Fic: The War Within

Rating: M
Characters: Elizabeth/Jack Elizabeth/Will
Chapter Title: To See a Man About a Dog
Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. Disney does, no money being made off this.
Summary: Captain Elizabeth Swann, Pirate Lord and King. Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirate Lord, lecherous pirate, son of the Keeper of the Code. What will happen on the eve of battle. JE. Reviews welcome.

Jack stepped up to stand beside Elizabeth, as if to subtly lend her his support. Their eyes met.

He sucked in his breath as they held for a fraction before he slid his clear. He needed to have his mind clear and looking at Elizabeth made him lose his focus. He felt Barbossa step up next to him, knew that Barbossa's gaze too would be turned to the three waiting men at the other end of this narrow isle.

Jack's stance changed; it took on an indifferent, almost incurious pose. He tried not to show his thoughts as Barbossa's gaze slid over both her and Elizabeth before casting back to Beckett, Will and Jones.

Elizabeth quietly let out the breath she had been holding when her eyes had met Jack's. He stirred feelings in her that she wished to push aside. She turned her gaze instead to where Beckett and the others stood waiting, and feelings of betrayal, guilt, and yes, love washed over her.

Elizabeth could not wait to see Will again, for she missed his presence. It had been a long while since they had been in each other's company and although they had not exactly been on speaking terms, she had missed the comfort he brought her of something familiar. Familiarity at this point was important to her. Elizabeth was now an orphan, her father had joined her mother and James too had left her. William Turner was her only tie to her former life.

Yet a part of her was not ready to see him. He had betrayed them, and she was uncomfortable with the notion. Hypocritical she knew, but it seemed that he turned on them all just to accomplish his means. She knew Jack had tried to shield her from Will's actions, but she knew. After all, he had turned on them after they had returned from the Locker and given them over to either Sao Feng or Beckett. It wasn't that he turned on them, but that he had turned to the enemy to achieve it.

Her eyes were firmly fixed on the three men waiting for them.

Yet Elizabeth knew deep down that Will's reasons were for the best intentions. It still did not excuse the way he had turned against them and made deals with Sao Feng and now possibly, probably with Beckett. However, she had made a resolve when sailing to Shipwreck Cove, after James' death.

Her face took on a mulish cast.

Elizabeth was going to be the one to let Will know that his reasons were for naught. It was a dying cause, from what she had seen. His father was beyond saving. It was clear to her when she had talked with Bootstrap. His mind was gone, and his body was not far behind. Bootstrap's body was melding with the Flying Dutchman. She would talk with Will, make Will see sense.

A shiver ran down her back as she recalled the way Bootstrap had been eager to talk about Will, and how quickly he forgot the conversation they had just had. It was just saddening. She knew Will would also be saddened by the news. It would be hard to see one's parent's health in such decline. Elizabeth's heart was heavy at the thought that she would be the one to impart this news to Will. Her eyes misted slightly, but she shook her head and tried to focus. Will had been one of her few childhood friends and she cared deeply for the boy that had been placed in her charge those many years ago. She always tried to watch out for him.

Will waited in the searing heat. He could make out the figures as they landed on the sandy shore. He wanted to rush down and grab Elizabeth. She - his reason, his life – was only metres away from him and yet, he could not go to her; could not try to shield her from the bleakness that was about to surround them.

He could not, for Beckett held his hand – figuratively.

He desperately wanted to defy all reason and rush to her. Will gritted his teeth. He had to stay, for Elizabeth's sake. He'd been rash, impetuous before and look where it got him.

"The only way for a pirate to make a living these days is by betraying other pirates."

He had made a deal with Sao Feng only to realise that the price was higher than expected. Pirates would cross each other if only to survive, but Will realised that too late. Elizabeth was taken from him.

Even with Jack, Will had tried to double cross. Jack, the man who taught him that pirates were still good men.

"Rash, Turner." James Norrington's voice from the past reverberated in Will's head. Will snorted quietly, but acknowledged James' words ruefully. His emotions had clouded his judgement that day and he had gone ahead without thinking things through and released a much sought after pirate from captivity. In the end Will had almost got himself killed, for not planning and thinking things through. "Not all treasure is silver or gold mate."

He had learnt many things since he first met Jack and learnt the ways of true piracy. Now he just had to survive and find the first profitable moment.

'- Bloody pirates,' thought Will.

He spent his earlier years avoiding familiarity with pirates and yet here he was, crossing pirates in order to achieve his ends. "Pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that some day." Jack was right. He'd had to learn to deal with his blood – pirate blood.

He would make it up to Elizabeth, but for now, he could only stand there; could only watch and wait for his Elizabeth.

'I won't lose her this time. Not this time,' Will vowed. He breathed out slowly, gritted his teeth and tried to curb his impetuousness.'-Think like Jack,' Will told himself.

Next to Will, Beckett too, was waiting, but in comparison Cutler Beckett was amused.

Beckett watched as they three pirate lords approached. '- That's a good boy Jack,' he thought smugly. '- Bring them to me.' Just as he had surmised, Jack Sparrow would indeed bring his prey to him. Cutler could barely stop himself from rocking on his heels in elation.All according to plan.

'- Oh dear,' he thought with mild distaste, '- Captain Barbossa accompanies them. How annoying.'

Hector Barbossa was in Beckett's opinion the one man who would be equal to the power of Davy Jones. From the stories Beckett had heard, Barbossa was the pirate Captain that for ten years had reigned terror on the seas for both civilians and militia alike. Now Davy Jones was the terror of the seas, but to pirates. How deliciously ironic.

And he – Lord Cutler Beckett – was the master of the terror of the sea. He smirked, secure in his supremacy.

In his own mind, Cutler Beckett was not a man to toy with. He ruled with a soft glove and rather than forcing people to do as he desired, he waited for the most favourable moment to garner his ends; for Lord Cutler Beckett was out for power; power meant absolute freedom for him. However, pirates - who symbolised absolute freedom - were in his way, ergo, the pirates had to go.

He was a man with one mission – to squeeze the pirates out of existence.

Unlike Hector Barbossa – who in Beckett's opinion was only deserving of Beckett's desire to break him, and control him - Jack Sparrow was a worthy adversary and Cutler Beckett could appreciate the man's often wilful and wily ways.

Beckett was not of the same mind as the earlier notions of James Norrington and others, that Jack was the worst pirate. On the contrary, Beckett thought rather highly of Jack; Jack made the most of any situation, and he was only unfortunate enough that luck was not kind to him. But Beckett knew that Jack would also make the most of any given opportunity should it fit with Jack's ends.

In fact - to Beckett - Jack was full of guile, cunning and if not for the fact the man could do with a few more baths; Jack was equal only to himself. Jack was, of course, the originator of this wonderful little trail of breadcrumbs that Beckett had followed here.

It would be such a shame that a man such as Jack would have to perish. Beckett often thought that Jack need only curb his wayward ways and he'd make a fine employee. '- Rather… a re-employee,' amended Beckett to himself.

He spoke aloud as the pirates neared; his voice snide and laced with amusement. "Jack should have accepted my offer. Re-employment with the East India Trading Company is so often hard to come by."

Davy Jones waited; his foot and stump in the barrel of seawater. He watched as Jack Sparrow landed on shore. His lips twitched and his tentacles swayed as he bristled with unconcealed anger at Jack's larger than life stance.

His anger was assuaged only by the thought that his fair Calypso would be his once more. She would be free and she would give him her heart. She had promised him. Until then…

"The Dutchman is where yer headin' Jack Sparrow. And ye'll be there until I am sick o' the sight of ye," he blustered.

Nobody should be able to live again as Jack Sparrow did. Davy Jones shook his head in a show of anger. His eyes twitched angrily, his mouth pursed and un-pursed while his tentacles curled as if they were wrapping around Jack himself. No-one should be able to escape pain and despair, cruelty at its best. Not least of all, Jack Sparrow. Nobody bested the sea.

Jack followed Elizabeth's gaze down to where the Cutler Beckett and the others were waiting. He could see William, his stance apathetic; Cutler Beckett was erect in his proper fashion; and Davy Jones, well he was downright comical in Jack's opinion, standing in his barrel of water. It did not stop the frisson of fear that went through Jack. 'Do you fear death?' Jack forced himself not to turn away; his eyes narrowed, his shoulders hardened.

This was the way things had come around.

Granted he had been expecting this, since he had manipulated – nay, manoeuvred things so skilfully that it had ended up this way. It still did not stop him wondering what per chance would go wrong. He mentally went through the possibilities.

One - Elizabeth was going to exchange him for Will, thinking that he had Will's best interests at heart and would willingly take Will's place for Will. The likelihood of him doing voluntarily and for altruistic reason was nigh of nil, but she was not to know that. The worst that could happen is that she would find out and gleefully hold his hand and force him to stab the heart. No, not so bad.

Secondly - Barbossa thought that Jack was going to play Barbossa's way. After all Jack had conciliated with Barbossa to get Barbossa to agree to Jack's terms. But Barbossa was not privy that Jack's terms meant anything more than coming to this miniscule piece of sandspit for Jack's piece of eight. Jack's plans though, were not to hand over the piece of eight, but instead to keep his piece of eight until the most opportune moment. Jack did not think that this was the time. Instead, he wanted Barbossa – well he wasn't entirely sure what he wanted Barbossa to do, but he had to keep him off his bloody ship! At least now, Jack could keep an eye on him; ensure that Miss-Pirate-Captain-what's-her-face would be at least safe with a scoundrel like Barbossa. What's the worst that Barbossa could do? The worst that Barbossa would do… Well, Barbossa did strand him on an island and leave him to die; but then Jack shot him… so perhaps Barbossa might not be so forgiving this time around. Jack shrugged. Still, could be worse.

Now thirdly, Lord Cutler Beckett was expecting Jack to play things on his terms. Jack thought hard about Cutler Beckett. It's nothing personal Jack. It's just good business. Jack Sparrow was no-one's apprentice. He would show Beckett exactly how one should be the master. Jack knew that although he had given the impression that he had been more than convivial to the notion of giving into Beckett, playing along and bringing the pirates on a pretty platter to the pretentious man, but deep down Jack had never been of the mind to do so. He - and he alone - was in charge of his own fate. '- Well that's the plan anyway,' Jack thought grimly. Beckett often underestimated Jack and – to Jack – it seemed imprudent of Beckett to continue underestimating him after past experiences. But then again, Cutler Beckett often liked to play with Jack; seemed to thrive on the game. Jack planned to take advantage of that.

And lastly, of course, let's not forget young William Turner. Young William however thought Jack would stab the heart, get immortality, William would get to keep Elizabeth and Old Bootstrap father would be saved from Davy Jones' hand. All's well and Jack's your Uncle.

Jack stopped and thought on that for a moment. He frowned.

William probably had the right of him. He knew that Jack wanted the immortality that came with the Flying Dutchman and what the sacrifices that Jack was willing to make to get it. The only thing was, young William could be counted on doing one thing spectacularly well and that was doing something…stupid.

'-Bugger,' thought Jack. A voice broke through his thoughts.

"This be a daft and foolhardy notion, Jack." Barbossa was standing, staring at Will, Beckett and Davy Jones.

'-You're telling me!' thought Jack madly. His mind raced with all the possibilities that William could be counted on doing and every single one of them was not in Jack's favour.

Jack's tone was cursory at best as he replied, "I would have said imprudent and cockeyed meself."

Jack's thoughts came to an impasse and he resigned himself to relying on luck once again. '- The Fates seem to like me,' he thought. '- Let's hope they still do.'

"Seems like we've been here before mate," he inclined his head toward Barbossa.

Barbossa was quiet - too quiet. Finally he said, "Lives will be lost in this war. Best we think it over and do what is best for the oceans."

"Beckett's not bound to the ocean," came Jack's perfunctory reply.

"But Davy Jones is," countered Barbossa.

Now Jack knew that Davy Jones was bound to the oceans. He knew, as did Barbossa, that getting rid of Davy Jones meant that the pirates stood a fighting chance. And Jack knew that to get ride of Davy Jones, they would have to release Calypso. And releasing Calypso meant that Barbossa would not be beholden to anyone anymore. Jack definitely understood Barbossa's intentions. But in Jack's mind, the releasing of Calypso would need to take place before he – Jack – attempted to plunge a sword into Davy Jones' heart. How could he ensure that?

Jack stood thinking this over. Barbossa was still talking. Jack quickly tuned back in.

"… get rid of Davy Jones, we have the oceans. His pet is gone – we've seen that for ourselves – but I would need to do it sooner rather than later. Surprise them that call themselves pirate-hunters and once he – and Calypso – are well rid of, we can claim mastery of the seas once more."

'- and there it is,' thought Jack wryly. '- Fates – I promise I'll make it up to you.'

Jack spoke in a dry tone, "So thus we will prevail. Hail conquering heroes and all that."

The six of them stood quietly in the sweltering heat, the sun high in the cloudless sky, blazing down upon their heads as their thoughts slowly meandered then coagulated to something akin to determination.

The Pirate Lords expressions were grim and determined as their thoughts took a firm hold.

Barbossa with a sharp jerk turned to Elizabeth. "Miss Elizabeth, the time has come where you will have to exercise that power and authority that you were so eager to claim."

Jack leaned towards her and piped in, "He means…"

"I know what he means Jack." She exchanged a quick understanding glance with both men. The moment for reflection was over. They needed to move.

Elizabeth stepped forward resolutely. She glared fiercely at where Cutler Beckett stood and her eyes hardened more in determination. She felt them flank her sides, ready to march to the appointed meeting place.

"Alright men, shall we see a man about a dog?"

Jack's shoulders stiffened as they walked and he had to pause momentarily and take a deep breath. It all came down to this.

I loved writing this chapter. Hope you liked it. Reviews welcome… as always. TJ