Author's Note: Hey! Thanks for all the reviews, hopefully will soon get over the one hundred mark. You guys are simply awesome. I'm working on writing a timeline for this story (hopefully there will be at least one more sequel after this one too). I confuse myself sometimes, but you'd be surprised if you knew what I'd cooked up. Oh, and for up-to-the-minute writing news, check out my xanga- link in my profile. Now, pluggage over, on with the chapter...

Chapter Eleven: An Old Friend

Jack's eyes narrowed as he looked at the Martyr. His throat was unusually dry, a light sweat on his golden skin. He was scared, but he wasn't going to share that with anyone. He had to save Carmen. His mind was whirling away, as it often did at times like this.

He did a quick mental check to see if he had all of his weapons, but knowing Chiltingham he probably wouldn't have a chance to use them. He was starting to doubt that they would even have a chance, but he had to try. He had to save Carmen.

He turned around, trying to decide which members of his crew to take. Will and Elizabeth were standing together, preparing to fight. He watched with a funny pang as they laughed and smiled together even in the face of such danger. He longed for that, and it was strange, because he had never thought he would. Ana and Edward were also standing together, smiling and looking into each other's eyes. Then they kissed; as far as Jack knew, their first kiss. It was long and sweet, and Jack felt his eyes burn as he watched. He longed for Carmen. He knew deep down that he had done the right thing- after all, they had very different worlds- but sometimes he just wanted to take her away and forget all worlds except their own.

"Are yer lonely, Cap'n?" Gibbs asked, coming up behind him. Jack grinned back at him.

"What are you proposing, Mr Gibbs?" he asked wickedly.

Gibbs chuckled. "Yer such a tease, Jack Sparrow," he joked. Then he offered Jack a bottle. "Rum? Might make yer feel a little better, Cap'n."

Jack considered. "Aye, alright then," he said, taking the bottle and opening it, taking a long swig. He did feel a little better. A little braver. A little more noble. He had to do this alone. Carmen was his responsibility. He sighed, preparing to show his honest streak. "Turn back," he said to Gibbs.

"What?" Gibbs asked, confused.

"I said turn back," Jack repeated seriously, his face dark. "This is my responsibility. It would be unfair to expect you to get involved in what is probably suicide- suicide cannot be chosen for another, mate. So turn the Pearl around. I'll swim to the Martyr. If I'm lucky, you'll see me again."

"But Cap'n-" Gibbs began, eyes shining.

"He won't be going alone, Gibbs, don't you worry about that," came Will's voice at Jack's shoulder. Jack whipped around to see him standing there, his face set defiantly- the spitting image of his father. Jack felt a pang as he thought about his old friend. "I'm coming with you, Jack."

As Jack opened his mouth to argue, Elizabeth stepped up beside Will. "I'm coming too."

"No, listen-" Jack said. This wasn't going right at all.

"And I," Edward said boldly, joining them. His hair whipped dramatically in his face. "She is my sister, Jack, technically or not, and she is my responsibility too."

Jack was ready to argue that Edward hadn't thought of Carmen as his sister when he was in love with her, but Ana stepped up too. Jack noticed her fingers entwined with Edward's automatically. "I'm coming too, Captain Sparrow."

"I'm the Captain!" Jack said loudly. "The Captain! I order you to stay here."

"What you are right now is a friend in need," Elizabeth said softly. "And we aren't about to let a friend ride off to certain death without us."

"Miss Elizabeth's right," Gibbs murmured. "Captain, I'm comin-"

Jack rounded on him. "Don't you start as well!" His eyes stormed at Gibbs. He could see this wasn't an argument he was going to win. He sighed heavily. "Fine. Gibbs, sail back to Port Royal. Get help. Tell..." He swallowed. "Tell bloody Norrington Carmen's out here. He likes her well enough, the whole navy'll head back with you."

"Aye, Cap'n," Gibbs replied. He looked both relieved and disappointed that he wasn't going to be taking part in the fight.

"Does that mean we can come?" Elizabeth asked boldly.

"Do I have any choice?" Jack sighed. "You four, and only you four, may come. But I tell you this now; we are facing almost certain death. If I give you any instruction, any at all, even if it to be to flee and leave me, you must swear to follow it. And-" He swallowed. "-And at all costs, try to save Carmen."

"Aye, Captain," they chorused, and he almost felt teary at the sight of four such faithful friends, ready to put their lives down to help him. Of course, he was Captain Jack Sparrow, and he wasn't going to say that.

He opted to say, "Thanks," in a very quiet way instead. "Are you all ready? We should get into the longboat."

"Aye," Will said, as the rest nodded. Then they set off to the longboat.

"Good luck!" Gibbs called.

Jack nodded before joining them in the boat. As it lowered towards the water, Jack felt sick. Would any of the people in this boat survive? He was having second thoughts about letting them come with him. Will and Edward took the oars as they hit the water gently and started to row, leaving Jack free to think.

"Are we going to die?" Elizabeth asked.

Yes, probably. Yes. "I don't know, luv," Jack replied, trying bravely to smile. "But don't fret. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?"

"Savvy," she said, and tried bravely to smile back.

They had reached the Martyr. Jack turned back and watched the Pearl sailing so elegantly away. He prayed he would see her again. The longboat came to a stop with a jerk as it hit the back of the Martyr lightly. Will kissed Elizabeth gently before everyone started climbing aboard, climbing up the ropes attached to their hooks. Jack exhaled slowly before leaping onto the deck. He heard Will and Edward land either side of him.

"Jack Sparrow!" came a cold, heartless voice, and Jack stared hard at the tall, blonde-haired man standing ten feet from them, surrounded by his crew.

"That's Captain Jack Sparrow, mate," Jack said softly, but his eyes were taking in two familiar faces in the crew. Tobias Hawke, and his whore of a sister, Tally. Suddenly he understood. Tobias had wanted revenge, and his sister was probably sleeping with Chiltingham.

"Welcome to the Martyr," Chiltingham said, green eyes glittering underneath his lowered hat. "What are your names?"

Jack heard the women land on the deck just then. He smiled. "You know mine, mate."

"Will Turner," said Will calmly.

"Will Turner?" said Chiltingham with an eerie grin, and Jack had a sudden, horrible thought. What if...? "Named for your father, eh?"

"I'm afraid not, mate. Will's my second cousin, twice removed, on me mother's side," Jack interjected. He was hoping that what he was fearing wasn't possible.

"Be quiet, Sparrow," Chiltingham said. "Anyway, the names of the other three?"

"Edward Poelle." Edward sounded angry.

"Ana-Maria."

"Elizabeth Swann," said Elizabeth, in her cold, formal accent.

"Women aboard your ship, Sparrow?" Chiltingham asked, eyes boring into Jack's.

"Speaking of women aboard ships, Chiltingham, you have one- or per'aps two- I would like given ter me," Jack said calmly, unsmilingly.

Chiltingham smiled. "Pussy, fetch the girl," he said to the curly-haired woman, Tally, who smiled at Jack evilly before heading off. The Captain turned back to Jack. "I'm sorry to tell you that we killed the spare."

"You murdering bastard," Jack said slowly. Poor Carmen...

"Don't dare talk to me like that, Jack Sparrow!" Chiltingham roared, his eyes flaming, but he became calm instantly. He smiled cruelly. Jack had forgotten how many teeth he seemed to have.

The cabin door that Pussy had headed into burst open suddenly and Pussy herself suddenly toppled out, clutching her face. Apparently she had just been smacked. For a moment, everyone's attention was on the door. Then Carmen appeared there, and Jack's heart leapt. She was wielding a chair; apparently, that was what she had just hit Pussy with. She glared down at the other woman before her eye caught Jack's and she dropped the chair in surprise.

"Jack!" she cried. Jack's chest ached at the sight of her. Her nightgown was grey and dirty, her hair tangled and damp, as though she had been thrown in the sea. Her cheeks and neck were bruised and scratched. Her lip was bust and there was blood on her collar.

"Carmen," he breathed quietly. Pussy wrestled her to the floor, and they started to fight. Jack watched Carmen rip some of the top of Pussy's dress before realising that Aron Chiltingham was ignoring them fighting, his eyes on Will.

"William, I know your father," he grinned.

Jack felt Will's eyes burning into the back of his head and lowered his eyes to the deck as Will demanded, "What?"