Two nights passed…the third found Cordelia in her bed, sleeping soundly for the first time since being separated from Jack.  Well, perhaps soundly is not the correct word; she was in a deep sleep, but her mind swirled with images of Jack, both alive and dead.  Her body didn't move, but her mind refused to slow down.

A storm hit Port Royal that night.  Rain pounded the buildings and streets and lightning seared the sky.  Soaked to the skin, covered in mud, and ears ringing from the sounds of the storm, Jack trudged through the town and made his way to the Turner household.

Knowing that the weather would drown out any knocking, Jack began to throw stones at the window he knew to be Will and Elizabeth's.  It took a few tries, but eventually Will went to the window and looked out.  He couldn't see anything clearly through the heavy sheets of rain, but the outline of a person was evident.  Instinctively, Will grabbed a sword and went downstairs, planning on somehow confronting whoever decided to disturb his sleep.  Will opened the front door and his jaw dropped.  He blinked a few times, convinced that he was seeing things.

"'Ello t' ye too, eunuch," Jack said, his voice emotionless.  Will's mouth moved, but no words came out.  "Name's Jack Sparrow, Captain Jack Sparrow, remember?"

"Jack," Will's voice was soft.  "Jack, how are you…here?"

"Long story, mate…well, actually, s'rather short, but complicated.  Can I come in?"

"Oh?" Will said, only now realizing that Jack was still out in the rain.  "Of course."  Will stepped aside and let Jack pass – he didn't walk any further than the very inside of the foyer due to his sloppy state.  By this time, Elizabeth had come downstairs to investigate and stood wide-eyed and unmoving at the sight of Jack.

"'Ello wife of eunuch," Jack said with a crooked smile.

"Oh my God…"  Elizabeth walked closer to him.  "You're not cursed are you?"

"Ne'er thought that'd be the reaction," Jack said, "but no, I don't think so."

"Jack, what's going on?" Will asked.  "Why aren't you dead?"

"Would ye rather I be?"

Will shook his head.  "No, no, that's not what I meant.  Was everything a mistake?  Were Gibbs and Anamaria mistaken?"

"No," Jack said softly.  "I…I told 'em t' tell ye, to tell…'ow is she?"  Elizabeth's hand swung out hitting Jack hard across the face.  "I deserve worse than that."

"How could you do this to her?"  Elizabeth said in a shouted whisper.  "She's a mess, Jack!  Not eating, not wanting to talk…this is the first night that I've looked in on her that she's even been asleep.  You've killed part of her!"

Jack's eyes welled with tears.  "Why d'ye think I'm here?  As much as I wan' t' stay away, t' let 'er 'ave a real life…I can' do it.  If she can forgive me, I swear t' do everythin' I can t' make up…"

"Make up?" Elizabeth said.  "Jack, you have her thinking you're dead!  Have you lost your…"

"Elizabeth, calm down," Will said, interrupting her.  Will found an odd tone creeping into his voice.  "Jack, I refuse to let you near Cordelia until you explain why you did all of this."

"Fair 'nuff," Jack said.  He explained everything that had happened from the time he and Cordelia had left their house and set sail on The Pearl.  The fight, the scars, the blissfully falling in love…and Ahriman.  Jack filled in the gaps that Cordelia left.  He told them about his guilt for not trusting Cordelia and his guilt about letting her go.  By the end of his tale, Elizabeth was in tears and Will was unable to believe that the man before him was the same Jack Sparrow that always told him to try not to do anything "stupid."  "So, am I worthy of seein' 'er?" 

Will nodded.  "You obviously didn't mean to hurt her, Jack…but you know that she's going to have a hard time with this."

"Will," Elizabeth said, "we can't let him see her."

Jack looked wounded.  "Why bloody not?"

"You may not actually be dead, but you certainly look – and smell – the part.  You're not going near her until we get you cleaned up."

Jack sniffed himself, sticking out his tongue.  "Bath then?"

"Bath," Elizabeth smiled.  She immediately had a bath drawn for him and made Will go with him to be sure that he didn't miss any layers of filth.  Will rolled his eyes and followed Jack to his bath.

Roughly an hour later, Jack and Will found Elizabeth in the kitchen.  Will had managed to gather some clothing that was not only clean, but fit Jack as if they were his own.  Jack smiled as he looked at Elizabeth.

"Better?"

Elizabeth chuckled.  "So, that's what you look like under all the dirt.  You're…well, you're…"

"Handsome?  Dashing?  Unbelievably…"

"Not bad."

"Not bad?"  Jack looked at Will.  "Wha' 'ave ye done t' 'er, Will?  She doesn' even know a hands…"

"Jack," Will interrupted, "you're stalling."

Jack's demeanor changed drastically.  "Aye, tha' I am, Will.  T' be honest, I'm scared out o' me mind."

Elizabeth started to walk away.  "Well, then you can be on your way and we'll try to find her a nice naval officer to…"

"Not funny, lass."  Jack took a deep breath.  "All right, I'm goin' up.  If I come back down these stairs with two red cheeks, ye'll know things didn' go well.  If I don' come back down…"  He smiled as he left the room.  "…then she's forgiven me," he softly called back to them.