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Where Your Heart Truly Lies
by Order of Chaos
Pairing: pre-Sparrington. One sided James/Elisabeth.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean is owned by Disney, etc. No infringement intended.
Originally Posted: 7/18/05
Note: Twin drabbles, more side effects from watching the movie.
Summary: Jack's escape—the thoughts-behind-the-scenes.
"So this is where your heart truly lies, then?"
He knew, of course, that Elisabeth's heart belonged to Will, had known since the
moment she had promised him her hand. It was just that he had hoped—believed—that he had a place there too. Clearly, he should have known better.
Elisabeth's voice was quiet, almost shaken, yet somehow surer of this than he had ever heard her. "It is."
That's that, then. James dropped his eyes, concentrating on showing as little of his emotions as possible. It was his turn to speak, to react—something. Strange that he had never noticed before how daunting silence could
be. He tried to remember how to breathe, and couldn't do that either; one breath and the silence rushed in to fill his lungs, choking him.
Then shattered, as easily as a carelessly dropped plate. Sparrow was moving—no doubt the pirate was saying something, but he couldn't
hear it. At the corner of his vision, Weatherby cringed.
Sparrow paused in front of him next, indecently close, and this time his words filtered through. "I want you to know that I was rooting for you mate. Know that."
Which meant... what, to him? Sincere sympathy from a pirate. That at least one person in the world recognised that he too had feelings—that he too could be hurt. And had not wished him to be so.
James was sure he would be annoyed later—at the presumption, maybe—but all he could manage at the moment was gratitude for the time the pirate had brought him to recover some measure of his usual composure.
About now he should have reached out to catch Sparrow's arm, or called the marines to have the pirate thrown back behind bars.
He didn't.
He watched silently as Sparrow wove his way through a crowd that stood listening to his voice as if in a dream, and didn't attempt to wake
them up. Didn't remind them that this was a pirate and they really should be recapturing him.
Action through inaction, indeed. At least—hah—at least his conscience would be clear.
"Friends!" Sparrow had reached the wall, and was balanced on it precariously. Theatrically. "This is the day that you will always remember as the day that..." and he was gone, the spell broken and his listeners rushing forward in time to see him surface.
It seemed that people were making a habit of falling off his fort. First Elisabeth—now Sparrow. Sparrow was free, and despite the objective improbability of his escape, very few people were much surprised by it. Which was just as well.
It was up to James now, to set his other bird free.
***
"So this is where your heart truly lies, then?"
Just like that, he's been forgotten. It's a rather novelexperience, really. One moment the Commodore's all set to arrest him—again, yet again—though true, he's also scolding young William. The next... for all the reaction Jack gets, he might as well be the ghost Will so valiantly saved him from becoming. All Norrington sees is Elisabeth.
"It is."
Bloody hell, Commodore. You knew, didn't you? You must have known.
He's not moving, not speaking; not doing anything except stand there with that stricken expression on his face, trying to lock his emotions
down because they are simply too painful to deal with right now.
Jack knows that look. He's worn it himself a time or two; doesn't know why he can't bear to see the Commodore wearing it now, only knows
that he can't.
A flash of wings catches his eye, and here's his chance at freedom finally. He grins.
"Well. I'm actually feeling rather good about this..."
Loud, deliberately so, forcibly dragging all those cruel eyes away from the man. And in his experience, people tend to forget things when
they're busy listening to you. Just little things—stopping certain pirates from escaping, for example.
"I think we've arrived at a very special place, eh? Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically?"
He sways forward, the Governor sways back—it's just like dancing really... and takes a new partner.
Norrington. Looking less lost now, though no less unhappy.
"I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that."
It's the first thing he thinks of to say, and it's not perfect—he hasn't got the time to compose a soliloquy—but he thinks the Commodore understands what he means behind the words. That Will and Elisabeth are a lovely couple and of course he's glad they got together, but that he didn't wish to see Norrington hurt, either. That he cares.
No time, now, to wonder why. Jack keeps moving.
He pauses, just barely out of slapping distance. "Elisabeth—it would never have worked between us darling."
Her expression is priceless. Exquisite disdain that couldn't say 'you have got to be kidding' more clearly if she chose to shout it. He pastes a mournful expression across his face, careful not to start laughing. "I'm sorry."
Really, they are far too much alike.
A few more steps, carrying him still closer to freedom, and he turns back one last time.
"Will." What can he say? Congratulations. You're so much like your father sometimes it scares me. Thank you. And please, do try not to get yourself killed before I get back.
There's too much. He shrugs, helplessly. "Nice hat." Will laughs.
"Friends! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that..."
He tumbles off the wall before anyone can start to react—to think that they honestly expected him to finish the sentence—and he's free.
The Black Pearl is waiting for him.
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