Something More Than Before
Chapter 4 – The Aftermath
Jack watched the door with sorrowful eyes as Elizabeth left him standing there. He had been hoping she might stay, and they could talk, and discuss their future plans. What they would do if Will caught them and such. No matter, they could talk later. Right now, Jack needed a drink to calm him down. Hell, when did he not?
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It gave Elizabeth a sense of excitement about her that she was now 'involved' with a pirate. The risks and the possibility of being found out and caught hung around and gave her a great thrill, and made her happy that for once she was 'breaking the rules'.
She continued walking, not really heading anywhere, when Norrington cut across her path. He had an unreadable expression on his face. Did he know? No, he couldn't. How could he?
"What was that all about?" he asked, inclining his head towards Jack's cabin.
"Um...I went to talk to Jack, that's all," Elizabeth said feebly. Norrington raised an eyebrow.
"OK, after I kissed you, he looked hurt, and I wanted to know why, alright?" Elizabeth said, giving in to his stern face.
"Why did he look hurt?" Norrington asked. "Does he love you?" he added in a mock baby voice.
"No, he doesn't love me," Elizabeth said through gritted teeth. "He looked hurt because..."
"Because?" Norrington urged.
Elizabeth faltered. "Because he wanted me to himself."
Norrington disguised his scoff with a cough, badly. "I find that hard to believe. You're just flattering yourself."
"You can go and ask him if you like," Elizabeth said, moving aside, pointing at Jack's cabin.
"You're alright," Norrington smiled falsely. "I would like to avoid contact with the man all the time, if I can thanks."
"So be it."
And with that, Elizabeth began to walk away.
"Elizabeth!"
She turned back around.
"Are you with him now?" Norrington asked quietly.
Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, I am."
Without any more interruptions, Elizabeth proceeded to her cabin.
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This time it was Jack who was knocking upon Elizabeth's door. Although the door had no glass or windows, Elizabeth could tell who it was.
Therefore, she opened the door and smiled at him just as she had done before she had kissed him.
"Hey," she said softly.
"Hi," he said, smiling while looking deep into her eyes. "Can I come in?"
"Sure," Elizabeth said, stepping aside to let him past.
Jack was surprised at how different her cabin was from his. There were no maps, no empty rum bottles, nothing to create a mess. There were, however, two chairs in the corner, and Jack made a beeline for the one that looked the comfiest.
Elizabeth laughed when he sat down and sighed contentedly. "You took my chair," she said, sitting in the other one.
"Sorry," said Jack, smiling, as he rubbed his hands in front of the fire. "It's too cold out there."
"Yeah, but it's nice and warm in here," Elizabeth pointed out.
"What are you suggesting?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
"That it's warm in here, so maybe you'd like to stay longer?" Elizabeth told him. "Not to do anything, but just to talk."
"That's why I came here," Jack said. "I wanted to talk. Discuss our future."
"Like what happens if we get caught by Will?" Elizabeth asked.
"Exactly what I meant," Jack said, his tone now serious.
"Well," Elizabeth said, moving over and sitting in Jack's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck to keep herself steady. "As long as Will isn't here, that can't be a problem, can it?"
"No," said Jack, considering, "but when we find him, he'll want to spend lots of time with you."
"But he isn't exciting like you," Elizabeth pouted. Jack smiled.
"Then we can make the most of the time we have," he said, and he kissed her. This time he was gentle. He wanted to show Elizabeth care, and what she wanted, while he was all she had.
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Will, having escaped the clutches of Davy Jones' ship, the Flying Dutchman,was on board a ship under the command of the East India Trading Company. They had picked him up when they'd seen him in a longboat very far out in open water.
"Where are you heading?" Will asked a sailor.
"Tortuga, because it's the only free port left," the sailor replied, much to Will's satisfaction. Hopefully he could find Jack and his ship, the Black Pearl, there. It was one of the most likely places and one of Will's only remaining hopes.
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Jack had returned to the deck of his ship by now, and was now being spoken to by Gibbs.
"Aye," Jack said, nodding. "Adjust course and head there. She is needed on board."
"Aye, Cap'n."
Elizabeth approached him, and tapped him on the shoulder, making him jump severely.
"Who is needed on board?" she asked curiously.
"Tia Dalma," he told her, recovering from the shock she gave him. "She can help us."
"With what?"
"The course, finding the chest, everything," Jack explained. "She knows everything, you see."
"I'd figured that out by now," Elizabeth said. She stood taller and pecked Jack on the cheek, something which didn't go unnoticed by various crew members. Jack glowered at them, and they rushed back to work.
"Hey, Lizzie," Jack went on quietly, leading her to the side of the deck. They both leant on the edge, looking down into the crystal clear water they were sailing on.
"Mmm?"
"Would you like to join me in my cabin later, for a little surprise?" Jack asked, looking at her. Still, she looked down at the water.
"It's not that kind of surprise," Jack said quickly, thinking she may have gotten the wrong idea from his request. "But it is a surprise nevertheless."
Elizabeth looked up at him, smiling. "I'd love to."
"Great. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go sort something out."
"OK."
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The Black Pearl's crew member who was in charge of cooking was thoroughly surprised when he received a visit from the Captain himself. That was a very rare occasion, especially in his lowly position.
When Jack told the cook what was asked of him, the cook was overwhelmed with the feeling of self-importance Jack had unknowingly given him. He set straight to work on the task set, and he knew he would not stop until he was done, and everything was perfect.
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Later that night, Elizabeth was sitting alone in her cabin, reading a book in the quiet. She therefore jumped when there was a knock on her door. She got up, not before marking her place, and opened it. She was not at all surprised to find Jack standing before her.
"Everything's ready. Would you like to join me?" Jack said happily, holding out his arm so that she could link him.
Elizabeth linked arms with him, and shut the door behind her. They walked across the abandoned deck; all the crew members were below deck eating supper. The anticipation of what Jack had planned mixed with the ghostly silence of the ship was enough to make Elizabeth excited like a little girl.
"Are you ready?" Jack asked, a smile on his face, as he placed his hand on the handle.
Elizabeth nodded excitedly, and Jack opened the door, stepped through, and beckoned her inside.
Elizabeth looked around the room, and looked at Jack in surprise. "Jack, you didn't have to do this."
"I know," Jack said, shrugging, "but I wanted to."
For where all his maps and rum bottles should have been, there was a table, with lit candles in the middle and red roses lying around the candles, and there was a meal for two on the plates.
Well, Jack is celebrating him and Elizabeth getting together by having a romantic meal for two. The two are not in love, although this chapter kind of implies that they are.
I am really sorry for Jack being so OOC, but it's crucial to the plot, which I have now fully worked out.
Review please!
QueenSerenity818 out.