A Swann's Sparrow

A/N: This is where the storyline really changes! I'm almost making myself depressed writing this, because not

even I, the writer, know what's going to happen next. I'm making it all up as I go, so I'm just as anxious as my

readers to know what I can churn out next.... Well, be kind! Thanks as always for reading,

Luvs,

Nefaeri

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Ch. 2 Grief and Confusion

Will searched the deck for signs of Elizabeth, and when he couldn't find her he searched for Jack. Finally, he

found Jack as he jumped off ship and proceeded to almost run into the bustling town that was Pirate's Cove. If

Will didn't know any better, he would almost think that Jack was avoiding him on purpose... Actually, seeing as

he did know Jack, he was rather sure Jack was avoiding him on purpose, which could only mean one

thing: Trouble, with a capital T. Will sighed. Jack was a bloody nuisance, always being on the run for something

or other... Walking purposefully in the direction he'd seen Jack take off in, Will proceeded to mutter under his

breath about pig-headed pirates and conceited captain pirates that could do only one thing right, and that was

run...

Jack ducked into the nearest pub, cursing the fact that Will was hot on his trail. Jack had never been a faithful

man, but in that moment he would've resigned himself to celibacy in the priesthood if Lizzie were okay and Will

was suddenly struck blind and stupid by a bolt of lightning.

Of course, the chances of the second half happening were slim to none. But a man could dream, right? Luck

was on his side, seeing as how Jack knew this town like the back of his hand. Or at least, he thought he did.

Cursing his luck, Jack caught sight of Will close, way too close, behind him and turned a corner that should have

led to an alley-way short cut.... But instead found himself running down the alley right into a new wall that had

been put up while Jack was out over seas. Damn new pubs and houses... Jack was about to turn around but was

stopped.

"Jack..." Will's voice growled warningly. "I've been chasing you down for the better part of an hour. There better

be a good reason for this!" Jack winced. Will always made him feel like a child being scolded by it's parent

whenever he used that tone of voice. He had a sneaking suspicion that Will knew it, too. Bastard.

It was a pity, really. Jack had to tell Will now, and even if Will and Lizzie were no longer potential lovers, they

were still very close. Jack had even almost come to an understanding with Will; Will definitely hadn't liked the

thought of Jack being anywhere near Lizzie, even if his own chances with her were gone, but he wouldn't

interfere if it was what Lizzie wanted.

Had Lizzie wanted it?

He hoped he'd get the chance to know, someday.

"Jack," Will's voice was slow and calculated, still talking to Jack as if to a child or an extremely slow adult.

"Where's Liz? She said she wouldn't be taking any side trips this time."

Jack's head hung at the mention of Elizabeth, sadness overwhelming him. Will took this as a sign of shame, his

eyes widening as many different suspicions came to mind. "JACK! What did you do?!" Will questioned,

immediately thinking of the worst. "She's not chained in your cabin or something is she?" Will stepped forward

menacingly, unspeakable possibilities flowing into his mind. He wouldn't put anything past Jack.

"Fun as that would be," Jack finally choked out in response, "I'm sorry, Will. She's gone. Elizabeth's gone."

Will froze, not understanding what it was he was hearing. " What? What do you mean...you mean she's

...gone?" Will demanded, his voice breaking in anguish at the very thought, his own words echoing dully

inside of his suddenly hollow mind: she's...gone?

It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. Not Lizzie...Elizabeth.

Jack managed to look up through the sudden pain that held his throat closed only to see that Gibbs had finally

caught up to the both of them.

"Lizzie... Lizzie's gone, Will. She's really gone." Gibbs whispered, new tears filling his eyes. "We lost her in a

storm, a right unnatural one at that. She went overboard before anyone could get to her. Jack tried, Will, the

Captain almost went with her..."

Jack pushed past both of the men, preferring not to be there for the rest of whatever Gibbs had to say. It really

didn't help that he had a feeling it was about him. And it was.

Gibbs continued. "He hasn't been the same since, Will. He doesn't talk as much as he used to. The crew has taken

to talking to her, saying that she'd given her life for theirs, seeing as how she was the only one lost, which is rare.

The Captain stares at the ocean a lot, refusing to grieve in front of others. I don't think he wants to believe she's

gone, Will, but she is. I saw her go same as he did." Gibbs stopped talking now, too choked up by tears to

continue. Will just stared at Gibbs in shock, the words slowly digging past the heavy feeling in his chest.

Soon after, Jack heard a sharp cry of sorrow cut the air behind him, and somewhere in his thoughts he vaguely

recognized the voice as Will, but that was not important. He couldn't deal with any of this right now. Catching

sight of the nearest pub, Jack asked the bartender to give him the hardest ale they had, and to keep them coming.

He might not be able to change what had happened, but he sure as hell could try to forget.

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Gibbs slowly walked up to Jack, who was once again to be found staring out at the sea, nursing a bottle of rum.

Jack now had an obsessive preoccupation with the ocean and it's salty waters since the day he'd seen Lizzie

disappear beneath it's silky depths. He'd been trying for a while now, and it seemed that it didn't matter how

much he drank, he would never forget. He barely managed to numb his grief with the rum, but found that if that's

what he wanted he had to make sure he didn't suddenly return to sobriety. It made the pain somehow hundreds

of times worse when he was feeling it clearly and handling it on his own again.

Either way, his crew was whispering mutiny if he even so much as suggested heading back out in his current

condition, so he busied himself by just staring, sometimes becoming so drunk that he almost thought that Lizzie

was near, talking to him. He'd fall asleep to her words, and he'd wake up disappointed.

Gibbs stood behind Jack, knowing it would be better to wait until Jack had passed out again before he tried to

drag the man inside. If it wasn't for Gibbs and his unwavering care of the Captain, there was no doubt in anyone's

minds that Jack would have been dead by now, probably lying frozen in the salty waters of the ocean as it washed

up shore only to draw back into itself.

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*Lizzie*


Lizzie gasped for air, feeling as if she were still coughing up water, but she wasn't wet. Far from it. She found

that she was wrapped in something warm. It only took another moment for her to realize she was naked.

Moving carefully, she unearthed her head from beneath the blanket, carefully making sure it was still wrapped

securely around her. She found herself sitting on a cot in an empty, dark, room. There were no windows. She

shivered, the surroundings reminding her of a box she couldn't get out of. A jail cell... now why would that seem

familiar? She didn't know. She felt the most incredible urge to cry, and not knowing why, she gave in. It wasn't

long before her quiet sobs filled the room.

Unexpectedly, the only door to the room opened and a young man stepped in, a soft golden light following after

him. Lizzie stared at him with large, confused eyes. He blushed furiously, stammering an apology. "I-I I'm sorry!"

He turned and fled the room. As he left, a woman entered. She had an old, kindly appearance, a warm look of

compassion prominent in her expression. She walked, slowly because of her age, closer to Lizzie and set a small

stack of clothing on the cot next to Elizabeth before sitting down herself and wrapping another blanket around

her young charge. "What's your name, child?"

Lizzie just stared at the woman, confused.

She couldn't remember.

TBC...