Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot, but if T&T could guarantee that Jack ends up with Elizabeth at the end of AWE, I'd give them the rights to that too. Certains lines can be found in COTBP & DMC, which belong to the Mouse.

A/N: This is my first POTC fic, so if anyone's out of character, please forgive me. Also, while this isn't a song-fic, I took great inspiration from "What Hurts the Most" by The Rascal Flatts. It one of the best J/E songs out there.

Wants, Needs, and a Broken Compass

He watched unnoticed as the newlyweds made their way through the well-wishers that had gathered on the deck to say goodbye. Hand shakes and pats on the back for the groom, hugs and kind words for the bride. Everyone was smiling, and some eyes were suspiciously wet. The couple were disembarking, heading home to Port Royal to start their life as Mister and Missus William Turner.

They had been married just that morning, anchored of the coast. Gibbs had step in to give the bride away as Governor Swann was not available. Barbossa had performed the marriage, as he was a captain, and had the authority to do such a thing. It was a short ceremony, but it got the job done, and now that everyone had their chance to give their congratulations, they were leaving.

She had yet to look back at him since she left him standing at his cabin door just prior to her short walk down the aisle. He didn't expect her to. They had said all they needed to say.

When he was sure no one was watching, he knocked and waited for her call before entering the captain's cabin. Closing the door behind him, he turned to look her. She sat at his desk with a mirror propped up in front of her. She was just putting the finishing touches on her hair. He watched silently as she pinned one last curl away from her face. Finished, she turned to look at him.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked.

He stepped into the light of the room fully. "Simply beautiful."

"Jack," she blushed but didn't look away.

He smiled. "T'is the truth, love." She stepped out from behind the desk, and he saw just how truthful he was. "Every word."

She rolled her eyes and moved to the bed to get her veil. "Now where have I heard that before?"

He sat down in the chair she had just left. Propping his boots on the desk, he watched in the mirror as she put on her veil. "Well, I am a pirate. I only tell the truth when it suits me. But rest assured, now would be one of those times."

He saw her dropped her hands to her sides and come up behind him. She dropped her head next to his and locked eyes with his in the mirror. "And why, Captain Sparrow, does it suit you to tell the truth?"

His heated gaze never left hers. "'Cause it's what I want."

Quickly, she stood up and turned back to the bed to pick up her bouquet. His eyes strayed to where the compass hung from his belt. He took the compass off and set it down of the table. He looked up to see her straighten her shoulders in the mirror. He dropped his feat from the desk and strode up behind her. She leaned back into him, just slightly, but enough for him to notice. It took a concentrated effort on his part to keep his hands at his side and not throw her down on the bed.

She was picking at the flowers, and her body was rigid. "I wanted to thank you, Jack, for letting me stay in your cabin last night so Will wouldn't see me prior to the ceremony." Her voice was trembling, her hands was shaking. "This may not be a traditional wedding, but it is nice to keep some of the customs I am use too."

"It's the least I could do, love." He was so close he could smell the scent of her perfume. His hands were itching to reach up into her hair, to pull her back against his chest, and never let her out of his sight. Not able to take much more, he backed away.

"Besides, couldn't very well have a party for Will with you on deck now, could we? The rum would be gone before anyone got a drink." The joke fell flat. He pretended to be interested in the charts on the table while he watched her in the mirror. Her head was bowed and her shoulders slumped. He almost didn't hear her when she whispered.

"This isn't what I want."

They both knew she wasn't talking about the flowers. She slowly turned, and for a moment, their eyes met again in the mirror, but he couldn't hold her gaze for fear that she saw just how much she was affecting him. Ignoring her admission, he swiftly tried to make his escape.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chitchat, but the Pearl needs her Captain." He moved promptly towards the door, and his hand was on the knob, but he couldn't turn it. He stood there struggling to get his breathing under control as he listened to her moving around the room.

"Don't forget this." He glanced back to see her standing behind him holding the compass out to him. He pivoted around to face her, and reached to take it.

"It's a curious thing, really." Twisting the compass about, he examined the object in his hand. "It will point to what you want most in this world, but never what you most need." His dark eyes glanced up at her hazel ones. Lost in each other's fiery gaze, neither heard the first knock at the door. It took a second and Gibbs' call for them to notice.

"Are you ready, Miss? Cap'n Barbossa says alls set out here." Gibbs called through the door again.

"Yes, I'll, ah, be out in just a minute," she called back without looking away from the man in front of her. He could see the beginnings of tears appearing in her eyes.

When he was sure Gibbs had left, he closed the distance between them. He wiped away the tears that had trickled down her face with his fingers while he pressed his lips to her temple. Leaning back, he took hold of the veil and placed it over her face. He spun about and opened the door, but her hand on his arm kept him from leaving.

"Jack, I'm–" He raised his hand to cut her off.

"Don't say it, love. We both know you'd be lying." He caught sight of others on deck watching them. While most of the crew could not be bothered by what was going on behind them, the select few that happened to be facing their Captain and the bride all looked to be questioning his presence inside the cabin. Gibbs, who was standing closest to them, seemed shocked into silence. So, it appeared, did Mr. Cotton. The parrot, thankfully, was likewise. At the opposite end of the aisle, stood the groom and the other captain. He refused to look at their expressions, as he already had a good idea what he would see.

He took one last look into the eyes of the person who knew him better than anyone else, then beckoned his first mate over.

"She's all yours, mate," he declared to Gibbs whilst he caught Will's gaze. He stepped back so she could take the arm of the man who would guide her down the aisle towards her future.

He continued to observe everyone's best wishes for the happy couple. No one had yet to even glance at him. He figured they were ignoring him for the sake of keeping the peace, but he didn't plan on letting them much longer. He stepped out from under the stairs and swaggered up behind the pair. He saw some eyes widen when his hand came up and tapped the groom on the arm.

He waited for Will to turn, and then asked, "May I kiss the bride?" He saw her blush out of the corner of his eye, but he never looked away from the man ahead of him. They seemed to be at a stand off, but Will relented, "Alright."

He bowed a little to his opponent and moved to the bride's side. "Elizabeth," he said before he leaned in to kiss her cheek. Lingering a moment, he whispered to her only, "It would never have worked between us darling."

With those parting words, he made one last glanced at her husband, then left them all staring after him as he climbed up to the helm. He avoided their stares by preoccupying himself at the wheel.

It was minutes later that he was guiding his beloved ship away from Port Royal. The crew were busy getting the Pearl ready for another long trip at sea. He was alone, save for Gibbs, who had been hovering beside him since they raised the anchor. He did his best to ignore him, but Gibbs wouldn't stop staring, and was about to find himself overboard.

He couldn't stand it anymore. He whipped his head around. "What?"

Startled, Gibbs stammered, "Ah, nothin', Cap'n. I was– I mean, the crew were wondering where it is we're headed to, be all. Sir," he added as an afterthought.

He glared at his first mate while he took out his compass. Cautiously lifting the lid, he peered at the dial. He quickly closed the lid. Glancing around to make sure know one had seen the heading, he passed Gibbs the compass, saying, "Its broken," and staggered off. Half way to his cabin, calling over his shoulder that he had to consult his charts, he bumped into the one person he didn't want to see. Not giving him a chance to say anything, he pushed past. He ripped open the door, and the whole ship heard it slam behind him.

Gibbs noticed Barbossa come up next to the wheel. He continued to stare after his captain, worried about him. Giving the object in his hands a momentary look, he cocked his head. Wondering aloud, he asked the captain, "What's wrong with Jack?"

The boisterous laughter that followed confused poor Gibbs even more.