Chapter Twenty
"Damn it, Tom!" Beatrice swore, glaring at the bartender.
"Not my job to be lookin' out for your man." Tom said, effortlessly ducking a bottle as it hit the wall behind him. He was used to fights and flying objects being thrown throughout the bar. It was almost a nightly event.
Beatrice, not as used to the fights, used a tray to block and swat at everything. She caught sight of James in the middle of the onslaught; sword fighting like it was some great battle. Looking over head she tried to spot the source of James's anger. He was making his getaway. Narrowing her eyes she sent Tom one last glare.
"I blame you." Throwing the tray at him she hurried after Jack and Gibbs. She spared another glance in James's direction, pausing in the doorway, but turned away and left without a second thought.
"Jack!" Beatrice called.
Jack paused, pivoted, saw her heading for him, and continued on. "No time to chat, love, I'll be leavin' now."
"Already?" She asked surprised, catching up to him and Gibbs. "But you only just got here." Her stomach jumped and twisted.
"Disappointing I know. I was quite looking forward to …catching up." He gave her a once over and she felt her face heat up.
"Why such the hasty retreat, because of James?" She raised an eyebrow. "Running away Jack?"
He stopped at gave her a narrowed eyed look. She held eye contact, smirking. After a moment he grinned. "It's what I'm best at, love."
She frowned. "Jack you know that's not true."
"Funny thing, truth, no one knows exactly what it is." He nodded to Gibbs and they were walking again, Beatrice following.
"That may be true, but you don't have to run away every time."
"Beatrice, if you wish to join the crew all you have to do is ask."
"What?" She shook her head. "No, I don't want to join the crew."
"And what do you want?" Jack asked. They reached the docks and Gibbs went on ahead while Jack stopped and turned to her. "What do you really want?"
She looked surprised. "Well I…That's a very broad question, there are a lot of things I want."
He took a step closer. "Yes, but what do you want most?"
Her throat felt dry. "I-I don't know."
There was a look in his eyes that consumed her. "What if I told you, that I had a way for you to find out…What would you say to that, eh?" The temperature seemed to rise at his closeness.
She tried to brush off her anxiously feelings. "Jack, if this is one of your tricks to get me to do what you want, then you should forget it."
"No trick." He said, lifting his hands and backing up. The air around her suddenly became chill. "I merely wish to assist you."
"And how, would you go about that, hmm? I suppose the best place to find this out would be your cabin?"
"Why that is a fine idea." He said happily.
She hit him. "Jack Sparrow you…you poor excuse of a man. Do you really think you're so wonderful that you are what I want most?"
He smiled, it almost looked mocking. His eyes glinted and he moved towards her again, a hand running down her arm. She shivered and looked up at him, her stomach clenching. "I don't think that love, I know."
She cleared her throat and met his gaze defiantly. "And how would you know something like that when we haven't seen each other in months?"
"Time's a strange thing Beatrice, it can ruin, or in this case, strengthen ones longing." He said heatedly.
She laughed, stepping away. "You're crazy Jack."
He straightened. "Maybe so, but I'm the one with the knowledge."
"You know nothing."
He turned from her and onto the docks. "We'll see, love."
"No we will not!" She said annoyed, her face flustered. She followed after him. "Because there is nothing to see and nothing ever to see."
"Whatever you say." Jack said. "Mr. Gibbs!"
"Aye Captain?" Gibbs responded immediately, turning away from a crate of apples.
"Are all supplies accounted for?"
Gibbs nodded. "Aye sir."
"Good, let us be goin' aboard then."
"Do we have a heading, sir?"
Jack looked conflicted a moment and looked out to the dark sea. "Ah yes, a heading…Our heading is wherever the wind takes us."
Gibbs looked disappointed. "Aye, sir."
"You don't know where you're going?" Beatrice asked, surprised.
Jack winced and turned to her. "Ms. Brown, it has been lovely to see you, but we really must be off. Time is precious." He paused. "Unless you will be taking me up on me offer?"
A conflicted look of her own passed over Beatrice's face. "Jack, I…" She looked away. "…No."
"Ah." He said, looking toward the ship. "All for the better I suppose, can't have any distractions on the ship."
"Distractions?" She repeated, affronted.
"Off we go then Gibbs." Jack continued, walking towards the boarding plank with Gibbs.
"Jack, wait-"
"Captain Sparrow!"
Jack only glanced over his shoulder, unconcerned, while keeping his pace. "Come to join me crew, lad? Welcome aboard."
Beatrice didn't even look at the newcomer; her eyes only on Jack.
"I'm here to find the man I love."
Gibbs, Beatrice, and Jack froze.
Jack made a face. "I'm deeply flattered, son, but my first and only love is the sea." He motioned for Gibbs to get rid of him.
"Meaning William Turner, Captain Sparrow."
They turned, realizing just who the "lad" was. Beatrice stared at her, confused. Weren't she and Will supposed to be married and living happily in Port Royal?
"Elizabeth." Jack whispered. He turned to Gibbs again. "Hide the rum." Gibbs nodded and scurried off.
"Elizabeth?" Beatrice said surprised.
"Beatrice?" Elizabeth's eyes widened. "What are you doing here, and with…"
"I'm not." Beatrice denied. "I came here with…" She finally noticed him, heaving all the liquor from his stomach over the side of the dock. "James…" She went to his side and patted his back. "Are you alright?"
His answer was another heave.
Jack sent James an unconcerned look before turning to Elizabeth. "You know, these clothes do not flatter you at all. It should be a dress or nothing. I happen to have no dress in my cabin..."
Beatrice glared at him.
"Jack. I know Will came to find you, where is he?"
"Will came to find him?" Beatrice asked. "When? Why? Elizabeth, what's happened? Why are you here?"
"Will, James, and I are being condemned for helping Jack, and Will left to find Jack to get his compass to clear our names." She said. "Now Jack, where's Will?"
"He's not here." Beatrice said, glancing at Jack. "Jack never mentioned Will."
Jack raised a hand and stepped up to Elizabeth. "Darling, I'm truly unhappy to have to tell you this, but through an unfortunate and entirely unforeseeable series of circumstances that have nothing whatsoever to do with me, poor Will has been press ganged into Davy Jones' crew."
Elizabeth gave him a look of disbelief. "Davy Jones?"
Norrington spit up and stood up straight, of look of disbelief of his own, giving Jack a mocking look. Beatrice stepped away from him. "Oh, please. The Captain of the Flying Dutchman?"
Jack made a face. "You look bloody awful, what are you doing here?"
"You hired me." James said as if it was obvious. "I can't help it if your standards are lax."
"You smell funny!" Jack returned childishly.
Beatrice rolled her eyes.
"Jack." Elizabeth said softly.
Jack turned to her quickly. "Hunh?"
"All I want is to find Will."
"I know." He said sympathetically, but paused and a look passed over his face. He gave Elizabeth a strange look. "Are you certain? Is that really what you want most?"
Beatrice was taken by the familiar words. She moved around James to stand near to Elizabeth and Jack.
"Of course." Elizabeth said
Jack nodded and pulled Elizabeth further aside. "Because I would think you would want to find a way to save Will most."
Elizabeth looked skeptical. "And you would have a way of doing that."
"Well, there is a chest..."
"Oh, dear!" James groaned. Beatrice shot him look.
Jack gave him a look as well, and then turned back to Elizabeth with a serious look. "A chest of unknown size and origin."
Pintel and Ragetti passed by them, carrying a crate, and adding their input. "What contains the still beating heart of Davy Jones!" Pintel said, while Ragetti made a motion like he was pulling out his heart and it was still beating.
"How...ominous." Beatrice muttered. "And also very unlikely."
Jack glanced at her. "I can assure you it's very likely, and whoever possesses this chest, possesses the leverage to command Jones to do whatever it is he or she wants, including saving brave William from his grim fate."
Beatrice crossed her arms, looking thoughtful, sparing a glance at Elizabeth. James came up behind her and looked between them all.
"You don't actually believe him, do you?" He asked.
Jack's serious stare gave Elizabeth all the answers she needed. She looked from James, to Beatrice, who shrugged, and back to Jack. She gave in. "How do we find it?"
Jack held up a finger and rifled with his belt, untying his compass and holding it up. "With this. My compass," he opened and closed it quickly. "Is unique."
Beatrice sighed. All the anticipation evaporated with his statement. "Not this again."
James felt the same way. "Unique here having the meaning of broken."
Jack stared at him for a moment, but ignored him quickly after. "True enough. This compass does not point north…"
Beatrice took the bait. "And where does it point?"
Jack glanced between the two. "It points to the thing you want most in this world." He said earnestly.
Beatrice narrowed her eyes. "What we want most?"
"Aye." He said softly.
He gave her a look and her stomach twisted. She dropped her gaze to the compass and remembered when she held it. The arrow…She had thought it had pointed east, but in all actuality to her left. More precisely what had been at her left, or rather who. Her eyes widened in realization and she looked at Jack.
Elizabeth sighed, a new hope in her eyes. "Oh, Jack. Are you telling the truth?"
Jack smiled, assuring as ever. "Every word, love."
Beatrice looked away and turned, crossing her arms. James glanced down at her, but she didn't notice, her mind was turning over this new information. She tried to find a lie, anything to explain things to herself. She could think of nothing.
"And the thing you want most in this world is to find the chest of Davy Jones, is it not?" Jack continued, handing Elizabeth the compass, wrapping both her hands around it.
"To save Will." She said firmly.
"By finding the chest of Davy Jones."
Beatrice glanced over her shoulder and watched Jack make a face and open the compass, backing away quickly. Curiosity struck her and she moved to Elizabeth's side, looking down at the compass. The arrow spun around before finally stopping, pointing northeast.
Jack cautiously peered at the face of the compass. His eyes brightened. "Mr. Gibbs!"
Gibbs came down to the dock. "Captain?"
Jack looked at him, smiling slightly, his eyes wide and crazed. "We have our heading."
Gibbs smiled. "Finally! Cast off those lines! Weigh anchor and prow that canvas!" He yelled, heading back onto the ship.
Jack motioned for Elizabeth to get on the ship. "Miss Swann."
Elizabeth got on the ship and James began to follow, but Pintel blocked him and handed him a goat, pushing him in the ship's direction. "Welcome to the crew, former Commodore!"
Beatrice held back, glancing at the ship and then land and between again, unsure.
"Beatrice." Jack stood in front of her, a serious look on his face. "Are you coming aboard?"
She looked up at Jack and then the ship. "I don't know."
"Time will not wait for you."
"I know, but I…" She crossed her arms and pursed her lips. "There are some things that have come to my attention I just don't wish to deal with."
He smiled, his eyes crinkling slightly. "Ah," he said in realization. "You've figured what you want then." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to the ship. "I don't see what the problem is then, love."
She glanced at his hand. "It's complicated."
His eyes flashed as he looked down at her. "Then let's uncomplicate it."
Looking up at him she let him take her onto the ship, his eyes not leaving hers. He was memorizing. He held a power over her, a spell she couldn't break. His looks, the way he spoke, his touch. He had stopped walking, his face suddenly close to hers. They had stopped in the entrance between the stairs.
She opened and closed her mouth. "It's not that simple." She whispered.
"Sure it is love." He said quietly, his voice rough. "It's what you want."
She glanced from his eyes to his lips, her restraint wavering. She forced herself to look into his eyes again. "And what do you want, Jack?"
His hands trailed down her arms and she was glad they were in a dark spot. "I want whatever you want."
She narrowed her eyes and pushed herself closer to him until their chests touched. "So you're so confident because of a little compass? You think I'm all yours because of something so trivial? How am I to know this is what you really want?"
He turned them so her back was to the wall. "This is what I want."
"And tomorrow? Or the next day? I can't be sure that it will last."
"Does it matter?" He asked, his arms wrapping around her waist.
Her chest tightened and she placed her hands on his shoulders. In the dark the shadows covered his face, but she could still see his eyes, whatever light source on the ship catching the two irises. They burned into her own. Her hands traveled over his shoulders, to his collar and around his neck. "Hmm, does it?" She asked aloud.
Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck securely and she gave him a look. He grinned, leaning closer again, his eyes half lidded.
Before contact could be made the hustle and bustle of the ship caught her attention suddenly and all the heat was sucked away. She placed her hand over Jack's mouth and his eyes opened in surprise. She smiled, kissing the back of her hand. "Sorry Jack."
She pushed away and headed back to the side of the ship, intending to get off before the sailors finished loading.
James saw her leaving and grabbed her arm. "Beatrice."
His hair and face were wet; he must have found a bucket somewhere to wash the mud off. She smiled at him. "I'm going back."
"You're …staying?" He asked. "Why?"
She stopped herself from looking Jack's way. "I have a job, I can't just leave." He looked conflicted and she brushed dried mud off his shoulder. "I understand you want to stay, it's better this way, probably, but I'll stay here."
"Will you wait for me?"
Her hands stopped and she looked at him. He was giving her a soft, questioning look. She smiled softly. Leaning forward she kissed him briefly. "Yes, I'll wait."
He looked like he wanted to say more, but she shook her head, smiling wider, and turned to leave the ship. As she walked down the large boarding plank she glanced back and saw Jack in the same spot she left him, leaning against the wall, watching her, his eyes still reflecting the lantern lights and his face blank.
She returned his look with a stony face of her own. She turned her head, breaking the contact and headed back to the bar.
"I'm sorry Jack; I won't ruin things for myself, no matter what I really want."