Disclaimer: Still don't own the handsome, dashing, clever, roguish Jack Sparrow, or anything related to Pirates of the Caribbean. I used to, but Disney stole it from me. (Just kidding, though I wish I weren't!)

AN: I'm still really sorry about the formatting! The stupid website still messes it up whenever I post. If anyone knows how to fix it, please tell me in your review! And thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers, especially Reikon! You rock!

Chapter 7: The Final Battle:

Rowing toward the island, Elizabeth and Lara were busy trading words and insults about the code of the pirates. As they got closer, though, Lara motioned for Elizabeth to hush up. She could hear the sounds of swords, and people trading insults. She motioned to Elizabeth, and the two rowed faster.

A few moments later, the two reached the cave, and hid behind a pile of treasure, gathering their courage. Lara took up her sword before realizing that Elizabeth was unarmed.

"Lizzie, you can't go into the cave unarmed!" Lara whispered to her friend. "You should stay here until this is all over with."

Elizabeth glared at her. "Lara, there is no way I am going to let you head into battle all by yourself." She glanced around and found a large metal staff in the treasure pile and tested its weight. "This will work, won't it?"

Lara nodded reluctantly. "Alright, let's go!"

The two charged out from behind the pile. Elizabeth attacked a pirate who was threatening Will.

"You like pain?" She smacked him hard with the staff. "Try wearing a corset!"

Lara stopped paying attention to Elizabeth and Will at that point; she had her own problems! Two pirates were aiming to chop off her limbs at that very moment.

Immediately, all of Will's teachings kicked in, and Lara instantly began fighting, using her sword to the very best of her abilities. She dodged, kicked, and spun like a dancer. She cut off the hands of one pirate, and neatly beheaded the other, kicking them both into nearby ponds of water.

With those two disposed of, Lara turned back to look for Jack, only to find that Barbossa was aiming a pistol straight at her! She closed her eyes and waited.

She heard a pistol fire, but she felt no pain. She peaked through her closed eyes; she was alive! She looked at Barbossa and found that Jack had used his one pistol shot on him.

Barbossa laughed. "Ten years you've been carrying that pistol and now you've wasted your shot!"

"He didn't waste it," replied Will, who was standing behind the treasure chest. He let two medallions fall from his hand.

Barbossa looked down at his chest, dropping his sword.

"He's bleeding!" Lara exclaimed quietly in amazement.

Barbossa looked up. "I feel...cold." He fell down dead at Jack's feet. The three of them sighed in relief. Jack turned towards Lara.

"You alright, luv?" he asked, looking her over for injuries. She smiled at him.

"I'm fine."

"That was quite the little dance you did; you know, with the sword," he said, smiling in admiration.

"Thanks," she replied, blushing. "Will's a good teacher."

She started looking around at the treasure trove and saw Will and Elizabeth having a private moment. Not wanting to interrupt them, she decided to distract Jack.

"So," she said, looking at him. "How are you going to carry all of this, Jack? I doubt we can fit all of it in one rowboat!"

Jack grinned at her. "Well, you see, luv," he said, waving his arms around, "the idea is to find what suites ye, and start with that. Then, when I've found some buyers for those lovely pieces, I'll come back for the rest."

He instantly grabbed her hand and started leading her around the place, picking up bits a pieces of treasure and looking at them, one handedly. She also started looking around and found a beautiful gold bracelet. Each section was in the shape of a diamond, and each corner had a small diamond. In the center of each section was a small, beautifully round white pearl. It was fantastic!

She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw Jack smiling at her, a crown resting crookedly on his head, and several necklaces around his neck. His eyes were sparkling.

"Find something ye like, luv?"

She blushed and handed the bracelet to him. "It's your treasure, Jack. I was just admiring it." She turned away and started walking over to her two friends, just in time to see Elizabeth walk away from distraught Will.

Jack came up behind her and swayed over to Will. "If you were looking for the opportune moment...that was it! Now," he tipped his crown on his head, "if you would be so kind as to take me to my ship?" He headed toward the rowboat, Lara and Will following behind. Will sat by the oars with Elizabeth behind him, and Lara sat next to Jack at the front of the boat.

Once in the rowboat, Lara and Elizabeth exchanged glances, knowing one of them would have to tell Jack the bad news about his crew and his ship. Since she had spent more time with him, Lara decided to be the bearer of bad news. She looked over and saw Jack looking at his treasures.

"Uh, Jack?" He looked over at her.

"What is it, luv?"

She looked away; she couldn't bear to look him in the eye.

"Um, your crew, they," she paused. "They left. They thought you weren't coming back, so they took the Pearl and sailed off."

Jack was quiet. Too quiet. Lara looked over at him, and saw him looking out at the water. At that moment, they emerged from the cave, and they saw the empty spot where the Pearl had been. Jack sighed.

"I'm sorry, Jack," Lara whispered to him, covering his hand with hers, her heart heavy with pity for this brave man who risked everything for Elizabeth and to reclaim what was rightfully his.

He looked down at her hand and gave a small smile. "They did what's right, by them. Can't really blame them, darling."

"Elizabeth and I tried to get them to see reason, but they wouldn't have it. I'm so sorry, Jack."

They squeezed each other's hands. The rest of the ride was silent as they rode toward the Dauntless.

Once onboard the Dauntless, the Governor and Commodore stripped Jack of his treasures and placed him in the brig below. Elizabeth was sent to some spacious quarters below, with Lara following after. The two of them washed up and changed into some dresses that the Governor had brought with him, but had forgotten to give them earlier. The two of them overheard the sailors and soldiers talking about the battle that had happened onboard, and that most of the pirates were now in the brig, if not dead.

Lara felt relieved at being able to wash up, but she would miss being able to wear men's clothes. They were lighter, and she could move much more freely in them. She reached inside her dress and was comforted by the number of pockets in them; the one thing she had missed about her gowns was being able to carry anything and everything in them. Ever since the beginning of her adventuring with Jack.

Her thoughts stopped on Jack's name. Sure he was a pirate, but he was a pirate with a good heart. He hadn't taken advantage of her, and he had helped save the lives of her two closest friends, not to mention her own life. Not only that, but he was funny, if not charming, and certainly handsome.oh no! She was not falling in love with Jack Sparrow! That was impossible! She shook her head. She only felt pity for him, didn't she? She backtracked on her thoughts. Yes, pity. That was it. And to prove it to herself, she'd go down and visit him in the brig. She turned and left the cabin she was sharing with Elizabeth.

As she walked down the hall, she saw a small bottle of rum on a nearby table. One of the sailors must have forgotten to put it away. She quickly looked around to make sure no one was looking, then quickly hid the bottle in one of her many pockets; she then made her way down to the belly of the ship, where the brig was.

As she started past the doors, a guard blocked her way.

"I'm sorry, miss, but you're not allowed down here," he said.

She smiled at him. "I'm only visiting Captain Sparrow on my lady's request, soldier. Besides, it's not as though I'm going to help him escape, where would he escape to? There aren't any inhabitable islands around for days, and the Commodore has the keys! Your fears are needless." She smiled her most charming smile at him, and he stood aside.

"Very well, miss, but only for a short while. If the Commodore finds out about this, I'll loose my place. He's in the first cell; the others are in the very back."

She smiled even more charmingly, then walked past him to the first cell, where Jack appeared to be napping. She placed her hand on the door.

"Hello, Jack," she said quietly. He jerked up, then raced to the door after seeing who it was.

"Lara!" he exclaimed in surprise. "What are ye doing down here? Shouldn't you be with Elizabeth?"

Lara shook her head. "I wanted to see you. Besides," she said, grinning. "Elizabeth's asleep." Her smile faded. "I've brought you something." She reached into her dress. Jack's eyes widened and a wide smirk formed.

"Really, now, with these bars in the way, we can't really-" he stopped speaking when she reached through the bars and smacked him on the arm.

"Idiot!" she exclaimed, laughing. "That's not what I'm giving you!" She pulled out the bottle of rum and handed it to him. "I thought you might like this. You know, to help you feel better."

Jack smiled. "I'm already feeling better with you around," he whispered. He reached though the bars and caressed her hair, which was pulled up in a lady-like fashion, but still had numerous curls falling from it. There was only a small amount of space left between them; she could feel his breath on her face, their faces were that close. They leaned closer, their lips almost touching, when the soldier at the door called out to her.

"Your time is up, miss! You'd best get upstairs before someone comes looking for you!"

"Damn it!" cursed Jack. "Why does that always happen at the wrong moment!"

Lara laughed, then sighed. "I wish there was a way for me to get you out of this, Jack." She covered his hand with her own. She was turning to leave when Jack grabbed her hand.

"Wait," he called, reaching into his shirt. "I've got somethin' for ye."

Now it was Lara's turn to smirk. "I thought the bars were in the way."

He looked up at her in surprise, then laughed. "Aye, so they are, luv, but that's not what I meant," he stopped, then raised his eyebrows. "Unless that's what you want?" She laughed as he pulled out the bracelet she had admired in the cave. Her eyes widened.

"Jack!" she quietly exclaimed. "You can't give that to me! It's yours!"

He smiled at her. "Don't be silly. I saw how much you liked it, and I want ye to have it. Think of it as payment for the rum, if you want."

"Jack, I can't take this," she tried giving it back, but Jack shook his head.

"It'd look better on you then on me." He grinned. "You deserve something pretty after having to put up with me."

Lara put the bracelet on. She looked up and looked him in the eye.

"But I like putting up with you," she whispered as she looked at him. She quickly reached through the bars, brought his face close to hers, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good-bye, Jack," she whispered, tears in her eyes as she turned and ran up the stairs.

Jack put his hand on the spot she had kissed, and stared after her before he sat down and started on the rum she had brought him, thinking of how lovely she looked with his bracelet on her wrist.


Another chapter done! Major bummer about the interrupted kissing, huh? First the island, now that damned guard. Don't worry, there'll be some action later! Not that sort of action, get your mind out of the gutter!

Oh, and just so you know, there's only one chapter left after this one. I've gotten several requests from people that want a sequel, and if I get enough requests for one, I'll write it. How does that sound?