1

Well my thanks are never ending you all know that. But here they are anyway! Alonefreehearted: the very first reviewer! Thank you I love that you love it. Haha and I know, I left ya hangin there at the end of 34! But here! Read this! Xox. Amalthea722: haha I hope this is soon enough? Perhaps? Good. Xox. Darkravenwriter: even though you didn't review for this chapter, you reviewed and I love it! So thank you. Keep reading. Xox. Finally! Emiliosloofah: the marriage was beautiful, you looked splendid and so did Emilio, of course. Johnny wants to know if you all want to get together and go to Ireland next week because he won't stop talking about it. Plus, I heard there's great shopping there! So, we better check it out. We'll meet you in Dublin, yes? Thank you for your wonderful review, and I love how you take quotes out of my story and show them to me, keep it up! Thanks, thanks, a thousand times thanks! Xox!

Enjoy, all of you! 3

Jack looked up from his safe place on the ground. He could see them but they couldn't see him. He saw tiny faces, looking down seemingly at him, but he knew they were looking at nothing but utter blackness. He searched the tight faces until he found the one he was looking for. She was wrapped tightly in Will's arms, her eyes searching the black fiercely, looking for him, he knew she was. He wished he could say something to her, to make her not worry so much about him, but there was really nothing he could say. Nothing could put her mind at ease. He was in a place of uncertainty, or nothing but trial and error. He just hoped he didn't make an error. He looked to Will's drawn face, and sighed. The young man was a worrier far beyond his years. He winked at Isabelle, even though he knew she couldn't see him, and lowered his head back down to what was in front of him.

He raised the torch to his eye level and squinted, trying desperately to get a better view. He could see a dark tunnel leading to more dark. He sighed heavily, pulling himself up into the muddy earth. "There's always a light at the end, right?" he mumbled to himself before he jammed the torch into the soft ground before making his way through the tunnel, without light, and without much sanity.

He must've come across every manner of creature that lurked within the earth on his little escapade. Spiders crawled eerily up his arms and chest, sticking to him when they could. Worms wedged themselves between his long, slender fingers, finding peace between them until Jack violently shook his hands free of them. Moles, almost as blind and hopeless as he was, skittered across his path, making him stop and consider what the hell he was doing in the black pit of obscenity anyway. When he paused, he shook himself hard, listening as the creatures that had been attached to him, hit the mud walls with a sickening squish. He cringed, his nose wrinkling and his eyes watering with the inhuman stench of mud and insects, but he got back down on his hands and knees and kept trucking. By the way his arms and legs worked and pressed, he guessed he was climbing on a rather easy incline. But an incline non the less.

He missed the rope. He missed the feeling of safety the tightly woven string presented and he missed the pull from his mates behind it. He missed being safe. He missed the smell of the sea and he missed Isabelle. Why didn't he just keep the bloody rope on his waist. It wasn't that difficult. Why did he have to be such a pig headed captain. His hands were soaked to his wrist with black, stinking mud and his shirt had been lost a while ago. The filthy, ripped, tattered excuse for what was a crisp white shirt stuck to everything and seemed to be a critter magnet. And he hated spiders. He could feel them tittering up his arms and bare chest, almost making him heave at the thought. He fought to stay going, he had to mentally remind himself that he was doing this because he wanted to. There was something at the end of this tunnel and that something could make him a very happy man for a very long time. And with that mental image, he kept going, able to block the sickening, black creatures from his mind.

His hair, for one, would never be clean again. It was matted and sticky with mud and woven with unwanted roots and branches. He didn't dare reach up and touch it, for fear of what he might feel taking up residence within it. His beads whacked his face several times and he felt himself grow madder and madder every passing second. He had been crawling on his hands and knees for what seemed like hours. It was pitch black, it smelled like all hell, and he was tired and sore. And he wanted the rope back.

He took short, shallow breaths, begging his eyes to adapt to the blackness, but it was to no avail. His eyes already burned with the thick air and the-

"What the-..." His hand slipped, his other hand following. His knees skidded through the wet mud and he was suddenly falling for what seemed like a day. He fell fast and hard, screaming like he was back from hell, his arms flailing wildly, hoping to luckily catch something and save himself from what could possibly lay beneath him. And just as suddenly as it began, he hit the ground with an earth shattering thud and a final groan of pain and misery.

"Bloody hell who does that?" Jack muttered, laying on the ground motionless, trying to get his head to stop spinning and his arms and legs to move on his command again. He felt a dull pain in the back of his head and his wrist was most definitely broken from the impact. That's what he got for protecting himself from a sharp drop with nothing but his god damn hands. He took a deep breath, raising himself slowly into a seated position, lifting his hand to his head to rub at it gently, feeling for any blood or any sign of...anything bad. When he was satisfied with the fact that he was alright, he pushed himself to his feet with his hands and looking around at the lighter room. "Holy...shit," he breathed, looking around slowly, letting his eyes drink in the beautiful, wonderful sight before him. Mountains and mountains of gold and pearls and diamonds and jewels, crowns, scepters, dresses, rings, necklaces, everything and anything of value. Taking his eyes off the mounds of gold, he looked to the walls, paved with gold and embroidered with silver words, written in Spanish, Jack knew only from his multi cultural experiences. He walked up to one of the walls and ran his dirty, peeling hands over the raised silver writing, closing his eyes in happiness. Opening them, he read the words softly, making sure the treasure of his wildest dreams wasn't dammed.

"You who finds this gold shall live well, and prosper. Long live the day you decide to fly," Jack read quietly and re read it over and over again, letting the fulfilling words sink in deep and touch every part of his cold, damp, restless soul. He laughed softly at first, then it grew and grew, echoing off the walls and filling the room with joyous laughter that sounded like ten thousand strong, brave men, instead of one dirty, jubilant one. "You're not dammed!" he shouted with glee, pointing at the treasure with unmasked happiness in his voice. "You're perfectly fine!" he shouted, throwing his hands up in the air and laughing like there was no tomorrow. "There is a God! There is a God!" he shouted over and over again until his booming voice was hoarse and harsh and he could no longer dance around in circles.

The laughter subsided and he looked around for something, some way to get out. There, in the far corner, the golden walls ended, leaving cold, hard stone, rounded and smooth. Jack ran toward it, smiling furiously.

Isabelle's heart was clenched with fear and her mind raced with all the different things that could have happened to Jack. Everyone was silent, James and Litler stood, waiting and ready for the first sign of a pull, a thrust, a shout, anything from their captain. Nothing ever came and they began to sweat and pace. Where could he have gone. They stayed close to the rope, pretending they were still supporting him, but in reality, they were just two worried men with the same blinding thoughts and worries that Isabelle possessed. Diana paced back and forth from the hole to a random tree, her bow strung tightly across her back and her green eyes flashed with worry and sympathy. She was the queen, she should've never let Jack so something so dangerous under her protection. She sighed, throwing her arms to her side and walked over to the group, looking down into the hole and groaning when she saw nothing but blackness. "He cannot have gone far. It's not like underground goes forever," she said suddenly, drawing everyone's attention except Isabelle's. Diana noticed and walked over to Isabelle and Will, cupping the woman's face in her hands and smiling. "He'll be alright. He's very capable," she said softly and kissed her forehead, her French accent soothing Isabelle, but not bringing her back from her desperation.

The sun was rising over the beautiful blue waves and they could once again make out the colors of the rainforest. Isabelle's face had grown pale under her tan and Will's eyes had dulled significantly. It had been three hours and there was no sign of their captain yet. Elizabeth stood idly by Isabelle's side, wondering, waiting, remembering. Some of the crew had already given up all hope of their captain's return. But Isabelle wouldn't give up. She couldn't give up. Jack was her husband and he wouldn't leave her. He wouldn't do that to her.

Isabelle knew how to wait. Her time inched by in seconds. She counted the seconds in the breeze as it whizzed past her ears in a rush. She counted the seconds in the calls from the wild birds in the jungle and the trickle of the nearby stream. She counted the seconds in the breathing coming from the tense blacksmith standing against her and the devastated woman clinging to her side. She counted the seconds in the sway of the sea, in the cries of the gulls, in the rustle of leaves, and in the cracking bark on the many different kinds of trees. They crawled by like they were already dead before they made their mark. Her minutes were counted in the rotations of the dark shadows on the crews faces and the shuffling of their nervous feet. Her hours were measured in a different way. They were measured in the beat of her heart. Every hour, the beat skipped, suspending her breath, the life inside of her, and blinding her. But as the second crept past in the breath coming from the young blacksmith, she was re born with new faith.

Jack made it to the last stair, carved awkwardly in the rock formation shielding the entrance of the cave from the rest of the world. He tied some rope he found in the hoard onto the rock at the top of the formation and slid carefully down, holding his wrist to his chest tightly. He had been gone for four and a half hours now, and he was sick with worry. It had taken him two hours to fight his way through the dark, sickening tunnel. He had spent an hour in the hold, wasting his time dancing around and crying out in exhilaration. It took him an hour and a half to climb the steep steps of the rocks with a broken wrist and two very angry legs. Which protest all the way down the rope he had set up for himself.

He literally kissed the ground when he made it out onto the grass. The birds called the ocean crashed and the trees rustled, and he could hear it. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever beheld in his life and he was so happy to be alive. He looked around, instantly locating the large group where he left them hours ago, sitting around and sulking over their loss. He furrowed his brow, deciding there was no way he was going to let his rowdy, boisterous crew ever die down. He marched, well he marched at first, but it slowed into a walk, over to the group, launching himself at James and Litler in a flurry of words and arms. James and Litler shouted and cried and hugged him so tightly, Jack thought he would die right then and there.

Diana's head shot up and she looked over at the three men. "Jack!" she shouted and reached for Isabelle quickly, pulling the distraught woman over to the very cut up, dirty pirate. Jack tore himself away from his two mates and looked on as Isabelle approached him. Everyone else faded from his view and all he could see was her. Her tear stained chest and her flushed cheeks, her lips parted in a silent plea as she came dashing over to him, her arms aching to hold him. Time slowed and didn't start up again until she had firmly hurled herself into him. She collided with him so fast and so hard, he had to fight to stay on his feet. She buried her head in his chest and ran her hands up and down his back tenderly, feeling him against her. He smiled and kissed the top of her head, holding her tightly to him, beside the pain in his wrist telling him, no. The thoughts of treasure melted away as she remained in his arms and everything was sane for one moment in time.

Jack smiled and sighed, resting his cheek on the top of her head. He could breath fresh air, he could see the sea, and he could hold his wife in his arms again. He was alive, he was free, he had made it. The sun was rising on a new day and he thanked God, or some great being that was up there watching over him. He held her close to him as she let her hot tears roll down her cheeks and wash over his dirty chest. Will was right. This was where his treasure lived, and she shined brighter than a thousand piles of gold.

Two hours later, the entire crew was mirroring Jack's snoopy dances when he led them to the magnificent hoard he had tumbled into. They laughed and cried and sang and danced with each other, lifting up priceless items and throwing them halfway across the room after inspection. Isabelle looked around in awe at the beautiful carvings and the mountains of gold, which Jack assured them over and over again wasn't dammed. It was everything he had explained and drawn and imagined. It was everything he was looking for and everything he wasn't. It was more than he wanted, it was more beautiful, more promising, more unique. It was now, and would always be, the Treasure of Captain Jack Sparrow.

The pirates spent the entire day and night in the large room hidden carefully by the large stone rock. Elizabeth and Isabelle lounged on the thrones in the far corner while Jack and Will pranced around in necklaces and chains and crowns. The crew loaded things up to prepare for export and Isabelle and Elizabeth refused to do anything. They were far too tired and comfortable to move. "Look, watch Jack. Every two or three steps he does that thing with his lips," Elizabeth said with laughter behind her voice. Isabelle watched and sure enough, every two or three steps, Jack would lift his hand up to his lips and rub them gently, then drop his hand back down. Like he was in deep thought or something. "There! Did you see it?" Elizabeth squealed. It was true, Jack walked around, inspecting everyone's progress and he would do the little thing with his mouth. Elizabeth obviously found it hilarious.

"Yes I see. I wonder why he does that?" Isabelle asked Elizabeth, swinging her leg over the arm of the chair and situating herself in a position so she could see the entire room.

"It's cute," Elizabeth said, giggling as Jack did it again. Isabelle lightly kicked her and she smiled. "But Will is cuter," she said in a low voice, but with a bright smile.

"Of course," Isabelle said, catching Jack's eye. She smiled warmly at him, with a desperate plea behind her eyes and he detected it. He could see the dark circles under her bright brown eyes and he could see her slowly drifting off into sleep. He only noticed this because he couldn't hear her wise cracks and witty humor behind him anymore. She had been up all night worrying about him, of all things. He patted Litler on the back gently and walked away from him to Isabelle. She lifted her chin so she could see him better and smiled up at him.

"You look tired, love," he said quietly. She laughed softly and reached for his hand.

"I'm alright," she whispered. "A few more hours wouldn't hurt, no?" she said quietly, but she squeezed his hand, reminding him that she meant a couple hours and no more. Jack smiled widely, he had hoped he could stay for just a little while longer. Just long enough to bask in the greatness of the room, and then he would leave. Albeit, with the treasure.

The cave was engulfed in darkness and all the treasure had been filed out in the arms and pockets and bags of the crew. Addressed strictly to the Pearl and nowhere else. The walls had been worn and nicked from the hard objects hitting it over and over again. The ground was sprinkled scarcely with gold coins here and there and the occasional necklace. The thrones, however, sat untouched in their corner with two very tired, very unfriendly women perched in them, sleeping soundly. The crew hadn't made a sound, on Jack's order when he saw his wife and her companion sleeping. The crew were all safely back at the castle with Diana, James, and Ana, probably sleeping too, or they were celebrating, which ever tickled their fancy first.

Jack and Will fought the jungle off with their elbows as they carried their sleeping wives in their arms like good husbands. They were both tired and sore from the day and they wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep until next year. They were greeted at the giant double doors by two very stiff and very annoying guards. Jack approached them calmly and sanely, trying to keep his eyes open.

"'Ello mate, mind if we get to bed?" he said wearily. He had just carried another person from deep in the jungle to the palace, and he wanted to put her down.

"I don't think so. Does the queen have special business with you?" Will stepped back, knowing Jack would not take kindly to the resistance he was seeing in the guards. He was right and he winced when Jack let our a string of curses so nasty, the man's cheeks turned red.

"Yer just lucky I can't hit ye, cos you'd be on the ground so fast yer bloody head would spin," Jack growled at the man, staring him straight in the eye. Now, Jack wasn't a tall man or a large man. He was quite the opposite. He was average height and skinny, but he had good, strong muscles underneath. Jack didn't need to be big and strong though, it wasn't those facts that scared people the most. It was his words and his mere overpowering presence that sent people into a tailspin.

"Jack," Will said and Jack turned to look at him. "Just... push past, get us in. Elizabeth is getting heavy," Will said and shifted her in his arms. Jack nodded warily and walked up to the two adamant guards, who barricaded the door with their bodies. Will actually raised his eyebrows at this, usually Jack got what he wanted after swearing and yelling. But this was different, obviously.

"Why you-.."

"Jack! Will! What's going on here?" Diana appeared at the door with James and Ana who all looked a little disheveled.

"Oh, thank God," Will breathed as the doors opened gratefully to them. Jack walked over to James and handed him Isabelle, then walked past Diana.

"Sorry, love," he said quietly to the queen as he punched one of the guards in the face with all his might. He fell to the ground with a hard thud and there he stayed.

"Jack?" Diana said and Will laughed and walked past them all with Elizabeth held tightly in his arms now. They were burning and pleading with him to put the weight down, but he wouldn't. Jack walked over to James and took Isabelle back from him. "Thanks, mate," he said and walked past them all, following Will. Ana, Diana, and James all came tumbling after him, questions spilling from their mouths about where the treasure was and what was next and what they should do with it all. Jack walked into his room and laughed as he turned around. "Tomorrow," he said gently and he smiled at them. "Goodnight," he said and shut the door with his foot.

He sighed as he let Isabelle down on the bed and she stirred. He looked to the corner of the room where a hot tub was already drawn and ready for him, this probably made him happier than he had been in a while. Isabelle slept through his bath, which was long and warm and relaxing and she woke up just as he was crawling under the covers next to her. "Jack?" she asked him softly. He sighed and rolled over, facing her.

"Yea, love. It's me," he said gently, touching her face with his hand.

"You smell very good," she said and smiled. He chuckled and closed his eyes. She scooted herself closer to him and he wrapped his arms around her lovingly. Needless to say, she didn't let him get much sleep that night, but he didn't mind, he didn't mind at all.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Wow! I'm done with that and it's like 5 pages. That's a shocker. More soon I promise. I'm loving writing this! Here's your quote! This reminds me of Jack and Isabelle.

Maybe some people aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they're meant to run wild until they find someone just as wild to run with.

Thank you everyone,

Katie. (Dessie)