Chapter Text
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With trembling fingers Captain Jack Sparrow caresses the embossed case in greeting before stealthily extracting the Key from a hidden pocket.
Moistening his lips in anticipation, he carefully inserts the Key, turning it gently. With a hissing crunch the lock springs open. Jack winces at the loud sound, furtively looking around to see if anyone has noticed.
When the dark room remains silent, he lets out a small breath of relief; one he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.
Carefully fitting his hands around the lid he opens the chest, eyes lighting with success and dimming moments later with some untold emotion.
“Oh mate, you’re in a sorry state.”
Will’s heart lay forlornly in a corner of the metal box, beating in a lethargic, laboured way.
Jack swallows with difficulty. “Don’t ye worry now, lad. Ole Jack’s here to take proper care of ye!” He reaches forward, ready to free his prize when the quiet “snick” of a pistol freezes him in place.
With another, slightly more miffed swallow –if such a thing is possible, - Jack glances out the corner of his eye, but cannot see his assailant. “Now really, Lizzie luv, I don’t think ye wan’ to be doin’ that...”
The muzzle of the gun retreats and there is a shocked pause before a surprised and somewhat exasperated “Jack?!” fills the air.
Jack turns and grins a hello.
Elizabeth looks as youthful as she had when Jack first met her. Well, almost. A few lines around her eyes and on her brow mark the passage of years since then, but apart from that she looks astonishingly the same. Jack frowns at her for a second, positive she must be doing something to prevent the slow march of time. Elizabeth, for her part, is too busy staring at the man before her in shock to realise this.
“What are you doing here?” she asks, and her voice holds a strange strain to it.
Before Jack can prevaricate, Elizabeth launches herself at the pirate and wraps him in a fierce hug.
More than slightly suspicious, Jack awkwardly pats her on the back, thanking whatever fates have decided to grant him continual luck, and is somewhat grateful that he wasn’t shot first.
“Wait…”
Jack winces and leans back.
A fierce expression is slowly morphing Elizabeth’s attractive face, and her hands move to her hips in a formidable feminine display of accusation.
“Why are you here Jack?” She frowns at him suspiciously, before remembering what she’d caught him doing. “And just what were you doing opening Will’s chest? How did you even get the key?!” The last is said in an alarmed shriek, and the gun makes a fast reappearance.
Jack rolls his eyes dramatically, using two fingers to gently point the barrel away from his chest. “I’m rescuin’ it, o’ course.” He blinks and amends, “him.”
Elizabeth scowls, and the pistol doesn’t retreat. “Rescuing?” She scoffs, “And how is he in need of rescuing?”
Jack quirks an expressive brow, “Do ye really need to ask?”
Despite the seemingly innocuous statement, Elizabeth’s lips thin. Jack feels a slight thrill as his hitherto speculated theory obviously hits home.
Elizabeth manages to master herself quickly, raising her head and maintaining eye contact defiantly. “I fail to see how it concerns you, captain.”
It’s meant to be an insult, but the defensive anger in the tone makes it miss its true mark. Jack bares his teeth in a fierce parody of a smile. “Oh, but it does, my king. After all, you’ve lost your right to him.”
“My right?!”
Jack winces. Really, women could get so shrill when they were angry.
An angry retort has formed and is ready to be divulged with acidic intensity when a sound by the doorway catches the attention of both adults.
Seizing his chance while Elizabeth is distracted, Jack spins, slamming the chest shut. Grabbing it under an arm, key and all, he skilfully dives out the still open window.
Rolling with a rather hard thud – and really, he was getting much too old for this kind of thing – he gets to his feet and runs for all he’s worth.
Several shots stir the dust at his heels as Elizabeth curses him soundly.
~*~*~
tbc...