AN: I was thinking (Ha, scary right?) and I think I've decided that after the war mentioned in this chapter and a few other things, I might end this story. Should I have a sequel? I have ideas for it, but I need more reviews for this one first:/. So Review, please:).

Also, happy [belated, my apologies birthday to MissDepp4eva! I truly meant to update yesterday [on your birthday, but I had things to do and I got sidetracked. I was also going to put up two chapters for your birthday, but I've had severe writers block. So you, and everyone, keep reviewing! This is the only AN that's going to be this long, I promise! I'm going to be out of town until the 21st, so I'll try to update before then. So review and stuff if you want a sequel :). I already have the plot for it. :).

"Jack?"

I awoke in the middle of the night due to the pain in my leg. It was just a cut, nothing more than that, so why was it hurting so badly? I found that I was still in Jack's arms, my head on his chest. "Yes, love?"

He'd apparently been awake for awhile due to the fact his voice didn't carry the remnants of sleep as mine did. I shifted my gaze so I was looking at him, his dark eyes staring into mine. "Are you alright?"

Jack was silent for a moment, causing me to worry. Of course he wasn't alright! I'd been injured by the man who'd ruined my life so long ago. The man who'd forged love to me and that same man had tried to convince me that Jack wasn't who I wanted or desired. Finally, his voice echoed in the quiet cabin. "Darling, you've been hurt, had your past thrown in your face and lost a considerable amount of blood within a matter of hours. I don't think now is the time to be worried about me."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Jack, you're just as important."

He sighed and rubbed my back gently with his left hand as he spoke. I could tell that the past evening's events had shaken him up quite a bit. "Alley, are you sure you want this? To live on a ship when you could be out with someone that's not a pirate and who wouldn't endanger your life." I sighed into his chest as he held me closed and I listened. "I love you, Alexis and I don't want to endanger you…"

"Oh rubbish, Jack. You know I'm happier than I could've ever dreamed a year ago. I'm with the man I love and who loves me equally in return, what more could I want? You heard me tell Beckett earlier and I'll say it again; I don't want to be some housewife with loads of children and errands to run while my dutiful husband works all day and barely has time for me." I laughed. "Besides, I and you are alike in our needs for attention."

I smiled when I heard him laugh and the smirk was in his voice. "Aye, darling. You're correct with that statement." He paused before continuing. "So I take it you don't want children, eh?"

"Just not loads of them." I laughed. "If they're anything like you, then I don't need anymore; I already have you!"

He growled playfully and I was almost certain that if weren't for my leg, which he was unnecessarily worried about, then he would've rolled on top of me. Instead, he gripped my waist and pushed me up to meet his lips in a passionate kiss that told me how much he loved me. No one would've ever thought that Jack Sparrow would fall in love with a girl who was mistreated. No one would've imagined that his pirate soul was so gentle when it came to me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Jack easing me back down onto his chest. I sighed happily into it. His familiar scent filled my lungs with the smells of rum, the ocean, and the male musk that I'd grown to love over the course of time. He truly is worried, isn't he? I thought as I closed my eyes to the feel of his arms tightening around my waist and his lips on my hair. Tiredly, I snuggled closer and smiled when I heard him drift off as well.

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Jack awoke the next morning to see that Alex had somehow extracted herself from his hold. He propped up on his forearms and looked around tiredly for his love, who emerged from the privy a few moments later. "Morning, Jack."

He grinned and swaggered over to her, his body not fully awoken. Playfully, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her good morning. Feeling that something was amiss, he looked at her questionably, his arms still looped around her. "Something troubling you, love?"

She shook her head, her blonde hair moving gently as she did. "The evidence that the answer is no to the question you asked me and obsessed over a few weeks ago came this morning."

Jack furrowed his brow then he remembered what she was talking about. "Oh."

She nodded and snuggled closer as they stood in silence for a moment. Jack rested his head on hers as she sighed into his chest. After a few moments, she looked up to him and smiled, her green eyes shining like jewels. He watched as she walked out onto the deck with pride and confidence. Before long, he followed her.

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Another week passed, the "Curse" leaving me, and Jack's father led us to the island where the Brethren Court hid the legendary treasure. It was a beautiful stretch of sand, the inner island decorated with lush foliage, ranging from Palm trees to exotic flowers. We exited the Pearl by climbing down the rope, considering that we had dropped the anchor so that no longboat was needed to get to the island. Jack and Teague led the crew and I onto the island. More specifically, I led with them, considering Jack was leading me from his side, as if I would get blown away with the hard winds.

We ventured further into the foliage until we reached the center, as Jack put it. There was a stone building that was basically a small mansion. It was beautiful and the flowers around it gave it an exotic yet homey feel. Teague led us into it, turning to us before we entered. "Here's where it's housed. But mind ye, it's pretty old inside, namely under." I laughed when I heard Ragetti and Pintel nearly flip out from the thoughts of climbing under a stone building. Teague ignored them and continued to talk. "Brethren Court set this up on this island for it's right by Port Royal. Figured it would keep other pirates away if they thought the Company owned it. The Company's been around a while. Jackie here wasn't but in his mother's womb when this was set up."

I laughed once again and looked at Jack who was shooting his father a dirty look and I swore I saw his cheeks flush. In response, he pulled me closer to him as his father opened the wooden door that held the Company's logo. It was quite clever. Teague led us to an old staircase that didn't hold much light from the windows. "Careful, darling", my husband warned as he followed the elder Sparrow. It was such a narrow staircase that Jack held my left hand in his right and went down first, our hands never breaking apart.

He warned me if any faults were found in the steps by his mistakes. The rest of the crew was taking their sweet time finding their way down the steps, so when a bit larger step arrived, Jack pulled me to him in the dark for a moment. He pulled my head to his so our lips met in a sweet kiss. As if reading my mind, he chuckled. "Thanks you for putting up with all of this mess, darling. The hunt, my father," He chuckled. "Everything, Alexis." He kissed me passionately before pulling away to lead me by hand once more down the stairs with hearing the crew. "There's a turn in the stairs."

I nodded in the dark and smiled. "I think I like being thanked."

He laughed. "Be a good girl and I'll thank you in a more… private manner tonight." His smirk was evident in his voice.

"I'll be on my best behavior, in that case." I laughed and continued to follow his lead.

Finally, we reached the landing and there were old lanterns lit by Captain Sparrow. "There ye two are. Figured ye took opportunity of the wide step before the turn…"

I blushed and Jack regained his hold on my waist as we waited for the rest of the crew. I rested my head against Jack's chest as we waited, all three of us facing the doorway. Finally, they emerged from the dark. Pintel and Ragetti looked like they'd seen ghosts and the rest looked bored. "C'mon now. Haven't got all day." We followed Teague's lead through the tunnel that was more or less lit.

We followed the eldest, careful to watch for any rats or such creatures. The tunnel was dull and long, it seemed as we kept prodding along the dirt floor. Finally, we stopped at a door. Teague opened it and gestured us in as he hung a lamp on a hook that was long and was within easy reach in the center of the room. I gasped as I took it all in. Golden statues, coins, and other golden trinkets loitered the room, reminding me of Jack's teeth, making me grin even more. "Think we can pay Barbossa with this, darling?" Jack's voice teased as the others came in.

"We have to give it to Beckett…" I sighed and rolled my eyes as he laughed.

"Not if I can help it," Jack mumbled to me.

Jack, his father, and I stayed for a little while longer until we decided to leave the crew to gather as much as possible. Teague informed the crew of the plan. "Cotton was left on watch with that bloody bird of his. He sent a long boat for you to use once you've gathered some gold. The Pearl is anchored by a neighboring island, to the left of the longboat."

Jack explained as we began to exit, seeing my expression. "In case Beckett shows up."

"Ah." I nodded and leaned on Jack's shoulder as we walked.

Once we reached the stairs, Jack followed behind me so that if I were to slip he could catch me. Our hands interlocked once more, we followed the elder Sparrow, who was a good distance ahead of us. I was slow so I could feel for any faults. When the wide step came, I decided to surprise Jack by stopping where it met the step above it. His voice was soft as he held me to him for a moment in peace. I immediately turned in his arms and kissed him. "You're quite the little minx today, aren't you?"

I laughed and rubbed my nose to his playfully before grabbing his hand and continuing our way up the narrow staircase. Jack's father ushered us to the Pearl in record time when we emerged from the tunnel, Jack's grip tightening around my hand as we walked. The next thing I knew, we were back on the Pearl, sailing to the neighboring island. Jack allowed Teague to steer at the helm while he went to keep an eye out for Beckett. I grinned and went up behind him at the stern, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing it as he continued to gaze through his spy glass. "It's only going to get worse, darling." As if sensing my confusion, he pulled me in front of him so I could look into the dark depths of his kohl-framed eyes as his strong arms secured themselves around my slender waist. "If I'm assuming correctly, then Beckett will come with a small fleet and Barbossa will come with his pathetic crew, which will cause a war. Will is probably going to come because of the 'Pirate War' that will be going on. Lizzie will be happy about that, I suppose." I watched his face intently and laid my right hand on his jaw.

I nodded and ran my right fingers lightly across his jaw and smiled as he groaned and closed his eyes. "It'll be over soon, won't it Jack?"

He nodded slightly, as if he were scared that my fingers would stop their tantalizing movements. I grinned and leaned forward to kiss the base of his neck gently, his grip tightening around my waist. I let my lips graze over his tanned neck for a few moments until he pulled my head back and kissed me roughly yet gently. Jack pulled back when we both needed breath and he was about to lead me to our cabin when the crew arrived. He grumbled as he let go of me and helped the crew load the bags of gold and trinkets. I laughed as he pouted and helped carry everything to the cargo hold. While that was taking place, Jack's father put the ship back into motion. I stood at the bow, watching the sea before us. It was a beautiful teal color as the sun reflected a bright light off of it, making it even more illuminating than it would've been otherwise.

I waited for Jack as we sailed, thinking about what he'd said. It didn't sound like the previous battle with Beckett, where it was a small fight. No, it was going to be much more than a petty fight. It was going to be us versus Beckett and Barbossa and Will was going to have to surface the Dutchman to engage in the battle; Pirates against Royalties in an all-out full-blown war.

Jack's gentle lips kissing the area behind my right ear drew me out of my thoughts as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I turned my head and grinned as he backed up and held out his hand. I took it and smiled as he led me to the cabin. Inside, he told me to lock the door, which I willingly did. As soon as I turned from pulling the deadbolt into it's locked position, he pushed me against the door as his lips claimed mine. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck as he kissed me, my fingers tangled in his unruly hair that I loved. I felt him loosen his grip on me against the door and I took the opportunity to take control. Grinning like a mad man, I pushed him backwards until his legs collided with the bed behind them. He pulled back for a breath before spinning me around and laying on top of me, grinning. "Let's take advantage of this opportune moment, shall we my darling Alexis?"

"We shall."