"Elizabeth." Jack acknowledged her as she stood in the galley several cold nights later.

"Captain." Her response was just as clipped.

Somehow, some way, he had lost her. Then again, how could one lose what they never had? It seemed to be his way with females. Nary a one had stayed doting for long. He ought to be used to it by now. It shouldn't bother him that her caramel eyes no longer held a spark of lust. No kisses were hidden in the corners of her smile. He'd never had her. No. Not even when she lay in his arms in the afterglow. He suddenly felt the need to justify his intrusion. "Just grabbing a drink, lo- Lizzie." He corrected as he reached for the cabinet behind her.

"Of course, Captain." Her eyes stay upon him as she stood her ground and he had to reach around her. Careful. Ever so careful as to not brush her skin.

"Will that be all?" She spoke as he pulled the bottle slowly over her shoulder.

He looked at the rum, then to her. "Would you care to…?"

She looked not at the rum, but over his person. "Certainly not."

Something in her appraisal left him bleeding. "Elizabeth," he spoke as he grabbed her wrist as she turned to go. She did not look at him as he spoke. "Lizzie," he struggled to come up with any words sans her name.

She swiftly retracted her hand from his. "You have no further need of me. I bid you good day."

He watched her walking towards the steps. "That isn't true, and you know it!" expelled from his lungs.

Her perfect face angled over her shoulder. "What is it, then?"

Jack struggled, "…What is what?"

She turned fully towards him. "What is it you need of me?"

His eyes glanced downward.

She scoffed, "Right," as she turned towards the stairs.

"I need you, dammit." He abandoned the bottle on the counter as he made his plea.

"Me?" she snorted, "Whatever for? Haven't you gotten everything you ever wanted? The great Captain Jack Sparrow?"

He took a step towards her, "As I've told you before on that slip of an island, I'm only as great as the fortunes afforded to me. And somehow… Somehow I've lost the fortune of your favor."

"Pity." She eyed him coldly. "When we arrive to the destination you've charted I'm sure you'll find new friends to favor you."

"That's not fair."

"That's an awfully childish statement, Captain."

"Just who is being the child here, hm?"

Their breath mingled hot on one another, bringing feverish memories in its wake that neither could shake. So, they turned.

"Can you think of any reason, Jack," she spoke as she faced away, "that I might be acting this way? Perhaps something you might have done?"

He remained silent for a moment. "Aye."

Hope sparked within her.

"You wish it hadn't happened."

"What?" She turned to him.

"You wish you'd stayed safe with Will, don't you? You wish you never departed from your life of decency. You can't even bear to look at the mistake you made, now, can you?"

"How dare you!" Her cheeks flared, "You haven't the slightest idea how I feel!"

"Oh, I'd say I got it, all right." He took a hold of the bottle. "Loud and clear."

"If you truly think that's the reason… you're more of a fool than I'd thought." She looked at him once more before climbing the steps, "Good bye, Jack."

The words he'd heard many-a-time before. Yet he'd never quite felt them until now.

"Put your backs into it you scurvy dogs!" Mister Gibbs called in the salty morning air. Elizabeth assisted in directing the ship through a dangerous passage as the crew turned the rudder and adjusted the sails.

"Shouldn't the Cap'n be the one givin' orders?" Ragetti looked between her and Pintel.

"I reckon he'll be nursing a wicked headache after imbibing in the rum last night." Pintel nodded, "somethin' or someone must have set 'im off."

They both turned their heads towards her.

"Me?! What on Earth would suggest to you that I'm the one responsible?"

"Poppet," Pintel snorted, "why wouldn't you be?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Haven't seen you so cold towards someone since I found you in that cupboard."

Elizabeth shuddered, "Don't remind me."

"Did the captain do something wrong?" Ragetti raised his brows in concern.

"The question is what did he do wrong, you nitwit." Pintel tapped him in the stomach.

They both looked at her again.

"Ugh. I have nothing to say to you two."

As she turned she heard Pintel call, "Have to talk to somebody sometime!"

"Gets awful lonely otherwise," was Ragetti's reply.

Awful lonely indeed. As the days wore on she wondered about the captain's disappearance. Though they were getting closer to the unknown island, his presence on deck was sorely lacking: Leaving murmurings amidst the crew. She wondered if this was how he found himself stranded once before. Was it some other girl before, some other time and place? She ignored the drop in her stomach. She didn't care, she reminded herself, none of that mattered. Yet, somehow she'd found herself just around the corner from his quarters in the middle of the evening.

"Captain," Mister Gibbs knocked on the door. He waited a few minutes for the response that never came. With a sigh and the shake of his head he strode onward, into someone he hadn't expected. "Miss Elizabeth…" His eyes were wide.

"I'm sorry Mister Gibbs, I get restless at night. Didn't mean to obstruct your path. I'll be going now."

"Wait…" The old man held up his hand. "I know 'tis not my place to ask, but… The Captain's never been in this sorry of a state, ye see. Before he's been drunk on deck, but I'm fearin' for the worst when he doesn't show his face. I'm thinkin' if it were you that opened that door maybe he'd gain some interest in fresh air… That is, if you feel so inclined as to-"

"All right," Elizabeth sighed, "I'll do it. I must admit I am a bit worried. I haven't seen him make a fool of himself in far too long."

Mister Gibbs gave her a weak but thankful smile as he clasped her hand. "I'll be right behind ye."

Elizabeth put her ear against the door. Nothing. She gave a knock. "Jack?" She questioned, to no avail. "I'm coming in." She opened the door to see the man sprawled out on his desk. "Jack!" She held her hand to her mouth as adrenaline rushed her forward. She shook his shoulder. It was just a drunken stupor, it had to be. He gave a weak groan as he turned his head. "What in Heaven's…" she began as she saw the inky tendrils climbing up his throat. "Jack!" She stepped back in horror, "What have you done?!" She turned to the door, "Mister Gibbs! Mister Gibbs!"

The man came rushing in, his mouth gaping at the sight. "Praise be…"

"Grab him under the arms. Help me move him to the bed," she directed.

"What could this be?"

"I've seen something like this on him before, the black spot." She ripped open his shirt down the middle, assessing the area in question. "A curse," she murmured as she saw the darkened flesh emanating from his wound all the way up his torso. "You fool," her eyes pricked, "you complete and total fool!" She swallowed the bile in her throat. "Mister Gibbs, he was cursed by Blackbeard. He's charted a course to the only solution he could come up with. Check his maps on the table."

Joshamee poured over the papers for clues. "Agua de vida, what in blazes is that?"

"The Water of Life." Elizabeth shook her head. "Unbelievable. If he wasn't dying right now, I swear I would strangle him!"

She heard the man in question cough out a laugh. "You never did like me much, did you, Lizzie?"

"You insufferable…" She clenched and unclenched her fists. Took in a deep breath and released. "Why must you always be so selfish? This," she gestured, "This was why I stopped talking to you in the first place. Not because of some misguided attempt at saving my dignity." Her voice cracked. "It's because I care too much! I care that I'm being lied to by someone that I-!"

"Elizabeth…" his cough was wet as he examined her eyes.

"Don't you die on me, you hear?" Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "The last time it happened it nearly tore my soul apart!"

"Aye, Lizzie." He swallowed. "I hear you... Loud and clear."