A/N: Hey guys! I know, I know. I need to finish "The King and Her Men" but this plot bunny wriggled itself into my way. Jack has refused to participate in any more of my story until I tell this one so the other story is on hiatus until I get this one out. I've written nearly the whole thing since the last time I updated and so without further ado, I give you Chapter 1:

Also, this story has a theme song: Without You by Breaking Benjamin. One lyric line in each chapter. :)

Disclaimer: The characters and part of the plot are not mine. *sob*


"Search for the answers I knew all along…"

Tia dalma sat in stoic silence, scanning the motley band of dirty pirates scattered around her modest hut until her eyes landed on the young woman in the corner who nursed a cup of warm rum mixed with grog. The telltale tracks of tears down her dirt-streaked face the only sign of emotion to be seen. The old sea-goddess could feel the sorrow emanating from the girl. The girl might be more of a savior to Jack Sparrow than he'd know what to do with when it came down to it. She was his downfall and his salvation. Something young William Turner would not understand when the time came for him to know. She ached for the girl and the moment when she'd realize what she was capable of, what she was, and what that meant for those around her. If she hadn't already…

"We'll be needin' maps to be gettin' where we're about to go." Barbossa stated matter-of-factly drawing the goddess from her thoughts.

"And where are these maps?" Will fixed the older man with a calculating gaze.

"Singapore."

Pintel and Ragetti flinched at their captain's cackle and spoke simultaneously. "Singapore?"

"Yes. Captain Sao Feng holds te maps ye need." Tia chimed in.

Curiosity got the better of Elizabeth's depressed silence."Who's Sao Feng?"

Barbossa paused in his work and glanced up at her, narrowing his eyes. "Sao Feng? Ye've not heard of him?"

She shook her head.

"Captain Sao Feng is the most feared pirate in all of Singapore, one of the nine pirate lords, dearie, with an insatiable lust for pretty ladies such as yourself. Perhaps ye can persuade him to give the maps up without a fight."

"I think not." She spat, outraged.

"Ye want to save your beloved captain, don't ye?"

"He's not mine."

A chuckle escaped his lips.

Will frowned and picked up his dagger.

She looked up, remembering something Jack had once said to her. "I suppose, if it comes to that, I will do whatever it takes." She answered, flinching at the slam of Will's dagger into the table.

"Elizabeth! I will not le-"

"Don't, Will." Her interruption was a cold one that did not go unnoticed by the rest of them.

The older man gave her a measured glance. "I thought that'd be the case. Now. As I was saying before the young lad and lass rudely interrupted, we'll be heading to Singapore on the mornin' tide. I expect all of ye mangy bilge rats will be ready then. If ye aren't, ye'll be left behind."

Elizabeth watched him with a troubled look as he stepped through the back door of the little shack.

Silence filled the room. Will went back to stabbing his father's dagger into the table and the other men stared at their feet, not really knowing what to do with themselves, even Pintel and Ragetti were silent.

"Rawk! Dead men tell no tales." The parrot squawked somberly.

Gibbs grimaced and shooed the bird. "Blasted bird. We don't need yer infernal comments."

Tia Dalma laughed lightly to herself as she watched Elizabeth pull out a dagger and begin cleaning out from under her fingernails, her tears fairly dried now that they had somewhat of a plan.

"Ye fancy him don't ye?" The woman didn't have to ask the question to know the answer. She just loved a bit of teasing.

"Beg pardon?" Elizabeth asked pausing in her self-grooming technique, her knuckles white on the handle of the dagger.

"Jack Sparrow." Calypso wondered if she would admit such a thing with her most recent fiancé so near.

"Captain." She snapped, her jaw muscles twitching.

"Ah…perhaps more than just fancy." The witch cackled. "Perhaps…love."

Will glanced at Elizabeth sharply, dropping his dagger on the table.

Noticing this, Elizabeth grimaced. "I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about."

"Oh I think you do." Tia murmured, changing her voice into a remarkable imitation of James Norrington. Elizabeth dropped her own dagger. How did she know about that? I couldn't possibly…what if…oh heaven help me.

The pallor of her face was not something one could miss as she fled from their scrutiny, following in Barbossa's wake.

"Perhaps not."

Will frowned and followed her retreating form with disdainful eyes. There was a time when he would have literally followed her as well, but that time was gone like wind in the eye of a storm. He merely picked his father's dagger off of the table.

"And what of you, William Turner? What is your secret?"

He stared at the dagger in his hands. "I vowed to save my father. There is no secret."

"Destiny." Tia Dalma agreed.

Will narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You have a bigger role to play in this life than even you can know. Even she." She gestured towards the porch.

"What role? Jack's second murderer?"

The old witch climbed to her feet as she cackled at his bitter joke. "Ye will know when te time comes."

"Well that was helpful." He muttered as she left the room.

JEJEJEJEJEJEJE

Elizabeth raced to the rail gasping for breath and trying to regain her composure. It frightened her to think that there was any truth to the older woman's words.

"I know what ye did."

She whipped around to face Barbossa. "What?"

"To Sparrow."

"How-how could you possibly know I left him for dead?"

"Other than the fact that ye just told me by asking that, Tia Dalma gave me enough particulars to comprehend. Although I do wonder how ye managed such a great feat." Her wary glance stopped him mid-laugh. "No need to get your knickers in a bunch, dearie. That not be a tale for me to tell; besides, who'd believe an old mutineer?"

"I don't entirely trust you." She replied.

"And who's to blame ye? But you've got to be trustin' someone, dearie. You'll be needin' it when we bring 'im back, especially if he's angry with ye and tries to plot revenge."

She gave him a horrified look and then stared out into the shadows to regain her composure. Would he do that? Her mouth formed a grim line. He would.

The older man chuckled heartily and patted her shoulder. "Get some sleep, Miss Swann. Ye'll be needin' it."

"Easy for you to say." She muttered at his retreating back and then turned to the dark waters. "I hate you, Jack. You always ruin everything. We were to be married. Married! But you ruined that too didn't you? Maybe Lord Beckett was right. Maybe fate did intervene, but I LOVE Will. How can I possibly love two men?" She sank to her knees and stared into the dark swamp water.

A week later, Elizabeth found herself standing at the helm alongside Barbossa. As it turned out, he was the one she spent most of her time accompanying and he was teaching her the art of sailing. He did not ask intruding questions she couldn't answer, nor did he see her as more than what she deserved to be seen as, unlike her fiancé. Barbossa's scornful, sarcastic nature was what drew her to him. She felt that she may have even garnered a bit of his respect.

The older man glanced at Miss Swann, when he found her neglecting the horizon and instead staring up at the Crow's nest, where Will Turner was having his watch, oblivious to her stare. "Tis a pity."

"What is?"

"The boy's pining fer you, and yer busy pining for someone else."

She sighed. There was no point denying this fact to herself or to the man before her. He was just as shrewd as Jack and could read her like a book. Instead, she opted for silence.

"You could have a good life with him, ye know."

"To whom are you referring?"

"Both. Turner there, he would die for you. Sparrow already has."

"No. He died because of me."

"Do ye really think he would have been able to live with watching his crew and an innocent woman die? I don't know much about the boy, but I know Jack…and he's always had a remorseful soul."

"Since when have you become so sensitive, Captain Barbossa? Besides, he was going to leave us for dead."

"He came back though. My thoughts on it? He was plannin' on staying. And ye chose me for comp'ny, I was on'y offering advice, dearie." He said the last with a shrug.

"I'll not be taking advice from anyone, especially a pirate."

"That hurts, dearie. If Jack were here ye would."

"If Jack were here, there would be no need for advice and a hell of a lot more rum. I could certainly use the latter at the moment."

A chuckle escaped his lips. "Jack would be a fool to let go of you."

"Captain Barbossa, I'd prefer it if you didn't speak of the late Captain Sparrow at the moment and I don't appreciate your compliments."

"As ye wish, dearie, but remember what I said."

"Consider it remembered. When do you expect to be in Singapore?"

"Nigh on a week. Why?"

"I'm in need of the use of their reputable bathhouses."

A chuckle escaped the old man's lips. "Indeed? Well…that can be arranged."

"Make sure that it is."

"As ye wish, Miss Swann. Shall I accompany you?"

"Not a chance."

"I thought as much."