Hey! Sorry that this chapter took so long, I tried to write it as fast as I can, but of course life got in the way :( This is the longest chapter I have ever written and it was one of those chapters that I regretted to write beforehand because of what takes place. Though it's the tenth chapter, the plot starts here. There's a truce, an accusation, and a starting fight that can tear our two lovers apart. And maybe an unexpected twist at the end ;) So I gave you all this long chapter to make up for lost time and if this lost time happens again. Hopefully not. Oh, cliffhanger alert. I just love those ;)

Chapter Ten: Truces and Accusations

"We're coming up." Jack stated to Gibbs, this had to go as smoothly as it was supposed to be going. Jack sensed a storm coming, but not for a while. The sun was steadily setting down behind the horizon. He realized something. Nicolette wasn't above deck. This was either a good thing or bad thing. Good thing because if she wasn't above deck he could do this as smoothly and easily as possible; bad thing because she was always on deck sometime during the day. It wasn't natural to find her off. He looked toward his first mate, "Where's William?" He asked instead, if the whelp was with her, he'd be dead. Jack couldn't wait to be rid of him. He would be far away from her and out of his hair for a very long time.

Gibbs stated, "At the railing, watching over the water carefully, probably be wanting to get this done and over with, if ye ask me." Jack smirked, good. Far away from her, but where was she exactly?

Jack asked him with his smirk falling, "Where's the other one?" He avoided Nicolette again and referred to Christopher as 'the other one.' He would have a word or two with him. Jack hated asking for that man's help, especially since he lied to him the first time they had a word or two together! Was he insane? Did he not think that Jack would catch on to that shameless detail?

Gibbs inquired to him, not sure who this 'other one' was, "Who is this 'other one' that ye are asking about, Captain?"

"Christian." He replied simply.

Gibbs looked at him confused, "You mean Christopher?"

Oh, right, that was his name. "Oh, aye, him. Where is he?"

"Talkin' to Cotton."

Jack raised his eyebrow and turned to Gibbs confused, "Talking to Cotton's parrot?"

"No, Cotton."

"How?" Jack asked. Why would he do that? Cotton was a mute, he never gotten a tongue to replace his old tongue... right? No matter how much Jack could defend Christopher, he was actually a bloody idiot.

"Cotton's not answering back. I don't think he even figured the man a mute yet." Gibbs stated with a shrug. Jack shook his head, he was not surprised and yet surprised at the same time.

Jack looked over at Gibbs, handing the helm to him, "Man the helm for a bit. Keep same course, I'll be back. I have to have a word maybe two with our other guest." Gibbs only looked at him for a moment, but took the helm anyway. Jack walked off, heading onto the main deck to see Christopher standing there by the corner talking to Cotton. Cotton was standing there listening intently to the man without having his own input in their conversation. Jack could've laughed at this, but didn't say a word. Next to Christopher was what he was supposed to be doing, but quickly neglected to do. Wherever Nicolette was, Jack came to the conclusion that if she had laid eyes on the scene she would have his head most definitely.

"You know, for a man on this crew you really don't talk a lot." Christopher stated to him after their long conversation. He had realized that he had done most or maybe all of the talking. That was strange. He never usually talked so much as he had done before. Christopher waited a moment or two for a word to escape from the man, but to his disappointment, the man stayed mute. "Hello?"

Jack couldn't take the few seconds he endured watching his stupidity. Jack thought that maybe his brain grew a bit foolish by watching this in the short amount of time. He intruded, "He's a mute, lad." Christopher rolled his eyes and turned around slowly away from Cotton. Jack continued with a short explanation for the man's silence, "Man had his tongue cut out." To demonstrate it, Cotton opened his mouth to Christopher to show his missing tongue to him. Christopher winced and skimmed his tongue over the roof of his mouth to be sure that it was there. Jack tried not to look.

Christopher just didn't say a word, either from humiliation for even thinking that he was able to talk or from complete disgust and shock that the man's tongue was cut out and shown to him. Jack changed the subject quickly, "Where is your sister?"

"Don't you know?" He retorted, quickly recovering. That seemed to be a stupid question since this was his ship.

Jack shook his head, "Haven't seen her since this morning."

"Haven't seen her since last night." Christopher's tone was annoyed. He still hadn't gotten over the fact that Jack Smith, or rather Sparrow, was a pirate. And a notorious one at that. It wasn't really easy for him to come by that fact. Did he hate her for it? Hate, such a strong word. Not even he, a man who hated pirates for practically his all life, could come to that term. Disappointed, sure. More in his self than her. Maybe if he had stayed, everything would've been different. He didn't regret his decision in leaving at all, if anything, he did anything but regret it. He thought that he would be more miserable than he was already. But if he had stayed... all he knew was that he was close to regretting it.

Jack swallowed, sensing it immediately, but didn't say a word about it. He ignored that tone and asked him, "Not even in the galley?"

"No."

Short answer, that was nice. Jack inquired again, "Below deck?"

"Nope."

He was just full of short answers today, wasn't he? Jack tried again, "Rum cellar?"

"Haven't been in there to find out."

This man was useless. Why was Jack even wasting his time? "How about in the crow's nest?"

Christopher raised both of his eyebrows and asked him, "Why would she even be in there?"

"She has a strange habit of doing whatever I tell her not to do aboard this ship and the crow's nest is one of the few places that I know she would break her neck getting up to and so I tell her not to go there to prevent that from happening."

"A pirate can't even keep his woman on a leash?" Jack could sense the hate in his voice. That phrase was practically soaked with snake venom that was violent and vicious. Jack could've staggered back from that hard blow he had just received. If Nicolette had heard that, there would be no tomorrow for him. And that was what set him almost off. East India Trading Company wretch. If he was trying to hide the fact that he had found out through his own intuition, this man would be thrown off his ship whether or not they were near a port. Well, not even that, Jack needed Christopher to do something for him... and he better do it right. If he didn't, Nicolette's form of torture and punishment might have to be put into action.

Jack sighed, this man was not only useless, but he was arrogant. This only made everything ten times worse than it already had to be. "Come with me, mate." Jack stated, his tone passive and emotionless. It actually seemed too serious that it made him seem almost sober. Was the drunken pirate Captain sober? That would be only a shock to Christopher, being already exposed to the man's love of rum. But he had to admit this man had such patience for him.

Jack walked forward to a vacant area by the railing that was in none of the hearing area of the following people: Everyone. Christopher stood in place for a moment and Jack rolled his eyes annoyed, steadily turning around to face him. "What? I don't bite." Jack stated to him. With a sigh, Christopher walked away from the railing to follow Jack. He muttered under his breath, "Wretch."

Christopher caught that easily, "I beg your pardon, what did you call me?"

Bugger, he really is Nicolette's brother. Jack shook his head and waved his hand as if saying that it didn't mean anything. Christopher only glared at him from behind, burning a hole in his back. When they reached the railing, Jack looked absently at the water. He stated to Christopher, "You know, when you are on someone else's ship you don't disrespect them like you had just done to a man in power of your safety aboard said vessel."

Christopher didn't catch that now, "What?"

Jack shook his head at him, he knew he heard that, "Listen to me. I'm Captain."

"I know that. You're Captain Jack Sparrow." He said his name like it was out of mockery.

"Yes I am. And you will soon find that I am not that forgettable." That sounded a bit conceited. Christopher bit his tongue to not even muster an insult to his ego or a sarcastic remark with potential of being an insult. Jack's face fell into a serious frown as he added, "But you will soon find out that even though you are not Captain of your ship at the moment—."

"Yes I am. I'm just not on it."

"Because you were mutinied." Jack retorted. "That makes you currently incapable of being a Captain of the ship, it only makes you true Captain of the ship, but not current Captain. I've been there." Christopher didn't seemed surprised by that, he seemed like a Captain that could be mutinied. Jack didn't seem to be surprised that he wasn't surprised. Jack added, "So, you are lucky that I am being very tolerable at the moment with you. No matter your sister protests to throw you in the brig until you rot or until we are in shark infested waters so we could throw your body in there to watch you be eaten."

His mouth actually fell, that actually seemed to hurt him. That was interesting and yet surprisingly intriguing. He didn't seem to really care for her. He asked him in utter shock, "She said that?"

"She's been underestimated by you, I assume." Jack stated.

Christopher shook his head no, "I didn't actually." He did. He just didn't want to be admitted by it. Christopher continued, "I just couldn't picture her saying that to you about me."

"I'm an honorable man. I don't lie all that often."

"A pirate who doesn't lie. That's shocking."

Jack's face fell again into the serious frown. He stated to Christopher, going back to the original subject at hand, "Well, though I am very tolerable with you, I have my limits." Why was there always a though? Or a but? Christopher didn't at all say a word for him to continue. "I'm Captain of—."

"I know you said that already."

"Rude to interrupt, son." Jack stated quickly to him. With a sigh, Jack continued, "And being Captain of this ship, that means that I should have respect from my crew. Even the newest temporary members of that crew. Savvy?" Jack's eyes narrowed at him and he suddenly felt himself shrink under it. He would actually feel the same to him if it was the other way around. He straightened his back as Jack continued on, "I have a feeling that if it were the other way around you would feel the exact same way." Christopher nodded without hesitation.

"I think I would throw me off at the nearest port if I paid myself disrespect."

"Ah," Jack's eyes seemed to brighten seeing that his point was taken easily. Only Captain to Captain could understand this short conversation, not Captain to Deckhand, Captain to Cabin Boy, none of those. Jack smirked, "Seems we came to an accord."

Christopher didn't comprehend what he had meant, what sort of agreement have they made? He mustered, "Huh? I'm sorry, I'm confused. What accord?"

Jack smirked, "You see, I'm going to offer you what you cannot refuse, mate. Since the respect of the Captain thing and all that." Christopher nodded hesitantly and Jack added on, "Tonight, we are not going to be doing something that you're sister is going to be taking a liking to at all. So we need to keep her away from the deck at all times."

"What does this require?" He inquired with his eyebrows furrowed.

Jack waved that off, he didn't need to know that detail, "You don't need to know that. What you need to know and what I need to know secondarily is that your sister is away from the sights of what's happening and my head wouldn't be on the tip of a sword overlooking the ship. Now, do you want that?" He only shrugged. Jack's face fell into a frown, "Is that a yes or no?"

Christopher shrugged, "Depends how you look at it."

Jack didn't want to press it on, knowing that he would banter with the fool for a long while, "So your job is to distract for a little while. Maybe conduct a little truce that could cause a bit of peace, argue, I don't really care. But whatever you do, you make sure that she doesn't step onto the deck."

"Then in that case I have to know what does this require." Christopher stated.

Jack didn't like the sound of that. "Why," asked he. "What's it to you?"

Christopher explained, "Well if I'm to block her from any horrific sights that might be taking place and that she would surely kill you for, then should I know exactly what I am to be blocking her eyes from?" Jack couldn't argue with that point. That was rather a good one, actually. Maybe he wasn't a fool. Looked like one. No, he was still a fool but a smart fool at that. Jack would have to bargain with this. Now, what did Christopher have to do on this ship except catching the Godforsaken monkey that was on this ship before? Jack smirked mischievously, when he realized. No Captain ever liked to swab the deck.

"How about this?" The tone of negotiation hit Christopher easily. He was scared to see what would come out of it. "You, do this for me, and I do something for you. Sort of a, you scratch my back, I scratch yours, type of thing. Except, we won't partake in such activity like that. You keep your sister out of what she would kill me for if she ever were to find out and I will relieve you from whatever job that you have currently have in exchange." Jack extended his hand and kept the same smirk. Christopher only looked at it. That did sound nice. He took the hand with a shade of reluctance.

"Agreed." The moment the word escaped his lips, a strike of lightning flashed at the horizon. Jack hadn't realize that the black backdrop of the sky partly came down. The roll of thunder with the pounding rain followed, Jack knew this was going to happen. He looked around and not too far ahead he could already smell the debris and rotting bodies that was the result of Davy Jones' done work. They were getting closer. As the rain poured, Jack nodded toward the Captain's cabin indicating without words to Christopher that it was now time. Christopher looked blankly at it, unsure what he meant.

Jack only stated to Christopher before shouting orders at his crew, "Don't mess up. The deal's off if you do." Christopher parted his lips slightly and watched Jack walk away waving his hands up in the air, directing his crew. He looked back at the cabin doors and shook his head. He didn't know how this was going to go. Was she even in there? Jack probably only assumed that she was since no one had seen her anywhere. Without further comment, Christopher decided that it was better to not bead around the bush and go forward toward the cabin to start his work.

She never felt sicker. She needed some fresh air, but her stomach was too whirling for her to even get out of bed. A plate of untouched food lied on the desk on top of the charts. Will and Marty had been harboring food to her from the galley. She made them keep quiet about her state of health to Jack and to everyone else. Despite Will's protests, she assumed that he honored their agreement, judging by the not frequent visits from anyone. She had never been like this. Her head was pounding, her vision was blurry, and she even had a bucket next to her for incidental purposes.

Nicolette groaned hearing the door open slowly, she didn't bother to look up to see who it was. She only hoped that it wasn't who she dreaded to see at her moment of state. She didn't bother to say a word. Instead, the mystery person had started, "Well, well, well, sleeping beauty. Never pictured you being lazy and lollygagging throughout the daytime." In response she only groaned. That was the man that she really didn't want to see now. He looked around the room and noticed the untouched food, "You didn't seem to eat."

She sarcastically added to him, still not picking up her head, "Really? I wonder what gave that away." Her voice seemed a bit raspy and almost gone. Christopher raised his eyebrow and frowned. Instinctively, he walked over to the cot and sat down at the edge of the bed. Nicolette groaned feeling a pressure on foot, "Get off me, you ass."

"Nope."

"I hate you." She stated with her voice muffled by her pillow.

Christopher smiled sheepishly and like a fool, "I love you, too."

"Get off me or else."

"Or else?" He taunted, she just didn't want to hear his voice and thought that if she stayed quiet. He moved off her foot, but not out of defeat or giving up. Then they stayed silent. It wasn't an awkward silence, it was actually comfortable, despite what they were feeling toward each other at the moment. Nicolette was too tired to argue with him, too worn. She had no idea what was wrong with her, but whatever it was she really didn't care for. She knew that it would away probably by morning. It was strange though, she felt fine yesterday. Christopher just didn't know what to say to her, or how to distract her from whatever Jack was doing and didn't want her to see. He asked her, "Are you sick?"

She sighed annoyed and laughed halfheartedly, "You're still here?"

He ignored that. Although, this was the last thing that he had wanted to do, it was also the first. He wanted to make amends anyway, Jack only made it easier for him. If he was to stay on the ship for however long, they had to get over this rough patch that they had hit. He stated to her in a sincere tone, "Listen, whether you're sick or not, I think we need to talk."

Nicolette actually nodded in her pillow, she didn't feel right with how they acted toward each other. Christopher lent out his hand to help her sit up. She swung her feet around to sit at the edge. She folded her hands on top of her shift, Christopher only looked at her in utter disbelief. He inquired to her as the thunder outside roared, "You're not going to change? I don't want to see you like—."

"Christopher, if it makes you feel better, gladly." She gotten up and walked over to the dresser taking out a pair of her breeches and a plain white shirt with a black vest. She held up a finger and walked into a side room that Christopher didn't even know was there. It wasn't used that often, it was stuffy, and dusty. Once Nicolette entered the room she realized that she was going to have to clean this someday. As the door closed, she suddenly heard muffled orders from Jack in between the rolling thunder. Christopher sat on the cot, feeling the ship steadily make a stop in the middle of the ocean with the stormy waves rocking the ship back and forth. They must be doing what they were supposed to be doing.

Nicolette took her sweet time getting dressed. For only a single reason, she didn't know what to say to her brother. She couldn't agree more with him. They needed to talk and what they needed to talk about was how they were going to survive under their glares, their comments, and the tension they would be under for the while. She smoothed out her shirt and tucked it in her breeches. She didn't put on her boots so she was bare footed and she threw on her black vest. Her black jewel was slightly tucked in her shirt making only the silver chain visible around her neck.

She felt that she had taken long enough, she walked out of the side room with her shift folded on her arm. Christopher sat down still as a tree, staring at the door as Nic placed her shift in the drawer. When he noticed his sister was once again back into the room, he saw a shimmer of silver around her neck. Strange, he never noticed that before. Instead of talking to her what he wanted to talk to her about, he started, "That chain seems elegant. Where did you get it?"

She smiled lightly and turned Jack's chair to face her brother and away from the desk of charts. All she said was, "Jack." She played with it and took the chain with the black trinket out of her shirt. Christopher's eyes seemed to widen, where would a pirate acquire such taste as that. Before he could comment on anything, she stated with her smile dropping, "Let's not stall. We both don't have all day."

"You're right." He replied to her with a slight frown matching the creases of his forehead. He decided to start it, but Nicolette wanted to start, too. "Look, I—."

"I want to apologize." She finished for him, but she was only talking about herself. Christopher raised his eyebrow and gestured for her continue. "How I treated you this whole time was wrong, morally wrong. I shouldn't have said the things that I have stated to others about you. And slapped you, which I didn't mean to do at all, I was already mad and all you kept doing was getting me more and more peeved as it was going along. I don't let anyone but Jack call me that, and no one ever has." Christopher stayed quiet as if she had something more to say. Nicolette tried to think of something else, "I'm sorry... for," what else was there? Nothing, nothing at all.

"For?" He pressed, obviously he had thought there was something else to apologize for other than that.

She rolled her eyes, "For what? That's all I have to be sorry for."

"No, it isn't. You're forgetting one very important thing."

She tried thinking back, but couldn't at all think of what he was talking about. She shrugged, "Enlighten me."

Christopher shook his head disappointed, it wasn't that hard. "I'll give you a hint: Lying."

She sighed defeated, that was definitely something she would have to apologize to him one time. That was wrong. Not only that she had to apologize to him, but she should apologize to Jack for that. Through her head pounding, she pursed her lips, "I don't know if I should." Huh? What was she doing? Although, she should apologize, she shouldn't. She didn't regret it. The result of it was regrettable, but the moment wasn't. She had her reasons in doing it and she wasn't going to take them back. She was scared. Nicolette was scared for Jack's death, for what her brother might think of her, and even what might happen after all of it. She didn't regret it.

Christopher only gaped at her, she didn't blame him. She was almost gaping at herself, but she wouldn't take that back, how she felt, how she did it, she wouldn't at all. She knew she should, but she didn't want to. She explained to him, "I don't regret that, so I'm not going to apologize for it."

"You're happy with lying to me and making everything more complicated?" Christopher asked her annoyed. The question lingered in her head for a moment. Was she happy about that? No, why would she? His tone sounded like he wasn't at all happy with her answer. If the situation was a different one, then she would agree with him fully. For him it made everything more complicated, she assumed, but apparently not to Jack and not to anyone else aboard this vessel. Did he really feel that she should apologize for something that happened a year ago?

She shook her head no, "The situation only called for that, Christopher. If it was different, then—."

He interrupted her, "Then what?"

"It would be nice if I could finish a sentence without interruption." Nicolette stated, already tired of this. If this was what it was going to be between them, then why even try? She stood up and placed her hands on her hips, "Chris, I'm trying to be calm, and you're not helping me."

"What do you mean by that?" He asked her in the same annoyed tone. It wasn't hard, really. Just state, 'I'm sorry' and then it would be over and done with. She was a stubborn mule.

She sighed, "You're taking my decision in not apologizing for that fib out of proportion. I don't regret it, so why should I apologize for it? I shouldn't, but I should. It's confusing. Maybe another time, I would. But not now, my feelings through that time made me do that and I don't regret them." He wasn't willing to take that. She had the feeling. They both looked down at the ground, they became awkward toward each other now after their rather short conversation. She shook her head while chuckling. Christopher only looked at her confused. This was actually funny to her?

Her chuckling actually turned into laughing hysterically. Christopher raised his eyebrows at her and narrowed her eyes thinking that his sister's insanity reached its ultimate high. She started in between laughing, "Look at us," Christopher was trying to get it while she was trying to continue, "we can't even get at least fifteen sentences in without arguing."

Christopher looked her up and down and then himself. His face fell into an amused smile, "Wow, how pathetic is that?" He started to laugh, which was actually the first time he had felt himself laugh since... he tried not to think about that. He knew that next time he would ever see her, if ever, that he would have to hide away from her.

Nicolette subsided her laughing only a bit and stated to her brother, "Very." She developed a small smirk and extended her arms out for him to hug. He just stood there slowly stopping his laughing and raised his eyebrow. Never heard of a hug? She had so much to teach him. She lowered her arms and extended her hand to him as if to shake his, "We should try this again some time. When I'm not cranky and when it is not thundering outside. Deal?"

Christopher settled with a smirk that matched hers. He got up and leaned forward to take her hand in his with a firm shake. He started, "Until then,"

Nicolette finished for him and it sounded almost as an offering of peace which he partly came in for, "truce?" He nodded with his smirk dropping to a sweet smile. But it quickly fell off his face with the realization that this happened too fast. He needed to stall some more. When he was about to say something, Nicolette intruded while heading toward the door leading to the deck, "You know, I want some fresh air, it seems the rain is actually stopping along with the thunder. And if there's a storm, they would be needing—."

When she went for the door knob, Christopher grabbed it tightly and used his body to block her in. Nicolette cautiously backed away from the door with her eyebrow raised. He chuckled nervously and the smile he revealed to her was also nervous. He stated to her, "You're so pale though, look at you. When I first walked in here you were as pale as a ghost under that dark tan of yours." Her eyebrows furrowed and by the speed of his words being laid out to her she knew something wasn't right with him. Christopher continued without delay to say, "I think you should lay down, fresh air does not do anything for that."

She scoffed, "Gee, I feel cared for." Her tone was sarcastic and amused. What was going on out there?

Out of the ship it seemed to have calmed down, the rain was slowly stopping, and the rolling of the thunder seemed to subside only a little. The lightening vanished through the black sky leaving the streak that was fading in it to be barely in the sights of the Black Pearl. Jack thought it to be that since he had gotten that eunuch off the ship that the rain decided to slowly stop. But he couldn't help being worried, something could go wrong, something that neither he nor anyone aboard this ship would ever like to believe they are laying their eyes on. He paced and paced, his path almost felt like it was drilling itself permanently onto his deck.

The ship was quiet, a pin or a mouse could fall and/or scamper across the deck could be heard louder than anything else. The wind blew the black sails that camouflaged the dark ship in the dark sky. Not a star was in sight to illuminate their surroundings nor was their a single lantern lit to help their view. Then needed to stay hidden from what could happen if that was the case. Jack didn't bare to go get his spyglass basically from his nerves. What was with him? He was never... nervous.

He heard muffled voices from inside his cabin, he tried making them out. The male voice he knew it to be Christopher, 'You're so pale, look at you,' he seemed to say, 'you should lay down and rest a bit. Fresh air does not due anything for that.'

'Gee, I feel cared for.' Nicolette's laugh radiated through the door, Jack knew it way too well. He rolled his eyes, he was going to expect her soon. She seemed to state to him, 'You're ridiculous, I haven't been on deck all day. Can't I just stroll about for a few seconds and look at the nighttime sky?' Jack's mind screamed, No, you may not! But he knew it to be useless. Knowing her, she might have been smiling with her eyebrows raised and a deep glare already starting to settle on her brother ready for the kill if he defied her at that moment from not letting her do what she wanted. Her determination was admired but it was gladly hated by all.

Christopher's muffled voice replied, it sounded so unsure and nervous that it made Jack shiver in his boots. 'B-but aren't you queasy? I noted that bucket by your bed and when I touch your forehead you're b-burning up.' Jack should start a countdown, but he decided against it. Instead, he stopped at the railing and suddenly gazed at the ship wreck William was sent to earlier. He almost felt his presence aboard it, he looked around his crew and made a warning by the look of his eyes to stay as quiet as mice.

But as he warned them, the person he was expected to come, but rather hoped that she wasn't going to, walked through the cabin doors with a thud. Jack tried not to roll his eyes and turn around, but couldn't help himself. Chris was in front of Nicolette blocking her from the deck, but she pushed his arm away with a confused smile plastered on her face while looking around on the deck. It was so silent, that her chuckle sounded almost like a bell. The crew grimaced at her, some trying not to widen their eyes.

She laughed while Christopher, too, looked around cautiously and confused. They weren't do anything. "Why is everyone so quiet?" Jack didn't answer, nor did anyone else aboard the ship. Her smile fell and she pursed her lips with her eyes softening. She looked around to see that everyone was either looking around nervously, seeming to her like they were waiting. Nicolette walked to the nearest side of the ship and saw a wreckage that was a few feet away from the ship. It looked like it had a ghostly presence and the ghostly glow about it was the only light that she had since the lamps on the Pearl were all... out.

Jack was standing next to her keeping a close eye on the ship not yet going to get the spyglass that was in his waist coat. Nic never took her eyes off of it, too, and the silence on the ship was strange since someone aboard the ship was annoyingly ever quiet. She parted her lips for a moment realizing that Will was missing as far as she knew. And she knew usually whether he was around or not. She turned to Jack and inquired without touching upon the subject of Will, "Where did that ship come from? I didn't hear cannons or anything out here."

Jack stated like it seemed obvious to her, "If we at all are experiencing such like that, then you would've been helping out here."

She nodded like she should've known that. She looked around the deck looking for Will's silhouette, it wasn't there at all. Somehow she knew it already. Nicky nodded with her lips pursed into a small frown. Turning back to Jack with her hand on the railing, she asked him, "Where's Will?"

Jack cursed under his breath, but then calmly rubbed his braided beard while keeping his eyes on the wrecked ship. He stated vaguely, "Er, somewhere."

She hummed. Somewhere. Well, that was nice. She looked around and stood at the railing, Christopher was lingering behind looking at the ship skeptically. "And where is 'somewhere' exactly, Jack?"

Jack winced, he knew that tone anywhere and everywhere. It was the tone of suspicion, the tone of her knowing it all like she was reading his mind, and the tone that he always had feared. It wasn't like she knew what was going on, as far as Jack and everyone else including Nicky, she had no damn clue. But that she was skeptical about the thing that she had not a clue about was what disturbed him.

A line of sailors from the wrecked ship sat down by the railing shivering and drenched from the cold sweat dripping from their foreheads and the previous storm. All were nearing the ends of their lives, praying God will somehow save them from a fate worse than death itself. All, but one. Will Turner sat the end of the line shivering from the cold breath the other man are breathing out next to him. He was drenched like the others and shivering with his hands cupped at his lap. Unlike the others he was not even close to his death. He couldn't believe it, how could he be so foolish? This was not the Flying Dutchman... it was the Flying Dutchman's prey! Lying bastard.

When Will was deep in his thoughts, the man of the sea stepped out onto the half sunken main beck. Will's eyes traced the figure that was standing there. His face was of an octopus with tentacles acting as his beard. His eyes were dark and there lied a cruel and evil sense in them that made him almost scared. He wore a tricorne hat that made his face almost a shadow and on it was little specs of barnacles. One of his legs were for a crab rather than a man like him, but it made it look like he was standing still on a peg that acted like a leg. His arm was a crab claw and Will could tell that the grip on it could probably make a man choke within seconds.

Will knew it immediately, this was Davy Jones.

A man who had a hammerhead came up behind him stating, "Six men stayed alive. The rest have moved on." Will assumed that, that was his first mate. Jones gave him a subtle nod, taking it in and then moved down the line of men taking in each of their appearances. He was searching for some desperate vibe that he would get from one who would practically do anything to survive.

Will never took his eyes off the man... if he was one, he was more of a monster to him. Jones stopped in his place, finding the perfect contender. He turned stiffly on his crab leg and saw a man who was shivering and looking down at his hands. Will noticed that it was the man who was the man he had confronted when he stepped a foot on the ship. Jones leaned forward with his eyes narrowing at the man. "Do you fear death?" His voice was a thick Scottish velvet and reminded Will of a menace.

The shivering man didn't answer him. He was too afraid for his life to speak. Davy Jones took the tobacco pipe out of his mouth and puffed a circle of smoke onto the man's face. He winced from the touch. Jones added, "All your deeds laid bare. All your sins punished." The man could have shuddered into a desperate plea and cry for his life, but he didn't have the strength to do such a thing. Jones continued, feeling that the man was now right for his taking, "I can offer you..." the word offer rang a chime of hope for the man's life, his attention was caught. He looked up as Jones added, "an escape."

The sound of hope grew, but his head snapped toward the end of the line along with the Captain and everyone else hearing an intrusion from a man holding a cross dangling from a chain. "Don't listen to him!" He tried to warn. Jones stood up abruptly putting his pipe back into his mouth temporary to walk to the other end of the line. The first thing he noticed was the cross in his hand. Had to be the chaplain of the ship.

Jones took out his pipe, blowing out of smoke. He asked him simply, "Do you not fear death?"

The chaplain shook his head no quickly and answered confidently, "I'll take my chances, sir." Jones nodded taking it in, next to him was the man Will had presumed as the first mate.

He looked over at him and it was almost Will could predict what was happening next. He ordered softly, "To the depths." With that, the first mate slit his throat making the chaplain die immediately and him and another man of the crew threw the dead body overboard. Everyone looked away and back forward to try and the get the horrific image of the man's death out of their heads.

Almost satisfied, Jones stalked off and headed back for the shivering man who seemed desperate enough to take his offer. Only one brave soul stated to him cruelly, but it didn't seem as cruel as what happened to that. "Cruel bastard!"

Jones stopped abruptly and turned inwardly to look at the man with his eyes flaring with anger. His already hardened expression seemed to harder even more. His eyes narrowed and his nostrils of his flattened nose seemed to flare. He stated harshly, "Life is cruel. Why should the afterlife be any different?" The shivering man was next to him and Jones didn't take any hesitation, letting his anger for the man seemed to subside only a little. "I offer you the choice." His tone was now convincing and was easy to cling to. "Join my crew... and postpone the judgment. One hundred years before the mast." The man looked up at him with a spur of hope rushing through him. Jones asked feeling the thought was already set in, "Will you serve?"

The man barely took any time to think. His decision was already made for him. He managed to get it out with a stutter, "I w-will serve."

Jones smiled maliciously and stated with mockery, "G-Grand." His crew behind him snickered as he stood straight up. He continued down the line with his smile falling back to his frown and the crew stopping their snickering. Will looked forward once more, hoping that Jones wouldn't look at him. To his dismay, Jones noticed a man who wasn't even close to death. He turned on his heel and took a look at the man who was sitting down looking at his hands. Jones accused, "You are neither dead nor dying." Will looked up at him nervously as he asked, "What is your purpose here?"

This was what he dreaded. He was caught. Will practically rolled his eyes, what did he have to say again? Jack said to say something if he got caught. Remembering it, Will, for the hell of it, replied quickly, "Jack Sparrow sent me to settle his debt."

Jones' face fell from either insult or confusion or a mixture of both. Sparrow? He was surprised that the man would stoop down to such a low level. He asked again confused, "What is your purpose here?"

This was Will's chance to change what he had just said before. It sounded like he didn't hear him... almost. But Will wasn't taking any chances. He gulped nervously and with his tone indicating his nervousness he spoke, "Jack Sparrow... sent me to settle his debt."

Jones and his crew chuckled from the pathetic actions of the man. But Jones was still insulted. In a mocking tone and in his thick accent, he stated, "Did he now? I am sorely tempted to accept that offer."

"You did what?" Her voice was angry, upset, and confused. How could he do this to her? He wasn't going to tell her, but he almost couldn't help telling her parts of it. Christopher and Nicolette looked at him in disbelief. Her head pounded like a beating drum, but she ignored it. She barely could look at him. She was about to hurt him somehow, but someone grabbed her arm. She struggled in the man's hold not sure of who it was and spat at him hatefully, "You bastard! This has to be the most foolish thing you had ever done!"

"Nicolette," Jack started with his voice calm and reassuring. He grimaced at Pintel who actually held her arm back to hold her partly back to thank him and then looked back at her. She didn't soften at all as he continued speaking very quickly, "I can kindly tell you that I had nothing to do with this circumstance that has taken place. Will went there on his own will when we warned him how dangerous this all could be, but he didn't listen to us all. A determined whelp that man is, and I am sure that he could resist temptation for doing anything of the sort that you think that he might be tempted to do. You don't need to worry, I bet he would be back before you say bugger. Savvy?"

She growled and thrashed her arm out of Pintel's hold roughly to point her finger at him warningly. Jack looked pointedly at it as Nic replied, "Shut it. You're daft if you think that I will believe that."

"Well, it's the truth!" He lied to her in an equal loud tone, he was sick of this! It was hard to even think with that voice there every now and then! "If you don't believe it then fine. But there's nothing that you could do about it now." Her eyes settled in a glare.

Nicolette scoffed and placed her hands on her hips annoyed. "Well maybe I would actually believe you if you don't lie and deceive every five seconds. Is it that odd to want to have a bit of honesty here and there? Because lately I haven't been getting it." This hadn't become only about Will going on that god damn ship, now. This was about something greater. All the lies, all the deceit that she had been through this past month was brought up.

Jack didn't want to fight at the moment, in fact that was the last thing that he wanted to do. He had greater things to think about that didn't involve her... her... woman problems! He rolled her eyes and waved her off temporary with his hand. She looked at it annoyed as he stated to her, "I have greater issues to deal with that don't involve you." She looked at him in disbelief. He was just going to dismiss this? Jack, for once, loved to not hear her voice in his ear any longer. He continued, "We'll talk about this later."

"No, we will talk about this now!" She argued with him. Pintel went to go drag her away, but she thrashed her arm out of his way again.

He retorted, "Later!"

Her voice was to its highest volume, "And why not now? You did this, so why won't you be the man and tell me why?"

Jack couldn't deal with this any longer, he shook his head with his eyes rolling and looked back at the ship taking out his spyglass. Something was up, he could feel it. But with Nicolette ranting and Christopher glaring at him confused because of his lack of intuition that always proved himself to have, it was rather hard. Nicolette stopped and just gazed at him in disbelief and hurt most of all. She could see right through it. Will, her brother, and maybe every other god damn person was to idiotic to not see it at all, but she could clearly.

He put his spyglass to his eye and saw the man of the hour with the whelp. But Jack found himself quickly caught. Jones looked straight from Will into the spyglass Jack was holding and a moment later. The crew of the Flying Dutchman went aboard the Black Pearl. Nicolette felt herself being pulled back and she struggled from the person's hold as the rest of the sea creature like crew appeared onto the ship. Her eyes widened to see that they all resembled creatures of the sea. Suddenly she felt a pressure of a knife on her neck. She gasped but did not say a word seeing that some of the crew were in the same position as her.

But then she laid eyes on the Captain of this crew. The Davy Jones was standing in front of Jack and her eyes almost completely fell out of her sockets. He was... well... she was actually unsure. She was speechless, thoughtless about him. Jack quickly placed his spyglass back into his shirt and looked around to see his crew under the careful watch of Davy Jones' crew. He gulped. Not good. Not good at all.

He stated, "Oh."

Davy Jones stated to him coldly, "You have a debt to pay." I know. That's why I sent the eunuch. He thought to himself, but leaned back from practically fear. Jones continued and moved forward only making Jack move back, "You have been Captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years. That was our agreement!"

Jack quickly found a loophole and tried to put it into action, "Technically, I was Captain for two years then I was viciously mutinied upon."

"Then you were a poor Captain, but a Captain nonetheless!" He retorted angrily. Nicolette rolled her eyes despite the knife on her neck with some of her blood trickling onto the blade. Jones continued, "Have you not introduced yourself as Captain Jack Sparrow?" The crew of the Flying Dutchman seemed to laugh at that, but the crew of the Black Pearl didn't find that funny at all.

Jack gulped and lied, "Not that I recall..." Lies. Nicolette knew that to be lies immediately. "Why do you ask?" Jones was giving him a look from hell that could rot anyone who would stare into it. Jack felt belittled and defeated he stated, "You have my payment. One soul to serve on your ship is already over there."

Nicolette pursed her lips and looked at Jack annoyed. She muttered under her breath hatefully, "Ah, so he admits it."

No one heard that other than the man who had his grip on her and he tightened the pressure on her neck to keep her silence. Jones was angrier, he couldn't even stand the presence of his man any longer. "One soul is not equal to another!" He stated.

Ah, there was the hole! Jack retorted, "Ah," he talked so fast that all Jones had heard was the last, "so we've established my proposal is sound in principle. Now, we are just haggling over price." Price? Nicolette hardened the glare that she had Jack put under, but he didn't seem to notice it. He was too busy with getting what he wanted instead.

Jones questioned with interest, popping his lips at the end, "Price?"

Jack smirked, perfect. He was like ice in his hand ready to melt. He stated, "Just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?"

"Zero." Nicolette stated without hesitation. The man tightened the knife against her throat even more letting a bit more blood drip onto it. It was louder than the last comment, but it was still not noticeable to others except that man and Jack. Jack tried not to glare at her for the better for her and him.

Jones answered next, looking around at his crew with a cruel smile plastered on his face, "One hundred souls, three days." Nicolette tried not to scoff at that. How was he going to accomplish that? That was such a high price for him that it made Nicolette disgusted. He didn't deserve that many. Half a soul, that was what he deserved. Not even, negative one soul, he didn't even deserve a zero.

Jack tried to not show his discomfort about that. He stated with a fake smile showing his capped teeth, "You're a diamond, mate." He turned on his heel and walked away from adding, "Just send me back the boy, I'll get started right off."

Jones wasn't going to partake in such activity like that. He informed, "I keep the boy!" Jack's face fell, as he turned around. Nicky's glare was from fright and hate and it was directed straight at Jack. He tried not to feel shrunken from it, but he did anyway. Jones continued. "A good faith payment! That leaves you only ninety nine to go!" Oh, like that made a difference.

Jack smirked at him, this was a way to soften the old tentacle man. He could be a softie at times, could he? Jack inquired, "Have you not met William Turner? He's noble, heroic, terrific soprano. Worth at least four..." not even, he'd give him half off, "maybe three and a half." Nicolette stood there with her braid brushing against the slimy fish man, her glare partly softened seeing Jack either trying or just making his mess an even bigger one. After Jack's pause, he asked him rhetorically, "Oh and did a mention that... he's in love?" Jones face suddenly soften when the word love came out of his lips. Jack wanted to clear any heads from thoughts, "With a girl."

Jack noticed the face beginning to soften and he started to circle around Jones as a taunt. He stated, "Due to be married. Betrothed. Dividing him from her and her from him, would only be half as cruel as actually letting them being joined in holy matrimony." Nicolette looked at him carefully and saw Jack's eyes darkened like he had actually thought his plan was working. But she didn't know whether or not they were going to get his back. "Aye?" He stated with his head reaching to Jones' shoulder. She saw Davy Jones' mouth trembling like he was about to cry. Her face softened and she stopped her glare to look at the Captain compassionately. She felt horrible for him.

But Jones soon snapped out of it, catching on to what the man was trying to pull over him. But when he turned to confront him, he noticed a spark of hazel eyes and a pretty face on the sidelines with a knife to her throat forced to watch the scene. He smirked and scoffed at her, "Would this pretty face happen to be the girl?"

Jack's face fell and his brown eyes looked over at Nicolette was was gaping at Jones. What should she say to that? She was shocked that Jones was even talking to her? Jack tried to cover it with a lie and stalking off from behind Jones to next to Nicolette and the man who was holding her back, "Her? She's nothing, not even the boy's love nor mine. She's only... a trustworthy, womanly," Nicolette looked at him shaking her head as if stating to him, just stop. Stop for your own good. Jack continued, "member of the crew that is only a woman by coincidence."

"Nothing? Jack Sparrow definitely knows how to flatter a woman. Doesn't he, sir?" Nicolette asked with her voice hoarse from worry that her throat would be slit in a moment for her random comments here and there. Jones looked at her sternly searching her eyes for any feeling for the man at all. Little did she know, he had found lots of feelings for him. Jones gestured to his man to let her go and with a gasp for air and relief she was released from the pressure of the knife.

With a malicious smile, he turned back to Jack stating why he had thought this, "It seemed when you were talking about this girl in love with the boy you sounded interested in her." Nicolette snapped her head toward Jack sternly and found herself actually speechless by the sudden accusation. She didn't even realize that at all. Was she that blind to it? Somehow, she was actually reminded of the time that she caught her and Jack talking rather closely... She felt the same way she felt a year ago.

Jack gulped, "Not remotely."

Nicolette repeated that, never taking her eyes off of him, "Not remotely." Her voice trembling, unsure of what was right and what was wrong. She almost had forgotten what they were arguing about before hand, but right now she didn't seem to care. She needed to get away from as far away as possible. She looked at Jones who was looking between the two of them, sensing the tension that had been there for at least month. It was right at its breaking point.

Jones stated ignoring the two of them and going back to what was at hand, "I keep the boy! Ninety nine—!"

Nicolette intruded with tears threatening to come out, though her voice was too low for some to make out, "Make that ninety-eight."

Jack was one of the few along with Christopher who had heard this. Jack's eyes were about to fall out from either hurt and his heart breaking from hearing those words that she would actually leave him at this time or shocked that she would even think about this. He mustered only one word that was in the form of a question, "What?"

Christopher with a knife pressed onto his throat. "Nic." His tone was unsure if her head was making her mad or she was joking or that she was actually serious about this. Nicolette didn't bother to look at him or even Jack, she had her eyes firmly at Jones who was only standing still with his eyebrow arched confused.

He thought he didn't hear that right. He ordered her, "Repeat that."

She said what, now? Yes, this chapter was a long one and I hope you all hung in there to enjoy it :) Sorry for the cliffhanger. I know you all hate them, but I happen to like them :) But I'll give you a hint, what Jack says to her next chapter you all are not going to believe. So like I said, if you stayed and read, yay! Oh, I think I forgot to thank people, thanks to the reviewers, alerters, and favoriters who follow this story. It all means so much to me, you have no idea.

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