Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest
Characters: Elizabeth
Summary: Tia Dalma offers Elizabeth a way out of one guilt, but traps her within another.
Elizabeth huddled in the corner of the small room, all her attention fixed on the eerie woman who had offered them - what? Could anything bring a man back from the dead?
But she spoke of a way, a journey, and Elizabeth believed her simply because she had to. She grasped desperately at this most unbelievable of adventures (but really, what was unbelievable anymore?) because to do otherwise was to accept that she had killed Jack Sparrow.
Oh, it was Jack's own actions that had sent Davy Jones after him. His own fault that the kraken had fixated on their vulnerable ship. But it was she, and she alone, who had handcuffed him to the mast and left him to die - to save herself and the man she loved.
The man she had betrayed.
She looked up then, eyes seeking Will's across the crowded room. She needed to see him, needed to stare into his handsome face and remember all he had done for her, all he had sacrificed, how much he loved her. How much she loved him. She stared at him and felt her pain twist deeper, because no matter how much she wanted to deny it she had enjoyed that kiss with Jack Sparrow, had wanted it, had (yes, admit it, Lizzie) even planned to do it. She had kissed him with a ferocity that she had never experienced with Will, and she had wanted more of it even as she pulled away.
Will was thinking, his eyebrows drawn down in that characteristic way of his when he was considering something he didn't like very much. She watched him as he stared at the woman, then at his boots. She was completely unprepared when he suddenly looked up directly at her.
Her eyes met his and suddenly Elizabeth knew that the pain she felt had been nothing before this, because Will knew, somehow he had either guessed or seen her divided loyalties. The wounded look of betrayal in her fiancee's eyes cut her more deeply than any sword. The filth and grime of all the days on the ship suddenly felt overpowering, and her skin itched terribly. She was unworthy of this creature who loved purely and fiercely and gave it all to her.
And Will would confront her about it, there was no question about that. He was noble and loyal and good, and if he thought she didn't love him he would never consent to marry her. He would ask, because Will Turner did not back down from confrontations and always asked the awkward, direct questions and would not give up until he had a satisfactory answer. It was all part of what she loved about him.
She understood now Jack's problems with his compass. She doubted it would show her anything now. She had no idea what it was she wanted. Will's eyes demanded answers; she had none to give, and she would scream if he kept looking at her like that but she couldn't look away.
Deliverance came in the form of Captain Barbosa. Will's gaze shifted to stare at the ex-undead pirate captain, and she could not help but let out a breath of relief. For now, Will's attention would be captured elsewhere.
She stood to get a better look at the man who had once held her captive. As she did, Will's gaze caught hers once more, just for a second. It was enough to stop her breath. Soon, they told her, soon he would force a reckoning.
She pulled her dignity around her and walked towards Barbosa and Will. By the time she reached them, she was perfectly under control.
It was only a matter of time before Will confronted her again. But she would take any reprieve she was granted.
Summary: Tia Dalma offers Elizabeth a way out of one guilt, but traps her within another.
Elizabeth huddled in the corner of the small room, all her attention fixed on the eerie woman who had offered them - what? Could anything bring a man back from the dead?
But she spoke of a way, a journey, and Elizabeth believed her simply because she had to. She grasped desperately at this most unbelievable of adventures (but really, what was unbelievable anymore?) because to do otherwise was to accept that she had killed Jack Sparrow.
Oh, it was Jack's own actions that had sent Davy Jones after him. His own fault that the kraken had fixated on their vulnerable ship. But it was she, and she alone, who had handcuffed him to the mast and left him to die - to save herself and the man she loved.
The man she had betrayed.
She looked up then, eyes seeking Will's across the crowded room. She needed to see him, needed to stare into his handsome face and remember all he had done for her, all he had sacrificed, how much he loved her. How much she loved him. She stared at him and felt her pain twist deeper, because no matter how much she wanted to deny it she had enjoyed that kiss with Jack Sparrow, had wanted it, had (yes, admit it, Lizzie) even planned to do it. She had kissed him with a ferocity that she had never experienced with Will, and she had wanted more of it even as she pulled away.
Will was thinking, his eyebrows drawn down in that characteristic way of his when he was considering something he didn't like very much. She watched him as he stared at the woman, then at his boots. She was completely unprepared when he suddenly looked up directly at her.
Her eyes met his and suddenly Elizabeth knew that the pain she felt had been nothing before this, because Will knew, somehow he had either guessed or seen her divided loyalties. The wounded look of betrayal in her fiancee's eyes cut her more deeply than any sword. The filth and grime of all the days on the ship suddenly felt overpowering, and her skin itched terribly. She was unworthy of this creature who loved purely and fiercely and gave it all to her.
And Will would confront her about it, there was no question about that. He was noble and loyal and good, and if he thought she didn't love him he would never consent to marry her. He would ask, because Will Turner did not back down from confrontations and always asked the awkward, direct questions and would not give up until he had a satisfactory answer. It was all part of what she loved about him.
She understood now Jack's problems with his compass. She doubted it would show her anything now. She had no idea what it was she wanted. Will's eyes demanded answers; she had none to give, and she would scream if he kept looking at her like that but she couldn't look away.
Deliverance came in the form of Captain Barbosa. Will's gaze shifted to stare at the ex-undead pirate captain, and she could not help but let out a breath of relief. For now, Will's attention would be captured elsewhere.
She stood to get a better look at the man who had once held her captive. As she did, Will's gaze caught hers once more, just for a second. It was enough to stop her breath. Soon, they told her, soon he would force a reckoning.
She pulled her dignity around her and walked towards Barbosa and Will. By the time she reached them, she was perfectly under control.
It was only a matter of time before Will confronted her again. But she would take any reprieve she was granted.