Author's Note: Sorry bout the wait for this chapter; I've had lots of schoolwork and personal life stuff going on. Anyway, thanks for the reviews, and expect the trailer when I update this next.

Chapter Twenty Four: The Opportune Moment

"Yes, Carmen, yes," he breathed out, and she could see the evil lurking in his eyes. "It shall be alright, my love..."

"Yes," she whispered back, nodding. "Yes..." She moved in close, her lips brushing his, capturing his mouth in a kiss. She wasn't surprised that his mouth felt cold, dead, because she had felt the same when she kissed Aron Chiltingham for the first time. And yet she enjoyed it; God, she enjoyed it, and was it because she was kissing Jack... or because she was kissing her enemy? Shaking these thoughts away, she grabbed his pistol, and leapt back, pointing it at him.

The eyes glowed green again. "Clever Carmen... Quite the little pirate; I've said it before, my dear, but it is quite true. But you cannot kill Jack Sparrow, can you?"

She gripped the pistol tightly. "Can't I? Are you so sure?" But her voice was shaking, her eyes wet.

"Terribly sure, my darling." He moved towards her boldly, and she slapped him hard with her free hand, horrified to see Jack's face turn from the impact of it. He paused, reaching up with one hand to touch his bleeding lip.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked suddenly.

His eyes were back on her, suddenly tender and warm. There was pain in those eyes, and Carmen lowered the pistol automatically. "Idony, I would never hurt you..."

"I'm Carmen!"

A tear shone as it trailed down Jack's cheek, disappearing into his beard. And yet it had fallen from Aron's green eyes. He sighed. "I have always loved-"

"Stop it!" she shrieked, snapping, hands balled, eyes wild. She raised the pistol again, a strand of hair trailing over one of her eyes. "Stop the tricks, Aron! I will never, never belong to you, never!"

He looked back at her, lips in a thin line. His eyes were serious, and he reached up to run a hand back through Jack's hair, his nose wrinkling as he did so. "Sparrow really should wash his hair," he commented softly. Then he sighed again, drawing his sword. "So you choose death, Carmen Regalia?"

"Death over a lifetime with you?" she asked, face dark. "Yes."

He was angry again, letting out a long, loud growl. "Yes, yes, I thought you'd say that! Am I so bad, so evil, so horrific, that I can't even persuade one woman to spend time with me? You'd rather choose death than be with me! What did I do to deserve this?" She shrunk back, truly scared now, but he leapt forward and tackled her to the floor, holding her face down against the cold stone, the blade at her throat. She stared back into those poisonous eyes, so wrong in Jack's beautiful face.

"Jack," she whispered, tears escaping her eyes. "Jack, please..."

"Jack can't hear you, my sweet..."

She ignored his eerie growl. "Jack, damn it. I know you must still be in there! Fight him, god, fight him for me..." The eyes flickered, and she saw something behind them. A surge of victory began to wash over her. "Jack!" she cried out. "Help me, Jack! I-I love you..."

He threw back his head and cried out loudly, the sword clattering to the ground. Words tumbled from his mouth that sounded a little like 'get out'. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell to the ground, still, beside Carmen. Scared that he was dead, she scrambled up beside him and rolled him with shaking hands onto his back, her tears raining onto his face.

"Wake up, Jack, wake up," she whispered, cradling one of his hands, peppering his cheeks with kisses. His eyes flickered open and she sighed in relief. "Oh, Jack..."

"Carmen, I'm so sorry," he replied quietly, his eyes now his own, now brimming with tears. He sat up and she found herself swept into strong arms she had missed so much. She tipped her head to his chest and allowed all she had felt during her ordeal to spill out of her eyes.

"I love you," she repeated.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Are you alright, luv?"

xXx

"Carmen!" Edward shouted in panic as they ran into the cave, weapons drawn. He had been tense with fear and anger, but it faded at the sight of the golden-haired Carmen crying in the arms of Jak Sparrow, the pair of them in the centre of the horrific cave.

"Darling, are you alright?" James asked, dark eyebrows raised as he looked down at his wife-to-be in the arms of Jack.

Carmen drew back a little, and her amber eyes looked up at Jack, her face pained. Jack looked back down desperately. Edward knew that Carmen was waiting for Jack to admit that he loved her, and then she would reject James Norrington. But the words didn't leave Jack's mouth, and Carmen, looking devastated, rose. She was quite a mess, her long hair tangled, her face grazed. She walked over to James and he took her hands. Jack rose, staring at his feet.

"Jack, are you hurt?" Elizabeth asked, hurrying over to him, placing one hand on his arm.

"Fine, luv," Jack said, with a weak attempt at a grin. "Takes more than an undead pirate ter hurt Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?"

There was a sudden noise behind them, and Edward spun, tightening his grip on his weapon, to see Chiltingham and his crew appear, ready for a fight. Edward was sure this wasn't going to go well, but white hot anger was filling him. His eyes were fixed on that horrible Pussy and he knew he had to kill her.

Her blue eyes met his, and she smirked, drawing a sword. He smiled as she approached him, ceasing to notice the rest of the fighting going on around them. Pussy swung her hair over her shoulder, swinging her sword towards him. She was far too clumsy with a blade, and Edward was very skilled. Confidently, he moved quickly, causing her to lose her grip on the sword. Her eyes shone with fear as he ran her through.

"Oh..." she whispered, lips dark with her own blood, before she fell back to the floor.

xXx

Jack felt no fear, no horror. Aron Chiltingham stood before him, his green eyes full of poison and anger. He really was a handsome man, with a perfectly chisled face, a confident grin and fine cheekbones. Jack looked at him closely, and could see the dark circles under his eyes.

"So, you escaped?" Aron hissed.

Jack held up the Heartstone. "'Fraid so, Aron, mate. It lost its powers over me because of dear Carmen, savvy? And now... we're going to do what we promised, and kill you. So sorry."

Carmen appeared beside Jack then, a pistol in her hand. She was pointing it at Aron. Jack glanced at her for a second and couldn't believe he had let her go again. Her determined face was set, her lips tight. Aron smiled at her. She cut across him before he could speak. "You will say you cannot die, I know."

He grinned. "Miss Regalia, forgive me, but this is true."

She pointed the pistol towards the Heartstone and Jack watched as Aron's eyes flickered for the first time with fear. Jack reached out and wrapped his own hand around Carmen's, and they squeezed the trigger. For a moment, there was only smoke, and Jack felt the stone shatter as the bullet hit it, cutting his fingers. Then there was a piercing scream.

Chiltingham fell to the floor, eyes dull. He blinked, looking at Carmen, weakly extending a pale hand. "Id- Carmen. Take my hand, please..." he begged.

Jack saw Carmen hesitate, before letting the pistol drop and sliding her fingers around Aron's own. She knelt down beside him, her expression unreadable, her lips pouting. She reached out nervously and stroked his curly hair. "It'll be alright, Aron... you're free now..."

"Never... never free..." he choked, shaking his head. "Carmen..."

A tear shone as it fell down Carmen's cheek. She took a shuddering breath, before pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. He smiled at her, then his eyes closed.

She gave a sad little cry and ran a hand again through his hair, placing his arm across his body. Then she rose, wrapping her own arms around herself, shoulders shaking with grief. Jack went over to her, watching conflicting emotions in her amber eyes.

"Why do you pity him, luv?" he asked.

She looked at Jack, reaching up to wipe her tears and smearing the dirt on her face. "Do you not? He loved somebody... he was a good man, somewhere..."

Jack thought she was a little naive, but decided not to say anything. For a moment, he just looked at her. Around them, the fight was ending, but Carmen did not move. There was heartbreak on her face.

"Jack? I heard... I think... I think you said you love me. When Aron was... was in me..." she said, looking at his feet.

He swallowed. He had already made up his mind. He could see James Norrington even now, so great, so noble... so much better for Carmen. "No, luv," he whispered, remembering hearing her say that she loved him so recently. His heart burned. "No."

She nodded. She bent down and took a small leather pouch from Chiltingham's belt, placing the pieces of the Heartstone into it with shaking hands. Then she rose, looking at Jack. "Thank you, Captain Sparrow."

She turned and went to Norrington.