A/N: Hey, thanks for the many reviews! They make me feel loooooved :D hihi, ok on with the story, hopefully I will make this chapter longer than the others…we'll see :)

***

The sun was already high up on the sky when Jack finally woke up.  He furrowed his brows as he felt something pressing on his torso and looked down.  Elizabeth's head was snuggled on his chest, one arm around his waist.  He pulled his hand away abruptly as he noticed it was resting at the small of her back.  Elizabeth mumbled incoherently and her arm slipped off his waist.  Avoiding to wake her Jack slowly removed her arm fully and placed it at her side.  He stood up and cleaned his pants of the sand while looking down on her in her peaceful slumber.  Finally he tore his eyes away and sauntered along the beach, his beads clinging with every step. 

Elizabeth had been so different last night.  Never had he dared to think that she would ever just walk up to him and kiss him…that was so…un-Elizabeth-like.  He did not deny that he enjoyed having her in his arms yesterday, kissing her like there was no tomorrow and contently watching her slowly drift into sleep, cuddled against him.  It was just that he never thought such a thing possible.  And it confused him. 

'I should have bloody told her the truth…!' Jack tried to push away the feelings of guilt.  Never in his whole life had he felt guilty…the feeling was new to him, and he didn't like it.

~

Occupied by his thoughts Jack did not notice the black ship on the horizon.  If he had, he might not have just sat down and traced the sand with his fingers.  He might not have relived the last night so worriless.  He would have hidden instead of giving a perfect target, his figure standing out from the white of the sand.  He would have jumped and run, for the ship had sails the color of blood…

~

Elizabeth saw them first.  She awoke with the feeling that someone was watching her.  She had not even time to wonder where Jack was for something cold was pressed against her throat.  It took her only a moment to realize that it was the blade of a sword and at its end was –

"Bring 'er o'er here Pintel!"  Bo'Sun bellowed. Elizabeth swallowed hard, thoughts racing.  Where was Jack? Had they taken him? And how did those bloody pirates get here so quickly? How did they find them?  Pintel threw Elizabeth hard to the ground, right in front of Bo'Sun.

"Tryin te escape, were we…?" Bo'Sun cooed menacingly.  Elizabeth didn't respond.

"Answer ye little whore! Or I'll ask Javey here to be teachin ye some…" Bo'Sun pointed to a man even taller than him who immediately let his big club hit into his left palm threateningly.  But Elizabeth didn't even listen because something had caught her attention … - tiny white sails on the horizon, which were coming closer steadily.

***

Jack wandered back to where he assumed Elizabeth to be and was quite surprised not to find her there. 

"Bloody 'ell! Finally I got myself up to telling her everything – and she's gone!" he said aloud.  "Women…" he added muttering. 

He trudged lazily along the beach and decided to try to find her.  As he bent around a dune he stopped dead in his tracks.  There, just mere meters away from him sat Elizabeth, tied and gagged surrounded by Bo'Sun and his crew. 

"Bloody pirates!" Jack hissed and was about to shoot forward to come to Elizabeth rescue when his logical side (as small as it was) stopped him right in time.  He would be foolish to think that he could rescue Elizabeth all by himself from a dozen of pirates.  But Jack couldn't bear seeing Elizabeth in the hands of those dirty scallywags – he had to do something! Elizabeth was now staring exactly at his spot and he risked showing himself for a second.  Her eyes visibly lit up when she saw him and she motioned him to look towards the water.

There, now already much closer, was a ship of the Royal Navy.  Jack didn't know which he should prefer: a dozen of pirates, or a ship of the Royal Navy, probably carrying that bloody Norrington.  He turned his head to Elizabeth again who motioned him to stay still and wait for help.  Jack grumbled something into his beard but obeyed and sat back behind the dune, watching that no harm was done to Elizabeth. 

***

"So where's that Cap'n o'yours, milady?" Bo'Sun asked mockingly at sat beside Elizabeth.  Jack restrained himself from jumping up and kept quiet.

Elizabeth didn't answer, mainly because she couldn't – she was gagged.

"He doesn't seem t'be that honorable does he now? Isn't he comin to yer rescue? Well, he was never one to care much 'bout his women.  Knew the pleasurable company of Tortuga quite well though, if I may say so" he sniggered evilly and Jack flinched.  Elizabeth stared at Bo'Sun, not believing a word he said.  Jack, her Jack, was not a womanizer – and he would have come to rescue her if she hadn't stopped him, right? Right.

"Ah well, either way me men will find him soon enough…and then –" Bo'Sun drew his finger over his throat and laughed loudly.  Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and glared at him.  If looks could kill Bo'Sun would have died a terrible death now, but instead he just laughed louder. 

From the corner of her eyes Elizabeth saw the ship docking a couple of hundred meters left at the shore, close to Jack, and she wondered why the pirates had not yet seen it.  Then she realized that Bo'Sun, with his back to the sea, was the only one left; the others were in search of Jack. 

All of a sudden a pirate staggered towards Bo'Sun. 

"They're here! The Royal Navy is here!" he yelled and suddenly the island seemed to bustle with action.  Pirates emerged from behind the palm trees at the same moment that Jack did, a young man and the Royal Navy close behind him. 

Elizabeth eyes widened at the sight of Will Turner and her father, but then she had to close her eyes at the rush of emotion and memory that came over her.  Everything came back to her too quickly for her to grasp and before she could react she was pushed forward and knocked out. 

***

Screams could be heard over the usually tranquil isle as the pirates fought against Will, Jack and the commodore's men. 

'At least they're not cursed anymore' Jack thought to himself as he slashed another one down.  Side by side with Will he fought them, but they seemed to become more and more.  He twisted around and blocked Pintel's blow with his sword only to sense someone else behind him.  Again he turned, but Pintel was still too close…

Will Turner saw Jack trapped between two of the pirates, desperately trying to fight off both at the same time.  Without thinking he rushed towards them and took on Pintel, relieving Jack of one of his attackers.  He smiled at Jack while parrying Pintel's blow; he hoped he had made up for leaving Jack and Elizabeth behind on the Arrow earlier.  Jack was one of his best friends and he could never bear to see him die.  Jack smiled back, but it wasn't one of his genuine smiles, it looked pained and fake.  But Will had no time to think of that now, since Pintel was still attacking him.

***

'Damn that Will Turner!" Jack thought angrily.  'He just had to save my life, did he? He of all people, he who would hate me if he knew what happened!'  Jack felt guiltier than he had ever done in his whole life and was not able to return Will's sincere smile.  It pained him to see how loyal Will was and how honorable he fought for him.  But he could worry about that later – now he had to fight. With one powerful blow he pierced his opponent and the pirate following him and proudly patted his sword.  He prepared himself for another attack and looked around confusedly when none came.  Around him pirates lay slain, not one alive.  They had won the battle!

***

Will finished off the last pirate and gazed around as if searching.  Finally he saw her.  He rushed over to Elizabeth who was lying unconsciously in the sand.  Will cupped her face lovingly and wiped a strand of hair from her face.

"Elizabeth! It's me, Will! Can you hear me? C'mon Elizabeth, you can wake up now, it's all over." He stroked her cheek and she stirred.  Her eyes opened and were staring at him with an expression so complex he was not able to decipher it.

"Will…" she breathed so softly that only he was able to hear it.

***

A/N: Oki, this chapter was actually quite long for me :D yay---go meee! Well, I hope you liked it!  Poor Will, I feel so sorry for him…*tear* I'm such a cruel person :D  Review review review!! PLEASE!! :)