A/N: Hi! I'm back and so are they! In more ways than one... Anyway, Hope you enjoy this chapter. It took me forever to get it right.

Disclaimer: I may have borrowed a few lines from the movies, but they were so well written.

Ch. 8: Back

If you fall then I will too -Breaking Benjamin

Elizabeth sat on the steps leading to the helm, shaking with sadness and anger. Jack was there, yes, but he was just out of her grasp. When she awoke, she awoke alone. Will had stared at her that morning. She wondered if he thought she did more than just sleep next to the captain…and found she didn't care. She only wanted Jack. And yet…How can I earn his forgiveness if he won't let me try? I can't help myself, Elizabeth. What does that even mean, Jack?

She ached for her father. He would know exactly the right words to make it all better. A single tear slid down her cheek. Everything would be better if I could just have one more moment with him.

All of the ties to her old life were severed by one man. One horrible, horrible man. Lord Cutler Beckett. How she hated him. The man had singlehandedly destroyed everything she had in a matter of months and felt no remorse. No remorse at all, only a spatter of drabble about fate intervening…of which she supposed he may have been more correct on than she was willing to admit at the time. How was she supposed to know that she would fall for Captain Sparrow so hard she could barely breathe? It didn't matter. He was lost to her now. Lost before I even realized there was something to lose…She slammed her fist into the railing and stood up. Elizabeth Swann the governor's daughter may give up, but Lizzie the pirate, the made up version of herself from her younger days…oh she'd never give up.

Barbossa turned to look at her as she came up the steps and then turned back to the map. Jack ignored them both, muttering to himself.

"Jack?"

"Don't bother him, lass. He's always been better'n me at riddles."

Jack glanced up at her briefly as she moved next to him to get a look at the map. "This piece doesn't make any sense."

Elizabeth leaned forward to inspect said piece. "Up is down…" She murmured. "How can it be down if it is up?"

Barbossa sighed. "Same question I've been asking meself."

Jack squinted at it. "If up is down then down is up."

"Opposites?"

He gave her a half-grin and it nearly took her breath. "Aye at sunset…"

Her eyes widened. "Sunrise!"

His grin widened and he nodded. "Up is down."

Barbossa stopped pacing and turned to them. "What?"

They ignored him. "But if it's sunrise over there and sunset over here…I don't understand…how do we get back?"

"The hull of the Pearl must be up and the decks down."

Elizabeth's expression lightened and she turned to Barbossa. "We rock the ship."

Realization dawned on him and he began shouting orders to the crew to loose the cannons and anything else heavy.

Before she realized what she was doing, she flung her arms around Jack in pure joy. He stiffened and she quickly drew back, blushing.

He cleared his throat. "We need to rock the ship."

She nodded and followed him down the slightly swaying steps.

JEJEJEJE

Trusting Jack's judgment, Elizabeth found herself grabbing onto the railing as the ship's upper half became fully submerged. Her arms were jarred by the impact of the water, knocking her hands loose. She didn't even have time to register the salt water stinging her eyes as she tried to regain purchase on the rail before she fell away, but did not manage to do so and began slipping deeper in the water. That's it, then. This is how I'm to die. I saved Captain Sparrow and now I'm going to die and be with my father before I even get the chance to tell him that I-

Then, a strong arm was gripping her about the waist and pulling her closer. She glanced to her right and found another arm clutching a line with white knuckles as she and her rescuer flailed a bit in the impact of the submersion. Glancing over her shoulder, she made eye contact with Jack. We're nearly square again, aren't we? She wrapped her arms firmly around him ignoring the angry glare he was giving her.

Everything seemed to stay still for at least a minute as they sat suspended upside down in the water. Jack tightened his grip on her as they waited, lungs burning, for what would happen next.

Seconds later, the water began rushing towards them. Elizabeth buried her face against his neck and prayed for all that was holy that they would make it through.

Then they were collapsing on the deck, spitting up water and tangled together. "What were you thinking? You could have been killed!" He spat angrily. He didn't bother to ask her if she was all right. She couldn't hide the hurt that was obvious upon her face when he merely shoved her aside and climbed to his feet. I can't help myself, that's why.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, but was ignored.

"Blessed sweet westerly! We're back!" Gibbs exclaimed happily as the rest of the pirates climbed to their feet.

Barbossa smiled and then pulled his gun on Jack. "All right then. The Brethren court is a gatherin' at Shipwreck Cove. And Jack you and I are a'goin and there'll be no arguing that point."

"I am arguing the point. If there's pirates a gathering I'm pointing my ship the other way."

Elizabeth pulled her own gun on him. "I can't allow you to do that."

"You only want to avenge your father, love. It's not something everyone else is willing to die for."

He pointed both guns at her and she narrowed her eyes.

Will trained his guns on him. "Fight or not. You're not running Jack."

Jack pointed one of his guns at him.

"If we don't stand together, they'll hunt us down one by one 'til there'll be none left, but you." Barbossa spat.

"I quite like the sound of that, Captain Jack Sparrow, last pirate."

"Aye and you'll be fightin' Jones alone. How does that figure into your plan?"

"I'm still working on that, but I will not be going back to the Locker, mate. Count on that." He pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.

Everyone tried firing and Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Wet powder."

JEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJE

"I'm going with them!" Elizabeth announced after hearing the decision for Jack and Barbossa to go ashore. She didn't trust Barbossa with Jack and she would not lose him after just gaining him back to the living even if he did point a gun at her. Not after losing my father.

"Elizabeth no. It's not safe."

"Oh don't you tell me what to do, Will."

He stopped in his tracks as if burned.

She marched up to Barbossa. "I'm going ashore with you."

"No you're not, Elizabeth." Jack cut in before Captain Barbossa could say a word. "Mr. Gibbs!"

"Aye sir?"

"Lock her in the brig."

"WHAT?" She gasped, shocked.

"But sir-"

"Just do it."

"Aye." Gibbs replied, giving her an apologetic look.

Jack followed them down as she fought to get free, screaming in outrage.

"Why are you doing this?"

He eyed her through the bars.

"Revenge, love. I thought that was obvious." His eyes darkened into obsidian.

"But last night…"

"Last night you lost your father and today you pointed a gun at me. I don't trust your judgment and we need provisions. You'll stay."

"You're being ridiculous."

"And you're a murderer. You deserve the punishment you get."

"I'm not afraid of you." She growled.

"You should be." He answered, heading for the stairs behind Gibbs.

"Bastard!"

"My parents were married." He shot back over his shoulder and heard a resounding clang against the bars. "You're going to need that boot later, darling."

She let out a frustrated cry and shoved it back on.

JEJEJEJEJE

Barbossa stepped up next to Jack while the crew began gathering provisions. "Still thinking of running, Jack? Think you can outrun the world?" It's after you not the ship. It's not us.

Jack stared into the Kraken's lifeless eye. This is the only way, don't you see?

"You know, the problem with being the last of anything, is by and by, there be none left at all."

"Sometimes things come back, mate. We're living proof you and me." Jack argued, gesturing between them.

"Aye, but that's a gamble of long odds, ain't it? There's never a guarantee of coming back, but passing on, that's dead certain."

"Is it?"

Barbossa chose not to answer him. "The song's been sung. You're one of the nine pirate lords. You must honor the code." I'm not sorry.

"Summoning the Brethren Court then, is it?" Pirate. (You're a good man…)

"It's our only hope, lad." Oh I have faith in you.

"That's a sad commentary in and of itself." Jack wasn't sure if he was answering Barbossa or the ghost of Elizabeth's voice in his mind.

"The world used to be a bigger place." Barbossa answered.

"The world's still the same. There's just…less in it." Jack corrected, staring down at the Kraken once again.

Barbossa followed his gaze and sighed. "She's trying her damndest to make up for it, Jack."

He closed his eyes. "I'm not sure if she can."

"She done what's right by her, just as I thought I was doin'…how could you expect more?"

Jack opened his eyes, but didn't answer. They done what's right by them. I can't expect more than that. (I admire a person who's willing to do whatever it takes…)

Barbossa eyed him. "You won't forgive me, but she's prettier'n me and a damn sight more sorry."

"You didn't kill me."

"Neither did she."

"She left me to this beastie."

"Codswallop. You sacked Nassau Port without even firing a shot and vanished from under the eyes of seven agents of the East India Company and you never would die on that blasted island. I don't think for one second you couldn't have gotten out of those manacles. Maybe deep down she knew it too. You and I both know you would have stayed anyway. That ship is your life."

Was. It was my life. He grinned. "Hector, I do believe you've been reading about me. How endearing. I had no idea you cared."

Barbossa rolled his eyes. "You're a fool, Jack." Don't I know it.

"Why are you defending her?"

"Because she finds what she wants most and fights for it. And she's never sorry. She's a-"

"Bugger."

Barbossa frowned, mouthing the word. "I was going to go with pirate."

"Not her, that!" Jack gestured towards the Pearl.

Barbossa turned to face an ominous sight.