Chapter 17: The Fountain of Youth

Aside from the crashing of waves, there was complete silence on the Black Pearl. The Pearl creaked along as she neared her destination, the Fountain of Youth. All around the Pearl, there was an atmosphere of tension and hostility. León had completely taken over the vessel while King trailed behind him with his ship. Jack remained at the helm, steering his vessel while León directed him with the compass. To ensure that Jack wouldn't mislead him, León had one of his men point a gun at Jack's head.

"Stay sharp, Sparrow!" León's man said, jabbing Jack with his gun.

"I assure you that isn't necessary," Jack said, annoyed.

"I just want to be assured that you do not mislead me, Sparrow," León said. "I would hate to imagine what would happen to your wife and your three lovely children if you did."

Jack snapped, and he raised his fist, as if to strike. "I warn you, stay away from my lasses. You've tormented them enough."

"Careful, Jack," León warned. "There is no point in making a threat. If you do, I shall make certain that your lasses suffer first and are the last to die."

"I shall truly enjoy getting rid of you," Jack spat, calming down.

With that, Jack resumed his position at the helm. For the next two days, the tension rose and Jack had to fight to restrain himself whenever León approached him. Meanwhile, Will, Elizabeth, Guinevere, and the others languished in the hold.

"How much longer until we get there?" Guinevere groaned.

"I didn't know you were anxious to help León," Will said.

"I'm not trying to help him, you idiot," Guinevere muttered. "I want to get there so that I can get rid of that peacock, León and save my children."

"I understand, Guin," Will said gravely. "I want this all to be over, too. All I want is my son back."

"You mean our son," Elizabeth added. "The maternal instincts are mutual, Guin. The next time I see León, I will hurt him."

"As much as we want our children back, what can we do?" Will said glumly.

"There's nothing that can be done," Rose said. "We're stuck down here until León gets what he wants."

"I concluded as much," Guinevere said smartly. A shiver ran down her spine.

"You're worried about Juliet," Will said, concerned.

Guinevere nodded. "I've never seen her so weak before."

Will took Guinevere's hand, running his thumb over her skin. "Juliet is the epitome of a Sparrow. She's as smart as Jack and as strong as you. Consumption didn't defeat you, it won't defeat Juliet. I promise you that Juliet is going to make it."

"She's too young to die, Will. She's just a child! My child!" Guinevere sobbed.

Will embraced Guinevere. "It'll be alright, Guin. Once we find the Fountain, everything will be fine."

"Juliet is going to make it," Elizabeth reassured Guinevere. "Right now, you must be strong for her and these two lovely babies."

Will cradled Jack Jr. in his arms while Guinevere took Baby Elizabeth in hers.

"Jack once told me that not all treasure is silver and gold," Will said, imitating Jack's voice. "These two are definitely treasure."

"I knew that before they were born," Guinevere said, kissing Baby Elizabeth.

Jack Jr. looked up curiously at Will. As if getting Will's attention, Jack Jr. reached up, grabbed a wisp of hair, and tugged.

"Hey, easy little lad," Will said softly. "You have a strong grip for a baby lad. I think you got that from your mummy."

"He certainly did," Guinevere laughed.

Just then, Jack Jr. began to cry.

"Poor lad must be hungry," Will said wisely.

"Yes, I think he must be," Guinevere agreed, handing Baby Elizabeth to Will and taking Jack Jr.

"Hello, Sweetheart," Will whispered, taking Baby Elizabeth.

Guinevere then began to feed her son. "This lad has an appetite as big as his father's."

"Like father, like son," Will sighed. "Let's just hope he inherits Jack's more admirable traits and not the piratey ones."

"He reminds me of William," Elizabeth commented. "William was always hungry."

"Forgive me, I've been so worried about my Juliet that I haven't been more concerned with William," Guinevere apologized.

"William is fine. I know he is," Elizabeth said, her voice filled with hope.

"We will stop King and get him back," Will said.

"That's the spirit," Guinevere said brightly.

On the fourth day of the journey, Jack reached his breaking point.

"How much longer until I can get rid of you, peacock?" Jack demanded.

"That time might be now," León said. "According to your compass, this is the spot."

"LAND HO!" shouted the lookout.

León grinned. "Thank you for your cooperation, Sparrow."

"Good, you've got your Fountain of Youth, now get off my ship," Jack spat.

"Oh no, Sparrow, you're going with me," León corrected him. "Remember your daughter."

"Fine," Jack grumbled.

With Jack at gunpoint, León and his men, along with Will and the others, got into boats and made for the Fountain.

King was already there along with his men, Lucia, Barbossa, and William.

"William!" Elizabeth and Will gasped.

Both of them made to run forward, but León's men stopped them.

"I wanted you to say goodbye to your son," King said.

"For God's sake, King! You have Jack and his associates, let him go!" Will exclaimed, shaking with anger.

"No one keeps my best friend from me!" James snapped.

"Give me my grandson, or you'll regret it," Bootstrap growled.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," King said coldly.

"Enough talk, King," León interrupted. "My immortality awaits me."

The group trekked through the hot sand with León guiding them. At last, they approached it: The Fountain of Youth. It was a two-tiered fountain out of limestone. It looked as young as the youth its waters promised.

"And I thought I had seen everything," Will gasped.

"There's only one way to be sure that this is the Fountain," León said, turning to Jack. "Would you do the honors, Sparrow?"

"As much as I'd love to, I'd rather drink poison," Jack said defiantly.

"Don't you want to save your precious daughter from Death's Door?" León questioned.

Jack gazed for a long moment at the dying Juliet. She looked as if she had no life in her at all. Despite the sight of his dying daughter, Jack would not side with the enemy any longer.

"Yes, but I will not help you so bugger off," Jack spat.

León's men pointed their guns at Guinevere, Will, Bootstrap, James, Rose, and Elizabeth.

"You can't shoot them, León," Jack said firmly. "I thought I taught you that won't work."

Suddenly, León heard a click in his ear. He turned to see Lucia and Barbossa holding their guns on him.

"I don't think that's a smart idea, León," Lucia said warningly.

"Traitors!" King spat.

"Charlatans!" León said angrily.

"Now that's not very nice," Barbossa said with a smile. "We served you, but it was you who failed to learn a lesson."

"What lesson is that?" King demanded.

"Never trust a pirate," Lucia laughed.

"Now, if you were smart, you'd lower your weapons right now," Barbossa commanded, poking León with his gun.

Reluctantly, León signaled his men, and they lowered their weapons.

Jack smiled brightly. "I knew you'd warm up to me."

"What changed your mind?" Guinevere asked, surprised.

"We told you we were doing you a favor," Lucia gloated.

"See, I told you it was useless, León," Jack said. "You can't make me give into you."

León sneered. "Don't worry, Jack. I have no interest in killing your bride or friends. You said you'd rather die than help me, did you not?"

"In fact I did," Jack said. "And I hold true to those words."

León grinned wickedly. Suddenly, León whipped out a dagger and plunged it into Jack's stomach.

"NO!" Guinevere shrieked as if she herself had taken the blow.

Elizabeth and Will's eyes went wide and the colour drained in their faces.

"Jack!" Bootstrap yelled.

"Sparrow is always true to his word," León snarled.

Jack gasped as he looked down as if in shock, at the dagger. His gaze then turned to Guinevere, then Juliet, Will and Elizabeth. He looked apologetic and sorrowful as he looked at them. León then released him from the dagger, and Jack crumbled to the ground.

"No!" Guinevere shrieked.

In a fit of rage, Guinevere charged forth and fought León with all her might. León grabbed her and held a knife to her throat.

"Now choose, Sparrow," León said. "Drink from the Fountain, and prove its worth, or watch your precious daughter and wife die."

"Juliet, no!" Guinevere cried, struggling against León.

"Bugger off," Jack panted, barely able to speak.

"If you want something, you must get it yourself," León groaned.

"If my daughter dies, I will kill you!" Guinevere said menacingly.

"Not if I am immortal," León countered.

"That wasn't very smart, León," Lucia threatened.

León released Guinevere and prepared to drink from the Fountain, but King, Barbossa, and Lucia held their guns on him.

"You don't get your immortality today, León," King said. "You didn't hold up your end of the bargain."

"Jack Sparrow is dying, isn't that good enough?" León asked.

"I want Jack dead, but after he is tried and hanged," King replied angrily.

"The man will die, don't be so picky," León laughed.

"I trusted you to get what I want," King said, his blood boiling. "That was a mistake."

"Indeed," León agreed.

"None of you will get anything but a bullet," Lucia said fiercely.

León brandished his dagger and tried to stab King. However, King caught his hand and forced him to drop the dagger. The two men then engaged in a vicious duel with Lucia and Barbossa. Will and Elizabeth, along with Bootstrap, Rose, and the crew, fought their way out of their captors hands and fought against King and León's men.

"Well, the work is half done with our enemies as enemies themselves," Will commented.

"William, James! Find safety!" Elizabeth shouted.

The two boys took Juliet and found a hiding spot behind the Fountain. Meanwhile, King and León continued their duel with Lucia and Barbossa. The four of them were equally matched and both dealt deadly blows. However, León was the stronger. He slashed King's arm, knocked away his sword, and kicked him. He also disarmed Barbossa and Lucia. Just before León could strike the killing blow, he was stabbed from behind. King, Lucia, and Barbossa looked up to see Guinevere emerge from behind León.

"Stupid move, girl," King jeered. "You know I'm just going to kill you anyway."

"I don't think so," Guinevere said fiercely.

Guinevere and King then engaged in a furious combat. It seemed as if the chaos vanished and it was only their struggle. The battle was an even match. Each had the upper hand. King then knocked Guinevere off her feet.

"Say hello to your husband," he said triumphantly.

Before King could strike, he was stabbed from behind.

"Never mess with a mother and her children," Elizabeth muttered.

King fell dead to the ground. Once King and León were dead, the battle was won. However, there were no cheers of victory. Despite the battle's outcome, Jack and Juliet overshadowed the victory. William and James emerged from their hiding places. Both of them shrieked when they saw Juliet as near to death as she was.

"Juliet!" they cried, running to her.

"Juliet, please don't die!" William begged. "You have to fight it! You have to win!"

"You can't die, Juliet!" James wailed.

Barbossa and Lucia pulled the boys away from Juliet. William and James shrieked in protest.

"Everything's going to be alright," Lucia comforted.

"Easy lads," Barbossa soothed.

Guinevere then raced to Jack and Juliet's side. "Jack, Juliet, stay with me! Both of you just stay with me."

"It's…too late," Jack whispered, his voice full of pain.

"No, no it's not!" Guinevere cried.

"The Fountain," Jack said weakly.

Guinevere scooped some water from the Fountain for Jack, but he shook his head.

"For Juliet," he whispered.

Tearfully, Guinevere poured the water into Juliet's mouth. Juliet lay still for a long moment. Suddenly, her chest rose and fell rapidly. The rosy color came back to Juliet's face. Then, her chocolate brown eyes opened.

"Mother?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm here, Sweetheart," Guinevere replied, tears in her eyes.

"Where's Father?" Juliet questioned.

Juliet turned to see her dying father and her face fell. "Mother, what's happening? Is he going to be alright?"

Elizabeth then ushered Juliet away from Guinevere and Jack.

"He's going to be alright, isn't he?" Juliet asked dubiously.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine," Elizabeth reassured her.

Guinevere hastily took some of the water and poured it into Jack's mouth.

"Please, Jack, don't leave me," Guinevere begged.

"I love you," Jack breathed weakly.

"Please don't say goodbye, Jack!" Guinevere cried.

"Take care of the children," Jack said as his life dimmed.

Jack smiled as he kept his dying gaze on Guinevere. Then, his eyes closed and he lay still in Guinevere's arms.

"Jack? No, no! NO!" Guinevere screamed. "Come back to me! Come back!"

Jack remained still as stone, as if in a dream.

Guinevere sobbed and rested her head on Jack's chest. "Jack! NO!"

Will and Elizabeth comforted the children. Barbossa and Lucia bowed their heads.

Suddenly, Jack's chest began to rise. Slowly, he raised his hand and stroked Guinevere's face. Finally, his eyes opened.

"Oh my God," Rose gasped.

"Jack?" Guinevere gasped in surprise.

"I couldn't leave you, Mrs. Sparrow," Jack whispered.

"Jack! He's alive!" Guinevere gasped, embracing Jack as tight as she could.

"You bloody pirate!" Will laughed.

"That's the Captain Jack Sparrow I know," Elizabeth sighed, shaking her head.

"You are indeed a hard man to predict, Sparrow," Barbossa said with a cunning smile.

"I know I can be trusted to be unpredictable," Jack said.

"I am glad to see you alive, Sparrow," Lucia said sincerely. "If you had died and left Guin and your children alone, I would've thought you deserved it."

"And it's nice to see you, too, Lucia dearie," Jack chortled.

"Father!" Juliet cried, flying into Jack's arms.

The group was lost in the warm moment for an eternity, it seemed.

"León and King's ships are still out there," Guinevere said.

"Then we're not out of this yet," Will said resolutely.

"What should we do?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"We're pirates, Captain Turner," Lucia said with a smirk.

"What usually happens to ships when pirates are around?" Barbossa questioned slyly.

"Mates, we're going to do some honest pirating," Jack said with a cheerful smile.