Book Five - Chapter Four: Jack's Goodbye

The sun was setting. Tristan waited anxiously for some sign of Jack or his mother. What he didn't expect was to see the Black Pearl first. From Captain Jack Sparrow's commandeered ship, Tristan could see those infamous black sails approaching the harbour. He tugged at Ragetti's sleeve and urged him to meet the ship.

Barbossa was pleased to see his grandson safe but when he was told of the series of events which led to this moment, Barbossa was ready to dart off to the Crestcastle plantation himself to settle the score. Jack's vendetta never even crossed his mind.

The sight that no one had ever expected to see appeared before them. Everyone was stunned into silence and stillness. Jack and Pintel had returned with Amelia, but not they way they should have. They walked slowly. Amelia lay peacefully in Jack's arms as he carried her towards the Pearl.

In a flash Tristan ran down the dock towards his mother.

"Mum!" he cried. When he reached her, he took hold of her skirt and walked backwards in front of Jack. "Mum," he uttered, "it's alright now. The ship's here. Granddad's here. I'm alright. I'm sorry I didn't come back. Mum? Mum, wake up."

Pintel took hold of the boy but Tristan pushed him away.

"Mum, wake up!" he repeated.

Jack stopped only when he stood before Barbossa.

Barbossa approached slowly. He gently slid his hand around the contours of his daughter's face.

"My little Amelia," he said, horrified that this should be the state he would last see her in. He reached out as if to take her from Jack, but the captain would not allow for it. Barbossa only looked up at him with the utmost disbelief.

Jack walked past Barbossa and went straight up the gangway of the Pearl. No one stood in his way. They all parted before him and followed up behind him to see what he was doing. When Jack got on deck, he gently placed her down on the raised deck in front of the captain's quarters. Before turning his attention away from her, Jack lifted up her hand and pressed it against his lips.

"Jack?" Barbossa said. "How came it to this?"

Jack put her hand down by her side delicately.

"You win, Hector," Jack said.

Barbossa was confused.

"I took you from your pathetic little fishing boat and made you first mate, only to have you run a mutiny against me, leave me for dead, sell your daughter off to keep her from the likes of me. Only two things in this world have ever meant anything to me. It seems that fate never wanted me to have them. So be it now." Jack took in a deep breath. "There's a small spit of land, just off of Matthew Town. Fourteen years ago we sailed there. Amelia thought it was paradise. Take her there, or as near as you can. She was happy back then."

"Jack-" Barbossa began to say.

Jack turned to Tristan, put his hand on the boy's head and said, "I'm sorry, son. You deserved a better father."

Without any further words, Jack left the Pearl, never looking behind.