Disclaimer: I do not own POTC!
Elizabeth snuggled close to Jack's chest as they tried to keep each other warm, it was unseasonably cold for this time of year.
"Jack…don't just stay in bed." Elizabeth pleaded as he got out of bed.
"Captain duties call, luv…" Elizabeth grunted as she got out of bed herself, put on a dressing robe and sat at the vanity.
"I must be losing my mind…" Elizabeth said.
"It must be the wine…" Jack said teasingly as he bent down and kissed her neck.
"I got this letter from James, and I completely forgot about it." Elizabeth said picking it up.
"I can understand that, I mean after my performance last night, how could you think of anything else?" Jack said triumphantly.
"Don't get ahead of yourself." Elizabeth said laughing. Jack frowned and sat on the bed to put his boots on, watching Elizabeth read the letter.
"Oh my God…" Elizabeth said getting up, "This can't be…this can't be…" Elizabeth said crying and shaking. Jack got up and looked at her in the eyes.
"What?"
"Can't be…"
Jack then grabbed her and shook her, "Elizabeth what's wrong?"
Elizabeth looked at him with a gasp, "My..my…father." Elizabeth then started crying uncontrollably.
"Elizabeth…what…" Jack then just took her in his arms.
"My…father…is dead!" Elizabeth wailed as she crumpled to the floor.
"Elizabeth I am so sorry." Jack said.
"Jack…can we make it to Port Royal…in two days? I know that it would be a stretch but is there even a chance, I need to go to his burial…I know that I left on bad terms but…I…he's…"
"Your father…" Jack finished the sentence for her. "Elizabeth it would be a stretch, but it is possible…"
"Ok…ok…" Elizabeth was clearly distraught.
"Elizabeth…why don't you stay in bed today? Just rest…" Jack said reassuringly.
"No, I need to go on, I'll just think about him." Elizabeth said as she wiped her tears.
"Alright, if that's what you want." Jack said, "I am going out to set the course for Port Royal."
"Thank you Jack." Elizabeth said.
"Anything for you luv, I told you that." Jack said as he hugged her. Jack then walked out of the cabin and Elizabeth was left alone. Elizabeth felt incredibly heartbroken, she had proclaimed her dislike for her father, but now that he was gone…she felt guilty. The last words she had with him were not pleasant, she wished she could change things.
Once Elizabeth stepped on deck she inhaled the salt air, then Jacob walked up to her.
"I am sorry for you loss, Elizabeth."
"Thank you." Elizabeth then continued to walk towards Jack.
As Elizabeth stood next to Jack, he put his arm around her shoulder.
"We should reach Port Royal by late tomorrow night."
"Ok, I am going to help the crew…" Jack stood at the helm of the ship the entire day and watched Elizabeth. She was visibly distraught, so she wasn't paying attention, Jack knew this so he told Jacob, so the two of them kept their eyes on her.
Later that night while Jack and Elizabeth laid down in bed, Jack asked her what had caused the rift between her and her father.
"Elizabeth, you never told me what happened between you and your father…" Jack asked.
"It's not worth mentioning…" Elizabeth said snuggling closer to him.
"I think it is. You had a look of guilt all over yer face today…"
"Jack could you just stop…" Elizabeth said leaning up in her elbows.
"It can't be that bad."
"Jack just stop! If I don't want to talk about it, then I don't!" Elizabeth then got out of bed and put her robe on.
"Where are you going?" Jack asked.
"Outside…" Elizabeth then placed her hand on the handle.
"No yer not…" Jack said.
"Oh yes I am."
"As you Captain I say your not!" Jack said getting out of bed.
"As you wife I say that if you don't get out of my way…I'll make you…" Elizabeth said to him as he placed himself between her and the door.
"Oh yeah, how are you going to do that?" Jack asked almost challenging her. Elizabeth then gave him a look, if looks could kill, Jack would be dead, but Jack still did not move.
"Jack why do you have to be so difficult?" Elizabeth said annoyed.
"In my blood, now sit down and start talking." Elizabeth reluctantly sat down and Jack pulled up a chair beside her.
"Elizabeth?" Her father called her from down the stoned path.
"Yes father, I thought you weren't coming back till later." Elizabeth said wiping the tears from her delicate face.
"Yes, I decided to come home early. Elizabeth I must have a talk with you."
"Yes, go ahead."
"Elizabeth, I know you are grieving for Will, but I must put this forward. Elizabeth you must marry, you are of age to do so, you need to put this behind you and move forward."
"What?" Elizabeth was appalled, she got up from her chair in anger, "Will's body is barely cold in the ground and you dare talk to be about this! Father, I love him, I still do, and I shall love no other, for heaven's sake you won't even let me grieve, before you send me off to marry some stuck up old bloody idiot!"
"Commodore James Norrington is no idiot Elizabeth!"
"James? You expect me to marry him! You are sadly mistaken father…"
"Elizabeth I am your father, and you shall do as I say, as long as you live under my household!"
"Well then consider myself no longer under your household…I hate you…" Elizabeth said coldly. Elizabeth walked out the front gate and walked into town.
"That is when you came along…" Elizabeth said.
"What was so bad about that?"
"It's not one of my finer moments…" Elizabeth said as she sighed.
"Elizabeth your father loved you, and he knew you loved him, all fathers do no matter what their daughters say. That's their little girl, he just wanted what he thought what was best for you, although that is not how it turned out. Elizabeth the one man any girl can count on is their father…yours is gone now."
"Not entirely true…" Elizabeth said with a twinkle in her eyes. "I just wish I could take it back…"
"You can't, just know that your father loved you, and that you loved him." Elizabeth seemed to soak it in, then looked back at Jack.
"I love you…" Jack and Elizabeth then went back to bed. As Elizabeth and Jack nestled closer together Jack responded to her.
"I love you…"