Disclaimer: Pirates arrr the best evarrrr!

A/N: I finally have a Puzzle Pirates character. I'm Squirrelgrey, ladies and gents... because someone already took 'Squirrel'. Bastards. I INVENTED HER! ME! So yeah... come say hi sometime.

Jack sits on the deck, stroking Squirrel's hair. The rest of the crew stand in a silent circle around him, each one lost in their own thoughts.

Jack swallows. "Let's get out of here." He whispers. "Let's put this place to our rudder and never come back."

The crew nods, or agree with a subdued 'Aye, captain'. There had been many casualties in that short hour, but Squirrel's death seemed to have taken the biggest toll. The crew move to their respected tasks, raising the sails, lifting the anchor, tightening ropes… but their movements are slowed, and as subdued as a cat's paw. No-one speaks.

"What's our destination, Captain?" Ana asks gently. Jack does not lift his gaze from Squirrel's face. Ana leaves the helm and crouches next to Jack. She places a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Jack? Where to?"

"Anywhere." Jack mumbles. "I don't care."

Ana nods, then returns to the helm. Within moments, the Black Pearl is away, leaving the island far behind. Even though the sun is not to rise for another hour yet, the false dawn lights the sky in pale shades of blue and grey. Enough light to make the shadows on everyone's faces stand out.

One by one, the crew members finish their tasks, and return below deck, unable to remain above. Jack continues to stroke Squirrel's hair, gently rocking back and forth as he sits. Ana, remaining at the helm, stares out at sea, forcing herself not to look at the grey-cloaked girl's still form. Tears pour down her face regardless.

"Squirrel, I'm so sorry." Jack whispers, bringing the girl closer to him. "I let you down. I told you I would protect you, luv. I told you I'd never let you be hurt again. But I couldn't keep that promise." Jack gives a shuddering sigh. "As I was watching you fight, I couldn't've been more proud. You've grown up so much since we first met. You're strong, Squirrel. You're not useless any more. I'm the one that's useless." Jack brushes his lips gently against Squirrel's forehead. "I couldn't even protect you. I couldn't protect the only girl who's ever meant this much to me." He chokes back a sob.

"If there was anything, anything, I could do to bring you back," Jack whispers. "I would do it. I'd brave hell itself to bring you back." He stares into Squirrel's pale face, then hugs her close to him.

"I'm so sorry, luv. I've let you down. I'm useless, aren't I? Lettin' you down, keepin' secrets from you…" Jack shuts his eyes tightly. "If love was enough to bring you back, then by all the powers that be, hear me now." Jack throws his head back and shouts up at the lightening sky.

"I love you, Squirrel!" He shouts. "I love you!"

There is a long and drawn-out silence, broken only by the waves crashing gently against the hull of the Pearl. Jack buries his face in Squirrel's bloodstained cloak and sobs silently.

"Do you mean that, Jack?"

Jack lifts his head. "Of course I…" Ana is at the helm, still staring into space. So then who…? He looks down. Squirrel's eyelids flutter, and her shy smile crosses her lips. Jack stares, eyes still wet with tears.

"You're… you're alive?"

"I always was a good actor," Squirrel smiles, eyes still closed. "But this time, it was almost for real."

"But…" Jack's eyes grow huge. "You were shot! I saw it!"

Squirrel shakes her head slightly. "I stole his gun, and threw it off the edge of the cliff. Then he stole my gun, and thought that it was his." Squirrel winces, eyes still closed. "The noise stunned me, but it was the fall that knocked me out."

Jack stares in silent awe for a moment, then pulls Squirrel closer and kisses her. "I thought I'd lost you."

Squirrel smiles and opens her eyes slowly. "Did you mean that, Jack? Everything that you just said?"

Jack wipes the tears from his eyes. "Of course I did." He grins, gold teeth shining in the dull light. "You know I did. And I always will. How many times do I have to tell ye?"

"So now it's my turn." Squirrel smiles again, then whispers in Jack's ear. "I love you too, Jack. And you're not useless. Don't ever let anyone tell you that you are."

Jack chuckles, then his chuckle turns into full laughter, a familiar booming call. Ana looks over, and sees Jack rising to his feet… and Squirrel staggering upright as well! Ana gapes, then leaps over the helm and dashes below deck. Squirrel's not dead! She's alive!

"How do you feel, luv?" Jack asks kindly, face filled with relief.

Squirrel holds her hand against a lump on her head. "Dizzy." She smiles. "But that's ok."

Jack pulls Squirrel close to him. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Aye, Captain." She grins.

"That reminds me," Jack kisses Squirrel again. "I have something for you." Jack fumbles for something in his belt. Squirrel watches, head tilted to one side.

"Dammit." Jack curses. "I must've lost it in the fight."

"What was it?" Squirrel asks, intrigued.

Jack grins. "Hold on." He turns around for a moment, then turns back, grinning inanely and hiding something in one hand. He gets down on one knee and takes Squirrel's left hand. "I've never done this before, luv, so bear with me." He takes a deep breath, and his expression sobers. "Miss Grey, will you marry me?" He opens his hand, revealing a ring. One of the rings he previously wore on his own hand. Squirrel stares, her eyes growing huge. Jack slips the ring on her hand.

"Can I take it you'll say yes?" He waggles his eyebrows at her.

The sun rises over the ocean, a huge coin of fire that turns the sea to gold. Squirrel and Jack share a kiss that seems to go on forever. The kiss at Port Royal spoke louder than words, but this kiss breaks even that record.

"Yes!" Squirrel says. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be!"

"I knew you'd say that." Jack grins back. They kiss again. Suddenly Squirrel stops, and starts humming.

She grins at Jack's confused face. "Remember the dream I had? Well, it looks like everything came true, didn't it? Everything. Will and Elizabeth, the enemy pirates, and now…" Squirrel looks out over the sea as the sun continues its journey across the sky. "The anchor - the sign of hope - and all the signs of good luck." Jack was everything I held on to. In the fever-dream, I was scared of him, because I thought he lied, but in the end, he was the one that saved me. Just like drowning in my dream - it may scare me, but it's a sign of good luck. Luck. She smiles shyly.

Jack grins. "I thought you didn't believe in luck, Miss Grey."

Squirrel grins. "You're the exception that proves the rule, Captain Sparrow." She bites her lip. "There was one other thing…" She starts, and a red blush creeps across her face. "I… I wrote a song." She looks up at Jack, her eyes shining. "Would you like to hear it? It's not very good, but…"

Jack hugs Squirrel one more time. "Luv, if it's anything like you, I'm sure it will be beautiful."

Squirrel blushes furiously, but grins the widest she's ever grinned before. She backs away, holding Jack's hands for as long as she can. The crew of the Pearl are gathering, staring, smiling. Squirrel's alive!

"Ready?" Squirrel asks.

Jack nods. "Whenever you are, luv." Squirrel's heart soars, and her heart thunders away. As the sun shines down upon her, Squirrel raises her arms, her feet tapping over the deck in a pirate's jig, and begins to sing.

FIN

A/N: Thankyou for reading! If you reviewed/emailed/read it and liked it, you guys are awesome. Thanks for your time.
I've got a few short adventures stemming off from this… would you read? Or would that just be pushing the franchise? Lol.