Caribbean Wind

A/N: Thank you all for your great reviews. I love you all and for you I want to improve.

Disclaimer: Of course I own Jack, he’s now strapped to my bed, ready to be my slave.

Beta: wonderful howlong!

Chapter 5

Lay Down Your Weary Tune.

The ocean wild like an organ played
The seaweeds wove its strands.
The crashin' waves like cymbals clashed
Against the rocks and sands.
Lay down your weary tune, lay down,
Lay down the song you strum.
And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings
No voice can hope to hum.

I stood unwound beneath the skies
And clouds unbound by laws.
The cryin' rain like a trumpet sang
And asked for no applause.
Lay down your weary tune, lay down,
Lay down the song you strum.
And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings
No voice can hope to hum.

I gazed down in the river's mirror
And watched its winding strum.
The water smooth ran like a hymn
And like a harp did hum.
Lay down your weary tune, lay down,
Lay down the song you strum.
And rest yourself 'neath the strength of strings
No voice can hope to hum.

“Lay down your weary Tune”, Bob Dylan.

xxx

Sometimes, when I close my eyes, for a split second I can still feel her hungry lips on mine, breath hot against my skin, promises of desire, trust and... maybe something else entirely, lingering in the scent she leaves on me, when she turns around to run. And when I stand alone watching her go, I hear the last tunes of the music her body played with mine, when the wet tongue plundered my mouth. I fear no more.

I curse this memory, along with all the other memories her presence draws to me. ‘The bitter pain of betrayal is still raw,’ I try to convince myself, but I know better than to believe those words. ‘Tis no pain I feel, nor anger, although I wish it were, how easier the things would be, were I able to loathe and abhor as maybe I should. But when I see her so broken and restless, I cannot hate anymore. Not anymore. I can’t. God help me, for she will be my death again, and I will do naught to stop her. I couldn’t the first time now, could I? She will put the cold dagger to my throat and I will lean forward, so that the steel plunges deep into my yearning flesh, drawing warm blood, and I will embrace my downfall happily, when my lips touch hers for the second time. God, why can I feel her still?

And yet it must be a secret, revealed to none but the blackness of the sleepless nights, when the ghosts of the past along with the demons of the present watch as the once great half-god lies panting, sweating and hard, trying to hold on to the images from his vivid dreams that keep him awake late at night. But neither the refreshing, cool breeze of dawn, nor the chill water of the Sea can extinguish this fire burning brightly deep in his loins. And so when the last bottle rolls empty across the room, where the air is now hot, steaming with the smell of primal hunger and lust, and when his chest heaves with the feverish, uneven breaths, only one name is cried out into the night, in between the raged gasps of this dark, fallen angel, crushed by the power of something he could not see before it has consumed him completely.

And when he falls asleep, finally calmed, briefly satisfied, although not complete, her arms are circling his waist, her lips pressed tightly against his neck, and he dares to cherish this illusion, knowing it will disappear too soon, turning into meaningless mist, the lie revealed by the treacherous first light of dawn. But she will return, again and again drawing him slowly into madness, and just like when she left him to die, he will only stand there helplessly, not willing to alter his fate, as she will lead him, unresisting, straight to his undoing.

xxx

Day after day, the week passed almost unnoticeably and Jack was suddenly forced to face the fact they would be leaving within the next twenty-four hours. He hoped Elizabeth would forget about his rushed promise, or at least agree to prolong her rest at the Cove, but he only mentioned it to her once, after that he abandoned all attempts of persuading her to change her mind, it was decidedly unhealthy for him. She had given him the Stare, and even now the mere remembrance made him shiver.

And yet, although he would prefer to stay in the city, suddenly somehow less interested in the Fountain and in all it represented, he could not pretend he wasn’t pleased seeing her recover so quickly. Every time they ate, her plate was full of exotic dishes, as if she was determined to make up for the past month and consume all of her rations in one week. But thanks to that unnatural appetite, with every hour Elizabeth’s unique glow was coming back to her skin, once again turning her into this radiant woman he remembered from the past, whose eyes glimmered like little diamonds seated in the marble-white skin- also the result of their staying in town, and the only thing he did not appreciate about it. While they resided there, Elizabeth kept insisting on reading ancient books or talking to Teague, focused on learning as much as possible before they would leave, and this sudden thirst for knowledge caused the almost complete loss of the golden color of her skin. Now she looked more like the old Governor’s daughter, than a true pirate, and Jack certainly did not like the transition. She needed sun and wind, but she would get them only if they would set sail soon. And therefore Jack gave the orders to fetch a crew of good, trustworthy men, who would help them safely reach their destination.

Sitting in his quarters, Jack was about to once again compare his normal maps with the one he had stolen from Barbossa, when he heard a noise as if someone was clearing his throat in the back of his room. Of course it was impossible: the door was locked, just like the windows, and he was almost positive there were no secret passages to this cabin. ‘Almost’, being the crucial word here, it seemed; he remembered where he was exactly, and suddenly impossible turned swiftly in his mind into improbable. He raised his eyes up and recognized his father emerging from the corner, his usual scarlet coat waving swiftly around his ankles. There was no hat on Teague’s head though, and it surprised Jack how much older he looked without it. He couldn’t help but notice the deep wrinkles marking the skin around Teague’s eyes and mouth, indicating his age, and not for the first time did he wonder how old exactly his father was. Sixty? Ninety? He could not tell. Yet another mystery he was not privy to.

“You’re heading towards rough waters, Jack,” Teague’s deep, emotionless voice resounded in the room, and Jack shuddered involuntary.

“Really? I would’ve sworn I was on land, so to speak, for you cannot really call Shipwreck a land now, can you? But I’m fairly certain we are not moving anywhere,” Jack looked at his father thoughtfully. “Although, if you are right, then I would suggest abandoning this vessel immediately. If it is ever going to change it’s location, it will be only to go down and rest at the bottom of the cove, as it were,” he moved his attention back to his maps, although he could hardly read one word. His father’s presence really did not help him focus on things, so he decided to ignore him completely, hoping he would understand and have the decency to leave. Unfortunately for Jack, the second he made this decision, a nagging, feminine voice at the back of his head, sounding surprisingly like Elizabeth, said with all its might ‘You promised to talk to him!’ Bloody honest streak always acquiring his attention in the most undesirable of moments.

“What do you want?” Jack sighed. “I understand you did not come here to entertain me, if so, you’re really doing a poor job.”

Teague did not respond instantly; he crossed the room to approach the window, then he turned back and seated himself on a comfortable chair right opposite the desk, where Jack was leaning over his maps and navigational devices. The old pirate’s head tilted backwards slightly, and for a few seconds he just observed his son with his piercing eyes, his expression unreadable. Jack gazed at his father for some time, as if accepting the silent challenge, but had to retreat and look away; staring at Teague was like looking into the eyes of a cat, you could never win such battle. And so when his father finally spoke, Jack could not suppress the sudden wave of relief that flew over him.

“Did you know that some people believe that if you save someone’s life you become personally responsible for their fate?”

Jack refused to look at Teague; he had a sudden, discomforting feeling he knew exactly where this conversation was going. “Do they now?” he asked, trying to sound uninterested. “Foolish, I’d say. You would have to spend your entire life trying to help the one you rescued, keeping them out of troubles. A high price to pay, and in the end only a waste of time, no less.”

“And yet you saved Mrs. Turner’s life… how many times was it? Three? Four?”

“I stopped counting when I run out of me fingers. That’s including both feet,” Jack grumbled.

Teague laughed. “You know Jack, from all of my children, I’ve always considered you the brightest one, and yet in some matters you’re still unbelievably stupid.”

“Do you need anything in particular? Or did you come here just to lift up me spirits, as it were?”

“Jack… I-,” the old pirate hesitated for a second. “I know you never follow my advices, so I will give you none. But at least do yourself a favor and for once be careful. You may want to deny it, but my blood runs in your veins, boy, and I understand the pain you suffer.”

Jack’s head shot up, his eyes suddenly dark with anger. “Do you really? How did you like the Locker then? Or the Kraken, while we’re at it? Oh… I forgot; you weren’t there. Please don’t insult me saying you know how I feel.”

Teague’s expression remained calm to Jack’s outburst, but his eyes filled with such sadness and pain, his son had to look away, afraid of the feelings he saw there. They sat opposite each other in silence, emotions boiling underneath the thin layer of faked indifference.

“You’re planning on going to the Fountain of Youth,” stated Teague finally.

Jack was caught off guard by this sudden change of subject and so he could not hide the surprise that for a second appeared on his features, when he wondered how exactly his father found out about his destination. “Maybe. Why?”

“Immortality never offered anyone happiness. In the end it always becomes a burden, something greatly desired and yet not understood by the mortals. Do not refuse death, Jack. You may yearn for it one day,” his father smiled.

“Unlikely.”

“Really? Then why do you crave it so much, Jackie? Is this because of your courage or your fear, eh? Do you love your existence so much that you cannot part from it, or are you simply afraid of what death may bring? Oh… but you do know what death brings, don’t you? So you want to avoid it, no matter what the cost. It sounds an awful lot like fear to me.”

“So maybe me motives are not heroic, but at least I will be alive and not dead, seems good enough for me. What difference does it make why I want it?”

“What difference? It is a difference like the one between life and death, love and hatred. A thin line which when crossed changes everything. Sometimes it can be crossed again, but sometimes, like in this case, it is a one way trip. Be careful for what you wish, boy. The things that bring us the most pain are usually the ones we want most in the world; nothing worse than a wish that comes true, I’d say.”

They both fell silent for a few seconds. Jack stared at the Cove visible through his window. The water shone brightly in the sun, and far in the distance he could see the open ocean, for a moment he thought he could hear the roaring waves, waiting impatiently for his return, singing the bittersweet song of freedom.

A wandering bird indeed, never able to settle down and rest, always drifting without a course or a map, a broken compass in his hand, the arrow spinning with every beat of his frightened heart.

“Why did you never look for her?” Jack asked suddenly, and Teague looked at him thoughtfully, although not at all surprised, as if he had been expecting this question for days, for years even.

“You really think I didn’t?” he asked. “Oh, search her I did. I spent years chasing after her ghost, always a few steps behind. But, you see, I could never catch her, never see her. And then I understood she fled because I tried to cut her wings. How could I not recognize a wild spirit like hers? How could I entrap her so? You hate me for letting her go… but not there lies my sin, I tried to imprison her soul thinking I was giving her all the freedom of the world, foolishly believing that was what she wanted, and she could not live like that. But I never regretted having her for that short time, although maybe in the end it gave me more darkness than light. But even the dimmest light shines brightly in the darkness, does it not? And so I am happy I had at least that much.” He stopped talking for a few moments, lost in memories, and Jack thought his father had finished, but then he spoke again quietly, “When you were born, I was the happiest man in the world. Your mother was everything to me, and she gave me you, who’s became my life. When she left… I know she wished to take you with her, but she knew it would break me, kill the last spark of life I had in me. She left her heart behind in the cove, with me, knowing she would never see you again. So you are right to blame me for her abandoning you, because indeed she did it for me. Had she known what kind of a father I would become maybe she would have reconsidered her decision though…” he smiled darkly and Jack shifted uncomfortably on his chair.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Don’t I owe you that much at least, for ruining your childhood? You deserve to know it was me who stood between a mother and her beloved son. I just hope someday you will understand the fault was not only mine and find the strength to forgive me. For now, blame me all you wish, but, I swear to God, I loved her with my whole heart… I still do.”

Jack could feel his father’s gaze on him but could not look at him, knowing he would then never say what he needed to say. “I was happy here, when I was a kid,” he begun. “Even after she left, I mean. It was me home after all. Maybe if I could go back in time I would change it, my leaving the cove and all,” Jack looked back at his past, talking now more to himself than to his father. “I knew what destiny ran in my blood but I wanted to be a good man, not a thief, I never was the material for a real pirate, was I?” he smiled sadly. “And now I come here, after years of running, looking exactly like you, behaving like you, and, surprisingly, I can live with that. Maybe if the events took a different course I would not be the man I am now, maybe I would be a better man, a man worthy of…” his voice faltered as he thought of something.

“Of her?” Teague shot him a meaningful look. “Jack, what you’ve been through, has created the person you have become. Never doubt that and never regret that. It shaped you, and your legend shines more brightly than any pirate’s during the ages.”

“A legend?” he smirked. “It means nothing in the end.”

“True…” a wide smile stretched Teague’s lips. “Maybe you did learn something after all.” He stood up from his chair and once again went to the window. “You’re leaving tomorrow?” he asked after a moment.

“It seems so. Lizzie is incredibly thirsty for the water, and who am I to refuse the lady’s wishes, eh?”

Teague’s eyebrow shot upwards as he stared at his son with amusement. “Lizzie?”

“What?”

“You called her ‘Lizzie’. “

“Oh that… well, that’s her name, is it not?”

“It most certainly is, Jackie. It most certainly is… Well, I believe we will see each other tomorrow when you set sail, so I will not say goodbye just yet. I have a gift I wish to give you tomorrow morning, but it’s a surprise,” Teague winked mysteriously and crossed the room to reach the door. He was about to leave when he turned around and looked at his son, “You’re not me, you know. Remember that. You’ve got your own chance…to make better choices than I did.” The door closed before Jack could say anything.

xxx

It was a perfect morning. A few white clouds were scattered across the sky and the gentle south wind could not be more inviting for the men of the sea, who woke up at dawn, feeling the everlasting call resounding in their souls. The ships danced in the bay like wild horses, tugging at their mooring lines as if those harnesses. They yearned to sail, free under full canvas, the masts striking proudly up into the sky, circled by flocks of seagulls, and their only companion the silver dolphins diving under the keel.

Jack went across the dock, passing by the pirates who busied around with various boxes and barrels; they were all leaving today with the first morning tide, and the feeling of nervous, but joyful anticipation hung in the air. Away in the distance he saw The Empress and her crew running around in hurry, making the last preparations before they would depart. With no haste he approached the ship and went up the ladder which joined the pier and the vessel. He felt the familiar rolling of the waves under his feet and realized how much he missed this. When was the last time he had willingly spent over a week away from the sea? He could not recall.

His eyes wandered around the deck and he spotted a slim figure standing at the helm, barking orders at the frightened crew. That was his Pirate King indeed, a glorious swan among sparrows. Elizabeth took this exact moment to take off her hat. Her hair, before tugged neatly under the cover, now fell loose in the wind, a beautiful golden veil, and Jack forgot how to breathe. He watched her, completely undone by her magic, suddenly realizing the way to the Fountain would be much too long for his liking: how could he endure seeing her like this every day for weeks? How could any man? At that second she noticed him and smiled this bright, sunny smile he saw so rarely, making all his thoughts and doubts instantly vanish from his mind. ‘Even the dimmest light shines brightly in the darkness.’ Was it not worth it all in the end?

He crossed the deck to join Elizabeth at the helm and as he was approaching her, he wished it was another time, another world, he wished they were both free to make new choices. But Teague was wrong, some things could not be altered, and you had no choice but to plunge into the depths, knowing that with every second your chances of resurfacing were even slimmer. And yet you still swam downwards, drawn by the mystic magnetisms of the bottom, even though it meant you would drown sooner or later, when you would have no more air in your lungs. But there really wasn’t even a choice to begin with now, was there?

The pirate felt the familiar pulsing in his head and rubbed his temples, hoping it did not mean he would miss this wonderful day under the deck, dry-heaving over a bucket, or barely conscious, dozing off after a dosage of opium. He did not want her to see him like this.

Jack observed Elizabeth as she was talking to one of her crew men, and he admired the way she turned from the girl she had been before into the strong woman she was now. And to think she used to insist on calling her Miss Swann, afraid what people would think about her, were she to fraternize with a pirate. But then his eyes clouded with melancholy, when he pondered on how much she had to endure to become who she was now. 'What you’ve been through has created who you have become.’

“Jack, I’m glad you’re here.” Elizabeth spoke, pulling him out of his reverie. She looked at some papers she held in her hand and continued, “I’ve been here for the last two hours, preparing everything for our departure, oh by the way, your father is in the hold, he told me he had some cargo for you he wanted to leave there,” when Jack did not respond, she looked at him carefully, putting away her things. Seeing the pained expression on his face, she lowered her voice and asked, “Jack, are you alright? You look pale… maybe you should lie down in the cabin.”

He pulled his hat lower over his face, hoping that the lack of sun would stop the headache before it would become too strong to bear. “M’ alright, Lizzie. I may have drunk a bit too much yesterday, don’t fret yourself over me.” He smiled reassuringly, but she kept staring at him suspiciously and he had to turn his gaze away, knowing she could usually see right through him and therefore it was unbelievably hard to lie to this girl. Besides it seemed the pain was subsiding after all. Maybe it really was just because of the late night rum, as unlikely as it sounded.

To his relief, he noticed Teague approaching them, and he crossed the deck to meet his father halfway. Elizabeth followed, keeping a cautious eye on Jack, and a worried expression appeared for a second on her face, but it washed off quickly when she met Teague’s gaze.

“I came to bid you both farewells. May your winds be friendly and your passage clear of dangers,” his eyes fell on Jack. “Although that last one is rather improbable in your case, is it not, Jackie?”

Jack only shrugged his shoulders, and Elizabeth smiled. “Thank you for your kindness. If it wasn’t for you, I would not even be here. Thank you for coming back for me, when I thought I was abandoned in this world.” A tear rolled down her cheek and she made a step towards Teague to hug him closely. He hugged her back awkwardly, but his eyes remained focused on Jack, who was just standing there, looking into the distance with an expression of deep guilt on his face.

Elizabeth pulled back from the embrace and dried her cheeks with the back of her hand.

“Well, are you going to tell me now what is in those boxes you placed in the hold?”

“The finest rum of the Caribbean, lass,” Teague grinned.

“But I ordered rum!”

“Two barrels? Let me remind you that you’re sailing with my son.”

Elizabeth laughed and looked at Jack, who smiled half-heartedly and once again a frown appeared on the woman’s features. She turned back to Teague, “Well thank you again. I hope I will be seeing you soon.”

“Oh I don’t doubt that,” he moved his stare to his son. “Are you not going to hug your old father, Jackie?” he mocked, and when he saw the expression that appeared on Jack’s face he chuckled. “Shake my hand then at least,” he pulled out his hand, which his son shook after a few seconds of hesitation. With that Teague left the ship and Elizabeth once again faced Jack.

“I don’t know what is wrong, but you will tell me. And I swear, if you continue looking as if we are at a funeral then I will burn all your bloody rum!” She exclaimed and that threat finally brought an honest smile back to Jack’s lips.

“You wouldn’t dare,” he purred, and she leaned towards his ear, once again taking his breath away.

“Don’t tempt me,” she whispered huskily, and then pulled back shouting orders at her crew.

Jack observed her for a few moments, before he laughed loudly, casting away the dark clouds which were hovering over his head. He reached the helm the second Elizabeth appeared on the other side. They both grabbed the steering wheel and looked at each other expectantly.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Elizabeth asked sweetly.

“What do you have in mind, dearie?”

“I just wanted to avoid any confusion on your side, were you to think you were captaining this fine vessel. She is mine.”

Jack’s face fell slightly, but he recovered almost instantly. “Maybe we will share captaincy then? What say you, love? Share the vessel, share the captain’s quarters, as it were…,” he wriggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Elizabeth seemed to seriously consider his proposition, before she locked her eyes with his, smiling like a cat looking at his prey.

“I’m afraid the answer to that question will be ‘No’. But the position of the first mate is still open, if you’re interested.”

“I want you to know I’m deeply wounded, love, but if that’s what you want then so be it. Don’t think my title will change though. You do remember who I am, I hope.”

“Captain Jack Sparrow, the first mate of The Empress?”

“Exactly,” he flashed her his golden grin.

“Then I believe we’ve reached an accord,” she looked into the distance and seemed to consider something. “Of course you are aware of the fact that I know hardly anything about captaining a vessel? For instance, leaving the cove may be a bit… tricky.”

“Of course, love,” he answered softly. “Let me instruct you then.”

Jack stood behind Elizabeth and placed his hands upon hers, showing her the right position, at the same time explaining everything she had to do to leave the port. He whispered into her ear the proper commands, which she then shouted loudly at the crew. He smiled proudly, when the crew men shivered whenever she laid her eyes on them. She was already a legend: the most blood-thirsty woman of the seven seas, and he would do everything he could to help her keep her reputation of a great sailor. He owed her this. ‘Thank you for coming back for me, when I thought I was abandoned in this world.’ His eyes darkened but then he felt a gentle squeeze on his hand and all was forgotten when she turned her head and looked up at him, her sparkling eyes meeting his.

“Where to now, Captain Sparrow?”

“For now? Towards the horizon, Captain Swann… towards the horizon.” And after a few moments he felt her leaning back into him, falling into his warm embrace. His heart fluttered while she rested herself against his chest. Together, they were one with their ship, and for now there was peace.

xxx

I really hope you liked it. Tell me what you think.