They were traveling up river on two longboats, the scenery was dark and creepy. Lara was standing next to Jack in the first longboat. Neither one of them saying anything. Jack was thinking about Tia Dalma and if she would be able to help him and also if she would be willing to. Lara on the other hand was distracted by this new place she was visiting. She was seeing new creatures in the swamps and she was listening the birds trying to identify them.
Will and Gibbs who were standing right behind them were talking about the reason Jack was here, looking for help from 'her'.
"Her?" asked Will after Gibbs finished the story, without mentioning a name.
"Aye" Gibbs replied as that would answer Will's question even though he wanted to know who 'her' was.
"No worries, mates. Tia Dalma and I go way back. Nigh inseparable we are. Were. Have been. Before." Jack said his tone going from cheery and certain to scared and uncertain.
"I'll watch your back." Gibbs assured him, proving his loyalty.
"It's me front I'm worried about. Mind the boat." Jack said while getting out from the boat and heading for the shack door.
Lara followed him while looking all around her, seeing people hiding in the shadows. Gibbs came up behind them and passed Jack's order to Will and Will did the same, Cotton being the only one who ended up to stay behind to mind the boats. All of them wanted to see Tia Dalma or as Lara had the impression they would rather go inside then stay here where everything looked like a horror story could take place.
Jack opened the shack's door slowly and entered followed by the others. The inside was looking like a mess, there were jars and trinkets all over the place, a huge yellow snake was slithering on a branch, and in front of them, at a table there was a woman, with dreadlocks and wearing a raggedy dress. She looked up and seeing Jack she smiled.
"Jack Sparrow"
"Tia Dalma" Jack answered her greeting.
"I always know de wind was goin' blow you back to me one day." She added getting up from the table and approaching him, but then she spotted Will in the doorway and she went straight to him."You. You have a touch of... destiny about you, William Turner." She said to him starring in his eyes.
"You know me?" Will asked being surprised by the fact she knew his name.
"You want to know me?" She asked him flirtatiously.
"There'll be no knowing here. We've come for help and we're not leaving without it." Jack interjected and took Tia Dalma by her arm dragging her with him. "I thought I knew you." He added.
"Not so well as I had hoped. Come." Tia Dalma answered and motioned them at the table.
"Come." Jack added for his crew.
"What... service... may I do you? Hmmm? You know I demand payment."
"I brought payment." Jack answered and motioned for Gibbs to bring the cage in which they caught Jack, the monkey. "Look!" Jack cocked his pistol and shot the monkey that of course didn't die. "An undead monkey! Top that!"
Tia lifted the cage door and let the monkey scamper off. Lara who was looking around the shack taking it all in noticed that the monkey went straight in the back of the shack and there she saw some boots that looked very familiar.
"The payment is fair." Tia said while sitting back at the table.
"We're looking for this. And what it goes to." Will said handling her the cloth with the drawing of the key.
"The Compass you bartered from me. It cannot lead you to this?" Tia asked Jack.
"Maybe. Why?" Jack was being vague.
Lara's attention was brought back to the conversation that Jack and Tia were having. She wanted to know why he didn't seem to be able to use his compass anymore. Last time that they talked about it he just said that it was complicated. She also wanted to ask Tia Dalma why the arrow spun like crazy when she was holding the compass.
"Ayeee... Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants! Or... do know, but are loathe to claim it as your own. Your key go to a chest, and it is what lay inside the chest you seek, don't it?" Tia said looking at Jack and smiling mischievously.
The rest of the crew started to make assumptions of what was inside the chest. Tia Dalma stopped them.
"You know of Davy Jones, yes? A man of the sea. A great sailor, until he ran afoul of that which vex all man."
"What vexes all men?" Will innocently asked.
"What, indeed." Answered Tia.
"The sea?" Gibbs tried.
"Sums!" Pintel answered sure of himself.
"Dichotomy of good and evil" Ragetti said, making Lara to stare at him being taken by surprise that he knew a word like 'dichotomy'.
Jack became annoyed and answered while rolling his eyes "A woman." Lara couldn't help herself and giggled attracting a stern look from Jack that made her stop.
"A woman. He fell in love." Tia confirmed.
"No, no, no. I heard it was the sea he fell in love with." Gibbs contradicted her.
"Same story, different versions." Tia said raising her voice a little. She continued to tell her story about this woman who apparently was very similar to the sea and that caused him very much pain.
When Will asked what did Jones put in the chest Tia Dalma answered simply. "Him heart."
"Literally, or figuratively?" Ragetti asked.Tia Dalma clarified saying that he really put his heart in the chest that he hid away and the key he keeps with him all the time.
"Let me see your hand!" Tia asked Jack.
He showed her first his right hand but seeing Tia's look he extended his left. She undid the bandage revealing the Black Spot. Gibbs was first to see it and he spun around to the left and spitted, Pintel and Ragetti doing the same.
"My eyesight's as good as ever, just so you know." Jack said.
Tia Dalma went somewhere in the back of the shack looking for something and Lara considered that was the right moment to tell Jack about those boots that she saw.
"Jack, there is something I have to tell you." She whispered getting close to him.
"Not know" Jack answered.
"Yes know. I have a hunch."
"Later." Jack shooed her away.
"But…" she couldn't continue because Tia Dalma was back holding a huge jar of dirt in her hands.
She gave the jar to Jack who didn't know exactly what he should do with it. Tia Dalma explained that Davy Jones couldn't make port but just every ten years, that he was safe on land so he would carry land with him.
"Dirt. This is a jar of dirt." Jack said.
"Yes."
"Is the ….. jar of dirt going to help?" he asked still trying to figure out how will this be helping him.
"If you don't want it give it back." Tia Dalma answered him.
"No" Jack answered hugging the jar like a child would his favorite toy.
"Then it helps." Tia said to him.
They asked her where they could find Davy Jones and she threw some crab claws on her table whispering "A touch of destiny" giving them a location.
Everyone got out of the shack one by one, but Lara stayed behind waiting for them to be out of earshot. When she made sure that they all left she turned around to Tia Dalma.
"I have a question."
"Lara Carter. How is your mother?"
"Mum? How do you know her?"
"Long story."
"Never mind. I wanted to ask you about Jack's compass."
"I don't have another one."
"No, no. What I want to know is why does the arrow spin extremely fast when I hold his compass?"
"Because the compass is a magical one and you've got magic in you. The magical powers from the compass and from you clash."
"Magic? In me? I doubt it."
"You've got magic entrusted to you by Calypso. When you were born you died and your mother asked Calypso for help, the sea gave you life back and with that a little magic. Have you not realized that the sea creatures help you, have you never been saved before by them?"
"I think I was. By dolphins in general. Does that mean that in case the Kraken attacks I'm safe?"
"No. The Kraken does Davy Jones bidding and he is not under the powers of Calypso."
"Right. So I'll always be safe at sea but not fully safe. Now back to my mother. She never told me about me being brought back to life by the Sea Goddess; and why would Calypso save my life?"
"Destiny."
"That's very vague."
Lara couldn't continue her interrogatory, Jack came back and interrupted her.
"Come on love, we don't have all day."
Lara looked at him, standing in the doorway, his hand extended towards the boat outside.
"I have some things that I need to discuss with Tia Dalma. I'll be there in a minute." Lara said trying to get more time.
"Now. You'll pay her a visit some other time." He said with authority.
"But …"
"Lara don't make me come inside after you."
"Aye captain." Lara answered heading towards him giving a last glance to Tia Dalma who was looking at them and smiling like she knew something about them that they didn't.
They were back in the longboats. Lara was pouting and ignoring the others, but her attitude was directed more towards Jack.
"What did you talk about with her?" Jack asked Lara getting himself closer to her.
"You know what." She answered.
Jack was looking confused, he didn't know what Lara was talking about.
"No I don't."
"This." Lara said pointing at his compass that was dangling from his waist.
Jack looked down and he assumed that she was pointing at his crotch. That made him even more confused. Lara saw his expression and she added in a whispered tone. "Why it doesn't work for me." But Jack still thought that she was referencing his manhood so he answered. "Love, believe me it works perfectly well for you. I can prove it."
It was time for Lara to get a confused look, but she finally realized where the confusion came from and she started laughing histerically which made Jack to feel offended and the others to stare at her. The crew was used to her laughing fits, she laughed a lot, even in situations that others couldn't find anything funny about, but now, because her conversation with Jack was whispered and they couldn't see the scene, they were taken by surprise.
Lara observing that he still didn't figure out the whole situation said to him between laughing fits.
"I was talking about your compass. You have a very, very dirty mind Captain."
"Takes one to know one." Jack answered and winked at her.
"Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, did you see the boots?" Lara asked him remembering the boots she saw in the back of Tia Dalma's shack and her mood getting better after the funny situation that just happened.
"What boots?"
"In the back of the shack, Jack went straight for them."
"No I didn't."
"Jack the monkey. He went straight for them. I think Tia Dalma brought Barbossa's body in her shack."
"One, stop calling that pestilent monkey Jack and two why would she bring Barbossa's body here?"
"That's his name, I didn't name him and I don't know, but I'm almost certain that that was Barbossa back there."
"Why didn't you tell me when we were there? I could have find a reason to go and look around."
"Really? I tried to tell you, you shooed me away and after that you interrupted my conversation and now I'm getting angry with you again." Lara answered starting to pout again and sliding away from him.
"Well you should have insisted." Jack said throwing the blame on her.
"Next time I will. Next time when I try to tell you something and you'll do that I'm going to put a gun to your head and make you listen." Lara was getting angrier and her voice was rising.
The crew wasn't impressed by the two fighting, they were used to them screaming at each other and then after a short period of time they would end up laughing together at something or making jokes that only them understood. Will on the other hand didn't know how they usually were so he tried to help them, but neither Jack nor Lara were willing to apologize so Will gave up.
When they finally arrived at the place indicated by Tia Dalma the sky got dark, it was almost midnight, and the storm was quite strong.
Jack sent Will in a rowboat to the ship scuttled on the rocks telling him that it was The Flying Dutchman. While Will was going down to his boat, Lara came to join Gibbs and Jack who were standing next to the railing.
"I don't like this. I don't like it at all." She said looking at Will who was now rowing towards the destroyed ship.
"Don't start again. He's going to be fine." Jack said not looking at her.
"He's inexperienced and he has no clue what his getting into." Lara added getting closer to the rail and looking down at the waves that were crashing against the side of the ship.
"Douse the lamps." Jack said to Gibbs.
The Black Pearl was soon engulfed in darkness. Jack took a spyglass and he was following what was happening on the other ship. He saw Davy Jones talking to Will and then he lifted his gaze staring exactly at him. When Jack took the spyglass off from his eye Davy Jones was standing right in front of him, the crewmembers from the Flying Dutchman surrounded the crew from the Pearl, holding knives at their throats.
"Oh." Was the only thing Jack could say.
"You have a debt to pay. You've been captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years. That was our agreement." Jones said to him.
"Technically, I was only captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon." Jack tried to talk his way out of the situation.
"Then you were a poor captain, but a captain nonetheless! Have you not introduced yourself all these years as 'Captain' Jack Sparrow?" Jones answered him, mocking his capability to be a captain and his ego.
"You have my payment. One soul to serve on your ship is already over there." Jack said pointing towards the ship where Will was.
"One soul is not equal to another."
"Aha! So we've established my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over price."
"Price? Pttt!"
"Just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?" Jack asked being ready to start the negotiation.
"One hundred souls, three days-uh." Jones responded.
"You're a diamond, mate. Send me back the boy, I'll get started right off."
"I keep the boy. A good-faith payment. That leaves you only ninety-nine more to go. Ha ha! Ha ha! Ha ha!"
Lara was standing on the side, a knife at her neck and she was thinking that Jones was looking even more terrifying that she remembered him and that she's going to kick Jack for agreeing to sell Will's soul.
"Have you not met Will Turner? He's noble, heroic, terrific soprano. Worth at least four... maybe three and a half. And did I happen to mention... he's in love. With a girl. Due to be married. Betrothed. Dividing him from her and her from him... would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them be joined in holy matrimony. Aye?"
"I keep the boy. Ninety-nine souls-uh. But I wonder, Sparrow, can you live with this? Can you condemn an innocent man - a friend-uh - to a lifetime of servitude, in your name while you roam free?"
"Yep! I'm good with it. Should we seal it in blood? I mean... mm-mm - ink?"
"Of course you are, you egotistical pig." Lara said not being able to control her words.
Davy Jones and Jack both turned to look at her. Jack was frowning and Davy Jones started smiling, recognizing her.
"Lara Carter, still trying to find the man who killed your father-uh?"
"It's none of your business."
"Fiery as always. That big mouth of yours will end you in trouble-uh." Jones said to her and then he turned to Jack. "I will make you a better offer-uh. You give me the girl and you'll only have another fifty souls-uh."
Lara's eyes went wide. She was sure that Jack will sell her, after all he was who he was, and only fifty souls was easier than a hundred, plus she just called him a egotistical pig and he wasn't very happy about that and she knew that he could have a temper.
"No. I'm sticking to the first offer." Jack said after a few seconds that for Lara felt like hours.
"Very well." Davy Jones said turning back at Jack and grabbing his hand with a tentacle making the black spot to disappear.
After the Flying Dutchman crew left, Jack told Gibbs to head for Tortuga and then he went to his cabin without looking at Lara who was still standing in the same spot as if there was still some one holding a knife at her.
After a few seconds of staring at the captain's quarter's door Lara finally knocked, she heard footsteps getting closer to the door and the handle of the door being turned. Jack opened the door and looked at her, the frown still on his face.
"I wanted to thank you." Lara said before he would close the door on her face.
"Pretty generous for an egotistical pig, isn't it?" Jack said clearly upset about her words earlier.
"I'm sorry about that."
"Then why did you say it?"
"I just … well I … I was angry."
"I think you should take some time for yourself and think about your feelings because it's starting to look that you're falling for Will without you knowing it. Since he came on this ship all you do is try to save his ass."
"Not this again. We had this conversation before. I'm not going to repeat myself. I just didn't like how you handled the situation, I would have done it differently and you got me angry so I snapped."
"Well it's my situation I can handle it however the hell I want."
"No Jack it's not your situation, is ours, the whole crew is involved because if you screw up we all are going to pay. You know what I just came here to thank you and I did so I'm going to my cabin. Goodnight."
Lara turned on her heels and she went below deck. Jack looked at her leaving and after he couldn't see her anymore he closed his door and went to bed, lying on his back and looking at the ceiling.
