A/N: Thank you! - my wonderful reviewers for your reviews:):):)

(I apologize for the spoiler... It just wrote itself somehow...)

Spoiler: Pintel: Watch out for (the lack of) italics. / Ragetti: What's "italics"? Is this a fish/ Pintel (impatiently): No, it ain't a fish. It's a kind of font!/ Ragetti (after a pause): Is "font" a fish?

Disclaimer: I don't own POTC.

Chapter 34

"You do not seem to be very pleased with seeing me again, do you, Jack?", said Beckett, when Jack approached him on the upper deck.

The guards stood in some distance, but on the alert. The Black Pearl was sailing swiftly on the smooth face of the sea.

"Can't hide it", smirked Jack, leaning against the rail. "You know I always have my thoughts written right on my face. I keep no secrets."

"Yes, indeed", replied Beckett with a slight sneer. He stood near the railing, looking out at the ocean. "But I would think that you owe me thanks rather than bitter and doubtfully humorous statements."

"Oh, do I?', exclaimed Jack, sincerely surprised.

"If I wouldn't have arrested Miss Swann and Mr. Turner on their memorable almost-wedding day in Port Royal, they would have been happily married for several months already by now." Beckett glanced at Jack, and looked back at the sea.

"Is this what you wanted to talk about?", asked Jack plainly.

"Ah", observed Beckett knowingly. "You do care for her, don't you?"

"Had you been following the Black Pearl, or rather it was all well-planned in advance?", asked Jack, ignoring Beckett's last comment.

"Oh, you know Jack, I keep making those annoying mistakes", said Beckett narrowing his eyes, "trusting people to do what they are supposed to do, and yet they always get their own ideas in the meantime, and things just keep going awry all the time, despite my very best of intentions."

They both stood looking at the ocean, as if the ocean was the interlocutor in this conversation.

"You mean you wanted Harness to get the Pearl for you, and he did not quite stick to the plan, aye?"

"Greed is a terrible vice", said Beckett with a grimace. "He wanted to keep the gold, keep the ship... Some people just cannot get enough."

"What do you need the Black Pearl for?", asked Jack blankly.

"A bargain", answered Beckett with a small smile.

Jack smirked. "With whom this time?"

"Poseidon", replied Beckett after a pause.

Jack glanced at him doubtfully.

"I have made an interesting discovery. There is a legend saying that whoever delivers a certain item to the god of the seas, will be granted the power over the seas for five hundred years. Needless to say, he will also live for five hundred years. Can you imagine my astonishment, when I learned that the item desired by Poseidon is, in fact, the Black Pearl?"

"The black pearl", said Jack, beginning to enjoy the conversation.

"Oh, you know the story, I see. Yes, the Black Pearl", nodded Beckett with a half-smile.

"Yes. The black pearl", said Jack once again, hardly keeping a straight face.

Beckett shot him a searching look. He had an impression... But it was Jack Sparrow. He was the master of impressions. And most of them were false, of course.

"I wonder why you have never decided to trade this ship for the 500-year-long rule over the seas?"

"Well", Jack cleared his throat. "There's a problem with this legend. Two problems, actually. Firstly, the pearl's supposed to be given to the person you love most. If you give it to Poseidon, but you love somebody else, and not the sea most, then it's consider cheating. Secondly, it's also cheating attempting to give Poseidon the false black pearl, and not the one he wants. And the punishment for cheating is, of course, death."

"I know of all of that, Jack. Fortunately, this is the real Black Pearl, isn't it? And I also do not have problems with placing my affections wisely", he added with a slight sneer. "Which brings us back to Miss Swann-"

"I dis-advise you a further pursuit of this topic", cut in Jack in a resolute, but calm tone of voice.

"You know what is your problem, Jack? You care about people. You don't want to admit it, but you do care about people, and let me tell you that caring about people leads nowhere. Or rather it leads into very unappealing places and situations."

"I must admit that your plan is really stunning", said Jack ignoring Beckett's musings. "Poseidon wants the black pearl, and you give him the Black Pearl. Will he not just be delighted with you", grinned Jack.

"I hope so", agreed Beckett confidently, oblivious to Jack's play on words. "Once I gain control over the seas, only the sky will be the limit", he said almost dreamily. "You could work for me, you know", added Beckett matter-of-factly, and turned towards Jack.

"So you're keeping me here for the sake of old friendship and to assure my employment, aye?", asked Jack, smirking.

Beckett laughed drily. "No. I'm keeping you here to settle the debt between us."

"Oh!", exclaimed Jack with a smile. "How noble of you. I think I'd be quite content with six, or seven ships on my disposal", he offered nonchalantly.

"No, Jack", Beckett shook his head. "You misunderstood me. I meant your debt to me, not mine to you."

"Is there such a thing?", asked Jack doubtfully.

"Well, some people call it, although I personally dislike this word", observed Beckett in a low tone of voice, "a revenge."

"Revenge?", Jack wrinkled his forehead.

"I do not like being treated like a fool. And I do not forget if someone had treated me like a fool", he said with a glimpse of hatred in his eyes. So", he called the guards with a wave of his hand, "after I will take over the seas, I shall attempt to understand your attachment to Miss Swann. I imagine that she makes a pleasurable companion not only in the daylight...", he sneered at the sight of Jack's hardening facial expression, and an almost subconscious attempt to break free from the soldiers, who held him by the arms. "I knew I should call the guards before uttering this sentence", said Beckett, ordering the guards to escort Jack back to his cabin.

Elizabeth sat at Jack's table, waiting anxiously for his return. Governor Swann was sitting in the armchair, glancing from time to time at Elizabeth, always finding her deep in thought, as she could not stop thinking about what was happening right now, and whether Jack was not in danger, and whether he will be back soon.

She sat with her eyes fixed on the ring. It was the most beautiful ring she has ever seen. She wondered briefly how and when Jack got it.

"He will be back, Elizabeth, don't worry."

Elizabeth looked up, quite surprised that it was her father who said these words.

The Governor looked away, averting her gaze.

"I miss him", said Elizabeth in a tone of voice that was nearly inaudible. "I know it's hardly a quarter of an hour, but-", she fell silent, thinking that maybe her father might find her words annoying.

"Yes", said the Governor with a sigh, without looking at her.

Elizabeth said nothing. So he was annoyed, after all.

Governor Swann rose from the armchair, walked over to the table at which Elizabeth was sitting, and repeated with a small smile:

"I said yes."

"I kno-", Elizabeth stopped in mid-sentence, suddenly struck by the realization of what the "yes" was referring to.

She looked up at her father, her face brightening in a second. "Father!", she exclaimed, throwing herself in his arms. "Oh, thank you. Thank you very much!", she kissed him happily on the cheek.

He could not remember such an outburst of emotions at anything he had ever said to her... until now.

"I would've hated-", she started, but stopped, slightly embarrassed.

"You would've hated marrying him against my will", the Governor finished the sentence for her with a knowing smile.

"N-no", stammered Elizabeth. "It's not what I meant... I mean... I-"

"And I would have hated that either", interrupted her the Governor. "So, I am giving you my blessing."

Then the door cracked open, and the guards pushed Jack back into the cabin.

"Jack!", Elizabeth ran to him immediately. She wanted to tell him about her father's approval, but her curiosity prevailed."What did he say? What does he want?"

"Well", began Jack taking her hands in his, glancing at them with a half-smile, and then looking up at her. "He wants something, because somebody else wants it, so he wants to give said somebody else said something that he wants in order to get what he wants."

The Governor sighed, trying to remain patient. Did I just say "yes"?...

"So, what is it that Beckett wants?", Elizabeth smiled hesitantly, trying to make sense of Jack's explanation.

"The Black Pearl", answered Jack simply, and Elizabeth was about to say something, but Jack cut her off, and continued his so called explanation in a low tone of voice. "Only he doesn't know, that it is not the Black Pearl what he wants to want, but it is rather the black pearl what he wants, but he doesn't know that it is what he wants."

"Is that good or bad? For us, I mean...", Elizabeth gave up her attempts to comprehend what she was hearing. She just wanted to know the general idea behind it.

"Ah", Jack grinned, but was unable to provide the answer to this question, because the ship suddenly and violently juddered, causing the three of them to fell heavily to the floor.