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This is a VERY long chapter so please, PLEASE bare with me! I seriously couldn't stop writing!

Birthday Surprise

Jack sat alone in his room, never looking away from the window. Morning came swiftly, giving him reason to stir from his silence. He slipped into his boots and strolled to the door. Before he opened it he stopped, hand on the handle and his feet ready for the adventure. "Will this be the day for the opportune moment?" he thought to himself with a grin, then shook his head.

He opened the door and walked down the creaking stairs into the bar finding Mr. Gibbs asleep at the counter.

"Mr. Gibbs?" Jack smiled, sitting next to Gibbs.

"What? Oh!" he jumped up with a start, realizing who was next to him. "What is it Cap'n?"

"Oh nothing, just thought you might want to wake up."

Gibbs relaxed a tad bit and wobbled off the stool and up the stairs to his room, groaning.

"No doubt he'll be going to bed now…Well…guess I'm on my own today!" Jack stood and walked out into the sunlight, blinded by the light. He spent the morning at the shipyard checking on his beloved Pearl. After that he was left with too much free time.

He walked along the beach, coming to the curve to find he wasn't alone. Elizabeth sat on the rocks with her feet hidden in the turquoise water; her hair was hiding her face in a golden curtain.

He wasn't aware of how long he stood there watching her, but he lost all sense of his surroundings other than her…and her beauty. He sighed as she leaned down to splash her face with the foaming water. As she leaned back, she turned her head and caught sight of him.

"Jack?" she gasped, looking at him with one of her distinctive eyebrows raised into a curious arch. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Just a few…seconds." he lied, making his way over to the rock beside her. When he sat next to her and looked at her sun burnt face, he could see the stains of fallen tears. "Are you crying?"

"No!" she said, frantically wiping away the stains.

"Lizzy, why were you crying?" he tried to sound unfeeling but he didn't succeed. She looked at him with confusion shining in her eyes. He swallowed the dangerous lump in his throat, trying not to choke.

"Today is my birthday, and no one is here to help me celebrate the occasion." she admitted, looking away from Jack, her hair hiding her features.

"Her birthday?" he thought, his heart beating a little faster.

"It's your birthday?"

She nodded. "Yes…it is."

He looked at her face and realized that her eyes were filling with tears again. He wanted so much to wrap his arms around her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder; making her feel loved and wanted. But he resisted the temptation.

"I'm sure something special will happen for you today!" he said as he stood, walking away before temptation would fight with him again.

As he walked away, he thought of what he could do to make the day; her day, special. And then he smiled, his genius coming again, this time for the good of the woman he loved…loved more than anything…

He came to the inn and found the crew at the bar, laughing and joking, and Mr. Gibbs coming down the stairs looking slightly more rested.

"Boys, I need your help!"

Jack made his way quickly back to the curve in the beach, finding Elizabeth as he had left her; sitting on the rock with her feet dangling in the foaming water.

"Lizzy!" he smiled.

She turned her head, looking surprised. "Jack?"

"Come with me!" he said as he held out a hand for her to take.

"Why? What's going on?"

"I can't tell you, love…just come!"

She looked at him for a few seconds, curiosity filling her eyes. She stood and took his hand, a grin forming on her lips. He smirked down at her.

He led her through the trees, deeper into the unknown of the island.

"Where are we going, Jack?" she asked, holding his hand tighter as she tripped over a root.

He laughed. "Nowhere of any great consequence."

She glanced up at him with her eyebrow raised. "I love when she looks at me like that!" he smiled to himself.

Soon they could hear music coming from a break in the trees ahead of them. She glanced up at him again and he looked down at her, his eyes meeting hers. "She doesn't even know how much I love her…she doesn't even know how hard this is for me!"

They came to the break, finding the source of the music. The crew was there with their instruments and torches were lit around a table for two. Tropical flowers were scattered around the table and fruit rested on a platter with two bottles on either side.

"Jack, what is this?" she asked in awe.

"It's your birthday…and this is your celebration." Jack smiled slightly, hoping he hadn't gone too far. "Maybe I shouldn't have included rum in the surprise."

"Oh, Jack! This is wonderful!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck in thank you. He stood there for a second and then wrapped his arms around her waist, cherishing how close he was to her.

"You deserve it." he let his hands fall.

"Thank you!"

They ate the fruit and the crew drank the rum; Elizabeth was happy and Jack was glad that he was the reason for her happiness.

"Jack, I can't believe you did this for me!" she smiled at him from across the table.

He grinned at her. The music had slowed and he stood, holding out his hand. "Care to dance?"

She seemed to be thinking, which made Jack nervous and his grin slowly fell into a frown. "Of course, Jack." she finally said, taking his hand.

He led her in the dance; not as clumsily as the first time he had danced with her. He held her close and she rested her head against his chest, her arms about his neck. It felt different than the first time…more meaningful.

"Is this the opportune moment?"

He tightened his arms around her and hummed to the music, trying to ignore his thoughts; it was too perfect to say anything.

"Jack, don't you think you should tell her when she's as happy as she is now?"

He closed his eyes, hoping his mind would stop its persistence.

"Jack! Let it out already!"

"No! It will ruin the evening!" he fought back.

"No it won't…it could possibly make the evening even better!"

He opened his eyes at the thought. "You think?"

"Why of course I do…and so do you!"

He smiled and hummed a little more, thinking about how he could say what he felt. "Elizabeth, I love you! No, no that's too…generic. Lizzy, you're the only one I could ever picture myself with…No! What to say?"

He closed his eyes and caught the scent of her hair and breathed in as much as he could, smiling to himself in satisfaction.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

He looked away, confused. "What to say indeed!"

"Many things." he replied after a few seconds of mental panic.

"Like what, exactly?"

"What is she trying to do, beat it out of me?"

"Umm…things you might not want to know!" he grinned mischievously.

"Oh Jack, you're so mysterious!" she teased.

He laughed, but on the inside he was frantically fighting the urge to scream in frustration. "What do I do when it seems like she's inching me closer and closer to confessing?"

"Are you feeling well, Jack?"

He looked down to see concern written on her face. "I'm fine."

"Don't lie to her!" his mind exclaimed.

"Are you sure, you look like something is bothering you."

"I have to try and tell her!" he said to himself, hoping he was making the right decision; that it was the opportune moment. "I have something I need to tell you." he whispered to her.

"What?" she whispered back.

He took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever would happen after he declared his love. "Elizabeth I-"

"Cap'n!" said Mr. Gibbs, running out of the trees with a cheerful expression on his face.

"Thank God!" Jack said to himself in relief. "What is it Mr. Gibbs?"

"Sir, the Pearl is finished!" he smiled. "We can leave now!"

Elizabeth let her hands fall from Jack's neck and Jack released his grip on her waist. "Thank you Mr. Gibbs! Crew, its time to set sail!"

Elizabeth looked up at Jack. "What did you want to tell me?"

"Oh nothing…maybe I'll tell you some other time!" he smiled awkwardly as she walked away, following the crew.

"I need some rum!"