A storm broke out and everyone was working hard to keep the ship afloat. Marie heard Will shout over the rain,

"How can we sail to an island that nobody can find with a compass that doesn't work?"

"Does it really matter how he does it as long as he does it?" Marie shouted at him.

"Aye, the compass doesn't point north but we're not trying to find north, are we?"

Marie watched Gibbs approach Jack and say,

"We should drop canvas, sir."

"She can hold a bit longer."

"What's in your head that's put you in such a fine mood, Captain?"

"We're catching up."

Marie looked up in surprise. How could he tell? She shook her head; it didn't matter how as long as he did it. She suddenly felt the deck disappear from underneath her feet and she clutched at her lifeline as she went over the side. She felt a jerk as the rope caught and she yelped in pain.

"Will!" she shouted.

She saw Will look over the side and call out to Gibbs. They quickly began to pull her back up the side. Marie looked down and felt the queasy. The wind picked up and she was thrown against the side of the ship. She tried not to cry out but it was hard not to. She felt the wind pick up again and proceeded to kick the side of the ship. Finally when she was able to, she climbed over the edge. She wobbled and fell onto Will, effectively latching herself onto him. Gibbs said to her,

"Are you alright?"

"Yes." She said shakily after a moment.

"Maybe you should come back when the storms over."

She knew if she did she would lose whatever chance she had of gaining his respect. She looked over at Jack and saw him watching her, seeing what she would do. She looked Gibbs in the eye and said,

"No, I'll stay."

She looked over and saw Jack smile. She went back to work and felt everyone's eye on her. After a long time, the storm eventually calmed and Marie was exhausted. She leaned her head on the side, trying to rest. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and saw it was Gibbs. He said softly,

"You did good, lass."

"Thanks." She said softly.

The crew went below and Marie sat on the deck, too exhausted to move. Jack muttered for Gibbs to take the wheel and sat beside Marie. He put an arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. He brushed some hair out of her face and said gently,

"I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Jack." She said quietly.

"Are you hurt?"

"Maybe a little bruising but nothing serious." She said shrugging.

"Bruising?"

"Well I hit the side, but it's fine."

"Where at?" he asked.

"My shoulder, head, hip…but I'm fine though." she quickly assured him

"Let me see." He said gently.

She looked at him cautiously, then slowly pulled down the shoulder of her shirt to find there was indeed a dark bruise. She then pulled the down her trousers just far enough to see the large bruise on her hip. She looked up and saw Jack had a hard look on his face. She looked away and said,

"It's nothing..."

He didnt speak, but after a moment gently moved her hair to find a knot on her head. After a long moment he said, "Looks like it hurt."

"It's nothing." she repeated.

He turned her face to look at him. He watched her eyes widen a bit and a small blush appear. She tried to look away but he wouldn't let her. He asked her softly,

"Why do you keep insisting on lying to me, love?"

She opened her mouth to say she hadn't lied but slowly shut it. She thought for a moment and said,

"I don't know, bad habit I suppose."

He didn't speak for a long moment. He just looked at her. Marie felt vulnerable as he stared into her eyes. Finally he pulled her into a hug. She was a little surprised at this and didnt react at first. She slowly slipped her arms around him and he said softly into her ear,

"Don't lie to me, Marie. Please..."

She nodded slowly and he pulled her to lean against his shoulder. Marie tried to relax, but it took some effort to slow her thoughts. After a few minutes she couldn't keep her eyes open. She felt Jack pick her up and carry her below. He laid her in a hammock and covered her with a blanket. She felt him brush the hair from her face and say,

"Goodnight, love."

She awoke the next morning to find that the rest of the crew was on deck and she quickly pulled on her boots and rushed on deck trying to ignore her aching body. She came on deck and saw they were all looking over the side of the ship. There were many ships wrecked, broken, crashed against rocks, and it created a deathly feeling as Cotton's parrot sang softly,

"Dead men tell no tales."

Marie stood next to Will and Gibbs. She rubbed her arms in the cold and said,

"Eerie this morning..."

Gibbs said,

"Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage."

"How is it that Jack came by that compass?" Will asked rather suddenly.

"Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta . That was before I met him, back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl."

"What?" Will and Marie asked together. Gibb's eyes widened when he realized his mistake. Will said softly,

"He failed to mention that."

"Well, he plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard-learned lesson it was."

"What happened?" Marie asked.

"See three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure, too, so Jack gives up the bearings. That night there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."

"They did what?!" Marie asked a little too loudly. She winced and said, "Sorry."

"Ah. So that's the reason for all the…" Will said doing an impersonation of Jack. Marie grinned at how well it was done.

"Reason's got nothing to do with it. Now, when a man is marooned he is a given a pistol with a single shot, one shot. Well it won't do much good hunting or to be rescued. But after three weeks of a starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol will start to look real friendly. But Jack, he escaped the island, and he still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it, though, save for one man. His mutinous first mate."

"Barbossa." Will said

"Aye." Gibbs agreed.

"How did Jack get off the island?" Will asked.

"Well, I'll tell ye. He waded out into the shallows and there he waited three days and three nights till all manner of sea creature came and acclimated to his presence. And on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed em together and made a raft. "

Will and Marie exchanged a doubtful look.

"He roped a couple of sea turtles?"

"Aye, sea turtles." Gibbs assured them.

"Gibbs, Jack is an amazingly witty man, but sea turtles?" Marie asked.

"Aye lass." He said grinning, obviously very impressed. After a moment no one said a word. Finally Will asked,

"What did he use for rope?"

Gibbs didn't seem to have an answer at first. They all looked up as Jack approached. He said quietly,

"Human hair, from my back."

"Of course..." Marie mumbled.