Disclaimer: Will, Jack, Elizabeth, Ana, and the other PotC characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Disney, Gore, Jerry, Ted, and Terry. However I do own Sammi and Teague Sparrow! Sammi is by far my favorite OC that I've created, I just love her.

A/N: First off, I just want to apologize for making you wait the longest amount of time ever for me to update AMTHGF. I had finals and projects, and then I spent the weekend celebrating the end of the semester with my friends. Plus, I've been having a bit of writers block trying to figure out how to bring a couple characters back into the story. But I've got it all sorted out now. Here it is, my new chapter! I'd like to dedicate this chapter to KD Skywalker. I love ya girl, and I'm really sorry for your loss. And now, back to our favorite pirates.

Ch. 28: Return of Calypso

Elizabeth had wished for this blessed moment to arrive ever since Will came home from his ten year stint on the Dutchman. She'd longed to tell him that she was carrying his second child, and now that she was, it was as if they'd been given a second chance at parenthood. Elizabeth knew that her husband still felt guilty about his absence during her first pregnancy, even though it couldn't be helped. She was thrilled to give Will another opportunity to be a father, and this time he would be by her side to love and support her through it all. Even though they'd missed one chance to cure their son, life still went on. Will and Elizabeth had endured that disappointment, and soon they would get to experience the joy of welcoming a new life into the world.

"Will, we need to tell our son the good news," Elizabeth reminded him as she reluctantly extracted herself from his strong embrace.

"You're right!" He exclaimed. "And you need to tell your children your news as well," Will said pointedly, nodding at the Sparrows.

"I'll go get them," Jack offered, and soon he was back with William, Sammi, and little Teague in tow.

"What's going on?" Sammi asked her mother as she picked Teague. "What's the big announcement?"

"You're going to be a big sister again," Ana announced. She and Jack shared a secret smile. But if the Sparrows were expecting a dramatic reaction for their daughter, they were sorely disappointed.

"So what you're saying is that soon there will be another little Teague underfoot," Sammi said. All eyes turned to Teague, who was currently picking his nose. "Can't say I'm that thrilled," Sammi said casually. "But if it's a girl, well, then that could be fun."

"You don't sound very surprised," Jack said, staring at his daughter. Sammi laughed.

"No. But that's because William already told me the news." Sammi's wide grin betrayed her true feelings. The soon-to-be big sister was of course very excited that she was going to have another sibling.

"Teague, how do you feel about having a new brother or sister?" Ana asked her son, not sure if he understood what was going on. "When the new baby comes, I won't be able to spend as much time with you as I do now, but it doesn't mean that I love you any less." She anxiously awaited her son's reaction.

"Nooooooooooooooo! No baby!" Teague howled, as tears tumbled down his pudgy cheeks. He jumped out of Ana's arms and took off down the stairs.

"You could have phrased that differently, love," Jack mused as they watched him go.

"You think?" Ana answered, ever sarcastic. She sighed. "I'd better go after him." Ana disappeared below decks in hopes of consoling her distraught two year-old.

Sammi, who had been expecting such a reaction from her brother, turned her attention back to the Turners. By their beaming faces, Sammi could tell that something wonderful had happened. They seemed much happier than they had when they first came aboard, and the girl wondered what could have countered their somber moods. She'd expected them to brood over William's fate, but here they were smiling like newlyweds.

"William," Elizabeth said, her eyes shining with delight as Will's arms tightened around her. "We're also going to have a baby." Sammi gasped with delight, for now she and her best friend would both be receiving a sibling at nearly the same time. It was only fair, she thought.

"Really?" William asked, his voice incredulous.

"Really," Elizabeth confirmed happily. William smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I've always wanted a brother or sister, but…" William trailed off.

"William, just because you're going to have a sibling doesn't mean we will forget our promise to you," said Will, immediately picking up on his son's feelings. "You won't be pushed to the side. We will continue to search for a cure for you."

"And if a cure isn't to be found, then I'll sail for the Fountain of Youth and we'll both spend eternity together," Elizabeth vowed. "William, I won't leave you in this world alone." Inwardly, Will cringed. He knew that Elizabeth meant well, but she couldn't possibly fathom how it felt to be immortal. But if she was willing to make the sacrifice for their son, then so would he.

"And if that happens, I'll be coming with you too," vowed Will. "I'll not abandon you, William – I promise." William looked much happier as he hugged his parents.

"I didn't think you would forget about me, but you never know," the boy mumbled.

"Hey, wait a minute," Jack cut in. "I don't mean to put a damper on your little love fest, but how in the hell are you going to find the Fountain of Youth? Since Barbossa stole the charts, you'll have nothing to guide you." Elizabeth grinned at him.

"Sorry, Jack, but I'm afraid you've been mislead," she said apologetically. "I've actually had the charts all along." Jack's mouth fell open in surprise.

"Why you little thief!" He cried. "Why would you go and do a bloody thing like that?" Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at her longtime friend.

"You know why, Jack," she said sharply. "And you'd better be grateful that I did steal them." Jack nodded seriously, his eyes landing on his vivacious daughter.

"I forgot," Jack said sheepishly. "I am grateful to you, Elizabeth; I just wish you would've told me later that you had the charts because I've been wrongly accusing Barbossa of stealing them for years." Will and William knew they were missing a vital piece of information, as they couldn't figure out why Elizabeth stole Jack's charts. However, they were much too polite to ask what that reason was.

"Why are you grateful she stole the charts?" Sammi asked her father, curiously looking from Jack to Elizabeth. She had absolutely no problem speaking about what was on her mind, politeness be damned.

"It's a long story, Sammi; I'll tell you when you're older," promised Jack. Impulsively, he hugged her. Jack shuddered as he recalled just how close he came to becoming immortal and abandoning Ana, who was carrying their precious daughter at the time. Sammi rolled her eyes at her father's sudden display of affection.

"Father, get off!" She complained, wriggling out of his grip. "When are you ever going to think I'm old enough to tell me things?"

"Whenever I say you are," Jack said triumphantly. Sammi was about to really let him have it when her mother appeared, Teague-less. When she saw her mother's exasperated look, Sammi thought the better of making a fuss.

"Where's Teague?" Jack asked, frowning. Ana glared at him.

"Your son has locked himself in his cabin, and he refuses to let me in unless I promise not to have the baby."

"Not to worry, Ana; I'll have him out of there in a bit," Jack vowed before he vanished down the stairs.

"This should be good," Will muttered to Elizabeth as they took a seat on some nearby crates. Already bored with their parents, Sammi and William scampered off to play somewhere else.

"Jack better watch himself if he wants to stay in Ana's good graces," Elizabeth whispered back, as the woman in question stood in front of them, impatiently taping her foot as she waited for Jack's return. "She's already way past her boiling point, and her pregnancy isn't helping things." Will smiled at that, and let his fingers drift over to Elizabeth's stomach. He gently rubbed her tummy as she let out a small sigh. Mrs. Turner wondered if this would become a habit of his during her pregnancy – she certainly hoped so.

"You were never as emotional as Ana when you were pregnant with William, were you?" Will asked, hoping his voice didn't betray how worried he really was.

"As emotional?" Elizabeth thought about it. "No," she said finally, and Will breathed a sigh of relief. "Jack said I was actually more emotional than Ana," she added. Will's face suddenly lost a lot of its color.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Yes, I am," she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously at him.

"That's not funny, Elizabeth," he muttered. Elizabeth chuckled.

"Yes it is!" Will sighed.

"No, it's not," he insisted. "I have absolutely no clue as to what to expect when you're pregnant. I don't have the faintest idea how you'll act, nor do I have any experience with how to help you. I'll bet Jack knows more about pregnant women than I do, and that thought doesn't make me feel any better!"

"Will, I won't hold that against you, I promise," she said, smiling. "You already know how to deal with me on days that I'm moody, right?" He nodded. "It's not going to be much different than that. Yes, I'll be more irritable than normal, and I'll ask for your help with William more than usual, but other than that things shouldn't change much."

"Oh," he said, exhaling slowly as he ran his fingers through his wind-blown hair. "Good. That helps a lot, Elizabeth." Suddenly, a figurative weight was lifted from Will's shoulders. As much as he was thrilled that his wife was pregnant, Will had started to panic inside when he heard the news. He was grateful that his wife had been able to put him at ease with their current situation.

"Also, Will, in case you were wondering," Elizabeth began to speak more softly, "just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean that we have to stop partaking in certain activities for a long time." Will had indeed been wondering about this very subject, but he hadn't wanted to ask her about it incase it made him sound insensitive. He was extremely thankful that he wouldn't have to become abstinent anytime soon, as it was not an experience he'd like to repeat. Smiling at Elizabeth, Will blushed faintly as he remembered the variety of 'those' activities they had partaken in over the past couple months.

"I'm really glad to hear that, because I don't think I could handle another long bout of celibacy," he admitted with a blush.

"Will, did you really think I could keep my hands off you for the duration of my pregnancy?" Elizabeth teased him as Will muttered something unintelligible. He leaned in to kiss her, but pulled back when he heard Jack's footsteps on the stairs. Both Will and Elizabeth were surprised to see that the pirate had his young son with him.

"Jack, you got him out!" Ana exclaimed. "And quickly, too! How did you do it?" She frowned slightly. "He wouldn't listen to me at all." Jack shrugged.

"Nothing to it, love." But Ana was certain there was a lot more to Jack's statement, and as usual, she was correct.

"I really want to know, Jack," she insisted. The pirate captain winced.

"The only way he said he would come out was if you weren't having the baby, so I told him you weren't having the baby."

"You did what?" She screeched. "Jack, what in heaven's name made you say a stupid thing like that!" Elizabeth and Will had to bite their tongues to keep from laughing out loud as they observed the entertaining scene before them. All around the Turners, the crew was working as usual. Little spats between their captain and his life-partner were a natural occurrence to them.

"Don't you yell at me, Ana," Jack said with a scowl. "All you said was for me to get our son out of his cabin, and I did just that. You never said that I couldn't lie to him."

"Jack, that goes without saying," Ana moaned. "You know that."

"But we're pirates, love," said Jack, fishing for an excuse. "Teague's got to learn about lying sooner or later, so why not now?"

"Because he's a bloody two year-old, that's why!" She exclaimed. "We have to teach him the difference between right and wrong before we can teach him about the gray areas of ethics that go along with piracy."

"That's ridiculous," scoffed Jack. "I think we should teach him about the Code, and then teach him the difference between right and wrong."

"That's not how we handled things with Sammi," Ana reminded him.

"Yes, but this one is my son, and I should have more of a say in how he should be raised," argued Jack. Several slaps later, Jack decided that Ana's way of handling things would in fact be best, and went to try to explain the 'baby situation' to his son as best he could.

"Ugh, he's impossible!" Ana vented to no one in particular before she stalked off in the direction of the galley. (She had worked up quite an appetite, especially since she was eating for two.)

Once Jack and Ana were both out of earshot, Will and Elizabeth finally let out their laughter.

"I'm so glad you're not as sly as Jack," Elizabeth told her husband after they'd calmed down.

"And I'm so glad you don't slap your husband like Ana does," Will admitted. Elizabeth smiled at him.

"You've never done anything to me that would warrant a slap."

"And I want to keep it that way," Will mumbled under his breath. They sat there together for a bit longer, murmuring endearments and imagining what their life would be like once their little one was born.

333

When lunchtime arrived, both the Pearl and the Destroyer let down their anchors. Captain Teague came over to his son's ship for lunch, and he brought a visitor with him.

"Grandfather Teague!" Sammi exclaimed, running into his arms. "I heard what happened to you - I'm so glad you're alright!"

"'Course I am," Teague replied gruffly but he smiled at his granddaughter nonetheless. He extracted himself from his granddaughter's tight grip and went on to introduce Faith Maladie to the Pearl's crew.

"Hello," Faith said softly, her shoulder-length silver hair blowing in the wind. "It's lovely to meet you all."

"…She was the healer that we sought on this trip, and I freed her from the Turkish prison," explained Teague. "She sails with me now, until further notice." Jack couldn't help but notice his father's hand casually resting at the small of Faith's back. He was even more surprised to see that Faith didn't pull away from the contact, but instead chose to stick close to Teague during the introductions. Faith didn't leave her savior's side until the introductions were mostly over, and she spotted William in the crowd.

"It's so good to see you again, William," Faith said warmly before she hugged the child that had freed her from her curse. She thanked him again for his good deed.

"It's good to see you again too," William answered politely, and he meant it. "Faith, this is my best friend in the whole world, Sammi Sparrow."

"Hi," chirped Sammi. "William told me all about you."

"Did he?" Faith said, amused. "Your friend is a very brave young man to make such a noble sacrifice for an old lady like me."

"He sure is," sighed Sammi, rolling her eyes. "He's been that way practically since birth; he can't help it, really." Faith's musical laugh resounded across the ship at Sammi's comment.

"Goodness, you look so much like your mother," Faith observed, looking from Sammi to AnaMaria.

"I know," said Sammi. "I get that a lot. People always say I look like my mother and William looks just like his father." Faith nodded, for that was indeed the case. "But," Sammi continued, "I've got more of my father's personality, so I'm really a good mix of both my parents..." Sammi chatted with Faith as everyone on the Pearl looked on. Everyone except Jack and Captain Teague that is, as Jack had pulled his father aside.

"Is something going on between the two of you?" Jack knowingly asked his father. Teague shrugged.

"I can't deny that I like her very much. And I know she likes me – she told me so earlier today."

"That may be, but she's been shut up in that prison for most of her life," Jack reminded him. "She may not really know what she's saying, especially since you are her rescuer. I doubt she has any previous experience with love." Teague gave his son a small smile.

"Then I shall have to make it a good first experience for her, won't I?"

"Yes, but isn't this kind of sudden?" Jack worried. "You've barely known her a day!" Teague snorted.

"Son, if you get to be my age, you'll see that the rules for younger people don't always apply."

"That's true," Jack admitted. "Just don't hurt her, Da. She's very vulnerable right now – she's just won her freedom and she's dependent on you for well, everything!"

"I have no intentions of hurting her," Teague said softly.

"Good," Jack said. "Because she did save your life – twice. You owe it to her to be a perfect gentleman."

"I'll be nothing less," Teague vowed. "Since when were you so concerned about Faith's well being?" Jack's father inquired.

"Since she gave me more time to be with my father," his son admitted.

"Jackie, you have nothing to worry about," Teague promised. "I'll treat her like I treated your mother before you were born, with respect." Jack nodded to show that he understood.

"Then I'm feeling rather good about this," Jack informed his father with a smile as he clapped him on the back. "You both deserve each other; you have my approval." Father and son soon rejoined the group, where Faith was now making educated guesses as to the nature of William's curse, as she'd seen plenty of them in her line of work.

"You should stop physically aging completely when you become a man – that is around eighteen," said Faith. "As for food, water, and sleep, you'll be needing less and less of them as you mature. I wouldn't be surprised if two meals a day will be enough when you turn twelve," she predicted.

"But I love to eat," William pouted. Faith smiled gently.

"I know, but when you're on your way to becoming immortal, you won't need food."

"What else will be different?" William asked with trepidation.

"You won't bleed as much if you are cut, and you'll feel less and less physical pain as you age," Faith informed him. "And you'll have much more energy and strength than normal." William frowned.

"I don't want any of these things to happen – I just want to be cured!"

"I know all too well how frustrating that can feel," sighed Faith. "But don't worry – Captain Teague and I have made finding a cure for you our primary mission."

"So you'll be staying with him for awhile," grinned the boy, who had quickly picked up on the nature of their budding relationship.

"That's the plan," said Faith, her eyes lighting up as she gazed over at Teague. "I want to repay you for what you did for me, William. Both of us are going to search for a cure to your immortality while you return to your home."

"You don't have to do that," Will protested. "As soon as Elizabeth can spare me, I plan on going out and searching for a cure myself."

"Will, if they want to help, let them," Elizabeth hissed. "I need you around now more than ever!" She informed Faith and Teague of her pregnancy, and they offered their congratulations.

"I think you'd better let us help your son, Mr. Turner," insisted the former healer.

"It's no trouble," added Teague. "You should stay with your wife if at all possible."

"Alright," Will said wearily. He didn't like to be in someone else's debt, but for his son's sake he would gladly accept the assistance.

"Thank you both," said Elizabeth, tearing up a bit. "That you'll be out there looking for a cure for William will definitely help ease my mind." Then her stomach grumbled loudly, betraying her hunger.

"I'd say it's past lunchtime," chuckled Jack, and everyone agreed with him. "Da, Faith - there's something that I need to tell you," the pirate announced on their way to the galley. Needless to say, his announcement made Teague a very happy grandfather.

333

Sammi and William returned to their cabin to read after they had finished their lunch. Midway through her favorite adventure story, Redbeard's Revenge, Sammi remembered something important. Elizabeth had made her promise not to speak to William about a certain subject until he saw the healer. Well, he'd seen the healer, which meant Sammi was currently allowed to discuss said forbidden subject with her best friend. She smirked at William, who was totally engrossed in his book. Her friend had no idea what he was in for!

"Hey Will, did your father ever tell you where babies came from?" She asked casually. William froze, and began to sweat. If he said that he didn't know, then Sammi would most certainly want to explain it to him in explicit detail. But if he said that he did know, then Sammi would still want to discuss his views on the matter. Either way, he was screwed. William decided just to go with the truth.

"Yes, he did tell me," William admitted, reluctantly turning away from his book to look his best friend in the eye.

"Oh, so you do know the specifics," teased Sammi. Predictably, William blushed.

"Sammi, do we really have to talk about this?" He whined. "It's so gross. I can't believe my parents actually did it twice!" Sammi rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure they did it a lot more than twice." William's eyes grew huge.

"They did? Ewwwww!" Sammi giggled.

"Of course they did! Don't tell me you thought that they only do it when they want to make a baby?" William blushed even more furiously, causing Sammi to laugh even harder. "You did," she cried. "Oh, Will. You're much too naïve for your own good."

"So?" He glared at her, and she stopped laughing - mostly. "It's not like I'm actually going to do it, so why should I bother learning about it?" Sammi raised her eyebrows.

"You're not going to do it ever? Not even when you're older?"

"No," William said firmly. "If that's what it takes to become a father, then I want no part in it. Stop laughing at me!" Sammi was too far gone to care - she almost rolled off her bed she was laughing so hard! Her friend's limited views on the subject were rather amusing, and William's squeamishness just made Sammi want to egg him on even more.

"William, you'll want to do it eventually," Sammi said, trying to reason with him after she'd calmed down.

"I will not!" He exclaimed. "Wait, you're not going to do it when you're older, are you Sammi?" She shrugged.

"More than likely I will. Mum says it feels very-"

"Stop!" William cried. "I don't want to hear about what it feels like."

"Oh really?" Sammi teased. "Then why are you blushing?"

"I don't know," said a frustrated William. "Can we please talk about something else?"

"Not until you admit to me that you're going to want to do it when you're older," said Sammi, enjoying herself as she watched her friend squirm.

"Look, Sammi – how many times do I have to tell you that I'm not going to do it?" William moaned.

"You're really serious about this, aren't you?" She asked. He nodded furiously.

"There is no way I'm ever getting naked in front of a girl." Sammi rolled her eyes again as William's blush became more pronounced when he said the word 'naked'.

"Okaaaaay," said Sammi, not really believing him. "Tell you what, Will; I'll make a bet with you. If you ever decide you want to do it with a girl before you turn twenty, you have to tell me and pay me ten shillings. But if you don't, then I have to pay you ten shillings."

"That sounds fair," said William, agreeing to the bet only so he could change the subject.

"But you have to be honest with me," Sammi reminded him. "If you're not honest with me, that's cheating."

"Fine, I promise I'll be honest with you," sighed William, fed up with this whole thing.

"You can't forget about the bet," Sammi said sternly. "You have to tell me the first time you decide you want to have a girl in your-"

"I won't forget," William interrupted her, his cheeks flaming.

"Shake on it," Sammi commanded, and they did.

"Now can we change the subject?" A thoroughly red William asked. Sammi smiled warmly at him, taking pity on her friend for once. She didn't want to tease him too much, because she didn't want to bruise his pride.

"Sure," she said, all the while thinking that this would be the easiest ten shillings she'd ever made. "So, do you want a little brother or a little sister?"

Not surprisingly, William said that he'd prefer it if he had a brother, but that a sister would be fine as well. The best friends talked late into the afternoon, and were shocked to be called to dinner by Ana in what seemed like no time.

333

Later that evening, halfway across the world

Lord Alexander Beckett slammed his fist on his mahogany desk in frustration. When Calypso withdrew her assistance to shelter his East India Trading Company ships from stormy weather, the pirates thrived and preyed up on his armada. They were costing him a fortune, and he was starting to lose his reputation for having total control over the seas. But Beckett knew that it was his own fault that he was in this mess. For he had angered Calypso, and now he had to suffer the consequences.

Beckett winced as he remembered their last confrontation here in his cabin on the Conqueror. The enraged sea goddess had been furious with him since he hadn't been able to keep Elizabeth Turner locked up on his ship and away from Shipwreck Island. For when Elizabeth had been able to break her husband's curse, Calypso had once again lost her last chance to gain Will Turner's affections. As punishment for his actions, Calypso had severed all contact with Beckett and removed her special protection from his EITC vessels.

The last Beckett had heard of the goddess was that she had tricked a new handsome young man into becoming Captain of the Flying Dutchman for ten years after promising to sleep with him for one night. Apparently Calypso had convinced the man that she was deeply in love with him, but Beckett knew that she was only trying to distract herself from losing her coveted Will Turner. When Beckett first heard of this new development he sighed in frustration, for he knew he'd have a new Davy Jones on his hands for certain in ten years. But that was far in the future, and Beckett had to focus on the here and now.

What was he going to do now that Will and Elizabeth Turner's incredible love story was rapidly circulating across the globe? Every day he was informed that pirates everywhere were receiving sympathy, all because of the Turners' inspiring tale. As if his reputation wasn't suffering enough - now he had to deal with pro-pirate propaganda? This wasn't what Alexander had signed on for when he took the position after his brother Cutler was mercilessly killed by Jack Sparrow and the other pirates. Fortunately for Beckett, help was on the way.

In the blink of an eye, Calypso appeared before him. Beckett was so surprised that he dropped the quill he was holding, drippng ink all over his cream-colored pants. He hurriedly got to his feet and bowed to her.

"Calypso, you grace me with your presence," Beckett said smoothly, although inside he was shaking with fear.

"Don't bother wit flattery, Alexander," growled Calypso. "It will get ya nowhere." He nodded emphatically.

"Why are you here, then?" Beckett asked, opting to go with a more direct approach. "I thought you severed all communication with me when I failed you before."

"Dat was a mistake," the goddess admitted. "I need ya ta help me attain what I want most in dis world." Beckett almost rolled his eyes.

"You're not still on about William Turner, are you?" He asked, knowing full well what her answer would be. "Last I heard you had a new man - Klaus Svensson, I believe his name was." Calypso scoffed at that.

"Klaus cannot compare ta William, I realize dat now. I chose him as de new Captain of de Dutchman because he is everyting William is not. Blonde hair an blue eyes instead of dark hair and brown eyes, brawn instead of brains, a lust fer power and wealth instead of disinterest in it…" She trailed off, lost in thought. "But even him could not make me forget William Turnah. Dat man was de only one who ever resisted me, and de power I offered him." She sighed rather wistfully.

"Why do you continue to chase after a man who is so unattainable?" asked Beckett, in spite of himself.

"No man be unattainable if ya have my powers," Calypso insisted. "William Turnah be my one in a billion; him just doesn't know it yet. Him has been my greatest challenge, and him shall also be my greatest triumph. I haven't ever wanted a man like I've wanted William; not even Davy Jones comes close ta what I feel fer him." The goddess closed her eyes, imagining the very desirable William Turner standing before her. "I am especially haunted by de memory of our last kiss-"

"You mean your only kiss," Beckett reminded her.

"Don't mock me, Alexander!" Calypso growled. "Do ya want my help, or not?"

"Of course I do," said Beckett, wincing. "It was not my place. So what is your plan, my lady?"

"My way ta William Turnah is through him immortal son," Calypso said with an evil grin. "I was worried for awhile that I would lose dis leverage, as yesterday de boy was dangerously close ta being cured. But luckily fer me, it seems William's son has inherited him honorable tendencies. Now dat young William has set de healer free, there be no other person who can cure him immortality, save fer me." Calypso's lips curled into a leering smirk. "William would do anything ta make him beloved son mortal, even surrender himself ta me."

"So you want me to have my men pick up the boy for you?" Beckett asked, sounding surprised this new bit of information about the youngest Turner.

"No," said Calypso. "I admit, I would like nothing better. But first I will have my revenge on him wife, de Pirate King Elizabeth Turnah. Ya see, I be having de same dilemma ya are – thanks ta de Turnahs' "love" story, my reputation has suffered. I have ta counter dis story where I was defeated by two mere mortals!" Beckett nodded understandingly. "Before I bring my William home ta my lair, I must first assert my power as ruler of all de seas," said the goddess.

"And how will you do that, exactly?" Beckett prodded.

"By fulfilling my original promise to ya - to rid de seas of pirates," Calypso answered, and Beckett could barely refrain from shouting with glee. "If my storms kill enough of dem, de pirates will be forced ta reconvene de Brethren Court in a few years," the goddess continued. "I will settle fer nothing less dan William Turnah in exchange fer an end ta my deadly weather. But I know de pirate lords – dey will not want ta give him up without a fight. So dat is when ya will steal de boy from under him mother's nose, and I will hold him ransom until him fatha comes fer him. Den I will turn de boy mortal and swear ta end my personal vendetta against de pirates, if William promises ta give himself ta me fer all eternity."

"Are you sure he'll agree to that?" Beckett worried. "It seems a bit much."

"Alexander, he's William Turner," she scoffed. "Sacrificing himself fer de well being of others - especially him own flesh and blood - is what he does." Calypso cackled with excitement, for she knew she'd found the best way to manipulate the object of her lust.

"That does sound like an ingenius plan," Beckett complimented her. "But if you get Will Turner, then his beautiful wife will be quite lonely. I may have to remedy that." Calypso chuckled.

"Elizabeth Turnah will never have ya, not when she's known de love of William." Beckett glared at her.

"We'll just see about that. If I capture her beloved friends Jack and AnaMaria Sparrow and threaten them with torture, perhaps she'll change her mind."

"Perhaps," was all that Calypso said.

"Either way, I win," said Beckett, shrugging. "If Elizabeth won't be mine, then I will have Jack Sparrow killed before her. My revenge for Cutler's death will be complete…"

Beckett and Calypso schemed late into the night, all the while thinking of the Turner that held their affections.

333

Midnight, on the Black Pearl

That night, Sammi fell into a restless sleep. She had an unsettling dream about her best friend, no doubt set off by the events of the day. In her dream, she and William were much older, perhaps nineteen or twenty. The William in her dream looked quite different from the boy she knew now – he looked much more like his father did now. His expressive dark eyes were the exactly the same, though. That was how she was positive it was him.

"Samantha, we need to talk," William said, taking her hand in his. Sammi tensed at his greeting, for William hardly ever called her by her real name. She knew that whatever they were going to talk about must be very serious indeed.

"We are talking," Sammi pointed out as they looked out at the horizon from their vantage point on the Pearl. She leaned into kiss him, but William pulled away. Sammi frowned at his action. "Will, what's this about?" William sighed.

"We've reached the point in our relationship now where I must make a decision about the future. I should either ask you to marry me or ask you to move on." Sammi's heart leapt at this, for she knew that William had told her of his intentions to eventually marry her when they first started courting three years previously. "I can't ask you to marry me, no matter how much I want to," he said softly. Sammi's face fell when she processed this statement. Elation was replaced with frustration when she realized why William had said what he did.

"It's because of your immortality, isn't it?" Sammi asked bitterly. William nodded.

"Yes," he said simply.

"But Will, it doesn't matter to me whether or not you are immortal," Sammi exclaimed loudly. "You know that!" William's voice was firm.

"I can't ask you to drink from the Fountain of Youth and become immortal just for me."

"Why not?" Sammi cried. "I love you, Will! I would gladly do it if it meant we could be together forever."

"I know," William said, his sad eyes betraying the pain and conflict he was battling. "But Sammi, any children that we would have would be immortal too. And then when they become of age and fall in love themselves, they would have to persuade their significant others to drink from the Fountain as well. And so would their children, and their children…" He trailed off helplessly. "We would be creating a race of immortals that by rights shouldn't exist."

"So you're willing to just give up on our love then?" she asked, still stunned by what he was proposing. William nodded.

"If I truly loved you, I would let you go. It's the right thing to do," he said softly. "You ought to be with someone who can give you the normal life you deserve." Sammi's heart constricted as she found herself lost in William's loving gaze.

"I don't want a normal life, I only want you," she insisted. "I won't give up on us so easily," Sammi vowed. "We could still find a cure for your immortality."

"You know there is none to be found," he reminded her. "My parents and yours have searched far and wide, but save for Calypso there is no other being that can cure my immortality."

"There has got to be a way for us to be together, Will," she insisted. "But there isn't, is there?" He shook his head.

"Not without disastrous consequences. I'm sorry, Sammi."

"But I don't want you to be alone forever," she sniffed. William smiled sadly.

"You know I won't be alone. My parents are going to stay with me."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," she scolded him. "I could love you, William Turner, consequences be damned." She stared up at him, her dark eyes pleading that he would reconsider his decision.

"I can't do it, Sammi," William whispered, his eyes filled with a love for her that he was forcing himself to deny. "I swear I never meant to cause you any pain." He gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, kissing her forehead as she clung to him. "I do love you, but I suppose it was never meant to be," he murmured. Sammi felt her heart shatter into a million pieces as she thought about not being able to spend the rest of her life with her best friend...

Sammi awoke with a start. She automatically turned to look at the bed next to her, and glimpsed nine year-old William sleeping peacefully. She let out a huge sigh of relief that they were still their real ages. But Sammi couldn't deny that the dream had deeply rattled her. And not just because she dreamed that they were courting, either. What if William really couldn't be cured? Is this what would happen to him, refusing to marry the one he loved because of his immortality? She hoped with all of her might that this wouldn't be the case, for William was much too nice a person to deserve such a fate.

As disturbing as the dream was, at least it told her one thing – William had to be cured at all costs. It was the only way for him to lead a normal life, a life that could possibly include her as his… Sammi giggled silently. She was getting rather ahead of herself. She didn't even know if William liked her like that, much less what his feelings for her would be in ten years! She didn't even know if her feelings for William would remain. All the same, when Sammi closed her eyes again, she fell asleep picturing how stunningly handsome William would become when he grew up.

End Ch. 28

A/N: Finally the site is working, so I get to post! I hope you liked this chapter even though it's extremely late. Whoops, I've got to do better next time. Thanks to all of you who sent me PMs reminding me to update! I plan to update before the holidays, so you won't have to wait as long this time.