Chapter 2- Coward

Hello all! I'm finally back on my writing. I've seen the new pirates trailer so I thought I better start finishing up the Sparrabeth stories I'm writing before it comes out. I'm not sure if this is the best chapter in the world, but there are more after it, I've just got to adjust a few things and they are decidedly better...er. So...enjoy and review! :)

Just one more moment, that's all that's needed ,like wounded soldiers in need of healing… "Nickelback"

Why give up? Why give in? it's not enough, it never is. So I will go on until the end… I've lost my way…I've lost my way, but I will go on until the end…the final fight I win, the final fight I win. "Breaking Benjamin"

Until we see this eye to eye, I don't want you… "Three Days Grace"


"Beckett and his men are currently stationed at Port Royal, am I right?"

"Aye. That's what the word is." Barbossa answered Jack.

"Then, we catch them unawares off the coast. The cannons from the fort have not been repaired since our last little adventure with Captain Swann here. They'll only have the guns on their little boats. They won't stand a chance."

"How do you know they haven't been repaired?" Elizabeth questioned, curious.

"I've…been to Port Royal a few times since then…"

"When? Why?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

Barbossa rolled his eyes.

"My liege, that is not of importance at this moment!" Jocard exclaimed.

Elizabeth eyed Jack. She would be bringing that up later…when they were alone and they would definitely be alone if she had anything to do with it. "Very well. If Captain Sparrow is correct and I'm certain he is, then I have reason to believe that we will succeed."

Most of the pirates shouted their agreements.

"What if he's wrong?" Mistress Ching questioned. "We'll be slaughtered or worse…captured and hanged."

There was a lull in speech. Elizabeth eyed her for a moment. "We don't have much choice. Sooner or later that will happen anyway. It's a risk we'll have to take if we want to salvage what we can."

"Aye," Barbossa agreed. "The lass is right. Where else can we expect to go with this without revealing everything we've worked so hard to hide?"

There was a resounding of murmured agreement throughout the room. "It's settled then," Elizabeth spoke up. "I hereby end this meeting of the Brethren Court."

"Aye." Captain Teague agreed studying his son. "I suggest you lead this little venture, boy. I've heard stories, but never seen you in action. Impress me."

Jack cringed, but nodded. "We'll set sail for Port Royal at dawn after my ship has been fully replenished."

Elizabeth was floored by his simple acquiescence. Apparently, purgatory changed a man's whole outlook on life. She watched him leave.

Captain Teague stepped over to her and patted her shoulder. "He'll come around."

"One can only hope." She replied and made her way out of the room and slowly to the docks, wondering if she would be sailing her ship alongside the Black Pearl. As if in answer to her question, Mr. Gibbs met her halfway to the dock. "Miss Elizabeth, Cap'n Sparrow requests you aboard his vessel on this venture."

She smiled and nodded at him. "Very well, you may tell Captain Sparrow that I will be aboard shortly with my things."

He nodded. "Oh…and Miss Elizabeth?"

"Yes Mr. Gibbs?"

"Don't be too hard on the Cap'n. He's been through a lot."

As if I haven't? She swallowed her angry words and nodded. "I'll do my best."

He smiled and turned away.

As soon as he was out of sight, she frowned and trudged towards her own ship to give her first mate temporary captaincy.

JEJEJEJEJEJE

Standing at the prow of the Black Pearl, Elizabeth watched the steadily darkening horizon before her, lost in thought. Some things could be too confusing even for a woman of her caliber. Who would have thought Governor Swann's daughter would become a king of pirates? A few years ago, she thought of no one, but William. Oh Will…Oh James...Oh father… A knot appeared in her throat. She had not thought of James or her father since the beginning of the pirate war. A few years ago, she wouldn't have believed that Will would be a suitor nor believed her father dead nor believed that she'd be on the same ship as Captain Jack Sparrow, the pirate she read about throughout her childhood, much less consider him a friend of sorts…perhaps more. Her lip curled up. That man is an enigma. His motives are not always obvious and his perpetual drunkenness hides the fact that he's cleverer than he looks…and dammit all of my thoughts end with him.

Presently, the pirate captain that haunted her thoughts was locked away in his cabin. It had been about two days since they'd left Shipwreck City and she had yet to be in his vicinity without numerous others present since they brought him back…a most frustrating predicament.

"Evening, Captain Swann."

Elizabeth turned at the sudden appearance of Mr. Gibbs at her side. "Evening, Mister Gibbs. Was there something you needed to discuss?"

"Aye. I believe so. Captain Sparrow's been acting most decidedly odd lately."

"When is he not acting oddly?"

"Odder than usual."

"Oh? And what does that have to do with me?"

"That's what I'd like to know."

"Well then, why don't you go interrogate him about it?" She bit her lip at his hurt look. "Apologies…I'm on edge about this whole circumstance."

"Aye. 's understandable, but the crew and I were thinkin' that you need to be the one to speak with Captain Sparrow, seein' as ye have somethin' to do with his current moodiness."

"If he wishes to speak with me, he will." She replied testily. "Now I'll hear no more of this."

"But-"

"I believe I told you no, Mr. Gibbs. Now, I'll hear. No. More. Get back to work."

"Aye." He replied grimly and walked away, sighing.

Elizabeth sighed as well and looked up at the helm to see who was on watch. Seeing it was Barbossa, she sidled across and up to him.

"Problem, dearie?"

"Actually, there is. Captain Sparrow is avoiding me."

"I've noticed."

"And it appears the crew has begun to notice as well. Is there any way that you could help my predicament?"

"Captain Sparrow's given me strict orders to avoid that at all costs, but seeing as I don't much like the man or this unruly temper he has of late, and ye happen to be my king, I'll give you this much. Might I suggest going to the hold near the rum kegs?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Are you certain of this or are you planning another mutiny?"

The older man chuckled. "I've no need to mutiny just yet, young missy. There be no sense or profit in it. As much as I hate to say it, Sparrow's the craftiest of the bunch." For once, Hector Barbossa actually looked like he was telling the truth. What an intriguing thought!

As she headed past Ragetti and Pintel, swabbing the decks at a leisurely pace, she overheard them speaking of how peculiar the two of them had been acting, her lip curled.

Taking the old pirate captain's advice, she found herself sitting upon a barrel in the rum cellar when Captain Sparrow graced the room with his presence, mumbling something about garden parties and digging out rum bottles. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've been avoiding me."

The bottles he held crashed to the floor and he spun around. "Now that wasn't very nice. Look what you made me do! Now you owe me three bottles of rum, my liege."

"Perhaps if you weren't avoiding me, that wouldn't have happened."

"Perhaps if you weren't such a murderous trollop, I wouldn't avoid you."

She sighed. "I just want to speak with you. Is that too much to ask of the 'Great Captain Jack Sparrow'?"

Narrowing his eyes, he moved to take out another bottle of rum and popped the cork for a swig. "There's nothing to speak about. What's done is done."

"You hate me don't you?"

"Hate is a strong word, Captain Swann."

"That it is."

He studied her. "Well then, in all circumstances, given that you killed me, I should hate you and maybe I do. Bloody foul thing you did."

Elizabeth could feel the tears stinging her eyes. "I'm sorry, Jack."

"No you're not." He replied resignedly. "You did it to save your lovely William and your own lovely behind and a lot of good that did you. Where's your beloved now, eh?"

"Jack I-"

"I don't want to hear it!" He snarled, spinning on his heel and moving to leave the room.

In a moment of desperation, she leapt to her feet, grabbing his arm. "I don't bloody care! I need to say it!"

"You've said enough."

"You are so stubborn, Jack Sparrow."

"It's Captain!" He spat, wrenching his arm free and staggering toward the stairs.

"Coward is more like it!"

A loud scoff erupted from the annoyed man. "Coward? Coward? I…what were your words…ah yes…'came back' didn't I? I went down with my ship didn't I?"

Elizabeth swallowed and looked down.

"Did it ever occur to you why I decided to come back?"

"Why did you come back?"

It was his turn to swallow. "If you can't figure that one for yourself then maybe it's better left unsaid."

When she looked up, he was gone.