Chapter 22

Allie just sat on the bed, trying not to cry. It would be foolish to cry now that she was safe. However, once she thought back to what almost happened, she couldn't help it. She fell onto her side on the bed and started sobbing silently.

She was still crying when Jack came back about fifteen minutes later. He was shocked to see Allie crying. He had only seen her cry once before, and that was a few days after they had met.

"Luv, what's wrong?" he asked, striding over to the bed. Allie gasped and sat up, wiping away her tears as she did so, trying to stop crying.

"Nothing," she mumbled. Jack raised an eyebrow at her.

"Nothin'?" he repeated doubtfully. He took her by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "Try again, luv. What's wrong?" Allie sighed, fighting fresh tears as she did so.

"I was just so afraid, Jack." That was all she got out before she started crying again. Not as hard as before, but she still cried. "I was so scared that you weren't going to come," she admitted, looking down at the floor. Jack sat down next to her and pulled her into an embrace.

"Wha' made ye think tha', luv?" Allie shrugged, her tears starting to subside a little.

"It must have been the Pirate Code. You know--any man who falls behind, is left behind. I had fallen behind. I was sure that you had just sailed away and left me. Especially when you didn't show up at the jail to bust me out. When they came to get me at dawn, I gave up hoping to be rescued. More than ever when I saw the gallows come into view." Jack didn't speak for a few moments, contemplating what Allie had just told him.

"But yer not a man, luv. Therefore, tha' rule doesn't apply to ye," he said with a grin. Then he turned serious. "How could ye 'onestly think tha' I wouldn't come fer ye, darlin'?" he finally asked. "Aye, the pirates code does say tha' who falls behind is left behind, but tha' doesn't apply to gettin' arrested by the Navy, savvy?" He sought out her gaze with his. "But even if tha' wasn' the case, luv, I still would 'ave rescued ye." Allie just stared up at him.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why would you put yer life in danger for me?" she wanted to know. Jack didn't hesitate for an instant.

"Because I care about ye, Allie." Allie's face broke into a grin. She leaned forward and kissed him. Jack immediately kissed her back, pulling her as close to him as he could. After a few minutes, Allie pulled back.

"I'm going to go check on Liz," she said, then left the room.

Will had one arm wrapped around Liz's shoulders, his fingers tangled in her hair and Liz was leaning her head on his shoulder. Liz was tracing little hearts on Will's other hand, which was resting on top of Liz's, which was sitting on his knee, their fingers laced together. Will's head rested on top of hers, and both had their eyes closed. Neither of them heard the knock on the door.

When Allie didn't get an answer, she opened the door and peeked in. She grinned when she saw the sight. She walked in and closed the door, not even trying to be quiet. Neither of them opened their eyes. They just stayed as they were. Allie doubted that they even knew she was there. She stood there just watching them for a few minutes, wondering when they were finally going to notice her. Will mumbled something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "I love you." Allie raised her eyebrows and tried not to laugh. She decided that she was tired of waiting.

"When you two lovebirds are done, come and find me, Liz," she said, then turned to leave. At the sound of Allie's voice, both Liz and Will looked up. It took Liz a moment to comprehend what her friend had said.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked as Allie took a step towards the door. Allie turned back around, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Long enough, luv," she said. "Like I said: when you're done, come and find me, Liz," she threw over her shoulder as she left, shutting the door behind her. Will chuckled.

"You'd better go talk to her," he said, separating himself from Liz. Liz frowned.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" she asked mock-angrily. Will laughed and pulled her into a hug.

"Of course not, Princess. I just think that you should go and talk to your friend. The two of you have been through quite a lot recently."

You don't know the half of it, Liz thought, but didn't say so aloud. This was not the time to tell Will that she and Allie were from the future. Liz sighed, kissed Will's cheek, and left.

"Allie, wait!" Liz called when she saw that her friend was half-way up the stairs that led to above-decks. Allie stopped and turned around, grinning.

"Well that was fast," she remarked as Liz caught up to her.

"Of course it was, why wouldn't it have been?" Allie grinned.

"Because you were wrapped in Will's arms," she stated, starting to head up the stairs again. Suddenly she stopped and turned around. "Hold on, I've got to tell Will something," she said, then ran back to Liz's room. She knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Will called. Allie poked her head in.

"I just wanted to let you know that if you hurt Liz in any way, I'm going to kill you," she said, completely serious. Will gulped at the look on Allie's face. She looked like she meant it.

"I would never dream of hurting her," he said sincerely. Allie smiled.

"Good. Just checking. Later!" She ran up the stairs to where Liz was waiting for her.

"What did you want to tell Will?" she asked. Allie shook head.

"Nothin'." Liz sighed dreamily.

"He's so cute," she said. "I love him so much." Allie tripped and almost fell flat on her face. She looked at Liz in shock. "What?" Liz asked, totally confused.

"I thought that after Ryan you said that you were through with guys," Allie said slowly, still trying to process what Liz had said.

"Who?" Liz asked, dazed.

"You know--Ryan Clark. The guy who proposed to you and then you found out he was cheating on you with three other girls, and so you swore never to love again."

"Oh that Ryan." Allie nodded with a "yeah-that-Ryan" look. "He's irrelevant now." Allie smiled.

"So you finally realized that you loved him, huh?" Liz looked at her, a surprised look on her face.

"You knew?" Allie grinned.

"Yeah. I've known since the end of the storm a few days ago." They walked in silence for a few minutes, heading towards the helm. Then Allie spoke up again. "Does Will know?"

"Does Will know what?" Liz asked.

"That you love him." Liz smiled, getting a far away look in her eyes.

"Yes," she said dreamily. Allie laughed and shook her head. "And guess what?" Liz asked.

"What?"

"He loves me back," Liz said, still off in la-la land somewhere.

"I'm happy fer ya, Liz," Allie said.

"Do you think we'll ever get home?" Liz asked. Allie stopped walking and looked at her, a sad look on her face.

"I don't know, Liz," she said truthfully. "I don't think so."

"I don't want to hurt Will." Allie put an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Liz, are you happy?" Liz nodded. "Then we've got nothing to worry about. I 'onestly think that if we were going to go back, it would have 'appened long before now. Besides," she said with a smile, "these things have a way of working out."

A few hours later, Jack, Will, Liz, and Allie were all sitting around near the side of the ship just talking. Suddenly, not even thinking about it, Liz leaned over the railing, hocked up a wad of spit, and fired over the side. She then turned back to the conversation as if nothing had happened. Allie cracked up at the horrified look on Will's face. He looked like he was about to pass out from shock. Jack just looked mildly amused.

"Didn't know ye had it in ye, lass," he commented. Liz looked perplexed.

"Had what in me?" she asked. Allie laughed again.

"The whole spitting thing," she said, still laughing. All of a sudden, Liz realized what she had just done. Her face turned red.

"Oops," she mumbled. Jack laughed and looked over at Allie.

"Can ye do that, luv?" he asked, fully expecting her to say yes. Allie immediately stopped laughing.

"Oh, no. There's no way. Liz is the one who does the whole spitting/burping thing." Will looked even more horrified.

"Burping?" he repeated faintly, looking at Liz, wanting an explanation. Liz turned even redder and glared at Allie.

"What can I say. I'm a modern girl?" Liz tried. Allie laughed at Liz's choice of words. Jack looked at her curiously.

"What's so funny, luv?" he asked. Allie just shook her head.

"Don't ask," she said. Will was still looking at Liz, still looking quite shocked. Liz smiled.

"Oh, don't look so shocked, Will. It's not that big of a deal." Then she grinned impishly. "In fact, let's have a spiting contest. I bet I could spit further than you." Hearing that, Jack burst out laughing.

"Who'd have thought tha' Miss Prissy 'ere could spit, and not ye luv?" he said, looking at Allie. Allie and Liz both glared at him.

"Shut-up, Jack," they said at the same time. Will finally broke out of his stupor and started laughing.

"You certainly have a way with women, Jack," he said. "Besides, you leave my 'Miss Prissy' alone." Liz pouted and Allie laughed.

"Gee, Liz. That's two people who have called you 'prissy' in the past minute."

"Shut-up you," Liz said, then smirked. "At least I can spit past my chin." Allie gasped and turned beat red. Jack and Will both roared with laughter.

"I'm going to work in the rigging. Or something." Allie said then walked away.

"Well, I'm off to steer me Pearl," Jack said, tipping his hat, then heading off towards the helm.

Liz turned and stared off into the ocean. Will wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"Promise me one thing, Princess?" he asked softly.

"What's that?"

"Never spit again," Will pleaded. Liz laughed.

"Alright sweetheart. I promise I won't ever spit in front of you again."