(A/N) Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN POTC!
"Harry!" Jack pounded on the door to the small hut, Elizabeth was sure was uninhabited.
"Jack, are you sure he's here?"
"Yes, the old bastard is probably drunk."
"Then perhaps I won't learn anything." Elizabeth said as she walked around the hut. The yard was unkempt, small, and dirty looking. As Elizabeth rounded the corner and spotted an old man.
"Who are you?" He asked sitting on a lounge chair reading from a newspaper.
"Elizabeth. Are you Harry?"
"Depends, are you with the CIA?" The man was very American, she could tell, she picked up on his thick New York accent.
"No…" Elizabeth almost said, 'close enough'.
"Then what the hell…" Harry spotted Jack. "Hey Jackie boy!" He hobbled to Jack and patted him in the back. "Still wearing the Don Juan outfits?" Harry said poking fun at Jack's white linen shirt and black pants.
"Well, have to keep the ladies interested." Jack laughed. Elizabeth cocked and eyebrow at him, and he quickly quieted. "Yes, um, Harry this is Elizabeth, my…"
"Girl. Jack I'm not stupid, maybe a bit senile, but not totally there yet. Did you catch that Yankee game last night Jack! Damn the bastard Red Sox, I swear they've got a horseshoe the size of Babe Ruth's big ass up there lousy stinkin…"
"Ah Harry, we need your help." Jack said calming the raving Yankee fan down.
"My help? Why?" The old man sat down.
"Norrington has it out for Elizabeth." The old man looked at Elizabeth, trying to read her.
"Why?"
"He killed my mother over a painting, a Monet, and Jack stole it. Now he has it out for me, and I think history may repeat itself. If you could give me anything on James, something that I could use against him…" Elizabeth said.
"Hold on there, I ain't telling you a thing…I smell a cop, and a big one at that…FBI?" Harry looked at Jack.
"Yes, I am an Agent with the FBI." Elizabeth said annoyed.
"Field?"
"Yes, I did some work with the CIA for a time, got interested in thieves and here I am." Elizabeth threw up her hands in desperation. "So are you going to help me or not?"
"I like her Jack, she got spunk, but that is going to get you in trouble with James. He likes his woman quiet, but not afraid to tell him what they think. My advice, keep some of those comments to yourself."
"Thanks." Elizabeth said. "He has a history with my mother, Margaret, do you know…"
"Margaret Swann? You're kidding, that was your mother, damn I'm old." Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "He was head over heels in love with her, took apart the British Museum for her, and she didn't appreciate it…I'm sorry about her." Elizabeth nodded in appreciation. "I say go along with the dimwit's plan."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked.
"Because, if you play his game…listen he wasn't my best student, he was a complete romantic, day dreamer, and he couldn't pay attention to a plan if something else was on his mind, that something is you, and the plan of his will be shot to hell if you play along, enough time for Jackie boy to bail you out." He said. "Now, he has only one home, in France in the country, can't miss it. He will take you there and try and woo you…"
"How do you know all of this?" Elizabeth asked.
"Because it is the same exact plan he was going to use on your mother."
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEe
Elizabeth was quiet the entire way back to Jack's home. He kept glancing at her, looking for any sign of life coming from her, but he saw none, Jack suspected she was crying and didn't want to show him, her weakness, her mother.
"Are you alright?" Jack asked slowly.
"I'm fine." He saw her bite her lip.
"You can't lie very well." Jack joked. "Just have it out, you'll feel better…"
"Jack, I don't want to talk about my mother…that night none of it."
"Alright Lizzy…"
"Don't you ever call me that!" Elizabeth took off her sunglasses and turned to face him. "If you ever call me Lizzy, Liz, or anything else I swear to God I will cut you tongue out!" Jack slammed on the brakes.
"Now, you better start talking, because I won't dance around egg shells!" Elizabeth grabbed her bag and got out of the jeep. Jack watched her walk along the dirt road, towards the beach. He shut the jeep off and got out and ran after her.
"Just leave me alone Jack!" Elizabeth continued walking. "I don't want you to dance around egg shells!"
"Listen to me…" He grabbed her arm and spun her around. "This isn't going to happen…" He growled. Elizabeth did an about face, and started walking towards the beach. Jack rolled his eyes and ran after her. He grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her on his shoulder and with Elizabeth screaming and kicking, he sat her on the hood of the jeep.
"You've got three seconds to tell me what got you so upset…it was something I said, it was because I called you Lizzy, and there is a reason for it. Out with it now."
"Leave me alone you bloody thief!" Elizabeth struggled and slid down to the ground, but Jack's body prevented her from going anywhere.
"A bloody thief you slept with, so please Elizabeth, let's not be all high and mighty now."
Elizabeth's eyes quickly welled with tears. "You don't understand." She whispered.
"Make me understand." He took her face in his hands. "Please Elizabeth…"
"That's what my Mother called me." Elizabeth inhaled deeply. "The night she died, she tucked me in, 'Good night Lizzy love…' that's what she would say every single night. Norrington heard it…and that's what he called me as he butchered my Mother. I can't stand it, my Father never called me Lizzy, and no one else ever has." Tears were wetting Jack's hands. "Please don't call me Lizzy…"
"Never again." He grabbed her and held her close as she sobbed. Jack had a feeling that Elizabeth never let anyone knew why she hated being called Lizzy, he also had a feeling, she had never cried for her Mother.
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ
Jack watched Elizabeth as she played with the food on her plate. She hadn't said a word since he had taken her home, she was just quiet. He thought that perhaps sitting outside overlooking the sandy beaches would improve her mood a bit, but it only darkened it.
Jack watched her put her fork down and shove her plate away. She looked at the water distantly, not paying attention to the water, only caring about the ones she loved, who were in danger. Jack couldn't begin to imagine what was going through her mind, not even close, but he understood the care, because he cared for Elizabeth, and only wanted her well being and safety to come first.
Jack came back to that thought, care. Care was a strong word for Jack Sparrow, but he felt perhaps that word wasn't strong enough for how he would describe his feelings toward Elizabeth, perhaps love was more suitable…
"Jack?" Jack raised his head to look at her.
"Anything wrong?"
"No, I just, I need to look at the Monet." Elizabeth said, he could see the tears glisten in her eyes.
"Yes, right." Jack stood up and motioned for her to follow him.
They walked down to the main foyer, and behind the stairs, he touched a panel, which slid open to a cement staircase. "It's a bit dark, so stay close to me." Jack said as he walked down the stairs, Elizabeth directly behind him.
They had reached the bottom of the stairs, and Jack took a right. Elizabeth touched his hand as he walked, simply because she could barely see anything. Jack took her hand and held it tightly as they made their way around a meandering corridor. "Security measure?" Elizabeth asked.
"What?"
"The darkness, it's to throw people off." Elizabeth said a bit more loudly.
"Yes it is." Jack quieted as they rounded another corner. Suddenly Jack stopped, and Elizabeth noticed the slight glow to an electronic keypad. Jack punched in a few numbers, and light filled the dark maze.
Just beyond Jack there was a large steel door. They walked up to it, Jack pressed his finger into the pad, and the door opened. Jack stepped aside as Elizabeth walked through the door. "Oh my God." Elizabeth's eyes widened at the amount of treasure and money Jack had. Paintings, tapestries, and jewelry were carefully placed all along the walls, in cases. Everything was exquisite, everything priceless, everything stolen…and that had Elizabeth stop, she had fought for her whole life, and…
"What do you think?" Jack said practically beaming.
"I think it's a shame."
"What?" Jack said baffled.
"This isn't yours." Elizabeth said as she looked around the room. "None of it."
"That's the point of being a thief Elizabeth, none of this was mine, now it's all mine." Jack said a bit miffed at her sudden change in attitude.
"Show me the Monet." Elizabeth said.
"Turn around." Elizabeth turned around and looked up. There it was the beautiful Lily portrait, her mother's favorite painting, the one that she died for.
"It's beautiful." Elizabeth took in a deep breath. "I never thought I would see this…" Elizabeth felt weak in the knees. "My mother died for this painting…" Elizabeth suddenly felt sick. "Why do I know I am going to die for the same thing?" Elizabeth looked at Jack in the eyes.
"Elizabeth…" He reached out to touch her, but she pulled away. "It doesn't have to be that way."
"It will." Elizabeth then looked at Jack. "I'm sorry." Elizabeth walked past him and up the stairs. Jack stood extremely still, so fragile, he might break.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Jack went up to his bedroom a few hours later, to see Elizabeth sleeping. He couldn't tell if she was sleeping or waiting up for him, the later was probably true. "Elizabeth?" She turned in bed to look at him. "The Monet is on the plane, it will be ready to fly in the morning."
Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you." Elizabeth sat up and tucked her knees under her chin.
"Gibbs and Harry are going to help out in France, they are going to meet me there." Jack sat down next to her.
"They barely know me…Jesus I could put them in jail if I wanted to."
"I told them you were family." Jack smiled. "Besides I'm the only one crazy enough to give those two any work." Elizabeth smiled as well, pressure leaving her shoulders.
"Thank you Jack…" Elizabeth inched her way over to him. Jack touched her arm, he might lose her, and Jack realized that, it scared him to death. Jack leaned over and kissed her softly, tonight would be their last.