Chapter Twenty-three: Good Mourning, Jack!

Will looked at the clock. She was supposed to be home 15 minutes ago, he told himself. Then, he heard a noise split through the air. Was that a gunshot? He asked himself. "Okay, I'd better go check on her."

What he saw nearly made his heart split into a million little pieces. Lissie, his beloved Lissie, his future wife, was lying on the ground of the alleyway, dead. An eyewitness said he saw Elizabeth hold the gun up to Lissie, and shoot her. He sank to the ground next to her, his legs no longer able to support him.

"I did this for you Will! IT WAS ALL FOR YOU!" screamed Elizabeth as the guards took her away to a jail cell.

Will kissed her one last time, his tears falling on her face. Then walked off the best he could, lost in his grief. Life would never be the same.

* * *

"Morning, Love," said Jack to Beth. "Love? Bethy? You all right?" he asked as Beth woke up.

"Huh?" Beth answered. Why did she have a feeling that something was wrong with Lissie—besides the fact that she loved Orlando Bloom/Will Turner?

"Are you all right?" Jack asked again.

"I don't know… I think something's wrong with Lissie."

"Tell you what," he put his arm around her, "why don't we go back to ol' Port Royal and check on her, what say you?"

"Sounds great. No wonder I love you so much." She kissed him.

The next day…

Beth woke up, only to find Jack wasn't anywhere in sight. He was probably helping the crew out. She walked into the galley to get something to eat. She took a bite of an apple, laughing slightly as she remembered the food fight her and Lissie had had when they were on the Interceptor, and then frowned. Why, why did she have that nagging feeling something was wrong? Oh well, at least they were on their way to see what was up. She took another bite of her apple—then she suddenly stopped chewing, thinking she heard something.

"Jack?" she asked aloud.

A man came into the galley, but it wasn't Jack. It was someone she had never spoken to, in fact, it looked like a member of Barbossa's crew.

"So," he said. "you've known everything that's happened from beginning to end. How? Are you from the future?"

Beth swallowed. "Yes, I am."

"And the other girl… Sandy?"

"Lissie. And yes, she is."

"Well, Beth, I'm sure you'd like to tell me what happens to us next?"

"I… I can't."

"What?"

"I can't! This entire adventure was made into a m… something everyone knew about."

"And…?"

"And… and no one knows what's going to happen next yet. Not for another two more years."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not!"

"Tell me!"

"I already did… I can't!"
He pulled out a gun.

"Tell me," he whispered.

Beth went deadly quiet.

"Jack will kill you before you can kill me," she said bravely.

"If you tell me what happens, no one dies."

"I'll tell you what happens next," said a voice behind him.

It was Jack.

He held out his gun, looking furious. "It's lucky I was hungry. I never thought I wanted to shoot a man more that I did Barbossa, but apparently, I was wrong. Let her go."

"You fire that gun, I'll shoot her."

"Vise versa," said Jack.

"You see, lass? Nothing will happen if you just tell me what happens next."

"I already told you… I can't!" she said, tears in her eyes.

"You bloody little…"

Both guns went off at the exact same time, and each one hit its target. Jack dropped his pistol and ran to Beth's side. She had been shot in the stomach.

"Bethy…" he said, tears spilling down his cheeks.

"Go… go to Port Royal… find Will… and Lissie…."

"Anything, love, anything."

"I love you…" she said.

Her hand fell limp in his. Beth… his Bethy… was gone. He started sobbing, still holding her lifeless hand.

"Jack? Jack!" came Gibbs' voice. Then, he saw Beth. "Oh god…"

"Once we reach Tortuga, you and the rest of the crew are staying there."

"Jack, we can't just leave ye!"

"GO! LEAVE ME BE!" he yelled, jumping up.

"Where's Beth?" asked Gibbs suddenly.

"YOU BLOODY FOOL!" Jack yelled. "Can't you see—she's right-"

"No! Jack mate, look!"

Jack turned around, and his bloodshot, wet eyes suddenly widened. The man who claimed Beth's life was still lying there, never to move again, but Beth was gone! Even the blood she had spilled—that was gone too!

Dun dun DUN! Still not done, but as always, REVIEW!