ManEater

A/N: Hey guys! Happy New Year! I'm back with another chapter as promised! I hope I didn't take too long like last time! Here is the next chapter in our saga. We find out what happened to Lizzie...kind of! So read and review! Thanks!

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Jack Sparrow

“Please say something Elizabeth!” I pleaded once more as I cradled her lifeless body in my arms.

I gently caressed her face, hoping that her skin would feel warm beneath my fingertips, but it wasn’t. I gently turned her head towards the left side, and noticed that there was a small bruise on the underside of her cheek, just below her ear. More worry soon welled up inside me.

“How did you get that?” I asked as I gently touched her wound. It was at that very moment I heard a faint sigh.

“Elizabeth was that you?” I asked as I gently turned her face towards my face. Her eyes were still closed.

“Elizabeth…wake up love.”

I cradled her body closer to mine. After a few seconds, her eyes began to struggle to open. I quickly shielded her eyes with my hand from the scorching rays of the summer sun.

“Lizzie please open your eyes for me.”

She moaned again and shifted her body a little in my arms.

“Wake up love, you’re with me…”

At that moment, she drew up as much strength she had in her body to open her eyes. She struggled for what seemed to be like an eternity until finally her eyes partially opened. She stared at me through half lidded eyes. I fought with all my might to hold back tears. We stared at each other for a few moments more. I took notice of the appearance of her eyes. They were once wide and full of life; now they were dark and desolate. I was rendered speechless, for my body was flooded with too much emotion. I attempted to speak, but began choking on my words. Elizabeth’s words began to curl into a weak half smile.

“What happened to you Elizabeth?” I’d finally managed to say.

She moaned, desperately trying to form her words into coherent sentences.

“I can’t understand you, love. Do you know why you’re lying in the water?”

She slowly shook her head no.

“Do you know how you got here?”

She nodded her head yes.

“How did you get that bruise on the side of your face?”

Her eyes widened when I’d asked her that. Tears began to well up in her eyes, as if she was afraid of something. That’s when an alarm went off in my mind.

“What’s wrong Lizzie? Did someone hurt you? Did someone give you that bruise?”

She suddenly began to cry. I did not know if she was crying out of pain or frustration from not being able to talk or move. I was sure that I’d struck a nerve…It all made sense now. Could Will have done this to her? If he’d even touched her I’ll kill him!

“Did William do this to you? Tell me Elizabeth! Did he hurt you?”

At that moment, before she could even make a gesture with her head, her breath began to quicken as if she couldn’t breathe. Her eyes began to roll towards the back of her head.

“No Elizabeth, please! Stay with me love, I’m here! Open your eyes…focus on me.”

She struggled to keep her eyes open and keep her focus on me. I frantically looked around, hoping that there was someone nearby to help.

“Somebody help us!” I yelled. I then turned back to look at Lizzie, and immediately noticed that her eyes were closed; tears still streaming down her face.

I stood up knowing that I had to get her onto the Pearl. I struggled to stand for a few moments as I lifted her body. Her body was heavier than usual, due to the weight of her wet clothes. I quickly started on my way over to the ship, fighting through the waves crashing against my legs.

“Hold on Lizzie…I’ll get you some help.”

At that moment, I heard someone yelling my name.

“Jack! Jack!” The voice called, but I kept on going. I had no time to waste. I knew that it was Gibbs calling me.

“Jack…I finally found tha lass I was lookin’ fer. I was surprised that she remembered me. She wouldn’t let me go…if ye know what I mean.”

I stopped in my tracks, slightly frustrated that he was talking to me about nonsense while I was desperately trying to get Lizzie to a safe place. Gibbs was still treading behind me, trying to keep up.

“Jack what’re ya…”

I turned around with Lizzie’s limp body still in my arms. The smile on Gibbs’ face quickly disappeared as his eyes shifted from me down to Lizzie. His face paled white.

“Blessed Mother of God…Ms. Swann…what happen’ ta ‘er?!”

“Help me get her onto the ship and into me cabin now!”

Gibbs quickly climbed onto the ship and lowered the ramp. I carefully walked up the slippery slope, but Gibbs ran down and held Lizzie’s lower body while I still cradled her upper half. We quickly made our way over to my cabin. Gibbs kicked open the door and we gently laid her body on the bed. Her body was shaking, her teeth were chattering from being in the cold water.

“Quick, get her some blankets!” I ordered my first mate.

He hurriedly ran to the other side of my cabin and grabbed a few blankets out of a chest. I removed Lizzie’s boots off of her feet and began to undress her. Before I did, I turned around and made sure that Gibbs was not standing in back of me.

“Mr. Gibbs!”

“Yes Capn’!”

“Stay over there and turn around, I have to undress Ms. Swann and I don’t want your old eyes looking at her nakedness. I’ll get those blankets from you when I’m done.”

“Aye Capn’!” He yelled as he turned around and stayed on the opposite side of the cabin.

I then began to undress Elizabeth, starting with her trousers and then once they were off, I unbuttoned her blouse. Her body was still very cold and trembling. I covered her body with one sheet that was already on the bed and quickly got up and grabbed the blankets from Gibbs. I placed the blankets over her body, making sure she was warm and completely covered. I dried her face with a towel and pushed her sodden hair away from her face.

“You’re safe now Lizzie.” I whispered into her ear.

She moaned and began to relax. I entwined my fingers with hers and kissed the back of her hand. Gibbs walked over to the bed and stood staring at Elizabeth in utter shock.

“What happen’ ta ‘er Jack?”

“I don’t know…I’m still tryin’ to figure out.”

“Did she say anythin’?”

“No…it’s been hard for her to speak.”

“Where’s tha boy? He should be here with ‘er!” Gibbs said sternly.

“He’s busy in town fucking whores…besides I think that he has something to do with her condition.” I replied through gritted teeth.

Gibbs looked at me confusedly. “What do ya mean?”

“I found her laying in the water unconscious and what’s even more damning is that I found a bruise on the side of her face.”

Gibbs eyes widened even more in horror. “Ya don’t mean…no he’s not capable of doin’ somethin’ like that ta ‘er?!”

I looked at him with a serious glare.

“No Jack…he wouldn’t…he…”

“How do you know? I’d seen him in the pub earlier today looking very distraught and guilty about something.” I replied angrily.

“But that doesn’t mean that he did somethin’ ta ‘er! Maybe they got into a lil’ spat o’ somethin’!”

Suddenly, Elizabeth moaned. I quickly ran over to her and sat on the bed.

“Elizabeth…” I touched her face, her skin was beginning to feel warm beneath my fingertips.

“Lizzie…look at me.”

Her eyes slowly opened, wider this time. She attempted to lift her hand. I held her hand and caressed it against my face. A tear trickled down her cheek. She stared at me for a few more moments, until unexpectedly, her body went limp and her eyes closed. My heart skipped a beat in horror.

“Oh God…Lizzie…Lizzie wake up!”

“What happen’ Jack?!”

“I don’t know. She just went limp! Elizabeth wake up!” I lifted her up, cradling her upper body in my arms.

“Lizzie please!” But there was no response.

“Gibbs go get help! Go into town and find a physician!”

“Will do Jack! I’ll go find tha boy, too!”

“Do what you must but please hurry!”

Gibbs then ran out of the cabin. I immediately did all I could to awaken Elizabeth, but it was to no avail.

“Get up Elizabeth!” I desperately tried to open her eyelids, but they closed again. Her skin was still damp, but warm.

After a few moments of holding her in my arms, I gently laid her back down, placing her head on the pillow. I stared at her without blinking, hoping that her eyes would open.

“Lizzie please wake up! Damn you Elizabeth don’t do this!”

My eyes began to sting, and for the first time in many, many years, tears fell from my eyes. I felt my body literally start to weaken. My heart was broken and crumbling into pieces. Soon my body went limp and my head came to rest on top of the blankets across the lower part of Lizzie’s belly.

“Wake up love…”

An hour later…

I sat in a chair next to the bed, staring at Elizabeth’s sleeping form. I was starting to give up all hope until she began to make a slight mumbling sound. I rushed over to her side and held her hand for comfort. Over the last hour, I’d been in pure agony, fighting back more restless tears. She would occasionally open her eyes slightly and then close them. I wondered if she was aware of where she was. The unsightly bruise imprinted on her face haunted my mind. Did Will do that to her? He looked very peculiar earlier in the pub today. I just hope to God, for Will’s sake, that he did not hurt my Lizzie. The mere thought of him striking her and leaving her on the beach to die kept plaguing my mind, boiling my blood. But I didn’t know what happened to her. Anyone could have attacked her or she could have fallen onto something to cause such an ugly bruise. I still think someone attacked her…and it could have been that eunuch.

I wish Lizzie were able to speak so that I could know what exactly happened to her. I stared at her body again; fond memories of our relationship engulfed my mind. I would have never thought in my entire life that a snooty, headstrong, stubborn Governor’s daughter would tame my wild heart. This woman means more to me than she or I could ever comprehend. I moved my chair closer to the bed and ran my fingers through her damp hair. She looked absolutely beautiful. I leaned over and kissed her on her forehead. Then I moved down to her lips and planted a sweet, lingering kiss. It was at that moment that my cabin door swung open, and a familiar voice of a pathetic, scared little boy thundered through the room.

“What the fuck are you doing to her!”

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A/N: So what do you think? Do you think that Jack will confront dear William about the bruise on her face? Do you think he hurt Elizabeth? Well, as usual, I left you all with a cliffie. Not to worry, I already wrote the next chapter and we will soon find out what's going to happen! Stay tuned! I know this chapter was a little short but I wanted to keep you all in tune! Until next time!