A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews!

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.

I felt my breath catch in my throat and sat up cautiously. I didn't want to wake him. I didn't want to talk. Standing up, I noticed with some form of relief that I was fully dressed.

Oh God, Elizabeth what are you thinking?! He couldn't have done anything. No, if he'd done anything...

No. I didn't want to think about it.

It was just the heat. He came to sleep on deck too, and it was an accident. He'd rolled over, somehow. Miraculously, there had been wind in the night. He'd been pushed over. He simply hadn't lain there on purpose. No. No.

I knelt down and watched him sleep for a while, half of me screaming to go away, half of me... curious? My eyes traveled down his body and finally landed on his compass.

"It points to what you want most."

I thought about it. I wanted most to escape now. To be with Will. To get away and never see any pirates again in my life.

I gently untied the compass from his belt, and balanced it carefully in my hand. It was heavier than I remembered, as if somehow, I was carrying everyone's fate in my hands. I was. Wherever it would point, I was going to follow it.

It pointed to Jack before.

That was a mistake. He was simply... standing in front of where the Chest was. Yes. He was not who I wanted most, he was not. And he would never be.

It's very simple, Elizabeth. He was just in the way. I do not want Jack.

I opened the compass lid.

It pointed to Jack.

Oh, God.

I snapped the compass shut and rubbed a hand on the side of my face. What was happening to me?

Nothing. Jack's just in the direction of escape.

I walked to the railing, swung one leg over, and quietly climbed down the side of the Pearl. I dropped carefully to the ground and sat there on the hard sandy surface. The air was the same--hot, still, suffocating. I opened the compass again. It pointed in the direction of the bow. Or where Jack is. I gritted my teeth, trying to block out my thoughts. If there was any possible way for the ship to move... I walked to the bow and looked up at the ship. It towered above me, magnificent, powerful. There was no way two people could move it across a desert. I tugged hard on one of the ropes securing it to the ground. It didn't move an inch. I sighed desperately and pulled harder.

"Oi."

I looked around. Jack stood at the bow, watching me.

"I'd rather you not damage me ship," he said.

"Jack, help me," I said, "We have to move the ship. I know which direction to go in. If we could get it to open water, we can escape."

"Stole me compass, aye?"

"Jack," I said exasperatedly. "Please. We have to get the Black Pearl to sea!"

He considered it.

"Very well. But are you accepting the offer from yesterday?"

I blinked. Oh, that offer.

If he could get me back to Will it would be enough.

"Yes."

Jack grinned. He swung down from the Pearl and shook my hand.

"What was your plan?" I asked.

"I propose that we call upon the help of the Brethren Court," said Jack, pulling something out of his dreadlocks with a flourish. I glanced at it--a few beads and something made of silver.

"The Brethren Court...?" I had heard of it, in the books I'd read, perhaps, but I couldn't remember what it was.

"Aye. The nine Pirate Lords who gather to make decisions about what is best for the pirates. Or, if you will, the nine Pirate Lords who gather to try to make everything advantageous for themselves individually, and end up having an enormous fight every time."

"And how could you ask them?"

"Well, that would be very simple. Every Pirate Lord, dearie, has a Piece of Eight. They use it to call a meeting. Darling, may I present to you, a Piece of Eight." He held his charm out to me.

"You're... a Pirate Lord?"

"Aye," said Jack, smirking. "Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirate Lord of the Caribbean Sea."

"Although," he said, more to himself, "I do owe every Pirate Lord money..."

I pressed my lips together impatiently.

"You want to call a meeting of the Brethren Court?"

"Aye. Meetings are held in the town of Shipwreck, in Shipwreck Cove, on Shipwreck Island. Trust me, luv, do not ever show any interest in toponomy. You'd be dead of boredom before you were halfway through, and that would prove most unfortunate as we are trying to get out of here and you'd be needed getting us out of here. Savvy?"

"If you call a meeting and the pirates gather at Shipwreck Cove, we'd have to go to Shipwreck Cove and we can't. We're trying to get out of the Locker."

"Ah, here's the genius part of me plan, darling," he said. "At every meeting every Pirate Lord with his Piece of Eight must be present. I call a meeting, they gather in Shipwreck Cove, they discover that I'm missing and they have no choice but to come and rescue me and the Pearl!"

"Us," he added hastily. "Us and the Pearl."

I frowned. I couldn't find anything wrong with his plan, but I felt like it wouldn't work.

After a while's thought I said slowly, "How can you call a meeting?"

" 'Hoist the Colours'. The song that must be sung. Every Pirate Lord can hear it through their Piece of Eight. We've had a merry fine time singing last time, what do you say, Lizzie?"

I looked at him with ridicule.

"Wouldn't anyone wonder why you called a meeting?"

Jack held a finger to his chin, considering.

"I'm sure they would," he said cheerfully.

"Jack!" I exclaimed. "They'd know the moment you don't show up that you called a meeting to make them rescue you!"

"Oi," he said irritatedly. "There's no rum here and I'd rather not be upset!"

Cabin Boy

I was the last person in the group to be brought up to gallows. I could feel the stares as I struggled to climb up the steps in my chains and stood on the last trapdoor.

This is it. This is death.

I turned the silver coin over in my hand. The drums were loud on the towers.

This is my last chance to do my duty. I have nothing to lose now anyway.

The song was clear in my mind. In the distance I could see Cutler Beckett sitting. I turned away and opened my mouth.

"The king and his men, stole the queen from her bed, and bound her in her bone. The seas be ours and by the powers," I paused, voice faltering. The drums were struck again. "Where we will, we'll roam."

The executioner lifted me on a barrel before securing the noose around my neck.

I have to finish the song.

And all of a sudden, as I knew would happen, the rest of the people began to sing with me.

"Yo ho, haul together. Hoist the colours high!"

I could see him walking to the lever already. I took a last breath.

"Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die!"

I've done it. I've called the meeting. The pirates have a chance to survive.

He pulled the lever.

Elizabeth

I watched in astonishment as he held his Piece of Eight to his ear, his lips curved in a faint, triumphant smile. He passed the Piece of Eight to me, and I lifted it to my ear. I could hear the voices. They weren't loud, but they were strong.

"Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die!"

I brought the Piece of Eight back down and stared at Jack excitedly. So Beckett was hanging all the pirates.

That's terrible.

But we would be able to escape. A Brethren Court meeting had been called.

"Well, luv," said Jack, grinning, "Methinks we have a change in the wind."