Summary: Elizabeth studies Jack, certain that he's capable of having emotions. Takes place during DMC. Hints at Sparrabeth.
Sentimental Study
Elizabeth Swann heard the familiar noise of the Black Pearl's captain, Jack Sparrow, behind her. From what she could tell, he seemed to be talking to the first mate. She was thankful for that, that he wasn't pining after making her "come to his side" at the moment.
She turned her gaze from the sea to look at the captain. He looked as odd as he ever had, swaggering around with hands waving animatedly. She couldn't help but to wonder what he was really like. He couldn't live every moment of his life acting drunk, could he? He couldn't live every moment of his life betraying others, could he? And he certainly couldn't be incapable of humane emotions, could he?
Sure, she'd seen him with humorless smirks, twisted words, dark humor, half-stifled curiosity, and childlike joy. But she'd never seen anything with the slightest semblance to any man. Even Captain Barbossa had shown more emotion than he had, and she'd known him longer than she had Barbossa. Even one-eyed Ragetti and his uncle Pintel had more true humor and concern than she'd seen in the Pearl's current captain.
There had to be more to him than to what the eyes saw.
How could one walk around, acting as if life were no more than a joke? How could one lock himself away from sentimental feelings? As far as she knew, Jack had a beating heart in his chest. But why did he act as if he didn't?
Elizabeth recalled her night in the Fort Charles prison, the short time she'd been in there before she escaped to a merchant ship. One man had been secluded, more to himself than the others- who were lustfully waving and whistling at her. She'd asked him why he was different. He'd told her something along the lines of having nothing left, of not having the heart to put his trust in the crew of a ship, suggesting he'd been betrayed.
But Barbossa was dead. Surely he couldn't bother Jack anymore? Surely Jack had put it in the past?
Who hurt you, Jack?
The pirate captain seemed to have noticed her staring at him. He wandered over, his gesturing arms more concerning to her than infuriating now. He leaned against the railing beside her, a small smirk laying across his face. She knew that he'd been planning something, but she beat him to it.
"Who hurt you?" She blurted out.
He turned to her at once, eyes narrowing in an unfriendly manner.
She'd struck a nerve. She was right- he did have feelings and he had been hurt by someone.