5

Three Days Are Up

"Jack," Mr. Gibbs said as he came to Jack's side at the helm. "I'm a tad nervous."

"Why?" Jack said, never letting his eyes leave the horizon, but his thoughts were cloudy with images of Elizabeth's beaming face as he danced with her the night before.

"Jack, your three days are up, and that can't be good, Cap'n!"

Jack looked at Mr. Gibbs, seeing his wariness. "Well, we have to hope that Jones forgets about me."

"That's not likely to happen."

"Gibbs, please don't go on about our doom! I need some quiet!" Jack growled, and Gibbs walked away, alarm written on his aged face.

XXX

Jack walked down to his cabin, his thoughts wandering continuously to Elizabeth and her smile.

"It gets me every time!" he said to himself as he opened the door, a sigh escaping his lips as he came to his map filled desk after closing the door behind him. He dropped into his chair, closing his eyes wearily.

"Jack, it could be too late."

"What are you talking about!?" he opened his eyes wide, looking around the room with a nervous shrug.

"Jones is after you and you know it. Don't you think you should tell her before all is lost?"

Jack rolled his eyes, an uneasy grin forming on his lips. "Nothing will be lost, Jones could forget about me!"

"Now, Jack, you know that you're just kidding yourself…Jones wouldn't forget a debt as massive as yours. You have to tell her!"

"I don't have to do anything! You're just that little voice inside my head that tries to confuse me all the time…but guess what!? You've lost this one…I won't tell her!"

"I guarantee that you will tell her soon enough. And you will thank me for it!"

Jack laughed. "Of course I w-"

A painful lurched tipped Jack's chair over, cutting off his words. "What the bloody hell!?"

he said as he ran to the door, opening it quickly. The sound of screams and gun shots filled the hallway as he made his way up to the deck.

Jack looked about him with a blank expression crossing his face. It was sheer chaos...but all Jack could think about was finding Elizabeth.

"Lizzy!" he screamed her name over the noise, cutting across the deck and up the stairs to the helm. As he reached the wheel, the chaos grew worse.

"It's the Kraken!" screamed Mr. Gibbs from another part of the ship, and Jack stopped.

"It is almost over!"

Jack stood at the helm, all bravery taken away by the sight of the Kraken's dangerous tentacles sweeping the deck and carrying the crew away as they screamed their final goodbyes.

"Jack!"

He turned, recognizing the high pitched scream, finding her at the bow hanging over the edge.

"Elizabeth!" he called as he jumped from the helm and into the frantic battle on the deck. The men ran across, dodging tentacles and stray bullets; Jack in the middle of it all. But he didn't see any of this; he could only see Elizabeth and her danger.

He bounded quickly to the bow, grasping Elizabeth's hands, holding them tight. "Hold on Elizabeth! Hold on!" he shouted over the noise.

"Jack! Don't let me fall!" she pleaded, her eye frantically looking around at the chaos behind Jack.

"Trust me! I won't!" he tugged and pulled her over the rail, setting her gently to stand on the deck. She looked up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Jack!" she screamed. "What are we going to do?!"

He looked down at her, finding tracks of tears streaming her sun burnt cheeks. "Don't fear, love. It will turn out ok in the end!" he said quickly, brushing the tears away with the thumb of his shaking left hand.

"Jack, I have faith in you…you know that! But this is not the time for indecision! What are we going to do?"

He looked around, seeing the Pearl creaking under the pressure of the Kraken's tentacles and a thought came to him quicker than he had anticipated. "Get to the long boat!"

"But Jack, what about the crew?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes staring at the battle around them. "You can't leave them!"

"Lizzy, if we leave alone, the beastie won't follow. The crew is a…clever distraction." he grinned. "This way we'll have a better chance. And there is an island just a ways away."

She looked at him in shock, and then nodded grimly. "Ok. But Mr. Gibbs must be saved as well!"

Jack rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm going to say no to her!"

"As you wish!" he smiled.

They ran to Mr. Gibbs and told him the plan as quickly as they could.

"But Cap'n, you're mad!"

"As many have told me but that is not what we need to be thinking on right now! We must get into that long boat! Now!"

XXX

They began to row away, watching as the Pearl sank even deeper into the sea. Jack looked up and frowned; his ship, the reason he was going through all this trouble, was damned to the depths. He couldn't get it back…

"God save them!" Gibbs mumbled, rowing slower than the others.

Jack looked back behind them to see where they were heading, seeing the island in the distance. His compass wouldn't do him any good; he knew where it would point. He had to trust his decision…

The minutes passed and the island came closer and closer, and then the surf led the boat faster. Jack became anxious, glancing away from the sight where the Pearl was finally engulfed with water, the sails inching out of sight under the turquoise water.

"I'm sorry, Jack." Elizabeth touched his shoulder gently, her eyes full of sympathy. "I know this was hard for you."

They came to the shore and Jack walked further up the beach leaving Mr. Gibbs to the task of bringing the boat up to the beach. Elizabeth followed Jack, concern written on her face.

"Jack, are you ok?" she asked as she caught up with him.

"No!"

"Please, Jack. Talk to me!"

Jack turned and looked at her, his eyes staring into hers. "The Pearl is gone and I have nothing left!"

"Oh, Jack, that can't be the worst thing!"

He grinned. "No, it's not the worst thing…but she would leave if she knew what would be the worst thing that could've happened!"

"Maybe you're right." he looked away, sorrow filling his eyes.

"Jack, there's something else that you're not telling me. Isn't there?" she asked, touching his clenched fist.

He looked at her, alarm crossing his features. "Why would you think that?"

"Because, your face was full of relief. Why?"

He looked out over the surf, trying to compose himself. "Well, love…I was afraid I would lose you…that I would've been the cause of your death. And I'm relieved that my plan worked."

She stared at him; wide eyed and speechless as Jack walked away, leaving her alone to think on his words.

"I can't believe I told her that!"