Chapter 5- Jealousy

"Gotta be some way that I can make it up to you now somehow…" -Nickelback

Upon hearing "s'open," Elizabeth opened the door to Jack's cabin and stepped inside. The first thing she noticed was that he was no longer wearing his effects. In fact, he was naked to the waist, examining the cut she had managed to give him when they fell earlier. Her eyes roved over his torso. He was considerably more muscular than she had expected, his right arm was tattooed with many words of a different language and a strange circle of designs, which were now intercepted by the cut she had made. She found herself licking her lips at the way his muscles rippled when he turned to see who had entered. He's so…wait. He's looking at me. Oh God! Look away look away! She flushed and looked down quickly.

He grinned wickedly, but didn't comment on it. "Could you lend a hand, Captain Swann seeing as how you did this?"

Nodding, she moved forward, taking the water-soaked cloth from the bucket on the table in front of him and reaching toward him cautiously with it, shaking slightly.

"I won't bite..." He murmured, taking one of her hands and setting it against his bicep. Unless you want me too.

She swallowed at the almost scorching warmth of his skin, avoiding his gaze and gripped his arm tighter, reaching up to clean his wound. Noticing his slight wince, she also winced a bit, cleaning the wound of dried blood and then taking the rum bottle from his outstretched hand. His eye twitched when the rum bit into it, but other wise, he didn't complain, it would help against infections and was a necessary pain.

As she was tying the bandage in place, he glanced up at her face and smirked at the flush high on her cheeks and the way she bit her rosy lip almost to the point of bleeding. "And how did it go with your dear Captain James?"

She gave him a look. "I'll have you know that he is not my captain." You are.

Raising an eyebrow at the rough way she finished tying the bandage, he took a step forward, causing her to back into the table, sloshing the water in the bucket slightly. "I think he is. He's very taken with you, perhaps you wiv him."

"I don't see how any of that is your concern, Captain Sparrow. Unless you're…you're jealous aren't you?"

His mouth twitched. "I-no of course not."

She grinned haughtily. "You are."

Narrowing his eyes, he stepped away from her. "Why would I be jealous?"

"I don't know. Why would you?"

"Maybe I was merely getting around to the fact that you're moving in circles, luv. Maybe I was wondering why you're smitten with Captain Norrington right after the annulment of your relationship betwixt you and your latest fiancé, William, or have you forgotten him?"

Tears filled her eyes. "I haven't forgotten him."

"No? How is the whelp these days? I'm guessing he left you before you set sail to find me."

"He's aboard the Dutchman, Jack."

Jack's eyes widened. He didn't know that, but of course he would be. His father…he chose his father over her then. "Elizabeth, I-"

"No need to apologize." She replied, curtly. "I deserved it…and I'm over it."

He eyed the tears threatening to fall and reached out to wipe a stray one from her eye gently. Blast her and my weakness for her…

Catching his wrist, she looked into his eyes finding softness there where earlier there had only been bitterness. Cautiously, she took a step forward, moving almost into his embrace. "Jack…"

Instead of answering, he began to lean forward. His lips were inches from hers when a fist pounded against the door. "Sparrow!"

"Bloody hell." Jack muttered against her lips, pushing away and heading for the door. "What do you bloody WANT?"

Barbossa stood in the doorway. "What be the reason for the Dutchman's captain aboard this vessel?"

"Ah Hector. Care for some rum? An apple perhaps?" Jack questioned good-naturedly, gesturing to some crates piled in the corner.

"I've not come for refreshments. Why was he here?" The older pirate growled and pushed past him, glancing at Elizabeth and then doing a double take.

She sat on the table next to a bucket, looking slightly flushed and picking at her dirty fingernails quietly.

"Ah…it appears I be interrupting something. Apologies, my king."

Elizabeth glanced up at the older pirate who stood smirking in front of her. Jack merely stood there, staring calculatingly at his back. "You weren't interrupting a thing, Hector. Nothing at all."

A hurt look appeared on her face and then bitterness. He'll never forgive me. "No. You weren't interrupting anything of importance. Goodnight!" She spat, getting off the table and heading for the door.

Jack made to grab her arm, but she was already gone. He turned to glare at the other man, who was watching his monkey pilfer through things on his desk.

"Aw now Jack, don't look at me like that. You said yourself I wasn't interrupting anythin'."

"Why didn't you tell me Turner was on the Dutchman?"

"You never asked." Barbossa replied as he traced his fingers along a shelf of books. Pulling his hand away, he grimaced at the dust and wiped it on his pants. "So tell me, what did Norrington want?"

Jack stared at his desk. "To give Miss Swann his profession of undying love, no doubt."

"Bah. I will never understand what it is with that girl what gets all the men's blood boiling. A little wisp of a thing. What happened to women with curves?"

"Please. You saw fit to not spill all her blood on Isla De Muerta because you fancied having a go at her yourself and you know it."

Barbossa smirked. "Yes well…being mostly dead does funny things to a man, don't it? Even makes them fall in love, eh?"

"I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about, Hector."

The older man chuckled. "Think what you wish, Sparrow, but there'll be no fooling me. Not when I see it with me own measly eyes."

"You see nothing." He replied coldly.

"Then why was the wench in here?"

"To drive me mad, like you with your incessant badgering."

This elicited another chuckle. "Jack…is that any way to talk to the man who brought you back from hell itself?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Look. Norrington was warning us that Beckett is gathering his men as we speak, but failed to realize we've got all the pirates in the world on our side. Nothing more."

Barbossa smirked. "Thank you, Jack. You always were one to divulge information whenever I asked. Made you an easy target for mutiny."

Jack's rum bottle crashed against the door behind him.

Elizabeth, still awake, lay in her bed, glaring at the ceiling. It would be dawn soon and she was once again angry and very much devoid of sleep. How can he do this? All I want is his forgiveness. I'm even willing to do whatever it takes and he throws it in my face. Nothing at all, am I? I'll show him nothing at all. Bastard. "Hmmph."

Jack rolled over onto his right side, but winced at the pull on the cut she'd managed to give him, then rolled onto his back with a great sigh, and finally sat up. "Damned harlot." He heaved another sigh and rolled his eyes. "Nothing for it."

Barbossa stood outside Elizabeth's door, minus his monkey, pondering on whether or not he should bother the treacherous woman for the information or if he should just wait until the opportune moment. Jack didn't give him very much to go on and he had a feeling that Norrington and the pirate captain were plotting something. He pursed his lips and knocked.

Elizabeth shot out of her bed, pistol in hand and swung the door open. This better be good, Jack. "What do you…Barbossa?"

"Evening, Miss…or should I say morning." He replied, nodding and smiling as his eyes skimmed over her scantily clad person.

She glanced down and realized, her shirt barely covered her thighs and a blush started at the roots of her hair and swept over her, which brought anger. "What is it that brings you to my cabin, at this time of the night, captain?"

"The same reason I was in Captain Sparrow's cabin, dearie."

"And why were you in Captain Sparrow's cabin?"

He smirked. "I should ask ye the same."

She flushed darker, but waggled the pistol. "Come, come, now. I don't believe you're here to discuss my relations with the man I murdered unless you want to become one of those yourself."

His smirk disappeared. "Very well. I want information."

"About what?"

"Weren't ye payin' attention earlier, lass?"

"Perhaps I want it repeated."

"Why was Norrington here?"

"That, my dear Hector, is really none of your business."

"Oh that's where ye are wrong, lass." In one lightning quick motion, he had her caught in the crook of his elbow and her own pistol aimed at her temple. "Ye see, a pirate only looks after himself, and a mutinous old captain likes to know who his friends are and all the dealings aboard his ship, especially when they concern the captain of the Flying Dutchman."

She scowled. "As your king, I don't trust you enough to divulge information, nor am I afraid to accuse you of mutiny. And I demand you release me."

He laughed lewdly kicking the door closed behind him. "I don't believe yer in a position to be demanding anything, dearie."

"I'll scream if you don't get your hands off me."

"Will ye now?" He questioned, reaching out and stroking his index finger along her soft jaw. "I'm not entirely certain I believe you. I think ye like the danger." He whispered, his breath hot on her skin.

"I could have you keelhauled for this."

"I on'y want information. No need to make threats, dearie."

"Fine. In the morning, when I'm dressed. Now. Get out."

"Maybe I want the information now, while you're not dressed…" He leered.

"OUT!" She yelled shoving him roughly.

Jack stopped in his tracks and frowned when he saw Barbossa being shoved out of Elizabeth's room with a lecherous grin and a slam of the door.

Then, the older man saw him and paused before continuing on his way, chuckling to himself. No need to say anything this time. Assumptions will do the work for me. The old man thought as he brushed past the younger captain roughly.

After standing for a few minutes longer, Jack grimaced and turned on his heel. Bloody pirate.