Summary: Life- or some semblance of it- goes on, even when the story doesn't.

Epilogue

Jack rowed out to the Pearl under the cover of night. He'd finally caught up with her, ironically back in Tortuga, and he was determined not to leave her ever again.

But first, he had to get on board. He'd waited three days until Barbossa left the ship before he could approach the ship. He'd spent that time assembling a small crew and preparing to take his ship back.

Jack checked his pocket. The small bottle he'd carried for months was still safe. He'd been carrying that bottle since he'd found the Water of Life. It was enough to make the Pearl indestructible.

The longboat he'd taken from another ship bumped gently against the Pearl. "Hello love," Jack whispered. "I'm back."

The Pearl rocked gently. Jack smiled fondly and climbed aboard. "Got a present for you, love," he said as he headed below deck. He knew exactly where to go, the exact center of his ship.

She was nearly deserted right now, with only the watchman still aboard. "I see that Hector took care of ye this time."

The ship creaked as Jack stopped at the exact center. "That's right Pearl. I'm here to stay now." He uncorked the bottle and poured it out on the deck below him. The water spread out into a small puddle, and then seeped into the wood. As it did so, the ship seemed to shiver. "An' now we can't be separated forever."

The Pearl rocked and Jack stumbled into the wall. "Relax love. It's Aqua de Vita. Water of Life. You can't be destroyed again."

Jack hummed absently as he headed back to the main deck. Once there, he snuck up on the watchman- not hard, as the man was blind drunk and hadn't noticed Jack's arrival either- and knocked him out.

He grabbed a nearby lamp and used it to give the agreed upon signal to the crew that was waiting for him back on land.

He had a lot to do before Barbossa got back.

Barbossa smiled as he climbed aboard the Pearl. It had been a good night, but now it was time to check on his ship.

"Hello Hector."

Barbossa turned around at the familiar voice. "Sparrow," he growled at the man. Jack had his pistol aimed squarely at Barbossa's heart.

"Now, now, Hector," Jack said from where he stood by the wheel. "That's Captain Sparrow."

Barbossa snarled and took a step toward him. Jack cocked his pistol warningly. "I'd done it before, mate," he warned.

"What do ye want, Jack?"

"My ship," Jack said. "Mr. Smith, take Mr. Barbossa to the brig."

Barbossa looked around and realized that he only recognized three of the crewmen.

Gibbs, Cotton and Marty were the only ones who remained from the crew he'd sailed with these past months.

"So you commit a mutiny yerself?" Barbossa sneered.

"'Snot a mutiny, mate, when I'm just reclaiming my ship."

Smith pulled him away. Barbossa spent the next few hours fuming in the brig. The ship set sail during that time. Four hours after they sailed, Cotton and an unfamiliar sailor pulled him out of the brig and back up to the main deck.

There, Jack waited with his crew. "I'd love t' simply shoot you, Barbossa, but I've been reminded that you and I are the last of the Pirate Lords. Into the longboat. I've even remembered t' pack you food and water. And your weapons."

Urged on by his captors, Barbossa climbed down into the longboat. "This isn't over, Jack," he snarled.

"I don't doubt it," Jack responded. "But you'll not be Captain the Pearl again. She and I will never be parted again." He cut the rope binding the longboat to the Pearl and grinned. "Don't worry, Hector. Tortuga is only three hours south."

Barbossa refrained from pulling out his pistol and shooting Jack. He couldn't be sure that the other man had given him more then one shot.

At the last second, Jack the Monkey screeched and clambered down to join him in the longboat.

Then the Pearl began sailing away.

"Damn you, Jack Sparrow," Barbossa spat.

Will leaned against the rail and watched the dolphins as they jumped and played above the ship. One dove down and began to dart around the sails.

Will smiled. There were certain advantages to being part of the crew. No normal man would ever see that view.

There was not much to do right now, as they drifted below the surface. The ship was as clean as it could get, those crewmen who needed to stay aloft were, and the Captain hadn't ordered a particular course.

Will chuckled and reached down to caress the railing he leaned against. Things were calm aboard the Dutchman right now, though that would certainly change once they came across a shipwreck. And the ship herself was happy. For some reason, his sense of the ship had grown stronger after Calypso's failed attempt to make him stab the Captain's heart. No one but Elizabeth had noticed.

Will caught Elizabeth's eye and looked down. She smiled at him and nodded.

He headed below deck, to the storage room.

Elizabeth entered "their" storage room a few minutes later. "What is it?"

"Neither of us is actually busy right now," Will said. "I just wanted to spend some time with my wife."

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him.

It was nearly an hour before they returned on deck. Luckily, no one had noticed that they were missing.

They separated, Elizabeth heading to the stern, where she began coiling rope, while Will headed toward the bow to help his father mop the deck- a rather fruitless endeavor right now, but orders were orders.

The Captain appeared on deck. "Take us up, Palifico! There's a shipwreck, hard ta starboard."

Will grinned and joined the rest of the crew preparing to surface and find the shipwreck.

He found himself (entirely by accident, or so he'd claim if he was asked) next to Elizabeth as they worked. She grinned at him and he smiled back.

The Dutchman breached the surface, spraying water everywhere.

The End

I ended the story this way because I wanted to show that life- or some semblance of it- goes on, despite the fact that the story is over.

I hope that you've all enjoyed this story. Please, do let me know. I know that I had a lot of fun writing this story, and the previous one.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing!

I have to especially thank arquenniel, for the absolutely wonderful beta work she did. Thank you, and you're awesome!

Yes, I did post early this week- I figured I might as well, since it's the last part and all.