Author's note: We're nearing the end, you and I. Thank you to everybody that's been reading and reviewing. As always, everyone except Kaylee belongs to the mouse, they're just on loan.
The journey had been long and hard, and Kaylee had done the most work she had ever done in her life. This final leg of the journey was spooky, plain and simple. All was deadly quiet, the water was as still as a millpond, and there wasn't so much as a breath of wind, yet still the ship moved forward. Kaylee stood in the bow, straining to see something, anything besides the starry emptiness. She heard footsteps behind her. "We're getting close."
She turned and faced Barbossa, an incredulous look on her face. "Close to what? I don't see a thing. I think we're lost."
"For sure, you have to be lost to find a place that can't be found, elseways everyone would know where it was. Listen, you'll hear it."
Kaylee strained her ears, and she finally heard something besides the crew of the ship. She heard rushing water. The longer she stared into the distance, the more she could make out a line of white on the water: a waterfall. Suddenly, she found herself restrained by two of the crewmembers. Barbossa smiled evilly. "Well, missy, it seems we've reached your stop. Seems sad to lose such a useful lass, but, a promise is a promise."
Kaylee struggled against her two captors. "But, but, you said you'd lead me to Davy Jones' locker!"
"And I have. T'was you who failed to specify how you were to get there. I do hope you can swim. Men, help our passenger disembark." The two men grinned at each other and tossed a screaming Kaylee into the rushing waters.
James trudged along the sandy strip, staring out at the ocean. Eternity in this place was going to drive him insane. He could walk this beach forever, and he'd never see anything new, save the people who washed up and wandered off. He saw another one right now. This one looked like a young boy, probably not more than thirteen. Those were the ones that bothered him the most. He was facedown in the sand, the surf lapping at his legs, his dark red hair plastered to his head. James approached to see if he could help the boy, although if he was here, he was already beyond helping. He knelt down and rolled the boy over, and what he saw made his breath catch in his throat.
Kaylee blinked, the sun in her eyes. The fall over the edge had knocked her unconscious, and her body felt like she'd been run over by a wagon. Someone was looking down at her, but her eyes refused to focus. She blinked again, and she finally saw who it was. "James?"
"Kaylee? What are you doing here?"
She groaned as she sat up. "I came after you."
He stared at her incredulously. "Why would you do something as stupid as that?"
In pain, tired, and cross, Kaylee stood up and said irritably, "Oh I don't know, maybe because I love you, you ninny." With that she began stalking down the beach.
It only took James a moment to catch up with her, grabbing her up in his arms and squeezing her, eliciting a small squeal of pain from Kaylee. "Sorry. I'm just so glad to see you! I thought I would never see you again."
Kaylee looked up at him. "I couldn't very well leave you here, could I? Part of me died the day you left."
James looked down dejectedly. "But when I left… I said such horrible things to you. I would think you would be glad to see me dead."
"Do you think I didn't know you were drunk? And didn't you hear a word I said before? I love you, James."
"Still, Kaylee, I am deeply sorry. Forgive me?"
She smiled. "Would I have gone to the ends of the earth to find you if I didn't?"
He hugged her again, gently this time. "I love you, Kaylee." His hand went to her hair, and he looked at her sideways. "Can I ask how this happened?" He grinned as he played with the short fringe around her face.
She pulled at the ends of her hair, as if willing it to grow. "Well, I couldn't very well pass as a cabin boy with waist-length hair. It looks horrible, doesn't it?"
"I think you look just as beautiful as ever." He said, smiling. "So what was your plan for getting out of here?"
Kaylee scowled at the horizon, kicking at the sand a bit. "Well, my plan was to sail back onboard the Black Pearl, but, well, obviously that won't work now."
James looked at her. "The Pearl? You mean Sparrow agreed to this?"
Kaylee grinned sardonicly. "Well, not exactly…"
When Kaylee finished her story, it was nearing sunset. She and James were trying to think of some way out of the locker when they spotted sails on the horizon. James jumped up and exclaimed, "The Dutchman! Why didn't I think of that?"
"The who?"
"The Flying Dutchman. That's how we get out of here."
Kaylee looked at James as if he'd gone mad. "Why would Davy Jones let us out of the locker?"
"First, Davy Jones isn't the captain of the Dutchman anymore. Second, I've met the new captain, and he's an old acquaintance. And third, you aren't dead and don't belong here." He waved his arms frantically, trying to signal the Dutchman. It weighed anchor just off the shore, and a boat was lowered. As they rowed to shore, Kaylee saw four figures. A man about the age her father would have been was manning the oars, another knelt in the bow, holding a little girl of about three, and in the stern, looking quite sullen, was Jack.
The man in the bow stepped out of the boat walked up to James and held out the hand not holding the little girl. "Admiral Norrington. I'm glad to see you, although I wish it weren't here."
James took his hand in a strong handshake. "Mr. Turner. I'm incredibly glad to see you. I have a favor to ask of you."
Will set the little girl on her feet, and she moved to clutch at his leg, peeking out at the others. "Jack already told me what was going on." He turned to Kaylee. "You must be Miss MacEwan. My name is Will Turner. I'm here to take you back."
"You mean take us back, right?"
Will looked uncomfortable. "Well, no. James is dead, he's supposed to be here. You aren't."
Kaylee grabbed James' arm. "I'm not leaving without him."
At this point Jack came staggering up the beach. He clapped a hand on Will's shoulder. "Oh, come now, young William. Surely this once you could make an exception? After all, you brought me back. And there's a much better reason to bring him back." He gestured at the two of them. "Look at 'em, Will. They're in love. Could you truly separate them again?"
Will looked at them, and his eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment. "I suppose this once I might make an exception."
Kaylee could have hugged them both. Instead, she smiled brightly and asked, "So when can we leave?"
Will pushed the little girl forward. "As soon as we can hand off little Grace here to someone."
Kaylee picked up the dark-haired little girl, who clung to her like she had Will. "You can't mean you're leaving her here?"
"I have to. The ship she and her parents were on went down, and they all drowned. I haven't found her parents yet, but they'll end up here eventually."
Kaylee hugged the little girl tightly. "But she's just a baby!"
Will's eyes looked hollow. "You have no idea how many 'babies' I've had to ferry here."
Kaylee looked down into the little girl's blue eyes. Without looking up, she said, "I'll take her."
Jack, James, and Will all exclaimed at once, "What?"
She looked up at them. "I'll keep her, I'll take care of her. Just don't leave her here." She seemed about to cry.
Will just nodded. "Fine. Shall we go now?"
As they walked to the boat, James looked over at her. "Are you sure about this?"
Kaylee nodded. "Could you honestly have left her there?"
James shook his head and tousled the girl's dark brown curls. "No." He looked back to Kaylee. "Do you think you might need a hand with her?"
She smiled. "If you're offering, yes." Now on the little ship, she looked over at Jack. "Thank you, Jack."
He still looked sullen. "You stole my ship."
"Borrowed, with every intention of returning it." She grinned.
He smirked. "I know that. And I thought that Hector might be a mite more than you could handle, that's why I came after you."
"Why Jack, you're not such a scoundrel after all."
Jack looked down. "Don't spread that around, will ya. Some of us have a reputation to keep up."
They all laughed, and Kaylee and James looked at each other, smiling like there was no one else in the world.
Never fear! This isn't quite the end. I'll soon have an epilogue up for those of you that are interested.
