A/N: Thank you for the reviews everyone! Here is that longer chapter I promised you all.

Disclaimer: Does it honestly need saying?

Chapter 27:

June 26, 1689

Dear Journal,

The moment I stepped foot out of the warm comforts of the inn I realized I'd have a harder time finding Jack than I'd originally thought. Still, the fresh air was quite nice, and I stood there for a moment to enjoy the breeze that whispered past my face, playing with my hair.

The sun was hidden behind the clouds now, leaving shadows to darken alleys and the doorsteps of the shops that lined each side of the street. The longer the sun was hidden, the cooler the wind got (though it was not unbearable), and I was happy for the jacket Jack had supplied me with.

The reason for my realization was the fact that the street was long. If I looked to the right I could see the docks a bit of a distance away. That was my first guess to where he would be, but it was so obvious.... If I looked to my left, I saw street. A long, dirty stretch of road that went a ways, and then finally turned and was lost to view, hidden by buildings and some houses. What was more, the threat of rain was obviously apparent, most people were either ducking inside of heading home. The road was becoming deserted.

Pursing my lips, I glanced around, and then on a gut instinct headed right towards the docks. I stayed close to the buildings as I walked, trying not to be easily seen and therefore attract unwanted attention. Someone could be out looking for the two of us, and I really didn't want to get into any trouble. After all, I had no weapon.

When I reached the docks I looked around, seeing no one. It had begun to drizzle, at that point, but as I was under the shelter of the buildings I didn't get wet nor chilled.

It struck me as odd that the docks were deserted, except for a few merchant ships, and turning to look behind me was shocked to find that there was no one in sight. I was the only one out.

Turning, I headed back to the nearest shop, already beginning to regret going out. Jack had been right, I wasn't exactly safe...especially without a weapon!

I reached for the handle to the shop and pressed against it, but the door was locked. I looked up and saw the shop keeper flip the sign from open to closed, then notice me but only shrug and mouth 'sorry' before he hurried away from the door.

Beginning to feel a bit nervous I tried three more shops with the same results. I actually got into one, but the lady who was in there said she was sorry, that it wasn't safe, and booted me out before locking up.

Jitterish now, I bolted across the street and through the rain towards the inn, wondering if Jack was already there waiting for me. Yet, he wasn't. It was pouring and I was soaked, and he wasn't back.

It was then I knew I had a decision to make. Stay and wait and hope that he was okay, or brave the rain and cold to go find him, give him a good slap for making me worry, and then pull him back to the inn even if he protest the whole way there.

It was a silly decision to make, because I already knew the answer before I even thought it through.

Soon enough I was back outside. The winds weren't gentle anymore, they were tugging and whistling and whipping through the streets, cold as ice. It was a storm that I'd not anticipated, nor Jack, I imagined. Gritting my teeth, I looked around, and then ran to the left, calling his name even though the wind swallowed up my calls before the last word even left my lips.

Where was he?! Why the hell would he want to worry me like this?

Tears pricked my eyes and after a half an hour or searching I gave up, dropping onto a bench under the protection of a building, freezing cold and miserable. I didn't know where he was, I simply couldn't find it. Was it perhaps that he was looking for me? Maybe he'd gone into the inn while I was away, and had gone out to look for me! If so, I knew I should go back to the inn....but I was a long ways off from there, and I was cold...and tired. So tired.

Leaning my head back against the wall I shut my eyes, tugging my coat tightly around myself with both hands, even though such strain made my right shoulder hurt like hell and more. Still, I didn't care, I could handle it.

I don't know how long I sat there, or if I'd drifted off to sleep at all, but suddenly I found myself being jerked up off the bench by my hair. I cried out in pain and quickly opened my eyes, looking up to find myself face to face with a gruff looking sailor. His hair was rugged and dirty, dark brown hair flecked with gray and white. His was unshaven, grimy, and smelled like alcohol and rancid meat. What scared me the most though was his eyes. Blazing blue eyes, cold amusement and satisfaction able to be found there. I was puzzled. How could his eyes burn bright like the sun, and yet be as cold as ice?

His face, however, was very serious. He looked me over, seemed to have a spark of recognition and greed flit through his expression, and then nodded.

"If you want to live to see tomorrow, you'll come right with me. Captain will be happy, an' I'll get me fair share of money for findin' ye. Now, be a good girl and obey, or there will be some serious consequences." He'd leaned his, his breath hot across my face, and I held my breath, feeling sick.

Pirates. That was why everyone in town had escaped indoors! They were afraid of pirates...and not just any pirates, but those whom were after Jack and I. We'd been found, and quite easily too. At least me.

I inwardly cursed my bad luck.

I was stuck. I had no weapon, no one to help me, no way to shout for help...who would come running anyways? The town? They were all cowards, useless to even defend their own selves let alone someone else.

So really, at that moment, all I was able to do was follow him, and hope that nothing bad would come of being captured again.

Then again, who was I trying to fool?

"Oi, mate. Touching her gets you some serious, an' rather fatal, consequences." growled a voice that broke through my frantic musings. I looked over to see Jack standing just behind us, eyes black with contempt, a pistol held tightly in his hand that was trained at the pirate's head. The look on his face was so cold, so angry....I was afraid to even wonder whom that look was meant for.

The haggard pirate looked over his shoulder, saw the end of the barrel of Jack's pistol, then grimaced and quickly let me go. He made to run, but slipped and fell in the mud. The sound of a pistol shot cracked through the air, and I turned my head away, not wanting to see the bleeding wound of the bullet that had drilled its way into the man's skull. I already felt dizzy and sickened, I didn't need more of that.

There was silence for a long while, and feeling unsettled I looked over to find Jack simply staring at me, turning the pistol over and over in his hands, drenched from the endless rain that poured in sheets from the sky. His Khol was running and his hair was matted to his face, but it made him look more scary than ever.

Finally he seemed to decide on something and slid his pistol back into its holster, then came over to me, stopping a few inches from where I stood with my back to the building's wall.

"What about 'stay inside' don't you understand, Elizabeth?" he asked in a quiet, dark tone that sent shivers down my spine. I was silent, unable to trust my voice at the moment. "What about 'wait for me' didn't you get?" I wet my lips, taking another step back to get some distance between us. Unfortunately my back hit the wall, and even more unfortunately he followed me, shielding me from both the rain and any hope of escape. "Are you so daft as to not listen to my commands? I wasn't saying them just to spite you." When I still didn't answer he seemed to have had enough and grabbed my face in one hand, forcing me to look into his eyes. The rage there was so strong that I gasped, shaken. I'd not realized he'd get so mad at me!

It was then I suddenly remembered that I was the Pirate King, and he had no right to treat me like this. I yanked my face away from his grasp, causing him to step back, expression blazing.

"You had no right to tell me to stay somewhere, Jack. I listened, at first. I waited. But you never showed! You were gone, and the hours passed, and I worried. I thought you'd been caught, or might need my assistance, and so I came to find you."

"I don't need anyone's help."

That hurt. I turned my head away from him.

"What if one day you find yourself in a position where you're unarmed and unable to defend yourself? Where you luck has finally run out? What then, Jack? You will regret those words."

He laughed, but it wasn't pleasant. "My luck with never run out, and I will never find myself in that position. Well, wait a moment. Yes I have, once." I looked at him, and he was looking at me, eyes the same as they were before. "When you murdered me, when you sent me to the grave. When you damned me to months of delirium and heat." I grit my teeth, fighting away tears of pain. I had thought he'd forgiven me on that! But I suppose that anger can bring back remorse.

"You deserved that, and you know it." The words escaped my mouth before I could stop them. His eyes widened, and then he sneered at me.

"Did I, darlin'? Did I deserve death and pain....nightmares?" He walked towards me, his steps measured, lips curling into a feral grin. I'd gone too far, I realized, but that didn't stop me from going even farther.

"Yes. You deserved all of that. It was to save the crew, because all of it had been your fault. You deserved to die." Lies, all of them. Horrible lies.

His face went cold, completely cold, but the grin was still on his face.

"Who are you to determine who should live and who should die, Elizabeth? You're no King, not if you think you can determine who's lives are worthy and who's are worthless." I bit my lip, and his eyes followed the movement, and then the next thing I knew he'd caught me by the shoulders, pushing me back against the wall. "You think you can determine life and death. All I was determining was how to keep you safe." His husky, low words made my heart sink, here I'd though he was trying to be all arrogant and run off without me just for the heck of it! Or that he thought I wouldn't be able to handle myself. And, he'd been right.

Then suddenly his lips were on mine, silencing my thoughts.

He was demanding, his lips rough and chapped, weathered from the sea. They tasted like salt and sunshine, the epitome of freedom. I moved my hands up to his shoulders, but he caught me by the wrists and pinned the futher against the wall, obviously not wanting me to have any upper hand over this kiss. I didn't mind, didn't stop to wonder what would happen after he pulled away - and I probably should have - only let him kiss me, let the magic of his skilled mouth leave me to melt back into the wall, breathless and giddy.

Jack pulled away a few seconds later, studied my flushed face, and then pulled away. Desire was bright in his eyes, but so was anger...I wasn't about to get off so easily.

"As I said love, I don't need anyone's help. And it seems, neither do you. Peas in a pod, ey?" With that he pulled a pack of things off his back, opened the bag, and then pulled out a sword. He tossed it to my feet, as well as a hat and pistol, and then shut it, holding it in his hand. I looked at him, then bent down and took the things, threading the cutlass and pistol into my belt before I settled the hat on my head, glad to have the rain out of my eyes.

"It's time we parted. If you think my commands so horrible and restraining, might as well go off on your lonesome. You don't need my help, it seems, and I certainly don't need yours." He nodded his head. "I can get my ship back on my own." I blinked, the realization suddenly hitting me. He was leaving me! No! No, that had never been in my intentions! I opened my mouth to speak, but he was already walking away, not once looking back.

"Jack!" I called desperately, but he ignored me, only shifting the burden in his hand before he walked further down the road, the fog that had rolled in beginning to swallow him up.

Unable to lose him, unwilling to lose him, I followed. It was the only thing I could do. I couldn't lose him, not now, not ever...

Elizabeth Swann