Cornishxxxpixie- Thank you so much! I'm not sure I'm brilliant exactly, but thank you! And I'm so glad you love this story!

The Flying Breadstick- Have a happy vacation! And I know what you mean about being addicted to fanfictions . . . You know, all of them should have stolen a coin in the movie, you're right – it makes much more sense.

SunsetSparrow- I'm glad you like the story, and I'm so glad to hear from you! I'm really happy you think Jack and Alex have good chemistry – I was hoping I'd get that part right. Hope to hear more from you!

Queen.Bowie.Jack.Sparrow.Lover- I finally got a little action in the story (and not in a sexual way, Lol). Jack will escape, because it would be really wrong of me to kill him off, wouldn't it? I'd lose all of my excellent reviewers!

Spirit of the Sky- I'm really glad you're loving the story, and thank you so much for reviewing! I hope to hear more from you!

Chapter fourteen: Fleeting Chance

She wasn't sure how she had done it, but somehow Alex had found a way to creep into the repaired jailhouse. She could hear soft snores, and someone muttering in their sleep. With a small smile, she crept towards the cell.

Jack was sleeping lightly, leaning against the bars, his hat tipped so that it was covering his eyes. She thought it was cruel to wake him, but she wanted to see him, speak to him . . . just in case she wasn't given the chance again.

'Jack? Jack, wake up,' she whispered, reaching through the bars to take his hand. He stirred, and pushed his hat back with his free hand, grinning when he saw Alex.

''Ello, love,' he murmured. 'How'd yeh get in 'ere?'

'Luck,' she replied truthfully. She was unarmed, and wore a yellow paisley dress. He gave her a questioning stare, and she blushed. 'Elizabeth talked her dad into renting me a room . . . and the room sort of came with clothes.'

'So yeh've been granted clemency?' he asked hopefully.

'Yes.'

''N the robbery charges cleared?'

'Yes, Jack.'

'Good.' She shrugged, and he stuck his arms through the bars to lift her gaze to his, his hands on either side of her face. 'Yeh'll be fine 'ere, Alex.'

'No I won't be,' she whispered, her eyes lining with tears. 'This . . . this can't be happening.'

'But it is,' he pointed out softly, 'and yeh 'ave t' be strong.' He wiped the tears away that had fallen down her cheeks and gently pulled her to the bars, meeting her halfway to place a brief kiss on her lips.

'I love you,' she breathed. He felt a lump growing in his throat, and he tried swallowing, but it did not recede.

'I love yeh, t', Alex,' he replied thickly. He hated that he couldn't hold her, and was stroking her hair when the cry rang out – the commodore had realized the guard was slack, and was increasing it. 'Alex, go.'

'No, Jack, don't ask me to do that,' she whispered, and the look on her face nearly broke his heart.

'A-Alex, just go. Yeh need t' get out o' 'ere 'fore yeh get stuck. Go!' he hissed. She hesitated, and he hastily placed one last kiss on her lips before she stood and snuck to the door, glancing over her shoulder at him as she did so.

And then, she was gone.

Jack rested his forehead on the bars, gripping them until his knuckles were white and his fingers were numb. He would not allow himself to cry . . . but the pain was still there.

'Alex . . .'

'Alex, are you coming?' Elizabeth asked from the hallway, sneaking a peek into Alex's room. The blonde woman was standing, looking out the window at the Caribbean waters. She wore an amazing dress in solid, pale blue, and her hair was pinned high in an elegant bun, the stray pieces curled. She looked all the beauty she used to be, when she was sixteen – but the pain in her eyes was unbearable for anyone to see. Tears streamed down her face, and Elizabeth let out a soft sob of her own and walked quickly to her friend's side, embracing her as they both cried.

'I thought, for a moment, that this was a dream,' Alex muttered, 'just a horrible dream. But reality's worse than anything my mind could ever conjure.' Elizabeth nodded in agreement, and slowly the two women left the room, heading down the stairs while trying to stop their tears. For a moment, Governor Swann smiled when he saw the two, dressed beautifully, but when he saw the looks on their faces, he shuffled and turned around, headed towards the carriage.

Alex stepped out of the mansion, and furrowed her brows when she saw a parrot fly through the air, squawking loudly. 'Elizabeth, tell your dad anything, just give me an excuse.'

'And what if it's a fluke?' Elizabeth asked.

'It's all I have!' Alex whispered. 'He's all I have, and I'm gonna do anything I have to, dammit!'

'Okay, I'll do it, just be careful,' Elizabeth breathed. Alex nodded and smiled slightly before walking back into the house.

'Where is she going?' Governor Swann asked, and Elizabeth swallowed, trying to think of something . . .

'She couldn't take it,' she said finally. 'She loved Jack, and she doesn't want to see him hung.'

'Alex, what're yeh doin' 'ere?' Jack hissed, but Alex only grinned.

'Jack . . . well, you're a pirate, you'll know what to do,' she muttered, mostly to herself. He leaned against the bars, resting his arms on her shoulders.

'What're yeh up t'?'

'You'll know. Just don't worry about me, Jack, okay? I'm gonna be waiting for you,' she stated. 'I promise.'

'Alex, what're yeh talkin' about?'

'Jack,' she breathed, 'trust me.'

'I do, but if yeh're gettin' yerself into trouble –' She silenced him by pressing her lips to his, and the rest of his sentence turned into a quiet, pleased murmur against her mouth. After she broke the kiss, for a moment they just watched each other, but she looked away.

'If this doesn't work . . .'

'Dammit, Alex, what're yeh goin' on about!' he hissed, and she laughed gently, sliding her hands through the bars to snake them around his waist.

'I can't tell you, Jack. You need to look innocent . . . Like that's going to happen,' she muttered. 'Well, you need to play it by ear. I don't even know what's going to happen, but just . . .'

'Alex, I owe yeh, remember?'

'Yes, how could I forget?'

'I know I owe yeh a lot . . . so I won't ask anymore questions. But take care o' yerself, savvy?'

'I will.'

She embraced him – to the best of her abilities, at least. It wasn't entirely comfortable, but it was soothing in a way. Jack kissed her cheek, a surprisingly tender action that made her sorrow and fear rise in her throat again, and then she pulled away, needing to leave. She crept out just in time.

'If you put up a fight, Sparrow, you won't make it to the gallows,' someone stated, very obviously one of the guards. Alex lingered by the door, but knew she had to leave. Slowly, she drew herself away and made toward the dock.

There, docked innocently, was the Black Pearl, with crisp new sails and all damages repaired. She jogged over the gang plank, and found Ana watching her, grinning.

'We were hopin' the parrot would attract some attention,' Anamaria stated. 'Glad to 'ave yeh on board, Alex.'

'I'm glad to be back, but we need to get away from the dock. If anyone –'

'Calm down, Alex, we know.'

Alex waited impatiently at the helm, afraid to watch anything happening at the fort. She knew there was a commotion, but she couldn't bring herself to look. What if she saw something . . . ?

They had been waiting for nearly twenty minutes. Anamaria was pacing, and Gibbs was drinking heavily from his flask. And suddenly, there was a splash.

'It's Jack!' someone yelled. 'The idiot tripped!'

Alex couldn't help but laugh gently. The sails were full on the Pearl, and she knew Jack would be pleased with the sight as he swam towards the ship. It seemed to take forever for Cotton to throw the line, and then the crew pulled, and Jack flew onto the deck, landing ungracefully with a scowl on his face. The parrot landed on Cotton's shoulder while Jack stood, turning to Gibbs.

'I thought I told yeh t' keep t' the Code,' Jack growled.

'Well, we figured they were more actual guidelines, an' plus, we weren't gonna leave Alex . . . she didn't tell us t' keep t' the Code.'

'Alex? Where is she?'

'Here.' Jack spun around and placed a long kiss on her lips, and she laughed gently, handing Jack his coat to shoulder into. 'It hasn't been so long since you saw me last, Jack. Why the enthusiasm?'

'Well, let's see – I'm momentarily free from a pressin' death, the Pearl survived, 'n I now 'ave the woman I love by my side.'

'The Black Pearl didn't just survive,' Anamaria stated from the wheel, stepping away. 'She's yours.'

Jack smiled and took the helm, running his hands lovingly over the wheel, and with an almost paranoid look around him, finding everyone staring at him with grins, began to shout orders. Only when he and Alex were alone did he say what was on his mind.

He hummed a bit in a low voice, and Alex grinned, standing by his side and resting her head on his shoulder. ' . . . And really bad eggs . . . Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!' Ignoring Alex's giggles, though a grin spread over his face, he narrowed his eyes against the sun. 'Now . . . bring me that horizon.'

Okay, everyone! No, it's not done yet . . . One last chapter to go. I have to set something up for the sequel . . . Oh, trust me, it'll be shocking; just don't hate me for it. It'll only make Alex better (at least in the eyes of a pirate).

Alyssa