This Is My First (Non-Humor) Pirates Of The Caribbean Story. I Came Up With The Idea Many Weeks Ago, But Never Actually Got Around To Typing It Out Until Now. This Took Me A Long Time To Type, As I Had To Stop Every Now-And-Then To Gain More Needed Information From Various Websites. I'm Quite Pleased With How It Has Turned Out, And I Only Pray The Continuing Chapters Will Turn Out As Good. I Really Hope You Read Through The Whole Chapter. That Would Really Make My Work Worthwhile. Thank You For Your Time.

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It was almost as if it were all happening in slow motion. Barbossa and Jack were engaged in a life-or-death fight, Jack stood with his sword drawn only inches away from Barbossa, who held high his pistol, ready to fire at the motionless Elizabeth.

Time seemed to pass slowly, seconds passing on like minutes, neither man nor woman allowed themselves to move. A moment of tense silence passed, and was quickly broken by the fire of a gunshot.

Elizabeth gasped, eyes wide with fright. You could tell by the look on her face that she expected the shot to be fired at her, and moments later she would be dead, lying in a pool of her own blood.

Barbossa had anticipated the same thing; that he had been the one to fire his gun. But then why was he still fingering the trigger? Had he not just fired? And why…why did he feel so cold all of a sudden?

His face fell, eyes turning from ocean-green to weary grey in only seconds. He jerked his head around, only to find himself staring at a very earnest-looking Jack Sparrow. His pistol was held at arms length, and swirls of dull smoke encircled his form, giving him a somewhat mysterious appearance.

Barbossa's rugged mouth curved into a triumphant smirk. His silver-grey eyes glistened playfully in the dim light of the moon. He regarded Jack with a tilt of his head, one which seemed to express the words, "It's over."

"Ten years you carry that pistol," Barbossa spat in a mocking tone, repeatedly changing his expression to make it more demeaning. "Now you waste your shot." He trailed the O in the word shot, so the word itself sounded emphasized.

"He didn't waste it." Will's monotone voice cut through, catching the attention of the two men. Barbossa spun around to face Will, who glared back with a blank expression written on his face. And although his features expressed deadpan, his eyes were swimming with various emotions that were difficult to decipher.

Barbossa overlooked the scene before him in horror. Will stood atop the mountain of shimmering treasures, his left arm extended over the chest of Aztec gold. In his right hand he clutched tightly to a rusted knife, the slightly arched tip stained with blood.

Without a second's hesitation, Will unclenched his fist and dropped 2 crimson-tainted pieces of shining gold. 4 pairs of expanded eyes followed the 2 precious pieces, until they finally landed in the center of the chest, evoking the other surrounding pieces to shift slightly.

The sound that followed rang in everyone's ears as loud as a bell; the sound of life being restored, of mortality being returned.

Elizabeth was the first to move, sighing in relief, and allowing a faint smile to play on her lips as she gazed up at Will, then back to Barbossa.

Barbossa's head spun around to face Jack, who still hadn't moved from his position. His dark kohl-lined eyes bore deeply into Barbossa's soul.

Beads of sweat dotted Barbossa's forehead. He hastily tossed away his gun and gripped the front of his overcoat, carefully tearing it open to reveal the white shirt underneath, which now had a small bullet hole just above his left breast.

Blood began to trickle from the wound in little rivulets, small at first but gradually growing larger until the entire left side of Barbossa's shirt was soaked through with blood.

Barbossa slowly raised his head, his dullened eyes gazing off into the distance. A strange smile graced his lips, and he shook his head from side-to-side, a look of disbelief on his sweat-covered face.

Jack leisurely lowered his pistol, his eyes still fixed upon Barbossa, waiting for him to draw his final breath and die.

Barbossa opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He tried several times, until comprehendible words finally formed.

"I feel…" he trailed off, eyes once again dulling to an even colder shade of grey. The weird grin faded from his lips, and was replied by a disbelieving frown. "…Cold." Was the last word he uttered before tipping backwards and collapsing into a collection of shiny coins.

Every ounce of life drained from his body, leaving only the soulless corpse of a vulgar Captain to rot in the sand. The 20-year-old curse that had plagued the Black Pearl crewmen was lifted, leaving them to be cold mortal men again.

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The consequences prior to the lifting of the curse began to take affect on the crewmen. They began to feel old, mentally and physically, they began to feel numb and cold, like the icy grip of death was upon them. They began to feel old wounds, which they had never felt before. They began to feel pain, suffering, the warm feeling of blood coursing down clammy flesh. They began to feel alive.

The results that plagued the Black Pearl's crewmen began to affect Jack as well. The cold, the pain, the numbness, the icy grip, he could feel it all at once. He tried to ignore it at first, to push aside his pain as he had several times before.

But the strange feelings soon started to change. Jack began to feel hot, very hot, as if burning flames had ignited from within him. He began to feel dizzy and nauseas, like he felt when he suffered from a ferocious hangover. His vision became blurry; odd shapes and figures appeared before him.

When he moved, he felt like his whole body was coated with thick lead, and heavy chains had been attached to his limbs. He could no longer feel his fingers or toes, nor see the ground that was once just below him.

He tried to take a step, but ended up nearly pitching forward. He held out his arms to keep his balance and took a second step. This time he managed to do so, but quickly regretted it when his vision began to swim in colors of grey and gold.

Jack barely managed to make out the distorted form of Will in front of him. The young Turner was staring at him curiously, his lips moving but no sound emitting from them. Jack blinked and strained his ears, trying to catch what the young lad was saying. But all he could make out was low mumbling noises.

Jack opened his mouth to ask the young man to repeat what he'd just said, but strangely enough, no words could form in his mouth. His throat felt incredibly swollen and dry as sandpaper. His tongue, much like his throat, felt like a giant sponge, and seemed to flop about uselessly in his mouth.

Elizabeth had joined Will, and was now staring intently at Jack as if he had gone insane. Despite his anomalous illness, Jack found this quite humorous. And a lopsided grin curved onto the older mans' rugged features.

Jack began to sway –much to the displeasure of his acquaintances, who had to back up to avoid being hit- in a slow, steady motion, like grass being blown by wind.

It started slowly at first, but steadily grew until he was almost rocking on the balls of his feet. It was a wonder he hadn't keeled over already.

As if on cue, Jack's body quivered lightly, then seized up and tilted backward. Fortunately, Will stepped forward just in time and gripped the loose material of Jack's vest, steadying his descend towards the ground.

The quirky pirate let out a hoarse chuckle, though he himself was unaware of it. This act seemed to both anger and frighten Will, who tenaciously hauled Jack into an upright position. The swift motion evoked aching throbs in Jack's head, and his swirling vision became fuzzy.

Will shook Jack soundly, attempting to snap him out of the sudden daze. When that proved futile, he proceeded to shout –almost scream- at the older man.

"Jack! Jack! Wake up, you barmy pirate! Darnit- Jack!" Will raised his voice each time the ill buccaneer's name passed his lips. His grip on Jack had tightened, and the constant shaking had become more violent. Clearly, Will thought Jack was only joking, which provoked the young Turner greatly.

Elizabeth stood behind Will, gently clutching the sleeve of his shirt. A look of anxiety shone in her brown eyes, and it was not just for the wellbeing of the obnoxious pirate.

"Will, we should really chip. I reckon those pirates will be back at any moment!" she explained with a note of worry in her tone.

Will halted and jerked his head around to face the entrance of the cavern. As he did so, Jack –who was only semi-conscious- pulled away from Will's grasp and stepped back, gazing at his friends with glazed-over, unfocused eyes.

He blinked once, a second lopsided smile appearing on his face, and shakily raised a finger, as if to point something out. His mouth opened and closed several times, many different sounds emitting each time, like he was having trouble forming words.

Finally, he managed to regain his voice, albeit only for a moment. "R-Really should break 'is treasure fetish o' mine…" Jack mumbled incoherently. The words sounded foreign coming from his mouth, and didn't seem to fit right.

Jack's body seized up again, and he stood still as a marble statue. His eyes expanded until they were almost round, before rolling back in his head. His body followed suit, lurching forward like a plank being knocked over. He hit the ground face-first and landed in a pile of coins, which made a notorious ringing sound on impact.

Will and Elizabeth merely gawked at his fallen figure, not quite sure what to do. They were half expecting him to rise up again, maybe chortle afew times and confess that he was only joking. Though from the way he lay there, unmoving with his face planted in a pile of cold, jagged coins, it would seem he wasn't fooling around.

Another bout of silence passed, but was indecisively broken when Elizabeth cleared her throat. "W-What do you suppose we do now?" she questioned tentatively, trying to cloak her anxiety behind a stiff, audacious mask.

Will breathed a silent sigh. "We should really get out of here –quickly." He replied hesitantly.

Elizabeth's gaze fell upon the unconscious pirate, and she voiced the question the two had discreetly been contemplating for awhile; "What do we do with Jack?"

The young Turner had thought about this. To be blunt, they couldn't really do much of anything. The navy –led by Norrington- was waiting outside the cavern. If they were to exit with Jack, he would immediately be hung. And it would be quite unfair to hang an ill man.

And Barbossa's crew –what about them? The curse had obviously been lifted, but had they won against the crew Jack had recruited in Tortuga? Jack's outcome would be somewhat similar if Barbossa's men caught him.

Will heaved another sigh. "Our only option is to sneak him passed the navy. We'll commandeer a ship and sail back to Tortuga, drop him off there and claim him as dead." He paused, going over the plan in his mind.

Elizabeth dipped her head in agreement, but otherwise said nothing. She gathered up what little belongings were needed and crept over to the entrance of the cavern, keeping an ear out for any suspicious sounds that may lead to an assault.

Will gave Jack afew good jabs to ensure that he was truly unconscious and not just faking. He then hooked his arms under Jack's armpits and hauled him into a flaccid sitting position.

When the deadweight of the pirate proved too difficult for Will to move alone, he settled upon wrapping his arms around Jack's chest and modestly dragging him across the ground in a slow, unsteady tugging motion.

"Is the coast clear?" Will addressed Elizabeth in a dull whisper. He tried hard not to breathe to avoid gagging at the smell of the passed-out pirate, who reeked of sweat, sea salt and rum.

"It's hard to tell," Elizabeth hissed back. "All I can see is fog…" she paused, then quickly added, "I honestly don't think there's a ship out there. Surely I would be able to hear it."

Will finally reached the place where Elizabeth stood, which was quite an accomplishment itself. He unceremoniously released Jack, causing him to flop back in a languid motion.

When the young Turner glanced upon the outside of the cavern, he discovered that Elizabeth was right. The entire island –far as the eye could see- was blanketed in thick fog. There was absolutely nothing in sight. Will was sure that if he even held his hand at arms length it would completely disappear from view.

He strained his ears for any sign of a ship; the sound of water moving, men talking, anything. All he heard were waves lapping at the shore.

"Clearly we can sneak passed unnoticed." Elizabeth whispered. "In all this fog, who would see us?"

Will nodded and once again gathered up the limp form of the ill scallywag. The two walked slowly and warily outside the cavern and passed a small bend. Elizabeth fingered the high rock cliffs, relying on them to guide her in a safe route.

Will was having a tough time trying to haul Jack through the rocks and sand beneath them. His boots dragged in the dirt and made low hissing noises, like boulders rolling in grit. The blacksmith was also unable to see where he was going and depended on Elizabeth to steer him in the right direction.

Meanwhile, Will slipped into the dark place in the back of his brain to contemplate, and to take his mind off of the unsighted path ahead.

He thought about his plan. Would it really work? Where were they supposed to find a ship? How would they make it to Tortuga blindly? What if the navy or Barbossa's now-mortal crew caught them? What would they do after abandoning Jack in Tortuga?

Will's eyes hardened. They…he had used the word they, meaning him and Elizabeth. He had yet to admit his undying love for her, for fear of being rejected. After all, she was the Governor's daughter, and he was a meager blacksmith. They lived in two separate worlds, which could never be together.

After all he'd done for her; risking his soul, his reputation, his life, it was all for naught. They would sail back to Port Royal, and she would go back to being the beautiful, untouchable Governor's daughter. Probably end up betrothing a man such as Norrington. Will would return to his job as a blacksmith, that is if he still had his job. After freeing a pirate from jail, commandeering a ship, and sailing off against the navy's permission, it was doubtful that he could still retain his career.

Mayhap he could begin his life anew; sail back to Tortuga and follow his Father's footsteps in becoming a pirate. Mayhap he could leave Elizabeth and his old life behind, steal a seaworthy vessel and recruit a crew, appoint himself Captain and drift through the seas, into the everlasting horizon…

Will was jolted out of his thoughts by Elizabeth's screeching. He shook his head, blinked and tried to register what she was saying.

"-There! There's a ship, just to the right! I can barely see its mast!" The young woman cried in both fear and excitement. This may be their only chance of getting off this island. That is, if it wasn't the navy or Barbossa's crew, of course.

Will strained his eyes to see through the heavy mist, and scarcely caught sight of a large mast flapping in the wind. The ship was moving exceptionally fast, considering its height and width, and its outline soon came into view, to which Will and Elizabeth identified it as…

"It's the Black Pearl!"

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Will and Elizabeth gasped and pushed themselves up against the slimy rock wall. Jack, who had been immediately dropped when the ship came in sight, now lay motionless and unwanted in the dirt. Will attempted to cover his senseless body by kicking sand on it, but his job was less-than-well done, and only a quarter of Jack's figure was hidden.

The Black Pearl was less than 50 feet from the three. They could now almost clearly make out its fine markings and dark sails swaying with the breeze. Unfortunately, they were yet to make out who the Helmsman was, much to their dismay.

Will's breath caught in his throat. They were trapped now; there was no exit in sight. All they had been through was for naught.
Sure, he had managed to rescue Elizabeth, but she'd probably just be recaptured, and worse yet, put to death.

Jack's outcome would mirror Elizabeth's. He was surely to die, it was guaranteed. No second thought about it. And Will? He hadn't a clue of his fate. He had lifted the curse, after all. Maybe they would let him off easy.

Chances are they would just maroon him on an island, as they had with Jack twice before. Jack had been lucky though, and escaped both times. Will on the other hand, would probably end up dying from dehydration or starvation. Whichever came first.

But if he did escape from the island…then what? What was the point in living if the only woman he loved was dead? He had risked his life for Elizabeth, he had been willing to give up his life for hers. She was his life; his reason for living.

The young Turner squeezed his eyes shut. They were going to die here, he knew it. He didn't want to die without first confessing his love for Elizabeth. If he did nothing else in his life, he might as well do this.

Will opened his mouth to speak, but no sound emitted. His throat was parched and felt like it was coated in sandpaper. He cleared his throat, swallowed, and tried again.

"Elizabeth?" he addressed the young woman, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Elizabeth cocked her head to one side and returned Will's gaze. Even in the dim light, Will could see fear glimmering in her dark eyes.

"W-We've been through so much together," Will began in a quiet, steady tone. "I just...before we d-…if…if we don't survive…I…I…" Will trailed off, the courage he felt moments ago seeping away.

Will drew in a sharp breath and let his eyes wander off to the Black Pearl, which was still gently drifting in the dark waters. It was so close now, Will could actually trace the outline of the Helmsman steering the vessel, though he was yet to figure out who it was.

The ship would reach them in only a matter of minutes. The next few moments that may decide whether or not they survive were ticking away slowly. Will inhaled softly, taking in the bitter scent of the Caribbean sea.

"What is it, Will? What were you going to say?" Elizabeth questioned uneasily, refusing to peel her eyes away from the large ship that stood only meters from them.

"I…I…" Will's heart thumped loudly in his ears. He pressed his back against the jagged rock, letting the cold feeling wash over him like a malevolent wave. "I...I l-l…I love…"

He was cut short by the sound of yelling; loud, boisterous yelling. It was like a slap to the face. He had been so close to admitting his true feelings, off by only one word.

The two jerked their attention toward the direction of the shouts. Will with a look of distress and moderate anger; Elizabeth with a look of apprehensiveness and slight hope.

The shouts appeared to be coming from the Black Pearl. Upon closer inspection, they discovered three or four figures leaning over the railing on the larboard side of the hull, waving their arms about wildly.

Elizabeth was first to recognize the voices. "It's the crew –Jack's crew!" she cried excitedly, squinting against the fog. "They attained the Black Pearl!"

Will exhaled a sigh of relief. But in the very back of his mind, where he kept his deepest, darkest secrets, he was rather disappointed. He was almost –almost- looking forward to commandeering a ship and sailing back to Port Royal with Elizabeth. Atleast that way he'd have some time alone with her.

The Black Pearl wasted no time in mooring or anchoring itself in the sand. The Helmsman –who turned out to be Anamaria- turned the ship sharply on its side when they were close enough to the shore for the three to climb aboard.

"Oy, get a move on, you barmy land-lubbers!" Anamaria barked at Will and Elizabeth, who were still in awe at the fact that the crew had obtained the Black Pearl.

Several halyards were tossed overboard and secured to the railing with a tight hitch. Elizabeth spared no time and waded into the water until she was close enough to grasp a rope.

Will hooked his fingers under Jack's arms and half-dragged, half-carried him into the shallow water. He then proceeded to lug the pirate toward the Black Pearl, struggling to keep Jack's head above water.

When he was close enough to grab onto one of the halyards, Will was faced with another obstacle; how to hold onto both the rope and Jack. Fortunately, that problem was quickly solved when Duncan –a middle-aged crewman Jack had recruited in Tortuga- shimmied down one of the ropes to retrieve the unconscious pirate.

Duncan slipped into the water without a sound and effortlessly hauled Jack by the open collar of his shirt and slung him over one shoulder. He gave Will a stoic sideways glance before slowly ascending back up the halyards.

Will, now relieved of his burden, blinked and shook his head, trying to process the situation. It was all happening so fast…one moment Elizabeth and him were fearing for their lives, convinced that they were dead, the next they were climbing aboard the Black Pearl, now captained by Jack's crew. Better yet, the two were still alive.

One of the more-so rude pirates aboard the ship spat over the side, catching Will right between the eyes and ceasing his train of thoughts.

"Grab the bloody rope, you divvy swine!" the obnoxious pirate –who Will recognized as Ladbroc- bellowed in a deep voice. Will was quick to comply, tightly grasping a halyard and allowing himself to be hauled aboard.

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Well, I Think I'll End It Here. Depending On The Number Of Reviews I Receive, I May Or May Not Continue With The Next Chapter. I Apologize If There Are Any Spelling Or Grammar Mistakes I Missed, Or If I Messed Something Up. I Spent 3 Days Looking Up Information On Pirates Of The Caribbean, The Different Islands, Cursed Aztec Gold And What-Not, And Also Managed To Watch Both Movies Twice So I Could Get A Feel For Jack, Will And Elizabeth's Personalities.

And To Those Who Are Wondering Why Jack Was The Only One Affected By The Lifting Of The Curse… I Don't Know Why. I Have A Theory, Which I Invented Randomly One Night Whilst Contemplating. The Curse Is Approx. 20 Years Old, Correct? And Though I Don't Know If This Is True Or Not, I've Been Told That Jack Was Only Cursed For A Second, When He Sneaked A Coin From The Chest Near The End Of The Movie. Rumor Has It He Tossed It Back To Will Before He Dropped Them Into The Chest, Ergo The Reason Will Drops 2 Coins Into The Chest.

Anyway, My Theory Is, Since Jack Only Temporarily Obtained The Curse, It's Effects Wore Slowly On Him, Only Just Beginning To Affect Him Before Being Lifted. Thus It Interfered With His Body's Normal Performance And Functioning, Which In Turn Reverted Him Back Into A Toddler. (Hey, It's Pirates Of The Caribbean…Anything's Possible.)

I Do Hope You Read The Next Chapter (Which I Am Currently Working On,) As I Will Be Explaining Toddler!Jack's Characteristics, Appearance And His Reaction To The Crew (And Vice-Versa.)

Thank You For Taking The Time To Read This. Reviews Will Be Greatly Appreciated.