Elizabeth woke up before Jack did. She didn't have as much sleep to catch up on as he. She was also terribly thirsty. There was water all around her, but not a drop to drink. She shot a quick glance at Jack. He had his arms tucked under his head and his legs were crossed. Relaxed as usual. A smile was spread across his face. She could just imagine what he was dreaming about...the Fountain of Youth, the Pearl; rum...the list could go on forever! 'I'm so thirsty!' She thought to herself, gazing at the sea. Then she looked back at Jack. She noticed that his small rum container was slightly peeking out of his pocket. Normally she would not drink rum without considering it, but under these circumstances, did she have a choice?

Slowly but surely, she reached her hand towards the container. She grabbed the cap with the tips of her fingers and started to pull it from his pocket. It slid out, but suddenly, his hand shot up and grabbed her wrist.
"I don't think so, love." He said with a smile on his face, still holding her wrist with his ring-clad hand.
"Jack, I'm thirsty."
"Didn't your father ever tell you not to take things without asking first?" he asked half-teasingly with a smirking smile on his face.
Elizabeth dropped the container and freed her wrist from his grasp. Wrapping her arms around her legs, her head on her knees, she tried to hold back her tears. She had lost her father only a few days before, but it still hurt just as much, even though she had avenged his death. Jack scooted toward her, sliding the rum back into his pocket, "Sorry, love. I'd forgotten about your misfortune in the Locker."
"It's not your fault, Jack." A tear slid from her eye. She felt his hand on her face; he was wiping the tear away. The Lizzie she had been months before would have scorned him about such a gesture. But she had changed, gotten to know Jack well. The Lizzie she was now knew that it was out of caring rather than selfish ambition.
"See, Jack, you are a good man." He rolled his eyes and replied, "Miss Swann, how many times must I convince you otherwise?"
She smiled, ignoring his misuse of her title, giving him a pat on the shoulder. He smiled back at her.
All of a sudden, she heard a rustling noise from the forest behind her. Immediately standing up, she had her sword in her hand within seconds. Jack did the same. About thirty soldiers emerged from the trees, circling around the two of them. 'Oh no.' Elizabeth thought to herself. They all pointed their guns at Jack's head and hers. A tall, brawny man made his way through the soldiers and began to speak,
"On behalf of Lord Duran of the East India Trading Company, you are both under arrest."
She dropped her sword on the ground in surrender. Then she crossed her arms, suddenly aware of the dress she was wearing once again. Jack kept his sword in hand. 'Jack, don't do it.' But he did, "I don't know who you gentlemen think we are, but I think you best be moving along now." He shooed them away, waving his hands. The tall man glared at him and replied,
"You are Jack Sparrow and she is Elizabeth Swann."
" I thought so. You don't have the faintest idea who we are. You see, I am CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, and she's Elizabeth Turner." he said, nodding towards Elizabeth.
"I don't care who you are."
"What does this Lord Duran fellow have against me?"
"You're a pirate."
"Am not." The tall man took a hold on Jack's sleeve and pulled it back, exposing the branded "P" on his arm, Elizabeth recognized it immediately.
"Oh, look at that, I am a pirate."
"I see you're no stranger to the East India Trading Company, Sparrow. Your attitude will cost you greatly."
"What may be a great cost to you could be worth nothing to me. You don't scare me." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. 'You're only making it worse!'
"I'd shut your yap if I were you."
"And I will, but I have one more question."
The man rolled his eyes, "What?"
"What is she charged with?"
"Helping to save your skin and engaging in piracy."
"Oh."
Jack dropped his sword and held out his wrists, "Go on. Clap me in irons. I know how this works."

A soldier stepped forward and chained the irons on him. Jack looked over and saw that Elizabeth had her wrists out too. He smiled at her and she glared back at him. He then returned the glare then and said with accusation, "You know this is all Will's fault."
"No it's not," she replied as the soldier clapped the irons on her, "it's yours."
"'Tis not. He's the one who put you on this bloody island."
"You're the pirate." She said with her teeth gritted.
"So are you, PIRATE KING LIZZIE." he snapped. She put a sarcastic smile on her face. 'Oh...yeah.' She remembered.
"Who are you?" she asked the brawny man.
"Lord Collins," he replied, pushing her forward, "I am second in command after Lord Duran. Walk." Jack walked by her side. Collins and the soldiers followed behind in formation. Then Elizabeth gasped, remembering the chest. She leaned towards Jack's ear and whispered, "What about Will's heart?" Tears brimmed her eyes. She didn't want anything bad to happen to it.
"It seems they didn't see it, love," he whispered back, "we'll grab it when we come back."
Now the tears were flowing from her eyes, "We're not going to come back. We're going to die. Someone will find the chest, realize what it is, and then stab the heart. And it will be all my fault."
"Number one," Jack began, stumbling over rocks, "it wouldn't be your fault, it would be Will's. Remember, we talked about this? Number two, nothing bad will happen to it, sadly. Number three, we're not going to die."

Collins interrupted their conversation by announcing, "We are going to sail you to Port Royal, where you will be branded and hung." Elizabeth winced, Jack replied, "I'm already branded mate, so there'll be no need for that."
"Yes, but she isn't. Nice try." Collins retorted with a smile, as if amused.

As they walked along the beach, towards the town, Curdy, Elizabeth assumed the worst. She thought about being hung. Then realized that all the people in Port Royal, her old home, who knew her as Elizabeth Swann, the governor's daughter, would be there. Her old friends and acquaintances would watch her hang at the noose. She thought about Will and how he would return after ten years, only for her not to be there. Just like Davy Jones and Calypso. The thought made her heart pound. Would Will go on a rampage and cease his work? Would he grow tentacles and a claw? Jack interrupted her train of bad thoughts by whispering in her ear, "I've figured it out, Lizzie."
"What, Jack?" she asked. 'Good, he has a plan!'
"We're going to die."
A couple of tears swam down her cheeks. She looked over at him and shook her head in sadness. He smiled and said, chuckling, "I'm just teasing, darling."
"That was not funny, Jack." she replied with a glare. Why was she being so weepy anyways? He should not have teased her like that. But she knew how he worked. And it was one of the reasons why she...liked him so much. She couldn't help but crack a smile.
"I'll explain on the ship, Lizzie." he said, nodding towards the dock ahead of them. A huge ship, the Nemesis, was waiting for its prisoners.

It was dark by the time they boarded the ship. As they had been pushed up the gang plank, Jack thought to himself, "Okay, you've got her hopes up, but know you have to REALLY think of a plan.' Truth be told, he wasn't teasing about them dying. But when she started to cry, he couldn't stand seeing her so upset. Whenever she cried or seemed sad, his heart always went out to her. T'was what made him save Will's life back on the Dutchman. She had been weeping, screaming, shouting Will's name. He had to do something. Now Will was immortal and he was in chains. What was he thinking? The sound of her voice made him remember.

"Jack," Elizabeth uttered through the bars of their separate cells, "will you laugh at me if I tell you something?" He scooted toward the bars of his cell to be closer to her, "Well, I guess that all depends. Are you going to make a joke?"
"No."
"Well, then I will try not to."
"I'm scared, Jack."
"Don't be, love. I told you I've got a plan." 'If only I actually had one...'
"No you don't, Jack." How did she know?
"Elizabeth, darling, you should know by now that even when I don't have a plan, I've got a plan."
She groaned and leaned against the bars of her cell, her back to him. He let out a long sigh and did the same. There was nothing in the cells. Not even a bench too lift the door free of its half-pin barrel hinges. Or a bone to carve away at and use to pick the lock.
"Jack," he heard her say behind him.
He grunted, "What is it now, Elizabeth?"
"Will you ever forgive me for killing you?"
That hit him hard. His heart felt like it was being squeezed. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, I don't know. It's just been bugging me lately."
He didn't know it bothered her so. "You know...Lizzie, when one is killed viciously without warning by someone he trusted, it is hard to forgive the betrayer."
"I see." Disappointment clouded her voice.
"Why does it matter to you? If you stopped worrying so much about what people think about you, you would get so much more sleep at night."
"I care about what you think of me, Jack. And it hurts me that we have this wall between us, making you hate me so and hold it over my head like you do."
"Oh."
"I am sorry for what I did. I felt so guilty afterwards."
Jack turned in his cell; her back was still to him. He leaned towards the bars, resting his chin on one, then whispered by her ear, "See Lizzie, that's the thing. You felt guilty about betraying and killing someone. You didn't want to have that black mark on your record, that's all. That's all that mattered to you."
She turned around, now looking back at him, "Guilt is not all I felt. I was also...sad. The world just isn't the same without the pirate legend Captain Jack Sparrow. You're a big part of the world...and of me."

She hesitated at the last part. He knew why. She was probably ashamed for saying such a thing to another man since she was now married.
"So, you did come to save me because you missed me."
"No."
"No?"
"...yes."
"Why didn't you say so?"
"Oh, I don't know." Will. That stupid whelp, Will. She felt guilty about being sorry because of HIM. The eunuch with the lovely singing voice. Actually that wasn't true, he just liked teasing him. Jack groaned and leaned against the cell's bars again. He'd spent the past weeks hating her, thinking awful things about her, wishing bad luck upon her. And he had every right to. But she was...sorry?
"Jack, I'm so, so sorry. I will never forgive myself. And I guess now I can only wish forgiveness from you."

Jack had never really...forgiven anyone before. He either sought revenge or hated the person for the rest of his life. But he would never seek revenge on Elizabeth. He couldn't, with the way he felt about her and all. And he couldn't hate her either for the same reason. Turning around to face her, he groaned once again and rolled his eyes. Then, with a deep sigh, he stuttered, "I-I f-forgive you." It was hard, but he was convinced that the smile on her face was worth the hardship. It stretched from ear-to-ear, making her look even more beautiful. It stung him not to be able to kiss her right then.

So, when she extended her arm through the bars to shake his hand and exclaimed, "Thank you." he took it, and kissed it. Then he shook it a few times and let go. She pulled her arm back through the bars and set it in her lap, a small frown appeared on her face, "Jack, you shouldn't-" She stopped and the smile on her face disappeared as they both heard the sound of boots walking down the steps...