Chapter 5: Forethought

With other options being scarce, Elizabeth could do nothing else but take Jack to her room and wait. When the word came that Teague went out to sea to fetch Tia Dalma she got to the stage where she found it very hard to see her beloved pirate in the state he was, given there was no immediate solution. She was crying from the anxiety she felt when he was not looking. When women imagine about nursing their heroes, their fantasies don't usually take account of the grim physical realities of illness. It could have been awkward given their histories and how they parted, but they didn't talk much, and after a while Elizabeth got convinced it wasn't just pretending that Jack lay still and silent so often. It was a sort of hiding, hiding his physical pain. Sometimes when she sat there she'd wonder if she should distract herself, read a book, clean things. She never left him alone too long; frequently changed compresses seemed to help.

"You don't need anything?" she asked him occasionally.

"Not a thing." (A calm stomach, a non-throbbing head, and you… but you can't give me any of the above…)

"Got you some bread and water, should be easy to digest."

"Don' really want to eat…" He was aware that a whiny note had crept into his voice somewhere along the line, but he did not care.

Elizabeth sighed, "you sure…"

"Still kinda…" he rubbed his stomach lightly.

Elizabeth gave him a disapproving look, to which Jack took the cup out of her hand and started sipping from it slowly. When he was finished, he glanced over to Elizabeth before putting the cup down and then he slumped down onto the bed.

And again, the uneasiness of the situation. Elizabeth wanted to do something to relieve the discomfort, but she could only think of comforting him. That would've involved an even closer physical contact and she wasn't sure either of them could handle it, then or later. She tried to alienate herself from the situation and act just as a nurse. She was strong, she could do it, she kept telling herself. During her time in Shipwreck City, she always kept imagining how it would be to see Jack again. It didn't happen in any of the ways she'd imagined. And after a couple of years had passed, she'd given up hoping. Missing Will for ten years was bad enough, she couldn't think of not seeing Jack for ten years either. Or more. Nothing really bound Jack to Shipwreck City, or her. Now, sitting there next to him, she realized she will love this man forever. But that didn't mean she couldn't love another. She could do that, but it hurt Jack. She started to understand how cruel she has been to him. He wanted her and it was so clear. Yet she dismissed that for her own selfish reasons. When this was over, she'll have to take care of him properly. It must've been easier for Jack though, in that sense. He was just too out of it most of the time to even notice who was taking care of him. She didn't dare tell him Tia Dalma might come either. Confusion was the last thing he needed just now. Elizabeth shook herself out of her reverie. She glanced out the window at the skies. She had lost track of time, lost in remembering and yet another day had passed with no word from Teague or Tia Dalma and no change in Jack's condition. If she didn't need to stay to take care of him she would've been out there chasing Barbossa or something. They couldn't rely on Calypso. There were no guarantees she could honor the request. She was unpredictable, to say the least, but so she might, she encouraged herself.

Part 3: Tia Dalma

"My love will drive you insane

Ahh, you get to love me any way I say

Ahh, you get to love me and my sweet pain

Oh

Pain has got it's reason

You find it pleasin', yes you do, yes you do

And I'm gonna show you now

You'll get to love it anyhow"

(Sweet Pain- Kiss)

"Are you sure about this?" Teague asked Tia Dalma as they arrived at Jack's dimly lit room at the Sparrow house. As an answer Tia Dalma looked into the eyes of the keeper of the code for a moment and nodded, "I've helped Jack a lot before. I wished him immortality, I wished him to be around for long. I didn't wish him this."

Teague reached for the door handle to let her in. Conjuring her into her temporary human form was easier and a lot faster than he thought as there was no resistance from the sea witch. Yes, he knew that her and Jack were lovers once and that she wanted to replace Davvy Jones with him, but never believed she would care for mere pirates once she was back in her depths as a goddess.

The pirate lord of the Caribbean was lying in bed, partly propped up by pillows. Elizabeth was sitting by him, holding his hand. He lifted his head weakly, startled, and smiled when he saw his old friend came in, "you." He propped himself up with his hands and raised himself higher, and Elizabeth put another cushion behind his back. There was a pot with water and a cloth next to his bed. His eyes looked drowsy, and Tia Dalma became much more concerned at once, only now realizing the exact severity of Jacks' condition. "Good day Jack. How do you feel?" She asked, smiling gently down at her ex.

"Dead beat," Jack replied.

"I'd rather be staring soon," said anxiously Tia Dalma, "I have to touch you at the most affected part, to be able to recognize the vibes of the enchantment," she explained to Jack.

Jack lifted his shirt and Tia Dalma put her hands softly on his belly and closed her eyes. She flickered them open again very quickly; "somebody had been interfering with the spell already!"

"Giselle…" informed her Elizabeth.

"Giselle??" asked Tia Dalma. "She uses magic? And has contact with you?" She inquired almost at the same time, her cynical voice sounding a bit jealous.

"She was the one who brought me home, along with Anamaria, I would've not managed alone. She asked a witch she knew to try something, but it only helped a little."

Tia Dalma nodded and resumed her assessment. This time it took a few minutes till she allowed herself back to reality.

Jack closed his eyes too, taking the chance to rest again. Tia Dalma now exchanged alarmed looks with Elizabeth. "Hmm," she completed her assessment, "it seems like a pretty complicated enchant to me."

"Can you break it?" asked now an apprehensive Teague.

"No. Not like this anyway. But the spell would became void itself if the pirate who cast it died."

"We have to find Barbossa," stood up Elizabeth ready for action, "I'm taking the compass, we lost too much time already."

"Aye, of course," said Teague, "but what if you can't find him?"

"There is another way," Tia Dalma alleged, "a ritual that would give him some of my powers and thus counteract the spell."

"Would that not weaken you?" Elizabeth voiced her surprise over the offer.

"My powers are unlimited," Calypso lifted her hands, "a little loss, I'll not notice."

They all nodded to themselves and looked at the sick pirate.

Tbc