What? TWO chapters within the span of a year? What is this, Mind the Tide times?

Haha! I'm kidding. Really, it's just because I found some sort of groove with more writing time. It helps that this story in particular fills me with ideas ALL THE TIME so I'm constantly thinking about it. So, there may be more story updates here than my other ones. I just adore this whole adventure.

Plus, you know, having lots of free time because you got COVID helps soooooo yeah. I'm doing well though so don't worry! I'm in my twenties and have no underlying health issues. I will be okay!

Also, I needed to go back to my previous chapters to see what I've written about *something* that will make an appearance soon and… oh man, are those chapters ROUGH. Actually, that's an understatement. Haha! I'm highly considering doing a massive rework of the series. The plot will be the same, but I'll stretch out the chapters (especially from movie one), add new bits and bobs AKA the feels, and just overall make it a better story. If this is something you'd be interested in, let me know! Just note, I will not do ANYTHING until this series is finished. It's just a way to keep Pirates around a little while longer :)

That's all for now! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Stay safe and healthy!

Happy Reading!

~MisticLight

~.~.~.~

"Oi, Evelyn!"

I paused when I heard my name and turned to the helm. Both Barbossa and Jack stared down at me, each with a hand on the opposite side of the wheel. I already knew it was the latter who had called my name.

"What side of the ship are you on?" Jack continued. He slightly pulled the wheel towards him.

"Um…" I analyzed my footing and tried to gage where I was from the railings but could not gather a definitive answer. The fact that it was a foggy night did not help. Shrugging, I turned back to him. "The middle?"

His shoulders fell. "Well, could you go a little more portside? I need to command you to tighten the sails."

"What?" I asked, though my question was not heard because simultaneously Barbossa glared at Jack and shouted: "You can't tell her where to go. That's not how this works." He then pulled the wheel back towards him.

"I'm not telling her to do anything. Just asking. Two completely different things, Hector."

Barbossa rolled his eyes with a sigh then turned to me again. "Well in that case, why don't to come to the starboard side so I can tell you to tighten the sails?"

I looked between them, head cocked. "What does it matter what side I'm on?"

"Because," Jack said while moving the wheel towards him again, "I get to captain portside, he gets starboard."

"Only until we leave the Locker. After that, we'll have a vote." Barbossa placed another hand on the wheel and pulled again, harder than before. Then he smiled at me. It was the sweetest I'd seen from him, yet even then I found myself recoiling. "On second thought, you can go on whatever side you want. I won't force ya into anything. Also remember that if it wasn't for me, you'd have been stranded on that little beach we left a couple days ago."

"Thank you?" I offered, but again was covered up by shouting. This time it was Jack.

"Not fair! I gave her a choice. She could've come aboard." He accented his point by also putting a second hand on the wheel and applying pressure. The wheel seemed strained as it fought between their differing pulls.

Barbossa scoffed. "We both know she wouldn't have gone with you! Not when you were going to leave Wi-"

"Okay!" I interjected, not wanting him to finish his sentence. Barbossa flashed another smile and I glared at him. He loved finding ways to dangle the secret from Tia Dalma's shack in front of me. "Look, we're still trapped, so there's no sense in trying to win my vote right now. Besides," I motioned to the sails, "they're fine. We've had no wind and the Pearl moves as though there were. You're just looking for someone to order since the ship hardly needs crewed in this place, and I unfortunately was the first person you saw. So instead of bickering, could you maybe try working together so we can get out of here and then you can give actual useful commands?"

They silently stared at me for a moment, blinking at my words, until all at once they turned back to fighting over the wheel. Whenever one would pull in one direction, the other countered at an even stronger force. They grunted and heaved, but at least they were no longer involving me.

"I'm just going to go then," I announced while slowly backing away from them. I tried my best to stay in the middle until I was far from their sights. Thankfully, they were too busy bickering to care about my departure. When I reached the far end of the deck, I returned to my original path, which was to stand next to Elizabeth… on the port railing. Jack got his way after all.

I sighed when I reached her. "They're going mad!"

"Yes," she agreed. Her voice was soft, distracted. She leaned on her elbows over the railing, facing the calm water that endlessly surrounded us. I rested my elbows on the railing too, though I opted to lean back on it. I'd rather face the deck. I was too tired of the sea.

Elizabeth had hardly spoken since her encounter with Will. Sadly, it was what I was used to. Between the guilt of sacrificing Jack, not speaking with Will, the agony of him returning that silence, and then that argument, she'd been riddled with despair. Will was not fairing much better. They both seemed so… lost. Occasionally I was able to get a few words from them, but they never said anything to each other. Only to me. It was as though I were their buffer. Even then, I only managed to get a few grunts and one-worded responses. I learned to accept the silence.

Initially, this silence was a blessing. I had so many thoughts since Elizabeth's discovery that I didn't even know what to do with them! My heart wanted one thing, my conscious the other, and now my head mingled with them both. It was all so confusing… and lonely. I didn't want either of them to know I had heard their private conversation. But not being able to talk it through with anyone, specifically Will… it was torturous.

I spied Will on the other side of the railing. He was eyeing us while fiddling with the necklace I had made him. I miss you, I thought with a sigh.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked and I jumped. It was the most she'd said at one time since we boarded.

"Yes," I slowly answered, unsure of where this was going. She'd stayed near me constantly anymore, which was as confusing as it was comforting. I knew she'd witnessed me kiss her fiancé. Why was she not angry or hostile? Where was the blame for their argument? It was all very strange. Then again, perhaps she just needed a friend. The only ones she seemed to have anymore were me and Will, and judging from how she left him, she was not going to pick him. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

You, me, Will. "Everything, I guess."

She sighed back at me, understanding. "I hope we get out of here soon. Everything is so… cold."

I nodded, though I doubted she saw it. Her face was to the sea and mine lingered on Will. His silence was more concerning. I knew he was confused. Elizabeth had thrown a lot at him, and he was left with a question he was unable to answer. Judging by the way he looked at Elizabeth, he still did not know. He was troubled. When he felt like this before, he would come to me. He'd tell me what was on his mind so together we could find a solution. Only a few stubborn times had he kept to himself, but even then, the truth accompanied by an apology would eventually come out. Yet since that first night… he shut me out.

Why? I asked him. His gaze flicked back to me. He held it a moment then shook his head and headed towards the stairs. I followed him until his head disappeared below the floorboards.

I felt something like a sudden wind push past me. It was light and hardly enough to make my hair move, but its presence filled me with a sense of determination. I was not going to stand by and allow whatever was happening to push us apart. We were not going to enter a silence like he and Elizabeth. This was going to be cleared up. Now.

With balled fists, I pushed off the railing and made for the same stairs. Then I heard Elizabeth's voice.

"Where are you going?" she asked. She sounded worried. I turned back to her.

"Umm…" I didn't have a good way of telling her I was going to see Will because the last time we spoke in private she found us kissing. My cheeks reddened at the thought, and I shook off the memory. I didn't want to hurt her. Scanning the deck, I found an escape in Jack. He still stood at the helm, fighting Barbossa for the wheel. "I just remembered Jack wants me to find him a larger spyglass."

He shoulders fell, dejected. "And you have to go now?"

"Not necessarily," I started, slowly. It was something I technically had to do, but not providing the whole truth left a sour taste in my mouth. I was getting tired of tiptoeing around the truth. "But he did ask me this when we boarded, and I haven't done it yet. I nearly forgot! And I don't want that to happen again."

"I understand," she nodded. Her answer came a little too fast. "Good luck." She flashed a sad smile then turned back to the water.

Though I returned the smile, it went unnoticed. Part of me wanted to say more, but I knew that would pull me in and I'd stay. The longer I stayed, the higher chance I'd feel guilty and say something I would regret. I'd also lose my confidence.

So, almost regretfully, I took a deep breath and went to the stairs.

Will hadn't made it very far. He slowly wandered amongst the cannons and ammo, as though lost in thought. His back faced me. I hesitated on the last step. Should I? After watching him a moment more, I shook the uncertainty from my head. Yes.

When my boot hit the floorboards, I realized these were the very same stairs Will and Elizabeth had last spoken on. It made my chest freeze. "Will?" His name nearly caught in my throat.

"Evelyn!" He started, spinning around. His eyes were wide as he took me in. "What are you doing here?"

I watched as he frantically traced me. His reaction was startling, and he must have seen that because as soon as his eyes met mine, they slid to whatever lied beyond. I looked back, too. Crewmen were further down, close enough for voices to be heard but not enough to understand the words. I couldn't even see their faces through the dimness. We were as alone as one could be on a sailing ship. I turned back to Will, who had noticeably taken a step back.

Cocking my head, I took a step forward. "Jack wants me to find a spyglass." He took another step back as I spoke. Determined, I narrowed my eyes and took more steps towards him. This time he did not move, and his shoulders dropped. He knew I noticed. I raised my brows. "Care to help?"

He shrugged and a small smile briefly appeared. There was no emotion behind it. I would have dismissed the action if I hadn't been so intent on figuring him out. Every movement seemed forced instead of sincere. It was an agreement to help, nothing more.

We both turned to the cluttered piles near the cannons. I was not as much searching for the spyglass as I was searching his face. Normally he was so readable to me, but since I'd witnessed that conversation… less so. He was so hardened anymore; burdened with everything going wrong with the world. I'd seen it bearing down on him more and more the closer we sailed to the Locker. I thought once we found Jack, some of that weight would lift. Instead, it doubled down. It was getting progressively harder to find the Will I'd fallen in love with. He was there, just… trapped.

I wanted him back.

After a long moment of silent searching, I sighed. "You've been avoiding me."

Through the corners of my eyes, I saw him straighten. My voice must've surprised him because he dropped whatever he'd been holding. It hit a small bucket hanging halfway on a barrel. The forced caused it to topple over and spill out its contents. Bullets for pistols bounced across the floor. I stretched out my foot to prevent them from rolling too far away.

"No, I haven't," he quickly answered.

I looked back at him, brows raised, and placed my hands on my hips. Really?

My expression said the word for me. He sighed and stooped to pick up the bearings. "Perhaps a little, but it was not intentionally."

"We're on a ship, Will. The only way you can avoid someone is by doing so intentionally," I said as I bent to help him.

He was so focused on the bullets that he did not answer me. So, we gathered them in more silence. We took turns placing them back in the bucket. I reached for the last handful, finding Will's hand instead. My fingers grazed his.

"Sorry," I mumbled as I pulled back. He did not move. His hand hovered over the remaining pieces. Only when I stood back up did I notice his fingers flex and he finally finished gathering the bullets. He placed the bucket alongside their barrel so it wouldn't fall over again. Then he stood and continued our original search.

I waited for him to explain what he meant by his unintentional avoidance, but he did not offer an answer. "Will?" I softly called. I went unheard and he continued looking. "Will." Despite the aggression entering my tone, I was still ignored. I felt my face grow hot with anger. "Will!" I grabbed his nearest hand with both of mine and squeezed. He closed his eyes, stopping the search. Pain radiated from him, dissipating my anger into helplessness. I loosened my hold. "Will, please. I…" my voice unexpectedly waivered and I looked away. "I miss you."

After a breath I felt Will return the squeeze. "I've missed you, too."

"Then why are you doing this?" I looked back to him, our eyes locking instantly. Could he feel how pleading mine were? "You're purposely distancing yourself from me. We've never been like this. I saw you step away from me just now! It's almost like how you were with-" Elizabeth. I caught myself before I said her name, unsure if I should for fear of the possible hurt it could bring him. "… How you were before we came to the Locker. We used to talk every day, and now it's nearly nothing. It's even worse than after Tia Dalma's shack! At least then we were still with each other. Please. Speak to me!" My shoulders dropped with the tone of my voice. "I cannot bear to lose you."

Will watched me for a long moment. I was unsure of how long we stood there simply staring, searching, soaking, seeking… neither of us willing to break away. Then he stepped forward to move a loose piece of hair from my face. His hand rested on my cheek. I leaned into it, smiling at its familiarity. He returned the smile—a genuine one this time—and my whole body relaxed.

"I'm sorry, Evelyn. Truly. I did not mean to avoid you. I've just been so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't think…" He trailed off and I felt his hand start to slip. I placed my own hand on top to steady it.

"What's wrong?" I asked despite already knowing. A fight spawned from silence combined with our kiss before the falls. He couldn't explain it to Elizabeth. I hardly could myself despite being the initiator. There was desperation and fear… and love. I shut my eyes at the thought, not ready to release my heart.

Will's hand slipped away. This time I did not try to stop it.

"I spoke with Elizabeth," I heard him say. When I opened my eyes, I saw he had returned to the spyglass search. I had given up on it entirely seeing as it wasn't the purpose of me coming down here, but it was reassuring to see him continue. It meant he now genuinely wanted to help. I noticed his movements had become smoother and less guarded.

"Oh?" My voice went higher than I intended, and I held my breath, hoping he wouldn't notice and that I sounded like I didn't know what he was about to say.

"At first it was about Jack, then it turned to us." Will's eyes locked with mine from the side.

Here it is, I thought. My heart hammered inside my chest, and I bit my lip to stifle a wince.

"Me and Elizabeth, that is," he continued.

My shoulders fell in relief.

"Or… at least what remains of us." He paused a moment, as though recalling a memory, then he shook it off and continue shifting through the contents of a new barrel. I waited for further explanation, but he offered none. His face slowly hardened into the expression he made when he fell deep in thought. He did not put his guard back up, thankfully. I could read him again. There was sadness, confusion, and something else I could not quite figure out.

Perhaps not completely unguarded.

I took a breath to respond, but a large, dark circle was suddenly in my face. "Will this suffice?" I heard Will ask.

A spyglass! I smiled and grasped the metal circle. It was heavier than expected. I opened it my arm was fully extended. There was still more to go! I laughed at the find. Jack will be pleased.

I collapsed it again and turned to thank Will, but he only sadly stared at the tool. I'd gotten distracted. From his expression, I had a sinking feeling there was more than just the conversation I had heard. I put the spyglass back where he found it, taking note of its location so I could give it to Jack later. "What happened?"

"We spoke of Jack," he softly said. "Elizabeth said she didn't want me to bear the burden of her actions, I told her I had regardless. Then we spoke of trust… how we don't seem to have that anymore. And then…"

He trailed off and my chest tightened. I knew next was the part where I enter the conversation. He wanted to tell me. I could feel it. Yet the silence stretched on. I took a hesitant step forward and gently placed a hand on his arm. "And… and then?"

Will's eyes flicked to me. I tried to stay calm despite the pounding of my heart returning. His eyes traced my face, searching for something I could not name, then he straightened himself and turned to fully face me. "We ended it."

My eyes widened. "What?"

I didn't remember that part. They just had another argument. Then they left. Did I miss something? And why is he skipping over my part in all this?

"She realized…" Will paused to take a breath. "We realized the love we once desired from each other was gone. It's been slipping away for some time, though I hadn't realized it until she admitted it. Something hadn't settled right with me on Isla Cruces, but I thought that was because of what we had walked into? But perhaps there was something before?" His gaze shifted away. The sadness and confusion returned, along with that unreadable emotion. Watching him process the words he said, I realized it was brokenness.

"Hey," I sympathetically said, taking another step towards him. This time I placed a hand on his face and turned him back to me. "Look at me, Will." He did as I instructed, and I tilted my head. I wanted him to know everything would be all right, that I would be there for him whenever he needed me. "I'm right here. It's just you and me."

His eyes glistened and a sad smile pulled at his lips. I slid my hand to his shoulder and returned the sentiment.

Will remained fixated on my face, as though trying to compose himself. When he found the words to speak, they were softer than before. "I managed to pull her aside later that night, after I had some time to think. It was brief. We were both so weary…" He trailed off again. I held his gaze as he traced his thoughts. Patience was all I could offer him. "… But we agreed. There is nothing more left for us."

"I'm so sorry, Will." And I was! Deeply. The guilt of Elizabeth finding us kissing over the falls would never go away, despite me also not regretting that same decision. Perhaps just as I could sense Will's emotions, he could sense mine? So that was why he wasn't bringing it up? It was unclear. And I found only little relief learning that the kiss had not been the catalyst of their relationship ending. It had certainly allowed for the resolution to happen faster, though. "I know how much you cared for her."

"I still do! It's just… changed."

Elizabeth told me the same thing! I realized. My eyes widened, but it went unnoticed, and he continued.

"We want different things now. She craves freedom and self-discovery. I thought she had these with me, but it seems she still had a piece of herself hidden away after all. She claimed she was never allowed such a privilege before, and if that's how she feels, then it must be true. It only shows how eventually everything would have fallen apart."

I offered another half-smile and waited for him to explain what he wanted. It was the question he couldn't answer before. I assumed since he turned to the subject, he had figured it out. Yet as another silence stretched, either my thoughts were wrong, or he didn't want to share it.

Should I? It was the second time I asked myself the question since coming down here. I didn't want to pry anymore, seeing as the last time it led us down this exact path, but at the same time, I needed to know. The worst he could tell me was that he didn't know, which was what I expected regardless.

"And you?" I asked. He seemed confused by my question, but also expectant. There was a warmth in his eyes I had not seen for some time. It made my head spin, which then helped me realize how close we were. I did not back away. He did not seem to mind it, if he even noticed. I bit my lip as my heart returned to its heavy pounding. It traveled all the way up to my ears, filling my senses with nerves as each rhythm pulsed by. I averted my eyes by pretending there was something on his shirt and brushing it away with my hand. "You said you wanted different things. That was what she wants. What about you? What do you want?"

"I want…" Will trailed off again. The uncertainty in his voice pulled my eyes back to him. His still retained their warmth, and as our gazes locked, that warmth spread into me. I could not look away. The feeling was intoxicating.

Suddenly his hand cupped the side of my face again, and I leaned into it. Then I felt him place his other hand on my back. Will tilted his head, as though searching my face for an answer. My response was to lean in. Or was I guided? There was a soft press from behind, both gentle and assuring. What once was slow now turned to acceleration. Will spoke again. "I want…"

Still no answer. We got closer and closer until his forehead rested on mine, hesitating. I felt my thoughts tumble into his mind. His eyes closed and I shifted within his hold. Our noses pressed together. All that was left were our lips, hovering only a breath away. He was waiting for me, but I was waiting for him. Neither of us could do it. We were both unable to take that final leap. Or maybe he didn't want to? Was this just like the Dutchman and due to me understanding his pain? Was I merely a means of comfort?

My heart couldn't take the risk. I pushed forward, but not to his lips. Instead, I pressed myself into his chest in a tight embrace. Every emotion I had released itself through tears I could not blink away, though I hid them from Will by wiping them on my sleeve. Some absorbed into his shirt. I felt his chest heave, could hear the rapid rhythm of his own heart. Then his arms tightly held me back, his cheeks resting on the top of my head. It was the tightest embrace we had ever shared.

I love you, I thought, too afraid to admit it aloud. My fingers curled within the fabric of his loose shirt.

Will turned his head and I felt his lips press into my hair. It felt like fireworks cascading back to earth. "Just you and me." He repeated my phrase from before, and I held him tighter for it.

Our embrace did not last as long as it should have. It was interrupted by the sound of snickering accompanied by footsteps quickly descending the stairs. I cracked my eyes open. There were two distinct voices, and the word "cannonball" bounced between them. Which would bring them here.

I backed away from Will and turned the spyglass. We didn't need any assumptions being made. He let me go, though I noticed he clasped at the air once my arms left him. His hands kept flexing into fists. My own felt shaky, but I quietly took deep breaths to steady myself.

My sore heart wanted to soar. It was tired of keeping in this unreturnable love, tired of stepping aside. Yet I couldn't risk it. The thought losing him or never seeing him again… it was too much to bear. He may no longer be engaged to Elizabeth, but it had only just happened a few days ago. After loving for someone for so long… He didn't know what he wanted. And if he did, it wouldn't be me. I'd always been just Evelyn to him.

Another breath in and a shaky release. I felt his eyes on me, but I avoided them by spinning to meet the approaching voices.

"Sure they wouldn't mind just the two," Ragetti sniggered, the first to appear. Unsurprisingly, Pintel followed behind. They were never too far apart. He held up two fingers to his companion. "Seeing as we're not fighting off anyone down here anyways."

"No, no, not at all." Pintel agreed with a wave of his hand. Then his face hardened. "Do you suppose it'll go right through 'em?"

"Go through whom?" I interjected.

They jumped at my voice despite how soft I thought it came out. Pintel looked at me while Ragetti did Will, then they swapped and turned back to each other. They had been so focused one whatever they were trying to do that they failed to notice anything else.

"Well, we was…" Pintel started. He eased his way closer to a pile of cannonballs. I cocked my head while Will crossed his arms. The man winced.

"There's people floatin' in the water and we wanted to see what would happen if wes dropped a cannonball on 'em." Ragetti seemed proud of admitting their plan until Pintel hit him in the gut.

"Don't tell them that! They'll try to stop us!"

Will took a step forward, concerned. "What do you mean by that? Did someone fall overboard?"

"No! They're all transparent-like," Pintel described. He moved his hands around each other as though he could show us, but he quickly gave up and pointed towards the gunports. "Look for yourselves!"

I rounded the clutter to one of cannons and opened the little door in front of it. Will followed and helped push the cannon out of the way. A cool mist greeted me when I peered out. There were never any stars in the Locker, which always made it seem darker. Except this time in the deep, blackened waters, light outlines of ethereal figures reflected through the calm waves. They were translucent and held no expression. I couldn't even identify them. The only indication I had that they were human was by their shape.

Shivering at the eeriness, I moved so Will could look. As he did, I asked, "What do you think they are?"

"I don't know," he responded. He quietly analyzed them a moment longer then backed away. "But since we're here, I think they may be dead."

"Then perhaps we shouldn't drop anything on them?" I spun my question to the two pirates, who had taken our distraction as an opportunity to each retrieve a cannonball. They were nearly at the stairs but paused upon hearing me. "Seeing as we are trespassing in their waters?"

They looked from me to the cannonballs to each other and back to me. Pintel flashed a toothy smile. "Uh, sorry," he said before they took off up the stairs.

"Hey!" I shouted and made to go after them, but Will held me back. The force spun me around. "Will!" I shook my arm. His hold was firm, but all at once he loosened his hold. I ran up the stars as soon as I was free.

"Evelyn!" he called after me. His footsteps followed. "They're not going to listen to us."

"We at least need to try!" I yelled back. I had every intention of stopping them, but when I reached the top of the stairs, what lied upon the horizon stopped me instead. Will nearly ran into me, but luckily was quick enough to dart around and stop at my side. He followed my gaze.

We'd seen the figures in the water. Their illumination only provided enough light for us to see them alone. Ahead and quickly approaching, though, there seemed to be actual lights. I squinted at them, trying to see better while wishing I had grabbed that spyglass. "Are those lanterns?"

Before Will could answer, someone pushed between us.

"Sorry, folks," Gibbs said on his way through. He made his way to the railing, a rifle in his hand. Without pausing, he mumbled: "We've had skeletons and fish people board this ship. I won't be adding whatever this is to that list."

"Gibbs, no-" I started, but I cut myself off when he didn't stop. I sighed, disappointed. "Is there no respect anymore?"

Will squeezed my shoulder. "I'll handle him." I smiled my thanks. He trotted forward and this time I followed. When he reached Gibbs, he grabbed hold of the rifle, forcing him to lower the weapon. "They're not a threat to us," he explained. I squeezed between the two of them as Tia Dalma approached from the other side. They both turned to her, but I stared ahead. "Am I right?"

"Of course they're not a threat," I said, shaking my head at the silliness of his question. I felt his eyes turn to me, but I remained transfixed on the endless boats. Young, old, men, women… they were all scattered throughout the waters. Most had one per vessel with a small lantern to lead the way, but a few, especially those with children, contained multiple passengers. Each one stared ahead, pale and void of thought. "How could they be? They're not even acknowledging us. It is like they are ghosts. Trapped in a memory."

"They are trapped," Tia Dalma added. This time I allowed myself to be pulled from the people in boats to her. She did not turn to me and there was a grim expression painting her face. I felt concern furrow my brows. "I just finished telling dem," she nodded back to Pintel and Ragetti, who looked wide-eyed at the water. "Davy Jones was charged with ferrying those who die at sea ta de other side. Calypso gave him this when he was but a man, but he has since become a monster. Without him, they sail endlessly or are sent to a purgatory of his own devices. We took Jack from his, but for dese souls… I fear they are peacefully lost until someone returns ta guide them." She briefly slid her gaze to me. "You are right, Evelyn. Except we are nothing but ghosts ta dem."

"It's best just let them be," Barbossa added from somewhere within the gathering crowd at the railing. I returned my attention to the boats.

There was a sadness hanging over them, and it was not just because they were no longer living. They would be lost until Jones returned to his duty. With Beckett maintaining control of his heart, there was no telling how long until these souls found their proper end. The only silver lining was that sailing endlessly was better than an unjustified purgatory or being press-ganged into Jones's crew.

The silence of the crew was broken by Elizabeth's voice: "It's my father. We've made it back!"

Governor Swann? I searched the crowd before us as Elizabeth's excited calls for her father pierced the darkness. My eyes darted across unknown faces until they landed on the single familiar one. He was as pale and stoic as the others. Not even the sounds of his daughter could shake him from his trance.

"Elizabeth," Jack said. I swung my gaze to Will. His eyes were as wide as mine. "We're not back."

Oh no, I wordlessly said to him. I felt him silently return those same words.

Our gazes shifted back to Elizabeth. Will tried to reach for her, but she quickly pulled away to keep pace with her father's boat. Her eyes would not leave him. "Father!"

Her voice was panicked, desperate. It was enough of a shift that the Governor finally heard, and he turned to her. He did not seem to register anyone else. "Elizabeth." Even in the dim light provided by the lantern, I could see the relief behind his smile. Then his expression returned to match the others. "Are you dead?"

"No…" she shook her head quickly, her motions mirroring the tone of her voice. It was too painful to watch. I looked at the Governor instead. "No."

"I think I am."

"No, you can't be."

"There was this chest, you see," he continued as though not hearing her.

At the mention of the chest, I felt as though someone pounded into my own. Bootstrap. I glanced at Will as he did the same to me. We had the same thought.

"I saw it. At the time, it seemed so important." The governor was beginning to sound as emotional as his daughter.

"Come aboard!" Elizabeth tried again.

"And a heart," he continued. "I learned that if you stab the heart, yours must take its place, and you will sail the seas for eternity. The Dutchman must have a captain… Silly thing to die for."

His discovery drew the breath from my chest. We cannot kill him. If we did, we'd bind ourselves to the sea forever, but if we didn't… we'd lose Bootstrap. Panicked by my own thoughts, I faced Will. I didn't need to share them to know he realized the same thing.

"What are we supposed to do now?" I asked, but Will didn't have an answer. He looked straight ahead, his eyes moving the same way they did when he planned. When their pace quickened, I knew he was unable to think of one. Elizabeth's desperate shouts filled the air, but I could not register them. "Will?"

I moved to brush his arm, but Tia Dalma stepped between us. Startled, I snapped my hand back. The reaction with her appearance was enough to draw Will from his thoughts. She looked between us then settled on Will.

"A torch of destiny," she repeated. It was the same thing she said to him at our first encounter. Then she turned to me and nodded. "Ta winds are changing."

I cocked my head. Another repetition, but of my own phrase. I still couldn't piece together what it all meant, but it appeared I had done something. The memory I had was my choices could change the wind, but she said the winds are changing. None of it made sense! I looked to Will for guidance, but he was already looking at me. Yet again our eyes locked, though it was not for long because a line of rope was thrown overboard.

"Take the line!" Elizabeth shouted from one end. Her father did not move to grab his. She climbed onto the tops of the cannons to get as close as she could to him without falling.

I felt my heart breaking as she spiraled, and I clutched the railing tighter. Tia Dalma also became more worried. She pushed herself between me and Will to better watch her.

"I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth," he smiled back at her.

"Father, the line! Take the line!" She shook the rope, more desperation finding her but fear starting to claim her. I wanted to help! To pull her from the cannons and embrace her sorrow, but I was too upset by the scene to move.

Her father let the line slip away without any intention of going after it. He merely beamed at her the way any proud father would.

As the line splashed into the water, Elizabeth leapt from the cannons and took off towards the helm. Tia Dalma gasped. "She must not leave the ship!"

I was too afraid to ask what would happen if she did. Will looked back at Tia Dalma then his gaze jumped to mine, a fear I held reflected in him. All I could squeeze out within my panicked fear was "Go."

He bolted after her. Between the two of us, he was faster and could push crewmen aside on his path to her. I was not strong enough. They pushed me around as we all rushed after them. Only Jack stayed behind. We shared a solemn glance as I passed. Though I could not fully read him, it seemed he also was broken by the exchange.

"Please come with us! Please! No! I won't leave you!" I heard Elizabeth cry to her father as I reached the stairs.

"I'll give your love to your mother, shall I?" he returned. When I leaned over the railing, I saw him face forward once more to continue sailing into the mist.

"Please, I won't let you go!"

I pushed past Barbossa and Gibbs, squeezed through Tia Dalma and Marty, and was met with the sad relief of Will prying Elizabeth from the rigging. "Elizabeth," he calmly said as she fought him to leave after her father.

At length he was able to pull her away. He tried comforting her by hugging her to him, but she backed away from his arms. "Don't!" she heatedly cried as she pushed him away from her. She turned to the gathering crowd, jumping from each person as though trying to find a friendly face. Then her eyes found mine.

"Elizabeth," I sadly sighed. I'd barely gotten her name out when she collapsed into me. We were roughly the same height, but she still managed to cry into my shoulder. The shock of her sudden action initially stunned me, but for her sake, I quickly snapped out of it and embraced her. I turned to Will with wide eyes. He seemed equally stung and concerned.

"Is there a way?" He asked, prying his eyes from us and onto Tia Dalma. I followed his gaze. Although I expected there not to be, my heart still sunk when she shook her head.

"Him at peace," she said. Elizabeth cried harder. I tried to calm her by smoothing her hair.

The harder she cried, the more sympathetic stares she eared. As they saw it, she had just lost her father, the only family member she had left in our world. What they didn't know was that she had also lost her fiancé. Within the span of a week, she had lost nearly everything, and for what? Our own criminal charges? Freedom of the seas? Jack?

I looked down at the pirate as I thought his name. He expression remained unchanged as his gaze fixated on us. When he noticed my stare, he nodded at me then motioned towards the captain's quarters. He wanted me to take her there rather than allow all these people to witness her turmoil. Somewhere she could mourn in private.

"Come one," I whispered. I turned her so we faced the same way and I could lead her down the other set of stairs. One arm I placed around her shoulders to support her, the other hand I placed on the shoulder nearest me for comfort. When I ushed her forward, she did not move. Instead, she reached up and gripped my hand.

She turned to me, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Are you going to leave me too?"

"No," I quickly answered, my voice nearly wavering. I'd never seen her so pained before. It took all I had to keep myself together for her. My hold on her hand tightened and I shook my head. "No, Elizabeth. I promise."

She nodded and allowed me to lead her forward.

Just before we went down the stairs, I looked back at the crew. They still silently stared with an ever-growing pity towards Elizabeth. I hoped it would be enough to erase their judgement of her actions with Jack. She did not deserve to be so isolated. Especially not now.

I saved Will's face for last. He seemed more upset than the others, and with good reason. He witnessed the passing of an honorable man, Elizabeth's turmoil was enough to pierce anyone, and the abruptness of her rejection of him… I could not tell which one troubled him more. My stare pulled his eyes to me, and I felt my gaze soften. He nodded, thankful. I returned the gesture then headed down the stairs with Elizabeth.