(OT: Rather short, but this chapter took me an entirely separate direction. More to come involving the Hai Peng, meaning right after this moment on board the ship, and why Elizabeth is the ONLY one who has a blanket when everyone is equally covered and equally cold. And perhaps you'll find out the origin of her black piratey clothing...)
Out of breath but unharmed, Will trotted along the docks with a crowd of musty Chinese men huddled behind him. Tai Huang offered a few directions to the the man, pointing to a small harbor to the far left. Will charged forward with the charts slung across his back, knawing on his forming scheme. When he espied the crew of the Black Pearl gathering in the distance, William wondered if he should tell Elizabeth about the impending betrayal. But then again, this betrayal was directly related to Jack, so how could he tell her of his plans? Images of the woman rejecting the idea and revealing the masquerade to the crew flashed across his mind. No, if she loved him... It would be futile to inform her.
As he approached the creaky stretch of docks, Barbossa heaved out several breaths as he inquired vehemently, "You have the charts?" Tia Dalma slithered beside the man, gazing at Will in an equally intrigued countenance.
"And better yet." Will's voice rumbled as he replied, "A ship and a crew." Men emerged from behind him, gesturing to the new vessel as his eyes swiveled over to Elizabeth's quizzical appearance.
Elizabeth's eyes twitched at Will's confident tone, catching his final announcement. Although his mouth was fixed in a slight grimace, his eyes were weary as he glanced at the foreign crew. She pondered the sudden alliance with these revolting men who they had previously fought in the bathhouse. Why would they support them now, when their Pirate Lord wasn't even on the premises? "Where's Sao Feng?" she inquired abuptly, her mouth gaping open in mounting curiosity.
Will had mildly rehearsed his answer during his battled travel to the bay. "He'll cover our escape and meet us at Shipwreck Cove."
"This way! Be quick!" One of the men shouted, issuing the command with the wave of his hand.
Barbossa and Tia Dalma accepted this response, but Elizabeth lingered, now more curious than before. He was lying; she could see it in his eyes. Will was hiding something and directly chose not to tell any of them... But he did still have a chance to inform her or hint at the concealed scheme in secret. She watched his stern brown eyes collapse into a soft exterior as he stepped forward. She spun toward the vessel, whose Captain was already at the helm, and she felt his rough hand slide over her lower back, nearly stroking her slight curves.
"Are you all right?" Will asked, automatically gripping her waist a little tauter. The woman's gaze met his after glancing at her hips, and Will instinctively withdrew his calloused hand, realizing she felt uncomfortable under his grip. He had only meant to remain close so that he would measure her answers in tune with the body language, but he had obviously crossed the line in those few seconds. And then, he could only recollect Jack's hands gliding over her body and up to her beautifully constructed face. Will shook his head, turning to her with a slightly anxious expression.
"I'm fine..." Elizabeth released the response gently, suddenly halting in her tracks. "Will! Watch out!" She grabbed the man's dangling arm, yanking him several feet backward and bounding into his embrace as they crouched close to the floor. A sizzling grenade exploded, sending sparks zinging in all directions as smoke gradually engulfed the air.
As the atmosphere cleared, Will realized her cheek was pressed against his shoulder, and her limbs were trembling. Forgetting the previous boundary, he caressed her arm, and his hand glided up to her throat. "Thank you," he whispered as his fingertips continued to slope up to her cheek. She did not retract her grip, her figure still compressed against his, and Will allowed a little smile to emerge. "Did any of the sparks strike you?"
"No, no," Elizabeth repeated, clenching her knees together as she realized her bare bottom half was fully exposed, the short skirt flipped over her thighs. Will's eyes did not leave her face at the movement, his fingers now tracing her bone structure. "We don't want to fall behind." she murmured as she rose out of his grasp, her hand still on his covered arm. Every ache of guilt smacked her as the chilly night air grazed her skin where Will's body was beforehand. The warmth was gone and so was the warmth of her posture. She helped him to his feet, but he would not release her wincing hand.
The grenade had left a large gaping crevice in the docks, and Will finally released his beloved's hand as he flung himself across the hole. The man then offered both hands and was able to grip her torso, lifting her light figure to the other side. Face to face once again with their shuddering breath mingling together, Elizabeth wiggled from his grasp and trotted up the ramp, passing Pintel and Ragetti on the way. Will quickly pursued her, and she turned to see his blank expression. "Will," she whispered, moving a step closer. "What are you hiding?"
"Nothing." he answered rapidly, his stiff posture telling a different tale. "Everything is fine."