Summary: "He had work to do. He had no time to worry about what could never be." Gibbs confronts Jack about his feelings for Elizabeth just after she leaves the Pearl. Short one-shot. Set at the end of AWE. One-sided Sparrabeth. Willabeth.
Prompt: Things you always meant to say but never got the chance.
Man's Weakness/Not Even Love
The Caribbean waves were near smooth. Off the coast of an island, a longboat rowed away from a majestic black ship. In the longboat was a young woman. Watching the woman from the ship were two men, the captain and first mate of the vessel.
The captain, Jack Sparrow, watched the newlywed woman with longing. So many things he had wished he could've told her, none of which he ever said. He couldn't have ever said them anyway, no matter how much he regretted not doing so. Love was a sign of weakness in pirates, in any man, really. Not that she'd believe him either. But all the same, part of him still wished the words had left his lips, that he could've cleared his conscience a little.
Stay on the Pearl with me.
I saved Will for you, not for him.
When the bloody Kraken attacked, I returned to the Pearl for you, not for the ship, not for the crew.
I don't want you to leave.
She belonged to Will Turner now.
The ever so faithful first mate, Joshamee Gibbs, rested a hand on his shoulder. "Ye love her, don't ye, lad?"
"Doesn't matter though, does it?" He murmured. "She's made her choice, Gibbs, an' I respect that. Leave 'er be."
"What if she wants to come back?" The older man suggested.
Jack gave him a small, sad smile. "She won't."
He turned away from his companion and, all acting in play, strode across the deck of the ship towards his cabin. He had work to do. He had no time to worry about what could never be. If he could not overcome his weakness, he would ignore it and push on.
He was Captain Jack Sparrow, after all, and nothing held him back.
Not even love.