Hello guys!!! K, here's the deal…I'm really busy with school and all-essays, projects, presentations, tests-all that lovely stuff-so I really can't update much faster than once or maybe twice a month, allright?? Really really really really sorry

But on a happier note, here's the next chappie!!! :-) :D

Okay, on to reading!!!!!!

Note: after the first squiggly border line, there is a deleted scene from the dvd, so if u want 2 keep it a surprise 4 urself, it's easily skippable!!

Chapter 13: Bit of Jack, Jade, and the Lifting of the Curse

While Jack was taken to the helm with Commodore Norrington Jade and Elizabeth were both brought to the Captain's Quarters on the Dauntless. Elizabeth was given a spare set of uniform clothes to wear, and Jade was still in her former attire. They were pacing the room-well Jade was. Elizabeth, who was sitting on a chair next to a desk topped with messy papers and maps, appeared to be trying to hold back tears-and maintaining a brave face. Jade felt sympathy for her sister by just looking at her. Ceasing her pacing, Jade put an arm around Elizabeth.

"It's all right now, Lizzie. Norrington… and Jack, will-hopefully save William."

Elizabeth smiled a little at the prospect of having Will returning, but then became solemn again. Jade sighed.

"Come, Elizabeth…Norrington said that we're off to Isle de Muerta, to save Will!! You should be thinking on the positive sides!! He shouldn't be dead so soon…" Jade trailed off. Talking about Will's soon-to-be death wouldn't help matters at hand. But Elizabeth couldn't keep up the affectation any longer, and promptly broke down into muffled sobs. Jade sighed and rocked Elizabeth until her crying stopped.

Later that evening, Jade left Elizabeth, who had fallen into a nap after crying her heart out, to come up to the deck of the ship for some fresh air. She saw Jack was already there, staring out into the sea. She grinned as she strolled over to him.

"You never told Norrington about the curse, Jack."

He grinned as well and glanced at her fixedly.

"I noticed neither did you…For the same reason, I imagine."

Jade nodded knowingly as she spoke said reason aloud.

"He wouldn't have risked it, and Elizabeth would be resigned to a terrible fate…A life with Norrington." She shuddered as Jack sniggered in amusement. But soon he put on a mock-thoughtful expression.

"We could've gotten him drunk!"

Jade smiled and raised an eyebrow as Jack continued,

"Don't get me wrong, love, I admire a person who's willing to do whatever is necessary…"

His lady sighed wistfully and replied,

"Jack, you're a smart man…"

Jack turned and gazed at her intently, anticipating Jade's next words.

"…And…I've never met anybody like you before…and…"

He stepped closer.

"And…I love you."

Jack tilted Jade's chin higher and, motioning both of them, spoke softly,

"Peas in a pod, dahling."

He was so close that their foreheads touched. Jade closed her eyes and-

"With me, Sparrow." came the curt voice of the Commodore. They both broke apart, and Jack caught his compass that Norrington tossed none too gently. Swaggering to the helm once more, Jack glanced back at Jade, and winked.

Gillette came later to bring Jade to the Captain's Quarters, and to lock them in, just as Elizabeth was exiting. Struggled as she might, Elizabeth couldn't wriggle away from Gillette's strong grip.

"Coward!! The Commodore ordered-I've got to tell him!!! The pirates!! They're cursed!! They can't be killed!!" she yelled frantically.

Gillette was unfazed, instead, he just looked amused.

"Don't worry, miss, he's already been informed of that… A little mermaid flopped up on deck and told him the whole story!!" he chuckled at his own joke as he fulfilled his orders and locked the two sisters in the room. Elizabeth, once inside, stamped her foot in immense frustration.

"UGH!!! This is all Jack Sparrow's doing!!" she fumed. Jade was standing in a corner, arms crossed, a thoughtful expression on her features.

"But Elizabeth, think about it…If Jack had told them that Barbossa's crew was cursed, then Norrington wouldn't have risked putting his men in danger like that. Also," she continued, walking over to the Commodore's trunk of linen, "He wants to kill Barbossa, and in order to do that, Jack has to get your lover-boy and break the curse, and then Norrington could do the rest, I suppose…"

Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something, but was muffled by some sheets tossed at her.

"What in-" she sputtered, pulling a bedspread off her head. "Jade, what-?"

"Tie those together while I look for more." Was the only answer. Elizabeth scowled, but did as she was told. Jade slammed the trunk closed, sprinted to the balcony, and frantically looked around. After a few seconds, she rotated back to face Elizabeth, who was attaching the last sheet. With a determined air, Jade strode over and grabbed one end of the makeshift rope, then tied it on the balcony railing. Elizabeth, getting the idea, came up with the rest of the 'rope' and threw it over the side of the ship, into the water. Jade turned to her sister, and, seeing the similar look of determination, said,

"All right, let's help the man you love, Lizzie." And she started down the rope. Elizabeth developed a knowing appearance and further said,

"As well as the man you love, Jade." With that, she too, followed her sibling down the line, into the dark water.

After swimming a while, Elizabeth asked,

"Shouldn't we head towards the Black Pearl?? I mean, we'll need that crew that's on it."

Jade stopped swimming and faced Elizabeth.

"Lizzie, I do believe you are catching on!! Listen, the plan is, we go to the Black Pearl, and free Jack's crew, so they can help us, all right??" she spoke sarcastically, but registering the look on Elizabeth's face, she softened a bit. "Lizzie, I'm sorry, but we are headed towards the Pearl-it's docked over there, on the other side of that jutting peninsula." And she turned back to the direction, and continued to swim.

"Oh." was all Elizabeth said.

While boarding the Black Pearl, Jade and Elizabeth both passed two pirates eating-or preparing to eat whilst guarding the ship. Upon actually making it inside, they met up with Barbossa's little pet.

"Lizzie, can you distract the guards somehow? I'll go look for the crew…" Jade spoke hurriedly. Elizabeth nodded, so the latter dashed off.

Jade ran down a flight of steps and then some more. The Black Pearl was huge!! It was no wonder Jack was crazy about it. She felt a pang in her chest. Jack… She hoped he was all right…

Upon entering the hold, She heard the whispering of Mr.Gibbs.

"Shh!! It's Jade!!"

Jade scanned the crew, making sure they were all there.

"All right…Hold on-everyone hold on…I'm going to get you all out of here… somehow…" Jade said, glancing around for keys-anything to help free the crew. Finding them hanging on a nail in the shadows, and after going through three keys, she had successfully freed the party. Departing the way Jade had come, she and the bunch had reached the deck, where Elizabeth had somehow managed to untie a rowboat and ready it for boarding. Jade congratulated her.

"Oh! Excellent, Lizzie!!" then turning to the crew, she continued, "All right, all of you with us. Ready??" She and Elizabeth grabbed a rope that would lower the boat into the water. "Heave!!"

They didn't move a muscle. Elizabeth was fed up and shouted,

"Pease!! We need your help!! Come on!!!"

Again, no one moved a muscle, except Mr. Cotton's famous parrot, who squawked,

"Any port in the storm!"

Gibbs sighed in a resigned way.

"Cotton's right, we've got the Pearl."

Jade couldn't believe this.

"And…and what about Jack…you're just…going to leave him-?"

Then a midget sailor spoke up.

"Jack owes us all a ship!!" he cried indignantly. Gibbs agreed and added,

"And there's the code to consider."

This was simply unbelievable…Jade was so angry, that some crew members stepped back in fear. Elizabeth noticed and quickly reasoned,

"The code?? You're pirates!!! Hang the code, and-and hang the rules!!! They're more like guidelines anyway!!"

No matter what the sisters did, the pirates wouldn't listen. They both ended up rowing a boat by themselves to the cave leading to the heart of Isle de Muerta.

"Bloody pirates…" They both grumbled in unison.

As both women entered the cave, both heard the distinct clangs and swishes of swords of the numerous fights within the heart of the cave. Elizabeth immediately sought Will out. He was fighting a particularly strange-looking pirate, who was growling,

"I'm gonna teach ye th' meanin' o' pain!!"

Elizabeth rushed to them, with a heavy pole, and hissed,

"You like pain?" She gave a mighty swing at the pirate, knocking him out. "Try wearing a corset!!"

Jade sniggered and exclaimed,

"Oh, very cute Elizabeth!! Too bad you didn't bring one!!" she unsheathed her sword and started to join the squabble. Jack, she found, was battling his enemy on one of the higher levels of the cave walls. They were both skeletons. But Jade had other problems to deal with. A burly pirate had noticed her and was advancing quite violently. She blocked him as well as she could, but he was a bit too strong, there was a sting of pain where he slashed her arm. Finally, he seemed to be knocked out, and collapsed. Jade shoved him off herself only to find Elizabeth standing over her.

"Oh, thank you so much Lizzie…" Jade gratefully smiled at her sister as she pulled herself up and searched for Jack. Spotting him, she hurried over, and saw him throw something to Will. But then Barbossa aimed his pistol at her…she froze. She saw Jack's eyes widen in alarm and draw out his own pistol, aimed at Barbossa. For a second, the world seemed to stand still, and one gunshot sounded, but two bullets were executed. Jade fell with a scream, for the bullet had shot her in her shoulder, and was streaming blood rapidly. Three voices sounded.

"JADE!!!!!!"

Jack was the first to run over, and helped Jade sit up, all the while asking,

"Love, Are ye all right? Are ye all right?"

Jade groaned and grit out,

"Just peachy…"

Barbossa, meanwhile, was saying,

"…Carry that pistol, and now you waste your shot."

Will spoke from where the medallion chest was.

"He didn't waste it!!"

The two medallions he held in his bloody hands were dropped into the chest, and the curse was lifted…

Barbossa dropped his sword with a clatter and inspected his chest where the bullet from Jack's pistol hit him, which was streaming blood as well. A dazed look was on his face as he said softly,

"I feel……cold…"

He collapsed, dead, an apple rolling from his hand, and an eerie smile on his features.

The curse was lifted…

Elizabeth walked cautiously to Jack and Jade, who was still trying to stand up, but was eventually picked up by Jack.

"Jade…Are you sure you're all right?"

Jade grinned weakly.

"Yes, it's just a little painful…"

Jack kissed her forehead and swaggered over to a large pile of gold, still carrying her.

But soon he set her down again and kneeled. (Noooo-don't get your hopes up people…he's not proposing )

"Dahling…I've got to say…that yer the bravest woman I've ever met…not to mention one of the cleverest …and…well…I love ye."

Jade trailed her hand from his eyebrow to his cheekbone, and whispered,

"I love you too."

All right, now…I think that was nice…I love LOVE!!!!HAHAHAhahaha, uh…hehehe, sorry…but didja like it?? Huh? Huh? REVIEW ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peace out,

Sparrow MoNkEy ;)  $$ ## &&