Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Pirates of the Caribbean.

The day was hot and uncomfortable with hardly a breeze coming off the water. Hurricane weather, as Jack described it. Jack was uncharacteristically quiet for the rest of the morning. He disappeared for a short time on the opposite side of the island. Elizabeth found herself feeling lonely. Well, as alone as one could be and still be within what amounted to shouting distance on the small island. Still, Elizabeth couldn't see Jack. She was overwhelmed by the irrational fear that Jack would, somehow, never return. She would be lost and alone on the tiny island in the middle of the empty ocean. A shiver ran up and down her spine, despite the oppressive heat.

Her thoughts turned to Will. She was so worried for him and there appeared to be absolutely nothing she could do to help him at the moment. She'd been secretly smitten with the young man since the day they'd dragged him from the sea. He was noble, handsome, courageous and even slightly mysterious. His possible connections to the pirate amulet had fascinated her. At that thought, an image of Jack flashed into her mind. Elizabeth sighed in exasperation, yet she could not resist comparing the two men. Jack had also proved himself to be courageous, on occasion and she admitted to herself that he was, indeed, strikingly handsome. It was always a struggle not to loose herself in those intense, dark eyes of his, or not to return his self-assured smirks. She hesitated to label him noble, however; he was a pirate through and through.

Jack was a mystery to her as well, but for very different reasons than Will. Elizabeth was baffled by Jack's actions. One minute he was going out of his way to help another, and the next minute he seemed obsessed by naught but his own desires. There was no discernable pattern to his actions and that made her very curious as to what motivated Jack. He was self-serving, certainly, but not all the time. He often surprised her with his wit and quick-thinking. And then there was that ataxic swagger of his, throwing everyone off guard and distracting them from his cunning. She even found that his flamboyant movements added to his charm once you got to know him better. Jack was…complicated.

As Elizabeth looked out over the empty stretch of water, she realized that it was impossible to compare Will to Jack. Will was a man, a good man. Jack was more akin to a force of nature. Being near Jack so far had been exciting, thrilling actually, and one never knew quite what to expect. Despite his many failings, he was like a pirate legend come to life. He made you want to believe in him. He inspired those around him to follow him willingly into even the most dire of situations. Barbossa was quite a force unto himself to have inspired the crew to mutiny against Jack. She was inexorably drawn to Jack for this very reason. It was the reason she'd allowed him to kiss her on the beach this morning.

Or was it really that? Elizabeth remembered the flash of vulnerability and longing she'd seen in his eyes this morning and it brought with it a rush of heat to her loins.

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably and tried to pinpoint exactly what is was about Jack….

Her thoughts were interrupted by Jack's voice from behind her. "Moping about, dearie." He tsked drunkenly. "Shouldn't you be gathering food or some such. Perhaps preparing a fine dinner of coconuts?" He was swaying even more than usual. He must have been drinking heavily all through the morning and afternoon.

"I wasn't moping" she replied gruffly and plunked back down into the sand and stared again off to the sea. Jack's charm would not work this time. She'd had enough of his 'charm' this morning.

"You must be hungry, then." He came to stand over her and waved his arms towards the small coconut trees above. "A bountiful feast awaits you."

Elizabeth shaded her eyes and scowled up at him silently, not in the mood for his drunken antics.

Jack tilted his chin up and cast his eyes down at her in one of his best wide-eyed, mock-affronted looks. Elizabeth shook her head.

"Thirsty then, must be it. One has to drink plenty of liquids to stave off the heat." Jack offered her a bottle of rum.

"No thank you."

Jack sat down beside her and leaned in. "But I hate to drink alone."

"I said no thank you."

"Please."

His softly spoken plea surprised her and she looked up to find him smiling good-humoredly. What would it hurt, she told herself. She nodded her head and found herself returning his smile. Damn it all, the man was good.

The two of them drank rum all afternoon. Jack was cheerful and engaging, telling stories and jokes that had both of them laughing.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" Elizabeth asked him at one point.

"How could I forget, we both nearly died. Fine day that."

"You almost died? What, saving me from drowning?"

"From being shot or sent to the gallows. Norrington."

"Isn't that a typical day in the life of Captain Jack Sparrow?"

"Good point. Let me think. You were an excellent hostage and you were more than eager to assist me help me dress, as I recall. Now that was memorable."

Elizabeth snorted. "I did no such thing."

Jack leaned close. "You did."

Elizabeth thought for a moment. "I merely replaced your hat."

"And."

"And what, buckled your belt. Nothing I should be ashamed of."

"Why are you blushing, love?"

She remained quiet and tried to suppress her smile.

"Come on, love, that was the best time I'd had all week, all year probably. Pressed against a half-dressed and beautiful young lady who's busy unbuckling my belt."

"I was most definitely not unbuckling your belt."

"But you would have been, if Norrington hadn't shown up and ruined everything. You owed me that. I saved your life."

"Your reasoning is seriously flawed," Elizabeth told him in a haughty tone before she burst out into giggles. "Now please Jack, just shut up and drink your rum."

Jack raised the bottle in a sort of clumsy salute and brought it to his lips.

Elizabeth watched him and thought back to that day. It seemed so long ago after all that had since taken place. She'd thought him exotic and strange with his long braided hair and eccentric garb. But before she'd much of a chance to get a good look at him, she was pulled away by her father. She was horrified that her recent savior was being treated in such a threatening manner and rose to defend him. When Jack turned on her, her outrage turned to hot anger. However, her anger quickly dissolved into embarrassment when she was asked to put his hat on. She looked shyly up at him and realized how intimate the two of them must appear to her father, Norrington, and all of the soldiers. Jack eyes twinkled with amusement as if he was enjoying the entire charade. Much to her horror, she'd felt a thrill run through her at being pressed so closely against the smirking pirate captain.

She looked at Jack now, sitting across from her on the beach and thought that he seemed just as exotic as ever. A grimy, deceitful pirate had no business being that good-looking.

Jack must have felt her eyes on him because he tilted his head toward her in a playful fashion.

"Still reminiscing about the day we first me, love?" He gave her a mischievous smile.

"Certainly not! I was only wondering how long it's been since you brushed your hair."

"Elizabeth, no lies between us now."

"It's Miss Swann to you, Captain Sparrow."

"Back to that, are we, love." He gave her a wink. "As I've said. Give it time. And a little rum." He held the bottle up in a silent toast before he took another swig. "Go on, then. Drink up."