"A strange thing it is, Jackie. Falling in love's not an easy thing to do, you know." His mother, Lorraine Sparrow, tried to explain as she hugged her eight year old child. "But never doubt it exists. Someday, whether it's here or somewhere very far away, a beautiful swan will catch your eye and the two of you will fly together."

Large and innocent brown eyes stared up at her in mixed confusion. "But why did Papa leave, Mama?"

One small tear rolled down Lorraine's cheek as she kissed her son and held him tight. "Oh, Jackie. Your father's a good man. I don't want you to forget that, my dear. But…" she paused and to Jack's awe, smiled. "He's a Sparrow, my love. He can't be kept in a cage. And seeing as you're not yet old enough to be out at sea or away from your mum," her smile grew wider, "he can't take you with him. He loves you, Jackie. I promise. You're the gem of his life, you are. And mine."

"I love you, Mama." he whispered before she left his room after kissing him goodnight.

With a warmness in her eyes, she returned those three little words that made his falling asleep all the more peaceful.

Jack stood at the helm, brooding at life's paradoxes. His mother was the first and only woman he had ever said those three words to. Ironically, he had been told those three words many times by wenches and socialites alike but never had the one socialite-turned-pirate that really mattered, if she even thought them at all. Conversely, she was the only one he had ever felt love for since his mother's passing. The only damn one and he didn't even have the courage to tell her. Where did this leave him? On his beloved ship without his beloved pirate. But what could he do? She was married to the whelp now. There was nothing he could do to get her back.

On the way to Tortuga, he intended on gathering supplies and then returning to check on her and offer her a place on the crew but then that evil, slimy excuse for man Barbossa stole his ship again and he had no choice but to chase after it equipped with nothing but a dinghy and some rum. But, as Captain Jack Sparrow always did, he succeeded and left Barbossa to rot on some native island in Polynesia, smiling as the natives came to investigate their new visitor. No, Barbossa would not be bothering him anymore. Soon after, however, he began to think whether visiting that beautiful vixen was a good idea after all. Maybe she just wanted her peace and quiet. Maybe she didn't care for him as he did for her. Did it even matter? Should he not at least try?

The sun was waving goodbye as the ray of colors slowly sank beneath the horizon, leaving the Black Pearl in darkness. His mother's words rang in his ear. "Never doubt it exists." She had said that. He believed her. The truth of the matter was that he never gave up on love. He just didn't think that it was meant for him. He knew it existed, seeing countless happy couples in his travels but never had he felt that need to have someone else. Until a very sunny day in Port Royal just three years ago.

When he first saw her with those fierce topaz eyes and that pirate medallion around her delicate neck, he felt something inside him come alive. It was like seeing the world for the first time. She was so beautiful but not only that, she had a fire inside her. She had the makings of a pirate. A smirk graced his lips as he recalled how he had the pleasure to watch that transformation take place. Yes, it had gotten him killed but he would have died a thousand deaths just to have her sweet, luscious lips in sync with his once more. Not only that, but he missed her. He missed her desperately. She was like his other half, the same but yet not quite. Life just wasn't as enjoyable without Elizabeth Swa-Turner nearby.

Jack yawned and his eyes began to close. He was eager to get to bed where at least he could be with Elizabeth, if only in his dreams.

Gibbs took over the helm and shook his head as he watched his Captain who once had such lively eyes skulk to his cabin looking like a walking corpse. I always knew having women aboard was bad luck. Miss Elizabeth knows not the mark she left on our Captain. Unlike most, Gibbs knew that Jack was a good man and he knew that the captain had a heart of gold. And he knew that Jack was a goner for Elizabeth's charms. The man had fallen in love with a married woman. More importantly, a woman married to the Captain of the Flying Dutchman and, in this case, Jack's determination and persistence boded terribly ill.

His hands, so warm and loving, trailed down her sides, held her hips, caressed her thighs. His rough lips claimed her own, causing a wave of heat to wash over her. Her moans sounded like the song of a bird in the morning light. Their eyes, when they met, expressed the same feeling: love.

"Thank you for coming." she said in her bewitching voice.

Jack smirked against the nape of her neck and placed kisses along her jaw line. "'Course, luv." Once again, their lips were dancing to the tune of the birds. So light, so free… Beautifully calming and yet exciting at the same time. Oh, how she loved this man. As they lay there together in the sand, she traced small, insignificant symbols on his chiseled chest, absentmindedly smiling.

"You know what, Jack?" she paused, thinking through her words carefully. "I think I love you."

He smirked even wider and hovered over her. "I think I know ye love me. Or else ye wouldn't let me do this." And he kissed her so passionately, so desperately…

Elizabeth's eyes shot open as she took in her surroundings. She was alone. It took a few moments for her to realize that her breathing was heavy and that she felt quite giddy.

"Not again." she mumbled, putting her head in her hands. I'm married. I can't be having these dreams, for goodness sakes. What is the matter with me?

But she knew. Oh, she knew very well what was going on. She was in love with a man who was not her husband and there was not a damn things she could do about it. Her heart spoke the truth. She loved Jack Sparrow. And she was all alone on a stupid island having hardly appropriate dreams about said man, wanting only to make said dreams come true.

And perhaps someday they would. Maybe she and Jack were destined to be. If they were, however, fate had a kind way of guiding them. Elizabeth wondered if Jack even cared for her at all. After all, she was his murderess. Would he ever want to be with her? Maybe he just wanted her out of his life for good.

The sky began to rumble as the storm just offshore began to approach the little island. It would surely raise the tide quite a bit. With this in mind, Elizabeth picked up her things and moved them farther inland so that the waves would not claim them as they had so many of her other belongings. In a way, the sea even claimed Jack. It was because of his love for the sea that he could not love her or stay with her. His heart was already full and there was no room for anyone else in it. But she had still always, perhaps foolishly, hoped that he would reconsider. That he truly did feel something for her. A foolish hope, indeed. But at least here in this scrap of land, everything seemed possible and it was easier to pretend…

The first signs of rain trailed down her cheeks, lingering at her chin. With a sigh, she stood and walked into her makeshift shelter allowing a new kind of wetness to roll down her cheeks.

Thunder also rolled in the skies and the wind make her small home shake violently. This storm wasn't like the other ones. It was different and it was relentless, showing no signs of dissipating. Elizabeth peeked out a small hole in her shelter and saw just how high the tide was and with utmost alarm, realized that this wasn't just a storm. It was a hurricane.

There had been plenty of hurricanes in Port Royal that she had lived through as a child but that was when she was safe inside a stone Governor's mansion at the highest point of the island. Fear washed through her as the wind ripped once more.

Unfortunately, her shelter was not enough and the raging storm moved over the island, leaving nothing but destruction and the spot where Elizabeth was nowhere to be found.

Despite Jack's unwillingness, he decided that it would be best for them to check on Elizabeth. After all, the storm season had been rather nasty out by those parts and he wanted to make sure that she was alright. How he longed to see her face again. So angelic yet so strong at the same time. In a matter of days, the Pearl made it to her island and what they found shocked them all.

"Gibbs." Jack whispered, his tone unbelieving. "Please tell me I'm crazy. I'm not seeing that, am I?"

Gibbs sighed sadly and looked his captain in the eye. "I'm afraid your eyes ain't be deceiving ye, Jack. At least not this time. There's nothing left." he shook his head.

Jack's eyes swept over the island once more. It was true. There was nothing left but the remaining bits and pieces of what looked to once be a tent of some sort. Lizzie's tent. But then where was Lizzie?

His heart pained in her absence. Jack immediately organized a search party and they scoured the island finding absolutely nothing but utter devastation.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I know how much ye… well, I won't bother with telling ye what ye already know." Gibbs said in a low voice.

He closed his eyes, imagining her beautiful smile, her musical voice, her soft rosy lips… All that goodness couldn't be gone. There was no way she could possibly be… he refused to think the word. If he so much as thought it, it would make it a possibility when it most certainly was not. She had to be somewhere, here still. Someone as good as her could not have been taken, claimed by the sea at such a young age. Then again, until they had a body, there was a chance that she was alive and at this point, he wasn't sure he'd want to be the one to find it. Where are ye, Lizzie? Just tell me you're still here. Tell me I've not lost you.

"Captain?" asked Gibbs.

"There's nothing here." he said after a moment. "It's no use staying put. We'd best get a move on if we're to start searching."

A look of pity took over Gibbs' face. "Jack… you're not really going to search for her, are ye? I mean, the chances are slim ye'd even find her. But hoping to find her alive? There's no chance."

"There's only a fool's chance." he whispered to himself, recalling Elizabeth's former words. "We set sail now. And we don't make port until we find her." he announced, his voice authoritative with a hint of desperation.

When Elizabeth awoke, she thought she was dead. She remembered how the waves rose so high, so quickly… how the rain pounded above her and how the wind blew her shelter to bits. She had no protection. It was her against the elements of nature and she lost. There was a bright light, the first thing that led her to believe she was no longer alive. But then a surge of pain washed through her. Surely this couldn't be heaven. She opened her eyes wider to try and take in where she was. She was certainly not on a ship, of that she was certain. She was quite familiar with the gentle and comfortable rocking of ships and knew how to distinguish it from land. But where was she? And who had found her?

Just as she began to speculate, a woman of middle age entered the room, heading straight for a table, not even noticing Elizabeth's awoken state. The woman was quite plump in Elizabeth's opinion but she had an air of kindness about her. The smell of tea and toast filled the air and Elizabeth breathed a sigh of contentment, startling the poor woman.

"My stars! You're awake." she rushed over to Elizabeth's bedside. "How are you, Dear?"

"I… my head hurts. Where am I?" she replied in a flurry.

The woman smiled. "Well, you're in Port Johnson, Miss. I'm Mrs. Humphrey and my husband owns a pub in town. We found you on the beach and you've been out of it for a few days but you're looking much better now. Tell me, what happened to you, you poor thing?"

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at the woman's words. She had helped her.

"My name is Elizabeth Turner. I was outside during a storm and…" she wrinkled her forehead. "I don't remember much after that, just how cold the waves were."

"Oh, Elizabeth… My word, does your family know what happened?" she asked.

"No, I- I've got no family. My parents are dead and so is my husband."

Mrs. Humphrey looked at Elizabeth with such sad eyes that she felt like crying herself.

"You poor dear. We'd best get some food in you. Now it's nothing much," she said gesturing to the tray of food, "but it was certainly made with love. Now drink up, you must be starving."

Elizabeth was quite surprised as to how hungry she really was. In a matter of minutes, all of the toast plus the fruit and soup were gone, the smell that lingered the only evidence that they had ever existed.

"Thank you, Mrs. Humphrey."

"Oh, call me Elsie."

"Elsie." she repeated with a smile. "Thank you. Without your kind help, I don't know where I'd be right now."

"Well, someone would have come for you sooner or later. Lucky it was me, all my daughters are gone, you see. Married and such and I miss taking care of them so having you here is a blessing."

Then, something dawned on Elizabeth. She was in a strange port. She was a pirate. There could be East India agents crawling everywhere and how fortunate that the Pirate King would just wash up on the shore.

"Elsie… Would you mind telling me what kind of port this is exactly?" she asked carefully.

Elsie's eyes widened a bit but then she took in Elizabeth's clothing for the first time. "Oh. You're a pirate?" Elizabeth nodded meekly. "You don't have to worry about that here. Port Johnson's a friendly pirate port. They come and go as they please and some even have permanent residences here. How exciting it must be to live life on the sea. Were you making port when this happened?"

"Yes. We had just docked the night before." she lied smoothly.

"What about your crew, won't they miss you?"

A smirk graced Elizabeth's lips. "They'll come looking for me, I'm sure of it. Our Captain is not one to give up easily."

"Would I know him?" she asked. Obviously, Elsie was as fascinated with pirates as she was with Elizabeth's survival.

"Captain Jack Sparrow." she said smoothly.

Her eyes widened even more. "The Captain Jack Sparrow? My, my! You are a well-traveled young lady then. Do you have any special title on the ship?" she inquired, obviously hinting towards a romance between her and the famous captain.

Elizabeth thought over it for a moment and decided to give Elsie what she wanted. "Yes, Jack and I… we're together." she admitted with a smile, wondering what it would be like to say something like that and it actually be true.

"You're more than welcome to stay here with us until your captain comes to get you. You could even have a job at the pub if you'd like."

"That's very kind of you, Elsie. Thank you." she said.

"Of course. Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Humphrey will want to know you're awake and how excited he will be when I tell him about your adventures. He'll have much to ask you, I hope you don't mind all of the questions." she announced as she left the room, leaving Elizabeth alone on the bed.

Three Months Later...

He was walking down the busy streets when he stopped abruptly after having seen the most wonderfully magical amazingly delightful sight walk into a bakery. But no, it couldn't have been her. She was dead. How could anyone possibly look like her?

Curiosity got the best of him and he wandered in the direction of the pub, questioning his sanity with each single step. Cautiously, he peeked inside and saw that mess of golden hair again as the woman spoke with the woman behind the counter. They appeared to be good friends. He pulled back for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on. Either Elizabeth decided to relocate and the storm came after she left or… but no one could survive such a storm. It was just not possible.

Not probable.

He smirked and hurried into the pub but the angelic figure was gone. Was he seeing things? Was she simply a hallucination, a ghost from his past? And he really had thought it was her. Cautiously, as if afraid the woman would disappear as well, he approached her and frowned when she did not. Maybe it would be better if things were beginning to disappear right before his very eyes because that would mean that this couldn't possibly be real life. If things were disappearing, it would all be a dream. A sad, awful, horribly cruel dream. But, that option was ruled out as soon as the woman spoke.

"Ah, a new customer! What can I get you, Sir? Some food? Ale?" she asked excitedly.

Jack merely slumped himself into a stool and mumbled something along the lines of rum.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I think I'll…" he cleared his throat. "I'll have some rum."

"Be right back." the woman said with a smile.

He just couldn't believe how far he had fallen. Jack Sparrow was a bloody mess inside, there was no denying that. The woman brought back the rum and a curious (Curse that word to Turner's Locker, where it rightly belongs!) face.

"So…" she began.

"So?"

"So what's bothering you? It's completely obvious to anyone who looks at you that something's wrong so come on, out with it." she pestered.

"I…" Oh, to hell with it. "I lost… someone. I think." he admitted as an afterthought.

"You think?" she asked, at the same time drying a clean plate with her rag.

He could not believe how difficult it was to talk about her. It shouldn't be so difficult.

"She was swept out to sea, I believe. We searched for weeks." he wrinkled his forehead in sad frustration. "And I never got to tell her that I love her." His eyes narrowed as he watched the woman's surprisingly ecstatic face. "Is something amusing?"

"You say she got swept out to sea? You wouldn't happen to be Jack Sparrow, would you?" she asked excitedly.

"Captain Jack Sparrow." he muttered under his breath. "Aye, that I am. Why do ye ask?"

The woman clapped her hands together and nearly jumped over the bar, grabbing his sleeve and tugging him towards the door.

"Oi, what's going on?"

"You're the one she spoke of! She had said you'd come looking for her. Let's go!"

"Who?" he asked, refusing to believe that it could be… that it was possible.

"Your Elizabeth!"

His world was suddenly bright again, the light that had been absent growing and growing.

"Did ye say Elizabeth?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

"Yes! Skinny little thing but so beautiful she is, that Elizabeth. She's staying with me and my husband. We found her on shore a few weeks ago and took her in. She talks of you all the time. Said she's your lover." she added with a suggestive raise of the brow.

It was Jack's turn to widen his eyes. Elizabeth had said they were lovers? Why on Earth would she have done that? Could it be possible that she really had feelings for him as he did for her?

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"I'll take you to her, just follow me." she led the way.

In a matter of minutes, Jack rushed into the room Elizabeth was staying in but she wasn't in there and the woman, who he found was named Mrs. Humphrey, said she was probably in town or something. While in the room, he saw a folded piece of parchment sitting on the nightstand and gently picked it up, unfolding it to reveal its contents. It was a letter.

Dear Jack,

I don't know when this will reach you or if it will even reach you at all but I have to get this off of my mind. On the off chance that you ever visit the island where I was supposed to be living, you will not find me there. Let me explain. There was a storm and I was swept by the waves and washed up in a place called Port Johnson. It's a pirate-friendly port so perhaps you'll come visit someday. I am now in the care of Mrs. Humphrey, the woman who found me on shore.

Miraculously, I survived the ordeal and have been living here for the past three months. I wanted to ask something of you. You see, living here has brought me perspective. I miss the Black Pearl and the sea and freedom but most of all, I miss you, Jack. I value our relationship, whatever it may be, very much and I truly miss you. If it's not too much trouble, could you stop by sometime and I could become part of the crew? Please, Jack. I am begging you. Save me from this spit of land. Save me from myself. I need you.

All my love,

Elizabeth Raidyn Swann

In all his years, Jack Sparrow had been shocked, appalled, taken by surprise, and sneaked up on but never had he ever felt so out of the loop until now. How could he not have seen the signs? They must have been there… But then he remembered the day she left his life just a few months ago.

"I will miss you, you know." she said, her hair clinging to her wet face. "I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to you. I didn't mean… Well, there's no sense in talking of it now. It's over." she said to herself.

"Should ye ever need anything… don't think I won't help because I will. You may have killed me but ye saved me, Lizzie. In more ways than one." he said ominously.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. "How so?"

"Ye made me a good man. You believed in me. I don't know where I'd be without ye now. But I can guarantee ye we wouldn't have made it this far." he explained, eyeing her hungrily. He wanted her and she wanted him, as far as he could tell but neither of them would act on that desire. It wasn't their place to do so. Fate had dealt them far too many risky hands for them to try and bet on it again.

"I'll never forget you. You saved me as well."

"Lizbeth…" he whispered; pleaded. He watched a flurry of emotions flash across her face ranging from despair to denial and it was then that he knew they could never be. "Have a good life, Darling." I wish I could live it with ye.

She looked at him through watery eyes with regret and turned with but a single whisper. "I will miss you."

With that, she left his cabin and shut the door. He could hear her footsteps in the hallway and he knew he couldn't let her leave without a proper goodbye. He darted out the door and grabbed her from behind, turning her to face him. The tears flowed freely from her eyes now.

"What do you want?" she choked out.

"I refuse to say goodbye to ye without knowing something. If things were different… if we lived in another world, a world without promises and chests and curses… would you be with me?" he asked tentatively, desperate for an answer.

"Jack… I don't think I can-"

"Damn it, Lizzie! Answer the question. If you could, would you?"

"Undoubtedly." she said passionately. "But we can't. We can't ignore the promises, it's how problems start. But I will promise you this, Jack. I would." With a faltering smile, she embraced him tightly and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodbye, Jack." She said as she run up to the deck.

"Goodbye, love." he whispered to himself after she was gone. If only things were different…

Apparently, Lizzie had decided to ignore the promises after all. Now all he had to do was find her and tell her that-

"Jack?" a disbelieving voice asked behind him.

Slowly, he turned and saw his beautiful Elizabeth standing at the doorway. And how she was beautiful.

"Lizbeth." he said ardently, running to her and giving her the tightest hug she had ever felt. "Thank heavens you're alive. Lizzie…" he pulled back to have a better look at her.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. "It is you!" she announced excitedly. "Jack, how did you know to come here?"

"I didn't. I was searching for ye, Lizzie. I thought you were dead." his voice broke on the last word.

"You searched for me? Why?" she asked innocently, genuinely wondering.

"Well," he began, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "What kind of lover would I be if I didn't search for my pirate lass, aye?"

A wide smile crossed her lips and she tried to laugh but it came out as a choked sob. This was just too beautiful of a moment for it to be true.

"Aye." she replied, transfixed by his coal-black eyes.

"And as for becoming a part of the crew… one needs not be a crewmember if they are accommodated in the Captain's cabin. But the answer, regardless, love, is yes."

"I can't believe you're here. I've had so many… times when I've woken up from a dream and then you weren't there that I was beginning to think myself insane. Jack… thank you for coming." she said, burying her face deep in his chest.

His lips found her ear as he sang her a little song.

"Yo ho, yo ho this pirate lass's for me."

And then her lips magically found his and never lost them again.