Wow, you guys. I am SO excited to share this chapter with you. Everything is changing today!

Thank you to my two lovely reviewers from the last chapter: hateme101, FlightoftheStorm777, and Christineoftheopera. You guys have been there for so long - I can't appreciate it enough.

Without further ado... chapter 36 ladies and gents!

Chapter 36: Giving Everything Up

Lauren felt like she was going to vomit. They were all headed to their deaths. Yes, they would fight and keep what little dignity they had, and they might even last for a while, but eventually, they would die. There was no feasible way that, against six Navy ships, they would make it out alive. Worst of all, it was her fault. They had come for her.

As she looked around at the stony and hard faces of her fellow crewmembers, she felt a surge of pride. This was where she belonged, and if they all died, so be it. They would die for what they believed in. Jack slipped his hands inside of hers and gave it a small squeeze. He gave her a reassuring smile and she squeezed his hand back.

The crew of the Black Pearl silently watched as a single ship, the one to their north, sailed painstakingly towards them. The distance between them seemed so vast that it would take hours for them to reach the Pearl. Lauren wasn't sure if she could handle the anticipation. She looked away, focusing instead on Jack's hand inside of hers. She leaned closer towards him, closing her arms and soaking in his presence. But then there were shouts from her surrounding crewmembers that brought her back to the present.

"What the bloody 'ell…" Jack trailed off, pulling out his telescope. "They're raisin' the white flag." He snapped his telescope shut and looked annoyed. "What are they playin' at?"

"Cap'n?" Gibbs asked, waiting for orders.

"Man your positions." Jack barked. "Ready your weapons. I don't trust them."

"Aye!" The crewmembers bellowed their agreement.

"Lauren," Jack turned towards her and gave her his full attention. "I want you to stay by me. Ye've come a long way since you boarded the Pearl and I think ye can handle your sword well enough. But stay by me."

Lauren nodded her agreement. She was proud that he believed in her and comforted that he was worried about her safety.

The Navy ship sailed closer and closer. Lauren could now make out the captain of the ship and she narrowed her eyes. "It's Hunter." She said, her suspicions confirmed. "He's here for one reason only, and that's me."

If Jack hadn't believed her before, he believed her now. "Well bugger. He got six ships to come for ye?" He asked bewilderedly. He backtracked when he noticed Lauren's expression. "I mean, ye're worth it love, but ye're not a princess."

"No," she admitted. "But whatever Hunter does, he does well. He doesn't fail." She said bitterly.

"He does today. You're stayin' right here." Jack placed his hand threateningly on his sword.

All of the pirates aboard the Black Pearl tensed as the Navy ship neared. "Jack Sparrow!" Hunter called.

"That's Captain Sparrow, to ye!" Jack corrected.

Hunter ignored this comment. "I've come to negotiate. Let me aboard your vessel and we can speak some peace agreements. I come in peace!"

Jack narrowed his eyes. "What's stoppin' me from blowin' ye all to Davvy Jones' locker?"

"If you take us down, you go with us. You're outnumbered, Sparrow."

Jack cursed and mumbled under his breath, "that's Captain, Captain Sparrow." He waved Gibbs over and they conversed in low tones for a few moments. Jack hesitated, and then ordered the gangplank to be bridged between the two ships.

Hunter and two of his officers boarded the Black Pearl and warily made their way through the pirates, their hands on their weapons in case an ambush was waiting for them.

"What are your terms?" Jack asked, his arms folded.

Hunter looked around at the crewmembers. "I believe it would be best to speak in private."

"Whatever ye have to say can be said in front of me crew."

"Yes, but part of my terms is to speak in private." He said firmly. "Or we'll kill you all."

"You've a lot of arrogance to continue to make such assumptions." Jack said, yet he waved Gibbs over and they entered into his cabin.

Before Hunter could speak, Jack said, "I know ye want Lauren, but I don't believe that's an option."

Hunter looked around Jack's cabin in disdain. "Sparrow, I don't think you understand the situation. I have six ships surrounding the Pearl. All they are waiting for is one signal from me, and they all start firing. The Black Pearl may be the fastest ships on these waters, but you're trapped. You will all die. So there is your first option, which you seem keen on already. In this option, you risk not only your own life, but you so easily give up your crew's lives and Lauren's, who, as I have heard lately, you have grown rather fond of."

Jack gritted his teeth.

"Your second option, however, seems to be much more beneficial for all parties. Hand over Lauren, and you go free. She remains alive, and so does your crew. Not only that, but we will stop pursuing you, even if I disagree with your corrupt ways. So what do you say, Sparrow?"

Jack had to bite his tongue to keep from correcting him again. "I'm not just handing her over. She belongs here. Besides, she won't leave. It's not my decision to make."

"I thought you would say that. Let me tell you something Jack. When I told her father that she was known to be traveling with pirates, of her own free will, he told me that he would rather have a dead daughter than a daughter that fraternizes with pirates. In other words, if we don't return with Miss Stratford, then she will be the first one that we will kill. All of the men on my ship already have their guns fixed on her, Jack. If you refuse, she is the first to die. Do you want her death on your hands?"

Jack balled his hands into fists. It seemed that either way he chose, he would lose. Give up Lauren and he would lose everything. Yet refuse to let her go, and they would all die. Either way, he lost everything. But his men, they didn't deserve to die. They had served him long and faithfully – it just wasn't fair. This wasn't fair.

"What's your answer, Jack?" Hunter crossed his arms, surveying him.

"You leave me no choice." Jack said, his voice strained. If he let Lauren go, she had a chance again at a good life. He had wondered before if she was truly a pirate. She had learned so much in her time aboard the Pearl that she had him convinced. But was she just a lady in pirate's clothing? He remembered his words he had told her earlier: you belong aboard the Pearl. He meant it then, and he meant it now. But she had a good life waiting for her back home, and a life was a life. She wouldn't be dead and Jack wasn't going to kill her. He cared for her and just wanted her to be happy.

You can't be happy if you're dead. You can't be anything at all.

"Well?" Hunter waited.

"Take her and get the 'ell off my ship." He growled.

Hunter smirked and exited the cabin. Jack followed after and slammed the door shut behind him. The pirates watched them, wondering what had happened and what their fates now would be. Would they fight?

"Officers," Hunter motioned. The two officers were standing uncomfortably among the pirates, but at his orders, they moved towards Lauren and roughly took her by the arms.

"What!" Lauren gasped as she was being led towards the gangplank. "No!" She cried, finally realizing what was happening. "No, I won't leave!" She tried to wrestle out of their grasps but their hold was firm. She kicked one of the officers in the shin and he cursed, his leg giving out beneath him. At the other guard's distraction, Lauren managed to wrestle her arm free. She whipped her sword out of her sheath and pointed it at the throat of the officer that had fallen.

"I think that's enough, Miss Stratford." Hunter said disapprovingly. "You'll be coming with us."

"I'm not leaving without a fight." She said defiantly.

"I can see that." Hunter frowned. "I'm sorry Miss Stratford. We normally don't treat ladies like this."

"What?" Lauren's face showed her confusion at his remark. But before she could make another move, one of the officers came behind her and struck her behind the head with the butt of his musket. She crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

Jack tore his gaze away from the scene. He couldn't bear to watch as Hunter and his officers carried her back to the Navy vessel. He couldn't bear to see his hope leave right before his eyes. Daniel ran to the helm. "What are you doing!" He asked, exasperated. "They're taking her!"

"They have to!" Jack snapped. "It's the only way to keep us alive."

"You're just saving your own neck," Daniel said, disgusted.

"No!" Jack's anger returned. "I'm saving her! Letting her go is the only thing keeping her alive! They would kill her if I refused. I can't do that."

Daniel painfully watched as his best friend, unconscious, was being taken below decks. He would never see her again. "Oh my gosh…" He numbly stepped away from Jack. Their friendship seemed to flash before his eyes: their first day aboard the Pearl together, the first moment he realized she was Lauren and not Gerard, their private talks in the crow's nest, him confiding in her about his Lauren and she about her Gerard. And now she was gone.

He turned his face from the others so that they wouldn't see his misty eyes.

Jack made sure that Hunter stayed true to his word. He kept his eyes trained on the other Navy ships visible on the waters and after a few moments, they began to retreat. Hunter's ship headed east, back towards Lauren's home in St. Christopher. When they were no longer visible, he pulled out his compass to find his next heading. The needle spun for a few moments and then stopped, pointing straight east. He tapped it a few times, but it didn't move.

It knew exactly what Jack wanted most and Jack had just given it up. He angrily snapped the compass shut.

:O

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