Author's Note: The piece of songs in here is "Better Days" by the Goo Goo Dolls and "By Myself" by Linkin Park.

Chapter 10 No Safe Harbor

Five Years Later

Sara finished off her rum and began her way from the tavern; avoiding the more drunken patrons. Tortuga was the last refuge and haven for pirates; and more came by the day. Five years had past and Sara was ever the true pirate. Raids and attacks were numerous all thanks to remaining on the Pearl. In those years, Sara's appearance had changed. No longer was her skin that town tan, but of the deep Caribbean tan that was a healthy golden brown. A recent trip to Singapore helped with a change of clothing. Black boots in the more pirate fashion, dark brown pants that were sure to fade in time. Her shirt was a medium to dark blue; which was left open on the top in the fashion Sara favored. Her dark brown curly hair, now at mid-back, was still pulled up by the maroon cloth.
On the Pearl, everyone was accounted for and cased off. For the past five years, Robert had watched over Sara and saw the beautiful fifteen year old pirate she had become. But he had promised to himself that she was the one woman he would not touch. As the ship set sail, Sara and Robert could only wait excitedly to return to Port Royal and enact their revenge. They had hit other ports and knew that Dunbar would only listen to these attack reports for so long without action. Reports had reached the Pearl as well from the other pirate ships; showing average success over the Trading Company.

Dunbar stared at Elizabeth and Billy, having known they were his key on getting the chest. Billy had led him to the cave where he hid the chest; only to be as surprised to see it gone. Since then, several teams were sent to pick through the land between the cave and the spot Elizabeth had pointed out. Nothing had resulted from that.

"I grow tired of this," Dunbar said.

He was sitting at his desk, the mother and son stood before him in irons.

"You two are hiding the chest; moving it constantly. It stops now!"

"We told you where it was," Billy said. "If we knew other wise, why would we tell you?"

"Than it be your lives I take."

Dunbar drew his gun and aimed.

"You ask me what I want this year, and I try to make this kind and clear. Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days; cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings and designer love and empty things. Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days," Sara sang.

She was sitting on the deck, the mast for a back rest and Teague's guitar in hand. A tune had came to her and had to get it out. As it did, Sara had begun to sing. It was not the haunting voice she had when singing Hoist the Colors; but more of a sadness to it. For five years, the only land Sara and the Pearl had stepped on was Tortuga and any back wash islands. Not counting the taken ports.

"So take these words and sing out loud. Cause everyone's forgiven now; cause tonight's the night the world begins again. I need some place where we could live and some thing only you can give. And that's faith, and trust, and peace while we're alive. And the one poor child who saved this world, and there's more who probably could. If we all just stopped and said a prayer from them. So take these words and sing out loud. Cause everyone is forgiven now; cause tonight's the night the world begins again.

"I wish everyone was loved tonight, and some how stop this madness. Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days. So take these words and sing out loud. Cause everyone's forgiven now; cause tonight's the night the world begins again. Cause tonight's the night the world begins again."

Sara stopped singing, but still kept the tune going. The crew knew of the only place she could live as the song told. Her longing to return to her home port was known to all. Finally, Sara ended the tune and all was quiet. The crew were sleeping off their rum; though Sara had no more than a buzzed sensation. The joy of being the youngest of the crew. The only one that was not drunk beyond belief other than Sara was Teague. He had joined the crew after the Court meeting; and was Sara's adoptive grandfather as it were. He had taught her how to play the guitar in the first place. The older pirate walked over and sat down next to Sara.

"You sure do have quite a voice," he said to her.

"It comes with the past, Teague. You know that."

"I do. And you know Jack won't rest until the Company is gone and Port Royal is restored."

"The Company's half of it."

Sara began to hum a different tune and attempted to put it on the guitar.

"I can't hold on to what I want when I'm stretched so thin. It's all too much to take in. I can't hold on to anything. Watching everything spin with thoughts of failure sinking in. How do you think I've lost so much? I'm so afraid I'm out of touch. How do you expect... I will know what to do when all I know is what you tell me. Don't you know, I can't tell you to make it go. No matter what I do, how hard I try; I can't seem to convince myself why I'm stuck on the outside."

Sara continued the tune, but stopped singing. Teague seemed to have gotten the message. Sara longed for a solid footstep, a bed that did not sway with the motion of the waves, and a roof overhead.

"You've done right so far," Teague said.

Sara kept playing but had heard the pirate.

"Most of the ports have been properly restored thanks to you. Azu had kept your commands well-known to the fleet. And being the youngest king, next to being a pirate, you have taken to the seas quite well. You will see your home and family again."

Teague put a hand on Sara's shoulder and left her to her playing. It was the sound that was heard over all the rest; and it seemed to have taken complete control of the other sounds. The tune Sara now played had no lyrics to it; but it did not need any. The wordless song continued throughout the night; being carried on the wind.

A distant tune was heard through the open balcony doors. It was early dusk and Elizabeth was putting a five year old James, or Jimmy, to bed. The youngest of the Turner siblings, Jimmy was ever caught up on the tales and stories his mother told him. Though it was Billy who did most of the story telling. When the music filtered into the chamber, Jimmy jumped out of bed and dashed to the balcony to listen. Elizabeth followed behind and listened. She recognized it as did Jimmy. It was the tune that Elizabeth taught Sara. And it was the sure sign that the now fifteen year old was still alive. Jimmy began to hum along with a smile.

The crew stopped when they heard the music. Though in the Land of the Dead, the tune had managed to cross over. Will hear it and knew it by heart. It was the tune that Sara had hummed when he had spent the day with her. The crew began their work again, each humming the tune. It seemed like the tune was leading them in their work. The dead seemed to have found the tune catchy as well, because a number of them began to hum as well. No one knew the title; save for Will.

No Safe Harbor.