Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean and all recognisable characters are the property of Disney. No copyright infringement is intended, and no profit is being made from the publication of this story. Only the character Kate, my OC, is of my creation and belongs to me.
Author's Notes: This is the third part of the series concerning the relationship between Jack and Kate. The first two were The Red Lady and Fallen Masks, while the fic A Worthwhile Endeavour is something of a companion piece to the other two. It might be an idea to check out those two (or three) before reading this, to see how I've established the relationship between the two characters, but it's not really a requirement. The reference to Jack knowing the ghost of Cortez is from the young adult series of books concerning the early life and adventures of Jack Sparrow. I haven't read any of those books, only included the reference for humour and effect.
Finally, to Nytd, if you're reading this; I know you're a fan of Barbossa, and will probably despise me for writing him as a bad guy, but writing from Kate's point of view and considering what he did to the man she loves, there was no way he could redeem himself to her.

She jumped as the window in her room was thrown open by a strong gust of wind, and the rain suddenly came through it. She hurried to shut the window again, and stood for a moment, breathing, looking out on the gloomy weather. Her thoughts flew across the black ocean visible from her window, to a man whom she now was certain she would never see again.

She moved away from the window, and knelt by a desk, picking up some sheets of paper that had fluttered to the floor when the window flew open. Among them was a letter which she had read and re-read countless times since it had arrived on her doorstep a month ago. The letter informed her in kind and correct wording that a man she had known, a pirate by the name of Jack Sparrow, had been set ashore on a deserted island after his crew had mutinied on him for his poor captainship, and was now, by all conceivable probability, dead. The letter was signed by the new captain of the Black Pearl, Hector Barbossa.

Her first thought had been to burn it, to watch as it smouldered to ashes and never think of the letter or its contents again. But she couldn't. She remembered all too well the last night Jack had spent in Tortuga, the last night he had spent with her. He hadn't seemed like his usual self, she noticed the moment he walked through her door, even his footsteps were different. But it had taken her hours of careful prodding and guessing to get him to tell her why.

She had been sitting in front of the mirror, brushing her hair like she always did, when he spoke her name.

"Katherine…"

She turned around, surprised. He never used her given name, he had only called her by that name once or twice, and that was just to tease her. But his voice now was not teasing, it was serious, and his eyes looked at her with a sadness she could not remember having seen in them before.

"If I…" he hesitated, and she noticed that his hands were gripping the covers of her bed, where he was sitting, as if he needed something to hold on to, to get the words out.

"If I…If I don't come back…"

She looked at him in horror. This was not the Jack she knew. He never spoke of the dangers of being at sea. The fact that he might not return was something she had silently tried to come to terms with over the years, and it made it all the sweeter every time he came through her door. But she had never heard him acknowledge the possibility of not returning…

"Jack, what in the blazes has come over you? Of course you'll come back…"

He wasn't looking at her, like he was afraid of what he would see in her eyes. Silently she got up and moved over to him. Carefully letting her fingers caress his face she smiled gently as his eyes dared to meet her own again. She kissed him softly on the lips before she said;

"Come now, Jack, tell me what's bothering you. Maybe I can help."

He smiled, but it was a sad smile, not the wide, slightly wolfish grin she was used to seeing playing around his lips.

"You can't help me, Kate. Not this time…"

She shrugged, and then sighed.

"Alright, maybe I can't help you, but I can lend you my ears at least. Granted, my ears aren't what you're usually most interested in when you come to me, but there's a first time for everything."

A quick, bark-like laugh escaped his lips, but it only echoed for a few seconds before dying out and giving way to silence again. She was at a loss for what to do next, she had gotten as close to him as she could, without him withdrawing from her. It was their dynamic, she could approach him, and come close to him, but she could not touch him, could not touch his spirit, without him letting her. The rest, whatever it was, was up to him, as always. But after years of knowing Jack Sparrow she usually managed to come just close enough to get him to open up.

"I have a bad feeling about tomorrow…about the treasure. I'm not one to believe in ghost stories, but still…"

He looked at her, helplessly, as if he would rather she read his mind than try to find the words to continue.

"Now what kind of ghost stories have you heard, Jack that could make you seriously consider relinquishing a treasure?"

He didn't answer immediately. It almost looked like he had forgotten about her being there, for he sat and stared out the window with distant eyes. Very gently, as so not to scare him away, she placed one arm around his shoulders and inched herself a little closer to him. As she did this, he turned and looked at her, and to her surprise he smiled. It was a genuine, warm smile and yet there was sadness, equal to that which she saw in his eyes.

She didn't know how long they sat in silence. The nights in Tortuga were strangely timeless in that way. There was sunset, when the city truly came to life, and sunrise, when those who dwelt in darkness hid and those who resided in light came out, but apart from that time did not matter.

Unexpectedly, she heard his voice in her ear. She was resting her head on his shoulder, and had almost accepted the fact that the rest of their night would go by in silence. But, as she already knew, Jack Sparrow was full of surprises, and he seemed to enjoy reminding her of that every so often. Now, he had obviously decided that he would not leave a good ghost story regarding priceless treasure go untold.

"Centuries ago, there was a man named Hernán Cortés, Spaniard, conquistador and general false-tongued devil…"

She chuckled, and he turned to face her. With a smirk, he added;

"God's honest truth that one…"

"You knew him, since you so vividly describe his character?"

He shook his head so some of his rope-like braids danced around his face.

"Not exactly…knew his ghost, more like. Curious fellow…"

At this utterance her chuckle turned into a laugh, and now it was his turn to place an arm around her shoulders and smile.

"You see, Cortés spent years plundering the Aztecs down in South America. He was a cruel man who killed for sport, tortured for amusement, and lived to quench his insatiable thirst for gold…"

He paused, as if to consider what kind of man Cortés must have been.

"A pirate…"

"Worse than a pirate, love. Much worse… we pirates, we're a lazy lot. We sail the seas searching for gold and treasure long forgotten, and use what we find on the pleasures of life. Cortés, he wanted gold for the power it gave him, for the sign it was of the fear he invoked in others…"

His voice started out as the same light-hearted rambling she was used to hear, but changed somewhere in the talk of gold and power. Then, it turned to a sombre whisper as he added;

"I'd hate to think you'd compare me to man like Cortés…"

Their eyes met, and she saw again that which she had never seen in his eyes before, and again it worried her beyond what she could show.

"I wouldn't. I would despise a man like Cortés…"

She paused for a moment, then leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Have I ever despised you, Jack Sparrow?"

Unexpectedly he smiled, then shrugged and said;

"Once or twice…which is considerably less than most people I usually come across."

His eyes sparkled again as she playfully threw a pillow at him, only to miss him on purpose and have an excuse to lean in and kiss him. The kiss soon deepened, and she drew even closer to him, carefully creeping up on his lap and cradling his face in her hands.

He looked up at her, his hands briefly tugged at the lacing on her corset, then moved higher, caressing her neck, stroking her hair.

"If Cortés had known a woman like you…he would never have thirsted for gold."

"I have considerable skill, but not enough to quench a pirate's thirst for gold. Certainly not that of a man of Cortés' nature…or, it seems, a man of Jack Sparrow's nature."

She smiled, the smile that was half amused, half mysterious, and looked down into his eyes.

"Your skills are of no consequence to me…had you been locked in a house on the other side of the earth, I would still have loved you."

Now she laughed; a laughter that truly reminded him of that of some mischievous little fey about to play her tricks on some unknowing soul. He was no longer unknowing, but still relished it every time she brought him into her world. It was as if, for a few hours at least, his mistress the Sea took human form and became her; fierce, eager, soothing, calm and stormy, all in one. For over a decade this frail arrangement had been their bond, and strangely it was a stronger bond than any other he could remember from his life.

"Had I been locked up in a room on the other side of the earth, I have no doubt that the swashbuckling rogue Jack Sparrow would have set sail to free me from my shackles."

She smiled down at him again, as her fingers gently pulled his hair away from his face.

"What will you say to me, Kate, when the morning comes?"

Her smile slowly disappeared, and she moved so that their faces were level, and she could look him straight in the eyes. She sighed, then paused for a moment before she said;

"I will say the same things I always say, Jack. I will wish you fair winds and fair fortune…and I will ask, that when you have found your treasure, and when the Sea seems to claim a little too much from you, you will come and see me again."

There was the sound of heavy boots, and a fist pounded on her door. She hastily put the letter aside, and rose. She took her time walking across the room. There was something about the apparent haste with which her visitor wanted to get into the room that set her on her guard. Carefully she unbolted the door and pulled it open.

At first glance, or from a distance, the man standing outside her door could have passed for a gentleman. Up close, he was very much a pirate, but his clothing and manner still had a certain elegance about them, as if he wanted to be, or had perhaps once been something better than a pirate. His hair and beard was a greasy auburn, and his lips curled into a smile at the sight of her.

"Captain Barbossa."

"I see you received my letter."

"News travels fast in the Caribbean… "

She tried to keep her voice calm and indifferent, but regardless of her attempt her feelings for the pirate named Jack Sparrow, whatever they were, could still be detected. Her voice was cold when she spoke, and she had not opened the door wider or made any other effort to make him feel welcome. How could she?

Years ago, when she first began to earn a living in Tortuga, her door would long since have been open. She had learned early that it did not pay to be picky, but after a while she also learned that experience was wanted, and she could charge more of her customers. This cycle repeated itself over the years, and with every turn she got a little smarter, and her reputation grew. Now, although she was much older and some of her looks had vanished, her reputation had earned her the right to choose whom she willed. And she would never, not in poverty, not in desperation, choose him. He was responsible for the death of a man she had loved. Jack Sparrow was sometimes a liar, sometimes a thief, and always a pirate, but she had loved him. She, one who was paid to please, had loved one who took what he wanted, whether it be drink, women or gold. But in whatever existed beyond how they lived, there was a love. It was simple and plain, but passionate, even if it was not and had never been the inspiration of poets or minstrels.

"What do you want here, Captain?"

"Come now, there's no need to be hostile. I came for the pleasure of a woman, not to be scolded by some Valkyrie."

A smile crept across her lips, but it was in no way pleasant or inviting, but rather sly and mocking.

"Captain, I assure you, had I been a Valkyrie you would not be standing there. Now, if you want pleasure I suggest you knock on another door, because you will get none from me."

Now it was his turn to smile, and his smile was possibly even more unpleasant than hers had been.

"Are you sure you can afford to refuse?"

He held out a hand towards her, and in the dim light of the hallway she saw the glint of gold. In his hand was a piece of solid gold, carved with symbols she did not know. In itself that was nothing special, she had seen many different markings on the pieces of gold or silver used to pay her over the years. But there was one thing about this particular coin that made her uneasy. In the centre of it, there was cast a skull, and in the dim light its eye sockets seemed to darken and draw her in. She had never seen anything like it, and she could not deny that she was fascinated, tempted even, although she had no idea why. The skull tempted her and scared her all at the same time. And then, for a split second it was as if she saw its eyes glimmer, only she realized that it was not eyes, but blood that seemed to spill out of the sockets.

She managed to tear her eyes away, and looked back up at Barbossa, standing there, the same smug smile still on his face.

"Get out of my sight!" She hissed, before stepping back and slamming her door shut.

She flung open the window, and drew a gasping breath as her nostrils filled with the sharp smell of the land and the sea. She felt tears emerge in her eyes, and closed them firmly in a vain effort to stop the tears flowing. In sudden terror and sorrow she whispered his name.

"Jack…Oh God Jack…what have you gotten yourself into…"

It had been over a month since Hector Barbossa had been rejected by The Red Lady. If the rejection vexed him, he did not let it show, because there were several other ladies in Tortuga who had gotten a coin or two in exchange for their services. The crew of The Black Pearl had turned Tortuga on its head for seven days and nights straight, which was quite an achievement, even by pirates' standards. But now, the Pearl and her crew were gone, and Tortuga was back to…well, normal, although that was hardly a word often used to describe Tortuga and its inhabitants.

It was the time right after the summer storms had swept across the Caribbean, and for once the air smelled fresh in Tortuga. For Kate, this was one of her favourite times of the year, because although it never lasted more than a few days at the most, it gave her a sense of being somewhere else, somewhere better, like Tortuga could perhaps have been a decent place. It was dusk, and she was walking along a beach, once in a while stopping to look out over the calm sea. There was a peace here, unlike anything else she knew, and unlike anything you would expect on the outskirts of a city filled with pirates.

She sat down in the sand, her back against a large rock, and her eyes fixed on the sea. She knew it was silly, but she could not get used to the fact that she would never see Jack Sparrow again. Attachment was foolish in a town where most women depended on their ability to manipulate the feelings of men for their living. But she could not help it; she missed Jack Sparrow's roguish grin and glowing eyes more than anything.

She did not notice the man who came walking along the beach alone. His eyes, like hers, were on the horizon. He was filthy, even more so than usual, his clothes were torn and his skin burnt, but Jack Sparrow was still very much alive. He had lost both his rank and his ship, and gained such anger towards the man that had taken both that he could not recall having felt anything like it before, but he was still alive.

He saw her long before she became aware of him, and despite the anger he felt he smiled. Good grief, how he had missed that woman. He thought again that, if ever he were to have become something else than a pirate, he would have married her. But, something inside reminded him, had he been something else he might never have met her at all. And then he might have had to settle for less than the love of a woman whose temper was like the seas he sailed.

He stood watching her, trying to figure out the right words to say, when she finally saw him out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head sharply to confirm the sight, before jumping to her feet. For a moment she stood still, as if trying to see if he was a mirage or if he was real.

"Kate…"

Suddenly she stormed towards him and struck him with a flat hand across the face.

"Curses on you, Jack Sparrow! I hope you'll be damned with all my heart, you black-hearted devil!"

Her voice turned into a desperate shriek as she collided with him and continued to strike him, but less and less effort went into the blows, until she sank down in the sand in front of his feet, sobbing.

He had anticipated a violent reaction. It was her way, and he loved her for it. She could be wonderfully calm and demure when she deemed it necessary, or it suited the situation, but she could also be feisty, passionate, and even violent when she let her spirit run away with her.

He knelt by her, and wrapped both arms around her, silently swearing to himself that he would never let her go, even though he knew it was an oath he would break soon enough.

When they had sat like that for a while, he asked silently;

"What did the false-tongued bastard tell you?"

It took a while for her to answer, but finally she looked up into his eyes and quietly replied;

"That the crew of the Pearl considered their captain unfit to command the ship, and as so they had marooned him on an island and selected a new captain…"

"Damn them all. The deepest circle of hell is reserved for traitors and mutineers." The curse was whispered through gritted teeth, and when their eyes met again Kate saw and anger in his eyes whose like she had not seen before.

"I don't understand…How the blazes did you get off that island?!"

He held her at an arm's length and studied her, before he smiled and let the warmth come back into his eyes. He shrugged, and said;

"It doesn't matter…"

For a long time they sat there, arms wrapped around each other, staring out over the sea and the steadily darkening sky, occasionally exchanging glances with one another, and for a few, precious, hard bought moments, they had peace.

Finally, when the sky had darkened and the stars had come out, when they could no longer distinguish land from sky, Kate asked;

"What will you do?"

"Take back the Pearl…somehow."

She nodded, and he thought he saw the slightest glimmer of a tear on her cheek, but he could not be sure on account of the darkness surrounding them. Her voice betrayed nothing, it was soft and calm like always.

"You will always be a man of the Sea, won't you Jack?"

He sighed, and then nodded solemnly.

"As long as there is a sun on the horizon, love."