Chapter Two

Ok, it hasn't been too long, thankfully. Um . . . I'm almost finished the next chapter. But, like the last time, updates are going to take slightly longer because I just came back to school (which is stupid in my opinion but I won't bother you by ranting) and I have no idea what the next six weeks are going to be like. Anyhow, here's this chapter to satisfy you. It's juicy on the drama, kind of.

Disclaimer – I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. I do own Belle and the other character that you might have figured out exists already.

Jack POV

Ten years after realising that the island I'd been marooned on was the best thing to ever happen to me because she was there, assuring her that she was different, realising that there was never going to be anyone more important to me than her and then abandoning her for her own wellbeing, I returned to the place I never thought I'd be again. I hadn't been there since the morning I'd left her in her bed with nothing but a drawing and two words left with two hookers. I had slept with them but she needed to be angry. Never would anyone have thought that the suave and notorious Captain Jack Sparrow was caring but the motives behind my behaviour were just that. I entered Tortuga cautiously although it wouldn't have seemed that way and told Will about the wonders of the place when all that was playing in my head was the bad parts. After I got slapped by both Scarlett and Giselle, unsurprisingly, I was feeling the regret. Will was looking at someone and I turned back around just to get a fist slammed into my nose. I yelped dramatically and fell over. Whoever had done that packed a hell of a punch. I started to adjust my crooked nose and I felt the whelp look down at me along with another set of eyes.

"I suppose you didn't deserve that one either," the whelp said in a mocking voice. Looking up and straight into a pair of familiar grey-green eyes, I felt all the memories hit me like her fist just had. Belle was here.

"No, that one I deserved," I admitted and stood up. The fact that she was here was difficult for me to grasp. The whelp looked terrified of her. He should be. I was.

JBJBJBJBJB

"And you didn't see fit to tell me that you'd been with Belle this whole time?" I demanded from Gibbs as we spoke over some rum. Belle was outside with young William, talking with him. I glared at the pair, but mainly at the whelp, before looking at Gibbs.

"I don't know what ye expect, Jack. Ye were the one that left her behind without explaining yer motives," Gibbs pointed out although there was something strange in his voice. I glared at him and took a gulp of rum.

"You know why I left," I argued and Gibbs shook his head.

"But she don't, Jack. That's why she hates ye," he said and I sighed. This was going to be more difficult than I ever imagined.

"It's just my luck that I found her here," I complained and Gibbs laughed. I must have looked pitiful.

"Maybe it's a good thing, Jack."

"Not if she never wants to be around me."

"Do ye want to be around her?" he asked and I glared at him harshly.

"Of course I do. I didn't leave because I didn't want to be with her. I left so that she wouldn't get hurt. I couldn't have stood there and watched that happen, you know that," I snapped and Gibbs raised his eyebrows.

"Leaving her by herself could've backfired. You could have come back here and found out she was dead," Gibbs argued and I gritted my teeth.

"But she's not. She's just bloody furious at me."

"Maybe ye should tell her the truth, Jack."

"It's too late. I should have told her ten years ago."

"Well, I don't think she'll be happy when she finds out it was selfish reasons that abandoned her." Again, there was something in his voice that confused me. I knew Gibbs was hiding something from me.

"They weren't selfish. They were all for her. I wouldn't have left if I thought this life was right for her."

"Jack, she was raised a pirate. Yer being a bit patronisin', don't ye think?"

"I didn't want her hurt! Living without her and knowing she was safe was better than living without her and knowing I caused her death!" I finally yelled. The entire pub went silent and I looked up to see Belle missing and William gaping at me. I stomped up to the kid, ignoring the stares.

"Where is she?" I demanded and he pointed behind him. I left him standing there and took off towards the docks.

Belle POV

I listened subtly to Gibbs and Jack's conversation. When Jack yelled at Gibbs about not wanting to cause my death, I ran towards the docks. I didn't want to hear anymore because it meant that I couldn't be mad at him. It meant the hatred I'd bottled up and got ready to hurl at him for ten years was completely useless and pointless. I sat down on some crates near the edge of the pier and looked out over the dark ocean. There was a fancy navy ship docked nearby and I smirked, knowing Jack had commandeered it with the young William, who was just like his father. I heard the sound of familiar footfalls on the dock that halted behind me. I continued looking out to the sea, glistening in the moonlight.

"This is where I found out you'd left me," I said quietly although I knew he heard me. "I got so mad when I found out you'd slept with Giselle and Scarlett that I almost used my one shot on Giselle. It would have been a waste though. So I yelled at the sea and then drowned myself in rum. It didn't help at all. Even under all the hatred and the pain that you left me with, I never truly stopped caring about you, you know. I always wondered if you were alive and happy somewhere else, sailing the seas without the one you claimed was different," I continued. I didn't cry although I very much wanted too. I simply sat and stared, refusing to turn to look at the man who'd haunted me for ten years.

"I never wanted to leave, love," he whispered and I felt him sit on the crate next to me. He didn't try to touch me though.

"I know - you were trying to 'protect' me. I guess I just don't understand," I mumbled and this time he did touch me. His hand softly touched my knee but I jerked away and stood up.

"Ye don't deserve to die because of me," he said as he came up beside me. I still refused to look at him.

"Did you ever consider that if I'd died here, in the ten years we haven't seen each other, it would have still been your fault? You don't know that I would have died if I'd come with you, just like you didn't know I wouldn't die because you left me here. The fact that you think I would die as easily as you're implying is insulting too," I pointed out softly.

"Maybe my decision doesn't look good now but it made sense ten years ago," he argued and I scoffed, being the loudest I'd been throughout the entire conversation.

"So not only did you abandon me but you didn't think it through?" I demanded harshly but I couldn't look at him. The pain in my chest was already unbearable.

"Why won't you look at me?" he asked softly and I closed my eyes to stop the building tears.

"Mummy!" cried a young voice. Jack and I whirled around to see a young girl at the end of the pier. She was ten years old and tall for her age. She had dark brown hair that rested at her elbows and big grey-green eyes. She was wearing a brown coat with gold buttons that reached her knees, a white shirt, brown breeches and black leather boots. I breathed deeply, preparing for Jack's utter horror. But I couldn't look. Instead, I walked away from Jack and up to my ten year old daughter, Jacqueline.

"Hey, mummy told you to stay home," I said in a kind voice. She shook her head.

"I heard people say Captain Jack Sparrow was here mummy and I wanted to see him! Your stories were so good and I wanted to hear more from him. Is that him?" she asked loudly and looked at Jack who looked shell-shocked.

"Maybe you can talk some other time. Captain Jack is very tired right now and we should be going home. Go on, I'll be there in a minute," I said and she pouted but left. Breathing deeply, I turned and marched up to Jack. When I stopped in front of him, he looked down at me (still marginally taller) with confusion in his eyes. I reached down and pulled a piece of old paper out of my boot.

"Wh-." I held up my hand and placed the paper within his hand.

"It looks like this picture isn't the only thing you left me with." And I walked away, leaving him standing on the dock in complete shock and succumbed to the tears.

Don't hate me! Please don't hate me! I will do my best to get regular updates to you. I really need to learn to finish a story before I start updating it. Anyway, I hope you're not preparing to kill me or smash the computer/laptop/iPad/iPod screen. Love Bianca :) x