Things Fall Apart

06 underneath

Disclaimer: See the previous chapter.

Author's Note: Okay, I'm back. This update took a little longer than expected, but I've been a bit busy. Though, like I said, I'm back now, ideals of piracy intact. After my best friend forced me to listen to this CD when I would really rather now have I saw my story in my head and though I have never done anything song fic-y I decided to give it a go. Not into pop at all, but the melody and the words are beautiful, even if the artist didn't write it herself and she has the brains of a three year old. To those who want to know. I promise to mention Will a bit more in the next chapter, and he will be in the story very soon. I swear, on pain of death.

Qalace: No idea what they were thinking. The scene with the scars made me want to cry, and actually the feeling of that scene is that what gave me inspiration for this fic. Even before I had the DVD I suspected something like that. Piracy was not romantic; it was—full of scars. I also think that scene did a lot for Jack as a character. The vulnerability. He was a person then, when a lot of people see him as eye candy or comic relief. Not that he isn't either, of course, but, there's more to our boy that lots of 'savvy?' and rum.

Dhal-gal: Lmao, I think I'm going to choke to death! Good at know ye'll always review. :D

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sometimes it's hard

when you're so deep inside

to see all you can loose

in a blink of an eye

dreams could be shattered

you could be gone..

It had taken a moment after Jack's exit for Elizabeth to fully realize what had been said. Once she did, her eyes flooded, and she realized the truth of it. She cursed the world for making an outcast of such a beautiful spirit. Didn't they know what they were missing out on? And, not only did the world hate the person she loved; they wanted to take him from her. Everyone, her father, Norrington, probably Will—she was a proper lady who wasn't to be in the company of such raffish characters. Redressing quickly, she left the cabin.

how would I survive?

cause you're where I belong

Jack hadn't stayed at the helm long. Somehow it just didn't seem as soothing as he'd hoped, what with the knowing it could all be taken so soon. As long as there had been pirates there had been pirate hunters, and considering that they were better funded, they won a great deal of the time. That wasn't the issue. The beauty of the ocean was that he, and others, could always outrun the hunters. They could always out run the world, because there was plenty of sea to go around. The wonderful thing about the horizon was that you never really reach it, so you can spend your whole life in pursuit. It was this fact that had made Jack the person he was. But, with the knowledge he held about the plans of the crown, it seemed hard to be so in love with life, especially with this bitter reminder that life didn't return the sentiment.

my soul believer

without you,

I don't know who I would be..

Once she was topside again, just as Elizabeth suspected, she discovered that Jack had gone to the highest spot in the ship. It seemed the most likely course of action; it was, after all, the best place to think. And, the best place to be left alone. Before she could make a move to the ladder, she was stopped by Gibbs. The man had a worried expression on his face as he took hold of her arm to prevent her from walking past.

"Never, in all the years I've known `im, seen `im like this, Miss Elizabeth. What on earth `appened in there?"

Instead of boring him with all the details, and hopefully avoiding an uprising of the crew, she smiled and nodded towards the crow's nest.

"You know how Jack feels about his freedom."

Gibbs seemed to accept this explanation, though it didn't explain anything. He released her arm and waited for her to walk away. But, before she did so, he added what sounded like a plea on behalf of the entire crew.

"`e may be the daftest mad captain ta ever sail, but `is crew lov—" He stopped and rethought his statement, "`e's a friend, too, is all. Take care of `im."

She silently promised to do so, and brushed past the first mate, in the direction of the ladder.

underneath..

I can feel you move through me

inside out

you surround me..

Each time she grasped another rung she hesitated, wondering if she should just leave well enough alone, but each time, she decided against it. Finally, after reaching the top, she saw Jack. He was sitting, leaning against the railing, gazing up at the stars. It was unclear whether or not he realized she was there, he gave no proof that he did.

"You know," She began, "I think I do finally see the Pearl up there."

"Just go to bed Li—Elizbabeth." Jack muttered, clearly not in the mood for cheering up. For whatever reason he had stopped himself from using her nickname.

"Now who's squashing someone else's freedom?" She joked. He didn't laugh.

She stood for a moment, lingering somewhere between feeling gut wrenching sympathy, and wanting to call him a big baby. Deciding against the latter, she sat down next to him, silent. He huffed in disapproval, but didn't tell her to go away again.

It seemed strange that stargazing had been exactly what they were doing when Charles Vane came aboard. That seemed like an eternity ago, now, though it was only a few hours.

Finally, after a few moments, Jack made a decision.

"You don't `ave ta leave if you don't wanna." He said quietly.

Maybe it was just the fact that he realized his other plan was unbearable, but Elizabeth smiled, and nodded. She knew he wouldn't insist upon abandoning her in Port Royal, but it was nice to hear it out loud.

"I don't want—wanna."

There was no way she was leaving. How could he even think that was an option?

Upon hearing that she had broken her habit of perfect English, Jack turned and regarded her for a moment.

"What?" She laughed.

"S'nothin'." He said, and looked up again.

I breathe you

like I'm taking my last breath

you're everything I know

so how could I let you go?

After another moment of awkward silence—

"Don't wanna leave, then?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, because she had just said this, but clearly Jack was in disbelief. Why was this so hard for him to understand? Finally, growing very tired of the new and more dramatic Jack, she rose to her knees in front of him. He looked uneasy for a moment, wondering what she was about to do, but settled when it became clear she was just repositioning herself. Placing her hands on her hips she shook her head.

"How could I leave you, Jack? Where else am I going to go?" She hadn't meant literally of, of course, because there were places she could go. But where else could she live? In the true sense of the word? He understood the question, and shrugged. Still not satisfied with his reaction, she took his face in her hands and did her best to imitate his slurred cockney accent, "C'mon now, luv, give us a grin."

And, slowly but surely, he did.

Then, as if by magic, something in his eyes flickered, and the fire that she knew and loved returned.

"Y'just can't get enough of ole` Jack, can you?"

The smile spread across her entire face, and she held back laughter.

"Something like that." She said thoughtfully.

"And, `onestly, who could blame you?" He looked down at himself, as if asking the question again.

She yawned and laid her head on his shoulder, and he returned the action, resting atop her head.

"No one I can think of." She'd said it before, when asked what possible woman could resist Captain Jack Sparrow.

"You know," Jack started to speak again, "we can't out run them forever. S'much as every pirate wants ta believe we can."

It seemed like wisdom that you would never hear from someone like Jack. But that was the thing, he always had a way of surprising Elizabeth. She knew he was right, that exact same thought had crossed her mind, almost at the same time. Sparrow had meant to tell her that things would get dangerous very soon, he had meant to prepare her for the fact that their might be an abrupt and violent end to their relationship, and possibly, their lives. He had meant to warn her. But she already knew, and didn't care. Whatever he may have thought, she didn't romanticize piracy as much as she had before their meeting. She hadn't, in fact, since he'd revealed those god awful scars to her on the island. Even though she didn't think of him in the same way, then, the sight had still caused her to back up several steps, holding back tears at what the world did to what it didn't understand.

"I know." She said after a beat.

"Good," He wrapped an arm around her, "no worries then."