Hi everyone. It's definitely been a while, but I promise you I'm alive. I don't want to go into too much detail that could potentially be triggering, but the last two years have been a lot for me. Everything got hectic with school and audition for graduate programs (spoiler alert; I got accepted and I'm working on my Master's now!), and mental health completely tanked. It was bad enough to where hospitalization was discussed. I'm going to finish this section of the fic and then I'm going to go back and do a lot of rewrites for the first two parts, as well as planning for future sagas. There's only a few more chapters left in this section and now that my brain is finally getting healthy again I actually feel inspired to write again, which is the most amazing feeling in the world. I haven't been creative in so long and it feels great to get back in that mindset. As always, reviews are extremely appreciated! And thanks for sticking with me this long. Hopefully my next update will be sooner than two years from now, haha.

When Alice finally woke up, she felt nothing but burning pain through her entire left arm. She groaned hazily, too exhausted to do much more than lay there in mostly silent pain. The sunlight coming through the windows burned her eyes, causing her to wince. She attempt to prop herself up with her left arm, but immediately fell to her side. She let out a sharp hiss as she landed directly onto her elbow. Where was the rest of her arm? It was there yesterday! Where did it go? What happened to-

Right. Yesterday. The battle. Jones. Her arm.

Her left forearm was gone.

"Careful, Alice." She felt Jack's hands on her shoulder and her side, helping her to sit up in their bed. Her first instinct was to swat his hands away, but that only resulted in her flinging her non-existent arm through the air. She felt the cool air rush across parts of her elbow that had never felt air before and it felt so… wrong. She fell back down against the bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling of the cabin. She didn't want it to be real. She wanted their victory to be real, of course. Why wouldn't she? But she wanted to go back in time and scream at herself to not let Jones grab her by the arm with his claws. She wanted to tell herself to keep the chest out of his reach without ever actually grabbing the chest. If she could have just done that instead of holding it… if she were smarter about how she fought yesterday…

"Love?"

She was abruptly torn away from her thoughts when Jack spoke. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out; only a faint whisper escaped her lips. Her throat felt so dry it burned. Jack immediately took his flask off his belt and handed it to Alice. She stared at it, fully realizing that she had no way to pop the cork out without a left hand. Jack tensed his jaw and put the flask back on his belt. "Sorry," he said quickly.

"Don't be," Alice said, her voice a dry, crackly rattle. The sound of her voice made her wince. "You're not the one who cut off my arm." She looked around the room, her vision still hazy and somewhat blurred. She felt a pang of panic in her chest when she realized that Connor wasn't there. "Where's Connor?"

"Me dad's watching her," Jack said. That calmed down Alice just a hair. She may have only met Captain Teague once, but she knew that she could trust him with her daughter. Connor was his grandchild, after all. "We're heading out to Port Royal today."

"Port Royal?" Alice asked.

"Aye," Jack said. "Only reason we're going anywhere near there is because your sisters and Norrington want to go back and Lydia, still technically being the Lady Beckett, can make sure we leave with our heads." Alice nodded slowly. Jack looked down and started to fiddle with his own hands. Something was eating at him.

"What is it?" Alice asked.

"Me and me father and Gibbs and… well… almost the entirety of the crew was thinking it would be better for you and Connor to stay here," Jack said. Alice narrowed her eyes and propped herself up with her right arm. "You need to rest and you need time to recover."

"I'm going with you," Alice snapped. He let out a huff and moved over onto their bed, taking her remaining hand in his.

"Al," Jack said in a very low voice. "You almost died."

"I've almost died quite a few times in the last three years," Alice sharply retorted.

"Alice, for once I'm being serious," Jack said. "You lost your fucking arm! Jones could have done so much worse to you." Alice tensed her jaw and glared daggers into Jack. He looked down and gripped her hand tightly. "I can't lose you Alice. I can't. Not now. Not with a baby." Alice's gaze softened and she looked down, avoiding his brown eyes. "And your arm could still get infected. There's still so much that could still kill you outside of a fight right now." She tensed her jaw as he continued out. "You looked like a corpse. You've no idea what it was like to see you that pale with that much blood pouring out of you, constantly drifting in and out of consciousness… I wasn't sure if you were dead or not until you woke up again, even for a moment." Alice closed her own eyes, trying to shut out the image coming to her mind of what she must have looked like in that state. She knew she passed out from the pain, of course, but to hear it like this from Jack? That in and of itself told her how much worse it was than she initially thought. "You know, I barely remember the surgeon being in here. But the one thing I can remember is the sound of you screaming bloody murder. I doubt I'll ever forget it. And then it hit me; how young you actually are. I forget how young you are. You still have so much ahead of you and…" Jack trailed off and went silent, as if he couldn't even figure out what he was even trying to say to her.

"It was truly that bad, wasn't it?" Alice asked. Jack nodded slowly.

"Aye," he whispered. She let out a slow breath, trying to wrap her mind around how she was going to proceed with this conversation.

"Jack," Alice whispered. "I've literally gone to Hell and back for you. It's going to take a lot more than the loss of a forearm to kill me." He let out a soft breath and gave a ghost of a smile.

"One of the things I love about you," Jack replied.

"But I'm still going with you all," Alice said. "We're just ferrying my sisters to Port Royal, correct?" Jack let out a huff and nodded. "If you honestly think that I'm going to miss out on seeing my sisters for possibly the last time ever in our lives, then you're insane." Jack nodded slowly to himself, as if he were seeing Alice's point. "And I promise you, I'll do whatever you ask of me along the way. Just please… let me have this one last voyage with my sisters."

"I mean… I can't deny you that," Jack said. He let out a defeated sigh and then stood up. "Fine." Alice let out a content smile and lay back down in their bed. A sharp pang shot through her entire left arm and she let out another loud hiss.

"Fuck," she muttered under her breath. Jack placed his hand on her shoulder, rubbing it in small circles. "When do we sail?"

"Today," Jack said. "We're ready to make way as soon as your sister and Barbossa get their hung-over asses over here." Alice let out a small, weak chuckle at that.

"I doubt Barbossa's capable of getting a hangover, even at his age," Alice said. "I've seen that man drink enough to floor half the crew and not even get remotely phased. Lydia, however… well, she'd somehow get drunk off a single cup of the most watered down piss they have at the Faithful Bride." Jack snickered at that comment.

"I'll let you know when we're leaving port," Jack said as he rose to his feet. "Go back to sleep, love. You need your rest." Alice opened her mouth to argue, but decided against it at the last second. Jack was completely right, after all. The more she eased up now, the sooner she could be back in action. He bent down to press a kiss to her forehead and then left the cabin, shutting the door softly behind him. Alice looked down at her lack of a left arm, pondering what she'd do now on the Black Pearl. Whatever happened, though, she knew she'd figure it out eventually. She'd already adjusted to major change in her life when she join Jack on the Black Pearl and when she found out she was pregnant with Connor. She'd figure out this change too. She knew she'd adapt and overcome, just like she'd always done.

"Are you ready?" Kitty looked up at James, who was resting a hand on her shoulder. She let out a slow breath and nodded.

"Yes," she replied. "Life in Port Royal was never the easiest for us before, but now…" She shook her head, as if trying to get those fears and worries about the future out of her. She rested her other hand on top of James's. "We're going to make the best life we can for our son."

"I know we will," James replied, squeezing her hand back. It felt strange... the first morning after such a war. Even thought Kitty herself hadn't fought in the final battle, she endured many things that she never wanted to endure again. It would be strange to go back to her home, unable to walk the halls of her own house without having the memories of her father and of Beckett haunting her within almost every room. Little James would never fully understand why Beckett would no longer be coming to the Norrington Estate to play with him nor would he remember sitting on his grandfather's lap while he read him stories. Yet Kitty was more than ready to return to Port Royal. She wanted to go back to some semblance of normalcy. She'd had enough adventures at sea to last her a lifetime and she definitely did not want to be involved in any more pirate wars or supernatural events. She just wanted to go back to a life with her son, her husband, and idle music.

"Pirate's life ain't for you two then?" Both the Norringtons spun around rapid at the gravelly voice behind them. In front of them stood Captain Teague, Keeper of the Code and apparently Jack's father. He was holding baby Connor in his arms. The little baby girl was looking around, occasionally gurgling and waving her arms around.

"No," Kitty said, relaxing her shoulders ever so slightly. "Most definitely not." James' eyes narrowed for a moment at Captain Teague. Teague merely smirked and leaned against a nearby post.

"Fair enough," he said. He pointed to James and added, "Given who his father is, I'm not surprised." James' eyes suddenly shot open and he went slack jawed; something Kitty rarely saw her husband do. He was almost never caught off guard by anything and if he were, he certainly never showed it.

"I remember you now!" James breathed out. He turned to Kitty and quickly grabbed her hands. "Katherine, do you remember me telling you about when I almost drowned as a child?"

"Yes…?" She replied slowly. "You were knocked off your father's ship during a battle and you were saved by a pi-" She stopped herself as the realization hit her. James was saved by a pirate. She dropped her jaw and stared blankly at Captain Teague. He was the one that saved James when he was five? "How is this world so small?"

"Oh, the world is never quite as big as anyone tries to make it out to be," Teague replied casually. "Though I didn't expect that any son of Admiral Norrington would ever end up working with pirates. Or end up the uncle of my granddaughter." He bounced Connor in his arms affectionately as he said that.

"Yes, well, I never expected any of this to occur either," James replied with a soft smile. His smile fell for a moment and he said, "You never did get the thanks you deserved for saving my life. I was the son of your enemy. Any other pirate would have let me drown."

"You were a child," Teague said. "My quarrel wasn't with you." Kitty let out a smile at that sentiment. This had to have been where Jack Sparrow, despite all of his questionable behaviors and motives, got his minuscule sense of honor. Suddenly they all heard a very audible groan behind them. Kitty turned around and tried to suppress a small chuckle at the sight of a very hungover-looking Lydia seemingly dragging herself across the docks using Barbossa as a human crutch.

"I take it you had fun last night," James commented with a knowing smirk as the two of them approached. Lydia shot James a steely glare before rubbing her temples.

"Please never let him give me that much alcohol in one night again," Lydia grumbled. Barbossa simply smirked and let out his distinctive laugh.

"You're the one who kept asking for more, love," Barbossa said. "S'not my fault you have the tolerance of a green lad." Lydia rolled her eyes and let out a huff. "How goes getting her ready for sail?" he asked, nodding towards the Black Pearl.

"She'll be ready to sail by the day's end," Teague said. Barbossa nodded at him and looked over at the Captain's cabin, where Jack had just emerged from. Kitty tensed her jaw at the sight, just remembering the sight of her sister as white as a ghost with a bloody stump where her arm used to be. She had no idea how Alice could give birth, fight a battle, and lose her arm and be able to cope with it all. She'd never be the same, carefree spirit Kitty grew up with.

"Ye seen her yet today?" Barbossa asked them. Teague nodded his head slowly.

"She's doing better," he said. "Still not in great shape, but she's stable." Jack made his way down the gangplank and made his way towards the small group of them. Almost immediately, he nodded to the ship.

"We'll be setting sail soon," Jack said. "Alice insists on making the journey." This made Teague's eyebrows shoot up. "She wants to have one last voyage with her sisters. I'm not gonna deny her that. Not right now." Jack looked down at little Connor and held out his arms. Teague bent down and kissed his granddaughter on the forehead, his last goodbye to her. One thing Kitty had learned quickly in her short time with pirates is that any farewell could be the last. No one was ever certain of when they'd see each other again, if at all. Maybe that's why Alice wanted to sail with them on their way back to Port Royal; she didn't know when she'd see all three of her sisters at the same time after tomorrow. Kitty wasn't sure when she'd see Alice or Lydia again after she, Elizabeth, and James returned to Port Royal.

"Take care of my granddaughter, Jackie," Teague said.

"Of course I will," Jack said with a smirk. "She's my kid, ain't she?" Teague looked at everyone on the docks, tipped his hat, and slowly strolled away. It seemed that the Sparrow family didn't care much for drawn out farewells. Not to mention the tension that everyone noticed between Jack and his father. "All aboard, then?" Kitty slowly nodded, as did everyone else on the docks. It was now that Jack finally seemed to notice Lydia's somewhat pitiful state. "Damn, you look like shit." Lydia said nothing. She simply let out a growl, flicked her wrist, and sent a weak stream of water flying at Jack's face. Kitty couldn't hide the snicker that came out of her; Jack Sparrow certainly deserved it.

"Do anything fun besides drinking?" Kitty asked.

"Well, we got engaged," Lydia replied simply. Everyone on that dock froze and immediately stared at bother Lydia and Barbossa. The smirk drawn across his face told everyone that he and Lydia were, in fact, going to get married.

"Shit, mate," Jack said. "You got drunk enough to propose?" Barbossa let out a scoff and narrowed his eyes at Jack. Clearly some habits would die hard...

"Sparrow," Kitty snapped. She turned to Barbossa with a stern face. "You'll never hurt her? You'll always keep her safe and protect her?"

"With me life," Barbossa responded. Lydia let out a huff and rolled her eyes.

"Kitty," she said. "I think you're forgetting the part where I'm can literally control the sea. I think I'd be the one protecting him."

"Says the woman who barely knows her way around a sword," Barbossa muttered under his breath teasingly.

"But I can learn my way around a sword," Lydia replied with a teasing smirk. "You can't learn how to be a Nereid." Barbossa muttered some unintelligible words under his breath and pressed a kiss to Lydia's forehead before guiding her up the gangplank. Kitty looked between her husband and Jack and let out a huff.

"Well, I guess that means we're setting sail soon," Kitty muttered. Jack tensed his jaw and glared daggers into Barbossa's back.

"I'd best make sure he doesn't try to mutiny me again..." he said. Jack somewhat awkwardly looked at his father and said, "Nice seeing you, dad. Don't be a stranger." He quickly turned around and followed Barbossa and Lydia onto the ship. James extended his arm and let out a small smirk.

"Shall we?" he asked. Kitty let out a soft smile in return. It felt like such a huge relief to finally be going home. She knew it wouldn't be the same. She knew she wouldn't be the same. But damn it, it was about time for some familiarity and comfort. They all more than deserved that. For Lydia and Alice, that comfort was adventuring on the high seas. For her, James, and Elizabeth, it was returning home and raising a family. She let out a ghost of a laugh as she took his arm and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Yes," Kitty said. "I'm sick and tired of pirates." With a quick glance at Captain Teague, who was arching an eyebrow, Kitty added, "No offence."

"Some taken," he said. "But fair enough." James let out a low chuckle as he moved to escort Kitty up the gangplank and onto the Black Pearl. It wouldn't be long now before she was, at last, going home. Home is where she would stay for the rest of her days, and in all honesty she couldn't be happier about the prospect of a quiet, simple life.