Author's Note: I wasn't going to write yesterday at all (I know that's a mean thing to confess) but it's like Jack was angry with me because when I sat down for dinner…Pirates of the Caribbean 2 was on TV…Irony…I love it.

ALSO, I do try and respond to as many reviews as I can in some way so thank you to EVERYONE that has rated/reviewed/added my story. And to 'LuvlyLena20' I'm really glad you like her! Also a big thanks to Evangeline Crystal and Kaigirl16, you two keep me sane/entertained when I have my writer's block!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.

"Love," Jack nudged Kate's shoulder with his own as she stopped dancing with Gibbs. She looked up with a smile, "Oh, Jack," she grinned, "Oh, I missed you something awful, you know."

He chuckled, "I know, love. Very brave of you to go off with Feng. Also very and incredibly stupid."

She frowned, "He tried to kiss me," she remembered, locking eyes with the one pirate that she cared for.

It was his turn to frown now, "But he didn't?"

"No," she shook her head; "I pushed him away from me. And James…" her voice broke off, eyes widening. Any of the rum in her system meant nothing anymore as her heartbreak over her dead friend sobered her up, "Will's father killed James," she whispered.

Jack's frown grew, when had she even seen William's father? Before he could even ask, he remembered her saying that Feng had fallen to the Dutchman. She had never mentioned going aboard the ship, though. Had he guessed that he thought she had been captured and Norrington set her free, he would have been right.

But, he decided to bring her over to meet his father. It might even cheer the lass up that he wanted to introduce her. He really didn't. Not because of her, of course, but because of his father. He was a very unpredictable man.

"Uh, love, would ye like to meet me father?" he asked, wincing as the words came out of his mouth. He had never brought a girl home to his dad. Not a single one.

Her eyes widened even further, which Jack had thought to be impossible. However, instead of the teary, sad look, they now held a look of excitement, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course," he grinned slyly, "Why not?" he murmured after beginning to lead her to him.

They stopped a few feet away from Captain Teague who was fixing the broken string on his guitar. Jack cleared his throat and made a gesture towards the small girl at his side. Teague looked up, eyebrows up at his hairline before he put his guitar down and turned to face the two.

"Dad, this is Katherine Swann, formerly the governor of Port Royal's daughter, apparently now Captain of the Empress, Pirate Lord of the South China Sea and most recently, King of the Brethren Court," Jack introduced them. He felt incredibly awkward bringing her over to his father. He didn't know how his father would react. He also hoped that his mum wouldn't make an appearance. Although Kate had made it through ghost pirates, cannibals, and fish people…he didn't want to risk a shrunken head being what sent the lass over the edge.

"Katherine, this is my father, Captain Edward Teague. He was formerly the pirate lord of Madagascar and currently he is the keeper of the pirate's code."

Kate smiled politely at him, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain Teague."

Teague grinned at the young girl as he stood up, "Any friend of Jackie's," he stuck out his hand and she placed hers in his so that he could lean down and kiss it like a suave gentleman, "Is a friend of mine."

Her smile grew bigger and Jack shifted, uncomfortably. Surely his father wasn't flirting with his bonny lass…surely he had more class than that.

"How did ye meet ol' Jackie?" Teague asked, sitting back down. Jack cringed, wondering if Kate would begin calling him the nickname his father gave him many years ago.

"Actually," she grinned, "funny story," she sat in the chair that was next to Teague, one that Jack hadn't even noticed until she was there and began to explain, "My sister's…admirer was being promoted to Commodore. It was on this same day that Jack docked at Port Royal with a sinking ship," she nearly snorted, but kept her cool. "And I cannot stand any sort of promotion ceremony, it's hot, it's filled with politicians," she waved her hand, "It's just down right boring. So I was going down to bother a couple of the guards and I guess your son had the same idea," she smiled up at Jack. He grinned at her; she truly was something magnificent. And if he even doubted that for a minute, one look at her reminded him instantly.

She then went on to tell him about how they had to rescue Elizabeth from Captain Barbossa and undo the curse placed upon the Aztec gold. Jack jumped in around this point to voice his version of how he killed Barbossa and they both continued on until the point that they were at now. Jack's father was grinning, "I'm proud you have so much adventure in you, boy," he grinned at his son.

Jack was nearly floating. His father had told him he was proud of him twice. And in one day! He grinned his thanks, looking over at Kate who was trying to hide a yawn. Teague continued on, "And I'm glad you finally found yourself a girl, Jackie," he winked at Kate who blushed, but gave a small smile.

"Er, thanks, dad."

"Reminds me of your mum," he muttered, glancing as the girl began to fall asleep. Jack's face fell for a moment, realizing that Kate was a lot like his mum. Fierce yet kind, beautiful yet not afraid to get dirty…His fallen face turned into another grin until his father spoke up again, "Not long 'till I see little Jackies runnin' around, eh?" he clapped his son on the back.

Jack gulped, eyes wide, kids? Surely his father couldn't be talking about kids already! He'd just introduced him to Katherine close to an hour prior to the statement. Teague laughed at the look on Jack's face, "I know it sounds unappealing now, Jackie," he told his son, "That was the same face I had when my father said something to me. And look, I got you out of it all," his smile grew more sincere, "And I don't regret it at all."

Kate was fully asleep by now and Jack moved to pick her up. Once he had her in his arms, he began to walk away from his father. There was a room for him in Shipwreck Cove, one that his father kept clean for him at all times. As he walked, his dad spoke up once more, "Boy!"

Jack glanced over his shoulder to see what his dad had to say. "I'm not gettin' any younger, ya know. I best see them kids before I'm dead," he winked.

Jack nearly tripped as he turned around abruptly and began to walk away quickly, his dad chuckling in the background. And if he didn't know any better, he would say he was blushing. But he was Jack Sparrow, and even his own father couldn't make him blush.

Dawn; Outside of Shipwreck Cove.

Kate had Jack join her on her ship that morning. If anything bad were to happen, she'd rather die with him than with a crew that hated her. She stood by his side, her hand touching his lightly. She was absolutely terrified now that the time was here. She hadn't ever fought in a war and that's exactly what this was as Barbossa had pointed out. And she most definitely had not led a war. She wished that James were there; she wished that he hadn't died. He could have helped her – given her tips…or would he have just turned against them once more? Her eyes shut sadly, tears threatening to fall. She hadn't even told Elizabeth yet of James' demise or by whose hand he had fallen.

As if he could sense her sadness and her nervousness, Jack grabbed her hand in his, trying to assure her that it would be okay.

"The enemy's here!" she heard Marty cry out as the Endeavour, Beckett's ship, emerged from the fog. After a moment an entire armada began to form behind it.

Cotton's parrot squawked, flying up into the air, "Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

"Parlay?" Jack grinned as the entire crew looked upon him angrily. He and Kate got into a long boat and began to row to the shore of the small island nearby. They got out, met up with Barbossa and Elizabeth, who must have insisted upon coming.

They walked up to where Will and Beckett stood with Jones (who stood in a bucket of water).

"You be the cur that led these wolves to our door," Barbossa growled at Will.

"Don't blame Turner," Beckett smirked, glancing at Kate, "he was merely the tool of your betrayal. If you wish to see it's grand architect, look to your left."

They all turned their heads to the left where Jack stood at the end. He too glanced to the left, confused for a moment. He frowned, realizing that was him.

"My hands are clean in this," Jack spoke up. He glanced at his hands and frowned once more, "Figuratively."

"My actions were my own and to my own purpose," Will spoke up, "Jack had nothing to do with it."

"Well spoke, listen to the tool," Jack cracked a smile.

"William," Kate spoke up, "I've been aboard the Dutchman, I understand the burden which you bear, but I fear that the cause is lost. Your father isn't in his right mind, Will."

"No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it," he stated proudly of himself. Kate frowned, he was proud of being a fool?

"He murdered James," Kate whispered.

Elizabeth gasped, looking at Kate with wide eyes. Beckett sighed, bored, as he interrupted the notice of Norrington's death, "If Turner was not acting on your behalf, then how did he come to give me this?" He held up Jack's compass, "You made a deal, Jack, to hand me the pirates…and here they all are. Don't be bashful," he tossed Jack his compass back, "Step up, claim your reward."

"Your debt to me is still to be satisfied," Jones spat, "One hundred years in service aboard the Dutchman. As a start!"

"That debt was paid, mate," he gestured towards Elizabeth, "With some help."

"You escaped!"

"Technically…" Jack began, but Kate cut him off. She frowned inwardly as she spoke, "I propose an exchange." They all looked to her. "Will leaves with us," she closed her eyes briefly before opening them, "And you can take Jack."

Jack frowned, what?

"Done," Will answered, going to step forward.

"Undone!" Jack cried, looking at Kate as if she were mad.

"Done," Beckett smirked.

"Jack is one of the nine pirate lords, you have no right…"Barbossa trailed off.

"King," Kate scoffed.

"As you command," Jack bowed, taking off his hat as he did so and making a showy hand movement with it. As he bowed, Barbossa let out a cry and cut off Jack's piece of eight, Jack the monkey running after it.

"If you be sayin' something," Barbossa told him as he stood up, hat placed angrily atop his head, "I might be sayin' something as well."

"First to the finish then?" Jack asked. He traded places with Will, but Beckett moved over so that Jack had to stand next to Jones.

"Do you fear death?" Jones glanced down at him.

"You have no idea," Jack frowned, sad.

"Advise your brethren," Beckett spoke up. Elizabeth and Will were shocked that Kate had traded Jack away, but Barbossa knew exactly what was going on. Either the girl had planned something with Jack, or she was just beginning to think like him. Waiting to do things at the opportune moment. "You can fight," Beckett continued, "And all of you will die. Or you can not fight in which case only some of you will die."

"You murdered my father," Kate stepped forward, angrily.

"He chose his own fate," he spoke with no regret. Kate began to fume as she looked down upon the man, "And you have chosen yours. We will fight," she told him proudly, "And you will die," she walked off angrily.

"So be it," Beckett murmured to himself as Turner and Elizabeth ran after her; Barbossa took his own sweet time.

"King?" Will asked.

"Of the Brethren Court," Kate told him, proudly. "Courtesy of Jack. I also have a ship now," she told him, "Oh, and I'm a pirate lord."

Will chuckled, "Maybe he really does know what he's doing."

"What I don't understand is how could you just trade Jack away? You love him, don't you?" Elizabeth asked.

Kate stopped abruptly and turned around, her lips pursed together. She merely tapped her temple before turning back around and continuing her walk to her long boat. Elizabeth frowned, eyebrows furrowed together, "What does that mean?" she looked up at Will.

Author's Note part 2: As if you haven't heard enough from me! Anyways, I know that this one is short, but you can expect another by tonight (hopefully) and if not tonight, then tomorrow. Because I don't want to cram a bunch of events in this chapter.