Elizabeth just stared at Jack. She was looking deeply into his eyes. 'What is she doing?' Jack thought to himself. 'Is she allowed to look at me like that?' He bent his head so his eyes could meet hers, "Promise me." She kept staring at him. She looked like she was going to cry. Then, she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. Her touch made him shudder. Quickly, she pulled her hand away. 'Will,' he thought.
"Alright, Jack."
Collins interrupted, "Come here, Sparrow."
Jack scowled and replied, "Come and get me!" He stuck his nose up like a snob would.

Collins glared at him, then yelled up the steps, "Jonathan! Geoffrey! We're ready!" He pulled out his keys and unlocked the door. Grabbing Elizabeth's arm. he also held on to the back of Jack's neck and pulled them out of the cell.

Elizabeth watched the other two soldiers walk down the steps. One was tall and brawny, like Collins, the other was short and mean-looking. The tall one carried a whip. Collins let go of Jack, but he squeezed Elizabeth's arm really tight, making her groan. He smiled and said, "Miss Swann, I know you don't want Jack to get hurt. Just tell me what I want to know."
"I'm not telling you anything." Elizabeth growled at him.

Then, he nodded towards Jonathan and Geoffrey. Geoffrey, the short one, removed Jack's jacket and ripped the back of his shirt open. He held onto the jacket and took his hat off his head. His job was to hold the effects. Jonathan's job was the whipping. Jack stretched his arms out and placed his hands on the wall, leaning on it. It seemed like he'd done this before, but there were no scars on his back. Collins snapped his fingers and the whip came crashing down onto Jack's back. A line of blood formed, but he still didn't move a muscle. Elizabeth struggled to get out of Collins' grasp, but he wouldn't let her go. He ginned, amused, "See what I can do, Elizabeth? Question one, where are the pirate lords?"
Elizabeth shook her head, "I don't know."
Collins snapped again. The whip cracked. Another crimson line appeared on Jack's back. Elizabeth screamed, Collins started laughing.
Shouting, she repeated, "I don't know. I said 'I don't know!'"
Tears were pouring down her face. Jack turned his head and faced her. No emotion showed. Then, for the briefest instant, a small smiled appeared. She knew it said, "I'm alright." Collins turned her to face him and said, "Do you expect me to believe that the Pirate Queen does not know where her lords are?"
"King." Jack coughed.
"Whatever."
Elizabeth explained, "I was recently elected. I hardly know what I'm entitled to, or what my duties are."
Collins snapped. The whip cam down again. Trails of blood led down Jack's back. She put a hand over her mouth and screamed. She couldn't do this anymore! She couldn't watch someone she cared about so much get beaten. But she'd promised him she wouldn't say anything.

Collins cleared his throat, then continued, "We'll move on to question two: what is the story on Calypso? How can you bind her?"
Elizabeth lowered her eyes and didn't say anything. Collins snapped twice. One. Two. Twice the whip came down on Jack. She winced at each blow. The crack rang in her ears. Collins let go of her arm and pushed her to the ground, "Answer me." She shook her head. He snapped twice again. Her ears were ringing loud. She looked at Jack. The blows were making "X" marks on his back. His blood was now dripping on the floor. She buried her face in her hands and started to weep. Then, Jack spoke, "S'alright, Lizzie." She looked up at him. He nodded his head and smiled at her. Kneeling on the ground, she wiped her tears. Collins kicked her in the leg. She fell over on the cold floor. He grinned and said, "I know you know the answer to this one. Where's your husband's heart?" Her breath caught. She cracked her knuckles, "Last time I checked, it was in his rib cage."
His grin disappeared, "Funny." He snapped three times. One. Two. Three. And three times the whip came down to meet Jack's back. Elizabeth started shaking in her boots. She could see that Jack was growing weak now. His shoulders sagged. Collins kicked her again, "Where?" She held her throbbing leg, "I don't know what your talking about."

One. Two. Three. She shivered at each blow. Putting her head between her knees, she started breathing heavily. Collins smacked her in the back of her head, " I know your husband became captain of the Flying Dutchman. Where is his heart?" She said nothing, only gritted her teeth and listened to the crack of the whip.

Elizabeth clenched her fists and slammed them on the floor. Angry breaths escaped from her. Then she felt Collins pull her up by her hair. She stood up and he let go. Her head was pounding. She put a hand where it hurt and held back her tears. He grabbed a hold of her shoulders and made her look at him, "Your turn." Jack stood up and Jonathan shoved him towards Elizabeth. Glaring at Collins, Jack asked, breathing heavily, "What did you say?"
"It's her turn to be whipped."
"Excuse me?"
"You turn to talk. Answer my questions, and she won't get hurt."
Elizabeth looked at Jack. He was looking back at her with fear and concern.

She looked back at him, worried. His feelings went from fear to rage. He wasn't going to let Collins have her be whipped. He had just been through that and it was not what he wanted for her. The cuts on his back were stinging. Lizzie was tough, but she could not go through that. "Jack," she interrupted his thoughts. "Don't tell him anything." The worry and horror had disappeared from her face. She now looked serious and determined.
"Elizabeth-"
"Promise me."
He smiled at her. She was getting him back for making her promise. He let out a sigh, "Alright, Lizzie."

Collins pushed her onto him. Jack caught her before she could fall. Accidentally, her hand touched his bare back, making his scars throb. When she pulled her hands off and he let her go, they were stained with his blood. "Sorry." they both said in unison. Jonathan shoved Jack again towards Collins. Then, he grabbed a hold of Elizabeth and started taking off her vest. Jack looked at Collins and said, "This ain't right, mate. She's a woman. I don't even think this is legal for the Company."
"What do you care, Sparrow? You're a pirate."
"Actually, according to her," He said, pointing to Elizabeth, "I'm a good man."
He turned back and Collins smirked. He glared at him and said, "Well, maybe I'll get something out of you."
"Is our bet still on? Ten shillings?"
"Of course."

He was being clever and smiling on the outside, but on the inside, Jack was angry and filled with hate. Geoffrey took Elizabeth's vest from Jonathan and held it along with Jack's hat and jacket. Jonathan then opened the back of her shirt. Elizabeth turned to Jack and pursed her lips, he smiled at her then. She frowned at him, his eyes looked up at the ceiling. Apparently he wasn't supposed to be seeing this much of her. She was not wearing a corset underneath her shirt, so her was looking at he bare back. He met her eyes again and she shrugged her shoulders. Copying Jack's movements, she put her hands on the wall and leaned against it. When he saw her face behind her arm, the determination was gone, replaced by fear. Collins snapped and the whip hit her back. Blood trickled down Jack was furious,
"Bloody hell! You didn't even ask a question!"
Collins smiled, "I just wanted you to know that I'm not afraid to hurt a woman."
"Bastard."
"Pirate."
"At least I don't have to wear a wig to feel powerful."

Collins grunted and straightened his wig. Jack smirked at him and turned back to Elizabeth. Her hands were balled into fists. Collins began, "Question one, where are the pirate lords?"
"Well, they're certainly not under that girly wig of yours."
He snapped and the whip came down again, "Wrong answer. Come one, Jack. Surely you at least know where your father is."
"First, me father ain't a pirate lord. Second, I would not allow him the pleasure of meeting you white-haired bilge rats."
Collins growled and snapped. Elizabeth let out a whimper as the whip came down. Jack saw a tear slide from her eye.

Turning to Collins, he said, "You know, I've been thinking about it, and I know there's something wrong here. I've told you before that I know the Company, and I don't think torture is in their rules of interrogation.."
"Yes well, that's when Beckett was in charge. Lord Duran is not as kind as Beckett."
"So, Beckett just shot the horse. You like to break it before you shoot it."
"Precisely."
"Hmm." Jack growled and sighed.
"Question two. What's the story on Calypso and how do you bind her?"
"Well, Calypso is a goddess, but she doesn't have to prove it by wearing granny hair. And you most certainly don't bind her by using one of those pretty bows you wear."
Snap. Snap. The whip came down two times. Elizabeth let out a low cry of pain. One of her fists pounded the wall. Small rivers of blood trailed her back. Jack gritted his teeth and clenched one of his fists until he heard it crack.

He couldn't stand watching this. It was almost as bad as when he had to watch her cry and scream when Will died. Then, he could do something about it. Now, he felt helpless...and he hated it. Never before had he wanted his sword so badly. Collins cleared his throat and asked, "Do you want to try again?"
"I gave you my answer, Cauliflower Head."
Two snaps again. And twice the whip came down. Each time it landed on her back, he felt it in his scars. Elizabeth was sobbing now. Her shoulders heaved up and down. Jack started to run to her, but Jonathan shoved him back. Jack stuck his tongue out at him and stepped on his foot. Elizabeth's back muscles were contracting.

Collins patted Jack's shoulder, "That looks like it's hurting her, doesn't it, Jack?" Jack's eyes widened in anger. Collins' evil smile was displayed, "Question three. Where's Will's heart? William Turner is now the new captain of the Flying Dutchman. Where is his heart?"
Jack raised his hand, "I know this one!"
"Where is it?"
"In a chest!"
The excitement disappeared and he snapped his fingers three times. And three times the whip his Elizabeth's back. Jack felt each blow in his back too. Elizabeth was screaming now. Louder than he'd ever heard her scream before. Her body fell to the ground and she cried. The water on the floor was red with blood. She'd bled more than Jack had...she wasn't as strong. She leaned her head against the wall.

Jonathan grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to her feet. She stood up, but her head rested on the wall. Collins let out a long breath and said, "That's enough for this morning. We'll continue later in the day."
Jack heaved a sigh.
"Jonathan, escort these two pirates to their cells."
Jonathan grabbed each one of them by the back of their necks and dragged them to the door. When they reached the door, he let go and kicked each of them on their backs. The two of them sprawled out onto the floor. Jack grunted, Elizabeth whimpered.

Collins slammed and locked the door, "See you both tonight!" Geoffrey dropped their things on the ground and all three men walked up the steps. When Jack heard the door close, all his attention was on Elizabeth. Her entire back was blood red. She wasn't screaming anymore, but light tears still flowed on her cheeks. He sat up, cross-legged. Not caring at all what he was doing, Jack lifted her into his lap. To his surprise, she didn't hesitate, but leaned against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, trying not to touch her scars.

Elizabeth's back felt like it was still being whipped. The pain would not go away. Being in Jack's arms made it feel a little better. The cold air on he back made them sting. She didn't care what she was doing. She knew she shouldn't be sitting with Jack like this. But, in his arms, she felt like nothing bad could ever happen to her, she was safe. He started to cradle her, rocking her back and forth. Then, she felt his hand on her head, rubbing where Collins and Jonathan had pulled her hair.

Finally, he spoke, "You did great, Lizzie."
She smiled and replied sarcastically, "Yeah, sure."
"No, really. You didn't cave. You didn't save anything."
"But look how I did with the whipping. I was crying like a baby."
"No. Don't feel bad about that. It hurt."
"I didn't hear YOU scream."
"Well...I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?"
He stopped rocking her. She looked up at him and he smiled, "Love, I think you need to rest." She nodded her head and slid out of his arms. Almost immediately, the pain came back. He crawled over to the door of the cell. "Jack, what are you doing?" she asked, laughing. He reached through the bar and grabbed their effects off of the floor. Sliding them through the bars, he crawled backwards. Elizabeth laid on her side, not wanting to irritate the scars on her back.

Jack put his hat back on his head. He held out her vest, but she said, "I don't want to put it on. I don't think it would make my cuts feel very pleasant."
"Well, I have no problem with that." he replied, winking at her.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Then, she saw him squish his jacket into a ball. He lifted her head and set the ball of cloth it had become, under it, "Thought you might need a pillow."
"Thank you, Jack."
He set her vest aside and laid down beside her, "Am I allowed?" She shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know anymore." He sighed and smiled at her, the last thing she saw before the darkness closed on her.