Author's Notes It occured to me that the last chapter might seem like a cliffhanger (especially since the reviews tell me so! . ) and that's no way to leave the story before Valentine's Day. So here it is, readers, your Valentine's gift. I suppose, in a way, it could also be considered a cliffhanger, but then I must remind you that ALL new chapters of an in-progress fic are cliffhangers. But anyways, enjoy!

This really has to be the last chapter until after Cupid's Day. I'm trying to concentrate on my upcoming Batman fic, and since it focuses mainly on the Joker and Harley Quinn, I've got a LOT of research to do about psychology. I wish I could write the next chapter and research at the same time, but I can't. Sorry!

This chapter is dedicated to those who reviewed the last chapter. Even though it's only been a few days, your reviews made my week. Cheers!

Chapter 9

Jack loved sunsets. In his opinion, that was what made this moment so perfect. It wasn't the wet sand beneath their heaving bodies or the salty tide crashing over them. No, it was the sunset, whose pinkish orange rays spilled over the ginger red locks Jack's fingers were intertwined in. The first sparkle of starlight reflected in Kate's eyes, the beauty of his lover and their surroundings setting a fire in Jack's soul. If he were a stronger man, he could be content to drown in the loveliness that was Kate, but he wasn't. He could abstain from her no longer, and captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

-----

CRASH!

Jack Sparrow awoke with a helpless yelp. His eyes searched the room, ensuring that no trace of the dream--nay, nightmare remained. He breathed a sigh of relief and slumped down in his chair. There was a red imprint on his cheek from where it had rested on the grain of his table and a shattered bottle of rum on the floor. He knelt to pick up the pieces of broken glass. So that was what pulled him from sleep. Smiling gratefully, Jack stepped out on deck to toss the glass overboard.

The rest of the crew wasn't awake yet, and for good reason. It was only an hour or so before sunrise. Although it was still dark, the sky was a royal blue instead of the jet black of night and the stars were beginning to fade. Jack extracted his spyglass and faced the horizon. It was faint and barely noticeable, but he could see a thin stretch of land, indicating that they would reach shore relatively soon. Things were beginning to look up for him. He'd be glad when this whole ordeal was over; the last few days had been hell for him.

"So now we're on the beach as we ravage one another," Jack muttered once he was back in his cabin, "That one's definitely new."

Jack knew he shouldn't have said anything, because as soon as he did his mind instantly flocked to the events occurring in the dreams that so ruthlessly invaded his slumber of late. First it was his cabin, then the battlements of a crumbling fort, the jungles of India, and if he recalled correctly, before the beach was a deserted ballroom. Jack shuddered as he recounted the exploring of mouths, the bareness of skin, and the unbridled love that was shared. This development certainly didn't help things.

Four nights ago, after Tahlazhria left, Jack hurried to his cabin before Kate's cries for him could fall on anything but deaf ears. He'd barely closed the door behind him when it flung open, and a very infuriated looking William Turner advanced, an anger in his eyes that Jack had not seen in quite some time. Jack tried to act as if nothing was wrong, even when Will stormed up to him and grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"I'm not going to let you do this," Will growled, looking every bit of determined.

Jack shrugged him off and sat down to his charts. "I'm afraid I've already made up me mind, son." Jack pulled out his spectacles and compass. "You'd best scurry. Kate can't do your work for you anymore."

Will didn't move. "Miss Porter is my friend, Jack. I'm not going to stand idly by and watch you kill her!"

"There is no Miss Porter here, William!" Jack roared, "Only one deceitful little tart called Kate Carrington, and we, meaning you, are to have nothing else to do with her or we, meaning you, will find our--your--selves in the same cell with her in the brig, savvy?"

"Your threats mean nothing. I will find a way, Jack, mark my words." Will reached for his sword, ensuring Jack that he would use force if necessary.

Jack clicked his tongue in response. "I know what I'm doing, lad."

"Do you? I've seen the way you look at her, everyone has. You can't deny it, Jack, you l--"

"You trod on dangerous ground, sir," Jack snarled. Will rolled his eyes, deciding a different approach would be better.

"She'd never do to you what you just did to her. Kate's heart is too big to send someone she cares for to their death."

Jack snorted, becoming ever frustrated with the tightening knot in his stomach. "Really? Would that be Kate Porter, the simple galley mistress or Kate Carrington, the fraudulent, murdering liar?"

"Can you blame her for hiding it from you?" Will threw up his hands with aggravation. "Look what happened when the truth came out!" Jack opened his mouth to say something, but Will wasn't finished making his point. "Surely there's something you haven't told her?"

Jack gave a smug grin. "Nope. I'm a saint."

Will rolled his eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time. Will may not have been the sharpest nail in the box, but he knew a lie when he heard one. "I'm not sure I believe that. Even best friends hide the ugly truths every now and then. But when the ugliness of those truths rear their repulsive heads and the two can still remain devoted to each other unconditionally, that's when you know that the bond is unshakable."

A crick was beginning to form in Jack's neck. He looked up at Will with warning. "That's a touching sentiment, William, but I haven't the time or the patience for it. You may or may not remember that I have just received a visit from Satan herself and she has been so kind as to serve me a death sentence!"

"What?" Will inquired, absolutely confused. He didn't remember that part of Tahlazhria's visit.

"Nothing," Jack huffed. "Now please, get out. I have a lot on my mind and you're not helping."

Will sighed, realizing he was defeated. He started for the door and heard Jack give the same sigh. Before he closed the door behind him, Will turned and looked at Jack with sad eyes. "It's always about you, isn't it? I hope you understand that whatever 'death sentence' you've been given is far more generous then the one you've given Kate. Perhaps it's for the best. For your sake, Jack, I'm happy that your demise will be quick...that the guilt will not gnaw at your soul for long and the innocent blood on your hands will torment you no more." He was gone.

The first night, in Jack's opinion, was the worst. The feeling of sleeping alone for the first time in ages was alien, and he couldn't shake the urge to just go down to the brig, bust Kate out, and beg her to snuggle with him so he could get some sleep. Jack grumbled, knowing that even if he did let her out it would be a long time coming before she did any favors for him again. He stared at the rafters above his bed for hours before he finally dozed off. To his horror, he jerked awake just a few hours later, courtesy of another naughty dream.

The second night was awfully frigid, and Jack found himself resisting the urge to go below deck and sneak Kate a blanket from his bed. Nonetheless, he stayed holed up in his cabin, telling himself that the brig wasn't THAT cold. Besides, he had his pride to think about. This wasn't the issue when, after falling asleep and being visited this time by Kate in a crimson chemise, Jack bit the inside of his cheek and hurried below deck. He roused Gibbs and thrust a blanket in his arms, giving him hurried orders to stuff it through the bars in Kate's cell. Gibbs, confused and bewildered, obeyed.

In between seeing Kate when he slept and sneaking 'luxuries' to her through Gibbs, Jack spent his time trying to stamp Will's words from his mind. Jack would never admit it to another living being, but Will was right. By day, Jack resigned himself to dwelling on his thoughts of being a hypocrite and a rotten friend. Night offered him no solace, for every time he closed his eyes he had the dreams. Day and night, all he thought of was Kate.

'Not for much longer, thankfully,' Jack thought presently. No more dreams. No more remorse. No more Kate.

Something about that notion almost made Jack feel sick to his stomach.

-----

Will waited until the last of the provisions were served before slinking out of the galley, a few apple slices wrapped in a clean cloth stashed away in his waistcoat. He instructed Meredith to stay there, just in case the odd straggler came by and tried to weasel more food out of them. Will was doubtful, especially since everyone was called on deck to receive orders from the captain since they'd be docking any minute. He lit a candle to light his way to the brig, smiling solemnly on the tiny woman curled up in her blankets.

"Kate," he prompted, kneeling down so she wouldn't have to stand, "I brought you some food."

He put his arm through the bars and gently shook her. Kate flinched and peeked out from under her blanket. "How long until we make port?" Will's heart broke. Her voice was feeble and bleak, completely free of it's usual bright cheerfulness. Her eyes were red and puffy, and from the sight of her paleness one could almost swear she was a ghost.

"Any minute now. Jack's got everyone on deck to receive orders. He--" Will stopped, but whether or not it was to keep from scaring her or to contain his own grief he wasn't certain. "He...doesn't want someone or something to sabotage his plans. It seems he needs an elaborate scheme to betray the most important person in his pathetic, meaningless life."

Kate emerged from her blanket cocoon to stretch her arms. "Did you say something about food?"

Will nodded and slipped the apple slices into her hands. Kate picked out the seeds and munched while Will continued. "You know, I've seen him do a lot of shady, underhanded, wholly backstabbing things before but never like this. Somewhere in the back of my head I'd always tell myself, 'Jack's a good man. He has a reason for this madness.' I regret to say I no longer think so." Kate bit into the last apple wedge, giving Will a 'why-are-you-telling-me-this?' look.

Clenching his jaw, Will cupped her face in his hands. "What I'm trying to get to is that I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Kate. To Jack your life may be worth a small fortune, but to me your friendship is invaluable. I'll find a way to save you from this. You have my promise."

Kate tried a smile of gratitude. "No, Will. I'd hate to condemn you to hang beside me all because you tried to be heroic. I forbid it, Will, I forbid you to do anything stupid."

Will stood, his touch lingering on her cheek as he did so. "I, unlike Jack, would gladly die for those I hold dear." He gave her hair a reassuring caress before leaving her to join the crew up on deck.

-----

The Pearl's crew was gathered in front of the helm when Will reached them. Most people had already received their orders and Jack was speaking to the two men that carried Kate to the brig in a slightly hushed voice. He saw Will and leaned in towards the two men. "...and make sure he doesn't leave. This is crucial." The men nodded, barked an 'Aye, captain!', and left to stand with the others. Jack looked up at Will again and smiled. "William! Congratulations, son, you get be my lackey on this little trip. That means you'll follow me around and do what I say without complaint or protest. Savvy?"

Will chose to hold his tongue instead of shouting the rather inappropriate things he'd rather say. He pursed his lips, exhaling coarsely through his nose. "Aye."

"Excellent. Right, then, excuse me." Jack gave Gibbs the signal to take over and subtly slipped into his cabin. The docks were close, but they had to sail a little further to reach the 'don't ask, don't tell' port or they might all be bound to hang. Will used this time to formulate his plan, although he wished he hadn't waited until now to do so. He knew that the only reason Jack wanted him as lackey was to keep an eye on him, so he figured his best course of action would be to wait until Jack and the rest of the crew fell asleep. Under the cover of darkness, he'd lift Kate out of her prison cell and they'd run. But how he'd break her out and where they'd run to, he had no idea.

Once they docked, the crew went about their duties and performed whatever tasks Jack had assigned them. Will wanted to play his part, so he waited patiently by the door for Jack to appear. Everyone was waiting for him, and Gibbs finally knocked on the door and went inside.

Jack was slumped over his table, face down, snoring to high heaven. Mr. Gibbs knew that Jack was having trouble sleeping lately, but not this badly. He tiptoed over to his captain and prodded him roughly. "Jack?"

Jack's head shot up. "Oh God, she's got a riding crop!" he cried. Gibbs backed away, leaning over questioningly. Jack jumped and whimpered when he saw his first mate, trying to regain his composure.

Gibbs backed towards the door. "Cap'n?"

Sighing, Jack stood and wedged his hat on his head. "Right. Go get her."

"Aye," Gibbs darted out of there as fast as his stubby legs would carry him. He ordered the two burly men below deck to fetch Kate from the brig. The group that was elected to stay with the ship were lounging on deck, engaged in lively conversation. Everyone else watched intently as Kate was hoisted out on deck, her strawberry blonde hair whipping around her like a fiery shroud. By now, Jack had joined the group, and was leaning against the mast, a sweet smile gracing his face.

"Take a good look at her, Katie," he ran his hand along the mast slowly as he spoke about the Pearl, and a glint of loathing flickered in Kate's eyes, "She deserves it as good as she's been to you."

Kate was obviously holding back the tears that were threatening to spill over. "I hope you rot in hell, Jack Sparrow."

"I could say the same for you, my treasure." His gold teeth glittered portentously as he pinched her cheek, then thumped his palm against it with a little more force than she was comfortable with. "All ashore who's going ashore."

He made momentary eye contact with her before she was carried off. Kate chalked it up to wishful thinking, but she was almost certain that they were sad and despairing. A tear rolled down her cheek as her hands were bound behind her back and a cloth tied around her mouth as a gag. Despite his persistent efforts to get her hanged, Kate longed to rid Jack's eyes of the misery she found there. She hated to accept it, but it was too late now. Her feet were on solid ground, and she was being led by a group of Jack's men to her death. There was no hope for them now.

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A/N: Dun dun duuuun! Yep, I'm a literary sadist, I know this to be true. I know this sounds terrible, but my favorite scenes to write in any story are the DRAMA scenes because I'm a royal JERK. As I said before, I've completely drafted the plot and the only thing left to do is write it out and spackle a few holes, so there shouldn't be too long a wait for the next bit.

To those who reviewed:

orlandoluver2: Alli, sweetie, I've come to think of you as my cheerleeder through this whole thing. I'd like to personally thank you for sticking with my story this long and reviewing every chance you get. I'm one of those needy writers, and reviews make me happy. You rock, girl!

CaptainESavvy: I'm sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger. It seemed appropriate. I admit, I did toy with a version in which that particular chapter didn't end that way, but I liked the dramatic twist in the long run. I hope this one was better for you!

Ai kouu: Thank you so much for your review! I wish you could know how much it warms my heart to hear that I'm a good writer. I don't know that I did much for the suspense, but...I tried!

Demonic-Dragon-Eyed-Chick That has got to be the single most enthusiastic review I've ever received. I agree, cliffhangers should be outlawed, but if that were the case, I'd be out of a hobby. And also, to hear that someone "absolutely loves" my fic just makes me giggle gleefully. I hope you continue to love it!

Ta!