A/N: Oh, yes. Something I forgot to mention. Me and Tink didn't include the part of the movie after the credits where Elizabeth has Will's child. So that explains the lack of Will Jr. in this story. Anyway, read on my lovelies.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Closed Eye on the Horizon
Chapter One
Reunion
The air held a salty taste to it, beckoning Jack out of his deep slumber. His lips twitched, then his nose, and then his dark brown eyes from beneath the lids. Slowly, his kohl-framed eyes flickered open, a grumbling noise emitting from his throat. He rolled over onto his side, dragging the thin sheets soaked with sweat and countless other things along with him as he nearly rolled off the mattress. It was the close call that shot open his eyelids and helped him take his first big breath of the morning. Unfortunately, he had little time to enjoy it. Now was the hard part of his womanizing ways. As quietly as possible, Jack Sparrow crept from the bed, leaving behind the sleeping wench that had given him good dreams that night. He gathered his clothing that had been strewn about the room rather carelessly and he proceeded to attempt to dress himself whilst walking out the door, but not before he grabbed a half empty bottle of rum from the beside table.
Ah, yes. Today would be a good day for sailing, Captain Jack Sparrow concluded as he took another breath of the air. He managed to get into his trousers and scuffed sea boots. Now, as he carried himself down the staircase in the pub at Tortuga, he began to shimmy into his white cotton shirt and tie his dirty white sash around his waist. The scent of rum invaded his nose as he hit the bottom floor. A few men and women were scattered about, flirting and laughing and talking loudly. This was Tortuga, no matter what time of day, it was likely to be loud and filled with people's loud and dirty conversations. With a short swig of rum, Jack Sparrow was out the door and waltzing down the cobblestone streets.
Where to, where to. Of course, he had to pick up a few supplies before heading back to that pitiful dingy of his. There wasn't much his current vessel could carry, but it was better to be overpacked than underpacked. Besides, he'd have the Pearl back under his command soon enough. Barbossa had stolen it several times before, and Jack had won it back each time. What made this time different? First, he would obtain his ship back, and then off to the Fountain of Youth.
---
"If your filthy eyes come toward me one more time I'll have them floating in your flask before you can say 'Aye'," A rather annoyed female voice spoke in a more than confident tone as she glared down a man who looked as though he hadn't bathed in over a month - probably more of a fact than theory - and had about has many teeth as she did toes. She had been walking through the streets of Tortuga most of the morning, unsure of what to do with herself. Her father was gone, she would not see Will for another ten years, and maybe even part of her was missing the sea. Maybe she was hoping to run into the crew - maybe go with them for awhile. Maybe more long term.
Of course, that would lead to Jack Sparrow. That man was more trouble than he was worth. Elizabeth knew that much from all the times she had to be on his side for one reason or another. She once believed him to be selfish, but now she wasn't even sure he was that. Well, yes, he was, but oddly enough on some occasions he seemed to carry a heart of his own. Quite strange really. One wasn't about to figure out Jack anytime soon and she was certain she didn't want to be around to try.
Her brown shoes walked through the nearly quite streets of Tortuga, since most of the residents were still hung over or not awake from the night before's festivities this town was pretty much hers for the taking. Not that it was much to behold. Her eyes glanced over the different men passed out on the corners or the others trying to be suave and look at her with a 'charming' eye. Her dirty blonde locks were pulled away from her face in a ponytail with an old piece of brown cloth, as she wore an old and rather worn cream colored dress. Nothing too over the top, but she at least look more like a lady than she had for the past few months.
She was heading toward the docks, find herself a ship - hopefully the Pearl, maybe even the crew and take off. Go where ever they were going. That's when she saw him a sight that made her stop dead in her tracks. He was right in front of her coming down the street in her direction. She thought of what would be better; to ignore him and pray he didn't see her or to speak and hope it was just small talk and she'd be on her way.
She unfortunately chose the latter, "Why hello, Jack Sparrow."
---
Hiding a face like Jack Sparrow's in a place like Tortuga was not the simplest thing to do. In fact, it might as well be one of the hardest. The pirate had been around from time to time, meeting about everyone the village at least once, or at least gotten his name around to them. Everyone knew Jack Sparrow, and if they didn't, and happened to be a pretty girl or a wealthy man, they would soon, whether it be in a pleasurable late-night way or an angry theiving kind of way. So as Jack sauntered down the streets, he made an attempt to duck behind each nearby cart or plant that was in sight whenever a familiar face that he wasn't willing to deal with right now passed his sight.
Jack took a nice sip off his rum every now and then, dark brown eyes flitting around either as lookout for those familiar faces he didn't want to see, or potential crew members he would have to gather once he regained the Black Pearl back. Gibbs was certaintly still in the area, having run into Jack quite a few times now. Pintel and Ragetti were probably off on a useless side quest for no apparent cause. And Cotton and his parret and little midget Marty couldn't be far. Jack would have to round them up again sooner or later, but now was not the time.
Gunpowder was first on his list, and Jack was just about to easily stop by the nearest shop that sold the stuff when he heard a greeting come from the lips of a woman. He stopped suddenly, blinking in front of him with squinted eyes as he expected the slap. When it didn't come, he opened his kohl-lined eyes to peer upon no other than Elizabeth Swann, or Turner, if she'd rather. He never really liked addressing her like that, with William's last name, and he wasn't quite sure why.
Without a thought, just as a natural reaction, Jack thrust his half-empty bottle of rum into the nearest plant, hiding it best he could from Elizabeth. He didn't want her destroying anymore of his rum, now did he? Who knows, he wasn't thinking completely clearly, suffering from a slight hangover. Then again, when was Jack thinking clearly, or not having a hangover. He was pratically immune to the things anyway. "Ah, Elizabeth." He murmured charmingly in return, his dirty eyes looking her up in down with a perverted sort of pleasure. "Long time, no see, love."
---
Crossing her arms over her chest as if to hide herself best she could from his ever wandering eye, but still something instead her stopped her from slapping him everytime he did it - and she caught him quite often. She wasn't even sure why she had decided to speak with him, she probably could have walked right past him in a hurried fashion in hopes that his buzz from the rum would only make him think she was another woman on Tortuga that he could bed - which of course he would not with her anyway.
"Pleasure is all mine," She feigned politeness as she watched the man for a moment, it still was rather profound to her that through all the things Jack had gone through that he was still the laid back pirate that he was. Ship stolen countless times, crew leaves him whenever they see a better profit, being chased by the Flying Dutchmen, things like that would probably have an affect on most people - even pirates, but not Jack. That quality almost made Elizabeth respect him, but that was a mere thought that would never be spoken. God forbid his ego get any larger than it already was.
"Where is the rest of your crew?" Elizabeth asked, getting slightly down to business before conversation fell completely to the waste side, "I - I would like to join you on whatever plan you have next."
What was she getting herself into?
---
Jack Sparrow watched her silently with a weary eye, the other one had closed completely. He was still trying to get used to this lighting, wake up a little bit more from last night's wild ride. Though, luckily, he wasn't that sore. The person to be worried about was probably the sleeping wench he left back in the Tortuga pub.
The pirate shook his head slowly, looking from side to side as he did so, as if making sure he wasn't being watched. He had no reasoning or need to do this, Jack was just simply insane, or at least a little bit. The talking miniatures of him on his shoulders hadn't visited him for awhile. Was it crazy for him to say he missed the little guys?
Once Elizabeth spoke again, grabbing back the pirate's attention, Jack was all her's, eyes roaming again. When she asked to be a part of his crew, he laughed loudly, startling the few hungover men collapsed against the buildings surrounding them."That would be impossible." He told her, fishing his rum back out of the plant to take a sip. "I haven't a crew." he gulped down the alcoholic liquid. "Nor a ship!"
---
Hungover. Go figure, was there ever a moment in Jack Sparrow's life when he wasn't hungover? Elizabeth was beginning to think that even when he was drunk he was still slightly suffering from the hangover of his pervious drinking experience. Foul was probably the word most would use to discribe such a person, but through her time of knowing Jack she wasn't sure foul would be the word she'd use. Possibly unfathomable, but not foul. Not most of the time anyway. Her eyes lingered toward where ever he was looking for someone, but she saw nothing and just turned a curious eye back toward him.
Elizabeth watched as he dug through a nearby plant, obviously digging for the rum flask he had rid himself earlier. She rolled her eyes slightly and moved her arms from across her chest to on her hips. "No ship or crew?"
She should have figured, Jack Sparrow was usually lacking something - or all things for that matter. The amazing part was that he usually found a way to get them back without causing any harm to himself or others. She shook her head slightly and gave almost a knowing laugh, "What sort of pirate are you anyway? You lose everything except your precious rum."
---
Jack Sparrow smiled proudly, of course knowing a way to retort back to her as he inflated his ego. He turned over the bottle of rum, letting the few droplets that were left trickle into his mouth. He wasn't drunk yet, and he wasn't too terribly hung over despite how much rum he had consumed the night before. He quickly tossed the empty glass bottle out towards the sea, though everyone knew Captain Jack Sparrow would never litter into his precious beauty, the sea. It simply shattered into tiny glass fragments on the dock next to a pitiful looking homeless man. He turned back to Elizabeth, same smug smile on his lips.
"Aye, but if I was anything less than a great pirate, other's wouldn't find a need to steal from me." He replied, stepping just a tad closer to the woman. He hadn't seen her in quite awhile, and he wouldn't admit it, but his mind had wandered back to her quite a few times before.
Yes, it was likely that people stole from Jack the things he loved most because the things he loved most were very valuable. His ship, his crew, his maps. "Let them steal, the buggers. I'll always end up back with me ship one way or another." he announced triumphitly as he ran his rough, warm hand down the side of Elizabeth's face and neck.
---
Elizabeth watched as Jack finished off his rum in a true Sparrow fashion and tossed it toward the dock, she didn't look to where it had landed, but the shattering of the glass was a dead giveaway. She wasn't sure why she was even still standing here, Jack obviously couldn't help her. He had no ship, no crew, and no map. That was a first, if he had a map the rest were just details, but going out onto the sea without some sort of guide was near suicide or plan crazy.
When he stepped closer something told her to take a step or two back, but she stood her ground. Oddly enough she wasn't even bothered by his obvious ways of trying to sway a lady into thinking of him as charming. Jack Sparrow charming? Ha, that was a good one. Well, maybe he was charming, but definitely not in the conventional way that most women would think of as charming. Now, Will was charming. Will Turner. That's right, she had a husband now. Elizabeth Turner. She was married and madly in love. Not seeing him for ten years wasn't going to bother her because she knew it was well worth it. Yes, very well worth it. Right?
She'd never admit to this, but somedays she didn't think it was. It hadn't been but a week since she last saw him and she was supposed to wait ten years? A woman had needs after all - wait, she wasn't some wench. She wasn't about to sleep with every man that came into sight. Absolutely not. She loved Will - or at least had strong feelings for Will. It was just all complicated and she wasn't about to question everything now. Not with him being away - she wasn't in the proper mind set to do so.
Elizabeth did react however when Jack's hand reached out and touched her face, She grabbed his wrist with slight force and held it away from her slightly, "I am married now, Jack. Don't be such a fool."
---
Once Elizabeth snapped to, and grabbed his wrist, Jack chuckled softly. He had never expected her to let him get away with touching her, flirting and charming her. But as much as the married woman didn't want to admit it, Jack could tell she thought about him, at least a little bit. He even liked to think that she found him a little bit charming, even though he wasn't trying to be at the moment. He tugged his wrist away from her grasp, smiling at her softly.
"Is that so?" he murmured softly, obviously thinking it as hardly an obsticle at all. Since when did Elizabeth being engaged to, in love with, married to, whatever with William stop the infamous Jack Sparrow from being this said "fool"? Never.
"Well, Elizabeth." He started reaching down towards his belt for the compass he had hanging there. "I have a vessel. It isn't very large at all, but you're welcome to squeeze in back and stay for the ride." Jack said, turning away from her to flip open the contraption and watch the little arrow spin. For a short moment, he stared at the thing, grimaced, and closed it again before the arrow could stop completely. "Who knows, maybe we'll end up somewhere useful, or maybe we'll find the Pearl." He turned back to her, placing a smile back on his lips. "And why was it that you wanted to join my crew?" he asking, knowing the reply would no doubtedly being something about William.
---
Elizabeth watched as he gave his usual response to anything that would surprise or even insult a normal person - a soft chuckle. How could he be so calm in all things? A trait that Elizabeth found herself wishing she had in her, but she never was one to just 'roll' with things. Wasn't her nature and probably never would be. Her eyes glanced over his features, she would be lying if she said she never thought of him or wondered about him from time to time, but that was beside the point. She was married to Will and she loved him. Yes, loved.
She have a soft nod at his remark, but she didn't feel the need to say anything more. He knew she was married and that she was always involved with Will, why play dumb? Because that was the beauty of Jack's charm. Charm? Elizabeth thought Jack Sparrow was charming? Another thing she'd never admit to. Her hands shook slightly at the thoughts that ran through her mind - as they had many nights before, but she shook them from her mind as Jack spun around and she wanted to know what she was doing. Of course, before she could actually steal a glance he had spun back around and admitted he had a vessel. Not a ship...a vessel. Wonderful.
"Fine. I'll go." Elizabeth agreed without a second thought, she honestly didn't have much of a choice. Why was she going? Well, that was simple...kind of. "Um, well you know Will only comes around once every ten years. I - I can't go home. It's not like they'd welcome me with open arms, and well - I refuse to become some filthy wench that lives on Tortuga for all eternity. That only has to look forward to bedding pirates like you for a lifetime. No thanks."
---
Again, he replied with only a soft chuckle. This one seemed rather amused, though. He shook his head softly, patting his pockets repeatedly to make sure that a few things were still there. Jack turned back around, preparing to lead Elizabeth to his...'vessel'. "No thanks? Ah, but how can you say that? Have you ever bedded a pirate such as me?" Jack asked, not phased in the least by her comment. He was used to her insults, and could easily slide past them by now.
Sparrow marched down the dock, crunching lazily over the shards of glass spread across the place. As he passed a ship that was being loaded with weapons and supplies, he plucked a few bags of gunpowder from their load. He whipped out his pistol, easily sliding open a latch and trickled some of the black crumbles into his gun.
"Oh, uh..." He muttered, stopping his casual reloading and tossed his gaze over to his right. There, floating pitifully in the ocean watered, tied to the dock, was a dingy, big enough for only about three or four people, and barely that. "There's the vessel."