Spoiler: And what are ye doing?!

Disclaimer: Disney owns Jack, Liz, etc.

Chapter 22

Jack tightened his grip around Elizabeth's hand. She took it for a gesture of reassurance, but of course it might have been a gesture aimed at keeping her from breaking free as well. She did not know what to think. Surprise, was not the word to describe her feelings, because Jack hardly ever did something that actually did not take her by surprise. He surely was up to something. But why he did not tell her? Maybe he was just improvising... Making it up at the moment... Yes, that was possible. But somehow this possibility did not alleviate her anxiety.

Captain Harness shifted his eyes from Jack to Elizabeth, then to Jack, then to Elizabeth... and finally he raised his eyebrows, and looked at them both with some suspicion.

"What is that supposed to mean?", he asked drily.

Yes, what is that supposed to mean?!, screamed Elizabeth inside her head. She really wished to know. The only soothing aspect of the situation being the way in which Jack still held her hand in his. And it somehow prevented her from too literal an interpretation of his words.

But the insight available to her, was not available to Governor Swann, who was utterly horrified, when Jack actually offered Elizabeth in exchange for the ship.

Will, on the other hand, could hardly believe that he was actually right, when predicted this to happen. He did not really believe in it, when he said it. He just wanted to make Elizabeth doubt the clarity of Jack's intentions. And seeing his words apparently came true, he was almost overjoyed. Although somewhere deep inside he knew that it was probably just too good to be true.

"Well, perhaps we shouldn't be discussing such serious matters in the hallway", said Jack with a smirk. "Perhaps... the Black Pearl would be a more appropriate location, so that I would be able to check whether she did not suffer some damag..."

"I don't think I said I'm going to make any deals concerning my ship just yet", Harness interrupted Jack in mid-flow.

"That's why", continued Jack with indefatigable enthusiasm, "I propose taking a walk, a stroll, a swim, or whatever is necessary, to the Pearl and then compare all the advantages and disadvantages, which I have to point out that are hardly any, of the possible, supposed, apparently bound to happen the theretofore mentioned exchange. Savvy?"

There was a trace of confusion in Harness' evil eyes. A madman? An idiot?

"We could've a reconciliatory meal or something if there's still the crew on board to prepare it", added Jack searchingly, taking the advantage of an opportune moment of silence.

The captain, however, did not say a word, and just observed everybody with his eyes narrowed in suspicion. There was one detail that particularly triggered his doubts. The incident with the ship that could not have been taken. And there was the only possible reason for this – love. Knowing then, as he learned it from the boy, that the people on that ship was Jack Sparrow and this girl, it seemed incredible that he would actually exchange her for a ship. If he loved her. If she loved him. But still, Harness did not believe in love. Maybe it was yet another proof that he has always been right?

"Alright", he said finally. "Follow me, but...", he added looking at them intently, "no smart moves of any kind", he said pulling out an old-looking pistol with the gold trigger, and aiming it at Elizabeth to clarify his meaning.

"How dare you...", came the Governor's voice from behind, as he suddenly approached, looking at Harness, then at Jack, not really knowing whom he should address. He was outraged, and horrified.

Elizabeth wanted to calm him down, but there was really no way of doing this right now. What could she tell him? Do not worry, he is (probably, most likely, hopefully) bluffing? Because he is, isn't he?... Suddenly, Will's words echoed in her head... And what was Jack's answer to the accusation that he was going to trade her for the Black Pearl? Oh, yes. He said: "What?". Like some time ago, on Isla Cruces, when Will said that Jack tricked him on the Flying Dutchman... The problem was... that that actually did turn out to be true...

"Father", she said rather blankly, not really knowing how to said it.

Governor Swann looked at her, his face tense, his forehead wrinkled, his eyes glimmering with anxiety and anger.

Harness looked at the scene with interest. Something was certainly going on, and he did not know yet what it was exactly, but it seemed to him slightly amusing, so he decided to see how it all turns out. And if they are up to something... he makes them pay for it anyway. Besides... the girl was indeed beautiful. Not that he ever considered giving up his ship... He grinned inwardly.

"Be quiet", he said pointing the pistol at the Governor. "And you all shall go in silence."

He changed his mind, and instead of having them follow him, he let them go first in the direction that he pointed to them with the pistol, from time to time ordering them to turn right or turn left, until they reached the door leading outside. Behind the door was a long, strangely looking, located far above water bridge, which seemed to be leading into the darkness of the night. As they were walking along it, however, a silhouette looming in the darkness appeared, and the closer to it they were getting, the more familiar it began to look.

Elizabeth knew that the captain kept a watchful eye on them, so she restrained herself even from taking a brief look at Jack, although she really wanted to do that. She wanted to see in his face the confirmation of this all being just a trick, even though she knew that already. She knew him. She had this absurd, transcendentally motivated faith in him.

And there it finally was – the Black Pearl with its black sails, floating on the surface of the murky ocean, in the light of the moon, in which she looked more like a ghost ship.

Captain Harness ordered them to stop, and made his way to the front, walking as the first on board.

As he was stepping on deck, there was only a split of the second in which he actually could not see them, as his back was turned towards them for the moment. There was not enough time for explanation, for any words at all, and even if there would be time for these, it was not Jack's habit to justify his actions and make excuses, especially beforehand. However, for some reason, he found it necessary to signal, despite the risk, his intentions. For some reason, he did not want Elizabeth to feel uncertain, even for an hour, for a minute, for a second. A very strange feeling, indeed. In one swift movement he turned her around, and disregarding even the presence of the Governor who was right behind them, kissed her with both great passion and great velocity on the lips.

The kiss caught Elizabeth off guard, but she understood. She wanted to say something, but she knew she must not. Governor Swann blinked and tried to understand. Gibbs and Will who stood in the front did not even notice. As well as captain Harness, who turned to face them less than a second afterwards, and called for them to step on board.

Jack pretended to look around with interest, as if he was really checking the state of the ship.

"Aye. I see everything looks rather unchanged. I think we could neg...", began Jack in a relaxed tone of voice, but was cut off by Harness' dry laughter.

"Answer me one question", started the captain when he finally stopped laughing. "Because I think I am misunderstanding something", he said, cocking his pistol in a disinterested gesture. "Why should I exchange the ship which is mine already, for a hostage who actually happens to be mine already as well?"

Everybody looked at Jack. He shot a slightly discomforted look around, but nonetheless calmly carried out his negotiations:

"Well... That's a very good question."

Will observed the scene impatiently. He wanted to do something, and not just wait counting on Jack's ridiculous filibustering.

"That's why I'm so anxious to hear an answer", replied Harness mockingly.

"The answer is very simple. Your, so called, life", announced Jack with a grin. "And actually", he continued, as the captain just knitted his eyebrows in response. "It seems that ye might consider giving back my ship even without taking any hostages in exchange."

Will rolled his eyes and sighed loud enough to attract the attention. Jack gave him a slightly irritated look. Elizabeth felt as if she was soon going to fail following Jack's reasoning. It was just getting too convoluted.

"Is this a joke of some kind?", asked Harness, beginning to look really annoyed, an evil glint back in his eyes. And his scarred face looked even more frightening in the moonlight.

"No", countered Jack putting a hurt look on his face at this accusation, and pulling something out of his coat's inner pocket.

Elizabeth turned her head to see what it was. It was the wooden box that Philip Fairwood gave them. But they did not look inside. They did not know what was inside. Or perhaps only she did not know?

Jack opened the box and took a pistol out of it. Elizabeth did not notice anything unusual about it. An ordinary pistol. Jack?!...

Captain Harness must also not have been impressed by the sight, because he smiled, and said with impatient amusement:

"Oh, this is really enjoyable. Do you intend to shoot me? Please do. But I feel obliged to warn you that I am dead already. In case you did not know that."

"I know that", said Jack with a smirk.

Harness stopped smiling and stared at him intently.

"But there is an instant at which it can actually work", said Jack cocking his pistol in turn.

Elizabeth swallowed hard, feeling rather uncomfortable in the middle of all this. She could hear her father gasping and Will muttering something under his breath. And only Mr. Gibbs kept perfectly quiet, observing everything wide-eyed.

"Yes, there is a curse, which says that only a relative of mine can kill me", said Harness solemnly. "Somebody who shares my blood. And I don't think you meet the requirements."

"Think again", said Jack with a glint of seriousness in his eyes.

"Again", hissed Harness lifting his pistol. "I ask what is this supposed to mean?"

Elizabeth was surprised at how strange it felt, when Jack finally let go of her hand. And even then, she could actually feel his touch, the warmth of his touch still on her hand, although their hands were now separated. Jack pushed her gently, so that she would take some steps backwards. Clearly, he wanted her out of the line of fire.

"There's a bullet in this pistol", said Jack tapping the barrel.

"I would certainly have never suspect that", replied Harness with growing annoyance.

"A special bullet", narrowed his eyes Jack. "A blood-stained bullet."

A sudden thought flashed through Elizabeth's mind. She remembered the morning in Philip Fairwood's house, when she and Jack heard a shotgun. And then the doctor came back, covering his arm... Did it have something to do with this?

"And I firmly believe that this bullet meets the requirements", he added with a smirk. "As it is stained with the blood of your grandson, who gave it to me."

Apart from Elizabeth who could at least have a faint idea of what Jack was talking about, everybody was rather baffled, including captain Harness.

"So if ye please", said Jack suggesting with a wave of his hand for Harness to get off the ship.

Jack considered the situation to be rather advantageous at that point, but then something happened. Firstly, he heard Elizabeth saying: "Will!" in a loud voice. Then, to Jack's surprise, an initially hard look on Harness' face softened, as the man smiled wickedly. Thirdly, Jack felt something cold on his neck, and slowly turning around found that it was a blade of Will's sword.

"And what are ye doing?", he asked impatiently, wrinkling his forehead.

But Will ignored his question, looking steadily on captain Harness, whom he addressed in a solemn tone of voice:

"Take him, and let us sail off on the Black Pearl."