(A/N – Oh me god… I'm almost done! And I believe you peeps wanted some info on the threequel… okay. Here it goes. Well, it's Stewy's bday (Dec. 7, 2005) about five months after this one. Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and Paige come back! Woot! Anyhoo, we have no choice but to bring them to school one day and Jack gets mistaken for the geography substitute by Miss Isabelle Garrett (she's not real lol), the new history teacher that year. So, just in that one day, things start to complicate between them, and just how lucky will Jack get under the mistletoe? Haha… I must leave it at that! Enjoy this one while it lasts, though! Last Chapter then Epilogue!)

Happy Birthday to Reviewer Kenny!! 1.28.05

First Place goes to the Reviewers!

x) Kitty and Kenny -Happy Birthday Kenny!! Hope you have a fab day and you like this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!!

x) pirate tomboy Hey! New reviewer! Great! Well, I hope you liked the first story as much as this one! There's another one up in Feb. after this one, so I hope to see you there! Thanks!!!

.:: Along with a lifetime supply of Subway sandwiches! ::.

- Usual disclaimer… Wait. I don't have usual disclaimers. I don't know the meaning of 'usual'… ugh.

- The following items are on display only and cannot be purchased or stolen: Lindsay, Jessica, Arielle Faye Turner, Rebecca Barbossa, Paige Castrella Madrine (Lillian Paige Barbossa), Thomas Pikes and Meridian. Thanks for shopping!

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: "Yay, magic pants!"

- Erica's PoV – 9 PM -

Yeah, after that kiss (which we saw, Lindsay!!), Stewy, Paige, and I were a bit jealous. Just a bit. Nothing more. I swear! Geez, shut up, Jack! Ahem… well, those two went below decks to 'talk' until we reached Tortuga, which we're just offshore of now.

Paige, Stewy, and I were again talking about last summer and all the madness that took place. We played a few games of cards, too with the deck Stewy had in her pants pocket under her pirate dress. Yeah, I had normal clothes under my dress, too… Jack and Will were at the wheel talking while Anamaria, Gibbs, and Elizabeth stood talking.

"Three queens," Jessica said, laying her hand down.

"Ah, but I have three kings," I said as Stewy pounded the deck with her fist in anger while I laughed.

"Not so fast," Paige said. "Four aces."

"Four aces?!" I asked. "Geez!"

"How'd you get so good?" Stewy asked.

"Jack taught me," she said, smiling over at him.

"But Lindsay whomped his butt last year at cards!" I said.

"Every pirate has his off-day," Paige said, shuffling the cards.

"Days," Jessica corrected with a laugh.

"Lily! Grace! Mary!"

"Yeah?"

"Come here," Will said.

And so we got up and walked over to the wheel.

"Whatcha need?" Paige asked.

"Would you kindly go get Jane and Thomas?" he asked.

"Us?!" we chorused.

"I'm not goin' down there!" Jessica said, stepping away from Will.

"Me neither," I said.

"Just knock on the door," Will said.

"Forget it, pops," Jessica said.

"Fine, I'll have to go, I guess."

"Yep, you sure do!" I said.

Will walked away leaving us with Jack. He looked tired and worn for the first time ever instead of lively and in step But then again, wouldn't you if you were shot just the morning before three times?

"How are you doing, Jack?" I asked, walking over to him.

"A little woozy," he replied. "But it's nothing a lot of rum can't fix."

The three of us rolled our eyes and laughed.

"Don't you mean a little?" Jessica asked.

"No, I mean a lot," Jack said. "And since I was such a big lug to ye on yer first visit and ye just had a lot of hardships encountered, do whatever ye want, drink as much as ye want, just don't get me shot again…"

"Or ourselves," Stewy said. "We aren't immortal anymore."

"What?" Jack asked. "When did this happen?"

"While you were dead," I said.

"Unconscious," Paige corrected me.

"I'm really itchin' to hear 'bout that," Jack said. "Ye'll have to tell me all about it over a pint."

"Heck, we could tell you now," Paige said.

"I guess that'll do for now," he said.

But before we could begin, we heard someone running loudly up the stairs. Will was the guilty party of disturbing the silent skies as he clambered up the stairs in a hurry. Lindsay and Thomas followed breathing just as heavily.

"Will, calm down, mate," Jack said. "What is it?"

"The ruby… is… gone," Lindsay said.

"Gone?" Jack asked. "What do ye mean gone?"

"It wasn't in the trinket box where Grace left it," Will said.

"Oh no," I said. "The two weeks curse!"

"But you haven't been here that long!" Paige said. "What did you do with it after you took it off of Becca?"

"I put it in my pants pocket, left it in the jewelry box last night, took it to the ship with me this morning, it should be there!" I told them.

"Did you leave it in Port Royal?" Jessica asked.

"No!"

"Oh, now isn't this just great?" Lindsay asked. "We've gotta go back! What about my life? My friends? My stuff?!"

"Sounds familiar, huh?" Will asked Jack.

"Aye, it would," he replied. "I wouldn't worry about it, lassies. Ye've got a good week left before that ruby goes any place."

"Unless someone else finds it and uses it!" I said.

"Ye worry too much, Gracey," Jack said. "Why were ye lookin' for the ruby anyways?"

"Just checking up on it," Lindsay said. "Wasn't there."

"Ugh…"

"Calm down," Stewy said to me. "We'll find it. For all we know, it could be right here in my magic pants," She said, lifting her skirt and digging her hand into her pants pocket and pulling it up again.

"Jessica! You found it!" I said.

Jess looked at the ruby in her hand in amazement.

"And I was just gonna pull out my pocketknife!" she laughed.

"Those pants are magic," Paige said.

"Yay, magic pants!" Lindsay said.

"All right, enough talk about that, get ready to go ashore," Jack said. "Tell Lizzie, Ana, and Gibbs, too."

- Faithful Bride in Tortuga -

"Y-M-C-A!! It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A!!"

"Louder, people!"

"Y-M-C-A!!!"

"I can't hear you!"

"It's fun to stay at the… Y-M-C-A!!!"

Lindsay then shut off the CD player, and the four of us leaned in together screaming as the tavern exploded with cheers and applause.

"Enjoy the rum!" Jessica yelled. "We're here til Saturday!"

We jumped off the bar, taking the purple CD player with us. The drunks cleared a path as we ran back to a table where Elizabeth was sitting with Will, Gibbs, and Thomas. They were clapping, too, and we sat down beside them.

"That was… Ermm…"

"Different," Thomas said, helping Gibbs find the right word.

"No, that was normal for them," Elizabeth said. "You girls sure do put on a good show."

"Yeah…" I said as Lindsay slammed her head onto the table with a moan of exhaustion. We all gave a short laugh, and Lindsay sat up taking a sip of her 'rum (iced tea lol).'

"I'm out of breath," she panted.

"Say, where's Jack?" Stewy asked. "We just go done telling him the whole thing in the cave before that and he's gone!"

"Jack?" Will asked. "Getting a drink."

"We'll be right back," Paige said as we got up.

We went through the crowds of ugly guys and that until Lindsay spotted Jack. And not only Jack, put Anamaria was with him.

"Stay low," Paige said.

"We're gonna spy on them?" I asked.

"Sure," Lindsay said. "Unless you want another round of YMCA."

"Let's go," Jessica said before I could answer.

"Fine," I whispered as we tried to hide behind these really tall people. Jack and Anamaria headed toward the very back of the tavern where there was barely anyone but lots of lamps and drapes, that sort of stuff… Lindsay and Paige led us round the room behind some dark purple and red veils right by the table Jack and Ana had sat at.

"From the sounds of their little performance, I should be afraid," Anamaria said as they sat down.

Jack shook his head.

"They love doin' that sort of… spontaneous stuff…"

"That's not spontaneous, it's wild," Anamaria said. "And they talk of taking us to their world when they bring such things here."

"Believe me," Jack said, "it's just how they live. And to tell ye the God's honest truth, I wouldn't have it any other way."

The four of us exchanged satisfied smiles.

"Aye, I think you've corrupted them," Anamaria said.

"Nah, they came that way," Jack said. "Awfully daft when we first met, but now we know 'em, and we can trust 'em."

There was a silence where they both drank, and we just waited to hear more good things about us (-innocent grin-).

"You owe me an apology," Ana said.

"I?"

"Aye, you. I outta make you scream it in front of all these drunks 'cept they won't remember any of it."

"Well, I would," Jack said quietly to her, "but I've got one little thing to take care of first."

Oh boy, this was it. Jack was leaning in with his seductive smile, and we were all giddy and ready and about to scream even though we held it in, and just as he was an inch or two away, he turned quickly toward the veils, reached in, and grabbed Lindsay's arm, pulling her out.

"Thought I smelled a rat," Jack said, smiling at Lindsay.

"Eh heh…" Lindsay laughed. "Hi…"

"Hi, Jane," Jack said.

The rest of us crouched low and attempted to crawl out.

"Jane, tell yer little friends to get up here."

We stopped dead and stood up slowly biting our lips and containing our laughter (for the most part).

"I thought so," Jack said. "Ye're awfully bad at being quiet and keeping out of others' business."

"Well, don't let that stop you from kissing her!" Lindsay said.

Jack bent his brow and scowled up at her.

"Nice try, lassie."

"But Ana wants a kiss, don't you, Ana?" Paige asked.

Anamaria choked on her drink and glared at us.

"Sorry to put you on the spot, Ana, but Jack's just being stubborn," I said.

"Get lost," Jack said. "All four of ye."

"You're just being shy…" Lindsay said as Jack pushed her away.

"Shove off," he said with a warning voice.

"We're goin', we're goin'…" Jessica said. "

We walked away, back into the main part of the tavern sulking a bit. He was putting us on! …Or was he? –mischievous grin-

"What's say we head back to the ship?" Paige asked. "I'm a bit tired to tell the truth."

Now that I thought about it, I was getting tired real fast. Thanks, Paige…

"Sure," Jess said with a yawn.

- On the Black Pearl -

It was quiet as we shuffled into one of the vacant rooms. Lindsay fell back into a hammock as did Stewy, and Paige and I grabbed one of the blankets and laid it out on the floor. We were all ready to fall asleep when I started thinking about home. This was home if I was Black Grace, but I sorta wanted to go back and be Erica… even with my parents gone for another two weeks in Germany. We've got about a week, and I dunno…

I went over to Lindsay's hammock and made her scooch.

"Lindsay?"

"Yeah?"

"Um, what day is it?"

"Friday, I think. Why?"

"I dunno… time just seems to drag. We've only been here five days and it's felt like the two weeks."

"I miss home, too," she said, rolling onto her side. "But we've been gone longer at church camp. A week."

"Yeah…"

Then a thought struck me.

"Hey, light bulb!"

"What's the light bulb?" Lindsay asked.

"We can bring them back with us until my parents get home! Paige is dying to see it! And with a bit of persuasion, I'm sure we can get Ana to come!"

"And Thomas said he'd like to see it, too! It'll be great! Stewy! Paige!"

"What…" Stewy moaned as Paige sat up off the floor.

"We need to go get Jack."

And so we ran up on deck with Stewy and Paige nagging to hear what this was all about, but we wouldn't tell them til we found Jack and everyone else who's now back here on the ship!

"What are they doing back so fast?" Jessica asked.

"Who cares," Lindsay said. "Saves us a trip."

We crouched behind some barrels watching them. They were walking up fast up the gangplank, and I made out Elizabeth's voice.

"Maybe you scared them off is all," she was saying, trying to catch up to Jack's side. "They wouldn't do something so drastic."

"Lizzie, you're looking over one very important detail," Jack said as he stopped with Will, Ana, and Gibbs behind Elizabeth. "When we were trapped back in their time, yerself in delicate condition, we needed to go home. They have done more in five days than they probably ever will. They want to go home in the worst way. If ye can't see that, ye're blind. I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to leave this instant if they hadn't left already."

"What are you getting at?" Will asked.

"They have the ruby. They can come and go as they please. But we didn't. I'm surprised they've lasted this long," Jack said. "I'm beginnin' to think we should send them back. They belong there, we belong here."

"Why would you want them to leave?" Elizabeth asked. "They want to be with us, with you. Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Of course it does. It's just too much for them," Jack said.

"What an accusation," Anamaria said. "They wouldn't just up and leave."

"Ye don't know them the way we know 'em," Jack said.

"So you want us gone?!" Jessica yelled, jumping up and blowing our cover.

"Jess!" Lindsay hissed.

Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Gibbs, and Ana came running over, and we stood up looking at Stewy who was throwing them all death glares.

"We don't want you to leave," Elizabeth said. "Jack just thinks you're better off back home for a while."

"And you agree?!" Jessica asked.

"Well…"

"That's what we came to say!" I said. "We do miss home, and we do wanna go back!"

They five of them looked surprised. Jessica was just… well, flipping out.

"But I wanna stay!" she argued.

"Don't you miss home, Stewy?" I asked. "Everything we got back there?"

"Well these guys aren't there!"

"But we wanted them all to come with us," Lindsay said. "Eri- Grace's parents won't be home for two weeks, and we can let Paige and you two (Gibbs and Ana) see our world. We know you'll love it."

I thought we had 'em… I really did. But apparently not.

"Sorry, luv, but I can't," Jack said. "Not with me recent injuries."

"Oh," I said quietly. "Will? Elizabeth?"

They shook their heads.

"We have a little girl that we haven't seen in a week," Elizabeth said. "She needs us."

"See!" Jess said. "Why go back?!"

"Well, uh… Paige?" Lindsay asked.

"No," she said.

"No?!" Lindsay asked. "But you were dying to see the future!"

"Well, the future will have to wait," she said, walking up to Jack. "I've got a life to catch on up with here with Jack. Twelve years worth."

I was sad, yeah, Stewy was crushed, but she had a really good point. I couldn't do it.

"But-"

"Stewy, don't," I said.

"But, can we stay?" she asked.

"Jess, you want to go home just as much as Lindsay and I do," I said. "And they need to catch up on their own lives for a bit."

"After everything gets situated again, we'll see each other," Lindsay said.

"Ye can bet on it, Mary," Jack said.

"But I don't want to wait til next summer!" Jessica whined. "This sucks!"

"You won't have to," Will said, approaching her. "We'll see you before then."

"Really?" Jessica asked all happy now.

"Of course," Elizabeth said as Jess hugged Will tightly.

"Uh… Mary… I-"

"Oh, sorry," she said, stepping back.

"I promise ye we'll meet before another year comes," Jack said. "Just like a promise for a great adventure."

"What an adventure it was," I said, sighing exhaustedly. "Well, here's another goodbye. We'll… we'll miss you."

"What about Thomas?" Lindsay asked. "I wanna say goodbye to my boyfriend!"

"Me?"

We spun around, and there he was. Oh, why did he have to fall in love with her ("Don't be jealous…" I am not, Lindsay… "Are…" Not… "ARE!!" NOT!!)?!

"You're leaving?" he asked. "So soon?"

"It's been an eternity," I said.

"Not for this," Lindsay said. "I'll see you soon, Thomas."

"Goodbye, Jane."

Lindsay looked on the verge of tear when she blurted something out.

"Maybe we should leave the ruby with them," she said. "That way they'll come to us when they're ready."

"How?" Jessica asked.

"We have someone come back with us, and then they go back themselves," Lindsay explained (I – HATE – THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

"Paige?" I asked immediately.

She looked up at Jack, who nodded, and then she walked over to us.

"Let's go down into that room we were in," Lindsay said. "We need to get our things."

"But why? With each use, the ruby shrinks, remember?" Jessica asked.

"It's better to use it twice for it to be here than once and chance it getting taken more back home," I said. "Think about it…"

Stewy nodded, and we all went down into the bowels of the ship, and we piled our things after throwing off our dresses to reveal our normal clothes. I was going home and was so happy, but I was leaving this all behind. All I ever wanted was adventure. And now that I got it, I wanted to go home and sleep forever. I looked at them all before we each went down the line hugging them and exchanging things like compasses that actually point North, Pringles, little things like that. Then, the four of us stepped back with all our things.

"We'll see you," I said.

"Sooner than you think," Jack said.

With that, we linked arms, and Paige gripped the ruby.

"Ready?" she asked.

With one look back at them all, I nodded slowly. Now I really wanted to stay. What if something happened to Jack again? Or any of the others and we never knew it? Why can't I make up my mind?!

"Yeah," Lindsay said.

It was my last look at them all standing there that evening before I closed my eyes, and we began counting together.

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three…"

I stood with my eyes shut a moment before opening them again. My room. I was in my room looking on my bookcase where they had been. I lowered my head, but then Paige stepped in front of us all.

"I can't wait to see more of this," she said.

"Well, if Jack promised he'd be here before summer, he'll be here," Lindsay said. "We know it."

I nodded at that as Paige started hugging us.

"I'll be back," she said.

"Read that book I gave you," Lindsay said. "It'll explain all the weirdness."

"Then you'll truly be one of us," Jessica said. "A twenty-first century American teenager."

"What are you talking about?" I said, swinging my arm over Paige's shoulder. "She already is."

We all smiled, and then Paige stepped back.

"Goodbye," she said.

"Bye," the three of us said together.

And that was it. No more Paige. No more Will, Elizabeth, Jack, Governor, Norrington, baby Arielle, Gibbs, Ana, drunks, Black Pearl, battles, deserted islands, rubies, Isle de Muerta, cursed gold, evil monkeys, none of it. All gone.

At least til next time…

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- Stewy says it perfectly…

GOODBYES SUCK!!!

Please Review! Epilogue, then the threequel is up!