Maria woke up to the smell of smoke. "Mm? Jack?" She questions as she slowly opens her eyes. She looks around to find herself laying on the sand and smoke surrounding her. "Jack?!" She calls as she hurriedly gets to her feet. She looks around and sees Jack yelling at Elizabeth. "Elizabeth? Jack?" She hurries over.

"One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for Maria and I. Do you really think there is the slightest chance that they won't see it?"

"But why is the rum gone?" Jack questions as he Maria walks over to stand on the side of them.

"Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye open, and you will see white sails on that horizon." Jack grabs his pistol.

"Jack!" Maria snaps as he aims it at Elizabeth. Jack looks at Maria and lets out an angry shout as he stuffs it back into his holder and storms off. "Erg! Why can't either of you just act like grown-ups!" Maria yells as she storms after Jack. "Jack Sparrow! Where on earth do you think you are going?!" She shouts.

"Away from here!" Jack yells. "If I go back there I will shoot her!"

"Hey, Jack, stop." Maria grabs his arm and turns him to face her. "Relax, it's just rum."

"Just... Just rum?!" Maria rolls her eyes.

"She could have shot you first before blowing up your rum." Jack narrows his eyes on her and groans before looking out at the sea.

"I hope you know there is no living with her or you after this." She frowns before looking out at the sea to see the ships already coming. "They'll be bringing me to the noose."

"Jack, I can..." She trails off knowing that she can't tell him she'll talk her adopted father out of hanging him because there is no way with him being a pirate.

She instead takes his hand in hers. Jack laces their fingers together and squeezes her hands. "Don't worry, love, I'll find a way out like I always do." She looks up at him.

"If... If you do get out and you have to leave... will you take me with you if you can?" He looks down at her.

"Always, love." She stands on her pinky toes and kisses him. He kisses her back. The two pull away and look back out at the sea.

"Here goes nothing." Maria sighs as they reach them.

Moments later they are on the boat and Elizabeth is arguing with her father to go back for Will. Maria's eyes stay on Jack who stands by the sailors. "But we have to go back for Will!" Elizabeth yells.

"No! You're safe now." Her father says. "We will return to Port Royal immediately, not to go gallivanting after pirates."

"Then we condemn him to death!" Elizabeth shouts. This causes both Norrington and Elizabeth's father to frown.

"The boy's fate is regrettable, but then so is his decision to engage in piracy."

"To rescue me. To prevent anything from happening to me." maria already knows she won't be getting out of this without trouble for her own act of piracy by following Will's examples.

"If I may be so bold as to interject my professional opinion." Jack interrupts. "The Pearl was listing after the battle. It's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time. Think about it. The Black Pearl. The last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up, eh?" Jack asks, getting into the Norrington's face.

"By remembering that I serve others, not only myself." Maria frowns as she looks at Norrington. She knows Jack is trying to get the Pearl, but also to get Will despite the guy being a major issue.

"Commodore, I beg you, please do this. For me. As a wedding gift." Maria's jaw drops.

"Elizabeth? Are you accepting the commodore's proposal?" Elizabeth's father asks.

"I am."

"A wedding. I love weddings." Jack smiles as he looks at Maria, who rolls her eyes. "Drinks all around!" They all look at Jack, who holds out his hands. "I know. 'Clap him in irons,' right?" Norrington starts down the steps.

"Mr. Sparrow, you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with a bearing to Isla de Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave.' Do I make myself clear?"

"Inescapably clear." Jack smiles. Maria gives Jack a worried look, but he just gives her reassuring one in return before being taken away.

As night falls, Maria is stuffed into the back captain's office. "This is all Jack Sparrow's doing." Elizabeth says.

"I don't know about you, but I'm finding a way out of here. There's no way I'm letting Jack go in there alone." Maria says as she looks around. "We can use these sheets and clothes to make a rope to get down to the boats."

"Good thinking." Elizabeth says as they quickly begin to tye the clothing and sheets together. Maria begins to throw it down as Elizabeth finishes tying the last of it.

"Elizabeth?" Elizabeth's father calls as he knocks on the door. "I just want you to know. I uh, I believe you made a very good decision today. Couldn't be more proud of you. But you know, even a good decision, if made for the wrong reasons, can be a wrong decision." Elizabeth rolls her eyes as she hooks the end of the sheets. The two women make their way down the rope made by the sheets and clothes and they reached the boats.

They hope down onto the boat and sit. Maria begins to row the boat away. "I feel slightly bad." Elizabeth.

"Only slightly?"

"We can't let them go in there alone." Elizabeth says.

"No, we can not. Either Jack or Will will do something stupid."

"True." Elizabeth sighs. "Men."

"They're all alike."

"It takes us, women, to do the hard work."

"Yeah," Maria nods as they row to the Black Pearl and climb aboard.

They sneak aboard and with the crew, they manage to get rid of the few pirates that are on the ship. The crew cheers. "All of you with us!" Elizabeth shouts, as her and Maria head for the boat. "Will is in that cave and we must save him! Ready and heave!" They pull, but only they pull. They turn and sees the crew just staring at them.

"Are you guys serious?" Maria questions. "Your captain is in there!"

"Please, we need your help!" Elizabeth shouts. "Come on!"

"Any port in a storm." The parrot calls.

"Cotton's right. We've got the Pearl."

"Are you really leaving Jack behind?" Maria questions.

"Jack owes us a ship." Marty says.

"And there's the code to consider." Gibbs says.

"The code?" Maria and Elizabeth asks.

"You're pirates. Hang the code and hang the rules!" Elizabeth says.

"They're more like guidelines, anyway." Maria tells them. None of them say anything as they look at Maria and Elizabeth.

"Bloody pirates." Elizabeth curses as she rows with Maria running her fingers through her hair.

"How are we supposed to help with just the two of us?"

"We'll think of something." Maria frowns and looks down at her hands. "Maria..." Maria glances up at Elizabeth. "On the beach-

"Don't. I shouldn't have said what I did. I was being horrible. I know how hard it is to just be with someone, especially when so many people are against it."

"I say, when this is over, you go with Jack." This surprises Maria. She looks over at Elizabeth with surprise. "He makes you happy, Maria even if I don't understand how you come to care for him. If you care for him then follow your heart."

"I... Thank you, Beth." Elizabeth smiles as they dock.

"Let's just get our men." Maria laughs and the two hurry inside.

"I'm going to teach you the meaning of pain?" They see a pirate standing before Will.

"Do you like pain?" Elizabeth asks. "Try wearing a corset." She says as she hits the pirate down with the staff she grabbed a hold of.

"Woah! Good hit, Beth." Maria smiles as she picks up a sword. She glances over with a frown on her face as she sees Jack and her father fighting, both of them skeletons.

"Uh... Care to explain?" Maria asks.

"It's the curse." Elizabeth says.

"Ah... the curse." Maria nods. "So, which side is our Jack on?"

"At the moment?" Will asks, causing Maria to sigh.

"Wonderful." Maria moves forward and cuts one of the pirate's heads off, causing it to go rolling. "Heads be rolling." Maria grins as Elizabeth and Will stake the three pirates together, keeping them from separating. "Good idea." Maria grins as she picks up a bomb, lightning it and putting it in the middle guy's chest and pushing them out of the moon's light.

"No fair."

"Life's not fair." Maria says. "Deal with it." She turns as Jack fights with her father, closer to the chest. His eyes meet Maria and she sees the blood dripping from his hand. They need the blood of the cursed to break the curse. She knows what he is planning. She swallows and gives him her acceptance.

Jack throws the coin to Will and Barbossa aims his gun at Will, but Jack shoots him before Barbossa can shoot Will. Barbossa turns to Jack. "Ten years you carry that pistol, and now you waste your shot." Barbossa says.

"He didn't waste it." Barbossa's eyes fall on Maria before turning to look at Will as Will drops his own bloody coin to the pile.

Barbossa looks at Jack and then down at himself. His shirt begins to seep with red liquid. He looks at his daughter before falling to the ground. Maria hurries to be by his side. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "You gave me no choice." Barbossa manages a weak smile.

"You're too much like your mother." He chokes out. "I should have known." Maria can feel the tears rolling down her face, but she can't help them nor does she wipe them away. Barbossa wasn't the best person, but he was Maria's real father and she can only wish they had gotten the chance to know one another more, but if Maria had to choose between Barbossa and Jack then she'd pick Jack. "I feel... cold." Barbossa whispers. Her father falls to the pile, his apple rolling out his hand. Maria picks up the apple and holds it in her hands.

"I'm sorry." She whispers before standing up. Jack comes to stand by her side and wrap an arm around her.

"It's okay, love." She turns and wraps her arms around him. "Now, let's me get my gold." Jack smiles as he pulls away and begins to loot what he finds precious. Maria chuckles and looks away at Will and Elizabeth, having a moment before Jack ruins it. Maria rolls her eyes and sighs. "Maria." She nearly jumps when she feels something being placed on her left hand's ring finger. She stares down at the perfect diamond. The band is in the shape of a rose with the diamond being the rose petals itself. It has two bands looped together, one of the loops resembling thorns, while the other resembled a thin leaf. "I believe it'll look best on you." She smiles and runs her thumb over it. "To remind you that you are now a pirates." She chuckles. "And mine."

"Yo ho, a pirates life for me." Jack laughs and turns her around and gives her a quick kiss. "And I'm always yours." Jack smiles, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"Come on, love." They head over to where Will stands alone. "If you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it." Jack points out before following Elizabeth out with Maria behind him. "Now, if you be so kind to be so much obliged if you'd drop me and Maria off at my ship."

Maria stops in her tracks as Jack carries on. She can hear Elizabeth explaining what happened and Maria already knows what is about to happen.

"I'm sorry Jack, Maria." Elizabeth says as Maria holds Jack's hand. Maria knows she's going to lose Jack. There's no way Jack can escape from this one.

"They done what's right by them. Can't expect more than that." Jack says in a moto tone as he rubs his thumb over Maria's knuckles.

When they arrive back Jack is arrested and they sail back home. Maria only gets a chance to talk to him on the way back. She heads down the steps, ordering the sailor to give her a moment alone with Jack. She walks down to Jack, her ring that Jack gave her resting in her pocket where it is safe from the eyes of the navy. "Jack." She whispers upon approaching his cell.

"Ah, love, come to say goodbye already?"

"Jack, please don't joke. This is serious." She whispers as she looks at him. "You're not going to get out of this one. We both know that. You're crew aren't coming and... And there's no way you'll be able to escape on your own. The guards are heavy and everyone is watching in case you try something. You're not getting free, Jack and we both know what is the price for the crime of piracy."

"The gallows."

"The gallows." Maria whispers in agreement.

"Don't get upset, love, I'm sure another pirate will come along and sweep you off your feet."

"Maybe, but there will only ever be you, Jack who captures my heart." Jack rests his hand on her cheek, causing her to close her eyes.

"There's always a way, love, remember that." Her eyes met him.

"I am very thankful I met you, Jack."

"As I am for meeting you as well, Maria." She gives him a sad smile before pulling away and heading back up. Each step made her heart heavier. This could very well be goodbye to her beloved Captain Jack Sparrow.

Maria stands beside Elizabeth. Dressed in her usual boots, one of her long black skirts with her left leg totally exposed, a navy blue cotton shirt with puffy sleeves resting off her shoulders. It's the same outfit she wore when she first met Jack and she thought it only fitting to wear the day she says goodbye to him. She wore her locket and the ring Jack gave her. She knew it looked like an engagement ring and many would question it, but to her, it represents Jack's heart always being hers and she feels wearing the ring means she'll hold Jack's heart always.

She listens as the drums begin and the man begins to list off Jack's crimes. "Jack Sparrow, you have been charged,"

"Captain Jack Sparrow." Maria whispers, getting a warning look from her adopted father.

"Tried and convicted for your willful commission of crime against the crown, said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most egregious of these to be cited herewith: piracy, smuggling..."

"This is wrong." Maria looks at Elizabeth.

"Couldn't agree more." Elizabeth gives her a sad smile as she stares down at the ring on her hand.

"I'm sorry, Maria."

"Commodore Norrington is bound by the law, as are we all." Their father says, but Maria refuses to listen to a word of it. Her eyes solely on Jack's. Her eyes are captured by something blue and yellow flying. She looks and her eyes widen when she sees the parrot.

"Governor Swann." Will says as he now stands before them. "Commodore. Elizabeth." Maria smiles as she hears the use of Elizabeth's full name. "I should have told you every day from the moment I met you." Maria's breath catches. "I love you." Maria feels happy for Elizabeth as she looks at her. At least one of them could be happy. Elizabeth only stares in shock as the drums growing faster and Will hurries off. The noose goes around Jack's neck as Maria motions to where the bird is. Elizabeth looks at Maria, who can only smile.

"Faint." Maria whispers and Elizabeth doesn't need to be told twice.

"Marines." Norrington starts as he sees Will hurrying to Jack.

"I can't breathe." Elizabeth whispers.

"Beth!" Maria shouts in alarm as she falls to the ground. "Commodore!" Norrington looks at Maria before seeing Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth!" Her father shouts in alarm. While they are distracted by that Maria quickly hurries into the crowd after Jack and Will.

Jack falls as Jack throws his sword, causing Jack to be saved. Maria throws her dagger as Will fights the noose man. Maria's blade cuts Jack free. She takes out her second and cuts Jack's ropes around his hand. He pulls her into a kiss, which she gladly accepts. He pulls away and looks at her. "Thank you, love." She smiles.

"Always." Will jumps off the gallows and grabs the end of Jack's old rope with Jack and the two trip the three running soldiers, trips another two, and pins two more against the wall as Maria stands beside them, grabbing a sword to defend herself with. Jack and Will both grab a sword as they get surrounded by guards. Jack blows Will's feather from his hat out of his face as he drops his sword. Maria follows suit.

"I thought we might have to endure some manner of an ill-conceived escape attempt, but not from either of you." Commodore says as he looks at Maria and Will.

"On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency, and you, Maria," Governer Swann turns to her, causing her to look at him with slight regret. "I took you in as my own, and this, this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him?" Maria takes Jack's hand in hers.

"I'm sorry, father, but my heart belongs with his as does my fate." Maria says, causing Jack to smile at her.

"He's a pirate." Governor Swann snaps.

"But a good man." Will says.

"One of the best." Maria adds as Jack smiles and points to himself.

"If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of-

"Three." Maria corrects.

"Three pairs of boots instead of one, so be it." Will tells them. "At least my conscience will be clear."

"You forget your place, Turner, Maria."

"My place is beside Jack, always." Jack smiles as Maria stands beside Jack.

"My place is right here, between you and Jack." Will tells the Commodore.

"As is mine." Elizabeth says as she stands before Maria with her hand in Will's.

"Elizabeth." Her father gasps. "Lower your weapons." He orders. "For goodness' sake, put them down!" The weapons are pulled away.

"So this is where your heart truly lies, then?" Norrington asks.

"It is." Elizabeth nods. Maria nudges Jack, who gives her a confused look. She motions up and Jack sees the bird. He looks at Maria.

"Do you wish to join me, love." She looks up at him.

"Always." Jack grins and holds her hand tighter.

"Well, I'm actually feeling rather good about this." Jack tells them. He walks him and Maria around to stand before the Commodore and the governor. "I think we've all arrived at a very special place, aye? Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically." He pulls away from the governor and goes to the Commodore. "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate." Maria grins. "Know that." He turns to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, love, it has always been Maria." Maria and Elizabeth roll their eyes. "Sorry." He looks at Will. "Will... nice hat." He says as he quickly climbs the steps with Maria. The guards following. "Friends! This is the day you will always remember as the day that..." Jack falls back, his feet hitting the stone wall. He falls, dragging Maria with him. They both hit the water.

Maria swims up gasping. "Warning, Jack, warning." She gasps as she pushes her soaked hair from her face.

"Ah, doesn't this remind you of the day we met." She rolls her eyes.

"Never figured you as the romantic."

"Ah, that you would be wrong," He raises her left hand and kisses it. "Mrs. Maria Sparrow." She grins.

"Ah, Mr. Sparrow."

"Sail ho!" They turn to see the Black Pearl sailing towards them.

"Come on, love." They begin to swim towards the ship, ignoring the guards above. Maria turns back to look at Elizabeth. Even from this distance, Maria can see her smiling. Maria waves bye before following after Jack and being pulled aboard the ship.

Jack and Maria sit on the steps as Gibbs makes his way towards them. "I thought you were supposed to keep to the code." Jack says.

"We figured they were more actual... guidelines." Maria grins.

"Ah, guidelines." She agrees. Both her and Jack accept Gibb's hands and are pulled to their feet. Cotton hands Jack his hat.

"Thank you." Jack smiles as he puts his hat on and looks at Maria. "We'll be getting you a hat and a sword for yourself. It's all you are missing. That and your own pistol." She grins.

"Captain Sparrow." They turn as Annamarie walks towards them. She drapes his coat over him. "The Black Pearl is yours." Jack smiles and walks to the rudder. He looks around noticing everyone's stares.

"On deck, you scabrous dogs! Hands to braces! Let go and haul to run free!" They all hurry off. "Now... bring me that horizon." Maria smiles and stands beside Jack. This is her place. She giggles as Jack hums the pirate songs. "And really bad eggs."

"Drink up, me hearties, yo-ho." Maria finishes.