"Elizabeth!"

It was astonishing what could be projected in those four syllables.

Her father could place so much exasperation and joy in her name.

Will would say her name in reverence and love.

Jack, on the rare occasions he said her full name, generally ended on a mocking tone.

The sheer fear she heard in his voice as he yelled her name this time across the deck of the ship caused her stomach to contract. Without thought she dropped to one knee then turned her body, stabbing blindly upward. She connected with the abdomen with the merchant who had attempted to shorten her own life. The man was died before he fell on her. She pushed his body away with disgust.

A brown, beringed hand appeared in front of her and she grabbed it gratefully. As Jack helped her to her face she locked eyes with him, briefly, seeing an unreadable but serious expression on his face. He tugged her out of the middle of the chaos to place their backs against the ship's railing, allowing her a moment to catch her breath. She threw him a quick smile of thanks but he was already scanning the fray before them. The pirates were winning, although the merchants hadn't noticed yet. Elizabeth raised her sword once more and rejoined the fight.

After the battle was over and the crew were back on their own ship Elizabeth made use of her time by checking injuries, securing cloths for the few that were bleeding from various scratches. As she was finishing the final tie of the bandage on Pintel's forearm, she heard excited murmurs for the rest of the crew.

"Lads!" she heard Jack say, "great haul. Be proud. Drink up."

The men cheered and started passing bottles of rum around. Elizabeth had to smile as Pintel bounded over to the crowd gathering around the crates. She was picking up what was left of her makeshift compresses when a full bottle of rum appeared in her eyeline. Her smile turned into a smirk as she accepted the drink from her captain. "Thank you, Jack."

He clinked his bottle to hers then led them to sit on some stairs, out of the way.

She watched him take a long pull on his rum, following him with one of her own. "How did we do?" she asked once she swallowed.

Jack flashed his golden grin. "Four chests before the ship took on too much water. No casualties among us. Good day's work."

They drank for a moment, shoulder to shoulder, watching the crew's antics. As the quiet set in, Elizabeth's mind began to process the battler and her stomach fluttered as her hands began to shake. The faces of the men she had dispatched to the other side flashed just as suddenly as the realization that she may have joined them. "Jack?" she asked, softly. "How close was he? To me, I mean?"

His eyes darted to her face, searching it. He had known what she meant. "Too close, 'Lizbeth. For a moment I thought it was too late."

She paled as she recognized the previously unreadable look in his eyes as distress and sorrow. The look only reappeared for a second but it was enough for reality to crash for her. Her eyes began to fill with tears as she became overcome with an onset of emotions.

Jack, for his part, upon seeing about to break, panicked. "No, no, no, no!" He threw his hands up helplessly in the air. "I'm not good with the crying, luv. Emotions, really. Uh….drink! Lizzie, drink, don't think."

She rapidly blinked her eyes to clear them, although a few tears escaped. "Death nearly got me today."

He sighed then reached his free hand over and moved her hand holding her own rum towards her mouth. She drank it obediently. "We're pirates, luv. Death is always coming for us." Once she was done with her swig he gently wiped a stray tear off of her cheek with his thumb. "The trick is to leave the past to the past and concentrate on the present. Be in the moment without regrets. And rum. Lots and lots of rum."

She drank more rum at that statement, using his familiar stare to gather her will and move past the unpleasant thoughts and dreaded feelings. "You frightened me when I heard you yell," she admitted to him.

He frowned, and lifted an eyebrow, looking puzzled. "Yell? What, your name?" He shrugged. "Had to get your attention somehow."

"Jack," she said, softly, "Thank you."

He broke their gaze to look towards his men as he drank more from his bottle. When he glanced back to her, the twinkle was back in his eyes. "Do be mindful in the future, though, luv. I do not fancy conquering the underworld to bring your arse back, savvy?"

"And after all I have done for you," she teased, mocking indignity, matching his playful mood to lighten things up.

He threw his hands up again. "Not saying I wouldn't, mind. Just not preferred, is all. Although….the denizens of said underworld may not contest me taking you," he teased.

Elizabeth threw him a fake glare and swatted his arm playfully.

His laugh rumbled low as he finished his rum and snatched hers away to empty as well.

Even as she opened her mouth to protest, Marty was approaching with two fresh bottles.

"Drink faster, Lizzie," Jack told her. "You're falling behind."

She knew he was trying to keep her distracted and she allowed herself to let him, smirking as she brought the rum to her lips and swallowed half of the contents. "Shall we have a contest?"

He grinned wickedly. "You'd pass out before you even got close to me drink volume but I would love to see you so…uninhibited."

"And what would be your intentions should I succumb to my inebriations?" she had to ask.

Jack's salacious grin widened. "You've nothing to worry 'bout should you choose to make yourself unfuctionable, Elizabeth. I'd want you to remember. Every. Single. Detail."

She raised her eyebrow at him. "You act as if that would be something I would WANT to remember."

"I would be willing to bet on that, Lizzie. Should you ever wish to try."

She rolled her eyes and turned once more to watch the crew. "I shall keep that in mind," she told him sarcastically.

"Offer is always open," he cheerfully said back.

"Yes, I'm sure," was her response. She took a deep breath, relieved her hands were shaking less and her mind was clearer. Suddenly, she felt exhaustion taking over her. Without consciously thinking about it she narrowed the small gap between them, leaning into him, and placed her head on his shoulder. She felt him stiffen slightly then relax before gingerly placing his arm around her back. He hesitantly placed his hand on her hip then squeezed her gently to him once he realized she wouldn't protest his touch.

She took in his silent comfort for a bit of time before raising her head when the drunken crew began to include their captain and herself in conversation. Jack didn't attempt to move his hand from her and, since she didn't complain, remained flush to his side. Joining in the exchange between the pirates when warranted, Elizabeth allowed herself to relax with the drink and stay in the present.

Later, after she left all the men on the deck of the ship, Elizabeth was greeting in sleep not with horror and war but with gentle hands, warm hugs, and her freedom.