Hahaha you thought this one was done, didn't you? Well you were WRONG! Ha! THIS is the final chapter... the end... at last! Aren't you proud of me? Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing... except my own happy ending. (Awww! lol)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Elizabeth, Will, Gibbs, Tom, and AnaMaria waited with bated breath for their two friends to emerge from the temple. Just as they were beginning to think it was too late, that Jack was gone, he emerged, smiling, with me by his side. They laughed, relieved, and we all embraced. We walked to the nearest pub (which was surprisingly close and surprisingly well-kept) and got rooms. Once inside their own room, I began pulling Jack’s coat off. “Impatient, aren’t we?” Jack grinned wryly.

I rolled my eyes at him. “I’m tired, Jack. Besides, I’ve got to take care of your shoulder.”

Jack began to protest, but winced as I pulled his shirt off. He sighed. “All right.”

I smiled, and began cleaning his wound gently, smiling slightly (how could I not? He looked so very good without his shirt on!). As I began bandaging the wound, he spoke up again. “Robin?”

“Hmm?”

“Will you marry me?”

I could’ve fallen off the bed, I was so surprised. Unfortunately, I pulled the bandage too tight instead – much to Jack’s dismay. “Sorry!” I cried as he groaned, and quickly fixed the bandage again.

“It’s all right, love.” He smiled bravely. “But I’d like it if you answered me.” When I hesitated, he added, “I know it’s a bit soon. It’s all right if you say no, love.” But I could see from the look in his eyes how much it would hurt if I did.

Not that it mattered. I would have said yes anyway, and indeed would have already if I hadn’t been so surprised. I loved him more than either of us really knew. I smiled. “Yes,” I said quietly. He looked up, not sure he’d heard me. I laughed. “Yes!” I cried, and he grinned and kissed me.

We all returned to the Pearl without incident a few days later, and spent two very happy, peaceful months there. Well, mostly peaceful. But on the third morning of the second month, I awoke with a start, and knew something had happened. Something had changed. I frowned, trying to figure it out… And then, suddenly, I knew.

Jack, who was just waking up, leaned over and kissed me, smiling. “Good morning, love.”

“Good morning, Jack.”

Something in my voice must have warned him, for he opened his eyes all the way then and looked at me, concerned. “Is everything all right, love?”

I considered not telling him for a moment, but then decided that it would be horrible not to. Besides, he’d find out soon enough anyway. “Jack?”

“Yes?”

“Umm…” Just because I wanted to tell him, didn’t meant I knew how. “How do you feel… about… er… having a kid?”

Jack’s face went blank. “What?”

“Um…”

“Love, are you… pregnant?” he asked tentatively.

I blushed. “Well, er… yes. I am.” I swallowed and bit my lip. He didn’t seem the type to want a kid, and I didn’t know what he would do.

For a moment, he looked horrified, then puzzled, as if trying to comprehend it, and then worried again. “Do you… want… to have a kid?”

I blinked. Did I? Then I thought, Well, I’m going to go through the painful part no matter what I do… so what do I have to lose? Besides, having a mini-Jack running around wouldn’t be so bad, and having a little girl with pretty hair to braid suddenly didn’t seem so bad either. I nodded. “Yeah, I guess.”

He smiled. “Then so do I.”

“But, Jack…”

He put his finger over my lips, shushing me. “If this is what you want, then I’ll go along with it.”

“But do you really want…”

“It doesn’t matter, as long as this is what you want. But,” he added, thoughtfully, “to be completely honest with you… I don’t know. But it’ll be okay either way. Don’t worry, Robin. Okay?”

Looking up at him, I smiled. I believed him. “Okay,” I whispered, and kissed him. Three months later, we were married, and eight or so months after that, Cora was born. She had curly, flaming red hair, a sweet, round face, and the darkest, deepest eyes I’d ever seen. She was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen. Jack smiled uncertainly at me when it was all over, but still looked a little scared, and troubled. But then she reached out and grabbed his finger, and a big smile spread across his face, and all my fears fled. I knew that somehow, no matter what, everything would be all right. And I was gladder than ever, as I watched the two of them, that I had chosen a pirate’s life when I’d had the chance.

Robin: (sob) IT'S OVER! WHERE WILL WE GO! WHAT WILL WE DO!

Jack: (smile) I'm sure we'll think of something.

Robin: (blush)

Erindi: Oy, you two!

Robin: AH! Where'd you come from?

Erindi: (frown) I dunno... That's not the point!

Jack: Then what is?

Erindi: (thwacks him)

Jack: Ow.

Erindi: The point is... don't you have anything to say? It's the end of the story! You should say something!

Robin: Um... yippee?

Erindi: (sighs, shakes her head, and walks away) I give up on you two.

Jack: (blink) Maybe she's right, love.

Robin: Okay. (looks at you all, the Readers) Well... It's been a long trip, and very harrowing at times... but it's been great. I thank you all for the wonderful reviews you've sent to me, and I thank you again for sticking will me all the way till the end. I'm glad you're here... here at the end of all things.

Jack: But it's not the end of all things, Robin. Just the story.

Robin: That's not the point! It sounds cool!

Jack: (shrugs)

Robin: (shakes her head) Anyway... yeah, thanks. I'm glad you all liked the story so much. All good things must come to and end, however... so farewell. Maybe we'll meet again, during some after-story-interlude of some other story (I'm sure there'll be more!). Good day/night, and goodbye.

Jack: (pauses) Aren't you forgetting something?

Robin: Oh, right! READ AND REVIEW, PEOPLE! IT'S YOUR LAST CHANCE:)

Jack: Much better. Ta, everybody!

(Robin & Jack disappear in a puff of blue smoke.)