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The Flying Dutchman	By : BrethlessM Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > General Views: 3366 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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A/N: Hello all! I actually finished an entire chapter tonight, so you get another update! I don't know when chapter 8 will be done, sometime next week, and the more you review, the more I want to write! Thanks to my reviewers, especially the faithful freelke, and let me know what you think! - Kimberlee

Chapter Seven

It was out there. The cards, such as they were, were on the table. Jack wasn�t sure why he�d practically admitted to Elizabeth that he was there to try and steal her away from Will, but she was a temptress he�d long since given up trying to gauge. She was like a gust of wind � his sail would follow wherever she blew.

She had tried to keep up her pretenses that nothing out of the ordinary was going on, but Jack could sense her tension in the tightness of her shoulders and the erect stiffening of her spine. She was as edgy as a cat under a rocker, and Jack took perverse pleasure in ignoring her completely. It was psychological warfare, and he had absolute faith that it would work on the stubborn and impatient Mrs. Turner.

Just so long as the equally stubborn and impatient Jack Sparrow could keep up the act. It was so hard to pretend not to notice Elizabeth when she was all around him, and when all he wanted to do was sling her over his shoulder and carry her back to his ship. He would have given in to such instincts too, if it wasn�t for young Master William.

Jack was aware from the moment he discovered the child�s parentage that his position was an impossible one. It was one thing to try and seduce a lonely woman waiting for her lost love, but another thing entirely to capture the heart of someone with the tangible evidence of her promise of fidelity sitting in the same room. Still, it was William�s quick thinking that had given him the opportunity to stay near Elizabeth at all, and Jack had never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

It almost made things worse that he�d become so fond of the boy. William reminded Jack of himself at that age � a father at sea and a lonely mother to raise him as the son of a pirate. And while he wasn�t sure exactly what he was doing, he would never consider using William to win Elizabeth. Well, not now, anyway.

The boy had been his shadow all afternoon, and with hours still to go until supper, the two men had taken a break from cleaning for William to show Jack his skill with a blade. The pirate did not have to be told to go easy on the child, and to William�s laughing admiration, Jack even made a show of affecting his usual wobbly-legged gait for the demonstration.

They had moved away from the house, at Elizabeth�s insistence, onto the green and grassy plateau above the beach where Jack�s ship lay secreted among the rocks below the cliff. If one were to peer over the edge into the darkness below, he would not be able to see the �Pearl� there at all; it was well hidden.

Further along the rim of the beach, more pirate ships were gathered and continued to arrive throughout the day, yet Jack noted with relief that none had come aground to seek out Mrs. Turner � not yet anyway. He hoped no one would get the bright idea to use Elizabeth as insurance against being dubbed the next commander of the Dutchman, but it was, even so, another reason for him to remain close to mother and son.

Although said son seemed to be able to handle a sword rather better than Jack had anticipated. Even as they began a light fencing match, the pirate could tell that William had just as much potential skill as a swordsman as did his father. In fact, he was good enough that Jack quickly abandoned his playful demeanor and put up a more ardent defense. His skill in a swordfight admittedly came more from wit and trickery than skill, but he was gratified that he could at least hold his own against the boy.

�Who taught you how to use a sword, Mate?� Jack was grinning, despite his increasingly labored breathing. �Surly not your mum?�

William beamed at the praise, but Elizabeth, who had come with them to watch, answered for him. �I was a fairly proficient swordsman when we last met, Jack � and I�ve improved since then.� She wore an sardonic smile.

�Ah,� Jack shot a knowing glance her direction. �Following the whelp�s method for releasing tension, eh? Tell me, do you practice three hours a day or, having had some� experience, do you put in for more?�

The underlying insinuation in that question was lost on William, who continued fencing, but Elizabeth understood clearly, and her face darkened under an angry blush. �You�re vile,� she said in a low voice.

Jack just laughed as he dodged a thrust from William�s blade.

I�ll have you know that William and I only train five hours a week, and already he�s nearly as good as Will,� Elizabeth said haughtily.

�Aye, Love,� Jack answered between parries, �but it�s your� skills, that interest me more.�

Getting to her feet, flushed with fury, Elizabeth held out her hand to her son. �William, give me your sword.� To Jack she added tauntingly, �Are you sure you want to see my skills, Jack?�

�Oh yes, Love,� he answered with a leer. �let�s see them.�

William was practically dancing with excitement as Elizabeth took his sword in hand and held it in front of her. �Do not underestimate me, Captain,� she said warningly. �I promise you, I won�t hold back.�

�And I promise,� Jack gave a flourished bow, �to be gentle.�

With a growl of fury that resembled a battle cry, Elizabeth flung herself at Jack, blade flashing. She was momentarily surprised when Jack parried, and thrust back. He was not keeping his promise to go easy on her, and in the back of her mind, she knew he was just trying to provoke her as usual. Still, she was aching for a chance to let her frustrations with Jack out on him, and she fought him with all her skill.

Elizabeth was a better swordsman than Jack, he had no doubt of that within moments of engaging her. He hadn�t doubted that to begin with, despite his teasing words, and Jack continued grinning as he danced backwards and forwards, carrying their battle all across the field. William was nearby cheering � for which one, Jack couldn�t tell. It was taking all of his focus to keep away from Elizabeth�s blade.

She may have been more skilled than he, but Jack did not fight using only his sword. His wit was his most dangerous weapon, and it was one that was often underestimated. Elizabeth should have remembered that. Jack was all over the place, and seemed to do more retreating than advancing. He even used a fallen log, practically hidden in the tall weeds, as a launch point for a flip in the air that so surprised Elizabeth, Jack managed to dart close enough to her to place a quick kiss on her lips.

William shrieked in laughter at the action as Elizabeth�s face twisted in anger to hide her blush. In a passion, she lunged forward, forcing Jack further and further back until his face finally lost that maddening smirk as he defended himself.

From somewhere behind her, Elizabeth heard her son shout something, but she didn�t realize what it was until too late. She thrust out with her sword aimed at Jack�s midsection, and he dodged backwards on his toes� just as she realized he was at the edge of the cliff. Jack seemed to notice it at the same moment, and his eyes widened as the rock began to crumble beneath him.

Without a sound, Jack plunged over the cliff, falling towards the cold sea below.

Elizabeth screamed, and she heard William cry out too. Dropping her sword and dashing to the edge, she fell to her knees and leaned over as far as she dared. It did no good � all was dark below. With Jack�s name on her lips and a prayer flooding her heart, she leapt to her feet and threw herself after William, who had already begun running towards their house and to the path beyond leading to the docks.

She ran as she hadn�t needed to in years, and although the air burned in her chest, it was still not fast enough. Elizabeth hadn�t even stopped to get her medical bag, so anxious was she to get down to the beach and make sure that Jack was � because he just had to be � all right.

She quickly caught, and overtook, her son. Elizabeth didn�t stop for help at any of the houses or shops along the way, and she ignored the calls from the sailors who recognized her as she passed the docks. By the time she got to the beach, William had fallen behind but he knew the way. In her head echoed the litany, �I killed him. Oh God, I killed him again. Please� please� let him be safe�� until she thought of nothing else.

Elizabeth finally reached the beaches of the Diamond Caves, and she was grateful no one stopped her there. She vaguely identified the shadowy hulks of the ships, and here and there the light from a fire flared up, but no one dared stop the obviously frantic Captain Swann. A few called out to William, and she realized he must not be as far behind as she�d thought, but she didn�t wait to see if he�d answer their summons.

For the first time, she thought about Jack�s ship, the Black Pearl. It must be nearby if her Captain was ashore, and Elizabeth considered taking stock of the boats along the beach to see if she were among them, but that would take too much time. Reaching the rocky outcropping that her son had climbed over the day before, she didn�t hesitate in rushing into the shallows accompanied by great splashes, and clambering onto the rocks as best she could in her booted feet.

She might have been more fearful if she�d stopped to think about the journey over the rocks. The stones were loose and crumbling, and the available ledges that would support her weight were made for much smaller feet than even hers, but she made her way with little thought, and her ignorance served her well on this occasion. She landed with a thud on the opposite beach from the one she�d been on, and didn�t pause more than a second before running through the soft sand towards the place she imagined to be just below the cliff upon which her house stood.

Elizabeth�s eyes scanned the shadows along the beach and shores, but she saw no sign of Jack. The wall of rock that led up to her house curved around oddly on the far side, and as she drew nearer, she realized there was a natural inlet just beyond that led into the side of the mountain beneath her home.

Half in the shallow water leading into this subterranean cove and half on the beach, Jack lay sprawled on his back, legs and arms thrown out. He was still clutching his sword, and his eyes were closed.

Elizabeth let out a sob of relief at seeing him, and she threw herself onto her knees, surely bruising them. At his side, she quietly said his name, and then repeated it more loudly when he remained still. She was holding her breath, but she couldn�t take in new air until she knew whether or not she�d killed Jack a second time. Tears blurred her eyes and she angrily wiped them away, leaving streaks of dirt on her cheeks. Putting a trembling hand on Jack�s chest, she leaned close to check for breath or a heartbeat.

There was nothing. Screaming angrily at Jack, Elizabeth slapped his chest, calling him all of the most horrible names she could think of. She felt a small hand on her shoulder, and knew that William was with her. Still, she couldn�t calm herself, and she fell onto Jack again, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him with all of her strength.

And then, he coughed. Elizabeth was so startled that she released him, and he fell back to the sand with a muffled thud. Wide-eyed and silent, she stared at Jack as though he were a ghost, as the pirate began moving. His eyes fluttered briefly and a hand swam upward to his chest where it stopped.

�Jack,� she whispered. Then louder, �Jack!� She pulled the startled man into her arms, and felt him stiffen before melting against her, warm and alive. Alive. �But� how?� She breathed against his neck. He shuddered at the feel of it.

��m Captain Jack Sparrow, Love,� he rasped, making her laugh shakily. There was a moment of silence as they lingered in each other�s arms. His hand tangled in the hair at the back of her head, and she heard him sigh very softly. �Should have told you� I�m nigh untouchable these days.� Quickly, he gave her a condensed version of what had happened ten years ago after he�d left her on the solitary beaches of Port Royal. He told her about Barbossa abandoning him and Gibbs on Tortuga, and about using the compass to find the Aqua de Vida in the Americas just in time to get back his ship and leave Barbossa with naught but a bullet to pass the time. When he finished, his arms were empty and Elizabeth sat less than a foot away, staring at him.

�So� you�re immortal,� she breathed in wonder. �You actually found a way to live forever.�

Jack nodded, slowly though, because his head still ached. �Yep. Just me and the sea� so far,� he added with a glace at Elizabeth�s face. It did not go unnoticed, but she had no time to comment. The snick of a gun being cocked drew all of their attention to a man in the shadows.

�On yer feet and stow yer weapons,� a rough voice ordered. �Or it�s straight to the Locker with the lot of ye.�

��m sure Captain Turner would be pleased to see his wife and son, Mr. Gibbs, but he might be a bit put out by their manner of conveyance,� Jack said to his wary First mate.

�Captain?� Joshamee Gibbs asked. �Ms. Elizabeth?� He stared at the boy. �Mother�s Blood � he�s the very image of ol� Bootstrap and Master Turner!�

�Mr. Gibbs!� Elizabeth had recovered herself, and gave the astonished man a hug before introducing a flustered William. Between Jack�s death, resurrection, explanation, and the appearance of yet another pirate from his mother�s stories, the child was ready to burst with the excitement.

�What in God�s name�s happened here?� Gibbs demanded, still staring at William.

�Jack fell, but he can�t die, so it�s okay,� William summarized, adding to Gibbs� bemusement. �Is the Pearl nearby? Can we go on it?� He looked to his mother and Jack pleadingly.

Jack began climbing to his feet, and Elizabeth noticed his movement. In an instant, she was at his side, helping him to stand. Jack felt dizzy, but he didn�t know if it was from the fall of Elizabeth�s hands on his arm. �If your mum says it�s all right, I don�t see why not,� Jack said with a thick tongue. Elizabeth glanced at him and from the way she quickly averted her eyes, he was certain she�d noticed his reaction to her close proximity.

�Yes,� Elizabeth said after a moment of thought. �I think it�d be a good idea for Jack to rest for a bit� just in case,� she concluded. Despite his immortality, she was still worried � it was a long way down from the cliffs to the beach.

Gibbs was staring at Jack in astonishment as William cheered and began running into the underground cove, Elizabeth calling after him to wait for them. The First mate was completely baffled by his Captain�s relaxed demeanor. �Yes,� he said, sharing Elizabeth�s concern for Jack�s state. �And a spot of rum wouldn�t hurt him either.�

Elizabeth didn�t reply as Jack began stumbling towards his ship. One hand on his arm and the other resting on his hip around his waist, she helped him, although she realized it was probably unnecessary. Behind them Gibbs muttered something she couldn�t hear and was sure she didn�t want to, before following them.

The cave was dark, but within a few feet of the entrance, they turned a corner and the brightly lit Pearl gave off enough illumination to light their way. She looked just as Elizabeth remembered her, and she felt a wave of longing to be on the decks once more. She quickened her pace and Jack matched he step as though he too, was eager to be aboard. He probably was. He loved the Black Pearl more than he�d ever loved anything else, as far as she knew.

Music could be heard, and as she drew closer, she heard the din of laughter and raucous voices drifting towards them from the ship. Several indistinguishable faces noted their arrival, and word was passed to lower a plank for them to ascend more easily.

William waited for them to reach him before stepping onto the narrow wooden board leading from the beach to the ship. He walked steadily and confidently behind Mr. Gibbs, who had taken the lead, and Elizabeth followed at the back, carefully watching Jack as he walked precariously just ahead of her.

Several of the carousing crew-members cried out in delight as Elizabeth stepped onto the deck of theBlack Pearl. Pintel and Ragetti were beside her in an instant, bowing to her and marveling over her animated son. A few more familiar faces greeted her warmly as a fellow crewman, and even some she didn�t remember seemed to have heard enough about her to nod welcomingly and offer her a mug of rum, which she accepted gladly. She needed a drink more than ever.

When she couldn�t find Mr. Cotton among the crew, she asked after him, and listened sadly as Gibbs told her the story of his death. She laughed when told of the parrot�s subsequent plea and demise, and after a few minutes, she felt more at home than she had in years.

William was radiant under the pirate crew�s attention. Surrounded by dozens of men who not only knew his father and his grandfather, but had worked with them both. He was instantly swept away from his mother into the tide of pirates with stories of the older Turner�s to delight him with. Content that he was safe, Elizabeth firmly steered Jack towards his cabin beneath the poop deck.

She had never been in the cabin while Jack was Captain of the ship. His taste in d�cor was far different from the overdramatic opulence of Barbossa�s, but was far more exotic. Mementos from various islands and other ports of call hung on the walls, and the desk was heavily covered with maps and charts, which surprised her. The blanket on his bed was surprisingly soft and thick, and Jack sighed when she poured him onto the bunk.

Elizabeth didn�t have to search long before finding a half empty bottle of rum in the room. She handed it to Jack and after taking it from her, he grabbed her hand and tugged gently. She hesitated, but to her own astonishment, she ceded to his silent demands and climbed on the bed beside him. Carefully, she rested her head and arm on his chest, holding him close to her.

�I thought you were dead� I thought I�d killed you again,� she admitted in a whisper. She shuddered. �Oh, Jack, I thought�.�

�Shhh�� he silenced her, stroking the back of her head with one hand. ��m all right.�

Lulled by his soothing words and the comforting hand running along the length of her hair, Elizabeth fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

And Jack followed willingly.
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The Flying Dutchman