The Chinese New Year

Title: The Chinese New Year
Rated: R
Summary: Jack is back, Teng is dead, Jones is defeated. Jack finally fesses up his feelings for Elizabeth, and vice versa. Will becomes Captain of his own ship, new and old friends are lost and a new bond strengthens. The ending of the story The Chinese New Year, where the only thing to do is to step forward into the new part of your life.
Warning: Some language, some angst, some sex.
Notes: Okay, I started this story back at the end of August 2006. It is not Feburary 2007, and it is over. I apologize for this story being dead for the longest time, but it is back and finished. Thank you all who read this for sticking around- I bet it got annoying sometimes, didn't it? Well, I had a totally different ending planned, but I thought it was crap so I changed it. This ending is better, believe me.
Well, I am not going to say anything else. Let's finish this thing!!!

Chapter Thirty

Jack Sparrow lifted the short man so Marty could scurry over to the Pearl. This was it, the thing he has wanted ever since he came back- the Pearl. He felt happy, exhilerated, that he would finally go home. But there was a part of him that brought him down, three certain words that dampened his spirits.

"I hate you."

Jack closed his eyes and sighed. She didn't mean it- did she? No, surely not. But she might, he did put her in danger. But didn't she understand that he had to sacrafice her for only a few seconds? At the time, he knew she wouldn't understand, but now it was said and done- it was all said and done.

The Royal Navy. Sao Teng. Davy Jones. The raising of the Black Pearl, Jack finally coming to his senses and admitting he cared for someone else other than himself. It was all done, and Jack finally felt like he could breathe.

Jack turned around on deck and watched as the rest of the supplies that Will had let go off being boarded on the Pearl. He walked over to the young Captain, and smiled at him.

"Jack."

"Will. I would like to thank ye for yer hospitality."

Will chuckled. "It's not like I had much of a choice, did I?" He returned his gaze to the sea, a solemn expression on his face. Ever since the Dutchman fell, Will had spent a lot of time simply staring out into sea.

He was thinking about his father. Thinking about the ship he now captains, the life he will lead now that he had officially become pirate. Thinking on how he loved a woman who didn't love him back, but happy that she was gone.

Jack knows, he thought it all before too, staring out into sea.

"'Fraid not." Jack joined Will at the rail, and looked out into the calm sea now too. "Strange, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Never thought the sea was captured, when we think of it as freedom?"

"Nothing is ever free Jack. Not even you." Will scoffed, playing with a knot hole on the railing.

Jack looked at the young man's profile, and noticed for the first time how... adult, he looked. He was more mature than Jack felt at times. "I'd like to think of myself as free."

"Please. You have duties to the Pearl as Captain, so you are not free work-wise. You look out for all the people you care for, meaning that a lot of the time you are usually stuck helping someone. Now your in love, so your heart isn't free either." Will looked over at Jack. "The only way you have freedom is if your dead."

"Don't go talking like that. Of course we are free."

Will gave him a sad smile. "I just beg to differ, that's all."

An uncomfortable silence lingered, and Jack shifted in his spot.

"Would you consider us friends, Jack?"

Jack smirked. "More aquaintance then friend, with a deep disrespect for the other." Jack tapped Will's shoulder. "But I consider you an ally. Know that if I am in trouble, all I have to do is send word."

"Does it work in reverse, also?"

"Course."

Jack moved from the railing and went to leave. "I have to go get a certain crew member of mine, if you don't mind."

"No, I don't." Then Will lowered his voice. "Not anymore."

Jack took his time walking over the the Captain's cabin door, and raised his hand. He gently knocked on it with the back of his knuckles, and heard someone ruffle around behind it.

"Yes?"

Jack smiled, just at hearing the sound of her voice. "The Pearl is ready, love. Time to go."

There was a silence, and her voice came back, harder than before. "Fine then. Goodbye."

"Elizabeth, come on. Can't sail the ship without ya!"

"Yes you can. Goodbye."

"Oh, so ye are just going to sit in the cabin and watch me sail away?"

"I might even wave goodbye."

"Ye can't stay here."

A silence. "I can. I am sure Will won't mind."

Jack groaned- this girl, bless her heart, was so frustrating! "Where would you sleep?"

"Will might be willing to share his bed."

Images of Will touching what he touched, kissing those perfect lips and hearing the lovely sounds he heard before made his blood run cold. Oh hell no. No one is having her, save for me!

"That's not funny."

"Not meant to be." Elizabeth's answer was quick. "Run along now, Captain Sparrow. This is not where your suppose to be."

"Your not where your suppose to be either."

"I think I'll manage." Then the other side of the door went quiet, and Jack knocked on it again.

"Open the door."

Silence.

"Elizabeth, open the damn door."

His ears were met with silence again. He pounded on the door, hearing Elizabeth scury away. Damn woman...

"Elizabeth-"

"No."

"Elizabeth Anne Swann, open this door."

"Noo-oooo!" Elizabeth mocked him, making her voice light and carefree.

"ELIZABETH!" Jack rolled his eyes. NOW she was just annoying him, making him angry. He took a deep breath, and collected his wits before he lost them and kicked the door down- Will would not be too happy about that.

"Elizabeth, darling, come out of there." He said, lightly. A little too lightly.

She answered in a sweet tone. "Jack, darling, please go to hell."

"YOU FIRST."

There was a silence, and Jack heard the door's locks being moved as Elizabeth unlocked them. Soon the door was wrenched opened, and Elizabeth's face appeared, red and angry.

"Make me."

Jack smirked. "Ye sure?" Elizabeth nodded in defiance, and Jack bent down.

"What are you doing?!" Elizabeth screeched, as Jack grabbed her knees and lifted her up, causing her to go forward and lay across his shoulder. She started punching his back, screaming: "LET ME DOWN! NOW! YOU HERE ME? YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, JACK SPARROW!!"

"I'm trembling in me boots." Jack looked over at a random sailor. "Lower the wish."

The great bridge that connected the Pearl to the new Hope lowered, just enough so Jack could step on it and calmly walk over to the other side.

"LET ME DOWN! I CAN WALK ON MY OWN!!"

"Ah, but will you go to the Pearl?"

"Of course I will, you idiot! Where do you think I can go?!" Elizabeth sighed, and stopped beating on Jack's back. "You are so daft."

"But you love me because of it."

In a monotone voice, Elizabeth answered. "Unfortunately."

(1)(2)(3)

"Alright, now." Jack said when he entered his cabin. He just spent the whole day walking around the Pearl; examing the hull, the figurehead, and taking control of the helm for a long while. He left Elizabeth in his private cabin, to cool down and no doubtely explore the cabins.

Upon entering the private area, he rubbed the two little statues at the door, a little thing he did to help bring luck to him.

"What?" Elizabeth asked, but she no longer seemed mad, upset or frustrated.

"You've had some time to calm down. Is it over? Are you mad at me, yet?"Jack asked, a little nervous.

Elizabeth pouted, and looked over at the small window. "No." She fiddled with her hands, and looked up at Jack. "I know what you did. Kind of smart, actually."

"So you don't hate me? Ye don't want ta... throw me down, shackle me up... do naughty things to me?"

Elizabeth sighed, shook her head, and clearly stated: "Jack, you have two options. Either kiss me and convince me to stay, or keep talking and I will leave."

Jack smirked and leaned in, capturing her lips with his own, and began convincing her. His hand traveled up her hip, grabbing her and pulling her into the embrace. He was possessive, he knew, but she was his and that was that. He put all his emotions into that one kiss, telling her how much he cared, how much he was jealous of anyone who looked at her, how much he loved her and would never let her go.

Elizabeth was now practically sitting on his lap, fighting for dominance over the kiss. Jack put up a fight, however, he presented a challenge- and she loved a challenge. She chased his tongue back into his mouth and explored it with her own, causing Jack to moan and grip her waist. He stood up, lifting her and carried her over to the bed, where he would have her right and proper.

-----------

"Tell me something about yerself."

Elizabeth laughed. "Me? Not so much interesting stories about me..."

"I beg to differ. I think there are many interesting stories about you." Jack winked. "They don't even have to be true."

"Hmmm..." Elizabeth thought, cuddling up to her pirate in the bed. It was late at night, the moon shining through the windows told her so. Jack was warm, slightly sweaty, but none the less comfortable. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her close, and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Well, there was this one time where I snuck off with Will and we got lost in a dune. Want to hear about it?"

"Certaintly."

"One time... I was being punished, because I ran outside and skinned my knees."

"So horrible." Jack chuckled, deciding to play with her hair while she talked. "I would've put ye over me knee..."

"SO I ran away, and went to walk the beach. I was dressed in some breeches, that William gave me before. We always use to sneak out... and have our little adventures..."

"May I ask why?"

"Because we needed to get away. I was always stuck in the mansion... and Mr. Brown was always drunk... I can't count how many times Will would climb up my tralice, and sleep on my floor with a black eye or a bruised bum.... anyway, we would always run out and go down to the beach."

"And?"

"And one day I ran into William and he said he found a treasure chest in a dune." Elizabeth smiled. "And he took me there to see it... you want to know what it was full of?"

"What?"

"Black pearls."

Jack snickered and pulled Elizabeth closer. "Liar." Jack brushed his lips against hers, and sighed.

"You asked for a story. A story does not have to be true."

"Think anyone would believe our story?"

Elizabeth smiled while she thought about their story. Cursed pirates, blood ritual, Davy Jones, a haunted ship, Krackens and Chinese soldiers killing virgins...

"Nope." Elizabeth laughed. "I think people would just think it's make believe."

THE END