Chapter 11: Contract

"We're listening," Elizabeth said swallowing down her mixed emotions towards Calypso as first she had earned her trust as a friend in the past and now she was tied in with the conditions to the release of her husband. Not to mention she was a goddess who could've basically killed them all at once if she wanted to.

"I've no interest in William Turner," Tia Dalma understood her unspoken concerns, waving her dismissively off, "what did you think I provided Jack with his compass fe? Why did I lead him to the chest?"

"I don't know," Elizabeth dared to confront her, "why?"

"Because I wanted him immortal, because I wanted him bound to me in a curse forever instead of Davvy Jones! Do you think that beshrew's gone?"

"And what if Jack didn't like that?" Elizabeth voiced genuine concerns. She got more and more adventurous with her words, more like herself. Calypso was mad. Well, not for wanting Jack, but otherwise.

"Seemingly," Tia Dalma narrowed her eyes, "he didn't," she said with a sweet bitter tone. "Who am I to deny him of the love he desires?" She stepped close, circling Jack. "A deal. I give you a deal. Will Turner will be free. Would you do a deal for Elizabeth, Jack Sparrow?"

"What kinda deal?" Jack looked up warily from Tia Dalma's fingers tracing his chest, where the shirt opened.

"A deal that'd make everyone happy," she tantalized. "We find a way to make you happy Jack Sparrow and in return for your happiness, in the moment of your death you'll become the captain of the Flying Dutchman and Will Turner will be liberated. Spellbound you will be, to return to me every ten years for eternity. All you have to do is for you two to get married here and now, tell me you will, for me to see, let those emotions win. I see love, I know love, cursed love, forbidden love, doomed love. To the law, Turner's a dead men, your marriage is void, and to the heart, your heart, it's void as well."

"Till the moment of my death..." Jack mumbled. If he was alive for long Elizabeth and William would never be together, the lass'd be too old to enjoy it if she was even alive herself. What a capital reason for Elizabeth to kill him, again. What did Calypso want? For him to fall out of love with Elizabeth after that and see sense? Yet if she'd even love him for a few years, a year, a month, would it not be worth it? A marriage of convenience of sorts still meant he could be with her for as long it mattered. If she'd kill him life wouldn't be worth living anyway. "I accept," he turned to Elizabeth, "darlin, would you marry me?"

Elizabeth could only think of one thing. She could pretend she was doing it to save Will and still marry Jack. It was the perfect solution. A lifetime was a long breather. They could figure out something if Jack would've not wanted to be the captain of the Flying Dutchman after all. How about this fountain of Youth? That'd keep him from dying? She could even figure out a way to free Will, once immortal herself. There were a myriad of possibilities for the pirate king of all seas to defeat the witch of all seas.

"Of course I'll marry you Jack," she said warmly.

"Live your life till it lasts," Tia Dalma said slowly and turned, "tell the treasured gathering of the Brethren I'm doing my best to favor them. Side issue. All in all, I'll be watching you," he put a hand up to wave, then evaporated, the moist cloud of her floating through the window into the sea.

"Let's not waste any time," Jack pulled her into a kiss, then started to feverishly look under the bed, "did Barbossa throw out the Bible?

"All I left to say is that I love you, you know I do," Elizabeth started. She knew she had to make sure Jack knew she didn't only marry him to free Will, quite the opposite, but they'd have tonight and she would show that to him with uttermost and intense certainty.

The End.