With Katrina

(Sequel to Including Katrina)

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean (characters, plot, dialogue, etc.). Any other tid-bits of creativity, however, are mine… in which I hope you will enjoy. Please be sure to read and review! And just to let everyone know for this particular chapter… the part of dialogue and little story about the mission came from the book version of this movie… so sad to say, though I changed some small things, it is not of my own creativity.

Chapter 20

Isla Cruces

"You're pullin' too fast," Pintel griped at his rowing companion as they made way to Isla Cruces.

"You're pullin' too slow," Ragetti retorted, "We don't want the Kraken to catch us."

Jack winced at the thought as he held on tighter to Katrina with one arm and his jar of dirt with the other. Elizabeth and Norrington sitting across from them ignored his frightened behavior as Katrina tried to comfort him.

"I'm savin' me strength for when it comes," Pintel explained to Ragetti, "And I don't think it's 'Krack-en,' anyways. I always heard it said 'Kray-ken.'"

Katrina let out a gasp as Jack pulled her even tighter to him from around her waist in response to Pintel's topic of conversation. It probably wouldn't have hurt so much if it weren't for Jack's hand pushing the hilt of her sword into her side.

"What, with a long 'a'?"

"Aye."

"No-no-no-no-no-no-no. Krock-en's how it's pronounced in the original Scandinavian," Ragetti informed, "And Krack-en's closer to that."

"Well we ain't original Scandinavians, are we?" Pintel pointed out before adding, "Kray-ken!"

"It's a mythological creature," Ragetti snapped back, "I can calls it what I wants."

"Alright, that's enough you two!" Katrina interrupted sternly as she tried to loosen Jack's grip, "Pronunciation of the sea creature isn't anywhere near as important as avoiding it all together by getting ashore."

Ragetti and Pintel nodded their heads in agreement and began rowing faster toward the white-sand beach.

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The moment they hit the shallow waters of the beach, Jack jumped out of the boat, pulling Katrina out with him in the process. As everyone else began to climb out Jack removed his jacket, which held the Letters of Marque, and placed it back into the boat alongside his jar of dirt. He then grabbed the shovels that they had carried with them.

"I presume you are feeling better?" Katrina asked Jack as he pulled the shovels out of the boat.

Jack turned to his wife with a wide grin, "Of course, darlin'… never 'ave I been better."

Katrina smiled at him having finally seen him somewhat relaxed.

"Guard the boat, mind the tide," Jack instructed Pintel and Ragetti, "Don't touch my dirt."

With a salute from his crewmen, Jack turned to Elizabeth and gave her the compass.

"I didn't expect anyone to be here," the former commodore said when he saw an abandoned church as they followed Elizabeth up the beach.

"There's not," Elizabeth replied.

"You know this place?" Norrington looked to her astounded.

"Stories," Katrina clarified as Norrington turned to her in surprise as well, "The Church came to the island, and brought salvation, and disease and death. They say the priest had to bury everybody, one after the other. It drove him mad, and he hung himself."

"Better mad with the rest of the world than sane alone," James commented.

Elizabeth and Katrina looked at the former commodore in shock for his response did not match that of the man they once knew.

"No fraternizing with help, loves," Jack mentioned to the ladies when he saw their reaction to Norrington's comment.

Elizabeth ignored Jack as she saw that the needle of the compass was beginning to turn this way and that and slowly came to a stop.

"Is it here?" Jack suddenly asked when Elizabeth stopped walking.

"Well," Elizabeth said as the needle seemed to stop at a different direction, "I'm not quite sure."

"Told you that compass was broken," Norrington sneered.

Jack didn't talk back as he watched Elizabeth with amusement. He and Katrina were now standing to one side of her among the sand dunes as she walked about indecisive of where to go.

"Just concentrate," Jack called out to her as Norrington, on the other side of her, rolled his eyes as he leaned against his shovel.

Elizabeth stood still, closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate. When she opened her eyes she found the arrow pointing directly at Jack; it wasn't the first time that the arrow had done this to her.

"That's not what my heart wants most," she grumbled to herself before plopping down onto the sand.

As Jack and the others began to approach her, the arrow of the compass began to spin rapidly.

"This doesn't work," Elizabeth whined to Jack when he reached her, the arrow having come to stop, pointing at her, "And it certainly doesn't show you what you want most."

Jack looked down at his compass, "Yes it does! You're sitting on it!"

"Beg your pardon?" Elizabeth asked, confused.

"Move!" Jack shooed Elizabeth as he took up a shovel and motioned to Norrington to do the same, "Move! Move!"

Elizabeth quickly stood back up and got out of Jack's way over by Katrina.