fest fic: Sparrow and the Seven Seas [Jack/Elizabeth]
Title: Sparrow and the Seven Seas
Author: whensheflies
Rating/Pairing: PG [Jack/Elizabeth]
Summary: When Jack comes to visit Elizabeth the night before Christmas, he does not come empty-handed. Holiday!fic. Post-AWE.
A/N: Written for blackpearlsails' Twelve Days of Christmas fest. Thanks to the lovely geekmama for letting me be a part of the holiday festivities. Enjoy.
Sparrow and the Seven Seas
"Sing me a song, my darling?"
"Not again, mummy. Do I have to?"
"Only if you want your presents in the morning. And you know how happy it makes me to hear you sing."
"Oh, alright. But just one."
"And then bed."
William huffs at his mother's request and pulls the blankets up to his neck. He sings, his voice high and clear. "I saw three ships come sailing in, on Christmas day, on Christmas day. I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas day in the morning..."
Elizabeth listens, smiling at her son. Her fingers push an errant dark lock of hair from his forehead and hums the tune of the carol to help him along.
When he finishes, Elizabeth leans down and presses a kiss to his cheek. "That was beautiful. Now, time for sleep." She stands, taking the lamp that rests on William's nightstand, and starts to leave his room.
"Mama?"
"What is it, precious?"
"Do you think father will be able to spend Christmas with us this year?" The boy's voice is full of the hope and innocence that only a child could be capable of.
Frowning, Elizabeth returns to her son's bedside and lays a hand on his head. "We've talked about this, William. You know he can't return home for another five years yet. We must be patient, yes?"
"I only hoped...because it's Christmas."
"I know. But your father is off being brave and doing a very important job. We mustn't begrudge him that."
"Yes, mum."
"Sleep. You'll feel better about it in the morning, I'm sure." With those parting words, Elizabeth slips out of his room, pulling his door shut.
*
"The boy has a lovely singing voice. A gift inherited from his castrato of a father, no doubt?"
The sound of another's voice in her lonesome house makes Elizabeth flinch in surprise before she takes in the actual words spoken. "And how exactly would a eunuch get an heir on me, hmm?" she says with a smirk.
Fingers dance across the air, rings glinting in the dim light of the lamp in Elizabeth's hand as if to scatter her clever rebuff into nothingness.
"Trifles, my dear Lizzie, trifles."
He steps closer so that his face is illuminated in the golden lamplight. Kohl-rimmed eyes and shining teeth make him look almost like a menacing adversary, but Elizabeth knows better. She steps closer to him, close enough to smell him. The scent of sea and sun, rum and adventure, and just a hint of danger.
"If I remember correctly, I asked you not to enter my home unannounced, Jack. I asked nicely."
"I remember it quite a bit differently, love, " Jack says, his voice only a touch louder than a whisper as his hand finds its way to the small of Elizabeth's back, "And it involved begging on your part. 'Stay, Jack. Don't go yet, Jack. Don't. Stop. Jack.' "
Her own words on his lips are enough to reignite the desire she tries to keep at bay. She is always fighting a losing battle when it comes to Jack, but pride prevents her from surrendering to his charms right away. She does not touch him, not yet, but she does not move away. "William could still be awake." she whispers.
"Then I think it's time we go somewhere more private." Jack's words are hot against her face and she feels herself slipping quickly under his spell.
"Incorrigible."
"Ah, but you love that about me."
"Perhaps."
"Shall we?"
*
"This wasn't what I had in mind when I said somewhere private." Jack says as Elizabeth hands him a steaming mug of tea. He sits across from her at a wooden table in her kitchen. The lamp serves as the only light, casting a warm glow about them.
Elizabeth smiles and sips at her tea. "There'll be plenty of time for that later."
In that moment, she sees Jack falter. It's in his fathomless eyes and the slight parting of his lips. She knows that he hadn't meant this to be a lengthy visit. "But, Jack, you've only just arrived! Tomorrow's Christmas and I know that William would love to have you around to celebrate with."
"And that's the only reason you're upset, then?" Jack asks, smirking.
"Of course not. You know that." she reaches across the table to cover his hand with hers.
"I could afford to be told just once more, Lizzie."
"I love you, Jack Sparrow. With all of my treacherous heart, I love you."
Wooden chair legs scrape the floor loudly and for a fleeting second, Elizabeth worries the noise will wake William, but then she is being pulled from her seat and into Jack's arms and nothing else matters. She presses herself into the embrace with abandon, sighing with parted lips when Jack kisses her. This is what keeps her sane, these fleeting moments wrapped in Jack's warmth. This is what keeps her from endangering her son by commandeering a ship and taking him to sea to follow the man that made her King. These visits are all she has to go on until William is old enough to live perpetually at sea.
"I have something for you." Jack says, breaking their kiss.
"I think I'm fine with just more of this, actually." Elizabeth presses her lips to his once more.
Jack pulls away with a grin, fingers slipping inside his shirt to retrieve the gift. A small glass vial filled with clear liquid is pressed into Elizabeth's palm. "Happy Christmas, Elizabeth."
She looks down, knowing instantly the gift he's given her. A gasp escapes her lips. "Is this?"
Jack nods. "From the Fountain of Youth? Aye. Enough for you and young William should you choose to drink it."
"Thank you. This is...it's perfect." she says, fingers closing over the vial. It is cool to the touch despite having been stored away in Jack's shirt.
"Thought you'd like to join the club, as it were. We're sorely in need of a King, savvy?"
Elizabeth grins, shoulders back, remembering what it once was to be a ruler amongst pirates. Her heart sings and she aches for the salt spray of the sea against her cheek and for Captain Jack Sparrow at her side. She knows her life is about to change once more, but she is not afraid. Adventure calls, in the name of Sparrow and the seven seas, and Elizabeth can hardly wait to give her answer.
Author: whensheflies
Rating/Pairing: PG [Jack/Elizabeth]
Summary: When Jack comes to visit Elizabeth the night before Christmas, he does not come empty-handed. Holiday!fic. Post-AWE.
A/N: Written for blackpearlsails' Twelve Days of Christmas fest. Thanks to the lovely geekmama for letting me be a part of the holiday festivities. Enjoy.
Sparrow and the Seven Seas
"Sing me a song, my darling?"
"Not again, mummy. Do I have to?"
"Only if you want your presents in the morning. And you know how happy it makes me to hear you sing."
"Oh, alright. But just one."
"And then bed."
William huffs at his mother's request and pulls the blankets up to his neck. He sings, his voice high and clear. "I saw three ships come sailing in, on Christmas day, on Christmas day. I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas day in the morning..."
Elizabeth listens, smiling at her son. Her fingers push an errant dark lock of hair from his forehead and hums the tune of the carol to help him along.
When he finishes, Elizabeth leans down and presses a kiss to his cheek. "That was beautiful. Now, time for sleep." She stands, taking the lamp that rests on William's nightstand, and starts to leave his room.
"Mama?"
"What is it, precious?"
"Do you think father will be able to spend Christmas with us this year?" The boy's voice is full of the hope and innocence that only a child could be capable of.
Frowning, Elizabeth returns to her son's bedside and lays a hand on his head. "We've talked about this, William. You know he can't return home for another five years yet. We must be patient, yes?"
"I only hoped...because it's Christmas."
"I know. But your father is off being brave and doing a very important job. We mustn't begrudge him that."
"Yes, mum."
"Sleep. You'll feel better about it in the morning, I'm sure." With those parting words, Elizabeth slips out of his room, pulling his door shut.
*
"The boy has a lovely singing voice. A gift inherited from his castrato of a father, no doubt?"
The sound of another's voice in her lonesome house makes Elizabeth flinch in surprise before she takes in the actual words spoken. "And how exactly would a eunuch get an heir on me, hmm?" she says with a smirk.
Fingers dance across the air, rings glinting in the dim light of the lamp in Elizabeth's hand as if to scatter her clever rebuff into nothingness.
"Trifles, my dear Lizzie, trifles."
He steps closer so that his face is illuminated in the golden lamplight. Kohl-rimmed eyes and shining teeth make him look almost like a menacing adversary, but Elizabeth knows better. She steps closer to him, close enough to smell him. The scent of sea and sun, rum and adventure, and just a hint of danger.
"If I remember correctly, I asked you not to enter my home unannounced, Jack. I asked nicely."
"I remember it quite a bit differently, love, " Jack says, his voice only a touch louder than a whisper as his hand finds its way to the small of Elizabeth's back, "And it involved begging on your part. 'Stay, Jack. Don't go yet, Jack. Don't. Stop. Jack.' "
Her own words on his lips are enough to reignite the desire she tries to keep at bay. She is always fighting a losing battle when it comes to Jack, but pride prevents her from surrendering to his charms right away. She does not touch him, not yet, but she does not move away. "William could still be awake." she whispers.
"Then I think it's time we go somewhere more private." Jack's words are hot against her face and she feels herself slipping quickly under his spell.
"Incorrigible."
"Ah, but you love that about me."
"Perhaps."
"Shall we?"
*
"This wasn't what I had in mind when I said somewhere private." Jack says as Elizabeth hands him a steaming mug of tea. He sits across from her at a wooden table in her kitchen. The lamp serves as the only light, casting a warm glow about them.
Elizabeth smiles and sips at her tea. "There'll be plenty of time for that later."
In that moment, she sees Jack falter. It's in his fathomless eyes and the slight parting of his lips. She knows that he hadn't meant this to be a lengthy visit. "But, Jack, you've only just arrived! Tomorrow's Christmas and I know that William would love to have you around to celebrate with."
"And that's the only reason you're upset, then?" Jack asks, smirking.
"Of course not. You know that." she reaches across the table to cover his hand with hers.
"I could afford to be told just once more, Lizzie."
"I love you, Jack Sparrow. With all of my treacherous heart, I love you."
Wooden chair legs scrape the floor loudly and for a fleeting second, Elizabeth worries the noise will wake William, but then she is being pulled from her seat and into Jack's arms and nothing else matters. She presses herself into the embrace with abandon, sighing with parted lips when Jack kisses her. This is what keeps her sane, these fleeting moments wrapped in Jack's warmth. This is what keeps her from endangering her son by commandeering a ship and taking him to sea to follow the man that made her King. These visits are all she has to go on until William is old enough to live perpetually at sea.
"I have something for you." Jack says, breaking their kiss.
"I think I'm fine with just more of this, actually." Elizabeth presses her lips to his once more.
Jack pulls away with a grin, fingers slipping inside his shirt to retrieve the gift. A small glass vial filled with clear liquid is pressed into Elizabeth's palm. "Happy Christmas, Elizabeth."
She looks down, knowing instantly the gift he's given her. A gasp escapes her lips. "Is this?"
Jack nods. "From the Fountain of Youth? Aye. Enough for you and young William should you choose to drink it."
"Thank you. This is...it's perfect." she says, fingers closing over the vial. It is cool to the touch despite having been stored away in Jack's shirt.
"Thought you'd like to join the club, as it were. We're sorely in need of a King, savvy?"
Elizabeth grins, shoulders back, remembering what it once was to be a ruler amongst pirates. Her heart sings and she aches for the salt spray of the sea against her cheek and for Captain Jack Sparrow at her side. She knows her life is about to change once more, but she is not afraid. Adventure calls, in the name of Sparrow and the seven seas, and Elizabeth can hardly wait to give her answer.