Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

This is Jack's pov during the final battle scenes of AWE. Since I've spent a little time in Jack's mindset recently, I wanted to take a stab at this. Enjoy.

"Is it?" he asked in a mocking tone.

Before anyone could so much as breathe, Jones turned and stabbed him. Stabbed him right in the chest.

Right in the heart.

It was all too surreal. He is...was the best swordsman in the Caribbean; he'd already proved that to me two years ago in his Smithy. And yet he fell so quickly. Then Jones had to go and twist the blade causing him even more pain.

Elizabeth moved to be at his side and all I could do is stand there, sputtering. I'm still holding this blasted thing in the palm of my hand. Why did I have to taunt him? I could've just easily stabbed the beating thing ten minutes ago and everything would be fine. And now I've gone and waited too long. If only there was something I could do... Wait, maybe there is. But it'll cost so much. Bill seems to have gone off the deep end, going and attacking Jones. Actually, we're all drained right now. Physically, emotionally.

"Will! Will, look at me! Look at me!"

The boy was fading and fast. Too fast. I'm right there before it's too late for him.

"Elizabeth...William-I..." I what? I'm sorry I didn't kill Jones first? There's nothing I can say, for once my life I'm actually speechless. The rain is coming down around us as though the skies are crying for him. For us.

William's eyes are tightly shut and they're not opening again. We only have a few seconds. Jones has Bootstrap trapped against the rail.

Gotta do it. Gotta stab it.

"Now."

I put the shard into William's motionless hand, hold it in place and force the sharp end into the still beating heart of Jones. The Squid stops in place and put a hand over his chest. He turns to face us and I let go of Will's hand causing it to fall to the deck. Jones looked to the sky and whispered something before falling into the maelstrom that still spins below us. Elizabeth and I both look at each other but neither of us can say anything. The blast of a cannon causes us to look up and see a projectile hitting the mast causing the Pearl to free itself before it goes down with the Dutchman. Elizabeth still clutches his face as William seemed to breathe his last breath. I know however that that is not the case in the slightest. He stabbed his heart; now he needs to give up his own and take Jones' place.

"Part of the crew, part of the ship. Part of the crew, part of the ship."

The crew is coming closer by the minute, Bootstrap at the lead, a dagger in his hand held high. I know what's about to come. It's going to go down; we've got to get out of here.

"I won't leave you!"

She's going to have to if she wants to survive. I grab her. I'm sorry Elizabeth but we can't dawdle much longer.

"The Dutchman must have a captain," Bootstrap says.

Aiming my gun, I grab a hold of a rope.

"Hold on!"

Elizabeth grabs me and I fire. We shoot up into the air, caught in an upwind. We look down to see the Dutchman sink below the waves. The Pearl is nearby so I adjust accordingly. I'm a little off so we ended up in the water. However the Pearl sails over to us and we climb aboard. The monkey (foul beast) seemed to have come with us. Everyone looks out at the horizon not knowing what to think. Gibbs seems happy to see me; doesn't he notice someone important is missing?

"...and I think it's time we embraced that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions."

Run away? Ha! No way in hell. "Never actually been one for tradition."

I start calling out orders and everyone thinks I'm mad. They're the mad ones for once.

Do my ears deceive me or do I hear splashing. The Dutchman rises out of the water and all the debris begins to fall of it. Trying to make a flashy entrance, eh? Never knew you to be that way William.

"Pull canvas!"

I take a glance over to Elizabeth and she sends me a smile. Whether it's in thanks or relief or both actually, I'm not sure. Everything is now all set.

"Captain?"

It's time to end this. "Fire!"

The order gets repeated all throughout before it actually begins. It only took a few minutes for the ship to be completely decimated. Not very strongly built I suppose. But its sinking, the armada begins to retreat and the tyranny of Cutler Beckett and the Trading Company is through (for now).

Now though, now is a time for celebration. I call Gibbs over to me and tell him he is allowed to actually throw my hat. Ha ha, he actually did it! Oh well. "Now go and get it." He manages to find it in the pile and I thank him with a nod.

"Now, please get a boat ready for Mis...Mrs. Turner, Gibbs."

"Aye, aye sir."

Making sure she had two oars and a blanket, Gibbs went and said her chariot was waiting. We all knew that she needed to be elsewhere with her husband...one last time for ten long years.

Why didn't I stab the heart?!

They don't deserve this. Everyone stands at attention as the Pirate King passes each of them until she finally stops at me.

"Jack," she says getting my attention, "it would never have worked out between us."

My that does sound vaguely familiar!

"Keep telling yourself that, darling."

She then has the nerve (the nerve) to open her arms as though she wants to hug me. I'll never forget the last time she so much as touched me. "Once is quite enough."

She smiles in response. "Thank you." Two simple words and I know what's behind them. Even though you didn't stab the heart in time, you gave me and my husband another chance. She disappears and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well men, I believe we've earned ourselves a trip to Tortuga to celebrate. What say you lot to that?"

The cheers from everyone gives me momentary happiness but looking to my co (not as though I chose him for the part) Captain; there's something he's not saying. But, now's not the time to dwell on it. Another splash causes me to look to the Dutchman and see a longboat headed for shore. So he was headed for shore himself.

Ten years at sea; I don't envy him in the slightest. Though I suppose a person like William Turner would much rather spend that time with his wife. Yeah, not away from her... Where were we going again...? Ah, wenches.

And rum.

Tortuga.

William finally reached the beach and before long the two are locked in another passionate lip lock. Good luck William Turner, you're going to need it when you have to start the duty. Jones stopped ages ago; you'll have a lot of catching up to do. But you'll do it splendidly I'm sure. Being so noble and all that. And good luck to you Elizabeth Swa-Turner. Remaining faithful and true is what'll bring him back to you.

...When did I become a bloody poet!

It's probably the exhaustion. Now where did the other Jacks go...ah, there's one. Leaving the wheel I come upon the shirtless one I'd stabbed and killed in the Locker.

"You did good Sparrow," he says.

"Thanks mate. No hard feelings?"

He shrugs. "You did kill me you know."

"And yet you're not dead. Fancy that, eh"

"Aye. Good luck then Captain Sparrow," the other me says bowing his head and disappearing from the deck.

To Tortuga then.

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you thought of it.