Hello there. Here's chapter four, doves. Not very action-y. But this is a romance too…

Giggle, giggle :D

In an unfamiliar room, Elizabeth Swan stirred slowly from her unconscious state. Attempting get her bearings, she lifted her head, only to fall back instantly with a loud cry of pain. Alerted by the sudden noise, a figure snoozing in a pile of linens in the corner of the room awoke with a start in time to watch Elizabeth try to lift her head once again to find the other occupant of the room.

"Who's there?" She asked tentatively, slowly tilting her head to the side, but still unable to get a glimpse of the person.

"Juss' me Elizabeth." Jack muttered jumpily, quickly stashing the baby blanket he always slept with behind a large armoire.

"Jack?" She asked as he took a seat on the end of the bed. "Am I in the Captain's quarters, then?" Leaning over her and checking the bandaging on her head, he nodded.

"Yep. You took a nasty bugger of a blow to the head." He said cheerily, sliding his hand behind her head and assisting her as she sat partially up against the goose-feather pillows. "Out for a day. The crew was getting a bit worried. 'Fraid they'd lose the only lass on board. There'd be nothing left to fight over-"

"The pirate ship!" Elizabeth gasped clapping a hand to her cheek. "William! Why isn't Will taking care of me?" She said frantically, trying to stand, perhaps to go find him. She was subdued quickly by one of Captain Jack Sparrow's rare solemn faces. "He's…dead. Isn't he?" She asked quietly, feeling the air catch in her lungs. She began trembling and lay back down, only to be pulled back up by Sparrow so he could tend to her wound.

"Most likely. But there's always the off chance he's just being held captive. He's a valuable runt he is, William. What with being the son of Bootstrap. Should've sold him off years ago…" He stated with little emotion, except for a slight frustration for not taking advantage of the boy's loyalty to him. "'Specially to Ol' Black beard there. That's whose ship was by the way, dovey. Him and bootstrap have had more than one bargains paid with blood. Will's very useful, I'd say." He added simply, fastening the strip of cloth tightly at the base of Elizabeth's head. She had been listening quietly, stunned by the news.

"Thank you." She whispered, unable to take in this turn of events. Jack was still perched daintily at the foot of the bed, and was now gulping down the contents of a gold-plated flask and humming to himself. As she watched his usual mannerisms, Elizabeth became irritated. "You seem unaffected by this, Jack." She hissed coolly after a moment.

"Oh. Well…pirates don't show emotion, dove. My heart is bleeding for him inside." He reassured her, patting her hand in a way that suggest that he was not at all dying inside over Will's disappearance.

"What about the rest of the crew that went to his ship? Surely not all of them made it back." She said, growing disgusted with the Captain's apathy toward his own crew.

"No, no, 'course not. Only about…15 or so did make it back. But it's the pirate life, lass. You get used to it."

"Used to what? The death?"

"Yep. But I wouldn't worry much about your dear Willy, Elizabeth. Like I said, he's a useful little fool." He was growing impatient. To survive on the seas, Elizabeth would have to learn not to grow attached to anything. However, though he wouldn't admit it, even to himself, Jack had broken that rule many times, and was doing so at the moment.

"Dove, it's the wee hours of the night. I'd like to sleep. We dock at Tortuga tomorrow to get some new crewmembers and then…" he sighed impatiently, "then we can go find your dear little love." He said sarcastically, rolling his eyes to himself.

"Yes!" She said, suddenly determined.

"And we'll defeat Black Beard and live in a happy pirating land where I get all the gold and rum and women." He muttered, retiring to the pile of linens.

"Yes, yes, yes," Elizabeth murmured to no one in particular, becoming weary herself, now that she had some hope of finding Will. She turned over so she was facing Sparrow, curled up like a mutt on the filthy bedding. She was alerted by a thought she had forgotten to bring up.

"So then who cared for me?" She asked Jack, who instantly pulled his head from behind the armoire where he had been searching for the blanket.

"Oh…uh…is that...all? I uh…yes. I did." He stuttered, keeping his eyes on Elizabeth and slowly sliding his hand behind the dresser, trying not to let her see. Elizabeth lifted her head as much as her wound would allow and peered at Jack, confused but grateful.

"Truly? Thank you, Jack." She smiled kindly.

"Uh huh." He muttered, uncaring, wanting simply to find his blanket. Elizabeth, however, was unrelenting.

"Jack?" she asked again.

"WHAT!" He hissed through gritted teeth, giving up, and sitting, stubborn and cross-legged in the middle of his pile of linens.

"If you'd like, you may share the bed with me. That looks…rather…" Unable to find an adjective, Elizabeth gestured towards the pile where Jack was now beginning to wrap himself up cocoon-like. Upon hearing this, he sat up instantly, his baby blanket forgotten, looking at her with wide blinking eyes.

"I…YES! I mean…well, yes, this is…yes blast it, yes." He said, getting up quickly. Elizabeth shifted carefully to the far side of the twin bed, allowing for a little space between her and Jack. As he walked to the bed, Jack casually pulled off the torn shirt he had used to create a bandage and discarded it on the floor. Elizabeth rolled her eyes as he climbed into the comfortable down.

"Try anything and I will blow your brain out." Elizabeth stated simply as he was settled, a convenient inch away from her

"Yes love, I know." He replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes as well. As soon as Elizabeth turned to face the wall, Jack inched closer and wrapped his arms around her.

"Jack…" she said warningly.

"…But I like to cuddle!" He whined. Elizabeth shook her head lightly with disgust but didn't attempt to move. As she was on the verge of sleep, yet another thought came to mind.

"Jack?" She asked, shifting slightly so she could look over her shoulder at him.

"Pie in my knickers!" He grunted, waking up. "I…uh…yes?"

"Where'd you get these bandages?" She said suspiciously.

"Why, my very own shirt!" he said heroically, hoping to get her to be so impressed she'd agree to sleep with him. Instead Elizabeth clucked understandingly.

"Thought so. It reeks of rum." She said, turning over once again to go to sleep.

Jack sighed sadly, but didn't give up. He moved forward slightly, so Elizabeth's back was against him.

"Goodnight, Elizabeth." He said sweetly, alluringly.

"Goodnight, Jack." She replied kindly. At a second thought, she turned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you." She said sincerely, turning onto her other side for the last time and finally falling asleep. Jack waited for a moment, until he heard heavy, even breathing, and kissed her seductively on the neck.

"No, no, no, thank you." He smirked, laying his head on the pillow and falling asleep to the warmth of a woman's body.