~Chapter 1: At the beginning~

Jamie stood proudly next to admiral Beckett, his sword hung firmly on his side and the reminder of his new post. He was Admiral James Norrington, his honour restored and his past discretions forgotten after what he'd done.

After giving the heart of Davy Jones to Lord Beckett, he had been given another chance at a wonderful life.

Everything felt right. Even as he watched all those accused of piracy step up to the gallows. One by one they would line, the nooses finally placed around their necks and then, on quick drop and it was over. Except for the unlucky ones whose necks didn't break straight away. They were left to slowly hang. Luckily, a man was on guard to quickly end their lives by grabbing hold of their legs and pulling. A humane death was better than a slow hang.

Jamie was never a man to take shock well.

So when he saw the new convicts line up for their impending fate, he could hardly keep in the gasp of shock and surprise at the familiar face of the first person who had the noose wrapped around his neck.

Captain Jack Sparrow stood there, a stoic expression on his usually expressive face, his appearance slightly different. Jamie noted down the dirt clustered about his face, his beard unkempt and matted in knots. Even his clothes were torn and visible, fresh whip marks could be seen beneath the fabric.

Jamie followed the path of the executioner, not liking where he was being taken.

Next, William Turner, and although Jamie disliked him after what had gone on between the two, he still felt a pang of guilt at the state of the man. His hair down and thick, dirty strands covering his face as the blood seeped out of the scars on his face. Jamie felt his stomach churn at who was next, the sobbing something he couldn't ignore.

There was something wrong with Elizabeth as she stood there, sobbing her heart out and her head hung low so her hair obscured most of her beauty. Except Jamie could still see a small gap and what was once beautifully smooth looking skin, so touchable, so kissable, was now covered in black and blue marks, her nose distorted and out of place. Her hands were wrapped around her stomach tightly, as if she was protecting something precious. Jamie' heart sunk at the sight of the woman he felt so deeply for.

Jamie didn't want to follow on any more, he didn't want to see what his heart feared but somehow, he couldn't stop himself turning to face the truth.

She stood with her head held high and Jamie could see everything. Every mark upon her face, her cheek swollen and discoloured from the amount of hits it had taken. Her lips freshly cut and bleeding. A bite mark just above her eyebrow. Jamie' eyes trailed down unwillingly, taking in all of her. She wore what was once the pretty pink dress, now shredded and torn in places that it would have had to have been pulled from her skin by multiple hands. Her feet bare and her legs covered in scratches, bruises and dried blood clung to her upper thighs and stretched higher, were it became thicker and disappeared.

Jamie' eyes came back up, sure his mouth was wide open and his eyes not looking away from her as he gazed into her face.

Into her eyes which were staring right at him.

But only tears and a smile greeted him.

'Jamie.' She mouthed, the whisper of her voice so clear to him.

Just as the platform was open and she dropped.

Jamie leapt forward, hands outstretched and trying to reach her as the rope went taught.

"NOOOOOOO!" Jamie suddenly straightened himself up, sweat drenching his naked torso as he called out into the shadows of his bedroom.

A few deep breaths and a startling realisation and Jamie found himself was his legs swung over the bed and his head in his hands as he concentrated on breathing and tried to rid himself of the guilt he felt.

But no matter how many times he prayed, nor how many dreams he had, he always remembered them all.

Most importantly, he remembered her.

Meanwhile...

Abi watched with a large smile on her face as Pintel and Ragetti began another one of their disputes, over whether or not Rome was really built in a day.

Her mind began to wander and she gazed around the ship, taking in the new and old faces.

Tia Dalma gazed out at the sea, something seeming to call to her as she fiddled with the necklace that hung around her neck.

The various crew mates that they'd picked up from Sao Feng, all huddled around each other, possibly plotting something drastic.

Barbossa was feeding peanuts to his pet monkey again, whispering words of endearment that you wouldn't usually expect a pirate to say.

The old man and his parrot, the midget and Mr. Gibbs were currently playing a game of whatever they seemed to have on them at the moment, and both men (and parrot) were losing miserably to the bird.

Will and Elizabeth were unusually on edge with one another, keeping distance but still sending fleeting glances towards each other that made Abigail' heart ache.

Ache for him.

She dismissed what Elizabeth told her, that Jamie had run away being followed by Davy Jones' crew as he saved them by running away with the chest. Abigail knew he would have had a plan. And no one knew where the heart was. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on but it didn't matter.

Right now, they were heading straight for the edge of the world, towards Davy Jones' locker to save Sparrow. Then and only then might they be able to sort out what was happening.

And after that, she hoped quietly to herself that somehow, she'd find her Jamie.