White Flag

By Sylvester

Rating: I give it a PG.

Pairings: Jack/Elizabeth

Disclaimer: Disney owns the rights to Pirates of the Caribbean, and it's characters. Dido owns "White Flag." I am making no money for this story.

Author's Note: This is an Alternate Ending fic. It takes place after the Dauntless returns from Isla De Muerta, on the night before Jack is scheduled to hang. It also has a character death, but I won't tell you who! I love this character, so I'm just as crushed as you, but it's essential to my plot! I'M SORRY!! Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth Swann waited as the burly jail warden unlatched the iron lock that kept Captain Jack Sparrow trapped in his dingy cell. He only spared her a glance before turning back to weaving a basket from the straw on the floor.

"Jack.....I would like to speak with you." She started, as she stepped into the tiny cage and sat on a bunk opposite his.

"No need, love. I would prefer to die without havin' a row with ya on me last evenin'. The Lord may be sparin' with me if I carry the untainted image of you in me black heart." He cut her off, his kohl-rimmed eyes glassy and unreadable. He held the look of a fatalistic man.

"But Jack, I don't want to not talk.....ever since we were stranded on the island, and we had only the other, I have wanted to tell you that I think I've been bewitched." Oh, this was so hard to get out. But she wouldn't have another chance. The wily pirate was to swing tomorrow at dawn.

Some of his old fire smouldered in his eyes, and he leered at her. "Speak no nonsense to me, lass. The island was a ruse, a mind-game you played with me to waste time. You have your dapper Commodore, and your bonny blacksmith to dote upon you. Seek no embrace of a dead man, I can offer you no warmth.

"I don't give a damn about your body heat, Jack. I regret...accepting the Commodore's proposal now, and Will is sweet, but I love you. I came to tell you before I let the opportune moment slip by." She retorted, her bottom lip quivering.

"And now you have. Good day." He pulled his tricorn hat over his eyes, ignoring her.

*I know you think that I shouldn't still love you,

I'll tell you that.

But if I didn't say it, well I'd still have felt it

Where's the sense in that?*

"Jack! I'm sorry that I've ruined your plans up to this point....I didn't mean to be such a nuisance. I wish we could go back to that island, and not have burned the rum.....but that can't be now. I've been so foolish. All I ask is your forgiveness." She lamented, but he kept his eyes covered.

*I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder

Or return to where we were.*

'I can't let James hang Jack. I know I promised myself to him, but I will not permit him to execute Jack. I know I can't have him....but at least one of us could be free. He could go right back to being the stubborn, swaying swashbuckler that I've fallen in love with. Maybe Will can help me.' Elizabeth pondered as she stared at the pirate's still form.

*Well I will go down with this ship

And I won't put my hands up, and surrender

There will be no white flag above my door

I'm in love, and always will be.*

"Jack, look at me!" She pleaded, a note of desperation in her voice.

He threw his hat off and glared. If looks could kill.....

"You be the most obstinate, headstrong wench I've have the displeasure of making an acquaintance with! This mess...." he gestured wildly around the cell, "is out of your jurisdiction! It wasn't YOU who put me here, and I doubt that YOU can get me out, without a cargo-load of help. You have no reason to ask for my forgiveness, because I haven't blamed you for anything!" He cried, his hair and trinkets whirling around his head as if in a strong wind from his wild motions.

Elizabeth sobbed. "It IS my fault you are here! I stole Will's medallion when we were children, and never returned it. I was the one who fell off the cliff and almost drowned if you hadn't risked exposure to yourself and rescued me. I called the Black Pearl when I wore the medallion into the ocean! I was captured by Barbossa, and so it was my fault that I lured you and Will out to Isla de Muerta, where you almost got killed! Then it was me who yelled and fumed at you on the island, while never truly trying to understand your opinion. I could have kept the Black Pearl in the cove when we battled Barbossa, I know it. Then we wouldn't have been here in the first place. How can you not blame me? I'm surprised that you can stand to talk to me!" Her eyes shimmered now with unshed tears, her fists knotted up in her voluminous skirts. He eyed her warily, as if she might explode.

*I know I've left too much mess and

destruction to come back again

And I caused nothing but trouble

I understand if you can't talk to me again

And if you live by the rules of "it's over"

then I'm sure that makes sense.*

"Stop the emotion, darling. You cry, I cry, the guard cries, then I'll die anyway from drownin' in our tears. You did cause all of these things, true, but I think you did what was right by you in every situation. I can't ask for more than that. So I don't give me forgiveness to ye because I have no right to give what isn't mine to give." He smirked, his body oozing placidity. "And don't worry about me not talking to you. This may be the last night I get to chat someone's ear off." Elizabeth couldn't believe that he could maintain his sense of humor in such a dreary setting.

"Good....and I can repay you for saving me so many times.....I will not see you hang, Jack. You be on your guard tomorrow, and somehow, I really don't' know how yet....but I will set you free." She promised, reaching out to grip Jack's hand in a firm shake. "I promise."

He pulled her across the tiny cell and kissed her on each cheek. She blushed, and banged on the cell bars.

"Guard! I am finished talking to the prisoner." The large man came back with a ring of keys, and let her out. "See to it that this man gets a proper last meal.....a bottle of good rum, a...."

"Steak! Oooh, and some lovely scalloped potatoes on the side!" Jack piped up, his tongue practically lolling out of his head. Elizabeth turned to the guard.

"Missis....'at's too good fer the likes o' him." He grunted.

The governor's daughter huffed. "I will fetch it myself then. How do you want your steak, Jack?"

"Rare."

"Very good. I'll bring it right back."

*Well I will go down with this ship

And I won't put my hands up, and surrender

There will be no white flag above my door

I'm in love, and always will be.*

"But Father! He helped me escape Barbossa! He saved my life! How could you kill him after he has done me such a tremendous favor?" Elizabeth quarreled with the Governor, but he would not be moved on his decision.

"He was a pirate long before he assisted you those few times. His past has caught up with him. It is our law to bring such criminals to justice, would you see me dishonor my rank, and undermine our system of government, just for the sake of one foul-smelling blackguard? You will soon forget this, but until then, you must focus on your upcoming union with the Commodore. Do not forget that you must uphold his honor as well now."

Those were the last words she heard from her father before she slammed the heavy oak door behind her.

She stormed over to the fort, to speak to her fiancé.

"James! Are you truly going to let Sparrow hang after all he's done for you? I thought you would be more noble!" She spat, totally furious at the military man's stoic countenance. It reddened, however, at her last remark.

"Elizabeth, I AM being noble....I could not in good conscience let a man go free, when the first thing he'll do is rape, pillage, and maraud to his heart's content! I am saving lives and livelihoods by destroying this criminal. He has done us a favor, and from what Warden Smithers spoke to me of, he received our best bottle of rum last night, along with your father's own steak dinner.....AND my scalloped potatoes. That meal alone would be compensation enough."

Elizabeth blinked at her future husband, and slowly turned on her heel. No help here. Will was her last hope.

A half hour later, she knocked on the blacksmith's door, as loud as she possibly could. The sky had broken into a thunderstorm during her sprint over, and she was soaked down to the last petticoat, shivering on the doorstep of her oldest friend, in the middle of the thunderous night.

"Elizabeth! Come in out of the storm!" Will shouted over the booming of the sky, ushering the sodden young woman inside the stuffy forge.

"What brings you here at midnight? I almost didn't notice your banging over the storm and the furnace-"

"Will, I need you to help me rescue Jack." She cut him off, throwing on one of his dry shirts and breeches, only observant enough to shade herself behind the mule. Will turned his back on her anyway. Usually wary to forgo decency, she was obviously eager to get out of her wet garments to haphazardly strip in front of a man.

"I was planning on doing that already. I'm going to do my best to save our friend......he's special to you. And that reason alone deserves merit from me." Will said, turning back to the sword he left stoked in the coals. He pulled on the bellows for a stronger fire to help warm his friend up.

"How did you-"Elizabeth began, but Will waved her question away.

"Ever since we defeated Barbossa, you've been insane over Jack's fate. I'm not a simple, I can put two and two together. I uh, see why you find him so charming. He's bedazzled me sometimes, as well." Will smiled, lifting a hammer to shape the malleable metal of a wide blade.

Elizabeth sat, silent.

"Well.....that was unexpected. And I'm glad you're not upset. What are you making that for?" She asked, trying to get off the subject.

"Oh, this is for Jack tomorrow. As a farewell gift. I have an old long sword over in the corner to carry out what plan I have formed. Do you remember that spear-throw I taught you years ago, that embeds two inches of the blade when aimed right?" Will asked, dipping the newly-formed sword into a well of water, causing steam to hiss off of the surface.

"Yes. It took me a year to master it."

"And trust me, that was quickly-learned. It is a difficult skill...." Will trailed off.

"So you will help me?"

"Of course."

Next Day at Dawn:

"Jack Sparrow, be it known that you have been charged, tried and convicted for your willful commission of crimes against the Crown...." An official droned out a list of Jack's numerous transgressions ranging from piracy to impersonating a Church cleric. Jack stood on the scaffold of the gallows, eyes downcast. Elizabeth's heart beat faster.

*And when we meet

Which I'm sure we will

All that was then

Will be there still

I'll let it pass

And hold my tongue

And you will think

That I've moved on.....*

'Jack....I'll keep quiet. For now. But I must set you free. Oh, there goes Will.' Elizabeth thought, finally locking eyes with Jack.

Will moved steadily through the crowd, one rusted sword strapped on his back, the finer cutlass for Jack holstered on his hip. She moved into place, next to the underside of the gallows. She smoothed over her red uniform jacket. Her decision to disguise as a soldier was perfect because she could easily steal one. The wig made her scalp itch, and her neck sweat, but she kept a stoic face and didn't look towards her father and fiancé. If they spotted her obviously feminine face, then her plan would fail. And she would not let it fail, Jack was not going to die today.

The drumbeat quickened, and the official stopped talking. A large, sweaty executioner mounted the platform, a black hood obscuring his face. He grasped the lever, ready to release the trapdoor. Will unsheathed the old sword from his back holster, and fell to his knees.

*Well I will go down with this ship

And I won't put my hands up, and surrender

There will be no white flag above my door

I'm in love, and always will be.*

Elizabeth heard the shot after it hit her friend. She ran to pull him onto his back, amidst the chaos of dapper gentlemen yanking their ladies out of the line of fire, screams and shouts ringing her ears. She looked up at her father involuntarily, and saw James Norrington standing next to him, a shotgun smoking in his hand.

"Will, can you hear me? Can you speak?" She cried, knowing that he was not going to make it from the rapidly spreading pool of blood under them.

His voice gurgled and his eyes rolled, and his last words were, "Liz...bet.....Jack." and his breath stopped, and Elizabeth held a rag doll. She looked up at Norrington, and shrieked.

"Now, executioner!" Norrington shouted, running down the stone steps to deter his willful fiancé.

"No!" Elizabeth drew Will's rusted sword and threw it like a javelin, at the gallows. She poured her grief, fury, and pure adrenaline into the shot. It hit true, embedded firmly in the back of the platform, just as the trapdoor dropped and Jack fell. She picked up Will's gift sword to Jack, and charged up the scaffold.

He balanced on the blade of the sword, a mere three inches from being strangled. He felt the rope give, and he fell down, gasping for breath.

"Jack! Throw me the rope!" Elizabeth shouted, just as he freed his hands and yanked off the twine binding. He tossed her the other end of the noose, and they mowed down waves of soldiers by pulling the rope around their knees. When they were finally surrounded by the dapper red-coated militia men, they both halted and lowered their swords.

*Well I will go down with this ship

And I won't put my hands up and surrender

There will be no white flag above my door

I'm in love, and always will be. *

Norrington and the Governor stood in front of their fiancé and daughter (respectively), both too shocked to say anything. Jack stood behind her, ready to grab Elizabeth and run.

"Lower your weapons....for goodness sake put them down!" Governor Swann shouted at the surrounding soldiers who held their bayonets to her throat.

"I revoke my previous agreement to marry you, Commodore, because I could never share my heart with the man who murdered my childhood friend.....and tried to hang the man I care for deeply."

Governor Swann spluttered, his eyes wide and his eyebrows near his hairline. "He's a pirate!"

"Yes, that's what I love about him." She retorted, and she raised Jack's sword to her ex-fiancé's wide eyes. While they were distracted with her, she nudged Jack's arm, urging him to flee. He gave her hand a squeeze, and bolted to the cliff, where he jumped into the warm Caribbean waters below. The soldiers left her and ran to the edge, watching the figure swim away.

"Prepare to open fire!" Their Commodore shouted, pointing at the swimming form.

"Goodbye, Father." Elizabeth yelled, and sprinted to the edge, where she leapt over, to much shouting and screaming from the men. Her powdered wig flew off her head and drifted to it's death below.

*Well I will go down with this ship

And I won't put my hands up and surrender

There will be no white flag above my door

I'm in love, and always will be. *

"I was hoping you'd join me, love." Jack smiled, swimming alongside her to the nearby Black Pearl, where Gibbs hailed them.

"We figured the Code was more like...guidelines." He excused, grinning at Elizabeth. "Welcome aboard, Captain, and Miss Elizabeth."

Jack strode up behind her and rested his bandaged palms on her shoulders. She turned and smiled sadly at him. She handed him Will's last superbly crafted masterpiece.

"This he made for you." Jack accepted the sword, and with a flourish, carved "Will Turner" into the gold filigree handle with a knife. "Long live Will Turner." They both shed a tear over the blade, and Jack quietly returned to the helm.

His new crew member stood at the bow, staring out at the horizon. She pulled out a white lace handkerchief, and waved it to the redcoats lined up on the cliff. "Here is my white flag, you can use it as you see fit! I no longer need it!" And she let the wind catch it, the small cloth flying up to seal her past.