A/N: Hello peeps! This is one of the shorter hastier chapters. Just wanted to fill the void between 1920's and...well you'll have to review to see what comes next (or before?)

Remember that each chapter comes before the previous, enjoy this little snippet and review if you want to see Jack and Elizabeth chase each other and (gasp) find each other dead.

Little streaks of chocolate brown mixed in with the milk and coffee as Elizabeth dipped her cake in it. It was far too warm for tea or coffee and Elizabeth only pretended to drink it in case Mrs. Dawson noticed. Thank god Mrs. Dawson was half blind and didn't notice when she emptied her drink in a nearby vase.

"And so I thanked Mr. Robinson for lending me his carriage until mine was fixed," Mrs. Dawson rambled on "he's a very very kind man ."

Elizabeth zoned out again and fanned herself with great force. Never in her life had she worn so many layers and that was saying something considering she'd passed out from the 'layers' at one point in her life.

On her underwear she was wearing a chemise, silk stockings and a tight corset. Then a big hoop to keep her skirt wide and on top of that an off-white dress of finest cotton and taffeta with red flowers and a red bow at the waist. Not to forget a bonnet and a tight coiffure. She fanned herself again, enjoying the slight breeze on her expose shoulders.

Where oh where was her pirate with a pocket knife when she needed one?

I can't breathe!

She let a smile play at the corner of her lips.

The widow's chatter brought her to herself again.

"And of course your uncle Sam send his regards in the letter. I haven't seen him in ages!"

Elizabeth smiled. "Oh I saw him just last summer when I went to New Orleans with cousin Becca."

"Oh he was on business there no doubt. Who was cousin Becca again...is that old Jim's daughter?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes of course."

She smiled to herself again. The old lady had been so kind to let her live at her estate...after Elizabeth had masterfully convinced her that she was a long lost cousin.

"John! John! Are you listening to me?"

"Of course," Jack nodded.

"And what did I just say?"

"How absolutely lovely Mrs. Dawson is."

"Ah yes yes! The girl's guardian Mrs. Dawson is very respectable and nice," Mr. Robinson added. "I tell you John the young girl has such a great reputation...if you marry her you'll be highest respected gentleman in all of Atlanta."

"Perfect. Just what I was looking for," Jack said with a hint of sarcasm. He cursed himself for getting caught, having to go to court and who would ever think his way out would be to get married of all things?!

Jack had been in many pickles...this being one of the soggiest since the Davy Jones business.

"We're almost there John," the older man exclaimed.

"Oh hurray!" Jack muttered.

The carriage pulled up to the big white house. This was it.

"This is it Vivian," Mrs. Dawson told Elizabeth. "He's a handsome young man, very nice and respectable. He was taken to court last week though."

This caught Elizabeth's attention. She still held some interest for a fellow scoundrel. "Oh?!"

"Yes but not to worry my dear. Mr. Robinson assured me that it was an accident...a simple misunderstanding."

Elizabeth's shoulders fell in disappointment. "Oh!"

"Oh look they're pulling up in a beautiful carriage!"

"Now that she can see," Elizabeth muttered under her breath. "Why fiddle-dee-dee! I'm not in the right attire...I can't possibly go down to accept my-my future husband looking like this!" she added for the old lady to hear.

Mrs. Dawson nodded. "True! That yellow dress you're wearing doesn't suit the purpose does it? Why don't you go change into the purple one you were wearing on Monday?"

"The green one you mean?"

"Yes yes!"

"Well won't they think it rude if I'm late?"

"I'll stall them for you my dear."

Elizabeth smiled. "Thank you! I'll change my dress in haste."

Mrs. Dawson started walking down the stairs to go to the drawing room but Elizabeth merely stood there and looked out the window.

She could see the figures walking to the front steps. The older man was dressed in black and walked slowly while the younger was dressed in a gray that didn't suit the occasion at all. He was spinning his cane in one hand and supporting a hat in the other. His swagger had a spirit to it, a bounce almost.

Perhaps she would send down a little note and apologize for being late.

Jack shifted on the uncomfortable chair and whistled in a nonchalant manner. The whole situation was amusing him now...yet another adventure for Captain Jack Sparrow to overcome.

Finally he heard Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Dawson walking to the drawing room and rose to his feet to greet them.

"Why Mrs. Dawson! I've heard so much about you," Jack said as he bowed to kiss her on the hand. "As a matter of fact all Mr. Robinson can talk about is how kind and ladylike you are."

The old lady giggled. "He does?"

Mr. Robinson smiled and nodded. "Of course I do."

"Now where is the young Miss Dawson?" Jack asked.

"Oh she's changing into her afternoon gown. Why don't we take tea until she comes down ?"

Jack nodded and they all sat down while the maid brought in a tray and served them tea and coffee.

"Mr. Smith? Miss Vivian sent down this quick note to apologize for being late."

"How very kind," Jack exclaimed tiredly. She was already disliking this girl...changing into evening gowns and sending notes of apology.

Dear Mr. Smith,

I can only hope you are doing well this evening.

My sincere apologies for the delay. However there was matter I wished to discuss without the presence of Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Dawson.

I see no other way to go about this other than to word it quite honestly and if this may come across as rude I must beg for you apology.

While I have no doubt in your character I do not wish to be married. You understand that voicing this publicly would cause Mrs. Dawson great distress.

I wanted your help as a gentleman to end this without causing embarassment for either side.

For now I do hope you pretend that this is merely a simple apology note and nothing more.

Sincerely,

Vivian Dawson

Jack smiled. Perhaps he'd been too hasty in his judgment...this Vivian character was proving to be interesting. The name sounded French...

In spite of the whole humiliating grapes thing he'd always liked the French.

"Well this is quite thoughtful of her. Miss?" Jack said to the maid with his most seductive smile.

"Yes?"

"If you're going upstairs would you mind if I scribbled a little thanks for you to deliver?"

"Of course not sir."

Jack noticed with great pleasure that Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Dawson were too busy with their conversation to notice.

Elizabeth had managed to strip from her shift and corset by herself. She picked out more comfortable off-shoulder day dress in a dark dark green and wore it on top of her chemise. She kicked off her white slips and wore her harsh leather boots instead.

Ringlets of her haird fell in her face as she tied her wide bonnet to shade her face.

"Miss?"

"Yes Scarlett?"

"The young gentleman sent a reply to your note."

"Lovely," she snorted.

Vivian, you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear or rather read that.

It will be suspicious if we send anymore notes...I noticed a stable connected to the estate as I was walking along the driveway. Slip away and meet me there so we can discuss this. I'll make an excuse in front of the two love struck grandparents.

My regards, John Smith

Elizabeth couldn't help but clap her hands together in joy. Not every day you meet a man who doesn't want to get married, she thought.

Grabbing her fan and her cloak she rushed across the room to the little secret door on the opposite wall...she knew it would come in handy one day.

She was careful to place the door in it's place once she was in the corridor.

Finally the wooden top floor of the stable stretched in front of her, looking down she was disappointed to find that the ladder was gone and she had no means of getting down.

Having no choice left she bent down in the darkness and whispered. "Psssst! I'm up here."

A shadow shuffled through the darkness and a small window opened letting in some afternoon light, she could see the figure a bit better now.

"Pleasure to see you miss Vivian," he teased.

"Likewise Mr. Smith."

"Call me John."

"How did you get rid of the Mr. and Mrs... John?"

"They are now taking a walk around the grounds...I'm supposed to be exploring the stables."

"Which you are," she chuckled.

"Very much so," he agreed.

She paused for a second...something in his voice was warm and familiar.

"Have I perhaps met you...at a ball or event of some sort?"

"Doubtful since I just arrived in the country."

"Oh!"

"Well my dear seems to me we would have bonded had the situation been different but as it is we must come up with a way to end this...quickly."

She fanned herself again and thought about it. "Well you could just leave which would basically solve everything."

He laughed as he sat on a pile of hay. "I wish it were that simple. I happened to do a bit of foul dealing as it were which made me end up in court and next thing you know Mr. Robinson over there stood up for me and promised them that he'll make an honest man out of me. That I'd be on my best behavior and get married to prove it too. So now I'm stuck between signing my own death warrant or being sentenced by a judge savvy?"

She bolted straight. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing my dear," he scoffed. "Would you like me to help you down?"

"Could you? It's too dark to jump."

"Don't fret. I'll catch you."

Elizabeth wasn't afraid of getting hurt. After all...death didn't exist.

"Can you see?"

"Well enough," came the confident reply.

She didn't wait for further assurance and sat on the very edge of the wooden plank and jumped.

The strong arms that took hold of her waist came as a pleasant surprise because she half expected to crash to the ground with a painful thud. Instead she was caught in a firm grip and they both stumbled backwards and landed in a pile of hay.

She laughed as her bonnet came lose and covered her face.

"Thank you," Vivian said as she laughed.

He chuckled. "My pleasure."

He could see a faint outline of green silk in the dull afternoon light. Vivian took out her fan after a few seconds.

"So," she said as she straightened her bonnet and dusted herself off. He caught sight of a handful of golden honey hair and smiled to himself.

"What's your master plan?"

"Haven't got one yet."

She seemed to give it a second of thought. "Well you could always run away."

He laughed again. "Me and what army?" he asked. His crew was still somewhere in the Caribbean and wouldn't be meeting up with him for another month.

"Well...the Chattahoochee river does lead to the Gulf of Mexico."

Jack grinned as he ran a hand along her jaw line in the complete dark. "I like the way you think darling."

A bit later the two of them had talked the plan out and were lying on the bundle of hay and Jack was using her fan to cool both of them down.

"So...why don't you want to get married?"

She shrugged as she snatched the fan away from him. "I hate anything that's on obligation..."

"And?" Jack wondered as she shivered a bit under his touch.

"I also have...someone else on my mind."

"Ah! You're in love," Jack said with a knowing tone. Where had he heard that voice before?

I just thought I'd be married by now.

He shrugged the voice away.

"I'm not in love...I was in love. I lost him and I lost the other guy."

"Ouch! A love triangle that failed in every angle eh?" he whispered distractedly.

Once was quite enough.

"Indeed. I just need some time."

Enough mopping, he ordered himself as he jumped to his feet. "And time you shall have my love."

He heard her chuckle in the dark...

The light his cleanly shaved face for just a second as he got up and she was hit two piercing eyes. A shudder traveled down her spine. Even the voice, the accent was different but the voice.

Stop it! Stop. You dared to think he was alive last time and instead you found his grave. So stop!

He helped her up and she climbed on the stool to look out of the window.

"Well Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Dawson are on the orchid path. They won't see you if you run for it now."

She saw him move and before she knew it he'd lifted her by the waist and brought her to the ground.

"You're hair is the most exquisite color of honey brown I've ever seen," he whispered and turned her around with one quick motion.

He was dazzled when the sun hit her hair and skin but he had no desire to see her face and be disappointed. He wanted to pretend that it was her.

Unable to help himself he turned her around and kissed her hard like he'd wanted to kiss her so many times. His final conclusion was that she'd died too soon...her body floating amidst the cold water.

Perhaps she'd deserved it. It was all Jack's fault to be sure...he'd fired on her ship but perhaps they were square now. Besides...he was going to live forever to pay for it. Fair compensation.

He would forget about all of it for the time being and just kiss the girl. She almost kissed liked her except there was no relief or lust in this kiss just simple desire...and he was the boss this time.

Finally he broke away. He had to leave. "I guess this is it my dear!"

"So it is," she said and kissed him quickly on the lips.

He turned around and made a run for it.

Trying to compose herself he climbed up the stool and looked out the window. Mr. Robinson said something that made Mrs. Dawson laughed as they walked along the orchid path hand in hand.

She guessed respectable worked out for some people, she just wasn't one of them and it seemed neither was John Smith. She smiled at the name...John Smith! Good lord!

In her hand she held up a lit match and looked at the highly flame-able hay. By the time she ran out of the stable screaming about the fire and they managed to put it out and notice that John was gone he would be on a 'commandeered' ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

Watching the fire catch on she wondered if she should faint as she ran outside for some dramatic effect.

Having ran the whole way he slowed down for a few minutes to catch his breath.Jack shed his coat and hat as he walked along the river and took out his trusty compass. After flicking towards the Dawson estate for just a second it pointed straight ahead...perfect.

He spared a look over his shoulder to see the smoke rising to the air miles behind.

Ah! Strong women. He'd always had a weakness for them.

They would be the end of him one day...

His back hit the mast with his suspicion coming into full circle.

"I'm not sorry!"

Gah! Poor unfortunate souls. Will they ever have their happy ending? Those of you who have read "Through The Ages" already know. However I've already decided to give our pirates another happy ending(or beginning?) in the end(or is it beginning?) of this story.

You're bound to like the next chapter when the secret of the grave, the dead body and why they are so determined to think the other dead comes into full circle.
It's also the last post fountain chapter. So if you wanna have the chapter faster REVIEW!!