Started With A Kiss
Chapter 29 – Talk Of Freedom
Elizabeth finally managed to tear her head away from Jack's chest, leaving a wet patch from her tears. She looked down at Norrington, and then heard a faint chant approaching Jack and herself.
"Part of the crew; part of the ship. Part of the crew; part of the ship."
Jack looked around and saw all of Jones' old crew members nearing them, all of them looking down at Norrington, who was to become Captain.
"We have to go," Jack told Elizabeth. She nodded, sniffling slightly.
Together they stood up, and Jack grabbed hold of the same rope they'd used to arrive in the first place. They both cast a sorry glance back at Norrington, who'd been turned over to lie on his back, a crew member leaning over him with a knife in his hand.
Jack and Elizabeth swung back across to the other ship just in time to avoid watching poor Norrington's heart being brutally cut out.
As they landed, Elizabeth let out one strangled sob and raced to her and Jack's shared cabin. Before following her, Jack looked around the deck and saw that all of Davy Jones' ex-crew had vanished, presumably back to their own ship to claim Norrington as their Captain. Gibbs slowly approached him.
"We won, Cap'n," he smiled faintly.
"Not all of us, Gibbs," Jack said sadly, glancing over his shoulder at the Flying Dutchman. "Not all of us."
"Ye did the right thing, Jack," Gibbs said sincerely. "It's like the lass said...ye always were a good man."
Jack gave him a confused look. "When did she say that?"
"Shortly after you died..." Gibbs told him, "...she'd stay in your cabin with ye, and she'd cry 'till she couldn't cry no more. But she'd always say the same thing...'He was a good man'."
Jack smiled.
"Yer a lucky man, Cap'n," Gibbs said, tapping Jack gently on the shoulder.
Jack smiled back at him. "I know."
And with that, Jack left Gibbs standing there amongst the dead bodies of the crewmen of the Flying Dutchman.
-----
Norrington gasped as he opened his eyes. He was alive. He reached down to his chest and ran his pale fingers along the outline of the scar, where his heart had once been.
Realising he was lying on the cold, wooden deck, he stood up, and was soon approached by someone.
"Captain Norrington," the man said, bowing his head.
"Aye," Norrington nodded. "Who are you?"
"Me name's Bootstrap...Bootstrap Bill," the man answered.
"You're Will's father," Norrington said; it was not a question, it was a statement.
"Aye," Bootstrap smiled. "But my son has not pleased me with his cruel actions."
"You mean killing Jack?" Norrington asked.
Bootstrap nodded. "I am sorry to have to tell you this, Captain, but...you have one day ashore, and then ten years at sea."
Norrington looked down sadly. "I had heard of the rumours."
"The rumours are true," Bootstrap said miserably. "Or you can leave now, for the next ten years."
Norrington shook his head, before looking over to the Black Pearl. "I should just like to thank the man who saved my life, and then we shall be on our way."
"Aye, Captain."
-----
Jack was surprised when he heard Gibbs call his name out seconds before he reached his cabin door. He turned back around to see Norrington standing with Gibbs. Jack made his way over to them cautiously.
"Jack," Norrington smiled, outstretching his hand. Jack took it, and they shook hands.
"Thankyou," Norrington said genuinely. "Without your help and quick thinking...I'd be dead."
"And Davy Jones would not," Gibbs added.
"Where is Elizabeth?" Norrington asked curiously.
"She is in our cabin," Jack said, pointing over to it.
Norrington left Jack with Gibbs, and quietly knocked on the cabin door.
"Come in," he heard a sad voice reply.
Norrington opened the door, and went inside. Elizabeth looked up at him.
"James?" she asked. He nodded. "What are you doing here?"
"I had one day to do with what I please," he shrugged. "I've already thanked Jack, now I must thank you."
"For what?" she asked, looking down at the floor, wiping her eyes.
"For making me realise that I've been doing the wrong thing all these years," he admitted. She looked at him questioningly. "I never wanted the high-ranking job with the high pay...no matter what I told myself."
"What did you want?" Elizabeth asked interestedly.
"I've realised now that I want freedom."
Elizabeth smiled.
---Flashback---
"It's not just a keel, a hull, a deck and sails...that's what a ship needs..." Jack said lovingly, as Elizabeth gazed up into his eyes, lit up by the fire not far away, and talking about what he really loved, "...but what a ship is..."
Elizabeth watched him exclaim his words using his hands to demonstrate. He really knew what he was talking about.
"What the Black Pearl really is...is freedom," he finished, staring out at the black sea in front of the island he and Elizabeth were sharing.
---End Flashback---
"So I just wanted to say...thanks," Norrington smiled before walking out of the door.
Elizabeth followed him, and she held Jack's hand as they all watched Norrington depart back to his own ship. The ship disappeared beneath the waves, and Jack and Elizabeth proceeded back to their cabin.
Jack sat down on the bed, but Elizabeth remained standing by the door.
"Come and sit, love," Jack said quietly, patting the space beside him.
Elizabeth mutely shook her head. Jack raised an eyebrow, but didn't object.
"He wanted freedom..." she whispered. Jack looked at her.
"Well, now he has it," Jack smiled. Again, Elizabeth shook her head.
"No..." she went on, "He's doomed. Doomed to do the duty of ferrying souls to the other side. That's not freedom, Jack, that's imprisonment."
She seemed to be angry as she spoke those words. No, she seemed to be angry at him.
"He was forced to stab the heart..." Elizabeth said sadly.
"He would have died otherwise!" Jack protested. She just looked at him. "Why are you angry with me?"
"Because when I was scared, you weren't there!" she cried angrily, tears streaming down her cheeks, again.
"I was killed!" Jack shouted. "I had no choice in the matter! Do you honestly think I'd abandon you on purpose?!"
Elizabeth didn't reply. Instead, she looked down at the floor. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself.
"I couldn't help being shot," he went on softly.
"I know, but..." Elizabeth whimpered, looking back at him. As she saw Jack's eyes start to water, before he hurriedly blinked the tears away, Elizabeth realised he'd literally been to hell and back...all for her.
Jack turned his head to avoid her gaze. She slowly walked over to him, sitting down beside him on the bed. He turned to face her again.
"I'm sorry," she said, brushing some of his hair behind his ear. She was surprised when she felt his hand on the base of her neck, and he leant down slightly, and he kissed her.
He kissed her for what seemed like a decade, and it could have been at least a millennium before they parted. Knowing where this was headed, Elizabeth pulled Jack's shirt over his head.
Jack looked at her as she discarded his shirt on the floor, and he watched when she faltered for a moment.
Elizabeth felt a rising lump in her throat at the sight of the recent bullet wound. She hesitantly reached out and touched it. She felt Jack flinch and immediately felt bad.
"Sorry," she apologized, kissing him again.
"It's alright, love," Jack grunted in pain. "Just don't do it again."
Elizabeth nodded, and they proceeded to remove their clothing, until Elizabeth, starting to tear up again, said, "Leave me breathless, Jack."
Jack leant down and kissed her again.
"Make me forget," she said quietly. She was almost pleading.
He brushed a strand of hair out of her face before saying, "I will, darlin'. Everythin's gonna be alright now."
She nodded, and they kissed and made love all that night, until finally, they were too exhausted to continue, and they fell asleep in each other's arms.
Just so you know, that is the first time I have ever used the term 'make love' because I really despise that phrase, it sounds so corny, but unfortunately, it's the most romantic and loving way to put it.
Review please!
QueenSerenity818 out.