Chapter Fifteen: Youth and…

Gibbs sighed, Jack had been ashore the Island of the Fountain of Youth for some time. He was beginning to wonder if Jack would even return, or if he was now facing a fate worse than the locker.

"Should we be sending someone ashore to check on the Capt'n" Marty asked from beside him.

Gibbs was thoughtful for a minute before he looked down and replied, "If he not be back by nightfall we search for him." Marty nodded and walked off. Gibbs wondered what was happening. Would the lady be forgiving in this situation, or even more cruel.? Did she know what was going to happen to Jack? Would Jack still want immortality. That thought terrified Gibbs. Jack was a different man now. Ruthless even. Heaven help anyone on the seas should Jack become immortal.

The thought of Jack not becoming immortal still weighed even heavier in his mind. Jack insisted on his pistol with a single shot, before he even left the Pearl. Not that Gibbs could blame him in that either. He knew that pistol was looking mighty good to Jack the last few days.

"Stand Fast!" someone shouted and Gibbs looked out to sea.

"I'll be buggered!" Gibbs said with a smile as the crew hurried about to put the ship in order.

&&&&&

Jack sat in the mud beside the still waters of the fountain, with a half empty bottle of rum in one hand and his pistol in the other. He still hadn't seen or heard a word from the lady here and he could really care less. He spent the last few hours, even days, reliving every moment with Addy in his mind. Finally his decision was made.

Standing up Jack stepped up to the water and looked down at it. He stood utterly still for a few moments then slowly began to poor his bottle of rum into the water. Pirating, the Pearl, and even rum did nothing for him anymore. "If this is how my immortality is to be spent, I do not want it." Jack said with such certainty that even the air around him refused to move.

Jack slowly pulled his pistol up to his forehead and cocked it. A picture of Addy smiling up at him came to his mind then and it brought tears to his eyes and hardened his resolve.

"Jack Sparrow!" the lady of the fountain yelled from somewhere behind him. Jack paused and turned to look at the angry being, never removing the gun from his head. "You dare desecrate my waters?" she asked angrily while moving closer to him. She didn't stop until they were nearly nose to nose.

Still holding his pistol fast, Jack glared at her, "I dare anything. I am Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Put the gun down Sparrow, I will not be denied." The Lady spoke calmly now, mesmerizing him with her voice and eyes as she reached to move the gun. Jack could only obey her now.

"What is my fate to be then? I have failed and you know it. You knew when you set me to task." Jack said weakly.

"You have not failed Jack Sparrow. You have succeeded like I knew you would." she said reaching out to comfort him.

Jack stepped away from her, "Then it is to be a fate crueler than the locker or any other hellish place. The fate to live forever." Jack was angry again. There was no escape for it. He would live eternity this way. His heart forever broken. "I suppose that is the result when one makes an accord with a cruel being such as yourself."

The lady smiled sadly and started to fade away as she spoke a final time. "Return to your ship the Immortal Captain Jack Sparrow, something brews there. Remember I have been called many things. Emotionless, vengeful, unkind even. I am never cruel Jack. Never cruel." Then as quickly as she appeared she was gone.

Jack stared in the general direction she disappeared too for long moments. What the hell was that suppose to mean. Never cruel. HA! There was no hope for it. He was stuck this way forever. Jack shook his head ruefully at his pistol recalling the time Gibbs shot himself to prove the point that he was immortal. No escaping his pain anytime soon.

Jack made his way back to the Pearl in a daze. It was not until he was nearly completely back to the Pearl that he noticed the Dutchmen sailing off nearby and his heart started to pound. It could not be. He looked to the deck of the Pearl to see Addy's beautiful smiling face waiting for him.

Jack rowed the longboat like a mad man to reach her. He could hear her laugh now and it was music to his ears. Never cruel indeed! As he climbed the rope later he acknowledged the joy that overtook him. He knew exactly what love was and would never forget it. Even for all eternity

Addy ran into Jacks arms and held on tight as he kissed her fiercely. The crew cheered them on and Addy smiled with a slight blush to her cheeks. "I should lash you for what you put me through" Jack whispered with a smile.

"I should say not Jack Sparrow. It was you who got us into this mess." Addy replied with a smile as he carried her to their cabin.

"Aye that I was my love. I shall spend the rest of eternity making it up to you." Jack sobered for a moment when a thought accord to him. "It will be eternity won't it?" He asked her hesitantly. He didn't really care how Addy was with him now, but he needed to know how long she would be with him.

Addy smiled at him, "That it will Jack as soon as I complete my task."

"And that would be?" Jack asked hesitantly.

Before Addy could answer Gibbs interrupted them, "Orders Capt'n ?"

"Bloody hell Gibbs, I rightly don't care. I do not want to be disturbed until further notice!" Jack barked at him as he slammed the door to his cabin with a booted foot.

Addy could here Gibbs laugh on the other side of the door and she smiled down at Jack as he asked his question again. "You shall see soon enough Jack. Soon enough."

It would be days before anyone saw Jack at the helm of the Pearl and the whole crew was happy for it.

A/N: Well this story is finished and I wanted to thank everyone for the reviews. I am considering some serious revisions on it and was wondering if anyone had any requests or coments on anything. I have also been thinking of a sequel and maybe a will/oc to write. Please let me know your thoughts. Again thank you to everyone who stayed with me through this whole thing.