OMG! I have no homework today! I wasn't even sure such a thing existed until today.

Sorry it took so long to update. I'm just going to answer the reviews and let you read. No boring blabber to annoy you guys today.

Smithy – It's venom of a giant wasp. I know it can melt skin but I'm SLIGHTY over-exaggerating the effects. Oh well. Creative license. And yes. That's defiantly the plus side to kids.

Mi Ana I Numen – No problem. Enjoy this chapter.

Silverpaw – Thanks so much for the diet pill. It's working wonders. And this chapter starts on page 120 out of 207. So we've got a bit to go still. Hopefully, this cliffhanger won't be so bad.

Sanquinedarkness666 – Hopefully Mr. LaPalme won't have me committed after reading my essay. Hehe. And we may just have to settle for kidnapping Jason David Frank since we can't seem to contact Tommy…

Dancin – Could you please explain your comment. Chapter 2? Huh? Is it not showing up or something?

Williz – Thanks for the no Gr. And I'm glad you liked that moment between them. Times like that are the reason torture is worth it. I'll make sure to tell Jackie that you're cheering for him. Here's a VIP pass to stand on the sidelines with your sign.

Daphnebandweenie – Don't beat me with the chemistry book. Please! Glad you not scared anymore. Enjoy re-reading this chapter.

Trinilee Greenleaf – Yay! You're back! And I'm sorry it was traumatic. But here's the next chapter to make up for it. Hopefully this will answer some more questions.

Marie Crosby - cringes away from irate viewer Sorry for the cliffie. Sorry it took so long to update, but here it is.

SpufFan – This might be another good with the bad chapter. Sorry. Hope you enjoy it.

MagRowan – Mmmmm. My birthday IS the 29th. Think you could find a way to give me either Jack Sparrow or Tommy Oliver from Power Rangers? You'll get another chapter, and I'll get what I want. We both win. smile And yes Will excepting Jack was good. I couldn't be that mean to poor Jack as to make Will hate him. Hmmm. One of these chapters is probably going to remind you even more of that scene from the Mummy Returns. Don't think it's this one. One of the next two probably.

Okay. I think that's all the reviews. Like I said, school's been hectic. Here's the next chapter. I'll try not to take as long to post the next one.

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BlackSword

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Chapter 12

Black Andrew had drawn his sword and was holding it level with Jack's chest. "Who to kill first, who to kill first?" he repeated mockingly.

As tempting as it was to try and wipe the smile off the other's face, Jack resisted, knowing that any action would forfeit both his and Will's life. He merely glared at the other, caramel eyes cold and angry.

"Both options have their drawbacks, of course," the evil pirate captain continued. "So the question is, killing which of you first will serve me best."

"Or, here's another option," Jack put in. "You could fight me, and let Will go." The hopefulness in his voice was unmistakable.

Green eyes flashed, "How about, no."

Jack sighed; their options were starting to run low, unlike Blacksword's. He stepped back, still remaining between Will and Black Andrew's sword. Risking a backward glance, he looked to Will.

Will was shaking slightly, but his dark eyes were strong. His eyes met Jack's and he gave a shaky grin. Jack smiled as well; he couldn't help it. Will knew he was worried about him and because of that, he was trying not to show his weakness.

"Let's see," Blacksword began again, "Will's the best swordsman in the Caribbean, but he's also injured. Sparrow, on the other hand, is only a decent fighter, but he is uninjured." He talked as if neither Will nor Jack was there; it was almost as if he was talking to himself.

He glanced at Ricky, who was still holding his guns trained on the two of them. Ricky met his captain's gaze, understanding the unspoken question. His eyes darted nervously back to the two others, gaze resting longest on Will. His eyes slowly met the captain's again, his answer obvious.

Nodding in agreement, Blacksword let a smile flash across his face. "It seems I have settled on an answer." Jack's eyes narrowed unhappily, unease filling him. He could not let Will fight Blacksword, not in the shape he was in. Yet how could he stop it, if that's what Blacksword wanted?

Slowly pacing around the two so he could see both at the same time, Blacksword continued to smirk. The sword drifted over so that the point of it rested over Will's heart. "Young Mr. Turner. I've been waiting for the opportunity to duel you again."

Jack's heart nearly stopped. "No!" he said, voice filled with panic. "Blacksword, you can't do this. Just let Will go. He can't fight you and you know that." As he spoke, his fear rose. He would not just stand by and watch Blacksword kill the other.

He felt something brush him lightly and he looked back. Will slowly shook his head, trying to get Jack to stop. "Jack it's… it's okay. I'll… I'll be fine."

Shaking his head angrily, Jack said, "No, you're not okay! I can't let you do this!"

"You don't have any chance in this," Black Andrew replied to his prisoner's friend. "So either you accept it, or I'll simply have Ricky shoot you both."

Feeling torn, Jack looked between the two, his eyes remaining on Will the longest. He looked his friend, once again trying to assess how badly injured Will was. His eyes drifted from his friend's cut neck and broken shoulder to the other numerous injuries.

Turning back towards Blacksword, he begged one final time. "Please don't make him do this. Hasn't he gone through enough?"

There was no answer, but neither did Blacksword move.

"Wait! You… he can't fight you; he's unarmed," Jack said, noticing that for the first time.

A slight smile flickered across Blacksword's face. "Well, we can't have that, can we?" Suddenly he pulled out a second sword from a sheath on his belt and tossed it to Will.

Catching the sword in his left hand, Will couldn't control the slight trembling of his arm. His muscles weren't ready for this stress, but he was going to attempt to at least hold his own.

Ricky slowly moved his gun from Will to Jack so that both his guns were on the captain; one still between his eyes and the second at his heart.

"No," Jack whispered to himself, "no, no, no. This isn't happening.

Slowly, limping slightly, Will edged away from Jack, trying to give himself some room, sword balanced lightly in his left hand.

Jack's eyes closed; he didn't want to watch his friend's death. 'How did it come to this? Why is this happening?' The sharp clash of swords made his eyes snap back open.

Jackie flinched when the bullet smashed into the door less then an inch from his head. His heart nearly stopped in his chest, but he managed to pull himself into the small room. He leaned heavily against the door, breathing hard.

Another bullet hit the door and he heard the door splinter from the force. He glanced fearfully about the room, searching for a way out. On impulse, he looked up and his eyes fell upon a small hatch leading to the upper deck. Unfortunately, he was far too short to reach it.

Putting the knife he was holding into his belt, he raced over to the table against the wall and began to drag it under the hatch. The pounding on the door continued to only get louder.

Climbing on top of the table, he jumped, trying to see if he could touch the ceiling. He could only brush it with his fingertips; which was not good enough. Jumping down, he grabbed a chair and as he placed that on the table, he couldn't help but think about what his mother would say to this.

Getting on the chair, he could touch easier and he pushed the hatch open. With that, Jackie slowly pulled himself up and out of the room.

Grant felt like laughing as he quickly climbed the rigging of the Hornet Dragon, his pistol stuffed into his belt. Neither Jack Sparrow nor Will Turner realized he was there. Gaining his vantage point, he turned to where he needed to pay attention.

Will Turner was fighting Blacksword and actually managing to keep up. The young man was strictly on the defensive; he had no strength to waste on attacking. Grant was impressed; Will had been beaten continuously for over a month and yet the adrenaline rush still had given him enough strength to keep from getting killed. Perhaps he hadn't just lucked into the title of best swordsman in the Caribbean, maybe he really was the best.

Balancing on the rigging, Grant pulled out his pistol. Blacksword had told him to make sure to injure Sparrow; the captain had not been looking forward to fighting the other after killing Will. Black Andrew had said that he wouldn't mind if he missed and accidentally killed Sparrow.

'I wonder, if I 'accidentally' miss and 'accidentally' kill Will if Captain Andrew will be upset?' Indecision gripped him as he wavered between his targets.

Will wanted to die, although at the moment it didn't look like he would have to wait long. He knew he wouldn't be able to match Blacksword much longer. It simply was not possible. Despite what he had told Jack, he could feel his body quite literally failing on him. Each breath was becoming more and more agonizing.

He swung the blade in his hand, barely intercepting Black Andrew's sword. The shock that rolled through him threatened to cause him to black out. He backed away as quickly as injured body allowed.

There was no way Will could miss the fear that filled Jack's eyes. As busy as he was trying to fight Black Andrew, he still noticed his friend's emotional anguish. He also couldn't miss the fact Ricky still had both of his guns pointed towards Jack.

'What the hell am I doing fighting Blacksword? I don't stand a chance. And I know Jack isn't just going to sit and wait for this to be over. He's going to get himself killed if he tries to help me.'

His distraction nearly proved fatal as Black Andrew attacked again, lashing out and smashing the pommel of his sword into Will's injured shoulder. Will yelped in pain and his legs collapsed underneath him.

Bright sparks exploded through his vision as he felt the bone shift inside. Falling flat on the floor hadn't helped either. His back- covered in welts as it was- screamed in agony and his broken bones also shifted.

Jack tensed, hot anger shooting through him. He might not have known how much damage Black Andrew was doing, but he knew the other captain was causing pain. 'Damn it! I promised Will that I wouldn't let Blacksword hurt him anymore.' He wanted nothing more than to stop Blacksword and end his friend's pain.

Unfortunately, he was helpless to stop the fight; the guns were still aimed at his head and heart. All he would succeed in doing would be getting himself killed.

Black Andrew stomped hard on Will's wrist, the force of it nearly breaking the bone there. Will instinctively released the blade he held, removing some of the pressure from his wrist.

Quickly getting off the younger man's wrist, Black Andrew slashed downward. Will had just one option- at least that he could think of- so he took it.

He rolled to the side, attempting to ignore the pain that threatened to completely override everything else. As he did, he grabbed onto the sword he had dropped, despite the pain that flashed through his wrist.

As he pulled himself to his feet, an idea slowly began to form in his mind. He needed Jack's help; that was obvious. Yet he wouldn't get his help as long as Ricky stood there with his guns still aimed at Jack. He would have to do something about that.

The rage that flashed through Blacksword's eyes was almost comical. Will would have laughed if he hadn't known what that rage could lead to. Instead, the emotion that flashed through him was fear.

Fortunately, his natural fighting instincts allowed him the freedom to attempt to come up with a plan to kill Ricky. Unfortunately, those instincts were also used to his body being into top shape, not almost failing as it was. What he wanted to do and what he was capable of were two totally different things.

He ducked under the next swipe; often the easiest way to avoid getting hit was simply not to be there- something that had taken him a long time to learn.

It was difficult, splitting his attention as he was. Part of him was trying to figure out how to get Jack out of trouble, another was trying to fight Blacksword, and the last part was concentrating on keeping himself alive and conscious.

'Why am I having trouble thinking of how to help Jack? All I have to do is kill Ricky.'

He staggered backwards, sparing a glance at Ricky. The pirate's full attention was locked on Jack; the injured blacksmith was of no concern to him.

A grim smile flickered across Will's bruised face. If he was going to die, then he wouldn't mind dying while saving Jack. He blocked another blow and suddenly he made up his mind.

Letting his legs once again collapse underneath him, he spun on his way down so he was facing Ricky and Jack. Though he didn't realize it, the move probably saved his life because the strike Blacksword aimed at him would have been unavoidable otherwise.

Jerking his hand back, Will aimed his sword at Ricky's back. Jack had often complimented his talent at throwing his sword, but now he was unsure. He only had one chance to take out the other. If he missed, both he and Jack would die. His life might already be forfeit, but his friend's wasn't and that was what sent stirrings of doubt through his heart.

His hand tightened on the hilt and he launched the sword towards the other's back.

Jack's caramel eyes widened even as he saw Will drop and spin, his mind already beginning to connect he pieces. "Will, no!" he couldn't help but scream. He knew what his friend was planning, but if the younger man followed through with his idea there would be nothing left to protect himself with.

Ricky noticed the change in Jack and he spun, wondering what was happening. He turned only in time to see the sword leave the prisoner's hand. At the same time, Jack reached forward, wrenching one of the guns from Ricky's hand.

The sword caught Ricky full in the chest, actually picking him off the floor and throwing him backwards.

The instant the sword hit Ricky, Jack was ready. He snapped the pistol up and fired as shot straight at Blacksword. The other pirate had been about to kill his prisoner and that was something Jack couldn't allow.

Quickly pulling his sword from his sheath, Jack tossed it to Will. Backing up a pace, he tried to jerk the sword from Ricky's chest. He couldn't get it out. Frantically, he grabbed the hilt and began shaking it, an eerie sense of deja vu filling him.

Finally, the sword slid from the lifeless body and Jack nearly fell over as it came out. He also quickly looked for Ricky's second pistol. When he couldn't find it, he gave up.

Standing and turning, a bright flash caught his eye. Jack hesitated; Will needed his help but… He started forward and his searched for whatever had alerted him. He almost froze when he spotted a pirate- obviously a member of Blacksword's crew- perched in the rigging of the Hornet Dragon.

'So, looks like Blacksword had a backup plan,' he though grimly. 'Take us out without us ever knowing what hit us. The cheating bastard.'

His eyes drifted over to Will. His friend was struggling to keep up with Blacksword and his dark brown eyes were begging for his help.

As Will continued blocking, he wondered why Jack wasn't helping him. The pirate seemed rooted to the spot. 'What is he… doing?'

"Jack!" he screamed desperately.

The scream ripped through Jack's heart. He couldn't help Will, he had to take out the other pirate. If he didn't… but then again, if he didn't help Will…

His eyes darted upwards, to the pirate in the rigging. The man gripped his pistol, taking careful aim; unfortunately, Jack couldn't tell whom the target was.

Pulling out his own pistol, Jack also took aim. The only thing that Jack was afraid of was that while he killed the man in the rigging, Blacksword would kill Will.

Breathing deeply, Jack targeted the man. He fired the shot quickly, hoping he hadn't waited too long. The gunshot raced through the ship, a strange echo following. 'Echo?' It was almost more like the sound of one gunshot followed by a second.

A second gunshot…

With a soft grunt, Jackie closed the small hatch he had slipped through. With all luck, the pirates chasing him wouldn't know where he had gone.

Glancing nervously around, he pulled the knife from his belt and fingered it lightly. He was still slightly horrified with what he had done, but considering the other option, it wasn't bad. The blade was covered in blood and it didn't bother him as much as he had thought it would.

He was breathing heavily, his quiet panting filling the hallway. That cannon fire had ceased and the sole other sounds were those of gunshots. It was almost creepy.

Movement caught his sharp eyes. He turned, dark brown eyes searching for an explanation. The hand holding his knife quivered. He didn't like this at all. What he really wanted to do was find Captain Sparrow but he knew he'd get in trouble for it, if he even found the man.

He took a deep breath and started through the ship. He had his orders and he would at least try to follow them; although with his luck, he doubted he'd be able to.

Two gunshots… it was impossible. He only had the one pistol. The only other people that had a pistol were Ricky- who was dead, and whose pistol was missing- and the man in the rigging. The man in the rigging…

His caramel eyes shot over to Will and Blacksword, trying desperately to assess if either of them had been shot.

Will had a grim smile on his face; it was about the opposite of Blacksword's dark glare. Confusion filled Jack; what was going on? He started towards the two.

"Next time… get someone… with better aim," Will managed, voice laced heavily with pain.

"He wasn't supposed to shoot you," Black Andrew growled. "He was supposed to take out Captain Sparrow."

"Then Grant has really bad aim," Will commented. Despite his offhand manner it was easy to see the pain in his eyes. "You'd think he'd at least hit my good arm if he was aiming for me."

Only then did Jack notice the large, growing bloodstain on his friend's upper arm. How he had missed it only seconds ago, he didn't know.

Fortunately, as Will had pointed out, the bullet had hit his right arm, which was useless in the first place. Jack quickly got to Will's side; he was not about to let this fight continue without him.

"Let's make this fight slightly more even," he said, hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. He glanced at Will, eyes pleading with the younger man, trying to convince him to step aside and allow him to fight Blacksword alone.

Weakly, Will shook his head. "No," he whispered, "You're here because of me; I'll not allow you to fight him by yourself."

It seemed as if he wanted to say more, but he didn't get the chance. Black Andrew attacked, face painted with anger. Quickly stepping between the young blacksmith and the furious pirate captain, Jack threw his blade up, blocking the heavy stroke.

Blacksword backed away and spun around him. He knew he would be hard pressed to keep up with two men, even though one was injured to the point of near death. He planned to kill Will quickly so that he could pay full attention to Jack.

Will stood at Jack's back, ready to protect his friend. He would let Jack take the brunt of Blacksword's attack, but he would not let him fight the other pirate alone.

Blacksword dodged around Jack and struck out at Will. The young blacksmith barely blocked in time; the shock rolled through his entire arm, sending hot waves of agony shooting through his veins. Knowing Will would block his blow, Black Andrew lashed out as he had earlier, but this time he smashed the pommel into his side.

Will managed to remain on his feet but his pain made his body freeze up momentarily. What Blacksword hadn't counted on was Jack; he kept making he mistake of writing the pirate out.

Jack slammed hard into Blacksword, pushing the pirate hard to the side and knocking him to the ground. Risking a glance to Will, Jack assured himself that the other was okay before going after Blacksword.

Gasping for breath, Will shuddered slightly. Every time he breathed, he felt pain flare through his ribs. Along with that, his shoulder still throbbed from the first time he had been hit.

Jack angrily attacked Black Andrew; he was tired of this. Tired of Blacksword hurting Will, tired of not knowing if Will was okay, and tired of having to ignore the pain his friend was in.

Ducking under the furious pirate captain's attacks, Black Andrew slashed upwards. The blade caught Jack in the chest, cutting up from the top of his solar plexus to his breastbone.

The shock of pain caused Jack to stumble back. Quickly sliding forward, Blacksword followed Jack and continued to attack without giving the other a chance to regain his footing.

Spinning, Black Andrew knocked Jack to the ground and positioned the tip of his sword at Jack's throat. "You know, I was planning on killing Turner first, but I think I'll change my plans. After all, it's not very often you get an opportunity like this."

The words floated back to Will, who was still rooted to the spot and penetrated his pain induced daze. Horror coursed through him as he realized what had happened. "Oh, God, no," he whispered to himself. "Jack..."

Miguel ached and he was exhausted. He and Paul had been protecting Jackie, but Black Andrew's crew had forced them away.

"We failed," Paul said softly from his side. "Captain Sparrow told us to protect Jackie, but we couldn't even do that."

The Spaniard looked over to his friend, "We have to find the boy. Even if he's dead, we must find him."

Blonde hair fell into Paul's face as he nodded. "I hope he's okay. If the captain manages to rescue Mr. Turner, the blacksmith would not be happy to find out his son is dead."

The two picked their way through the Hornet Dragon, stepping over the dead bodies littering the floor.

"How are we going to find him?" Paul asked.

"I don't know. We should split up. You take the upper levels of the ship and I'll take the lower levels. If you find him, come get me so I'll know he's okay."

"See you later, Miguel."

"If not here, then in hell."

TBC

Hmmmm. I hear hell's hot. Just like marching band. GRRRRRRRR. Stupid band and 109 heat index.