The Chinese New Year

A/N: Okay, Jack and Liz still haven't told eachother how they feel, BUT they did kiss, and the wedding has been postponed, and Will is on the way to New Providence, where Jack and Elizabeth happen to be. What could happen next? A wedding? A funeral? An escape? Who knows! This chapter is a biggie, so make sure you read it all! (Oh, and I need a beta, just to correct my spelling, which is atro- atrois- bad. Let's just say bad. blackenedroses? Are you good at spelling? If so, e-mail me!)

Chapter Thirteen

Daiyu sat in her corner, listening to Jack and Elizabeth talk. They were so cute together... ever since they kissed, they had always been near eachother, talking about anything.Now, she noted, they were talking about a way to get out.

"I think ye should talk ta him. Or threaten him- whatcha call it? Persuasion?" Jack asked, and smirked.

Elizabeth frowned at the thought of ever communicating with Teng again. "What would I say to him?"

"Strike a deal with him. Ensure your freedom." Jack muttered, so only Elizabeth could hear.

She stroked his cheek. "What about you?"

Jack leaned into her touch, then snapped out of it, remembering that he should be planning, not romancing. "Don't worry about me. I'd feel betta if you git yourself outta here."

Elizabeth extracted her hand from the bars and smiled at him. "Of course." she said, and felt a tear slide down her face. "I guess I owe you that much."

Jack leaned in close to the bars, and whispered, so only she could hear him. "You don't owe me anything."

He felt Elizabeth's hand clasp over his on the bars, and she closed her eyes, looking down. Jack kissed the top of her head lightly, and sighed, straightening up, and taking both her hands in his. He marvelled at the fact that her tiny, smooth hands seemed to fit right in his large, calloused ones. He sighed again, and took one of his hands, lifting her chin up so she would look at him. He cupped her cheek, and took another deep breath. He was going to do it- now felt like the right time to tell her how he felt.

"Elizabeth, I-" he started, Elizabeth looking up at him, almost desperately, but he was cut off when the door that led to the brig slammed open, Teng stomping down them with as much arrogance as possible. Jack growled in frustration. He whipped his beaded head towards the intrusion, and snapped. "Whatta you want?"

"My bride." Teng said, short and sweet.

"I am NOT your bride." Elizabeth said, with as much venom and hatred she could muster up, trying to sound brave, but she was cowering to the corner, dropping Jack's hand.

Teng held his hands up in defence. "I just want to talk to you- in private. Come with me." Teng said, then smiled sweetly. If not for the fact that he kidnapped her, threatened Daiyu's, Jack's, and her own life, and almost raped her, she would have thought that he was a sweet man.

Not.

"She's not going anywhere." Daiyu interjected, standing in front of Elizabeth.

"That's what you would like to think." Teng replied cooly, losing the smile.

Jack stepped as close as he could to Teng, glaring fire into Teng's eyes. "She's not going anywhere." he breathed, attempting to install fear into the beast before him.

Sao Teng just chuckled, and brought out his gun, clicking and aiming it at Jack's chest. Jack took two quick steps back, glaring at the barrel of the gun. Daiyu grabbed Elizabeth, who was about to run into the bars, trying to get to Jack, and held her back.

"You sure are all talk, Sparrow." Teng said, stepping closer to Jack's cell. "But I bet when there is action and all your friends are about to die, you'll run away, just to save your own sorry hide."

Jack's mind immediately flashed to the Pearl, only about a week or two ago, he wasn't sure which.

The Kraken's deadly tentacles were making their way onto his ship, and he froze in fear. Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow. Tia Dalma's voice flashed through his mind, and he looked over his shoulder, eying a peice of land that didn't seem to be that far off. His wandering eye fell upon a longboat, and he ran to it, swearing. No one noticed him, as he prepared for the longboat to drop in the water. He was hesitant to get in a first, and he realized that it was because he didn't want to be alone. Jack made a quick scan of the deck, and spotted her, his Lizzie, holding a harpoon, ready to strike the tentacle inching it's way up onto the boat if need be. She was strong. She was brave.

Unlike him. "Bugger it." he muttered to himself, then climbed into the boat, going down into the sea, and paddled as fast as he could to land. He stopped about fifty feet away from his precious Pearl... his precious Elizabeth. That was all he could think about- he remembered the way she smelled, that sweet hint of honey and vanilla. He remember the feel of his hand through her silken golden hair, and the way she looked when she thought of him.

He wanted her. Oh, god, did he want her. Not in the sexual way, the sex had nothing to do with it. He just wanted to hold her in his arms, call her his, he never wanted anything else, just the warmth and glow of her love... which he knew that, if he left her now, he could never have or experience. He was torn up inside, wanting to be alive... and wanting to be free. After a couple of seconds of thinking, Jack pulled out his trusty compass, which now had a new scratching of Elizabeth in it, and glared at the needle. It pointed North, for the first time ever, at the wailing crew members, his friends, up on the doomed ship. It pointed at Elizabeth Swann, the thing he wanted the most.

She was the reason he went back. She was the reason why he felt this way. She was the reason why he died, the reason why he survived, the reason why he was the way he is today. He loved her. And nothing could ever change that.

"NO!" Jack heard her yell, breaking free from Daiyu's grip, running to the bars where Teng was, looking close to tears. "Don't hurt him. I'll go with you." she conceded.

Jack grabbed the bars next to hers. "Don't." Was all he could say.

Elizabeth looked into Jack's face, she looked defeated. "I have to. I don't want you hurt." She looked at Teng, who was busy unlocking the cell door, allowing Elizabeth to walk out, and locked the door again. Teng roughly grabbed her arm, forcing her to follow him up the stairs. She looked back over her shoulder, at Jack, who had one hand holding onto the bars, one arm hanging loosely at his side, wathcing her leave. Elizabeth bit back tears, and followed Teng more willingly up to his office, hoping it would loosen his grip on her arm.

(1)(2)(3)

Will felt the wind pick up, and he knew that The Search was closing in on the port of New Providence. He glanced over the railing, and saw that there was another ship out in port. He recognized it- it was the ship that left Tortuga's dock before they did. He wondered why it was here, but the thoughts went out of his mind when he started helping Gibbs tie off the ship.

"I'll go ahead and see what's happening." Will said, pointing over at the small beach, which was being prepared for what seemed likea wedding. White flowers were being hung up on the chairs, a simple wood board was being set down, and on it the alter, a white carpet was being laid out for the bride. Will smiled, he remembered how beautiful the place at Port Royal was before it started to rain.

Gibbs nodded, and Will walked down the plank, payed the harbormaster the two shillings, and walked down to the beach, where he met a young man by the name of Yong.

"Whose getting hitched?" Will asked Yong, watching as the workers began building another platform.

"General Soa Teng. That lucky git." Yong replied, warming up to the welp next to him "Brides a little hesitant, though."

"Cold feet?" Will asked, and they both laughed. "What's the brides name?"

Yong stopped and thought about it. "Actually, I have no idea. I'm just the coordinator."

Yong walked away from Will, handing one of the workers a long peice of rope to tie on a peice of wood, and that platform was beginning to look a like like the gallows. Will's eyes grew wide and he shook his head. What a weird wedding...

(1)(2)(3)

Elizabeth walked to the other side of the office, getting as much room between her and Teng as possible. Teng just smiled and shook his head lightly. Elizabeth wrung her hands together and sighed.

"We'll be married tonight." Teng said, uncorking a brandy bottle and pouring two glasses. He handed Elizabeth one, she took it, but placed it back down on the table. She frowned and glared at Teng.

"I'm not marrying you."

"Well, then, Sparrow will have to die."

Elizabeth paused. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice seeming to be caught in her throat.

"I have a beautiful alter set, and also a nice gallow set, on the beach. You say I do, Sparrow drops, and I become very happy."

Elizabeth stopped and frowned. Then she did something she really didn't want to do.

(1)(2)(3)

About five minutes after she left, Elizabeth came back, making Jack jump up from his spot on the floor. Elizabeth calmly took keys out of her pocket and unlocked him and Daiyu from their cells. Jack stepped out, and engulfed Elizabeth in his arms, squeezing her tight. But she didn't return the gesture. Jack unwrapped his arms from her and stepped back, looking into her face. She looked down at her feet.

"Jack... I have to marry him." she said sadly.

"No, you don't. We can run now, we can go-"

"No." Elizabeth looked into Jack's eyes, a resolute determination set in her eyes. "I have to. Jack- you have to go and leave. There is a longboat waiting for you. Take Daiyu and go."

Jack grabbed Elizabeth around the waist and started making their way towards the stairs. "No. I'm not leaving if you're not leaving, and we're leaving together now."

Elizabeth grabbed Jack's back and pushed him down to the ground. Frustration got the best of her, and she started screaming.

"JACK! GO! I can't see you hurt, and if you stay here, you will be killed! I can't see you dead! Don't ask me of that! I went through it once, don't let me do it again!" Elizabeth screamed, not making any sense. Jack just stood up and went to go wrap his arms around Elizabeth again, but she pushed him away. "Jack! It will never work! Never ever! I DON'T-" Elizabeth clamped her hand over her mouth and started crying inaudibly. She couldn't lie to him, Elizabeth couldn't tell him that she didn't love him. She did. "Just go..." she cried, and turned her back on him.

Jack stood there, motionless. He then grabbed his hat and motioned for Daiyu to follow him as he quietly made his way up the stairs.