Disclaimer: I own snow boots. Thank God. There is like a foot of snow here. It's rubbish.

AN: Okay, as promised, a little more excitement here. The next two chapters are some of my favorites, so wait and see. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Chapter Twenty-One: Strange Sights

"And if the snow buries my neighborhood/Then I'll dig a tunnel from my window to yours" (Arcade Fire)

Cat awoke to the sound of a door opening. The cabin had darkened, it was evening, and a light shone from the hallway. She sat up a bit, and Jack stirred next to her.

"Captain," Gibbs' head poked into the doorway, and his voice immediately dropped off. There was a stark silence as all three looked at each other.

"Oh, erm, sorry. I'll go then," Gibbs stammered. He turned.

"No! It isn't what you think!" Cat said quickly.

"Unfortunately," Jack added, just waking up.

"I wasn't thinking about.." Gibbs began. He drifted off and practically ran out of the room, slamming the door in his hurry.

"Dammit Jack," Cat muttered.

"Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Whatever. D'you realize what Gibbs obviously thinks we were doing?"

"Oh. Well, we could fix that."

"How?"

"We could do what he thought we were doing, and then he would be right, savvy?"

"Not savvy. And lay back down, you're making your head bleed again," Cat snapped.

Jack lay back obediently. "Sorry," he said quietly, as though he was hoping she wouldn't hear.

"It's okay. Gibbs coming in wasn't your fault."

"You're starting to sound like a pirate again," Jack commented.

"Thanks to you."

"Aye, I'm doing a good job." Jack grinned. He still looked half asleep.

"Go to sleep," Cat said, sounding annoyed suddenly. Her head hurt and she had the odd feeling that there was a weight on her chest. It was miserable, and she lay back to try and make her forehead stop throbbing. Unable to sleep from the shooting pains behind her eyes, she squinted into the darkness and watched Jack until he fell asleep again. She felt like she would never join him, but she must have drifted off because when she awoke again the sun was shining.

Jack was still sleeping, and she didn't want to wake him. She got up silently and crept to the door. Her head still hurt, but much less. She climbed out onto the deck of the Pearl, and was surprised at the gust of cold air that met her. Pulling Jack's borrowed jacket tightly around her shoulders, she walked slowly to the helm. It was early, no one was on deck at all here on the Pearl, and the Moon looked equally vacant.

Cat looked out over the ocean, and was extremely surprised to see land nearby. It was completely unexpected. But what came next was even more unusual. The land was white. They were far enough south for snow. Cat's mouth fell open. Living in the Caribbean, she had never seen snow before. She ran across the deck this time, not feeling the headache anymore, and burst into Jack's cabin. Jack awoke to the door slamming open against the wall, and sat up quickly, wincing.

"Bloody hell," he muttered sleepily.

Cat grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out the door. "You've got to see this!" she insisted. Jack followed unenthusiastically, cursing under his breath.

"This had better be damned good," he warned as she dragged him to the helm. "What is"

Jack fell silent as he saw the island. "Snow," he finally whispered.

"Have you ever seen it before?"

"No…never…"

"Me either. Is this the island we want luv?"

"Don't call me luv." Cat didn't slap Jack; he had enough injuries for the time being. "Go get the compass and see."

Jack returned with the mug and the tiny piece of iron, and set it on the railing. The metal, which had before pointed stolidly in one direction, spun wildly in circles. "This is it."

There was a silence as they both digested the information. They had traveled for months, thousands of miles, and they were there. And there was snow. Both stared off into the shallows near the island, and then Jack turned.

"Where are you going?"

"To get the bloody crew!" Jack said, exasperated. "We're going to the island, aren't we?"

"Of course," Cat replied. "What are you waiting for?"

Cat made her way back to the Moon, and shook her first mate Jim awake. He sat bolt upright, nearly bumping foreheads with her, and jumped out of bed at the news. The crew was up almost instantly, running around the deck. They lowered the rowboat just in time to meet the crew of the Pearl. Together, both boats made their way across the choppy, grey water to the island they had been trying to reach for the last three months.

Pulling up onto the rocky, coarse-sanded beach, it was immediately apparent where the treasure would be. A huge cave dominated the lone rock formation on the land. The rest was bare, sandy beach, covered in a pale dusting of snow. Cat reached down onto the sand and picked up a handful of the fluff. The feel was strange in her hand. Most of the crew had never seen snow either, and they spent a happy few minutes examining the tiny white crystals.

But Jack was impatient, and soon he was pulling Cat away from the beach. She followed, feeling uncertain. The cave reminded her too much of the last time she and Jack had searched for treasure. When Knowles had hunted them down and begun Cat's seven years away from piracy. Thoughts of the horrible day made her nervous. Jack saw the hesitation in her step as they stood at the cave's entrance.

"Knowles is dead," he said quietly.

"I know."

"Then what are we waiting for? This treasure isn't coming out to meet us. No one else could ever find this island, especially not Knowles. You didn't make any enemies living in Port Royal did you Cat?"

"No," Cat answered, smiling. "I was just being stupid about this. We came too far for me to stop us now. Let's go."

They faced the dark entrance once more. Jack struck a match and lit the lantern they had carried from the Pearl, and they entered the suffocating dark of the cave.

AN: Umm...cliffhanger. Sorry. dodges objects that get thrown R&R if you so desire!