I understand that it took Elizabeth all of one hour to make a rushed decision that she wants to be with Jack, but I have done this on purpose. If you will read ahead into Chapter 2, you will see why. Thanks to everyone for the reviews and critiques!

Chapter 2: The Morning After

Jack Sparrow awoke to the soft crashing of the sea's waves on the sides of the magnificent Pearl, and tried to remember the events of the previous evening. He knew that he had willingly told Elizabeth that he had feelings for her, which isn't something that he had ever done. He didn't like the feeling of being so vulnerable with someone that he could possibly love.

He turned in his hammock-like bed and jumped in sheer surprise. Elizabeth sat in a small chair against the wall, staring down at him.

"Hello, love. Might I inquire as to why your staring at me while I sleep?"

She smiled broadly at this. "I was waiting for you to wake up. We need to talk about something, Jack."

"Wee, seeing as it is so early in the morning-"

"Afternoon."

"Good lord, is it afternoon already? Well, seeing as I have just woken up, I'm not so sure as I am in the mood for idle chatter." He put his gun sash on and made to exit the cabin.

"Jack, Will is here. He wants to speak with me."

He turns around. "Is this suppose to be of great importance to me?"

Elizabeth huffed in frustration and crossed her arms. "Jack, about what has happened..."

Jack began twisting his mustache.

"I don't think that should have happened."

He stopped twirling the mustache. "Eh- pardon?"

"I was a brief moment of empty desire. I love Will and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. I should never have doubted myself in that. Seeing his face today on this ship has made me understand."

Jack only stood there, trying to come up with some sort of an articulated word to say, but words had escaped him.

"I'm sorry, Jack. It was I this time who put you in a position that compromised my honor. I will leave this ship today and never come back." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it briefly, then released. "Good bye, Jack."

She passed by his side and walked out onto the main deck, leaving Jack standing in his cabin, alone once again.

He stood there for a moment, trying to understand what had just happened. It was for this reason why he never revealed his true feelings for anyone, for they were always trampled over in the end.

"I am rejected... for the eunuch," he said quietly as he sat down at his desk and began to map out future destinations, determined not to let this affect him.

Meanwhile, out on the deck, Elizabeth sees Will, and runs up and kisses him hard.

"Will, how I've missed you."

He smiled down at her lovingly. "I told you that I would come back for you. I wasn't cruel enough to allow you to spend the next ten years with Jack."

She smiled fondly, masking the thoughts reeling in the back of her mind.

"Elizabeth?" he said.

She looked into his eyes. "Yes?"

"I think the time is now appropriate to ask, so..." He got down on one knee. "Elizabeth Swann, would you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Elizabeth broke into a wide smile. "Yes, Will. Of course I'll marry you."

Will grinned broadly and stood. He hugged her tightly and spun her around in celebration.

Gibbs, however, was watching this entire exchange with a puzzled look on his face.

It was then that Pintel and Ragetti approached Gibbs.

"What're you lookin' at?" Pintel asked him.

"I'm a right bit befuddled by what exactly is goin' on with the cap'n and Will and Miss Elizabeth, because it was only last night when I saw Miss Elizabeth and Jack, and they..."

Ragetti chimed in. "Were engaged in some illicit activity that would be quite controversial and devastating should her dearly beloved, that there being Mr. Turner, discover the contents of these said activities?"

Gibbs looked at him quizzically for a moment, then gestured for them to come closer, for this piece of information had to be whispered. "Last night, I interrupted an extremely passionate moment in which the cap'n and Miss Elizabeth were engaged in a kiss."

The two men gasped and turned briefly to look at Will and Elizabeth.

"You're bloody joking!" Pintel said, astonished.

"Nay, mates. I am certain that's what I saw."

"They were actually snogging?" Ragetti asked.

"Aye."

Pintel sighed shortly. "I am actually rather envious of Jack's good fortunes, mates."

"Aye," Gibbs and Ragetti said in unison.

Going back to Will and Elizabeth, Elizabeth looked at Will and asked the obvious question. "Will, when shall we get married?"

He smiled slightly. "Today, if you should have it."

She thought on this for a moment. She knew it needed to happen fast, before she had time to change her mind once again. "Yes, yes, today is perfect."

"It's settled then. We will be married today. But..."

"But what?"

"Barbossa, I'm told, is still recovering from the raucous celebrations of yesterday, so it will have to be Jack that marries us."

Elizabeth's eyes widened in horror, but she quickly composed and said, "It doesn't matter. As long as I can be married to you, William Turner. I am so ready to be married."

"Then there is nothing standing in our way now."

If only that were true, Elizabeth thought to herself.