22. The Captain's Heart

"Is she located under the name Swann or Turner" I ask Jack as we run through the streets of Port Royal.

"I believe it's Turner/Swann!" He exclaims as we run.

"Turner/Swann? That doesn't make any sense! She was married to Will on the Pearl by Barbossa! She should be under Turner!" I reply with a huff.

"Just as ye should be under me?" Jack asks with a wink looking back at me as we run.

"Ha! Good one! The faster we find her, the faster that will be the case!" I retort back.

"Aye indeed! Let's search for Turner then!" He agrees. Sex is such a good weapon of choice.

"There!" I exclaim, pointing to a sign that reads "William and Elizabeth Turner". We stop at the door huffing and catching our breath.

"Man I'm outta shape!" I exclaim with my hands on my knees.

"Yer tellin' me! I've been fighting pirates on the seas and I still can't run fer more than 10 seconds!" Jack huffs.

Suddenly the door opens and Elizabeth is standing there laughing at the two of us.

"Lindsey! You're back!" She exclaims with a bright smile. I stand up straight and smile back at her.

"I'm back!" I greet her with a hug.

"Jack," she says with a smile. She goes to hug him but he winks at her and points to me.

"Jack! Enough!" I exclaim.

"Come in!" Elizabeth says, holding her arm extended into her home. Jack and I walk into the room and immediately feel empty without Will around.

"What brings you two about?" She asks, offering us a seat on her couch.

"Well," Jack begins.

"How did you get back here?" She asks me.

"Well," I begin.

"What happened to you after I left the ship?" she continues asking us.

"Lizzie, dahling, let me speak and we'll tell you everything," Jack stops her from speaking. She grins and then seals her lips shut.

"Somehow, I think, the death of Davy Jones or something to that effect, brought me back to my century," I explain to Elizabeth.

"Oh that's a good idea luv! I hadn't thought o' that!" Jack exclaims with wide eyes.

"I know! I was thinking about that when we were in the cabin…nevermind," I blurt.

"So that's what ye were thinkin' about when I was doin' that t' ye," Jack says, narrowing his eyes.

"I told you I'm not a fan of that, but you HAD to insist on doing it!" I exclaim in response.

"Fine!" Jack replies. "It won't 'appen again!"

"Good!" I retort.

"Um, Jack?" Elizabeth asks with widening eyes.

"Oh right! So I searched the Caribbean for 'er and she wasn't anywhere there, so I went to Singapore with me crew and discovered there that she must've somehow gone back to 'er time. I found a voodoo woman in Singapore who 'elped me out and I traveled to 'er century. We just got back to the Caribbean and our century t'day and now we're 'ere!"

"Oh wow," she replies. "But does all of this have to do with me?" she asks.

"Well, do you remember that song that allows us to time travel?" I ask.

"Yes, of course," she says.

"Well Jack brought me back here so we can put it to rest—find that island and bury it under that tree that the legend talks of," I reply.

"What do you need me for?" she questions us further.

"What would ye do if I tol' ye ye could get dear William back?" Jack asks her, cocking is head back and narrowing his eyes.

"I'd say I'm in," Elizabeth smiles and jumping to her feet.

"I haven't even tol' ye how!" Jack laughs.

"Doesn't matter. This month alone without him has been the longest and loneliest month of my life, Jack. Even if it doesn't work, at least I'll be with you two," she says, gathering some of her things.

"Then we set sail tonight," Jack says, standing with me. "Meet us at the Pearl at sundown,"

"Why not now?" she asks. Jack and I exchange glances and then look back at her.

"I guess ye can come now," Jack replies with a sigh, "But one rule—nobody bothers me in me cabin if the door is closed!"

"Jack, the door is always closed," Elizabeth states.

"Right—and that's because it disturbs me if it's open! Make sure ye tell Gibbs that!" Jack instructs her as we all leave her house.

0 0 0

"Hoist the sails! All hands to stations!" Jack orders as we board the ship and run across the deck to his cabin. "Make yerself at home, Lizzie!" Jack calls to Elizabeth and shuts the door to his cabin.

"Miss Elizabeth!" Gibbs exclaims and hugs her.

"Mr. Gibbs! What's gotten into Jack?" She asks, looking behind her as the door to Jack's cabin shuts.

"She's back," Gibbs replies with a grin. "And the Captain's glad about it. Taking affirmative action!"

"Affirmative action?" She asks.

"Aye, affirmative action!" Gibbs replies with a wink.

000

"Now where were we?" Jack asks as he shuts the door and locks it behind him. I walk backwards toward the bed and he walks toward me.

"I believe we left off right here," I say pulling him down on top of me.

"Ah yes, that's right," he says as he begins kissing me.

I take off his hat and toss it on the wooden floor as he continues kissing my neck.

"Are ye sure ye hate that thing I did earlier?" Jack asks as he begins taking off my clothes.

"Yes Jack, but I know a few things that you might enjoy," I reply as I sit up, flipping him onto his back and unbuckling his pants.

"Well do whatever ye want, luv!" Jack exclaims as he lies back.

"Jack Sparrow!" A voice from outside the door shrieks. Jack's gaze of seduction breaks instantaneously.

"Bloody 'ell—we're never gonna get anywhere with all these interruptions!" He grumbles as he buttons his pants and rolls off the bed. "Don't move, luv, I'll be right back,"

"You better be," I reply with a grin, lying on the bed and throwing blankets over me.

Jack opens the door.

"What the bloody 'ell d' ye want?" Jack asks Elizabeth who is standing on the other side. She grabs his wrist and pulls outside the cabin room and onto the deck. The door closes behind him.

"Jack, what are you doing with her?" Elizabeth asks, crossing her arms in front of her, giving him that 'you are in for it' face.

"Lizzie, calm yerself," he says, putting a hand on her shoulder, "we're havin' a good time me an' 'er. I'm just glad t' 'ave 'er back,"

"Don't do this to her, Jack," she says thoughtfully. "Don't lead to believe you love her if you don't,"

"I do love 'er," he says finally.

"You do," she says incredulously.

"Aye. I realized it thanks t' ye and Mr. Turner," he says with a grin.

"And how is that?" She asks, still not convinced.

"Elizabeth, when Will died on the Dutchman, I saw the way you looked at him and I realized that that is how I want someone to look at me and love me in that same way. I realized that I wanted 'er to be the one to look at me like that, hence I realized I loved her and never stopped," Jack explains seriously to her.

"Wow, Jack, I never thought I'd see the day when you love someone else," Elizabeth laughs a bit sarcastically.

"I can't tell 'er how I feel though," he adds quickly.

"Why's that?! She is probably dying for you to tell her you love her! She's waited so long, Jack!" Elizabeth exclaims.

"I know, but there's a part o' me that can't bring meself to tell 'er yet. I feel like she may not feel the same anymore because I 'urt 'er so bad before," he says.

"Understandable. But the Captain Sparrow I know wouldn't be afraid to speak his mind," she says with a conniving grin.

"This isn't pirating or sailin' a ship, mate," he says, his voice low and husky, "it's me heart. That's somethin' I don't know a whole lot about just yet,"

"You've locked your heart away for so long, Jack," she says tenderly.

"Aye, I have," he replies, "now can I get back to me affirmative action?" he asks with a grin.

"What is this affirmative action?!" She exclaims.

"Tell me yer joking," he says as he opens the door, winks at her and then closes it behind him.

"Finally!" I exclaim when I hear the door close. I throw the blankets off me and see Jack gazing at me from the door. "What?" I ask, sitting up in the bed.

"Nothin'" he replies as he makes his way towards me.

"Good," I respond in a low voice as I pull down on top of me.

He passionately kisses me all over and within minutes our clothes are strewn all over the floor in a frantic mess.

0 0 0

Jack and I lay in bed together for the second time that day. This time there are no interruptions and I smile as I close my eyes. Jack has his arms entwined around my narrow body holding me close to his warm golden brown body. His breathing is regular as my head lies naturally on his chest. As my eyes are closed for a longer period of time, I am more aware of the beating of his heart. I hear his heart…beat…ing…stead…i…ly. Just as I am about to fall asleep I am suddenly awoken.

"Pet," Jack's voice breaks the silence. My eyes suddenly flutter open and I am more aware of the beating inside his chest. It is beating much faster than it was before it put me into my sleep-like trance.

"What is it Jack?" I ask softly.

"What d' ye know about hearts?" He asks finally. I lift my head and look at his face and see him staring at the ceiling.

"Well, I know that they break easily if you are too vulnerable," I reply sincerely, lying my head back on his chest.

"Aye, that be true," he replies in a low voice. "What else?"

"Well, they beat faster when you're nervous, or anxious about something—or excited," I say.

"What else?"

"And I know that scientifically they have four different chambers that pump blood," I laugh.

"And?"

"And no matter how hard you try to lock your heart away, there's always a way to unlock it if you really want somebody to come in," I continue.

"Have ye ever locked yer 'eart away?" he asks finally.

"Yes I have," I reply.

"Me too," he says.

"I know," I reply, still not looking at him.

"I always thought it for the best," he explains.

"We always think it's for the best at the time," I reply understandingly.

"I don't know how t' love anything but the sea me entire life," Jack continues to explain. As he talks, my heart begins beating faster, but I calm myself down, telling myself over and over that he can't love me—that he doesn't love me. I don't want to get my hopes up again. I am glad the way things are. I am glad the way things are with us right now. I can't expect anything more from him.

"Yer so lucky—you, Will, Elizabeth—all able to love and let yerselves love—I've just never been able t' do that,"

"I know this Jack. It's okay—it's not your fault. It's just who you are. I know that now and I'm perfectly alright with that," I say finally, lifting myself from his chest and looking him in the face. He turns his head towards me, his eyes wide.

"Ye mean t' say ye don't love me anymore, pet?" he asks, sitting up.

"I mean to say that I know you're not the type to unlock your heart to let yourself be loved and love in return," I say carefully, trying not to expose myself but at the same time, not deny my love for him.

"Lindsey, what I'm sayin' is, if ye'll 'ave me, I'm willin' t' unlock me heart," he says finally.

"What?" My eyes widen and my heart beats faster than it's ever beaten before.

"I'm sayin' ye can 'ave me heart if ye want it,"

"Jack, are you saying you love me?" I ask carefully not letting my voice shake.

"I can't say anything like that jus' yet, but I can say I want ye t' be the one my heart belongs to,"

"Jack, I'm honored. Of course I'll have your heart—that is if you'll have mine," I reply, almost afraid of letting the words slip out of my mouth.

"I promise I'll be careful with it," he says with a smile. "I'm sorry I don't 'ave a chest t' give ye like Will does with Elizabeth," he laughs and winks at me.

"I'd rather your heart be where it belongs," I laugh with him as I place my hand on his chest over his beating heart.

"Aye, me too, dahling," he replies with a grin, putting his hand over mine.