AWAKENINGS

DISCLAIMERS: Mr. Mouse and his whole crew own all the characters in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

This is my take on the resurrection of Jack Sparrow in the third Pirates of the Caribbean film. Also, I am a Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann shipper fan; ye be warned.

I wish to take a quick moment to thank everyone who left reviews. I cannot express how happy they make me and the joy they bring to my heart! Hugs to everyone!

A quick note…I am moving this weekend, so I will be unable to update for a short while, until I'm all settled in at my new home. Don't fret, it should only be a brief interruption, until my phone/internet is transferred. I will be back!

Chapter 8 : Time

Once Elizabeth and Jack pulled apart, he immediately became aware of the Barbossa's monkey, knocking it off his shoulder, but resisting the urge to shoot it.

Barbossa gave a whistle and the monkey ran over to jump into his arms, snuggling in close, as his master rubbed his head.

"Keep your bloody monkey off of me, Barbossa." Jack said to him, his arms still around Elizabeth.

Barbossa smiled and said, "Jack play nice with Jack."

I wonder which Jack he's speaking too?

"We best get back to the Pearl." Jack said to her, pulling away and taking her hand, to lead her to the wooden plank that would allow them to cross over to the other ship.

But just before they turned towards the Black Pearl, Barbossa tipped his hat and said to them, "Good evenin' Jack and Ms. Elizabeth."

Jack nodded, but Elizabeth responded back with, "To you to, Captain Barbossa."

At the plank, Jack motioned to one of Barbossa's men. "Walk in front of 'er, mate. I'll walk behind, to make sure she crosses safely."

"Aye, Captain Sparrow." The man said, as he jumped onto the plank, taking her hand, as Jack lifted her up.

As they crossed back over to the Black Pearl, Jack was constantly asking her if she was alright, watching her for any signs of dizziness.

"Jack, I'm alright." She tried to convince him, as she stepped down onto the deck of the ship, with assistance from the sailor.

Quietly, Jack said, " I know Elizabeth." As he stepped down behind her.

Smiling, she turned and impulsively hugged him.

Startled, his dark eyes widening at her actions, he froze for a moment, before returning her hug.

"You do care, more than you realize." She said into his neck.

Holding her close, he responded. "'Course I do luv. More than I think you realized I do."

Taking a deep breath, looking up at him, she said, "I love you Captain Jack Sparrow."

There I've said it, directly, no hesitation, and with him fully aware and awake.

Jack was silent, thinking unknown thoughts, his lips moving in, as if trying to decide what to say.

She laid a single finger on his lips. "I don't expect a declaration from you. Not right here, right now." She removed her finger. "I find I can be a very patient woman, when I wish to be."

He blinked and then smiled. "What if I can never say the words ye want to hear?"

"Time will tell, won't it?" She responded, as she turned to walk slowly towards the Captain's cabin.

She could feel Jack's eyes watching her every movement, as she entered his cabin; knowing he mulled over her words.

One, two, three…

Just as she turned towards the cabin entrance, Jack came through it.

"Time will tell?" He asked. "What's that s'pos to mean?"

"Exactly what it meant. Nothing more." She crossed her arms. "I'll wait and wait and wait until you make up your mind."

But I already know.

He crossed his arms, eyeing her. "What if I don't want to say it?"

"Then I'll learn to live with the words unspoken." She walked up to him. "I'll just know."

"Know? Know?" He said. "What will ye know?"

She gave him a mysterious smile, looking him in the eyes.

"I'll just know." She leaned in and kissed him.

I believe I have become a bold pirates wench.

Jack remained silent, not know how to respond.

This must be a rare thing, Captain Jack Sparrow left speechless.

They heard a throat being cleared from the cabin door.

"Captain, Ms. Swann." Mr. Gibbs said, looking a little nervous.

"Mr. Gibbs, what news on findin' Mr. Turner." Jack asked him.

"Nothin' yet." He scratched his head. "Nothin' from either ship. Seems young Mr. Turner is good at staying out o' sight."

Jack didn't look pleased. "Keep lookin'. We need to find the boy before he 'urts someone else or someone 'urts him."

"Aye." The first mate answered. "That be true enough."

Just as he turned to leave, he stopped and turned back to them. "If ye don't mind me askin', how are ye Ms. Swann?"

Before she could answer, Jack did it for her. "Except for the li'l bruise and bump on 'er head, Lizzie is in excellent form."

Mr. Gibbs said directly to her. "But ye'll be fine?"

"Yes." She answered for herself. "Time will make it alright."

"Aye," Jack agreed. "Time will make all things clear."

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, time is very important to us. More than anyone can realize."

"Yep, time's important to many things between us." Jack answered.

"Right? Clear? Important? Time?" Mr. Gibbs shook his head in confusion. "I don't be knowin' what ye both be talkin' 'bout."

"Have ye not been following the conversation, Mr. Gibbs?" Jack asked his first mate.

Elizabeth touched Jack's arm, drawing his attention to her. "I'm not sure he knows what the conversation is about."

Deciding to let Mr. Gibbs in on their conversation, if only a little, Jack explained to him, "Ah, yes. The lovely Ms. Swann and I 'ave been conversing about time and it's working on things, 'aven't we Lizzie."

She agreed. "Yes, time. Very important you see." She turned to Jack. "It can make all the difference in many things."

Jack finished with, "Time. It can seem to drag on forever, but ye never seem to 'ave enough of it, savvy."

During their explanation to Mr. Gibbs, the poor man just became more and more confused. Finally, he uttered, as he decided to turn and leave. "Woman, always bad luck on a ship and confusin' to boot. Can never make 'ide or 'air o' them creatures."

He took a deep swig from his leather rum flask as he disappeared from their view.

"Poor Mr. Gibbs. I believe we have completely befuddled the man." Elizabeth said sympathetically.

Jack turned to her. "The man needs to learn to follow a conversation."

Not an easy thing to do sometimes, when Jack is the conversationalist.

Sitting on his rumpled bed, she motioned him to sit next to her. "Jack, we only have just over 2 hours remaining to set things right."

"No worries," He sat next to her, pulling her close. "We'll get it over and done with, then set sail to that next horizon."

"Not until we find Will."

"Aye, the whelp." He ran his fingers through her hair, gently pulling her face towards his.

"Mr. Sparrow." She said, causing him to pull back.

"What?"

"We don't have time for that." She pushed at his unmoving body.

"That what?" He said, pulling them down, so they both laid vertically across the bed, their feet still touching the cabin floor.

"This." She snuggled into him. "We don't have time for this."

"Ah, luv," He wrapped an arm around her. "I understand. I wish ye were wrong, but yer right, we don't"

She placed an arm across his chest. "Unfortunately. Damn."

"I do believe Ms. Swann, that is the first time I've heard a truly foul word be uttered by you." He said, grinning.

"I guess being among pirates is having a terrible affect upon me."

He played with her hair, before replying. "Truly terrible."

She turned her face up to him. "Soon, we'll have all the time in the world."

He kissed her, quickly, on the tip of her nose. "Aye, soon."

He pushed her up, before sitting up himself. "We need to get it over an' done with."

"I know." She said, reluctantly, pulling her arm free. "Yes, I know. I definitely don't want to lose you."

"That makes two of us." He stood up and chuckled. "I don't want to lose me either."

She allowed him to grab her hands and pull her up from the bed, laughing.

"Oh Jack. I really do love you, in spite of yourself sometimes."

"Lizzie…"

She stopped him by saying, "When and if your ready."

He remained silent.

"Now lets get this over and done with before midnight."

He nodded his agreement. "Will we need Will ye think, seeing as he was one o' the witnesses?"

"I hope not, since he's in hiding." She said. "But he already knows the truth, so we should be alright."

"I'm sure ye be right." He agreed. "The little bugger."

She playfully slapped him. "Be good. If some handsome scalawag hadn't captured my heart, Will wouldn't be acting so irrationally. This is my fault."

"No, luv." He pulled her close. "It's not yer fault. Will must take responsibility for 'is actions; like any good pirate would."

"Pirate?"

"Aye, lurking in shadows, kidnappin' a girl, 'olden a person prisoner and causing general mayhem and turmoil." He explained. "Can't be more pirate than that, now can ye?"

"I guess not."

"Yep, his pirate blood is showin'." He finished.

Releasing her, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his compass. The compass that never pointed north. He opened the compass and watched the needle spin for a moment, before stopping. It pointed directly at her. He took her hand, and placed it in hers. She watched it spin again, until it stopped. It pointed directly at Jack.

Round and round and round it goes, where it stops nobody will know. Well, not quite

"See Elizabeth." He pointed at the compass. "Blame it, or better yet, blame fate."

She looked at him, looked at the compass and then back at him, before he said, "It shows you not only what you desire most, but what is meant to be. Fate."

"Oh Jack," She said. "Sometimes you make so much sense."

He took his compass, placing it back into his pocket and said, "I always make sense, jus' nobody listens. If they did, they would understand me."

"True." She agreed.

"Now Lizzie, lets get Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Cotton, Pintel and Ragetti so we can finish this."

"Agreed." Elizabeth said. "Make sure Mr. Cotton's parrot is there too. Better safe than sorry."

"'Course." He agreed and he offered his arm to her, which she accepted.

Such a gentlemanly pirate.

"Lets finish it." She said.

"Lets."

To Be Continued…