Disclaimer: I don't own the PotC characters, they are property of Disney.® I do however own the plot in which the story unravels and the original characters which you don't recognize. I also own Writer's Block Productions® 2004. Thank You.

Fly Away Home

A warm breeze rippled across the waters as the sun began to set; it's dying rays bathing two figures on the beach, their silhouettes dancing at their feet. The smaller of the two uttered an anguished sigh as in the distance they watched a fine vessel drift lazily.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

The question was directed toward a young woman as she stood there, grief and guilt playing in the youthful wrinkles of her tanned face. With a sad smile and a fleeting glance at the ship, she whispered, "Yes. It was my father's dying wish; that she be sunk when my mother passed into the next life."

Steel blue eyes turned to stare at the woman, an expression of compassion greeting her. "I understand, but she's too fine a ship for that kind of end, De."

De looked helpless and lost. "I know," she answered. "She was my home for seventeen years. But it's what my dad wanted," she paused. "I made a promise to him and for once, I plan on keeping it."

And do unto others as you'd have done to you…

She gazed back at the sleek ship on the clear waters, a memory retreating back to her mind where just hours ago she sat at the bedside of her dying mother, the two sharing their final good-byes; it was here that the request had been brought up…

Be courageous and be brave and in my heart you'll always stay.

oOo

Dawn Sparrow Roberts stood outside the heavy oak door of the captain's cabin, a look of sorrow on her face. The feeling of a hand on her shoulder made her turn, the blue eyes of her husband meeting her brown ones. A comforting smile crossed his features as he shifted a smaller figure in his arms.

She ran a hand tenderly over the child's forehead and over his light hair, a smile of her own replacing her frown. Squeezing his hand, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, her husband following her.

The room was dim, the only light coming from the small part in the curtain's covering the window opposite the door. Dawn moved across the floor to the bedside where an old and weary person slept, their breathing coming in shallow gasps. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Dawn reached for the frail woman's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, the slight pressure rousing the person.

Dull brown eyes fluttered open and turned upward to meet a matching pair, a weak smile turning the woman's lips up. "De," she whispered, her voice low and raspy, a hollow echo of her once youthful tone. "You came."

"Of course I came," De replied, her fingers brushing the limp hair from her mother's pale face.

The older woman closed her eyes, "I'm glad." A rough cough followed her words, the frail woman's body shuddering.

De looked back at the man standing in the shadows before turning back to her mother. "There's someone else who wants to see you, mama," she announced rising from the bed and taking the shy child into her arms. She returned to the bedside and sat back down, the small boy in her lap.

When the two pairs of eyes met, it was at that precise moment that Anamaria Sparrow's face lit up, the sight of the child overwhelming. The young boy tilted his head before squirming out of his mother's grasp and coming to a rest next to his grandmother's weary body.

Jackson Daniel, lovingly named after his grandfathers, peered down at the wrinkled brown face of Anamaria, a small grin resting on his rosy face. The three-year-old reached into his pocket withdrawing a small pebble clutched tightly in his chubby fingers, his small hand hovering above his grandmother's. In a timid voice he exclaimed, "For you."

Ana took the tiny pebble and rolled it around in her hand before reaching for him and drawing him into a hug. "Thank you baby," she sighed. De pulled the boy back into her lap before casting a weary glance at her husband. Coming from the shadows of the room, he moved closer to her and took the boy back into his grasp.

"You take care of my girl Mitchell," Ana teased, her tired eyes staring at her son-in-law.

Mitchell gripped one of Ana's hands tenderly and offered a slight nod. "I shall and you take care as well."

Ana laughed through her coughs as she stated, "Where I'm going, I'll be well taken care of mind you."

De sucked in a breath, her hint to her husband that she'd like some time alone with her mother; Mitchell gave Ana a warm smile before he left the room, his son in his arms. Turning back to her mother, De took one of Ana's cold hands into her own, the frown settling back on her lips.

"Mama," she started, but Ana cut her off saying, "Do you know why your father named you Dawn?"

De shook her head no in answer despite the truth; she had heard this story several times, but her mother's days were coming to an end- she'd humor her if it made her happy. Ana licked her lips before proceeding to tell the story.

"When you were borne, your father was instantly taken with you. He said you were as beautiful as the morning sun over the waters; your whole face lit up when you smiled. He loved you dearly, your father did. Had him wrapped around your finger," Ana chuckled with nostalgia. "I miss him so much. But soon, I'll be with him again."

Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond…

De's brown eyes misted over at the mention of her father. She just wanted to cling to her mother and hold her and beg her to stay, but her mother had had a long life- one she was happy with. And she was right: Ana would be with her husband soon enough. De wished it weren't so. Losing her father had been rough and she wasn't sure how well she'd be able to withstand losing her mother so soon.

Her parents were madly in love, even though they rarely displayed their affection for each other so openly, and De knew even in death their love would be just as strong as it was when she was a child.

And may you never love in vain and here you shall remain…forever young.

Ana tilted her head and gazed up lovingly at her daughter, the spitting image of her father with a few exceptions. Her cold hands gripped De's tightly as she asked, "You'll continue to dance, won't you?"

De choked back a sob at the question as she nodded. "As long as you'll continue to watch."

The quickly fading woman gave a strained chuckle. "Deal." Ana took a ragged breath as she reached out to the table next to the bed. Pointing at the top drawer she said, "Look in there."

With a confused expression, De did as she was told and with shaky fingers, she opened the drawer only to find it empty; save for a dust covered envelope tinged with the yellow hue of age. The legible name on it's front caught De's attention and she removed the faded parchment from it's musty confine.

"Your father wrote that, told me to give it to you when it was time," Ana explained.

De glanced back at her mother. "Why did you not give it to me when he died then?"

Ana frowned. "Because it wasn't the right time, but now is," she stated. "I didn't read it, so I have no idea what has been hidden on that parchment for the past three years. Open it."

The younger woman nodded, deft fingers opening the envelope and pulling forth a letter, it's body short. Her dark eyes skimmed the paper before folding it back up, a silent tear sliding down her cheek. Ana closed her eyes as she patted her daughter's hand gently in comfort.

"He wants me," De fought back the lump in her throat. "To sink the Pearl."

Ana nodded, fighting back tears of her own. "I figured as much."

It wasn't a simple request, but she'd honor it. Honor it out of love and remembrance for her father. "Your father rests on land and I wish to be buried beside him, De," Ana's voice broke through her train of thought.

De remembered standing next to her mother as they buried her father on land- it was a surprise to both of them. A memory from her childhood floated back to her as she recalled hearing Gibbs, her father's quartermaster, say how lovers preferred being buried beside one another so that their souls could easily find the other. Her father had never been one to believe the tales of Gibbs, but maybe for once, some truth found it's way into the captain's mind.

A sharp intake of breath snapped De out of her reverie and she turned her sad eyes to her mother once again. Ana's breathing came in shorter gasps now as the older woman gradually let her hold on life slip from her peacefully and De tenderly held the woman's hand, her heart silently pleading her mother to stay a bit longer.

And when you finally fly away...

De laid beside her, her hand linked with her mother's as she swept strands of hair from Ana's sweat covered forehead. "I love you mama," she whispered as she embraced the woman, her tears flowing freely.

"Love y-you too, baby," Ana replied in a strangled whisper as her hand loosened its grip on De's, her last thread of life being severed.

oOo

De stood motionless on the shore, the warm waters rushing over her bare feet as she pushed the sad memory aside and watched with a heavy heart as the large ship in the distance began to disappear.

And in her mind's eye, she saw two figures standing on the deck holding each other as the ship slowly sank, their spirits onboard the Black Pearl one last time before they both flew away home.

A/N: A lot of angst I know, but isn't it grand? Well, not the story mind you. Anyhow, just a little something I thought up on the way home from work- a small relief point since things aren't going well at the moment. And no, this isn't a vent board courtesy Writer's Block Productions®. Just a pure and simple, need to get it out of my system thing.

Anyway, now back to your original programming…

J.L. Dexter