Gratitude in buckets:

Snarker… Why, thank you! I do enjoy being evil every now and then, and I am a big fan of cliffhangers… not on TV though, or if it's dragged out for way too long… then it just gets annoying! And yes, I sunk the Pearl. I hated to do it, but it was for the greater good… remember what Norrington asked Jack in the earlier chapters?? Anyway, I hope you like the next part! Thanks for the brilliant (tee hee!) review!

Cal… I'd just gotten on my e-mail when you started posting reviews… it was kind of strange to read one, then wait anxiously for the next one! But anyways, I'm really glad that you're back! I was getting a little worried. On rare occasions I was wondering "Did I write something to piss her off?" But then, I got my head on straight and went back to writing again. See? I have the faith… especially in my most ardent reader! Yes, I killed the Pearl. It was a nasty job, but someone had to do it. Hopefully, it'll be worth it in the end… I can't believe this is almost over!! Anyways, I hope you like the next part!

Kungfuchick… I had to, sadly. The Pearl had to go, and I knew that no other writer on the face of the planet was going to touch it, so I had to go into uncharted territory to see where it would take me. Please don't hate me! Hopefully, it'll all come out well! crosses fingers

JackFan2… Oh my, blushes thank you for your kind words! And welcome to the world of Renegade! Please enjoy your stay! :P Hopefully it'll pass muster when it comes to a close! Let me know what you think of the next part!! Thanks for the review!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ana felt the pain. It washed over her entire body as it radiated from one point high in her chest. In the distance she heard a high, keening, animal-like cry, but she couldn't make herself look for it. Instead, her eyes were trying to focus on the steely, blood-stained metal tip that protruded from her shoulder. The burning became searing as the invading metal was cruelly yanked from her body. A hand wearily came up to where blood seeped slowly from her as she fell to her knees, then to her uninjured side onto the deck. The rain battered down on her face, keeping her awake and aware. But before she could register or think about it she was upright again, this time being held in the firm grip of the man who had run her through.

"Let me go you bastard," Ana hissed through clenched teeth. Her right arm felt useless and her left one felt heavy. She knew that there was nothing she could do to fight back. The men were scattered over the deck, and those still standing all had their eyes peeled to the captain and his hostage, the only sound was of the rain hitting the wood of the deck. The sword now being held at Ana's throat kept each man still. There was a metallic ring as the Commodore drew his own sword. With a quick glance at Ana, he stepped forward slowly, walking calmly until he came to a halt a few feet from Damien. Damien eyed the sword Norrington had pointed at him dispassionately, his grip on the fading Ana tightening. The sword he held against her dug into her slightly, but Ana was beyond noticing.

"Let her go, Deverill. You want a fight, you fight me. Don't be the coward we all suspect you to be," Norrington said, hate filling his voice and making it almost unrecognizable. Damien let out a nasty laugh.

"You think I'm to give over when I've come this far? You think I'd get here and not get what I've been waiting for?" he asked. Norrington stepped closer to the man and his captive.

"You've been waiting for me, Deverill. This fight isn't with them. You've played some vengeance game for years now. Why cheat yourself of the opportunity to kill me in a fair fight? You kill her, I kill you. No chance to get your revenge against me," Norrington baited. But Deverill did not flinch. The captain was silent for a moment as the thunder of the ensuing storm rolled, an evil smile crossing his face.

"Adalia was a beautiful woman, Commodore. Did you know it was I your parents commissioned to take her?" he asked. Norrington's jaw tightened, as did the grip on his sword. Damien noted this and continued with his baiting.

"It was I who took her to L'Ollonais. And I stood in the wings as he tortured her. She screamed until she couldn't scream any more," he said almost gleefully. "She called for you, cried for you… even prayed for you. Until she cursed you. Her last words were a bitter spitting of your name when she realized how you failed her." The Commodore's eyes narrowed, knowing that Damien was waiting for him to do something foolish. The man's baiting took his attention away from anything that was not the angry man standing in front of him. But one set of eyes was fully aware that his distraction had lowered his guard, and the metal he was holding. With a quick turn, taking all the energy she had left, Ana swung her fist around and caught the renegade captain in the face. It caught Damien off guard, but by no means incapacitated him. He stumbled back, his sword falling slightly as he reached up to grab his face. His eyes hardened and he reached a hand to grasp the weakened Ana by her hair. He missed by inches as Jack and Gibbs rushed forward to catch the now-falling woman and pulled her away from the murderous man. There was a slight 'thwick' sound that cut the morosely silent air, but Jack didn't care as he wrapped his arms protectively around his injured Ana. When he looked up again, he saw that Damien's eyes had widened in shock. The man's sword dropped to the deck and his hands rose to hold his stomach. His hands came away bloody as he lowered his gaze to where the antique dagger protruded from his gut. Norrington, seeing that the dagger wasn't doing its job as quickly as he would have warranted, stepped forward into Damien's line of sight. With a humorless, disinterested smile, he stuck his own blade into the man. This strike was higher up and a little more on target.

"Let your last thought be that we've beaten you. You failed, Deverill," Norrington growled before giving his sword a heavy push to heighten the pain before he removed it and stepped back. Jack watched impassively as the blond menace died. The blue eyes that had once been so cruel went vague as they saw no more. There was a feeling of justice, a weight lifted off of the pirate's shoulders… but Jack couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that it wasn't he who had struck the fatal blow. Letting Gibbs carry Ana away, Jack stood and approached Norrington. Standing next to the naval man was Manuel Sanchez.

"Vayas con el Diablo," Manuel said as he studied the elegant, antique dagger protruding from the dead man's gut. Without a care to the former captain's person, he reached over and plucked the bloody weapon from the body. Jack turned at the sound of raised voices and watched with a sigh of relief as Ana shakily got to her feet, all the while arguing, with Gibbs' help. She was holding her shoulder where Damien's sword had pierced her skin. The Spaniard stood straight next to the pirate and placed a hand on his arm.

"The men from below have captured the rest of the crew," he told Jack. Jack looked down at the hand the man held out. It was handing the dagger back.

"I want to thank you for your assistance, you've saved my life… and I wished to return your dagger back to you," Manuel said. Jack shook his head.

"I should be thanking you," he said, watching Gibbs tend to Ana's wound. "And it isn't my blade… It was Deverill's." Manuel stared at Jack as he registered the information. Then, the two men looked down at Damien's inert, lifeless body.

"A fitting end, then, that he was poisoned with his own blade, si?" he commented. Jack smirked.

"Aye… a very fitting end that he was laid low by a man he tortured and held prisoner," Jack said. With that, he turned to scour the water where distinctively black driftwood floated by. A look of grief crossed the pirate's features as he saw the tattered remains of black sails mark the grave of his beloved Black Pearl.

"I'm sorry for your ship amigo, it was a fine vessel. I know, also, the feeling of such a loss," Manuel commented, his eyes also filled with a slight grief. Then, they both turned to where Ana had stalked off to, Gibbs as her shadow. The dark-haired woman was seated, leaning against the deck stairs, her eyes closed but her mouth moving in what was certain to be a caustic regaling of the events of the past few moments. Gibbs was just smiling good-naturedly as he continued to care for the woman, taking her biting words in stride, just happy that she was still alive.

"There are more important things I could have lost, mate," Jack admitted, turning back to the Spaniard. Manuel smiled as his eyes continued to rest on the spirited woman.

"It takes a strong man, a strong pirate to admit the truth in that. In this life, mi amigo, there are very few things worth living and dying for. If you should find such a treasure, you must never let it go," Manuel told him before saluting him and walking away. As Jack thought over the Spaniard's words he soon found himself enveloped in an enthusiastically tight embrace.

"You know, mate…" Jack commented as he looked over Elizabeth's head to where Will smilingly stood, "… some people may come to the wrong conclusion about this…" Will grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

"At least it isn't me hugging you. And I've no worries… mate…" he said, casting a quick look to Anamaria, who was watching them as well. Jack gave the young blacksmith a look before allowing Elizabeth one quick squeeze and stepped back from her.

"Jack, are you alright?" she asked, a concerned look on her face as she looked to the wound on his arm. Jack looked confused as he pat himself over.

"Am I not?" he asked teasingly, looking back up at Elizabeth with a twinkle in his eye. "Tis just a scratch, luv." The young woman let out a small laugh as she stepped back next to Will. The blacksmith put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. He was about to say something, but Norrington interrupted as he approached.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked, looking over each of his friends. Everyone nodded.

"Fine and dandy and fit as a fiddle, mate," Jack said. The Commodore's gaze held slightly longer on the pirate with a sorrowful look in his eye, but he didn't say anything. He then looked to where Ana sat.

"I've conferred with Mr. Gibbs. Your Anamaria is a little worse for wear, but she should heal quickly. There was no major damage done," he told the trio. Elizabeth let out an audible sigh of relief as she laid her head against Will's chest.

"Thank God," she said. Will nodded in agreement.

"Ana's strong… she'll be fine," he said. Jack smirked.

"Most of the men aboard me… well... most of the men would say she's too bloody mean to die," he said, stumbling over the mention of his ship, but smiling at the thought of Ana. Will laughed.

"I would have to say that her purpose in this world is to cause you grief," he teased. Jack thought about that for a second before grinning shamelessly.

"It works out decidedly well then since methinks it's my purpose as well," he said. Elizabeth reached out and took Jack's hand after the laughter had waned.

"Go to her, Jack. Talk to her," she urged. Jack's eyebrow rose at the underlying message she was giving him. Rather than comment on it, he let his hand drop.

"I shall go relieve our dear Mr. Gibbs from the hellcat's wrath… I'm sure he's wished her to her demise a few times by now," Jack said lightly before swaggering away from them. Norrington watched him thoughtfully.

"You would have thought that the present situation would have sombered him up a bit," he commented in his usual dry manner. Will chuckled.

"You'd have better luck getting a fish to fly. Jack's never been one for seriousness," he said. Lieutenant Gillette stepped next to the Commodore at attention.

"Sir. What do you wish to do with the Zephyr?" he asked. Norrington's eyes lost all traces of jest as he looked around the ship. After a moment, he turned to look at his fellow military man.

"Get all passengers – officers and prisoners alike – aboard the Intrepid. I want this ship at the bottom of the ocean," he said. Gillette nodded.

"What about him?" he asked, pointing to the body of Damien Deverill.

"Leave him," Elizabeth spat out, her eyes cold. "He belongs at the bottom of the ocean with his ship." Will nodded.

"I don't think Jack will disagree," he commented.

Unaware that he was being discussed, Jack approached where Ana sat. Knowing he was coming, she opened her eyes and gave him a small smile. She held out her hand to him and he just looked down at it. With her usual huff, Ana rolled her eyes.

"Help me up, Jack… I don't want to be stuck sitting here all night," she said. Jack just grinned at her attitude, but gently helped her to her feet. She walked away from him to the railing and look over it with Jack looking on in concern.

"Ana, luv, we need to get you back to the Renegade," Jack said. "You should be lying down…" Ana turned away from the water to look at him.

"I'm fine, Jack – or I will be, anyway. I need to be up and about. Gibbs has already driven me batty from all of his questions. Now, he's banned from my presence. Please don't make me do the same to you," she warned. Jack held up his hands with a smirk.

"I am forewarned so I shall forbear…" he said lightly. Ana's eyes roamed his face, studying him as he stepped next to her and leaned on the railing as she was. Her good hand came up and lightly touched Jack's cheek.

"Are you alright, Jack?" she asked. Jack let out a small chuckle.

"Why does everyone ask me that? Do I not look alright? Is there a wound I'm not aware of?" he asked, checking his arms, nodding at the obvious wound and then looking down his shirt. Ana smiled gently.

"I think there may be, Jack. In your heart. Perhaps even your soul…" she said as she turned to look out at the water. Her eyes roamed the area where the Pearl had met its watery end. Jack turned to face the water with her, the rain still falling on them lightly. The two of them looked out at the last place the Black Pearl had sat together… the ship that held a special place in both of their hearts.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: Another seemingly short post. My sincere apologies. But still… Holy wow… I'm one part from being done… This is only the SECOND epic piece I'll have finished by the time I post the next part. I'm pretty darn proud of myself… I only started two new pieces while in the middle of writing this (sadly, none PotC…) and maybe one day, I'll get those finished too! Wouldn't that be a happy day?? As for PotC, Jack/Ana and Will/Elizabeth… I may have to rest a bit. This took a lot out of me. I'm still toying with the idea of a James/Adalia back story. We'll see if I'm ambitious enough to do it. Anyways, enough rambling. What did you think of this part? One more to go, fret not… See you in a few!