A wooden floorboard creaked under her foot. Elizabeth jumped a little, frightened, but then continued to the rum cellar. Water dropped from the ceiling onto her head. She wondered where her hat was, then remembered it was probably still on the floor of Jack's cabin. Now, she was passing by the crew's quarters. Snoring pirates swung in their hammocks. She tiptoed by and continued to her destination. She was desperate for a drink of rum, which she couldn't believe, since she hated rum and the whole concept of it. This must have been a pregnancy craving.

Finally, she arrived. She plucked the bottle from the rack and found a barrel of gun powder to sit on. Stretching a little, she felt a shot of pain in her shoulder. She grimaced and remembered. She bit the cork off and pulled her sleeve down. Tilting the bottle at an angle, she let the rum pour on her old wound. She whimpered a little because of the sting. After using about half of the rum, she fixed her sleeve and brought the bottle up to her mouth.

Out of nowhere, a hand appeared from the blackness and grabbed the bottle, yanking it away from her lips. "Can't let you do that, Elizabeth," Jack's voice told her. She looked to her right, and there he was. He lifted his lantern higher so that he could see better. The gold teeth in his smile glittered. She frowned at him and tried to pull the bottle towards her mouth, but he kept holding it back. "Jack, I'm thirsty!" she whined. He put the lantern down and ripped a flask from inside his pocket. He muttered, "Then have some water." He opened it and held it out to her.
"But I want RUM!"
"Pregnant women can't have rum." He took the bottle from her fingers, this time she let him.
"Oh. Right. Thank you."

He handed her the flask and she drank the warm water. He sat on a barrel next to her and set the lantern on another. He drank from the bottle he'd taken from her and finished it. Throwing it across the room, it shattered into small shards of glass. Elizabeth cringed at the noise. He raised an eyebrow at her, asking, "You alright, Lizzie?"
"You've been asking me that a lot lately."
"Well, stop acting so strangely."
"YOU'RE the one who's acting strangely!" She sipped from the flask again.
"I thought you'd be used to that by now."
"I'm sorry, I'm just not used to you keelhauling people." She gave him the flask back and twisted on the barrel so that her back was towards him.
"Is THAT what your little tantrum is all about?" He held onto the barrel and turned it so that she was looking at him again.
"That wasn't you, Jack."
"Uh, yes it was." He nodded.
"No, I mean, it wasn't 'you' you. I never pictured you keelhauling anyone."
"Love, I thought at least you, more than anyone, would know that the pirate's life is not all sailing on the ocean, getting free things, and meeting more people. There's a darker side to pirates. It's not all fun and games."
"I know that."
"Then, what's the problem?"
"You, Jack. You wouldn't keelhaul anyone. You're not... evil."
"Wait, are you AFRAID of me now?"
"I..." She sighed.
He looked hurt. "Did you ever think of why I keelhauled that cod beast instead of sweating him or making him walk the plank?"
"Well... "
"Maybe it was because I was upset. Maybe it was because I was genuinely angry with the yeasty chamber pot cleaner for trying to potentially kill you. Maybe I wanted him to pay for what he did to you. Cause maybe I value your life. Maybe..." He sighed and looked at the floor.

Elizabeth swallowed the lump in her throat and wiped a small tear from her eye. Standing up, she walked over and stood in front of him. He looked up at her and she bent down so that their faces would meet. She placed a hand on his cheek and smiled at him. Moving her face close to his, she took his hat off of his head and set it on a barrel beside her. Their eyes locked and she couldn't look away.

She put her hand on his other cheek and kissed him. He responded immediately, kissing her back. He stood up, making it easier for her to kiss him, now that she didn't have to bend down. He removed her hands from his face and brought them down to his chest. She pushed him back until he was against the wall. He wrapped his arms around her hips, holding her close. She moved her hands from the outside of his jacket, to underneath his shirt, on his bare chest. His skin was warm and his heart was pounding.

Jack shivered when her cold hands touched him. This was so different. It wasn't even close to the kiss they'd shared in the rain. Neither she, nor he, was being careful. Elizabeth was crossing so many lines, he knew. Why was she doing this? He knew that, when this was over, she was going to regret it again. And he was going to only dream about these priceless stolen kisses for the rest of his life. It wasn't fair. For either of them.

Then, it happened. She pulled her lips from his, gasping for breath. He took his arms from her hips and let them hang at his sides. She brought her hands off of his chest, his skin still tingled. Her lips trembled as she asked, "Why didn't you stop me this time?" He walked around her and headed for an escape, murmuring, "You didn't give me a chance to. Besides, it's not my job."

Jack hurried up the steps to the upper deck and took a deep breath. An emptiness of some sort lingered inside of him. He walked into his cabin and shut the door. Cracking his knuckles, he sat at his desk and stared at the ceiling. Without warning, the doors opened and Elizabeth entered the room. She gave him a fake smile as she showed him that she had his hat. He got up from his desk and walked over, taking it from her. "Jack, I'm-"
"The Pearl hasn't sailed for two days. It's killing her. We need to proceed to the sirens's islands. I just need to figure out how we can survive."
"What just happened?"
He didn't look at her, only the papers on his desk. "When?"
"Just now. Below deck. We-"
"We what?" He walked over to her.
She sighed. "I am a horrible person."
"Aw, don't be so hard on yourself. I bet it wouldn't have been THAT bad it you'd drank some rum."
"I'm not talking about that."

Just then, Gibbs crashed through the door, onto the floor, shouting, "Cap'n! Cap'n! Cap'n!" Jack responded, yelling, "What? What? What?"
The first mate stood up. "The sirens! Some of the men can already hear their song!"
"Bugger. That's problematic."
"I don't know how we're going to get around this one, sir. I know you survived the last time, but, remember, you were the ONLY survivor."
"I know."
"And-"
"And it was a gamble of long odds! I know!"
Elizabeth interrupted, "I have an idea."

The two men stared at her. She glided over to Jack's desk and retrieved her hat, putting it on her head. Jack pursed his lips and put his hat on as well. Elizabeth scratched her arm, saying, "The sirens trick men into their death by singing their song, leading the sailors to the rocky shores of their island." "We already know that," Jack muttered.
"Yes, but, what if we couldn't hear them, thus we couldn't be deceived?"
"How are we supposed to do that? Plug our ears?" He stuck his fingers in his ears, demonstrating, them pulled them out.
"Better. We'll drown them out with an even louder noise."
"Like what?"
"Our own. We'll yell or shout or sing or SOMETHING so that we can't hear them!"
Gibbs nodded, then said with enthusiasm, "Aye! Brilliant!"
"Jack? What do you say?" She waited.
"I say 'Pick a song'."

Will awoke suddenly, his eyes shot open. He looked around, but nothing seemed to be disturbed. He got out of the sheets and put his shirt on, walking up the steps to the upper deck. The ship was deserted, not counting Bootstrap Bill at the helm. The rest of the crew was below deck, sleeping. Everything was fine.

The captain trudged back down to his quarters. However, at the door was none other than Calypso, the sea goddess. Will sighed, "Hello, Calypso. This is a pleasure." The enchantress smiled at the cursed pirate and said, "De pleasure is mine, believe me."
"What can I do for you?"
"I'm sorry to say I 'ave not come for 'elp, but to bring you news."
"Wait, if you're sorry, that means you have BAD news."
"I'm afraid so."

"Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails!" Elizabeth shouted at the newly awakened pirates. Yawning, rubbing their eyes, dragging their feet, the crew unwillingly tried to obey. Jack burst from his cabin. screaming, ordering, "Step lively! Do I see slacking? It's a beautiful morning... or rather, evening! Wake up, you cow-hearted nancy boys!" Immediately, the crew put more quickness in their step, shuffling about the deck. Once the anchor was back and the sails were ready, Gibbs commanded, "In a line! All o' ye! We've got an announcement!" Lined up, the pirates stood at attention.

Jack smiled at Elizabeth and asked, "Would you like to do the honors?" "Sure," she replied, "just help me up." She grabbed his hand when he held it out and leaned into him as he pushed her up onto the rail. She stood up and took hold of a hanging rope. The crew all stared up at her as she spoke. "Gentlemen! We're about to enter the property of the mystical sirens! If we don't do what I am about to suggest, they will surely lead us to our doom!" The pirates whispered among themselves. She continued, "Your captain, first mate and I have come up with a plan that could save our lives! Is there anyone here that is not familiar with the song 'A Pirate's Life for Me'?" The crew looked around; no one spoke up. "Very well, then. All of us, and I mean ALL of us, are going to shout that song as loud as we can so that not one of us can hear the sirens's seductive song! What say you?" The pirates unsheathed their swords and thrust them in the air, shouting, "Aye!"

Elizabeth glanced at Jack and winked at him. He smiled. Joining her on the railing, Jack yelled, "Good, lads! Mr. Cotton, on our way!" Cotton's parrot squawked, "Aye, captain!" as the old sea dog turned the helm. The water started to get rougher as the island grew larger in the distance. The ship seemed to be skidding across the sea. Elizabeth tried to keep her balance as the ship hopped atop the water. Suddenly, she felt and arm around her waist, keeping her steady. Jack. She put her arm over his shoulders.

Elizabeth could already hear the sirens start to sing. Apparently Jack did as well, for he shouted, "Alright, you sniveling little girls! Now!" It was a beautiful thing. Elizabeth joined the pirates, "We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me!" She could tell that Jack had forgotten some of the words because, occasionally, he just sang, "Da da da da da da da da da da..." She laughed a little as she shouted and sang with the crew, "We extort, we pilfer, we filch and sack! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Maraud and embezzle and even hijack! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me! We kindle, ajar, inflame and ignite! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! We burn up the city, we're really a fright! Drink up me hearties, yo ho!"

Elizabeth peered over the edge of the ship. Something was in the water. It appeared to be a white cloud, shimmering. Abruptly, it leaped up. It was in the shape of a woman. Elizabeth screamed. She heard Jack say in her ear, "Don't look down!" Then, she realized that she'd jumped into Jack when she had been startled. She had both arms around his neck now, and their faces were inches apart. But, she couldn't help but wonder if Jack had just simply pulled her closer...

"We're beggars and blighters and ne'er-do-well cads! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me!" Everyone shouted the beloved song. Jack commended, "Again, lads! We're nearly out!" The ship seemed to be speeding up. Cotton did his best to keep the vessel away from the dangerous shores of the sirens's islands. Elizabeth and Jack held their hats so that they wouldn't be swept away by the wind. "We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me!"

Gibbs came from below deck, carrying bottles of rum in his arms. He reached up and handed one to Jack, who took it and started to drink, saying, "That's more like it!" The first mate smiled sympathetically at Elizabeth, knowing she couldn't have anything. He shrugged and started handing the rest out to the musical pirates. Jack pulled out the flask and gave it to Elizabeth. She held it and sang, "Drink up me hearties, yo ho!"