A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers! Last Tuesday seems like such a long time ago...

Anyway, on with the show...


Chapter 19: Suspicions

Sylvia had not expected to find Jack sitting up against the cave wall and that much was evident in the way she gasped when she saw him.

"I've been waiting for ye," said Jack quietly. He was still pale but looked better than he had done the day before. Sylvia swallowed and tried to smile.

"What made you think I was coming back?" she asked. The question perhaps took her more by surprise than it did Jack.

"I jus' knew," Jack replied with a very small shrug. Sylvia stepped into the cave and sat down on the floor in front of him, the physical gap stretched between them like a great cavern but neither of them moved. Jack's dark eyes continued to watch Sylvia intently. Sylvia bit her lip, she wanted to speak but something was stopping her.

"There's somethin' wrong," said Jack, "I can see it in yer face." Sylvia looked at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked her heart in her throat. Jack did not elaborate, instead he changed the subject.

"Ye didn't have t' rescue me you know," he said and for a moment Sylvia thought his pride had been bruised.

"I couldn't have left you there!" she said resolutely.

"Maybe not," said Jack, "But ye put yourself at quite a risk I imagine." Sylvia absently scratched the back of her hand, not noticing it going steadily red.

"Don't you remember?" Sylvia asked.

"You rescuing me? Not one bit," said Jack honestly, "Although I do seem to remember a pretty pair o' eyes looking down over me sometime yesterday." Sylvia blushed again and a smile broke free and lit her face. Another silence descended and Sylvia felt a strong urge to move closer to Jack, to touch him. Jack apparently had no such feeling. He was looking around the cave as if it was the first time he had properly looked at it.

"This is like where we first met," he said with amusement.

"I suppose it is," agreed Sylvia, "Although…"

"Although ye did the rescuing not me," finished Jack.

"That's not true," Sylvia said quickly, "If you hadn't saved me from that…"

"None of tha' matters any more," interrupted Jack.

"How can you say that when you're still hurt?" Sylvia asked. Jack said nothing. He clearly was not about to start talking about his injuries. The urge to be near him was overpowering all Sylvia's other senses, and finally she could ignore it no longer. She stood up and repositioned herself so that when she sat back down her shoulder was just touching Jack's.

"I missed you Jack," she whispered and her hand found his. She closed her eyes as their fingers wrapped around each other. She had been longing for this moment for so long. While she had her eyes closed Jack noticed something. He could feel something on Sylvia's hand that had certainly not been there before. He raised her left hand and slipped the ring off her finger so skilfully that Sylvia did not feel a thing. She did, however, notice when Jack's fingers released hers and her hand dropped back to her lap. Her eyes opened.

"Jack?" she had already spoken before she saw what had made Jack stop. Jack was examining her wedding ring as one might examine a diamond to check it was genuine. Sylvia felt her mouth go very dry. She could feel the place on her hand where the ring should have been, it felt strange not to be wearing it after such a long time with it on. She wanted to look at her bare hand but she could not tear her eyes away from Jack. For a long time Jack did not speak. He rotated the ring in his fingers and with each turn drove an icy knife further into Sylvia's heart but she bore the pain silently. She was waiting for the response she knew would have to come, sooner or later.

"You're married?" Jack's voice was calm, almost empty of all feeling. He felt like all the oxygen had been taken from the air.

"Jack, I…"

"Just answer the question." Sylvia felt him pull away from her slightly so they were no longer touching. Sylvia wanted to pull him back and make him understand.

"Let me explain," she said desperately.

"Either yer married or yer not Sylvia," said Jack sharply, "That be all the explanation I need." Sylvia couldn't believe this was happening.

"It's…" she began.

"What's his name?" asked Jack cutting her off. He was still staring at the ring and turning it, backwards and forwards as if he was transfixed by it.

"Please let me…"

"What's his bloody name!" Jack repeated and there was emotion in his voice now. Anger was coursing through him. Sylvia could see it in the way he suddenly gritted his teeth and pressed down on the ring so tightly it looked as if he was trying to crush it. Sylvia let her breath enter her heavy chest several times before answering.

"Nathan." Jack's hand closed around the ring and to Sylvia's surprise he stood up.

"Don't," she said anxiously as she watched Jack get painfully to his feet. He ignored her. Of course it was hurting him to get to his feet but it was nothing compared to the pain that was ripping through his heart. The ring in his hand felt like it was burning him but he didn't release it because he did not want to see it back on Sylvia's finger. He didn't want to be reminded that she belonged to someone else.

"Jack, you're not well, you mustn't…" Sylvia was saying. She was on her feet too and her hand had just reached out to touch his arm but Jack backed away from her. He smiled and Sylvia saw that there was not one touch of happiness in it. He spread his arms wide.

"Well," he said like they were at a party and it was time to depart, "Thank you very much for saving me life, I'll be going now if that's alright with you."

"No, it's not alright!" cried Sylvia her voice echoing against the cave walls. She stepped towards Jack but he stepped away.

"I'll not be touching another man's wife," he said coldly. Sylvia froze where she was, her bottom lip quivering. She drew in a shuddering breath.

"You don't have to leave," she whispered, "You're not well, you should stay here. I'll go." But she didn't move. Jack didn't either. He stood staring at her, his dark eyes alight with something very close to hatred. Finally he could stand the tension no longer.

"Are ye going then?" he asked nastily, "I wouldn't want yer husband to start worrying about ye." He crossed the distance between them, grabbed Sylvia's hand and gave her back her ring making sure she closed her fingers around it.

That was the last straw. Sylvia burst into tears. Real, loud, heart wrenching sobs. She had endured three years of loneliness and misery in hope of this moment and now Jack was going to condemn her to the life she had been forced by circumstance to choose. Jack looked away so he would not have to see Sylvia's tears but a strange compulsion made him look back. He was not the vindictive sort that took pleasure from hurting other people, quite the opposite in fact. Seeing Sylvia so upset almost made Jack want to take back everything he had said.

Sylvia wiped her tears roughly away, how stupid they should fall now when she had held them back for so long. Jack was watching her, she could tell.

"I didn' mean t' make you cry luv," he said quietly. Sylvia felt a tear slide into her mouth; she could taste the salt on her tongue.

"I didn't mean to make you angry," she said, her voice uneven, "I never meant to do that."

"I'm not angry luv," said Jack with a very small smile, "I'm jealous." Sylvia looked up, tears still sliding down her face.

"Jealous?" she repeated. Jack gave a small shrug.

"Aye," he said, "Course I am." Sylvia's face crumpled again and her shoulders began to shake. Jack didn't know what to say, he felt completely out of his depth.

"Please stop crying," he pleased ineffectually. "Please luv, you know I didn't mean…"

"Oh Jack!" Sylvia suddenly flew forwards and flung her arms around Jack's neck. He staggered backwards a little, still feeling more than a little unsteady on his feet, but they both managed to stay upright. Sylvia held him tightly, and continued to cry, her heart pouring out all the emotion it had been forced to keep bottled. She tried to speak a couple of times but her sobs would not allow it so eventually she just closed her eyes and held Jack as tightly as she dared. Her ring was still clasped in one hand.

Sylvia's sobs took a long time to subside but Jack was patient. When he was sure she would actually be able to answer his questions he moved so he could look her in the eyes. There were silent teardrops sliding slowly down her face and Jack found he could not say a word. He could see the Sylvia he knew in the shiny brown eyes that looked at him but so much had changed. His hand wiped one of her tears away. Sylvia's hand travelled up and kept Jack's on her face. She closed her eyes as he leaned forwards.

"I thought you wouldn't touch another man's wife," Sylvia whispered her lips brushing Jack's with every word. Jack smiled.

"I lied."

Nathan arrived outside the dressmakers promptly at the time he had arranged with Sylvia. He was still waiting an hour later with no sign of his wife. Etiquette prevented him from just walking into the shop but finally he could not let himself wait any longer. There was a woman measuring dress lengths as he walked in. He cleared his throat awkwardly. The woman turned and straightened up. Her gravity defying blonde curls wobbled.

"Good afternoon, sir," she said in a squeaky voice, "Can I be of service to you?"

"I'm looking for my wife," Nathan said avoiding the woman's eyes, "She came in here earlier today, I was wondering if she was still here." The woman's brow furrowed as she tried to remember the morning's clients.

"No one's here now, sir," she said, "Your wife must have left some time ago." Nathan thanked the woman curtly and then left the shop. He hesitated outside not knowing what to do. Sylvia had not said she was going anywhere afterwards. Nathan shivered as a sudden cold gust of wind blew down the street. He did not like the thought of his wife being out alone, but what he was more uneasy about was the feeling that his wife had not been completely honest with him.

To Jack's immense disquiet Sylvia's tears had not stopped falling. She was lying in his arms and he could feel his shirt growing damp from her unhappiness. Sylvia tried to hold them back but it seemed now the dam had been broken there was no stopping them.

"I was never married to another man really," she said quietly after a long period of silence, "Not in my heart." Jack said nothing. In truth, he really did not want to think about Sylvia's husband, he didn't want her to speak about him or even acknowledge his existence at all but apparently Sylvia had other ideas.

"I married him for you, Jack," she said.

"Excuse me if I find that a little hard to believe luv," Jack replied. He wasn't angry any more, he sounded tired if anything. Sylvia sat up.

"You don't think I love him, do you?" she asked. Jack sat up too wincing as he did so. He did not need to answer; Sylvia could see that he did from the way he wouldn't look at her.

"I married him because he had a ship, because he was the only hope I had of ever finding you again, Jack. I've never loved him, I've always loved you." Jack could hear defeat in her voice, she sounded lost and broken, neither of which she had been when they had first met. She mistook his silence for anger and resentment and carried on.

"Wearing a ring doesn't mean anything to me," she said her voice rising, "You must have been with another women, did you love them? Any of them?"

"No," said Jack simply.

"And do you still love me?" she asked, the question quivered with all the hope she possessed.

"Yes."

Nathan returned to the Pride of the Sea. He was not entirely surprised to find that Sylvia had not returned but he was worried nonetheless. None of the maids knew where she was but they all assured him that she would turn up safe and sound.

"She always does," said Arabella, a pretty young thing who made Nathan's eyes dart restlessly about the room. She was not the only maid who had this, and other, effects upon Nathan Spencer.

Sylvia and Jack had not spoken in some time. Sylvia's tears had finally ceased which was a relief to them both. The gold band was back on Sylvia's finger and she could feel Jack almost unconsciously running his finger over it. She wondered briefly whether he had ever placed a ring on a girl's finger.

"I am sorry Jack."

"Fer what?" Jack asked. Sylvia had initially meant for getting married but now she could think of a million different things she was sorry for.

"For everything," she said feebly.

"Everything is a lot to feel sorry for," said Jack with a small sound that sounded like a sigh.

"Will you ever forgive me?" Sylvia asked.

"Sylvia luv, there be nothing to forgive." Sylvia was about to argue when Jack put a finger to her lips.

"Don' argue with me luv, it's not nice." Sylvia laughed a little.

"You laughing at me?" Jack asked his eyes sparkling. Sylvia nodded.

"No one laughs at Captain Jack Sparrow." Sylvia shrieked as he pinned her to the cave floor and it wasn't long before her laughter rang out like music.

Sylvia was still smiling when she suddenly noticed that the shadows were beginning to lengthen.

"Oh!" she cried, "I've got to go!" She leapt to her feet leaving Jack looking startled.

"Going where?" he asked as Sylvia adjusted her hair with her hands and straightened her dress. She shot him a tortured glance.

"Back to my husband," she replied, "I should have gone hours ago." There was no regret in her words, only worry. Jack stood up despite Sylvia's look of concern.

"You can't go," he said. Sylvia turned away but Jack stepped in front of her and blocked the cave entrance.

"I have to go," she said and she tried to get past him but he would not allow it.

"You don' need him any more," he said imploringly, "Leave him."

"Jack, please don't make this harder than it already is," said Sylvia her eyes bright once more. Jack stepped aside eager not to be the cause of any more crying but Sylvia remained where she was.

"I have to go," she repeated but it sounded like she was trying to convince herself rather than Jack this time, "Or Nathan will find out about us." She took a deep breath. "I'll come back tomorrow, I promise." She smiled weakly. "Is there anything I can bring you?"

"Aye, as a matter of fact there is," said Jack, "You can bring me a needle, some thread and some rum, savvy?" Sylvia shook her head slightly but she was smiling.

"Goodbye Jack." Those were her last words before she stepped out of the cave and was gone.

Jack was quick to sit down again, better to sit down than fall down he had always thought. He had felt alright while Sylvia was here but now she was gone he was reminded of all the things his mind had tried to forget. He looked at his arm. The bandage was black in places from congealed blood; it did not look good. He looked away and his thoughts drifted back to Sylvia. The thought of her returning to the arms of another man was worse than the thought of what his arm would look like without the bandage. What kind of a name was Nathan anyway? It struck him that he didn't know the bastard's second name. He would have to ask that when Sylvia returned. He closed his eyes and leant back against the cold stone wall of the cave. He wanted to get up, follow Sylvia and shoot this Nathan right through the heart but he knew he wouldn't for several reasons. Firstly, if merely standing up was posing a problem then walking to the dock would probably kill him. Secondly, he didn't actually have his pistol. Thirdly, he would more than likely get caught again as the guards were sure to be on the look out for escaped prisoners and getting caught was definitely not a good idea. Finally, and this was the reason Jack despised the most, Nathan had not actually done anything to warrant being shot. He had fallen in love with Sylvia and married her, and, strictly speaking, there was nothing wrong with that. Even so, Jack's mind tormented him by making him picture Sylvia in the arms of a dark figure, the arms of someone else. His Sylvia with a ring on her finger binding her to another man. Jack suddenly felt the almost irresistible urge for rum.

Nathan had been keeping watch of the dock and he saw Sylvia the moment she stepped out of the town. He hurried to meet her and saw she was smiling, but it wasn't just that. There was a glow about her, she was radiating happiness. Nathan would have said stoutly that he was not a suspicious man to anyone that had asked but he felt a definite twinge of suspicion now.

"I'm so sorry Nathan," said Sylvia before he was able to get a word in, "I completely forgot I had agreed to meet you. It was such a wonderful day, I just had to go for a walk. I do hope you haven't been worried about me."

"A walk?" Nathan asked, "I have been a bit worried. It isn't safe for you to be out alone, after what happened…"

"Oh don't be silly Nathan," said Sylvia with a sweet smile, "You should know lightening never strikes twice." She slipped her arm through her husband's and they walked back up to the ship, Nathan's mind still reeling.

Sylvia had much practise the art of doing one thing and thinking about another. For example, at the moment she was eating dinner and, supposedly, listening to Nathan talk about the price of spices but really she was thinking about Jack and what she still had left to do for him. She could already think of hundreds of things she should have done this afternoon. She had not even asked him where the Pearl was! If she could find Gibbs then she would know Jack would be safe, and she wouldn't have to worry about someone finding the cave where Jack was now. And there was the fact he still wasn't well. She had seen the way standing had drained all the colour from his face. Jack's voice came back to her, and she remembered the items he had asked her to bring. The only one she understood was rum, and that was going to be the hardest one to smuggle off the ship. She didn't even know whether the Pride had a supply on board.

"Aren't you hungry dear?" Nathan asked as Sylvia picked at her food. Sylvia realised with a start that her thoughts had overtaken her. She looked down at her plate. She wasn't hungry at all.

"No," she replied laying her fork down, "I thought all that fresh air would give me quite an appetite but it seems to have done quite the opposite, isn't that strange?" Nathan dabbed his moustache with a corner of his napkin and looked at his wife. She had retained that strange glow. He did not understand it, she had been on long walks before and never come back looking so happy or so alive. It was almost as if a new woman was sitting at the table with him.

"You know I am going to play cards tonight," Nathan said. Sylvia's eyes widened.

"Oh," she said, "Oh, of course. I'd forgotten." She smiled at Nathan who felt that twinge of suspicion burn just a little bit stronger. Sylvia took a sip of water. This was too perfect. Nathan would be out until late in the evening giving her plenty of time to gather what she needed from the ship ready for the next day.

"Did you buy anything from the dressmakers?" Nathan asked suddenly. Sylvia looked at him. It took her a few moments to realise what he was talking about.

"No," she said finally, "I was thinking about it but I've seen better. I decided to wait. No point wasting money, is there?" Nathan nodded and Sylvia looked away. Lying so directly like this was hard. Sylvia took a deep breath. Hopefully she would not have to lie for much longer.


A/N: I loved writing this chapter, really loved it. That's probably because it was the first time in a few chapters that Jack has actually had a proper conversation with anyone. ;D I'll hopefully have a new chapter up on Tuesday.

Keep your fingers crossed for the BAFTAS this weekend, Johnny's up for Best Actor.

Hope everyone's ok and that you enjoyed the chapter!