The Way to Matelotage 3,4/7
Aug. 19th, 2008 01:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soleilpirate Author: Soleil Compeau
Title: The Way to Matelotage
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Pairing: Jack/Will, Jack/Will/Elizabeth, Jack/Elizabeth
Rating: NC17
Disclaimer: Everything here is mine! Mine! *maniacal laughter trailing off into confused expression* Um, could you remove these restraints please?
Summary: What does betrayal and death do to a love affair?
Author's Notes: Sequel to Heal the Hurt. Basically, I was left wanting more by the Locker scenes. Not by Johnny's performance, but by the emptiness of the Locker itself. When Elizabeth said "I don't see Jack. I don't see anyone!" the plot bunny hit me hard. I just didn't know where to put it. This fic starts out very angsty, then degenerates into smut.
Warning: Lots of slash, threesome, then het. Just so you know what to expect.
Chapter Three - Jack is taken
Jack wrestled Will impatiently into bed, lighting a lamp quickly with trembling fingers. The soft light cast a glow over Will, lighting the planes and angles of his hard muscled body. The boy looked utterly dazed.
Jack forced himself to stop, but the effort was monumentous. What he wanted most was for Will to take control, wanted to feel surrounded by that young vibrant life in that taut sculpted body. In order to have that, he needed to slow down and be the willing courtesan. His eyes never leaving young Turner's, he lifted first one foot then the other to remove his boots. The thunk of them hitting the floor seemed to jar Will.
He sat up, grabbing Jack's wrist and keeping him still. "Lie down," he commanded.
Jack froze, looking at him questioningly. Will jerked on the wrist he held, and Jack flew forward to land beside him on the bed. "You said you wanted to feel my hands all over you. Now you will."
Jack wrestled his breeches off, eyes never leaving William's face. He was lit from within with excitement. Naked, he waited with breathless anticipation, still looking up at Will with those vulnerable doe eyes. Will sat next to him on the edge of the bed and once again stroked his thumbs over the high cheekbones. He brushed one thumb over Jack's full lower lip, and the pirate swiped at it with his tongue.
Will's hands drifted to the line of his throat, and Jack tilted his head back with an inviting rumble. Meanwhile, he'd begun stroking his erection languidly with one hand. The younger man glanced at this with a bit of amusement. So utterly unselfconscious in his needs and desires, was Jack. The sight of the bronzed fingers touching himself sent a jolt of fresh lust through Will's body.
He kept stroking his thumb gently on the pulse he felt in Jack's tender throat. His other hand wandered over the man's face, feeling the rough hairs of his beard, tracing the whorls of his ears, tugging lightly on the lobe. Soft moans from the pirate encouraged him. His hands drifted down to his chest, and rubbed at his peaked nipples.
"Mmm!" Jack's hand moved faster, and Will glanced at the sight, unable to resist. He favoured pressure and tight friction just beneath the crown, it would seem. His fingers itched to take over and provide that stimulation himself. In his trousers, his cock swelled a bit more.
Will bent down and took a hard nipple in his teeth. Jack moaned, and cursed lightly under his breath, which was hitching faster in his chest. Wickedly, the blacksmith used his tongue all over Jack's chest, trailing his hands in his mouth's wake. Jack struggled, fingers pulling frantically at his hot eager flesh as Will suckled down his body.
Will shifted his weight on the bed, straddling one of Jack's knees. He bent his face down to the rapidly pumping fist and licked the dusky bulbous head of Jack's cock, repeatedly. He was rewarded by a long ragged moan and an arching of hips. Teasing the man, he ducked down to place open mouthed kisses on the inside of Jack's thighs.
The older man's head tossed back and forth. He was breathing quite hard as Will caressed and kissed and ran his hot mouth on his legs. Will reached up, pushed Jack's hand away, and matched his pace with his own hand, squeezing at just the right places. The low groans gave way to sharply high pitched moans, and with only a few strokes he jerked, then convulsed. Gasps of pleasured release echoed loudly in the cabin.
Will smirked in aroused satisfaction as Jack sighed contentedly, licked his lips and began to curl up on his side. "I'm not done with you yet Jack," he informed him.
He opened one eye and smiled, wiggling delightedly. "Hoped you'd say that." He reached for Will. "What do you want, love?"
"Your bottle of oil," Will stated matter of factly, smiling smugly down at him.
Jack grinned lazily, stretching indulgently. "I'm not sure I'm in the shape for that just yet," he drawled, indicating his spent cock. "I'm older than you after all."
Will leaned forward, invading Jack's space as the man did so often to others. He planted his hands on the bed on either side of Jack's shoulders. "That's why I'll be the one using it."
Jack swallowed hard, and his eyes went hazy. Glancing down, Will saw that part of him was quite eager and accepting of the whole notion. "Think you can handle that, mate? I assure you, I have much more experience-"
Really, when Jack got going like that, only one good way existed to shut him up. And kissing him was a damn treat anyway, might as well do it as often as possible. Getting the hint, Jack divested Will of his breeches, pushing them down past his knees. Will broke the kiss and leaned down to pull them the rest of the way off. When he straightened, he saw Jack holding out the little bottle of golden gleaming liquid.
Grinning, he said cockily, "I guess you think I can handle it after all. You must want it."
"I do," Jack replied huskily. "I want you all over me and around me."
Will shivered with anticipation as he poured oil into his palm and slicked his throbbing cock all over. Without being told, Jack rolled over and tilted his rear end up in the air. Why had he never noticed how nicely shaped the man's tush was? Even before, when he'd been touching it, he was too distracted by Elizabeth's body and Jack's responses to really appreciate it. Now, running his hands over him, he did.
Tight rounded buttocks quivered as Will ran curious hands over them. He spread his knees and lowered his head to his folded arms. "Quite a sluttish pose for a pirate captain, eh Jack?" But Will couldn't make his tone as scathing as he might have at one time. Not when he wanted the man so.
"I'm ready William. Just do it! Please!" Jack begged, giving an eager bounce on his legs that shook his arse nicely. Will put his hands on slender hips. He was nervous now, unsure exactly how to proceed. Casting his mind back to the previous encounters, he took a deep breath and pressed the blunt head of his cock against Jack's dark hole.
The man breathed deeply, relaxing as Will pressed forward and squeezed the head into him. The young man cried out, convulsively gripping Jack's hips hard enough to bruise. Jack clenched his teeth and breathed hard between them. Will surged forward hard, and he struggled not to cry out at the burn. Will did not know, he wasn't aware of anything but his own enjoyment, and jabbed forward until he was balls deep. At this intrusion Jack couldn't help yelling with pain, and that finally got through to Will.
"I'm hurting you!"" In his concern he began to withdraw, Jack squeezed, hard, to keep him inside.
"M'all right! Just hold still a minute. Have to get used t'ya. You went so fast, is all."
Will waited in torment, painfully aroused flesh held in the tightest, most maddening grip he'd ever experienced, while Jack tried to adjust. At last he took a shuddering breath, relaxed all over, and said simply, "All right."
Immediately, Will pulled back until he was nearly ready to pop out again, then drove back in, as gently as he could this time. "Does it hurt always?" he asked with concern. He was thinking of the fantasies he'd had about Jack doing this to him, and having decidedly second, and third and fourth, thoughts.
"No Will darling," was the purring answer. "It feels good, but you slammed home so quick....mmm!" He ended his explanation with a moan and hands fisting white knuckled in the bedsheets.
Belatedly Will remembered the sweet spot he'd been taught about. By Jack's responses, he guessed he must be close to it, if not hitting it directly. He gauged Jack's responses, observed how he was sweating, trembling, straining. No. He wasn't doing it quite right. Carefully Will tried a new angle.
The struggling man beneath him threw his head back and howled in sheer animalistic ecstasy. Ahh, there it was. Will pumped harder in the slippery tight grip of Jack's ass, pounding hard and sure now that he was stimulating his lover very much. He slipped a hand around Jack's head, covering his open, wailing mouth. "Quiet Jack. We don't want your crew hearing you and investigating the raunchy sounds coming from your quarters."
His voice was ragged, choppy. Sweat was pouring off his brow. Damn, it was so good! He felt the slap of Jack's balls on his every time he thrust. The man was seriously tight, maddeningly tight, if he did not love Elizabeth and her beautiful lady curves so much he would call this the best sex he'd ever had in his life. Including the one time he'd paid a whore a great deal of money to relieve his tension over Elizabeth when she began growing so gorgeous.
He reached his other hand around Jack's hip, and found his hard on. Against his hand he muffled another wild cry. This he knew a bit better, and jerked the tormented flesh expertly. Jack was going insane, bumping back against Will's hips and wailing desperately into Will's palm. He felt as if his body was going white hot.
It was difficult to tell who came first. It was quite close together, that was certain. Both of them were twitching and shuddering, spewing warm streams of eager come. When the convulsions ended, they collapsed together, Will draping himself over Jack's limp body. For a bit there was only the ragged sounds of their panting and an occasional small moan. Will's organ softened and he pulled gingerly out of Jack, who sighed at the loss of contact.
Will studied the bronzed face in satisfied repose. Those soot dark lashes curved on his cheek again, a smile played about the pouting lips. "Sleep Jack. Rest without dreams. I'll be back, I need to speak to Elizabeth."
Only a contented sigh answered those words. Will took it as a good sign that Jack reacted so gently to the mention of her name. He curled up on his side, already nearly asleep and appearing quite peacefully so, as Will dressed and strode out of the cabin.
Chapter Four - I AM sorry
Elizabeth pounced on him as soon as he came deckside. "How's Jack?"
Will paused and looked at her seriously. "
Title: The Way to Matelotage
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Pairing: Jack/Will, Jack/Will/Elizabeth, Jack/Elizabeth
Rating: NC17
Disclaimer: Everything here is mine! Mine! *maniacal laughter trailing off into confused expression* Um, could you remove these restraints please?
Summary: What does betrayal and death do to a love affair?
Author's Notes: Sequel to Heal the Hurt. Basically, I was left wanting more by the Locker scenes. Not by Johnny's performance, but by the emptiness of the Locker itself. When Elizabeth said "I don't see Jack. I don't see anyone!" the plot bunny hit me hard. I just didn't know where to put it. This fic starts out very angsty, then degenerates into smut.
Warning: Lots of slash, threesome, then het. Just so you know what to expect.
Chapter Three - Jack is taken
Jack wrestled Will impatiently into bed, lighting a lamp quickly with trembling fingers. The soft light cast a glow over Will, lighting the planes and angles of his hard muscled body. The boy looked utterly dazed.
Jack forced himself to stop, but the effort was monumentous. What he wanted most was for Will to take control, wanted to feel surrounded by that young vibrant life in that taut sculpted body. In order to have that, he needed to slow down and be the willing courtesan. His eyes never leaving young Turner's, he lifted first one foot then the other to remove his boots. The thunk of them hitting the floor seemed to jar Will.
He sat up, grabbing Jack's wrist and keeping him still. "Lie down," he commanded.
Jack froze, looking at him questioningly. Will jerked on the wrist he held, and Jack flew forward to land beside him on the bed. "You said you wanted to feel my hands all over you. Now you will."
Jack wrestled his breeches off, eyes never leaving William's face. He was lit from within with excitement. Naked, he waited with breathless anticipation, still looking up at Will with those vulnerable doe eyes. Will sat next to him on the edge of the bed and once again stroked his thumbs over the high cheekbones. He brushed one thumb over Jack's full lower lip, and the pirate swiped at it with his tongue.
Will's hands drifted to the line of his throat, and Jack tilted his head back with an inviting rumble. Meanwhile, he'd begun stroking his erection languidly with one hand. The younger man glanced at this with a bit of amusement. So utterly unselfconscious in his needs and desires, was Jack. The sight of the bronzed fingers touching himself sent a jolt of fresh lust through Will's body.
He kept stroking his thumb gently on the pulse he felt in Jack's tender throat. His other hand wandered over the man's face, feeling the rough hairs of his beard, tracing the whorls of his ears, tugging lightly on the lobe. Soft moans from the pirate encouraged him. His hands drifted down to his chest, and rubbed at his peaked nipples.
"Mmm!" Jack's hand moved faster, and Will glanced at the sight, unable to resist. He favoured pressure and tight friction just beneath the crown, it would seem. His fingers itched to take over and provide that stimulation himself. In his trousers, his cock swelled a bit more.
Will bent down and took a hard nipple in his teeth. Jack moaned, and cursed lightly under his breath, which was hitching faster in his chest. Wickedly, the blacksmith used his tongue all over Jack's chest, trailing his hands in his mouth's wake. Jack struggled, fingers pulling frantically at his hot eager flesh as Will suckled down his body.
Will shifted his weight on the bed, straddling one of Jack's knees. He bent his face down to the rapidly pumping fist and licked the dusky bulbous head of Jack's cock, repeatedly. He was rewarded by a long ragged moan and an arching of hips. Teasing the man, he ducked down to place open mouthed kisses on the inside of Jack's thighs.
The older man's head tossed back and forth. He was breathing quite hard as Will caressed and kissed and ran his hot mouth on his legs. Will reached up, pushed Jack's hand away, and matched his pace with his own hand, squeezing at just the right places. The low groans gave way to sharply high pitched moans, and with only a few strokes he jerked, then convulsed. Gasps of pleasured release echoed loudly in the cabin.
Will smirked in aroused satisfaction as Jack sighed contentedly, licked his lips and began to curl up on his side. "I'm not done with you yet Jack," he informed him.
He opened one eye and smiled, wiggling delightedly. "Hoped you'd say that." He reached for Will. "What do you want, love?"
"Your bottle of oil," Will stated matter of factly, smiling smugly down at him.
Jack grinned lazily, stretching indulgently. "I'm not sure I'm in the shape for that just yet," he drawled, indicating his spent cock. "I'm older than you after all."
Will leaned forward, invading Jack's space as the man did so often to others. He planted his hands on the bed on either side of Jack's shoulders. "That's why I'll be the one using it."
Jack swallowed hard, and his eyes went hazy. Glancing down, Will saw that part of him was quite eager and accepting of the whole notion. "Think you can handle that, mate? I assure you, I have much more experience-"
Really, when Jack got going like that, only one good way existed to shut him up. And kissing him was a damn treat anyway, might as well do it as often as possible. Getting the hint, Jack divested Will of his breeches, pushing them down past his knees. Will broke the kiss and leaned down to pull them the rest of the way off. When he straightened, he saw Jack holding out the little bottle of golden gleaming liquid.
Grinning, he said cockily, "I guess you think I can handle it after all. You must want it."
"I do," Jack replied huskily. "I want you all over me and around me."
Will shivered with anticipation as he poured oil into his palm and slicked his throbbing cock all over. Without being told, Jack rolled over and tilted his rear end up in the air. Why had he never noticed how nicely shaped the man's tush was? Even before, when he'd been touching it, he was too distracted by Elizabeth's body and Jack's responses to really appreciate it. Now, running his hands over him, he did.
Tight rounded buttocks quivered as Will ran curious hands over them. He spread his knees and lowered his head to his folded arms. "Quite a sluttish pose for a pirate captain, eh Jack?" But Will couldn't make his tone as scathing as he might have at one time. Not when he wanted the man so.
"I'm ready William. Just do it! Please!" Jack begged, giving an eager bounce on his legs that shook his arse nicely. Will put his hands on slender hips. He was nervous now, unsure exactly how to proceed. Casting his mind back to the previous encounters, he took a deep breath and pressed the blunt head of his cock against Jack's dark hole.
The man breathed deeply, relaxing as Will pressed forward and squeezed the head into him. The young man cried out, convulsively gripping Jack's hips hard enough to bruise. Jack clenched his teeth and breathed hard between them. Will surged forward hard, and he struggled not to cry out at the burn. Will did not know, he wasn't aware of anything but his own enjoyment, and jabbed forward until he was balls deep. At this intrusion Jack couldn't help yelling with pain, and that finally got through to Will.
"I'm hurting you!"" In his concern he began to withdraw, Jack squeezed, hard, to keep him inside.
"M'all right! Just hold still a minute. Have to get used t'ya. You went so fast, is all."
Will waited in torment, painfully aroused flesh held in the tightest, most maddening grip he'd ever experienced, while Jack tried to adjust. At last he took a shuddering breath, relaxed all over, and said simply, "All right."
Immediately, Will pulled back until he was nearly ready to pop out again, then drove back in, as gently as he could this time. "Does it hurt always?" he asked with concern. He was thinking of the fantasies he'd had about Jack doing this to him, and having decidedly second, and third and fourth, thoughts.
"No Will darling," was the purring answer. "It feels good, but you slammed home so quick....mmm!" He ended his explanation with a moan and hands fisting white knuckled in the bedsheets.
Belatedly Will remembered the sweet spot he'd been taught about. By Jack's responses, he guessed he must be close to it, if not hitting it directly. He gauged Jack's responses, observed how he was sweating, trembling, straining. No. He wasn't doing it quite right. Carefully Will tried a new angle.
The struggling man beneath him threw his head back and howled in sheer animalistic ecstasy. Ahh, there it was. Will pumped harder in the slippery tight grip of Jack's ass, pounding hard and sure now that he was stimulating his lover very much. He slipped a hand around Jack's head, covering his open, wailing mouth. "Quiet Jack. We don't want your crew hearing you and investigating the raunchy sounds coming from your quarters."
His voice was ragged, choppy. Sweat was pouring off his brow. Damn, it was so good! He felt the slap of Jack's balls on his every time he thrust. The man was seriously tight, maddeningly tight, if he did not love Elizabeth and her beautiful lady curves so much he would call this the best sex he'd ever had in his life. Including the one time he'd paid a whore a great deal of money to relieve his tension over Elizabeth when she began growing so gorgeous.
He reached his other hand around Jack's hip, and found his hard on. Against his hand he muffled another wild cry. This he knew a bit better, and jerked the tormented flesh expertly. Jack was going insane, bumping back against Will's hips and wailing desperately into Will's palm. He felt as if his body was going white hot.
It was difficult to tell who came first. It was quite close together, that was certain. Both of them were twitching and shuddering, spewing warm streams of eager come. When the convulsions ended, they collapsed together, Will draping himself over Jack's limp body. For a bit there was only the ragged sounds of their panting and an occasional small moan. Will's organ softened and he pulled gingerly out of Jack, who sighed at the loss of contact.
Will studied the bronzed face in satisfied repose. Those soot dark lashes curved on his cheek again, a smile played about the pouting lips. "Sleep Jack. Rest without dreams. I'll be back, I need to speak to Elizabeth."
Only a contented sigh answered those words. Will took it as a good sign that Jack reacted so gently to the mention of her name. He curled up on his side, already nearly asleep and appearing quite peacefully so, as Will dressed and strode out of the cabin.
Chapter Four - I AM sorry
Elizabeth pounced on him as soon as he came deckside. "How's Jack?"
Will paused and looked at her seriously. "
He's feeling much better now. Just being out of the Locker, and of course, surrounded by his friends, will go far to ease his mind."
His body language, the stress on the words 'surrounded by his friends' was all unconscious, the result of experiencing intense closeness with the captain. Elizabeth noted it, and her eyes darkened. "So that's how it is. You helped him feel better." Her mouth twisted in jealousy. "Was it nice? Did you both enjoy it?"
Will looked at her steadily. He certainly wasn't going to deny it, especially not to her. "Yes," answered all her questions.
Tears and dark despair filled her eyes. "Will he ever let me near him again?" she whispered hauntingly.
"I understand, a little bit anyway, why you did what you did. But you should have told me-"
"There was no time! Everything happened so fast...and I was so angry with him. I hated him for a few minutes, and then I kissed him and the look in his eyes! When I shackled him, there was a lump in my throat the size of the ship's mast. I hated myself then, even as I did it." Elizabeth did not have words to explain how bare and broken she'd felt when Jack looked at her with such trust and vulnerability, chained by his wrist to the mast. Knowing he was going to die, he'd chosen to smile at her, and shatter her heart into a million pieces.
He gripped her shoulder reassuringly. "Give him time. He's resting now, when he wakes, perhaps you can try talking to him. Just get in his line of sight, and see how he reacts." If Jack continued to flinch and run away every time he saw Elizabeth, tempers amongst all the crew, not just herself and Jack, would get mighty strained. Will searched for something a bit more encouraging. "I'm sure he'll be calmer...soon."
In fact, he was. Jack woke from a two hour nap feeling deliciously stretched and pleasantly sore. He wriggled against the sheets of his bunk, then rose and quickly gathered his scattered clothes. Thoughts of Will gave way to thoughts of Elizabeth, and how to deal with her. Yet even that important consideration gave way to much more pressing needs. Such as, how to get his Pearl back to the proper seas she belonged on, and explain his sudden resurrection to the world.
When he emerged, there she was, his own personal murderess. She gave him a tremulous smile, and Jack groaned inwardly. How was it possible that he could still find her attractive? No matter, he wasn't ready to deal with her yet. Barbossa was shouting orders, and oh the impertinence of THAT had to be stopped! Right now!
The captains butted heads, repeatedly all that afternoon. At last, in sheer disgruntlement, Barbossa yielded. Jack had no doubt that was only a temporary reprieve. Surprisingly, Elizabeth gave him time alone with his lady's wheel, to savour his victory over Hector, before approaching him.
"Jack...like to speak with you...please." She fidgeted and cast her eyes everywhere but at his face.
"So speak." He would not turn around and face her. Well, at least he wasn't running away and his voice came out strong and even.
She swallowed. She had no idea how to even begin, and not being able to see his eyes was disconcerting. "I wanted to tell you, that I AM sorry. I was sorry even when I did it."
Jack hung his head. He knew full well that Elizabeth had saved the rest of the crew with her actions, and he had paid a backhanded compliment to her methods. Even so, it had been a dirty, underhanded trick...worthy of a pirate. Anger and desire warred within him. He sneaked a glance at her over his shoulder.
She saw it and hurried on. "I shouldn't have done it. I should have stayed with you, and helped you find another way out of it." A sob shook her. "But I was so enraged at you, enraged at how you tricked Will. And I saw you...saw you abandon the ship."
"But I came back. I came back Lizzie. You should have come back too."
"I did." Her voice was small.
Now he swung around to face her, anger winning for the moment. "Oh yes, after it was too late! Do you want to know what it was like Lizzie?" He stalked her, pace for pace as he advanced and she retreated. "I was chewed by the beastie as it swallowed me. Sharp teeth digging in all over my body, yet I lived to reach it's stomach. Then, hearing my ship smashed to pieces, and stuck in a tiny, slimy room that filled with water."
Tears were coursing down her face now. Jack's voice shook as he relived the nightmare. "Until it was over my head and in my mouth and my nose. I drowned in the belly of that beast! Did I deserve that, Elizabeth?"
He turned his back on her again and went to the wheel, clinging to the wood of his ship for comfort. Behind him, he could hear her ragged breathing. Then her footsteps coming hesitantly closer. With soft steel in his words, he finished. "I had no intention of leaving Will on that bloody cursed ship. I needed your help with the compass, I made no secret of that. You gave me no CHANCE Lizzie. When will you ever trust me?"
"I'm so sorry Jack. I deserve all your anger. I hope you can bring yourself to forgive me one day. It is obvious to me now, only in hindsight, that I destroyed something precious." Her voice broke completely at the end, and Jack realized she was referring to the fragile love that had been forged between himself, her, and young William. Hearing her walk away broke his heart. Why did he want to run after her and comfort her?
Sunset came, and dark with it. They were greeted by a dreadful sight. The dead, floating past them in wee boats. Jack stood near Elizabeth when she saw her father, felt her body shivering in desperate, hopeful joy. Seeing the hope die in her eyes when he softly reminded her that they were not yet back among the living was wrenching.
It was Will who went after her, tried to hold her and give her comfort from the sight of her dead father. Distraught with grief, she fought him, curling herself up into a miserable ball. It was clear that she believed she had to bear her sorrow without forgiveness.
Later, when the crew bedded down, Will brought her to Jack's cabin. "She needs us Jack. Elizabeth needs us both."
The pirate nodded agreement from where he lounged in bed. Beckoned with one graceful, long fingered hand. "Then let us give to her, my dearest Will."
Chapter 5His body language, the stress on the words 'surrounded by his friends' was all unconscious, the result of experiencing intense closeness with the captain. Elizabeth noted it, and her eyes darkened. "So that's how it is. You helped him feel better." Her mouth twisted in jealousy. "Was it nice? Did you both enjoy it?"
Will looked at her steadily. He certainly wasn't going to deny it, especially not to her. "Yes," answered all her questions.
Tears and dark despair filled her eyes. "Will he ever let me near him again?" she whispered hauntingly.
"I understand, a little bit anyway, why you did what you did. But you should have told me-"
"There was no time! Everything happened so fast...and I was so angry with him. I hated him for a few minutes, and then I kissed him and the look in his eyes! When I shackled him, there was a lump in my throat the size of the ship's mast. I hated myself then, even as I did it." Elizabeth did not have words to explain how bare and broken she'd felt when Jack looked at her with such trust and vulnerability, chained by his wrist to the mast. Knowing he was going to die, he'd chosen to smile at her, and shatter her heart into a million pieces.
He gripped her shoulder reassuringly. "Give him time. He's resting now, when he wakes, perhaps you can try talking to him. Just get in his line of sight, and see how he reacts." If Jack continued to flinch and run away every time he saw Elizabeth, tempers amongst all the crew, not just herself and Jack, would get mighty strained. Will searched for something a bit more encouraging. "I'm sure he'll be calmer...soon."
In fact, he was. Jack woke from a two hour nap feeling deliciously stretched and pleasantly sore. He wriggled against the sheets of his bunk, then rose and quickly gathered his scattered clothes. Thoughts of Will gave way to thoughts of Elizabeth, and how to deal with her. Yet even that important consideration gave way to much more pressing needs. Such as, how to get his Pearl back to the proper seas she belonged on, and explain his sudden resurrection to the world.
When he emerged, there she was, his own personal murderess. She gave him a tremulous smile, and Jack groaned inwardly. How was it possible that he could still find her attractive? No matter, he wasn't ready to deal with her yet. Barbossa was shouting orders, and oh the impertinence of THAT had to be stopped! Right now!
The captains butted heads, repeatedly all that afternoon. At last, in sheer disgruntlement, Barbossa yielded. Jack had no doubt that was only a temporary reprieve. Surprisingly, Elizabeth gave him time alone with his lady's wheel, to savour his victory over Hector, before approaching him.
"Jack...like to speak with you...please." She fidgeted and cast her eyes everywhere but at his face.
"So speak." He would not turn around and face her. Well, at least he wasn't running away and his voice came out strong and even.
She swallowed. She had no idea how to even begin, and not being able to see his eyes was disconcerting. "I wanted to tell you, that I AM sorry. I was sorry even when I did it."
Jack hung his head. He knew full well that Elizabeth had saved the rest of the crew with her actions, and he had paid a backhanded compliment to her methods. Even so, it had been a dirty, underhanded trick...worthy of a pirate. Anger and desire warred within him. He sneaked a glance at her over his shoulder.
She saw it and hurried on. "I shouldn't have done it. I should have stayed with you, and helped you find another way out of it." A sob shook her. "But I was so enraged at you, enraged at how you tricked Will. And I saw you...saw you abandon the ship."
"But I came back. I came back Lizzie. You should have come back too."
"I did." Her voice was small.
Now he swung around to face her, anger winning for the moment. "Oh yes, after it was too late! Do you want to know what it was like Lizzie?" He stalked her, pace for pace as he advanced and she retreated. "I was chewed by the beastie as it swallowed me. Sharp teeth digging in all over my body, yet I lived to reach it's stomach. Then, hearing my ship smashed to pieces, and stuck in a tiny, slimy room that filled with water."
Tears were coursing down her face now. Jack's voice shook as he relived the nightmare. "Until it was over my head and in my mouth and my nose. I drowned in the belly of that beast! Did I deserve that, Elizabeth?"
He turned his back on her again and went to the wheel, clinging to the wood of his ship for comfort. Behind him, he could hear her ragged breathing. Then her footsteps coming hesitantly closer. With soft steel in his words, he finished. "I had no intention of leaving Will on that bloody cursed ship. I needed your help with the compass, I made no secret of that. You gave me no CHANCE Lizzie. When will you ever trust me?"
"I'm so sorry Jack. I deserve all your anger. I hope you can bring yourself to forgive me one day. It is obvious to me now, only in hindsight, that I destroyed something precious." Her voice broke completely at the end, and Jack realized she was referring to the fragile love that had been forged between himself, her, and young William. Hearing her walk away broke his heart. Why did he want to run after her and comfort her?
Sunset came, and dark with it. They were greeted by a dreadful sight. The dead, floating past them in wee boats. Jack stood near Elizabeth when she saw her father, felt her body shivering in desperate, hopeful joy. Seeing the hope die in her eyes when he softly reminded her that they were not yet back among the living was wrenching.
It was Will who went after her, tried to hold her and give her comfort from the sight of her dead father. Distraught with grief, she fought him, curling herself up into a miserable ball. It was clear that she believed she had to bear her sorrow without forgiveness.
Later, when the crew bedded down, Will brought her to Jack's cabin. "She needs us Jack. Elizabeth needs us both."
The pirate nodded agreement from where he lounged in bed. Beckoned with one graceful, long fingered hand. "Then let us give to her, my dearest Will."
