A/N: Wow peeps! Thank you for the lovely reviews. I'm glad you liked the last chapter even though I swear I don't remember half of what I wrote. I just remember there was Jack, Elizabeth and a restaurant of some sort and I don't remember half of the dialouge I gave them. That's what you get when you write after not sleeping for 48 hours.

As I said before each chapter takes place before the previouse chapter.This chapter takes place about a year before the last chapter. Explains why Jack and the crew haven't seen eachother in so long and even though JE don't come face to face it has a lot of JE conversation. I'll give a bit of good news though...next chapter they is about JE fencing! So it's pretty intense.

For now read, enjoy and reviews make me write so fast you can't imagine.

Jack had only one major regret in his entire long long life...and that was having ever met her. Saving her was a mistake he was paying for every day of his life.

Yet the sadest thing was that he knew if he could go back he would save her again. He wouldn't let her drown. He hated that honest streak that still existed in him and he wished he could at least say in all honesty that if given a second chance he wouldn't act so noble.

He sat in front of his computer, resting his feet on the table beside it. "Bloody technology!" he muttered as he looked at the screen. Then he did something entirely unlike him. Something he hadn't done in his entire life. Something so out of character that he locked the door to his room to make sure Gibbs didn't figure out what he was doing.

He sat in front of the computer and cleared his throat. Shook his shoulders a bit to relax himself and clicked 'compose' in his email account. Then he wrote...he wrote to get her out of his mind and heart.

Wasn't like he always thought of her. Not after so long. He used to think about her every day but now he didn't think about her for years at a time yet something always happened to bring the memories of her back. Today that something that reminded him of her just happened to be a group of homeless people burning rum to keep themselves warm, a group of homeless people who he'd seen as he was coming back home from a club. Why oh why did they have to burn rum of all things?

He decided to write all the things that he should have told her when she was still alive.

Dear Lizzie-

No! No! 'Dear' wouldn't do at all. There was nothing 'dear' about her. He deleted the two words and started over.

Lizzie luv,

Yes! Much better.

Lizzie luv,

Are you happy and comfy in hell? Great! Wonderful! I wish you the best. You and Satan should get along fine. Just fine!

Ever heard that little song by Elvis called 'Devil in disguise'? I think he might as well have been talking about you.

But you know what the difference between me and him was? He saw you as an angel. He loved that angel...he probably still does (if he's still up and about) but he never loved you. He loved the angel...he never saw you.

I saw you Lizzie! Man oh man did I ever see you. I saw that devil, that pirate, that selfish woman who would do anything neccassary to get what she wants. You back stabbed me, betrayed me and killed me and even though I was angry, my feelings for you never stopped because who I had feelings for was you...all of you. You did what you had to do and that only proved to me that you were exactly who I thought you were.

I'm not sure I loved you. Maybe I did, maybe not! Who knows? You never gave me a chance to find out, did you now?

I guess that's part of your cruelness eh? Wouldn't even let a man make sure of how he felt.

Anyways...Robert's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt! Here I am still hung up on you. You must have worked some kind of magic on me but why? Why do you want me to want you when I don't want to want you because you're not even here to be wanted? And even if you were here you would most certainly not want me to want you and you wouldn't want me would you? I wonder why you kissed me, I wonder why you were always more than happy to join me in a nice ol' game of teasing eh?

I'm done! I'm done wondering. I'm over you. Hah! Take that. Must be hard to hear for someone who has had a lot of men trailing after her. I won't be one of them...not anymore.

I feel lighter now. Now that I can move on from your web of lies. I can't blame you for anything you did...you wouldn't have captivated me if you were anything more or less. You couldn't have vexed a man as dishonest as myself to such an extent if you'd been all sweet 'n angelic. Though I will not pretend that it wasn't my longing for a taste of innocence that drew me to you in the first place. Maybe I am just a bit of a good man afterall. Hardly matters now eh?

I hope you're happy with your choices. Because wether I liked them or not...they were all the right ones. I never told you this but I'm quite proud of you...I thought you came over to my side at first but then I realized you can ignore your selfishness just as well.

It might be a bit late but I'm finally free! Finally got you out of my head.

I know loads of people down in hell. Send my regards to them won't you?

Your ever dishonest subject,

CJS

After finishing Jack leaned back and stuck his tongue out in a look of disgust. He wasn't one to express his feelings...in any form or manner but he was happy that he'd gotten it over and done with. Now he could clear his head and move on with his life for good. Not even thinking about her once every few years.

He couldn't bring himself to delete the email. He just stared at it as it displayed on the screen and looked at the blank spaces above the page. There was a space for a 'subject' and one labled 'to'. He filled in the subject: Lizzie I'm over you! and looked at the other empty space. If she were alive what would her email address be?

He thought about it. LizzieSwann? Too obviouse. ElizabethS? Probably but he personally thought Lizzie suited her better. LizzieS? Perhaps.

He filled in the space labled 'to': LizzieS.

He leaned back again and stared at the screen. He was satisfied with his work so he pulled out his small silver flask and took a sip of his rum. He raised his feet and rested them on the desk only to find he'd rested them on the keyboard instead. He shot up in surprise as his feet hit a key causing the email to close.

He sighed. "Oh well! I had to delete it anyway."

But a sense of horror hit him as a single message flashed on the screen: "Message sent."

"Oh bugger!"

Elizabeth had been running around all day and wanted nothing more than a hot bath and a TV dinner. She tossed her purse and coat on the kitchen table and started stripping down right then and there. One of the many benifits of living alone.

She literally ran to the bathroom, drew a hot bubble bath and lay in the hot water with a sense of comfort. It was only logical that she let out a disappointed groan as she heard the dreaded sound of her laptop: "You've got mail! You've got mail!"

"Oh great! Just great." she muttered as jumped out of the tub and wrapped a silk robe around her. She had to make sure the email wasn't from her boss.

She lay on her bed and placed the laptop in front of her. There was only one message in her inbox labled: "Lizzie I'm over you!"

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Huh?"

She clicked on it just for the sake of curiosity and read it. As she read the email she felt her blood freezing in her veins and boiling again. It was so obviouse someone had sent this to her by accident when it was meant for another 'Lizzie' but...it was as if the person who wrote it was actually talking about her. Like the person knew her. This man ,whoever he was, was too much like...him. Only he would never put down his feelings like this and he probaby never felt that strongly about her like this man cared about this other Elizabeth. Because whoever he was, and despite what he said, it was clear that this man still had feelings for that girl.

Even while knowing that, she couldn't help but feel that he too had seen her for what she really was, that he too had probably been proud of her for acting selfish just like this man was proud of this other Elizabeth. Before she could reply to the email and inform the writer of their mistake there came another email.

This one read:

So terribly sorry for the last email! Wasn't meant to be sent to anyone...if you know what I mean.

Oh so the man hadn't meant to send it at all. She smiled and wrote back:

You're really hung up on this girl aren't you?

The reply came almost instantly:

No not anymore! Didn't you read carefully?

She smiled knowingly:

Well seems to me that you want to be over her but you actually aren't.

This reply too came rather fast:

What are you? A shrink or something?

She chuckled:

Or something.

The reply surprised her:

Ever been in love?

She answered honestly. This was a stranger afterall, how could it hurt:

I thought so but I'm not so sure anymore.

He replied:

Yeah! Me neither. Ain't life a bitch?

She smiled at that:

Jack was surprised at himself. He hated technology and now he was enjoying it. He wanted to say goodbye to this stranger but somehow he couldn't bring himself to stop the conversation.

He typed another message:

Aren't you scared?

Of what?

It's the internet. For all you know I can be a seventy year old freak looking for an innocent young girl to hunt down.

LOL! For all you know I can be an old lady looking for some loving from a younger man. We're even.

As you wish bold one. But I warn you...I can be very dangerous.

I'm not such a safe person myself.

Glad to hear that! Where do you live darling?

NY. You?

NY believe it or not.

I'll believe you for now. But only cause it's easier then not believing you.

That's fair.

You realize it's 1 A.M and some of us have to go to work tomorrow.

Work? Oh that's boring.

What? Don't tell me you don't work.

I never said I don't but my type of work doesn't require getting up early.

You in some kind of drug dealing business?

Oh no god forbid that! I guess you can lable my work as 'stealing' but only if you lack imagination for a better word to describe it. I won't elaborate. You can be an ugly fat FBI agent with a chocolate donut in his hand waiting for me to spill my secrets.

You know what? For a guy who just got over a girl he's been hung up on for a long time...you have a nice sense of humor.

That's me luv! Why cry when you can laugh, I always say.

Goodnight freaky theif guy!

Goodnight darling! Don't let the beasties bite.

He turned his computer off with a grin. He rarely slept unless he was really tired. Didn't like the feeling of life going on all around him while he was sleeping and missing it.

But right now he felt enough peace to finally get some shut eye...maybe just rest his eyes a bit on the couch. Yup! That was it...just a little rest for his eyes.

Elizabeth fell asleep on the bed right in front of her laptop. She was so tired she didn't change into her pajamas or slip under the covers. Her sleep was deep and peaceful until she woke up with another sound from the laptop. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the screen:

You awake?

Now I am.

Good.

What time is it?

6:30 milady.

You're up early for someone who doesn't have to go to work.

I rarely sleep luv.

Well I do sleep...if you don't mind I still have half an hour before I have to get ready for work.I wouldn't mind getting some shut eye.

She let her head fall back on the bed again and shut her eyes. Only to be disturbed by another sound from the laptop. "What now?" she groaned as she straightened her head to look at the computer:

So what do you do for a living?

She sighed in a very irritated manner:

Which part of 'I have half an hour to get some shut eye' don't you understand? You have no respect for people's peace, quiet and sleep do you?

Of course not! People who do never get anywhere in life.

That's a bit dark.

So is the world luv! How can I possibly wake yo up by emailing you may I ask? Do you sleep in front of your computer?

No! I sleep in my bed.

That's a relief to know.

My laptop is with me at all times so I won't miss anything from work.

Oh that's a bit uptight. You need to loosen up. You single?

She frowned and typed:

Perhaps. You a jerk?

Might be many things luv but never a jerk. Coffee?

Maybe. When?

Five thirty today. You pretty?

You'll have to wait and judge for yourself. Where?

Cafe Lalo. How will I know you?

You won't. The question is: how will I know you?

You will...I'll be the most good looking man in the room. Satisfied?

You're a bit too cocky. Why?

Comes with the territory. You sure you're not a psychiatrist?

Positive. So I'll see you right?

Very soon. Going to get some shut eye now?

If you let me. Will you?

Probably. Ta for now darling!

She let her head fall back down. What had she done? Going on a date with someone she didn't know? She didn't even know his name and yet she was looking forward to the date.

Jack never went on dates. He had his fair share of 'one night stands' but never an innocent date. He couldn't decide wether or not this was a good thing but this girl was certainly interesting.

He went about his day as normal as could be... for him. He drank his share of rum with Gibbs at the local pub, picked a few pockets, emptied an ATM account and planned his next trip. He didn't stay in NewYork much he was always traveling around.

About five o'clock he was already waiting at the cafe. Sitting at the bar and drinking coffee which he'd spiked(of course). He still couldn't believe he was going along with this. Why? Curiosity.

He tapped his foot a bit and sipped from his mug. She would surely find him...he was the only single guy in the cafe except for a blonde dude with blue eyes who was sitting on the other side of the room picking his nose and (althought the blonde dude wasn't bad looking himself) he definitely looked better than him. He was the best looking guy in the room...just as he promised.

He looked at the clock on the wall. Still about twenty minutes left. Suddenly Gibbs came bursting in the coffee shop.

"Captain?! Captain?!" he panicked. "Captain?!"

"What? What and what?"

"It's Stocking! He's found out what we've done. He's after us I tell you, mark me words. He knows we stole some money from that Public Relations company of his."

"Oh bugger! How do you know?"

"Marty heard something from Hamelton...Stocking's lawyer. We gotta scatter..."

"Aye. We'll devide into groups of two and we'll meet back here in about a year savvy? It's the best solution. They'll take us down like the Titanic if we stick together. Tell everyone."

"Aye aye captain." Gibbs whispered. "But we must move fast. They're already after us."

Jack gave it some thought. "Well we don't have any problems...money wise. Thanks to dear ol' Mr.Stocking." he grinned. "Tell everyone to get out of the country within the next two hours. You an' I'll be going to Singapore...it's lovely there this time of the year. I'll be out of here in ten minutes, now go call them..."

The older man nodded and hurried outside.

Jack sighed and grinned. "Finally! Some good old fashioned game of running from the authorities. How lovely!" he whispered to himslef. They wouldn't be able to prove that Jack was responsible even if they caught him but it was always better to be safe than sorry.

The only thing he was slightly disappointed about was not being able to stay for his date. He wouldn't stand the girl up though. If she was interesting enough to drag him out to a date it meant she had to be special. He thought about how he should inform her about the little cancelation. He grinned and called the waitress over to him.

"Luv..." he told the young waitress. "Can you do me a favor?"

Jack exited the cafe and turned left exactly a second before Elizabeth walked to the cafe from the right and entered. She was at the small cozy cafe ten minutes before their date was supposed to start. She'd surprised herself by being entirely giddy at work the whole day. She caught herself checking her mail, daydreaming about what to wear and checking her reflection in the mirror. She'd scolded herself for being excited about a date when she didn't even know the guy but she couldn't help it.

She straightened the wrinkles on her casual gray dress that she had to admit looked rather good on her and sat at the bar and scanned the room. Most people were there with a group of friends or a date and the only one who sat alone was a good looking blonde man who sat at a table reading the newspaper but she doubted it was him. If it was him he wouldn't be reading the paper or he would at least glance at the door every few minutes. She took another look at her watch and ordered a coffee. The waitress looked at her questioningly.

"Excuse me are you Lizzie? LizzieS or something of the sort?" she asked her. Elizabeth nodded.

"Yes. How did you know?"

"A dashing fellow was here earlier. He sat around for a while before his friend came running in and told him something that apparently made him want to leave but before he left he gave me this." she held out a piece of paper and a single red rose. "And he told me to give it to a very beautiful young lady who would come in here around five thirty."

Elizabeth was surprised. "What?"

"Believe me. His exact words were 'Luv can you do me a favor? There will be a very attractive young lass checking in here around and about five thirty-ish. Her name's Lizzie, LizzieS or so I think...can you give her a message?'." the waitress said in a gruff voice. Elizabeth figured she was trying to imitate a man's voice but she was failing miserably. The waitress continued with enthusiasm. "So he grabbed my pen and a paper from my notepad, scribbled down something and grabbed a flower from one of the tables-" she pointed to the tables. They each had a vase with a red rose except for one. "and handed them to me. So here you are!" she handed the flower and the note to her.

"By the way." the waitress added. "He already payed enough for anything you might want to eat."

Before reading the note Elizabeth couldn't help but ask. "This man...was he good looking?"

The waitress winked. "Extremely girl! He was hot. Were you on a blind date with him?"

"Yeah sorta." she said before unfolding the note.

Lizzie luv, (that is infact your name right?)

I showed up rather early for our little date(if you want to call it that) but a series of unfortunate complications have arouse that have forced me to leave. By the time you read this I'm probably on a plane to Thailand or Singapore or some place of that sort. You remember how I told you some people call my area of work stealing? Yeah, well Mr.Stocking is one of those people, he's this big shot business guy with a dozen companies...I can't see why he can't spare some of his money. Anyway...I'm on the run now so you understand that I can't keep my email address right?

I'm trusting you with this little secret. I hope you won't sell me out or do something just as foolish. Because I am very dangerous and I'll hunt you down and make you pay...don't laugh darling! I'm serious...sorta.

Well, you must believe I was looking forward to seeing you. If you're ever in Singapore or if I ever come back to NewYork we'll get together eh?

Wish me luck! Yours truly, CJS

P.S: See? I may be a crook and a scallywag but I most definitely am not a jerk who ditches a fair lady such as yourself without a word.

P.P.S: I told the waitress to give the letter to a very attractive lady so if you're reading this you must be damn good looking and I regret missing our date even more.

Elizabeth laughed at the last bit and at the fact that Mr.Stocking was her boss and the owner of the public relations company she worked at. He was a total bastard so she was glad this 'CJS' character had decided to steal from him.

She sniffed the rose, tucked it behind her ear and put the note in her purse. She couldn't say she wasn't disappointed but she couldn't say she was. She was disappointed that the date had been canceled but she wasn't disappointed of the charactiristics of the man...he was definitely exciting. For now she would just have to put the money he'd payed to good use by ordering a cake and more coffee.

"Excuse me miss."

She turned her head around to see the blonde man she'd spotted earlier standing in front of her. His light icy blue eyes studying her.

"Yes?"

"Is this seat taken." he pointed to the stool beside her.

"Not at all. Have a seat."

"Thank you." he said with a smile. "I'm Dexter by the way but call me Dex."

"Nice to meet you Dex. I'm Elizabeth."

They shook hands. Sure Dex wasn't as alluring or fascinating as the stranger she was supposed to meet but he was good company for now.

Jack shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He still preferred ships to planes, cars and trains but he didn't nag to Gibbs anymore. He looked out his window, to the clouds that surrounded them. "The sea is more beautiful." he decided in a whisper.

He wondered what his date was doing now. Had she even shown up? Did she get the note? Would she tell the authorities he was leaving the country? Unlikely.

Was she sitting alone at the cafe or had she gone home? Maybe she'd found another date? Was she disappointed or indifferent by the turn of events? It hardly mattered but he wondered all the same. Curiosity was in his nature.

The truth was...he would think of anything and anyone as long as it kept him from thinking...of her.

There you have it folks!! Just so you know in "Through The Ages" Elizabeth doesn't work for stocking anymore and if you want to see JE actually meet you gotta read "Through The Ages."

If you wanna see Jack and Lizzie do some fencing (against eachother mind you) stay tuned for the next chapter. And for those who suggested...let me tell you that I will do a piece in the sequel to "Through The Ages" where Jack and Elizabeth realize they've met. And you don't have to read "Through The Ages" to understand the sequel.

Ta for now. (press the button! Come on! Press it. Damn I knew I should've studied hypnotizing.)