(A/N – Ah, the lunch line! Extremely long and that's exactly why I don't go up til it's down to twenty people! I eat with Robbie and his friends, and they're usually cool. But today, maybe I'll sit this one out and eat with Takoch (Andrew)…)

Livin' La Vida Loca, Reviewers!

x) Raina and Nayana - ::passes confetti:: Have fun! lol... Bring in 2005 the right way, huh? Well, don't make your assumptions just yet, but read! Hope you enjoy! Thanks for reviewing!

x) mrs.gyllenhaal-sparrow- Hello new reviewer! I'm glad you like this story1 I hope you read the first so you weren't confused!! Thanks, and have a great 2005!

x) Choco Donut - Well, yeah, gotta say that our plans are pure improvision, so yeah, I guess you can say that Thomas's little act of randomness was planned! lol. I'll await your card!! Glad you like my little people (Big Headed Dorks lol), and stop blaming me for it! I must let you read now! Bye! Cya Mort! Have a very fun 2005!!

.:: Ok, food's on me at the snack cart! Who wants what? ::.

- The cruel fates force me to write disclaimer…

- Nobody messes with my Lindsay, Jessica, Arielle Faye Turner, Rebecca Barbossa, Paige Castrella Madrine (Lillian Paige Barbossa), Thomas Pikes and Meridian... nobody.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: "Someday."

We were finally back to where we had started – the middle of the cave. She got me on the ground again somehow and kicked the sword from my hand, and as I saw my end coming, Will came out from the side and mowed her over. I grabbed the sword up and got to my feet watching Will and Rebecca wrestle for the sword. Before I had a chance to do anything, they were standing and Rebecca had Will with his hands behind his back and her sword to his throat.

"Care to try one of your amusing little stunts now?" she asked.

Will looked at me (-say yes! yes, you dip!-), and I nodded,

"Sure," I said. "Why not?"

With that, Will hooked his leg around Becca's knocking her down.

"Get out of here!" he yelled.

"No," I said. "You need to leave. I've gotta do this."

"Grace-"

"Now! Get out of here!"

He reluctantly ran back into the darkness, and I walked up to Rebecca. I held the sword tight against her throat, and she sneered.

"How's it feel to be threatened?" I asked. "No answer? Hmm… wonder why?"

"You will pay for this," she hissed.

"Oh, not me, mate," I laughed.

I realized then that I was sounding like Jack again.

Suddenly, Rebecca let out a loud howl of pain. Stewy and Paige peered up from around Becca's shoulder, and I saw Paige pull her dagger out of Rebecca's back with one quick movement. Rebecca looked down at me, really mad.

"You were right," I said. "It was pretty stupid to think you could beat us."

"You will pay," Rebecca whispered. "Someday."

"Someday, yeah. But not today. Today was reserved just for you."

"And Jack," she said.

At that, Paige raised the dagger and plunged it into her back again, probably ten times harder than the first, and then pulled it out again. Lindsay walked up to my side and opened the pocket inside Rebecca's coat. She withdrew the ruby, and held it up.

"Thanks," she said.

Rebecca met my gaze again.

"Like to say anything else to get you stabbed?" I asked.

"Burn in hell," she muttered.

"Ye can make it…"

"Evil Barbossa daughters first," I said.

I took the sword and pulled it fast and hard, slitting her throat. She fell in a crumpled heap to the ground, and Jack's sword slipped from my hand and clattered on the rocky cave floor. I fell to my knees staring at Becca realizing I had actually just killed someone. Lindsay, Jessica, and Paige came over and knelt next to me.

"You did it," Lindsay said, hugging me. "You did it."

"Good job, me bucko," Stewy said.

"I wouldn't have made it if you guys hadn't helped me," I said. "I should be thanking you."

Will and Thomas emerged; one wet, the other dry, and walked up to us.

"That was very brave," Thomas said.

"Please," I said, "I don't want to be any sort of hero."

Will walked up to Lindsay and Jessica and put an arm around each of them. They hugged him as they started to cry again, and I looked over at Paige. Jack was like her father, too, so I hugged her.

"You were great," I said.

"Not as good as you," she said.

I looked at Jack's bloodied sword on lying there. I bent down and picked it up, and then I looked up at Jack who lay on the other end of the cave. I started over with the tears and hurt coming back, and Paige followed. I almost thought I couldn't do it, but I managed.

I sat down next to Jack's body trying my best not to cry and not to look away. I lifted his sword and gently fitted his cold and heavy hand around it.

"I got her, Jack," I cried. "Just for you… I got her…"

Lindsay, Jessica, Will, Thomas, and now Anamaria came and stood around him. Will was on the verge of tears himself, and Ana just stared in disbelief before a stray tear ran down her cheek.

I looked at Jack's shirt as I ran my hand over its softness, and then up at his colorless face. I moved the one strand of beads away from his face and outlined it with my hand.

"I love you," I said.

I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek quickly.

"I'll miss you."

Lindsay, Paige, and Stewy kneeled beside me. I hugged Stewy who was crying probably the hardest of any of us; it was silent except for the crying for only a moment. There was a glimmer of light coming into the cave from all angles, and we looked up thinking we were being ambushed.

"They're in here! Hurry!"

We looked in the direction of the voice, and Elizabeth came jumping out of the first rowboat with Governor Swann and Commodore Norrington. She ran up to us, and she clutched to Will's side when she got there.

"What's-"

She looked down and put her hand to her mouth starting to tear up.

"What happened?" she whispered, looking at us all.

"He pushed Jane out of the way of Rebecca's fire and took it himself," Will said. "Just like he said he would."

"Why?" she asked.

Norrington and Governor Swann walked up, and both were speechless at the sight of Jack.

"Good Lord…" Norrington said.

"What happened here?" Governor Swann asked.

"Jack got shot so he could save us and we'd have time to get the ruby," Lindsay said, showing it to the Governor and Norrington. The Commodore stared at us, and shook his head, blinked a few times, and stepped back once.

"A ruby?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jessica said. "So we could take it and go back to our own time."

Norrington just glared more.

"Own time?"

"That's right," I said. "The three of us," I said, motioning to Lindsay, Jessica, and myself. Norrington just seemed lost.

"You three… it's-it's not possible… you can't be-"

He looked over at Will, Elizabeth, and the Governor.

"Governor, I thought it was only a rumor… they-they can't be those-"

"Littles?" Jessica asked.

Norrington looked back over at them.

"We weren't lying about them," Elizabeth said. "We told you the truth."

"Governor… it's-"

"The truth, Commodore, yes it is," Governor Swann said. "There they are, living proof. They have the pendants and everything. I saw them when we were captured."

Norrington looked back at us.

"You are the Littles?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, wiping my nose on my sleeve. "See?" We showed him our pendants, and he stared in disbelief. He looked back at Will, Elizabeth, and the governor.

"I apologize for not believing you before," he said to Will and Elizabeth.

"As am I," the Governor said. "Now, let's take them all back to Port Royal."

"We have a ship, sir," Anamaria said. "The Black Pearl."

Suddenly, Lindsay was tugging at my shirtsleeve.

"What?" I asked.

"He has a pulse," she said quickly, looking down at Jack.

"What?" I asked, spinning around on my knees as everyone else leaped forward somewhat.

"Yeah!" Lindsay said. "Barely, but there's one there!"

"Norrington, you've got to save him!" Jessica said. "Take him back to your ship! We might be able to save him!"

The Commodore didn't reply, but he looked to be in reverie as to agree to help out a pirate and his band of followers.

"Come on!" I said. "Who cares if he's a pirate, we're pirates, he's still dying!"

"But, I… there's probably no chance he'll live," Norrington said. "And besides, I have no clue what entirely happened."

"Would you ask questions later and get him to the Dauntless?!" Lindsay yelled. "Take us to the ship, too! We'll gladly tell you every bit of what happened, just help him!"

All of us gave him a strong look of desperation, but it wasn't working. Thanks God the Governor spoke up with Will and Elizabeth.

"Commodore," Elizabeth said softly. "Please."

"Norrington, take him back to the Dauntless and fetch a doctor," Governor Swann said finally. "We'll give them a chance to tell their story."

Norrington nodded, and he started shouting the orders to get Jack aboard the Dauntless, and we stood up.

"This will more than likely be a fruitless attempt," Norrington said.

"At least you're making one," Paige said.

"Right," he said. "You four girls and the boy, with me."

"What happened to Gibbs?" Anamaria asked Elizabeth.

"He went back to the Black Pearl," Elizabeth said. "He's waiting for you, so tell him to follow us back to Port Royal… with your permission, father?"

"Of course," the governor said. "Have them anchor offshore when we get there."

A group of men in red came in and placed Jack on a cot, and the carried him back to a rowboat. We walked behind them until they sat him snuggly in the boat.

"Take him to the Dauntless and find the doctor," Norrington said from beside Anamaria and me. He got into another rowboat with Governor Swann, Will, and Elizabeth, and we were led to one with two other men.

"Shame bout that Jack Sparrow," one of them said. "Good pirate."

"Good man, but nonetheless a pirate," the other said.

Ours eyes widened.

"Murtogg and Mullroy?" Lindsay and Stewy chorused.

"How do you know who we are?" Mullroy asked.

"Jack told us about you is all," Jessica said.

"That's right, Murtogg," Mullroy said. "Commodore gave us these to take back to the ship."

They turned around, and we started out for the Dauntless. The trip was a short one, and we watched Ana break off from our band of rowboats and head for the Black Pearl. We would've went, but we were all too upset over Jack, and even with that small chance he'd live, it didn't seem to help our situation any. We were helped out of the boats once we reached the Dauntless, and Will and Elizabeth stood with the five of us as Norrington and Governor Swann came over.

"I want this whole story, and I want it below decks," Norrington said. "Follow me."

We all did, even Will, Elizabeth, and the Governor. Will occasionally put a comforting hand on Stewy's shoulder as we went below, but nothing worked. The Commodore led us into a nice cozy room with a round table and big chairs. Norrington sat first, then Governor Swann, Elizabeth, Will, me, Stewy, Lindsay, Thomas, and Paige.

"Here's your chance," Norrington said. "The truth, if you please, girls."

It was quiet as we looked around the room.

"First off, you believe we are the Littles and come from the future?" I asked.

Norrington looked over at the Governor, and then nodded.

"I suppose. You have proof, so explain the battle in the cave."

"I really don't think you should make them relive such a night so soon, Commodore," Elizabeth said. "They've lost a dear friend. Let them greave before you choose to interrogate them."

"It is not an interrogation, it is a mere explanation," Norrington said firmly. "Go ahead."

"Well, you know the whole story from the previous summer," I said. "Jack and Will came back to get us because they wanted us to help them stop Rebecca-"

"Rebecca?"

"The evil that killed Jack!!!" Jessica yelled. "That's Rebecca Barbossa! The daughter of the physco from two years ago!"

Norrington and the Governor looked a bit taken back, but then that's Stewy for you when she's upset.

"Yes… continue."

"She wanted the ruby Jack left us in charge of, the one for time travel," Paige said.

"And do you have this ruby on you?" he asked.

Lindsay reached into her boyz pants pocket on the leg and withdrew it. She held it up, and Norrington took it from her carefully.

"So, you mean to tell me this is how it all began?" Norrington asked.

"I believe we were discussing the cave, Commodore," Will said sternly. Norrington shot him a look, and handed the ruby back to Lindsay.

"Right," I said. "Well, we came with them, and we met Paige and Thomas in Tortuga and picked them up as part of the crew."

"And where is the crew?' Norrington asked, circling the table.

"They're dead, sir," I said quietly.

"Dead?" Governor Swann asked.

"In the battle we had," Lindsay said. "Then me, Paige, Will, and Gibbs got captured, but Grace, Mary, Jack, Elizabeth, and Ana made it to an island."

"And I survived the battle and found the island," Thomas said.

"Very good," Norrington said. "And from there?"

"Rebecca got us again, and we sailed here," I said. "Then we set a plan into action, and Jack was shot… a-according to p-plan…" I said, starting the waterworks up again.

"So Mr. Sparrow planned his own death so he could save you all and you could get back the ruby… is that what you're saying?" Norrington asked.

"Yeah, we told you that already," Lindsay, said. "He planned it, but we tried to stop it."

"But we were too late," Paige whispered through her tears.

"And how did you start with the ruby and –"

"She took it from us," I said. "That's as simple as it gets."

Norrington stopped by his chair and looked us over. I bit my lip, trying not to show my feelings, but it didn't work.

"Commodore, they tell the truth," Will said, standing up. "I was there. I saw this all happen."

"And you did nothing to help Mr. Sparrow or these girls and the boy?" Norrington asked.

"What I could," Will said.

"Please don't harm them, Commodore," Elizabeth said, getting up next to Will. "They're our friends, and they saved your life, father. Now if they were pirates out to cause trouble, would they have spared your life? They're on Jack's side. You said yourself that he wasn't a bad man. So how can the Littles, after we've proved everything about them true, be punished for doing good and saving lives instead of taking them?"

I stared at her.

"She should be a lawyer," Stewy whispered to me.

I nodded, and Norrington looked at us again.

"There's no reason to arrest them," Elizabeth said.

"But they are pirates…" Norrington said.

"You still got a grudge on us pirates?" Thomas asked.

"No," Governor Swann said.

We all looked at the Governor, and he nodded at Norrington

"Elizabeth's right," he said. "No reason to hurt those whom we owe our lives to. Now, maybe we can repay you?"

"That's ok, sir," I said. "We don't need anything but the ruby to go home."

"But there must be something," Governor Swann said.

"Really, sir, it's fine," Lindsay said.

"I insist. A send off or party of some sort back in Port Royal?"

"How about a birthday party for Paige?" Jessica asked.

"When's your birthday, dear?"

"Oh, well… really, I-"

"Please tell us."

"Tomorrow."

"Well," the governor said. "Fantastic. We'll be back in Port Royal by sundown, and there we'll have you some rooms and the party arranged for tomorrow morning."

"Can it be afternoon?" I asked.

"Why?" Governor Swann asked.

"Because us Littles are super lazy and sleep in til noon," Jessica said.

"Not tomorrow," Governor Swann said. "You may sleep until eight, then we'll get you ready for this party at one."

"Father, I really don't think a party is best right now," Elizabeth said.

"Nonsense," Governor Swann said. "Now, let's have some breakfast."

"We aren't hungry," Paige said. "We're just gonna walk around deck."

"Fine," Governor Swann said. "Take care."

We nodded, and the five of us got up and left the room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

- BURP!

I'm full! Jack! Cheese curls can't leave the cafeteria!

Please Review! Yay! Study Hall!