A/N: Finally back with updates! Sincere apologies for the long delay. It won't happen again! (Last we left them, Elizabeth told Will she didn't want to marry him, Will confronted Jack and ended up in the brig again, and Cat paid lots of attention to Jack in front of Elizabeth).

Disclaimer: I don't own any Pirates from the Pirates trilogy but I love to borrow them on occasion.

xxx – Twenty-One – xxx

Elizabeth returned to her cabin and slowly set the table upright and collected the shards of porcelain from the floor. Will had done quite a bit of damage to her sitting area in just a matter of seconds. She went through the motions of straightening the room, not really aware of what she was doing; her mind a flurry of thoughts and emotions that she couldn't seem to get under control. Small bits of memory flashed before she could reign them in: Will storming from her cabin, swearing to kill Jack. Gibbs with a pistol near Will's ear. Cat in Jack's willing arms, kissing him deeply and pointedly while Elizabeth watched in dismay. Jack's eyes shifting to hers, full of unspoken questions, while Will accused Jack of turning Elizabeth against him. Will immediately assuming that Jack was the reason for Elizabeth's change of feelings for Will. Why would he assume it's because of Jack? Maybe I never really loved Will romantically anyway. Oh, here I am lying to myself again. Of course it's because of Jack. I certainly don't have feelings for Jack, but he made me realize what I've been missing when I'm with Will. At least I don't think I have feelings for Jack. No, it's impossible.

She finished straightening the room and left her cabin, hurrying down the passageway.

Marty was walking by purposefully, his hands carefully balancing a large plate with leftovers from yesterday's lunch.

" Pardon me Miss Swann," he acknowledged her, waiting for her to pass.

"Where are you going with that food, Marty?"

"Ain't 'spose ta talk 'bout it, Miss," Marty nodded his head curtly and tried to slip by her.

"Is that for a certain prisoner in the brig?"

"'course it is, Miss," Marty acknowledged. He was only slightly worse than Pintel and Ragetti when it came to keeping secrets.

"Give it to me, Marty. I'll take it to him."

xxxxxx

Jack slipped from his cabin and headed for the helm. He shivered as the warm sea breeze reached him on deck - he felt dirty, sullied…unclean from his brief encounter with Cat. It had only been one kiss, but the thought of it having to endure her kisses and…anything else…made his skin crawl. Just the idea of having to pretend to enjoy her dead cold touch, her damp and clammy skin….clammy. Hmmm, pretty accurate description now that I think about it. Ah, witty Jack at me best.

Gibbs had one hand on the wheel, the other shading his eyes as he gazed across the horizon.

"Mister Gibbs, where be yer hat?" Jack asked.

"Uh, Miss Jones asked to borrow it. An' I didn't feel I could say no to her, Jack."

"She takin' a likin' to ye?" Jack grinned hopefully.

"No, don't get yer hopes up, Jack. Even if she did, that's somethin' I ain't gonna do for you, Cap'n or not."

Jack sighed and motioned for Gibbs to move aside. "No, I suppose ye wouldn't," Jack said as he grasped the wheel. "Events of late have turned most unfortunate, mate. I didn't have a chance ta congratulate ye for the quick thinkin' in regard to Mister Turner and yer pistol, Mister Gibbs."

Gibbs knew that was as close to a "thank you" as he would get from Jack. "Ah, sure an' it was nothin'…"

"Nothin' we mention to the crew, nor anyone else who was not in me cabin at the time. Agreed?"

"Agreed, Jack." Gibbs stood by his Captain, wondering if he was going to say more.

"Been thinkin' any more about me problem, Mister Gibbs?" Jack continued to stare across the bow, not meeting the older man's gaze.

"I was kinda hopin' ye'd have that solved by now, Cap'n."

"She's a spirited thing, and determined, I'd say. I kinda like that." Jack released the wheel and adjusted his sash. "But she ain't me type, and I thought she'd be married by now. Just tryin' to get her off me ship."

"I don't know, I think ye might be able to work things out wif her, Jack. Sure she has a temper 'n all but she'd keep ye on yer toes."

"She's too much like her father."

"Oh, I don't think so, Jack. He'd never turn ta the sea, not like she has."

Jack looked at Gibbs quizzically. "Just who are we talkin' 'bout, Gibbs?"

"Why, Eliza…Miss Swann, of course."

"Oh."

"Ye thought I meant Miss Cat?"

"Never mind," Jack rubbed his dry eyes and focused on the sea.

"Might I be honest wif ye, Jack?" Gibbs crossed his arms and waited.

"I expect nothin' else, Mister Gibbs."

"Ye wouldn't keel haul me fer angerin' ye, would ye Jack?"

Jack was growing impatient. "Get on with it, man."

"Seems you 'n Miss Elizabeth be the last ones to know it, when everyone else on this ship can see it. Open yer eyes, Jack."

"They most definitely are open, Mister Gibbs. Makes fer steering a ship a whole lot easier and might I say efficient. Helps to avoid hittin' land or another ship…"

"Yer in love with the girl."

"Girl? What girl?" Jack licked his lips nervously and squinted toward the distance, pretending to be concerned about something on the water.

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Elizabeth. Miss Swann. Jack, yer in love wif the lass."

"What?" Jack sputtered and closed his mouth.

"Deny it. Go ahead, Jack. Deny it all ye want. Ye ain't foolin' me. Or Ragetti. Or Mister Cotton, or Pintel, or Marty, or Bill Turner….and certainly not Will."

"Ye believed everything the whimpering eunuch said, didn't ye Mister Gibbs," Jack tried to relax but his jaw was set.

"He didn't have ta say it, Jack. I've known for quite a while. Yer too stubborn to admit it, and so is Miss Swann. In that way ye both are very much alike."

Two peas in a pod.

xxxxxx

Elizabeth balanced the plate as she quietly descended the wooden steps and approached Will's cell. In the semi-darkness she could see him sitting on a rough woolen blanket in the far corner, his head bowed in resignation.

"Will?"

He looked up at the sound of her gentle voice. The hurt resonated in his eyes but he did not turn away.

"Elizabeth. Why have you come?"

"I didn't want….I suppose I didn't want to leave things like they were between us."

He didn't acknowledge the question in her voice; instead he glanced at the plate in her hand. "So nice of you to bring my meal. I'm not particularly hungry right now. You can leave it and go."

" Can I stay and talk…"

"Go back to Jack. That's where you seem to want to be. With him."

"Will, why can't you understand that he truly has nothing to do with my feelings for you?"

"Oh, I think you mean former feelings, Elizabeth. If you ever really had any. Did you ever love me? Enough to want me as your husband?"

She placed the plate through the slot in the barred door and sat on the cold wooden planks. Her gaze dropped to her lap. "Yes, I think I did." She wasn't sure, but she saw no point in hurting him further.

Her use of the past tense was like a knife in his heart. At least she was being partially honest with him now. "What does Jack have planned now? Am I to be keel hauled? Hanged? "

She looked up in shock, realizing that she hadn't thought that far ahead and hadn't had a chance to find out. "I…I don't know, Will."

"Go find out. And while you're with him, tell him the truth. Tell him you love him."

"I don't love him, Will," she said with a catch in her throat.

He turned away and was silent. After a few minutes Elizabeth stood and walked away.

Will closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. She may think I've given up on her, but Jack will not win. I just need to get off this ship. I'll have my revenge. Jack Sparrow can count on it.

xxxxxx

When she rose the next morning, Elizabeth quickly donned a pair of breeches, an oversized shirt, and her boots. She raced out on deck, hoping to discover the source of the noises and shouting that had awakened her at first light. The crew was just returning to their posts and Jack walked past her, to the helm.

She followed behind, trying to keep up with his determined pace. "Jack, what was all the shouting about?"

Cat suddenly joined Jack at the wheel, her arm snaking around his waist possessively. She raised an eyebrow at Elizabeth, then dismissed her with a small scowl.

"Oh, you missed the fun, dearie," Jack grinned. "Yer Mister Turner has departed the Pearl, Captain's orders." He hesitated, then placed a hand on the small of Cat's back.

Elizabeth glanced around and saw that there was no land in sight. No longboat or ship, as a matter of fact. "How?" she left the question lingering in the air.

Cat placed a firm kiss on Jack's lips and left the helm. She walked below deck and out of sight.

"Plank, luv. The reliable and much favored tool of all decent pirates," Jack stated quite proudly.

"You made him walk the plank? Jack! There is no land for miles around! He'll drown!"

"Most assuredly. I was quite tolerant of the lad that first time, but when he threatened me life for the second time in as many days, I had no choice. I got me reputation to consider."

Before he could take his next breath, Elizabeth reached out and slapped him.

Jack's face turned grim. He grabbed her wrist, still held near his face. "I wouldn't do that twice, missy." He held his grip tightly and pulled her closer, whispering in her ear. "Ye'd better apologize an' quick like or I'll have to send ye to the brig as well. Me men are watchin' and nobody strikes the Cap'n."

Her gaze traveled from his beard up to his eyes. She met his stare with intensity, while anger burned her cheeks red. "I…Okay, I'm sorr.."

He caught her breath with his own as his open mouth descended quickly on hers, shutting out sound and protest. His hold on her wrist loosened and she found her arm slipping up to his neck, pulling his head closer to hers. His hands slid down the sides of her abdomen and suddenly enveloped her waist, pulling her body flush against his. A soft moan escaped his lips as he deepened the kiss. "Lizzie, dear Lizzie," he moaned, "I do lo..."

"Do what?" she whispered between kisses, but he quieted her with his mouth.

Realizing that they were in full view of the crew, he grudgingly pulled his mouth from hers, placing soft kisses on the lids of her closed eyes. She looked up at him, stroked his hair and quickly spun out of his arms and hurried down the stairs. He watched as she went below deck, probably to the safety of her cabin. He looked around and sighed with relief. Cat was not in sight.

xxxxxx

Will floated on his back for one day and one night before he began to give up hope of ever seeing land or being rescued. He fought the urge to drink seawater, knowing it would definitely kill him. He felt delirious from lack of sleep, food and fresh water, and was just about to let himself drift off to sleep when a rushing sound woke him from his dazed state.

He looked up to see the bow of a large ship approaching. His eyes were unable to focus clearly on the name of the ship, but he saw the flags. A British ship. East India Company, to be exact.

Will was roughly pulled from the water and given food and drink, and a hammock to rest in, and he faded in and out of consciousness until someone tried to rouse him. He didn't recognize any of the crew members, but as his health began to return, he was quietly escorted to an empty cabin and left alone.

He helped himself to some tea, still warm in the pot. He looked around the room, trying to get some sense of the ship that had rescued him, and the name of the captain. As he was rifling through papers on the corner desk, her heard the door to the cabin open.

"Mister Turner. Fancy pulling you from the drink."

Will looked up and his eyes widened. "James Norrington."

"Alive and very much breathing, much to your conspirator's chagrin, I imagine," James stated, taking a seat and helping himself to a cup.

"You don't mean Jack…"

"The one and only. How is Captain Sparrow these days?"

"If you knew what I'd been through you wouldn't ask me that."

"Oh? Trouble on the Black Pearl? " James sipped his tea delicately, waiting.

"It's a long story. Where are we headed?" Will returned to his seat.

"That can wait. But tell me, William Turner, what of your bride to be? Or is she your bride now? Surely being fiancee number two was fortunate for you?"

Will gulped down the cooling tea and poured another cup. "She's still on the Black Pearl. Right where she wants to be."

James raised a brow. "Interesting. I take it you two have not married. I see no ring, though one is not required to engage in nuptuals…"

"No. We are no longer engaged," Will frowned and looked away.

"Ah. I was right. Jack Sparrow, eh?"

Will returned James' knowing look. "How did you know?"

"You do remember I spent quite a bit of time on the Black Pearl. I had the opportunity to watch the two of them together. It was obvious from the moment I stepped on board in Tortuga. Only a blind man wouldn't have seen…" James paused at the dejected look on Will's face. "You didn't see. Now I understand. You were the last to know."

"Not quite. Seems the two of them are the last to know. Or admit it, at least."

"Now that I believe. She tried to deny it," James picked up a biscuit from a nearby plate and took a bite.

"You talked to her about him? When?"

"Oh, that must have been before we ever found the heart. Of Davy Jones, that is. I do believe by the first full day of sailing it was obvious to me - just by the way she looked at him and spoke with him. They were quite intimate in their conversations, even on deck. And when he left her company you could tell all she could think about was him."

"I don't think I need to hear more," Will looked queasy.

"So what'd you do? Jump ship?"

Will coughed. "As I said, long story. It's not important right now. What is important is where I go from here. Will you help me?"

James reclined in his chair and sipped his tea. "Tell me what you have in mind."

xxxxxx

Gibbs ran across the deck, alerting Jack that they had spotted land. "Yer plan be in motion, Jack. Doesn't it look like Port Royal off the port side?"

"Indeed it does," Jack muttered, knowing they were nowhere near the Port in question. "However, I've been doin' some thinking an' calculatin'. 'Bout our…well, my…latest problem. I think I have a solution."

"Ye've talked ta Elizabeth after all?"

"Not that, Mister Gibbs. The matter of Miss," he leaned in to whisper, "Jones. I might have a way outta this mess."

"Do tell, Jack."

"What does every parent want most fer their children?"

"Health, happiness, long life…"

"Ye've quite satisfactorily answered me question. Let's take happiness, for instance. Happiness includes a happily wedded pair of spouses, aye?" Jack glanced around to make sure no one was listening.

"Quite. Every parent wants their child ta have a happy marriage."

"And would a certain parent be pleased to know their child was marrying a certain Captain who most decidedly did not want to marry said child and would most certainly make said child's life miserable?"

"Aye, I get yer meaning Jack. But Davy Jones arranged this. Debt an' all. I don't see how 'n that would work fer ye, " Gibbs looked worried.

"I'm talkin' 'bout her mother," Jack said under his breath. "What say we set a new course?"

Gibbs smiled.

xxxxxx