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[bringmethatnpc]

The deck of the Pearl is covered in wreckage. Pieces of boats and broken barrels lie splintered and shattered everywhere, as do chunks torn from the kraken's tentacles by the force of the explosion.

Some are still burning.

Cotton climbs unsteadily up from belowdecks, his parrot on his shoulder. Slowly, Gibbs gets to his feet and staggers to the nearest rail. Nearby Marty shoves his way out from under a pile of wreckage and comes to join Gibbs, asking,

"Did we kill it?"

Comments

[bringmethatnpc]

"Abandon ship. Abandon ship or abandon hope."

He will mourn the loss of this fine vessel later. First, he will make usre that the remaining crew can flee. Assuming that there is truly any hope of escape from the maw of the beast.

He gives the musket to Turner, It never did him much good before to have such things, anyway.

[try_corsets]

As the rest of the crew prepares to abandon ship, Elizabeth turns to Jack with a heavy heart. Back turned and head bent, he touches the weathered wood of his ship like a man saying farewell to a lover or treasured friend. And that's exactly it -- the Pearl had never been just a ship to Jack.

Swallowing hard, Elizabeth follows him. The beginnings of a plan swirl through her mind, and even as she curses herself for it, everything suddenly becomes sharp and clear.

"Thank you, Jack."

[pirate_jack]

He'd heard it, of course, as the crew started moving, snatching a few things and setting the ropes creaking as they started to lower the longboat over the side.

He'd heard it, but he hadn't seen it-- he hadn't watched. Jack's standing by the mast, fingers lightly caressing it as he looks blindly up toward the quarterdeck and the wheel, and the deep black of the sail that shows so proud and fiercely clear against the blue sky beyond.

(She's me greatest treasure)

He's lost her twice already, and now--

Behind him, Elizabeth speaks, and he turns to face her, saying only,

"We're not free yet, luv."

[try_corsets]

No, they aren't. And if she doesn't act now, she thinks, no one will be free.

"You came back," she explains, more than a little awe and respect in her voice. Taking another step closer, she keeps her eyes on his, all heat and fascination.

Curiosity.

"I always knew you were a good man," Elizabeth finishes. It tastes like honesty.

They stare at each other in silence. A choice is made, though it was never really a choice at all. It's simply what must be done, and Elizabeth knows no other way.

Closing the distance between them, Elizabeth captures Jack's mouth with hers and kisses him like this has been a long time coming.

[turned_captain]

In the process of abandoning ship, Will is on the ladder to the longboat, passing down essential equipment to the crew. He's just looking up for more, when something catches his eye and he sees them.

Elizabeth and Jack. Jack and Elizabeth.

There's no rationale, not yet. No thoughts of how this happened and how long it's been happening and what it means. None of the thousands of justifications and excuses that wil run through his head in the days to come.

All he can see is the exact moment. Elizabeth and Jack. And the bottom drops out of his stomach.

Then Gibbs moves to drop his view, and he gets back to the business of saving everybody's life. Including theirs.

[bringmethatnpc]

"Prepare to cast off! There’s no time to lose! Come on, Will, step to." Gibbs sees a man clearly distracted, no doubt by the sense that the sea always claims it own, just as it claimed poor Bootstrap Bill.

Gibbs reaches the longboat, seeing Will coming down the ladder behind him.

[pirate_jack]

(I always knew you were a good man.)

He doesn't say anything. Jack just watches as Elizabeth moves toward him. This time she's not teasing, he knows. This time she has purpose.

(You're a good man, Jack.)

She kisses him, and although he kisses her back, he doesn't take her in his arms. She pushes him backward, against the mast, and he goes unresisting.

(Pirate.)

Her taste is as sweet as he'd always thought it would be, and her scent is tinged with the salt-air of the sea he's always loved. He feels her touch singing through his blood, more intoxicating than rum.

In the critical -- the opportune moment, he's aware of the feel of her hand as it darts to his left wrist. He has a second in which to react, to twist away.

(Captain Jack Sparrow, of the Black Pearl)

He doesn't move.

The clashing metallic 'chink' of the iron manacle is very loud in the stillness around them.

Slowly, Jack smiles.

[try_corsets]

Salt and spice. Sun and wind. Wild and daring and free -- Elizabeth nearly forgets herself when she pushes Jack against the mast, body flush against his, savoring this taste, scent, and feel that are so very different from Will.

Jack's lips aren't as soft and his mustache tickles more, she notes, longing to feel his arms close around her. A heartbeat later, she remembers why she's kissing him, what she must do and why it's a stroke of luck that his arms are free.

Temporarily.

She forgets to breathe as her hand slides down his arm.

(I don't entirely trust you)

It's loud, but the sound is almost drowned out by the blood roaring in her ears. The iron is so cool it burns, yet she pulls her fingers away slowly, almost caressing his hand below the manacle.

The kiss breaks and Elizabeth looks deep into his eyes with regret, but not apology. His smile makes her stomach clench.

"It’s after you, not just your ship. Not us," she explains, voice husky. "It's the only way."

Lips parted, Elizabeth leans forward again as if she means to kiss him one last time, stopping just short of his mouth.

"I'm not sorry," fierce and shaky at the same time.

Elizabeth would never ask for his forgiveness, but maybe, just maybe, it sounds a little like she's asking anyway.

[pirate_jack]

Ah, but there's no forgiveness to be found here.

Jack's slow, lazy smile is still playing at the edge of his mouth as she tries to explain, defiant and upset and trembling before him. He listens to her without moving, without interrupting -- and there's no sign of forgiveness at all.

Only a hint of admiration--

(peas in a pod, darling)

--and clear vicious satisfaction as black eyes meet hers and Jack confirms in one single, low-voiced word,

"Pirate."

[try_corsets]

In the end, it seems, they were both right.

Pirate.

Elizabeth takes the word and breathes it in, wearing it with something resembling pride as she stares into those black eyes and refuses to give an inch. But he's not asking for an inch, or anything else.

(Admit it, we are so much alike, you and I)

There's no sense in denying it now. She's no longer touching him, although their faces remain close. The temptation to kiss him again is there and undeniable, but there's no more time, and she wants to live.

Goodbye, Captain Jack Sparrow.

And then, because she's no longer denying it or even putting up a token protest, Elizabeth (pirate) turns and walks away, keeping her head high as she begins to climb down to the longboat.

[turned_captain]

Will and Gibbs both reach up to help her down, and steady her as she sits. Will can't quite meet her eyes but he's too shocked for any actual emotion.

"Where's Jack?"

[try_corsets]

That's just fine, as she is not entirely able to meet his, either. Elizabeth sits down and resolutely does not look up for the man she knows won't be following.

"He elected to stay behind," she says brusquely, "to give us a chance."

[bringmethatnpc]

Slowly, the rest of the drew all look up at the side of the Black Pearl, and there is silence apart from the splash of the waves and the wind causing sails to flap.

It feels...

(cold)

Doesn't seem right, but Jack is the captain, it's his choice to make. Nobody moves.

[try_corsets]

Elizabeth doesn't want them to think too hard about it.

Why aren't they rowing? Don't they realize he's (chained to the mast) not coming?

Don't they know what awaits if they don't move now?

"Go!" she yells.

[bringmethatnpc]

Marty releases the mooring line as it it's burning, and the boat drifts slowly away, picking up pace as Pintel and Ragetti find the oars and start to row.

Most of the others still stare back, disbelieving, or maybe waiting for him to pull something, maybe even come swimming after them all. Because it's Captain Jack Sparrow. It's Jack.




Not Jack.