Deliciously Unexpected

By Serena Kenobi

Rating: T

Pairing: J/E

Disclaimer: Don't own Pirates. Bloody disclaimer.

Her eyes swept over the limpid waters of the ocean as they played with one another. She could see the various, brightly colored fish fluttering through the water, and at times, she wished she were one of them. They had nothing to worry about. They could roam the entire ocean freely and nobody would tell them to do otherwise.

Elizabeth, despite herself, sighed heavily.

It was times like these, she thought, that she wished she hadn't been born the governor's daughter.

She wanted freedom. She wanted to do what she wished to do, wanted to go where she wanted to go. Nobody to stop her; nobody to tell her to stop her silly daydreaming and prepare herself for being the wife of some naval officer.

To put it mildly, she was disheartened.

Elizabeth didn't even notice when Captain Jack Sparrow came up beside her and observed her thoughtfully. He said nothing at first, content to watch her gaze at his beloved sea, but after a few minutes of comfortable silence, he spoke.

"When a woman has much to say but doesn't say it, her silence could be construed as her wanting to say something but doesn't think she should."

Elizabeth turned to him. "What?"

He grinned, more of a smirk, really, and it was that very smirk that infuriated and caught Elizabeth's breath at the same time.

She didn't know how he managed to do it.

"What I was trying to say, love, was that it appears as if you have something on your mind. Would you mind tellin' ol' Jack what that something might be?"

"Actually," Elizabeth paused, about to say 'I would', but found herself desperately wanting to talk to someone. "Actually, I wouldn't," she said, surprising both herself and Jack. Her eyes rested on the ocean once more. "I wish that I could run away," she blurted out. "I just want to get away from it all… I don't know. Go to the Far East. The Mediterranean. Somewhere away from here. I just want to be… free." Her cheeks turned red.

Jack nodded slowly, seemingly digesting this information. "I know what ya mean, love," he said quietly. "The world's a grand place, but only if you can see it all. You didn't like livin' in Port Royal and bein' a fine lady and all that?"

She shook her head vehemently. "No. I've always had a thirst for something more. I've always wanted freedom."

"That's what the Pearl is, darlin'," Jack replied simply. "It's freedom. You can go anywhere you like in this ship."

Elizabeth smiled bitterly. "You can. I can't. I have the entire Royal navy looking for me; I have a father who has responsibilities and is determined to make a proper lady out of me. You don't have those issues, Jack."

"Maybe I don't," Jack agreed, "but that doesn't mean you can't, either." He drew away from the railing. "You can choose, Elizabeth. You can turn away from your father, Port Royal, everything you've ever known. But that's the price of freedom, love. Make sure that it's what you want. What you really want."

Elizabeth's eyes locked with his, and she looked away. "I don't know what I want anymore." Her tone was broken, lost.

A tone Jack Sparrow really didn't like to hear, especially from Elizabeth Swann.

Elizabeth gazed out over the ocean as if it could miraculously produce some kind of logical answer for all of her problems. But the next thing she knew, two strong hands had firmly taken her shoulders and turned her around.

Before her mind could even begin to register what was taking place, a warm, soft mouth descended upon hers.

Elizabeth's first reaction was to reach up and slap whoever had dared to try something so impudent. But her hand rose, dropped onto the assailant's shoulder and gripped it tightly, while the other hand rebelliously made its way up around the man's neck.

When they finally pulled apart, forehead-to-forehead, Jack smiled, his dark eyes flashing with an emotion Elizabeth had never seen before.

"Have you made up your mind yet, love? I'm gettin' tired of waiting around for you."

Elizabeth stared at him in disbelief. "But… but… I thought…" She couldn't seem to get any words out. "But what are you saying, Jack?"

Jack's smile widened. "That's for me to know and for you to figure out, darlin'," he said mischievously, pulling away gently from her.

Elizabeth's hand flew to her lips as she watched Jack swagger away and bark out orders to the crew that had been staring at the pair. Her mind was still foggy.

Jack Sparrow, Captain Jack Sparrow had just kissed her.

The mere thought was almost too incredible to believe.

He had actually kissed her!

Elizabeth's mouth twitched slightly upwards. It was the best kiss she had ever experienced before in her life. And what was even more unbelievable was that she wanted another kiss from him.

Well. This was unexpected. Completely and totally unexpected. She hadn't been prepared for something like this.

Elizabeth smiled, remembering Jack's mouth on hers.

It had been... deliciously unexpected.

( I would say 'May the Force be with you', but this isn't a SW fic)

- Serena Kenobi