A/N: So I may have taken some tiny liberties with the quotations... sorry. Aside from that, enjoy! Feedback is awesome!

Disclaimer: Me / owner of any of this.

The storm raged on. The deck was slick with rain and gouged by swords and cannon fire, and still the storm raged on.

And so did the battles. Everywhere, sailors and pirates hacked viciously at each other with swords, cutlasses, axes, and anything else they could get their hands on. The blasts of cannons tore the air, and the screams of the dying echoed in Jack's ears.

None of it mattered.

Thumpthump

He held the heart of Davey Jones in his hands. He was poised to stab it and sail the glorious seas forever. This was his chance: his key to immortality … and Jack faltered. Forever is a long time, mate, a voice whispered in his ear. But the sea, mate, the sea…A second voice argued.

Yes or no, Jack?

Yes or no?

And then, suddenly, Jack couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Couldn't speak, couldn't move. The whole world froze.

Except for Will.

Will who had been Jack's accomplice ever since he had helped Jack escape from jail. "It's all a matter of leverage." Will who had been… well maybe not "there", but definitely in the vicinity whenever Jack needed him. Will who had rescued Jack from the world's end, and Will who had saved Jack's life too many times to count. Will who had become almost as fine a pirate as Jack himself.

Will who was lying on the rain-soaked deck of the ship grunting in agony because he was currently being impaled by a sword. A sword that (oh, Calypso, the irony) he had made. A sword wielded by Davey Jones.

Jack.

Couldn't.

Breathe.

Not Will.

In that moment, Jack would have given anything in the world for it to be a dream. He wanted to wake up and find himself hallucinating back beyond the end of the world. Anything was better than this. But it wasn't a dream, and that really was Will lying there with his lifeblood seeping onto the deck.

The storm raged on, and Jack made his choice. He loved the sea.

But he also loved Will.

Jack did not stab the heart.

Davey Jones fell.

The storm began to calm.