AN: If you found this before April 15, 2020, then please be aware this has received a bit of a cleanup for taste and cringe. The scene and following conversation where Jack scares off Will in chapter 17 has been rewritten as well as a few other bits, but that's the major one that I can recall changing in a significant way.

ooo

Millarca looked up at the rafters, her eyes scanning the shadows cast by flickering lamps. "I've an idea," she said lowly, her eyes following a path along the wood.

Jack followed her gaze to the rafters directly above Wolfgang. He then traced a path to the front door. "Claw your way across the top?"

"With some minor scrabbling," she said with a smile.

Jack let out an uneasy breath. "No. We'll figure something else out."

Millarca nodded her head to the back stairwell. "Then let us conveign in my room," she said as she slipped into the crowd of rowdy patrons.

Christine quickly followed suit, her eyes darting back to Wolfgang with murderous intent. After another glance, Jack quietly ushered Will up the stairs.

Will kept an eye on the stairs as they made their way through the hall to Millarca's room. He collided with Jack on the threshold and gasped as a sharp sting ran up his spine. "J-Jack? What was that?"

"I don't like this plan, either," Jack groaned as he sank to the ground.

Will looked from where Jack lay bleeding on the floor to Millarca in shock. He stepped back as she raised her knife and met his eyes.

Millarca knelt beside Jack and cradled his head. "It's for the best," she said. "I won't lose you."

Jack gasped for air as the light faded from his eyes.

Millarca sighed and stood, facing Will. "Get him to his ship and make ready to leave. If all goes well, I'll be there shortly."

"And if it doesn't?"

She looked from Will to Jack then finally to Christine. She took Christine's hand in hers and smiled. "I've lived long enough. I suppose I'll see if I can die. Or if I am truly destined for eternity until the flames of Hell claim us all," she whispered.

Christine teared up as she clutched Millarca's hand to her chest. "No. We can just take Jack and go out the back. We'll go to Ireland. I have family there! W-we'll raise sheep! Do things with yarn!"

Millarca shook her head, smiling sadly at Christine. "He's after me, and me alone. Either I manage to kill him, or…'

"No!"

"Please. Let me do this. Let me save my son."

Christine gasped between sobs and eventually nodded.

"Thank you," Millarca whispered, placing a tender kiss on Christine's lips. She looked at Will and stroked his cheek. "He'll be cross with me. I trust you'll take care of him?"

Will nodded before pulling Jack up from the floor, bringing an arm around his shoulder. "I swear."

Christine took Jack's other arm over her shoulder and swallowed. "We'll go directly to the docks," she said solemnly. "We'll wait for you?"

Millarca breathed evenly and lightly stroked Jack's hair. "No more than an hour."

She watched as the pair carried her son away. At least they wouldn't draw unwanted attention, looking like they were simply carrying their drunken friend back to his ship. She took a deep breath and shifted into her cat form. Silently, she slunk down the stairs, preparing for a long chase.

ooo

Will hefted Jack onto the bed and faced Christine. "Are you staying?" he asked.

Christine shook her head. "I want to wait for her. I have to believe she'll be alright. That she'll make it. She can't… She can't die. Not yet."

Will sat beside Jack and picked up his hand. "Anamaria is willing to take a longboat and stay with you," he said softly. He stroked Jack's hand, reminding himself the coldness of death would only be temporary. He startled when Perla jumped atop the bed and curled up on Jack's chest. He reached out and gave her a light scratch behind the ear, earning a soft purr.

"I-I… I would like a weapon. I'd feel better for it."

Will laughed softly. "We'll find you something better than a bouquet."

Christine gave him a wobbly smile. "Rose thorns are effective, but, yes, I would prefer something a little more robust since poisoning him would be rather difficult."

Will looked up, hope filling his chest. "We could—"

Christine held up her hand, cutting him off. "I tried. He watches his food and drink more closely than a stay mongrel," she said. "I had plenty of time to get to know him and his mannerisms. I… I feel pity for him. He is so blinded by his duty to his sister that he has little else in his life."

"I see. I suppose all we can do now is wait and pray Millarca is successful."

"You're supposed to call her 'Mum.'"

Will smiled as he shook his head. "Then I hope Mum is successful."

ooo

Will's heart beat erratically as he stared at Christine standing on the dock with Anamaria. He gave a firm nod to the two women and signaled for Gibbs to set sail. He kept casting his gaze back to the crowd, hoping for any sign of commotion outside the ordinary. He prayed Millarca would simply saunter out from behind a building, fine as could be.

As the ship pulled away from the dock, Will's senses picked up two points from opposite directions. He glanced over his shoulder to find Jack gasping and struggling to make his way to the railing, a look of frantic worry dancing across his features. When he looked back to the dock, he saw Millarca break free of the crowd, the Hunter close behind her with his sword raised.

Jack crashed into Will and bent over the railing. "Mother!"

Will grabbed onto Jack, fighting to keep him aboard. "No! She's almost there. She can make it," he insisted. He watched as Millarca reached the foot of the dock and froze, her eyes glued to the water. "Jump!" he screamed. His fear for her life kept him from feeling the pain of Jack's nails digging into his arms.

Her stare turned into shocked surprise as a long blade burst through her chest. She looked over her shoulder and smiled serenely at the Hunter before saying something to him. She laughed as his face contorted in rage, and he pulled the blade free, raising it once more to cut cleanly through her neck.

Beside Will, Jack slumped over, his eyes filled with tears. "No! Mamă!"

Will couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene in front of him. Millarca's head dropped beside her body, which folded in on itself. Flame erupted and soon only ash remained where she once stood.

The Hunter grinned down at the pile of ash and raised his head to meet Will's gaze. He narrowed his eyes and lifted his sword to Will in a promise of threat. Beside him, Jack screamed and ranted in Romanian.

Both men startled as the Hunter bent over in pain, revealing a hatchet buried in his back. Christine loomed over him. She pulled the hatchet free and brought it down again and again as Anamaria watched from close by, her pistol trained on the dying man.

By the time she was finished, she was soaked in blood and panting. She fell to her knees in front of the pile of ash, sobbing.

"She can't be gone," Jack whispered, his voice quiet and hoarse. "She's still there. She can't be... We're immortal. We're stuck here. W-we're cursed without relief. She can't…'

Will held Jack tightly. The sight on the docks grew smaller as the wind picked up.