A/N: Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! :)

...One quick announcement: my school starts next week, so I'm afraid that we'll have to switch back to only one update a week...

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack, Elizabeth, etc.

Chapter 53

"If we'll sail away, they might still attack the remaining ships, and that will not help holding the spirits high," said James in a firm voice. He had considered their situation for a moment, and decided that he had to try confronting the man about his plan once again, no matter how insufferable he was. "What makes you so sure that they will not do it?"

Jack tilted his head to the side, squinting. "I never said they wouldn't do it," he said simply, taking a bottle of rum from Gibbs, who set two more bottles on the galley's table.

"Oh so you just don't care if upon our departure the rest of your comrades' fleet will be blown into pieces," James looked at Jack intently, wondering whether there was even one objectively logical thought running through his head. And whether there was a possibility of ever catching that one thought.

"An' ye care for them, an' not for the fact that they'll say that the Pirate King fled from the battlefield, is that it?" A small smile flitted across Jack's lips, as he pushed a chair with his foot, and sat down.

James narrowed his eyes at him. "Fleeing is what you do best, if I remember correctly," he said in a low voice, looking down at Jack, and giving Gibbs a meaningful stare.

Gibbs looked back at him for a moment, but then blinked with comprehension, and muttering something about bringing more rum left the galley.

Jack looked at the door when they had closed after Gibbs, regarding it for a moment with raised eyebrows, only half-acknowledging what Gibbs had said. His thoughts were tossing and turning in his mind as he tried to twist the irritating riddle right and left, but the solution just would not come. He had rehearsed several scenarios already, but all of them had always been leaving him with at least one upset person... or entity.

He absently rubbed the burn on his hand, going through all the possibilities once again.

"What is it?"

Jack blinked, and took a quick look around suddenly remembering that there was nobody else but the two of them in the galley. James glanced heavenward on Jack's clueless facial expression, not even trying to guess how sincere it was. He pulled out a chair for himself and sat down at the table.

"There is something more to our situation than meets the eye," he said in a serious tone, looking at Jack searchingly.

"I'm not sure as to the extent of the word 'our' here," muttered Jack with an absent frown, staring into the empty air. Perhaps the best thing to do would be if he stabbed the heart himself. That would make the world free of Davy Jones, it would make the Time... person happy, and as for Calypso, there would be nothing she could do to him no matter how unhappy with such a turn of events she might be. Also, the idea of immortality was somewhat appealing...

"I'm afraid that as long as we are all on your ship, Captain Sparrow, your situation is our situation, the word 'our' referring to everybody on board," replied James, studying Jack's face intently, but not yet able to determine the reason for his sudden grimness.

Jack slowly uncorked the bottle of rum in his hand.

...but not as appealing as the lifetime with Lizzie, he thought with an inward sigh. In fact, it was impossible for him to think about living without her, a terrifying thought, and yet... it made him feel so calm for once, as if there was nothing to chase after, anymore. Of course there was still the horizon to reach, treasure to be found, battles to be fought... But they were all an addition, an embellishment. He could live without them, breathe without them, sleep without them-

"In other circumstances I might find your lack of words a blessing, but these are not those circumstances, I'm afraid."

James' voice drifted to Jack who shifted his eyes to him trying to shake off his thoughts. "Too many... people want that heart, that's all," said Jack glancing at the red burn, and closing his hand with a grimace.

"There is nothing new about it," countered James.

Jack smiled briefly. "I imagine you should know something about it, eh?"

"That was a long time ago," said James dismissively, looking away.

"Let's say you'd have two angry gods, one wishing the heart to be stabbed, the other wishing it to stay intact," started Jack after a pause, causing James to slowly turn his head back toward him. "And you'd also have a man and a monster, or... a monster and a man... or two monsters," James rolled his eyes, "whichever approach you take," Jack waved his hand, "who'd want the same heart, one of them wishing for it to be stabbed, the other for it to be returned to him within three days. To whom would you give said piece of flesh, then?" asked Jack, taking a swig of his rum.

"And what would happen after those three days?" inquired James, picking up on exactly that part of Jack's story that he had hoped James would not pay too much attention to.

"Let's say somebody who'd fail to deliver the heart within three days would meet his untimely demise," explained Jack in a slightly irritated tone of voice.

James raised his eyebrows. "How did you get into that position?" he asked, sincerely puzzled. "You didn't make another deal with Jones, did you?"

"Another?" Jack widened his eyes at him, making a mental note to confront Gibbs just how many stories and to how many people he had managed to tell while he had been gone.

"Oh of course you did," James interrupted him, struck by an idea. "It's how you brought Elizabeth back?" he said more than asked, his eyes piercing into Jack with such seriousness that for once they really made Jack feel uncomfortable. The last time he remembered feeling that uncomfortable was when Teague had once caught him climbing back to his room in the middle of the night.

Jack was about to defend his right to keep the mechanics of his heroic actions private, when the door opened and Governor Swann walked inside, causing Jack to hold on to his rum bottle, and hope that the Governor had come in search of something to eat or drink rather than with the intention of-

"Could we talk?"

-of talking to him.


What was he doing here?

Elizabeth stared at the man steadily returning his colorless gaze, and trying to put on a stern facial expression meant to conceal her fear. Suddenly everything came back to her, bleak memories washing over her like cold, dark rain. What did he want? She was free, she had been freed. What could he possibly want with her? Why did he come? Was it... her time to die? It could not be... It was not her time to die... She would feel it if it was... would she not?... It was too early... She could not die, not yet...

To her surprise the image that sprung to her mind when she thought that it was too early for her to die, was a noisy group of little, black-haired boys fighting over each other's hats and bandannas. She would have laughed at the idea if she was not petrified with fear.

"What do you want?" she asked with as much arrogance as she could muster. He could not take her away again, could he? Did he mean to kill her? According to what he had told her, if it was not her time to die killing her would destroy him, but perhaps revenge took over any common sense that he possessed, if he possessed any to begin with.

"I came to see you."

She blinked, half-certain that she had not heard him correctly. "Beg pardon?" she asked with a grimace, squinting.

The man looked at her for a moment in silence, not a muscle in his face moving, although Elizabeth had an impression that something flashed in his eyes... But she could not tell what it was.

"I came to see you," he repeated at last, and the sentence seemed dragged out from the back of his throat, as if it had taken him great effort to say; much more effort than when he had said it for the first time. "How do you feel?" he added in a blank tone, his voice strangely rushed.

Elizabeth glanced toward the stairs trying to imagine how much time it would take her to run to the staircase and up the stairs. Could he reach her before she would manage to escape? Would he run after her?

"How do I feel," she repeated his question and shook her head. "I don't understand," she said in a hollow voice, her hand subconsciously going to her missing sword, which would have been useless even if she had it with her. "Why are you asking me this?"

He looked away for a moment, before moving his eyes back to her. "Why? Does every question has to be asked for a reason?"

She found his question as simple as ridiculous, and wondered whether he himself felt how strange his question was... how strange his being here was... Why was he here?

"I would imagine," started Elizabeth resolutely, but trailed off noticing to her stupefaction that the man's hands that were hanging limply on his sides trembled. "Yes," she added, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Perhaps she was not in danger... If he had wanted to take her away he would have done that already. And if he had wanted to kill her, he would have done it already as well.

Or maybe her reasoning was all wrong. Maybe he just wanted to vex her, to frighten her before kidnapping her, or killing her-

"I just wanted to see if you're alright," he said tonelessly, his voice reminding her of the snowy landscape she had seen during one of their travels together...

He just wanted to see... if she was alright?! Elizabeth wrinkled her forehead, half-puzzled, half-irritated. He was obviously trying to annoy her. He was playing some kind of game with her, wasn't he? He had turned her life into a complete nightmare. And now he was telling her that he came to see her, because he wanted to see if she was alright?!

"I've been freed, rescued," she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking, and taking a step to the side, a step toward the stairs... "You have no right to be here, no right to-

"I just wanted to see if you're alright," he repeated, stepping toward her, and causing her to jump backwards, her back hitting the wall in a sudden surge of panic. The memory of his merciless grip, his cold stare, his uncaring voice slicing off any shreds of compassion that that strangely defeated look in his eyes had almost managed to evoke.

"I am alright!" she shouted, running blindly toward the stairs. "Leave me alone!" she turned around to see if he followed her, and found him just a few steps behind her. "Jack!!"


Jack indicated one of the chairs with a grand gesture, while James made to stand up, but the Governor stopped him:

"There is no need," he said calmly with a kind smile.

Jack knitted his eyebrows not seeing anything positive in being outnumbered. He put a bottle of rum in front of the Governor, and pushed another one in front of James, hoping that the conversation would focus on something of little importance-

"He made a deal with Jones to rescue Elizabeth, and now if he won't bring the heart to Jones, Jones will bring his life to an end," said James matter-of-factly, addressing the Governor, and causing Jack's eyes to widen on that unexpectedly quick and blunt report.

"This is not what I said," he tried to protest, shooting James a hurt look.

"But that was the gist of it," retorted James unsmilingly, although Jack had a vague impression that there was a glimpse of humor in his eyes.

Jack opened his mouth to continue protesting, but the Governor cut him off.

"A deal with Jones?" he echoed, and then his brows furrowed in thought as he remembered something... "Again?"

Jack blinked, not knowing whether he was more surprised, more irritated, or more touched by such extensive knowledge concerning his life. He took a breath, making a mental note not only to confront Gibbs about his narrations, but actually do some bodily damage to his superfluously narrating person.

"I have to say I didn't analyze it in terms of quantity," he gave a Governor a strained smile.

"But you did in terms of quality?" James asked with a quiet snort. "I rather doubt it."

"And why is that?" asked Jack with an annoyed pout.

"Because if you would've given it any substantial thought, you would've known that making any deals, any further arrangements with Jones couldn't have led us to any positive outcome," stated James in low voice.

"Well, I'm deeply flattered by your recurring feelings of identification with me and my ship, Your Highness, however I've to point out that you were not on my list of concerns when I was striking that deal," said Jack rather stiffly, wondering where this conversation was going, and wishing for it to end quickly, so he could continue his inner discussion... or... perhaps help his lawfully wedded wife find her hat, as she had so kindly requested. He cleared his throat to conceal his smile.

"Are we to give the heart to Jones once it is recovered?" Governor Swann broke into the conversation, finding it slightly odd that he was so quickly adjusting to this strange nomenclature. The heart, Jones, the Flying Dutchman... He felt bizarre every time he heard these words, and yet here he was now uttering them as if they belonged to the natural world.

Jack darted his eyes to his father-in-law, suddenly struck by an idea: there was no better way to end the conversation than render both the Governor and James Norrington speechless. "I think that it would've been a very unwise thing to do," he said resolutely, and then added almost immediately, making it sound as natural as possible, "Dad."

As he had expected, both the Governor and James were so taken aback by that form of address, that the conversation came to an inevitable pause. Wasting no time, Jack staggered to his feet with the intention of-

But all his intentions were forgotten as soon as he heard Elizabeth scream his name.

He leaped from his place, and ran out of the galley followed by equally alarmed James and Elizabeth's father.

If he could hear her voice, she could not be too far. She must have been below deck as well.

Jack turned around the corner near the stairs, running straight into Elizabeth who fell into his arms with a gasp, her hands wrapping around his neck so tightly that he lost his breath for a moment.

"Lizzie, Lizzie," he quickly hugged her, and then hastily drew back to look at her face. "What's wrong?" He tucked her hair behind her ear, cupping her cheek with his hand, his other arm holding her close to his chest.

James stopped in his tracks, trying to catch his breath, and taking a quick look around. Assessing that there was no danger in close proximity, he looked over his shoulder and nodded at the approaching Governor to let him know that he did not need to hurry. The Governor slowed down only a little bit, crossing the corridor as fast as he could.

"What's happened?" Jack forced Elizabeth to look at him, even though her eyes were still anxiously searching their surroundings.

"He was here," she said quietly, closing her eyes, and snuggling her face into his chest, causing James to look away contemplating leaving the scene altogether. After all, his assistance seemed rather superfluous, as far as he could judge the situation at the moment.

"Who?" Jack's fingers slid into Elizabeth's hair, gently propping her head so she would look at him again.

Governor Swann stopped next to James giving him a questioning look, but James only shook his head and shrugged slightly in response.

"He was here. I didn't know what to do," Elizabeth clutched Jack's shoulders with her hands, looking at him from under her eyelashes, smiling faintly at the strange sensation of her anxiety evaporating under his gaze almost immediately.

"Who was here, Elizabeth?" The Governor looked around the corridor uncertainly.

Elizabeth turned in Jack's arms and gave her father a reassuring smile. "It's alright now," she said as firmly as possible, not wishing for him to worry about yet another thing.

Jack encircled Elizabeth's waist from behind, pulling her gently against him. "What did he want?" he asked in a low voice, inching his lips close to her ear.

"He asked..." Elizabeth tilted her head to the side, "whether I was alright," she said with a shrug and a grimace, glancing at Jack without much conviction.

Jack raised his eyebrows and spun her around in his arms. "He asked whether you were alright?"

"Who asked?" Governor Swann shifted his eyes between Jack and Elizabeth.

James could not help but focus on the way Elizabeth clung to Jack, and he wondered if she really considered him dependable, or was it perhaps her own feelings that she depended on... But then again he had rescued her, by striking another deal with Jones, no less. But there was still a question of for how long a pirate's feelings would last? Did she ever think about that?

"I told ye that ye shouldn't wander around all by yer bonnie self, luv, didn't I?" Jack's hand slid down Elizabeth's arm almost absently, but the shiver that went through her quickly reminded him of all the things he should not be thinking about at the moment.

Barbossa had taken Beckett to the Silver Frenzy, but there was no guarantee what would really happen next. Or even what would Barbossa himself do, for that matter. Chances were, he would try to strike a deal on his own, and that would not necessarily help them pursue a safe passage to Port Royal. And even if Barbossa would do as he was told... There was no reason why Beckett should believe that they had gone in search of a new Captain for the Flying Dutchman, and not with the intention of reclaiming the heart. The only thing Jack really counted on was time. A bit of a head start. And that hope was fragile enough to be even further diminished by the necessity to deal with... Death again.

And it was all those things that he should be thinking about at the moment. And yet he could not really find them worth thinking about when he stood holding Elizabeth in his arms.

"No, you didn't," Elizabeth finally gave up shooting surreptitious, apprehensive glances around the corridor, and looked straight into Jack's eyes, a small smile appearing on her face.

Jack widened his eyes at her. "I did not?!"

Elizabeth shook her head. "You only said something about locking me up, but nothing about wandering around," she said with a small pout, locking her arms around his neck.

"Is everything alright?" Gibbs appeared on the stairs also having heard Elizabeth's former screams.

"Aye, aye," Jack waved his hand at him dismissively, only then noticing James' eyes piercing into him, and Governor Swann's eyes also focused on him and Elizabeth, although perhaps with less explicit disapproval. "Well," he cleared his throat, letting Elizabeth to take a step away from him, so they were not standing in such a tight embrace. She also seemed to suddenly remember that they were not alone, and so she reluctantly moved away with a sheepish smile on her face.

"Well, at least here everything is alright," commented Gibbs with a slightly distressed look on his face. Jack gave him a questioning look. "We seem to have company," said Gibbs, wrinkling his forehead.

James snorted under his breath. "It was not particularly difficult to predict," he said with an exasperated sigh.

Elizabeth absently fondled one of Jack's hands in hers, when she suddenly felt something strange under her fingertips.

"It's not Beckett," said Gibbs, glancing at James with a cautious smile. "It doesn't seem to be a Company's ship at all," he added, shifting his eyes to Jack who tilted his head to the side with a frown, not paying attention to Elizabeth's hands lifting one of his to examine the palm of his hand.

"A pirate ship?" asked James dubiously.

"Aye," nodded Gibbs. "But they seem to be a tad to keen on catching up with us."

"Do they," muttered Jack, not bothering to guess who could it possibly be until he would see the ship for himself. There were only too many possibilities.

"What's this?" asked Elizabeth with a grimace, looking up at Jack questioningly.

Jack blinked, and looked at her, his thoughts revolving around finding the way to quickly free them from the superfluous company. It did not matter whether it was friendly or not, as long as it could slow them down. They needed to get to Port Royal as fast as possible, before Beckett would send a ship there as well, suspecting the course they had chosen. Not to mention the fact that the battle could ensue at any moment, although... although he doubted that Beckett would engage in the battle without the support of the Flying Dutchman, and seeing that the Flying Dutchman was nowhere in sight, and that Beckett wished for the dreary ship to have a new captain, it seemed that Davy Jones refused to make his slimy appearance. No doubt waiting for his heart..., thought Jack grimly, the three days that he had shrinking into the distance more and more with every minute.

"What's what, luv?" he asked, perplexed, trying to concentrate on what Elizabeth was saying.

"This," she said pointing to nothing else but the red burn on his hand.

"Oh, this," Jack twitched his nose, forcing a smile. Oh this indeed. There was still the matter of telling Elizabeth about his deal with Jones... if it was even a good idea to tell her... He had rather hoped that it could have been avoided... "Looks like a... burn," he said with a quick smile.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him. "I've noticed it before, I thought it was a rash from the line, or something like that. But now it's bigger, what is it?" she asked, looking at him searchingly.

"It's growing?!" Jack snatched his hand away from her grasp, and looked at the burn with distaste. He still had almost three entire days... maybe... two days and many, many hours, but still-

"Jack!" Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest.

"And what do we do about that ship?" Gibbs broke in, hoping to at least get some instructions before Jack and Elizabeth's argument would evolve into something that could not be so easily interrupted.

"We continue to sail toward Port Royal, Mr. Gibbs, conveniently leaving all manner of allies and foes behind," ordered Jack, shaking his hand, as if it could make the burn go away.

"Jack!" Elizabeth took his hand in hers again, her voice betraying more concern than anger. "What is it?"

"He made a deal with Jones," offered James helpfully causing Jack's eyes to widen almost to the point of no return.

"Next time I'll just vote for myself," muttered Jack unhappily, avoiding looking at Elizabeth at all cost.

Gibbs looked as puzzled as Elizabeth, but decided to pursue his share of information later, and quickly went up the stairs to see to the Pearl not allowing the other ship to catch up with her.

"What?" Elizabeth stared at Jack, his hand falling out of her grasp.

"Next time I'll just vote-" started Jack, but Elizabeth cut him off.

"Deal with Jones?" she asked incredulously, glancing at James. "What is this all about?"

Jack took a deep breath, preparing himself for a long word battle, but then the sound of cannons reverberated in the air, causing everybody to almost lose their balance.

"That was more than predictable," observed James dryly, shooting Jack a poignant look, before heading up the stairs.

"We really don't have time for that," said Jack to himself more annoyed than anxious, wondering who could find it fit to attack them at that precise moment.

"Jack," Elizabeth, followed by her father, walked after him taking two steps at a time.

"I guess asking ye to stay below makes no sense whatsoever, eh?" Jack looked at her over his shoulder, stopping in the middle of the stairs for a moment long enough to clasp her hand in his.

"No," she said, smiling a little despite being worried by the grim news. Deal with Davy Jones? When? How? What for? "But I need a sword and a pistol," she added quickly, before Jack turned around.

"Ah! So ye're little helpless, after all, luv," he said with a smirk, leaning toward her.

"I am not helpless! I just-"

Jack's lips quickly closed on hers, almost causing her to fall down the stairs if it was not for his arm that he had securely wrapped around her.

The Governor stopped dead in his tracks, the staircase being too narrow to let him just walk past them, something that he would very gladly do. He tried reminding himself that they were, in fact, married, but somehow it was not helping much.

He waited for a moment hoping that they would soon proceed forward, but unfortunately when Jack broke the kiss, Elizabeth kissed him again, and the Governor was forced to clear his throat in order to diplomatically remind them of his presence.

Elizabeth drew back abruptly, dropping her gaze to the floor, not knowing whether she was more embarrassed by the kiss, or by the fact that she had totally forgotten – again – that they were not alone.

Jack narrowed his eyes in a brief smile, quickly pulling Elizabeth with him and up the stairs.

The deck was crowded, but they quickly made their way to the side of the ship. Close behind the Black Pearl there was a ship following her, dark sails billowing in the wind.

"They fired only once," said Gibbs, walking up to Jack and handing him a spyglass. "Seems more like they wanted to attract our attention rather than do any damage," he said speculatively.

Jack looked through the spyglass in silence, while Gibbs and Elizabeth, as well as Governor Swann and James who came to stand near by looked at him expectantly.

"Do you recognize the ship?" asked Gibbs, looking between the approaching vessel and Jack, who slowly lowered the spyglass.

"No," said Jack with a grimace, although there was not much conviction in his voice. "But I recognize the captain," he added with a frown.

"Should we reduce our speed, see what they want?" suggested Gibbs uncertainly. "Or-"

Jack tapped his fingers on the back of his hand. "I'd rather have them leave us alone," said Jack, glancing at Gibbs with that something in his eyes that told Gibbs that the meeting was as unavoidable as undesirable at the moment.

"They're not following us for no reason," observed James, squinting into the distance, and having a strange impression that the person at the helm of the other ship was...

"I don't think they've particularly malicious reasons to follow us," retorted Jack, lifting his spyglass once again. "Although of course malicious is a matter of perspective," he added hesitantly. "Mr. Gibbs!" he called, lowering the spyglass, and storming away from the railing.

"Aye!" Gibbs followed him, leaving Elizabeth, the Governor and James slightly behind.

"Our situation is gradually..." Jack wriggled his fingers in the air.

"Deteriorating," offered Gibbs, and Jack shot him a startled look, but then looked away with a sigh.

"You could say so," agreed Jack with a twitch of his nose. "And when one's situation is getting worse, the only worse thing you could do apart from making it even worse, of course, is making it so bad that it can't even become worse," said Jack, glancing over Gibbs' shoulder at Elizabeth, who was at the moment fortunately engaged in a conversation with her father.

Gibbs only nodded his head in grim agreement, hoping to extract something more concrete from Jack's next sentence.

"We have less than three days to deliver the heart to Jones," started Jack. "And less than less than three days to deliver it to Calypso," Gibbs nodded, happy to follow Jack's reasoning so far. "And we have the same less than less than three days to have the heart stabbed by somebody who would take good care of the dead while working for Beckett."

"Would somebody working for Beckett be willing to take good care of the dead?" interjected Gibbs matter-of-factly, deciding to ignore, for the time being, the impossibility of delivering the stabbed heart to anybody, not to mention the doubtful likelihood of Jack helping somebody who would be willing to work for Beckett to stab the heart.

"No," answered Jack. Gibbs nodded, then blinked, but before he managed to ask anything, Jack continued: "Of course we don't have the heart yet, so we don't have to worry just yet about stabbing it or delivering it or doing anything else to it, aye?" said Jack, not making Gibbs feel any better.

"Aye," Gibbs scratched his forehead with a sigh.

"What we do have to worry about however, is a visit we're about to receive," said Jack, his eyes focused on Elizabeth.

"Any idea what they might want?" asked Gibbs, glancing at the ship that was getting closer and closer to the Pearl.

Jack gave him a strange look, but then shook his head. "They must've arrived late in Shipwreck Cove, heard the news, come here... Don't know what exactly they might want..."

"But you know the captain?"

Once again, Gibbs noticed that strange expression in Jack's eyes. He stared absently into the distance for a moment, but then blinked, his tone of voice becoming decisive again."I wish to resolve the matter quickly, and to resolve the matter quickly, I need to have all the things and persons that could make the matter impossible to be resolved quickly out of my way."

"Aye."

Jack was about to continue, but a warning call from the crow's nest cut him off and caused everybody to look up, and then, coming apparently from the other ship that was now almost side by side with the Pearl, hanging onto the rope, somebody flew above their hands, and landed on the deck with impressive gracefulness.

"Jack?" Gibbs looked at Jack uncertainly, hoping for him to finish his instructions, but Jack only waved his hand at him dismissively. "Too late," he said, wincing, and walking back toward where Elizabeth, the Governor and James were standing, their eyes fixed on the unexpected visitor.