Chapter 13

Elizabeth boards the Black Pearl under the cover of night, it all looks so familiar to her and she feels as if she could find her way around this vessel blindfolded. She glances up and see's a dark shadow standing at the top of the stairs and her breath catches in her throat. Could it really be him? Was this indeed happening for real or was it just another dream? She watches as the shadow slowly walks down the stairs, reaching the bottom, an unmistakeable voice orders the crew to set sail immediately, this was the same voice she had heard in her chambers this morning. The form continues to slowly saunter towards her in the black night and if it weren't for the flashes of lightning and streams of moonlight shining through the breaks in the clouds, she would not see anything at all. He stopped in front of her and spoke not a word, she could feel his eyes taking her in and saw the sparkle of his silver and gold teeth when he smiled. Now if only he would touch her so she'd know for sure it was him, that this wasn't a dream. As if reading her thoughts, he reaches out to her and pulls her close, leans in and kisses her deeply, stealing her breath away.

"Elizabeth" he whispers as he breaks the kiss and strokes her face with his hand, moving a couple strands of hair over her shoulders. "I told you I'd come back to you."

"Jack!" Elizabeth replies breathlessly. "I thought you were gone forever."

"It's hard to keep a good man down, darling" Jack teased, continuing to run his fingers through her hair.

"I've waited so long, so very long" she whimpered, a tear falling down her cheek.

"I couldn't disappoint you, love. Tis true, I've been gone from you for a long time, probably longer than I should have been. I've met beautiful women, goddesses and even had lures of immortality, but thoughts of you only helped to lead me back home." he smiled lovingly at her.

" When I saw you this morning I thought you were a dream, you've been part of my dreams for a very long time and I thought I was going mad." Elizabeth explained, not letting go of Jack for fear that he'd disappear from her again.

"Not a dream, darling. Which reminds me, we have no rum on board. I think I know where we can stock up though, I certainly can't have you getting thirsty, can I? he winked knowingly at her.

"What about the Royal Navy?" she asked, concerned. "I'm the governor's daughter, I'm sure the entire royal fleet will be out looking for me once they discover I'm gone."

"That's what these are for." he explains, holding up the letters of marque he had picked up off of the floor earlier in the day. "One look at these and there'll be nothing for them to do but turn around and leave us in peace, that is of course, if that's what you truly want. Is it Elizabeth? Or are you having second thoughts about me after all this time?"

She looks at him and pulls herself close, gazing into his eyes and knowing her answer without even having to think about it.

"Well," she smiled, "I did marry you, didn't I?"

He looks back at her and returns her smile.

"Yes love, you did. But that was a long time ago and we never did get our wedding night. I thought perhaps..."

She presses her lips to his in an effort to silence him, then pulls away.

"Enough of this. I forgive you for our past, besides, you proved you were a good man and did the right thing. You came back." she reasoned

"Aye. I came back a new man, Lizzie, and now I'm ready to give myself to you, and only you. If you'll have me?"

"I'll have you right now, Captain Sparrow" she replies seductively, leading him towards the captain's cabin.

They approach the door, Elizabeth is about to step through when Jack stops her.

"Allow me, Mrs Sparrow" he says as he scoops her up in his arms and carries her across the threshold. "Afterall, it is our wedding night."

He closes the door behind him and steps into the room, walks over to the bed and gently lays her down. He stands for a moment, admiring her beauty and wonders how he could have been led so far astray from something so perfect. Something so beautiful. This woman, this goddess, had lead him home and for the first time in his existence he felt fulfilled.

"Jack?" she questioned. "I saw the Interceptor sailing off as I was being brought onboard. Who was that at the wheel?"

"Nobody's going to say Captain Jack Sparrow isn't a man of his word, love. That ship is now in the possession of Anamaria, just as I promised. Now then, speaking of keeping one's word, I believe this belongs to you? Afterall, you're the bride"

He reaches over and picks up a beautiful golden chalice from a bedside table, he had already filled it with rum.

Elizabeth's eyes widen as she takes the chalice and examines it closely.

"Jack, where did you..." but before she has a chance to complete her thought, he interrupts her.

"Yes, I know what you're going to say. But I found a spare bottle of rum below deck, I forgot I had hidden it there a few months back when I thought Gibbs was going to drink the ship dry, savvy?"

"No, Jack, I mean..."

"Have I ever told you how captivating you are in that dress, darling? It suits you, has anyone told you that? You look like a goddess...my goddess." he descends upon her and silences her ending the conversation.

The Black Pearl, now out of sight of Port Royal, sails off into the night, inside a husband and wife who had been separated for so long, who had kept their secret safe from others for even longer, started anew. They wasted not a single moment in making up for their time apart and by the end of the night, they knew each other as well as if they'd been together for an eternity.