Pirates of the Caribbean: Bloody Water

Disclaimer: I have no rights to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies or theme park rides or anything else that Disney profits off of. I'm just a poor college student who's bored over her summer break.

Rating: M

Chapter 12: Davy Jones Himself

All nine captains sat around one long table in the Sunrise's galley, waiting for the meeting to begin. The scene on deck only moments before had been pushed under the rug for the time being, and everyone was sitting silently as Sally, the ship's cook, began passing around bottles of ale.

Once everyone had been given their drink and Sally had retreated up on deck, Cecily looked around the table through narrowed eyes. "All right," she announced. "Lord Beckett is getting closer to us with every passing day. Give it a few days more, and we're going to run headlong into his convoy. So, be'ore that happens, I'd like to have some sort o' plan outlined. Ye know, so there's less o' a chance that we all die."

No one said anything. Cecily continued, "Our fleet matches his, ship for ship. We have the element o' surprise goin' fer us, so he won't have time to gather reinforcements. We need to make this quick. We need to off him and get the heart back be'ore he has time to put out a hit on our heads. Surprise is crucial to our strategy. We can't afford to give him any warning at all."

"I think he may already have some," Matthews announced.

Cecily shot a look at him. "Really? Elaborate."

"Well, Skip Worchester just may be the first pirate captain to escape the Navy now that Jones' heart is in Beckett's possession," Matthews went on. "He's going to wonder how Worchester got away. He's going to assume he had help."

"Are ye implying," Skip growled. "That I couldn't possibly be counted on to get meself out o' that mess? That I'm so incompetent a pirate captain that there's no way I could have sailed on through a hurricane? Is that what ye lot all think of me?"

Skip looked absolutely furious. There was nothing worse than a pirate captain who thinks he's just been insulted, except, of course, for an insulted pirate captain with serious anger management issues.

"Of course that's not what I'm saying," Matthews replied reasonably. "What I'm saying is that Beckett has an advantage over everyone on this ocean, an advantage that not many people could overcome. He's going to wonder how you pulled that off."

"Not to mention," Norrington spoke up. "That right now, two ships, a captain and a commodore are missing from the fleet of the Royal Navy. If that's not fishy, I don't know what is."

"Our disappearances are sure to have caused some mayhem, especially with all the soldiers we left behind bars for no apparent reason," Matthews added.

"Beckett will smell betrayal," Norrington said. "And he'll know that we've left for one reason and one reason only: to stop him."

"Not to mention he just lost one of the only members of the Navy that knew about the heart," Matthews pointed out.

"He'll know his secret's out," Norrington finished. "And he's not going to like that."

Cecily absorbed the information. In reality, it wasn't exactly a shock. They made excellent points, and it was an issue she herself had already contemplated. "Do ye think he'll be expectin' an attack o' this size?" she asked.

"Becket didn't get where he is by being under prepared," Norrington returned. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was expecting something even bigger."

Cecily nodded. "Has he had sufficient time to add to his convoy?"

Matthews shook his head. "Most of the fleet is spread out across all corners of the world, not just this particular ocean. Even if he had sensed this attack coming, I don't think there are enough ships in the area for him to have had time to increase his convoy size."

"That's just what I wanted to hear," Cecily replied, grinning slightly at Matthews.

"Well then, I think we'd better talk formation," Skip announced.

"Maybe," Nathaniel spoke up, breaking what had been a rather long silence. "The Sunrise ought to be in the center of the fleet, and the rest of us could surround it according to power and speed."

"Oh no, no, no, no," Cecily interrupted. "That's out o' the question, darling. The Sunrise is the flag ship. Flag ship always takes lead. Isn't that right, Norrington?"

"I have to agree with her," James said.

"As would I," Jack spoke up. "It makes sense that the Sunrise be in the lead. After all, it's one of the fastest and most powerful ships of the lot here. In fact, I daresay that the only ship here that could stand up to it is my ship, the Pearl. And with that in mind," Jack continued, suddenly brightening as though a light had gone on over his head, "My ship, the Black Pearl would actually be the best candidate for being in the lead. So perhaps…."

"I don't think so," Cecily snapped. "Seeing as the Sunrise is my ship, and I am in charge here, which would make me the lead, which would make my ship the lead ship by default. Am I right, James?"

"Once again," Norrington announced. "I have to agree with her."

Cecily smirked at Jack. "Apologies, darling. Nice try, though."

Jack smirked back. "Then I demand second position."

"Ye got it," Cecily returned, which caused Jack to frown. That had been far too easy.

"May I inquire," Barboussa spoke up. "As to why ye seemed to have acquiesced to our request?"

"Ye're the fastest, most powerful ship here," Cecily returned. "Ye think I'm an idiot?"

"Then seeing as my ship would come next as most powerful," Norrington put in pompously. "I demand to flank the opposite side of the Sunrise."

"If ye people don't stop demanding and start asking, I'm goin' to get real mad," Cecily said far too sweetly. "Don't any o' ye know the meaning o' please?"

"Please?" Jack frowned. "Is that even a word?"

Cecily shot him a nasty look and Jack decided to tone it down a bit.

"All right," Norrington returned stiffly. "Please."

"No problem, darling." Cecily smirked.

In a matter of minutes, positions had been assigned. A short but extremely loud argument broke out between Skip and Tanner about whose ship was the most powerful and who should get to go first, but since Skip was so much more quarrelsome and Tanner so much more apathetic, Skip won.

Cecily discussed battle tactics with the group. Mostly Norrington, Sparrow, and Barboussa shared their opinions with her, and everyone else just sort of nodded along, not really wanting to disagree with the apparent experts on the subject. It was late when the discussion finally ended and the meeting adjourned.

Cecily followed the other captains up on deck, which was probably more to make sure they all left rather than out of any politeness. As they all stepped out of the dark rooms below deck into the bright moonlight, a great splash was heard.

They all swiveled around to look out at the ocean. Much to everyone's disbelief, a large, barnacle covered ship burst from beneath the waves and came to float on top of the sea, directly beside the Sunrise. Only one ship was capable of something that impossible. They were being visited by the Flying Dutchman.

"Oh, bugger," Jack announced.

"What the hell is that?" Nathaniel Easton asked.

"That would be the Flying Dutchman," was Norrington's rather dreary reply.

Ronan began murmuring something under his breath that sounded a lot like a prayer to the goddess of the sea.

Suddenly and silently, the tentacle faced one legged pirate captain and his fish like crew appeared on the Sunrise.

"Who…" Nathaniel began to ask another question, but was interrupted by Barboussa's gravelly tones.

"That there be Davy Jones himself," Barboussa announced, rather too enthusiastically.

Davy Jones surveyed the group before him, his blinky eyes looking dangerous, and his lips smacking threateningly. "I am here to discuss matters of business with Captain Cecily O'Connor," he announced in his Scottish accent.

Just about everyone stepped away from Cecily and pointed their fingers. She rolled her eyes and approached the mutated sea captain as though he looked just like a perfectly ordinary man.

"And exactly what matters would these be?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

"Aha!" he exclaimed, approaching her in turn. They stood only inches apart now. "Ye be her?"

"Aye, I'm Captain O'Connor," she returned. "And just who the hell do ye think ye are?"

Davy Jones let loose a rumbling laugh that echoed throughout his crew. "Surely ye know Davy Jones, don't ye lass?"

Cecily tossed her hair and sniffed in a rather snobbish way. "I suppose I've heard o' ye be'ore," she returned. "Why exactly have ye come here to ooze all o'er me ship?"

"Cecily," Nathaniel cautioned softly from behind her. "Maybe ye should…."

"Maybe ye should hold yer tongue!" Cecily snapped. Easton fell silent.

Davy Jones let loose another rumbling laugh. "Now that's what I like to see," he crowed. "A captain who knows what she's doing! Total control! Congratulations," he leaned down into her face. "Ye've got talent, lass, real talent."

"Thank ye," Cecily returned. "But perhaps ye'd better not call me lass."

Davy Jones ignored the snipe. "I am here," he continued loudly. "To speak to ye about yer pirate fleet and the attack ye plan to stage on Lord Cutler Beckett!"

"What attack?" Cecily replied.

"What attack?" Jones laughed some more. "As though I wouldn't know the things percolating on me own ocean! Ye can't hide from me on the sea, lass, and don't ye forget it!" He leaned into her face again, and this time spoke without any trace of humor in his voice. "I am the sea!"

Cecily made a face at the fishy odor of Jones' breath. "Well, ye certainly smell like it." she replied.

"Watch yer tongue," he snapped. "Yer lucky I don't blast ye all to me locker, or worse, tell Mr. Beckett what ye're up to."

"Oh, ye're threatening to tattle now, are ye?" Cecily returned. "Goin' to tell on me to Mummy?"

Jones stomped his peg leg, and created a nice round hole in Cecily's deck. Her eyes widened in both shock and anger. "What the bloody hell do ye think ye're doing?" she shouted.

"I'm here to offer ye a deal, lass, now don't make me regret it!" Jones shouted back. "I am the sea; I am the locker; I am death! And ye don't taunt death, lassie. Ye listen to it, and ye listen good. And ye take the deal death offers ye!"

"Well, why don't ye tell me exactly what sort o' deal ye're offerin', Captain Death," Cecily returned smartly. "And I'll be the judge o' whether or not I ought to be accepting!"

Davy Jones glowered at her. "My offer," he announced. "Is to conceal yer li'l uprising from Beckett. If ye're a real good li'l lass, I may even help ye fight. And when all is said and done, ye repay me my kindness by recovering my heart, and returning it to me."

"Stop one madman and return power to another?" Cecily asked. "What ye must take me for."

"Oh, I take ye for many things, but not a fool, Captain O'Connor," Davy Jones replied. "Ye are dealing with very powerful, very dangerous men, and ye can't risk losing the one advantage ye have o'er the man who poses the largest threat to ye – surprise. And if ye refuse me deal, lass, ye've done exactly that. Compromised yer advantage. Without surprise, missy, ye don't have even the tiniest o' chances winning against Lord Beckett."

Cecily stared him down. "Now look here, darling," she snarled. "If I hear ye refer to me as lass, lassie, or missy one more time, I'll take the other leg. In fact, anything other than Captain O'Connor is hereby unacceptable. And as for yer deal," she scoffed – before changing tunes entirely. "I accept it."

Davy Jones was so surprised to hear her accept his offer that he entirely forgot to be offended by Cecily's blatant display of disrespect. "Ye what?"

"Are yer tentacles growing into yer ears, Davy?" Cecily returned. "I said, I accept!"

Jones was torn. He was half furious and half appeased. Which, of course, mostly made him confused. "Ye accept?"

"Cecily," Skip suddenly cut in. "Are ye sure this is such a good idea?"

"Ye are making a deal with the devil," Ronan added. "You do not turn back from such deals. And they do not end well."

"Why, thank ye," Jones said, sounding quite tickled. "I've actually never met the devil, but he's always been a hero o' mine."

His eyes bored into Cecily's as he said this, in an obvious attempt at intimidation. Cecily would not be intimidated. This was not entirely to her credit. Although Davy Jones should, by all rights, intimidate her, her stubbornness refused to let him. Since Davy Jones could literally make or break her at this point, this actually seemed less brave and more stupid.

"I've had me final word," she snapped at her men. "I accept the deal. It's done."

Davy Jones extended his hand. Cecily grasped it without hesitation. Jones didn't shake, however. He simply engulfed her hand in his claw, and left it covered in something slimy, clear, and fish-like before pulling away.

"It is done," he agreed. "And let Mr. Sparrow explain to ye what I have awaiting those who don't hold up their end o' a bargain."

In an instant, Jones and his crew were gone. The Flying Dutchman sank beneath the waves once again, leaving the Sunrise and her fleet alone in the harbor.

Cecily stared at her goo covered hand in disgust. The other captains stared at her in silence. Finally, Nathaniel asked, "Are ye all right, Cecily?"

Cecily didn't reply, at once, just stared at her hand. "I… well, I feel… I don't know exactly…."

"Sullied and unusual?" Jack supplied. "Don't worry, luv, it fades with time."

Nathaniel turned to Jack. "Well?" he asked. "What exactly does Jones have waiting for people who break their deals?"

"Oh, ye know," Jack returned loftily. "The usual. One hundred years at the mast aboard the Flying Dutchman, or of course, there's always the locker – not too bad down there, a lot brighter than I thought it'd be…. Didn't really live up to the hype as far as I'm concerned, bit of a disappointment… of course, there was the insanity…."

"Cecily," Nathaniel interrupted Jack, staring at her with horror. "What have ye done?"

"I've done what's best fer the fleet," she replied, wiping her hand on Norrington's jacket. Norrington grimaced. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Ye've doomed yerself," he returned.

"Oh, stop bein' so melodramatic," Cecily replied dismissively.

"He is right," Ronan announced. "I would have thought you Cecily, of all people, would know better than to strike a bargain with a creature such as Davy Jones."

"What would ye have had her done, then?" Tanner interrupted. "If she hadn't accepted, Beckett would have been informed of our plans, and then we'd be up shit creek without a paddle."

"We could have gotten more ships," Nathaniel argued. "We could have…."

"Please!" Norrington exclaimed, as though he was addressing the extremely dimwitted. "Do you have any idea how huge the Royal Navy is? Beckett would have gathered the whole fleet together instantly. It would be impossible for us to find enough pirates to match the entire Navy evenly. We would have never survived!"

"Not to mention," Jack put in, surprising everybody be being helpful. "With Davy Jones on the opposing side we could have all been sent right down to the locker, and let's face it. Nobody wants that. Unless, of course, ye do, in which case I would just like to point out that ye are clearly more insane than even I am. And that's extremely bloody crazy. Seriously, ye have no idea."

"All right, Jack," Barboussa intervened. "I think they get the picture."

"Even still," Ronan said, shaking his head. "No one wins when people gamble with demons. Cecily, I am afraid there is no returning from this."

"She had no choice," Skip announced. "Leave her be."

"There was no alternative," Matthews agreed. "She may well have just saved all our lives."

"Well, when ye've all finished talkin' about me like I'm not here!" Cecily snapped suddenly. Everyone fell quiet. "I'm not dead yet, m'darlings. Now, we have a fight to win, and I'm not goin' anywhere until it's o'er. And for the record, I haven't agreed to servitude or time in the locker. So let's stop talking like I just signed a lease with Davy Jones or something. Agreed?"

Everyone mumbled their assent. "All we got to do," she continued. "Is go on like we've been planning and kill Beckett."

"But ye aren't really planning on giving Jones his heart back?" Ronan asked.

Cecily made no reply. "Everyone just head back to their ships and get some sleep. We set sail tomorrow!"

Everyone filed off the Sunrise, slightly less enthused about their mission than they had been just minutes before in the galley.