A/N: I wrote this chapter because I write for enjoyment but this will be the last chapter unless I get some reviews! Come on people. I had an epilogue planned but I'm not so sure if I will write it.
The reviews I do get are appreciated. I hope you enjoy this last chapter. And please do review whether or not you want another chapter.
The guards tried to shackle Will, Andy and Elizabeth as well as Jack but Elizabeth pulled out the letters of marque swiftly and handed it to the Commodore.
"They're signed by the king as well as Beckett," she explained. "Not that we've done anything wrong to begin with."
"And I was kidnapped by the pirates sir. I'm innocent," Andy explained tearfully. They were all released.
Mean while Jack tried to talk his way out of it. "Mate I swear on my bald bastard first mate...I didn't steal those jewels. So giving them back to you would be quite impossible seeing as I don't have them," he explained. "Furthermore I've been busy-as you may have heard-with other things. Like finding a dead man's chest, getting rid of a east India company Lord amongst others."
"I've heard it all before," Commodore Adams said. "We'll keep you in the fort for a few hours. You either hand me the jewels or you hang. How's that?"
"All fine and well but if you give me a couple of days to--"
"Take him away," he ordered.
"Commodore I really must protest. I am the governor's daughter and we are lawful citizens. My father will grant him clemency."
"I'm afraid this man is beyond that."
Elizabeth practically threw herself in front of Jack. "Do be sensible. Hanging him isn't going to solve anything."
He laughed. "Hanging him will make me the man who brought the last real pirate threat in the Caribbean to rest. Not going to solve anything? Hah!"
She was nearly tearful now. "All I'm saying is that if you let him he'll find the jewels, he will! He's probably the only man in the entire world who can do it. He might be a pirate but he's amazing at it."
Jack grinned with appreciation. "Listen to the governor's daughter."
"And you expect him to come back? There is no guarantee!"
Elizabeth looked at Jack, his eyes were gleaming and she couldn't help but feel his touch on her skin and his kisses on her lips. "I'll be your guarantee. You have my word-and my father's- that I will stay in that fort as long as it takes. Weeks or even months. As long as it takes for him to come back," she said heatedly as she tried to stop the guards from taking Jack away. "I mean I'm just doing my civil duty to the crown. You do want the jewels back right?"
Commodore Adams frowned. "As selfless as it sounds I couldn't take a woman...a lady and the governor's daughter no less and place her in a brig. Take him away gents. I'm sorry Miss Swann."
Elizabeth looked at Jack who was dragged away as he tried to talk his way out of it.
"I mean I could take you to Tortuga gentlemen. You can get all the rum and ladies you want, all you need to do is let me go and we'll..."
He caught her eyes and flashed her his usual smile. Full of mischief, confidence, arrogance and charm. He tipped his head ever so slightly to let her know that it was okay in spite of everything, that he'd died before because of her and it would be no problem doing it again and most of all, it wouldn't come to that because after everything that had happened he was Captain Jack Sparrow.
Elizabeth paced the room impatiently. "We have to...I could...There must be something we could do."
She was back in a soft pink dress and she was currently brushing her hair back. Andy was lying down on the bed in one of Elizabeth's white and green afternoon dresses, sipping some tea and looking careless.
"This is the life! Maids, dresses and tea," she mumbled. Elizabeth swept her curls into a soft bun and sat at her mirror with her hands on her forehead.
"There's nothing I can do," she said loud enough for Andy to hear her,
"Oh forget about the dirty scallywag, let him hang. Come and enjoy some of this splendid tea Elizabeth, it's superb. It'll calm you down and make you forget all about that rat. We still have a couple of hours before the hanging, why don't we go for a walk or visit Will or something? And then we could--"
"Oh for the love of god shut it! I love this man and all you can ever do is go on and on about tea and walks and--"
Andy jumped off the bed with a smile and waved her hands. "Whoa! Whoa! Back up. What did you say?"
Elizabeth's face grew noticeably red. "I said you talk too much none sense."
Andy laughed. "You know that's not what I meant. Before that!"
Elizabeth sat on her bed. "I love this man. I never knew but...it seems...Oh my!" she laughed.
Andy almost jumped for joy but she managed to stand still, flash Elizabeth a knowing smile and cross her arms. "I knew it all along."
"Why does it matter anymore?" she whispered.
"What is that attitude? You can't sit here and sip tea and expect anything to get better," Andy roared. "Get off you lazy ass and go tell him."
Elizabeth sprang to her feet. Her eyes gleaming, her bun coming loose and her skin flushed. "Do you think he'll be happy to hear it when he's in prison? Do you think he'll be happy to hear it at all? He doesn't care! And especially not now when he's going to hang."
"Just go see him," she said as she tossed Elizabeth a dark cloak. "I'll distract the guardds for you."
At that very moment there was a gentle knock at her door and Will slipped inside. "Elizabeth."
"Will! What are you doing here?"
"Shhh! I sneaked passed your father," he exclaimed with a smile as he walked over to her and took her by the elbow. "Are you all right?" he noticed the cloak. "Where are you going?"
She bit her lip gently. "I have to see Jack."
Will sighed and closed his eyes. It was the answer he dreaded and expected. After a slight pause he dragged Elizabeth to corner. "Elizabeth how long is this going to continue? I love you and that's all that's kept me from saying something. There's something...Something I can't put my finger on. Do you have feelings for him?"
She looked outraged. "Will this man who saved both our lives is going to die. I would do anything to save him but now all that's left is to say goodbye and that's what I'll do."
Will nodded understandingly. "I understand. I'm sorry. Do you want me to come?"
She shook her head as she took a sheet off her bed and twirled it. "I'm sure he would like to see you but if you could please keep my father out of the way..."
"Of course," he nodded as he left. "I'm sorry it had to end this way."
She waited for the door to snap shut. "I'm sorry too," she whispered as she opened the window and flung the rope she'd made outside.
"Coming?"
Andy swallowed. Her fear of heights wouldn't leave her alone but this was a matter of true love so she followed Elizabeth out of window and climbed down.
Jack was lying on the hay with his hat tipped down over his face when he heard the footsteps rushing down the corridor. He grinned and knew who it was without taking the hat off. "Hmmm. Let me guess, it's either Elizabeth Swann here to bid me farewell or Commodore Adams has decided to wear women's shoes and come down here to ask me more questions."
He took the hat off with a grin. Elizabeth was sitting on the ground pressed against the bars with a soft smile.
"My first guess than," he laughed as he sprang to his feet. "My darling! You don't know how happy I am to see you here. I was so scared that the last face I would see in this world would be the Commodore's frowning one. I tell you he makes Norrington look like a bloody clown."
"Oh Jack," she chuckled fondly. "I missed your useless rambling."
He made his way to the bars and sat beside her. "Missed you too luv. Surprisingly."
They both rose to their feet in slow unison."I want you to know," she said in a low tearful whisper. "That if I could do anything...anything to stop you from hanging today I would do it."
He dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "I already heard your brave rescue attempts back there. If I were you I wouldn't put my life on the line for some pirate and hope that he would stick to his word."
The bars wouldn't allow them to be as close as he usually liked them to be but he did what he could to pull her closer. His hands slid through the bars and hugged her waist and pulled her as close as he physically could. Her hiss echoed against the walls as her ribs pressed against the bars.
"I'm hurting you," he said with a note of apology in his voice.
"Yes yes but keep going," she said in shallow raspy breaths. Her own hands were now against his warm chest, feeling every slender rippling muscle, every scar and savoring the simple experience of touching his skin. And alarmingly she felt the need to explore his body, feel his skin against hers and have one last kiss.
His mouth lingered close to hers, wondering if the bars would let him kiss her that one last time. It turned out that it was completely possible.
Even though their kiss was no longer new and unexplored it still brought his blood to a boil. It was frightening how he knew how to tease her tongue exactly where it would make her moan and how she knew how to move her lips to send a shiver all the way down his spine. One hand still rested on his chest and the other cupped his face as they kissed. It was so right, so terribly passionate and completely crazy. But it seemed that it had been unavoidable all along.
She could barely feel the bars there any longer, they slipped away as did everything else. Her breath, all the things she hated about him and furthermore the fact that she was letting him win. It didn't matter anymore. The games they'd played all along didn't matter if he was dying. All that mattered was that if he didn't have her lips on hers at that very second she would die. When he broke away from her she couldn't help but gasp in desperation.
"Jack I need you to tell me. If Adams accepted my offer and I stayed here. Would you at least try to find the jewels?" she asked in a faltering whispered. Her yes were closed, she didn't want to look him in the eye while she sounded so desperate. She just needed to know if he cared for her that one little bit.
"No point in talking about things that didn't happen luv," he said in a teasing whisper.
Elizabeth sighed. "But if he had," she insisted, looking him straight in the eye this time. Those black gleaming eyes. "Would you try?"
"No, no I wouldn't," he admitted as he looked down at the ground.
She looked away so he wouldn't see the disappointment in her eyes and made herself sound as angry as possible but she didn't break free from his arms which were still wrapped around her waist. "Pirate," she chuckled bitterly. "Here I am telling you that I would hang instead of you today if I could and all you need to do is lie. It's what you do best. Just lie and let me hear what I need to hear. Tell me you would try and that being Captain Jack Sparrow you would probably succeed."
"No," he repeated with a smirk. "I wouldn't waste all that time, I think I would bust you out of here instead. And then of course we would sail away on the Pearl because naturally you would be a fugitive from justice and you couldn't stay here."
She smiled. "You're the best liar I've ever met."
"I know I'm a good liar when people can't tell when I'm telling the truth," he laughed.
"But you aren't telling the truth even when you're telling the truth," she smirked.
"This is why I love you darling. You never fail to see my logic," he laughed. Her hand which had been stroking his face absently, froze and her eyes widened.
He bit his lips as his eyes went wide. "Oh bugger!" he spat nervously. He really hadn't meant to say it, he didn't know if he meant it but it had just came out. Like it was the most natural thing to say.
Andy had been quite clever with how she handled the situation. She'd pulled up her skirt to reveal one tanned leg and wiggled it in the doorway. The classic movies trick and the soldiers had fell for it immediately. The rest was history with the help of her pepper spray.
She looked at the tied up guards in the closet and scrambled to find the keys in the desk. It didn't matter if she didn't find them or if they got caught escaping. It only mattered that she try to save them and get them together already. Just as she pulled out the key and turned to leave she saw Will walking down the corridor with Commodore Adams.
As if escaping wouldn't be hard enough! They would probably get caught anyway but did Will really have to drag Adams all the way down and make it nigh impossible?
"Will! What are you doing here," she said as she kicked the closet door closed and hid the keys behind her back.
"Doing something I should've done a long time ago," Will said with a determined expression.
Oh boy! Didn't sound good.
"Dude you're gonna kill Jack?" Andy asked nervously, hoping she was wrong. Will's face looked determined and pained but he didn't answer. Andy swallowed as he followed Adams and Will down the corridor. Had jealousy finally made Will do something incredibly stupid?
"Say that again," she demanded in her state of shock.
"Oh bugger?" Jack offered with a nervous laugh.
"Before that," she said with an edge in her voice."
"Erm, you never fail to see my logic dearie. I mean you're practically a mind reader, you--"
She sighed. "I'm tired of playing games with you Jack. Not because I don't love playing games but because I might be losing one of the people I love most. I would never say this, wouldn't even be here if you weren't going to die. I don't think I have anything to lose. It's the last chance I had to say what I wanted to say. Do you have anything you wanted to say?"
Jack looked her straight in the eye and nodded. "As a matter of fact Lizzie I just realized there is something I've been wanting to say a long time even if didn't know I want to say it. It's been a pleasure knowing you my darling and perhaps-as crazy as it sounds-today's worth dying for having just heard you say that. And this isn't the end of my adventure, I am-after all- Captain Jack Sparrow," he said with a devilish gleam in his eyes. He'd never looked more like a rogue or more confident, dashing and handsome as he laughed at his own ridiculous words."I don't know if that's the adrenaline talking, it probably is, what with the hanging and all. I'm not sure I mean every word of this. I'm not sure I ever mean what I say but there's one thing I'm sure of--"
"Captain Sparrow," Adams said as he, Will and Andy walked into the dungeon.
"Bugger," Jack muttered. "Well gentlemen," he tipped his head. "Ladies," he smiled dashingly. "It's been a pleasure knowing you all," he said as he looked straight at Elizabeth.
"Save the speech Sparrow," Adams ordered stiffly. "We're not hanging you."
Jack was clearly surprised but he managed to hold his expression steady. "I always knew you would come to your senses Commodore. It's this thing I have with Commodores, they all pretend they hate me but deep deep down they all have a soft spot for me--"
"Shut up Sparrow. Mr. Turner here has selflessly agreed-with guarantee from the governor-to stay here on your behalf until you find the jewels. The reason as to why he's reached this conclusion escapes me," he added as he opened the door for Jack and threw Will inside instead.
"William, didn't know you had it in you," Jack smiled appreciatively as he walked over towards Elizabeth. She was still in shock as she stared at Will, hardly believing her eyes. "Will!" she whispered.
Jack leaned in towards her ear. "Bet you wish I was hanging now," he chuckled. "Commodore...Adams is it? Commodore Adams, it's been a pleasure. I assure you if you're anything like Norrington-signs show that you're worse-we'll be seeing a lot of each other. May I remind you that he's now bound to a ship forever and doesn't have a heartbeat? Just thought I'd point that out," he said as he took Andy's elbow and led her towards the window and opened it. "William, once again I'm grateful. I'll try not to let you down...I don't promise anything."
He leaned in towards Elizabeth again who was still looking from Will to Jack. "Sorry about all the blabber earlier darling. If you need to find me you always know where to look," he whispered as he slipped his compass in her hand. "Sorry it didn't work out between us darling," he said louder for everyone to hear.
"Alas my children! You shall always remember this day as the day you almost--" he fell out of the window before he could finish the sentence and both Elizabeth and Andy leaned forward to watch him swim away from the fort.
Everyone just stared at each other in amazement.
"Did we just stand here and let him escape?" Adams asked with his mouth hanging open.
"No not technically. You let him out of the cell and then you stood there while he escaped," Will muttered.
"Well he's supposed to get the jewels," Andy reminded him and looked out again. "I guess I should go. Ta!" she said as she jumped after him.
The sea was calm but the salt stung her eyes and it took a few seconds to adjust to. "You're still here," Andy exclaimed when she saw Jack just a bit ahead of her.
"Well I couldn't just leave without my only friend eh?" Jack laughed as he swam a bit further and Andy followed after coughing up a bit of water.
"Will!" Elizabeth screeched as she rushed to his side.
"I guess my work here is done," Adams scoffed as he left. "I'm sorry about all this Miss Swann but I have orders from your father to keep Mr. Turner accountable. Frankly I need to keep someone until I get the jewels back."
"You can't just do this!" she whispered to Will. "I can follow Jack and force him to come back here."
He shook his head. "Elizabeth, I'm glad to do this for you and I talked to your father. He wouldn't help me if he didn't think I was right."
She took his hand in hers and frowned. "Right about what?"
"Elizabeth I see the longing in your eyes every time..."
"Will, I love you. I would never be willingly unfaithful to you," she said and choked on her words. The idea of lying to Will was painful but breaking his heart was even more painful. Now that she thought about it she hadn't really been unfaithful. Sure she'd had a small kiss here and there, felt her heart race faster and all but she'd refused to give her heart away. Even until the end she'd refused to admit it to herself.
"Jack's not the only one I'm referring to. I'm talking about the ship, the sea and even the crew," he said as he brushed a finger against her hand. "You would die if I let him hang today. I saw it in your eyes when you offered yourself to save him."
Her head spun with confusion. Had everyone seen it besides her? Even Will? Even her father?
"I want you to know that I do love you," she said in a whisper. "It's just that--"
"It's all right. You don't have to say it ," he assured her with a laugh.
"I have to go," she laughed at how abviouse it it had been all along. "I need to go. I should've gone a long time ago," she whispered to herself.
"Go! I need someone to make sure he'll get those jewels. I don't want to be stuck in here forever."
She looked at him, eyes brimming with tear threatening to fall. Forcing herself to smile as she sprang to her feet and decided that it was time to let go.
If Will saw it and her father and Andy. She must've been blind.
"I'll come back Will," she promised as she walked away. "I'll come back for you."
"I know," he smiled. "I'll keep an eye out."
As she walked away a sudden realization hit her. They were already gone. They must've reached the ship by now. The thought made her run all the way out of the fort as she clutched the compass.
And the worst part was...she actually cared. She cared that she might not see him again.
Jack and Andy sat on a reef waiting for Gibbs to bring the Pearl closer.
"Are we going to go back for her?" she asked as she tried to catch her breath.
"Andy, darling, I will get caught yet again if I go back. Jeez! I don't like her that much," Jack snorted. Andy looked at him and was glad to find a hint of sadness in his face.
"But she loves you," Andy said desperately.
Jack rolled his eyes and continued to look at the Pearl which was nearing them. "By god Andrea! She saw a dying man and blurted out things to make him feel better. And I was actually stupid enough to tell her..."
"Maybe she saw a dying man and realized she would miss him," Andy suggested as she rested her head on his shoulder.
He wrapped an arm around her. "Just you and me ol' girl."
They swam to the ship when it was close enough and Gibbs threw them a line. When Andy finally fell to the deck after climbing up the side- with Jack's help- she wrung the water out of her hair and joined Jack at the helm.
"Hoist the sails, all hands on deck you scabrous dogs," he yelled as he wrapped his coat around himself. "Get that bloody anchor up won't you? Mr. Cotton take the wheel," he ordered as he leaned against the railing and reached for his compass to find it gone.
"Oh of course I had to give my compass to her," he muttered to himself. "So she can sit there and look at it as it points to bloody stupid Will!"
Andy patted him on the back. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
Jack chuckled and shook his head. "Luv, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. The only thing I'm upset is about is my compass. I don't know why I had to give it to the wench...Now I can't find the jewels," he pouted.
She raised an eyebrow. "You were actually going to find them?" she asked. "I see. You just can't stand seeing her upset. That's why you want to get Will out of that jail!"
He snorted. "Pish posh! I want it because I need it and that's that. Stop making me sound like some sort of heartbroken sod. I'm happy to be sailing away."
Andy shrugged. "Being in love doesn't make you any less sexy. But if you insist, I'll just go and help Mr. Cotton," she laughed as she strode away.
He looked at the horizon. It was beckoning him like always. At that moment he knew he would be fine because he had everything he needed, and his heart was too wild to feel any pain or grief.
Grinning to himself he took a sip of rum and thought of her. He would miss her but they were both too wild and stubborn to ever work.
But if she gave it a chance I would give her a taste of what it's really like...
He shook his head and looked off in the distance again as the wind blew across the ship. So many adventures yet to be had, people to trick and treasures to steal.
The thought was enough to make him feel like his old self, he smirked as he swaggered to his cabin merrily and closed the door behind him.
When he did turn around he couldn't believe the sight before him. Elizabeth-no longer in a dress but her pirate garb instead- sitting at his desk with her feet on the table and smoking a pipe she'd found in his drawers.
He merely stood there agape as she rose slowly and slammed his compass down on the table. "About time," she muttered as she took a puff of the pipe. "I have quite a few bones to pick with you Captain."
He swallowed and tried to wipe off the look of surprise. "Do tell."
"Firstly I must blame you for your delay as it is the cause of me smoking this vile instrument in lack of anything else to do," Elizabeth complained calmly as she circled the desk -to stand in front of it rather than behind it- and put the pipe away. "Secondly we'd better find those jewels soon or all my bluff about how wonderful your abilities are will go to waste," she laughed. "And lastly," she whispered softly. "I left a perfectly fine life and an even better afternoon tea to sail away with the likes of you. Can you do something other than stand there and stare at me?"
Jack smirked and puffed his chest. "By god Lizzie, if you burn a single bottle of rum starting from now until the rest of our lives I'll not hesitate in putting a bullet in your brain savvy?"
The rest was history. They met each other half way across the room and were instantly lost in each other's arms. Not kissing-surprisingly-at first but simply holding each other tight enough to kill, letting the other know that they would never let go. Not again. Never again.
Andy peeked inside the cabin with a smile. All along she'd fought to bring them together with her tricks and plots and now she saw that all they needed was a horizon and a ship to take them there.
She didn't need to get rid of anyone or make them confess anything. They already knew without words or promises.
I always though a 'My Fair Lady' type of ending would be perfect for JE. What did you think? Does it need and epilogue or do you like it as it is? Is there anything I can do to make it better? Let me know!
By the way I thought I'd let Jack and Elizabeth be extremely cheesy for this one chapter but they're allowed cause they're hot.
