Call Me Captain Part Two: The Lovers Are Discovered

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

(Scientific fact! Reviews = faster writing!)

This was a fun chapter to write. Will angst and torture! Muahahaha!

~@~

The tear swelled up in his brown eye; blurring his vision of the cavern around him as he clutched almost desperately to Elizabeth's shaking body. He had almost lost Elizabeth. Barbossa's gun had been aimed at her. He had almost shot. A moment wasted could have meant a blooming flower of crimson upon Elizabeth's bosom.

He tried to take a deep breath, but only choked on it and with that the tear was shaken from its natural birthplace. From there, it toppled over the edge and made contact with his dewy skin. He would have brushed it away with a hand, as to not allow anyone to see it, but he could not find any fiber in his body to pull even a bit away from Elizabeth's tight embrace. The tear, with the horizon of freedom in its view, plunged down his tanned cheek. Behind it was a small trail of sorrow and in front, a land of new hopes. The tear reached Jack's jawline to the severe right, as his left side was enwrapped and tilted into Elizabeth's hair, and paused for a second, almost in contemplation of its next act. Freedom, utterly true freedom, was a frightening aspect. To take that plunge into freedom, to push all past fears and comforts aside and pursue a lost or hopeful dream, was to take a jump into the unknown.

No man can experience true freedom. Jack had thought he had been the epitome of freedom. With the Pearl under his boots, swaying in the sweet air of the sea, he could sail anywhere. He could reach for that horizon, drive his boat into the sunset, and kiss the very stars in the sky upon a cloudless night. With the Pearl, he could drift, letting himself go to the course of nature. Or he could pursue.

Yes, he could pursue. With the wind at his back he could fly amongst the gulls and reach that golden treasure in the sun. He could set a course as easily as the fish could swim. Despite rain torrents, lightening, or wind- he would always get there. That was the magic of being Captain Jack Sparrow- reaching dreams was reaching for a bottle of rum and running gold coins through your fingers. It was easy, it was quick.

However, that was the old Captain Jack Sparrow. Now, well now, he had a different dream. One that burned on the edge of his mind and heart as he grasped at the woman in his arms. No longer could he reach for the sunset and be satisfied. No longer could he lay and watch the stars shoot and fizzle from the deep midnight land of sleeping wonders. No longer could he drown any concerns away with a gulp of rum. No longer could he call gold his treasure.

Those pleasures were gone. He was gone.

He was new.

The tear that had paused upon his far jaw shivered one last time then made the plunge. Into darkness the glisten of fear twirled and danced. It felt into oblivion, waltzing on the edge of shadows and light. It was gone.

As was the old Captain Jack Sparrow. He had only one treasure now; only one sunset; only one sunrise; only one star in the drifting night sky.

He parted from Elizabeth and looked down upon her. She was crying too, though tears still streamed down from her eyes.

"Jack, Jack, you died," she choked, "I saw, I saw the sword in you." She laid a finger upon his chest where Barbossa's sword had been and pulled back in fear as soon as her hand touched his shirt. He looked down at her with sorrowful brown eyes and met her frightened gaze.

"I know," he whispered and stroked her hair, "I know. It was alright though. I had the curse."

She laughed through her tears. "I don't think I could love a curse any more than I do now," she smiled weakly.

"Me neither, love, me neither." He pulled her back into a tight hug and he could feel her hands cling to the back of his shirt. She never wanted to let go either.

A cough filled the cavern. Jack ignored it and rubbed his cheek in Elizabeth's fine hair.

Another cough.

Jack arched his eyebrows and let his arm drop from Elizabeth.

"What," he cried, looking up. He spotted Will, still standing on the small isle of gold. Instantly, Jack's eyes flew open and he took a desperate gulp. The boy was standing there, one hand over his mouth now, in what looked like horror, and the other pointing wildly at Jack.

"I think I should be asking you!" Will pointed even more wildly at Jack and waved his other hand about his head. A mixture of fear and dread had filled the boy's eyes with a wild glaze and his pale cheeks were being burnt by a spreading rubicund flush.

Jack stole a glance at Elizabeth and her hands were cupped over her mouth now, looking wide-eyed at Jack and Will. She was shaking even more now.

"Well, Will, I'm just expressing my thanks that Elizabeth here isn't dead," he lamely put out, "and vice versa."

The boy didn't move for a second. "I think you've expressed long enough," Will cried.

"Well, um, lad," he paused and looked at Elizabeth with a smug grin, "Elizabeth here has something to tell you." His smile was quickly wiped away by a smack to the side. Elizabeth looked angrily at him and he cringed from the fire she was radiating from her eyes.

"Will, I, well, we, well, we were," she stammered falteringly and became flustered again. She looked to Jack for some help but he only pretended to look at a small chest full of umbrellas on his other side. He whistled quietly, looking extremely at fault.

"Yes," Will said, hoping to push her for words.

Elizabeth sighed and began again.

"Well, Jack and I-,' though she was instantly cut-off by a pair of lips descending upon her moving ones. Jack's hands cupped around her face and he passionately moved his lips against hers, gently sucking on her lower lip before tickling her lips with his tongue. She kissed back fiercely then pulled away abruptly.

Will had gasped and waited for the slap he thought would for sure come to Jack's cheek, and Jack had smirked before being silenced by an angry Elizabeth.

"Not now, Jack!" She instantly gasped and her hands flew up to her mouth again, in shock.

Could've played that off as an unwelcome advance, Jack laughed to himself, proud to see that she had revealed everything from one simple command of "not now."

"Gave the game away, love," he smiled at her and then looked up to Will.

He wished he hadn't. He really did. Will's hand was now dangerously close to his sword and his mouth had fallen open to an even greater degree. He looked around wildly, perhaps hoping to find this all a dream. To Will's horror, it wasn't.

Finally, he found words- and a sword.

"I'll kill you, Jack," he yelled, very un-Will like. He jumped down from the isle of gold and fell into the water. He quickly shot up, his eyes piercing Jack's wide-opened ones. "How could you! I'll kill you, you bloody pirate!"

Jack quickly ran to his sword and picked it up, holding it defensively out.

"How could you?! You tricked her! You hurt her! You bloody pirate, I'll have you're head!" Will approached, his hand and sword ready to burst with unleashed anger. Suddenly, Elizabeth came between them, facing Will and holding her arms out to her sides, as if to block him from Jack.

"Will, it's me. It's him. It's us." She emphasized the 'us' and her lower lip trembled in fear of what Will would do.

Will paused and looked inquisitively at Elizabeth. He stood silent and still, almost as if in a trance. His light brown eyes looked desperately at her. She did not flinch; not an emotion passed through the faces of any of the room's combatants.

Jack's held breath slowly slipped from his lips as Will's sword fell from his hand and landed upon the ground with a clank. He approached Elizabeth softly, his eyes now downcast with the dolor that was no doubt filling his every cell with each breath he took.

"Is this true?" He asked in the softest of whispers. "Do you really love him?"

She didn't pause for a second. Swiftly, she replied, "yes."

Will felt the impact of that word and his eyes filled with tears he allowed to be unwept. Jack looked upon the boy sorrowfully, almost feeling the angst that was flowing through the lad's veins. He could hardly imagine the pain he was living.

"Then I need to talk with Jack for a second," he said in a very calm manner, "alone." Almost too calm. Jack tightened a grip on his sword. Elizabeth looked back at Jack and her eyes pleaded with him to do what he could to help the situation.

"Nice little chat would be grand," Jack sighed, "minus the swords of course, mate."

Will nodded, Elizabeth sighed and wiped away the tears from her eyes, and Jack dropped his sword and nudged it a bit away from his body.

"I'll wait by the boats," Elizabeth whispered and cast one last glance at Jack. He smiled and nodded.

Will Turner approached.

~@~

TBC!