A/N: K, first off, sorry for another delay y'all. Went to visit colleges and such. The college applications are definitely the only thing I hate about being a senior. But on the other hand it's gonna feel so good to have that acceptance letter in my hand this spring!
Second off, to answer two recent reviews -

kristendotcom: yes, jack does have the curse on him but if you read this chapter you'll figure out how he could die. They don't need Will to break the curse b/c he's already contributed his "blood to be repayed." It's Barbosa's they need. Hope I and this next chapter explained that well enough.

kairi() : she can taste the wine cause she's not the one that's cursed (at that point in time). She took the gold from Barbosa but not from the stone chest. Again, hope I explained myself well enough.

~ Hope y'all enjoy! If y'all have any questions or if I didn't make something clear, please either e-mail me ( Basset2249@aol.com ) or leave me a question in a review. I'll try and answer them. Also my story's kinda winding down, I'm planning on starting a new one also with Celeste. If ya'll have any ideas or if you want me to e-mail you when I get it up, let me know in an e-mail or a review. Sorry for the long author's note! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own PotC or any of its characters. The only thing I own is Celeste and any other random characters that pop up for a scene or two.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Deja Vu ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Minutes ticked by slowly as the pirates waited for the others to return. Celeste nervously shifted the knife and coin from hand to hand. She tensed as Jack suddenly stood up and faced Barbosa. "Aye, there a fair bit out there now. I wouldn't be surprised if they've already found our gold medallion. Soon 'twill be the opportune moment for liftin' the curse." His eyes flickered up towards the opening in the cave wall.

Celeste hesitated. She couldn't do it, not with six pirates to one of Jack. She'd be committing murder. "Pick up a sword, Jack" she whispered to herself, "Pick up a sword ye daft fool!"

"Aye, soon we'll all be live men again, Barbosa"

Celeste took a deep breath. She had to do it. Barbosa was already giving Jack a strange look and it wouldn't be long now before he realized the game was up. But Barbosa and his men were standing too close to the stone chest. They'd see what was happening.

"Opportune moment soon, mates. I'm telling you!" There was a frustrated edge to Jack's voice now. He too realized that if she couldn't act soon, the game was up.

She drew a sharp breath as the keen knife blade sliced her hand.

Barbosa turned to study the passageway his crew had left by.

/"Now or never."/ She let the bloody coin drop and fall with a clink into the chest.

Barbosa heard and turned. He stared unbelieving at the second blood stained coin lying on top. "What in bloody hell?" he whispered.

"It means yer crew is dead, Barbosa. We're all live men," said Jack with an uncharacteristic threatening tone in his voice, "For now." He flipped the sword lying by him into his hand and launched himself at Barbosa.

Celeste hesitated. There was no way she could get down there in time by conventional methods. Only one way would be quick enough. It was a least a twelve foot drop but she'd have to jump.
The jar of the impact flew up her entire body and her feet skidded crazily on the unstable pile of treasure she had landed on. She hissed in pain as some sharp object sliced open the bottom of her foot but heedless she snatched up the first sword she saw and threw herself into the fight.
The screeching monkey was the first to bite the dust. The short pirate, caught by surprise, also met a quick death at Celeste's sword but that still left five. And there were only Jack and Celeste to fight.
She found herself face to face with the bald black pirate. The clash of her sword against his sent vibrations down her arm but she didn't give an inch. She neatly parried each attack but could see no way to get off the defensive. Slowly, she could feel her back being pushed against the cave wall. Her arms ached from holding his sword back from her neck. Inch by inch, it was getting closer. Then, right before her arms decided to give out, she dropped down to the floor and flung herself away from the feet of the surprised pirate. Following the force of his attack, he stumbled forward into the wall. Celeste leaped up to her feet and with one whirling stroke, managed to lop off his head.
She turned back toward where jack and the remaining four pirates fought. Grabbing up a sharp piece of treasure, she hurled it at one of them as she hurried closer. The piece only caught the pirate a glancing blow his arm but it was enough to make him relent his attack on Jack and turn to her. She scampered backwards onto a pile of treasure and the pirate followed. Maneuvering on the shifting pile was hard but that was what she was counting on. Smaller and quicker than the lumbering pirate, she gave him several telling gashes before she slipped.
He was almost on her before she spun away and his thrust caught her arm instead of piercing her chest as it was intended. She gasped as the pain paralyzed her arm but she stood anyway. It wasn't her sword arm.
They squared off and she sized up her opponent. He fought with more finesse than her previous one but she could see that the blows she had given him earlier had weakened him. Especially the one on his sword arm. She swiftly attacked and to her delight found that he wasn't nearly as agile as he had been. It was but the matter of a rapid attack sequence to first confuse, then overwhelm the kill him with a thrust tot he heart. Breathing only a little hard, she looked back towards where Jack and Barbosa stood.
Or rather to where Barbosa stood. The other two pirates lay twisted on the ground, victims of Jack's sword, but Jack himself was half kneeling. The red stain of blood was spreading out across his thigh, matching those smaller ones on his chest and arms, and it looked as if he was forcing himself to stand even as upright as he was. He held no sword but Barbosa held one. The point was level with Jack's throat.
Celeste wasted no time even thinking about the situation. Immediately, she leapt at Barbosa. her sword met its mark, right through Barbosa's heart, but not before his sword scored a deep cut across her side and stomach. Both of them slid across the cave floor and slammed into the wall. Neither moved.
"Celeste!" The word tore from Jack's throat of its own volition as he stumbled towards the two figures. He shoved Barbosa's dead body out of the way and turned Celeste over. The entire lower half of her shirt was soaked in blood to match the stain on her arm. /"Dear God,"/ thought Jack, /"Let most of that be Barbosa's!"/ He bent closer to he. She was still breathing, shallowly, but it was still drawing breath. With renewed hope, Jack gathered her in his arms and began to lift her up but his injured leg gave out under him and they both fell over. /"I've got to get her back to the Dauntless,"/ he thought, his restored captaincy of the Pearl not even entering his mind, /"Will 'n the lass can help her."/ He tried again to lift her but it was no use. His leg wouldn't hold them both. Captain Jack Sparrow actually had to admit defeat.
Then the sound of quick footsteps was heard echoing down one of the passageways. /"Wonderful,"/ thought Jack, /"We drown 'em and the bloody scoundrels still insist on comin' back."/
However, it was not a pirate who entered the chamber but a redcoated figure. His gaze took in the carnage and came to rest on the three figures of Jack, Celeste and Barbosa.
"It would seem that you two prevailed," he spoke.
Jack pushed himself up against the wall, forcing himself to ignore the pain and stand. "Very well *commodore*," he said, "what's it to be now? death by hanging? firing squad? or are ye jest goin' to leave us here to rot?"
"Not at all, Mr. Spar-"
"That'd be Captain, Commodore. *Captain* Jack Sparrow."
The commodore cleared his throat. "Very well then, Captain. I owe your lady friend and yourself an apology. You saved our lives tonight and rid us of a positive pest of a pirate crew as well. I intend to see that the lady lives to hear that."

A/N: Remember, please review! Any and all comments are rejoiced over! Feel free to e-mail me with questions, ideas, anything!