Disclaimer: "One day," I said throwing my gleaming eyes to the infinite starlit heavens "One day."

Warnings: Bootstrap Bill POV. SLASH. One-sided Bootstrap/Davy, implied Jack/Will and Davy/Tia, or -as my theory goes- Davy/Calypso.

Author's note: I'm a SLASH fangirl, yes, but I'm also a ROMANTIC fangirl, I don't slash characters that are very cannonly straight and they do crazy things, sorry but when I do slash I like to have characters in love and Davy carved his heart out for a WOMAN, hence there for this is only one-sided slash. Sorry if you wanted full out slash, not this time (however if I find a fanfiction that's Davy/Bootstrap that is written well, I will read it.). Also in this fanfic Bootstrap DOESN'T KNOW that Will is still alive, this is for a scene I have towards the end, and I don't think he knows anyway.

Because You Are my Captain

I wanted to hate him. He had forced me into one hundred years of service on his rotting ship, one hundred years in which I could never leave, even if I paid off the hundred years, because I wagered an eternity on his ship for my son, who he later took from me. He sent the Kraken on my William, and had me locked in the brig for "Time alone with my thoughts".

I was still locked in the brig when I heard him cry out in what I first thought was rage but as it ended I knew it was despair.

"Damn you….Jack SPARROW!"

When the cry ended I heard rushed footsteps and Jones came into the brig his face twisted with rage, he opened the door to the cell in which I was locked and approached me.

He raised his crab claw as if to strike, I flinched and closed my eyes waiting for the impact, but it never came. I opened my eyes again and the Captain had lowered his claw. He opened his mouth to say something, but words failed to come, he opened his mouth again.

"Bootstrap…..you……You….!" He lifted his other arm and brought it down on me with less force than I expected and turned around fast leaving me alone in haste. It took me a while to realize he had left the cell door open. I stayed where I was for some minutes before taking a step out and wandering my way up to the deck.

My fellow crew members looked at me with faces that made me feel awful and Jones himself refused to look me in the eyes, but how could I blame him. If I had stayed out of my son's affair he probably would still be here, but what kind of father would that have made me?

Between the crew and the Captain and my own thoughts I was beginning to feel like every choice I had made ever since I had left my wife and son to join Jack's crew had lead up to this…….Guilt….I was feeling. I was at fault for making the captain……lose his heart….and it would only be a few days, until the one who now had control over Davy Jones would come and make himself known, at the same time making me feel worse.

He called himself Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company. To be completely honest he really wasn't what I was expecting, or what any of the crew was expecting. When they first came aboard we were expecting a tall freighting man- some one more like his personal dog (Mercer was it?)- and instead we found a short man was the one who had the captain's heart. After learning more about him and listening to what kind of things he had planned we were all taken back, except Jones who seemed only to be half-listening.

After Beckett had made himself clear about his ambition he left Jones to carry out the plans as he pleased. The Captain seemed rather distant as he gave orders, but when things didn't go as planned, his punishments where exceedingly cruel, for instance, he lashed Crash (lashed him himself, mind you) so many times the lad passed out, however we knew- no matter how cruel he was while trying to hide it- he was miserable.

We were all working twice as hard to avoid invoking his fury, when he started to play his organ, catching us all by surprise for not even Wyvern had known him to start playing this early in the evening, and as the night grew later he kept playing, most of us had actually fallen asleep to that haunting synchronization way past the usual hours he stopped. In reality it was the sudden silence that woke me and a few others up. Clanker, Koleniko, Maccus, Crash, and I sat up from our sleep and gave each other questioning looks as to the captain's strange behavior, though that wasn't the only thing that was bothering me.

Footsteps heading our way caused us all to lie back down pretending to still be asleep. Jones walked into the room where most of us snored gently (Some more than others) and as he passed us he would pause and look over us for a moment before continuing, as if looking for something in us, with a look similar to the one he wore when inspecting dying sailors searching for the one most likely to take his offer. As he came my way my heart began to race and when he paused at my side I opened my eyes trying to act as though he had just woke me up.

"….Captain..? I said groggily, my eyes trying to adjust to the darkness so I could see his face. Some moments later I was able to see him clearly, and I felt a flutter of confusion pass though my body upon seeing his expression. It somehow reminded me of the way my father had once looked at me when he had been angry but was trying to make up for it.

"…Go back to sleep Bootstrap…." He said softly with the same apologetic ring that a father would use with his son, I knew, because that was how my voice had sounded the night my son had left the Dutchmen and I had confessed about why I had left. I closed my eyes again and he continued is way around the room and left. I heard Clanker and Crash whisper questions to each other and Maccus swear he would kill them both if they didn't shut it before the captain came back in.

I turned onto my side rethinking some of the awful thoughts I once had about Davy Jones. My thoughts made me feel horrible though I tried to tell myself that he deserved what I thought, because of the eternity he was forcing me to spend with the burden of keeping my son's memory alive, but……

I sat upright knowing exactly what feeling had suddenly flashed through me.

No, he sent the Kraken on my son I thought bitterly I can't have…..those feelings for him, but deep down I already knew that denying those thoughts would only make the feeling stronger. Just like how, by denying my feelings for a woman, I soon had married her and had a son, before I was ready.

Maccus hissed at me to lie back down and go to sleep, I did so, but the racing of my heart kept me from falling asleep until many hours later, or at least that was what it felt like.

The next morning I avoided looking at him, to on lookers they must have thought I was still upset about William, but - and I am ashamed to admit- William didn't cross my mind at all that day or for the next couple of days. In fact soon I had actually accepted my feelings and had noticed just how different Jones was acting. During the day he spent his time listing to whatever Beckett or one of his men had planned, and giving out orders half-heartedly and if a punishment was needed the penalty was much more unsympathetic then anything before. He shouted and struck out at the crew more often.

As evening would draw out he would go into his private quarters and do, whatever it was he was doing, before he occupied himself with his heartbreaking harmonization, but his far strangest actions were while most were asleep.

Over the nights most were accustomed to the Captain's sudden stop in his melody and slept through him coming in. Sometimes he would wander through like he had the first night other times he would just sit somewhere and smoke his pipe a bit before getting up and departing back to his cabin. I worried about him, and I decided I would help him recover from his depression. But how could I if I was at fault for it?

When I was a lad and I was upset my few but close friends always made me talk about it with them and gave me advice, but would that really work in this case? Only one way to find out, the worst that could happen was him killing me, so it was worth the risk.

That night he stood some distance away from Clanker and Hadras who held each other with one arm and a bottle of rum in their other hand (both of them snoring, mind you, I can't believe that I was the only one who couldn't sleep through them). I waited, thinking about what exactly it was I was planning to do. I heard a thud as Penrod, the shrimp, rolled out of his cot, and yet still manage to start snoring as loud as Clanker and Hadras combined. I heard the captain chuckle as he started a stride across the room and then leaving.

Careful not to wake anyone, or step on Penrod I silently got up and followed him. I paused a moment at the door to his cabin, wondering if this really was a good idea, but before I could actually think better of it, I lifted my hand and knocked softly at the door. For a moment everything was silent. Perhaps he hadn't heard. I was just going to leave it at that and go back to bed when the door creaked open.

Davy Jones gave me a bizarre look, "Is something wrong….." he paused a moment and I realized that he was trying to figure out who I was. "Bootstrap Bill, isn't it a little late?"

I opened my mouth to say something, the words didn't want to come and I stood there stupidly for a couple of seconds. "I need…We…..I want to talk….to you…" stuttered knowing well how ridiculous I sounded.

The Captain gave me another look before opening the door wider and inviting me in.

I glanced about the cabin at discarded papers from the East India Trading Company, at boxes that seemed like they had not been opened in years, books long impossible to read because of the water that soaked their pages, quills, several furniture structures that seemed ready to collapse, at the many candles that illuminated the room just enough to be able to see, and the huge pipe organ that towered in the back of the room.

After a moment of silence the captain turned to me, "Well?..."

I turned to him and began, "…Captain, I've been noticing that you….haven't been yourself lately."

"So you have," he replied emotionlessly "and what of it?"

I was silent for a moment, "The crew, including me sir, are…we're starting to worry about you."

To my surprise, the captain laughed. "Worry, about me?" His laugh grew cold and then ceased, "And I am to assume that the crew volunteered you to come in and make things all better?" he said bitterly.

"No." I replied quickly, "The other men don't even know I'm here. I chose to come."

"Why?" he snapped.

"I told you, I'm worried." I answered and ducked to avoid his claw which came at me with no warning at all.

"Worried?" he spat, spewing water onto the floor, "Why would you be worried about me!?" He struck out at me again.

I jumped back and prepared to answer when he cut me off.

"Wasn't it I who gave you an offer on this ship, without giving you full details!? Didn't I keep your son when he had a chance to go free!?" He raised his voice and struck out again "How about your eternity of service, huh!? And by my orders your son was killed by the kraken! Why would YOU be worried about ME!?!"

I took in everything he said. He thought he had a point, but he didn't know I loved him. I couldn't tell him that I did, it would be better that way, so I had to think of some other way to answer him. "…….Because you are my captain…" I said finally

He must have been annoyed by how long it took me to answer, and didn't respond right away, but he certainly surprised me when he did.

"……. Not anymore….." He said slowly. I wasn't sure what he meant but he soon clarified what it was "You're too honest of a man to be under my command... Under that man's command Bootstrap Bill, I want you off my ship." He finished taking his eyes off me and turning to face the door.

Obliviously by "that man" he meant Beckett, I could tell by the bitterness in his voice, but I was surprised. He was offering me a chance to go without serving even my original 100 years. As the word processed though my head I could feel the mussels on my face shrivel away and the starfish that made its home on the side of my face disappeared as well. Barnacles and coral vanished from my coat and back. I felt strange. I was an ordinary mortal now and that made me feel...empty.

The Captain walked over to his organ. "I mean it Bootstrap...go..." Was that sadness in his voice? "Go before I change my mind." He added shortly with a tint of annoyance in his voice. I guess not.

I turned to the door thinking about what had just happened. I was certainly glad to be free for the forces of the East India Trading company, but I was saddened by thinking that it would mean I would never see Captain Davy Jones again…. I reached to open the door when another thought entered my head. What would I do now that I was free? My wife was dead and my son was now gone too, I didn't want to start over not when I barely had time to know the family I had lost.

"Bootstrap, one last thing," The captain called from the back of the room. I paused to face him. "Your son is alive, I didn't want to tell you because I was angry, but now you need to know."

I don't remember rushing over to him but I did and I put my arms around him. I don't know how long it was before Davy Jones put his arms around me momentarily before removing them again, but I held on, I didn't want to leave just yet.

"Bootstrap….Are you crying?" He asked softly.

I was and I told him so, "Its okay though, I'm just happy…..and grateful…Thank you….Captain." Even if he wasn't really my captain anymore I would always acknowledge him that way, it's what anyone in my situation would think.

"….."

I finally let go and turned to leave, he came with, and for that I was happy just to spend a little more time with him. We walked onto the deck and he paced over to Greenbeard and whispered a few brief words to him. Greenbeard nodded and went below deck, obviously having been told to retire for the night.

I looked at one of the long boats. Last time I had taken one it had been for my son, so that he could escape…..and after that I thought he had been killed. I hesitated and glanced at the captain; he wasn't looking at me but was continuing to navigate the ship.

"…Captain?" I asked causing him to turn and face me "….I want to go after my son, how will I find him…?" I hoped he knew, but I really couldn't let my hopes up.

Jones closed his eyes and was silent for the longest moment I had ever known before….

"Your son has joined a crew heading to the land of the dead," he answered opening his eyes "After that irritating so-called Captain, Jack Sparrow, no doubt they think that they can rescue him" His words sounded harsh but in his eyes I saw a spark of something that I couldn't place before it disappeared again.

"He's gone to the land of the dead? After…..Jack…." I repeated, much to my captain's annoyance and he gave me instructions to 'World's End' as he called it, however my thoughts weren't on him now, they were revisiting a memory when my son told me of how Jack had manipulated him and his finance a year ago, so he could get his ship back and how he had tricked him onto The Flying Dutchmen. However I could hear a ring of affection in my son's voice as he spoke of Jack that just didn't exist as he spoke the woman he claimed he loved. I turned my thoughts once again to him "Does Beckett Know?" I asked

Jones narrowed his eyes grudgingly "He'll get that information out of me sooner or later, but I'll try to keep him for knowing as long as I can." He answered.

I lowered the boat and I climbed in, then remembering the promise my son had made me I knew I had to find William quickly. As I rowed away, I thought over how I would tell my son, why I was no longer part of Davy Jones's crew, even though I still wasn't sure why myself. I especially couldn't tell him I was in love with him.

After I was some distance away I looked up at The Flying Dutchmen for what could very well have been the last time, and I saw him at the side of the ship watching me go. I gave him a slight wave that was returned with a tip of his hat before I continued to row away. And I smiled slightly, happy knowing my son was alive, and now knowing what my heart wanted me to know, that I loved my captain.

The ship disappeared into a fog bank and I could no longer see him, I turned my attention to rowing to World's End, no matter how long it took or how high the risk of getting caught by the East India Trading Company. I would find my son; I had to stop him from killing Captain Davy Jones. "I love you….Captain…." I whispered under my breath, a sudden wind blowing the words form my mouth so that even I couldn't hear them. I rowed into the still dark night with those words still ringing in my head knowing they would still be there when the first light of morning broke through the horizon and made the sea glisten with its ethereal light.

Davy's POV

I watched him go. I watched him until I could no longer see him.

Bootstrap was an honest man; I couldn't keep him on my ship, not with Beckett ordering me to do things I never would have considered of doing. There were other reasons of course, I am not completely heartless despite my chest being hollow; many made that mistake, thinking that I didn't know what they were keeping from me.

Yes. I knew how Bootstrap felt. I probably knew it before he did, but I could not tell him even when he knew. It would be easier for both of us if he thought I didn't know, I wouldn't need to seem more unsympathetic than I ever was before and he wouldn't have to deal with the pain of rejection.

I heard footsteps and turned around. One of Beckett's men had come up to take Greenbeard's place as the night navigator. I allowed him and headed back towards my cabin.

Beckett and some of his men stayed aboard the Dutchmen to make sure "things went as planed". It annoyed me to great ends to have to share space with those miscreants. That reminded me that somebody was bound to notice that Bootstrap was gone……. I'll tell them I tossed him to the Locker…..they'll almost certainly go for that….

I opened the door to my cabin, and walked through slowly. I glanced about it at the papers I had discarded, at boxes that only seemed like they had not been opened in years however most of them I had actually opened and looked though earlier that evening, books that were impossible to read because of the water in their drenched pages, but that didn't matter I remembered every word in each of them, quills, which I hardly used and were now scattered across the room, several furniture structures that seemed ready to collapse, which they probably were, at the candles I had lit that enlighten the room just enough so I could see, and my huge pipe organ in the back of the room.

She would have scolded me upon seeing the mess -she always did- and she always laughed (a breathtaking sound) as she helped me clean up the clutter. I chuckled at the memory.

I limped around straightening up some of the papers, putting books away, collecting quills and stashing them in a drawer in the desk, being careful so that it wouldn't fall apart, and lighting a few more candles.

It wasn't as sanitary as she would have liked, I knew, but it would suffice for now. I made my way to the back of the room and took a seat at the organ. There was a bed, but I never slept in it. I couldn't. It made me uncomfortable to wake up in a bed without her in my arms.

I felt hot tears run down my cheeks, I let them flow. I could still remember her face, the mischievous glint in her eyes as she laughed. I remembered the way her long messy dark-brown hair flowed in the wind as she stood on the edge of the ship watching the ocean's waves while she waited for me. I remembered her touch, her lips, the warmth of her body and every curve of it. I could even still hear the sweet ring in her voice as she told me she loved me.

I looked over at the locket that rested on the organ. I picked it up, and clumsily opened it; its sad melody captivated me. The locket itself was another memory provoker. There where only two in the world that played this tune, she had the other one. I had given it to her when I had once had to leave her for some time, made especially for me and her so that we would both have a piece of the other while we were apart. She had it with her still, where ever she was….I hoped...

"It's not a common thing David," She told me once "that a man can claim to love the sea, and the sea to love him back."

What happened? Sometimes the moment my heart was broken is all I can think about and other times (like now) I can't even remember how it was broken, and I have never been able to remember exactly what had happened after I carved my heart out. Sometimes I remember her there with me, calling my name and her tears mixing with the blood on my chest. Other times she was never there at all leaving me to suffer the lost of a vital organ alone, and I wonder if she left because she was mad at me, or if because I was mad at her.

I shouted out, tears dripping onto my knees and the organ, and -with a sudden chill- I felt that somewhere, both far away and very near, she was crying too. I don't remember starting to play the organ; I must have given everyone a scare though. I played trying once again to create a version of the locket's tune on the massive instrument. The tunes sounded similar, but I couldn't get the right feeling to it, it always sounded too dark and haunting. I wouldn't get it right tonight, I never would, not even if I continued to play for all eternity, just like how I would never find her, only being able to search the land once every ten years. I wouldn't stop searching though, looking for her, playing our song would keep me going, always. One day Lord Beckett and his East India Trading Company would also be far off memories; pictures that I could barely distinguish trough the impenetrable mist of time, and even then I would still be playing and searching. My search would last until time itself was forgotten.

END

Author's end note: The Davy POV could have gone as a separate fanfiction, because I thought of it in the middle of writing the Bootstrap POV, but I decided against it, I don't know why, but I did. If you liked it please review and tell me what you liked, because I'm not sure if I do first-person very well ;.. Lastly I'd like to thank my personal editor (My twin sister) for additional sentences added to the ending, but one thing negative to say, Damn it stop being such a freaky scary vulture starring over my shoulder, it's freakin meh outz!

Personal editor: A freaky scary vulture?... You're too kind.

Author: I mean it stop it with the vulture act --Stop laughing at me! And for the readers, Thanks for reading!