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The Chalice of Doom	By : Jessica66 Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > General Views: 2364 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
18-
Keeper of the Cave

Rowan
awoke with a start and sat up, her heart pounding fast. She rubbed her eyes,
trying to force away that disturbing vision. No she wasn't as tough as she
always pretended to be, and the things she'd seen during the last two days were
revolting enough to cause nightmares. She reached for the jug of water on the
bedside table only to find out that someone had replaced it with a bottle of
rum. Nevertheless she took a good swig to wash the foul taste away. Then,
opening her eyes completely she realized why there was no jug of water on her
bedside table. She wasn't in her cabin but in Jack's aboard the Pearl. But where
was Jack?

She
lay down again, too tired to get up and look for him. Instead she passed the
events of the last two days in review; two days in which the pirates had helped
the population of Port Royal recovering their dead and burning them on stakes in
order to prevent diseases. The stench of smoke and burned flesh was still in her
nose, and in her mind's eye she could still see the dead bodies they had dragged
out of harbour. A drowned body was never a pleasant sight especially not after
they'd been in the water for two days, exposed to the Caribbean sun and
occasionally nibbled on by sharks. Rowan had never seen a troop of redcoats
turning around and vomiting simultaneously. It would have been extremely funny
if she hadn't had to join�

The
bad taste was back in her mouth so she took a more generous swig of rum before
cuddling up in bed again. Her thoughts drifted off. The scent of Jack still
lingered in the air and the black silk of the sheets caressed her body which
longed to be touched. And since she was having an affair with Jack there was no
reason to do so on her own. So where was that bloody rascal when she needed him?

It
was then that she suddenly noticed the movements of the ship, its soft rocking
in the waves, the quiet creaking of the wooden planks. If she listened carefully
she even seemed to hear the sails rattling in the wind therefore they must be
sailing. But where and why hadn't he bothered to tell her? Kind of infuriated
she jumped out of bed, thinking, so he'd rather spends his time at the helm
than with me? Blast it, we really didn't have that much privacy in these past
few days or more accurately none at all.

Rowan
peeked at the heap of filthy, blood-stained rags that once used to be her
clothes, shivered with repulsion, and decided that she would definitely not
wear them again. But since she also couldn't go on deck stark naked she'd better
find one of Jack's shirts to wear instead.

Jack's
eyes gleamed with joy when he saw her walking up the steps to the afterdeck. One
reason was that she wore one of his shirts. It looked good on her since it
barely reached her knees leaving her firm tanned legs uncovered, and the white
fabric was almost transparent in the light of the lanterns. Smirking he grabbed
her waist and pulled her in a tight embrace without letting go of the helm.

"'ello
luv. Nice to see ye."

He
pinned her to the wheel with his body, his hips pressed tightly against hers.
His proximity made her shiver though the night was warm and his skin even
warmer. It made her dizzy to inhale his scent, the scent of salt, rum and pure
manliness. Then he kissed her. His lips tasted sweet and so was his kiss, tender
and seductive.

Rowan's
knees got weak. She wrapped her arms around his neck for support and he granted
her that by taking firm hold of her backside. Jack kissed her more passionately
now; his mouth was demanding like he'd been hungering for a long time and his
tongue explored her thoroughly in a desperate need to taste every corner of her.

A
frustrated moan escaped her lips when he finally broke the kiss. Jack gave her a
cheeky smile, then he flipped open his compass and corrected the course a little.

"Where
are we sailing to anyway?" Rowan took her eyes off the open collar of his
shirt and withstood the urge to touch his tanned chest, to feel his warm flesh
and solid muscles. Instead she turned and looked around, seeing nothing but wide
open sea. Suddenly she felt cheated. What was Jack up to and where was her ship,
her Jewel?

It
didn't matter. He told her, his head rested on her shoulder, but she didn't
listen since he had taken her hands and placed them on the wheel, securing them
with his own. His words were like a warm breath in her ears that made her
shudder with anticipation as he nibbled at her earlobe before his mouth trailed
down her neck, kissing, sucking and biting the sensitive skin there.

Rowan
gasped and clung to the wheel when his hands let go of her wrists only to cup
her breasts, squeezing them; his calloused thumbs brushing her nipples. The thin
fabric of the shirt was not hindering his touch but causing a tantalizing
friction on her skin. Her mouth was slightly opened as her breath came heavier
now, and she jerked back her head in utter bliss. She heard Jack chuckle,
knowing that he loved what he did to her. He loved to see her writhe and whimper
his name, and that was exactly what she needed now. After two days with dead
bodies she needed to be touched to know that she was still alive, she needed to
lose control.

One
of Jack's hands skimmed down her hips and snaked underneath the seam of her
shirt, working its way up her thigh. Rowan sucked in breath and tried to hold
back a groan, well aware that some of the crew were hanging around on the
foredeck. Suddenly she felt watched. She opened her eyes the same moment his
finger slipped inside her. A wanton sound escaped her lips and for an instant
she didn't give a damn if somebody was indeed watching them, she just wished
Jack would continue with whatever he had in his wicked pirate mind. But when her
gaze met Cotton's who stared open-mouthed at his captain's activities, she
remembered that there was still some sense of shame left in her. Immediately she
slapped Jack's hand away.

"Cotton's
watching us."

"So
what? Guess he won't tell anybody." Jack's voice sounded hoarse, full of
lust and when Rowan turned around to face him he wasn't sure if he could contain
himself much longer. Her erected nipples stood up visibly under the white shirt,
her hair fell in unruly cascades around her shoulders and her face was glowing
with passion. She breathed heavily, her mouth slightly opened like an invitation
to kiss her again.

"Cabin."
She panted, still extremely aroused. But no matter how much she wanted him she
was not gonna let him screw her with his crew around.

His
lips crushed on hers for a ravaging kiss while he pressed her tightly to his
erection. The idea of having her at the helm was almost driving him mad and he
begged her, purring into her ears. "Here. I'll make it quick."

"No!"
Rowan struggled to break contact but it was rather the word 'quick' that really
deterred her. She grabbed his twin beard, tugging it strictly. "In the
cabin. And you'll better take your time, savvy."

Jack
gave her a mischievous smile that increased the sensual tension between them one
more time. Grasping her backside he called for Cotton and checked his compass
again. "Mr Cotton! Take over the helm and keep the course. My lovely woman
is in desperate need of my care for the rest of this night."

The
old weathered sailor couldn't do else but nod and watch the pirate couple
stumbling excited towards the captain's cabin, peppering kisses at each other.

-

Sometimes
it scared Rowan what Jack could make her feel. It was unfathomable how he could
turn a strong, independent woman- which she believed she was- into a heap of
trembling, contracting, writhing limbs, whimpering his name and begging him to
cease while on the other hand she didn't want him to stop. After a quick
encounter on the table as soon as they had entered the cabin Jack had taken his
time with her. He knew so damned well how to arouse her, how to drive her really
wild with lust, and he took his pride in it. He loved to see her climaxing, that
intense feeling when she completely lost control and just clung onto him,
shuddering with passion. He loved the way she threw back her head then, her red
wine hair flowing over her firm, slim body, her eyes closed, her mouth lightly
opened, breathing his name- she was definitely the most sensual woman he'd ever
seen.

In
the aftermath they lay cuddled up into each other's arms, legs entwined,
breathlessly, exhausted, sweaty, but deeply satisfied, satiated. Rowan rested
her chin on Jack's chest, stroking him idly, lost in thoughts.

Jack
felt vulnerable because of their intimacy. Every touch of her got under his skin,
straight to his heart, and he knew that so much more than pure lust that united
them. She was his perfect match. Slowly he let his fingers run through her hair,
almost suffocating on the words he wanted to tell her.

"Rowan,
I�"

"Ah,
are ye finally trying to fill me in why we're in the middle of the sea and where
we're heading to?" She interrupted teasingly and looked up to meet his eyes.

He
sighed. Actually he had wanted to tell her something else but she'd spoiled the
moment and now he was puzzled because he had already told her their destination.
Nevertheless he repeated it given that she'd been kind of distracted when he had
told her first.

"Isla
de Muerta."

"Isla de Muerta?" Rowan echoed and propped herself up on one elbow to give him a
questioning look with slightly narrowed eyes. "What are ye up to now?"

Jack
was glad that she was in a fairly placid, content mood since otherwise it would
have been much more difficult to explain. After all, Norrington was still like a
red rag to a bull to Rowan- she had merely accepted that he'd spared his life
but she hadn't been happy about it and when he'd almost blackmailed Will and
Elisabeth not to give away the Commodore's dark secret or he would not help the
whelp finding his father� well, she could be quite a hellcat sometimes. Anyhow,
it had been Norrington's idea- or, not really an idea but more like a vague
thought the Commodore had uttered on their ride from the Hellshire Hills to Port
Royal. The usually so stiff officer had sobbed, guilt ridden, 'I wished that
damned chalice had never left the dreaded Isla de Muerta, I wished that island
would have remained unfound forever.'

There
was nothing Jack could do about the Chalice of Doom since no one had seen it
after Alf had laid hands on it and disappeared; it was missing and so was Alf.
According to Marris he was still alive, in fact the pirate had even seen him
from the distance one night. He also claimed that the Chalice was destroyed yet
no one knew for sure and Alf had never cared to return and give away any details.

But
Jack had the Statue of Nirrti so he would return that to the Isla de Muerta and
throw away his compass then. Though there was no reason to assume that the
earthquake was caused by magic he was better safe than sorry. No one should be
playing around with dangerous magical stuff anymore.

"Ye
should have talked to me before." Rowan complained. She did understand his
motives but she would have rather been asked to join instead of just taken along.

"Aye
but ye've been so sound asleep when I've made up me mind this morning..."

"This
morning?" Now she was mildly confused because she'd thought she had only
slept a few hours. She had dropped to bed when it was night and awoken at night-
but could it be that she'd actually slept through a whole day?

"Well,
ye sleepyhead 've been sleeping the day away and I didn't wanna wake ye."
He reached out to touch her, to cup her face in his calloused hands. Stroking
her gently he said. "I swear ye looked like an angel to me."

She
snorted amused. "Don't try to change subject by flattering me."

"Alright,
a fallen angel then- but nevertheless very angelic."

"Jack!"

"Would
ye've preferred to stay in Port Royal, luv?"

Rowan
shook her head. No, she was exactly where she wanted to be but that wasn't the
point. She was a pirate captain therefore she had a ship and a crew to take care
of and she wasn't very happy at the thought that they were still in Port Royal.
They were pirates and though Governor Swann had granted them clemency she wasn't
sure about Norrington. He hated pirates in general. Well, he hadn't tried to
trick them yet but she had witnessed him changing from a whining picture of
misery into the straight, conscientious Commodore of the Royal Navy within
minutes and then he had immediately taken vigorous action to re-establish law
and order in Port Royal. He was unpredictable and she wished again that she
would have killed him, that Jack would have let her kill him.

"The
people of Port Royal needed Norrington to get things right." Jack said
seriously without a trace of his usual slurring. "Now tell me, do you
really think that Governor Swann would have been able to gain control of the
situation right after the earthquake? Blast, he was almost wetting himself with
panic."

She
chuckled at the thought of Governor Swann, then she sighed. "Nevertheless I
trust Norrington as far as I can spit a rambutan stone- which actually isn't
very far."

"We
can practice once we're in Asia�" He fell silent for a while, his eyes
closed. Rowan noticed that he looked really tired and wondered when he'd slept
last. Probably he had been turning over all different thoughts in his mind
before he'd got up and ordered to set sails, steering his ship to the dreaded
Isla de Muerta. She snuggled up closer to him but he was restless. Sitting up he
rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry
luv can't leave Cotton alone at the helm for too long. He doesn't know the
bearings so I better�"

"Jack,
you need to rest." She interjected, her voice soft with worried affection.

"I'm
not tired."

"You
look exhausted."

He
gazed down at himself. "That's just a momentary state you could easily
change. Don't question my potency."

"I
would never dare to, honestly. I just think you need some sleep."

Jack
sighed wearily. She was right. Actually he wished he could stay and fall asleep
with Rowan in his arms but somebody had to steer the Pearl. Well, he had an able
bodied crew- that wasn't the problem- but he had once given away the bearings of
the Isla de Muerta and that had ended in a mutiny therefore trust wasn't
something he thoughtlessly handled.

"Why
don't ye let Gibbs take the helm? He's a superstitious pain in the ass to me but
he's loyal." Rowan suggested.

Jack
shook his head and fingered for his clothes which were spread all over the cabin
floor. The problem with Gibbs was his superstition- that man would probably not
take the compass even if he would decide to hand it to him. Frightful bad luck
to have a compass that doesn't point north, Jack could almost hear Gibbs say.

"What
about Anamaria?"

"She's
busy with yer first mate. Preferred to stay with him."

Rowan
gasped. "She doesn't wanna sign on the Jewel I hope. I don't wanna have her
aboard my ship."

"Ye
can stay with me then. I'll make ye my first mate." Jack said without
thinking but when he saw that dangerous look on her face he quickly added.
"Just kidding, luv, just kidding."

She
gave him a wry smile, obviously not very amused. Alright, he also wouldn't think
it funny when a pirate captain got offered to become a first mate and after all
she was a pirate captain. A good one too. Good enough to entrust her with the
Pearl? Unceremoniously he slipped his compass into her hands.

"Now,
if ye'd please be so kind to take us to the Isla de Muerta? I'll take a nap
meanwhile�"

Rowan
stared at the compass in her hand, not knowing
what to say. She cleared her throat but still couldn't seem to find the right
words. Damned that was a gesture so close to a declaration of trust that she had
to swallowed hard to get rid off that lump in her throat, all the time running
her fingers above the smooth surface of that old worn compass. Then she lifted
her eyes to glance at Jack again only to find out that he must have fallen right
asleep as soon as his head had hit the pillows. Well, well so you weren't
being tired at all, no- not Captain Jack Sparrow!

Rolling
her eyes she covered him up with a blanket when she felt an overwhelming surge
of emotion shooting through her whole body. His slack features looked so
vulnerable and much younger than he actually was, almost boyish, a contented
half smile curling up his lips as he cuddled himself in a pillow- her pillow. A
flock of butterflies gathered in her stomach and spread their wings, fluttering
heavily. Her heart was pounding like a drum.

Damned!
Damned! DAMNED! When did that start? Why did that start? I never wanted
that to happen again, never wanted to fall in love again� it only causes
trouble and pain, agony� and so much bliss�No, forget about the bliss, Rowan
and get a grip on yourself. After all, you've got a ship to steer with a compass
that doesn't point north- but we're not trying to find north anyway, aren�t we?
- and with a crew that's likely to ignore any kind of command given by me.
Great! Thanks a lot, Jack!

She
shook her head, trying to shake off her thoughts. At least she had to prove Jack
that he didn't put his trust in her for nothing- she would get them to
the dreaded Isla de Muerta.

"Alright I'll take over now, Captain's
order." Rowan simply stated when she approached Cotton at the helm. To
her surprise he let go of the wheel immediately and made a gesture of invitation,
a weird smile on his lips as he eyed her from head to toe without even trying to
disguise his stare. Somehow she was glad about him being a mute since a lewd
remark was not what she needed now but nevertheless she felt the blood rushing
to her cheeks, remembering what he'd caught her at last time she was at the helm.
Involuntarily she blushed.

"What? Do I look like I've had a good time with
yer Capt'n? I had- thanks for askin'!" She snapped cynically.

There was a fluttering of wings in the air as Parrot
landed on Cotton's shoulder, cocking his head.

"Good girls go to heaven� naught girls get
everywhere." The feathered scoundrel squeaked.

Rowan blushed even more when Cotton smiled friendly at
her and patted her hand, gesturing her to pay attention to the ship instead of
an old, mute sailor with a cheeky macaw.

Good idea. Determined she took hold of the wheel, flipped
open the compass and tried to figure out the way of the spinning needle that
didn't point north. After a moment she got the method behind it so she corrected
the course a tad until the bow of the ship and the compass were pointing in
exactly the same direction. Cotton still watched her.

Some
other pirates did too as soon as they'd noticed the change at the helm, and to
say that their stare made her nervous was an understatement. It occurred to her
they all were just waiting for her to make a mistake. Though she had had to
prove herself in a man's world many times before her hands started to get sweaty.
She felt the smooth wood of the large steering-wheel beneath her fingers, hoping
to gain some self-assurance of that when she sensed something else� someone?
A presence greeted her with curiosity, even a bit of� jealousy?
Rowan wasn't sure about it since that ebbed soon and then ceased, and only
something vaguely familiar remained. It was a similar feeling to steering the
Jewel- after all, it had been the same man who'd built both the Jewel Star and
the Black Pearl. A magician, as she knew now, therefore it shouldn't surprise
her that the ships he built were somehow�alive.

"Now,
let's show the guys what two pretty lasses like us are capable of." Rowan
whispered to the Pearl, a challenging smile on her lips. It would have been
quite embarrassing to bark orders at a crew that would be unlikely acquiesce to
following said orders but apparently she had at least one friend aboard. Cotton
might be a tongue less mute but that didn't necessarily mean he had no other
senses left; he could still observe, make up his own mind. Also he was quite
susceptible to a woman's pretty smile and he had a macaw speaking for him.

"All hands on deck! Brace the sails!" Parrot
croaked and at once the pirates were bustling about, ready to brace the sails.

Rowan could have sworn to feel a- chuckle?- when
the wind filled Pearl's sails to the full and though she didn't look like it but
she almost flew across the waves. Again it came to her mind how much the Pearl
resembled the Jewel, both reacted very similar and both held their promise of
freedom when standing at the helm. Rowan began to relax and enjoyed steering the
black vessel through the night until a new day dawned.

In the meantime the pirates had gotten used to her
sight at the helm and some of them were even beginning to change their mind
about her as they had to admit she was doing quite a good job up there. And it
pleased Rowan tremendously to prove them that she was not just Captain Jack
Sparrow's favorite screw.

However, Gibb's opinion didn't alter. Though his
personally animosities towards her had ceased it was still frightful bad luck
having a woman aboard, a red head doubled that- but a red haired woman who could
handle a compass that doesn't point north was tripling bad luck many times over.
He hadn't decided yet whether he should try to get drunk from the contents of
his flask he always carried around, cross himself, or make the sign against the
evil eye, so he did all three. And when a new day dawned painting the sky in
uncanny crimson he increased his efforts. After all, they were heading to the
dreaded Isla de Muerta.

A few hours after sunrise Captain Jack Sparrow appeared
on deck, looking well rested and ready for mischief. He held a mug with a
steaming liquid in his hands, balancing it carefully when he staggered up the
steps to the afterdeck. Approaching Rowan from behind he first pinched her
bottom then rested his chin on her shoulder, one arm around her waist while the
other held the mug to her nose so that she could have a sniff.

"So, did my precious ladies get on well with each
other?" He purred into her ear.

Rowan's eyes widened with surprise when she sensed a
familiar smell. Greedily she fingered for the mug but Jack preferred to tease
her a bit by holding it out of her reach.

"Ah, seems you're testing my Pearl's limits,
huh?"

"She almost begged me to let her run." She
replied, still trying to get hold of the mug. "Gosh, Jack tell me that I
smell tea in there."

"Aye." Finally he handed her the mug and
watched fascinated how easy it was to please her. Her eyes gleamed with joy from
across the brim as she slowly sipped the tea. He grinned, glad to have
remembered how much she loved a cup of tea in the morning. Of course he wouldn't
tell her how long it had taken him to find some tea in the Pearl's galley since
that had never been a popular drink aboard, but by the look on her face he swore
to himself that he would have to pay more attention on the tea trade. He
sketched a bow to her in his typical, slightly exaggerated way. "I am
pleased to please you, my dear."

Before Rowan could give a cheeky response the watch in
the crow's nest reported 'land ahoy'. She went to the larboard rail to have a
better look and saw a clearly visible volcanic island although there hadn't been
any sign of a shoreline only minutes ago. It seemed to have popped up out of
nowhere.

"So we're almost there." Jack murmured and
took over the helm.

Rowan noticed his change of mood. He looked tense as he
steered the Pearl through the passage in the graveyard of sunken ships, and the
atmosphere was as eerie as the first time. Before long the rattle of the anchor
chain broke the uncomfortable silence. Then a longboat was lowered.

The opening in the rocks of Isla de Muerta looked even
more like the jaws of hell to Rowan when they entered the caves but perhaps it
was only because she had the feeling that damned statue of Nirrti kept staring
at her. A shiver ran down her spine and she had to tell herself not to flinch at
the stare of a wooden statue.

"Ye know ye don't have to come with me?" Jack
asked again like he had asked her when she had joined him in the longboat.
Though he was glad for her company he would have rowed her back as soon as she'd
request but she tsked.

"What harm is there in bringing that bloody thing
back to where nobody will hopefully find it again?"

A long time none of them spoke a word and the only
sound was that of Jack's even strokes. Rowan tried to relax by watching him row.
He wore no coat and his shirt was open to reveal firm muscles running beneath
tanned skin. She loved that sight. He wasn't a very athletic man, neither
extremely muscular nor broad-shouldered but he had a slender body toughened by
years of hard work aboard a ship.

"D'ye like what ye see luv?"

She blushed a little, not having noticed that she had
obviously stared at him for quite a while. Denying it would be stupid so she
nodded. "Aye."

"Wait 'til we're back on the Pearl."
Jack's lips brushed hers then he pulled the boat ashore, not bothering
about the amount of gold that slipped into the water by doing so. After all
there was more treasure than silver and gold�

His plan was simple, so very simple. Return the
statue to the cave, drop the compass, and be off. Actually Jack could have
just thrown the statue onto any heap of treasure that was piled in here, there
wasn't even the need to leave the boat. But he did. He didn't know why he was
walking the caves again for a last time. Maybe it was a perverted urge to
suffocate on memories. Everything had started with the knowledge of the treasure
of Isla de Muerta but instead of getting rich it had only got him a mutiny and
the loss of his ship. Ten years later it had also ended here, with one shot. Now
the mutineer's bones were rotting here, his head kicked off into the sea by a
fiery red haired who had even more reasons than him to hate Barbossa. Maybe both
of them wanted to see with their own eyes that he was really dead and would
never come haunting them again. Both of them breathed a barely audible sigh of
relief when they saw that he was still there the way they had left him,
decapitated.

That would have been the opportune moment to drop
statue and compass, and leave. But they didn't. Jack wanted to do it right so he
headed towards that niche in the rocks where they'd found the statue in order to
put it back there.

"Stay there and don't do anything stupid." He
told the statue before he turned around but froze in half movement, beads in his
hair jingling, a confused and thoughtful expression on his face. Then
recognition lighted his look paused and his hand slipped into his pocket,
pulling out the compass. He glanced at it for a last time and placed it on the
altar with a shrug. "You stay here too."

Altar? The word flashed through his brain and it was
only then he noticed that the niche really resembled an altar. Interesting�But
even more interesting was the fact that he suddenly couldn't feel his feet
anymore and when he looked down he saw that they were beginning to petrify.

"Luv, wait a second will ye? There's something
strange happening here."

Rowan stopped and saw immediately what he was about.
She hurried to drag him away from that spot but it was in vain. He was immovable,
his feet looked like they were made of marble.

"Damned, what have ye done?" She cursed.

"It just happened, don't blame me." Jack
cracked a smile though he'd already figured that this was probably no fun at
all. The petrifaction crawled up his legs and he was beginning to feel cold.
Suddenly he had an idea. It had started when he'd put his compass down so what
would happen if he just take it back?

His legs started to tingle like they had been numb and
the blood came rushing back now. Jack breathed a deep sigh of relief. The idea
of becoming a marble statue was not pleasant though it would please him to see a
marble statue of Captain Jack Sparrow one day, a monument�

"What are you waiting for? Let's go." Rowan
grabbed his arm, forcing him to leave.

They didn't get far though. All of a sudden they heard
a strange rumble followed by a cracking sound like thunder. Rowan thought that
this might be another earthquake but she was wrong. The walls of the cave had
started moving- or more precisely the openings to the side caves began to close
as if someone was letting down massive stone trapdoors. And the faster the two
pirates tried to get to their longboat the faster the doors came down. Soon it
was obvious to Jack that the jaws of hell like opening leading to the outside
would also be closing and they wouldn't make their way out of here in time, so
he stopped and ran back to the niche. Rowan followed him cursing.

The moment Jack stood in front of that bizarre altar
and placed down the compass the movement of the stone doors came to an abrupt
halt. Alas, he began to petrify again then. Now that was really a dilemma- he
could chose between being locked in that cave or being petrified. None of that
was a preferable situation and the decision he had to take made him swallow hard.

"Well, apparently we'll get locked in when I take
the compass so I suggest ye get out of here first while I try to sort out how to
trick that bloody mechanism before I follow ye. What d'ye say?"

Rowan's eyes narrowed since she knew damned well that
he tried to play it down; that situation was definitely not the one he could
talk himself out.

"Come on I don't have all day. Once I'm a perfect
statue I can't move my fingers to take the compass, savvy? So be off now."
He urged her and she would have actually gone, convinced by his casual voice, if
he hadn't added barely audible. "Please go. I love you, Rowan."

She froze in her tracks, knowing that she hadn't heard
wrong. The lump in her throat was almost suffocating her as it dawned on her
what he really had in mind. He was sending her away to do an idiotically heroic
thing she'd never asked of him; it was selfless but daft.

"Ye're mad. D'ye really think I could just walk
away and leave ye behind?"

Jack sighed, rolling his eyes. He picked up the compass
to have more time for an unavoidable discussion she was about to force on him.

"Keep to the code, luv. Anyone who falls behind�"

"Damned! Forget the fucking code! You said you
love me."

The stone trapdoors gave a crunching sound and started
to close further, more slowly this time but nevertheless inevitable.

Now Jack felt truly miserable. So she'd heard it. She
wasn't supposed to hear it; he just wanted to say it once in a lifetime, and
really meaning it. Though it was true he wrapped the truth in a lie. "Luv,
I'm a dishonest man. I wanted to make sure that me name won't be forgotten and
that ye gonna spread the stories about the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?"

He couldn't fool her. Perhaps he would have been even
disappointed if she'd been so easy to fob off with lies. She slapped him hard
across the face and that one he had really deserved. But then every bit of her
composure broke down completely and she took refuge in his arms, helplessly
hammering her fists at his chest.

"I can't� I won't let ye down, Jack."

He lifted her chin with two fingers in an attempt to
have a serious word with her and persuade her to go before it was too late but
when he saw the tears in her eyes it almost broke his heart. He didn't know how
to deal with a crying woman and most of all he didn't know how to deal with the
tears burning in his own eyes; he couldn't even remember if he'd ever cried at
all. Damned, he was Captain Jack Sparrow, he would not go soft. Pirates don't
cry. Nevertheless he couldn't help but feel slightly overtaxed with the
situation. The more sensible part of him told him that he should send Rowan away.
Now. But his egoistic self wanted to hold her tight forever, wipe the tears off
her face and kiss her, petrified in marble for eternity. Mayhap
in the centuries to come somebody would discover this cave and look in awe at
the stunning marble statue of two pirates in an everlasting embrace, a handsome
rascal and his weeping beauty. No, no, no that's selfish, he told himself,
she has to live and shine in her colours�

"I
can't make you pay for my follies, Rowan. Look, I got us into this so I've
gotta pay for it. Please go before it's too late."

"But
it's not your fault! You wanted to do good." She refused to
let him go but clung to him in a stubborn gesture of defiance. Yet there was so
much more in it than just defiance, her voice was trembling with emotions and
despair. "I'm not leaving without you, Jack. Either we're leaving together
or we're staying here together. I� I just can't let another love die and live
on, not this time. I can't take it anymore. I've had that before- I had to kill
the man I loved to save my own life and I'm not gonna do it again. I felt
like I'm dying inside, my heart was shattered after that and it took me so
fucking long to collect all the broken pieces� I never ever wanted to fall in
love again. I've tried so hard to avoid it so many years in a row but then you
came along and broke the boundaries of my intentions with that damned cocksure
smile of yours. Ye're such a maddening boaster, much too full of yourself most
of the time and too possessive the rest of the time."

"Are
you trying to tell me that you love me?" Jack wondered aloud though he
already knew the answer to that question. She loved him as muchas he loved her
and everything could have been so easy if only they wouldn't have come to the
dreaded Isla de Muerta again.

"I
do." Rowan whispered, hugging
him tightly. "And I'm not leaving you."

I
have to let her go, no matter how much I love her- or just because of my love
for her. Time was
running and the gates to freedom were closing more and more with every passing
minute. He wished he would be able to save her, to force her to go but he lacked
the strength to break their embrace. Without him noticing his arms had long come
around her waist, one hand comfortingly stroking up and down her spine. His head
was buried in her red wine hair, his nose so very well aware of her scent. She
smelled so good- could someone smell of sun? She did. She smelled of sunny days
at sea promising new horizons, salty, exotic, with a slight hint of sandalwood.
Jack inhaled her deeply and sighed into her hair.

"It
would be insane not to leave, my love. You can only chose between being locked
in and starving to death or being turned to marble. I wish there was another
choice left but I'm afraid that there isn't any."

"I
don't care. I'll stay with you."

"That's
insanity! You're so beautifully insane Rowan- but you really shouldn't go and
waste your life for me, the bloody scallywag that I am."

"But
I'm not wasting it. Damned, I'm not that strong as you might think. I'm so sick
and tired of having to be strong when I'm actually scared to death. I'm
frightened but most of all I fear to lose you, now that I've found you. Just
hold me tight and never let me go. I don't wanna end up all unfeeling and
totally numb."

Please
change yer mind and go, luv. Leave me alone. My fate is not yours- should have
never been. But
instead of saying that Jack gave in. She had made up her mind and there was
nothing he could do anything about it; he couldn't fight his feelings any longer.
So be it.

"Right
from the start when we decided to become pirates we knew that we're living on
borrowed time. So drop the compass now and kiss me as long as we still can."
Rowan said silently

Jack's
lips brushed hers for a last kiss, a kiss goodbye. Goodbye to life, to love�
Finally he'd found his perfect match, the woman of his dreams he'd never dreamt
of, and now it should end like that? But it was already too late to change a
thing. They kissed and the petrifaction crawled
up from their feet to their knees, all along their legs, slowly turning them
into marble. They began to feel cold�

Of
course they didn't notice the change in the atmosphere or the translucent
glimmer of light that seemed to appear from out of nowhere. Suddenly a solid
form materialized next to the pirate couple.

"My
oh my what have you landed yourself in now you? Blast, you really shouldn't mess
with magical powers, lad." Santiago said as he picked up the compass, thus
stopping the progress that would soon turn the two pirates into a pretty marble
statue.

"Alf?"

The
Spaniard couldn't remember Jack Sparrow ever sounding so feeble, almost like a
desperate little boy. The glimpse of hope flashing up in his dark chocolate
brown eyes was heartbreaking and so was the single tear dangling on long black
lashes. Santiago had to clear his throat.

"Well,
I hope you appreciate my interference in your life this time."

"Alf!
I really never wanted to get Rowan into trouble, believe me. So don't
bother about me but convince her to leave�"

"No
way- that pretty lass is much too stubborn once she has made up her mind so
you've got to deal with that from now on. Besides, you've got to find the whelp
a father before he becomes a father himself. So leave now, both of you. Hurry. I
don't know for how long I can still keep the gates open since there is a very
old, strong magic taking effects here. Go. NOW."

Santiago
practically shoved the two pirates away in order to get them going. They
stumbled off but after a few steps Jack turned around, wondering. "What'll
become of ye, Alf?"

"I'll
be fine, lad. Don't forget that I'm a mighty magician..." He watched Jack
and Rowan leaving, reaching their longboat and rowing down the narrow channel to
freedom. Then he released a breath and dropped the compass. He didn't fight the
petrifaction. "�and I'm also a cursed man who's very, very
tired."

Neither
Jack nor Rowan heard Santiago's last words as they rowed hastily through the
increasing darkness without looking back. They were still too shaken to think
clearly, not even completely aware of their last minute rescue. Proceeding like
in trance they only knew they had to get away from that frightening place as
quick as possible while ice cold shivers were running down their spines every
time the memory of getting petrified struck them.

The
channel had become more narrow now than it was when they first came here and the
walls seemed to be threatening close. Then there was distant rumble. Rocks
crumbled down, blocking the passage as if the spirit of Isla de Muerta was not
willing to let them go.

Jack
took Rowan's hand in a tight grip and drew her along with him as he left the
boat. They climbed over the rocks when they saw that the opening of the cave was
only six inches away from the water surface.

"We
can't get out!" Rowan screamed in despair but then Jack kissed her hard-
somehow he had managed to get a grip on himself- and pointed to the light ahead
that still shone in from underwater.

"We'll
dive."

And
diving they did. Cold water crashed above their heads, finally wakening all
their senses again. With all their strength they tried
to reach the distant light that promised safety and freedom.

Rowan
could barely believe they had succeeded when her head broke through the waves.
Blinded by bright sunshine she drew in a deep breath before looking for Jack,
overwhelmed with joy that he had made it as well. Breathlessly they hugged each
other, so relieved that they had both survived the horrors of
Isla de Muerta.

Suddenly
they heard someone call out. "Captains ahoy!"

They
looked up and saw that two dark ships were now anchoring offshore this dreaded
island. A longboat was approaching them with Gibbs Marris and Anamaria aboard,
ready to fish them out of the sea.

"Guess
we should be damned lucky." Jack whispered barely audible.

"Aye�"
Rowan glanced at him and actually saw tears in his eyes but as soon as he
noticed her noticing it he quickly blinked them away.

"It's
just the wind and the salt- salt of the sea, ye know? Pirates don't cry, savvy."

He
was so typically Jack again that Rowan couldn't stop her own tears streaming
down her cheeks, weeping with happiness and sorrow all at the same time.

"Shh,
everything's alright now. We're safe." Jack said, kissing away the tears
from her eyes.

"You
said you love me."

"I
remember you saying something like that as well."

Rowan
swallowed hard. "Sort of mentioned it, aye."

He
hugged her even tighter. "And I've meant every word I said."

"Me
too."

"Oh,
that's good." His lips brushed hers and they kissed softly; the kiss tasted
of salt but nevertheless it was very sweet to them. They didn't break either
their kiss or their embrace until they heard a mocking voice.

"Now
look at these two lovebirds. Scarcely escaped a disaster but all they've in mind
is kissin'. Well then, d'ye wanna
be fished outta the water or d'ye prefer to stay where ye are? Of course we
don't wanna disturb ye."

Rowan
snickered almost hysterically but nevertheless she reached out her hand in order
to get pulled out of the water by Marris while Gibbs tried to heave Jack in the
longboat. They tumbled down on the planks, soaking wet, but extremely happy to
have escaped a calamity the others aboard couldn't even half guess. Yet there
was still one thing left that made them feel really miserable.

"What
about Alf?" Jack asked, sounding slightly desperate. His voice was filled
with grief though he tried to hide it.

"He's
just fine where he is now so don't mourn for him. He wouldn't like it. After
all, it's what he has always longed for."

It
took Jack and Rowan a while to get Marris' words but then they gasped almost
simultaneously. "You mean he's dead?"

"Nah."
The blonde tousle-head shrugged. "Dunno. I mean, I'd rather say he's
redeemed� So-shall we set sails for Asia now? There's a young lad aboard the
Jewel who desperately wants to find his father."

-

Somewhere,
at another dimension, an old gypsy woman blinked her eyes, never imagining that
this would ever happen. Her curse was broken.

A
child's blood shed

shall
only be repaid

by
unconditional love for another

then
thou may be free.

"You
have won, Akshaya. Let him enter now." A gentle voice told her and then
Khadim spread out his arms to welcome the Spaniard with a warm-hearted embrace.

.
- 18
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The Chalice of Doom