Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

along the docks, Jack wondered what she might expect from him now.
He still couldn’t believe what had just happened—and the intensity of it
frankly scared him.
The walk back to Venganza seemed endless.
When they reached the gangplank, he stopped, and she turned to
face him. Esmeralda finally raised her eyes to meet his, but she didn’t
break the silence. Jack had been hoping she would, willing her to
speak, so he’d have some idea of what to say, how to act.
Reaching out, he took her other hand, so he was holding both of
them. He knew crewmen and her grandfather might be watching them,
so he didn’t dare offer her so much as a kiss on the cheek.
It felt so strange, to be tongue-tied like this. Usually he was
excellent at conjuring up seemingly sincere phrases, not to mention
extravagant flattery. He’d told Melinda that he loved her any number of
times, because she seemed to like hearing it, even though she
undoubtedly knew better. Yet here he was, lucky Jack Sparrow, facing
the first woman he’d ever really cared about—and there were no
words, no words at all.
She watched him, her expression uneasy. “What will you do now,
Jack?” she said, finally, keeping her voice low. “What are you
planning?”
Jack sighed, relieved. His feelings were a muddle, and he didn’t
feel capable of sorting them out, much less sharing them. He managed
a faint smile and squeezed Esmeralda’s hands. “Not going to say,
love. You can’t tell what you don’t know, and it’s better that way.”
“You’ll…you’ll be careful, won’t you, Jack?” He could feel the
tension in her. Her voice was low, as though she had to force words
past a tightness in her throat.
Jack summoned his best happy-go-lucky grin. “It’s what I’m best
at, darlin’. Don’t worry about me for a moment.”
Esmeralda gave him a quick, impatient glance, a look that clearly
told him he was an idiot for even suggesting that she wouldn’t worry.
Jack shrugged slightly, with a “what can I say?” expression, and
gave her hands a final squeeze. “Must run. See you tomorrow, love.”
Then he let her go. Turning, he strode away, moving so fast he
was nearly running, the boards of the dock echoing his footsteps.