Jack leaned Angelica's head against his shoulder as he crouched at the top of the stairs. Will and Elizabeth were behind him. He glanced up onto the deck, jumping back immediately as a soldier walked past. He gently laid the Spanish woman on the stairs.

"I'm goin' to distract 'em." He told the others. "Grab a longboat an' get it in the water."

"You can't." Elizabeth grabbed his arm when he turned to climb onto the deck. "You need to get to Shipwreck Cove. You're the heir to the Keeper."

"And neither can ye do it, ye're the Pirate King." Jack reminded her.

"I'll go." Will spoke up. "I'll distract them and you get the boat. I'll catch up."

His wife tried to protest. "But, Wi-"

"There's no other choice. You are both too important to the Brethren to die. And there's no one in line to be Keeper after Jack." He told her, truthfully.

"Get on with it then." The pirate captain growled at him impatiently. "I don't wanna stay on this bloody ship any longer than necessary."

Will turned and climbed onto the deck to do his job. Jack lifted Angelica in his arms once again, hoping their escape would go to plan. Shouts erupted on deck shortly and he knew that the distraction had begun.

The pirate captain stepped out on the ship's deck, Angelica in his arms and Elizabeth behind him. He grabbed a knife that laid on the wood and they took off towards the boats. They reached them, finding one decently sized that would hold all four of them and still have spare room. He used the knife to cut it loose and then tucked it in between the waistband of his pants and his belt. The Pirate King climbed down into it first and the injured pirate handed her the unconscious daughter of Blackbeard. He climbed down after them, taking Angelica again. Will splashed into the water beside boat and climbed in, soaking. He grabbed the oars and began rowing them away from the British ship.

"Don't know what ye did, but great job." Jack approved.

"Thanks, Jack." Will answered as they got further and further from the ship.

The soldiers of the Royal Navy didn't seem to have noticed them leave, to the relief of the escapees. The plan had worked perfectly. The first plan that ever had. The injured pirate captain set down Angelica in between two of the benches. He, himself, sat on the bench in the back of the rowboat, facing away from them. The excitement of being free again had left him and now all the painful memories overtook him, leaving him to mourn quietly.

Soon the sun was low in the sky, which was purple and orange. Jack found himself turning to stare into it, longingly wishing to be on the Pearl's deck, at the helm. That thought fueled his anger even more. Gradually the rowing began to slow down, making him guess that Will was tiring. Elizabeth had fallen asleep in between two of the benches.

"Ye want me to take over with the rowin' for awhile?" The pirate captain offered.

"It'd be nice." The Dutchman's former captain panted in reply, handing him over the oars. "Thanks…"

"Get some rest." He nodded to him as he began rowing, trying to ignore that pain in his shoulder that had been shot.

Jack rowed for a few more hours, off and on because of the pain. The moon was well up in the night sky, the light it gave off reflecting off the calm water. Once he'd nearly fallen asleep and almost went overboard before he realized it. Deciding he should switch out with Will again, he poked the other man with an oar. The man stirred, but didn't wake up completely. He gave him another hard jab to the arm and he jumped, turning to face him with a startled expression.

"Your turn, mate." He told him, keeping his voice quiet as to not wake the others.

The Dutchman's former captain nodded, taking the oars. "Alright."

The injured pirate turned back to watch the water. He wasn't tired, just exhausted. Memories also kept his mind racing and alert. After awhile, his thoughts had slowed down and his eyelids had begun to droop.

"Jack!"

He jolted upright, his eyes wide. Turning to see that Angelica rested peacefully, unharmed, he exhaled in relief. He breathed in and out a few times, calming himself. He glanced up at the moon, giving a small smile as he remembered what type of moon it was.

"The old moon in the arms of a new one. First of the summer."

He didn't normally remember small things like that, so he mentally prided himself for remembering. He rested a hand on his knee, the other subconsciously messing with the trinkets in his dreadlocks. He gazed at the moon without looking away, he admired it, similar to how she had that night in the lighthouse.

"The first of the summer." Her voice murmured aloud, repeating what she had said last time.

"Aye." Jack turned, giving her a small smirk. "Ye're finally awake, eh?"

"I should be saying the same to you." Angelica answered in her Spanish accent. "You were unconscious for three days."

"Was I?" He asked, surprised.

"Yes, you were, Jack." She confirmed, standing up and stretching before sitting down on the bench next to him. "I was worried about you. How are you feeling?"

"Don't need to worry 'bout me." He gave a small smile, pulling her up against him with his right arm. "Feelin' alright, compared to earlier."

She rested her head against his bruised shoulder and he winced slightly. "What happened earlier?"

"Jus' wasn't in the best of moods." He admitted.

"I do not see how you could be in a good one after what happened during the battle." Angelica told him, caressing his cheek with her hand. "Your father died, you nearly died."

"Don't mention it." Jack mumbled.

"Lo siento, Jack. Sorry." She murmured.

"It's fine." He assured her, ending the conversation.

"Jack?" She asked, breaking the silence that had lapsed over the last few minutes.

"Mhm?" He was looking at the water, which was reflecting the night sky so well.

"Te amo."

"What does that mean?"

"I love you." She snuggled up against him.

He kissed the top of her head gently. "As do I, love."

Then she had moved back a little, her hand reaching through his dreadlocks to grab the back of his head. Her other hand went to his chest. She tilted her head up, pulling his down and their lips met in a passionate kiss. His arms went to her waist and one to her shoulders, pulling them as physically close as possible. She push him down onto the bench so that he laid flat on his back. She climbed on top of him, her hands working his shirt over his injured shoulders and sliding it off his arms, dropping it- with the vest still on it- onto the floor of the longboat. Realizing what she was trying to do, he managed to get his hands in between their shoulders and pulled her away from him, breaking the kiss.

"Wha- Jack!" Angelica scowled.

"Not 'ere." Jack told her, knowing it'd embarrass the both of them that Will and Elizabeth were possibly watching. "We're not on this boat alone."

Will had turned and gave them an amused smirk, making her blush as she realized what had almost happened in front of others. The man turned back to rowing, the boat moving rhythmically forward through the water. Elizabeth hadn't stirred, still sleeping peacefully where she was in between two of the benches.

"I didn't realize they were here too." She murmured, laying against him with a content sigh.

"What, ye think I'd leave 'em to be hanged?" He raised an eyebrow, wrapping his arms around her back.

"Never know with you, Sparrow." She called him by his last name. "You're always tricking people into doing things for your own good."

"Pirate." He muttered, loudly enough for her to hear.

They lapsed into silence. For a long time the only sound was the churning water as the longboat propelled forward through the water. Jack had gotten Angelica off of him and now they sat side by side on the bench. After a peaceful half hour or longer, the boat lurched.

Jack found himself tossed into the water, snapping him completely awake. He reached the surface and caught his breath, realizing the boat had moved on a little. With a sigh, he began swimming towards it. It was challenging, since last time he swam he had both legs. After a lot of effort, he finally caught up with the boat, which had stopped.

"You alright, Jack?" Will asked, glancing over from where he sat.

"I'm fine, mate." He responded, taking the hand Angelica extended to him.

But instead of letting her pull him up, he purposely pulled on her instead. With a gasp of surprise, she splashed into the water beside him, cursing after she reached the surface. He laughed, grinning mischievously. She splashed him across the face, climbing back into the boat. He climbed up after her, still chuckling. Even Will had a small smile on his face.

"Don't do that again." Angelica growled at Jack, though he knew she wasn't angry.

He wrapped an arm around her as they sat back down on the bench, smirking. "Don't count on it, love."

She snuggled up against him, playfully threatening,"If you do, I'll make sure we leave you."

"Oi! Ye wouldn't." He responded in an equal tone, remembering how Barbossa took the Pearl and marooned him several times. "Ye've no idea how much more of bein' marooned I can take."

"Of course not." She murmured.

"Good then." He sighed, his arm around her back.

He felt her shiver as a small breeze came in from the side. He grabbed his vest and shirt from the bottom of the boat and wrapped them around her, pulling her close once again. After a little while, she'd drifted to sleep in his arms. He rested her in between two of the benches, while he himself settled down in between the last bench and the back of the boat. Gazing across the seemingly endless open water, the bad memories of what had happened before he passed out came back to him.

"I killed your mother, my wife." Teague had admitted.

After Jack had been pinned, the man had been shot and died beside him.

"I'm sorry, Jackie." The dying Keeper had said.

"I'm not." He'd replied, not thinking he'd regret it later.

Oh, by God, did he regret it now. It was a huge part of all the anger he had for himself. He wasn't angry specifically at anyone- besides the already dead Teague- except for himself. He'd been so upset with his father after he'd learned the truth that he never cared to give a proper farewell at the time.

He saved you even though you hated him at the time...He reminded himself, clenching his fist.

Something poked him in the back and he nearly jumped, tensing. "What?" He demanded, his voice sharp.

"Your turn to row, Jack." Will told him, holding out the oars.

Jack took them, sitting down on one of the benches and beginning to row the longboat. I still have a lot to learn about people...