"...my compass...is unique-" Jack opened and shut the lid. "Unique, here having the meaning of 'broken'." Norrington interrupted.
"True enough, this compass does not point North." Jack said matter-of-factly.
"Where does it point?" Elizabeth asked.
"It points to the thing you want most in this world..."

Elizabeth sat on the bow, feet dangling over the edge. She watched the clear black water ripple as the ship pushed against it's small waves. The Black Pearl had been sailing from Shipwreck Cove for days now. They'd resupplied enough to journey to the Fountain of Youth twice. Six times, if you counted the rum. She still hadn't forgotten where the compass had pointed to. Jack was the thing she wanted most in this world? Did the compass know her better than she knew herself? 'No!' She dug into her pocket and pulled it out. Flipping the lid, she watched the needle spin around. Once it stopped, it was pointed directly behind her. She turned around and, sure enough, there was Jack on the upper deck. He was talking to Cotton...well, Cotton's parrot. She stifled a giggle.

Looking back down at the compass, the direction had changed. It was pointing directly in front of Elizabeth. "What?" She asked aloud, squinting her eyes to see anything ahead. She could spot nothing. What was Northeast? She glanced down at the compass in her hand. Now it was pointing behind her again. Southwest... Jack... Northeast... what? Something deep inside her whispered "Will..." She stared at the horizon in a daze. "Keep a weather eye on the horizon..." she heard Will in her mind. Clouds covered the sky above. She leaned her head back, face tilted to the heavens. Taking a deep breath, feeling her stomach get queasy, she leaned over the side of the ship and vomited into the water.

After wiping her mouth with her sleeve, she uttered, "What am I going to do?" She let out all her breath and gazed at the compass. It was spinning back and forth. Jack. Will. Jack. Will. Jack. Will. Jack. "Ugh!" She groaned in frustration and tossed the compass behind her. Listening to it skid across the deck, she heard it stop, then carefully tried to free her injured arm from it's sling.

Jack walked along the deck, searching for Elizabeth. He hadn't seen her for a few hours, since everyone was given their daily duties that morning. The clouds hovering overhead made him predict rain. As he was walking along, he felt his boot kick something. He looked down and saw his compass lying on the deck. "What are you doing there?" Bending down to pick it up, he saw it suddenly flip open and spin around. The needle stopped; he looked up to see where it pointed. 'Oh,' there was Elizabeth. 'Elizabeth! Oh, bugger!' Quickly, he plucked it from the deck, slamming the lid shut, he pulled the string over his wrist, like a bracelet.

Jack's eyes darted everywhere, searching for someone who might have seen. Luckily, most of the crew was below deck, readying the cannons in case of emergency. Namely, any surprises from Duran or Collins. He headed towards the bow, towards Elizabeth. The blanket that was supposed to be her sling was on the ground behind her. She was looking to the horizon, but he could see in her eyes that she was looking beyond that.

Slowly but surely, Jack inched forward and tapped her lightly on her back, "Lizzie..." Apparently, he'd startled her. She screamed in fear and fell into the water. Jack laughed at her, but threw her a line in sympathy. She splashed towards the rope and grabbed it. Pulling her up, he continued to laugh. He held onto her, tucking his hands under her arms, and lifted her onto the deck. At first, she looked embarrassed, but then joined him in laughter.

After their moment of joy died off, Jack realized that his hands were now on Elizabeth's waist. He had been wondering how he had been able to feel the vibrations in her stomach while she was laughing. Then, she seemed to notice that her own hands were placed on his arms, holding onto him. They both dropped their limbs and cleared their throats. Rain started to fall.

Jack raised his arm to the sky, stretching. Elizabeth's eyes shifted from the compass on his wrist, back to the water. He became aware of this, then thought to himself, 'Is that why my compass...I wonder what she saw...' He wanted to break the awkward silence, but found nothing to say.

Elizabeth perched her self on the railing, trying not to slip on it's wet, rainy surface. Jack followed, sitting beside her. "You seem distressed, Elizabeth." he pointed out. "Do I?" She asked, then added, "Is it your tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature that makes you suspect that I am?"
"Could be..." He nodded.
Silence enveloped them once again, the only sound she could hear were the trinkets in his hair chiming in the wind. She wished for him to wrap his arms around her and hold her close. The rain was cold and there was an icy wind blowing.
"Okay, I give in," she admitted, "Something Teague said is bothering me."
"Unfortunately, my father has that affect of making one feel uncomfortable. He's the Keeper of the Code, after all."
"What?"
"He's the Keeper of the Code-"
"No, he's your father?"
"Uh...no..." His eyes lowered from hers.
Was she not supposed to know? "He is, isn't he?"
"No." He looked at her now, like she was crazy.
She wasn't buying it. "Jack, tell me the truth."
Rolling his eyes, he let out a sigh and grunted, "Yes...he's my father."
"I don't know why I didn't see it before. You look just like him."
"I do not! That's an insult! You make kill me, Lizzie, but you may never insult me."
"I wish I'd known he was your father." She would have thanked him for so much. Asked him so much.
"What did he say?"
She could see he didn't like to talk about his father. Why else would he not want her to know about him? "Nothing. Never mind."
"Alright then."

Jack scooted off the rail and shook some of the water off of himself. His efforts were useless because, seconds later, he was just as soaked by the rain. As he was starting to walk away, he stopped mid step and asked, "Where did the compass point for you?" Elizabeth pushed herself off the railing, trying not to irritate her wound. She walked over to him and, with his back still turned to her, rested her chin on his shoulder, whispering in his ear, "I'll tell you where it points for me, when you tell me where it points for you."

He turned around, standing close to her. If the wind had blown just a mile faster, it would have pushed her onto him. His mouth was centimeters from hers. "Once again...persuade me." His smug grin appeared, almost making her swoon.

Oh, how she wished to persuade him. Not because she wanted to know where the compass pointed to. She'd forgotten all about that now. She just wanted to kiss him. His mouth was so near hers...maybe if she just pretended to trip and "accidentally" fall onto his lips. Would it be so bad if she kissed him? Will wasn't to return for ten years. She was a woman...she had needs! Not that she would let him go farther than a kiss...What was she thinking? She was a married woman! No, if she was if she was going to kiss him, he'd have to start it. 'Go ahead, Jack. Kiss me.'

Would it be so bad if he kissed her? It could just be a casual kiss. A friend kissing a friend. Was that so bad? She was so beautiful...Jack deserved some of her! He needed just one more kiss from her to make up for the forbidden one that had ended in death. It didn't count! Will wasn't there, who said he'd have to find out anyways? But Will was his good friend. Could he really do this? Will owed him...sort of. Well, Jack had given him immortality. Can't he just have a little kiss from Elizabeth in return? No, if he was going to kiss her, she'd have to start it, 'Go on, Lizzie. You first.'

'You first, Jack. Go on.' His mouth was already almost on hers. Was it so hard to move it one centimeter? 'Come on, Jack!' To her surprise, he pulled back slowly. Smiling sarcastically, but sweetly, he explained, "Too slow." Then, he just walked away, leaving her stranded with only her confusion.

Jack slammed the door to his cabin and locked it tightly. He slumped into the chair at his desk. Burying his face in his hands, he groaned. Why hadn't he kissed her? "Because, you bloody git," he told himself, "it would have been wrong. She's a married woman." Since when had that stopped a pirate? Was he really a good man, as Elizabeth said he was? "No. No. No." Repeating it over, he heard her voice in his head, "All hope is not lost. Fight for what you want. Ignore whoever's keeping it from you. Pay no attention to whatever's stopping you. You're a pirate! Nothing should stop you!" If only she knew...

He rubbed his eyes. What was going on? Did Jack love Elizabeth? Was everyone right? Did Will think he did? Was it obvious to everyone but himself? He'd never felt this was about anyone...but his feelings had gotten him in trouble before. Last time, he ended up getting eaten by a giant squid. Captain Jack Sparrow had been with many, many women before, but he'd never felt a connection with them at all. He paid his dues and left. That's how the salty wenches worked. Why couldn't it be like that with Elizabeth? Why was he so attached to her?

Jack eyed the chest on his desk. The sound of the steady heartbeat echoed in his ears. He reached for the handle on the side, pulling the sacred container towards him. He gripped it tight until his knuckles grew pale. He spoke to the organ through his teeth, "You've got it all, William. You've got it all."

Elizabeth sat on the deck of the Pearl. She leaned against the railing, breathing in huffs. She hugged her knees and whimpered. Why hadn't she kissed Jack? She wanted to so badly. Standing there, the was they'd been, so close to each other, she was reminded of their first kiss. She could smell the burning Kraken tentacles. She could hear the rush of the few survivors, eager to escape a grim fate. She could see his sad eyes, longing for his ship. She could taste him again. Rum. Fish. Spices. Surprisingly wonderful. How she longed to experience it all again! 'Oh, no.' A newborn notion overcame her. 'I'm in love with Captain Jack Sparrow.'