The Fountain of Youth

Elizabeth found herself standing before a strange handprint embedded on a very old stonewall, the handprint lined with a glittering type of rock. Will had suddenly come to her, and grasped her in his arms.

"We have to open the door Elizabeth!" he pleaded to her. Elizabeth pushed frantically on the handprint with her own hand, but the door did not open. Suddenly, Jack came towards her a lustful look within his eyes.

"Kiss me…" he said huskily, grasping her face with both hands and aggressively separating her lips with his tongue. He tasted her thoroughly, and passionately, and at the moment, Elizabeth simply took in the pleasure of it. She remembered how this had not been their first heated kiss and blushed at the thought. Once they separated a flash of pink suddenly surrounded them, and William was strangely gone from sight. To her astonishment, she only called to William once before her thoughts were immediately diverted to another.

"Jack! Jack!" she yelled. Her thoughts were full with worry; she could not lose him again. "Jack!"

Elizabeth awoke the next morning entangled in the ropes of her hammock. She rose gingerly, untangling herself from its ropes. Her dream had been so clear, and that kiss… She slowly made her way to a barrel and sat herself upon it, attempting to clear her head. She found herself feeling very content under the beams of sun and salted breeze.

"Almost forgot what that felt like" she sighed quietly to herself as she leaned back in satisfaction.

"'Ello luv" a husky slurred voice sounded from behind her, his tainted rum soaked breath causing Elizabeth to grimace.

"Almost forgot what that smelled like." Elizabeth turned, facing the captain with a sudden blush as she remembered the night before. Jack tilted his head slightly in puzzlement. He was about to question her when she diverted her attentions to a sudden realization that she was not aboard the Black Pearl but a different ship, or rather a different subject of conversation.

"What happened to the Pearl?" she asked quite innocently the color from her cheeks slightly fading.

"Barbosa… thieving scraggly-bearded cuttlefish stole my ship."

"So you're out to retrieve it… again?"

"Actually…" Jack started with a slightly embarrassed grin; however no sooner had he started Mr. Gibbs cut him off.

"Ya see Miss 'Lizabeth Jack was all too ready to start his new quest for the Fountain of Youth. He had a bit o' bad luck really. No sooner had he started the Black Pearl was a' taken from him, an' he was shipped to Port Royal to hang, a farewell gift of Barbosa no doubt. Luckily I helped him commandeer 'nother. Nothin's too hard for Capn' Jack Sparro' ya see. "

Jack pointed his finger in the air, "Rightly said Mr. Gibbs."

"Aye sir."

"Fountain of Youth?" Elizabeth inquired in surprise. "The fountain? Discovered by Juan Ponce de León?"

Jack's dark eyes narrowed, "Aaah so you know of it then?"

"I've read about it…" she said simply. Though she had left her piracy for a couple weeks, her knowledge and curiousity of the unknown had not failed her, neither did her extensive library of all things mythical and legendary of the sea stored away at her home. There was one set of books however including a certain pirate standing before her which she took care to read almost every night.

"Aah but you see…" Jack began, lightly grasping her shoulder with a heavily jeweled hand. Elizabeth once again blushed under his touch. "Dull dim never actually discovered it… only searched for it… in the wrong place matter-of-factly."

"What makes you think you of all people would find such a fountain?" Elizabeth questionned doubtfully. Jack grinned, realizing he had her fully in his interests.

"Due to the fact luv… That I'm Capn' Jack Sparrow."

"An' he's got the map…" noted Gibbs, idly turning the wheel. Jack shot him a defensive stare before turning to Elizabeth again.

"Aye… an' I'm Capn' Jack Sparrow." Jack grinned, attempting to replenish his reputative name.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "How do you know it even exists?" she pointed out, looking him straight in the eye. She focused with a hard stare, scanning for truth. She had by this time realized small things that pointed out his untruthful tongue: the curl of his lip, the dillute of his eyes, the twinge of his nose. Luckily there where none of these signs when he answered.

"I… Know a man.." he began, drawing a barrel beside her and wrapping his arm amicably around her shoulders. "..a bit like me really..or.. I a bit like him, just a bit though… bit better looking meself." He grinned toothily, gleaming gold before her, "Who foun' the fountain 'imself, and added a bit o' years to 'is life only to discover that he needed more of the drip to stay immortal what 'ave wills you."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed in silent comprehension, "In immortal you mean.. live forever?"

Jack grinned mischievously, noticing the sudden narrow of her eyes and purse of her heart-shaped lips. "I've got her…" he thought silently to himself. How well the two now knew each other. Well enough to know what piqued the others interests and how to expertly… lead them towards the others goals.

"Will… I'll be able to… We can be together." she paused, looking up at Jack hopefully. Jack had rolled his eyes at her mentioning Will but was none the less glad that she had realized his thoughts.

"Yesyesyes.. pretty young William will no longer be fretful of time, and you may live with your eunuch so happily if evers after."

"Jack!" she smiled, grasping him around his neck.

"Elizabeth?" he grunted under her sudden embrace.

Mr. Gibbs smiled at the two, "Tis truly inimitable."

The Black Pearl sailed swiftly across the unusually calm waters of the Atlantic, for the past few days there had been nothing but storms. Barbosa wondered if Calypso had found some other poor soul to take her fancy but found the fair weather was in their favor.

"Erm, Capn'?" questionned Pintel. Barbosa sneered slightly but turned to the man.

"Er, 'ow are we excatly suppose'd ta find Sparrow if we dunno where he is?" Barbosa bit into an apple he held in his hand and absently chewed before speaking.

"Capn' Teague travelled this way whence we last saw him tarry 'oer."

"So… Sparrow's on his way you think?"

"Aye, and so be our map" he sneered, walking with heavy steps towards the captan's quarters, "Along with the key…"