New Horizons

Jack had spent the remainder of the evening fighting with himself before he fell asleep where he was seated. Lizzie did very much the same at his desk. Both woke the next morning and went about their usual business, making it a point of avoiding each other. Gibbs was quickly picking up on the lover’s quarrel; after all it hadn’t been that shocking that the two had gotten together. He took it upon himself to help his friends.

"Elizabeth," Gibbs said walking up behind her, "-how are you this fine day?" She merely smiled weakly at him and returned her eyes to the open ocean. "You know Elizabeth. I don’t mean to intrude but I want you to know he loves you. He’d kill me for saying anything, but he does. I’ve learned that with Jack you have to look for what he doesn’t say. And usually it’s hidden in statements that make more sense to him." That being said he left her to her thoughts and went in search of the captain.

Jack had snuck into his cabin taking extra precautions to prevent running into Lizzie, which was now increasingly difficult, as he had moved her into his. "Captain?" he heard Gibbs voice from outside and opened the door.

"Ah, Gibbs. Glad to see it’s not her. Don’t think I could deal with her right now, mate."

"About that, Jack. I know its not me place and all but as a friend can I give you a word of advice?" Gibbs looked at him cautiously, and even though he held a great place for Jack he always had to be somewhat concerned when it came to matters of the heart.

"What?" he grumbled clearly not wanting to hear what his first mate had to tell him. Gibbs always had a way of calling him out on things when he was being stupid.

"Well it seems to me that Miss Elizabeth cares a great deal for ye. Frankly, Jack, I’ve never seen ye so happy. Ye know, I loved a lass once. Scared me so bad I became a pirate. The rum doesn’t hide her either, Jack. No one will think any less of ye, she’s a fine lass." Before Jack could even respond Gibbs had left the cabin. He picked up his rum bottle and took a long swig. Maybe Gibbs is right. I love her. Why can’t I just tell her? I’m tired of hiding it. Guess I’m going to have to face her sooner or later. With a sigh, he walked out and to the helm.

He wasn’t there long when the skies turned gray and the ocean became violent. Elizabeth returned to the cabin when the rain began. She knew Jack would be at the helm all night, or at least as long as the storm kept up. He’d never leave the Pearl in someone else’s hands in a storm.

She wished he loved her like he did the Pearl, he wasn’t afraid to show that love to anyone. She laid down and somehow managed to drift off to sleep despite the ships ever erratic rolling, she hadn’t slept well at all sitting at the desk the night before. Jack remained outside, fighting off the storm and keeping his beloved ship afloat. She awoke what had to be the next morning and looked around. She could hear the rain still pounding away, and there was no sign that Jack had even stepped into the cabin. She walked out of the cabin and saw half the crew on deck fighting the winds and water with the captain. The skies were still darkened and angry, so much so that you couldn’t even tell morning had come.

Jack must have stayed at the helm all night struggling to keep his beloved afloat. Elizabeth knew he had to be tired; but Jack would never admit it. She figured as part of the crew she should help no matter how much he had hurt her. She sucked up her pride and battled the winds and water to get to the helm. Waves were breaking over the sides of the ship so the deck was much more slippery than she’d ever experienced it to be. He was so focused he’d hardly seen her approach.

"Jack! What can I do?" She yelled to him.

He turned his head briefly to see who was addressing him. "Lizzie, back in the cabin."

"No Jack, I want to help."

"Lizzie, this is not an option I’m giving you. Get in me cabin. NOW!" He practically snarled it at her.

"I’m not…."

"I will not watch something happen to you because you have to be so difficult woman. Cabin, now."

"FINE!" She growled and started to walk away. Why did he have to be so frustrating?

She had distracted him long enough to cause the ship to suddenly lurch left and she lost her footing. He watched her in near slow motion as she left her feet and began sliding towards the side of the ship and inevitably the water.

"GIBBS WHEEL NOW!" He shrieked as he let the wheel go and leapt from the helm to where she had been standing. He ran to her and grabbed hold of her as a wall of water came crashing down over them. He wrapped his arms around her and grabbed hold of the rail as tightly has he could. The water receded as he felt his arms tremble before finally giving out. He thought he would lose her but by some miracle the ship rolled back as
his muscles quit the fight. He somehow managed to pick her up and ran her into the cabin, placing her unconscious body on the bed.

"Lizzie!" He tried waking her and got nothing. He then noticed her head bleeding just above her hairline. The site of blood on his Lizzie ignited something within him and he felt invigorated and knew he had to get them out of the storm. He ran back out on deck and grabbed Cotton, giving him strict orders to clean the cut up, pack her in blankets and watch over her. He told him to retrieve him as soon as she was starting to wake. He returned to the helm fighting all along the urge to be with her, but he knew he needed to navigate the ship if he was to keep her safe.

Shortly thereafter the storm had calmed and the sun started peaking through. Relieved that he could be with her, he returned to the cabin and sent Cotton to man the helm. He sat next to her, holding her hand waiting for her to wake. Come on Lizzie. Wake up. Bloody infuriating woman. I love you. Bloody hell why didn’t I just tell you that in the first place? He sat staring at her refusing to sleep until he saw her eyes open.

"LIZZIE!" he practically leapt out of his skin when he saw her wake.

"Shoosh" She stated, "I’ve got a headache." She focused her eyes on him and saw how worn out he looked. He was clearly exhausted and then she remembered how mad at him she was.

"Oh uh are you ok? Do you know what happened?" He yawned as he asked the last question; he saw anger building in her eyes "...Your not going to kill me again, are you?"

"Jack, you’re delirious. Go to sleep." She said to him. Feeling the huge lump that had grown on her head. "I have a headache and can’t deal with you right now." She didn’t want to talk to him. Not in his current state of exhaustion anyway because she knew he would basically agree with anything without actually listening to her.

Not exactly the response I was looking for. I thought she loved me? What happened? Is this some cruel joke? I save her bloody life and she doesn’t want to deal with me? "Lizzie?" He was clearly confused and obviously exhausted.

"Sleep, Jack. I’m fine. We’ll talk later." She softened her tone a bit and patted him on the hand.

Clearly too tried to argue he lay down next to her and drifted to sleep mumbling incoherent things to himself. She continued to lie next to him wondering where she had drawn all that anger. Then she envisioned him walking out on her the night before. She began to justify the anger until she remembered him risking his ship and his life to save her from going overboard in the storm. He had to love her; Jack Sparrow didn’t do things like that for other people. She heard soft snores emerge from Jack and figured it was safe to curl up next to him, just wanting to feel him near her.

In the middle of the night Jack awoke and found her in his arms. He remembered the venom in her tone when she had woken up and how he had battled his exhaustion to make sure she was ok. He was hurt that she had responded to him that way. She can’t deal with me right now... but she’s in me arms. Does she have any idea how much it scared me to nearly lose her? Bloody hell there I go saying these damn things to myself when I should be telling her. Ugh. I think I need air- I’m not sounding like meself. He slipped out of the bed gently laying her on her back and left the cabin.

Elizabeth awoke sometime after feeling cold and lonely. She got up and noticed his coat sitting on his chair, deciding to put it on and go find him. She walked out on deck and looked around, finally finding him where she almost instinctively had known he was going to be…the bow. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist hoping he would accept her embrace. Shocked at her presence he turned and pushed her off, staring at her with mixed emotions.

"I’m sorry I yelled at you Jack." She looked up at him and her eyes began to well up as he just stood silently in front of her. He was clearly hurt; a new side of Jack Sparrow, but there was something else there. Something she couldn’t even begin to explain. "You saved me." She swallowed hard, "but that doesn’t forgive you for walking out on me the
other night. You didn’t need to say it, but walking out on me…. well it hurt more than I thought it would." She couldn’t forget that even if he did save her, he needed to know what that had done to her.

He turned his back on her. That fuzzy feeling was beginning to make his eyes water and he couldn’t let her see that, it was bad enough he had no control over it. I hurt her. So bloody stupid, I never wanted to hurt her. How can I even explain it to her?

"Jack. Please." She started crying.

"Lizzie, I-" he paused, "I don’t know about this!" he flailed his arms around still refusing to face her. It was the most honest answer he ever gave her, the most honest one he could.

"What, Jack?" She was clearly alarmed now.

"I…. you…us." Something broke within him as he spoke, "I do things around you I never have. I say things that never should come out of a pirate’s mouth. Bloody hell! I nearly lost my ship to get to you. Have you any idea how many members of me crew I’ve lost that very same way?" He had yelled his last statement out to the water; he still wouldn’t
look at her. "You scared the bloody hell out of me Lizzie!"

"Why?" She asked, "Jack look at me, please!" Her voice cracking.

He turned and lowered his eyes to hers and noticed her tears before he quickly lowered his eyes to the floor. "I thought I was losing you…I never so much as cared about losing anyone before. I’m Captain Jack Sparrow…. this isn’t supposed to happen." He sighed and turned again. "This fuzzy feeling I get in me belly when I’m beside you is just..."

She managed to move in front of him and lift her hand to his mouth. "I know Jack." She hugged him tightly. She felt his arms wrap around her and heard him sigh again; this time she thought it was more out of relief than frustration. She decided in that moment that he didn’t need to say it, she was certain he loved her and she wasn’t going to force him to utter the words that he felt made him weak. Having seen enough of this peculiar and eerily honest side of Jack she whispered into his ear, "Come on, let’s go back to the cabin." She took his hand and pulled him towards the cabin playfully and urgently.

He started walking but then stopped dead and looked at her. She turned when she felt his arm jerk her around. "You’re wearing me coat!" He stated, finally sounding like the Jack she had always known.

"Aye, and if I do say I think I look better in it than you do." She smiled slyly at him and walked away from him, knowing exactly how to get him going.

"Luv..." he called after her "...that’s me coat."

"So you have mentioned Captain Sparrow." She replied still walking towards the cabin.

He just stood there watching her. He licked his lips and watched her hips sway back and forth, "Don’t make me have to remove it from your person." He yelled after her his voice filled with lust now.

"Only if you have a better way to keep me warm." She quipped as she opened the cabin door and closed it behind her.

"Clearly she feels better," he muttered to himself before approaching his cabin door. He placed his hand on the door and gazed up at the moon briefly. Bugger. It’s too hard to fight it. He turned the handle and slowly walked inside.