The island seemed so much smaller from the deck of the ship. Elizabeth enjoyed the feel of the sun on her face, the gentle breeze coaxing tendrils of her hair free. She leaned further over the railing, wrapping her small hands around each other and drinking in the blue of the ocean. She pursed her lips as she too often did, and silently relived the last few hours on the island.

Hands mimicked hers, reaching over the railing and knotting around themselves. It was none other than Jack.

Elizabeth turned her head to him.

"Captain Sparrow," she said, making him roll his eyes, not comically, but because he knew she was going to be disagreeable.

He nodded, acknowledging her, before glancing around to make sure they were alone.

"How are you?," he asked her.

"I'm fine," she said, flippantly, and moved to walk past him.

He grabbed her forearms as she moved to pass and stilled her. She was looking at the floor, but he waited until her eyes met his.

"How are you...really?," he spoke again, softer this time.

"I...I'm...confused...," she started as her voice drifted off and her eyes moved back to the island, a mere speck on the horizon.

His grip on her softened as he watched her staring off into the distance.

"I know."

Almost as if she was remembering something, she turned her head back towards him. "It was all so...idyllic, I suppose. Carried away in the heat of the moment."

"You don't regret it, do you?," he asked, trying to gauge her forthcoming reaction.

She looked him directly in the eyes and spoke. "No, not at all, Jack. How could I?"

He managed a lopsided smile. She looked at him, then down again, and moved to pass him once more.

"I think I'm going to rest. I'm quite tired."

As she went by him, he took her by the forearms again.

"Lizzie--what you said, in that moment-,"

She cut him off, speaking quickly. "Don't worry about it Jack...it was...the moment."

His spirits fell. "Yes, of course. Aftermath and all," he said, turning away so she wouldn't see his disappointment.

"Well, I will see you later?," she asked, rubbing the back of her neck, preparing to take a nap.

"Yes of course," he said matter-of-factly.

Fifteeen minutes later, Elizabeth was laying in a clean shift in a soft bed. 'Thank God!,' she thought to herself. She had forgotten how divine pillows could be.

Twenty minutes later, she still hadn't fallen asleep. She was reliving Jack's mouth on her own, his hands roaming her upper body. The way his eyes darkened and the pupils dilated when he was aroused. The glorious friction of his fingers on her...

She pulled the pillow over her head and sighed into it.

A moment later, the door swung open.

"Jack-," she started, suprised.

He stood in the doorframe, looking at her oddly.

"What's the matter, Jack?," she asked, covering herself with the sheet for added modesty.

"You told me you loved me on the island."

She cocked her head as if remembering. "Yes, but I had just-,"

He cut her off, and spoke. "Did you mean it?"

Her heart almost stopped beating in her chest, and she felt her muscles quiver. She took several seconds to compose herself before speaking timidly. "And if I had?"

Jack looked at the floor, sighed, then looked back at her.

"Well I would be prepared to say it back."

Once again, Elizabeth could barely move. She was frozen in place, it seemed, and so was he. Another few moments passed, and Jack walked slowly to the bed. He brought his hand to her cheek and slowly stroked the soft skin he found there.

"I love you, Elizabeth. I always have."

Then the kneading of her cheek turned into touching the neck, turned into her bringing her lips to his. Several moments later, divested fully of their clothing, they made love. Slowly, sweetly, devoid of the animalistic nature of earlier.

Satisfied, he cradled her in his arms as they lay in bed, naked as the day they were born.

"Oh Jack," she started. "What are we to do?"

He had no answer, but stroked her back until that motion, coupled with the rocking of the ship, lulled her to sleep.