Chapter 4: Or do they?

Don't own, don't sue

For those who wanted this story to move a lil' faster...

Elizabeth held her breath. The moment the pistol went off, she stopped breathing. She watched as Will shot at Jack, and lowered the pistol.

"Bastard," Will said, just before he fell backwards. Passed out from the alcohol.

Jack was leaning on the edge of the railing by his hip, and was holding his right arm. He had his head tilted back, as if he was in so much pain that he couldn't stand it.

"J-Jack, are you o-ok?" Elizabeth asked, taking a tentive step towards him.

"Aye," He said, through clenched teeth. "I was just bloody shot, and I feel just peachy keens, love."

Elizabeth bit her lip and went to him. She stood on his left side and turned him to face her, careful of his wound. She shooed his hand off of the hole, and looked it over. She tsked it and said, "Come into my cabin, I'll clean it," Elizabeth said, grabbing his uninjured arm.

He pulled it out of her grasp as she turned around. "I'm not a lil' boy, Elizabeth. I can clean it meself," Jack said, then strode below deck himself.

Elizabeth only paused a moment before she followed him down. He was on the first floor below deck, and was searching through all the boxes looking for something to clean it up.

She sighed and pulled off her hat. "Jack, stop. Let me help," She said, reaching for his shoulder. His back was to her, and he stopped digging in a box the moment Elizabeth touched him.

She pulled him lightly, turning him towards her. There was a tick in his jaw, and what looked like annoyance in his eyes.

"I told ye, I'm not a lil' boy. I can clean it meself."

"That's nice. Now, hold it, so you don't lose more blood," She said, then pushed him down onto the closest box.

Jack sat, the impression of a pout on his face. Elizabeth smiled at his look, and went to a box on a top shelf. She pulled a box out for her to sit on before him.

"Take your shirt off," Elizabeth said, sitting calmly on the box.

The corner of his quirked up, "If ye order," he said, while taking it off. But he winced at the pain from his arm.

She shook her head, then poured the alcohol based cleaner on it.

He hissed in pain.

"Why did you come back?" She asked, as she wiped at his wound. "I'm grateful that you did, but you didn't have to."

Jack had his eyes on everything but her.

She glanced up at him. "Jack, tell me."

"I don't know," He said, still not looking at her. For some reason he couldn't look at her. The feel of her hand on his arm burned him more than the alcohol did.

"There must be a reason," Elizabeth said, going back to the wound. It was in his upper arm, and she had set the box right in front of Jack, making them face to face when she sat up.

"I had ta talk wit ye," Jack said.

"Hmm, about what?" She asked, starting to wrap the bandage around his arm.

"Ye know what."

She took a deep breath as she finished with her work. She sat up and rested her hands on her thighs that were placed between Jack's legs.

"There can be nothin' between us, love," Jack whispered, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear with his unharmed arm.

"I know," She said, leaning into his hand before he pulled away.

He held her face for a moment, staring into her soft brown eyes. The light tint of pink in her lips appealed to him more than they should.

"Jack," She breathed before he pulled her face to his.

She moved her hands from her legs to his shoulders, careful of his wound. His hand wund around her neck, and he messaged the back of her neck.

A smoldering fire started in her stomach. A fire that burned for Jack's touch. That begged Jack to never let go of her.

Jack could feel her desire growing in her in the way she held him. She pulled him closer ever so slightly.

He pulled away suddenly, her pink lips were red now, and her cheeks flush. Her breathing at hitched, and he could see the fire burning in her eyes.

"We can't, 'Liz'beth," Jack said, standing up. Ignoring his own fire that started the moment he had seen her. He walked to the stairs, and stopped with one foot on the first step, and said, "Ye go wit Will. I don't know wha' ye told him, but wha' e'er ye told him, ain't true. Deny everything tha' ye said, 'Liz'beth." He said, then started up the stairs.

Elizabeth clenched her teeth together as she watched Jack ascend the stairs. That man was barely even tolerable, but she didn't care. She wanted him, and by god she would have him.

He wasn't even off the ship by the time she caught up with him.

"Elizabeth, go," Jack snapped over his shoulder.
"No, Jack. I can't see you leave again. I watched you leave earlier and it tore me apart."

"And leaving me to die didn't hurt you in the least!" Jack shouted questionly at her as he turned around.

"I thought that was the right thing to do. And it did hurt, Jack! I cried over you, as to why i cried I've no idea!" Elizabeth shouted, feeling the tears starting again remembering the moments when she thought she had killed him. But, she lied to him. She knew why she cried. She cried because she thought she had killed the man she loved. And now she was going to cry because she was going to lose him all over again.

Jack clenched and unclenched his fists. He had been upset that she had left him as well.

"I don't care why ye cried, or how long ye cried. There will never be anything between us."

"Why, Jack? Why can't there?"

"Because, of Will. I may be a pirate, but I would never take another man's woman."

"I'm not Will's woman. I don't love him, I love you!" She shouted before she could think better of it. Instantly she covered her mouth with her hand, and her breathing stopped.

Jack's eyes widened at her proclamation of love. His jaw dropped, he didn't know what to say.

"I have ta go," Jack said quietly as he slowly turned around.

Elizabeth turned around, her hand still over her mouth. She walked over to the barrel she was sitting on when Jack first came aboard. And before she knew it, there were tears on her cheeks.

Jack stood at the bottom of the plank, on the deck. She loved him and not Will. He wanted her, but wasn't sure if he loved her.

He was a pirate, and pirates don't love. Or do they?

He didn't care. He didn't love her. He knew that much, at least he thought he knew that much.

At least that's what he kept telling himself, even as he stormed up the plank again.

He took a quick around the deck, but didn't take long for his eyes to rest on Elizabeth. She stared up at him with watery brown eyes.

Jack walked to her and pulled her up.

"I have to tell ye, that I don't love ye," Jack said, holding her close as he wiped a tear off her face.

"I don't care," She said with a small smile.

He smirked before he slanted his mouth over hers. Instantly the fire was back in her as she pulled him closer.

How's that?

Someone said they wanted it to move faster, that fast enough?