Diclaimer: I so obviously do not own any of this. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fan fiction.

I have no real excuse for why this took so long, so I'll just say sorry, and thanks for staying with me if you still are. :)

From here on out I will borrow things directly from Pirates 4, but for the purpose of this story things won't turn out the same. Also, I haven't seen the movie in a while, so I'm filling in some blanks with my own imagination. Just so no one gets confused by anything.

Ok. On with the story.

The next few moments are a blur. Emily doesn't remember boarding the Sea's Queen; all she knows is that suddenly she is standing before a rather irate Anamaria.

"What were you thinking, girl! Acting like your some kind of immortal, do you know what could have happened if they'd shot you!"

"It's possible I'd have been on my way to see mother, I suppose." She finds herself replying calmly. "It's a good thing they didn't, it wouldn't have ended well for anyone." Alex is coming towards her now, and he looks about ready to give her an earful too. She slips past Anamaria, hoping to avoid him. "Heading, Captain?" She makes for the helm.

"Headin- Turner!"

"Yes, Captain."

"Face me, dammit, girl!"

Emily pauses and takes a breath, hyperaware of the all the eyes trained on her, before turning around. "Yes, Captain." She says again, and she doesn't have to fake the tension in her voice.

"What happened over there? They've not fired another shot, what did you tell them?"

"I told them we don't have the map, that we had another way of getting wherever we are going. They'll be following our lead, and expecting to do so soon, so. Heading, Captain?"

Abruptly, the Captain grabs her arm and pulls her to the side.

"Who's the Captain? What did he tell you?"

"I never spoke with the Captain himself." Emily lies outright, and perhaps not very smoothly, but Anamaria has no real reason to believe she's fibbing. "And I was told nothing other than we'd best be on our way soon."

Anamaria studies her for a moment. Emily isn't sure what the older woman is looking for, but she waits patiently as she can manage.

"Alright." The Captain says finally. "I'll get our heading."

Emily resists the urge to send the older woman a glare. She wants another look at that map, but as odd a turn as things have taken, she doesn't want to push her luck. She instead turns back to resume her trek up to the helm…

… and nearly runs into Alex. She looks up at him and opens her mouth at the same time he does, but no sound comes out of his mouth, and all she can think of is Adrienne, Adrienne and how she's alive and well and Alex will find out about it sooner or later. She shuts her mouth, scowls, and stalks past him, missing the hurt and worried look on his face as she does so.

Sleep refuses to come to Emily later that night. Anamaria had threatened to make her be the one to tell little Charlie if Adrienne was lost to the sea, so Emily had been left with little choice but to admit she'd seen the other girl very much alive. She's lying awake in bed when someone knocks quietly on her door, and she knows immediately who it is.

"Just come in, Alex."

He does. She sits up in bed and brings her knees to her chest; he sits at the end of the bed, but says nothing.

"If you've something to say…" She trails off, staring down at her feet rather than at him.

"It's just – what ye did earlier – jumpin over to the other ship like that – it wasn't like you." She isn't sure how to respond. He goes on when she doesn't. "Was Adrienne – is there a chance she – did you –"

"It's not like you to stutter so." She says pointedly. "Why do you care so much about her?"

"Cause she's me friend. Why do you care so much that I care about her?"

"You sound a bit like Uncle again. And you have awful judgment when it comes to lady friends, just so you know, I suppose you could've gotten that from him as well."

Another pause. This really isn't like him. She grimaces, finally raising her eyes to meet his, and finds that he is staring at her.

"Did you see her?"

"See who? Where?"

"Emily." He is being quite serious, and sounds a bit annoyed.

"Yes." She replies with a sigh. "I saw her. She's alive." He relaxes visibly. She wants to tell him just who he's been spending his nights with, they've both heard enough of Barbossa to be somewhat afraid of the man, but that would mean admitting she'd lied to the Captain, so she'll have to wait on that revelation. "I think she pretended to have been our prisoner or something, they were taking care of her."

"Good. Great!"

She wants to glare at him, but doesn't in favor of trying out an entirely different approach.

Distraction. In the form of a kiss, because they are both very sober at the moment, and she is well within her rights to slap him again, this time if he rejects her. Which, it doesn't seem he will to begin with. In fact, he seems genuinely surprised, and then he is kissing her back. And then his hands are traveling down to places horribly, wonderfully inappropriate, and she actually gets his vest off this time, and she's just about to lay herself out on the bed so they can – well, get on with it when he finally pulls away, resting his forehead on hers.

"Please." She says quietly, and wonders if he's still thinking of Adrienne, wonders why he would try to act a gentlemen with her when she was hardly acting a lady.

"I'm not sure I like this you."

"What?" She asks, but he is already getting up, putting distance between her and him.

"Ye're not yerself again. Ye've been acting strange all day."

"Alex…"

"I 'eard the crew talkin while ye were off on that other ship. They say ye made Adrienne jump."

"She was talking mutiny, Alex." She replies, as though she doesn't need any more justification, and really – they are pirates, and others had been shot for much less.

"But ye could've thrown her in the brig. There are plenty of men on this ship who would've thrown her in there for ye. What possessed ye to send her overboard?" He's giving her this intense stare, expecting an answer.

"What possessed me – everyone thinks it a joke. My being Ana's first. Until this morning…" She trails off.

"I see." He replies, with a tone that makes her wonder just what it is he 'sees'.

"Do you?"

"Aye. Pirate, right?" She doesn't know what to say. He comes forward and places the ghost of another kiss on her lips. "Sleep well, Emily." And then he leaves, and she stares after him blankly and wonders if she'll ever do anything right.

He ignores her all the next day.

The woman is familiar, with her brown curls and green eyes, but something is wrong. She is thin and too pale. It is obvious that she has been ill. She is oddly calm as she sits on the deck of the massive, withered ship, staring down at her hands and looking resigned.

The night is calm. The moon, though veiled by a thin layer of clouds, is still full and bright, casting an eerie glow over the water and the ship. The woman is not alone on the deck; there are several others, all a little battered, wearing the clothing of humble sailors, possibly merchants on a long voyage. One might never guess on first glance that they are all basically dead. But Emily, leaning calmly on the mast a few feet away from them, knows better. She's seen this ship before plenty of times; a few times in her dreams, many more times in person. She knows what's about to happen.

She's perfectly used to these dreams by now, and she can sense that this is in the future, not the past, so she resolves to simply keep calm and watch. Or, to try to anyways. This is a little more difficult than it sounds, especially when she can tell her mother is coming. The very atmosphere grows darker. The clouds seem to thicken some overhead. The ship creeks and groans, the sails seem almost to wilt. The she-devil is not, it seems, in a particularly good mood. This does not bode well for any of the sailors awaiting her on deck.

Emily's grandfather, to her surprise, appears first, looking bemused. He eyes the group of trembling sailors with a grimace, his eyes lingering on the frail woman who seems calm as can be, and realization dawns on his face. Emily knows the older man has never met the woman, but he recognizes her on some level, and this proves worrying.

And then She strolls out on deck, and Emily feels herself tensing even as she knows she's in no danger herself.

She looks just as terrifying as she did the first time Emily saw her like this, with her scaled skin, seaweed hair, and webbed hands. With the addition of what appear to be some kind of fins – bony, webbed spikes – on her arms, the human and yet very inhuman figure she cuts is enough to send a chill down anyone's spine. The sailors bold enough to glance up when she strolls out on deck grow even more terrified if that was possible. The woman does not look up, however. A tear slides down her cheek, but still she does not tremble like the others. Emily begins to feel a grudging respect for her sort-of-stepmother. Jade is brave, if nothing else.

"You." Captain Swan comes to stand in front of the other woman. More tears slide down Jade's cheeks, but she doesn't move. "Look at me." The Captain demands, but still, Jade does not move. The Captain gestures to Bill; he and another man move forward to haul Jade to her feet. She glances up briefly, her green eyes meeting the Captains cold brown ones, before she casts them downwards again – and spits at the Captain's feet. Everyone tenses for a terrifying moment, Emily included, wondering what will come next. The Captain freezes, eyes narrowing at the other woman – and then she cackles. "It's rare I come across another woman as spirited as I." Her tone is almost pleasant, even as she goes on. "Unfortunately, something tells me that won't win you any favors. What's your name?"

"Jade… Jade Turner." She replies, quiet but steady.

That's a lie. Emily's papa had never gone so far as to marry Jade, even when little Joshy was born. The pair had been the closest thing to a scandal as the town Emily grew up in had ever seen. The drunken blacksmith and his illegitimate family had provided the town with an entertaining bit of gossip for more than a year after it first became obvious Jade was with child.

The Captain didn't know that, though.

"Turner, now, is it?" The Captain keeps up her pleasant façade. "Missus Jade Turner? How interesting. I seem to recall tossing a William Turner into the locker, some years ago now. An unfaithful, pitiful excuse for a man. Who would've thought I'd come across his widowed whore so soon?"

Emily wants to scream as the Captain says such terrible, spiteful things using her mother's voice, but she keeps silent, remembering all too well that she is a ghost and it will do her no good.

Jade doesn't even flinch. "Will warned me of how this would work. I do not fear death. I prefer it to you, you miserable hag. Do what you wish so long as you let me go."

"Come now. Let's not be too hasty." There is an edge to the Captains voice now as she gestures to another member of her crew. "Bring him."

Him? A feeling of dread settles in Emily's belly. Because if Jade had been attempting a voyage somewhere… and little Joshy was eight, only just getting closer to nine, she would never go anywhere without him, would she? Emily has never wanted so desperately to be wrong.

But of course, fate is never on her side. A young boy is brought up on deck. He has his mother's green eyes and is tall for his age and it is obvious that he is trying very, very hard to be brave – tears roll down his cheeks and he is trembling in fear, but not sobbing. He has the resolve of both his parents. Emily wants nothing more than to reach out and grab him, to pull his head to her chest and comfort him, to drag him back with her so he won't have to go through whatever is about to come next. She is caught somewhere between tears and rage.

The Captain reaches out and pulls the boy to her side, running a hand through his dark hair. "He is very much alive and well and I am hardly in the business of maiming children. You stay here with me, join my crew. I drop the boy off, safe and sound, and never bother him again."

"You expect me to trust you?" Jade seems incredulous.

"I don't make promises unless I intend to keep them, Missus Turner," the Captain's tone briefly turns mocking, "and you've hardly a choice."

Jade looks at her son, more tears pouring down her cheeks as she sobs quietly, and the decision is obvious for her it seems. She slumps forward, her eyes cast downward again. "I'll serve."

"No!" The boy screams, startling everyone, the Captain included. He shoots forward before anyone can stop him. The men who had brought him forward quickly regain their bearings and move to pull him back, but the Captain holds up a hand at the last minute, staying them silently.

Emily slips forward between the other men around, moving close enough to hear what is said.

"Mother please – I would stay – I would…"

"I know you would, sweetheart, I know you would." She cups his cheek and studies him, as if to memorize his face. "But it would do no good. I am doomed to suffer either way. There is nothing you can do."

"Mother!" Her throws his arms around her neck.

She hugs him tight as she steals a glance up at the Captain, who is watching the scene play out, looking intrigued in some strange way. She makes no move to put a stop to what is happening, so Jade dares to go on. "Joshua, listen to me." She pulls back to look at him again and speaks quickly. "You are a Turner. You had a father, and he loved you as much as I do. Don't let anyone ever tell you different. When you get back home, check in your father's trunk. The letters from your sister are in there, along with the money she's been sending. Write back to Emily and she will come for you."

"But you said –"

"I know what I said." She cuts him off. "Your father was a good man, and she is every bit his daughter, I am hoping she will prove me wrong." She kisses his forehead and turns him around, sending him off to the men who have been his keepers.

"Wait." Emily says aloud to Jade , indignant, as Joshy is hauled off below decks. "What? What did you say about me, you old…"

The Captain barks a few orders and Jade is taken off to do – whatever it is she should be doing as the Dutchman's newest crewmember… And the scene fades away as Emily wakes in her bed on the Sea's Queen, scowling. She supposes she'll probably never find out what Jade had been saying about her, unless her brother would see fit to tell her.

Joshy…

She knows the vision was of the future, but how far into the future? Far enough that Emily would be able to sail to the little port where she grew up and be there in enough time to ensure Joshy wasn't left alone? She wishes, not for the first time, that her goddess would somehow give her a few more details to work with. She wonders what she'll do once she even has the boy. He's still so young, she can hardly have him tagging along with the kind of trouble she and Alex tend to get in, can she?

Knowing full well she will not sleep anymore, she gets up and decides to go for a walk, preparing herself for a long night. She thinks, wistfully, of the one time she did fall asleep again after a vision – in the crow's nest, wrapped in Alex's strong arms. A part of her wishes she had him with her now to provide her with the same sense of safety, while another part wonders if they'll ever stop being so at odds long enough for the wish to come true.

Whitecap Bay is at once beautiful and terrifying for all that Emily knows what's swimming, restless and hungry, in the waters beneath them. They come to a stop before an old lighthouse – or what's left of it. Something had happened here, and fairly recently. There was a fire, and the dock that had led to shore has collapsed.

Emily peers over the side. Dark shapes writhe in the water beneath them, restless and, Emily thinks as she hears what she swears is a snake like hiss, angry.

"Captain?" She says uncertainly, turning to Anamaria.

"Aye, I see them." Ana replies. "We need to move fast. Go get Alex and Charlie and lower a long boat, we're going ashore."

"Captain, perhaps I should –," Emily curses herself for the slip up. Ana had been unusually wary of her since the incident with the Navy ship days earlier; she might not be as open to the idea of leaving Emily with the ship anymore, "er, that is one of us should stay with the ship. We could steer clear of this cursed place until –"

"I want you with me." Ana cuts her off, confirming Emily's suspicion. "And we cannot trust that the others will stay without us here, you know that, though I would pray that they will. Now do as I say."

"Aye, Cap'n." Emily murmurs grumpily as she walks off to do just that.

…

"Why take Charlie with us?" Alex asks in bemusement as Emily slips out from below decks with the ten year old in tow.

"With Ana and I gone we can't guarantee that the crew won't take off with the ship." I wouldn't entirely blame them if they do, she adds, but only in her thoughts. "And there'll be no one else to take care of him, best we all go."

"Ah, 'course. Bloody pirates." He mutters, looking annoyed.

"What?"

"Nothing. S'just…"

"Just what, Alex? What is it with you lately, can't you just spit things out?" This whole situation has her unsettled, and she knows it's not fair to take it out on Alex, but he's driving her about as mad as Ana is, so she doesn't care.

He looks around a bit, uncomfortable, before telling Charlie to just stay put as he pulls her off to the side. "Promise me somethin. Assumin we make it out of 'ere alive, I mean."

Now she searches his dark eyes, worried. "Promise what?"

"Promise ye'll run away with me. First chance we get."

"What?" Her eyes widen. "Alex, are you mad?"

"No, jus' think about it, Emily. Ye spend so little of all the money ye earn from Ana, and I've stashed some too, maybe we could…"

"Could what?" It comes out harsher than she intends. She takes a breath and softens. "Really, if you've an idea, I'd love to hear it."

"I don't know." He admits. "I really don't know. But we could figure somethin out, I'm sure of it. Emily, ye're dad said he wanted somethin better for ye, right? So why not?"

"Alex, where is this coming from?"

He shakes his head. "I'm gettin tired of these games, is all. Ye told me once that we are not our parents, we don't 'ave to end up like them, and yet 'ere we are, and ye've been actin strange, and for all we know this could end in those Navy men takin us back to England and – well, I'm sure it ain't too hard to figure what comes next."

"That's not going to happen, Alex. I may not know what is going to happen, but I know that's not it."

"Then what'll be left to stop us, eh? Please, Emily. Maybe we could – we could head for the new world and…"

"And what, you'll-you'll make an honest woman out of me and we'll spend the rest of our lives having children while you tend a shop for a living or something?"

"Or something." He's beginning to look thoroughly defeated.

"That's a fine fantasy, Alex, but I can't… I just don't think…"

"Turner! Sparrow!"Anamaria calls for them, ready to leave.

"Please, Emily." Alex pleads. "Please, just say yes."

She only shakes her head and places a kiss on his cheek before walking away.

…

The Sea's Queen has already been brought about by the time they make it to shore. Ana and Emily watch it sail off and allow themselves a moment to mourn the loss. They'd both come to love the tough little ship; now there is no guarantee they will return. They are on their own with Barbossa; a handful of Navy men who would probably prefer to see Ana, Emily, and Alex hang; and who knows how many pirates under the command of a bloodthirsty captain who was supposed to have been killed ages ago. The Navy ship, after wasting several precious moments, possibly debating what to do, follows the pirates to safety.

Emily grimaces as she watches Alex greet Adrienne, looking more relieved than Emily would've liked, and decides that she is not looking forward to this particular adventure. Not one bit.

…

"You mean to tell me you'd never seen the man before?" Anamaria is skeptical, and Emily tries not to show how nervous she is.

"Never. I had not a clue who he was until you told me just now."

"Surely you're father's stories had him in them."

"A few times, aye, but I was just eight when he stopped telling them."

"But you haven't forgotten them, you told me so yourself."

"Well, perhaps I don't remember as well as I thought."

Silence ensues. Whatever is going on, it's too late to put a stop to it now.

"I trusted you, Turner, if you've got some kind of plan going against me, and with him of all people…"

"I trusted you, Captain, and look where we've ended up? We may never make it out of this bloody place. I think I can take care of myself."

Ana pauses at this, grimacing. "I had my reasons, girl."

In truth, Emily still does trust Ana. Maybe she does have a good reason for all of this. But Emily can't give up the act. "And I have mine."

Ana seems frustrated, but the conversation ends there.

…

They are in the middle of the jungle, soaked with sweat and tiring quickly, when it hits her. She's not sure why her mind chooses that moment to put the pieces together. Possibly because she overhears the discussion Alex and Adrienne are having about the Fountain. Whatever the reason, a passage from an old books comes to mind, and Emily is abruptly reminded of her dream and the less pressing but still very real problem that is her mother. The Fountain is supposed to be able to break any curse. Any curse. She wonders why it never occurred to her before; could any curse include one inflicted directly by a goddess? Could the waters of the Fountain somehow save her mother?

That sends her mind reeling with a flood of other questions. Does her mother, at this point, want to be saved? Would Emily be doing the world any favors by trying? As corrupted as her mother has become, releasing her from the curse that binds her to the ship and keeps her trapped at sea could prove to do more harm than good. And what about the ship? Someone has to do the job her mother is supposed to be doing now. Would someone else have to replace her? Could that someone be anyone, or did it have to be, say, someone else with ties to the land of the living, a lover like her mother and Davy Jones had before him or her? If so, could Emily do that? Does she want her family back, broken as it is, badly enough to shove that burden on someone else? Is she that selfish? She gets stuck on that last question, and feels somewhat ashamed – no, outright disgusted – with herself when she cannot easily answer 'no'.

Alex is right. She thinks as they traipse ever further into the jungle. I'm not myself at all. Bad enough that I'm willing attempt a voyage to the very end of the world just to save my father. I may get us all killed just for that. Mother is beyond help. Alex's words from earlier, her own repeated back to her, echo in her mind. We are not our parents. We are not our parents. Her father had told her to just leave him where he was. He didn't want her to save him. He wanted her to move on with her own life. That was all he'd ever wanted, it seemed. Maybe Alex's idea wasn't such a bad one after all, especially since Emily would soon have her brother to worry about.

Maybe, if they made it out of this jungle alive and well, maybe she and Alex would be better off getting out while there was a chance, albeit a small one, that they still could.

…

She allows herself to entertain that fantasy right up until they find the ancient ship that somehow ended up perched rather precariously on the edge of a cliff. Because it is then that she is brought back to reality and reminded of the part she's supposed to be playing. At first it seems that Barbossa intends to venture forward and retrieve whatever it is they need from the ship, but then he sees Emily and is apparently reminded of their conversation days earlier. By the time all of this is over, he's going to have something that she's going to need, and that means she'll be willing to do anything he wants.

Well, maybe not anything. Finding a way in to the old ship and retrieving the silver chalices is just within reason, though.

"Ms. Turner, if you'd be so kind as to do us all a favor." Barbossa singles her out in a way that is a bit familiar considering they are not supposed to have even exchanged names.

Emily glances at Alex (who looks almost angry, but not surprised, suggesting Adrienne had told him something about this) and her Captain (who shakes her head, looking somehow resigned). "Aye, sir." She mutters.

"Wait." Ana says, and all eyes shoot to her. She looks about to say something, but shakes her head as if changing her mind. "Just be careful, Emily."

Emily eyes her Captain, unsure what to make of that, before turning towards the ship. Drawing her sword, she swats at the bush surrounding them, slowly cutting a path to her destination.

…

She's not sure how long it takes her to make it there. She only knows that the sun is beginning to get a little too low in the sky for comfort by the time she finally makes it. Finding a way into the ancient, creaking mass of wood isn't as hard as she'd expected; the hull is rotted and there is a hole plenty big enough for her to climb through. There are skeletons scattered throughout the dusty corridors, but with the visions she's had – bloodthirsty mermaids, ships that take on a life of their own, a she-devil and her crew full of fish people – she figures there is hardly anything scary about the long since dead.

In truth, they prove to be of some use to her. She follows them right to what she figures is the Captain's cabin – presumably where the chalices will be.

It is here that she is reminded of just how precariously the ship has been settled.

The cabin is huge, at least compared to what Emily has seen of captain's cabins. There is furniture situated around the room, chests of drawers and the like, as well as assorted pieces of treasure, shining dully through the dust they are covered in. A four post bed sits front and center. Emily thinks this must once have been quite a grand set up.

Sitting on the bed, still clutching what appears to be a very old map drawn on yellowed, fraying parchment, is a skeleton – the remains, she can only assume, of the legendary Ponce de León. The map, she realizes, would probably tell her where to go after she fetches the chalices… but she's not sure she wants to tempt fate by trying to take it from him. Whereas the other skeletons she'd come across had obviously been quite harmless, this one has a strange aura. Noticing it with senses that she can only assume are goddess given, he sends a bit of a shiver down her spine.

Anyway, that's not what she came here for. Tearing her eyes away from the skeleton, she takes a few cautious steps forward to begin searching the other side of the cabin… And freezes about halfway there, eyes widening in fear as the ship groans and tips forward a bit.

Before she can figure out just what to do about this, footsteps reach her ears, echoing down the corridor, before a voice gasps in shock.

"Emily?"

She'd know that voice anywhere. Brows furrowing, she spins around and stares in shock at the familiar figure hovering in the doorway. "Uncle?"

And that would be it for now.

I've been debating whether I really want to keep going with this because, although I do have a ton of ideas for it, my writing style is continuously changing as I learn more. It makes writing for something I started quite a while ago a little more difficult. But I still have people reading this, and adding it to their favorites, so it seems you guys don't mind (or maybe don't even notice anything wrong, I tend to be too picky with my own stuff). So I will try to keep going as long as you're still reading.

Thanks to all who have reviewed. Really, reviews for any of my stories make my day. :)