This is it: the last regular chapter in this story, ladies and gentlemen. There will be an epilogue up soon, taking place several months after this chapter.

Ch 13

Davy waited impatiently as the crewmembers he'd sent out returned. They'd taken longer then expected, but he hoped they weren't having too many difficulties. The two buffoons that Sparrow had left with his longboat had already been brought back to the Dutchman, and the majority of the crew members were chasing down Sparrow and anyone else with him.

He watched as the first of the crew returned. Wheelback and Clanker came through the side of the ship, with the chest. Captain Jones didn't react physically, but he relaxed.

The rest of the crew followed, bringing three more prisoners with them. He frowned as the younger Turner held on to the last of the prisoners, a young woman. "Yes, it's not fun, is it?" Turner asked sympathetically as the girl struggled against nausea.

"Captain, we've recovered the chest," Maccus reported. "They were just digging it up when we got there."

"Aye. And how did you find it in the first place, Sparrow?"

Sparrow didn't say anything, but Will Turner did. "Jack's compass. It points to whatever you want most in this world." The lad turned to stare at Sparrow. "Of course, he was having some trouble with it…"

"Not me, mate," Sparrow responded. "Your bonny lass there led us to the chest."

Will looked down at the girl. "He told me it would save you," She said.

Davy nodded slowly. So- send the boy to grab the key to save the girl, and have the girl find the chest to save the boy. It would have been a good plan, if the boy hadn't been locked up.

It might even have worked. Davy could just imagine what might have happened if he hadn't tried to keep the boy locked up. But… no matter. What was done is done.

Apparently, Will Turner was thinking the same thing, as he was glaring at Sparrow. "Save me? Not likely." He muttered.

"Enough," Davy said. "We can debate the ways and means later. Sparrow, you are out of time." He growled.

Sparrow fidgeted for a moment. "We can't come to some agreement?" He asked. "I have th' hundred souls." He said.

Davy snorted. "After th' last time you tried? No, Sparrow. You will pay your debt now. Personally." He said.

"How was I supposed to find you?" Sparrow asked. "I went to th' one place I knew ye'd come, as soon as the whelp told you what he was doing, or if he got the key."

A sudden commotion off to the side drew Davy's attention.

Turner junior was apparently trying to hold back the girl they'd brought on board. "Some help here?" The boy called out. Turner senior went over to help.

"What was that all about?" The lad asked as soon as they had her under control.

"Let me go. I'm going to kill him." She hissed.

Davy suppressed a smirk. "No lass, I believe I will handle that." He said.

He glanced at his crew for a moment. "And we'll start with the Pearl. Summon the Kraken." He ordered.

The crew moved to do so, though Palifico, both Turners, Maccus, and Clanker stayed to watch the prisoners.

Davy forced Sparrow to turn around. "You will watch this." He ordered.

He held Sparrow tight as Leviathan destroyed the Pearl.

Sparrow was shaking by the time she was done. "Pearl…" He whispered.

Davy nodded. As much as he wanted revenge, he wanted the whole business done with. He turned to his crew.

"Make sure they don't escape." He ordered.

He noticed several crewmembers exchange confused glances before he grabbed Sparrow and focused on the Locker.

He and Sparrow reappeared on what appeared to be a flat, endless expanse of land. Sparrow looked around in shock. "I would have wanted you as crew, Jack Sparrow." Davy Jones said. "But you used what generosity I gave you to attempt a betrayal. Welcome to the Locker." He smiled. "Our debt is settled." He glanced up. "I am not without some mercy, however. Your Pearl is with you." And they were standing on the deck of the Pearl.

He returned alone to the Dutchman and eyed Sparrow's associates.

They looked shocked, but then, so did several of the newer members of his crew.

He turned to the man who had helped Sparrow find the chest. He'd deal with the woman last. "You- will you join my crew?"

The man blinked. "I don't think I could handle serving under another pirate." He said.

"Very well. Mr. Turner!"

"Aye Captain." Both Turners responded. There was silence for a moment.

"The older Mr. Turner," Davy said, more annoyed with himself then with them. This was going to be a problem.

He heard a few muffled snickers from the crew, and had to struggle to keep from smiling. "Aye Captain?" Bill Turner asked.

"To the depths."

He didn't bother watching, choosing instead to focus on Will Turner and the girl he still held in his arms.

The lad had turned her away so she wasn't watching. He had closed his eyes as well. Did they know the unfortunate sailor?

Davy shrugged and turned to the other two pirates. They both looked terrified as he examined them. In a moment, he dismissed them. "I have no need of these two." He said. He looked at the girl. She was- very obviously- someone Turner the younger knew, and cared about.

This could be a problem. This was going to be a problem, no matter which way it went. Yes, he allowed women on board, if they pulled their weight, though it had been a long time since any had taken him up on his offer. But- this girl was attached to Turner the younger.

If he didn't offer to allow her to join the crew, Turner, junior would never forgive him. If he did, and she didn't accept, the same. He didn't want to turn the lad against him, not with the plans he had for the boy's power. But if she did accept, he'd have to deal with two people in love.

Mo Chreach! Davy stepped toward them. "Mr. Turner." He drawled. "You will enforce her choice."

The boy flinched and paled but nodded. He could do nothing else.

The girl glanced at him before turning to face Davy. "Captain Jones." She said coolly. Davy had to admire her composure. Perhaps this would be manageable.

"Do you know what I offered the other pirate? What I now offer you?"

"Yes." She said.

So she was going to make him ask. Apparently, Turner and this girl were a matched set for stubbornness. "Very well. Will you join the crew? Postpone your death for one hundred years?"

She glanced back at Turner junior. "I will stay with Will." She said. "Whatever his choice is, I make it my own."

"Elizabeth!" Turner yelped. Davy just barely managed to keep his surprise from showing. A woman would be loyal enough to do that?

"'Whither thou goest', Will."

"Welcome to the crew, then, girl." Davy said before this could go any further. "Maccus, I believe we had some work for young Mr. Turner. And find something for the girl to do."

"Aye Captain. Come on, lad. Let's get to work. Clanker, teach the lass how ta repair the lines!"

"Aye, sir." The boy glanced at the girl before following Maccus.

Maccus grinned. "Your first task is to repair the brig. I assume you know the way."

Will snorted. "That won't take too long," He admitted.

Maccus glanced at him as they headed for the brig. "You know how to fix it?"

"Of course I do," Will said. He wasn't offended. "I knocked the door off the hinges in the first place, didn't I?"

"Just because you can break something doesn't mean that you can fix it."

Will grinned. "I had to learn how to do both two years into my apprenticeship as a blacksmith." He smiled.

They stopped at the brig, where someone had placed the door next to the cell, and some wit had attached a sign. WARNING! DO NOT TRY TO CAGE THE MORTAL! It looked like someone had taken a piece of wood and carved the words into it.

Will bit his lip in an effort to contain his sudden amusement. Maccus wouldn't like it at all. Maccus shook his head. "Fix it," He ordered wearily. "And then get rid of that sign." Will nodded and set to work.

He had the door back up and on its hinges in moments. The hardest part was lifting it up.

He glanced around. "Where is the key?" He asked. "I need to make sure it'll lock properly."

Maccus handed him the key, and he tested the door. He nodded once. "There."

Maccus stared at the door. "It took us three hours to realize that we couldn't figure out how to fix it, or how you broke it. And then it takes you less then five minutes to fix it."

"I am a blacksmith by trade."

"Can you pick more locks then just that one?" Maccus asked suddenly.

Will frowned. "Yes, of course…"

"I think I know what one of your duties is going to be."

Mo Chreach is Scot's Gaelic for (roughly) damn. Well, it literally means "my ruin", but it's generally translated as damn. Since the Captain is supposed to be Scottish (though the accent tends to wander), I felt it was appropriate.

Elizabeth is quoting the Bible: Ruth 1:16, King James Version to be exact. It was said by Ruth to Naomi, her mother-in-law, though in the time period that Pirates takes place in, it was often used to signify a wife's devotion to her husband.

The full quote, Ruth 1; 16-17 is this (again, King James Version) 16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Or, if you want that in understandable English (New International Version) 16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

Don't be angry at me for the fates of the characters, particularly Norrington and Jack! After everything, Captain Jones would not just let Jack join the crew, as I explained in the story itself.

Actually, many of the fates are the same, though I feel sorry for Pintel and Ragetti. I hope I explained the Captain's rational for offering Elizabeth a choice well enough.