Honor and Decency

Jack looked out at the remainder of his crew and then around the deck of his beloved ship. There was no doubt in his mind that Davy Jones would deliver upon his promise and return her to the depths of the ocean.

"Captain, orders?" Gibbs questioned. The kraken would be returning and there was no doubt that it would rip the ship apart now that it was good and mad.

"Abandon ship, into the long boat," Jack replied.

"Jack...the Pearl," Gibbs said in near shock.

"She's just a ship, mate," Jack replied solemnly. He took one last look around while the others began to prepare the long boat.

"Thank you, Jack," Elizabeth said as she walked up to him.

"We're not free yet, love," he answered.

"You came back, I always knew you were a good man," she said and eyed him up. Jack watched her suspiciously. He could see pure curiosity and even desire in her eyes but there was more, something calculating. Her beloved blacksmith had returned to her, so the sudden soft look she was giving him as she stepped closer, left Jack wondering what, exactly, her intentions were. He took a step back to see if she would continue her pursuit or if she would return to what she considered to be her senses, and return to her betrothed.

Jack took yet another step back as she cleared the distance between them but he caught her gaze as it slipped past him briefly to the mast that was behind him. Within a second her lips were on his and as soon as he felt her reaching around him, he smirked and grabbed the shackle then snapped it around her wrist.

"Told you you'd come to my side, love," he taunted as she tried to pull her hand free. "That moral center...that sense of honor and decency...it's saved for people like your dear, William."

"The monster is after you, not us and not the ship. If you get into that boat you sentence us all to death," she pleaded as she tried to free herself.

"And if I would have let you drown that day in port Royal we wouldn't be having this discussion in the first place, aye?" He bit back. Elizabeth winced at the words, for they were true. She spoke of honor and decency when Jack had saved her life when he could have allowed her to die. And now she was willing to let him die to save herself and the others.

"The way I see it love, we are the same, save for the honor and decency part, of course." He then turned and grabbed her hand and pulled until it began slipping out of the shackle. She whimpered in pain as her petite hand finally came free and she found herself being shoved down to the long boat.

"Oh and Elizabeth," he said just before he put her into the boat. "You might want to work on that personal hygiene too, eh?" He glanced at Will and then to Gibbs.

"Get as far away from the Pearl as ye can," Jack ordered. Everyone started at him in stunned silence.

"Jack..." Gibbs said but didn't need to finish. Jack was already looking back at his ship longingly.

"The captain goes down with the ship, right?" He tried to joke and then took on a more serious tone as he turned back to the crew. "It's after me. Not you and not the ship." Gibbs turned silently to the others who just shrugged.

"Aye, Captain," he said as Jack turned and began walking the deck slowly, taking in his last moments with the Pearl. What felt like hours later, but was really only moments fraught with nervous anticipation, Jack watched as a tentacle began to ascend the side of the ship, he knew what was coming and maybe Elizabeth had been right all along. This was his moment of courage, his chance to do the right thing, if not for them, then for the Black Pearl. What was a man, after all, without his freedom?