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We've made you wait a few months, but it's finally here. We've been working hard on this and here's the final product.Welcome to Vendetta's sequel fic, Sacrifices. Here is the very first chapter so we hope you enjoy it.
He was shaking all over and opened his eyes wide as they could go. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Will lifted his tired body out of his bed. "Maybe a walk in the night air might help," he thought to himself. He made his way to the stairs listening to his men's snores in the darkness of the ship, "at least someone is sleeping well." Each stair seemed to creak on his slow methodical climb to the deck. Once on the deck, he quickly glanced around to see his father and Marcus quietly talking. He moved quickly into the shadows hoping to avoid them but it was too late.
"Will?"
He stopped dead in his tracks, "Yes, father it's me," Will replied like a child caught sneaking around.
"Another one?" Will took a deep breath as he watched Marcus stay put and Bootstrap walked closer. Will then nodded his head in the affirmative. This was not something he really wanted to talk about with anyone. "You look like hell." Under Will's eyes were large dark circles, his shoulders were slumped as if in defeat and the sparkle in Will's brown eyes was now gone and replaced with a dull hopeless darkness. Will raised his eyebrow at his father's observation. Bootstrap saw the look on his son's face and regretted his choice of words. "You know what I mean. These nightmares are occurring more and more. It's already been a couple of weeks. Are they still the same?"
"Yes. But there's nothing I can do so I thought I would just come up here and clear my head a bit."
"I am sure that they will go away never to return once you are reunited with Elizabeth," Bootstrap tried to reassure him as he gently patted his son on the back.
"I hope you are right father, for all our sakes. Now let's think about something else. Are you sure about your decision?" Will hoped that his father would follow the change in conversation.
"Yes, of course I am." Bootstrap realized Will didn't want him to spend their last bit of time together talking about these nightmares of Will's. Bootstrap had always felt guilty for leaving him behind as a child and then as an adult – Will's vow to rescue him cost him his very life. But Bootstrap wanted to respect Will's wishes tonight so he went with Will's lead.
"But wouldn't you like to see Elizabeth and William once more?"
"It is tempting and of course I would love to see them, but I've kept her waiting long enough as it is. And if it's true what you say, then she is still patiently waiting. Besides I want to be the last person you take to the other side before you leave this ship for good." Bootstrap thought about his wife. She had been so beautiful when she was young and how much they were in love until he followed his dreams, dreams of the sea – dreams that cost him his life and almost his very soul. Shaking his head of his thoughts he began concentrating on Will's words.
"Trust me father, even on her deathbed she kept telling me that you would return to her – whether it be in this world or the next. She never stopped loving you."
Bootstrap couldn't help but smile at the thought, "I never deserved such a fine woman as your mother but I never stopped loving her – it's just a shame that I found out she was more important than the sea too late. After I became a pirate, I knew that I could never endanger her or you because of me. I just hope that she forgives me."
"She will father, she will."
Marcus walked up to the pair, "I hope I'm not intruding on your family discussion."
"Marcus, you're not intruding at all."
"Another nightmare?"
"Aye," Will said giving a quick nod.
"It's been two weeks now – is it the same one again?" Marcus hung his head. He was worried about Will because these nightmares had gone on too long.
"Yes but father seems to think that it will go away once I'm reunited with Elizabeth." Will sounded as if he was convincing himself as much as Marcus.
"Your father is a wise man and I'm sure you're a bit nervous after all these years to be reunited with both Elizabeth and your son. Maybe he's right and your nightmares will just go away on their own."
"A wise man?" Bootstrap chuckled, "On such a compliment, thank you Marcus, I bid you two goodnight." Both Will and Marcus nodded and Will began to walk.
"Do you need time alone Will or would you prefer company?"
"You can join me Marcus. I'm just going to walk around and try to take my mind off these bloody nightmares." Will began a causal pace around the ship his hand dragging along the railing as if to find comfort in its strength. Marcus walked along with him listening and reassuring him when he could.
"I will miss you as the captain, Will. You brought purpose back to this ship and saved us all but even more you've been a brother to me – much more than my own brother."
"You certainly don't talk about him. Many don't even know you have any family."
"How do you talk about someone, a brother that is against everything you stand for? I was in the Navy – tried to do right in this world. He only studied the darker side of life – voodoo, curses, evil potions and such."
"I don't understand? You said you were raised in a very loving family. Was he always like that?"
"No, see he was my half brother. His mother died when he was only 6 and our father married my mother a year or so later. I came along a couple years after that. Well even though my mother tried to treat him as her own son, he wouldn't let her. Said she would never be his mother. Father said his mother had a very dark side to her and that's where he got it. But father always favored me. He saw me as gentle but strong while my brother was always unruly and rebellious. My brother was always jealous of me. Father was always so proud of me and bragged about me especially after I joined the Navy well eventually my brother had enough and moved away never to be heard from again. My mother and father died a few years before I died in a mysterious fire. Some people even claimed they saw my brother in town at the time, running away from the fire at that. I didn't want to think that was even possible that he could or would do that but later a letter caught up to me one from my mother that she had sent before she died. It warned me to be on the lookout for him – she thought he might try and kill me. She said he was darker and more evil than she could imagine. Well, he never got the chance to kill me now did he – I died at sea fighting pirates for the Navy and became one just because I feared death. At first I hated every moment on this ship but after a while my heart became dark and black because of Davy Jones. He turned the most honest sailors into evil killing machines." Marcus hesitated and looked down at the deck lost in thought. He then lifted his head and smiled at Will, "but you. You changed all of that. We are now the men that we thought were lost forever."
"Marcus, I'm sorry. I knew you had lost your parents but I never knew how. I hope you find comfort in the fact that someday you'll be reunited with them."
"Someday - if my brother hasn't cursed all of our souls," Marcus said with sadness in his voice.
"Do you want to be reunited with them now? I'm going to take father to the other side as my last duty. I could take you as well," Will tried to suggest to give his friend some hope.
Marcus laughed slightly, "and who would be here to help the next captain. You've released most of the men from their duties over the years. Your father remained to be with you for these 10 years and I remained because we became like brothers years ago. I've served here the longest after your father and I'll help the new captain with the transition. If I don't like him, I'll go to the other side but I have no one but my parents waiting for me. My true love is still alive and I feel close to her here. She talks to me in my mind and when we do go ashore she will be there for me as well. Your Elizabeth is not the only woman who can remain faithful to true love you know."
Will smiled and was glad to hear how Marcus' voice sounded so happy, "She's a very lucky woman and you are a lucky man. You two must love each other very much to wait."
"Aye, she even loved me when I was a monster. She knew of the black arts, spells and such so she studied and searched for a way to break me free from the Dutchman and Jones. She still waits for me and when you see your beloved Elizabeth. I'll see my beloved Marie."
Will smiled. "Marie – pretty name for what I'm sure is a pretty girl." Will then changed to be a little more serious in his tone, "Tomorrow we take my father to the other side then I assume Calypso will show up to release me and name the next Captain. I hope her choice is a wise one. Who knows if it will be someone here or someone we don't even know."
"Every man on board this ship would make a good Captain. They are all good men and we don't have to worry about turning back into monsters IF she chooses one of the Dutchman's crew."
"It could very well be you Marcus. You are the next in command after father and myself. When last Calypso and I talked, I did recommend you but you never know with Calypso. She is a bit unpredictable."
"Thank you for the recommendation but as you said she is unpredictable and we won't know until tomorrow after we return from the other side."
Will stopped walking and looked out over the sea. The moonlight was bright and it danced upon the waves. He quickly turned his head and saw a slight disturbance in the water. His eyes scanned the sea once more looking further out.
"What's a matter?" Marcus scanned the sea looking for whatever had caught Will's attention. "There's nothing around. That was probably just a fish having a moonlight snack," Marcus told Will.
"Maybe but I feel as though I'm being watched."
"Calypso could be nearby."
"No, it's not her. I can't explain it but I feel someone close to me, watching me…" Will hesitated and tried to find the words to describe what he was feeling.
"It's probably the nightmares Will. You're excited to be with Elizabeth but you've been here for 10 years so you're torn."
"Maybe. This feeling though – it reaches down to my very heart and soul. I feel things that – well I should not feel."
"Will even for the Captain of the Flying Dutchman, you are exhausted. Your mind is playing tricks on you. We both should go down and get some rest. Tomorrow is a big day for you Will - saying goodbye to your father and hello to your beautiful wife and son."
"Thanks Marcus. Go on below and get rest. I'll follow later. I'm afraid to sleep. Sleep doesn't give me rest and I don't want the nightmare to return."
"Alright Will, see you in a few hours."
Will stood alone leaning on the worn and weathered railing. He'd been through a lot on this ship. His death and rebirth now he was to leave it behind and start his life anew with Elizabeth and William. He knew his emotions were running rampant. He was feeling sad because he had to say goodbye to his father. He was excited to see Elizabeth and frightened to meet William again. How would his son accept him? William was half way to being a man – would he even need Will? He was also curious – what kind of trouble and adventures had Jack been in? He had even heard that Jack and Ana were still together. Yes, tomorrow would be a long, hard but interesting day.
There – he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. No – it simply wasn't possible. His mind was playing tricks on him because of all of the emotions that were coming to the surface. He shook his head and walked away. He needed rest, peaceful rest but somehow he knew he wouldn't find it tonight but while he was sure he was being watched and not by Calypso, he would have known it was her. Being watched is bad enough but not knowing who was watching him and why sent shivers up his spine.
Next chapter coming in a week. Thank you for reading.
