Chapter 22: God Help Him

There's nothing left to lose, the fight never ends…- Breaking Benjamin

Beckett glanced up from his position at the railing when he heard the massive splash. The Flying Dutchman resurfaced at that exact moment and began heading straight for the Black Pearl or so he assumed. "Ahh, she survived." Jones and I will take on the Black Pearl and put an end to all of this nonsense once and for all.

"I don't see Jones." The sailor next to him muttered.

For the first time in his life, Cutler Beckett had a small twinge of doubt about his plan, but he blew it off. "He must be in his cabin preparing himself for battle."

JEJEJEJE

The crewmen of the Dutchman watched in fascination as the sea creatures and barnacles dropped off of their skin like small decorations. They cheered, delighted that they were becoming human again.

"Ready on the guns!" Will called to them as they approached the Pearl.

JEJEJEJE

Elizabeth broke out into a grin when she saw Will and glanced at Jack. A devilish grin slid across his face. "Full canvas!" Then, he was racing for the helm.

"Aye, full canvas!" Barbossa added.

The crew jumped into action sending them towards the Dutchman…and ultimately…The Endeavour.

They reached the Endeavour simultaneously and to Lord Beckett's surprise, turned in tandem on either side of the British flagship.

Jack stared at the enemy ship and watched Beckett's face change in surprise and fear as the officer next to him repeatedly asked for orders.

"Cap'n?" Gibbs asked him.

"Fire." He practically purred, sending a delicious shiver down Elizabeth's spine from her stance nearby.

"FIRE!" Gibbs echoed.

"Fire!" Barbossa and Elizabeth joined in.

From the Dutchman, Will could be heard repeating the order.

The cannonfire began obliterating the ship.

Calypso threw her head back and roared with laughter. Lord Beckett had finally met his match. He went further than he knew to go and he paid dearly.

JEJEJEJE

Beckett's main officer began shouting in his face. "Orders? Orders, sir? Sir, what do you command?"

Beckett merely stared blankly ahead… "It's just…good business…" How could this happen?

"Abandon ship!"

The powder magazine ignited and the Endeavour began to explode as Beckett descended the stairs. This ship had never been meant to survive cannon shot this close from both sides. It had been built with the assumption of winning against one foe at a time, not a war.

They watched as the majority of the surviving crew made their way to the ships in the distance on their longboats. It would be a long time before they would continue their pursuance of a complete annihilation of the pirates. This was the golden age of piracy…and they had defeated their most formidable foe. His badly burned body had been blown from the ship in the explosion and ironically he had landed atop his own flag of the East India Company.

Lord Beckett would never trouble Jack and his men again…for he was merely shark bait.

JEJEJEJE

"They're turning away!" Marty shouted excitedly.

Elizabeth glanced up…sure enough…the other flagships and man'o war were quickly fading into the distance like a long lost memory.

The crew broke out into delighted cheers.

"Wind in your sails!" Cotton's parrot added flapping his wings excitedly.

A roar of cheers from behind them rang out as the crews aboard the many pirate ships that sat behind them, awaiting an all out war shouted and danced and threw their hats in glee.

Even Captain Teague tipped his hat to Jack and tossed it.

Jack smirked. "Mr. Gibbs, you may throw my hat if you like."

Gibbs chuckled. "Aye aye captain!" He took his hat and tossed it. "Hooray!"

"Now go and get it."

He chuckled as Gibbs began frantically searching for Jack's hat amid the ruckus.

Once alone, he looked for Elizabeth and found her leaning on the railing facing the Dutchman.

She stared across at Will wondering what would have happened had things been different. Fate is a cruel mistress.

I hope he can forgive me for loving another man. I don't want to part on bad terms…not a ten year parting…not that…I want to be friends…I need to be…he is the only thing left of my old life…except for James…

Jack, mistaking her pondering for the look of love, sauntered over to her. "I've arranged for Gibbs to take you in a longboat to meet him. At dawn, I'll send one to pick you up and we'll take you to any port of call you wish." Or…you can stay…with me…

She glanced at him and sighed. He obviously would not be admitting to any feelings.

"Thank you, Jack."

He nodded and opened his mouth to say something more, but turned away instead.

She stared at her feet.

James sauntered over to her then. "He thinks you're still in love with Will, you know."

"Are you certain? I was thinking perhaps he hadn't forgiven me…"

"I'm dead certain."

Her head snapped up, but he was currently conversing with Barbossa about the ship and what repairs needed to be done. It would have to wait until after she spoke with Will. Then she frowned. "Where's Calypso?"

James laughed a bit. "She's already gone. Told Barbossa something about releasing him of his burden and then was gone…like that." He snapped his fingers.

Elizabeth smiled. "She's gone to her lover…" Then she turned to him. "And what about you? Where will you go?"

James looked thoughtful for a moment. "Shipwreck City. We're stopping there for supplies, what better place for a fallen commodore than a pirate haven?"

JEJEJEJEJE

I can't face the dark without you…

Will watched Elizabeth talk to James Norrington from his position aboard the Dutchman. Jack had sent word that she would be coming to shore to spend his last bit of daylight with him. He wondered why she would do such a thing if she were in love with the pirate captain…but then again…perhaps she needed closure…he could understand that…Calypso had whispered things to him when he'd been asleep. Things that made sense as to why Elizabeth did the things she did. He'd asked her why she told him these things and she had merely said… "to prevent corruption of the soul…" It was rather good. He didn't have the face for tentacles…

"Orders, sir?" His father asked.

"You're no longer bound to the Dutchman. You're free." Will replied.

"Aye, that's a fine thing, but, by my reckoning, I still have a debt that has to be paid...if you'll have me."

Will smiled. He would be with his father on this long journey then. "On the wheel, then, Mr. Turner."

"Aye, Captain Turner."

Then he noticed where Will was looking. "This ship has a purpose again, and where we are bound, she cannot come."

"Even if it were possible, I would never ask her to leave him. She loves him far more."

Bootstrap looked across and found Elizabeth was looking directly at Captain Sparrow. The captain, looking rather forlorn, his shoulders a bit slumped, his back to them all. "But…it would seem he doesn't know that…"

"Aye." Will chuckled. "He'll take care of her all the same…after we say our farewells."

"I have no doubt of that. He's in love with her too by the looks of it."

"God help him." Will murmured with an amused sigh.