What Is & What Will Never Be

Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not & cannot obtain ownership of POTC 1, 2, or 3...

Sorry this chapt took so long! I've just had so much work these past couple of weeks.

Here's some back story—the missing prologue of "There'll be no livin' with her after this'.

There was creaking and the clunking sound of boots as someone boarded the ship.

Gibbs left the helm momentarily. "Cap'n?"

There was no answer.

But Jack Sparrow was standing there, a few feet away from Gibbs. He looked shaken.

Gibbs glanced down at Jack's bloodied arm and fierce countenance.

"Somethin' happen, Jack?" he asked apprehensively.

Jack's right hand tensed around something that he was holding in it, and he just shook his head. Without a word, he stormed past Gibbs, descending the stairs, and headed to his quarters.

Gibbs stood dumbfounded for a few moments, before Jack suddenly appeared again.

"I'm leavin' on the morrow", he said.

"Are ye? Well, we's been thinkin' about goin' to that island, remember, that..."

"Fine", Jack interrupted. "You an' the crew have my permission to take the spare ship and join me later."

"Aye", Gibbs saluted. "Jack, mate, are ye sure everythin's..."

"I must return to the Turner household as quickly as possible, Gibbs", he answered, his mouth twitching.

"Ye'll be alright then, Jack?"

"Aye", Jack responded in finality.

Gibbs tipped his hat in farewell, assuring that he would keep in contact. All the while, Jack seemed distant; eager to be left alone to his own thoughts.

He had thought about getting a head start and leaving for France tonight, but he was dead tired. And he had much on his mind. And what just happened...happened so abruptly. He didn't know why he was so shaken by the event. His eyes and emotions had been exposed to mush harsher things throughout his lifetime. But perhaps...

Now it was different. His relationship with Will was almost like a father to a son. His best mate had been Bootstrap, after all. After he'd met Will and everything had happened, his whole life had changed, and he knew it. What with the trusts and betrayals; the battles, the deaths...the list could go on and on.

And then there was love. The one thing in the world Jack thought could never conquer him. But it did. His love with Jade. The love between Will and Elizabeth. Was it true then? That love conquers all?

Perhaps that's what did it then. Katrina. Not love—murderous, psychotic obsession is more like it. And she was about tear Will and Elizabeth's life apart. If Jack had not been there...

He shuddered at the thought. Sitting in his quarters late that evening by candlelight, he thought of Will and Elizabeth. He would never let them down or let any harm come to them. They'd gone through a lifetime of pain just to get to each other. Now they had each other. But they used to be in constant fear of being torn apart. Did they still feel this way, Jack wondered. He remembered how desperate they were to be with one another. Running away to France was a good choice. He remembered that heart-wrenching scene between the couple before Elizabeth decided to leave...

"Elizabeth! What are you doing here? It's so late out and surely your father..."

"Oh, Will!" Elizabeth cried, as she flew into his arms. "I couldn't bare being unable to see you. It's been so wretched these past couple of weeks...And Norrington!" she shuddered.

"He's been hanging around so often. I'm sure he's hurt that I tricked him so...But he's always known I loved you!"

"Oh, darling, it's alright", Will said gently as he held her.

"And my father..." she let out a sob. "I'm afraid he's going to force me into marrying James again."

"No", Will uttered. His eyes flashed angrily.

He suddenly reached for her hand. "Elizabeth, I do love you."

"I know you do, Will", she murmured, brushing a tear away.

He took a step closer to her. "Do you still desire to be wed to me?"

"Of course I do!" she exclaimed.

He reached into his pocket. "I know I've already proposed to you, but it was not done correctly."

"What?"

Will slipped a ring onto her finger. She gasped.

"Now it's finalized. You will never have to marry another."

"Oh Will!" she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck, and into a tight embrace.

Will turned her head and gently kissed her.

Suddenly, voices were heard nearby.

"Guards! Check the surroundings!"

Elizabeth gasped. "Will, it's...it's Norrington!"

Will took her hand, and pulled her into the safety of the Blacksmith shop.

Elizabeth was silent for a few moments as she stared at the golden ring on her finger.

"I'm still afraid...that father and Norrington are conspiring against me...against us."

"Elizabeth..."

"We can't stay here Will. We have to get away. We must run away!"

"Darling, we can't..."

"Maybe not together, but I am. Will, I'm running away. Tonight. That's why I came to see you." She turned away from him, sobs escaping her.

"Elizabeth", he put a hand on her shoulder.

"I've seen Jack Sparrow."

"Jack? What...?"

She nodded. "He thinks it best that we leave if we wish to be together."

"Since when did you start taking advice from Jack, Elizabeth?" Will asked disbelievingly.

Elizabeth smiled a bit. "I think he's right this time, Will."

"You're serious? Where will you go? I'll be worried sick over you!"

"I know, I know!" she exclaimed. "Please, don't make this harder than this already is!"

She looked into Will's eyes, with new tears streaming down her face.

Will brought his hand up, passing it gently over her hair, before taking her hands.

"When will I see you again? Because you're right—we cannot leave together."

"Soon. I...I'm thinking about going to France. Jack mentioned it...But Will, you won't be able to come until you get a note from me. I'll say in it where I am, so you can join me."

"Oh, Elizabeth." Will gently breathed into her hair. He kissed her. "Stay with me."

"Will..." she began to protest.

"I won't be able to see you...just stay with me..." He kissed her again more passionately. "Just tonight..."

Elizabeth gasped as the kiss deepened, Will's hands wandering, and beginning to untie the laces on her gown.

"Will, we can't", she murmured, pushing away from him.

"Liz..."

"This will only make it harder, my love. I want our time together to be when we really are together, forever."

Will looked at her sadly as he understood. How he wanted her so very badly at that moment; to hold her and protect her, but he knew this was the way it had to be...

Jack remembered Elizabeth running to the docks, a cloak covering her, a sack of things under her arm. Then she had left. And not much long after, she had arrived in France, and things had began to run a bit more smoothly.

Jack always was struck by Will and Elizabeth's intense love for one another, and he felt that the same was happening to him. He had intense feelings for Jade. He didn't know what he would do if something happened to her...that's why he didn't allow her to accompany him on this voyage in the first place. He regretted this, though, in the way that he needed her at that very moment. But he was worried about her. He hoped nothing had gone amiss during his now week-long absence.

He glanced at the crumpled bit of parchment on the table. He would not look at its contents. There was no need for that now. The image of Katrina's body...the blood flashed in his mind. He was still shocked over how it ended. So quickly...He glanced at his arm. He had cleaned the wounds, though the scratches were quite visible.

Looking at the note again, he picked it up, and quitted his quarters, and ascended to the deck. Reaching his arm out, he threw the paper into the sea. He watched it become soaked and vanish under the surface. He gave a deep sigh as he stood for a while in the night, looking at the moon, and the dark, shifting clouds.

Within a while, he went back to his quarters, and sat in a chair, his feet propped up on the table. The wind was beginning to howl. Thoughts were running through his mind, he was exhausted, but he could not sleep.

"Wha' the bloody 'ell happened 'ere!" Jasper exclaimed. He had stumbled upon a woman's body. A dead woman's body.

"Somebody better tell me who did this!"

Scarlett was in the crowd in the bar. She was looking at the body in pure disgust.

"Jasper", she called out.

"Shut up, wench!" he growled.

"Don't ye recognize who i'tis?" she murmured.

"What the bloody 'ell ye talkin', Scarlett?" he viciously turned to her. "Get back ter work.

"Look at 'er. Past the blood."

Jasper shook his head, but did look at the woman's face. He stepped back in surprise. He noticed the gun in her hand.

"Ye tellin' me..." he broke off. "The wench shot 'erself." He spoke these words, addressing the crowd.

Scarlett stood there, watching Jasper, and taking a last glance at her enemy before leaving to go to her quarters. She hadn't seen Jack. She didn't know what had happened. Good riddance.

Jasper and the other bartenders moved Katrina's body out of the bar; out of sight and out of mind. She went down, to Davy Jones' Locker, along with the scrap of parchment that was the rest of her life's plan.

It was a haunting night.

Sorry to end it here, but the next few chapts will make up for it!