Call Me Captain Part Two: Immortal Love

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters

A/N: I was going to post this rather large chapter all at once, creating a grand conclusion, but I decided to be mean and withhold as I got ideas for the epilogue that changed a bit of the writing. So, more mush to come soon!

A/N: I wrote Anna as practically Jack's sister, no romantic connotations.. concerning Jack at least!

A/N: And yes, if you look at it from a certain point of view, Will's fallen into a somber shadow and cannot be saved at this point in the story. More page-space for Captain Jack then!

Enjoy!

~@~

The night was wavering as Jack rowed the boat to the Pearl. The stars began to lose their fury and the deep night that had set before entrance to the cave was slowly fading away, preparing for the gift of light that was inching up over the watery horizon. The battle between dying dark and reviving light was casting a milky dark hue across the sky. The waves' caps reflected this struggle as the sea took a slightly sickly color- not an exuberant blue or a deep black. Rather, it was a mixture of both, and the color never sat well with Captain Jack Sparrow.

Silence had uncomfortably sunk between the three in the rowboat and it all seemed to fall heavily upon the moving shoulders of Jack. Will sat in the front of the boat and his dark eyes had taken a hostile air once again as they searched Jack's contemplating face and back behind him to where Elizabeth was fidgeting. Jack could hear her shifting uncomfortably on her bench, wringing her soaking clothes with her small hands. He could mark the times when Will's lamenting gaze fell upon her for she would suddenly become very still and very silent. Then, when Will's eyes leapt back to Jack's face, she would resume her fussing. This cycle continued until the precious moment when Jack broke the silence.

"Well, the Pearl looks sound," Jack commented lightly as he let the oars droop into the sea. The small rowboat came to the Pearl's side and a murmur of voices could be heard from the top deck.

"Gibbs!" Jack cupped his hands together and called out with a tremendously strong voice that countered his slighter figure. They waited, eyes searching the railing for a face to pop out. One did, but it was not the face of Gibbs.

"Jack, you daft pirate! Leavin' us like that and gettin' marooned again! What kind o'pirate are you anyways?" The livid face was that of AnnaMaria's and her sharp voice pierced through any silence that lingered.

"Spare me the laments and get me a ladder," Jack hollered back with an impish smile.

"And who you got with you," Anna asked suspiciously, peering through the shadows, "that'd be Turner?" She asked the last question with a softer voice and Jack marked the changed in her emotional stature.

"Someone's worried about you, mate," Jack winked at the despondent boy. A flush of color came to his face and he dared to spare a glance at Elizabeth before sending Jack a half-sneer, half-grin. Jack couldn't tell what it was, but it was obviously a mask for emotions the boy did not want to reveal.

"That'd he be," Jack called back. "And Elizabeth. Now throw us the ladder!"

Anna's body craned over the side of the ship and her eyes fell upon the top of Elizabeth's head.

"Did a good job with a rescuin' us," Anna called, "and a good job of bringing you back. Bit o'celebratin' later, I suppose, cap'n." Her shrewd voice laughed and Jack could feel a heat rise to his face. If anybody knew when somethings were not to be said, Anna did.

Bloody pirate, Jack thought with a scowl as he felt both Elizabeth's eyes and Will's glare upon him.

"Rescue? Send me down the cursed rope or I'll have you clean my quarters," Jack cursed upwards, this time standing up suddenly on the small boat and rocking it even further. He crouched quickly and grabbed at the sides as the boat shook violently right and left as to not fall overboard.

Anna threw back her head and laughed, beyond pleased to see that what she had said struck home so close to her Captain. His threat only heightened her satisfaction and she merrily threw down the rope ladder, falling into another fit as Jack helped Elizabeth up.

"You rescued them," Jack asked with incredulity and awe, taking Elizabeth by the elbow and leading her to the other side of the rowboat. She jerked away from his hold once she got her bearing, however.

"Is that such a surprise, Jack," she asked in an almost too formal tone with an arch of her eyebrows. She could not resist the prideful curl of her lips, however, and Jack watched in wonder as she beamed strength through a slight smile. With that she stepped on the side of the rowboat and made the little jump to the now descended rope ladder. Without a look back, she began to aptly climb.

Jack could only stare unblinkingly at the climbing girl. His heart beat wildly in his chest and he felt his mouth go dry.

I love her, he thought proudly in his raptured daze. He clambered over to the rope, shakily, his mind not on footing but of the daydream of Elizabeth rescuing his imprisoned crew.

This only sent Anna into another fit of boisterous laughter and she called down to Jack again.

"Girl's got sea legs now, Jack. Am I right in thinkin' you lost yours," Anna asked in a chirping voice as Jack was now making his way up the ladder behind Elizabeth with a scowl on his face. "That's what fallin' in love does to a man, I s'ppose. Lose your sea legs. Love only puts the man in the bed for longer times," she wittingly called, pausing as Elizabeth threw her legs over the railing and stopping altogether as Elizabeth shot her a look that could kill a crew. Her warm brown eyes became suddenly very icy. Anna only smirked back.

"He is a pirate you know," Anna said softly, raising her right eyebrow and crossing her arms in a defensive manner. Her countenance only helped suggest what she was implying.

Jack threw his leg over the rail and plopped down to the ground quickly.

"Ladies, ladies. Piracy is not simply an act of pillaging and plundering. You've got to have a certain," he stopped and stroked his mustache, mockingly thinking hard, "a certain air of charged romantic desire." He finished softly and his deep brown eyes flickered from woman to woman.

"A sword fight and a row boat is so romantic," Elizabeth countered with a smirk, crossing her arms as Anna did. The two women exchanged glances and Jack sighed as they spoke in their secretive female language.

"Elizabeth, dear, we can make anything romantic," he whispered, taking a step closer to her, "if we want to." He paused dramatically between every word and let his eyes bore down into Elizabeth's.

Anna threw up her hands and sighed.

"Pirates never change," Anna sighed. "I think I'm a going to get myself a respectable man. Someone who knows how to woe a woman without dramatic monologues."

Jack tore his eyes away from Elizabeth and looked towards the railing.

"There's a respectable man down in the boat, if you'd be a fancying him." Jack eyed Anna closely for her reaction. Her dark skin flushed softly and she wrinkled her nose. Her eyes slit dangerously and she scowled at Jack. Precisely as he expected.

"Speaking of which," Elizabeth said, stepping towards the railing, "why isn't he coming up?"

Jack walked over to her and looked down. He sighed dramatically and clicked his tongue as he saw Will still sitting in the gently rocking boat, head down and eyes content on watching the waves roll into the boat.

"Turner, you be coming up," Anna called, body leaning over the edge.

"I'd rather wait until Miss. Swann is ready to return to her father's ship," he called back sharply without lifting her head. Anna said something to herself and walked off to the boat's stern. Elizabeth turned abruptly to Jack.

"What happened in that cave between you two? He seemed fine when you both came out-,"

Jack cut her off. "He was fine. Fallin' back into a certain mood, if I do say so. Quite angsty at the moment," he said with an innocent grin.

"What happened," Elizabeth asked with a tone, her hand reaching out to touch Jack's arm. He looked down at her hand and felt his mouth go dry again.

"A story for another time," he murmured, looking down at Elizabeth intensely. Moments passed as the two simply lost themselves in their gaze. He could see his reflection in her earthy brown eyes and he felt as if he could watch her forever, simply swimming in her dark orbs. Elizabeth suddenly flung herself into his arms and he caught her and held her close.

"I thought I lost you, Jack," she whispered into his chest. He tightened his hold around her shaking body and rubbed his cheek in her damp hair.

"You didn't, love. Never will," he replied softly.

"Do you really think yourself so immortal, Jack," she cried, pulling slightly away from the embrace. Her eyes were wide and watery.

"Statistic has made such a point of suggesting it," he laughed.

"Well, without that curse, you wouldn't have been."

He studied her closely for a second.

"And without my pistol's shot, you wouldn't have been either," he said in a slow and remorseful voice as the image of Barbossa aiming at Elizabeth blossomed a flower of pain and anger in his mind's eye. He pulled her to his chest again as he wished desperately to feel the heat of her body.

"You're damp," he murmured, pulling away and feeling the sleeves of her arms.

She looked at him with bemused eyes and a crooked smile.

"I'm not cold," she whispered, "as long as you hold me."

"A task I willingly accept," he smirked, taking her face with his hands. He slowly brought his head down while she tilted her face up. He savored in the warmth of her breath upon his face and he brushed his lips against hers with a seductive lightness.

"Getting warmer," Elizabeth whispered as their lips were but a movement apart. He arched an eyebrow and ran his hand down her bare neck, pleased to see her skin burst with goosebumps. His lips brushed gently upon her cheek and his nose nuzzled hers.

"Warmer," Elizabeth murmured through burning lips.

Smiling, he snaked his arm around her waist and brought her close to him while he engulfed her lips with his own. Her lips danced with his and parted slightly, allowing Jack to explore. Their mouths moved together with perfect synchrony. He felt her shudder as his fingers traced the back of her neck. Her roving hand passed down his chest, and touched his bare skin, sending shivers down his own body. She grasped his hand with her own and entwined her fingers through his.

The passion of the dawning morning burst over the horizon and filled Jack's heart with overflowing emotions. Not even the most passionate kiss could convey how right it felt to hold her in his arms and taste her with his mouth.

Eventually, the communal sharing of air did not satisfy their lungs and they broke apart, looking at each other with burning intensity.

"Perfect," Elizabeth said, biting her lip. Her finger rubbed against Jack's thumb.

"It's morning," he whispered, looking out to the sea. The dawning sun was bursting over the blue horizon, sending a splash of colors across the sea. Pale light glimmered across the waves and touched the sails of the ship gingerly, throwing light upon the dark sails.

"A new day."

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TBC (to be CONCLUDED!)