Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates, for the last bloody time (well, most likely not). If I did, I'd be having the time of my life with my hubby as we swim naked through our millions and millions of dollars... mm... gah, off track! ANYWAY, I DO own Zora, the Leighlands, Malrice, and any unrecognizable characters.

Author's Note: Here it is, my friends. The tenth and final chapter. But do not fret. The story of Captain Jack Sparrow and Zora Leighland is just beginning... I am actually writing the sequel as we speak. It may take some time to find time to write and to actually post as soon enough, I'll be heading back to Canada and my loving husband. Aww... but yes, a sequel is in the making! Hooray!

Now, I must apologize for the long time between this update and the last one. I've been undergoing some changes in my life in preparation to return home, and have had to deal with family situations at my present location as well as bad incidents that have occurred. It's easy to say that life sucks like that, but then again, destiny and Fate have a funny way with weaving one's life with misfortune when you need it least.

I want to thank Mg-Nashisko for being my faithful reviewer. I think you, my dear, are the only one left who actually likes this fic, and I must thank you with thousands of thank you's.

With my long, boring AN out of the way, on to Chapter Ten!

Chapter Ten
Daring Escape!

How, indeed.

Jack sat in the little cell, glaring out between the iron bars at the two officers stationed as guards about fifty feet away. That mangy mutt wasn't around anymore with the keys; those were now attached to the belt of one of the guards. How to get those guards distracted, though…

The infamous captain was distracted first by the arrival of Lieutenant Charles Malrice. He had descended down the stairs while Jack was busy trying to formulate a plan of escape, and Jack blinked rapidly when Malrice stepped into his line of vision. "Well, well, now this is slightly ironic, isn't it," Malrice muttered with a smirk.

Jack's dark eyes narrowed. He really hated people of the Royal Navy now. They were interesting people to annoy and trick before, but now, he truly detested them. "Perhaps," he returned, "but soon enough, ye'll get what's coming to ye. Make no mistake of that, mate. I intend to watch every delicious moment of it."

Malrice sneered. "Unfortunately for you, you won't have the pleasure," he responded. "After all, you have an appointment with a noose in less than three hours. Good day, Sparrow." Malrice spat at Jack's feet, and briskly turned away, striding up the stone stairwell.

Great… only three hours to escape. "Best get to it, then," Jack mumbled to himself.

Two hours later, Jack was still locked up, his annoyance wearing his patience thin. It seemed the higher beings of the world wouldn't give him a break this time. He glared over at the officers, his kohl-lined eyes narrowed, as if trying to will them to free him. One of the guards wandered off to report the last few hour's events to the Commodore. The pirate grinned, his gold teeth flashing minutely at his luck; he nearly let himself think he had made it happen. Good thing he caught himself. "Hey, ye yellow limey bastard," Jack called out gruffly.

That got the guard's attention. The heavy-set man quickly came over, the keys attached to his belt rattling with each hurried step. "What do you want?" the guard asked snottily.

"Oh, nothing unusual, mate," the prisoner replied vaguely, shrugging his shoulders in a noncommittal way, his hands resting between the iron bars, "just this." With quick reflexes, Jack reached out, grabbed the guard by his jacket, and pulled him against the cell bars hard, smacking his skull and knocking him unconscious. The guard crumpled to the stone floor, and Jack knelt down to easily grab the keys from his belt. Standing, he moved quickly and silently as he tried a few keys until finding the right one, and unlocked his cell.

Not the finest sort of escape, but he was free, so Jack wasn't complaining.

After dropping the keys on the unconscious man, Jack grabbed his effects, putting them on quickly before bounding out the back exit. There was a guard stationed there, but Jack managed to subdue him with a well-placed slam of the door upon the poor man's head. Jack hadn't the time to think; he had to get to Zora and the Black Pearl as soon as he could.

Ducking into the shadows, Jack used them as cover as he made his way back toward the Turner place.

---

Everything was packed up from the manor, and the crew of the Black Pearl was now assembling where they had moored the boats in the cove. Half the crew was already aboard the ship, making it ready to head out to open sea as soon as her captain returned. Zora stood with Will and Elizabeth at the city-side mouth of the cove, watching the path for a sign of Jack. The minutes seeped by like sand through one's hand, but still, no Jack.

"I'm sure Jack's on his way," Will stated firmly, though he exchanged a worried look with Elizabeth behind Zora's back.

Elizabeth nodded, and added, "He's just being cautious, Zora." At least, he had better be. The entire Royal Navy knew of his name and face.

Zora stood silent for the moment. "I know," she softly returned finally, her mind far off. "I know." She was hoping on everything that was all that was holding Jack up.

Several more minutes slipped by, and by then, the sun was almost at its apex. Gibbs came up beside the three. "It be time for us two to go, Zora," he said gently. When she didn't take her stare off the path, he looked out to watch the path a few moments, then down at his feet. He didn't like breaking people's hearts, but they had to go before the Navy would come and find the Pearl. "Look, uh… ol' Jack Sparrow has us stick to the code more oft than not. Part of that code being any man that falls behind is left behind." Zora flinched slightly, but didn't let on that she was beginning to think that Jack would not come; she didn't want to believe that Jack could still be stuck in that small, damp cell at the fort.. "If Jack don't come, I'm damn sure we be meetin' up with him again sooner than you know."

Zora sighed finally, and nodded, looking away from the path with tears in her eyes. "Aye," she replied, her voice beginning to crack with emotion. "On we go, then."

Gibbs took Zora's arm gently, leading her down the cove's shallow beach, with Will and Elizabeth behind them. The Turner's exchanged another look, seeing the effect this was having on their friend. Granted, they'd only known her for a day, but it was enough to know how devastated she might be after stepping foot on the ship that brought her such deeply-felt emotions.

They were almost ready to shove off when a voice shouted, "Stop the boat! Stop the boat!"

Everyone swivelled their heads around as Captain Jack Sparrow nearly stumbled his way toward the beach. He stopped short beside the two grinning onlookers. "Thank ye for yer hospitality," he stated in a rush. "Be keeping in touch." With that, the pirate ventured to the boat, settling in the middle bench of the boat, facing Zora while Gibbs shoved the boat into the water and hopped in, taking the oars in his hands. Will and Elizabeth shouted their farewells before returning to the path that led into Port Royal.

Gibbs couldn't keep from grinning as he rowed the three of them out toward the Black Pearl. Zora just stared at Jack, unable to put to words everything she felt. Jack looked over his shoulder at Gibbs, then at Zora's face, and smirked. "Ye didn't think I'd let ye leave without me, did ye?" he asked with a chuckle. "Ye're not getting rid of me that easy, savvy?"

The incredulous look on her face was replaced by a sly smile as Zora took in the disheveled appearance of the captain. "We only figured you were a bit too busy with your whores to remember that you have a ship to command," she replied in a teasing tone. "We thought you would like to stay behind with them instead of sailing out to the open sea."

Jack gave her a look of mild and playful scolding with his kohl-lined eyes. "Zora, ye know me better than that," he said airily. "I'd rather be on my ship and out on the ocean than in some woman's infested bed. As much fun as that is, to be sure."

"Why, Captain Jack Sparrow," Zora returned, acting miffed. "I do not believe I shall ever speak to you again."

The pirate grinned at her, his golden teeth glinting in the sun. "Oh, ye shall, love," he responded, running his fingers over his beard braids. "Ye shall because I know how it sets yer heart racing just to look at me, not to mention talk to me." The sentence was accompanied by one of his more charming winks.

Not much time later, the three of them were aboard the Pearl, and Jack took to giving his crew the order to pull up anchor and start off after donning his hat and coat. By sunset, they were well on their way. Zora had just finished helping tie up some loose ropes before finally deciding to let her curiosity get the better of her. She approached Jack as he was comparing his compass to one of his maps. "Captain," she called out softly to alert him to her presence.

Jack wrinkled his nose and narrowed his eyes slightly before closing the compass, then stood straight and smiled at Zora. "Miss Leighland, I thought ye said ye'd never speak to me again."

She shrugged a shoulder, and retorted, "I confess, you were right. I cannot possibly live a moment without speaking to such an incredible scoundrel." A smirk settled on her lips.

At that, Jack's smile grew wider. "What is it that ye want to know, love?" he asked, guiding her by the elbow toward the starboard side.

She rested her arms on the railing before looking up at him. "You scared me, Jack," she stated in a near-whisper. "I almost thought you had truly gotten yourself too deep that time. I just wish to know… what took you so long?" She turned her head to stare at him, her brown eyes penetrating through his like sharp daggers, searching for the truth.

He tilted his head back to look down his nose at her, half-smirked, and answered, "The whores. They bloody well couldn't keep their hands off me." Zora scoffed, and turned her attention to the ocean water below. Jack smiled, reached over to take her chin in his calloused hand, and turned her face toward him again. "My apologies, love. Ye know I don't need them any longer." At seeing her faint blush, he chuckled, then finally answered truthfully, "The shadows weren't as abundant as necessary to cross from the fort to the path, so I had to take a longer alternative route. I did not mean to worry ye, lass."

Zora shook her head slightly to herself, gently adjusted his tri-cornered hat on his head, then wrapped her arms around his waist. "As long as you are safe and sound here upon your ship, all is well," she declared, smiling to herself as she breathed in his scent.

"Indeed it is." Jack let one hand run over her soft hair as the other strayed to his pocket, his fingers coming in contact with the smooth bands he'd purchased on the 'alternative route'. Soon enough, he would tell her the complete truth…

But that is another tale.

A/N: There you have it, folks! Stop in Port Royal is now complete... now, do us a favor, and review! Tell me what you think of the story as a whole, and whether or not I should post any sequels that my mind can conjure up. If I get enough replies, you can look for the first chapter of the sequel within the next month or so.

Until next time, happy pirate dreams!