"The Return"

AUTHOR: Melissa (otherwise know as, JohnnyDee)

RATING: PG-13 for later chapters.

EMAIL: melismelli_101_@hotmail.com

DISCLAIMER: I do not own POTC, blah, blah, blah.

TIMELINE: 13 years after POTC.

DISTRIBUTION: johnnydeppzone.com, fanfiction.net, and other sites.

CHAPTER: 14.Last Link

Charlotte watched as the two men firmly locked the door to the cell and

then walked upstairs, leaving the foursome alone. A feeling of uneasiness spread about

the group and Charlotte shifted herself as she sat on the wooden barrel. The men had

untied their gags but left the rope on their hands. She sat, waiting for someone to speak

up.

Unfortunately, her mother was the one to do so. Elizabeth looked

Charlotte straight in the eye as she whispered, "Who could you do this?" Charlotte waited

to respond, thinking about why she really had run away. "Well, mother.if you truly

want to know, I felt they way that I feel now." Elizabeth furrowed her brow in confusion

as Charlotte continued. "I'm always locked up, unable to see the outside world. I can't go

anywhere, do anything.like I'm in a jail or something."

Elizabeth scoffed as she looked down at her feet. Looking back up she

said, "So.you runaway on the Black Pearl, take Jack's boat, WITHOUT permission I

might add, sail to a unknown island, then get yourself, your Mother, and two other people

you've MET kidnapped." Staring at Charlotte with a sarcastic smile on her face she

finished, "Sounds like freedom to me!" Charlotte glared back. "Do you even care how I

feel? You and Father must think I have no feelings or something!" Charlotte practically

yelled.

Elizabeth silently shook her head as she stared down at her feet again,

finding some unknown interest in them. After an uncomfortable silence, Bill spoke up.

"Well.at least ye' are still alive!" he said, with a hint of some hope in it." Elizabeth,

apparently still upset, looked up as she said, "Who might you be?" she asked, in a

sarcastic voice. Bill smiled as he said, "Bill.Bill Turner!" He outstretched his arm to

Elizabeth who was obviously confused.

"Excuse me.did you say your name was Bill Turner?" she said looking

at him queerly. "Aye, that's right ma'am. But most people call me Bootstrap!"

Elizabeth's confused face turned into shock as well as Charlotte's. "Your last name is-is

Turner?" Charlotte asked, staring back at him with same confusion as her Mom's. "Your-

- your-- Will said that.I thought you." Elizabeth started when Bill interrupted. "I

know.I know just what yore thinking'. First, ye all might like to take a seat for this."

************************************************************************

Will felt like he couldn't move as he watched them sail away. Coming to

his senses, he ran to one of the boats, pulling Jack in as he threw him an oar. "ROW!" he

yelled to Jack, picking up an oar as he began to row himself. Jack, still quite unaware of

what was going on, did as Will said, pulling the oar back and forth through the water.

They progressed quickly through the choppy waters, making their way to the Black Pearl.

They finally reached their destination as the two quickly climbed up the

ship, landing in a mess on the deck. Will ran to the helm and looked back at Jack still on

the ground. "Get UP! You need to weigh anchor. Then help me hoist the anchor!" Will

yelled at Jack as Jack nonchalantly stood up. As he walked over near Will to pull the

anchor up, he stated calmly, "If you trying to catch the Dauntless, good luck!"

Looking at Jack like he just said 'Where's the rum?', Will replied,

"WHAT? You said the Black Pearl is the fastest ship in Caribbean!" Jack laughed

nervously as he answered, "Well, tis was, until you and Gibbs cannoned the hell out of

her. Ever since repairs she's never been the same." Jack said as he stared of towards

sea, thinking about the Pearl. Becoming impatient, Will said, "Well, we can still try to

catch them. They've taken Elizabeth and Charlotte again!"

"Who would take them?" Jack said, puzzled. "I don't know!" Will yelled,

getting more frustrated by the minute. "But we need to find them." Taking Will's word,

Jack followed him as the two hoisted the sails. Jack watched as they quickly unraveled

and billowed in the soft breeze. Hearing yells behind him, Jack turned to see around 20

British soldiers standing on the beach, madly waving their arms. Feeling a swell of pride,

(being the first time Jack was on the Pearl leaving someone besides himself behind on an

island, he yelled back to them, "Goodbye, Commodore. Thank You for letting us steal-I

mean, borrow your ship." Will ignored Jack's yells as he watch the Dauntless shrink

into the distance.

************************************************************************

"First of all, I need be tellin' Miss Charlotte somethin', and you too

Elizabeth-"How do you know my name?" she interrupted. Bill laughed as he continued

on. "I be thinkin' that Charlotte should know that I'm her Grandfather," Bill said calmly

as he ignored Charlotte's gasp of surprise. "Which mean that, yes Elizabeth, I am your

Father in-law, which also means that Catherine here is your sister in-law and Charlotte's

aunt. So.we're practically family!" Silence followed Bill's declaration and Charlotte

just stared at him open-jawed. "What? You're my Grandfather? Why aren't you dead?"

Bill laughed again as he spoke again. "It be long story, but I'll start from

the beginning..." So Bill started, started the story of his life, and the first day he met

his son, William Turner the Second.

* * *

Elizabeth listened in amazement as Bill finished his story. Never in

million years would she have ever thouth it'd be possible that Will's father was alive!

Will told her the brief story of how Barbossa had sent Bill to the bottom of the ocean, yet

she never thought how the curse played a major part in the way the men could never die.

"So.you and Catherine stayed on the island all these years? Why didn't you ever try to

find Will?"

"Well, that's' where the second part of me story comes in. You see, I was

curious about Will. So, one night we stayed in Tortuga, seeking shelter from a storm. A

man came in with about two others as they sat down next to me, unaware who they were

sitting by. Right away, I recognized him as Barbossa. I of course had heard the story

about him being killed and all, so I was confused. Then, tow other men come in and sat

down next to Barbossa. I heard they whole conversation. They talked about 'the only link

left to the curse' and how 'the girl was here at the inn'. I wasn't sure what they was

talking about but after hearing more bits and pieces, I was able to put two and two

together and know just what it is he wants."

"Didn't he recognize you? And why is he alive? I thought that he." Bill

laughed again as he said, "Calm down Elizabeth, I'll be telling you." "You see, I heard

Barbossa kept talking about "the deal" and how he had to this to "accomplish the deal"

and referred to like it was a great power. now, tell me Elizabeth.who is the only one

that Barbossa could be making a deal with." Elizabeth thought about this, not really

sure what the answer was to Bill's question. Yet, them more she thought, the more she

realized... "Well, he was dead so, it had to be with."

"The devil!" Charlotte shouted, unable to keep the suspense inside her any

longer. "Charlotte!" Elizabeth scolded as she glared at her daughter reprovingly. "Well,

she be right in a way. What the men didn't realize about the curse is that those who were

betrayers were sent to the deepest circle of hell when the passed on. It only makes sense

that Barbossa would trade himself or, in this case..." Bill said as he looked at his

daughter, "someone!"

"What do you mean someone?" Elizabeth said still confused. "Well, we

left the inn that night, unawares to Barbossa and his men. We sailed to Isla De Muerta, in

search of some answers. We reached the cave and still fond the chest intact, with every

single gold piece. I was able to translate most of the inscriptions of the chest and realize

that Catherine here is the last link to the curse. Being that her blood still flows with my

cursed blood, she's the only thing that Barbossa can sacrifice for his freedom."

"What about my father though? He has your blood, hasn't he?" Charlotte

asked. "Yes, but not my cursed blood. Even though she wasn't cursed herself, she was

somewhat through my blood." Nodded in understatement, Charlotte continued to listen.

"So, that is why I took the chest with me and Catherine back to our island. I hid her there,

keeping ourselves isolated from the outside world, until Charlotte here came along.That

was when Barbossa must have found out where we were. He kidnapped us and, here we

are now!" Bill said as he threw his arms up in the air.

Elizabeth sighed as she tried to take this all in. If they all survived, how

happy Will will be when he finds out about his Father. Silence followed Bill's last remark

when Catherine spoke up for the first time. "So.how be it that ye' and young Will fell in

love, Miz Elizabeth?" Somewhat surprised at the girl's thick accent and somewhat

sluggish talk, Elizabeth replied sheepishly, "Well, we were on the crossing from England

when we came upon a burning merchant ship. I was only 10 years old and we found Will

floating on some debris. We took him in and I watched over him. That was when I found

his medallion and became entangled in this." Elizabeth was about to finish her sentence

when a short maniacal laugh came from behind them. She turned to find Barbossa

outside the cell, smiling down on her.

"I remember that day very clearly, Miss Turner. We could sense that

gold..how it would call to us..." he laughed again as he shook his thoughts off. "I

see ye' all have become friends quickly. There's no need I believe to tell these two how

you are all so related. Funny thing, it..young Miss Turner here finally has an Aunt. To

bad that won't be true for long." Catherine, with quick reflexes, turned around and

grabbed the cell bars in her hand, gritting through her teeth.

"I'd reconsider what ye' said Barbossa!" Catherine spat out. Barbossa

only smiled as he said to Bill, "Well Bill...it looks like you have yourself in a very

uncontrollable situation. Luckily, I'm a man that can spot weaknesses easily." Bill glared

at him as he replied, "Weaknesses do nothing for you, Barbossa. You'll just have to find

someone else to fulfill your plans."

"Ahhhhh.," Barbossa cooed. "It seems you know of my plan.well, we

just see what becomes of that. Now, for these two," he said as he looked at Elizabeth and

Charlotte, "I might spare their lives. Two women so fine could become of use on a ship

full of lonely men.." Barbossa smiled as Elizabeth stared in disgust. "Don't worry,

Charlotte. Your father will be coming..." Barbossa laughed again as he replied,

"Ahhhh.I do realize that young Will is coming. In fact, he's quite close on our trail, with

Mr. Sparrow accompanying him. Miss Turner. But not for long. You see..let's just say,

Jack and dear William, aren't quite sure what is in store for the two of them."

Unable to control her anger, Elizabeth yelled, "You bastard! You wouldn't

even dare!" Barbossa simply laughed as he went back up on deck, leaving behind the

family while Elizabeth quietly sobbed into her hands.