AN: After re-reading the last chapter, it occured to me that I needed to include Jack's thoughts on the very recent events. It also occured to me that he was not a Prince Charming who would fall madly in love and remain forever loyal and loving, quite opposite of Finn's character. So, while a little off the main story line, is something that I consider very vital to the rest of the plot, and will continue into the sequel.

I hope you, as always, enjoy.


Jack watched the approaching ship carefully, yet his thoughts were far away from the near meeting with this Captain Dawson.

Everything he had told Finn was…more or less the truth. Jack certainly didn't want her to leave; over the course of their interesting relationship, he had grown to crave her presence, almost like an addiction, but much sweeter and more difficult to break.

The question was, how much did he love Finn?

Jack was not a person who commonly attached himself to others. Such a thing was nothing more than a hinderence as a pirate. The closest he had ever come was his interaction with Will and Elizabeth, people whom he could say that he, in his own unique way, cared about. But if he were to never see them again, Jack knew he could move on without regrets.

And he had never attached himself to a woman. It was too dangerous for him. To become so involved with anyone meant that he was surrendering his freedom, his want to do anything that he pleased. Now, Jack had always lived by this law, and to have someone come and change all that was…stressful.

And he wasn't sure he was willing to make that change.

Why had he convinced himself that everything would be fine once he had Finn? For surely he had her now. She was not the type that was flighty, remaining loyal to her last breath; that had been proven with her love of her friend. She also was not that type of women who would just let him leave and live his life, coming back to see her once in awhile. If anything, she would want to go with him, wherever it was, to see it for herself, to be with him. And she certainly would never allow him to have any other relationship. Her type tended to be a jealous type; the exact reason Jack had previously steered away from them before, instead spending his time with ladies of the night, who were hardly picky, nor wanted a relationship to last longer than a night. No, Finn certainly was not his type of woman.

Then why did he seem to be falling her, faster and deeper?

He clutched the wheel tighter, watching his men do their work as they appeared from below deck, all rather grumpy after his order to come on deck to meet another ship.

Finn was too complicated. It was always a mystery to what she was thinking, despite the fact that she had always told him the honest truth. The only other person who could compare was Elizabeth; and she was nothing more than a governor's daughter, spirited in her own right, but completely predictable. All Elizabeth had wanted was adventure, a chance to live a life different than she had known, only to return to the familiarity once she was finished. There had been his fleeting feelings for her, but after very little time, forgotten and done away with. There were other's like her, all of whom could be accessible if attempted.

Now that he thought about it, Finn was nothing like Elizabeth. Where Mrs. Turner would not allow to be pushed around and told what to do, Finn simply refused to consider that as an option. Where Elizabeth had forced herself to be heard, Finn had automatically seen it as her right to be heard. This Miss Winifred Delaney acted as an independent woman, not someone who wanted to be one.

This, as Jack saw it, could prove to be a problem in their relationship. He had never dealt with any female who saw themselves as his equal. And, it was clear that this particular characteristic would not allow him to just leave at his pleasure. No, if Finn wanted him to stay, she would find a way to make it happen, or break everything off entirely.

Anyone who had dared take away his freedom was dead, or suppose to be dead. If he were to commit himself to Finn, then she would be doing exactly that.

This seem to put a distinct dilemma in Jack's mind. He very well didn't want to kill Finn, but losing his freedom was the worst thing that could happen to him.

Did he love Finn enough to willingly give that up?

The answer came instantly: no. Freedom was something he had fought for all of his life, something he had been willing to do anything to attain. Jack was not going to just give it up.

Obviously, it had been a vital mistake when he told her he loved her. To Finn, that was a whole heart and soul concept; for him, a way of saying that, yes, I actually care about you. But they were just words, and words can take words away.

The odd thing was, when he had said them, he had meant them. Jack had not been thinking tactfully as he watched her face. While they had been hard to utter, hard to actually admit, it had seemed infinitely right at the moment to say it. Which was the reason Jack had.

Why couldn't he just find a way to have both? There had to be a way. Things always worked out for him. He was Captain Jack Sparrow.

As the ship came closer, Jack turned over his thoughts again. He would have to be careful now that he had Finn. Needed to make sure she was content with where they were standing. She was a smart women, a dangerous fact in its own right, and if Finn was to ever see his faltering, she would set hell on him.

Jack looked down at his compass, suddenly aware of its presence. Earlier, it had been pointing directly at Finn, something he had not been expecting. But now, it was pointed toward the Midas…no doubt the information he needed to retrieve the Fountain of Youth.

So he wanted the Fountain most now.

He frowned, trying to decipher the sudden changes over the course of less than an hour. But it wasn't hard to figure it out; he had Finn now, so why go searching for her? It made sense, and Jack smiled contently as he watched the other pirate sail closer. Why want something he already had? Especially if it would be hard to lose?

But then he began thinking about the new, extremely surreal information of Finn's origination. Another time…how was that possible? Imagining Finn as not…Finn was strange. Had she not always been a governess? Lived in England? Lived now?

Actually, it accounted for quite a few oddities of her character that Jack had noticed. Her accent, to begin with. It was not English, nor any he had heard before. And her height was taller than many women he was familiar with. Not to mention her personality. Finn, though quiet by nature, did not allow herself to be ignored.

Or used.

Guilt washed over Jack, rare and unusual for him. That was exactly what he was doing: using her. For just about everything he was doing; first, his ship, now, the method to gain the Fountain.

But Jack knew when he lied, and he had not lied when he told Finn he loved her. The words had come, and had begged to be said.

Then what exactly did Finn mean to him?

And what was he willing to sacrifice for her?