I offered him a quick grin and a wink, then slipped into my poker face. It was an EITC ship and Brown Eyes was, according to his uniform, the captain. Normal crew. 'Honest' sailors, the lot of them.
"Charlotte Oceansong," I focused the majority of my attention on Beckett, a familiar rage seeping into my veins, "We meet again."
"Oh, Cutty, Baby, you remember me," I fluttered my eyelashes, "I'm so touched! It has been four whole years after all! Remember, sweetie? You branded me before ordering my execution! I was twelve and still a child-"
He slapped me, "Pirate whore!"
"Now, now," I chided, "Isn't that a bit hypocritical? I mean, you have tumbled several of the ladies of the night-"
I got slapped again, "Annoying bastard child."
"You know very well my parents were married! After all, you had my mother murdered IN HER OWN HOME!" Then I spat in his face.
Smack numero tres as soon as he wiped the spittle off, "Where is the Brethren Court?"
"Whoo," I shook my head and forced a shit-eating grin on my face, "You hit as hard as my little cousin."
"Your great-grandmother, Calypso! Give me her location."
"Hmmm, let me think," I tilted my head to the side then smirked, "No."
"Insolent brat!"
"Hand gettin' sore yet?" I have soo many problems, "I'm sure it's not used to workin' this hard," SMACK, "Man, what lotion do you use? I wish my hands were this soft!" SMACK, "You do know that if my gran finds you, you're dead, right?"
Beckett brought his hand up again, but Jones's tentacle-hand-thing stopped him, "What did ye say?"
"Calypso's my bisabuela!" I grinned again, "Congratulations, Mr. Jones, you have one live daughter, one dead daughter, two granddaughters, one dead granddaughter, two grandsons-in-law, one dead adopted grandson, one great-grandson and three great-granddaughters!"
I think several jaws hit the deck.
"SILENCE!" Beckett roared, hitting me so hard I toppled over. My eyes filled with tears as my shoulder slammed into the hard deck, "TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW!"
"I WILL TELL YOU NOTHING!" I screamed and stood on my own once again, "WHY SHOULD I, YOU BLOODY MURDERING BASTARD?"
He froze, then a cruel glint appeared, "I see you inherited your grandfather-Edward Teach-'s temper."
"Kiss Jones's barnacle-encrusted ass," I snapped back and was smacked yet again, "Ooh. I feel a little woozy. Must be the hits to the head and prolonged exposure to the Dutchman."
"Do you ever shut up?" I heard someone hiss behind me.
"Nope! Stubborness runs in the family!" I cheerfully declared, pushing my fury down. 'Control yer emotions,' Uncle Jack smirked at me in my head, lazily stretching with his feet on Bisabuela's table, 'It gives ye the advantage if they don't know what yer really thinkin'.' No way was I going to let my temper get the better of me. In fact, I can think of a few good uses for it.
Beckett began to yell rather loudly at me, but it was easy to ignore him in favor of meditation. I threw my spirit out into the sea, one of the few magical abilities I was able to use at the moment, and felt. I brushed a familiar being and a grin came to my face. They would be here in ten minutes.
"And may I ask what is so amusing?"
"Just imaginin' how ugly your momma was to have given birth to a thing like you," I snorted. He punched me full force, driving me straight into the deck. This time I did let out a cry, more of surprise than pain, landing on my hands and knees.
Gentle hands helped me up, "Are you alright?"
"Fine," I looked up and smiled, "Thanks, Brown Eyes."
His eyebrows shot up, "Brown Eyes?"
"'Cause ye have pretty eyes. Prettier than Pretty Boy's," I nodded sagely before standing on my own two feet and facing Beckett. All humor vanished from my face and I allowed the cold fury to shine through, "Cutler Beckett! You murdered a Daughter of the Seas!"
"What are you ranting about now?" He rolled his eyes and smirked.
"I call on the God of the Seas, my great-great-grandfather! Lord Poseidon, my king and patriarch, hear my cry!" Several gasps broke out as a storm began to gather over our heads, "I place a curse on you, Cutler Beckett, in the name of the Goddess Calypso, King Poseidon, Abigail Oceansong and all the innocents you have murdered across the years! Give me a sign that my curse is deserved, my lord!"
Several of the men started when the wind picked up, "Bloody hell!"
"Then, Beckett, may your food turn to ash in your mouth. May your thirst never be slated by any drink. May you never feel the pleasure of another's touch. May the moonlight turn you into the monster you truly are!" I shouted, "As the future Princess of the Seas, I declare this curse to keep its hold until the day you die!" Lightning struck the mast as soon as I finished and a sea-colored portal formed next to the Dauntless, "The gods have accepted my curse!"
That was when my future ship came through the portal and most of the sailors let out terrified cries. That was when the water came swirling up on deck and elongated to form my gran, "Lucy, I'm ho-ome!"
"Funny, Gran," I laughed openly.
"Was that a curse I just saw cast?"
"On the piece of shit who ordered Mom killed," I pointed at Beckett.
"You better be glad I don't have the time to deal with ye now," Gran snarled at him, "Charlie-"
"On the Oceansong, I know. See ya, Brown Eyes!" I waved and leapt over to the other ship.
Gran followed a few minutes later, a sadistic smirk on her face, "Well, Char, you ready to start training?"
"Born ready," I grinned back.
*Hayden's POV*
I tapped my fingers impatiently against the wood of the ship Will had somehow obtained. Not that he'd told me how. He hardly ever talked to anyone and, on the rare occasion he did, it was about how to get Dad back. I was worried about him.
Not that he really noticed or even cared.
"Chil', ye need tah speak wit' him," Bisabuela told me solemnly, "Ye know dis."
"Aye. I remember," that was one of the few things I could beat Charlie at in our lessons. She could capture the present and past in her drawings; I, the future in my readings. I knew I was the only one who could keep him from doing anything stupid.
"Den go."
"I'm goin'," I sighed, heading to where I knew Will would be since he wasn't puzzling over the charts: the hold, "Will?"
"Go away, Hayden," he was brooding, as usual.
"I don't think so, whelp," I snapped, "I can't take it anymore! Ye have two subjects to choose from: what's botherin' ye or why ye should NOT stab the bloody heart!"
"Hayden, it's not your concern-"
"THE HELL IT'S NOT!" I yelled, then took a deep breath, "You're my mate, Pretty Boy. I l-care about you," he looked away and refused to say a word, "Fine. But yer gonna listen! Stabbin' the bloody heart means ye'll haveta take Jones's place! Do ye wanna be trapped on that ship for all eternity?"
"I promised-" The look in his eyes drained all my anger.
"Will," I gently tilted his head up, "If he really loves you, he won't let you sacrifice yourself for him. And he does. He'll give 'is life 'fore he knowingly lets you stab the heart. He is your dad, after all."
"How do you know?"
"'Cause he wouldn't stop braggin' about you back when he was on Dad's crew. Daddy told me several stories about how Barbossa nearly shot Bootstrap for it," she giggled softly.
He smiled thinly in return, "Thank you, Hayden."
"No problem, Will. Don't forget, I'm here if you need to talk," I began to walk away.
"Hayden!"
"Yeah?" I turned back around.
"I saw Elizabeth kiss your father," his shoulders slumped, "She loves him. Not me."
"..." my eyes must have been the size of dinner plates and my mouth hit the deck, "OHMY-"
He slammed a hand over my mouth, "Breathe!"
I took a deep breath and nodded. Will let go, "I can't believe that! Dad's too old for her! He's the same bloody age as your father! And she had you! How stupid is Fishlips? She had the best freakin' guy I've ever met and she threw you away! Dad's a salty old pirate and you're young, gorgeous, smart, talented-Mmph!"
Will basically glomped me, "Thank you, Hayden."
"You're welcome, Will."
I could feel Will's eyes on me, again. He had been doing that a lot recently...
"De boy's startin' to realize," I heard Bisabuela's delighted voice after she finished lecturing Pin and Getti about the complexities of necromancy.
"It ain't gonna happen," I growled, pulling my coat tighter around me, "He loves Fishlips."
I hate cold weather. So, so much. Why the hell do you think I live in the bloody Carribean?
"Ever gazed up on the green flash, Master Gibbs?" Barbossa called and interupted my chain of thought. I sighed, knwing what story was coming next.
"I reckon I've seen my fair share. It happens on rare occasion. At the last glimpse of sunset, a green flash of light shoots up into the sky. Some go their whole lives without seeing it. Some claim to have seen it that ain't. Some say-"
"It signals when a soul comes back to this world...from the dead!" Pintel said, interrupting Gibbs. I snickered at the death glare Gibbs shot him "Sorry."
"Trust me, young Master Turner, it's not gettin' to the land of the dead that's the problem." Barbossa grabbed the tiller with a sadistic grin "It's gettin' back."
The water was beautiful, almost like we were sailing in the night sky. I leant over the railing, a blissful smile on my face until I heard Will, "How long do we continue not talking?"
I sighed. Great, now they were going to work it all out. Damn my excellent, batlike hearing! Why couldn't I be partially deaf like Charlie? My heart constricted at the thought of her and I prayed she was safe.
"Once we rescue Jack everything will be fine," Fishlips murmered and my eyes widened.
"When we rescue Jack?" Ooh, Pretty Boy was PO'd. He began to yell at her retreating back, "Then you can marry Jack when we rescue him! Be Hayden and Gemma's stepmother!"
"What?" she turned around.
"We. Are. Through," he turned away pointedly and she stalked off. I was doing a happy dace in my head, even if I did feel bad for Will.
Bisabuela walked up, "For what we want most, dere is a cost must be paid in de end. Sometimes, though, dat cost is wort' it," I shivered as her eyes ghosted over me. She was match-making again.
"Barbossa! Ahead!" WIll screamed right after she finished. That was when I noticed the giant waterfall.
"Aye, we're good and lost now," I tossed back my head and laughed gleefully while everyone else ran around in a panic.
"Lost?"
"For certain you have to be lost to find the places can't be found. Elseways, everyone would know where it was," he told Fishlips cheerfully.
"Amen to that!" I cried.
"We're gaining speed!" Mr. Gibbs cried.
"Aye!" I screamed with Barbossa.
Suddenly, Will grabbed me, "To stations! All hands, to stations! Hard to port, gather way!"
"Will-" I looked up at him in shock.
"Hold on, love."
I Was still trying to process that remark while Barbossa ordered, "Nay! Belay that! Let her runs straight and true!"
"Blimey!" Pin cried out.
"You've doomed us all!" Elizabeth screamed while glaring at me and will. Ever the mature one, I stuck my tongue out at her.
"Don't be so unkind. You may not survive to pass this way again, and these be the last friendly words you'll hear!"
"Barbossa, why be friendly to her?" I snorted.
"Tie her off!" Will tightened his grip on me. He was going to be a great captain one day.
Bisabuela was casting a spell, a rather usdeful occupation. On the other hand, Swann was useless, "Hard to port!"
"HoLD ON!" Will yelled while Barbossa and I laughed.
"That was awesome!" I dragged Pretty Boy out of the water with me, "Let's do it again!"
"Only you, Hayden," he laughed merrily.
"Hey, ye love me for i'!" His eyes softened and I blinked. No way...
Then the Pearl came gliding over the sands. I think my mouth fell down to my boots and I blinked slowly. Several times.
"Boat," Getti pointed.
"Uh-huh."
"Slap me thrice and hand me to me momma, it's Jack!" My eyes filling with tears at the sight of my dad stagggering towards us after the Pearl landed in the water. Will gently wrapped his arms around me as we watched. He pulled me foward a bit to join the rest of the crew as they gathered around Daddy. I hid bbehind him nervously, terrified for some reason that Daddy wasn't going to want me anymore.
"A sight for sore eyes! Jack!"
"Mr Gibbs!" Dad did not look happy.
"Aye captain."
"I thought so. I expect you can account for your actions, then?"
"Sir?"
"There has been a perpetual and virulent lack of discipline aboard my vessel! Why is that, sir?"
"You're in Davy Jones' locker, Captain."
"I know that. I know where I am, and don't think I don't," I let out a stunned, soft giggle at Daddy's words, not loud enough so that he could hear me.
"Jack Sparrow," ooooohhhh. Barbossa wasn't happy.
"Ah, Hector. It's been too long, hasn't it?"
"Aye, Isla de Muerta, remember? You shot me."
"No, I didn't. Ah, Tia Dalma, out and about, eh? You lend an agreeable sense of the macabre to any delirium," my heart almost broke at that.
"He thinks we're a hallucination," Will reached back to hold my hand and I squeezed it in appreciation.
"William, tell me something. Have you come because you need my help to rescue a certain distressing damsel?" I snickered and Will actually chuckled, "Or rather a damsel in distress? Either one."
"No. Actually-"
"Then you wouldn't be here. So you can't be here. Q.E.D. you're not really here!"
Fishlips decided that would be a good moment to speak up, "Jack, this is real, we're here."
"The locker, you say?" He had run back to Gibbs. I was literally almost rolling around on the sand laughing and I could feel Will shaking.
"Aye."
"We've come to rescue you," God, was that her bedroom voice? Ick!
"Have you, now? That's very kind of you. But seeing as I possess a ship and you don't, it seems as though you're the ones in need of rescuing and I'm not sure as I'm in the mood."
"But Daddy," I whined stepping out from behind Will, ""Me an' Pretty Boy an' Gibbs really did come to save you!"
"Hayden," his voice actually cracked and I was swept up into a tight, warm hug.
"I see my ship," Barbossa just had to ruin the moment, "right there."
"Can't spot it, must be a tiny little thing hiding somewhere behind the Pearl," Dad retorted.
"'Sides, the Pearl was Dad's before she was the Pearl," I snapped, "Get yer own ship!"
"Jack," Will interupted, "Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones. He controls the Flying Dutchman!"
"Will's right, Dad," the desperation in my voice got his attention, "He managed to catch Charlie!"
"He's taking over the seas!" Fishlips threw her own two cents in.
"De song has already been sung. De Brethren Court is called," Bisabuela added helpfully.
"Leave you people alone for a minute and look what's happened, everything's gone to pot."
"Thanks, Dad."
Gibbs sighed, "Aye, Jack. The world needs you back something fierce."
"And you need a crew," Will stood straight and tall.
"Why should I sail with any of you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past, one of you succeeded," he stared at Elizabeth, as did everyone else.
"Oh, she's not told you? You'll have loads to talk about while you're here."
"Not bloody likely," Will snapped. If looks could kill, Elizabeth would be dead by now from the glares Will and I were sending her way. I wasn't going to kill her now, though. She'd make good cannon fodder eventually.
Dad barely spared us a glance before he turned to Bisabuela, "As for you..."
"Now, don't tell me you didn't enjoy it, at the time."
"EW!" I screeched, breaking out of my 'Kill-Fishlips-Trace'.
"All right, fair enough, you're in," next up was Getti, "Don't need you, you scare me."
"DAD!"
Of course he ignored me, "Gibbs, you can come. Marty. Cotton. Cotton's parrot, I'm a little iffy, but at least I'll have someone to talk to," then he reached the leader of Soa Feng's men, Tai Huang, "Who are you?"
"Tai Huang. These are my men."
"Where do your allegiances lie?"
"With the highest bidder."
"I have a ship."
"That makes you the highest bidder."
"Good man. Weigh anchor, all hands, prepare to make sail," he looked down at his compass.
"Jack," Barbossa snarled, "which way ya goin', Jack?"
"Boys!" An unfamiliar woman's voice cut them off, "Shut up! We need to get outta here so I can find my baby and my husband!"
"Abby," Bisabuela managed to get out as I went slack in Will's arms.
"Who is she?" He whispered in my ear.
"Charlie's mum, Norrington's wife," he gaped at me, "Yeah, I know. Shocking."
