CHAPTER 10

Darkness consumed the ship as it beat its way through the water. With the approaching storm, the clouds were thick, blocking all stars and the moonlight. The only beacon of light came from the lanterns on the ship sailing east. A man stood guard on the bow. Another steered the ship, obviously tired, and a third slept on duty in the crow's nest. All was silent. A small light flickered from under the captain's cabin door. The crashing of waves penetrated the silence that had taken over the ship.

Captain Barbossa sat at his desk, studying two maps that were before him. One was a regular map of the Caribbean…well, half of it anyway. The other was another map of the Caribbean, but in more detail. There was a small, discolored island. That was where Barbossa was headed.

"Sparrow," he mumbled. "He must've known that this wasn't the true map. Must be why he just let it go." The captain paused and had a short laugh. He dropped the useless map onto the table. "Blackbeard was a smart man. Had not I found his map in this very cabin, I would be at Jack's mercy right now." Barbossa laughed again. "I wonder what Death has done to him by now."

His laughter slowly faded away; he realized that he was having a conversation with himself.

Awkwardly clearing his throat, the pirate stood and clopped from his cabin. Scrum had the wheel, but he was barely awake.

"Master Scrum," Barbossa said.

Scrum jolted at the sound of his name. "Aye, captain?"

"I'm relieving you. We've a three day journey ahead of us, and I need the crew rested," Barbossa said.

"Yes, sir." Scrum trudged to his place of rest.

Barbossa's hand gripped the wheel of his ship. He smiled. He was at home. Even as the storm brewed, his hand did not move from the wheel.

Cool raindrops hit his flesh. Knowing the downfall would come, the captain straightened his hat to shield his face.

Lightning lit up the sky. Thunder roared soon after. Jack Sparrow walked in the rain, making his way back to his quarters. Stepping into the dry cabin, the captain removed his jacket. He shook the coat, flinging water from the surface. Removing his hat, Jack wiped the water with his sleeve. He turned, still holding his precious hat. Death stood not three inches from him.

"Aaah!" he yelped. That hat hit the ground.

Death did not flinch. "Hello, Jack."

"H-hello, love," Jack said without breath. He swallowed. "Where's Angelica?"

"Below."

"Below as in…"

"Asleep."

"Asleep-asleep…or…"

"Asleep as in sleeping, Jack. Below as in below decks."

Jack released the breath that he had not realized he was holding. "You thought I'd killed her?" she asked.

"Well…you are…" he cringed at the next word, "Death."

She reached around him and latched the lock. "I do not kill aimlessly, Jack." Captain Sparrow did not miss the fact that her arm was still around him. Her other arm then slipped around him as well. Pulling them closer together, Death said, "She's on an island, Jack."

"What? Who is?" he asked.

"Elizabeth Turner and her son."

"Son?"

"Yes," she answered, "and they are the reason you can't use the compass. You want to warn her…them now I suppose."

Jack paled. "Warn? Warn of what?"

"That I'm going to kill William." Death tightened her grip. She made a face of pondering. "I almost claimed her, you know? She was only pregnant at the time. But I decided not to because I might be able to use her one day. After all, you were the one who made her Pirate King." She paused. "Though, I should be thanking you. Had she not been king, there would not have been a war. And if there hadn't been a war, many of those men would still be alive."

"How did you know that I wanted to warn her?" Jack wondered aloud.

Death spoke as if he had not. "So I guess what I'm really trying to say is thank you. Thank you Captain," she emphasized the word, "Jack Sparrow. You have given me more men than I would have ever asked from a…pirate."

The woman pressed her soft lips against his. Her hand migrated to the back of his head, pulling him even closer to her.

Jack pulled back. Freeing himself from her grasp, he pushed by her. Turning, he saw her unlatch the lock. "I'm sorry…Death," he could not resist a shudder, "but you've taken enough of my life."

Death smirked. "I wasn't taking anymore years of your life from you."

Jack looked up and took a step toward her. Shaking his head, he stopped again. "Angelica…" he muttered.

As if on cue to pull Jack from his thoughts, Gibbs burst through the door. "Captain," he shouted, out of breath. "We need to find land."

Upon hearing the distressed voice of his first mate, Jack ran from his cabin. "What's happened?" he asked.

Rain pelted on him. For the first time, Captain Sparrow realized how bad the ship was rocking. Barrels rolled around. A few men stumbled, not yet having their sea legs. He could barely see through the thick downpour. Lightning flashed in the dark, night sky. Thunder cracked in the atmosphere. Jack stumbled to the left. A wave crashed, throwing more water onto the deck as Angelica came topside.

Wet hair slapped Angelica's face as the wind grew violent. She watched as Death sneaked around Jack and climbed the rigging of the ship, going toward the crow's nest. "Gibbs!" Jack yelled, jerking Angelica's eyes from Death.

"Aye, captain!" Gibbs shouted back.

Jack ran to the helm. Grabbing the wheel, Jack shouted over the roar of thunder, "Land, Mr. Gibbs!" The ship was tossed by the waves. "How far?"

"I can't see in this!" Gibbs answered.

"West!" Death called from the crow's nest. Jack was unable to hear her.

Angelica ran for the helm, as well, screaming to Jack, "West! She said to go west!"

"Who?" Jack shouted as he tried to take control of the ship.

"De-" she stopped. "Ms. Smith!"

Death felt the change of the ship's course. But the turn was not sharp enough. Grabbing a rope that was near her, she swung down to the deck. She landed roughly and stumbled as waves resisted the movements of the Black Pearl. Death fell onto her back. As fast as she could move, the woman ran for the wheel.

"Turn it more!" she commanded. She was inaudible against the raging sea. She grabbed the wheel in an attempt to save the ship. Angelica pulled her back and threw her on the ground.

"Mutiny!" Jack yelled.

Death hopped to her feet and lunged at the wheel once again. "Sparrow, the ship will crash. The turn wasn't sharp-" her voice was drowned out as the Pearl collided; the crack echoed louder than the shouting thunder. Death was thrown on top of Jack. Gibbs had been thrown down the stairs, and Angelica forced into the wheel.

"What was that?" Gibbs said quickly.

"We're taking on water!" a man called to the captain.

"Scrum," Barbossa called, "how far are we from Tortuga?"

"An extra day's journey," Scrum answered.

Barbossa sighed. "We must go there before we find our treasure. We're in much need of supplies."

The captain limped away from the helm. "Curse these mortal bodies," he grumbled. He opened the door to the captain's cabin, his quarters. Jack the monkey ran out and crawled onto Barbossa's shoulder. "That's daddy's boy," he cooed. Pulling a peanut from his pocket, he fed Jack as he entered the room. Resting in his chair, the man grabbed a green apple from his table. He took a big bite of it and smiled.

"Abandon ship?" Gibbs asked.

"No!" Jack shouted.

"It's just as ship, captain," Gibbs stated. "You've said it yourself."

"I won't abandon her," Jack replied. "Take the wheel." Jack walked through the pouring rain, back to his cabin. He stood still in the dry area. A hand rested lightly on his wet back.

"Jack," Angelica began.

"I won't," Jack said bitterly.

"Jack," she tried again, this time softer.

He turned to face her. "Not even the Pearl could survive a third sinking, I'd wager."

"We have to," she sternly stated.

"No, we don't," Death said from behind them.

"Then we all die!" she said.

She laughed at her. "First, none of you will 'die.' Who am I?" she said.

"What do you suppose we do?" Angelica asked. "If we leave, the Pearl sinks-"

"No," Jack said.

"If we stay, the ship sinks-"

"No!" Jack interrupted again.

"We might not die," Angelica continued, "but we will feel the weight of the water crushing down upon us. We will be unable to breathe and unable to die! Let's take our best chance…and leave."

"You're acting like we only have two options: leave the ship to sink or stay and let it sink," Death said. "There be a third course," she paused and sighed. "I've got to get away from pirates." She continued," The water is coming in very slowly. The port city of Curacao is west of our position. If we leave now, we can make it there before the Pearl sinks completely."

"How will we stop the water from continuing in?" Angelica asked skeptically.

"Send some men down there to begin repairs," Death replied. "But we must begin now."

Jack began to leave. "Death's plan is much more better." He stepped back into the rain. "Gibbs!" he yelled.

"Captain?" Gibbs answered.

"Rally some men and begin repairs. We need to make it to Curacao."

"Curacao?" Gibbs asked.

"Aye, it's Dutch. Make way," the captain commanded. Joshamee Gibbs heeded his captain and went to work.

"Are you sure this will work?" Angelica asked.

"Don't question me," Death stated. Then she went below to help with the repairs.

"Put your backs into it, men!" Captain Matthews ordered.

The crew of the Richard began digging much faster. Having already found eight chests, the men's spirits were rejuvenated.

"How many do you think there are?" Nicholas asked his captain.

"From all the stories of Blackbeard, there are about twenty-four," Matthews answered, "but you need not worry about how many there are. We need to worry about how to get the treasure out." He chuckled. "Or we'll all end up like poor Jonathan."

A moaning came from behind them. Nicholas turned to see Jonathan waking. Grabbing his shovel, the first mate ran toward the distorted figure. He relentlessly smashed the shovel against Jonathan's head. The groaning ceased. Nicholas trudged back to his captain.

"I wish he would just die. It would end his suffering," Nicholas said quietly.

Captain Matthews turned to the man next to him, "And if the two of you had not been searching behind my back, the poor sailor would not have been burned." Matthews narrowed his eyes. "I've done my research, mate. I knew there was a curse." He looked at the unconscious man. "I just didn't know what it was," he slightly cringed, "or that it was that bad."

"You knew there was a curse?" Nicholas shouted. The captain nodded. "Yet you let us search anyway?"

Rage burned in the man's eyes. "First, I let you search with me because we were all going to share in the treasure. Second, I was not going to let any of you open them. And third, had not Jonathan and yourself gone behind the crew's back," he pointed to Jonathan's now destroyed body, "that would not have happened." He began to walk away. After a few short steps, he stopped and spun around. "If you wouldn't have stumbled across the one chest, those," he motioned to the area that now held nine chests with a pair of men carrying another, "would not have been found. For that, I thank you. But if you cross me again, I will call it mutiny." He smiled. "And you know what we do to mutineers on the seas." Matthews walked away.

Nicholas remained stiff. He slowly sank to the ground. He placed his head in his hands. The man sat there until he heard Jonathan rousing once again. He stood and grabbed his shovel. Slamming the tool onto Jonathan, he whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Weigh anchor!" Jack commanded.

Angelica stared in awe. "I can't believe that actually worked," she said as the Black Pearl docked in Curacao.

"Jack," Death said as she approached, "we need another ship."

"The Pearl can be repaired. We take it," Jack answered.

"We don't have time. You have an entire fleet. Fetch one, and let's get going," Death said.

"We don't have a goat," Jack objected.

"This is a town, Jack. Do you really believe you won't be able to find at least one goat?" Jack remained quiet. "Exactly. You and Gibbs can hunt for a goat and set the ship free from the bottle while Angelica and I find the merchant to get supplies," Death said, more of a command than a suggestion.

"How will we find you? You blend in so well with the Dutch," he laughed.

"Ha. Ha. Ha," she replied sarcastically. "We don't have time for stupidity." Her harsh reply smacked the smile from Jack's face. "We need to hurry."

The group left the Pearl and dispersed.

"Stirrings?" Gibbs asked.

"What?" Jack replied.

"Are your…uh…'stirrings'…acting up again?" Gibbs mocked.

"What? N-no!" Jack answered defensively. "What makes you say that, mate?"

"Captain, you've turned around to see her more times than I can count." Gibbs laughed. "You're worried about her."

"You would be too if you knew what I do," Jack sighed.

"It's just Smith, Jack," Gibbs said.

"That's right…it's only Smith," Jack mumbled.

"Jack, what is the white elephant that no one wants to talk about? And by 'no one' I mean you and Ms. Teach," Gibbs whispered.

"If only I could, Gibbs," Jack replied.

"Could what?"

"Reveal what the true 'white elephant' is."

"Captain, you're worried."

"We've already established that, mate."

"You claim the feelings are 'stirrings.'" No reply. "But you agreed, on our search for the fountain, that they were really feelings." Jack still had no comment. "Then you agreed that you loved her, but left her."

"What are you trying to say, Mr. Gibbs?" Jack finally said.

"Captain, you said you no longer love her, yet you're worried. You let her go. You love her still."

"All right," Jack stopped walking, "I do. Fine, I love her." He paused. "Damn* you." They continued their search for the goat.

"How did you know we would make it with your ridiculous plan?" Angelica asked Death.

"I knew your…deaths would not happen at that time," Death simply answered.

The two women made their way to barter with the merchant of the port city.

Angelica could not slake her curiosity. She peered at Death as they walked side-by-side. "If you'd be so kind, Ms. Teach, as to not stare at me, I'd appreciate it," Death said. Then she looked at the Spanish woman. "You really want to know? How I did it? How I saved the Pearl? How I prevented the heartbreak of Jack?"

"Yes," Angelica pleaded.

"There is a man in England, London to be more precise, who is being drowned in his home, yet unable to die…but still able to feel it," Death said.

"Don't be 'precise.' I don't want to know where. I might have connections with them," Angelica cut in.

Death nodded. "There is a woman in Africa that is suffocating. Unable to move, unable to die, yet she can feel her body burning from the inside." She paused. "Speaking of burning, there is a family of three caught in a fire. They can feel it, but they won't die. The child, a girl, is only three years old." Death looked at Angelica. "There are many more. More than I can say, to be honest. And none of them, none, are able to escape life's tortures through death's sweet release."

"'Death's sweet release?'" Angelica asked, tears pricking her eyes. "There is no such thing on God's green earth."

"Call it whatever. If they could die, the pain would be gone. I know when everyone will die. I knew that no one on the ship would die on our way here. But it doesn't matter. What does matter is that we need supplies." She pointed to the merchant who stood just a little piece in front of them.

"Ha ha," Captain William Turner laughed. "This is the first time I've seen that ship since Beckett. It's as beautiful as it was then."

"Aye, she's a beauty," Bootstrap Bill replied, "but I wonder what happened to her."

"Anything could be possible with Jack, and I bet he's paying top dollar to have her repaired. The Pearl was that man's life."

"Literally," Anthony, the spirit from the Lovely Mary stated.

"Will turned to him. "How do you know that?"

"There was a woman…not the one who…" he let the sentence hand. Will nodded, knowing who he was talking about. "She helped orchestrate a mutiny against our captain. She abandoned us in Tortuga."

"Where the other boarded?" Will asked.

"Yes, come to think of it, the two women had been talking to a man. They all got on a ship, but Ms. Smith got off. Then they left her. I figured that's why she needed passage," Anthony said.

"You said they got on a ship?" Anthony nodded. "Did you see the name of it?" Will questioned. "What about the first woman? Did you get her name?"

"I didn't see the name of the ship, but the woman said her name was Angelica," the spirit said.

Captain Turner watched in awe as a small ship began to grow. He looked to the shore. Jack Sparrow and Joshamee Gibbs stood there, smiling as the small boat became a ship.

"What is this?" Will asked. Then he began to shout, "Jack! Jack Sparrow! Captain!"

Jack looked at him. The smile dropped.

"Captain," the spirit whispered. He was frozen, pointing at two people. "That's her. That's Ms. Smith."

*- in that context, "damn" is not a cuss word. It means cursed. Just a little fyi

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