The Fine Line Between Legends And Lies

Chapter 24:

A/N: Okay here’s the latest chapter, more feedback would be really nice to let me know that you’re still enjoying the story! So Jack, Elizabeth, Will and little Jacob are on their way out of Port Royal. They arrive in Tortuga and meet up with Gibbs and the rest of the Black Pearl’s crew. Will decides that he wants to ask Jack to drop him off in Santa Marta again.

The sun has risen up into the sky quite a bit now and they had left the harbor leaving Port Royal behind. Elizabeth was standing at the ship’s railing her burlap bag at her feet and baby Jacob nestled in her arms as she looked out at the sapphire water. She watched as the sunlight bounced off the water making it glitter. Two strong hands came to rest on her shoulders making her jump a little at the unexpected contact. Tilting her head back she looked up to see Jack and smiled. He smiled down at her his gold teeth glinting in the sunlight.

“Whatever is going on in that pretty little head of yers Lizbeth?”

“Oh nothing.”

“Yer a terrible liar love, come on, out with it.”

She sighed heavily before answering. “I was just thinking about my father that’s all. Do you suppose he’s discovered that I’m gone yet?”

“Don’t know darling, but my guess would be yes.”

“I hate that I have to leave him behind like this Jack, he’s Jacob’s grandfather.”

“I know love, but he’s made it inescapably clear that he’s determined t’ see me hang from the gallows.”

“I know and I won’t let that happen. Jack I love you, you know that.”

“Yes love, I’ve no doubts how ye feel bout me.”

“I love my father too but being that’s he’s forced me to choose between the two of you, I choose you.”

“An’ that makes me the happiest man in the world love. Ye have no idea what it means t’ me t’ have ye in me life.”

Will approached the two cautiously not wanting to intrude on their private moment. Hearing the creaking of the deck beneath Will’s feet Jack turned around abruptly. Will flashed him an awkward smile as he looked down at his boots.

“Ah William, have I said thank ye for helping me t’ escape?”

“No you haven’t, but no thanks are necessary Jack.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, course thanks are needed. Ye saved me from a short drop an’ a sudden stop…..as it were.”

“I was just doing the right thing.”

“Was there something ye needed then?”

“Yes I need to talk to you Jack.” He paused looking at Elizabeth briefly before turning his attention back to Jack again. “Alone.”

Elizabeth frowned but quickly retreated giving them the privacy that Will had asked for. She supposed that he wouldn’t want to speak with her now that she was married to Jack and they shared a child together. Especially since it was clear how Will felt about her. Sitting down on the steps that led to the lower decks she watched as Will and Jack stood at the railing and talked.

“Alright William, now that Elizabeth is gone, what is it that ye want t’ talk bout?”

“Tortuga.”

“What bout it?”

“When we get there and find the Pearl.”

“Yes that’s the plan mate, what’s yer question exactly?”

“Could you drop me off in Santa Marta?”

“Columbia, what be there for ye mate?”

“A new life. Look Jack, I loved Elizabeth, and I love her still, and I can’t bear to have to see the two of you so happy together.”

“Ah so ye want out eh?”

“Yes. I can’t stay with you anymore. I did right by helping you to escape the gallows to be with her but that’s as unselfish as I can be.”

“So what’s in Santa Marta? Or rather……should I say……..who?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Jack.”

“Come on William, m’ not a fool ye know?”

“Alright her name is Isabella.”

“Ah pretty name, must be a pretty girl then?”

“Yes…..she’s beautiful.”

“An’ so ye want t’ go back t’ Santa Marta for her then?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. All I know is that I can’t face Elizabeth day after day knowing that she’s completely forgotten about what I used to mean to her.”

“An’ so ye want t’ try an’ forget bout her then?”

“Wouldn’t you?”

“Mate I could never forget bout Elizabeth. She’s in me blood. An’ the same goes for ye where she’s concerned I reckon.”

“I doubt that I will ever forget about Elizabeth, but I have to try. What other choice do I have? Seeing as how I couldn’t expect you to do something as unselfish as letting her go.”

Jack chuckled before speaking again. “No sorry mate, never really been much for doing unselfish things. Defeats the entire point of being a pirate really.”

“I figured as much. So will you do this for me?”

“Yes William, if this is truly what ye want?”

“It is. It has to be this way, it’s too painful otherwise.”

Nodding Jack glanced back over his shoulder at Elizabeth who was looking at them curiously as if she were trying to figure out what they were discussing so intently. Sighing he spoke. “Ye know ye have t’ tell her bout this?”

“Can’t you?”

“M’ afraid not William. It’ll break her heart if ye leave without making things right between the two of ye.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Sighing he looked over at her before looking back at Jack. “You think I should tell her now?”

“It’d be best t’ do it quickly lad.”

Nodding Will walked over to where Elizabeth was sitting with Jack following closely behind him. “Elizabeth?”

“Yes Will?”

“Could we speak in private?”

“Sure. Jack could you take Jacob?”

“Course love.” Jack took Jacob from her and headed below deck to their small cabin to give the two former lovers a moment alone. Turning around to face Will she smiled at him. Will smiled back weakly before gesturing towards the railing. Elizabeth got to her feet and followed Will over to the railing and waited for him to speak.

“Elizabeth I……” He trailed off looking up at with sad looking dark eyes.

“Yes? Will what’s the matter?”

“Elizabeth I love you. I know you love Jack and intend on spending the rest of your lives together, so this isn’t an attempt to win you back.”

She let out a small sigh of what he could only guess was relief before she spoke again. “Will I don’t understand where this is coming from.”

“We’ve known each other for such a long time now and I always assumed that you were the girl….the woman that I’d marry someday. But fate decided that it wasn’t meant to be. I know that you never intended on falling in love with Jack, hell you never even planned on meeting him really. So I can’t hold it against you that you fell in love with him, these things just happen.”

“Yes I suppose they do, but….”

“What I’m trying to say Elizabeth, is that I’ve accepted the fact that you and I are never going to be together the way you and Jack are together. And that it’s time for me to choose my own path so to speak.”

“Will?”

“And that path isn’t with you anymore, it’s elsewhere.”

“And where is elsewhere exactly?”

“Santa Marta.”

“Columbia? What’s there?”

“A new life, a future. I can make a life for myself there, find someone to love, someone who can love me back.”

“And you have to be in Santa Marta to do this?”

“Elizabeth I can’t stay here and watch you build a life with Jack. Not without resenting him for taking you away from me.”

“So that’s it then?”

“Yes, I guess this is goodbye then Elizabeth Sparrow.”

She blinked as she felt tears sting her eyes. She supposed it was perfectly normal that she wanted to keep Will around, even if it was a bit selfish as well. But they had known each other since they were children and it just didn’t seem right that he wouldn’t be in her life. Taking a deep breath she held back the tears before speaking again.

“I suppose that I should be happy for you then?”

“You’re not?”

“No. I know it’s selfish but I’ve known you nearly my entire life and I just can’t picture you not being there that’s all.”

“Elizabeth I would be there, but not in the way you expect of me. You expect me to just be a friend when I want so much more than that. I want to be your husband, the man that you can’t live without, the father to your children.”

“Will I….”

He cut her off quickly. “Don’t Elizabeth, don’t say you’re sorry. You love who you love and it’s not something you have any control over. But you cannot ask me to bear the sight of you and Jack and the love you share with him everyday.”

“I’m so sorry Will, I had no idea that it hurt you so much to be around me and Jack now.”

“How could you? It wasn’t something I readily admitted. But I just wanted to say goodbye.”

“When are you leaving?”

“Jack said that when we meet up with Gibbs and the Pearl that he would drop me off in Santa Marta.”

“I’m going to miss you Will.”

“I’ll miss you too Elizabeth, but it’s better this way.”

Before she could say anything else Will leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. It was over just as quickly as it had started and he was pulling his mouth away from hers. Smiling he then looked back out to sea. Elizabeth drew in a shaky breath as she felt the tears sting her eyes again. Will looked at her seeing the tears glistening in her dark rich tea colored eyes before he spoke again.

“Go on and spend some time with that husband and baby of yours now.”

She forced a laugh that sounded more like a choked sob and then she threw her arms around his neck to hug him tightly. Pulling away from him she quickly headed down into the lower decks to find Jack and Jacob. Will swallowed the lump that had begun to form in his throat. That had been harder than he thought it was going to be. But he knew that he had done the right thing for the both of them. He had set her free and now he was going to move forward with his own life. It was better that he make the break clean and swift before he lost the nerve and decided to stay even though he knew that would be more painful in the end. Elizabeth was the great love of his life but he knew that he wasn’t hers. No Jack Sparrow had proven to be the great love of her life. He supposed it was fitting since she had grown up reading everything she could about the infamous pirate and he seemed to never be far from her thoughts. How could a simple blacksmith be expected to keep up with something like that? He couldn’t. Her heart undeniably belonged to Jack and it forever would.

Elizabeth pushed open the door to her and Jack’s small cabin making Jack look up from where he was sitting on the bed rocking Jacob. He put his finger to his lips to gesture for her to be quiet. She shut the door behind her quietly and crossed the room to where he sat. Elizabeth fell on her knees beside the bed at his feet. Jack frowned as he watched her bury her face into his lap as her shoulders started to gently shake. Carefully putting Jacob down on the bed so that he could tend to his wife he reached down and touched the top of her head his fingers sliding against her smooth tawny hair.

“Lizbeth?”

“He told me goodbye.”

“Ah he told ye bout Santa Marta then?”

“Yes. Jack….I’m not crying because I love him. I mean I love him, but I’m not in love with him.”

“Ye don’t have t’ explain yerself t’ me love.”

“Jack?”

“Yes love?”

“Make love to me?”

“Now?”

“Yes. I need to think about something else, anything else.”

“What bout Jacob?”

“Oh I suppose we can’t without waking him up.”

Jack’s eyes scanned the small room and he spotted an empty wooden crate. A crooked grin spread across his face. “Hold up a tick love, I think I’ve got an idea.”

She watched as Jack grabbed a pillow from the bed and stuffed it down into the crate before grabbing Jacob who was wrapped in linens and gently placing him down into it. Elizabeth tilted her head as she looked down at Jacob sleeping peacefully in the crate. Jack smiled at her and nodded towards the bed. He latched the door quickly before stepping out of his boots and placing his hat and belt with his sword and pistol on the chair. Peeling his breeches off his hips he stepped out of them and then tugged off his shirt. He now stood before her in all his naked glory, muscles tucked beneath bronzed skin only sparsely dusted with dark hair. Her tea colored eyes lowered to his hips to see his erection standing tall and rubbing against his lower abdomen. She kicked off her boots and then unbuttoned the blue cloak that she had pulled on over her linen nightgown. Jack grinned as he watched her toss it to the floor before grabbing the bottom of her nightgown and pulling up over her body. He was greeted by the smooth perfect alabaster skin of hers as she tossed her nightgown on the floor to join the cloak she had thrown down a moment ago.

Beckoning for him to join her on the bed she rose up so that she was sitting on her knees in the middle of the small bunk. Jack walked over to the edge of the bed and leaned forward placing his palms on the mattress before moving in to kiss her. This wasn’t a gentle kiss, it was more needy and scorching. Elizabeth moaned softly into his mouth allowing him to delve his tongue inside. His calloused hands slipped around her waist to draw her up to him pressing their bodies together. The feel of his skin against hers was enough to send a shiver down her spine. It had been forever since she had felt him against her. She didn’t fail to notice the immediate dampness pooling between her thighs. Grabbing one of Jack’s hands she brought it down between her thighs silently urging him to touch her. Jack chuckled against her mouth as he parted her silky folds to run a finger up the length of her sex. Elizabeth rocked her hips forward encouraging him to keep touching her. He slid a finger inside her heat making another sharp gasp tear from her lips.

Her eagerness trickled down his finger to run into the center of his palm. God how long had it been since he had touched her like this? Not being able to ignore the throbbing of his erection any longer Jack removed his finger from her making her whimper. He shushed her with a finger to her lips. She darted her tongue out to taste her desire on him as he guided her down onto her back. Her thighs spread apart of their own accord allowing him to settle between them. Jack reached down between them and took his erection into his hand. He rocked forward sending the head of his cock between her silky desire slicked folds. Elizabeth raised her hips taking more of him inside her moaning out softly. Jack sucked his bottom lip into his mouth as he moved against her slowly. It felt good. Too good really. Oh if she gripped him any tighter he was going to explode inside her right now and that was not good! Not good at all! Grabbing her hips he stilled his movements and looked down at her. She looked up at him confused.

“Jus’ give me a minute love, it feels too good.”

“Jack!”

“M’ sorry darling, it’s jus’ been a while. I jus’ have t’ get control that’s all.”

She sighed and closed her eyes as she waited for him to start moving again. After what had seemed like a lifetime to her she finally felt him start pushing against her again. Jack groaned against her neck as he pumped inside her. Her legs came up to wrap around his waist her heels digging into his backside drawing him deeper inside her. Jack placed openmouthed kisses along the column of her throat as she tilted her head back. Her lips fell open in a silent cry as he thrust against her a little more roughly. She raised her hips to meet his thrusts and it only serve to quicken his movements. Soon he was thrusting against her roughly making her breasts bounce with each thrust of his hips. A tingling began rapidly building between her thighs at the place they were intimately joined. It wouldn’t take long now at the pace Jack was moving inside her. A soft whimper fell from her parted lips as she arched into Jack. Feeling her inner walls beginning to clench him he thrust faster against her.

Elizabeth gripped his shoulders her nails biting into the flesh slightly. Jack rocked his hips hard against her forcing his cock inside her to the hilt. A slight twinge of pain surged through her lower abdomen when she felt Jack’s cock hit her cervix. And then it was as if a gate opened somewhere deep inside her sending scorching hot pleasure pulsing through her. Her eyes closed and a million bright white stars exploded behind them as she felt her muscles spasm around Jack’s cock uncontrollably. His mouth crushed down upon hers making her teeth sink into her bottom lip slightly. The faint hint of blood ghosted over her tongue tasting coppery in her mouth. Jack moaned her name as he thrust against her frantically. She felt his cock begin to spasm inside her as his seed exploded into her body. He thrust against her once. Twice. Three more times before shuddering and then collapsing down on top of her his cheek pressing against her right breast. Elizabeth trembled when she felt his nose nuzzle her nipple softly making it harden at his gentle touch.

They lay there for a few minutes panting. From underneath Jack Elizabeth heard the faint crying of Jacob. She pushed at his shoulders making him roll off her to lay on his back. Walking over to the crate that had become a makeshift cradle she reached down and picked up her son. Bringing him back to bed with her she crawled underneath the blanket beside Jack. Jacob gave a few little sobs making Jack look over at him with a frown.

“Jus’ what’s he so crabby bout?”

Elizabeth giggled before answering. “He’s hungry.”

Jack watched as Elizabeth raised Jacob to her left breast and his mouth quickly found her nipple. The tiny baby boy immediately began suckling her breast. She looked over at Jack who was looking at them with his head cocked to the side as if out of curiosity. Then a smile, a real genuine smile stretched across his face. So this was what it felt like to be truly happy? If so he never wanted this feeling to end. And the further away they got from Port Royal the better his chances were at holding onto happiness.

A/N: Okay another good place to stop. Just had to have some j/e in this chapter! Hope you enjoyed it!