The Commodore gave Jack is own rowboat so he could head alone into the cave as per their plan. That plan was that Jack was going to convince Barbossa and the rest on the pirates to come out and the Dauntless was going to blast them all away. Simple. But what Jack didn't know was that Norrington and his men weren't going to row back to their ship and when Captain Barbossa was going to order his men to go attack the Navy vessel they weren't going to be taking their boats. That didn't really matter though. Everything was going to turn out all right regardless.

This time, I chose to sit in the boat with Jack. He had a content look on his face; content laced with mischief. I wanted to make sure Jack knew what to do when the time came, so I asked him.

"So, what are you going to do if, and when, you get into a fight with Barbossa?"

Jack's eyebrows raised. "Oh, so you know my plan, then?"

I nodded. "Yes. How are you going to make sure you win the fight, Jack? Because right now, Barbossa has the advantage, him being immortal and all."

Jack thought for a moment. He pulled back hard on the oars and let the boat glide from the push of wood on water. "Well," he said. "I was thinking that I might take out a bit of insurance, if ye know what I mean." He winked at me. We shared sly, knowing smirks.

Part of me really didn't want to see Jack get cursed, but I reminded myself that it was for the best. It was the only way Jack would be able to protect himself from dieing. Plus he would also have some control as to when the curse would be lifted. Jack also knew all of this, and to tell you the truth, I firmly believe that he was looking forward to getting cursed, and seeing Barbossa's face when he realised it.

When we reached the heart of the cave we waisted no time in ditching the boat and climbing up to where the pirates had gathered for the last time. Jack didn't hesitate before he plunged into the chanting crowd, muttering "excuse me," and "beg your pardon" to the pirates as he squeezed past. I was right on Jack's tail. As we approached the mound with the chest, I could clearly see Will being held over the cursed gold, Barbossa ready to slit his throat. His blood would fall onto the last coin, the medallion around his neck, and their curse would finally be over. Jack and I were here to make sure it didn't happen that way.

"Begun by blood," Barbossa announced. "By blood…" He stopped when he spotted Jack, who was waving his arms to get the other captain's attention. No one even tried to hide their surprise at his sudden appearance. The chanting gradually stopped when the others realised he was there. When Will looked up, he too looked surprised, but his expression was also mixed with relief. He was still a bit uncertain though. He didn't trust Jack entirely…yet.

"Jack!" he cried.

"It's not possible," Barbossa whispered.

"Not probable," Jack corrected as we moved even closer to them.

Will straitened up, struggling against the men holding him. I recognised them as Koher and Twigg. "Where's Elizabeth?" Will demanded.

When Jack passed Bo'son, the last person between him and the mound with the chest, the muscular man placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping my assignment from getting any closer. Jack glanced back at him quickly before answering Will. "She's safe, just like I promised. She's all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised, and you get to die for her like you promised. So we're all men of our word, really, except for Elizabeth who is in fact a women."

Barbossa had had enough. "Shut up! You're next!" he shouted at Jack, who took a step backwards. I'm not sure though if it was because of Barbossa's aggressive threat, or because Bo'son pulled him back. Barbossa made to cut Will's throat again, and the stone blade was pressed against the blacksmith's exposed neck before Jack interrupted the proceedings for a second time.

"You don't want to be doin' that, mate."

Barbossa heard the warning is Sparrow's voice, but ignored it. "No, I really think I do."

Jack shrugged. "Your funeral."

From the angle I was at, I couldn't see Barbossa roll his eyes very clearly, but I smiled to myself at my mind's eye view of it. The cursed captain looked up again at Jack. "Why don't I want to be doing it?" He knew Jack well enough to tell when he had something up his sleeve.

"Well, because…" Jack slapped Bo'son's hand off his shoulder and climbed the mound up to the chest. "Because the HMS Dauntless, pride of the Royal Navy..." he pointed in the direction of where said ship was anchored. "... is floating just offshore waiting for you."

The pirates believed him. It would explain how he got there. I relished at their concerned faces and mutterings amongst themselves. Jack continued gesturing with his hands as he spoke.

"Just hear me out, mate," he said to Barbossa, who was now resting one booted foot on the rim of the chest and was leaning on his raised knee. He was listening closely to what his enemy had to say. "You order you men to row out to the Daultless, they do what they do best," he gestured to the crowd, who smirked and chuckled. In their case, their best was really their worst. "Robert's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt… there you are with two ships. The makings of your very own fleet."

I could almost see the image of Barbossa commanding is own small navy, but I felt secure in the knowledge that there was no possible way that was going to happen. Jack continued to weave his offer, and offer he and I both knew he had no real intention of keeping his word to.

"Of course, you'll take the grandest as your flagship, and who's to argue? But what of the Pearl?" Jack paused and took a small step closer. "Name me captain. I'll sail under your colours and give you ten percent of me plunder and you get to introduce yourself as Commodore Barbossa. Savvy?"

We could tell Barbossa liked the sound of himself being called 'commodore,' "Good way to butter him up," I thought.

"And I suppose in exchange you want me not to kill the whelp." Barbossa looked at Will, who shot him a dark glare.

"No, no, not at all. By all means, kill the whelp," Jack said. Will studied him, trying to figure out what the heck he was doing and perhaps wondering if Jack really was there to save him or not. "Just not yet," Jack stressed to Barbossa, then he made direct eye contact with Will. "Wait to lift the curse until the opportune moment."

"In other words," I said quietly. "Watch closely so you don't screw this up again, you eunuch."

Jack looked back to Barbossa. "For instance…"As quickly as I could, I prepared myself mentally for Jack's next action. He picked up a handful of coins out of the chest, and as soon as he did I felt his life force vanish. It just…lifted away. I bit my lip as a cold, uncomfortable shiver crossed through my body.

Talking a deep breath to clear the feeling out, I thought to myself, "Everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. Jack's going to be fine." I just kept repeating this over and over in my mind, and it did seem to work a little.

"After you've killed Norrington's men," Jack continued to Barbossa. "Every…" he dropped one coin back into the chest. "last…" another coin clinked into the chest. "one." A third coin joined its brothers. Jack still had one coin left in his hand, and no one noticed him hide it except for myself and Will. It was quite a tricky bit of slight of hand.

Jack glanced at me, and I saw in his eyes a flash of an apology. He knew that my heart was telling me that he was dead and how distressing it was for me. I gave him a brave smile.

Meanwhile, in Will Turner's mind I knew that all the puzzle pieces were falling into place. Now he knew Jack's plan. "You've been planning this from the beginning," he accused Jack in anger. "Ever since you learned my name."

"Yeah," Jack admitted simply.

Barbossa took his foot off the rim of the chest. "I want fifty precent of your plunder," he declared to Jack. This was a good sign. It meant that he agreed with the rest of Jack's plan and just wanted to sort this one thing out properly.

"Fifteen," Jack haggled.

"Forty."

"Twenty-five." There was a pause as Barbossa considered this. "I'll buy you the hat," Jack promised falsely. Barbossa's eyes flickered up to the one he was already wearing. "A really big one, Commodore." Jack addressing him as 'commodore' was the final thing needed to make up Barbossa's mind. His mouth twitched into a smile.

"We have an accord," he said, and the two pirates shook hands. As soon as Barbossa let go, Jack openly addressed the crew, spreading his arms wide.

"All hands to the boats!"

Barbossa gave him a warning look as no one obeyed the command.

"Apologies," Jack said, realising he had gotten too far ahead of himself. "You give the orders." He out his palms together and gestured them towards Barbossa, becoming submissive.

"Gents…" there was a lengthy pause as the crew eagerly awaited their leader's command. "Take a walk!"

Most of the crew quickly did an about-face and hurried into the water, wading in until they were completely submerged. Even then, they kept on walking. When you're immortal, you have no fear of drowning. Jack looked confused. "Not to the boats?" he inquired Barbossa, who only gave him a look in response, like he was thinking if Jack had any plans, he had just ruined them. Quite the contrary.

I could not help but laugh when Pintel and Ragetti were forced into dresses, given umbrellas to block the moonlight, and told to row out as a distraction, or else. Even Jack and Barbossa had to smirk in amusement at that.

"Don't worry about them not taking the boats," I told Captain Jack. "Just go ahead with the plan." The pirate nodded slowly so as to not draw attention. Then he and I began to explore around the cave, examining all the bits of treasure Barbossa's crew had collected over the years.