Fate Intervenes

Title: Fate Intervenes 9/?
by GylzGirl
Rating: PG-13 this part, NC-17 overall
Other headers attached to chapter one.
Author's Notes: Yes, this is a fast update. Why? Because parts of this chapter were the seed of the whole story so most of this has been written for a good month or so just waiting for me to catch up to it. The next update will depend on how much writing time I get this weekend. So, don't expect 'em this quick all the time (I just couldn't in good conscience keep this lingering on my hard drive to buy myself update time... but I thought about it!) Of course, your feedback helps speed me along, hint hint :D. Thanks as always, to my beta Karen.
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CHAPTER NINE: Rude Awakening


Elizabeth heard Jack startle awake next to her. She felt the bed shift as he climbed out and then heard the rustle of clothing. She had blearily blinked open her eyes when his hands were on her arms shaking her awake. "Elizabeth, wake up now," he said quietly, but firmly.

Instantly, she was alert, and afraid. "What's happening?"

His eyes focused on hers. "We're underway."

Elizabeth sat. "What?"

"Get dressed. Get a weapon. Lock the door behind me."

Her brow furrowed. "No, Jack. Wait. You'll need someone at your back. Just let me…"

Jack kissed her hard, his hand sliding into her hair. When he broke the kiss, his dark eyes were completely serious. "You are mine to protect. You stay here until I know what the Hell's going on. Do you hear me? You will stay here."

His tone brooked no argument. Elizabeth nodded mutely. He smiled and brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Jack left her side and took up position near the door, gun in hand.

Elizabeth leapt out of the bed and grabbed her clothing from the night before which lay closest to the bed. Quickly dressing, she grabbed a sword from the wall and went to stand behind Jack.

He did not turn to face her. "You'll lock this door?"

"As soon as you're through it."

"Good girl. Here goes, Love."

Jack swung open the door, ran through and slammed it behind him. Elizabeth quickly bolted it shut and waited with a deathgrip on the hilt of her sword. She heard a scuffle ensue; loud voices, crashing noises, a shot. She licked suddenly dry lips and tried to keep her sword hand from shaking.

"Elizabeth, my darling," came a voice from the other side of the door. "If you ever wish to see Captain Sparrow alive again, you'll be coming out of there now."

Elizabeth swallowed hard. She knew that voice. Chase had found them. "Oh, God," she said. She ran her thumb over the blade of her sword, hissing at the pain as fresh blood raced to spill from the breech in her skin. This was no dream. "Oh, God." She dropped her sword on the floor and unbolted the door. Taking a shaking breath, she turned the handle and strode through.

******

The first thing that greeted her on deck was Peterson, Bates and Finch's bloodied bodies stacked out of the way near the railing. Her stomach knotted at the sight. Elizabeth could only pray she wouldn't find Jack in a similar condition.

As she ventured a little farther on deck, she could see Jack being held with a sword to his throat as Chase's men swarmed about the Pearl as if they owned the place. A spark of righteous anger flared within her at that. As she approached Jack, Gabriel Chase loomed into view. His pretense of a warm smile made her more nauseas than the sight of her crewmates' mutilated corpses. She noted how the sunlight made the scar across his face seem more jagged and defined. She hoped it had hurt like Hell when he got it.

"Ah, if it isn't my lovely bride-to-be," Chase said in a happy tone.

Jack cleared his throat. "Well actually, Mate, there's a slight problem with that."

Chase regarded him with disdain. "Which would be what?"

"Elizabeth is already married." At Chase's questioning look, Jack wiggled the finger wearing a silver and emerald ring in the air. Chase looked to Elizabeth, who copied Jack's actions with her ring finger and a defiant smile on her face.

Chase's neck flushed red with anger. It was the only warning she had. In the next moment, Elizabeth was sprawled on the deck, reeling from being backhanded across the face.

Jack kicked at the man who held the sword to him, knocking him down. He pulled a dagger from his boot and lunged for Chase's back. Turning quickly, Chase blocked the knife-blow, receiving a superficial slice on the hand for his trouble and brought his own blade to rest at Jack's neck. "Ah, Sparrow. Always so quick to defend his lady's honor. I certainly remember that about you."

Elizabeth stood and walked to her husband's side. "What do you want?"

"What I've always wanted, Elizabeth. You. But seeing as you're already married." He directed his gaze to Jack then. "Let's see how much this husband of yours truly cares for you, shall we? I'll offer a deal, Sparrow. If you agree to give up your vessel and your life to me, I shall let Elizabeth go free. Refuse and she dies with you."

Jack and Elizabeth's eyes met. They clasped hands.

Chase lowered his sword. "Hold him fast," Chase barked to his two largest crewmen. Each grabbed an arm, pulling him from Elizabeth's side and pinned Jack against the railing. Chase smirked at Jack. Faster than Elizabeth could react to, Chase reached out and grasped her by the throat. He brought her towards him roughly. Her petite hands clawed frantically at the huge mitt which was slowly crushing her windpipe.

"Damn you, let her go!" Jack shouted helplessly, unable to loose himself from Chase's men.

"Oh no, Captain. I'll not be letting this pretty thing go until she is dead or you agree to my terms." He lifted his arm until Elizabeth was barely able to stand on her tiptoes. Her clawing of his arm stopped, now she was grasped onto his wrist in an effort to keep him from hanging her from his grip. He brought her over to Jack and shoved her against his chest, his hold on her throat never loosening. "If you do not agree, the next time you feel her shudder and shake against you, it won't be in pleasure." Chase's men laughed raucously as he pressed her tightly against Jack's front.

Jack felt Elizabeth's lower back muscles nearly spasm with the effort to keep her feet on the ground. He winced as he heard the involuntary little sounds she made in her throat in her attempts to acquire air which she simply had no further access to.

"If you don't agree, the next time she slides down your body will be the last."

Elizabeth turned her face very slightly towards him. It was as much movement as she could manage in her current position. Jack didn't want to look at her. He didn't want her to know that he had no plan, no squirrelly scheme to outmaneuver their foe. With her life hanging in the balance, he didn't want her to see the defeat in his eyes. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't help but meet her gaze.

Trusting brown eyes looked into his own. Elizabeth's faith in him was both exhilarating and damning at the same time. Jack exhaled slowly. "Forgive me, Lizzie. Just forgive me one day," he said softly.

Her tears began to fall as he tore his gaze from her and looked to Gabriel Chase. "Release the girl and I'll agree."

Chase smiled. "To all my terms?" Jack nodded. "Your ship under my ownership?" Jack nodded again. "And your life?"

Jack chewed his lip briefly before meeting Chase's eyes again. "Yours to take."

"Splendid," he announced coolly. "Let him go," he told his crewmen. They released Jack. His arms automatically came around Elizabeth. Chase relinquished his hold on her and she dropped into Jack's embrace. She greedily inhaled, shivering in his arms.

The sound of a pistol cocking got both their attention. They turned to find Chase with a gun pointed at them. Jack roughly shoved Elizabeth behind himself. Chase smiled. "Much as I enjoy the thought of owning the life of the infamous Jack Sparrow…"

"CAPTAIN!" Elizabeth shouted over her husband's shoulder, one hand still clutching her raw throat. Jack smiled and then pushed her behind himself again.

Chase smirked. "Captain, if you prefer, my dear." His eyes met Jack's. "I find it nobler to honor a widow's wishes in these circumstances. Don't you agree?" Jack's eyes widened a little. "Oh, don't worry, Sparrow; she won't be a widow for long. You see, your plans have backfired rather spectacularly. As you're the only obstacle to making the fair Elizabeth my bride, your death solves that problem quite neatly. And then, generous and honorable gentlemen that I am, I will marry the poor widow and try to restore some modest social standing to the pirate's whore. Don't fret; I will treat her as befits a bride of her status. I'll even name one of our offspring Jack, if any of them are slow or malformed in any way." His crew laughed heartily at that.

Chase pointed his pistol heavenward a moment, keeping it well out of Jack's reach as he walked forward, his face mere inches from Jack's own. "I regret that I will not be the lady's first, but I will make it a point to take her every single night of our marriage until she can't recall what it was like to be touched by anyone but me."

Jack's eyes narrowed, then widened in surprise as Chase was suddenly propelled backwards, the pistol in his hand striking the deck and firing a wild shot into the mast. As Chase's henchmen strode forward, Jack noticed Elizabeth's legs now sticking out under each of his arms. As she wrapped them tightly around his waist, her arms came across his chest and locked. He tilted his head back to see that she had at some point come to be sitting on the railing.

Chase leaned up on his elbow, surprised.

"As long as I live, you'll never kill another man I love!" Elizabeth shouted.

In the next instant, Jack felt his feet come off the deck as she threw herself backwards over the railing, taking him with her. Their connection broke when they hit the water. The Pearl was clipping along at a good rate of speed and when they impacted the surface. It knocked the air out of them both. They immediately went under.

******

Jack broke the surface first, seeing the Pearl continue on and hearing shouts of "Come about!" from its deck. A cold feeling spread through him as he scanned the water and found no sign of Elizabeth. Suddenly, he saw a flash of pink under the water and she bobbed up beside him, coughing. He put his arm around her and began to tread water for both of them. Blinking away water, she looked at him. Jack smiled proudly and smoothed her wet hair away from her face.

Elizabeth gulped in some air and winced as it passed her still-hurting throat. He gingerly touched the flame-red handprint marring the skin of her neck. It would bruise soon and match her already purpling cheek. Jack made a note not to kill Chase before he had exacted payment for those marks.

"Rest a moment, Love." He indicated south with his head. "There's land that way but it's a long swim. Can ye make it?"

Elizabeth looked west and then looked back to Jack, puzzled. "But Jack, over there is much closer."

"And exactly where they'll look for us to head if we survived the plunge. Can ye make it?"

She looked over her shoulder at the white sand and trees in the distance. "Have I a choice?" Elizabeth looked worried. His hand on her face turned her to look at him once more. Jack leaned in and kissed her. When he broke the kiss, he continued to stroke her cheek with his thumb.

"We should stay below the surface for as long as we can. Let them think we died when we went into the water."

Elizabeth took a shaky breath. "And do our best not to prove that true."

He nodded. "Deep breath now, Love. I'll keep you in me sights. Just wait for me if you get into trouble." She took a deep breath and released it. She took another deep breath and slipped under the water. A moment later, Jack inhaled deeply and followed her down.

When they came up for air, they would turn on their backs and try to only barely break the surface. A face on the water was much harder to spot than a head suddenly bobbing up, or so they hoped at least. About halfway to their goal, Jack noticed Elizabeth had stopped. He sped up until he could come alongside her. He eased an arm around her waist and propelled them both up toward the surface of the water.

She gasped for air when they reached the top. "Steady, Love. What's wrong?"

Elizabeth shook her head, still gulping down breath. "Cramp."

Jack quickly looked back the direction they'd come. The Pearl had come to a halt but the longboat had not been deployed. This was a good sign. If they were still trying to see them in the water near the ship, then they hadn't spotted them swimming away. He returned his attention to his bride. "Better?"

Elizabeth shook her head no. Jack reached down and took her calf in his hand. "Here?" Her nod wasn't necessary because he could feel the muscle beneath his palm and it was hard as rock. His long fingers began to knead her leg under the water. At first she whimpered in pain but then the muscle began to relax under Jack's ministrations. When it was clear that she was no longer hurting, he lifted her leg and hooked it around his hip. The motion of the waves rocked their bodies against each other. Jack smiled at Elizabeth's surprised expression. "Can't seem to help meself around you, Lizzie. I don't think they've any idea where we are. So, tis likely we've time, Love."

Elizabeth quickly looked over her shoulder at the Pearl which was, indeed, stopped a good long ways in the distance. She turned back to her husband. "Tell me you're joking?"

He grinned wider. "Not joking but, it got your mind off being afraid for a moment, did it not?" She nodded. "And after all, it is still quite a swim. Wouldn't want to tire you out too much before we hit land." Jack sighed. "All right then, off ye get." He kissed her cheek. Elizabeth took another deep breath and once more submerged with Jack following after.

******

When they reached the shore of the island, Elizabeth collapsed onto the beach, panting for breath. She rolled onto her back and just tried to rest a moment. She had never swum that far in her life. Jack dropped to his knees in the sand beside her, breathing likewise. A moment later, though, he was up on his feet and tugging at her arm.

"Jack, please, I just need to…"

"I know you do, Love. As do I. But not here. Got to get out of sight." He indicated the dense greenery not thirty feet from where they were. "Then we can both have a rest."

Elizabeth nodded and let him pull her to her feet and into the part of the island overgrown with forest. Once secluded, he sat next to a large rock and eased her down beside him. Taking her in his arms, he encouraged her head on his shoulder and kissed her forehead. "Sleep, Love. We'll know shortly if we've made good our escape and there's no point in being awake in the mean time."

Exhausted, Elizabeth cuddled into Jack's chest and her eyes slipped effortlessly shut.

******

By the time they awoke, hours had clearly passed as the sun was now directly overhead. They stood and Jack sat her on the rock. "Wait here, I'm going to check the beach." Elizabeth nodded.

A few moments later, she heard him call to her. "It's safe, Lizzie. Come on out."

She walked back to the beach and it was, thankfully, empty; as was the horizon which held no sign that the Black Pearl had ever passed through. She turned to find Jack approaching her with a smile on his face. At that moment, everything came rushing back to her. Elizabeth stalked up to her husband.

"You bastard! You promised you wouldn't die for me!" She swung her arm back as far as she could and slapped him across the face. "You lied!"

He blinked. His teeth were practically vibrating from the blow. "You slapped me!"

"You mean like this?" Elizabeth drew back and slapped him again.

Jack's hand grabbed his throbbing cheek. "Yes, just like that." He swiftly moved forward and gathered her wrists in his hand. "You lied too." He smiled.

Fury radiated from her eyes as she saw him grinning at her. "Why are you smiling?! You infuriating man! We're stranded, AGAIN! You've lost the Pearl, AGAIN! And there's no sign of rum ANYWHERE! So why?! Why do you look so damned pleased with yourself?!"

His smirk was smugness personified. "Because, Fair Lizzie, you said that you love me."

Elizabeth's breathing slowed, nostrils flaring, eyes narrowing. "I most certainly did not."

"You did. You said you love me."

She looked out across the water, not meeting Jack's eyes. "You're imagining things."

"No. You said, 'You'll not kill another man I love' and then swooped in all fierce-like and rescued me from me terrible fate. So, I'm fairly certain it were me you were referring to. That or Gibbs has some explaining to do."

Jack maneuvered his head in front of her so that she had no choice but to face him again. "I.."

"Come on, Lizzie. Say it. You'll feel better if ye do."

"You mean you'll feel better."

"Yes, well marriage is the joining of two into one. So making me feel better is the same as making yourself feel better." Jack laughed. "I knew we were getting along far too well to simply credit my vast skill at intimate pleasurings. So come on, Lizzie. What say you?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Fine. I love you. Are you happy?"

"Overjoyed," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. He smirked again and just as Elizabeth's temper flared at the sight of it, Jack used his grip on her wrists and pulled her against him. Her mouth opened in surprise. Seizing the opportunity, he kissed her deeply. Jack smiled at her when they pulled apart.

"And what about you?" Elizabeth asked.

"What about me what?" Jack said.

"You offered your life for me."

He arched an eyebrow. "Are ye going to slap me again?" He tightened his hold on her wrists.

Elizabeth smiled. "It could happen. So?"

"It was a ploy."

"A what?"

"Ploy. Trick. Ruse. Couldn't help you with me arms all twisted up alongside me, could I?"

Elizabeth smiled knowingly. "Admit it. You love me too."

Jack pouted and dropped her wrists. "I'm not having fun anymore." He started to walk down the beach away from her.

She followed behind. "Come on, Jack."

He spun unexpectedly and she crashed into his chest. "To what point and purpose?"

"I'd like to know."

"Why not wait and be surprised?"

"Jack!" She tried to move her hand to his chest. Jack intercepted her wrist, and took hold of the other one as well, just in case.

"Fine. I do."

"You do what?" she smiled.

"What you said."

Elizabeth's brow furrowed slightly. "Can't you say it?"

"Why should I?"

"It would make me happy."

Jack sighed. His mouth opened then closed again. "I can't."

Disappointment washed over her features. "You don't?"

"No. I just can't say it."

"Why?" The confusion was obvious in Elizabeth's voice; as obvious as the hurt in her eyes.

Jack sighed. "We both know curses are real. The last woman I said that to and meant it… died."

Elizabeth smiled at him sweetly. "I'll take my chances. To hear Captain Jack Sparrow say that he loves me would be worth all the risk."

Jack exhaled and took her face in his hands. "Have it your own way then. Elizabeth Sparrow, I love you. I've loved you ever since we were stuck on that first bloody little island together and I haven't wanted to admit it from that day till this. But… there it is."

TBC: CHAPTER TEN: Deja Vu