Author's Note: Ok, so here is a new chapter. I found some time today and decided to post it while I could. I don't know when I will have the next chapter up, but I will do my best to have it up....sometime this year :). Just kidding, hopefully it will be up within the next few weeks, in which I FINALLY have some time off from school. Hope you guys enjoy. Sorry for any grammatical errors, I kinda skimmed over it so Im sure there are a few slip ups

Chapter 14

Once I had finished my bath, I neatly combed out my hair after sparely rubbing some oil throughout it. I left it to dry freely, allowing it to curl softly into subtle waves. Gazing at myself in the mirror I felt like I was looking at a stranger from long ago. It didn't seem to be me staring back from the reflection. Clutching my mother's journal, I walked out on the deck of the Golden Victory; the sun was now setting in the distance. Beside us, sailed the Pearl quietly. Some of the Naval officers remained on board, haggling with some of crewmembers of the Pearl. Resting on the port side rail I gazed out over the waters. My heart felt heavy knowing that at any moment Caleb would have the ship set sail back to Port Royal.

"Now that dress does not flatter you at all." Sparrow teased from behind me. Circling around I shot him with a smug smile,

"Would you rather I run around naked for all to see," I proudly countered

"Uh…"

"Oh shut up…" I joked. I turned back to the horizon,

"You know, you don't have to go back?" Sparrow said leaning on the rail beside me. "I did give you my word that I would have you safely returned home after we found the lost city." I smiled not allowing my gaze to not leave the horizon,

"Yes I do. There's no way I could talk Caleb into believing that I actually have a purpose to stay with on board the Peal with you and the crew during your 'trading' voyage." I sighed, "Sparrow, you are so lucky."

"How's that love? You seem to have a good life. You obviously have every lavish that anyone would ever want in the world."

"Yes, but I would give up every gem that I own for the one gem you greedily exploit," he looked down at me with a perplexed look on his face, "Freedom, Sparrow, Freedom" I answered. But still faced with a confused look, I continued to explain, "While you get to carry on with you life do what ever you please to do, I am to return home where I will most likely in the next few years be auctioned of to a wealthy husband, followed by a life of raising children and pleasing everyone else around me. Don't get me wrong, I love kids, and I do hope to have some of my own one day. But I don't want them out of my duty to my family, but to have them because my husband and I want to share our lives with something that we have created….," I felt my face go red. I was slightly embarrassed by the fact that I was pouring out my desires to a pirate. "I'm sorry you must find me terribly forward," I joked.

"Not at all love, I find you…"

"Yes?" I questioned as I looked up into his eyes,

"LAND-HO!" came a booming cry from the crow's nest of the Pearl. Sparrow and I immediately scanned the horizon for the land. And there just a few miles away in the distance were the three rocks we had been searching for, Sirenum Scopuli. Sparrow began to head towards the Pearl before he stopped and turned to me,

"Well are you coming?" he questioned. I tuned to look at him,

"But, what about Caleb?" I inquired, "I just can't leave." I looked up at the helm of the ship; Caleb had begun shouting orders to his crew to turn the ship away from the approaching isles.

"Lorelei, you need to make a decision now, you have a life. You don't always have to let others decide how you will live it for you," Sparrow reached out for my hand. I stared at it for a moment before shaking my head,

"I'm sorry, I can't,"

"So be it," Sparrow turned and ran down the ramp to the Pearl and began barking orders to his crew. Jack had awakened from his nap and was now pulling on the hem of my skirt. Picking him up, he pointed at the departing Pearl and began whining. The poor creature looked up at me with sad eyes begging my to answer why we were not aboard the ship.

"Wait!" I cried out knowing it was useless. The Pearl was now gaining speed as it edged it way to Sirenum Scopuli. Running to the rail I pulled myself up,

"Lorelei what are you doing?" I heard my brother cry from atop.

What was I doing? I must have been crazy to follow Sparrow and his crew this far, but now I must be even more crazy to turn my back on my family, AGAIN. Steadying myself, I prepared to do what was most likely the stupidest thing I had done in my life. Drawing in a few deep breaths I mustered all my strength, and jumped from the Victory to the Pearl.

"LORELEI!" My brother cried, but my heart was pounding to loud to hear anything around me.

As I neared the railing of the Pearl, I began to think "Im going to make it". This thought was quickly smashed by the harsh reality that I was now falling away from the ship and towards the waters below. I quickly had regretted the decision I had just made. And just as I was about to make peace with the life I had shortly endured, a pair of strong hands grabbed me by my wrist and lifted me to the deck.

"Are you mad girl?" Gibbs shouted walking towards Sparrow and me,

"All signs point to the fact," I retorted. Sparrow, whose hands were still fitted on my waist, gave a small laugh. Looking up at him, "did you honestly think that you were going to get the treasure with out me?"

"Actually love, I was trying to figure out how far I was going to sail away before I had to turn around, hog tie you and drag you aboard!"

Just then a loud thud came from behind us. We turned to find Caleb behind us; he and three other officers had swung from the Victory to the Pearl. Releasing myself from Sparrow's grip I moved towards my brother,

"Caleb? What are you doing?" I never expected that Caleb would actually follow me aboard the Pearl.

"Lorelei, what in the world were you thinking, you could have fallen to your grave!" Caleb interrogated taking me by the arm, "Now Sparrow I demand you stop this ship as of this moment."

"Sorry there, but we now at full speed with no intention of stopping anytime soon," Sparrow answered back,

"Excuse me, I am a Captain of the Royal Navy who is commandeering this ship and you sir shall cease this ship and return myself, my crew and Lorelei to the Victory," Caleb insisted. I looked up at my brother. Did he honestly think that he and three officers could honestly command a ship of pirates to do their bidding?

"Yes well that may be, but this is my ship and…" Sparrow started but Caleb had pushed me behind him and his crew and withdrew his sword. Pointing it at Sparrow, his soldiers followed suit.

"Caleb! Stop it!" I yelled

"Stay out of this Lei. You will sir," he voiced had become commanding and harsh, "will turn this ship around or…" suddenly Caleb fell to the deck unconscious. Everything had gone silent aboard the deck of the Pearl. Everyone slowly turned with perplexed looks to find me with a broken bottle in my hand. Sparrow looked the most shocked of them all,

"Did you just hit him over the head?" he questioned with a bewildered look on his face,

"Yes," I replied

"...with my bottle of Rum?"

"Uh, yeah..." I answered a little more hesitantly

"Huh…didn't know you had it in yeah. But next time could you use something a little less valuable?" he smiled

I knodded quietly. I too was confused at the act I had just committed.

"Captain?" Gibbs had seemed to find his voice, "It seems we have a bit of trouble." Sparrow turned to Gibbs and went into a hushed debate. During that time I fought looks from the crew of the Victory as they looked from Caleb to me and then back to Caleb who remained unconscious on the deck.

"Lorelei," I looked up to see Sparrow grabbing my mother's journal. I rushed over to him. "There are two passages ahead, which heading do we take?" he questioned as he handed me the journal.

I flipped desperately through the journal. Unfortunately my mother hadn't written much about of Sirenum Scopuli. The only indication that I had about the isles was the tablet I had found in the cyclops's cave a few weeks back. I turned to my sketching, hoping that I may over overlooked a key direction. But all that was written was the clue I had already deciphered. I started to panic. Which way were we to go? Left or Right? If I couldn't figure something out, would everything I had already been through, been for nothing? Through my mindless conversation with myself, I hadn't noticed Ragetti looking over my shoulder.

"If I was to selected a headin' Lorelei, I puts me best bets on the left." Coming out of my trance, I studying the sketch once more, but I could not figure out as to logic of taking the left passage.

"Why would you say that?" I questioned.

Indicating the drawing, Ragetti pointed out a star that sat above the left passage. "Its the star of Bethleham miss. You know? The star that lead the wise man to the babe in a manager..." I realized I had been a complete fool to not notice this detail. I would have smoothered Ragetti with hug if it weren't for his foul hygiene and his wandering hands.

"Sparrow," I shouted, "We are to take the left passage". The Pearl made a sharp turn to the port side. As we glided into the opening of the passage, the water became still. The sound of the waves lapping against the ship quieted. And an eerie mist had began to set in...