The Chinese New Year

So, this chapter basically starts off a new story line here, where now Daiyu, Jack and Liz are free, Will and the crew found them, and Elizabeth did not marry Teng. Unfortunately, Elizabeth was shot, and is on the brink between life and death. Will has to deal with the fact that Jack and Elizabeth love eachother, and also how he can win her back (if she survives). Jack is having problems of his own- not only is Teng after him now, and Liz is near death, he has NO rum! Sobriety does not suit him well. Meanwhile.... Teng enlists the help of someone. (DUN DUN DUN!)
Thanks for reading The Chinese New Year!

Chapter Eighteen

Jack did not like being sober. Sober does not suit him. He could never take things well when he was sober. Like when his father told him that his mother and baby sister died in childbirth, he was sober, and he did not take it well. Granted, he was twelve at the time, but he WAS sober, and he didn't take it well. When Beckett wanted him to transport slaves to the new America's, and he was forced to resign his postion, he didn't take it well. He was sober at the time. And when Elizabeth first chained him to the Pearl- he was hurt, and confused, and he didn't really like it at all. And he was sober at the time.

But, once there was a bottle in his hand, he could take ANYTHING. When him and Elizabeth were stuck on the island, he knew that it would be a while until someone came and rescued them. So he grabbed a couple of bottles of rum and sang a couple of pirate songs, and he could handle it. When he had the choice between leaving Will on the Flying Dutchman or fleeing with him to save Elizabeth, he was slightly snozzled.

Being drunk sutied him. Being drunk was being Jack Sparrow.

And he could tell that he was not drunk now. And that Elizabeth was laying on the bed in the Captain's quarters, a white bandage tied tightly around her chest to stop the bleeding. Fortunately, Gibbs was able to cut out the bullet, which didn't peirce her heart, but she still bled heavily. Now, she was laying peacefully on the soft matress, her hair fanned out under her, wearing her old sailor pants. The bandage managed to cover her breasts.

She looked horrible. A fevor had broken out, her face pale and sweating, her breathing ragged, barely escaping her lips. Jack frowned, and rubbed his forehead. He picked up the bottle of rum for the fifth time, raising it to his lips to take a drink. But he couldn't. He knew the alcohol was not going to help. Nothing would help.

Nothing.

He heard Will open the door and gently walked in, closing the door behind him.

"Hey." Will whispered.

Jack sat straight up in his chair and stiffened. "Hey mate." he attempted to take another sip, but failed. "What brings ye here?"

"Just... checking up on her, that's all..." Will sat down next to Jack, who immediately stood up and walked towards the window. "Jack... it's alright to feel hurt."

"I don't feel hurt." Jack gruffed out, not looking at Will.

"You don't have to hide it..." Will started up again.

"I'm not."

"Bullshit, Jack. If you want to talk about it, we can. It's not good to hide it..." Will started, and saw Jack turned sharply towards the door.

"I'M NOT HIDING IT!" Jack bellowed, throwing his bottle of rum against the wall, and covered his eyes. Will jumped up and knocked his chair over in his surprise, and watched the amber liquid and glass slide down the wall. "AND I DON'T WANT TO TALK! It's not going to help anything." Jack uncovered his face and placed his hands on his hips, staring at anything than Will or Elizabeth.

"Fine then." Will snorted and his voice raised. "FINE. Go off and play the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, the fearless pirate, who uses people at his own whim, who does things and never looks back on what he caused, not caring about anyone in the world besides himself." Will saw Jack stiffen under his gaze, and look down to the floor. "Just remember that besides me, Elizabeth is the only other person in this world who give a rat's ass about you. Why do you think we always come back?"

Jack continued to stare at the floor. Will walked past him, and turned to look into the older pirate's face. "As I said. It's okay to feel hurt when the ones you love hurt. It's a normal thing. So stop playing the role of 'Captain Jack Sparrow'. What she needs now is Jack Sparrow- her friend." he paused and took a deep breath. "Her love ." Will turned to walk away, when he heard Jack respond.

"What am I going to do?"

Will looked over his shoulder at Jack. "What?" he asked.

Jack shifted and looked up at Will. "What I am going to do... if she's gone?"

Will frowned. "Jack..."

Jack just lightly shook his head and closed the door, preventing Will to see him. He leaned on the door for a minute or two, his mind reeling- with sorrow, with grief, with the fact that somehow, unexpectately, he had formed a little family, who cared for him. His shoulders shook when he looked down at the broken bottle of rum, and he chuckled. He laughed at the fact that he broke one of his favorite things in the world, and... he didn't care. His shoulders shook more as he felt tears well up behind his eyes.

"Oh god..." he closed his eyes and sheilded his tears. "Oh god..." but despite himself, he felt the tears escape and fall down his cheeks. "OH .... GOD!!!" he screamed, and puched the door, letting all his emotions out. He turned around and leaned his back against the door, sliding down onto the floor. He placed his forehead on his knees and covered his head. "Not good..." he sighed, and continued to bawl like a baby.

Sobriety did not suit him at all.

(1)(2)(3)

Will watched the door close and stood there for a couple of more seconds, and heard Jack scream and a loud boom. He had punched something, Will realized, and made his way back over to the door, and stopped, hearing Jack cry.

Jack can cry? he thought, and shook his head.

Will decided to leave him be and walked up to the prow, leaning over the edge and sighing. He had a choice to make- Elizabeth would be fine, he knew that. She was strong.

But what will happen when she wakes up? Would she run to him... or Jack? Who would she choose? Why would she choose that person? It was getting complicated in his mind, when it really wasn't complicated at all. The best man had to win. Simple. Elizabeth would choose who she wants and the other would just have to deal with it.

Not if Will had to have a say in the matter. He sighed, looking out into sea on the new boat he required.

"You win, Jack." he said clearly, watching the sea go by. "You win."

(1)(2)(3)

Jack fell asleep on the chair next to Elizabeth's bed. His head was laying on the matress next to her arm, he was snoring lightly, being exhausted after his little show last night. After he collected himself off the floor, he sat in the chair next to Elizabeth and watched her sleep. It was hypnotic- she was so pure, so gentle, and he watched her chest rise and fall in a steady pattern. Pretty soon, he was matching her breathing pattern and rested his head on the matress, falling dead asleep.

Elizabeth opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. She focused on what had happened... she was shot... she remembered Jack screaming at someone to help... she remembered Will pushing Jack away and picking her up... running her over to a bed.... and the world went black. Now, she realized, she was lying on a comfortable bed... in a red and gold room... with a weight she felt near her....

She looked down and saw Jack. She smiled, watching him sleep. She could tell that he had been crying... his eyes were puffy. That made her feel... special. Not many people get tears from Jack Sparrow. Carefully, she lifted her right arm and ran her fingers through his dreadlocks, watching him shift comfortably into her touch. She continued to stroke his hair, watching him wake up, slowly, and lift his head to look up at her.

"Good morning." she said weakly. Elizabeth could feel a sharp pain in her chest, and coughed.

Jack smiled, his eyes glittering. "Hey, your alright! How do you feel?"

"Like death." she joked, and was rewarded with a small smile from Jack.

"We were worried about you." he said, taking her small hands in his. "You gave us quite a fright."

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, wincing in pain. "I'm sorry." she opened up her eyes, and noticed that Jack was staring at her, concerned. "I didn't mean to-"

Jack shushed her, gently placing two fingers on her lips. "Shh. Don't talk." he grabbed Elizabeth's hand again, and looked straight into her chocolate brown eyes. "Now is the time to listen." He sighed, and rubbed his forehead. "It's not easy for me to do, to show my emotions willingly, but I'm going to give it a try." Elizabeth nodded, wanting him to continued.

"I have no faith in myself. No confidence at all. My ego is mainly just a cover for me- most of the time, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. So I hide. Behind lies. Behind rum, but ever since you happened, I find that each and every time I lie it becomes harder to do so. And rum doesn't satisfy me." he glanced over at the broken bottle, then back to Elizabeth. "So now, I have nothing. And I found out that I am basically nothing- just legend, but what the hell is legend going to do for me later on? Nothing. My world seems empty." he sighed again, and saw tears form in Elizabeth's eyes. "Thats why I am asking you to do me a favor."

Elizabeth nodded, and felt Jack's grip become tighter around her hands.

"Believe in me. Stay with me. I don't care if ye love me or hate me- just, don't give up on me. If you don't believe in me... I might as well been left for dead. So can you do that for me?" he stared into Elizabeth's eyes, pleading.

She sniffed back tears and stroked Jack's cheek.

"I promise."