—Katherine—

My singing is cut off when Elizabeth is shoved into the room and the doors are slammed shut, the clicking noise that followed letting us know we're locked in. "Well, there goes your plan of sneaking on one of those boats."

"Like a locked cabin door is going to stop me," Terasa snorts as Elizabeth pounds her hands against the glass, shouting about skeletons and idiotic sailors. My eyes widen and I turn to my friends with a stomach-dropping feeling.

"Oh shit, I forgot to warn Squishy about the undead aspect of all of this!" Carl moves quickly, going through the drawers until he found a hairpin.

"I can have that door open in ten minutes, tops," he says hurriedly, nudging Elizabeth out of the way and kneeling in front of the lock, sticking the pin in and wiggling it around.

"I've got something better," Rasa says and shoves me off the bed. She pulls the top cover off of it, tying one end to the sheet. "Remember our class trip to Louisiana when we all wanted to head to Bourbon Street to try out our fake ID's?" Still sick to my stomach, I focus on the plan and secure the other end of the blanket to the bedpost, Elizabeth stepping in to help while Carl continued to work on the door. "It's a good thing we were deviants growing up, huh?"

"At least this time we won't need to trick a bouncer the size of a house."

"Elizabeth," The Governor calls, tapping on the glass as we continue to work hard," children, I just want all of you to know that I'm sorry you all have to be locked in here. It's for your own good; we don't need unnecessary loss of life when you're all so young." He continues talking as I swing the window open, holding our homemade rope just in case as Terasa begins her descent outside.

"Easy," I instruct, bracing the heels of my shoes against the floor as the rope begins to swing under her weight," take it slow and don't get caught by Gillette."

"Children? Are you even listening to me?" The Governor enters the room seconds later, pausing when he sees Elizabeth and me holding the rope and Carl halfway out the window. He looks dumbfounded, shaking his head as Carl speeds up. "Do they even know what they're doing out there?"

"If I say yes, will it make you feel any better," Elizabeth asks, both of us letting go of the rope when the tension is released. Weatherby just shakes his head and walks over to the window to look down, and I wave at my friends as they row away from the Dauntless.

"You have to admit," I smile, patting his shoulder," we're clever for only being in our twenties." The sound of gunfire and clanging swords make all of us turn to look out the doorway, the three of us hurrying to shut the door as dozens of skeletons descend on the very human crew of our ship.

Oh, we're so royally screwed.

—Terasa—

"Where are we going," Carl hisses as I row us past Barbossa's ship," aren't we supposed to be over there?"

"No," I grunt, shoulders beginning to ache," we're supposed to be finding Squishy." We had to speak in whispers, not wanting to tip off the pirates that we hadn't died of starvation on that island. "There, look! The little boats like ours." Even with the fog, it was easy to make out the bobbing forms that we were looking for. They were around the corner of the cave entrance, just floating there like statues, only faint whispers coming from their general direction. I row faster until we were within whisper distance with Squishy. "Norrington."

"What on earth," he starts only to have me cut him off.

"Just so you have a better chance of living, Barbossa's men are a little cursed, so, like, they can't die." He raises a skeptical brow and I found myself wishing that my brows could do that. "They're kind of skeletons until the curse is broken, but Kit sends her love."

"Cursed?"

"Yeah, there's this whole long story, but I'm going in there to help break it and I'm leaving Carl with you as a guard dog."

"Like hell," Carl snarls, narrowing his green eyes at me," I don't even like this guy!"

"Think of it this way, you'll have to deal with a heartbroken Kit if he dies when you could've stopped it." He grumbles, carefully moving out of my boat and into Squishy's while sending the other man a sour look. Once the boats were steady again, I continue rowing to the entrance, suddenly glad that I changed into shorts on the island since it gives me a better range of movement. Pulling the boat up onto the land by myself wasn't easy, but I managed and then sprinted the rest of the way to the cavern.

Inside, a full brawl has broken out, Will fighting three pirates while Jack and Barbossa had a battle of their own. Temper beginning to spike, I grab a heavy, golden bowl and dart forward to the closest pirate, bashing him in the head with the bowl, continuing to do it until he was lying limply on the ground.

"About time," Will shouts with a grin.

"What can I say?" I throw the bowl at another pirate, snapping its leg. "I like my entrances to be dramatic!" The two of us stand back to back as we fight off the pirates, Will using his sword and me using whatever I can get my hands on until we found ourselves next to the chest of Aztec gold. "You know what to do?"

"I have an idea or two, yes."

—Katherine—

The arm of a pirate crashes through the glass door, getting a tight hold on the Governor's wig, the bone pale white in the moonlight. Screaming, I grab a candelabrum and begin to beat at the arm while the Governor and Elizabeth fight to keep the wig inside, all of us beyond the point of rational thinking. "I fucking hate zombies," I scream at the arm, each word punctuated by a hit until the arm breaks off at the elbow, Weatherby stomping on it a few times for good measure.

"Into the drawer," Elizabeth commands as the arm continues to flop about. With a wince, Weatherby covers part of the arm with his handkerchief before gripping it with two fingers and throwing it in the drawer Elizabeth had opened. It takes Elizabeth and Weatherby to keep the drawer closed and I stand guard at the door with the candelabrum gripped tightly in my hands, ready to draw on the years of softball I played in school should another of the things try to get inside.

—Terasa—

Will slides the edge of his sword along his palm, blood welling to the surface and covering the gold coin. "Jack," he shouts, the pirate copying him and throwing his own coin. Will catches it deftly, dropping both of them onto the pile before I slide the lid closed. A shot rings out soon afterward, Barbossa jerking to the side in shock before tearing open the front of his frayed coat.

"You just wasted yer shot," Barbossa states, the pain not registering yet or he was used to the pain of the curse and didn't realize it had been lifted.

"Actually, he didn't." Barbossa turns, staring with shock at the blood pouring from the wound over his heart, staining his white shirt as his breathing quickens.

"I feel... Cold." There was no dramatic proclamation of revenge as he falls backwards against a pile of gold, no final apologies for being a terrible father or even a rasping farewell to the world.

He just died.

—Katherine—

There's a sound of clattering weapons and excited shouts as the drawer goes still, the three of us unsure what to think until we gather close together and Weatherby hesitantly opens the drawer. Instead of wriggling bone like we were expecting, we find a moldering arm, severed and bleeding, and stinking to high Heaven. With a grimace, he slams the drawer shut again and waves a hand in front of him to try and dispel the stench.

"This is the worst day ever," I remark, tossing the candelabrum to the side.

"Agreed," Elizabeth and Weatherby say in unison. Tired, I push the doors open and walk out onto the deck, stepping over bodies as I make my way towards a tall man wearing a familiar hat. He turns as I get closer, thin lips turned upwards in a victorious smile as he picks me up and spins me around, laughing in unison with me.

"Tell me, James, you just defeated an entire crew of evil skeletons, what are you gonna do now?"

"I'm going to kiss the woman I love," he replies confidently, setting me on my feet and pressing his lips against mine. Kissing him was a brand-new experience for me, I didn't get that weird feeling of terror like it was wrong and my stomach didn't twist into knots. I was completely relaxed and able to enjoy it. He tasted sweet and he held me like he thought I would break, cradling my neck with careful hands.

"Glad to know you were so worried about me," Jack states from behind us, making me jump in surprise and spin to face him. "Thought you might like this, Kit." He wraps a string of pearls around my neck, patting my cheek even as two guards approach to take him to the brig. "Just so you know," he calls over his shoulder as James wraps his arms around my waist," I don't approve!"

"Because that's so important to me." Snorting, I send an amused look over at Terasa and Carl, surprised to find Terasa holding out a ring in my direction. It wasn't anything elaborate, just a silver band with two small sapphires on either side of a square-cut ruby. "What's this for?"

"It's for what he wants to ask you," she answers knowingly, dropping it in the center of James's palm before walking off with Will. Wondering what she meant, I turn to look at James, taking in his gentle smile and the way he fixed his gaze on me, still holding his hand open between us.

"Well," he prompts," is it a yes, Katherine?" It took me longer than I like to realize what he means, but then I squeal like a madwoman and launch myself back into his arms, giggling all over again in my excitement.

"Ha, she said yes, so you owe me fifty bucks!"

"Goddamn it," Carl shouts somewhere behind us, but I don't pay him any attention as James slides the ring onto my finger, the band slightly too big. As much as I loved to savor the moment, it's broken when something small hits my head and then bounces to the deck, Carl snatching it up before I got a good look at it.

"What was that," I ask, rubbing the top of my head with a wince.

"A Dumdum."

"Root beer flavored," Terasa adds


The carriage ride to Jack's execution is filled with silence, my stomach twisting nervously as I think about what I'm about to see. How could anyone think a hanging is a great public spectacle? Only Terasa, Lizzie, and I seemed to be disturbed by it all, but at least James offered some support on the ride there. He kept me close to his side like he was afraid I'd run off, one of his hands at the small of my back as we walk up the steps to our viewing platform, a perfect spot to see and hear the execution.

It was hot out today, making me supremely happy that I chose a lightweight, purple dress to wear to this shindig, the sleeves like a tank top's, and my flip flops making walking easier. "You don't look well," James mumbles, leaning down to whisper in my ear as Jack's crimes are called out one by one. "Should I take you back to the carriage?"

"I'll be fine," I whisper back, eyes focused on Jack, the pirate looking amused by his crimes and rocking back on his heels in satisfaction. In short, he looked like that cat that killed the canary.

I knew what was planned, I had helped with the damn plan last night after visiting Jack in his cell, but the nerves still didn't go away. If we didn't time this perfectly, then a man would be dead and I'd have to live with that. Sensing my nerves or feeling some herself, Rasa grasps my right hand, delivering a comforting squeeze that I return.

Carl should be somewhere above us, his sniper rifle at the ready with a silencer in place to keep people from freaking out too much; Will was making his way towards the front of the crowd, his feathered hat making him stick out from the other people, but seeing him soothed my nausea. Everything was going as planned; Gibbs and the crew should be making their way to us on the Pearl. All Rasa and I have to do is keep everyone busy until the escape can be made. The drumming speeds up as the executioner moves to the lever, pulling it back sharply just before a sword embeds itself in the wood, giving Jack something to stand on until a muffled shot cuts through the rope around his neck.

"Marines!"

"James, I can't—" I start gasping, basically faking an asthma attack as I collapse to the ground, pulling desperately at the front of my dress. "Can't... Breathe!" Crocodile tears gather and fall down my cheeks as James supports me, taking Elizabeth's fan and pushing hot air in my direction. There's sounds of action further away from us as Jack and Will fight their way to the battlements, but I keep my act up for a few more minutes before jumping to my feet and beginning to run towards the meeting point.

Terasa was right behind me, loudly cursing about high heels the entire way and only stopping when Carl picks her up over his shoulder as he passes us. Unfortunately for all of us, Will and Jack hadn't made it entirely to the battlements, stopped just short of the goal by the marines, baronets pointed at them from all sides.

"Jesus, we just can't catch a break," Carl gasps, setting Rasa back on her feet and keeping us close to him.

"I had thought we might endure some ill-conceived escape attempt," James says as he joins us, sword drawn and disappointment in his eyes," but I never thought you three would be involved."

"Would it make you feel any better to know that he's the only pirate I intend to set free," I ask, wrapping my fingers gently around his wrist, making him lower his sword a few inches. "He's helped us all this time, tried to help you fight the skeletons, and yet you still intend to kill him. Most people would consider that rude on your part."

"He's a pirate."

"Yes and his father saved you from drowning, so you can repay that debt by letting Jack live a while longer." James's lips press into a thin line as he stares down at me, eyes going cold, but his stern expression didn't hold a candle to my pleading one. I have very effective puppy-dog eyes, or so I've been told. "Consider it my wedding present, Jamie."

"Turner, stand down."

"No," Will shakes his head and stands straighter," my place is between you and Jack." Knowing how stubborn James Norrington can be, I move to stand next to Will, forcing James to either rest his sword on my shoulder or lower it completely. Thankfully, he does the latter because getting stabbed by my own fiancé isn't something I aspire to.

"Mine, too," Terasa nods, coming to stand on the other side of Will and taking his hand in hers.

"So is mine," Carl agrees," but I'm not gonna stand at the center of all the sharp weapons."

"Why do all of you want to protect him so badly," James demands once all the weapons had been lowered and his sword was sheathed, his question posed to our entire group but his gaze locked firmly on me. He looks betrayed and all I want to do is hug him and apologize, but I have to make sure that idiot Captain is moderately safe first.

"Because," I state softly," he's a good man and you know it. You know why he was branded."

"You see," Jack says happily as he moves to the front of the group, stepping between James and me like he was offended by how close we've gotten," I can be a likable person." He claps James on the shoulder, using his free hand to push me back a bit more. "I want you to know I was rooting for you, mate, know that." He goes to walk away, but then he turns back. "Also know that you're not allowed to marry Kit without her father's permission—that's me, by the way, hello." A jolt of shock runs through me and I stare at Jack with wide eyes when he turns to face me, unable to react when he pats the top of my head. "Your bad taste in men aside, I'm still proud of you, Kitty."

He goes around me and closer to the battlements before pausing beside Elizabeth, wasting no time in pulling her against him and pressing a deep kiss against her lips, leaving her dazed when he pulls back. "Elizabeth," he continues," it never would've worked between us, love. Terasa, I have no doubt that I will beat you during our next drinking contest; Carl, watch after your sister, you know how she can be sometimes. Will... Nice hat." He runs up the rest of the stairs and stands on the stone ledge, swaying like usual. "Friends, this is the day that you will always remember as the day that—" He's interrupted when his balance starts to fail, arms waving wildly for a moment before he topples backwards.

"I'll just..." Carl trails off, pointing towards the space Jack had occupied before jumping up on the ledge himself, looking down at the water. "Well, he's still alive, so I'll go on after him. Kit, don't do anything too stupid; Rasa, look after her. Norrington, know that if you hurt my sister in any way, I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and strangle you with your own intestines." With a pleasant smile, he jumps over the edge, letting out an excited whoop on the way down.

Moving in sync, everyone rushes up to the ledge, spotting Carl and Jack swimming towards the Black Pearl. "Idiots," Gillette states smugly," they've nowhere to go but to the noose." Sharing an irritated look with Rasa, we both take half a step back and kick at Gillette, making the Lieutenant topple over the ledge and into the water, not looking nearly so pleased when he resurfaces.

"Now who's rude," James remarks, giving me a dry look. "I'll allow one day's head start for Sparrow, but only because I love you, woman."

"Love you, too," I grin, resting my arm in the crook of his elbow and letting him lead the way back to his home. "I shaved my legs last night, so they're all nice and smooth. It would be a shame if that went unnoticed before you left." He looks down at me in slight surprise, letting out a bark of laughter when I waggle my eyebrows suggestively.

"You really are a pirate's daughter."

"We're rascals and scoundrels, we're villains and knaves, drink up me hearties, yo ho..."