Chapter 8: She Is

It's all up in the air
And we stand still to see what comes back down
I don't know where it is,
I don't know when,
but I want you around.
When it falls in place with you and I, we go from if to when
Your side and mine are both behind it's indication

This is going to bring me clarity
This'll take the heart right out of me

She is everything I need that I never knew I wanted
She is everything I want that I never knew I needed

This is going to bring me to my knees
I just want to hold you close to me

She Is by The Fray

Following the revelation of the map's engravings, Elizabeth and Jack had shared every detail they had discovered with the crew and his father, set a course for Florida, and began loading the Pearl with all the necessary tools and supplies. Per Barbossa's request, they were to leave by the first glow of the moon rather than the following morning. He was more than anxious to get out of the Cove, as were they all. Elizabeth though, was strangely solemn for the remainder of the day, keeping to the house as much as possible while watching the men do the labor of preparing. Something about leaving the only place that had ever truly felt homely to her was difficult, as well as leaving the man who had fathered her over the passing months, taught her all of the things her own father never could, and brought her under his wing as a surrogate protégé to his own son. It had been everything she needed and wanted at the time, but now she knew, it was time to return to the sea.

She stood at the top of the hill as the last ray of light dawned against the horizon, her eyes peeled to the magnificent vessel harbored just below, and its black sails jetting into the crystalline sky. Her things were packed and already loaded into her room aboard the ship, giving her time to adjust to its quarters again. Rather tightly cramped, but all she would need. The thought had come to her of how close her room was to the captain's cabin, merely a doorway separate, and somehow that seemed alright. Jack had always gone out of his way to protect her, and now she felt, they could easily protect one another. Her thoughts pressed on as she nibbled at a ripe banana leftover from earlier in the morning, never taking heed to the approaching visitor.

As Jack walked barefoot through the grassy plain towards Lizzie, he felt his heart grow wild with anticipation of something he still could not place a finger on. Something wildly unexpected every time. Meeting her back, he leaned in to whisper in her ear as she laughed and continued eating. "Miss Turner, ye really shouldn't stand so idly. A man could be taken a right fool by the wrong message."

"It's King Turner, Captain Sparrow." The reinforcement was well met with enthusiasm from him, as he moved to stand beside her, a smile covering every inch of his face. "Right, still can't accept that title."

"Well you won't have to accept it any longer."
He paused, afraid of what she meant. "An' why is that luv?"

"I've bowed out of my reign, Jack. There's a new king."

"Oh my dear, ye shouldn't have…" He took the opportunity to make a mockery of her definition, placing both hands on his heart as he glowered in her presence. "I am honored Lizzie."

"Such confidence in yourself is not considered a virtue." Trying not to laugh she concluded, "Which is why I passed the title on to your father." He had known this to be the case, and was greatly proud of her in her decision. Elizabeth was not meant to be housed in a cell of order and discipline, or to control the enterprises of free men. She was a pirate, not a King.

"Good, because I refuse t' sail with Kings." The grin he had was the one she had come to know so well, but the flicker in his eye this time was indifferent to the past. It sparkled rather than burned. After noting this in her mind for later observation she turned back to the ocean, watching it carefully as if to write a poem on its grandiose manner. Silence befell them naturally, with nothing necessary to say, they were simply two free dealing rouges lost in a world of chaos, taking a moment to listen to the ocean they both so deeply loved. Had one of them been tempted to break the calm, they might have each expressed thoughts on the magic of it. But nothing was said, and that was practical for them. Soon enough though, the spell was doused, leading them right back into hopeless conversation and planning. "How long do you think it will take to get to Florida?"

"No more than three nights I spect'. Possibly a fourth…" The coyness on his face left her wondering, dually accusing with her eyes of what he meant. "Let me guess Jack…a certain port, rum soaked, female laden?" A tight grin at the corner crease of his lips was the start of his response, "Ye know Lizzie, and there are quite a few strapping young lads who walk those shores too, an' I'm certain it's been much too long since ye yerself had any sort of…fun." As if to tempt her into his own bed, or simply mock the fact that she had spend endless nights waiting for a certain man, two certain men, Jack mocked hastily with a smug grin as he stepped away towards the beach again. Elizabeth on his heels as usual, sputtered back in defense, "You really have no proper respect for anyone do you? Still just as…crude…and, and…" with the struggle of her words, Jack chuckled silently ahead of her, rolling his eyes at every adjective she could form, "and discourteous…and…" her breathing 

quickened as they flew the distance of the hill towards fresh sand, "and…barbaric!" At the final syllable he stopped, toes reaching the space between sand and grass, and tilted his head back in nervous habit to the sky above. From behind him she waited, hoping to have somehow managed a sneak beneath his rough skin, of which she always knew, was impossible. "Ye really have me down to a science now, eh luv?" While stepping into the sand backwards and wading closer in to the waves with a stern expression facing her, she hesitated with his words. "Been studying my habits, fer quite some time, and ye finally ave' it…"

"You're easy to predict."

"Am I?" He replied, brow twisted in surprise as he waded into the cool, green water. "Never eard' that one before."

Keeping her smile from flourishing, she tightened her lips. Jack saw this. "Well perhaps you're sources are misleading you."

"Could be. There's only one way t' find out."

"And what might that be Captain Sparrow?"

Elizabeth could have heeded the snide warning, but she didn't, her focus too clearly set on Jack's soggy clothes and splashing legs to care. He darted from a waist deep trench back to the beach, feet hitting the sand harshly, and arms outstretched in a swoop as he barreled against her thighs, lifting her over his shoulder. She screamed loudly, causing some of the men further down the docks to look over in amusement, her golden hair a long, tangled mess against his back, face buried into his shoulder blade uncomfortably. Jack ran back to the water, picking up pace with each yelp she delivered and finally let her delicate body crash the surface and become one with the waves. Swallowing her whole, Elizabeth fell deep into the water, hair swarming her eyes until she finally managed to break the surface again near his chest, struggling for air. He laughed, unable to do anything but, and as she regained her senses, she realized it was the first time she had heard him laugh so. It was intimate, deep, worthwhile in a sense, a side of Jack only minimally discovered. It pleased her, and as she wiped the salt from her eyes, she smiled, "The lengths you will go to prove a point."

"I've said it once before, and I shall say it no more" He shifted his index finger in the moist air between them, "…peas darling." When she said nothing in return, only concentrating on twisting her hair into a spiral at the nape of her neck, he continued. "Can't tell me ye don't feel better, the ocean's where ye belong."

"Yes, on it, in a boat. Not drowned without warning!" She splashed him, and took off back towards the shore. Rather than fighting it, he watched her go, knowing she had enjoyed it despite her determination to remain balanced. Lizzie was a girl of the sea, not of land. "I dare say Lizzie…" he called out from the deeper water, "white suits ye, luv!" Looking down to her shirt, it was the bare flesh that hung from within the thin fabric of her once cotton 

shirt, sticking to every bit of her without modesty. She flew her arms around her chest in a wrap quickly, guarding herself from glaring eyes, and snarling at Jack as she turned. 'She is…'

He pictured the first day he had touched her, the slim bodice beneath the violet waters of her home.

'She is…'

The soft petals of her cheeks, a brush beneath his fingertips in the low Caribbean sun.

'…killing me.'

The loading of the Pearl went quickly, all men expanding enough energy to be thoroughly replenished with a good meal before heading back to the ship once more, this time for good. Elizabeth had spoken a great deal with Teague before being led down to the docks by him, arm in arm, tears dancing on her cheeks. Jack was intrigued, completely as always he had been, but now moreso over the close confidence she had gained in his father, rather unnerving for his taste at times.

"Ye stay safe out there Lizzie, don't let Jack get you into too much trouble eh?"

"Don't worry, I'll be the one causing the trouble." She laughed, leaning her body into his, arms wrapped lovingly around him and a kiss placed upon his cheek. Trying to keep the emotions to a minimum she turned on her heels to board the Pearl quickly thereafter, takign a proud spot at the rail of the bow, waving off to the masses of men, women and children she had grown so close to in the passing months. Every bit of her was torn.

Teague and Jack met solemnly after near the end of the dock, a father admitting his concerns to a careless son. "Promise me that you'll watch after er', she's endured enough aboard this blasted ship o' yers."

"She's well taken care of Teague, always as' been under me watch. Ave' ye no faith in me?"

"Enough t' know you'll manage something that ye can't get out of. Just watch yer back and ers'."

"It's thoroughly watched." Placing his hand to his heart, Teague chuckled slightly before patting him proudly on the back and sending him off to draw the ship out from the docks. The flurry of townspeople waved and cheered them off in pure celebration, throwing out tokens of good luck with each second that passed. Elizabeth stood with bleary eyes and a wistful spirit at the sight before her, one she had hoped would come of Jack's return, and indeed his trust in her had allowed it so.


Jack, focused on only two things. The wheel and her.