She had failed.

The one time that Jack really needed her and she had failed him.

The pistol was in her hand, cocked, ready to defend her lover. She pulled the trigger without a moments hesitation, only when she did, nothing had happened. There wasn't a bang or smoke or a single spark emitted. There was nothing. The pistol was not loaded. Had her mind not have been racing as it was, she would have realized this before she made her fatal error.

Jack had used up his bullets in the earlier battle. He had been on his way below deck to find more powder and shells when she had cornered him and they became caught up in something more pleasurable.

She was so stupid.

"It's my fault," Elizabeth thought to herself. "His death is on my hands...again."

The weapon had long since been discarded on the cabin floor. After the shock of realizing it was empty, it had fallen from her hands as if she no longer possessed the strength to keep it in her grip. Her hands covered her eyes as she felt the familiar tears welling up. Elizabeth's entire body felt like it was shaking. He couldn't be dead. He was Captain Jack Sparrow, the man with one thousand lives. He could never be caught, never be hurt. He was was damn near invincible. He couldn't-

"Elizabeth..."

Her hands dropped from her face slowly.

"You're safe now, love," she heard Jack's raspy voice call to her.

For the first time, her eyes finally surveyed the cabin. The smoke and the smell of gun powder still lingered heavily in the air, but she was still able to make out the form of her smirking husband, propping himself up on one arm. Teague was beside him murmuring commands to lay back down.

Elizabeth quickly closed the distance between them, confusion still littering her mind, but her overwhelming joy took control. Their lips met in a quick but loving kiss earning a snicker from Teague.

"But how? I don't understand..." she began, threading her fingers through his hair, beads clinking against each other. "I saw...Beckett was about to kill you...there was no one to stop him..."

Jack nodded and a slight grin etched into his features. "Barbossa."

"Barbossa?" Now she was confused more than before.

"Aye. I returned to take the...well, it doesn't matter why I returned, I heard the scuffle and I thought someone had beat me to...someone had tried to take the Pearl that is..." Barbossa's gruff voice echoed across the room.

Elizabeth jumped in surprise. She hadn't seen him standing in the doorway. She was too concerned with Jack's well being to really let anything else register within her mind.

"Aye, Barbossa's quick pistol draw did indeed prevent Beckett from killing Jackie, though I'm still concerned with his marksmanship. Had a hard time o' telling whether he was really aiming for Beckett or Jack," Teague quipped, and turned his shoulder towards Elizabeth to reveal a bleeding wound. "Bullet went straight through the guy...would've gotten Jackie too had I not have been in the right place..."

"Regular hero, eh?" Jack remarked with a half genuine smile.

"Don't push your luck boy."

To this Jack chuckled and just as quickly grimaced as the vibration aggravated the wound in his side. His hand resumed its position over the wound, slowly staunching the bleeding.

"You'll want to get that wound treated, quickly," Teague spoke, a slight trace of worry lacing his words.

"Jack, your father is right, you need to lay back down until we can get a doctor to check you out," Elizabeth said, gently pushing him back down.

"Good luck, finding a sober one," he replied.

Elizabeth smiled and entwined their hands together. She felt the tears coming back, but this time they were tears of relief. "I really thought I had lost you..."

"I know..."

"I thought I had failed you...because I couldn't save you...I can't lose you Jack. I love you," she finished, wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Lizzie love, I'm disappointed in you for not remembering."

"Remember what?" The confusion was evident upon her features.

A golden grin broke out across Jack's face as he stretched his arms out wide. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"

This time when he said it, she didn't have even the slightest urge to slap him.

Jack laid alone in his bed, watching the shadows dance on the wall.

Elizabeth had left when he was getting fixed up, said she'd go into the cove and see if she could find any food for them. After the battle that they had been through, The Pearl was in need of major supplies, food being one of those things. He'd have to ask his father to help fix his ship up with all of the proper supplies. He wanted to get out of Shipwreck Cove as soon as possible. The ocean was calling him, tugging on his heart to return to her.

"A greedy mistress indeed," he grinned.

Then there was a soft knock upon his cabin door as it was slowly opened.

"Jackie? I'm comin' in boy, make sure ye and yer wife are decent," Teague's raspy voice called out.

"Lizzie isn't here, there's nothin' for you to worry your fancy little hat about," Jack responded, half annoyed but half curious to see what his father wanted from him.

Slowly the cabin door opened a few more inches and Teague stuck his head in, glancing around to make sure Jack was telling the truth before entering the room fully.

"I just got through being fixed up by your Mr. Gibbs...I'd forgotten what a character he is. Only took him a couple tries to get the bullet out...hurt like hell, the bastard," he mumbled rolling his shoulder as he made it to Jack's side,

Jack smirked. "I know what ye mean...fifteen stitches...they're almost all straight."

"Next time we wait until he has sobered up," Teague chuckled and Jack laughed as well.

After the awkward conversation the cabin filled with silence, neither man knowing what to say to the other.

"So...was there something that you wanted from me?" Jack finally questioned.

"Just to talk, Jackie," Teague sighed, looking down upon his son.

"I was afraid of that."

"Hear me out boy."

"Look da' -"

"That was a stupid move, leaving yourself and your ship unprotected. Just because we won today doesn't mean you can just let down yer guard, you have more to worry about now with Elizabeth. I know that she can take care of herself but you left her vulnerable, she could have been hurt just as well..." Teague interrupted.

"I left her vulnerable? I think ye have it the other way around and speaking of vulnerable, how did Beckett drag you into this? What were ye doing, stalking me?"

"I was protecting the ship that you left open for stealing. Ye saw Barbossa. He may have killed Beckett but what do ye think he was doing here in the first place? It was very clear he was after the Pearl," Teague defended.

"I'm not worried about Barbossa, I already have him taken care of in the event that he would try such a stunt," Jack huffed, annoyed that his father would think that he was stupid enough to let Barbossa make off with his ship for a second time.

"All I'm saying son, is to be careful, even in times of relative peace...Christ Jackie, you almost died today. Despite everything that's happened between us yer still my son. I don't want to see ye hurt or learn of your death at the enemies hands..." he referred to Davy Jones and his Kracken.

Jack was almost touched. His father did care, a little.

"I didn't know ye knew about that,"Jack answered, his eyes shifting down to his blanket.

"Of course I did...I have my sources."

Jack half grinned. He knew his father had an entire network of pirates whom were his eyes and ears on the latest goings on since he was technically bound to guard the Code and unable to leave the island. Jack wondered if he knew of Elizabeth's involvement and was half tempted to mention it.

"Why didn't ye come to me when you were in trouble, Jackie?"

"And what would you have done if I did? There's nothing that anyone else could have done in the matter. It was me own problem...it wasn't your fight."

"Jack, it was my fight. Like it or not you're my son and whether you realize it or not I don't like to see ye get hurt or into trouble..."

Jack remained silent and continued staring at his blanket. He wasn't used to his father abruptly spilling his guts and so the moment seemed so surreal.

"Whatever happened in the past between us..." Jack began, "...doesn't change the fact that had it not have been for you...in all likelihood, Beckett would've probably killed me and Elizabeth as well. I can't change my actions from before...but ye saved my life. Ye could have been killed too...look I always pay back my debts..." he said then thought back to Day Jones. "Well, almost always. I pay this kind of debt back...what I'm tryin' to say...just...thanks, da," Jack finally stuttered out raising his hand to his father.

Teague hesitantly took it and they shook on it. Leave the past, in the past and move on. Quickly Teague leaned down and embraced his son for the first time in years. Just as quick he released him and started making his way to the door awkwardly. "Rest up son," he called as he walked back to the door.

Jack smirked knowingly. "You too, da."

Teague shook his head slowly and exited the cabin, a weight finally lifted from his shoulders.

Elizabeth emerged from the shadows when she was sure that Teague had gone. She had arrived back at the cabin with enough food to feed a small army and had been very pleased to stumble upon their heart to heart. Feeling it would be rude to intrude upon their private moment she had hung back and listened at the door.

Though there was a lot of arguing Elizabeth knew that this was just the way that men were when they didn't want to admit their true feelings. She had felt her eyes well with tears when Jack, in his own way, acknowledged that whatever bad feelings had been between them in the past would remain in the past. And when Teague had actually hugged his son? Elizabeth almost cried with joy again, just thinking about it.

Finally father and son had a foundation to rebuild their relationship upon, and if Elizabeth had anything to say in it, she would make sure these little conversations occurred more often.

Smiling, she composed herself before entering the cabin, love for her new family overwhelming her heart.