Disclaimer: I only wish I owned Pirates. Sigh.

Notes: I apologize for any inconsistancies, it's rather late and I'm exhausted. I promise to look it over several times in the morning.

She was leaning against the rail, staring out at the sea with a sorrowful expression on her face. Jack contemplated her for several minutes before moving towards her.

His interaction with the whelp’s fiancée had been limited thus far, and, despite her pretty face and gorgeous body, Jack had intended to keep it that way. The woman was strong-willed and quite fierce. She had all the makings of a pirate, she simply wasn’t making use of them. It was a shame, but Jack would be thrice damned before he’d start teaching her the ropes of piracy.

Regardless, she was quite pretty, and she did look quite sad, and something about her made him want to intervene.

“My tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature informs me that you are troubled.” He said, coming up behind her and slipping an arm about her shoulder.

She gave him a pointed look before shrugging it off, and turning to rest her elbows upon the rail, while saying, “It's nothing, really. I just thought I'd be married by now. I'm so ready to be married.”

"Married to the whelp, or married, full stop?"

She contemplated the question, then shrugged. "Married, full stop, I'd suppose. Will's belonged to me since we were children, ceremony's not really necessary for that. It's just...I'm bloody ready to be married, and if not to Will..."

Marriage. Possibly the one institution that Jack could safely say he’d never found himself in. There couldn’t be much harm trying it, though. After all, she was a pretty girl, and she had to have something quite special to keep all these men after her. Curiosity piqued, he offered her the rum bottle.

“You know, Lizzie, I am captain of a ship. And being captain of a ship, I could, in fact, perform a marriàge, right here, right on this deck, right now.”

She wrinkled her nose at him, and pushed the rum back at him.

'Just think about it. You, me, rum...wedding night in my cabin."

Her gaze flicked over to him with some definate interest before she smothered it and looked away.

“No, thank you.” She said firmly, looking back out over the sea. Imagining her William, no doubt, Jack thought sourly.

“Why not?” He asked, trying to resist the urge to pout. “We are very much alike, you and I, I and you, us.”

She laughed loudly, then sneered, “Oh, except for a sense of honor, and decency, and a moral center. And personal hygiene.”

He sniffed at his armpit, and shrugged.

“Trifles. You will come over to my side, I know it.” He assured her, and moved close enough that their hips were touching. Elizabeth laughed, and the sound was beautiful. Jack blinked at her, wondering what it was about her that threw him off balance.

“You seem very certain. I can't really imagine why, as I'm an engaged woman, and not attracted you in the slightest.” She said, tossing her hair back and looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

“First, that's a bloody lie, never met a woman who's not attracted to me. And second, one word, love: curiosity.” She raised an eyebrow, and he continued. “You long for freedom. You long to do what you want to do because you want it. To act on selfish impulse. You want to see what it's like.”

He wasn’t wrong. He knew he wasn’t wrong, simply because he saw himself in her, saw strength residing in her that he didn’t think Will had seen.

“One day, you won't be able to resist.” He whispered, lips inches from her ear. She shivered, and licked her lips. Her eyes were hungry for a brief moment, moving over him in anticipation before her mind caught up with her body.

“Why doesn't your compass work?” She asked abruptly, shifting slightly away from him. Jack chuckled.

“Don't change the subject. And my compass works fine.” He told her, frustrated with her evasion.

She looked smug as she said, “And you want to know why it works? Because you and I are alike. And there will come a moment when you have the chance to show it. To do the right thing.”

Her hand ghosted down his chest to disappear beneath his waistband. It was Jack’s turn to shiver, to eye Elizabeth’s slender body in anticipation of what was to come, before she pulled away again.

Blasted teasing pirate, He thought, as her hand pumped slowly up and down his shaft as she smiled devilishly at him.

“I do love those moments. I like to wave at them as they pass by.” He said, laughing deep in his throat, moving his right hand to cover her breast. The sound of his laughter and the placement of his palm thrilled Elizabeth, and she swallowed nervously.

“You'll have the chance to do something...oh, something courageous. And when you do, you'll discover something. That you're a good man.” She spat the words at him like a challenge, her face inches from his. Her hand moved faster.

He laughed, and she looked a bit discouraged, movements slowing, and Jack, horrified, gave an encouraging groan before replying.

“All evidence to the contrary.” He said, and he knew that she was remembering all the escapades she’d heard of, of his betrayals and his plotting. A heap of evidence, and very little opposition. He moved his hand to her crotch, pressing his fingers against her center, and she trembled.

And then she put her free hands on his hips, pulling him closer, placing her lips at his ear. She bit it gently, teasing it with her tongue before speaking.

“Oh, I have faith in you. Want to know why?” She whispered huskily.

“Do tell, dearie.” He replied quietly, his breath ghosting across her cheek, and she closed her eyes briefly as his hand moved beneath her waistband, across virgin flesh that no one, not even Will, had touched.

“Curiosity.” She murmured, and her voice was desperately seductive as she pressed into his hand. “You're going to want it. A chance to be admired, and gain the rewards that follow. You're not going to be able to resist. You're going to want to know what it tastes like.”

She licked her lips, and her finger flicked over the tip of his shaft, and he stifled a groan.

So close, so close...

“I do want to know what it tastes like.” He replied roughly. His lips were inches from hers, and the heat radiating from her body was palpable. She wanted him as bad as he wanted her. And she was practically his for the taking. He slipped a finger insided her, and she gasped, eyes widening before dropping closed for a moment while she tried to regain control. She forced her eyes back open, meeting his gaze as she bit her lip.

He leaned towards her, hesitating for a moment before placing his lips upon hers, Will’s face suddenly dancing into his head.

The hesitation cost him.

“But seeing as you're a good man, I know you would never put me in a position that would compromise my honor.” She said suddenly, but she didn’t move back.

He chuckled, wondering what made her think he was a good man. She was gazing at him, lust and expectation in her eyes, and he raised a hand to tangle in her hair.

And then he saw it.

The black spot, reforming upon his palm, and he froze. Instinctively, he lowered his hand, closing it into a fist.

And Elizabeth mistook his terror for honor, and smiled at him, although her eyes were disappointed.

“I'm proud of you, Jack.” She husked, but he was the one who moved away, hearing Gibbs shouting about land, and wondering where his jar of dirt was.

But, if he was honest, he wanted Elizabeth naked in his bed much, much more.

The image made him chuckle, and he caught her eye from across the deck, and blew her a kiss. She flushed, and he laughed. Regardless of her engagement, he’d have her, black spot be damned.