Disclaimer: I assume you know the drill at this point. If not, go back and read the disclaimer on the previous chapter.
A/N: As I'm fairly certain that the epilogue will not be written and uploaded until after the 25th, Merry Christmas.
Chapter 15:
After that, the battle was indeed over. The plan to flank and surround the crew of the Lady Rose was successful and the men had been forced to give in. Still, the beach was littered with the bodies of each crew- mostly of Norrington's men, unfortunately. They'd been outnumbered before the Pearl's crew joined in, turning the tides.
The captain of the pirate crew stood away from the group, his sword resting on the neck of the Lady Rose's first mate. He'd defeated the man thanks to an idea he picked up after he'd been somewhat blown up whilst fighting Captain Hampton- the man who changed his life in a matter of nine days.
Jack jerked his head towards the main group of captured men. "C'mon. 'M sure your men'll be glad to see ye in one piece, eh?"
The prisoner obeyed, his previously defiant attitude replaced with the understanding that he'd been defeated. He walked in front of the pirate, head hanging in shame, feet dragging in the sand. The pirate gently prodded him in the back with the tip of his blade, a warning to pick up his pace.
"'Ere's the last one, Commodore." Jack nodded a greeting to Norrington and Elizabeth, waving the Lady Rose's first mate into the mass of men waiting to be shackled.
"Well done, Sparrow." The Commodore praised, before informing him of a group of men returning to the ships. "They're going to fetch some irons for the Lady Rose's crew. Do you wish to go along with them?"
The pirate captain shook his head. "I've my own crew to tend to b'fore anythin'."
Norrington simply nodded before turning back to his men to finish sorting things out.
Elizabeth, who'd been silent up until that moment, finally turned to the Pearl's captain. "Are you alright?"
"Ignorin' the fact that I've been stabbed an' shot, I've never been better, love." Jack assured her, his lips curling upwards slightly. "Ye worry too much."
"Only because it's you." She murmured, leaning into him.
He chuckled, the first time in a long time. Wrapping his arms around her, he lightly pressed his lips to the top of her head. "Oh, where I'd be without ye."
Jack knew that without Elizabeth, he'd definitely not be standing on the beach of that island.
Without her, he'd likely be rotting away in a cell in Fort Charles, out of hope, the life slowly draining from what would've been left of him. Probably would've starved already. Or perhaps would have banged his head against the stone walls until it split and he bled out.
He certainly wouldn't have gotten very far without her.
But then again, she was only there for him because he'd shown up in Port Royal nigh four months ago and had had Will Turner right around the corner to bargain with him- his freedom in exchange for helping the young blacksmith save the governor's daughter from pirates.
He would've scoffed at how much the story resembled a fairy tale had he not been there and lived it himself.
"I saved your life, ye saved mine. We're square." He'd told her, just before he'd used her to escape from Norrington and his men during their first encounter.
"Jack?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm going to return to the Dauntless with Norrington's men to check on my father." Elizabeth told him.
"Alright." The pirate captain murmured, releasing her. With a small twinkle in his eyes, he added,"Don't fall overboard."
She seemed reluctant to leave his embrace, but played along with a small smile. "You know I won't. Now, you had better not bleed to death."
He smirked back at her. "Now why would I do somethin' as silly as that?"
*X*
After Elizabeth and the irons party had departed for the Dauntless, Jack found himself seeking out Gibbs to get a few things sorted in terms of the Pearl's crew. He quickly learned how annoying it was to look for one person amongst three crews. His aching body only added to his frustration of being unable to find his first mate.
He resolved to simply ordering Cotton to send Gibbs in his direction if he saw the old seadog. The mute man had merely nodded in reply, his parrot having still not returned.
As a patrol of men started going through and separating the dead based on their crew, Jack sat down on the rock he'd stood on at the edge of the trees. He drew his sword, as well as a dagger, using the knife to scrape the drying blood from his main weapon. He also took the time to pry the bullet from his leg, the wound beginning to bleed again.
The sun was beginning to set- it'd been low in the sky when he'd joined the battle- when Gibbs finally approached him.
"Orders, Cap'n?" The mutton-chopped man asked, nearly startling Jack, who was sharpening his sword.
The pirate captain looked up at him, noting a few minor cuts on the older man. He nodded towards the pile of the dead that was the Pearl's men. "Go figure out who we lost in the battle. Then take the livin' back to the ship to get their wounds treated."
"What 'bout ye, sir?"
"I'll head back with Norrington."
Gibbs gave a nod, heading off to do as he'd been told.
Jack ran his blade across the palm of his left hand. It nearly snagged his skin several times, proving it was indeed rather sharp. Technically, he noted, it wasn't his sword. His sword had been destroyed by an axe. But this one would do as a decent replacement, he decided, as he sheathed the weapon.
The pirate looked up to observe how things were going regarding the prisoners, surprised to find Governor Swann heading in his direction. Behind him, by the longboats, Jack could see Elizabeth talking to Will and the Karvers. The group of men who'd gone to fetch irons from the Dauntless were now shackling the Lady Rose's crew. Doctor Porter was mingling with Norrington's men to check wounds.
Jack stood up, his injured leg struggling to hold his weight. He could feel a hunger pain tear through his stomach; no one had eaten since that morning. He smirked, remembering that he wouldn't have to eat soup that night. He adjusted his tricorn hat on his head, beginning to make his way towards the governor.
"Captain Sparrow." The older man greeted him formally.
"Governor." Jack acknowledged him with a nod. "What do ye need?"
"I just wanted to thank you for protecting my daughter." Governor Swann told him, seeming slightly uncomfortable with having to thank a pirate. "I'm not sure what I'd have done had anything happened to her."
I don't know what I'd have done either. The pirate gave him a small smile. "I'd never let anythin' happen to her, not as long as I'm alive. Ye can count on that."
"Of that, I am certain." Elizabeth's father nodded. "She feels the same about you, you know."
"Aye, I know. Reckon I owe 'er my sanity." Jack replied. "Ye hardly ever see a woman like her. I've been all over the world an' only seen a couple."
"Yes, it is quite uncommon." Governor Swann agreed. "But even so, she cannot do everything by herself."
"If she could, she would've freed herself from Barbossa."
The interruption was ignored. "That is why I've decided to pardon you from your crimes in Port Royal. The Black Pearl will be allowed to dock in our harbor for now on, unless you do anything to hurt my daughter."
Jack's eyes widened. He'd never expected to be pardoned anywhere, much less in Port Royal. He blinked, composing himself. "She's in good hands, I promise ye."
"I trust you to follow the law when in Port Royal and not to take advantage of our hospitality."
"Ye have my word."
"Very well." Governor Swann seemed to be satisfied. "I shall see you aboard the Dauntless, Captain."
The pirate gave a respectful nod, watching as the other man turned to walk back to the longboats. He didn't come all the way out here just to talk to me, did he?
He stood on the beach, rooted to the spot, watching as the sun sank lower and lower on the horizon. The warm Caribbean air slowly grew cooler. He didn't mind; the Caverns had been colder. He was glad to see a long day like this one finally come to an end.
His eyes landed on the silhouette of the HMS Lady Rose, the ship abandoned after the capture of its crew. The flag and sails waves gently in the air. Despite the warmth still in the air, he shivered. He wondered what would become of the ship.
Jack shook himself from his musings, slowly beginning to head back to the longboats. He had open wounds and the sooner he treated them, the better. Still, the fate of the ship he'd most recently been a captive aboard nagged at him.
He spotted Norrington overseeing his men as they marched the prisoners to the longboats that hadn't yet departed. He stopped beside the man.
"Sparrow." The Commodore addressed him. "I'm surprised to see that you're still on the island."
The pirate shrugged his good shoulder. "Jus' been thinkin'."
"May I inquire as to what about?" The naval officer asked.
Jack inclined his head at the Lady Rose. "What're ye gonna do with 'er?"
"I'll need to inspect the ship before I do anything. There's not enough light to do so now, therefore tomorrow will do. Do you wish to join me?"
The pirate stiffened at the suggestion. He had so many bad memories from aboard that ship. But, he reminded himself, it wasn't the ship that had hurt him- it'd been the people aboard it. And now with the Lady Rose's crew heading for the Dauntless's brig, he'd be safe aboard it.
"You don't have to, of course." Norrington added hastily, having noticed his reaction.
After a moment's hesitation, he finally nodded in response to his companion's question. "Ah, what's the worst that can happen? I'll come."
*X*
After returning to the Dauntless, Jack had had Porter treat his new wounds. After that, he'd crossed to his own ship and enjoyed the first meal that wasn't soup in a month. Exhausted from a long day's hard work, he'd drifted off to sleep with Elizabeth in his embrace.
He slept well. The first night in a while he'd had no nightmares.
That's why the pirate captain was annoyed when a loud knocking sounded on his cabin door, waking both him and his companion. He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound, then remembered where he was and laid on his back with a sigh. Elizabeth shifted to lay her head on his chest.
"Cap'n!" A crew member called through the door. "Are ye in there, Cap'n?"
"No." Jack muttered sarcastically. "Why would I be in my own cabin on my own ship?"
The governor's daughter snorted in amusement.
"Aye, I'm in 'ere." He finally answered the man at the door. "What do ye want?"
"Commodore Norrington's got a longboat out by the Dauntless, ready to launch. Says ye were gonna join 'im, sir." The crewman informed him.
The pirate groaned lazily. "Tell 'im I'll be there shortly."
"Aye, Cap'n." Footsteps sounded, fading as they drew farther from the cabin door.
Jack closed his eyes, tucking his arms behind his head, as he let himself sit in the peacefulness of his cabin for a few moments longer.
"Jack?" Fingers drummed on the exposed section of his chest.
"Hmm?" He inquired.
"Where are you and Norrington going?" Elizabeth asked him.
"The Lady Rose." The pirate told her, inwardly cringing at how casual he sounded. "He wanted to inspect 'er to decide what to do with 'er."
"And he invited you along?" She sounded near infuriated with the Commodore.
"I'm the one who asked him what he wanted to do with that ship, love. Don't blame him." He murmured.
Opening his eyes, Jack climbed from the bed. He pulled his boots onto his feet and his waistcoat over his shirt. He strapped his sword around his torso and tucked his pistol in his belt. He plucked his tricorn from his desk and twirled it in his fingers for a moment before putting it on.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come along with you?" Elizabeth asked, clearly concerned of how he'd feel back aboard the Lady Rose.
"I reckon Norrington'll send me back to the boat if needed." He assured her. "'Sides, that cut on your stomach won't heal on its own, will it now?"
"You got stabbed and shot, Jack. You're the one who needs to rest." She responded indignantly.
He chuckled at the haughty tone of her voice, a half smirk curling at his lips. "I rested enough last night. Haven't slept that well in awhile."
*X*
After spending most of the morning examining the upper deck and crew's quarters of the Lady Rose, Jack and Norrington were finally climbing down the stairs that the pirate knew led to the brig, and beneath it, the torture room.
He hesitated, coming to a stop halfway down the creaking planks, the memories of everything that had happened in the lower levels of the ship surfacing.
"Sparrow?" Norrington took instant notice. "Do you wish to return to the main deck until I return?"
Jack shook his head violently to clear away the memories, not looking the other man in the eyes. "No. I'll be fine. Let's keep movin'."
The Commodore didn't seem convinced, but didn't object either.
The two men entered the brig, a shiver running up the pirate's spine. The cells were as unkempt as ever, the boards rotting, the bars rusting. The doors were swung open. Rats scampered around as they pleased, only scattering away from the light of the lantern the men had brought. The first cell, the one Jack and Stiles had been kept in, was still stained with his blood.
It took all of the pirate's effort to control himself.
"I hate it here." He murmured, his English accent showing through in his apprehensive state.
Norrington ignored the comment, looking upon the first cell with horror. "Is that your blood?"
"Aye." Jack answered quietly, after a moment. He tried to sound lighthearted as he added,"Looks like they haven't gotten 'round to cleanin' it yet, eh?"
The Navy officer turned to look at him in disbelief.
"...Sorry." The pirate muttered. He nodded at a trail of dried blood that led from a corner of the brig to the cell. "That's not mine, though. Stiles's. Cut one o' his legs."
"How did you not bleed to death?"
"Y'know, I wanted nothin' more than to bleed to death at the time."
"What's below the brig?" Norrington asked. They'd found the crew's cargo stored on the same level as their quarters, making living spaces smaller.
Jack froze. He'd tried not to think about the torture room. "Er...reckon ye oughta see for yourself, mate."
They climbed down the stairs to the closed iron barred door that marked the entrance to the torture room. The reek of blood and decaying bodies came from the darkness on the other side of the bars. The chilling breeze murmured indistinctive cries of agony from the ship's former prisoners. The Commodore hesitated, clearly understanding that what laid beyond was something he would not soon forget.
"Sparrow? What's down here?" The man sounded rather spooked.
"It's the torture room." Jack told him, his voice scarcely more than a whisper.
"Does it look bad?"
"Much worse than the brig."
"Then it's settled." Norrington turned and passed his companion as he headed back towards the main deck. "The Lady Rose will clearly see no good of a cleaning and remodeling. We shall see her to the depths at sunset."
Jack couldn't help but to feel relieved at those last words. He followed the naval officer towards the light of day, away from the darkness of days past.
*X*
Captain Jack Sparrow stood at the bow of the Black Pearl, gazing out over the Caribbean waters. The gentle waves reflected the orange sky, making the world look like it was ablaze.
Cannon fire filled the air, accompanied by the cheers of soldiers and pirates alike. There, sitting beside an island, was the HMS Lady Rose, water slowly consuming her. Smoke billowed from the burning planks and sails.
This ship had been the location of lots of pain of Jack's recent past. He should've been rejoicing with the rest of the men as he watched it sink. Yet here he was, watching with calm contentment. A small smirk tugged at one side of his lips.
After a month of darkness, what felt like an eternity of mental captivity, he finally felt as if he'd been set free. He'd pulled through the lowest point of his life and was emerging into something even greater than ever before.
All of his problems with Barbossa felt a lifetime ago. Then, he had felt like he'd been at his lowest point. He thought he'd never been happier the moment he finally claimed the Black Pearl as his own again. Now, he knew that he had been wrong then.
Barbossa and his cursed crew had been mere child's play in comparison to what Jack had just survived.
Jack had also come to the realization that his worst enemy was never any man; His worst enemy was himself. Always had been, always would be. And this time, he'd defeated his demons. This time, he was triumphant. This time, he was free.
As he felt Elizabeth Swann link arms with him, he knew that nothing would ever hold him back. Not even himself. Not now, not ever. He was Captain Jack Sparrow.
A/N: That last segment felt extremely poetic, but I kinda like it.