Author's Note: Yay! Another chappie! I had my Math Midterm today, and I think I did okay. Now I have the rest of the week off. :D I had fun writing this chapter. Review when you're done!!!

Disclaimer: If I owned Jack and Elizabeth, they'd already be together, and have lots of little Sparrows. But I don't own it. Damn.

Elizabeth had been checking on him every five minutes.

She couldn't help it. She needed to make sure that he was alive, breathing. Ragetti said she was obsessed at some point, but she ignored him. She felt guilty, still-she brought him to the state he was in, she couldn't abandon him now.

It was nearly midnight at her last visit, she being quiet yet determined. She could make out his sleeping form; hear his ragged breathing. Strangely, she wasn't tired-despite being up since before the sunrise. She'd watched it that morning, and suddenly knowing what freedom meant-she knew, for a moment, why Jack loved the sea. It was freedom.

She sat down on the bed, her golden hair reflected in the moonlight. She could see his face with the moonrise, and he looked peaceful and younger in sleep.

"Why did I ever you this to you?" She said quietly, tracing a small cut on his face. Jack didn't move at her touch. She bent down and kissed the scratch.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I shouldn't have chained you. You know why I did it, but I still shouldn't have tricked you. I told everyone that you elected to stay behind, and it was a complete lie. I feel like a traitor. How could you ever forgive me for this? I wouldn't blame you if you didn't."

Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes now, and she blinked them away, furious with herself.

"I tried to tell myself that I did it to save everyone, that I wasn't guilty, that it was necessary. It seems I've been lying quite a lot. I know now why I did it. And it wasn't to save everyone. That was just an advantage.

"I did it to…get rid of you. I know it sounds awful, and I hate myself for doing it, but it's true. I was falling in love with you, Jack, and I couldn't afford to do so. I wanted to love Will, to marry Will, but I fell for you instead. Getting rid of you would mean that temptation was gone, and I planned to hide everything. But Will saw me kiss you, Jack, and everything fell apart.

"I still love you. But you're a pirate, and I don't think you've ever loved anyone. I'm free of Will now, and I don't know what I'm going to do. When you wake up, how will you respond? I've sorted out my feelings, and I am going to tell you. But I'm afraid of your answer. What if you reject me? What then will I do?"

As she voiced her fears for the first time, she realized how true they were. She'd broken two hearts-James and Will. What if she herself was rejected? What would she do then?

"When did my life get so complicated?" Elizabeth wondered aloud. Then she almost laughed at the irony.

"When I met you," She smiled, kissing Jack's forehead. She stroked his cheek with her hand, something that she'd always wanted to do, but never had the chance to.

"Sleep tight, love. Wake up soon."

And she was gone.

But if she had stayed a moment longer, she would have witnessed the small smirk that flitted across the pirate's features.

Will had been night duty and watching a riptide when he heard a door squeak shut behind him. A quick glance showed him a slim figure with tawny hair. Elizabeth. He'd been avoiding her, but he knew there were still things to be said. He approached her.

"Elizabeth." She turned. He knew what he had to do.

"I know you don't love me, Elizabeth. I know you don't, but hear me out. I do love you, and I just want you to know that I want you to be happy."

"Will-" She started.

"Elizabeth, please. Listen," Will said softly, "I've thought this over. I wish only the best for you, and if that means being with Jack, then fine. But I'm here for you, if you ever need me. I won't back down."

Elizabeth had tears in her eyes as she softly put her arms around him. She closed them and whispered, "I know how difficult this is for you. I know how much it hurts. I'm sorry that I was the one to cause the pain. You don't deserve it. Thank you, Will."

He tried to ignore the pain in his heart when she said those words, but he was unsuccessful. Things were settled, though. It was time to concentrate on other matters.

A/N: Yeah, yeah, painfully short. If you get the chance, read stories by Sleepy Lotus. Her work is amazing. She's on my Favorite Authors. Sparrabeth shipper, of course. And 'Ello y'all, if you review, will you start it with 'Happy happy happy (dances around like a little kid)'? ;D Just wondering. Now review, peoples!