Chapter 3: The "Black Beauty"

I had watched the sun making its journey towards the horizon until the water was reflecting the blood-red sky. "I'm tired", I could hear her say. "Is there some place we could sleep, Jack?" I didn't answer at first, although I had a very good idea. "Jack, are ye even listening to me?", she said and punched me slightly. "Oi, aye I've been listening darling and I know a place but maybe we shouldn't..." But I was interrupted by Lizzy grabbing me hand and pulling me up onto my feet. "Show me!", she grinned. I took her hand in mine and led her away from the palm trees towards the water. There some distance away drifted me back beauty gently on the water. "The Pearl.", Lizzy said. I held her hand as we went towards the water, not knowing we have been watched the whole time.

"You know I don't want to say anything to that but they just look so...", Lianne was hesitating. "...happy? I know what ye mean. I guess he finally found someone he can protect and love", Kathee said with a smile. Lianne looked back at Jack's mother and sighed. "I knew this would happen one day. I mean since she was a little girl she has loved that pirate, your son. And I don't see why she shouldn't be with him, he seems so nice and loving to her." "Aye, he is just not to everyone. He's rather shy when it comes to feelings, ye know. He told me that he's never loved someone before." "So, does that mean Elizabeth doesn't know? I thought she loved him aswell, that's what she told me." Kathee just grinned. "I guess they're both to scared to admit anything."

I helped Elizabeth up the side of the ship and kept holding her hand as we walked towards me cabin. She never said anything. I didn't know whether she didn't notice or maybe she didn't mind, either one. I opened the door to me cabin and what I saw quite surprised me. All the damage the kracken had done to my ship was gone. It looked perfect, like the day I got it. Lizzy must have noticed as well because she said: "Look, where did the holes go?" I just laughed slightly. "Luv, this is heaven and I want me ship tae be whole just for once. I quite like that, actually." She smiled at me in a friendly way and let go my hand. She stood in the middle of the room and looked around, shaking her head but still smiling. "We'll definitely need to do something about this, it can't stay like this!" I had absolutely no idea what the hell she was talking about, my bloody ship looked fine.

"What d'ye mean 'do something about this'?!", I asked confused. What was she thinking? Again?

"I think I'll be staying here, won't I? So I guess we need to make this a bit more comfy, like a real home, you know." She was walking around me cabin, checking every draw and every box whether there was anything useless. "I would like tae keep me things if ye don't mind.", I said, stepping closer. She suddenly stopped moving around and just hid her face in her hands. "I ...don't know...what to do. I ...always wanted to be ...to have a nice home...but now...I'm...dead and ...", she cried quietly. I put me arms around her and hugged her tight. "Shh...it's alright luv. Stop crying, darling", I tried to calm her. But she just turned away from me. "Please Elizabeth, ye need to tell me what's wrong, otherwise I can't help ye." That caught her attention. "You don't have to help me. I have been so horrible towards you. I used you, I hurt your feelings and I bloody killed you Jack!" I had to do something, I just couldn't see her cry. "Darling, I forgave ye, luv. I'm not angry, I'm proud. You are a real pirate and I'm really glad that ye acted on selfish impulse just once in ye life. So stop crying, I can't see that. It's breaking m...", I stopped, realizing I've said too much. But unfortunately she noticed. "What did you say?", she asked. "Nothing.." "Don't lie to me Jack Sparrow!", she snapped. I didn't want to argue with her about this so I had to tell her, although I didn't want to. "I ..mean that it's breaking..me..me heart when ye cry," I finally admitted, not looking at her. She seemed speechless at first, then she ran over to me and threw her arms around me. I lost me balance and fell backwards on my bed, with Lizzy on top of me, grinning shyly. "Sorry, Jack..", she said. "Don't worry", I whispered. She jumped up and looked around, yawning.

"Ye seem tired luv and so am I. What do ye say if we go sleeping now, he? And stop thinking too much about what happened in ye life because it's in the past, it's over." I smiled at her and threw all the stuff, laying on my bed on the floor, put my shirt off and crawled under the blanket. She watched me. "Where am I suppose to sleep?", she asked with a grin. I gestured to my side and smiled, not wanting to scare her. She looked away from me and said quietly: "I'm not so sure..about this Jack...". I immediately knew what she was talking about so I smiled kindly. "No, not like that darling. I mean ye could just lay beside me, nothing more." Her eyes widened in disbelieve. "Have I heard that correctly that you've just told me you want me to lay beside you, Captain Sparrow?" I grinned. "Aye, that's what I said." "I'm excepting on one condition", she continued, using her 'governor's-daughter-voice'. I leaned closer and whispered: "...and what might said condition be?" She grinned and pointed one finger at me nose and said: "said condition is that you have to promise me that you won't lay a finger on me, because when you do you'll have to face the consequences, sevvy?" I laughed slightly because of the way she spoke, it sounded much like meself. "Why are you laughing Jack?", she asked confused. "You just said 'sevvy', ye sounded much like meself darling, oh sometimes ye just too s...", I couldn't believe that I've done it again, why couldn't I just shut me face when I needed to?! But again Elizabeth noticed. "I'm what?", she asked, grinning wide. She must have noticed that this was pretty embarrassing for me, I just turned away. "Jack!", she said again, putting one hand on me arm. "Not so important luv." It's not so easy convincing her any more, she's a pirate now. "I don't believe you!", she said and it sounded slightly teasing, something that surprised me. "Jack, tell me. I want to know. I'm not going to laugh." I looked at her. "And what makes ye think it could be something funny?", I asked. "The words you say won't be funny, the funny thing about it is that you are saying them, Captain Sparrow", she knew exacly that she hit the nail on the head. Realizing this annoyed me. "There's nothing funny about that and it's a shame ye won't be hearing them because I'm not really in the mood of telling ye, sorry Miss Turner." I could see her wince at her name but I didn't say anything. After all it was her name as much as I'm hating to admit it. "Well, then I shall find myself somewhere to sleep then, good night Captain Sparrow." She stood up from the bed and was about to leave the room but she turned around as I spoke. "Alright alright, I'll tell ye but please come back here", I said quietly, cursing meself because it almost sounded like a plea. "Oh that's nice to hear Captain Sparrow." I watched her sit down on me bed again and then I continued. "..and stop calling me 'Captain Sparrow', I prefer Jack or even Jackie if ye have to. It sounds so well...not really like you when ye call me 'Captain Sparrow', luv." She just smiled at me, then she started to take her belt and sword off then her sash and her boots. I just watched her. She waved her arms around in the air showing me to move aside. I just grinned, she became more and more like me every day. I laid down and sighed. Then Elizabeth moved towards me and crawled under me left arm, laying her head on my chest. I just grinned. "Comfy?", I asked and she nodded. I could see her smile. Then she shot up again making me jump. "What happened?", I asked confused. Sometimes this lass was really unbelievable. "You haven't promised not to tough me yet", she grinned. "oh..well then I promise."

Grinning she laid back down and shut her eyes, putting her arms around me. I chuckled and said: "So am I correct to believe that I'm not allowed to tough ye but you are?" "Aye." "And why is that?" "because I get distracted." I chuckled again and leaned my head against her's, shutting me eyes I mumbled: "Good night, Lizzy-luv." "Good night...Jackie.."

I woke up in the middle of the night and looked at the beauty in me arms. How did I ever get this lucky. She was laying in my bed next to me, out of her own choice. I bloody couldn't believe it. Ok I did promise but I just couldn't resist. I put my arms around her gently and pulled her close, stroking her hair. I didn't want this to stop ever. She was the only one who could make me laugh, the only one I would die for. "Jack?", she asked. "It's alright luv, go back to sleep", I whispered. She sat up, yawned and looked down at me. I just smiled at her. The moonlight was shining through me window and caused her hair to shine like sliver. I was lost in her golden eyes so I never even wondered why there was a moon. "Stop smiling at me like that Jack", she laughed, her cheeks turning slightly red. "why not?", I said before I could stop meself. "because it's embarrassing. No one ever looked at me like that...not while I was laying in my bed." I chuckled. "Your bed??" She blushed and looked away. "...and how am I looking at ye?" She looked at me again. "I dunno, a bit gently and maybe ...I don't know..bloody hell Jack, you're looking at me like Will should have." I looked at her, not understanding. Then I did. "are ye telling me that ye've never laid next tae Will?"

She nodded shyly. I stared at her. "Stop that Jack!" I raised my arms and said: "What have I done now?" She chuckled. "Jack?" "Aye" "Do you think it's bad that I haven't been sleeping with my husband?" I stared at her, wondering where this conversation is going. "No, it's strange but not bad. So I guess ye still a virgin, then?", I asked carefully. She nodded. "Is that something bad?" I shook my head. "No, ye just missed a lot." She looked at me confused. "Like?" I was getting nervous. What was she expecting from me? "Lizzy, where is this going? I mean, what do ye expect me tae tell ye, luv?" She chuckled again, laying back down beside me. "I dunno Jack. Sometimes I just feel like a child. I'm married and I've never slept with my husband." I was quite surprised. "..and what about ye wedding night?" She shook her head. "He left me standing on an island, cut off from all I love, the sea, my friends, the Pearl, but one thing he really wanted to cut me off from was you." I grinned. "So ye never found out whether the whelp really was an eunuch, then??", I smiled. "No, I haven't really." She turned her head so she could look at me and said: "To be honest I've never spoken about that in my life. The first time I ever mentioned it was here on this island, talking to my mother and I think your's was listening as well. She said something about whether I want to know something I should ask you. Do you know what she was talking about?" My eyes widened in shock. Why couldn't my mother just shut up when necessary. It's always the same, why couldn't she just stay out of my business?! "Nothing important I think", I said trying to convince her. "And why can't I believe you? Again?", she asked, grinning. I didn't say anything so she moved and said: "Well if you're not going to tell me that I go." I couldn't let her go, not now. This was too nice. So put my arms around her and held her tight. "Alright, maybe I do know what my mother was on about." She stopped struggling and looked at me. "Then what did she mean?" I cleared my throat and said: "I guess she was referring to my reputation with lassies. I mean, you know the stories. It's not like I've no experience in that sort of thing, ye know." She grinned at me in understandment. "I guess you're right. I don't know how this is working but it seems something nice, from what I've heard." I wondered why the hell she talking to me about this, being so honest. Because if I were her I most certainly would not tell me all these things. "Why are ye suddenly so interested in these things. Half a year ago ye didn't want to know about this and now?" I saw her grin, then she turned her head away again, seeming embarrassed. "I dunno, maybe I just didn't want to think about things that should remind me of my husband." I just couldn't keep meself from saying it. "And why are ye tellin, asking me these things? I mean I'm not quite in the position of telling ye."I didn't know whether she noticed the tiny bit of truce behind it, I just hope she didn't get any stupid ideas about me. "I know these aren't the things I should be discussing with you but I just feel like it. And besides there's no other man around here I trust so much." I couldn't quite believe what I've just heard. "Ye trust me this much?" I sounded very surprised and she just cuddled under the blanket beside me and nodded. "Aye, I do. I can't describe how much I trust you. I mean I just do. I even trust you enough for not only talking about things but ...", she then stopped, cheeks red and she turned away. I did notice what she was talking about and I had the funny feeling that her mind was speaking and not herself. I put one finger under her chin and turned her head. She was smiling very embarrassed. I just gave her a warm smile and said: "Don't be scared, I won't tough you. I promised after all." I just hoped she would feel better, I didn't want her to be scared of me. "Year but you have been known to break promises Jack Sparrow." "I know but I would never scare ye luv. I'm always there if ye want to talk... about everything. I don't care what about." She smiled and then looked at the ceiling. "You know, I've never did anything improper, if you know what I mean. Alone the thought of doing something I shouldn't is really making it even more fun doing. It was just too bad that Will didn't agree with me on that point." "So he was the problem behind it then? I thought so. I couldn't quite believe that you've never wanted to sleep with yer husband." She nodded, telling me that I was right. "He's not even kissed me properly, if you know what I mean." I did know and it really surprised me. "You mean..?" She nodded. I nearly laughed. "Bloody whelp!"

She yawned and shut her eyes. "I'm tired Jack, can we sleep now?" I stroke her hair again. "Course we can darling, sleep well."

"Where the hell did they go?", Lianne asked while walking around on the beach, watching the sunrise. It was early morning. "Have ye checked the pool?", Kathee asked. "Yes, I have, I've checked the whole island." The other woman chuckled. "I guess there must be a real good reason that we aren't able to find them, I wonder what they've been up to..", she grinned. Lianne knew what she mean. "Could be." Then her eyes fell on the one spot she hadn't checked, the ship. "Let's find out then."

Lizzy opened her eyes and looked around. Jack had his arms around her for the whole night and didn't seem to let go. It was just sweet. She moved slightly and tired to wake him up but he just didn't seem to make any effort to wake up. All she got was a sleepy moan. "Morning darling!", she whispered in his ear. Immediately his eyes snapped open and he stared at her with a mixture of surprise and confusion on his face. "Did ye just call me darling?". "Aye, it was the only way to wake you." She stretched herself. He closed his eyes again, wishing that she had not only said it to wake him. "Jack?" "Aye, luv?" "I was wondering whether you...ehm...". "yes?" "ehm..just forget it. Not so important." He sat up and smiled at her. "Come on tell me." "You haven't told me so I'm not going to either." That was true and it annoyed him. "Alright then, lets make a deal. I tell you what I thought about ye talking like me and you tell me what ye was wondering, do we have an accord luv?" She turned towards him and sat up as well. "Agreed", she said. Jack cleared his throat and said: "I just thought ye were so sweet talking like that, using my words." She chucked. "Captain Jack Sparrow thinks I'm sweet, hi hi...", she giggled. Jack just lowered his head, not saying anything against it. "and you?", he asked. "I oh..I just was wondering about something we spoke of last night about kissing someone properly and considering that I've never I just wanted to know what it feels like and maybe you could..", she tired to explain but he already knew what she was talking about. "Maybe I could what?", he asked. "Oh bloody hell Jack, stop being so stupid!", she said, sounding annoyed. He leaned in closer and whispered: "..want me to do what exacly?". She shut her eyes and said: "Jack, this is not fair!" but she was smiling. Then she opened her eyes and looked at his. She leaned forward and kissed him. His eyes widened but he kissed her back, showing her everything she longed to learn. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer. "I see ye're having fun then.", a voice said. They broke apart and stared right into their mother's faces.

Jack looked shocked and angry. "Can't ye bloody knock?!", he shouted, causing Elizabeth to giggle. "My apologies. We were just wondering where ye ended up, that's all Jackie." Elizabeth giggled again. "Don't be like that Jackie-darling, they've just been worried.", she grinned at him, trying very hard no to laugh herself to tears. She knew that would piss him off. She grinned at Jack's mother and she returned the smile, knowing what Elizabeth was trying to do. Jack however didn't, and so he said: "I dunno what's going on here! Could someone be so nice and bloody tell me what I've bloody missed?!" Elizabeth gave their mothers another knowing smile and said: "We'll be up in a minute, you go, we'll follow." They smiled and Kathee turned towards her son before she left and said: "Be a nice boy, Jackie-luv." She shut the door behind her. That last remark did it for Elizabeth. She fell back on the pillows, laughing herself to tears. Jack just stared at her. "Could ye please tell me what's going on? What is that with all the 'darling' and 'Jackie-luv', he?" Finally she managed to stop and gasped for air. "Nothing really..", she smiled at him. He still looked confused and a bit angry for not knowing what to say or to do. Then Elizabeth leaned closer, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again. He kissed her back after a little while and held her close. She pulled back and pushed him down onto the pillows again, grinning wide. She grabbed the bottle of rum and purred some on his chest. He just looked at her. "What the hell..." She leaned down and licked it off, causing him to moan loudly. "bloody hell, Lizzy..what..?" Then the door banged open again and his mother grinned at them. "Jackie, out of your bad now, ye lazy shit, breakfast's ready. And stop moaning so load, there are other people on this ship aswell." She disappeared out of his cabin and Lizzy fell on top of him again, laughing and wiping away her tears.

A little girl's dreams

They sat all on deck, looking at the nice evening sun. It was just too beautiful to be real but Jack thought considering that he was in heaven, it should be better than what he had before. And so far it all had been like he dreamed accept of one or two wee situations where his mother did or said something stupid again, either to piss him off or to cause Elizabeth to laugh herself to death, but considering that she already was dead...well he hated it being taken the piss all the time and especially when Lizzy was around.

Kathee was sitting opposite of Jack and handed him a bottle of rum, which he took with a smile. Then she smiled at Lianne and turned back to her son, who was busy watching Elizabeth walking around on deck, wearing her nice white pirate dress, she got from her best friend when they had stopped at Tortuga once. Kathee grinned and said: "I wonder what she had done to ye Jackie, making ye moan that loud." Jack turned towards his mother with a rather angry look on his face, that told her not to say something like this. Especially not when Elizabeth was around and might hear them. "Nothing what could be your business", he snapped. Kathee just laughed. "Oh I know quite well that the lass can make ye do whatever she wants, she got you on her leash.." Jack just made a face and looked away from the two really annoying mothers. "I've never seen her so happy." Now it was Lianne who was speaking. "You really make her happy, you know that Jack." Jack just looked at her to tell her that he was listening but he wished more than anything in the world that they would just drop it and change the bloody subject. Then when he looked at his mother he caught a glimpse of something sad in her blown eyes. He looked at her with a questioning look and she sighed. "Jackie, when ye introduced her to me, ye said that her name was Elizabeth Turner. I thought she was called Swann." The grin faded from his face and he just sighed, dropping his head, avoiding the looks from the two mothers. "Aye, she's married, that's why she's called bloody Turner. She married the Captain of the Flying Dutchman." Kathee just seemed to feel sorry for her son and put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry son", she whispered, knowing immediately that this had been hard for him to admit, causing it to sound too real. "Yea, me too.", he simply answered and stood up, leaving the two women. Kathee turned to Lianne. "Ye know, I quite believe that this hurt him quite a lot." Lianne just nodded. "From what I've heard, all those stories about him, I've never believed that he was this nice and caring. I more thought of him as a pirate." Kathee laughed. "Of course he is but behind that he hides his heart. And believe you me, he's really got a big heart. He's just not showing everyone." Lianne understood. "So Elizabeth can be lucky that she even knows him so well, considering that he uses to hide his heart." Kathee nodded.

"Where's Jack?", someone asked. The women looked up and straight into Elizabeth's eyes. "He left just a minute ago. I think he's rather upset about something, I dunno what exacly. Maybe you talk to him." Lizzy nodded and looked over to the helm with a concerned look on her face.

"Jack!", she shouted and came over to him. He just gave her a half-hearted smile and looked out to sea again. "Jack, something's troubling you..", she tried but he kept his eyes on the sea. "Please when you don't talk to me how can I help you?", she said. He didn't move an inch. That was enough for her, she didn't want to talk to him while he was avoiding her eyes. "Jack, listen to me! I'm tired of talking to a brick wall! Look at me!" He sighed and turned around. Elizabeth saw something on his eyes that nearly made her gasp, fear. "There's nothing tae worry about Elizabeth." Jack was staring at her now, trying to guess what she might be thinking. "There is something not right and I want you to tell me, otherwise I can't help." "Maybe I don't need your help, maybe there's nothing you can do about it, maybe no one can help me." He turned away again. "Jack, I'm not having this, we're in heaven, so we should be happy, and not upset about something no one understands." Jack waved his hand in the air. "Year, right. This is no heaven for me darling, I'm trying as hard as I can but some things won't leave you, even when you die." "But how we do something about it when no one knows what's going on." "..my mother knows."

Elizabeth just wanted to say something but she was interrupted by Kathee shouting something like 'there's a ship coming'. Ignoring Elizabeth standing in front of him he shouted back: "What colours?" Lianne looked over the rail and said: "None!" Jack looked past Elizabeth at the horizon. She soon followed his example, totally forgetting her anger for a minute. She gasped when she recognized the ship, it was the Dutchman. She looked at Jack, whose expression darkened with anger. "Oh bugger!", she muttered. Jack just walked past her and towards the rail, staring at the coming ship. She was suddenly afraid of him, she didn't know what he would do when he saw Will again. Then something else went through her mind, she was still married to Will. It was all horrible, her whole dream of heaven was being shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

"Jack...?", she tried but winced at the sound of her own voice. She could hear fear and anger, desperately trying to hold back tears. "..J..Jack..please..". 'He's not worth it, he's not bloody worth it!', he mind screamed but she couldn't bring herself to speak.

The Dutchman was now side by side with the Pearl, the two Captains staring at each other. Then Will made the first move, Elizabeth winced again. He sounded hurt, but also angry. She grabbed Jack's hand but he just let go and stepped forward. "What are ye doing here?", he said. Will looked at Elizabeth and said: "I've come to say that I'm sorry, Elizabeth." She didn't response. He had killed Jack and she truly hated Will for it, she hated him for so much in that second. "Can I come on board?" Jack was already more angry then she had ever seen him. "No, ye bloody can not!", he screamed at him. But Elizabeth had an idea, she turned towards Jack and said: "Jack, just let him come." He turned around and looked at her with a mixture of anger and hurt in his gorgeous brown eyes. He stared at her. Just stared, something that frightened her. "..but why?", he managed to say. "I think I really need to talk to him, Jack." "And what makes ye think he'll listen?", Jack repeated. But his voice sounded very bitter and not at all gently. "because he's my husband, he'll listen." Jack lowered his eyes, and said: "Year I know." He sounded defeated and didn't seem to say another word to the matter, he just turned around. "If ye have to..but please make it quick, I don't want that ass on my ship." Elizabeth grinned. Then she turned around without another word to Jack. He was upset now. Last night she's been so nice to him, laid next to him and even kissed him, and now?

Will came on board and tried to hug Elizabeth when he saw her but she refused. "I have no intention to be nice to you William Turner." He dropped his hands and looked at Jack as if it was his fault that his wife didn't want anything to do with him any more. "And that's got nothing to do with Jack. I called you here because I have a last wish." He smiled gently. "I came to apologize, I really am sorry." She sniffed at that. His expression darkened.