Her Whole Heart

( Disclaimer: All the characters and the general story line belong to Disney. )

Spoiler Alert! For those few people who have not seen Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man Chest, this will ruin the ending for you. Turn back now, you have been warned.

I am a supporter of the Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann relationship, although I think Will Turner is cute too, just not enough to see him and Elizabeth together in the end, of course, I have no control of the end and can only hope that Disney does the right thing. At least what I consider the right thing to be.

This is a one shot story.

Will Turner, blacksmith and, some would say, pirate, sat at a table inside the warm, cluttered, and very strange home of the voodoo high priestess Tia Dalma, sipping from a cup of hot, strong black coffee, with a very generous dollop of rum.

If Jack drank coffee, this is how he would make it.

With that thought, he smiled silently into his cup. When he heard Tia Dalma say, "Ta he'p fight da' cold.", he looked up and across the room, where Elizabeth sat quietly and alone.

She has not spoken a single word since we left the Black Pearl. Watching the ship and its captain dragged down by Davy Jones' kraken. Dragged deep into the blue sea.

He had seen their kiss, briefly, and hoped she would say something, anything; he was not looking for a confession.

I just want her to say it was only a good-bye kiss, nothing more. A last kiss given to a man who, you knew, would never see another dawn. A maiden bidding her brave knight fare thee well.

At first it appeared that Elizabeth would not accept the offered drink, but relented, and accepted the cup of hot brew. As she took her first sip, so did he. His eyes slightly watered and his throat stung a bit, but the warmth that quickly spread through his body, made the brief discomfort worth it. He glances over at his beloved Elizabeth, wishing to see her reaction to the drink.

Nothing. It seems as if she is so cold, that nothing will ever warm her. She is pale, too pale, her face expressionless, unless you look into her eyes. Her eyes are full of torment and guilt. Why?

After watching her for a moment, Will took a larger swallow of his drink, hoping to burn away the doubts that tried to invade his mind.

I will not think upon it. No; Elizabeth truly loves me, of that, I have no doubt. She is my heart and I hers.

He saw that she did not take another sip, but just held the warm cup in her hands, that is when he noticed the slight trembling in her hands. He then noticed the slight trembling in her body and that she was furiously fighting back tears.

Tears that one would shed, when one's heart is breaking. No, I will not think upon it.

While the other surviving members of the crew murmured amongst themselves, he wanted to reach over and touch her, hold her, tell her it would be alright.

Shhhh, do not cry my love, we will set all things right and have our grand wedding. We will then settle down into a perfectly normal marriage. All the threats and terrors will be behind us. Merely stories too enchant our children and grandchildren.

But he knew, deep in his heart of hearts, this was not what she wanted. True, she wanted to be married, but not to settle into a simple wedded bliss, as he desired.

No, she desires freedom, adventure and a life full of wondering what is around the next corner. She has always wanted that for herself.

Will felt tears in the corner of his eyes, which he quickly blinked away, taking another sip of his drink.

Oh, she would have resigned herself to simply having the freedoms allowed of a married woman. Not what she truly wanted, but what she would accept for herself. She would always have that piece of herself that would regret her decision, ever longing for what never was.

But that was before Jack, Jack Sparrow, pirate and scalawag, captain of the Black Pearl, who was always looking for the next adventure, to explore the next horizon. He was never to be trusted and the truest of friends, unless he had to save his own hide, and always with a trick up his sleeve.

By meeting him, Elizabeth was able to taste the type of freedom she could not even imagine and could never forget.

He heard his fellow survivors talk about Jack's bravery for staying behind. They talked about what a brave and good captain he was, to the very end. Nobly going down with his beloved Black Pearl. Will watched Elizabeth, still silent, still trembling. A pale, ghostly shadow of the vibrant woman he knew. He saw her shoulders stiffen as they talked of Jack.

I suspect the Black Pearl wasn't Jack's only love, even if the man did not realize it himself. Jack could be the wisest, but sometimes clueless man when it came to other people.

Everyone raised their cups in a toast to the late Captain Jack Sparrow, everyone accept Elizabeth. She only seemed to huddle into herself even more. Her eyes growing darker and wetter.

I cannot deny what I suspect; the kiss was merely confirmation. She loves Jack, how much, I'm not sure; she might not know it herself. I know she loves me, but I am the safe love. When all is settled and should we marry, she will never have to fear that tomorrow I could die in a clash of steel and gunpowder, not if I can help it. Not so with Jack.

Will finished his drink and wished he had another.

But Jack, he offers all the adventure she could want. Most importantly, he could give her the freedom she wished above all else. My love is true and constant; his would be fierce and wild.

Will looked over at Elizabeth and caught her attention, "We'll find a way to save Jack." She only looked at him, through him.

Will blinked, when he heard Tia Dalma say, "Ta save Jack and 'is Pearl, would yeh be willin' ta travel ta tha en' o' da wor'd?"

At first there was only silence, and then he heard a loud and firm, "Aye" from Mr. Gibbs, Jack's first mate and one of his few true friends. Soon other "Ayes" followed. Without any hesitation, not even giving it a second thought, he too said "Aye", while he looked Elizabeth directly in the eyes, wanting to see her expression and response.

I want to save Jack, because, despite all that has happen between us, and what I am sure will happen again, he is my friend.

Will saw Elizabeth's eyes brighten, if only a little, and the trembling stop.

I, also, do this for Elizabeth. I don't know what occurred between her and Jack, or what it will bring for the three of us, but I do this for all of us. It is the right thing to do.

Tia Dalma turned, and looked Elizabeth directly in the eyes, and said again, since she had not given her response. "Will yeh be willin'?" she repeated.

I think she suspects or knows what happened, has happened and will happen with Elizabeth and Jack.

The silence lasted but a few seconds, but it seemed to stretched forever between them, before Elizabeth answered, "Yes". He saw hope, just a tiny flicker, come into her eyes. Eyes that were bright with unshed tears, fear and guilt.

Guilt for the kiss you gave Jack? Guilt for what you feel for Jack? Do you feel guilt, for your betrayal to me, and our relationship; what we mean to each other? Guilt because you realized too late your change of heart?

"Ta save Jack, ya well need a cap'n that knows dem wat'rs.", Tia Dalma told them all. Just then, the sounds of heavy boots could be heard on the stairs, that lead to the house's second floor. To the shock of everyone, the formerly dead pirate captain, Barbossa, appeared. His immortal monkey sat on his shoulder, and a shinny green apple in his hand.

"So, what hav' ye done with me ship?", he said, just before he took a hefty bite out of the apple.

Will glanced at Elizabeth, who, despite her fear and loathing of Barbossa, seemed quietly happy to see him, as if he gave her hope.

Hope at finding Jack.

Will sighed, he didn't know how Barbossa could be alive, but knew that they needed his help.

We can't trust him, not completely.

Will realized Elizabeth was staring at him, and gave him a small smile.

Elizabeth, I don't know what will become of us, once we find Jack. This will either bring us together or tear us apart. Regardless of what happens to us, I will always love you Even if she chooses me, regardless of the reason, I know now, I will never have her whole heart.

"Let find Jack.", Will said to the group. It was time to save Jack and see what the future brought them all..

Finis