapestry on the wall. Will made for them in three quick steps, a frown on his face.
The courtyard was also empty, and a cup of cold coffee rested on the dining room table. Will noticed all these things, the way that one candlestick was missing, the overturned cushions on the couch. He looked perplexed, and darted to the kitchen.
Something crunched underfoot. Will gazed down at the broken cookie, crushed into his new boots. The floor was covered in them, and they had gone from soft chewy brown to crunchy, as they had cooled. Will noticed Jack's headscarf, discarded on the kitchen floor, and picked it up. He was starting to panic.
Something caught the corner of his eye. A strip of Elizabeth's gown, caught on a nail on the kitchen table. He picked it up carefully, a mixture of sorrow and fear in his eyes. The green fabric slipped from beneath his fingers, falling to the floor. He bent down to pick it up, and then dashed upstairs.
His footsteps were heavy on the stairs, the new wood of the house sighing under the pressure. He ran his hand along the whitewashed walls, leaving stains from the blacksmith's anvil, but he did not care. Empty, empty, all these rooms empty. He made for the master bedroom, hoping Elizabeth was asleep, or the Jack had passed out in a drunken stupor and Elizabeth was at the shops.
Please let them be there, he prayed. Please let them be safe.
Nothing, nothing could have prepared him for the sight he saw.
To find your wife in bed with a pirate is one thing but to have her cheat on you in your bed with a man you loved and trusted with your life is infinitely worse.
If you had told Will a moment ago what lay on the other side of that door, he would not have believed you. Will was the honest type; this kind of infidelity did not even ever cross the mind of an honest person.
Jack lay wrapped around Elizabeth. Both of them were on their sides, facing Will. Elizabeth's breasts were bare and white in the four o'clock afternoon; her hair curled over one shoulder and cascading down her neck. Jack's arm lay draped over her waist, his lips moving fast against her ear, whispering words. His other hand stroked her hair lovingly, his naked chest pressed against her back. The sheet lay around the two of them, resting indecently just below Elizabeth's waist so that the barest beginning's of a pale snail trail could be seen climbing to her belly button.
Will felt as though his heart had dropped to his knees, and his body shook slightly with disbelief. His mouth went dry, and it was as though a black cloud had fallen into his body and was tearing every piece of him apart. He took in a sharp breath, his face contorting with confusion and exquisite pain.
A sob escaped him, one tiny noise. The other two's eyes snapped up, and Will didn't know what was worse. The picture of them in bed together, or the look in Elizabeth's eyes. Elizabeth sat up, her beautiful eyes widening with distress. She pulled the blanket up over her body guilty. Jack rolled over onto his back, closing his eyes with disbelieve.
"Fuck," Jack Sparrow whispered, which sounded like a gunshot in the desolated room. Elizabeth gave him a look with was almost disgust. Disgusted with herself.
Revulsion filled Will. How could she let that pirate touch her?
"I'll kill him." Will said, drawing his blade clumsily. "I'll tear him to pieces."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"No you won't." Elizabeth said simply. She stood up, pulling the sheet with her, revealing more of Jack Sparrow to Will then the blacksmith would have liked. She bent down, carefully not to let the sheet fall, and tossed Jack his pants. Jack pulled them over his legs, still lying on the bed, his back arching as he did the buckle up.
"How could you?" Will spat angrily. "How could you do.. With him? I'll kill him." He repeated with a shake of the head, making as though to attack. Elizabeth stepped in his way, placing her hand on his hand.
"No you won't. I said a long time ago that my place was between you and Jack. And I was right. It still is." She gave him a long look. "You'll have to kill me first Will." Will looked into her brown eyes, the woman he'd worshiped with his being for so many years. He raised his blade as though to strike her. She flinched, raising her chin slightly to steel herself from the blow.
The blade clanged to the floor, and Will's face crumpled. He raised a hand, and slapped her hard across the face. She nearly fell, the blood rushing to her head, her entire body reeling sideways with the force of the blow.
"Bitch." He spat. Then he looked at her, at the tear streaks on her face, the crumpled hair and the bruises forming around her wrist from when Jack had, no he couldn't think about it.
Jack swung his legs of the bed, running his hands through his hair.
"Look, mate, it was just..." He started.
"Shut up, for once shut the fuck up you mangy cur." Will's voice rang out. "I can't even look at you." He said, his words directed at Elizabeth. "How could you take that pirate to your bed? Did treat you well Elizabeth, nice and rough when he was.."
"Don't," Elizabeth held up a hand. "Don't Will, don't say these things. You don't understand."
"And he does? How can he understand you more then I do?" Will said jaggedly. Jack Sparrow stood awkwardly, his head hung in shame. He'd never truly betrayed anyone before. Not like this.
"Will," Elizabeth said, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. She put her hand to his face, her thumb tracing the trail of a teardrop. "Will, I'm so sorry."
Will bite his lip, another tear dripping down his face. Then he clenched his fist, and punched Elizabeth in the face, which sent her reeling to the floor this time. Jack Sparrow jumped to her side but she shook him off, holding her cheek. A dark scarlet mark appeared around her eye. She looked up at Will, he took his ring of his finger and tossed it on the ground before her.
"Take your gold, Miss Swann." Will pronounced angrily, and turned, striding out of the room.
Elizabeth reached forward, grabbing the ring, and got shakily to her feet. She pulled on her nightdress and made to follow Will.
"Liz," Jack said, doubt in his eyes. She turned and gave him a look as though she didn't know him. Jack backed away, sitting down on the bed and hanging his head between his knees.
Elizabeth made her wavering down the darkening corridor.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Angry. Not a happy chapter. I had a shitty day and got a bloody 100 dollar fine for not having a concession card, so sorry, I might have taken it out a bit on Jack. Please read and review, reviews are seriously the only thing getting me through this crappy week.
