-Remains-
"And all there is left is to gather your courage and step forwards into the darkened light, so that your failure or success becomes what was always right."
..::-::..
The wind softly howled towards the people on the deck. Elizabeth had told everyone her plan, and in the end they all consented. She was becoming more reckless each and every day, but that was how her courage was born. Now, after countless days mourning over the loss of her love, and the agonizing moments when she thought she had lost him once more, Elizabeth could finally smile as she took in the peaceful moment of calm embrace. The two sat near the ship's side, closed off by grime-encased boxes. Her back rested against his chest and Jack's arms wrapped around her torso protectively. She rolled her head onto his shoulder and then he sighed, letting the years of futile adventure spread out into the frigid night air. Elizabeth smiled even wider and took his hands in hers.
"Jack, is this the end you always pictured?" She asked as they looked up at the sky, full of shining stars.
"Not quite love, not quite. I more fancied a bottle of rum and a heap full of gold, but this will simply have to do."
Elizabeth sat upright and turned furiously to face him. Her untamed hair danced around her face until it settled down and then he gave her a cocky grin, the light of youth still reflected in his dark eyes.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh dear Lizzie, I didn't mean for you to lose your temper like that. You know, it's not tasteful for a woman to scowl at a man."
She hit him lightly on the shoulder and then a robust laugh echoed from his lungs. Elizabeth's face softened as his fingers grazed over her moonlit skin. His smile became less eccentric and more focused. Jack eyed the lines in her face and then let his fingers fall to the edges of her chin.
"I'm not entirely sure what's happened to me Lizzie, but there's just something terribly wrong with me."
She relaxed a bit and let the tension of her hot headed temper fade so that there was a slight puff of steam in the air surrounding her delicate and flushed face.
"What's wrong? You never spoke about a misfortune occurring before."
He played with her hair and let the strands fall through his fingers.
"I have been bewitched Lizzie, and I'm afraid that I can no longer call myself a pirate, because I don't need to find treasure anymore. It was a long and perilous journey, but I think I have found the greatest treasure of all."
And with that statement, he raised his hands slightly and made an arch with them in front of Elizabeth's eyes. Jack suddenly leaned forward and Elizabeth could feel the tingling of his frosty breath on hers. She stared into his magnificent eyes and then gave in, letting her desire for him overwhelm her. Elizabeth lost herself in his kiss, as always. His lips grazed hers, and then traveled down her neck. She held onto his shoulders and let her soul fly free from the thoughts of the task ahead of her. For now, she was with the person she loved most in the world, and the night understood perfectly, letting them enjoy one another's company among the clear portrait of the heaves above them.
Will had listened patiently to Elizabeth's plans. At that moment, he knew that he had lost her forever. She had completely changed. Elizabeth was no longer a proper English woman of class, but instead she found mockery and betrayal to be trivial matters in the game that held their lives up for grabs. She had never been that confident before, and it was with a heart wrenching agony that he realized it was because of Jack. While Elizabeth spoke, he stood right next to her, nodding and occasionally stroking her back for encouragement. At the end of her speech, she turned towards Jack and raised her eyebrows, awaiting only his approval.
Will sighed as he heard the laughter subside from behind the boxes. He had seen them disappear after walking in that direction, and he didn't want to think of what the silence meant. Instead, he turned towards his sleeping father and tried to smile.
"All of this, just so that I could finally find my father. Maybe there is something yet I will find in life. Maybe this is where my life truly begins."
He turned away from the side of the ship where Jack and Elizabeth were resting, and instead focused on the round moon above him. The light shadows around it succumbed to the moon's bright glory; Will knew it was a sign. He was the shadow around the glory of Captain Sparrow, and the glow was Elizabeth, forever inside of Jack's heart.
..::-::..
Morning came, and with it dwelled a thin layer of fog. Elizabeth coughed herself out of her heavy sleep, and then she picked her head off of Jack's chest. When her vision became clear, she smiled and wiped the drool off his face. She gave him a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth and Jack grunted, immediately waving his hand in front of his face.
"Shoo fly, can't you see that I'm trying to enjoy a peaceful night of respite…"
"Do you honestly want me to leave? Because if you do… I will kindly oblige to that request and leave the Captain to enjoy his nightly slumber."
Jack's eyes flickered open at once as he saw Elizabeth's radiating face in front of him. The left corner of his mouth rose into a genuine smirk and then he gripped Elizabeth's arms, pulling her towards him and giving her a generous kiss, as if he had been deprived of her taste for far too long. They parted instantly when they suddenly heard a commotion behind them.
"Where are they? Where is Elizabeth? I swear, if she is with that foul pirate, I will cut his head off with my own two hands if I have to!"
With a quickened shadow spreading through her heart, Elizabeth realized that it was time to set her plan into action. She gave Jack another moist kiss before she lifted herself up onto her feet and scrambled away. Jack's eyebrows lifted as he watched her go, and then he sighed. If everything went, as it should, then he wouldn't have to worry about anything for as long as he could breathe air into his lungs. He got up lazily and then peered over the top of the boxes. The fog made his view blurry, but he was still able to see Will's angered body pacing up and down the deck. To his left, Elizabeth hid herself towards the other end of the ship, where Davy's cabin remained locked from the inside. A few of his imprisoned creatures were gathering around to see what the shouting was about. If it was going to be another duel, then they didn't want to miss a single moment of it. Jack smirked and then put his hat on firmly. If it was a fight they wanted, then that is what they would get.
He pounced out from his hiding place and Will's eyes darted towards his foe. Jack eyed him vengefully and took out his sword, as did Will. Silence bounced off of one another until finally Will nodded. Jack observed him carefully, tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword.
"Who are you looking for William Turner? I doubt that it is anyone other than I, the great Captain Jack Sparrow!"
Will laughed, trying to seem amused at his gallant portrayal of authority.
"You will no longer be deemed that title, Jack, because this is the day you will die!"
The creatures surrounding them were all smiling and laughing to themselves. Apparently, the fight, which had been so rudely stopped the night before, was back on and the tension between the two blades was heightening.
"I believe you are lying through your gritty teeth, Mr. Do-Goody. You cannot have Lizzie because she is mine and only mine!"
Jack stood back and smirked to himself, letting his arms wave the praise in from the crowd. They cheered him on as Will took rapid intakes of air, preparing himself for the fight of his life. To make it look authentic was not going to be a problem. His hands ached to attack the man that had ruined his life, and if it was part of the plan, then he was more than welcome to make an effort. As Jack lost his concentration and fell to his acting, he didn't have the time to realize Will's swift lunge. In the last moment, Jack stepped aside and let Will fall forwards. Jack pursed his lips and then raised his sword, aiming towards his opponent. Will snarled and turned on his heel so that he could attack once again.
"You are a ruthless man! You have deceived Elizabeth into thinking you are someone worth admiring! I will show her how wrong she is!"
He darted forward again, and this time, Jack had no choice but to attack as well. His face became contorted and his eyes rose each time their swords hit one another. The air was filled with echoes of swords clanging against one another. Will kept his jaw clenched and kept pushing Jack to his limit. Captain Sparrow knew this was a scene from the plan, but he hadn't expected Will to be so vigorous and adamant about making it believable. Once their swords halted at each other's middle's, Jack lunged his head forward and stared right into Will's face, perspiration covering it in rivers.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? Are you really trying to kill me?"
Jack silenced his whisper with a grunt and pushed Will away from him. He darted right back and put the pressure on their swords once more. He smiled with determination reflecting in his eyes.
"Just making sure it seems realistic, don't you agree Jack?"
Jack was pushed away and he fell backwards into the circle of on lookers. Their arms caught his body and then pushed him upright once more. He turned quickly towards the side, bowing his head.
"Thank you kind gentlemen."
His head jerked back suddenly as the slice of wind whizzed in his ear. Will's sword dashed the space above Jack's head and then his eyes narrowed.
"That's it. I'm not going to play around with you anymore, William."
Jack's eyes grew as he leapt forward and caught his foe unguarded. The point of his sword made contact to Will's face and a fresh slice of blood streamed down his cheek. Will raised his fingers to the cool liquid and then winced when it fell onto his forefinger. He let his arm hang loose and then cried out in fury. Their swords bashed against one another, until finally, Will found an opening and repaid Jack for his wonderful artwork. The battle stopped momentarily as Jack too felt a tiny river of blood fall from his cheek.
Elizabeth shook her head nervously as she watched the spectacle. Their fight wasn't supposed to shed blood at all. It was only necessary for them to anger each other and then have her step in and stop them, hopefully getting Davy Jones's attention. She rushed through the crowd at that moment, no longer able to contain her worry for the sake of their lives.
"I'm going to kill you if it's the last thing I do Jack Sparrow!" Will roared.
"Not if I kill you first!"
From opposite ends of the circle, they charged towards each other. Elizabeth pushed past the last onlooker and ran in between them in hopes of stopping the fight.
"Stop! Please, both of you stop!"
The sudden interruption and her appearance startled both Jack and Will. The pirate immediately let his sword fall to the ground as he saw her desperate face stare into his. Even though skilled as he was, Will was too shocked to halt his active sword. Just as Elizabeth was going to turn around to face Will, his blade ran through her flesh, the open gap of her neck that wanted her neck to turn towards him. Elizabeth's eyes bulged and her mouth hung open, letting the crisp air enter her body so gradually that she thought timed had stopped in that moment. She felt the raw cold blade rip through her skin, and graze past her face so that the deep stained blood on its tip dripped onto her outstretched hand. Will, lost in his ability to do anything, finally let his fingers expand and let go of the sword's hilt. It fell and shattered its cry as it hit the aged, damp wood. Elizabeth's body collapsed and her knees hit the floor silently. Every person watched in terrified horror as her creamy white collar became a sea of soaked blood.
"Elizabeth… Lizzie!"
Jack's mouth quivered as he picked her up gently, the blood running onto his hands. She looked up at him and coughed before she could finally smile.
"It does not seem to hurt as much as I thought it would…"
As her dark amber eyes closed, for the first time, Jack felt tears stinging his eyes. He shook his head and leashed out his anger at her peaceful face.
"It doesn't hurt? Well it should hurt! It should hurt you because it's sure as hell hurting me! Wake up Lizzie, right now! There's no time for comical acting! Lizzie…"
Out of nowhere, the fog parted and two giant strides forward, the enormous figure of Davy Jones overwhelmed Jack. He towered over, observing keenly the woman he held in his arm. Without saying a word, Davy tore Elizabeth away from Jack's arms and carried her away. Jack stood up furiously and Will rushed to his side.
"What do you think you're going to do with her? Come back here, do you hear me? I said…"
Will, looked down to his feet, all of the color drained out of his face so that he resembled the ghostly appearance of his father.
"I think he's going to help her…"
Jack turned immediately to face Will and his nostrils flared. Will's whisper was already gone, but his words echoed in Jack's heart.
"That's right, he'll bloody help her! If he doesn't, then I will most definitely kill you Turner."
He shoved him aside and Jack left the circle to find the comfort in solitude. The crowd of prisoners dispersed, muttering quietly to themselves. Even though they had no hearts, it did them no good to see a woman slain and drenched in her own blood. The pressure over Will's heart lay as a burden overcame him more than he had ever felt before. Suddenly, an added pressure came down on his shoulder and he twisted his head to see his father grimly standing before him.
"It's not your fault son, you didn't know she was going to come into the fight."
Will held his father's gaze for another moment and then hung his head sorrowfully, the shadows around his eyes filtering the pain into a deep ashen color.
"All I can hope for is her swift recovery, if that at all. Otherwise, I will finally atone for my sins. I have been selfish and a blind fool to not see what I have done to her father. She was always wished the best for me, and I returned the favor by providing the malice and contempt against her happiness."
Father and son stood amidst the fog, entranced by the cool liquid hovering around their bodies. Silence stood as the foremost barrier between escape and predictable doom.
..::-::..
Elizabeth heard her name within the dense darkness that overwhelmed her vision. A distant echo of Jack's pleading voice, trying to reach towards her and tell her something.
"Lizzie…"Her eyes fluttered open as she remembered what had happened. The echo died and she felt her entire body stab itself with pain. She cried out when she tried to move her neck, and then became aware of the soft cushion beneath her body. Elizabeth stared at the bed, its soft white blankets something she would have seen in a dream of her old room back in Port Royale. Her gaze wandered towards the dimly lit candlelight and then she wrinkled her nose as the creamy scent of vanilla sugar flowed through her head. She instantly let her head fall back down onto the pillow, and she closed her eyes, letting herself sigh in the pure pleasure the room brought her.
In the far darkened corner, where the candlelight couldn't reach, sat Davy Jones, quietly observing Elizabeth's behavior. His eyes lowered as the scent of the room began to have the same calming effect on him just like it had on Elizabeth, but he jerked himself awake, and remained vigilant in keeping watch. He grunted shortly and then stood up, letting his cape flow back as he limped towards her bed. His normal hand crawled towards her neck and he lifted the soaked cloth from her body. He took the red cloth and threw it to the side of the room, where a few others were already on the floor, dried up and full of the shivered smell of blood. Davy turned to make sure the vanilla extracts were burning steadily to cover up the smell, and then he took another cloth and dipped it into a bowl of clear water. As he pulled it out, the cloth dripped constantly until finally only a few droplets of water fell back into the bowl. He folded it up and then placed it back onto Elizabeth's shoulder where her wound was healing.
He didn't leave right away. Once Davy Jones let his eyes trace over her face, he realized that it felt like he was pulling himself apart, just to tear away his eyes from her flushed face. He didn't dare touch it for the fear that he would have awakened her, but he stayed nevertheless. Suddenly, he couldn't contain his curiosity any longer and he let his slimy fingers touch her fine hair. At once, he pulled his arm away from her, staring at his fingers in amazement. They had flickered before his sight and turned into regular human flesh, nothing bound by the sea except for the air surrounding it. The vision disappeared as soon as it came though, and he sighed, mortified at his weakness for the woman. He began to limp back to his seat in the corner, when Elizabeth suddenly coughed. Davy Jones turned and his eyes rose anxiously as he saw her waking up.
Elizabeth remembered that she was in the room, but she had no recollection of how she had gotten there. She would have still thought she was in her own room if she hadn't turned her head and seen the man who stood before her. Her mouth fell in shock, and the cloth that had been placed to heal her wound slipped into her lap as she sat up. The pain was miraculously gone, but she couldn't think of that at the moment. What was more surprising to her was the gentle expression in Davy's previously cold eyes. He seemed to be as astonished as she was, and then fumbled over his words as her hair fell into her face, and her blouse hung limply off of her shoulder.
"You… are you… feeling better?" he asked quietly in a hoarse whisper.
Elizabeth's mind was racing and she finally realized that he had taken her away from the battle. The pain was gone and there was no more blood. Although her clothes were dried up in her own blood, she could only smell the vanilla floating around the room. She smiled slightly and realized that her plans had been altered just slightly. They might be able to escape after all.
"I'm feeling much better… and I believe it is thanks to your wisdom and generosity."
Elizabeth met his momentary glance and then looked away sheepishly, finally pulling up her blouse so that the injured side of her neck wasn't exposed anymore.
"I… I'm eternally grateful to you for saving my life… I was so foolish to just run in between them… I thought I could stop them, but you see…"
She looked up at him again, and this time tried to find it in herself to portray the sincerest loathing towards Jack and Will.
"You see… they are fools themselves. Each and every time they are within proximity of one another, they fight over me as if I were some piece of gold they had gambled away… I do not wish to see them, or speak to them, because I know it will only fortify their hatred once more, and the endless feuds will never cease."
Davy Jones seemed taken aback by her harsh commentary of her two lovers. It didn't seem right, but in the dimly lit room, she seemed too beautiful and immortal to tell a lie, and then it happened; Davy Jones let his guard down.
"I thought you had made your choice clear… your heart told everyone what you wanted most… for the two of them to be cursed to live on this ship with you."
"Yes… that is unmistakably what I had felt was right at the time… but now I regret it wholeheartedly. Neither man is capable of true… love. That is all I ever wanted… to be loved without feeling the burden of being an object, rather than be loved because it was a necessity of their hearts."
Elizabeth's eyes began to shed tears and she looked down at her hands as she sat on the bed. Davy Jones saw the torment in her face, the agony of her beauty, and the emotion defied him. His legs limped forwards a few steps, and then he was right in front of her, unable to control his body. Despite herself, Elizabeth chose to look up at his face, and let her jaw drop when she saw the tentacles shrinking into his skin. She was so entranced that she hardly noticed his fingers brushing against her tears. Suddenly, the scales were gone on both his hand and his face, and what stood before her was a man, just slightly older than Jack. Tired lines reached his eyes that sagged inside his skull from the credence of his age. His fingers were crippled and rough, the creases scratching Elizabeth's cheek so that she finally noticed what he was doing. A sad and distant voiced echoed from his throat and Elizabeth found herself lost in the transformation that had been presented to her.
"True… love… Amelia… it is you… I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you before…"
Tears now sprang into his eyes and ran down his face so that the gray hair, which had strangely appeared, clung to his cheeks from the side. He let go of Elizabeth's face and then he took her hand and helped her stand up. Elizabeth slowly shook her head as she kept her own tears restrained from falling. It was Davy Jones in his exact form, as he once was, so long ago. The knowledge that was now presented to her was conflicting her original intentions, but she knew she had to follow through with her plan.
"No… I am not Amelia, it is Elizabeth."
Something passed through his eyes and then he clung to Elizabeth as the memory of a distant chimed song flowed through his veins. She was forced to wrap her arms around him in the embrace, and then as her head was pressed against his chest, she heard the distinct vibrations of a slowly beating heart. Her eyes widened and her own heart started to beat faster as she realized what was happening.
"Elizabeth…I'm sorry, you look so much like my Amelia…" he choked slightly on his words and then continued, holding her yet tighter, "For some reason, I feel what I felt when I was with her… I feel the warmth of your face and the sweet scent of her skin… please Elizabeth, tell me you feel the same…"
She closed her eyes, desperately not wanting to commit the act of betrayal on another man's heart. Elizabeth squeezed him and then let go, letting her wet eyes look into his face. She smiled weakly and then pretended to collapse onto her bed, letting her arm fall to her right side, near her feet. As Davy Jones leapt forward, she caught the slick dagger from her shoe and then raised her body as he bent over her. She pushed it forwards, into his chest, biting back her burning tears. Elizabeth clenched her jaw as the flames on the candles flickered. His weight began to fall further onto the dagger as gurgling noises stammered from his mouth. She dared to look up into his face, and when she did, Elizabeth immediately recoiled and his body fell onto hers. Elizabeth shrieked as he rolled onto the bed, the bloody stain from his chest leaving its imprint on her clothes. Davy Jones heaved as he used his last strengths to pull the dagger out of his body.
"Amelia… you're so close… you're smiling…Amelia…"
The dagger dropped onto the floor, its whole blade smeared with black blood. Elizabeth hovered over his dead body as she watched his chest fall for the last time. She put her hand over his eyes and then clenched her jaw and fists.
"I'm sorry…I killed your love… I'm so sorry…"
She had no time for remorse, when she was suddenly jerked away from the bed. The ship was moving from side to side underneath her and Elizabeth hurriedly rushed to find the door. It was hidden among the darkness in the far corner of the room, but when she stood up, the room shook once again and the candles fell and a dazzling array of flames shot up around her. She jumped through to the other side before the wall of flames rose to the ceiling. Once she reached the door, she looked back and flinched when she saw his dead body ablaze. The smoke reached her face and she turned away instantly, pulling on the door.
Elizabeth leapt out into the deck and saw, as a bolt of confusion struck her, that the creatures were falling into piles of lifeless moss and algae. She tried to steady herself as the ship continued to rock.
"Jack! Will! Where are you?"
Her desperate cry filled the air and carried itself into the lifting fog. She thought she saw someone standing near the mast, and then her belief was confirmed as she heard his tense and gratified response.
"Elizabeth!"
She tried to run towards Will but she stumbled constantly. He reached her half way and then gripped her by the arms.
"What's happening to the ship? I just stepped out of the cabin and everyone is gone!"
Will took her hand and dragged her towards the railing where he stood her firmly towards his gaze.
"Listen to me, there isn't much time. Jack is getting the boat ready. The ship is sinking Elizabeth, and if you don't find the need to hurry, this time you will die."
She stood there, unable to move away from his courageous standing. Elizabeth shook her head slightly and closed her gaping mouth only to open it again as her words flowed through her without thought.
"What about you? Aren't you coming with us?"
He held her gaze and then looked towards the murky waters of the ocean.
"I'm sorry Elizabeth, for the pain I've caused you."
With that, he ran away from her, but Elizabeth couldn't follow. The ship shook once again and she fell to her knees, clutching the railing, her life depending on it. When she lifted her head once more, she saw not Will, but a man with a head full of matted hair. Her heart lifted at the sight of him, but the blood rushed through her as if carrying her through a pulsing river.
"Lizzie! You're all right!"
He fell to his knees in order to embrace her, and when he did, Elizabeth held onto him, trying to remain calm and collected. Suddenly, her voice croaked and the splintering echoes of the ship bowing into the ocean rang in her ears.
"Jack, we're going to die… there's no way we can live after this… I failed…"
He took her head firmly in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. She opened her eyes and saw the determination resonating from his face, and her sobs ceased at once.
"Listen to me, we are not going to die! We've come too far for that to happen to us! There's a boat ready and all we have to do is get into it, all right?"
She nodded and then felt the pressure of his lips onto hers, their last appreciation of one another before trying to escape the destroyed Flying Dutchman. He pulled away and then helped her stand up. Elizabeth clung to him as they tried to maneuver their path around the deck. To her horror, half of the ship was already tilting and falling into the sea.
"Jack!"
He looked to his right and saw what she had seen. Jack straightened and lunged for the railing of the high end of the ship.
"It's right over there!"
She looked up as he pointed towards the open ledge before them. To her surprise, Will and his father stood there waiting. Once they saw Elizabeth and Jack, they nodded and began to climb down into the escape boat. Elizabeth crawled towards it as the water began to rapidly rise towards them. She climbed down and then settled herself in the small vessel.
"Come on Jack! Get down here already!"
Elizabeth cried out desperately, not understanding why he was faltering in his movements. Suddenly, she realized the reason, and her pupils shrank. It was escaping the Black Pearl all over again, but this time, it was the Flying Dutchman. Nevertheless, Jack was the last on the ship, and before he could climb down the short way into the boat, a mast swung and knocked Jack over.
She cried out his name as he flied through the air, finally landing into the water a few feet away from their boat.
"Jack! Jack!!"
Will restrained her from jumping out into the water, and then he knew in an instant that he had to save him. He leapt out of the boat and dived into the water. Elizabeth clutched the side of the boat, and every part of her body was tense. She didn't even realize that the ship had fully sunk behind them and that their craft was a lone source of floating wood in the water. Will's body disappeared into the water and the ripples rocked their boat slightly. Moments passed, and the cruel torture of waiting ate her heart from the inside out. Everything inside of Elizabeth fell into the pit of her stomach. It couldn't end like this, she couldn't lose both of them at once, otherwise, she knew she would die of sorrow.
Just as this thought ran through her head, a pair of heads popped out of the surface of the water and her heart skipped a beat as Will swam towards the boat, carrying Jack on his shoulder. Elizabeth's face lit with jubilation as she stretched her arms out. Once they were near the rowboat, Will's father helped Elizabeth and in a matter of time, both men were safely inside the boat. Elizabeth cradled Jack's cold dripping body next to her own, and caressed his cheek as she gave him small kisses of warmth. He coughed up some water and then moaned. His hand reached for the back of his head and then he shook his face and scrunched it in torment.
"Ow… what the bloody hell… what happened?"
He shivered as Elizabeth sat him straight. He took sharp breaths of air and squirmed as Elizabeth pushed the hair out of his face. Will looked away from them, and kept rowing along with his father. The gray sky above them was clearing up and a tiny orange glow dimmed on the water's horizon. Jack sat up for himself and then looked around in shock.
"What? Where is that beast of a ship? Is it gone? Am I … free?"
He looked down at his palm and his eyes widened along with his entire face as his fingers traced the smooth white skin. The black hole of ink was no longer there and his teeth shined as he smiled victoriously.
Elizabeth merely laughed as she watched him concentrate on his body. Once she deemed him fit to take care of himself, she scooted over towards Will. He looked up at her and smiled.
"Seems like Jack is back to his old self now."
She laughed and nodded, looking down at her lap and then back into Will's face. Her smile softened and then she swallowed before responding.
"Thank you Will, for saving his life."
He sighed and nodded his head to the side as he rowed the oars into the steady flow of waves.
"It was only a small price of the debt I owe you Elizabeth."
She was about to speak, when Will continued.
"And it is all that I could do to make sure your happiness stays as it should always be."
Elizabeth closed her mouth and nodded silently, the warmth radiating in both of their eyes. Suddenly she felt Jack's body hunched over hers and the scratching of his beard against her skin. She laughed heartily as his arms wrapped around her and she fell back to her original seat. Will saw the joy inside of her, and he knew it had been the right choice. Elizabeth pulled away from Jack's embrace and then sighed contently. He smirked and then raised his arms out to the open sea.
"We have prevailed against all odds! We have defeated the undefeatable! We are the pirates who command the seas, and countless will give us their plentiful bounty!"
Even Will was able to smile at Jack's ranting praise for themselves. His endless capacity to humor and entertain was somehow the key to everything, to their entire journey. Elizabeth laughed merrily and rested her head on his shoulder as the sunlight grew and reflected itself onto the cascading aqua green water. The clouds parted and in the distance, an island of land appeared.
"Land ho! It seems as if fortune is on our side Lizzie! Here, give me an oar and soon we will feed ourselves on the wonderful tropical bearings the islands stores for us!"
She let him pass, and then Elizabeth smiled, watching Will roll his eyes as Jack took up an oar. He winced and smiled shyly as Jack ranted on about their supposed battle. The cause of their escape wasn't partially known to the men in the boat, but Elizabeth knew that she couldn't bear to retell the story of Davy Jones's personal demise. It was too full of loss and ache for her to express in words. Elizabeth took a deep breath and raised her shoulders to her ears, and then let them fall back down. She looked out onto the water and then saw her pleasing reflection, full of fulfillment and truth shining in her eyes. She laughed and nodded to herself; perhaps that bloody compass knew it would end like this all along. Or maybe it was something she needed to find for herself. It was the pure joy and happiness of finally understanding that no one else was going to decide how she would live, whether it was with the reserved gentle man society molded for her or the boisterous, self-dignifying man of her dreams.
And she knew all of this from just one look into Jack's buoyant and serene face.
-THE END-
A/N: What can I say? The time I spent writing this was just such an amazing experience, and hearing the feedback from all of you was just the icing on the cake. I'm so thankful that I could write this for your enjoyment, and that it didn't suck that much lol I appreciate all of your time and dedication, and with a sorrowful note, I must say adieu to all of you after this chapter… I started this fic… almost a week or two after the movie came out and now I have ended it, a week or two before the movie comes out on DVD (everyone go buy it!! Dec. 5!!!!) Am I going to write a sequel? No. How about another Sparrabeth fic? Probably not. I know I didn't get the dialogue as good as it could have been, but I tried nevertheless… who knows though? I might write another after the third movie ;D
All right then, I hope you have a wonderful day and thank you again for reading!!! If you so desire (pun intended) then please do review! All right, thanks so much!!
-Monika-