It was sixteen years later that Sarah Turner lost her mother and her stand in father. Sixteen years later that she gained her true father. Sixteen long years, full of guilt that wracked Elizabeth constantly, the face of her child a constant reminder that to her that she had knowingly torn apart a mans heart.
Sixteen years that eventually brought Elizabeth, without warning, over the edge of a cliff one icy December morning. December the fourth, in fact.
Captain Jack was, of course, the first person Will messaged about her death. Just because they had not kept contact well did not mean he shouldn't be informed of the untimely passing of one of his only true friends. Pirates didn't have many, after all.
He came straight away. When he reached the place of her service that very night, he frightened himself by laughing. Walking through the sickeningly familiar town, he laughed at the passage of sixteen years, laughed at everything those years had held. He laughed until he cried, then he discontinued the laughter directly.
Captain Jack Sparrow didn't cry. Especially not for the only woman who had ever broken his heart.
It was when he entered the funeral service, however, that any and all humor died from his lips.
He recognized hi daughter straight away. She had grown into a beautiful woman over the fateful years, looking surprisingly like Jack himself. Sarah carried Sparrow's nose, as well as his eyes, but possessed solely her mother's smile. Also, Sarah worked with Elizabeth's hands. Dainty but durable, she obviously carried her mothers' spirit and determination, as well.
Jack was still staring when a bleary-eyed Will strode up to him and held him in the most meaningful embrace he'd ever received from a man.
"I'm so sorry," Jack announced, unsure of what else to say. He was still fixated on his daughter.
"Thank you so much for coming, Jack," Will managed. "You meant so much to Elizabeth." As her name passed his lips, the man broke into a fresh bout of weeping. Jack held him until the tears lessened, and Will finally followed his gaze.
"Oh, forgive me," he apologized. "I've neglected to introduce you to my beautiful daughter." Sparrow flinched at the words, but Will failed to notice. He waved her over to them, then put his hand on her shoulder and proudly introduced, "Jack, this is my daughter, Sarah."
Before he had a chance to reply, Sarah curtsied and spoke. "It's wonderful to meet you, Captain Sparrow, it truly is. My mother spoke highly of you quite often."
Even more curious than the fact that Elizabeth spoke of him, Jack couldn't help but notice how steadily the girl spoke of her mother. No tears fell down her tanned face; her large, piercing brown eyes remained dry for the memory of her mother.
"Oh, did she?" Jack questioned, transfixed by his daughter's ability to stand strong through such a time. He supposed much of the strength was harvested from her anger. Her anger toward her mother for leaving her at her most impressionable and needful age.
"Yes, loads of stories about your adventures. The one I'm most fond of has to be when you rode those sea turtles! It was so clever, how you managed rope!" Sarah's cheeks reddened, and Sparrow mentally noted that his daughter blushed easily. How much he could learn about his child in such a short meeting!
"Jack," Will interjected, "it's almost time to remove Eliz - the casket. Would you be willing to help carry it?"
"I'd be honored to," Jack replied honestly and, taking a deep breath, he reached out and laid his hand upon Sarah's shoulder. "It was a pleasureā¦meeting you, milady," he managed, slightly in shock. For the first time in sixteen years, Captain Jack Sparrow
felt love. He was touching love.
"And you, Captain Sparrow," Sarah replied, turning to meet with the rest of her family.
"Please," he asked of her as she departed, "call me Jack." She grinned, fully displaying Elizabeth's smile.
"Until next time then, Jack," she said, bowing out with a little nod. Jack couldn't suppress a smile, either, despite the occasion. She was his daughter.
