A little insert here from Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest novel, the part where Elizabeth is referring to the island.

Kate was stunned. "Father, I..." She began to say but was interrupted.

"Land, ho!" One of the sailors announced.

"Not now." Captain Summers told Kate, and departed. Once again, Kate was left to her own thoughts with too many unanswered questions.

"Is that it? The Isla de Cruces?" Will asked Jack as they peered over the edge of the ship to the small island they were approaching.

"Aye, it is indeed." Jack nodded, removing his spyglass from his eye. "Prepare to weigh anchor!" He ordered.

"Do you expect anyone to be there, Jack?" Gibbs asked.

"Hardly. I doubt it." Jack shrugged casually.

"There isn't anyone." Elizabeth pointed out.

"You know the place?" Anamaria asked.

"No. Stories." Elizabeth answered solemnly. "The church came to the island, and brought salvation, and disease and death. They say the priest had to bury everybody, one after the other. It drove him mad, and he hung himself."

"Then perhaps it be best we turn back, captain?" Marty interjected nervously. "If a church can bring only misfortune to a such a place, then it likely be bad luck!"

"Aye!" Many of the sailors begged Jack. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Easy, lads." He said in an irritated tone. "We must not allow ourselves to be so easily dissuaded by such virulently morbid tales. We'll be safe here from our mutually, hostile hospitable friends on this pretty little piece of land. We'll make due here for a few days then set sail again."

"Full moon tonight. Full moon tonight." Cotton's parrot spoke up.

"Well, let's hope you were right about no one being in this place." Will whispered to Elizabeth. Not that he was a superstitious man, but after his brush with undead pirates, he was more suspicious of mysterious occurrences than when he was a boy. And, he'd heard many frightening legends and myths about bizarre things and or people coming to full insanity mode at the full of the moon, especially at sea! Elizabeth glanced at him skeptically.

As the men were getting ready to haul down the longboats, Ragetti's hand slipped, and a knot from the rough rope, as it rapidly shot back up toward the mast, cut his wrist badly. He yelped and staggered back as the other men stumbled, grumbling at him for his untimely clumsiness. He whimpered like a little boy who'd fallen and skinned his knee. "Shut up! Quit moanin' 'bout it." Pintel scolded him. They were pirates, they were supposed to be tough.

"But, look...blood!" Ragetti held up his red arm for his friend to see.

"Yur a pirate. Ye see blood all the time!" Pintel growled.

"I may bleed to death. My arm will come off." Ragetti cried.

"It ain't gonna come off." Pintel rolled his eyes.

"Everything all right, fellas?" Thomas asked as he appeared. Then he noticed Ragetti's gash. "Let me look at that." He said, taking the other man's arm. "What happened to you?" Thomas asked.

"He just a lil' scratch, and he's wailin' like the world's comin' to an end!" Pintel puffed.

"It's more than a scratch!" Ragetti protested. "See how much blood's already gone? Oh! I can feel the consciousness leavin' my body right now!"

Thomas shook his head and tried not to laugh. Drama king. And these motley men are supposed to be scurvy pirates? He chuckled to himself.

"The only thing that's gonna put out yur lights is a good stiff plank if ye don't shut up!" Pintel snarled at his friend.

"Now, now, fellas, I'm sure we can work this out." Thomas grinned. "Mmm. That doesn't look too bad." He pressed his handkerchief on Ragetti's arm, applying pressure to the wound. "Keep pressing on that, and follow me. I doubt you'll bleed to death, but we do need to clean that cut so it won't get infected. Come with me. I'll fix you up." He smiled reassuringly.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Ragetti's eyes lit up in relief.

"And what would you know about ailments and such, Stickywicket? Eh?" Pintel narrowed his eyes at Thomas.

Rather than retorting, Thomas merely grinned and suggested, "Suppose you just watch and find out?"

"This I gotta see!" Pintel gaped and eagerly followed, as did Marty and a few other men. Thomas was at the stern, in the farthest corner so that he'd have plenty of sunlight to see what he was doing. The bleeding had stopped on Ragetti's arm, but then Thomas poured alcohol on it, which made him whine like a puppy. "Shut up, you!" Pintel slapped the back of his head.

"Don't listen to him." Thomas told Ragetti. "It's all right. I know it stings." Pintel's eyes widened at the audacity of the whelp. "All right now. If you have whiskey on you, I'd keep it on hand, as this is gonna hurt." Thomas warned Ragetti as he pulled out a needle and a thread.

"Whatcha gonna do with that?" Ragetti asked timidly.

"I'm going to close up the cut." Thomas replied calmly. "You might want to find a scarf or something to bite into."

A few minutes later, Elizabeth, Will, and Jack heard screeching coming from the stern. They raced up the steps to see what was happening. "You're a pirate! Quit your whinin'." One of the sailors told Ragetti. Pintel pressed his pistol to the guy's chin.

"Ye say one more word a discomfort to me friend, and I'll blow yur brain to the fishes." He warned him. Not that Pintel hadn't spoke the same way a while ago, but as he watched Thomas skillfully thread the stitches, he'd realized how much pain his friend was in and felt bad for him.

"Thomas, what are you doing?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"Oh, just fixing up a little accident." Thomas replied.

"We don't do that out here on the sea." Jack huffed. "We just hack off the injured limb and use it for bait."

"Jack..." Elizabeth punched his arm.

"Not while I'm around." Thomas said to Jack. "Besides, it wasn't that grievous of an injury." At that moment, Ragetti shed more tears. "Almost finished." Thomas assured him. Jack rolled his eyes at all these 'soft kids', and turned on his heel while Elizabeth watched with intrigue. Thomas finally bandaged the thin arm. "There you are." He told Ragetti. "Keep the dirt out of it. I'll have another look at it tomorrow."

"Much obliged, matey. Though it did hurt me somethin' awful." Ragetti said.

"Yes, sorry about that. Maybe someday we'll learn a way to prevent that." Thomas nodded. They shuffled off the helm.

"You've done this kind of thing before." Elizabeth stated to Thomas with admiration. Thomas glanced at her and shrugged.

"Aye, a handful of times here and there." He nodded. "Just wish I could find a way to make the process less gruesome."

"Well, I think you did a splendid job." Elizabeth smiled.

"Thank you, Elizabeth." Thomas tipped his hat.

Captain Summers was absolutely silent in the long boat as they rowed toward the island. There were a handful of sailors who, after hearing Elizabeth's testimony and Marty's wild speculation, were too afraid to set foot on the possibly haunted land, so they remained with the Black Pearl. "Have you ever been here before?" Kate asked Jack.

"Once or twice." Jack replied, looking down into his compass. "Came here to find some treasure. Twas only a small box filled with old scribblings of some ancient prophecy or some other such nonsense."

"Really?" Will's ears perked up with interest. "What did you do with the box of texts?"

"Passed it off to a fellow pirate who might be able to make some sense out of the decrepit papers." Anamaria answered for Jack.

"That's a shame." Will mumbled with disappointment. "Who knows but it could've been something worth seeking."

The long, bright beach reflected the sun's tropical rays and glistened on the vivid blue water. "I don't see a church." Anamaria commented dryly.

"Up there. Has to be it." Gibbs interjected, pointing up into the green palm tree hills. They could faintly see an aged stone structure.

"Let's have a look, mates." Jack said.

Elizabeth sidled over to Kate. "Did you and your father have an argument?" Elizabeth asked.

"No." Kate shook her head. "Just that he's so difficult to read sometimes. Some of the things he says, it's as if he doesn't believe he deserves to be free. That's what I cannot understand." Elizabeth wrapped her arm around her friend.

"Freedom has most likely grown to become a foreign concept to him, after being a prisoner for so long." Elizabeth suggested. "It's going to take time for him to adjust."

"If he adjusts." Kate sighed.

"Patience, Kate." Elizabeth shushed her gently. "Your father needs that especially. And a great deal of love, which I know he will receive in plenty!" Kate sighed heavily. "By the way," Elizabeth nudged her, "I happen to know another outstanding tribute of Tommy's that's been overlooked!"

"What? What is it?" Kate's face perked up. Elizabeth smirked.

"He can patch up a nasty cut or gash." She said grandly.

"He can?"

"Oh, yes. You should've seen the way he took care of Ragetti. He was so calm, but focused. But also reassuring." Elizabeth commented. Kate's gaze left her friend and fell on the skinny boy ahead of them, who was scanning the landscape curiously. Questions began to fill her mind: where did he learn to do that? What else was he capable of that they didn't know about? What was he planning to do when they went their separate ways? Kate was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't look where she was going and stumbled, falling head down over a boulder.

"Ohhff!" She huffed. Elizabeth stood over her with her hands on her hips. She was giggling. "What are you laughing at?" Kate narrowed her eyes. Elizabeth shook her head and helped her up.

The search party discovered an old, run down cathedral, that had long since been abandoned. A fenced in graveyard lay on a spit of grass just outside the building. It was sobering to think of the church's history and the poor souls who'd perished there. Several of the crew settled with campfires at various spots on the beaches or in the shelter of the trees that night. Gibbs, Thomas, Jack, Will, and some others had found some fresh fruit growing on the palm trees. With meager supplies from the ship, everyone had a full meal. Gibbs told ghost stories of ocean legends, some that even the crew had never heard of before!

"I imagine your father the governor must be worried sick by now." Will said to Elizabeth as he sat across from her on the sand.

"No. While we were in England, I did meet with some of his associates. Then I sent word by a merchant ship heading to Port Royal to let Father know that we were safe and well and would return once we'd completed our mission." Elizabeth said.

"He must miss you something fierce." Will stated. "I know I wouldn't be able to rest, if I were in his shoes." Elizabeth smiled. "If I had a daughter, there is no way I would just let her gallivant off on the high seas, to foreign places, with a notorious pirate for a tour guide!" Elizabeth crouched over next to him.

"Are you saying you want children, Mr. Turner?" She asked in a teasing voice.

"Of course I do." Will said earnestly. Elizabeth lightly kissed him on the cheek. He stared at her but didn't scold. He looked deeply into her eyes and nuzzled her nose with his.

Kate stepped slowly in the sand till she came to her father. He was sitting hunched on a crate, with his elbows propped on his knees, his hands folded out in front of him. "More water?" She offered him a tankard. He slowly shook his head.

"No thank you, Sweetheart." He said quietly. Kate's face fell.

"You hardly ate anything." She said glumly.

"Wasn't very hungry." Captain Summers mumbled.

"You've hardly spoken, since...since this afternoon."

"Not much of one for talking, I suppose." Captain Summers wouldn't face her. Kate came and stood in front of him.

"Dad, I don't understand why you said what you did." She spoke up. "Won't you please tell me what's vexing you? It's not good to keep it to yourself."

"Darling, you already know more than I ever wanted you to about me, about our family tragedy, and the trouble we're in now because of it. I'm not going to burden you with more unhappy memories." Captain Summers said firmly.

"Dad, seeing you withdrawn, not able to be at peace, and not able to be honest with me is a burden. Because you're unhappy. I want to know what that is so I can help you." Kate said sadly. "I want you to be happy." Captain Summers looked up at her. He took her hand and softly kissed it.

"You have made me happy, Katie." He smiled sadly.

"Then why do you appear as if the plague was hovering at your back?" Kate asked dismally. "Dad, I just want to know the truth. And 'the truth will set you free'." She said encouragingly.

Captain Summers took a deep breath. "My father, your grandfather, was a drifter and a criminal." He began. "He was arrested when I was very young. I learned early on that I didn't want to be like him. I wanted to be better than him. I wanted to make the world a better place, and if it meant punishing people like him so their families didn't suffer, that was what I wanted to be. It was terribly burdensome to my mother, your grandmother, to make due. But she was there for me and took care of me. If only I could've done the same for my own boy." Captain Summers groaned, and looked away. Kate sat down in front of him.

"What does that mean?" She asked slowly. Captain Summers grimaced in her direction, but kept his eyes on his feet.

"You were born when Ralph was fourteen." He continued. "Ralph had a rough time at the school he was enrolled in, in the city. All the other boys made fun of him, looked down their noses on him. They compared me to their fathers, to paraphrase it, they compared him to them, using me. I tried to help him through it, but I couldn't always be there. I tried to teach him that what they had to say wasn't what counted. But I guess the relentless teasing became too much for him to handle.

'He started getting into trouble. He wasn't home so much, started succumbing to the influence of his friends. I don't know.'" Captain Summers rubbed his face. "I suppose it made him feel welcomed."

"Just about anything feels better than feeling unwanted, even if it is from the wrong source." Kate murmured sadly.

"During the Marquis's case, he came down hard on me and Jack Sparrow, threatening us with a fate worse than death if we didn't give up this treason accusation business. Then he had the audacity to...he said he wanted to see his mother…and I...I wouldn't let him:

13 Years Ago

"Ralph...son, don't do this." Captain Summers pleaded.

"Ohh, but I will." Ralph grinned evilly. "And you know I can. And there's nothing in this world you can do to stop me."

"Well, I'll sure as h- try!" Captain Summers declared firmly, trying to hide the quivers in his voice. Ralph snickered coldly.

"Now, I want to see Mum." He said casually. Captain Summers' shoulders stiffened rigidly. His dark eyes flared with fear and rage.

"No." He snapped.

"What? No?" Ralph taunted him.

"You're not going anywhere near her...or your sister."

Ralph pffted with his lips. "Oh, yes. I mustn't forget the mighty captain's little angel. Oh, I wouldn't dream of it!" He sneered. "And that little shrew is not my sister."

Captain Summers stared him down hard. "You'll not speak that way about your sister!" He growled dangerously.

"Whatever." Ralph rolled his eyes. "Like I said, Dad, I want to see my Mum. And I'd like to know who's going to stop me." Captain Summers angrily stepped forward and looked his warped son right in the eyes.

"I will." He curled his lip, disappointment, fury, and hurt in his face. "You are not going to set a foot anywhere even close to my wife or daughter." He said stiffly, his jaw set. "And if I hear from anyone, if I see you within three feet of them, I will personally clamp you in irons and deliver you to the courts. Do we understand each other?"

Ralph rolled his eyes again, but with a sickening, sadistic smile. "Yeah, Da. Sure. I see what you're saying. Don' worry, I won't cause any more gray hairs on the old lady...or, make the little wench vanish into thin air...yet!" Captain Summers snatched him by the scruff of his collar and shoved him up against the wall. His officers tried to pry him off.

"Don't you dare threaten your own family, boy!" He hissed, his blood boiling and his mind whirling.

"Relax, Da. Take it easy." Ralph shrugged, waving his hands in surrender. "I wouldn't be so stupid as that, though you probably would take me for it, wouldn't you?"

"Summers! Captain!" The officers shouted to Captain Summers to release his grip. He did with a shove. He glowered in furious disbelief at his own flesh and blood.

"I'd better not see you anywhere near Mary or Kate!" He warned Ralph one last time. Ralph chuckled casually.

"Don't worry. Mum's not the one I want to see suffer!" He promised darkly and left the room.

Captain Summers pulled his deputy Barnaby Wood aside. "Barnaby, I need you to promise me something! Please!" He begged.

"Anything, Sir." Barnaby nodded quickly.

"I don't think Briggs is going to let up. If he carries out his threat...if...if anything happens to me from this infernal case, I need you to promise me that you'll take my wife and daughter and get them out of London, with no time to waste!"

"Captain..."

"Just promise me." Captain Summers pleaded.

"I promise, David...Sir." Barnaby said passionately. He firmly gripped his friend's hand.

"Briggs made his choice, Father. He was a grown man and was responsible for his own actions." Kate told Captain Summers.

"But things could've been different." He muttered. "His mother was always there for him, when I couldn't be. She took care of him. Perhaps...if I'd let him see her when he requested it, maybe she could've gotten through to him. He might have actually listened! But I was afraid for you and my wife. I didn't want anything to happen to you! I didn't trust him. And I let my fear cloud my judgement." He said in a defeated voice.

"I disagree!" Kate interjected. "Dad, it seems to me that according to you, he hadn't regarded Mother's counsel for a long time. You were right not to give into him, if he was ruthlessly appearing as a threat. I would've refused him too. I'm just sorry that he let himself become so blind to his own actions. I wish your act of trying to protect us had sunk into his mind." Captain Summers nodded. Kate gulped before speaking again. "Dad? Did you tell...did Mother know about him?"

"No! I would never tell her about the bloody business he'd gotten himself into!" Captain Summers declared. "She had enough worry on her shoulders knowing the kind of path she'd last seen him heading down. This would break her heart worse than it already was. No, she didn't know it was him. But I always sensed that she did know that he was in some deep trouble. She prayed for him every night, often with tears. We didn't speak much about him in front of you, Katie. For one, he was hardly around. Also, it was too painful to speak about for either of us. And, we didn't want you to grow up knowing what a scoundrel your brother had let himself become."

"It must have hurt Mother so much, wondering if her son would ever repent." Kate murmured softly. "If Briggs knew how much she still loved him, I wonder if he would turn around."

"You call him Briggs."

"It's just easier, for me, Dad." Kate groaned.

"That's all right, Sweetheart. It's all right." Captain Summers assured her. His tense shoulders finally slacked back.

"Maybe someday, there will still be a chance he could change. But first, we must get you home." Kate looked at her father. "Father, God has given you another chance. A chance to start again. I just keep getting the impression that you don't believe that. Why don't you?"

"It's easier not to believe in hope anymore when you've been deprived of it for so long, baby girl." Captain Summers stated.

"It will be all right, Dad. Things could get better, you'll see!"

"And what makes you think I can pick up the pieces, huh?" Captain Summers puffed skeptically. Kate ran her small, gentle hands over his large, weathered ones.

"Because I'll be with you. We can do it, together." Kate said softly. He looked down at her and she smiled warmly at him.

"I appreciate your confidence, darling, but it might be impossible to teach this old dog new tricks." He snickered.

"Baby steps." Kate told him. She leaned into him and snuggled on his chest with her eyes closed. He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her arm. They both soaked in the beauty of the stars in the clear night sky tonight.

As Thomas listened to Jack, Anamaria, and Gibbs discuss their next plan of action, he was holding a coconut above a canteen, letting the liquid from the tropical delight drip into the container. Not only did he enjoy coconut milk, but he liked to experiment with it in making elixirs and medicines. Then Thomas joined Will and Elizabeth at their campfire. Captain Summers and Kate were walking along the shore when she decided to sit down and listen to their conversation. Captain Summers observed the double duo and shook his head in amusement, watching all those 'young people' gather together.

"So, Elizabeth tells me you're pretty handy with a needle and thread." Kate mentioned as she sat down with Elizabeth on her right and Thomas on her left while he sat across from Will.

"Oh, that. It's nothing, really." Thomas shrugged.

"Where did you learn to treat a cut like that?" Will asked curiously.

"Well, I mostly served as a carpenter's apprentice in England." Thomas explained. "But I did spend a few good years under the tutelage of a small time doctor. I was interested in medicine, hoping I could make the world a better place, and ease at least a little of the suffering in this insufferable world. He taught me the basics and let me read his medical journals. In exchange, I kept his office up for him, served as his secretary, and called on patients when he was no available. I only had the chance to actually treat a few, but it was quite the experience!"

"Have you ever considered pursuing studies for it as a career?" Elizabeth asked.

"I have, considerably. But I also enjoy working with wood. I cannot seem to choose which profession I would be more passionate about." Thomas replied. By then, Anamaria had sat down with them.

I think I know, Kate smiled. He's already tried to make the world a better place. He really should take up medicine again! Perhaps if he were to choose to remain in Port Royal with us, Governor Swann could arrange for him to take up some studies if that's what he wants!

Jack had removed his boots and his usual effects and was sitting barefoot on the ground, drinking a bottle of rum and studying his compass. Captain Summers watched him pensively. "Don't you ever do anything besides drink liquor?" He asked gruffly. Jack cocked his head in surprise.

"What an absurd notion!" He sputtered. "Or might ye be suggesting that I forget me own true self and be like you: brood-some, rigid with a perpetual chip on yur shoulder, and most fatiguing company when it comes to intelligent conversation." Jack said cockily.

"You just trade places for a lifetime and then lecture me on good manners." Captain Summers retorted.

"Trust me, mate, I've had my share of betrayal and doing what it takes to survive." Jack said in a more grave tone. Captain Summers cleared his throat then looked back in his daughter's direction. She was more than happily chatting away and laughing with her friends...with her boyfriend. Jack noticed the reluctant father's sad face. "Ahh, you've got the inescapable pang, mate." He slightly teased him.

"How's that?"

"Not so easy, is it? Seeing yur child all grown up before yur eyes, and now she seems to be takin' 'vantage of the situation by breakin' yur heart while she feebly attempts her own chances at living happily ever after." Jack sighed dramatically. "I feel for ye, mate. I really do. Wouldn't wanna be in yur shoes!" He sipped his rum.

"For years, I dreamed and wondered what it would be like, if I ever saw my family again. Ever saw my daughter again. But of all the things I expected, I never saw this coming."

"Aye. I know." Jack grumbled. "Young love. Pfft. Dreadful isn't it? And there's nothin' ye can do to pry 'em loose from it. Come, Summers, have a drink. You'll need a relief to soothe yur sorrows." Captain Summers sat down next to Jack and accepted the rum.

"Got a rather gloomy way of looking at things, for someone who spends his days gallivanting all over creation with a devil may care attitude." Captain Summers remarked.

"I don't like distractions." Jack said quickly.

"Clearly." Captain Summers nodded.

"I know what you're thinkin', mate." Jack said.

"Really?" Captain Summers replied skeptically.

"You're concerned, about how will you make due when you and yur bonny lass settle back in Port Royal? How will you make a fresh start?"

"You're a dangerous man, Jack Sparrow." Captain Summers narrowed his eyes. "You ought to be locked up in the insane asylum for being able to read minds that accurately!" Jack smirked lazily at the insulting praise. "But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried. I am worried. My daughter has a life, a position for herself. But what am I? An escaped prisoner, a former slave, someone who was never supposed to be able to escape that horrid place, not in a thousand years! Briggs made sure of that. When they hauled me away, right in front of me, he paid my new 'employers' a handsome sum, and told them with all possible authority to see to it that whatever destination I came to reside at, that I'd never be able to leave."

Jack frowned sympathetically. "Oh. I can't imagine the depth of low that must have sunk into ye." He said.

"You suppose Governor Swann will send me back?"

"Hard to say. Lizzie is the one you should be asking that. Knowing the girl, she'll most likely put in a good word for ye, and if her father don't see the light, she'll come up with some sort hair-brained scheme to convince him." Jack said proudly.

"She's been mingling with you for too long." Captain Summers teased.

"Come now, David. I'm not that appalling of a criminal, am I?" Jack cocked his head. Both men chuckled. "Well, whatever lies ahead for you and your daughter, I hope you find what you're looking for, mate. I mean that now." Jack said thoughtfully.

"I already have." Captain Summers said fondly, gazing at Kate. No, his heart and mind were not at peace yet. But he felt sure tonight that he was on his way to it.

"Aye." Jack nodded. "Cheers, to the both of you." He raised his rum then drank it.

"How are you feeling this evening, Sir?" Thomas asked Captain Summers as he made his way back to his lot.

"Pretty good, actually. First time in a long time." Captain Summers smiled.

"That's good to know." Thomas agreed. "May I speak with you?"

"I thought you'd never get around to it." Captain Summers laughed.

"Sir?" Thomas furrowed his brows. Captain Summers halted and faced him.

"Don't play innocent with me, kid. I've seen the way it is with you and Kate. I know that look, and don't you so much as even think of telling me I'm too old to notice such things."

"No, Sir. I do care for your daughter, Sir. She's special. And she truly seems to like me for who I am, a lowly tradesman searching for his calling. I don't take that for granted! She's the kindest person I've ever met."

"You have family?"

"No, Captain. I don't. Well, I do not know for sure. My mother died when I was an infant. She wasn't married. And a man who claimed to be my father left me at an orphanage when I was four. He didn't leave a name or anything. Just said that he couldn't be bothered with me and took to the road. So, I've been on my own practically all my life." Thomas explained unhappily.

"And what do you intend to do now with your life?"

"I'm not certain. I want to help people. I'd like to have a family of my own, and do for them what my parents didn't. I know you don't have a favorable outlook on this bunch, Sir, but if I may so bold as to say that these pirates, the people on this vessel are the closest thing I've ever had to family!"

"I'm sorry." Captain Summers grunted.

"No. My life has changed for the better, since they 'rescued' me. Since I met Kate. God's used her to change my life. I don't ever want her to not be a part of that!"

"Have you told her so?"

"No, Sir. Not...well, I'm not settled permanently yet on a career. I wanted to become established first so I'd know for sure that I can provide for a family. But, I...I would like to marry Kate, Captain Summers. I'd like her to be my wife!"

"Truthfully, son, that does not surprise me. But you're wise to think ahead and be sure that you're capable of being a proper husband. You'll have to speak to my daughter, of course. But should she share your line of thinking, and if her feelings line up with those choices, then you both have my blessing to wed...at the proper time."

"W-what? Really? I mean...that's wonderful!" Thomas's face lit up and he was about to fall over. "You approve then?"

"Yeah." Captain Summers sighed with a sad smile. "I just met her for the first time in years! But, I think it's clear where her heart lies. And nothing I can say will change that."

"So, we have an accord?" Thomas asked excitedly.

"Aye." Captain Summers grabbed his hand. "Swear on your life, boy, that you will love her, and take good care of her, no matte what." He whispered dangerously.

"I do swear!" Thomas breathed passionately. "I swear on my life, Captain Summers, that I will always love her and care for her."

"Good man." Captain Summers released him, and Thomas rubbed his hand, waiting for the circulation to return.

"Thank you, Sir! Thank you so much!" Thomas beamed. He could hardly wait to tell Will and Gibbs of his good fortune. "Kate tells me that you were a former slave once, on the Cartwheel." Thomas said in a mellow tone. "I'm very sorry. Truly a horrible vessel."

"She's told me you were forced to work on it."

"Aye. For two long years."

"Well, sounds like you tried to make a difference during those two long years. That counts for something." Captain Summers clapped his shoulder.

"Thank you." Thomas looked up at him gratefully.

When Captain Summers returned to his space on the beach, Kate was lying on the ground with a blanket around herself. Her eyes were closed and she appeared to be sleeping. Her father knelt over her, removed his coat and lovingly placed it on her under her arms. He kissed her face. "I love you, baby girl. And I always will." He whispered, gently brushing her face.

Kate's diary lay underneath the coverlet she was using. On the page for tonight, her mood had soared tremendously since the grim incidents from this morning. Tomorrow was another day, a new day! It would be a new chance to start things over, leading to a new life!