A/N: For those who weren't quite sure, Isabelle died. She didn't make it to the cave across the ravine, and she was the one who broke the curse. She died willingly, at her own hand (in a way), and saved everyone else.
Epilogue: Not all treasure is silver and gold
The people in the village met the return of the Black Pearl with both apprehension and excitement. If the voyage had gone to plan, then the two pirate captains would have achieved what so many had died trying to do. Even if they hadn't succeeded, the ship had returned, and that feat in itself was rarely heard of after a voyage to find the Hand of Midas.
No other ship had gone out after the big storm, so there was the full population of the village waiting when the Pearl arrived. The two flags were flying - the Jolly Roger, and the black flag - as a sign of victory - but the ship itself seemed weighed down with a sadness that reached all present.
As usual, the first to leave the ship were the captains, this time followed by the cabin boy carrying a solid gold box. Behind them walked Will, Jamie, and Louisa; the rest of the crew left in dribs and drabs. No one spoke.
At the house, Anamaria and Elizabeth waited in silence for their families. They sat on the veranda of the house, neither daring to say anything.
Jack and Will were the first to come into view, and Anamaria would have jumped up if Elizabeth hadn't laid her hand on her friend's arm. Something is wrong, she thought. She knew her husband, and he wouldn't have looked like that if everything was fine.
When everyone came into view, Anamaria felt her throat close up, and her heart fall to the pit of her stomach. Isabelle wasn't there. She looked at Jack, who looked away. Elizabeth ushered everyone inside, leaving Jack and Anamaria on the veranda.
Only then did Anamaria find herself able to speak, "Where... where's Isabelle? Did... did she stay in the village?" Jack shook his head, still not able to meet her eyes. "She... she's... did... she's gone, Ana." Anamaria took a step back, fighting off tears. "Gone? On another ship, you mean? She ran away - trying to get back through the Triangle? That's what you mean by 'gone'... right?"
Jack didn't answer straight away; he looked out at the ocean - somehow it didn't seem the same anymore. "She wanted to go back to the Triangle, she even had the instructions tellin' her how to... but they were destroyed," Jack paused, trying to clear his throat, to keep talking, to say what he didn't want to be true. "She... she said she couldn't live outside the Triangle any more... that... that even when she was with us, it called to her... she saved the lives of the crew... but... she's dead...."
Now he'd actually said it out loud, it seemed to become true. Anamaria didn't try to hold back her tears - she stepped forwards, closing the gap between them, and caught him in a hug. Jack hugged her back, and couldn't stop the tears that ran down his own face.
Inside, Will told Elizabeth what had happened, and she too started crying. Louisa ran out the back door, with Jamie in pursuit. Neither would come back until the following night.
Anamaria and Jack didn't speak for a long time, even after their tears had run out, and the afternoon sun had faded into night. Only then did Jack whisper, "Not all treasure is silver and gold... and that's the treasure I want back...."
*****
A/N: I'm crying... anyway, the sequel will be posted, and it's called 'Life After Death'. The first chapter will probably go up within the week.
Epilogue: Not all treasure is silver and gold
The people in the village met the return of the Black Pearl with both apprehension and excitement. If the voyage had gone to plan, then the two pirate captains would have achieved what so many had died trying to do. Even if they hadn't succeeded, the ship had returned, and that feat in itself was rarely heard of after a voyage to find the Hand of Midas.
No other ship had gone out after the big storm, so there was the full population of the village waiting when the Pearl arrived. The two flags were flying - the Jolly Roger, and the black flag - as a sign of victory - but the ship itself seemed weighed down with a sadness that reached all present.
As usual, the first to leave the ship were the captains, this time followed by the cabin boy carrying a solid gold box. Behind them walked Will, Jamie, and Louisa; the rest of the crew left in dribs and drabs. No one spoke.
At the house, Anamaria and Elizabeth waited in silence for their families. They sat on the veranda of the house, neither daring to say anything.
Jack and Will were the first to come into view, and Anamaria would have jumped up if Elizabeth hadn't laid her hand on her friend's arm. Something is wrong, she thought. She knew her husband, and he wouldn't have looked like that if everything was fine.
When everyone came into view, Anamaria felt her throat close up, and her heart fall to the pit of her stomach. Isabelle wasn't there. She looked at Jack, who looked away. Elizabeth ushered everyone inside, leaving Jack and Anamaria on the veranda.
Only then did Anamaria find herself able to speak, "Where... where's Isabelle? Did... did she stay in the village?" Jack shook his head, still not able to meet her eyes. "She... she's... did... she's gone, Ana." Anamaria took a step back, fighting off tears. "Gone? On another ship, you mean? She ran away - trying to get back through the Triangle? That's what you mean by 'gone'... right?"
Jack didn't answer straight away; he looked out at the ocean - somehow it didn't seem the same anymore. "She wanted to go back to the Triangle, she even had the instructions tellin' her how to... but they were destroyed," Jack paused, trying to clear his throat, to keep talking, to say what he didn't want to be true. "She... she said she couldn't live outside the Triangle any more... that... that even when she was with us, it called to her... she saved the lives of the crew... but... she's dead...."
Now he'd actually said it out loud, it seemed to become true. Anamaria didn't try to hold back her tears - she stepped forwards, closing the gap between them, and caught him in a hug. Jack hugged her back, and couldn't stop the tears that ran down his own face.
Inside, Will told Elizabeth what had happened, and she too started crying. Louisa ran out the back door, with Jamie in pursuit. Neither would come back until the following night.
Anamaria and Jack didn't speak for a long time, even after their tears had run out, and the afternoon sun had faded into night. Only then did Jack whisper, "Not all treasure is silver and gold... and that's the treasure I want back...."
*****
A/N: I'm crying... anyway, the sequel will be posted, and it's called 'Life After Death'. The first chapter will probably go up within the week.