Something Better

Calypso smiled mysteriously. "Not exactly." She replied in hushed tones. "My wicked Jack be taking the place o' your faithful James."

It took both women only a second to grab Jack by the arms as he spun on his heel and prepared to bolt out the door, already yelling at Sampson to push off from the dock.

Chapter 25: Nothing Else Worth Living For

Standing on the deck of the ship, Jack watched the sunset, a growing sense of consternation and frustration in his stomach. He'd tried escaping earlier that day, only to find half the crew and Calypso preventing it from working out. And truly, hell hath no fury like a goddess scorned. He wrinkled his forehead, things were looking pretty hopeless from here.

"Jack, wicked wicked Jack," the voice curled around the air it traveled through, rich as dark chocolate, "why be you runnin' away from all ye desire?"

"What I desire?" Jack sputtered. "What I desire is a tad more freedom than forced labour on a ghost ship! I want me Pearl, and the open ocean." Jack gestured weakly at the sun-stained waves.

Calypso's laughter was haunting. "Freedom, Jack?" She prompted. "But ye wanted to be captain o' the Dutchman, or have ye forgot?"

Jack opened his mouth to retort, only to find a lack of words forthcoming. He stared hard at the woman. "Captain?"

"Bridgely's wife be dyin'." She murmured cryptically. "We're headin' to where he be headin', even 'gainst his law and code." She turned her gaze out upon the ocean. "I lose all me captains, "she murmured into the wind, "all to love." She turned her gaze upon Jack. "That's why I be needin' a man who's only love be the sea."

The twisted gears and cogs that made up Jack Sparrow's mind were whirring. It was true, he had entertained the notion of becoming captain of the Flying Dutchman once upon a time. A lifetime ago it seemed now. But really, eternal life, at the helm of a ship that none could stop, for the small price of ferrying the souls of those lost at sea… it was still just as enticing now as it had ever been. "And that'd be me." He finished for the capricious goddess.

He found himself rewarded with a smile that spoke of the ocean's darkest shimmering depths.

"Doncha feel jus' a little bad about turnin' over your uncle?" Sampson interrupted Annalise's thoughts.

"Not particularly." She replied curtly. "Uncle Jack has never been anything more or less than a wicked scoundrel out to save his own skin."

Sampson was quiet for a long moment. "You're still in a twist over that scene you had with him."

Annalise spun around, "What are you talking about?" A blush had risen into her cheeks.

"Ya know," he replied softly, "When he tried to pull the moves on ye. Which I coulda tol' him was a bad idea. E'eryone knows how touchy you are about, well, touchin'."

"I'm not touchy!" Annalise sputtered. "He's my uncle! It's the concept that's the problem here."

The young man shook his head. "Anna, 'e's not your real uncle. And its not jus' him you push away. Its e'ery man who tries to get close to ya." His eyes were focused intently upon the young woman. "'e really got into yer 'eart, did'n 'e? This Norrington fella." His voice was soft and warm, if a little sorrowful.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Annalise replied curtly and spun on her heel, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have course adjustments to make."

"Anna." Sampson's voice was soft and earnest. "Ye know its alright to admit ye love 'im, don't ya?"

Annalise let her shoulders sag as she paused, her back still turned to Sampson. "What if he doesn't want me?" She whispered brokenly, voicing the single fear she had been carrying for all these years. "I betrayed him Sampson. Betrayed his trust. How could he forgive me that?"

Sampson snorted softly. "Anna, any man who didn' let ya get away with murder would hafta be blind and an idiot. O' course he wants ya. E'ery man on this ship wants ya Anna." He shook his head, "If'n he doesn' want ya, I'll slap 'im around until he sees reason. Sees jus' what 'e's got in you."

Annalise couldn't help but smile at that. "Thank you Sampson," she murmured softly, her back still turned to him. "But I'm afraid I'm still going to need to see him before I can believe all that." With that she walked away, her steps light and dainty as she crossed the deck.

Sampson watched her walk away with a shake of his head. "Ye deserve 'im love. Yer a lady playin' at being a bloody pirate, and its wearin' ye down."

The ship was floating just offshore of a small island as dawn broke the sky. "Any moment." Calypso breathed, her dark eyes trained upon the horizon, as a sharp piercing green light flashed against the horizon. "Now." She murmured, a tight smile across her lips. "e's violating my laws, and e'll lose 'is life for it."

Annalise cast a sharp glance over at the sea goddess. "What do you mean?" she replied in soft tones that only thinly veiled her horror. The captain hadn't seemed such a bad sort really.

"It's death or squid lips." Jack stated brusquely from behind Annalise. "And 'is death will make me captain, so that's evidently the better option. Less ugly too."

"You, captain?" Annalise stammered. "Of the Flying Dutchman?"

"Course, love." He replied, not meeting Annalise's eyes. "What else did you think Tia wanted me for? Deckhand? A tad overqualified ain't I?"

Annalise shook her head, uncertain what to believe. She remembered her mother's stories; Jack had planned on stabbing the heart himself, all those years ago. Was it really possible that this was what Calypso had decided on? She frowned. The captain she had met had seemed so proper, so good and determined, surely this betrayal of Calypso's laws couldn't have been predicted? She found herself gazing at the sea goddess, wondering exactly how much she knew, how far she could see.

"Further than ye can dream." Calypso murmured into her ear. Winking darkly at her shocked face, Calypso ordered the rowboat down.

Annalise followed Jack and Calypso into the boat, only to be joined by Sampson. He turned to her and gave a halfhearted shrug, "Someone 'as to row the boat, Captain." Annalise gave a small nod, trepidation growing in her heart even as the Flying Dutchman grew in size, as it traveled ever nearer to the island.

Calypso led the way towards a small, but neat, house, nestled within lovely gardens and within view of the ocean. She pushed open the door confidently and stepped in, ushering her three followers in as well, leading them into the bedroom of the small house. The wife of the captain of the Flying Dutchman was still lovely, despite her frailty. She was older than Annalise had expected, but then, the captain had said he had sailed under her father for years, though he had seemed rather young to her eyes. The woman drew her breath slowly, sleeping. Annalise stepped closer. The woman appeared to be in her late fifties, streaks of grey running through her hair. "She's not all that much older than mother." She murmured softly, suddenly feeling a bolt of regret for not having spent more time with her parents these past few years.

The door opened with a bang, and Annalise looked up in surprise. Two faces greeted her: one the captain she had met on that fateful day, and the other… "James." She whispered softly, her voice catching in her throat as her eyes caught his.

Annalise and James stood frozen from the moment their eyes made contact. There was nothing Annalise would have rathered than to run into his arms, but she somehow found her feet glued into place upon the floorboards. She wanted to say so many things, but her tongue was plastered to the roof of her mouth. She was frozen, and she so desperately needed him to make the first move. To forgive her.

James stood stock still. Standing there, by the bedside of his captain's dying wife, was the woman he had been waiting for. Here, of all the places in the world, she had found him. His name on her lips made something inside him contract, caught his breath in his throat. She was so beautiful.

"Calypso," the captain murmured softly, stepping past James to tip his hat to the sea goddess who stood off to the side of the scene.

"Bridgely." Calypso replied. "Ye should be at sea."

"My wife is dying." He replied, his voice tight in his throat. "I could not simply ignore that fact."

"It is your duty to ignore that fact." Calypso's voice took on a more solemn tone. "But it is no matter. I have a replacement for you."

At that, James jerked his head and stared at the sea goddess. Beside her stood none other than Jack Sparrow, grinning as inanely as ever. "Sparrow?" He said finally. "Your replacement is Jack Sparrow?" His voice was incredulous. He blinked, realization stumbling upon him. "Replacement?" He repeated, his breath a ragged intake. "You mean to kill…?"

Calypso smiled darkly. "This is none of your concern James Norrington. I am finished with you." She gestured towards the bed, "It is not within your power to challenge fate."

James turned his head to see Bridgely slowly approaching the bed. Annalise stepped away, giving the man and his wife some space. "My love," Bridgely whispered softly, gently lifting a frail hand to his lips. "I've come home." He murmured against her pale skin.

"Robert?" A fragile voice whispered into the silent room. "Is that you?"

"It's me, my love." Bridgely whispered in reply. "I'm here."

"You've… come for me, then?" Her voice was soft, hesitant.

"I've come to see you, yes. I couldn't… I couldn't not come." Her murmured hoarsely, tears in his voice.

"And now we can be together." His wife's voice was strangely assured. "Now that we're both dead. We can be together." There was relief in her voice, a calm serenity.

Bridgely lifted his eyes, turning his head to meet Caylpso's gaze. She nodded magnanimously. Bridgely nodded in reply, a look of grateful relief spread across his features. He turned back to his wife. "Yes, my love," his whispered in reply. "Now we can be together."

There was a smile on her face as she slipped away. A look of calm certainty across her features. Bridgely bowed his head, resting his forehead upon her hand. After a long moment he reached under the bed and pulled out a chest that looked only too familiar to most of the room's occupants. "Here then." He said softly, sliding the chest across the smooth floor to where Jack stood next to Calypso. "Finish it now."

"But…" James began, his voice betraying his seeming composure.

"No James," Bridgely murmured. "This is what I want." He turned to look James straight in the eye, "There's nothing else worth living for," he turned his gaze to take in Annalise, "But love." He finished, nodding to her. He cast one last look back to his wife's body, still beautiful, but only a shell of the vibrant woman he had fallen in love with so many years ago. He looked to Calypso. "I'm ready." He said calmly.