A/N:

Your good for nothing author here once again asking your forgiveness for these slow as hell updates...but it's finally here. Hope you enjoy it and don't hate me too much for leaving you waiting for these chapters ages on end!

After taking Merwynn back to his cabin Will had returned to whatever duties Gibbs saw fit to bestow upon him, spending the night up in the cordage minding the sails or more familiarly swabbing the deck, where the mermaid simply spent the following hours of the night resting. As what she'd told Will down at the cargo hold had been true…she was growing more weary by the day, the consistent diet of fish to have aided in her healing process but now simply wore down her existing vigor. Her increasing sense of weakness while added to the demanding craving to hunt and feed, to drive away that feeblessness that went against her very core, made it hard for her to stay put although she had promised Will not to venture outside of the cabin this time while he was gone. The fact of her needing more nourishment than normally now that the mating season was underway only making matters worse, and frankly Wynn had actually lied to Will before…for if things would continue like this, if she was unable to satiate her ever growing hunger with proper food, she would leave this cabin again and kill someone…Perhaps even him the very next time he stepped through that door he had refused to lock, even now when the danger of her skulking about the ship to quench her thirst for human flesh was prominent…Putting him and all the rest of the men on board this vessel at risk upon refusing to trap her like her captors had done.

Wynn awoke to the sound of the door creaking just before dawn. Barely any light coming inside from the porthole as she stirred out of her ever so light sleep, upon expecting to see Will enter her shifting from her prone position and faced the doorway, however not seeing the young man walk inside but instead followed the door to be only pushed ajar, enough for a bucket and a sack to be slipped inside the cabin until the door closed again. Merwynn assuming Will to have brought her her usual morning meal, but confused by him not coming inside or as much as saying a word before leaving again Wynn crept out of the bed and over to the delivered items. Instead of fish discovering the bucket to be filled with water, a rag inside, and as she took hold of the sack and turned it over she was even further taken aback by the the chicken that plopped out of it. The bird's neck broken, the animal already dead, but still an unexpected eatable delivered as her nourishment. A proper one with flesh and blood, a much better meal than a handful of fish to keep her needs at bay.

Although still surprised, taken what Will had once told her about using the rest of the animals as her fodder, Wynn directed a mild look at the door. Knowing him to have already left and not to linger behind the door until she was finished with her given spoil, aware that he had in fact paid heed to her distress and acted on it, hence bringing her one of the remaining chickens he'd stolen. This gesture causing her to once again feel something she never would've expected to feel towards a human…gratitude. For she actually trusted him. But now it was something more, for this wasn't the first time she'd been shown kindness by him…but she couldn't tell what it was. Her still finding it unbelievable of her being indebted to a human, someone that was but similar fodder to her as this chicken, allowing such benevolence and remaining dependent on it when she'd hated humans all her life. Even Will had proven time and time again not to be that kind of monster of a man as the rest she still despised with every morsel of her being.

Wynn had just finished washing away the blood from around her face and hands as Will entered about half an hour later, but that same thankful essence Merwynn had held over his gift earlier was exchanged to confusion by the sight of the bucket he brought along when he entered. Will smiling down at Wynn he found sitting on the floor, glad to see her to be more vigorous than he'd assumed her to be, but once he also noticed the bucket placed in front of her and the empty sack next to her he paused. Giving the items a quizzical look, where Wynn eyed at the bucket of fish in his hand in surprisingly candid astonishment.

"I brought you food", Will stated. Wynn's response however somehow not surprising him even he seemed to not to be after all aware of the chicken she'd consumed just a moment before he arrived, unlike the mermaid had previously thought. Her simply dropping the rag back into the bucket and climbed into the cot, with no clear intention of accepting the fish this time around.

"I'm not hungry."

Will put the bucket down and sat next to her, taking the mermaid in.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his slight, thoughtful frown disappearing as his gaze rose to lock with hers, her really appearing better to him than before. Wynn indeed confirming his observations.

"Yes. Stronger", Wynn told him, and it was true. The devouring of that chicken's flesh and blood had made a difference, her feeling herself much more powerful and less erratic, her cravings easier to curb now while put around humans…Around him.

Merwynn then examined him. Discovering him to look more under the weather than he usually did, upon recognizing humans to obviously be more frail creatures by nature Wynn seeing the clear signs of fatigue from him, as increased shadows under his eyes and overall haggardness to his being left by the several nights deprived of true rest…his efforts to take care of her needs hindering his own endurance. And surely enough, Will did feel tired. He hadn't even remembered how hard life at sea weeks on end could be, and the fate of Elizabeth and that which possibly awaited him at the end of this rescue mission taken into an account such concerns left a toll on him as well…Although if he was honest, he hadn't thought of Elizabeth as much as he usually would've…or should've.

"You don't look alright", Merwynn observed. Will raising his eyebrows as acknowledged him to probably seem drained, as he was. This type of lifestyle taking its time to grow on a man, and he hadn't worked aboard a ship since he'd been a boy.

"I'm just tired. A few hours of sleep and I'll be as right as rain", Will replied, yawning but then let out an amused laughter by the sight of Wynn's fleeting confusion over the dictum he'd used. It however once again being visible only in her eyes for him to pick up…or maybe he'd just grown to know her enough to be able to read her emotions. Will's smile faltering then however as abruptly Wynn faced him and her hand rose to touch him, to settle onto his cheek for his utmost astonishment.

"There's something else that could help you", she said. Her voice sounding more mellow as she said those words, and that alone confused Will further, for he'd never heard her sound like that. As her palm remained at the side of his face him finding himself staring deeply into the green of her eyes now, taken aback by her sudden action and shift in tone, unaware that the reason she did so was very simple…After satiating her hunger for the time being her finding herself possessed by a new demanding need of equal measure…And unfortunately to him he'd arrived to be the subject to it, stunned Will becoming the victim of his own bafflement as Wynn leaned over to him, speaking softly to him. "I could help you."

Will could say nothing as after remaining captive by her abruptly so magnetic gaze he discovered her lips upon his. Taken off guard and most definitely by surprise him blinking in shock of her unexpected endearment as his own hands remained uselessly in the air, while both of hers now cradled his neck. Him not knowing what to do as it didn't take but a moment for her to close the rest of the distance between them, slipping to his lap, despite of his daze him not rejecting her advances as she continued to kiss him. Her kisses even if but prompting, urging for him to respond to hers, then growing in fervor however as eventually Will found himself to be indeed coaxed by her lips and his hands settled onto her waist without him even noticing. Them soon rising along her back to bring her closer, for a moment Will forgetting all about his reservations and led by that sultry frenzy that had set his latent desires alight let himself to be embraced by Wynn. As she then slipped his vest off of him and his arms were free to wrap around her once more he found himself groaning under his breath as he accepted one of the most heated kisses from her yet, as she then pressed her body fully against his in response to his clear submission Will however gaining a hint of reason back amidst it all and realized what he was doing. What he shouldn't have been doing and broke his lips free of Wynn's, as he then however discovered, reluctantly. Although knowing that he shouldn't have agreed to this in the first place doing the mistake of looking back into her eyes right after taking in their proximity, his hands once again on her waist, and her sitting astride on top of him. The sight of her apparently not wearing the breeches she usually did at his behest, a detail he had noticed but chosen to ignore till this very moment not doing him any favors, and swiftly he discovered it to be impossible for him to clear his head when she next removed her shirt. Now fully nude in his loose embrace.

Will's randy sigh was cut as Wynn seized his lips with another downright sultry kiss that almost caused him to lose all self-control, all of his reason running far too rapidly away from him, him not believing the impact her tongue just slightly crazing the inside of his mouth had on him. Him to have not been able to brace himself to the things occurring in his body simultaneously as with an anxious moan he now found his hands to quite avidly settle onto every soft curve of Wynn's slender body, to explore her bare skin, venturing to areas he never would've dared to dream to touch any woman until that moment when every ounce of his propriety was tossed to the wind by a mere gaze of hers. Compelling him to give in, to forget himself, any bit of decency that usually would've strictly kept him from even fantasizing such physical contact…However the way she grew bolder, nipping his bottom lip while claiming possession of his mouth, reigned over his arousal so utterly with a single kiss, doing things to him unlike he ever had experienced nor could've imagined. But despite of the downright terror of her having such a profound, wild effect on him he couldn't resist, even if a sliver of reason would've still remained and warned him about succumbing to this overpowering thrall, her charms drawing him in through the very addictive sensation of her body perfectly nestling against his, commanding his every sense…It feeling so natural, so good that soon enough he lost himself into the overwhelming swarm of pleasure and desire, at the moment him not even wishing to think clearly while remained hooked by the resulting rise of his body heat. The natural responses of her enticing caresses and kisses keeping him grounded, but only to Wynn who didn't shy away from leading him on, her every movement and subtle touch stimulating his own awoken craving. Encouraging him to pursue it, to provoke it, distracting him so that it didn't take long for him to feel palms to stretch across his suddenly bared chest. His shirt unlaced and pushed aside, Wynn coaxing a new groan out of him as she pressed against his own aching body, pushing him on his back. Will having close to no perception of anything other than his now fully untehthered lust, induced by this current, ongoing kiss that still kept him captive. Free of all reason or grasp of what exactly was happening to him.

He was then however utterly snapped out of his rapture when he heard the door to his cabin to be swung open and a pirate entered, Will directing a shocked look at the arrived buccaneer taking in the two of them sprawled onto his cot until the lascivious smirk that then spread onto the man's lips fully reminded him of the situation he'd been caught in. Embarrassed Will moving Wynn off of him and sat up, quickly tossing his own shirt Wynn had managed to remove at some point over her to spare her of some indignity, as the pirate spoke up. Winking at him.

"Cap'n wants ye on deck. Now."

The pirate then left as soon as he'd appeared. Will staring at the now once more closed door as tried to calm himself, the previous surge of raw need still coursing through him lively, present and least sedated, and with flushed cheeks he then simply sat there in dismay. In abashment, disbelief of what he'd just been about to do, what he'd been compelled to do, and so easily. Him gasping then as after eyeing at his ill-at-ease demeanor Wynn placed a feathery hand on his forearm, sending a shockwave up his body that reminded him of her previous touches that had sent him so far off the deep end…only now realizing how wrong it all all had been. Now that he was once again the master of his own mind, and in fact upon thinking about how swiftly he'd abandoned all sense and succumbed to his desires he knew it couldn't have been natural, something to have happened just now as Wynn's voice spoke up.

"What is wrong?"

"Did you…just bewitch me?" Will asked, in doubt, as shrugged his shirt back on. The way she'd made her question sounded so heedless, her not seeming to be at all upset about what had just occurred, fully fine with it in fact, least of all understanding his embarrassment over it.

"I didn't have to", Wynn said, Will blinking as met her unwavering gaze, her having not to say more until he realized his initial assumption to indeed be false as he then returned her piercing stare…Instantly fathoming him to have fallen for temptation himself, her to have had to only look him in the eyes in that particular instant and in a moment of weakness he'd actually let himself lose composure, her ever so alluring presence proving too much for him to bear this time around without succumbing. Had it been brought on by attraction or some mystical lure inherently possessed by mermaids Will to have finally paid heed to the withheld enticement that coming to know her was…As a confirmation to that Will not moving when her hand then flexed on top of his arm, her fingers lightly curling into the fabric of his sleeve as she still held his gaze, tempting him again. Still having but to look at him to do so. Will blinking as at first found himself leaning forward, responding to the beguiling green of her eyes, until did regain his senses. Drawing back despite of the gentle pull of Wynn's fingers that prompted otherwise.

"I can't…I'm sorry Wynn, I know I said I wished to do more for you but…not this. I can't do this for you."

There was a pause as Will collected himself, sitting to the edge of the cot as distanced himself from the mermaid, in fear of her further touch to sent him off the rails again as continued, but couldn't finish his sentence due to another wave of embarrassment.

"Because that's why you wish to do this, isn't it? For me to help you…"

"Conceive, yes", Wynn filled in the words he couldn't bring himself to say, being honest. Causing Will to swallow as she leant closer herself, once more the natural allure in her eyes so seductive despite of him not even directly looking her in the eye that it proved difficult for him to tear away from it, but he did. Will turning fully away from Wynn despite of his hand that had covered hers briefly, to give it a half apologetic half encouraging squeeze Wynn soon simply withdrawing her own palm. Turning away herself as put on the shirt currently only threaded onto her shoulders.

"Then you should've said so", Wynn, Will giving her a very incredulous look. For as if after everything she'd done to him in those passed minutes of mere intoxicating ecstasy he could've brought himself to say no, as shameful and ridiculous as it was. Him to have been completely drawn in by her, even if it hadn't been intentional on her part. Without saying anything to that Will then only raising doubtful eyebrows, clearing his throat as got fully dressed. Wondering what it then would be like to be actually bewitched by a mermaid.

"Don't take this the wrong way. I wish I could help you, Wynn…But not like this. I cannot…make love to you."

Will's cheeks flushed again for saying that, for he neither had ever uttered such words out loud.

"And why can't you? I don't understand what could possibly stop you since making love to me would only give you utmost pleasure", Wynn replied, as heedless to the indecency of the topic as ever, her viewpoint but practical in contrary to his bashful way of regrading their just shared moment of intimacy.

"It's…not so simple, Wynn."

"How is it not? Even you humans do it, all the while, for pleasure most of all. How could it be any different between you and me? Something to refuse when I could see how good I made you feel…and in return you could give me what I need."

Wynn had once more inched closer to Will, gauging at his profile over his shoulder, but this time didn't attempt to woo him despite of the sensuality of her very words. Simply examined him, while fighting back another blush Will letting out a calming breath as did feel her fingertips to lightly brush down his neck and onto his other shoulder. However not distracting him this time around, on the contrary bringing him to focus.

"You're right…But sometimes its about more than simple desire", Will replied, glancing at Wynn as he noticed her to tip her head at him. Clearly lost to whatever he was referring to, even in all honestly he definitely wasn't an expert to speak of such. Will needing a moment more to finally get over his previous mortification, the way too tempting memory of closeness between him and this mesmerizing being still haunting him as he specified his words.

"Love."

Wynn drew back in ever greater bafflement, it however not surprising Will that a concept of love that was so familiar to him and his kind was utterly lost to a creature who was ignorant to many other things considered human. An idea of affection not being the least of all the things she hadn't learned to know or come to face with, therefore him then wishing to teach her at least something of his world to her, to explain himself to her.

"In my world…it's common for men and women to be intimate only if they love each other, and making love out of else than marriage or even feelings of affection happens as you said, but is not accepted…Seen proper. And I cannot do that because it goes against my own values, my sense of decency of what is right, and I don't possess that sort of feelings for you to receive such intimacy from you…because I feel that for someone else."

"You love Elizabeth", Wynn deduced.

"Yes. So it is really only with her that I could ever…imagine to do something like that…" Will agreed, although being sincere instantly chastising himself for even thinking about Elizabeth in such manner.

"So you allowed all those things to happen with me even you feel nothing for me?" Wynn half questioned half stated, in fact stupefying Will whose gaze was drawn to hers and he stared at her in loss of words.

"It's not…It's not like I don't feel anything for you", Will said finally, trying to explain himself, least of all lying. But the question indeed was what did he exactly mean by that, in the end perhaps unable to account his meaning.

"But you don't love me?" Wynn pointed out, her words this time truly more of a statement than a question. Will remaining silent for a moment as his answer lingered, her eyes perusing him once again deluding him.

"…I don't."

"And I'm supposed to understand that."

"I suppose you don't…" Will said with a faint smile, amused by Wynn's grave but still most of all confused tone of voice. "To desire and love someone…Ideally they go hand in hand, forming the affection that ties your heart to someone else. But sometimes you feel simple need for someone, anyone…Despite of your feelings."

Will shared a look with Wynn, hoping she understood what he meant, and perhaps she did. Wynn's blank expression however not exactly informing him whether she did or not, as she then simply cast her eyes down after gauging at him in silence.

"It must be exhausting. To live such a complicated, emotion driven life", she finally replied. Once again convinced that life of a man consisted of nothing but needless encumbrance, and should Will have known her thoughts he certainly would've agreed with her.

Will sighed, definitely not missing the irony of his own words now thrown back at him in fact in a rather fitting way, him eyeing at Wynn who by then had turned her sights away from him. Sitting in the light of the sun that streamed inside the small porthole window, and he could not have missed how every ray caressed all her features and strands of hair, making her look irresistible to any lesser man…Who regardless of his staunch belief in his own feelings Will discovered to indeed not be far from being or becoming given another instant of sufficient weakness as he answered.

"You have no idea."

They were then silent. After mulling over the things Will had told her a spell Wynn's eyes dropped down to look at his injured arm as the sunlight abruptly was cloaked behind heavy clouds blocking majority of the light, and after a new brief moment of consideration her shifting towards him fully, taking his forearm. Her ignoring Will's instant quizzical expression as he then followed her to raise her own arm quietly, as it soon turned out for her to bite into her own flesh for some unfathomamble reason once Will's saw her fangs to emerge briefly, until her actions were brought to a pause by the sight of Will's cutlass balanced against the cabin wall. Changing Wynn's mind as she cast a passing look into Will's flabbergasted eyes until she tore the now tightly secured bandages off his forearm and for his further bemusement leant over to pick up the sword. The blade which kind she detested but now held in her hand collectedly, not so appalled by it as before.

"What are you doing?" Will asked, but received no answer as she now claimed his mug from the floor. Will gasping then as without a hesitation she placed the mug onto the cot between them and brought his weapon under her own forearm, slicing through the skin. Will frowning as he followed several drops of dark blood to drip into the remains of his grog instead of trickling down to her elbow until she tossed the cutlass onto the floor and raised the mug, giving it to him.

"Drink."

Her order wasn't at first heeded by Will as he was still stunned by Wynn outright cutting herself, bleeding into the alcohol until he finally fathomed why, his fingers circling around the mug in bafflement that was then quick to turn to disbelief as he returned Wynn's stare before cast his eyes down to her own bleeding arm. Blood slowly dribbling down to the sheets as he truthfully debated should he after all do as she commanded of him, of course now realizing what she was trying to do and remembering what he'd been told…About the power of mermaids as Wynn's voice sounded in the silence of the cabin again.

"Drink."

Will's movements were sluggish as he did so, and Wynn's hand was swift to rise to tip the mug further, to make him drink it all and at once, and after the last drops went down the wrong way Will let out a series of coughs, not related to the burn of the beverage left at the wake of consuming the odd, bloody concoction, but his attention was once more claimed by Wynn who grabbed his arm again and turned it over, for both her and him to watch as in the following instant the clawmarks on his skin began to fade. Proving what both Jack and Wynn had said to have been true, making Will forget the stomach turning taste of mermaid blood that could not be tampered even by the potent drink.

A stunned breath slipped from his lips as the wounds continued to heal and soon disappeared, Will gawking at his now flawless skin dumbfounded, where Wynn did then release him. Locking solemn gazes with him, where her voice that soon ended the another befallen silence was hardly registered by him. For even if not having the strongest effect due to her more feeble state her blood still being potent enough to amaze him.

"I'm sure she will see you worthy to mate with. Worthy to love."

Will didn't know why, but once he then looked into her eyes unexplained heat rushed right through him. Although she was only touching him, her hand cradling his now amended arm, that mere stare of hers rattled him. Something in her words that turned him wistful, shook him from within unlike she ever had, anything had, and it was that strangely captivating sense of traction that caused him then to break their contact as he got the feeling of finality from her. As if what she'd said had meant much more than it appeared to. His heart that for a brief moment had felt like slowing down kicking back into gear, skipping, driving him to push to his feet and exit the cabin before anything beyond that manifested in him. Shocked breath escaping him as he was stuck leaning against the cabin door, lost to himself as he made a poor attempt at making sense to his own reasoning. However at failure him only counting the pattering beats thundering against his chest until they were soon calmed by his fingers that slid over the intact skin in awe, at sudden relief of then figuring why he was reacting so Will closed his eyes. Letting out a derisive laugh. So Jack, Gibbs nor that auctioneer had been lying…Mermaids and their blood truly were something wondrous. And he probably only had himself to blame…Leaving her wanting more of him after feeding her his blood after all this time, just when all of her senses were going haywire, at their most erratic that a single…taste could push her over the edge…And what he'd decided on doing to ease her state? Definitely not helping himself.

As if to rid himself of the effects, of such thoughts Will shook his head, taking off and raced through the corridor and went straight to the main deck. To look for Jack who'd sent that sailor below earlier to tell the lad to join him, only to be greeted by the fog that seemed to have appeared and now hung heavy in the air. Even shrouding the ship and the very deck in obscurity that made it difficult for Will to at first see anything until after a moment of scouring his surroundings he discovered the majority of his crew to be standing by the starboard side gunwale, where Jack was still at the helm, looking at something which remained completely hidden from Will's eyes until he crossed the deck and joined them. Just as he arrived by the First Mate's side and gazed at the sight that had drawn the attention of the others Cotton's parrot let out an eerie croak, the words equally daunting.

"Dead men tell no tales."

"Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage", Gibbs murmured, Will giving the older man a glance until his attention went back to the now distinct figures of wrecked ships sticking out of the water or stuck to the surroundings rocks all around them. There appearing to be dozens of them, hence signaling the voyage to Isla de Muerta was indeed more perilous than had at first appeared. So far them to have not encountered anything dangerous aside for the storm at the beginning of their voyage…if they'd survive this passage without having their ship join to all those already sunken. Right then the Interceptor's hull releasing a worrisome groan as something scraped against it from below, presumably one of the remains of the vessels laying at the bottom of the passage. Will gazing back down to the shark infested waters until Gibbs left the gunwale, Will casting a passing look at Jack who was busy steering while majority of his focus was directed to his compass, and the numerous questions and wonders he'd come to harbor about that man now resurfaced and drove him to go after Gibbs. The only man present who seemed to know more about their captain.

"How is it that Jack came by that compass?" he questioned. Gibbs not answering at first as was busy securing one of the tag lines that seemed to be coming loose, the older man also casting a look at Jack.

"Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of Isla de Muerta. That was before I met him, back when he was the captain of the Black Pearl."

"What?" Will asked, stunned by this revelation, where Gibbs almost choked on his drink in middle of taking a snifter from his flask. Letting the so far well kept secret slip, and Will now leveled an incredulous look at Jack. Finally more abreast of his reasons to agree to join him on this journey to rescue Elizabeth, for he'd known from the beginning he wasn't doing it out of the kindness of his heart, not even getting released from the Royal Navy's prison appearing as a good enough reason for him to go after the pirates who'd had nothing to do with him…but now it made sense. "He failed to mention that."

Gibbs' following response was almost lost to Will as he then spotted Merwynn to appear to the main deck, the sight of her throwing him off briefly as he was instantly reminded of what had happened in his cabin, but he ignored it. Keeping one eye on the mermaid as after taking in the foul weather she went to the opposite side of the ship, like the others also gazing at the rocks and wreckages of ships passing by them as the Interceptor ventured further along the narrow passage.

"He plays things closer to the vest now", Gibbs explained. "And a hard learned lesson it was.

Will looked at Gibbs quizzically and the older man motioned him to take a seat on one of the barrels left onto the deck, pushing on with his tale, relatively eager to share it even though Jack must've not been happy of him relating it to others, especially Will upon not saying a word of him being the captain of the very ship they were chasing himself.

"See three days out on the venture the First Mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure too, so Jack gives up the bearings…That night there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die, but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."

"Ah", Will uttered. Starting to understand more and more and nodded, his brief smile derisive as he continued. Personating Jack's mannerisms that seemed accurate by the look on Gibbs' mien. "So that's the reason for all the…"

"Reason's got nothing to do with it", Gibbs mused, watching how Will flailed like he'd seen Jack do at times, but not quite as amused Gibbs' expression turned grim. "Now Will, when a man is marooned he is given a pistol with a single shot – one shot. Well it won't do much good hunting or to be rescued, but after three weeks of starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol will start to look real friendly."

By that point Gibbs made a somber smile, mimicking placing a barrel of a pistol to his temple as Will mulled over this information, turning earnest himself as the first mate went on.

"But Jack – he escaped the island, and still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it though…save for one man. The mutinous First Mate."

"Barbossa", Will filled in. To have learned the name of the Pearl's captain from Jack earlier upon questioning him about the ship and it's crew…things he after all now came to fully regard as but relative truth. "How did Jack get off the island?"

"Well, I'll tell ye. He waded out into the shallows and waited three days and three nights till all manner of sea creature came acclimated to his presence…And on the fourth morning he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed 'em together and made a raft."

Will stared at Gibbs in disbelief, that part of the story sounding far too loony for even someone as peculiar as Jack Sparrow to pull off, yet alone anyone. His voice hence not so trusting as he replied after a moment of considering the First Mate's claims about Jack's miraculous escape from death. "He roped a couple of sea turtles?"

"Aye, sea turtles."

"What did he use for rope?"

"Human hair. From my back."

Sudden voice of Jack's brought the pair out of their discussion and they turned around to find him standing right beside them, an alarmed look gracing Gibbs' features once he discovered to have been caught telling tales about him to Will, who only eyed at the pirate in even graver disbelief. Not believing a word of the First Mate's insane story, at least the part about Jack's escape. Jack's own features however revealing nothing as he exchanged a serious look with both of them until ordered the crew to drop the anchor. Will looking over to the side of the ship and realizing them to have successfully sailed through the passage and to have arrived at the outskirts of an island that he then could see loom amongst the fog, aside for a few rocky slopes it shrouding Isla de Muerta from his scouring eyes. Hence explaining why Jack had finally left the helm where he'd spent all morning.

"Young Mr. Tuner and I are to go ashore", Jack announced. Will rising to his feet as the crew began to prepare a boat for them by a series of new orders from Jack.

"Captain, what if the worst should happen?" Gibbs inquired, also standing as received a knowing look from his captain.

"Keep to the Code."

Gibbs then left, leaving Jack alone with Will, who was busy searching for Merwynn amongst the crewmen running about the deck. To have after all lost track of her during Gibbs' account of Jack's past, but before he could locate her Jack spoke up again. The least of all pleased.

"I hear yer finny beauty tried to take a bite out one of me men."

Will narrowed his eyes, realizing the pirate he'd saved from Wynn to have after all talked, presumably too scared by the incident to even fear of Will's threat of exposing his clandestine drinking from the reserves to the captain. "Nothing happened, Jack."

"I hear a lot happened. A lot of which I so kindly ordered you not to let happen should I allow you to keep to your goodwill of coddling the pretty thing and expose us all to her carnivorous tendencies."

"She was hungry. I've been giving fish to her but that doesn't seem to be enough to satisfy her", Will answered truthfully, earning a matter-of-fact look back from the pirate.

"And that is why I should just graciously allow her to gorge on me crew like she did on our living reserves?" Jack asked, taking Will by surprise, although he shouldn't have been taken aback by him knowing about the animals Wynn had killed at the beginning of their voyage. Jack was the captain after all, and whoever had checked the birds after that particular incident had naturally informed Jack about the missing chicken. "I hold no such nurturing disposition to creatures who will kill me as easily as they'd kiss me as do ye, mate."

Upon saying that Jack was the first to find the mermaid, missing the visible twitch of Will's at the sound of his words, Merwynn standing on top of the gunwale and taking support from the shroud as she stared back at the pirate. To have overheard his words to Will, that enigmatic look he gave her telling her exactly who she was to thank of her latest meal, but not feeling quite so trusting with him to be grateful of his apparent act of graciousness he swore against she simply turned away from him. Facing the surprisingly cold breeze that then swept across the deck and tugged at her free hair, Wynn closing her eyes in a comforting thrall as now upon standing there above it she could hear the ocean, tempt her like her kind did their pray, calling to her. And now at last after weeks of being incapable to she was able to answer.

"As if you actually cared if she ate one of ye crew members", Will stated, smiling scornfully. "Would certainly make sure she wouldn't need to attack anyone else should she be given leave on one of these lowlives you call crewmen who I'm sure wouldn't mind to be kissed by her…least of all you."

"Is this experience talking or are ye mistaking mere manly needs for stupidity?" Jack asked, the least fazed by the young man's derisive delivery. "Because between them and ye, I think it is clear which is the more witty one as mere slaves to their desires rather than their compassion. Meself included."

Will leveled an aggravated look at Jack, however then choosing to ignore the pirate in favor of finally seeking out Wynn and tell her to wait in his cabin until he'd come back, but just as he resumed his search of her Jack reclaimed his attention. Causing him to miss her figure still balancing on top of the port side railing, now a few more crewmen noticing the strange woman they'd always seen but in Will's company to lounge on top of the gunwale only half dressed, staring down to the gray waves. Soon enough her gaining quite an audience as the men stopped their doings to simply stare at the scantily clad mermaid, including Gibbs who first arrived to hound the crew members back to work but ended up following Wynn to just stand there…Listening to the alluring whispering of the sea she'd longed for so long.

"It be best for ye to finally focus on what's truly important and dispose of all superfluous detriments...After all on the eve of her long anticipated rescue what would dear Elizabeth think of ye to have replaced her claim of yer care with a man eating sea beast, as lovely as she may be when not trying to eat ye. A problem which I'm sure not to be veritable with a certain Governor's daughter…or it will, as yer present taste in women seems to suggest."

"Jack, she's not going anywhere", Will stated, ignoring Jack's suggestive remarks although he had a valid point of mentioning Elizabeth and what would she think about learning him to have been taking care of a mermaid, earning a curious look back from the pirate. "She will when she's ready. She isn't able to swim yet."

"Is that so?" Jack asked, now finally alerting Will of the crowd gathered by the gunwale behind him by nodding to Merwynn's direction. "She seems rather keen on proving otherwise."

Will frowned but as he turned and finally saw Wynn standing at the side of the ship he then realized Jack to have been only distracting him. Preventing him from noticing what was going on behind him, and as they all then saw Wynn let go of the shroud and turn around to gaze across the deck at Will, the wind whipping the hair to her face so that he couldn't exactly see her face, Will understood what Jack had meant. After looking at Will for a brief moment her jumping into the water below, conjuring up shocked outcries from the observing crew, where Will was startled by the sight. Jack's tone but dismissive as he spoke up, smile on his face while beckoned to the spot Wynn had just stood at.

"There. The problem solved itself."

Will ran through the throng of crewmen, a few of whom had also rushed to the port side railing after watching Wynn dive into the ocean, and as he arrived her name left his lips. Will calling out to her, but as his eyes scoured the waves she'd disappeared under he saw nothing. After a moment of more frantic scouring of the dark water something floating to the surface. A sigh escaping his lips as he recognized it as Wynn's shirt, where there were no sign of the mermaid herself. Just as Jack had wanted her to have vanished…for good. And Will now realized that earlier in his cabin she'd said her clear farewells to him.