Ch.7: Not Back

Author's Note: This chapter took me a while. I wanted them to start rebuilding their friendship before they admit their feelings so I felt this was necessary for him to begin switching roles with Will. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Most of the 'Not back' scene came from the movie because I found it to be very well written. Also the characters are not mine...except for Jasmine.

Take my hand, drag me down

"Why isn't there any bloody rum?" Jack muttered, rifling through his things. "And why didn't she slap me?" She wanted it, that's why. You felt the way she was kissing back. I'd say she wanted it bad. She wants you bad. And you want her bad too. Don't you? "No I do NOT!" Aye. You do. And you hate it that you can't have her. She's not yours, and you hate it. "SHUT UP!" He ran a hand over his face. "Oh you bloody fool. You've made yourself a bed to lie in, haven't you?" A bed you'd like to have a pretty blonde murderess in, aye? Jack glanced up. "No I do not want her in my bed. I do not want her anywhere near me or my bed." Liar. "Look at me, I'm arguing with myself. I need rum."

He stalked from his cabin, a glower on his face.

A few crew members saw the look on his face and swiftly moved to the side. An angry captain is not someone a person wants to cross paths with or face the wrath of. Unless of course the captain is Jack Sparrow and the person in question is Elizabeth Swann. She was currently in the hold, cradling the last bottle of rum that hadn't been taken to the galley or pocketed by the crew or blown up when the Pearl sunk the first time and wishing Captain Sparrow would give her a second chance to prove herself.

She jumped when the door swung open and slammed shut behind the very person that stayed on her mind. He went to the shelves, not seeing her yet, and began to grumble when he found nothing there.

"I have the last one." He turned around abruptly. Their eyes locked.

"I thought it was a vile drink." He remarked snidely.

"It is, but I'm already a complete scoundrel without it, so what's the harm in it?"

"You've got that one right, dearie."

When she looked down he noticed the tear stains on her cheeks. His anger dissipated nearly instantly. Damn her for making me feel this way. He sighed. "Any chance of you sharing it?"

Her head shot up. Maybe all is not lost after all. She moved so there was room next to her. "By all means. You are the captain."

He hesitantly sat next to her as she passed the bottle to him. "What are you doing here?"

She watched him raise the bottle to his lips. "I needed somewhere quiet to think."

"About what?"

"About a way to get you to speak with me."

"Miss Swann I assure you, there is nothing important we need to talk about."

"It's Elizabeth and if there isn't, then why are you here, talking to me now?"

"Because I…"

"Captain! You'd better come look at this."

He sighed and climbed to his feet. "I have to go."

"Jack." She called after him.

He paused. "Because I can't help myself, Elizabeth. That's why."

JEJEJEJE

Elizabeth climbed above, not long after Jack did and saw everyone standing at the railing solemnly. She frowned, confused, but hung back, watching Jack. He glanced up at the others, a grim look on his face. Then his eyes met hers. What she saw in them very nearly hurt her heart. She swallowed roughly.

Wondering what could possibly be that sad, she turned from Jack and moved to the rail. That was when she recognized her father. "That's my father, we've made it back!" She laughed to herself. Why is everyone so upset? We're back! "Father! Father here! Look here!"

Will moved to her side, frowning. "Elizabeth." She turned to meet his gaze and faltered when she saw his sad look. "We're not back." No. No. NO. He is not dead. She thought, feeling as if she might scream when she turned back to look at her father in the boat.

Will stepped back a bit as she moved along the edge before she could push him. Jack reached towards her but she moved. "FATHER!"

He turned then. "Elizabeth. Are you dead?" She shook her head, moving along the ship with him. Forgetting her surroundings. A scream of No! resounding in her mind. "I think I am."

"No you can't be!" She wailed. Jack inched towards her a bit and swallowed.

"There was this chest, you see. It's odd. At the time, it seemed so important." There is a chest…Davy Jones…

"Come aboard!" Elizabeth cried.

"And the heart. I learned that if you stab the heart, yours must take its place and you will sail the seas for eternity. The Dutchman must have a captain. Silly thing to die for."

"Someone cast a line!" Marti moved to help Elizabeth and she jerked it from his hand. "Come back with us!"

"A touch of destiny." Tia Dalma murmured in the background as she watched Elizabeth throw the line at her father.

"Take the line!"

"I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth!"

She screamed nearly incoherently for him to take the line. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't! He couldn't! He couldn't!

"She must not leave the ship!" Was cried out behind her. Everyone ran for her then, except for Will who stood stockstill watching.

"We can't just let her jump overboard lad!" Jack prodded him and when Will didn't move he raced after her instead.

"Please come with us!" She screamed as Jack grabbed her about the waist and dragged her away from the edge and into his arms as she struggled against him, screaming.

"I'll give your love to your mother, shall I?" Her father murmured.

"NO!" She screamed, slapping at Jack repeatedly. "This is YOUR FAULT!"

Jack held her close, pressing his chin into her hair and meeting Barbossa's solemn gaze. "I know. I know. It's all right, love. I'm so sorry."

Will stepped up to Tia Dalma. "Is there a way?"

She shook her head solemnly. "Him at peace."

Jack winced and ushered the screaming, crying woman to his cabin. No matter how much he tried not to care about her and hated himself for forgiving her he always would and maybe this was his fault. He should never have even went to Port Royal in the beginning. He couldn't bear to see her hurt like this. He knew Will should be in his place. In the back of his mind, he wondered why he wasn't taking over, but she was his main priority at the moment.

He shut the door behind them and sat her down on his bunk. Producing the rum bottle from earlier from his coat, he pressed it towards her. "Drink this, love. You need it more than I do."

She took it with shaking hands as the tears poured down her face. "He…He can't be gone." She whispered, more to herself than anything.

He slumped onto the bed next to her, not exactly sure what to do. How does one comfort their murderer? "It's entirely my fault. If there were a way to bring him back…"

"You sound like Will." She replied, bitterly.

His jaw tightened. "Would you rather I fetch him?"

"No. Stay." She murmured. "I…I didn't mean it when I said it was your fault. You could never have known this would happen."

He pulled her close then and they settled back onto the bed.

She began to cry fresh tears…for her father, for Will, for herself, for Jack… "He can't be gone…we must be back! Jack, please tell me we're back!" She wailed.

"I know, love. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He kept whispering.

When her tears finally abated, she pressed her head into his chest and breathed in his smell of rum and sea salt. She had never smelled anything more comforting in her life. His hands kneaded her back gently. Her heart ached. "I never got to say goodbye." She whispered. "I was too busy trying to get him aboard."

"He knows you love him, darling. Don't be too hard on yourself. He's proud of you. He said it himself. Pirate or not, he loves you anyway."

"I was expecting him to get killed, but it still hurts to watch someone you love leave you."

"I know." He murmured against her temple. She wondered what family member had left him…

He was talking about her. "You should get some rest, love." He mumbled, clearing his throat and moving from under her. "Keep the cabin for tonight."

"Stay with me?"

He studied her for what seemed like a long time while she waited, silently begging for him to agree. "All right." I knew you wanted her in your bed. I knew it! This time he ignored the voice.

JEJEJEJE

Later, she sat amongst the pillows with him talking and sharing what was left of the rum.

He picked up the bottle of rum and raised it up for a swig.

"I met someone in Singapore."

He paused mid swig. "Another man, dearie? Aren't you betrothed?"

"No of course not another man!" He took another long swig in relief. "It was a woman." And then choked.

"Not a love interest, Jack." She spat, taking the bottle from him and taking a long drink. "One of Sao Feng's concubines. Jasmine to be exact."

His head shot up. Jasmine you better have kept your mouth shut. "And?"

"Do you know her?"

"I might have…known…her in the past, aye."

"The not so recent past I gather."

I know where this is going. "How would you 'gather' that?"

"You had to have known me when you went."

He narrowed his eyes. "What did she tell you?"

"You've been telling stories about me, Jack." She replied with a small smile. And moaning my name…

"I might have mentioned you." He agreed. "It's not every day a governor's daughter turns pirate."

"But I didn't turn pirate until after the ruined wedding plans."

"Utter nonsense. You've wanted to be a pirate since you were young. You basically told me on the island that maggot Barbossa marooned us on. You became one as soon as you left Port Royal."

She sighed. "If only I hadn't burned the rum…"

He studied her for a moment wondering if she was teasing him.

"Perhaps things would have been different if I hadn't."

"You should get some rest, Elizabeth." He did not want to discuss the murder again and he knew this was leading to another apology.

"Yes…I suppose I should." She muttered, sadly, and slid down into the bed, shutting her eyes.

He watched her long after she fell asleep.