Author's Note: Jack's first sentence is an adapted quote from the historical pirate that he is based on, Bartholomew Roberts. Apparently he was also an eloquent kinda guy, as well as a dangerous criminal. Sadly, he wasn't half so nice as Jack. Then again, Jack is a Disney character, so it's to be expected.

This is another playlist that changes quickly so be ready with the songs!

'Strength and Honour' from Gladiator.

'Neverland - Minor Piano Variation' from Finding Neverland.

'This Is Neverland' from Finding Neverland.

14

Now let every man toss of a full bumper
And let every man toss off a full bowl
And we'll drink and be merry and drown melancholy
Singing, here's good health to all true-hearted souls

"In an honest service, there are thin victuals, low wages and hard labour. But in this - being a so called scallywag - there is plenty, satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power..." Jack interrupted himself by knocking back another mouthful of rum. "No, luv. A merry life and a short one is my motto."

"You're untameable, Jack. You really are." Elizabeth sighed, picking at the last morsels of fish absent-mindedly.
He grinned and gave her a cheeky wink from where he sat, quite close to her.

"Have some more." he tipped the bottle she was holding against her mouth.
"Are you trying to seduce me through inebriation, Jack? You know it won't work."
"Not at all, darling. Why on earth would you think so badly of me?"

"William said that being a pirate makes one automatically a womaniser."
"The scoundrel!" he mocked, making sure she really did drink some, "I'm sure he would be thrilled to see us right now, sitting so civilised, sharing a sophisticated meal over superfluous conversation. Not even touching at all."

"Well. I think he's got more important things on his mind at the moment."
Elizabeth's gut clenched. "He's all alone, with those pirates, Jack. What if they hurt him?"

"Well, they spared you, Lizzie."
"They were talking about spilling every last drop from me just as I was leaving."
"Without me."

'Strength and Honour'.

"Yes. Not by choice." she touched his arm, only briefly.

It still sent pleasurable shivers up his spine.

She pondered seriously for a moment, and then turned to him, looking determinedly at his boots.
"Jack." she breathed, "I think I've figured out how to get away from here."

He raised an eyebrow and one corner of his mouth, cocking his head to one side.
"Are ye speaking metaphorically? If yer thinking along the same lines as I, I can assure ye, there be no need to give yerself up so quickly. I quite enjoy a chase."

She slapped him only half-playfully on the cheek.

"For goodness' sakes. I'm being serious."
"Seriously serious?"
"Exactly that."
"How? What great plan could you have come up with that I haven't yet?"

"Charmingly humble as always, Captain. It occurred to me, my father - the navy - well, they'll be out looking for me. At sea. And if we can send up a large enough signal, then perhaps we stand a chance of getting their attention. It's just the kind of thing they'll be on the alert for."

His facial expression went through several different phases.
She knew that he was thinking all the same things she had been contemplating, as she'd watched him hunting in the surf, and her heart twisted for him.

"The royal navy, you say." he echoed.
"Yes, Jack. And I have thought about all that, but... it would be so much easier to get away from the navy than this island, wouldn't it?"
"Aye. That it would. Now that I know the dog's ruddy name."
"I know it's a risk. But it's better than this."

"I don't know about that, luv." he surreptitiously placed one arm behind her as he leant backwards, "I feel that we're having a rather jolly time of it at the moment, don't you? Living a bit of the dream, as it were. I can think of a few who'd be rather jealous of our current... activities."
"Now that we're not starving, and the sunset is so beautiful, yes." she agreed teasingly.

It was better to tease than to be sombre. He was teaching her that, well enough.

'Neverland'.

"I was starting to think myself, about not telling you we had an escape route, until a few days' time..." she admitted, with more play than honesty in her voice. Her eyes glimmered mischieviously, and then died out, "But we have to save Will. If we don't... well, we may as well stay here forever and starve ourselves. I'd rather - he's my friend, Jack. We have to try."

"I never said we shouldn't. You seem to be forgetting I also have a ship to rescue."
"Always the industrious man."
"Of course."

"So, I've read about you." Elizabeth ventured, leaning very softly against Jack's arm that was still spread out behind her, "But of course I don't know the whole story."
"Are you giving me an excuse to blather and gloat my black guts out to you, Miss Swann? I assure you, I am an admirably arrogant sort of fellow when it comes to my life stories." he warned in a well-practised snooty accent.

"I want to hear everything."
"It's honestly all quite boring."
"To you, perhaps."

Jack sighed, and felt a genuine twinge occurring in his - place of feelings.
This girl was hitting all the right notes with him at the moment. Always. She always said the best bleedin' things.
She was the big fat 'X' on his map, and if he opened his compass right now, he knew where it would be pointing.

Maybe he should use that as a chat-up line on her someday.
Nobody could dispute that it would be an outstandingly unique wooing process.

"Fine then. But you mustn't interrupt or ask stupid questions. I will get angry."
"I promise."
"Good. Where to start..."
"Where were you born?"
"I said -"
"It's not a stupid question. And you hadn't even started yet, so I haven't interrupted." she shot back.

"Blimey, alright. So... I was born on a ship - me dad's ship - in a typhoon."
"What?"
"That was both interruption and a stupid question."

She looked at him innocently, even fluttering her eyelashes a little.

"Apparently my mother hated me even before I was out. Who wants to give birth in a storm, an' all that. She had a rough time of it. Dad was Pirate Lord of Madagascar back then. Lots of fun. Spent our time around the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Mum was Indian. Very beautiful. Not very close to us, though. I ran away at about twelve, founded me first tiny crew. Played at pillaging for days on end. Sunny days, all of 'em."

"You're telling me you were born a pirate, raised on a pirate ship, and ran away, to be a pirate?"
"Would you have expected anything less, luv?"
"I suppose not."

"I was a wholeheartedly law-abiding citizen at one point, you'll be very surprised to hear."
"What?"
"Aye. I went through a - peculiar phase - in which I worried about me future prospects. An awful lot. Got mixed up in the Trading Company." he shuddered even to say the name, "That didn't last all so long."
"Why?"
"Well, it was all lar-de-dar an' dandy until... they pushed me a mite too far, as it were."

He had been expecting a 'How' from her, actually rather enjoying her eager input, but it seemed she had decided to behave. There was an awkward pause, in which he noticed his arm was going numb from them both leaning on it. He withdrew it - sensing her sitting up straight again, and hoping she was as disappointed as he thought she was.

Then he turned so their shoulders were pressing together, and they leaned unanimously on each other in a friendly-like way, their heads comfortably close enough to talk in a low, intimate tone.

'This Is Neverland'.

"They tried to put a load of sorry souls onto my ship, to be taken across the sea and enslaved." he paused a moment, "You don't happen to have any African servants, do you?"
"Never. Father didn't agree with it, from the start."
"Ah. Well, good. So as I don't have to hate ye." he muttered through slightly clenched teeth.

"Tell me."
His face had lost all expression. He was looking into the smoldering fire, with something incomprehensible burning in his own orbs - the flames mirrored, flickering, in his black irises.
"It's not something you as can really tell about, Lizzie... They were manacled. Thin as beggars. Nothing in their eyes. An' that's all I can say."

He flinched, before realising the new experience he was undergoing was the touch of her hand on his.
"What did you do?"
"I did my duty."

She looked crestfallen for a second, until she heard his next sentence, chasing after the last, with deep-toned integrity.

"I did my solemn duty as a human being, and took the blighters back to where they belonged, and set them all on their feet and off home again."
"Oh, Jack."
"That was where I ran into a spot of bother, with the..."

His gaze trailed down to rest on his branded arm for a second.
She moved her hand from his to rest on his scarred wrist. Lifted it up gently, between both soft, feminine hands, and inspected it.

"What did they do to you?"
"Well, firstly they sunk me ship. Me darling Wicked Wench."
"You had another ship?"
"Same ship, but we'll get to that later."

When it was 'later', when they had gotten past all the distressing descriptions of prisons and branding and dangerous escape, and Jack had just related his desperate, universal plea for his ship back, in exchange for anything, for his soul - as Davy Jones rose up from the depths in their two imaginations - Elizabeth shook her head sadly.

"Jack. Are you telling me the truth?"
"Aye."
"Davy Jones came to claim your soul in exchange for your ship being raised from the sea?"
"Haven't you seen enough walking skeletons yet, missy?"

"I don't know." she smiled hesitantly, "And - when exactly is Davy Jones expecting this soul of yours to be paid to him, if you aren't fibbing after all?"
"Ah. Mum's the word on that one, luv."

"If you won't tell me then I won't believe you."
"Go ahead."
"Fine. I renounce every word of that nonsense." she said, just to spite him.

The truth was, she felt concerned.
And she hoped if there was a bartered soul involved in all this, it wasn't going to be taken any time in the near future.