The Beginnings of a Beautiful Partnership

With a triumphant smile on his face, Jack led Elizabeth over the bar, his grip on her waist tightening, pulling her in closer. His hand began to move south.

"Jack…" Elizabeth warned through gritted teeth. Ignoring her plea, Jack pulled out a stool for her at the bar with a low bow. "What are you doing?"

Jack rolled his eyes and then knocked his fist on the bar twice. Two mugs of rum came flying down the table at them. Elizabeth glanced around them and sat hesitantly at the bar. It seemed as though all of Tortuga had taken interest in her now that Jack Sparrow was buying her a drink.

Jack took a gulp of his drink and then glanced over at her, at least three feet away. "Oh, now this won't do at all…" Jack grumbled before wrapping an arm about her shoulders and pulling her closer to him.

"Jack!" Elizabeth threatened under her breath. "What's going on?" Her voice grew in shock, noticing his hand toying with the lace on her shoulder.

"Shh…" Jack placed a finger to her lips and glanced over his shoulder to the dark corner of the pub.

"Why are you…" Elizabeth became distracted by Jack's hand as it traveled down the side of her body.

"Why? Like it?" Jack whispered seductively before breaking out into a leering smile. "Just go along."

"Go along?" Elizabeth shouted incredulously.

Jack glanced around nervously, noticing the lowered mugs and raised brows of the people around him. Clearly, they were expecting a rumble.

A light resonated in Jack's eyes as he leaned towards Elizabeth and moved her hair from her shoulder, his lips merely at her ear. "Upstairs. I'll meet you there." He murmured just loud enough for those around him to hear. Then, as if to seal the deal, Jack placed a kiss on her neck. Maybe I should thank that man after all, Jack thought slyly.

Elizabeth's eyes widened as she felt Jack's hot breath on her face and his lips brush her skin. Then fury set in as she realized the innuendo of Jack's words and noticed at the people around her watching them. Surely Jack must have known they were all listening. The nerve of that man!

A cocky smile shown on Jack's face as he watched Elizabeth get up. She gave him a sickingly sweet smile. "Would you like some rum, Captain Sparrow?"

Jack's eyes shone with confusion, but it then turned in to a smile. "Yes, actually. You know me too well, darling."

Her smile quickly began to turn into a sneer as Elizabeth dumped her mug on top of him, and stormed off in a huff. Jack grimaced as laughter surrounded him, wiping the stinging alcohol from his eyes. "You're paying for that!" Jack called after her as she made her way through the crowd.

Elizabeth let out a grunt of exasperation and pushed through the backdoor out onto the streets. It was surprisingly quiet out that night, what with all the people in the bar. The moonlight lit the pathway in front of her, leading her towards the seashore. Elizabeth let out a sigh, and followed the path, each step taking her away from the bar and the ruckus within.

"Really, Jack, I knew you had a reputation with women, but were you trying to get slapped?" Abigail teased, handing him a rag to dry his face.

"Where have you heard that?" Jack asked in genuine surprise.

"My sister, she…"

"Anne." Jack blinked, the connection dawning on him. "You were the girl I accidently dropped in on…" Jack grimaced and gave her an apologetic look. "Listen, your sister and I, we were just having a few laughs, is all. I never meant to…"

"Not to worry, I have well forgotten." Abigail faked a smile for him. "But really, what happened?" Abigail motioned to the spilt rum.

"Well…" Jack cleared his throat.

"Nice try, Sparrow, but seeing as clearly the lady was displeased…"Greenwald interrupted them again, taking a drink of Jack's rum for good measure. Jack glared at him while he drank.

"A week. Give me a week to change her mind."

"Three days. And I'd better see some hard evidence. No pussyfooting it, ye hear, Sparrow?" Greenwald threatened, reaching down towards the bag at his side. Jack followed his hand with his eyes and noticed him clutching the Pearl inside the bag.

"Aye." Jack sighed dejectedly, pulling the rum from the other man's grasp to take a drink. When he looked back up, he noticed Greenwald exiting the front door.

"What was that about?" Abigail asked, concerned.

"Nothing that I can't handle." Jack stood from his stool and looked around the bar in confusion. "Where did Lizzie go?"

"Back way, I think." Abigail motioned to the door behind the counter. "But listen, Jack." Jack froze. "I hope you know what you're doing. It sounds like Elizabeth's been through a lot and I don't want her…"

"She has a husband. It is not up to me to protect her." Jack sat back down in his stool, taking another gulp of his rum.

"And to think," Abigail muttered, anger rising in her, "Elizabeth merely died hours ago from searching for you, and yet you don't even have the courage to go find her and apologize." Abigail walked away from him in disappointment. This definitely wasn't the Jack Sparrow she had heard about.

"The rum…" Jack murmured to himself, thinking back to the mysterious mugs on his table. Lizzie… She was always looking out for him.

Abigail glanced back over at him, but only found an empty stool, the rum left behind.

Water soaked her skirt, sand squished between her toes as she stood between the waves. Her eyes rose to the Caribbean sky above, the faint glow of the golden sun disappearing into a dark night. Closing her eyes, Elizabeth imagined what it would be like to be back in Port Royal, her father still alive, and all the unpleasantness of the past years forgotten.

"That there is the Southern Cross.*" A deep voice whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her neck. A ringed finger pointed to a constellation of stars to the left of her. "We sailors use it to navigate or find south, as it were. Helped me more times than I can count."

"Even when you have a broken compass?" The teasing edge of her voice hung between them.

A deep chuckle escaped Jack's lips. "Even then."

Elizabeth slowly turned to him, a cautious look in her eyes. "So?"

"So?" Jack gave her a confused expression.

"So are you going to explain yourself!"

"Oh…That. Well, ye see, I may have, in the most unintentional and faultless way possible, made a bet that I could have you." Jack spat out in a hurried fashion. " For me ship's sake." He added, hoping it would soften the blow.

Elizabeth's eyes went wide. "Have me…as in…"

"Be intimate. Get it on with. Fornicate. Bang…"

"Yes, Yes! I get the picture!" Elizabeth exclaimed, flustered.

Jack became silent, and looked down at his feet in the sand, before meeting her eyes again.

"Why, on Earth, would you do such a thing?" Elizabeth yelled, stomping through the wet sand towards him.

"Well…" Jack gave her a seductive look, a devilish smile appearing on his lips.

"Don't answer that question!" Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I meant… What was in the pot? What does this man have on you?"

A wistful look washed over Jack's eyes as he stared out into the distance. "The Pearl."

"A ship? My marriage is worth ruining because of a ship?" She angrily pushed on his shoulder, breaking him out of the trance.

"So you're saying you would…" Jack arrogantly waltzed towards her, stopping when he noticed the steely look in her eyes. "And she's not just any ship! She's me girl!"

"What low standards you have these days, Jack. I thought you at least preferred someone with a heartbeat. Perhaps not necessarily a brain…" Elizabeth teased as she walked up behind him.

"Not like I had much choice." Jack said in an angry whisper that Elizabeth could not make out.

"What?"

"Nothing. So will you do it?"

"What? Sleep with you?" Elizabeth spat in shock.

Jack cringed. "No. Not actually. Just pretend too." Jack's dark eyes met Elizabeth's, noticing the slight hint of disappointment within. Forcing himself, Jack said the opposite of what he felt, to shield himself from the pain. "I don't want this anymore than you do." The cruel edge of Jack's voice rang between them. God, help him, if he was going to make it through these three days.

"And you'll take me to Will?" Elizabeth asked hesitantly.

"And I'll take you to Will."

"Agreed."

Jack put on a fake smile and bowed to her, offering her his hand. "My lady…"

"Is that what I am to become then?" Elizabeth placed her hand in his with an untrusting look in her eyes.

"Wench. Kept woman. The Captain's Bonnie Lass, whatever you like to call it?" Jack said dismissingly with a wave of his hand.

"And what exactly does that entail?" Elizabeth shook her head at him, a smile playing on the corner of her lips.

The smirk on Jack's face grew when he noticed her playful expression. "All the best of things, of course. Drinking with Captain, dancing with the Captain, sitting on the Captain's lap…" Jack wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Wait a minute…" Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him, but he just winked at her and carried on

"Oh! And the finest dresses a Pirate Captain can buy, what say you to that?" Jack wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, Jack… I couldn't… I mean…" Elizabeth fumbled for words, flattered by his offer, but also feeling the weight of her conscience.

"Got to have me bonnie lass looking ravishing, have I not?" A devilish look lit up Jack's eyes.

"When do I start said position?" Elizabeth gave him a coy smile.

"Ready for the time of your life?" Jack crooned arrogantly. "You, Lizzie, will get the pleasure that few girls have ever had." Elizabeth's forehead crinkled in confusion. "To be seen in Captain Jack Sparrow's arms, outside the bedroom."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile a little at his joke, letting him lead her back to the inn.

Elizabeth still clung to Jack's elbow as they entered the bar. They both noticed that it had cleared out quite a bit since they left. Jack looked over towards the dark corner and noticed that the man had left long ago. He let out a big sigh and then pushed Elizabeth up the stairs towards the room they had used before.

A stout matron stopped them in the hall. "Where do you think you are going? These rooms are for working girls only."

"It's alright, Mrs. Hart. I told you of another girl who was with me, this is her!" Abigail climbed up the stairs to stand between Jack, Elizabeth, and the owner of the brothel.

Hart gave them a suspicious look, especially Jack. "I've seen you before." She said, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

"Aye, I'd reckon you have." Jack gave her a curt nod.

"With that Lewis girl.." The woman's glare disappeared a bit, thinking of her new customer.

Jack gave no sign of acknowledgment and noticed Elizabeth's grip tighten on his arm. Jack looked over at her, meeting her eyes. Did he detect…jealousy?

"Here." Jack dug in his pockets and took out several shillings, placing them in the woman's dirty hand. "For the girl." Jack inclined his head towards Elizabeth who had to bite her tongue to keep herself from saying anything. "And what ever else that gets me."

"She's yours until the week is up." The woman looked Elizabeth up and down, assessing her value. "But you will have to pay extra for days as well if that is what you are wanting."

Jack grunted in disgust, and then pulled out a guinea. "There." Jack tossed it at her, and snatched up Elizabeth's hand, tugging her towards the door next to him. Then, Jack yelled over his shoulder back the woman, "That better cover the room as well!"

Jack yanked open the door and grumbled under his breath about 'how much bloody coin this woman was going to cost him.'

Elizabeth chuckled at his loss and moved over towards the mirror on the wall to take out her hair. In the mirror, she noticed Jack flop down onto the bed.

"So, this is how it's going to be them? Sharing rooms and beds of the like, but not have any of the benefits of a relationship?" Elizabeth asked, pulling the pins out of her hair, and placing them on the table in front of her.

"Unless you want to. Can't say I would mind…" Jack lounged provocatively on the bed, his hands folded behind his head. Elizabeth walked over to the bed just to smack Jack in the face with one of the pillows. "I'll take that as a no."

Elizabeth turned back to him from the mirror. "At least you could try to be a decent gentleman."

"You know, Lizzie, if this is going to work, you are going to have to get used to me and my indecent-ness. Grow to like it even! I know I do!" Jack flipped over on the bed so that he was lying on his stomach, his head resting in his hands.

"Yes, I'm sure you do…" Elizabeth grumbled, turning her back to him as she pulled at the stings of her corset.

"Need some help?" Jack hinted from the bed.

Elizabeth cursed him under her breath, fumbling with the lacings. "I don't… I…yes." She admitted, folding her arms across her chest as she heard the bed creak.

She felt light tugging on the strings of her corset, and was slowly able to breath more and more. Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. She reached around her back and noticed that Jack had left the last two loops tied, instead of taking the garment completely off. A smile lit up her continuance as she pulled off the corset and pulled the outer part of her dress back up.

"Come, Missus Turner, Let us retire." A cocky voice called followed by the sound of a candle being blown out. Elizabeth shook her head in the dark and moved to the opposite side of the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

*The Southern Cross or the Crux was used by explorers of the southern hemisphere to point south since, unlike the north celestial pole, the south celestial pole is not marked by any bright star.