Main Deck

Annoyed by Jack's unexpected overprotective behaviour, Elizabeth slammed the cabin door closed behind her.

As she turned to her right, Elizabeth found herself nose to chest with a solid figure. She lifted her eyes up to Will's face and felt her heart sink. Oh no. Inwardly, Elizabeth dreaded this exact moment; the moment Will was finally awake and well and she'd have to hide and lie.

You do not need to hide or lie, Elizabeth. The voice yapped in her mind once more. Will deserves better as you well know. Better than you. Let him off easy.

"Elizabeth?" Will said her name with a bit of hopefulness. "I feel like I haven't seen you in ages." He said holding his hand against her face.

"Will!" Elizabeth winced finding her enthusiasm a bit too… enthusiastic. "I'm so glad to see that you're all better."

Will's smile began to sink wondering what just has gotten into his fiancée. She's acting odd. He observed. And why did she come out of Jack's cabin? Will wondered.

"What were you doing in Jack's cabin?"

Elizabeth's brows shot up high up her forehead and lips parted slightly, "Oh… um… Dirt." Subtle. She inwardly slapped her forehead.

"Dirt?"

"I was, uh, helping Jack look for his jar of dirt—and, and, w—who knows why he wants a jar of dirt… prob—probably for s—some pirate-y things…" Elizabeth closed her mouth before she really made a fool of herself. Good Lord, you sound completely insane.

"Pirate-y things?" An amused smile tugged at the corners of Will's lips. "What's gotten into you, Elizabeth?"

Thankfully before she could respond to the tangle of a mess she got herself caught in, Jack appeared behind Elizabeth. "William," Jack said quickly running his eyes up and down the younger man then plastered a forced smile across his face. "You're looking… dapper."

Will amused smile fell into a scowl remembering the previous events of chaos the day before which had been orchestrated by Jack Sparrow. "Where's the chest?" He asked.

"What chest?" Jack said hugging the glass jar of dirt in his arms.

"Cap'n, the Dutchman!" Gibbs called out from the helm.

Jack stepped around Will and Elizabeth to escape up the stairs to see peer of the rail to see the Flying Dutchman swiftly approaching. "Oh bugger," Jack muttered under his breath.

Elizabeth and Will ran up the stairs to stand beside Jack just as the Flying Dutchman sank to the dark depths of the sea.

"It disappeared," Elizabeth said in shock. "W—where did it go?"

From the bottom of the ocean, the Flying Dutchman exploded from below to the surface beside the Black Pearl.

"Lord almighty," Gibbs gasped dropping his hands from the wheel.

"Have no fear," Jack announced, "I'll handle this." He stepped around the Black Pearl crew making eye contact with Davy Jones. "Hey, Fish-face!"

Elizabeth and Will shared a mutual eye roll watching Jack make an absolute fool of himself in front of the cursed pirate Captain.

"Lose somethin'?" Jack took a step near the stairs and tumbled down the stairs.

We're doomed. Elizabeth held one hand on her hip as the other pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Got it!" Jack held the jar of dirt over his head and got to his feet. "Come to negotiate, eh, have you… you slimy git?" Jack's upper lip twitched with disgust for the Captain. "Look what I got!" He held the jar of dirt in his hands. "I got a jar of dirt… I got a jar of dirt… and guess what's inside it?" Mocking Davy Jones, Jack tilted his head to the side with a winning smile.

"Enough!" Davy Jones shouted with frustration.

Barnacle covered cannons appeared from the side of the Flying Dutchman, aiming at the legendary pirate ship.

Jack's eyes widened, he cleared his throat and said, "Hard to starboard."

Elizabeth and Gibbs jumped into action repeating Jack's order, "Hard to starboard!"

"Brace up the foreyard!" Will ran down the steps and jumped to get a hold of a rope then pulled the lines.

Slowly, Jack backed away from the rail, still holding the jar of dirt against his chest. The screw scrambled around him in a rush as the Flying Dutchman's cannons fired with a brutal force. On the Flying Dutchman's bow, a dual triple Gatling cannons appeared and fired at the Black Pearl.

A cannonball flew across the air knocking into a mast taking out a lantern then knocked a pirate from the ship into the water.

Elizabeth swallowed with fear then glanced back to see Jack run up to the helm, taking over. He readjusted its course.

"Aye, Cap'n!" Gibbs said running up the stairs. "Into the swells! Go square to the wind! All hands, run her full!"

Elizabeth tore her eyes from Jack and went to help Will pull the lines.

Meanwhile, Pintel was on his hands and knees cooing the Back Pearl with affection, "Go my darlin'. Show 'em what ye've got."

Cannons shot from the Flying Dutchman splashed short of the Black Pearl as the wind took its side.

"She's falling behind us!" Elizabeth said standing beside Gibbs staring out across the sea to the cursed pirate ship.

"Aye! We've got her!" A slow smile crossed Gibbs' mouth.

"We're the faster?" Will asked.

Gibbs nodded, "Against the wind, the Dutchman beats us. That's how she takes 'er prey. But with the wind—"

"—We rob her advantage." Will finished.

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed over the Flying Dutchman with a frown, "She's turning away!"

The pirates on the Black Pearl cheer happy to live another day.

In a panic, Will ran up to Jack just as he stepped down the stairs, replacing Gibbs at the helm.

"My father is on that ship!" Will shouted at Jack with irritation. "If we can outrun her, we can take her! We should turn and fight!"

Jack eyed the young man up and down for a moment than narrowed his eyes, "Why fight when you can negotiate?" Jack's fingers tapped the lid of the glass jar. "All one needs is the proper leverage—"

Suddenly, the Black Pearl violently trembled. The jar in Jack's hands slip and crashed to the ground shattering.

"What was that?" Elizabeth said peering over the side rail to the frightfully calm waters.

Jack pushed past Will and went onto his hands and knees searching for Davy Jones' heart. "Where's the thump-thump?"

The ship groaned and shudders when it had been pulled to a complete stop.

Elizabeth frowned and looked back over her shoulder at the crewmen, "We must've hit a reef!"

Will recognized the tremble under his boots and shook his head. "No, it's not a reef." He immediately grabbing Elizabeth's arm and pulled her far away from the rail. "Get away from the rail."

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"The Kraken," he replied.

"Told you," Ragetti nudged his elbow into Pintel's side with a half smile.

Jack stopped his jarring movements and sat up turning his eyes to the rail. He swallowed nervously and got to his feet.

"To arms!" Will began to shout orders to defend the ship with the Black Pearl's crewmen. "Load guns—defend the masts! Boathooks to the prow, don't let it get a grip!"

As the pirates raced to prepare weapons and cannons, Elizabeth took the musket which had been offered to her. She finished loading it when Jack suddenly grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her away from the chaos, under the stairs for privacy.

"Jack, what are you doing?" Elizabeth shouted at him with annoyance.

"We have to get off the ship, luv."

"What?" Elizabeth shook her head offended by the idea of abandoning ship. "Jack, what are you talking about? We can't abandon ship. We're needed here."

Jack knew she'd fight him tooth and nail about this but he was only looking out for her wellbeing. "Lizzie-luv, please listen to me just this once. We have to leave this ship or—"

"—Or what? Jack, we can't leave everyone here to die. They need us. We have to stay—"

"—'Lizabeth," Elizabeth looked at him surprised by his forceful tone, "please, I'm beggin' ye. I can't have anythin' terrible happenin' to ye." The tips of his fingers gently traced the sharp line of her jaw. "Not when I just got you."

Calming her ridged breath and easily blocking out the chaos around them. With understanding, Elizabeth held her hand against his cheek and gently toyed with the trinket weaved into his braid. "Jack, I know you want to protect me… and yourself, but we're needed here. They need us need us."

Jack's hands went to her sides. His fingers gripped her thinking of some way to change her mind when his eyes landed on the compass tied around her belt. "Let's let the compass decide, shall we?"

"Fine," Elizabeth said already knowing the response that wild little needle will give them but she played along with Jack's idea. He looks so convinced it will point to the longboat. Elizabeth watched as he opened the lid somewhat amused.

The needle spun around and around until it landed on Elizabeth, "Bugger, I already know that." Jack frowned and shook the compass to read the 'other' thing he wanted.

After a moment, the needle finally settled into a steady direction which was not focused on his wife standing in front of him.

Jack's expression dropped as he raised his eyes following the direction of the needle, "Bollocks."