And now, the dramatic conclusion to: The Loss of Time and Place

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do not lay harm on that man!" said Elizabeth, with a pistol of her own in hand.

Elizabeth was followed by Anamaria and Luisa. Anamaria went immediately for Jack. Luisa went for her husband. She held her hand out to Will.

"I'd like a hand at him, please," she said to him. Duncan laughed.

"I'll allow her folly," he said with a smirk. Will obliged her and moved to join his wife.

"Jack," said Anamaria, softly, at his condition.

"I don't need your pity."

"I know, but that's not all I have to give," she said and lay her hand on top of his.

"Luv?" he asked, unbelieving, as she studied his back. She began to take his coat off, but he stopped her.

"I won't give him that satisfaction." Elizabeth came over then to offer her help and Will shortly after to bring him up to speed.

Luisa quickly struck out at Duncan and her moves were furious and rapid. Duncan's smirk soon disappeared. She was small and wiry, tricking him into move after move and easily evading his. Even if he had not been tired, it was clear who would have been the victor. Luisa caught his foot and tripped him. Duncan fell hard on the ground and Luisa ran for the nearest table. Duncan picked himself up and angrily charged. She dropped and rolled, leaving him to get the large vase instead. He howled in rage.

"El vase era feo," consoled Luisa and she laughed. Their attention was stolen to the doorway. The first of many pirates were entering. Luisa saw a spark of relief in Duncan's eyes, but the pirates arrived with murder in theirs. Luisa raised her sword high for a parry towards his head, her husband was quick to protect her head, but she changed her move. Luisa changed angle in the middle of the swing to his unprotected middle. Then she thrust her sword into him. Duncan wore a look of shock and dropped his sword.

He saw her eyes that were angry with a trace of sadness and then all was black.

"The governor is gone," said one of the Charles men as Luisa took out the sword and cast it away from her, "That means the treasure is ours."

"What about our share?" asked a former Black Pearl crew member.

In response, the Charles man shot him in the chest.

"I believe it's time to leave," commented William.

"Everyone to the Pearl and weigh anchor!" cried Jack, leaning on Anamaria and the crews of the Dauntless and the Pearl began to hurry out before they could get hit or maimed.

"We can't leave Norrington," said Luisa, firmly.

"Where is Norrington?" asked Elizabeth.

"Possibly dead, shot by Rookwood. I left him in the care of the town doctor."

"Then we won't weigh anchor," said Jack, allowing Anamaria to take his coat off. She cringed at the blood on the white shirt, but he nodded to leave.

They waited three days on the ship. Three tumultuous days that resulted in Will, Jack and Gillette having to make a temporary peace treaty between the soldiers and pirates. When they finally ventured back to shore, their first stop was the inn. The doctor was about to leave as they came in.

"How is Norrington, your patient?" asked Will.

"He is doing well for his condition. There were a few times that I thought he was lost."

"Is he well enough for a voyage?"

"No, he must rest."

"How about a short jaunt across the Caribbean back to Port Royal?" asked Jack, using a cane that Anamaria had gotten him.

"He'll need constant care and attention," said the doctor, patiently.

"I'll do it," said Luisa.

Will and Elizabeth smiled and exchanged looks.

"Then I must show you what needs to be done," said the doctor.

"We'll come back for the two of you," said Jack, smiling, "We have pirates to see."

There wasn't much to see, actually. The pirates seemed to have succeeded in killing each other. The treasure was still stored in the cargo boxes because the Governor had never given the order to load them.

"It doesn't seem right to keep the treasure in a town with no one to defend them. Perhaps we could just stow it aboard my ship in the mean time," suggested Jack.

"Then it will be stored upon our arrival in Port Royal and my father can suggest a plan of action for it," said Elizabeth.

She watched as he tried to form a comeback, but nothing came.

"Let's load the gold."

"I don't wish to see it ever again. I prefer to think of my future," said Luisa.

"With Norrington?" asked Elizabeth.

"Perhaps, he's a good man."

"Yes, he is," said Elizabeth, watching her husband go below deck. Anamaria was at the helm and she noticed that Jack seemed to be making after Will.

"There's something troubling you," said Jack to Will, who was in his quarters.

"No," denied Will.

"Is it involving Elizabeth or the child she carries?"

Will shook his head.

"Then Duncan told you something and you can't wrap your head around it."

Will nodded.

"He told you of your father being first mate on the Pearl."

"So, it's true then? Doesn't the first mate receive the ship when there are no kin?"

"Yes and Bill Turner did have this ship in his procession for a short while. A ship is a large financial risk, you could say. As soon as it's lost, the captain has to procure a new one, whether through money or otherwise. The crew has only to reach a port to find steady work. Your father had no love for the risk of losing her especially with a wife and child to provide for. When Captain Hyde died, he had responsibility while I had none. He gave me the ship."

"But Barbossa was your first mate?"

"I trusted Barbossa then almost as Bootstrap, but I trusted not Barbossa's friends who made up most of the crew that I had to hire in order to go to sea quickly. I placed your father in the thicke of them so he could watch when I could not."

"I wish I could have gotten a goodbye."

"So do I, but the men involved are all dead now. It's finally over."

Will tried to smile.

"Come on, Will, there's a whole life needed to be lived and we can't waste a second. We have women who love us and they're waiting, savvy?"

Will smiled and followed Jack.

"Where did all these pirates come from? Why are there all these pirates here?" asked Governor Swann when the Black Pearl unloaded its crew onto the dock, but then saw Norrington supported by Luisa. They were closely followed by Elizabeth, Will, Anamaria and Jack

"Commodore, what happened?"

"The Governor deceived us," he said, softly.

Governor Swann was horrified.

"This must be discussed over hot food in my home," he said and no one argued with that. It was at that meal where it was decided that since the treasure was stolen by Sir Francis Drake, the original plan for it would be carried out. The gold would be taken to England and given to the British crown that was so sorely in need of funds at the moment.

"Come on, Will, join our motley crew," suggested Jack, the next day at the dock. The gold would be delivered by the fastest ship in the Caribbean.

"I can't. I have responsibilities." Jack glanced at Elizabeth and smiled.

"We could always use another female on board."

"It's not her. It's me that is keeping them from their true callings. Go. Go with Jack and his ship, but come back when you finally tire of adventure."

"I'll take good care of Elizabeth, Will and their little one to come."

"What little one? Elizabeth is this true?" asked the Governor, but he could tell from her face that it was, "If I knew this before, then I may have spoken differently."

"You cannot go back on your word." He hugged her and said simply, "Good luck."

"Surely, we can keep a bit of the treasure," asked Jack that night when they were on the open sea.

"Perhaps," said Anamaria, "Perhaps the King will reward our honesty for delivering all of it." She kissed his cheek and went down below where she passed Will and Elizabeth in their quarters. Will was asleep holding Elizabeth who was looking out the porthole at the full moon. She touched her stomach, leaned against Will and began to sing,

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We kindle and char, inflame and ignite. Drink up me hearties, yo ho…" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you to all who reviewed and watch out for the sequel that I'll start posting in about a week.