DISCLAIMER: PotC still doesn't belong to me…yet. And the lyrics…are also still Nickelback's.
Prison gates won't open up for meOn these hands and knees I'm crawlin'
Oh, I reach for you
Well I'm terrified of these four walls
These iron bars can't hold my soul in
All I need is you
Come please, I'm callin'
And oh, I scream for you
Hurry, I'm fallin'
Show me what it's like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be
Say it for me
Say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth savin' me
Heaven's gates won't open up for me
With these broken wings I'm fallin'
And all I see is you
These city walls ain't got no love for me
I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story
And oh I scream for you
Come please I'm callin'
And all I need from you
Hurry I'm fallin'
Show me what it's like to be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be
Say it for me
Say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth savin' me
Hurry I'm fallin'
And all I need is you
Come please I'm callin'
And oh I scream for you
Hurry I'm fallin'
Show me what it's like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be
Say it for me
Say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth savin' me
Hurry I'm fallin'
Say it for me
Say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth savin' me
Chapter 2All he could feel was pain. The sorrow and anger of his memories were only fuel. At first, he thought he was being burned alive in some monstrous pit. The next moment, a thousand swords of the Royal Navy were impaling him. The next, the teeth of the kraken ripped his skin unmercifully.
And the memories came in floods: the mutiny, the look on Bill Turner's face as his captain and his friend was thrown into the water, the hate of Barbossa, his supposed friend, as the Pearl sailed away; how Elizabeth had chained him to the mast, how she had said that she wasn't sorry, how she had walked away without a backwards glance and left him feeling the pangs of betrayed love – again. And the most torturous memory, so terrible that he need only see the man falling, hear the dull, squelching thunk of a sword in the man's abdomen, the feel of blood staining his hands and clothes, the look of the villagers as he ran by in his blood-soaked clothing, to induce self-torture.
Jack Sparrow had lost all hope. He knew that all that was left was pain, anger, sorrow, hate, and betrayal. He didn't dare hope, for the pain only grew more intense.
Something reached out to him, familiar and warm. Before he could catch it, flaming knives drove themselves into every inch of his body, and he screamed.
"What would your crew think of you now, Jack Sparrow? You are pathetic. You have only felt half the tortures that await you."
The voice talked to him sometimes, a deep and hard female voice that echoed with hatred.
"I…am not…pathetic," he said. He cursed the weak, quavering voice issuing from his lips.
"Really? Then why, when the others feel what you have felt, do they rejoice in the relief?"
"Isn't that…what…you tell…them all?" he said bravely. Jack could almost see a pair of lips, painted with blood, curving into a mocking smile.
"You are too smart for your own good, Jack Sparrow."
The pain reached such a pitch that he felt he would die. His very bones were on fire. He did not move. The pain intensified. He screamed again. His throat grew raw, and blood trickled down it. He retched. The pain lessened.
"There," the voice said sweetly. "You need only tell me if the pain is too much."
He was silent. The voice grew hard again.
"You are nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. Even if you are the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. I feel nothing but joy for your pain."
Jack refused to be intimidated.
"So please…make yourself at home."
Pain ripped him almost limb from limb. He felt his bones would turn to powder, leaving the rest of him to melt into a screaming puddle. He resisted the urge to cry out. Blood began to spill from his eyes, making a warm river on his cheeks. He spat when it made its way past his lips.
A pure tendril broke through his torture. He reached desperately for it.
Wake up, it said. Wake up.
Jack grasped the pure vine. A wave of darkness and hate swirled around his ankles, and he redoubled his grip. He felt the pureness starting to pull him away.
"This…is the day…you will always…remember as…the day…you almost caught…Captain…Jack…Sparrow."
Everything disappeared. All he saw was darkness. He was still in Hell. He cringed involuntarily, expecting some retaliation for his attempted escape. None came.
With difficulty, Jack drew in a breath. He let it out. For a few moments, he concentrated on settling his breathing into a steady rhythm. He reached up to his head and touched one of his wounds.
"Bugger," he cursed. His head throbbed. "My 'ead," Jack groaned. "Uhh. I need some bloody rum."
"Jack?"
His eyes popped open. They rolled to the side to find a young woman sitting on the floor. His chest felt damp. Jack weakly sat up.
"You," he said faintly. His eyes suddenly burned, turning into chocolate fire. "Get away from me," he hissed.
"What?" Elizabeth asked.
"Get away from me," Jack repeated.
"Didn't you hear me?" Elizabeth said, rising apprehensively. This was the first time she'd seen Jack get really and truly angry. No, not angry; totally livid.
"Hear you? When? When you said you weren't sorry?"
Elizabeth flinched. "No. Just now…"
"No, I didn't hear you. Whatever you said was probably a lie."
"Jack…"
Overcome with hate, Jack stood up and backhanded her. The bird screamed. "I told you…to get out!" he roared.
A ring shaped welt had appeared on Elizabeth's cheek. "All right," she whispered, and slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Will stood and enveloped her in his arms. Before she knew it, her body was shuddering with violent sobs.
"Elizabeth, what happened to your cheek?" Will asked softly.
"N-never mind," Elizabeth gulped. "He – he's back. And he hates me. He hates me for what I did."
"What?" Will said.
Tia Dalma stood abruptly. "What be ye sayin', girl?"
"He hates me," Elizabeth said.
"Lord," Tia Dalma muttered, and swept into Jack's room.
"What happened?" Will demanded, but Elizabeth only cried harder, nearing hysterics. He held her quaking body against his until her sobs faded into gasps. "Elizabeth, what happened?" he questioned urgently. Elizabeth shook her head vigorously.
The door to Jack's room opened, and she pressed herself closer to Will. Tia Dalma strode into the main room, expertly weaving through the various bottles and objects hanging from the ceiling. Following her hesitantly was Jack, with numerous wounds peppering his skin.
"Jack?" Will gasped.
"No, it's me ghost," Jack snapped, his voice faint. As the pirate sank into a chair, Will couldn't help noticing that his hands were shaking.
Tia Dalma produced a bottle and handed it to Jack. He uncorked it, sniffed, and took a deep swig.
Elizabeth looked afraid as she sat across from him. Tia Dalma and Will took the two remaining seats.
"How be ye feelin', Jack?" Tia Dalma said.
"Bloody brilliant," Jack retorted.
"Ye'd best not snap at me, Jack. If it weren't for me an' da girl here, ye would not be alive," Tia Dalma warned.
Jack glared at them both. "An' if it weren't for her" – he jerked his head at Elizabeth, who shrank back – "I wouldn' 'ave needed wakin' in the first place."
"What?" Will said sharply. He looked at Elizabeth. "I think you owe me an explanation."
Elizabeth took a breath to steady herself. "When we were on the Pearl, I kissed Jack," she confessed.
"I know," Will said. "I saw you."
"You – saw -?"
"Yes. Keep going."
"When I did, I – backed him against the mast. And then I – I chained him. I told him I wasn't sorry. But I was. And then I left him there to die."
"You what?" Will exclaimed.
"It was for us. It was after him, not the crew and the ship. I did what I had to," Elizabeth said quietly. A tear slipped down her cheek.
"I hardly believe that," Jack interjected coldly.
"You don't understand!" Elizabeth screamed.
"Oh, I think I do," Jack said. His eyes were like hard, dark chips of ice.
"You're so stupid!" Elizabeth shouted. She leaned across the table and smacked him as hard as she could.
Jack stood up and made a move to strike back, but Tia Dalma grabbed his arm. She caught hold of Elizabeth's as well. "I WILL NOT TOLERATE DIS IN MY HOME!" the priestess bellowed. Her voice echoed powerfully around the room so that even Jack cringed. "William. Stay here," she ordered. "Da two of you will come wit' me."
Jack and Elizabeth allowed themselves to be led to the small porch outside the hut, still glaring daggers at each other. Jack dropped onto a bench, breathing heavily. Elizabeth remained standing.
"Now da bot' o' ya listen to me, an' listen good," Tia Dalma said dangerously. "Jack, I know what ya did t' her in dat room. Neida o' ye go attackin' each odda again, ya hear? Now. I have anodda hut down riva a ways. Da bot' o' ya will be stayin' dere alone till ya can sort dis out. An' ya will not be comin' back a moment before. Understand?"
Jack began to protest, but Tia Dalma cut him off with a glare.
"I will take ya to da hut. I'll explain everyt'ing to Mista Turner when I return. In da boat."
Before Jack even got to his feet, Elizabeth went down to the dock and clambered quickly into the longboat. Tia Dalma helped Jack down the stairs more slowly. Once they were all settled, Tia Dalma untied the rope and took up a metal-tipped pole. She shoved the river bottom with it so that they moved off a t a medium pace.
Elizabeth sat at the stern and stared down at the wood, lost in thought. What did I really expect him to do when he woke up? she asked herself. Tell me he forgave me and kiss me senseless?
Yes, another voice answered truthfully. That knowing smile he gave me…But you can't expect to leave someone to die and then have them forgive you if the come back.
The boat bumped against the shore. Elizabeth came back to earth with a jolt. She stepped out of the boat and trailed after Tia Dalma.
"Welcome to yer new temporary home," Tia Dalma said flatly, holding open the door.
Elizabeth and Jack stepped inside.
"Dere be plenty o' food in the kitchen an' beds upstairs. I'll come check on ye in a few days t' make sure ye haven't gone an' murdered each other," Tia Dalma said.
Then she closed the door, leaving Jack and Elizabeth alone.