I heard a heartbeat and in the moment between waking and dreaming I wondered who's it was, thought it was my own and was puzzled as to why it was so unusually loud. Something brushed against me and I almost jumped out of my skin. A laugh tapped into my sleepy ears and I opened my eyes. Jack's stared back at me and I blinked again. He smiled. "Sorry," his voice was all husky in the morning. "I didn't mean to give you a fright, love."

I smiled. "You didn't..." I mumbled. He laughed again. My eyes closed momentarily as he kissed my forehead and in that moment I felt myself almost fall back asleep, but I pulled myself back from the precipice of consciousness and opened my eyes again before I fell.

"Yes, I did, you should have seen yourself jump!" I looked up at him. His arms closed tightly around me and pulled me closer. I moved to rest my head on his chest, reaching my arm out to hug his waist. He rested his chin on my head and I took a deep breath, breathing him in. His skin was so warm against mine that it was on the verge of tipping over into being uncomfortable, but I never, ever wanted to move. I would happily have died there. I may not even have noticed if I did.

We lay in silence for what could have been forever, but naturally didn't last long enough. I smiled at how comfortable I was and the knowledge that I would be this comfortable every day from this moment on. The room was light; I wondered how long we had been asleep and how much longer we could afford to lie where we were. I sighed as I became increasingly aware that time was trickling onwards, refusing to freeze. "I suppose..." I said, half-heartedly and regretting speaking the second I had done so. Maybe if I'd kept quiet I wouldn't have to move. Who needs food anyway? "...we should be getting up."

I looked at him again and was surprised to see him smiling in a way that made me happy and excited even though I had no idea what he was about to say. His left hand stopped playing with my hair and ran down the side of my face to tilt my head up to his. He kissed me once and wrapped both arms tightly around my middle. "We still have time..." he whispered and I smiled back before I kissed him again. I knew exactly what he meant and almost laughed at how I had tried to resist him before. What had I been so worried about? Being with him... properly with him was bliss. Sheer bliss.

The deck of Teague's ship was full of his crew when we stepped out on to the deck of the Pearl and looked across. Teague saw us. I waved, but he and Jack stayed motionless and I lowered my hand feeling foolish for forgetting that anything other than awkwardness was banned from their relationship. The boarding planks were slid back across for Jack and I. Jack went first and I followed, panicking slightly about losing my footing and falling ungracefully into the sea. I made it to the other side with minimal embarrassment and only when I saw the deck come into sight did I allow myself to glance up form where I had been staring intently at my feet to make sure they behaved themselves.

"Yer crew's in the brig," Teague reminded Jack as he hopped down. "Ye best deal with 'em now."

Jack nodded, "I shall, but first I would like to introduce you to Mrs Isabel Sparrow." I took Jack's outstretched hand, but was too busy smiling at Teague's shock to watch my feet. I slipped down onto the deck. Jack caught me with my face inches away from the wood. I scrambled up again. Jack snorted as he helped me to my feet. "Elegantly done..." he muttered.

"Quiet you," I gave him a gentle whack on the arm.

"Congratulations, lad," Teague smiled, but the smile was not as warm as it was when he smiled at me. "Welcome to the family, Isabel."

"Thanks," I smiled back, not quite sure if this was the correct response, having never been in this situation before. Teague surveyed us both.

"I'll be wanting a word with both of ye," he said sternly. My insides twisted and I felt a bit sick. He glanced at Jack, "Especially you lad."

Jack feigned a bright look and tone, "To the brig then?"

Teague nodded and turned to lead us down. "Nice subject change," I whispered.

"Thanks," he replied. "Gives us time to run away."

A silence fell in the brig of Teague's ship as we entered and Jack's grip on my waist tightened. I felt his entire body tense and I moved closer to him, coiling both arms around his waist and feeling his muscles relax a little. I looked at his eyes, which were fixed on the crew that had betrayed him... again. The air prickled between us and the crew. They waited to hear of their fate, each one of them hoping and praying for the best. Jack opened his mouth, sighed, then closed it again. "Gentlemen," was all he said before the sound of boots on stairs interrupted him. Teague came to stand behind him. Jack twisted to see him, they looked at each other before Jack looked back to the crew.

"Do you know what you want to do yet, lad?" Teague asked and everyone in the cells leant forwards, as if that would influence the decision or let them hear it any sooner. Jack looked back at them and nodded.

"They go free," he said. "All but Barbossa."

There were looks and sighs of relief from every corner. I felt myself relax a little too, happy with his decision. I glanced at Teague for any sign of approval, or feeling towards what Jack had decided to do, but there was nothing. Jack never seemed to get much guidance from Teague unless it was very important. Teague was content to let Jack be Jack and learn from his own mistakes, unless asked specifically for his opinion. Two of his men moved to unlock the cells and let everyone scurry past onto the deck until it was just Barbossa left. He and Jack stared at each other.

"You going to have me killed Jack?" Barbossa asked as if he was inquiring to something as nonchalant as the weather. Jack shook his head.

"Death's too good for you," he said simply before he turned on his heels and walked with me out of the brig, coming out as the bigger person.

"Jack..." Barbossa looked satisfyingly worried. Obviously the taste of his own medicine did not agree with him. The expression on his face made the side of Jack's lips twitch. "I'd rather hoped we were past all this..."

"Hector... Hector... Hector..." Jack shook his head. Barbossa flinched with each use of his first name. "Had you not noticed? That be the island you made me Governor of on our last trip..."

He waited for a reply. I could see Barbossa's pained expression and Jack relishing in the taste of revenge. Barbossa narrowed his eyes and seeing that Jack was waiting until he fully acknowledged it he nodded and, through gritted teeth, said "Aye, I had."

"Well maybe you can conjure up an escape as clever as the one I did," Jack looked him up and down "...I rather doubt it."

I stopped myself from deflating his big moment by pointing out that it had been Elizabeth who had got us off that island, not him. Barbossa's upper lip curled in pure hatred and Jack nodded to Pintel, who, rather tentatively, handed Barbossa a pistol with one shot. Barbossa took it and glared at him. Pintel tried to smile innocently, but to be honest it didn't really work. He backed away and moved to hide at the back of the crew with Ragetti who gave him a consoling nod. It was a nod that sympathised with him, but did not promise to back him up should Barbossa return and decide to shoot everyone who had played even the tiniest part in his humiliation. Barbossa looked back at Jack. "Off you go then!" Jack waved him away, as if dismissing a pest.

Barbossa glared at him and for a second I though he wasn't going to move at all. But then he turned slowly, dragging his glare away from Jack's smile in an attempt to leave the hatred lingering behind him to dissolve Jack's happiness. "Ye aint heard the last from me..." he muttered audibly enough for everyone on deck to hear him. Jack tutted and rolled his eyes.

"Get on with it!" he shouted, not in the least bit bothered Barbossa's threat. A few voices rose among Teague's crew and Jack's alike to jeer at Barbossa as his foot hit the plank. He strode straight to the edge and stepped off, not giving anyone the satisfaction of hearing him complain or see him having to be forced off the end. A splash signalled that he was gone and everyone dashed to the side. We watched the water ripple and waited for a sign of him re-surfacing. There was a screech and Jack the Monkey flew from the rigging to the rail. He landed with a thud and as a dark shape rose to the surface he let out another screech. When Barbossa's head broke through the waves Jack the Monkey jumped down into the water to swim alongside his master. I felt a little twinge and beside me Ragetti sighed. "I'd rather grown to like that monkey," he said a little wistfully. I turned to agree with him, but on hearing various tuts form the crew and seeing some of the looks he was getting I decided to keep my mouth shut. It was these occasions I was thankful Ragetti was here to voice my stupidest thoughts before I did.

We watched Barbossa swim away. A few crewmembers got bored and wandered off, but Jack stayed as I could have guessed he would. "I hope he drowns," he said cheerfully.

"Are there sharks here?" I wondered aloud. I think Jack's smile was physically too big for him to talk. He watched eagerly, but there were no shark attacks of incidents of drowning.

"Damn," Jack muttered when Barbossa reached the island safe and sound, he looked disappointed for a second or two, but brightened up again. "Oh well, at least now that man can watch me sail away on my ship!"

Our crew were already getting ready to make sail. We left Teague with a promise to meet him in Tortuga and boarded the Pearl again. Teague's ship was first to set off, despite ours being ready first. Jack was adamant that the Pearl be the last ship Barbossa saw. With Teague at a distance that Jack deemed far enough away we were allowed to set sail. Barbossa was nothing but a speck on the island. Soon the island would be just a speck in an almost empty sea. I say almost because we could see white sails on the horizon behind the island, but it was too far away to be even a slight problem so we paid the ship very little attention. Perhaps, looking back on it in hindsight, that was a huge mistake...