Annalise flinched as she fired her rifle, not used to the recoil, as Elizabeth ducked down beside her, her rifle now empty. Gibbs, Will, and Anamaria fired away beside them as Annalise aimed and fired again, taking out a pirate with her lost shot before she ducked down as well.
"We could use a few more ideas, lasses." Gibbs shouted as they fired again and again, and Elizabeth glanced at her sister, who just looked back helplessly.
"Your turn!" Elizabeth shouted at Gibbs, who growled: "We need us a devil's dowry."
"We'll give them her." Anamaria growled, pointing her pistol right at Elizabeth's head just as Will ran out of shots.
The three friends from Port Royal froze, Will staring at Elizabeth while Annalise stared at Elizabeth's neck.
"She's not what they're after." Will whispered, while Annalise murmured in horror: "Where is it?"
Elizabeth touched her neck, remembering what was missing, and she whispered in equal horror to her sister: "The medallion."
Will turned and dashed for the lower deck, going off to search for the medallion, while Elizabeth and Annalise hurried to grab another rifle from the stash. They'd just begun firing again, Annalise taking out a pirate on the Pearl's crow nest, when suddenly a cannonball from the other side came whizzing by and struck their own mast.
She looked up in horror as their mast tethered before it fell over, a few of their crew falling from it as it did.
"Watch out!" She cried to their crew as the mast fell.
They all ducked, but luckily – or not – the mast tipped over and fell directly onto the Pearl. She watched as the pirates on the other side all scrambled to get out of the way, before her eyes focused on one figure who seemed unbothered. She stared as Barbossa took one casual step forward, placing himself directly beneath the Interceptor's sails as the mast fell onto the Pearl, and leaving him untouched.
"They're coming aboard." Annalise muttered as she saw the Pearl's crew gathering once more, carrying grapples.
"They're coming aboard!" She shouted, and Elizabeth, Gibbs, and Anamaria also took up the cry to warn the crew, and they all braced themselves once more as the Pearl's crew threw their grapples.
They fired for all they were worth to stop the pirates trying to board, but there was only so much you could do against a crew that couldn't be killed. Annalise fired at the pirates as they came swinging on board, but even though all her shots hit a mark and the pirate came tumbling down, he soon got up and began shouting and fighting their crew.
"Lizzy!" Annalise cried in warning, and Elizabeth turned to whack the pirate who'd been sneaking up behind her with her rifle.
Annalise meanwhile drew her sword, engaging in a duel with another pirate as she tried to fend off another. She'd just knocked the sword out of the one pirate's hand and whacked him in the temple with the butt of her sword, thereby knocking him out, when the other one tried to stab her as he saw an opening.
Suddenly, hand reached out and grabbed the pirate's wrist, stopping him, and Annalise whirled around to see Jack standing there.
"That's not very nice." Jack told the pirate, and Annalise used the moment to smack the pirate in the face with the butt of her sword, causing the pirate to topple over the ship's railings and fall into the sea.
"Jack?" Annalise gasped, and he demanded, utterly serious for once: "Where's the medallion?"
She blinked, then gasped: "Lizzy!"
He frowned, but she turned and dashed over to her sister, who was fighting two pirates on her own. She whacked the first pirate across the head – having found that knocking them out worked better than trying to stab them – while Elizabeth punched the other one in the face.
"Lisa!" Elizabeth gasped in relief, when Jack came running up.
He grabbed both women, hauling them down for cover as bullets whizzed above their heads, and he demanded both of them: "Where's the medallion?"
Annalise frowned while Elizabeth scowled and she spat: "Wretch!"
She lifted her hand to slap him, but Jack caught her wrist and he glanced at the bandaged hand. His eyes narrowed, before he smirked and he asked instead: "Ahh. Where's dear William?"
Both their eyes widened, and Elizabeth whispered: "Will…"
"Oh, no." Annalise gasped as they both whirled around to look at the entry to the lower deck… which was blocked by the fallen mast.
"Lizzy!" Annalise tried to stop her sister but Elizabeth had already taken off, regardless of gunfire and swords as he ran for her trapped beloved.
Annalise took off after her sister, while Jack rolled his eyes at them, before he spotted Barbossa's monkey heading for the fallen mast… carrying the medallion.
"Monkey!" He called as he began to chase after it, going across the mast.
"Will!" Elizabeth cried as she reached through the bars of the deck cover, and Will called desperately as the water began rising up: "Elizabeth!"
"Lisa, help!" Elizabeth cried, and both sisters tried to move the mast but it was too heavy.
"It won't budge." Annalise gasped while Elizabeth leant back down over to Will as she cried fearfully: "I can't move it."
"Jack-!" Annalise turned to call for help, before she cried in warning: "Lizzy!"
But it was too late, and the pirates descended on the two women, grabbing them and disarming Annalise as they started to drag the pair away.
"Let me go!" Annalise shouted as she struggled furiously, while Elizabeth did the same as she screamed: "Will!"
"Elizabeth!" Will called after her as they were dragged away, kicking and screaming, with the rest of the crew that still remained.
Jack meanwhile had almost caught up to the monkey at the other end of the fallen mast, and he reached forward eagerly only to freeze. He slowly withdrew his hand, looking up at Barbossa as the pirate smiled smugly down at him, his monkey perched on his shoulder and the medallion in his hand.
"Why, thank ye, Jack." Barbossa said haughtily, and Jack forced a smile as he replied: "You're welcome."
"Not you." Barbossa corrected. "We named the monkey 'Jack'."
Jack's eyes narrowed in irritation, though he kept the fake smile on his face. Barbossa turned back to his crew as he held up the medallion, shouting: "Gents, our hope is restored!"
Annalise grit her teeth as she stood tied to the mast beside her sister, the rest of their crew tied with them, while the short pirate she'd encountered before snarled at them menacingly, his sword pointed warningly: "If any of you as much as thinks the word 'parley', I'll have your guts for garters."
Elizabeth was squirming beside her, subtly loosening the ropes, and Annalise touched her sister's hand, silently begging Elizabeth. Of course the blonde ignored her sister, slipping below the loosened ropes and starting to run for the ship's railings. Annalise slipped out after her sister in alarm, only to be caught by someone around the forearm.
She whipped around to see Jack holding her back, his eyes dead serious for once and for once no trace of the joking Captain as he shook his head. Her eyes narrowed, angry that he'd stopped her, when a huge explosion from behind rocked the ship.
Annalise whipped around in horror to see Elizabeth had frozen mid-run, also staring at the burning remains of the Interceptor.
"Will." Elizabeth gasped, and Annalise's heart sank. No…
"You!" Elizabeth suddenly ran at Barbossa, physically assaulting him in her grief and anger as she screamed at the pirate: "You've got to stop it! Stop it!"
But Barbossa easily stopped her, grabbing Elizabeth's arms harshly as he stated with false warmth: "Welcome back, Miss. You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now that you return the favor."
He thrust her at his crew, who immediately started grabbing at her hungrily.
"Let her go!" Annalise shouted in outrage, twisting to get away from Jack and to her sister, but Jack held her firmly, moving to cover her as Barbossa whirled around, looking for the speaker.
His eyes fell on Annalise behind Jack, his brow rising as she glared at him with fiery blue eyes over Jack's shoulder. Jack sighed and let Annalise go as she stepped around him to face the other pirate Captain fearlessly, and Barbossa opened his mouth, when another voice cut in sharply: "Barbossa!"
They all turned to the ship's railings in surprise to see Will jumping over onto the deck, his pistol drawn and his own dark eyes filled with determination.
"Will." Elizabeth breathed in relief, but Will kept his gaze fixed on Elizabeth as he ordered: "She goes free."
He pointed his pistol right at Barbossa's chest, and the pirate Captain raised a brow.
"What's in your head, boy?" Barbossa questioned, and Will shouted determinedly as he gestured at Elizabeth: "She goes free!"
"You've only got one shot," Barbossa pointed out, unimpressed, "and we can't die."
"Don't do anything stupid." Jack hissed at Will from where he was standing, and Will glanced at the pirate, at Annalise, at Elizabeth and then back at Barbossa.
"You can't." He agreed before he suddenly backed up and jumped back onto the ship's railings, clinging to the mast lines to keep himself steady as he added: "I can."
He pointed the pistol at his own head, and Annalise widened her eyes at the bold move while Jack sighed: "Like that."
Barbossa frowned at Jack and then back at Will, sizing up the younger man thoughtfully.
"Who are you?" He asked curiously, and Jack quickly intersected as he dashed over to stand before Barbossa: "No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though - eunuch."
Barbossa raised a brow, clearly not believing Jack's tall tale, while Will interrupted impatiently: "My name is Will Turner."
Barbossa immediately looked back at Will while Jack hung his head and sidled away in defeat as Will continued: "My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins."
"He's the spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us." One of the pirates, the one with the wooden eye, cried as he pointed at Will while the rest of the crew murmured in shock as they finally put together the resemblance.
"On my word do as I say," Will threatened as he held his gun closer to his head, "or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker."
"Name your terms, Mr. Turner." Barbossa called, and Will replied instantly: "Elizabeth goes free. And Annalise."
Annalise smacked herself on the forehead, while Barbossa rolled his eyes as he said dryly: "Yes, we know that one. Anything else?"
Jack was pointing silently to himself, and Will quickly added as he gestured to the crew tied to the mast: "And the crew – the crew are not to be harmed."
Jack's eyes narrowed as he pointed insistently to himself, knowing exactly which loopholes Barbossa would use, but unfortunately Will didn't know and he didn't take the hint.
Barbossa smiled widely as he finished the deal: "Agreed."
"Go on, Poppet, go! Walk the plank!" A pirate yelled.
Annalise's hands tightened into fists as she watched her sister get pushed out onto the plank, the blonde standing tall as she could even as she stared dubiously down into the watery depths below. The water was at least rather shallow as the Pearl drifted near a tiny island, but it would still be quite the drop and with no choice where to go after.
Her worry for her sister only warred with the concern for her own wellbeing, considering she was next. Two pirates held her in place, her hands behind her back, even as they cheered and egged Elizabeth on as she took the first step out on the plank.
"Barbossa, you lying bastard!" Will swore as he struggled against his own captors. "You swore they'd go free!"
"Don't dare impugn me honor, boy." Barbossa snapped as he turned around to face the young man. "I agreed she'd go free, but it was you who failed to specify when or where."
Will glared at the pirate as he was gagged, while Annalise frowned at the dirty cards Barbossa was pulling. No wonder Jack seemed so adept at talking his way out of situations.
Barbossa meanwhile turned back to face Elizabeth, and he said with a meaningful smile: "Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?"
"Aye." The pirates chuckled, and Annalise's eyes narrowed in anger.
But Barbossa stated calmly: "So I'll be having that dress back before you go."
Elizabeth blinked before her eyes lit with fiery anger, but she simply began stripping off the dress she wore as the pirates catcalled laughingly.
"I always liked you." Jack whispered to the pirate nearest him, but the pirate simply growled and bared his teeth and Jack quickly backed down again while Annalise shot him an unimpressed look.
Elizabeth meanwhile had taken off the dress, and she growled as she thrust it at him: "It goes with your black heart."
Barbossa simply smiled, and then pressed the dress to his face as he joked: "Ooh, it's still warm."
The pirates laughed, before another pirate shooed Elizabeth: "Off you go! Come on!"
Annalise watched anxiously as Elizabeth slowly walked out further along the plank, staring fearfully at the water below. She glanced back once again, locking eyes with Will who stared at her beseechingly. The pirates all waited, before looking between the pair and becoming annoyed.
"Too long!" Bo'sun shouted and he stomped hard on the plank.
The plank shook from the impact, causing Elizabeth to lose her balance and she fell off and into the sea.
"Lizzy!" Annalise gasped, and Barbossa smirked at her.
"Not to worry, Miss Swann. You'll be joining her shortly." He taunted as the pirates holding Annalise shoved her forwards onto the plank even as she squirmed.
The pirates laughed as Annalise was pushed onto the plank, and they leered in with their swords drawn once more as the young woman was forced to walk along the thin wooden board. She stood as tall as her sister had, standing straight despite her clenched fists as she glanced at the sea.
"Any last words?" Barbossa laughed, and Annalise glared daggers at him.
"Only this," she hissed, "that just as that medallion came back to bite you, one day you'll regret challenging us."
Barbossa raised a brow and he leaned in, breathing his rum-filled, smelly breath all over her as he returned: "And you will learn that this world is not like your high society, Miss Swann."
He stepped back as he added: "There is no such thing as karma!"
He kicked the plank, sending Annalise tumbling down after her sister as the rest of the pirates all laughed while Barbossa smirked.
"Though I see why the lass caught your eye, Jack." Barbossa called as he turned to his former Captain as Jack was dragged forward. "She's as feisty as her sister."
Jack winced as he was dragged up onto the plank, and he tried to say lightly: "Aye, well, pirate mate. And as a fellow pirate, I'd really rather hoped we were past all this."
He gestured to the plank, and Barbossa smiled as he wrapped an arm around Jack's shoulder, saying fondly: "Jack…. Jack . Did ya not notice?"
He nodded at the island in the distance as he said amusedly: "That be the same little island that we made you Governor of on our last little trip."
Jack glanced at the tiny spit of land before he turned back to Barbossa as he said hopefully: "I did notice."
Barbossa smiled as he said: "Perhaps you'll be able to conjure up another miraculous escape…but I doubt it."
He raised a brow before he unsheathed his sword and held it to Jack's throat.
"Off you go." He dismissed, forcing Jack back a few steps onto the plank.
Jack glanced down briefly before he said quickly: "Last time, you left me a pistol with one shot."
"By the powers, you're right." Barbossa declared. "Where be Jack 's pistol? Bring it forward."
The pistol was brought forward, and Barbossa held it out to Jack, who glanced at the water again before he said, grasping at straws: "Seeing as there's three of us, a gentleman… would give us three pistols."
"It'll be one pistol as before," Barbossa answered dismissively, "and you can be the gentleman and shoot one of the ladies. Mayhaps you can enjoy your wench as you both starve to death, or be kinder to her and shoot her while you starve with her sister."
He tossed the pistol into the water, and Jack quickly dove off the plank after it. It sank to the ocean floor, but Jack was a swift swimmer and he easily grasped it with his bound hands before he kicked up off the sea floor and up towards air.
Jack swam towards the island, rubbing his wrists as he went, and the combined friction and salt water quickly undid the ropes as he swam. Annalise met him in the shallows, where she helped him remove the last of the ropes while Elizabeth stood on the beach as they all stared at the ship disappearing into the distance.
"That's the second time I've had to watch that man sail away with my ship." Jack sighed.
*A/N Merry Christmas, everyone!