Note: My apologies for those who are following this story as it gets uploaded. I have been away, 3000 miles from home, and did not have reliable access to the internet. I really didn't mean to leave my lovely readers with all this death hanging over our characters' heads! However, I am uploading this chapter from the airport on my way home, so look for another chapter late tomorrow. And keep reading; all is not lost.


Teague's groan of regret was drowned out by Elizabeth's cry of "Jack? No!" She rushed forward and grabbed his arm. "Don't do this! This isn't what I wanted!"

"Aye, I know," he admitted. "But think of your little boy. Your Auntie. Oh, give her my love, will you? And her jewelry. It's all in my cabin on the Pearl."

"What about us being together?" she asked. "You demanded it of Will, remember?"

Jack covered her hand with his. "No way to do that without a sacrifice, and whom would you have me choose, love? Teague? Little Jake?" He shook his head. "No, this is the best way. He needs you. Your aunt needs you. The Cove needs its king."

"But what about you?" she said quietly.

His face softened. "I need you, too, but I can get along without you until you join me. Just don't rush it, eh?" He brushed a lock of hair out of her face for her, and then went over to Teague. They looked at each other for a moment.

Teague shook his head. "Think I wanted you to die, boy, 'stead of me?" he growled. "Makes me no better than Blackbeard."

Jack shrugged. "Sorry, Dad. 'Preciate the offer, but I couldn't do it. It was my choice, not yours. 'Sides, Elizabeth is going to need you to finish teaching her the Code an' all. I'd be no help there, and you know it."

"That's true enough," Teague admitted. "Never saw a pirate bend and twist the Code like you do."

Jack gave a short laugh. "Never been any good at following rules, have I?"

Teague's craggy face melted into a smile. "'Struth, you haven't, but you're a good lad all the same. I'm going to miss you, Jacky." He threw an arm around Jack's shoulders and hugged him briefly.

Jack returned the hug, and motioned toward Elizabeth with his head. "You'll take care of…?"

Teague nodded. "Aye, we'll do. I imagine I'll see you again before too many more decades go by."

"Thanks, Dad. Don't hurry on my account, though."

Teague chuckled. "No fear. Not when you're leaving such a pretty girl in my tender care."

Jack broke into a grin. "Take what you can," he said.

"Give nothing back," Teague finished the quote. He glanced around. "Best go say goodbye to your lady, and I'll take her back to the Cove with me."

"Right," Jack said. He started toward Elizabeth, but stopped and beckoned to Calypso. "Don't suppose you could, er, fulfill your part of the bargain? I'd like to know she's really alive before we say goodbye."

"Yes," Calypso told him, and reached out her hand toward Elizabeth. She touched Elizabeth's chest with her fingertips. A golden glow sparked in Calypso's eyes, traveled down her arm, and flared up at her fingertips.

Elizabeth gasped, pulling in a huge lungful of air, and then another. And another. She turned wide brown eyes towards Jack. "My heart's beating again!"

He smiled in relief as he reached out to touch her. The skin on her neck didn't feel clammy and stiff anymore.

"Better,"he said in relief. He'd be able to kiss her goodbye now. He slid his hand down behind her shoulder to pull her closer. He bent down and pressed his ear against her left breast. "I hear it." He nodded his thanks to Calypso, and she gave him a little bow in return before going back to stand next to Will.

Jack moved Elizabeth's shirt aside to see the gunshot wound, which was gone. He felt it with his fingertips; there was only the faintest bit of ridged scar tissue there.

Elizabeth cleared her throat and folded her arms, raising her eyebrows at him. Jack had displayed quite a bit of her cleavage, checking on her wound. Jack glanced around at everyone watching him with varying expressions of discomfort or amusement as he carefully inspected Elizabeth's chest with his hands as well as his eyes. "Oh," he muttered.

Teague chuckled. Jack gave the others a pointed look as he drew Elizabeth aside into the shadow of the quarter-deck stairs. He pulled her shirt closed again. "Sorry."

Elizabeth let out a laugh that turned into a sob, and she buried her face in Jack's shoulder. He held her tightly, swallowing past the lump in his throat. He stroked her hair. "Going to miss you, love," he whispered.

She nodded. "You've brought me back to life so many times already, in so many different ways. How am I supposed to go on without you?"

Jack ran gentle fingers down the side of her face. "You'll do fine, sweetheart. Not much of a choice, is there?"

"Will you wait for me?" she asked, dashing away her tears impatiently. "Here, on the Dutchman? And later when I join you, we can go on together."

He nodded. "Assuming our dear William allows it, I will."

Elizabeth made another sound that sounded as if it might have been a laugh if she weren't crying. "It's another big favor I'm asking. You'll have to add it to my account. After all, you won't be 'Captain' Jack Sparrow here. The Dutchman already has a captain."

"Ah, it's not so bad. It was worth a lot of 'captains' to hear you call me 'your' Jack. But listen: if you do find someone worth marrying, don't hesitate. You do what you need to do, for yourself and Jake. Just make sure you come back to me at the end of it all, eh?"

She nodded. "I will. I promise." She rested her forehead against his. "My Jack. My love."

He closed his eyes. "I love you," he whispered, "My Lizzie." He gently tipped her face up and their lips met. Their last kiss had been all desperation and terror. This one was tender and slow, and Jack cupped her face in his hands as her arms went around his neck to pull him closer.

Elizabeth pulled his head closer. "You taste of rum and the sea," she whispered against his lips, "all salty and sweet." She kissed him again, threading her fingers through his hair.

Jack finished the kiss and sighed into her mouth. He felt the tears start again. "'Liz'beth," he whispered. He opened his eyes, blinking to clear them, and gave her a half-smile. "You have to go, love. Back among the living, at least for a while, eh?"

She nodded. He could tell how much it cost her, but she smiled back at him. "I'll see you again," she told him, "…love." She stepped back, out of his arms. She wiped her face and squared her shoulders. As she brushed past him, her hand fell to caress his knuckles, just as it had once before in similar circumstances. He felt a rush of pride for her and he smiled crookedly even as tears slipped down his face.