Annalise reached out instinctively for her friend as Will started to sink helplessly. His flailing hand caught hers but then he tugged; and Annalise gasped, losing precious air as her one hand on the railings slipped and she fell with Will.

Elizabeth screamed silently as she reached for her sister and fiance but they were already falling. Gibbs also turned in dismay to watch as Annalise and Will sank further, unable to stop their fall as the sinking ship created a suction that they couldn't fight. The first mate then sagged in relief as Annalise tumbled into the ratlines where she clung on - but Will fell on past them.

Annalise reached for him again but Will was too far; spotting a free-floating line, she shoved it as hard as she could in the hopes that it would reach him. The rope fell short but Will forced himself to turn and turn, propelling himself toward the drifting rope and finally he caught hold. Annalise blinked, trying to stay conscious as dark spots started to appear in her vision from the lack of air all while the ocean itself drew steadily darker and darker as the sun sank slowly below the horizon.

'I'm not going to make it.' Annalise thought in despair as the sun continued to dip far too slowly and her lungs screamed for air. 'Mother… Papa...'

And then the world went black as the sun dropped completely out of sight.

At that same instant, there was a flash of green light and Annalise choked as the ship shook before suddenly it started to rise sharply from the bottom up as though a geyser had hit the bottom of the ship and was forcing it up. Annalise ducked her head just as Will floated close enough to her to grab hold of her and together they clung against the ratlines as the ship broke through the water's surface. It was like being hit with a bat as they suddenly broke out of the sea and Annalise would have lost her grip and fallen if Will hadn't been holding onto her by the waist tightly, his arm locked around her as he gripped both hands tightly on the ropes that were their only savior.

As it was, they were left gasping and coughing up water as they clung to the ratlines as the water splashed and sloshed below before streaming out the sides of the ship and back into the sea. Below them, the crew all lay spluttering on the wet deck, strewn about from where they had been tossed like rag dolls in the ship's ascent; but none of them cared as they all blinked the salt water out of their eyes and stared out at the horizon where the sun had just finished cresting over the edge of the world.

"We're back." Annalise gasped and Will huffed as he dropped his arm from her waist where he had been holding her tightly. "We actually made it."

Will sputtered out water before he looked down. Realizing they weren't that far off the deck, he dropped down like a sack of potatoes, struggling to remain on his feet as his wet clothes weighed his already exhausted body down. Annalise attempted to clamber down more carefully; but her shaking arms and legs soon had her landing in a graceless heap on the deck not far from Will. Elizabeth, whose eyes had been seeking her loved ones desperately, looked over at the noise and relief flooded her face before the guilt came crashing back down.

She paused mid-step to going to Will, who saw her hesitation; looking away with a locked jaw to fight his disappointment, he bent down to help Annalise up to her feet. She staggered upright just as Barbossa - who had been washed up not far from them - also got to his feet and stared out at the horizon for a moment. He smiled briefly as he appreciated the beautiful picture the streaks of pink and yellow threw onto the ocean; before he whirled around, pulling his pistol, and cocked the weapon at Jack's head.

Will, Elizabeth, Annalise and Gibbs reacted instantly, all three pulling their own pistols and pointing it at Barbossa where he stood almost completely circled by them. Barbossa glared and pulled a second pistol on Annalise, who scowled at him. Jack pulled his own pistol hastily and pointed it at… Will.

Will retaliated by pulling a second gun on Jack and Annalise raised her twin pistol at Will warningly at the same time as Gibbs while Elizabeth also pulled her second gun on Jack. Feeling outnumbered, Jack pulled his second pistol on Elizabeth, who glared at him irately.

For a tense moment, they all stood there, staring at each other warily. Then Barbossa began to laugh, and Jack laughed as the crew chuckled too although they sounded like they weren't quite sure why. Will laughed next, and Elizabeth finally caved and started laughing too. Gibbs chuckled heartily while Annalise smirked and together, they all began to lower their weapons...

"All right then!" Barbossa barked, raising his pistols again sharply.

Simultaneously, the others lifted their guns too, resuming their tense standoff as Barbossa laid out the facts as he saw them while glaring pointedly at Jack.

"The Brethren Court is a-gatherin' at Shipwreck Cove; and Jack, you and I are a'goin' and there'll be no arguing that point."

"I is arguing the point." Jack answered with a scoff. "If there's pirates a-gathering, I'm pointing my ship the other way."

Elizabeth scowled and she pointed both her weapons at Jack as she snapped, "The pirates are gathering to fight Beckett and you're a pirate."

Jack answered by pointing both his guns at Elizabeth too, only to have to return one pistol to Will's chest when the younger man also pointed both his pistols at Jack threateningly as he added, "Fight or not, you're not running, Jack."

"The only way we stand a chance at winning is if we all stand together. Whether you like it or not." Annalise threatened as she pointed both her own pistols at him too.

Jack blinked before he whined, "Now that's just not fair, I ain't got enough hands."

"You'll need even more if you plan on escaping alone, Jack." Barbossa threatened as he pointed both his own pistols at Jack and glared at the younger male. "If we don't stand together, they'll hunt us down one by one 'till there'll be none left but you."

Jack smirked and he sneered in response, "Quite like the sound of that. Captain Jack Sparrow, the last pirate."

Barbossa scoffed as he pointed out, "Aye. And you'll be fightin' Jones alone. Now, how does that figure into your plan?"

"I'm still working on that." Jack smiled back before all hint of levity left his face as he stared Barbossa down darkly. "But I will not be goin' back to the Locker, mate. Count on that."

Moving his pistol from Will's chest, he pointed it right at Barbossa's face and fired… nothing.

Barbossa flinched as the pistol clicked and wet particles splattered out. Jack frowned and he fired his other pistol in Elizabeth's face only for the same thing to happen. Elizabeth fired both her own pistols to the same result and soon they were all emptying their loads to no avail.

Gibbs shrugged. "Wet powder."

Barbossa glared at Jack before turning and walking away. Jack watched him leave before he felt eyes on him and he looked in front again. He almost wished he hadn't as he found himself staring into stormy blue eyes. Still red from where she had been crying, Annalise was now glaring at him as fiercely as a hurricane struck the ships that tried to sail through. Her disgusted expression just incited him further, however, and Jack gave her a wide and mocking smirk.

Her scowl deepened before she stormed off, pushing passed Elizabeth not that the blonde tried to stop her sister. Jack watched Annalise disappear below deck grimly; he had a choice to make. And it would only be infinitely harder if Annalise kept hanging around and muddled his heart.

Will unrolled a chart before the whole crew and he explained as he pointed to a point on the map, "There's a fresh water spring on this island. We can re-supply there and get back to shooting each other later."

He smiled at them, looking pleased. Jack and Barbossa, who had been peering over Will's shoulder, looked decidedly less so.

"You lead the shore party." Jack indicated Barbossa. "I'll stay with my ship."

Barbossa smiled insincerely as he replied flatly, "I'll not be leavin' my ship in your command."

Tired of their arguing, Will suggested impatiently, "Why don't you both go ashore and leave the ship in my command?"

Both Barbossa and Jack shot him a look of sour disbelief.

"Temporarily." Will amended.

Orders were given shortly after and the crew bustled about as they made for land. Annalise joined in to help where she could, the activity giving her something else to think about instead of her father's death, most likely at the hands of Beckett.

She forced herself not to look for Jack and did fairly well; she only caught herself watching him three times by the time land was sighted and was able to look away almost as soon as she realized what she was doing. The fourth time her gaze drifted, however, she paused mid-way through tying some ropes and she couldn't help but stare in confusion at the sight of Jack Sparrow holding a telescope so large it bent under its own weight in his hands. He struck quite the picture, especially beside Barbossa where the older man was holding a far more regular sized sea telescope.

"What-?" Annalise began before shaking her head. She didn't think she wanted to know.

Annalise opted to stay aboard with Will, while Elizabeth - unable to face Will or Annalise alone - opted to join the crew heading to shore. Jack and Barbossa grudgingly led the group ashore, neither caring much for the other's company. Indeed, Jack barely gave Barbossa a glance since he'd one-upped him with his telescope.

But the moment they landed, Jack forgot about his petty rivalry with his former first mate. Instead, his gaze was arrested by the massive figure that was strewn across the beach quite some ways away from where their group had landed but so large it was still visible. Barbossa spotted Jack's preoccupation and he looked over as well; only for understanding to pass over his features as he looked from the huge corpse to Jack silently.

Without a word, Jack strode off, leaving the crew behind as he made his way across the beach toward what remained of the creature that had killed him. The Kraken was just as large in death as in life, the tip of one tentacle as big and wide as Jack's body; but unlike in life, there was no sense of danger and it looked almost… vulnerable as it lay with one open eye staring blankly into space.

Barbossa trailed Jack, coming to a stop just a step behind Jack's shoulder as Jack stopped right in front of the Kraken's eye and stared silently at his own reflection in the creature's dead gaze.

"Still thinkin' of runnin', Jack?" Barbossa asked at last, his voice low and for once very serious and without a hint of mocking. "Think you can outrun the world?"

Jack tilted his head slightly, indicating he was listening, but he said nothing. Barbossa paused before he added quietly, "You know the problem with bein' the last of anythin': by and by there'll be none left at all."

"Sometimes things come back, mate." Jack answered before glancing at his former friend. "We're livin' proof, you and me."

"Aye," Barbossa nodded but his gaze was grim as he stared at Jack. "But that's a gamble of long odds, aint' it? There's never a guarantee of comin' back, but passin' on... that's dead certain."

Jack didn't answer right away as he stared at the Kraken before he sighed.

"Summoning the Brethren Court then, is it?" He asked and Barbossa nodded.

"It's our only hope, lad." He answered softly. Jack scoffed.

"That's a sad commentary in and of itself." Jack muttered and Barbossa shrugged.

"The world used to be a bigger place." He mused but Jack shook his head.

"World's still the same." He answered shortly. "There's just less in it."

Barbossa eyed his friend and he said abruptly, "Mayhaps. But maybe it's also you pushing out the good things in it, lad."

Jack tensed and he shot Barbossa a warning look. He knew he could lie or swagger away as he usually did; but Barbossa was clever. And Jack knew it even if he pretended he didn't most of the time. Just as he knew that even if he did lie and he did saunter off, Barbossa wouldn't be fooled. It was there in his eyes as Jack stared at him. For once lacking any ridicule or disgust, Barbossa's gaze was full of empathy… and pity. And Jack hated him for it.

Shrugging and straightening his shoulders brusquely, Jack replied, "Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to get the treasure, isn't that right, mate? That's what makes us pirates."

"Aye." Barbossa nodded. "And how many pirates do ye see who gained happiness by giving up the treasure of their hearts for gold and stones, lad?"

"You seem to have done just fine." Jack pointed out; and Barbossa's gaze became infinitely sadder.

"I did better, Jack." Barbossa replied softly. "I did better than most, but that's all there is to it. The call of the sea was too strong fer me and I don't regret much about followin' her call, Jack. But that don't mean I don't wish I could turn back time and do some things different."

Jack paused, and stared at his old friend. He hadn't been expecting Barbossa's sudden honesty and in truth he was somewhat wary of it. But just as Barbossa generally knew when Jack was lying (even if he didn't know exactly what about), Jack also knew when Barbossa was lying. And he saw no lie in Hector Barbossa's eyes.

Uncomfortable, Jack just shrugged and walked off. Barbossa let him, lingering to stare once more at the once fearsome beast that had struck terror into the hearts of sailors just by the mere mention of it's name, before he too followed Jack deeper into the island.

Together, the crew marched into the lush greenery, following the faint trails toward the spring marked on the charts. But as they approached, Jack's steps slowed and his eyes narrowed. There was a shadow in the spring, and as they got closer Jack realized what it was. His hand automatically went to sit on his pistol where it was tucked into his waistband while Barbossa's nose wrinkled as they took in the pale, dead figure lying face-down in the water.

Barbossa leant down and tasted the water before spitting it out in disgust.

"Poisoned." He declared grimly. "Fouled by the body."

Jack nodded as he glanced back at the asian male lying in the pool, not recognizing him. He was surprised when Pintel turned the man over only to exclaim, "Hey, I know him. He was in Singapore!"

"Singapore!" Cotton's parrot barked, drawing their attention when another cry from the back made Jack tense.

"Captain!" Martin jerked his head toward the beach and Jack pushed his way through the crew to peer at the beach where he could just make out Ragetti waving frantically.

"Hoy! We've got company!" Ragetti cried, pointing toward the sea.

They looked over to see a ship flying Sinaporian colours drawing up beside the Black Pearl. Tai Huang suddenly spoke sharply in his native tongue and Jack blinked as he found himself being held at gunpoint by the Sinaporians in their crew. Pintel hastily raised his hands in surrender while Barbossa scowled, and Jack took in a deep breath.

"He's the captain." He pointed to Barbossa who just rolled his eyes, unsurprised.

Annalise was scowling darkly at Sao Feng from where she was being held captive with the few members of the crew who had stayed aboard the Pearl. Will was nowhere in sight, and she couldn't help but think it was a good thing. She wasn't sure she wouldn't try to murder him in the time that they waited for Jack and the others to return from their trip to land, as they would undoubtedly be forced to.

Gibbs was nursing a bruise from where he'd been clobbered by the Singaporian crew members who had suddenly turned on them just before Sao Feng's ship appeared on the horizon. Annalise had attempted to fight them initially, but it soon became obvious that even if she beat the crew onboard there was no way they were going to escape with most of the crew onshore and Sao Feng's army closing in. As it was, she had gotten a nice kick to the stomach as she was relieved of her weapons, which she'd retaliated to with a solid kick to the man's private areas just as Sao Feng himself had boarded the Pearl - to the Singaporian pirate lord's amusement.

Indeed, he'd found her so entertaining that he kept her held before him as they waited for the others' return. It wasn't a long wait.

Barbossa was the first to haul himself up the side of the Pearl, taking in the scene before him with a wary eye before he strode up to Sao Feng.

"Sao Feng, you showing up here is truly a remarkable coincidence."

Sao Feng, who had turned with a smirk at Barbossa's call, ignored the man after that however as his eyes fell on the dark-haired male who had clambered up behind Barbossa and was now attempting to hide in Barbossa's larger shadow.

"Jack Sparrow." Sao Feng greeted. Annalise watched warily as Jack, unable to hide anymore, peeked out from behind Barbossa and smiled weakly. "You paid me great insult once."

"That doesn't sound like me." Jack feigned ignorance, only for Sao Feng to punch him suddenly and squarely right in the face.

Annalise flinched where she was being held by Sao Feng's men while Jack groaned, grasping his nose before looking up at Sao Feng.

"So we'll just call it square, then?" He suggested meekly. Sao Feng narrowed his eyes, but it was at this moment that Will pushed his way through the crowd on the deck once more.

His eyes immediately went to Elizabeth, where she was being held with the rest of the crew who had returned aboard, and Will ordered, "Release her. She's not part of the bargain."

Jack and Elizabeth stared at Will while Barbossa asked scathingly, "And what bargain be that?"

Sao Feng's lip curled into a smirk and he ordered, "You heard Captain Turner. Release her."

Several people chuckled while Jack repeated incredulously, "Captain Turner?"

"Aye, the perfidious rotter led a mutiny against us." Gibbs spat, drawing Will's attention to the smaller group that was being held on Sao Feng's other side.

"And release her too." He gestured at Annalise. "She's not a part of this."

"Very well." Sao Feng shrugged uncaringly, before nodding to his men. "Release her."

Annalise stared incredulously as her chains were removed while Elizabeth demanded of Will, "What bargain?"

"I need the Pearl to free my father." Will answered shortly, not looking at her as Annalise was released. Jack's jaw dropped however as Will continued. "That's the only reason I came on this voyage."

"Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?" Elizabeth hissed and at that Will did look at her.

"It was my burden to bear." He answered simply.

Elizabeth's lips parted momentarily in shock before she closed it angrily. Annalise meanwhile was pushed to join them, almost stumbling as she did. She straightened quickly, however, and remained where she was as she rubbed her wrists while glaring at Will murderously.

"This is what you were hiding all this time? This is the deal you struck in Singapore?" She demanded in a low voice as she had wanted to from the first moment they had realized Will was the traitor who colluded with Sao Feng. Will just met her gaze evenly.

"You were driven by your desire to save your father too, Annalise. I would think you of all people would understand my wish to save mine." He answered and Annalise's eyes narrowed even further.

Jack however had other things on his mind.

"He needs the Pearl." He said slowly. "Captain Turner needs the Pearl. And you," he looked at Elizabeth, "felt guilty."

Both Will and Elizabeth scowled at him, looking uncannily alike given their current differences. Jack however had already moved on as he looked at Annalise next.

"And you just needed me to help save someone - your father this time."

Annalise's eyes narrowed dangerously but Jack didn't even look back as he turned to Barbossa next to spit, "And you and your Brethren Court."

Barbossa rolled his eyes while Jack demanded as he looked at the group at large, "Did no one come to save me just because they missed me?"

From behind Annalise, Gibbs and Calypso sighed and exchanged exasperated looks. Marty, however, answered by throwing up his hand in the air and Jack beamed, pointing at the tiny pirate. Pintel sheepishly lifted his hand from behind Marty, Ragetti following and Jack smiled gleefully. Especially when Jack the monkey also raised his hand.

Jack turned back to Will and their group as he announced, "I'm standing over there with them."

He started off only to be stopped mid-stride as Sao Feng threw an arm around Jack's shoulder and halted him.

"I'm sorry, Jack." Sao Feng murmured with false sincerity. "But there is an old friend who wants to see you first."

"I'm not certain I can survive anymore visits from old friends." Jack mumbled and Sao Feng's smile turned wicked.

"Here is your chance to find out." He answered before spinning Jack around so he could see the horizon.

Or rather, the pure white sails that were sailing passed the horizon and coming straight toward them.

*A/N As part of my summer special week, updating every day this week with an extra chapter this month for some of my stories! Hope you enjoy this small surprise and happy summer but stay safe!