Author's Note: We are really nearly done with this. I have the sequel all planned out and will post the trailer when I post the next chapter, as it will be the last one before the epilouge. Don't worry, there probably won't be a break between POTC: Vertigo and POTC: The Heartstone Adventure (so now you know what it's called lol). Keep reviewing!

Chapter Twenty Six: The Bride

In the blazing afternoon sun, Jack's cabin seemed cool, but the coldness made the people there think of death, and how close he was to it.

Jack Sparrow- Captain Jack Sparrow- was in his bed, in just a tunic. Will had made sure it was the same tunic Carmen had slept in when she was here. His head was on the pillow, his cheeks white, a stark comparison to their usual golden colour. His breathing was unsteady, weak.

Will stood by the window watching him in silence. The crew had been quite quiet, but there were several of them in here. Ana-Maria was sponging down his forehead with cold water; this was such a strange sight to see, because Ana certainly wasn't the caring, nurse type of woman.

Beside her, Edward was standing, looking down at Jack with a strange expression on his face. Cotton stood beside him, tears spilling down his face. Gibbs stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes empty.

Will almost laughed. They didn't look like pirates at all. But then, how could they be without their captain?

"Will he live?" Gibbs asked, his voice heavy.

"He should have been dead," Edward answered. Will had noticed that Edward seemed to be a lot more fond of Jack now; he had even done most of the looking after him. Edward pushed back a black lock of hair. "But he isn't... he seems to be okay. I think he'll be fine."

To everyone's great surprise, Ana-Maria burst into tears then. Will watched as Edward reached across to her to stroke her hair awkwardly. Will expected Ana to turn around and slap Edward, but he gasped as she leaned closer to him, resting her head on his side.

"What about Carmen?" Gibbs asked. The Pearl had followed the Heaven, and both ships were docked at Chalpa now, though the Heaven was empty.

"Edward and I shall go and save her," Will said.

"Only two?" Ana asked, her voice hard.

"Two will be better," Edward told her in a soothing voice. "Too many people will alert Tobias, scare him, and he might just shoot Carmen. We can't risk that."

Ana nodded, understanding, and Will couldn't help but grin. He gestured to Edward. "Come on, we'd better get going, or it might be too late."

"Aye," Edward said, following Will.

"Ana, if Jack wakes," Will ordered as they reached the door, "don't let him come after us."

Ana nodded. She smiled shakily, and Edward and Will returned it, leaving the cabin in silence. Will wasn't sure what to say to Edward as they headed for the shore. Edward must be pretty confused at the moment. He was in love with his stepsister, who was in turn practically in love with Jack Sparrow. He was also displaying signs of attraction to Ana, who seemed, surprisingly, to be returning them. Or maybe it was just because they both needed somebody at the moment.

On the land, Edward sighed. "Do you think we can do it?"

"One thing that being with Jack Sparrow has taught me," Will replied, as they headed for the village, "is that all that matters is what a man can do, and what a man can't do. He has also taught me that a man can do anything if he believes it to be so."

"Why are we going to the village?"

"Good place to start. There's more Tobias could do to Carmen there."

They walked on quickly in silence for a while, until Edward spoke again. "You seem pretty keen on Jack Sparrow."

"He's a good man." Will and Edward had reached the village, looking up a steep cobbled street. The buildings were all quiet, with only one or two people out. "He knew my father."

A sudden scream shocked the still air. Carmen. Will and Edward looked at each other before starting to sprint up the bank. People stared at them as they sprinted, but they didn't stop.

Finally, they reached the top of the bank, and Will pulled Edward behind a building for shelter. He was panting slightly, a sweat on his dark skin. Edward looked insane, determined to save Carmen.

Will looked around the side of the wall. The building was a church. An ensemble of pirates stood there, leering at the figure in the centre of them.

"No," Will whispered.

It was Carmen, but not as he had ever seen her. Someone had done a very botched and scary job on her face, smearing her lips in crimson lipstick, powdering her cheeks bright pink. She was practically naked, dressed in a tiny, lacy white wedding dress, feet in huge boots, her hair flowing behind her, her hands bound behind her back. She was the image of despair.

xXx

Carmen looked at the door of the church, breathing shakily. Why couldn't Tobias have just killed her, and sent her to join Jack? Tobias had disappeared inside, but surrounded by these pirates with her hands bound, she had no chance of escaping.

Tears came to her eyes but she forced them back.

Then Tobias came out. She looked at him with hatred burning in every muscle of her body. His red hair was pulled back to reveal his sneering face as he approached her and reached out to touch her smooth cheek.

"Get off me!" she hissed.

"Ah, but I don't want to..." Tobias whispered back, eyes evil. He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, so their bodies were flat against each other. Their noses were touching, and Carmen could feel the oil on his. "You see, my darling, I've always wanted to be a Prince... and you, beautiful woman, are the key to that."

"I don't want to marry you," Carmen whimpered, tears falling against her will.

Tobias laughed cruelly, turning away from her, arms wide. "Oh, Carmen. I know what you want. You want Jack Sparrow to leap around the corner, kill me, save you, kiss you so softly, fall in love with you, and marry you." He turned back to her, eyes flashing. "It never happens that way, darling, so get used to it."

Then he came back to her, and before she knew what was happening, he had pressed his lips against her own, and a loud cheer went up among the pirates. Tobias forced his tongue into her mouth.

Then a gun went off, and there was the heavy thud of someone hitting the floor.

"What the-?" Tobias pulled away from Carmen, and they both turned to see the dead pirate lying inches from them. Confusion was etched in Tobias' face.

Then two figures appeared from the side of the church- Will and Edward, pistols and swords drawn. Carmen turned to them and smiled without thinking.

"You two!" roared Tobias, outraged.

"Nice to see you too, Hawke," Will said coldly, inclining his head. He cocked his pistol, pointing it at Tobias. "Let her go, you bastard."

Tobias laughed as Will and Edward were faced with at least thirty swords and pistols from his own men. Carmen's smile had faded. How could Will and Edward take on these men? She felt a cold, clammy hand close around her throat, and Tobias pulled her close to him again.

"She's mine now," he rasped at them, spraying saliva everywhere. His men cheered.

"You will let her go," Edward said.

Then they fought. Carmen couldn't keep up with it. She could just see a blur of movement before her, feel Tobias clutching her neck. Once or twice she caught sight of Will's sword and Edward's hair, and she supposed they were doing well. Tobias' men were littering the floor.

"You bitch," Tobias hissed into her ear, bringing her back to earth. He turned her so their eyes were meeting, and Carmen felt a familiar sensation burning up from her stomach... she wasn't sure where it came from, but it had happened once before- this violent streak. She collided her head hard with his.

He dropped her in surprise, and she didn't wait around; she was running into the fight, to Will and Edward. Edward was caught up fighting with one of the few remaining pirates. Will caught Carmen easily and slung her over his shoulder, punching a pirate with his spare hand.

"Take her to the ship!" Edward said. "I'm almost done here..." He swiftly ran a man through as he said that.

"If you're sure..." Will didn't wait around. He ran around the corner, placing Carmen down on the ground and untying her hands.

"What about Edward?" she demanded, as they started to run down towards the Pearl.

"He's almost done there, I'll go back up and help him once I'm sure you're safe. He'll be fine," Will replied, panting. "Jack'll be glad to see you."

Carmen stopped. "He's alive?"

Will nodded, and Carmen felt her eyes fill with happy tears. She found she was beaming.

Then, they heard a pistol click.

Tobias was coming down towards them, his gun pointed at her head, a truly mad look in his face. "Whore," he spat, "I was going to marry you, but I think I'd prefer killing you." He looked at Will. "You can tell Sparrow how his bitch's brains splattered on the ground..."

Carmen closed her eyes.

"I don' think so, mate." Carmen looked again to see Jack appear beside Tobias, pointing his own pistol at the red-haired pirate's head. Jack looked weak and worryingly pale... but he was here. She was safe.

Tobias didn't lower his gun. "Touching, girl, but it still won't be a happy ending..."

Jack's eyes met Carmen's, and she felt her stomach move at the look in them. "Run, Princess," he ordered.

"I-" she began to protest, but Tobias' gun went off then.

"Carmen!" Jack's voice pierced the air, and she heard footsteps- Tobias' boots hitting the floor hard, running away, Will fleeing after him.

Then the world blurred, flipping, twisting, vertigo all around her. One hand was on her stomach, and she raised it. It looked strange, but there was crimson all over it. She was on the floor, but she didn't know when she had got here. She was starting to get scared.

Then Jack's face appeared above her own. His chocolate eyes, so clear. Tears streamed down his face. She had never seen him cry like this.

"Jack..." she tried to speak, but no words formed properly.

"Princess- Carmen!"

Blackness.

Next chapter preview: Heaven...

She wondered if she was dead. There was only one way to find out. She opened her eyes and sat up, feeling a sharp pain in her gut. She was in Jack's cabin.

This might be heaven, but she certainly wasn't dead.