Disclaimer: Down to the sea we go, down to a world I know, there's never been, not ever before, a child born of sea and shore... Kristy's watching Little Mermaid 2...

Isla de Muerta

'So you lost your daughter, and now you need my help to find her?'

'No.'

Norrington raised an eyebrow.

'We need a ship to find her.'

Will bit his tongue. The Gallows was not the best place to have Jack asking Norrington for a favour. Swann stood silently next to Will looking slightly green.

'Give me one good reason-,' started Norrington.

'Three,' Jack corrected, smoothly.

'What?'

'Tara, Elizabeth and Bill. That's three.'

'If you think-,'

'Yeah, c'mon…It's not like I'm asking you to come…far from it, in fact…'

'I will have to come, or you will not return it!'

'Why would I want your ship? I've got my own.'

'The fact remains that-,'

'You don' need facts. Just give us a ship.'

'I am not-,'

'Sure you are, just give us a ship.'

'You are missing the-,'

'Need I repeat myself? It does get rather tiring…'

'You cannot just-,'

'Commodore Norrington,' interjected Swann before a full scale argument broke out, 'I do not need to implore on you the seriousness of this. These people who want these…these…Keys, are ruthless, they'll stop at nothing to get them. If Tara, Elizabeth and Mr. Turner really went after them, there's no knowing what could happen.'

Norrington took a deep breath. 'Mr. Mullroy!'

Mullroy scampered forward. 'Yes Sir?'

With the final battle of conscience, Norrington said, 'Prepare the Dauntless for immediate departure.' He turned and started for the docks, Mullroy at his side.

Jack looked curiously at Swann. 'Nice speech.'

Swann glared at him from the corner of his eye and started after Norrington, Will followed, leaving Jack still at the Gallows. He looked up at them nervously and hurried after the others.

xXx

'Jack are you sure this is the right way?'

Jack looked at his friend curiously. 'What? Don't trust me?'

Will rolled his eyes and leaned on the railing. 'What kind of question is that? You're the only one who can find my wife and father.'

It was late in the afternoon, and, according to Jack, they had almost reached Isla de Muerta. He and Will stood at the railings of the Foredeck.

'Let's not forget who else we're trying to find,' Jack muttered, darkly.

Will looked down at the rushing water. 'These Keys…how many did you say there were?'

'Seven. We took three.'

'What do they do?'

'Dunno.'

'So why did you hide them?'

'Repaying the favour.'

'What favour?'

Jack sighed in frustration. 'They looked after Tara for a year, I owe them that much.'

'Oh…' Will looked back at the water. 'It wasn't a year…'

'Don't rub it in whelp…'

'Land ahoy!'

Jack and Will looked up simultaneously. Isla de Muerta wasn't far off.

xXx

'Are you sure we can trust them on the Pearl?'

'Yes.'

'They won't steal it?'

'No.'

'Coz Jack would kill me-,'

'I trust them and so should you.'

Tara gazed at Bill's back for a moment then finally nodded. She sat at the front of the rowboat, holding a lantern in front of them as Bill manoeuvred the boat through the maze of caves toward the main chamber. Liz sat silently in the back; the last she was in these caves she had been a prisoner, and had never intended to return.

'You alright Lizzy?' Tara said softly, using her nickname first the first time in years.

Liz looked at her in surprise. 'I'm fine, just reminding myself that Barbossa really is dead…'

'I still have no idea who you're talking about…' Tara muttered, looking down at the gold coins in the clear water.

There was a loud scraping noise as the boat landed on the cold stone. Tara jumped out and held it in place as the other two followed. They moved slowly into the dimly lit chamber, the many mountains of treasure reflected the light, the large stone case stood in its own patch of light on top of the mound of coins.

Tara gazed at it. 'Silence is creepy…'

'I agree,' muttered Liz, 'let's find this box, shall we.'

She started to the left of the cave, Bill started for the right, and Tara took the middle.

'It's circular, black and has Chinese carvings painted gold!' Bill called as he and Liz disappeared into adjoining chambers.

'Right,' Tara murmured, looking around the very vast chamber, 'great…'

xXx

'There she is, Captain Sparrow!'

Jack peered through the mist at the Black Pearl. It didn't seem to be sinking, that was a good thing…

Will moved to his side, watching the dark ship grow closer and closer.

'Who are you?' he asked blankly as they pulled up beside it.

A middle-aged woman with red hair stared at him. 'Why? Who're you?'

Norrington smiled with satisfaction. Finally, someone who didn't know Sparrow…or at least didn't seem to.

Jack's eyes scanned the decks. 'Where'd they go?'

The woman blinked. 'Wait…you…aren't you…?'

Jack rolled his eyes.

'They've gone into the caves!' called a man from the crow's nest.

By the time anyone had registered what the man had said, Will and Jack were already pulling a rowboat free from the ropes and lowering it to the water.

Eek? What'll happen next. I know, but you don't. Review! Review! Review!