It all started to flash. His life, pictures one by one flying past his eyes, rapidly started scrolling through his existence. Memories flashed like lightning bolts through the cloudy sky on a dark night.

"Please, Jack; I don't want you to prize fight tonight."

"Has no one told you she's not breathing?"

"I'm sorry, Jackie..."

"Don't cry..."

"I missed you..."

"But you're a pirate!"

"I'd die for her!"

"I don't know if this is madness or brilliance."

"Curse you for breathing you slack jawed idiot-oh! Mothers love. Jack."

"Leverage says you. A change in the wind says I."

"Well, you've proved their all mad."

"You stole my boat!"

"Let me guess, you didn't deserve that one either?"

"He roped a couple of sea turtles?"

"You've been planning this all along, haven't you? Ever since you learned my name!"

"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho."

"One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respected gentlemen into complete scoundrels..."

"You're off the edge of the map, mate. Here there be monsters!"

"So, what'll it be Jack Sparrow? Two immortals locked in an epic battle till judgment day and the trumpets sound?"

"I feel...cold."

"...And a good man."

"If the only thing I have achieved is that the hangman has earned two pairs of boots instead of one then at least my conscience will be clear."

"We figured they were more like guidelines."

"Captain Jack Sparrow, the Black Pearl is yours."

But this time, it wasn't the breezy Jamaican ring of Ana Maria's voice that spoke. This voice was deeper, smooth and rolling like a building tidal wave, soft caress of the sound carried into his ear by the warm Caribbean breeze. Jack could feel the warmth of the sun beating down on him, the weight of the coat placed over his shoulders; the strong caress and stable hand of the man behind him. Then he felt one of these hands travel down his arm, and wrap it's self around his waist, taking Jack's hand and capturing it lovingly with his own. Jack felt the scratch of a goatee as his lips pressed gently upon Jack's scruffy cheek. He smiled and asked the name with hope and emotion cracking his usual voice of sensuous black velvet.

"Will?"

"Aye, Cap'n. Now turn around so I can kiss you."

Jack spun around on one heel; placing a swiftly guiding hand behind his neck he smashed Will's lips forward onto his in a bruising, fiery kiss. Below their feet there was a shuddering as Serenity's laugh echoed through Jack's ears, a wave of blinding silver light encasing the entire world around them. Jack opened his eyes and all was as silver glass. The water itself was a shimmering liquid mirror and when he looked over the very bow of his lady with Will by his side, he saw reflected in the water not the mere wooden representation of his lady, but the lady Serenity Pearl herself.

She smiled up at him, as the water bubbled up, it formed her body, a shining silver siren, and then the wooden figure on the front of the ship drank her in, the wooden maiden coming to life, but as the liquid silver resurfaced it turned into all the precious metals. Her skin became a flesh colored porcelain, with sapphire eyes and ruby lips. Her dress was white, and as Will looked fondly over her Jack slipped his arms from around Will's waist, put his fists on his hips and said with a pearly smile no longer beholding any gold teeth, "I hope Will and I aren't going to be picking splinters out of our goods every time we shag you, Serenity."

Then, as the ship lifted up off the water, their laughter resounded through the air, no more than the last echo.