I stood at the bow of the ship, my eyes closed as I let the wind run though my hair, breathing in deep to take in the sea air. A sense of foreboding had started to bubble in my stomach, which meant we were close. Arms wrapped around my waist, breaking me from my thoughts and making me lean back against his chest, as I knew immediately it was Jack... no one else dared touch me without my permission. "You okay?" he muttered to me quietly as to not sound like he was going soft around the crew.
"Bad feeling," I shrugged, "We're getting real close now." He nodded in acceptance as his hand slipped up the bottom of my shirt, he stroked the skin of my waist softly making me let out a sigh of content and lean my head back against his chest. "Damn you Jack Sparrow, I'm trying to worry here."
"It's a good thing I came to distract you then," he replied and I could hear the smirk on his face making me roll my eyes at him, even if they were closed. "When we get there... you have a choice."
"And that would be?" I asked him simply.
"Either you stay here, safe... or you come with me and risk bumping into Barbossa," he replied, making me frown.
"If I stay here, you'll only have Will to watch your back," I commented making him nod, "I don't trust him to keep you safe for me Jack."
"So you're coming with us?" he asked making me nod, my heart picking up speed as I thought through the fact that I may have to face Barbossa. He started stroking my waist again, "I'll keep you safe Isa."
"I know you will Jack," I replied quietly as I opened my eyes and turned in his arms, "Doesn't stop me from worrying though."
Jack moved one of his hands from my waist to my neck, his thumb caressing my cheek before running across my bottom lip. This was new, we'd been touchy feely before, but never had he been this loving with his caresses. A gasp slipped from my mouth as he leant in and he hesitated slightly at the sound of it, his eyes locking on mine as they widened in shock "Isa..." he started, as a hopeful question making me bite at my bottom lip... his face was so close to mine that all I had to do was move and inch and we'd be kissing...
"Land HO!" Cotton's parrot suddenly announced making us pull away from each other, quickly yet reluctantly. Turning towards the port side of the ship I could see the faint outline of Isla de Muerta in the distance.
"How does he do that?" I heard Anna Maria question Cotton and his parrot as we walked to the rest of the crew.
"They'll be anchored on the lee side," Jack commented, "Haul your wind, and keep to the weather of the island..." I swapped a look with Jack as we got closer and I bit at my bottom lip, worry obvious in my eyes as I let my gaze drop to the deck before darting up to the island once more.
It wasn't long until the Interceptor was anchored in away from the island and Jack, Will and I were rowing towards the rocky shore. As we got closer, the rush of a waterfall grew louder.
"What's that?" Will asked.
"Depends," Jack replied.
"Depends on what?" Will asked once more.
"On whether the stories are all true," I replied, "If they are, then that's a waterfall that spills over at high tide, with a short drop to an underground lagoon." I looked up at him, "If not..." We were too late to change course, "...well too late."
The boat rushed forwards and I closed my eyes praying the stories were true... we dropped over a short waterfall, but landed safely in a gorgeous underwater lagoon, floating lazily to a sandy short. "Chalk one up for the stories," Jack commented as I let out a breathy sigh of relief. Sending a glance to him I smiled faintly before watching Will as he hopped out of the boat and pulled it to the shore.
With a final glance at each other and a nod we headed off to save Elizabeth. I watched in amusement as Will went down to save her... and as soon as they got to us Elizabeth picked up a silver platter to swing at us making me back off and Jack catch her wrist... she suddenly recognised us.
"You?" she asked in shocked anger.
"Us," I smiled widely.
"You're in league with Barbossa!" she accused making me shudder and shake my head.
"No, we're... rescuing you," Jack corrected hesitantly... she looked very confused.
"You?" she asked again, though this time in utter confusion.
"Miss Swann," Will interrupted, "We're here to rescue you!" I turned to the sound of Barbossa's crew headed our way.
"And it's going badly at the moment," I announced before grabbing Jack's hand, "Let's get going." I led the way to a dark crevasse that I assumed lead out onto the island... and I was happily correct as I climbed up.
"I'm glad we got here in time," Will smiled at Elizabeth.
"Truthfully – you were a bit late," she corrected as I glanced at them and looked around for a direction to run, Jack's hand firmly clutched in mine as I fought off the fear.
"The trick isn't getting here," I started.
"It's getting away," Jack finished as the sound of pirates yelling came closer to us making Jack dash off, pulling me with him as the other two followed.
We were running through a clearing, jumping rocks as we ran... but the crew were close behind us making Jack suddenly stop. "Come on!" I snapped at him.
"No," he shook his head, "this won't work. I'll stay behind, and fight them. You go on."
"Jack," I hissed at him dangerously.
"No," Will agreed with me.
"I'll lead them away," Jack shrugged as they got closer, "Go to the opposite side of the island, and signal the ship. I'll keep 'em busy."
"Are you sure?" Will asked making me glare at him, "Jack... this isn't something you have to do."
"I'm sure," he nodded, "when you've led the kind of life I have, there are debts that must be paid. Maybe I can balance the scale a little."
Will nodded before handing Jack his sword and the two of them ran off leaving me frowning at Jack who glared. "Go," he hissed at me.
"No," I replied simply as a tear trickled down my cheek, "I am not leaving you on your own." He groaned before pulling me to his side as he put his swords into the ground and leant against a rock, pulling me in front of him to lean against his chest. We looked quite comfortable and relaxed when the mutinous crew turned up. They looked ready to kill us.
"We invoke the right of parlay, according to the Code of the Brethren, set down by the pirates... uh?" Jack hesitated as he couldn't remember the other name.
"Morgan and Bartholomew," I finished for him as I locked my deathly glare on Pintel and Ragetti.
It wasn't long until we were stood in front of Barbossa and my cool exterior almost cracked, making me cling to Jack's hand in a stronger grip than before. He pulled his hand away and pulled me into his side, his arm around my waist. A broad grin crossed Jack's face as I leant my head on his shoulder.
"How the hell did you two get off that Island?" He demanded.
"When you stranded us there, you seemed to forget one important fact," Jack smirked, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Ah," Barbossa smirked, "Men, you remember Captain Jack and his Irish Pearl..." the crew grumbled, "Kill them." I tensed slightly at his words.
"The girl's blood didn't work, did it?" Jack smirked making Barbossa hesitate.
"You know who's blood I need?" he asked us making me smirk along with Jack as I realised we weren't about to be killed.
"We know whose blood you need," we replied together.
"Say the name or I'll slit your throat," Barbossa threatened.
"No, you won't," Jack smirked as Pintel put his blade to Jack's throat and Ragetti did the same to me.
"Now?" they asked.
"Now," Barbossa nodded and I glanced at Jack who was still smirking. I felt the blade move and tensed, "No, don't kill them." I relaxed slightly. "Allow me the humour of listening to your terms."
"Simple," Jack replied before glancing at me for the terms, I frowned at him before turning back to Barbossa.
"We have something you want more than anything," I informed them all, "The way to free you from the curse of Cortez's treasure. You have something we want... more than anything."
"The Pearl?" Barbossa asked us before laughing, "Oh, that's fine. And just how do you expect this to work?"
"You give us the Pearl," I replied, my confidence growing as Jack's hand, slipped into mine, "Then we tell you who you need."
"That's your offer?" He asked me making me smile, "You two, sailing away nice and pretty with the Black Pearl, and all I have is a name?"
"No," I shook my head and even Jack turned to me in shock this time, "My offer is we sail away on the Pearl, nice and pretty... leaving you a row boat for your troubles. And then I'll shout the name back to you."
Barbossa looked utterly shocked, "And I'm supposed to... trust you?" he asked us.
"Well I'm a woman of my word," I replied, "And Jack has an honest streak in him, which in its own way is a sort of curse. Oh... and there's the fact that you have no choice."
"I'll torture it out of you," Barbossa sneered.
"You left us on a desert island," Jack chuckled, "What worse can you do?"
"I can kill one of you in front of the other," he replied with a smirk making me tense before I made myself relax. "Pretty sure that'll loosen some lips."
"You kill Jack and that'll just assure my silence," I told him firmly.
"Same goes," Jack agreed, "You kill Isa and I stay quiet."
Barbossa started pacing with a glare in place, "Blast you!" he snapped, "I'll throw you in prison!"
"Been there," I smiled.
"Go for it," Jack smiled, "As long as you like."
"You're setting me up for a double cross, you with the ship, me with nothing more than your word," Barbossa snarled.
"What would you do if we lied?" I asked him curiously.
"Track you down and..." he started and paused as he realised what I was saying.
"And if we tell the truth, you become mortal, and you won't come near us," I smiled widely, "Because you know we'd kill you."
I could see Barbossa hesitating and I could tell the pirates around us were in shock at how we'd turned the tables on him. He was actually contemplating taking our offer. "I don't trust either of you," he commented, "Never trust a smiling man or woman, you can lay to that."
"See that's where we're different," Jack replied, "I trust you... to do what it takes to get what you want."
"You're playing this as close to the edge as anyone," Barbossa almost complimented, "I'll give you that. We might just have to sign articles, you and I. You two are pirates at heart, that's certain... and a surprise on your side Miss." I smirked as Jack nodded.
"Pintel..." Barbossa turned to said man, "Set sail. It this fool plan is to work, we'll need the medallion and that means catching the ship which brought 'em here."
I tensed, that I wasn't expecting, "You don't have the medallion?" Jack asked; he obviously weren't expecting it either.
"That fool woman took it," he replied, "You be careful around here, Jack... she's pretty enough, she'll steal your heart... but pure evil inside." Jack seemed to glance at me.
"I'll watch my back," he replied simply.
"Bosun!" Barbossa turned to said man, "Set up Mr Sparrow and Miss Connolly's quarters, nice and fine... in the brig." I frowned and Barbossa smiled at us, "Meaning no disrespect, of course."
"Of course," I nodded, my voice and expression both emotionless as Bosun led us away.
