A/N I know, I know! It's been a while since I updated! I'm really sorry,
but I'm been really busy, and I was a bit stuck for ideas. I've had exams
and whatnot and this week has been very stressful because a friend of mine
died. I'm sorry if I take my rage out of this chapter, but I'm trying my
hardest.
Rhiannan Star- I haven't seen Troy actually. It only came out here last week and I haven't had a chance to go yet. I'm glad you like this story.
Black Sparrow- Thank you! You review was very kind and is very much appreciated!!!
Hott4Orlando- Yay! You understand it! Yippee!! Thank you for your reviews, they are very encouraging.
Sarah's POV:-
A pirate reached out to take my hand and I pulled away in disgust. "I can make my own way." He leered at me, and the stench of his rotten breath hit me like waves. I pushed him away and strode after Barbossa.
"After you m'lady." I ignored the ugly grin and stepped delicately into the rocking boat. Around me, the sea glittered threateningly, and I wished that it would swallow me up and take me home.
Home. I choked on the word and a rush of memories washed over me. The smiling faces of my mum, my dad, my sister. The adoring face of my younger brother. My friends. Everyone I knew, everyone who loved me. The boat tipped dangerously and I plummeted back to reality. I was not at home. I was here.
But where was here? Somewhere is the middle of Davy Jones Loch. On an island. I pursued a distant memory of the island's name, but it was like a myth or fairy story. Like when you can see something out of the corner of your eye but when you try to focus on it, it's gone.
I sighed. I was getting used to feeling like that. I could not seem to remember what was going to happen to me, but I knew that at some point, I had known. Only once an event had passed did I remember it clearly.
Sitting in the boat, I thought over what was about to happen. There was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I knew something. I shook my head in frustration, as once again I was unable to grasp it properly.
Will was sitting with Gibbs on the Interceptor. He looked at Jack as he snapped his compass closed as he noticed Cotton peering at it.
"How is it that Jack came by that compass?" Gibbs looked at him and took a swig of his drink before answering.
"Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta." Will frowned but listened as Gibbs continued. "That was before I met him, back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl."
Will's frown deepened and he stared at Gibbs in confusion. "What? He failed to mention that." He looked at Jack again, looking for signs of his past.
"Well, he plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard-learned lesson it was." Will scoffed. "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." Now Will was listening carefully, leaning in closer to hear what Gibbs was saying. "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."
Will sat back and then realisation spread over his face. "Ah. So that's the reason for all the..." He swayed back and forwards in imitation of Jack.
"Reason's got nothing to do with it. Now Will , when a man is marooned he is a 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 a starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol will start to look real friendly. But Jack – he escaped the island, and he still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it, though, save for one man. His mutinous first mate."
"Barbossa." Gibbs nodded.
"Aye." Will's brow creased as he absorbed this information. He looked up at Gibbs who's mind was starting to wander.
"How did Jack get off the island?" Gibbs thought for a second and then a memory stirred deep within and he answered.
"Well, I'll tell ye. He waded out into the shallows and there he waited three days and three nights till all manner of sea creature 'came and 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 looked incredulous. "He roped a couple of sea turtles?" His eyes were wide in disbelief.
"Aye, sea turtles." Neither of them noticed as Jack approached. Will stilled looked humoured by the latest story.
"What did he use for rope?"
"Human hair...from my back." There is silence until Jack turns back to the rest of the crew. "Let go of the anchor!"
"Let go of the anchor, sir!" The rest of the crew echo. He nods his confirmation.
"Young Mr. Turner and I are to go ashore." Will stands up and stands beside him as he speaks to Gibbs.
"Captain! What if the worst should happen?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
Jack's face became sombre as he answered seriously. "Keep to the code." Gibbs looked troubled for a second, but then he nodded.
"Aye, the code."
I sat up in shock. I had just seen Will on the Interceptor. I knew instantly that what I had seen was happening outside the cave we had just entered. I tried not to look at the formidable shadows and shapes that were flitting across the walls, but instead tried to focus on what was happening.
Suddenly, the first boats crashed against rocks, and the pirates jumped out onto the previously hidden shore. I was flung out of the boat with haste and rushed towards a part of the cave that seemed to glow with its own light.
I gasped as the tunnel widened and I stepped into a large cavern. It was littered with beautiful treasure. I stared in wonder at gold and silver, which were mingled with precious jewels. Ahead of us, was a large chest standing on a mound of treasure and Ragetti dragged me over to it.
I watched as Pintel and Ragetti emptied a large chest which turned out to be full of ladies clothes. I muffled a snicker as they both picked up parasols and Pintel rubbed his eye. Bo'sun approached and I no longer had to stifle a laugh when I remembered the slap I had received when I first arrived on the Black Pearl. He rolled his eyes at them and they hurriedly dropped the parasols.
I stood frozen like a statue as Barbossa entered, and the cavern faded from view..
"What Code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" Will asked Jack quietly. They were in the same cave the pirates had travelled through only minutes before.
"Pirate's Code. Any man that falls behind...is left behind." Jack answered quickly He was obviously familiar with the severity of the rule.
"No heroes amongst thieves, eh?" Will looked down at the river.
"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates you're well on your way to becoming one." Jack said bluntly. "Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga." They both looked at the gold glittering on the bottom of the little river. "...and you're completely obsessed with treasure."
"That's not true. I am not obsessed with treasure." He began as they climbed out of the boat and came to a place where they could see into the cavern.
Jack looked into the gathering, trying to decide what action to take. "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."
No! They were trying to save me. I struggled for breath, trying not to faint. I gulped in air and tried to concentrate on what Barbossa was saying.
"Gentlemen, the time has come! Our salvation is nigh! Our torment is near at end." What was he talking about. This sounded like what he had been saying on the Pearl. Oh no. They were going to kill me. This was what he meant. I had to try to escape.
"For ten years we've been tested and tried, and each man jack of you here has proved his mettle a hundred times over and a hundred times again!"
The men began to cheer and Ragetti nodded sadly. "Suffered, I have."
"Punished, we were. The lot of us - disproportionate to our crimes! Here it is!" In one swift movement, he removed the chest's lid and ran his hand over the coins. "...the cursed treasure of Cortés himself. Every last piece that went astray, we have returned...save for this." He pointed triumphantly at the medallion round my neck. Will's medallion.
Will scrambled up the slope. "Jack !"
Jack pulled him back in disgust. "Not yet. We wait for the opportune moment." He began looking round the cavern for any form of weapon.
"881 we found, but despaired of ever finding the last." Barbossa's voice echoed through the cavern, but both Will and Jack ignored it.
"When's that?" Will demanded. "When it's of greatest profit to you?" He glared at Jack who turned to face him.
"May I ask you something? Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?" He moved away. "Do us a favour – I know it's difficult for you, but please stay here and try not to do anything stupid."
"And who among us has paid the blood sacrifice owed to the heathen gods?" Barbossa was in full flow now. I was not paying attention. I was more interested in what I had just seen. Will and Jack were going to try and rescue me. My chest constricted painfully at the thought of Will getting hurt.
"Us!" I was startled by the pirates shouted reply to Barbossa. He looked gleeful at the thought of lifting the curse.
"And whose blood must yet be paid?" I gulped, but he did not seem to notice. Please let it be someone else's blood that was needed, I prayed.
I shuddered as every one of the pirates turned to look at me and pointed gnarled fingers at me as they shouted. "Hers!"
Barbossa looked slyly at me. "You know the first thing I'm goin' to do after the curse is lifted? Eat a whole bushel of apples." He picked up a knife and without thinking, I took a step backwards. "Begun by blood...by blood undone."
I closed my eyes tight as he advanced, muttering frantic prayers. He cut my palm and I flinched with pain, but then looked down, expecting more.
"That's it?" He looked at me and I thanked the gods silently. Praying really does work. Apparently though, Barbossa was not quite finished.
He clasped a hand over mine and I screamed in pan as he squeezed my blood onto the medallion. "Waste not." He dropped the medallion and there was silence as they all tried to feel the difference. I stood clutching my palm, not really caring about what had just happened.
"Did it work?" One of the pirates questioned. They were all looking around for any obvious sings of change.
"I don't feel no different." I raised my eyebrows, but I did not really take it in properly. A gentle babble of talk broke out.
"How do we tell?" I recognised the voice of Pintel's and I froze as a single shot was fired from a gun. Was it Will? Or Jack? I looked around cautiously, but I did not see either.
"You're not dead." I swivelled round to look at the pirates. Pintel was standing with a bullet in his chest. Barbossa had shot him? Why wasn't he dead?
"No." Suddenly, the depth of what had just happened sank in. "He shot me!" The other pirates did not seem to care about this news.
"It didn't work." One of them, I think it was Ragetti, finally managed to choke out. I looked around in bewilderment.
"The curse it still upon us!" They all looked around in puzzlement, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. Barbossa turned to face me, a look of utter contempt on his face. "You, maid! Your father, what was his name? Was your father William Turner?"
"No." I shook my head defiantly, but he did not seem to be able to process this news. In an attempt to explain myself I took a different approach. "No, his name was Samuel Turner." I said lamely.
"Where's his child? The child that sailed from England eight years ago, the child in whose veins flows the blood of William Turner . Where?" He slapped me away and treasured rattled as I toppled off of the mound.
"You two! You brought us the wrong person!" Bo'sun flung accusations at Pintel and Ragetti who shrugged them off.
"No! She had the medallion. She's the proper age." This did not seem to settle the other pirates so Ragetti stepped in.
"She said her name was Turner – you heard her!" A hand clasped over my mouth to stifle the scream that threatened to escape. "I think she lied to us."
I looked at the figure who had emerged for the water more carefully. It was Will. He signalled for me to stay quiet and motioned that I should follow him. In a last desperate attempt to thwart them, I grabbed the medallion.
"You brought us here for nothing." I heard the other pirates try to turn against Barbossa.
"I won't take questioning and no second guesses, not from the likes of you, Master Twigg." Barbossa said simply.
"Who's to blame? Every decision you've made has led us from bad to worse." I smiled at the seemingly unavoidable mutiny as I followed Will through the water.
"It was you who sent Bootstrap to the depths!" I was no longer listening, but instead watching Will carefully, learning his every movement.
"And it's you who brought us here in the first place." There was a murmur of support at this accusation.
"If any coward here dare challenge me, let him speak! Hmm?" There was instant silence, and I could imagine them thinking up a new plan of action.
"I say, we cut her throat and spill all her blood, just in case." One said finally. Barbossa finally noticed the monkey's pointing, and put two and two together.
"The medallion! She's taken it! Get after her! You feckless pack of ingrates!" I heard the pirates begin to move.
"No oars here. Where's the oars?" I raised my eyebrows at Will who just shrugged. He put a hand on my back to hurry me, and I felt a tingle go down my spine.
"The oars have gone missing. Find them!" Was the last thing I heard before I collapsed into Will's arms and let the water wash over me.
)o()o()o()o(
By the time we reached the Interceptor I was shivering and barely conscious. I looked around at the people on the deck and screamed in irritation. "Not more pirates."
"Welcome aboard, Miss Elizabeth." I peered at the man who had spoken and tried to place who he was. I was sure I had met him before.
"Mr. Gibbs?" His name sprang out at me from hidden memories. He smiled at me and then turned to Will as he hopped over the side of the deck.
"Hey, boy, where be Jack?" Will just looked at him and I frowned. Where was Jack. I hadn't seen him since my vision.
"Jack? Jack Sparrow?" The words sprang from my mouth before I could stop them, and I instantly wondered why I had said that. I knew fine well that it was Jack.
"He fell behind." Will answered softy, leading me away. I looked back at Gibbs who looked stunned and then at Will. He seemed close to tears and I wanted to hold him and take away all of his pain.
"Keep to the code," Gibbs said finally. A woman quickly took command. Shouting orders at the rest of the crew.
"Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails! Make quickly, divvies." I listened to her strong voice as I stepped into the dark cabin.
Surprisingly, I seemed to know my way around the cabin, and I quickly found bandages for my hand. I began to wash it tenderly, and then proceeded with the bandages. "What sort of a man trades a man's life for a ship?" I asked Will.
"Pirate." He answered simply. Here, let me." He took my hand and gently wrapped it. I bit my lip as I watched him.
"Thank you." He seemed to come to a decision and looked up at me. As I met his gaze I blushed and he spoke quickly to cover the awkward moment.
"You said you gave Barbossa my name as yours. Why?" I looked away. Why had I? I tried to think back but there was no reason that seemed appropriate.
"I don't know." I winced at a sudden pain that shot through my hand, and pulled away. Will looked at me in concern.
"I'm sorry. Blacksmith's hands - I know they're rough." I smiled.
"No...I mean yes, they are but... but don't stop." Our eyes locked and he rubbed my hand gently. I smiled shyly.
"Elizabeth." I had to try not to cry. Will though I was Elizabeth. He didn't love me. He loved someone else. Someone I was pretending to be but wasn't. I bit back tears and pulled out the medallion as a distraction.
I held it out to him. "It's yours." He looked at it for a minute and then took it, turning it over to see it properly.
"I thought I'd lost it the day they rescued me. It was a gift from my father. He sent it to me. Why did you take it?" Great. Now I felt guilty about this as well.
"Because I was afraid that you were a pirate. That would have been awful. I was trying to save you. I didn't want them to hurt you..."
"It wasn't your blood they needed. It was my father's blood...my blood...the blood of a pirate." Will cut me off quickly.
"Will, I'm so sorry, please forgive me." He clenched his hand around the medallion and then slammed it down on the table. Unable to look at him any more, I got up from the table and left, tears streaming down my cheeks.
A/N Wow! That was such a long chapter! I know a lot of it is script, but I'm tried to make it interesting. The bit about Elizabeth as me should be interesting- I have a great idea for that bit! I know where I want this story to end up (or at least I hope I do) but any ideas would be appreciated! Please review!!!
Rhiannan Star- I haven't seen Troy actually. It only came out here last week and I haven't had a chance to go yet. I'm glad you like this story.
Black Sparrow- Thank you! You review was very kind and is very much appreciated!!!
Hott4Orlando- Yay! You understand it! Yippee!! Thank you for your reviews, they are very encouraging.
Sarah's POV:-
A pirate reached out to take my hand and I pulled away in disgust. "I can make my own way." He leered at me, and the stench of his rotten breath hit me like waves. I pushed him away and strode after Barbossa.
"After you m'lady." I ignored the ugly grin and stepped delicately into the rocking boat. Around me, the sea glittered threateningly, and I wished that it would swallow me up and take me home.
Home. I choked on the word and a rush of memories washed over me. The smiling faces of my mum, my dad, my sister. The adoring face of my younger brother. My friends. Everyone I knew, everyone who loved me. The boat tipped dangerously and I plummeted back to reality. I was not at home. I was here.
But where was here? Somewhere is the middle of Davy Jones Loch. On an island. I pursued a distant memory of the island's name, but it was like a myth or fairy story. Like when you can see something out of the corner of your eye but when you try to focus on it, it's gone.
I sighed. I was getting used to feeling like that. I could not seem to remember what was going to happen to me, but I knew that at some point, I had known. Only once an event had passed did I remember it clearly.
Sitting in the boat, I thought over what was about to happen. There was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I knew something. I shook my head in frustration, as once again I was unable to grasp it properly.
Will was sitting with Gibbs on the Interceptor. He looked at Jack as he snapped his compass closed as he noticed Cotton peering at it.
"How is it that Jack came by that compass?" Gibbs looked at him and took a swig of his drink before answering.
"Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta." Will frowned but listened as Gibbs continued. "That was before I met him, back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl."
Will's frown deepened and he stared at Gibbs in confusion. "What? He failed to mention that." He looked at Jack again, looking for signs of his past.
"Well, he plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard-learned lesson it was." Will scoffed. "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." Now Will was listening carefully, leaning in closer to hear what Gibbs was saying. "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."
Will sat back and then realisation spread over his face. "Ah. So that's the reason for all the..." He swayed back and forwards in imitation of Jack.
"Reason's got nothing to do with it. Now Will , when a man is marooned he is a 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 a starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol will start to look real friendly. But Jack – he escaped the island, and he still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it, though, save for one man. His mutinous first mate."
"Barbossa." Gibbs nodded.
"Aye." Will's brow creased as he absorbed this information. He looked up at Gibbs who's mind was starting to wander.
"How did Jack get off the island?" Gibbs thought for a second and then a memory stirred deep within and he answered.
"Well, I'll tell ye. He waded out into the shallows and there he waited three days and three nights till all manner of sea creature 'came and 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 looked incredulous. "He roped a couple of sea turtles?" His eyes were wide in disbelief.
"Aye, sea turtles." Neither of them noticed as Jack approached. Will stilled looked humoured by the latest story.
"What did he use for rope?"
"Human hair...from my back." There is silence until Jack turns back to the rest of the crew. "Let go of the anchor!"
"Let go of the anchor, sir!" The rest of the crew echo. He nods his confirmation.
"Young Mr. Turner and I are to go ashore." Will stands up and stands beside him as he speaks to Gibbs.
"Captain! What if the worst should happen?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
Jack's face became sombre as he answered seriously. "Keep to the code." Gibbs looked troubled for a second, but then he nodded.
"Aye, the code."
I sat up in shock. I had just seen Will on the Interceptor. I knew instantly that what I had seen was happening outside the cave we had just entered. I tried not to look at the formidable shadows and shapes that were flitting across the walls, but instead tried to focus on what was happening.
Suddenly, the first boats crashed against rocks, and the pirates jumped out onto the previously hidden shore. I was flung out of the boat with haste and rushed towards a part of the cave that seemed to glow with its own light.
I gasped as the tunnel widened and I stepped into a large cavern. It was littered with beautiful treasure. I stared in wonder at gold and silver, which were mingled with precious jewels. Ahead of us, was a large chest standing on a mound of treasure and Ragetti dragged me over to it.
I watched as Pintel and Ragetti emptied a large chest which turned out to be full of ladies clothes. I muffled a snicker as they both picked up parasols and Pintel rubbed his eye. Bo'sun approached and I no longer had to stifle a laugh when I remembered the slap I had received when I first arrived on the Black Pearl. He rolled his eyes at them and they hurriedly dropped the parasols.
I stood frozen like a statue as Barbossa entered, and the cavern faded from view..
"What Code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" Will asked Jack quietly. They were in the same cave the pirates had travelled through only minutes before.
"Pirate's Code. Any man that falls behind...is left behind." Jack answered quickly He was obviously familiar with the severity of the rule.
"No heroes amongst thieves, eh?" Will looked down at the river.
"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates you're well on your way to becoming one." Jack said bluntly. "Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga." They both looked at the gold glittering on the bottom of the little river. "...and you're completely obsessed with treasure."
"That's not true. I am not obsessed with treasure." He began as they climbed out of the boat and came to a place where they could see into the cavern.
Jack looked into the gathering, trying to decide what action to take. "Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."
No! They were trying to save me. I struggled for breath, trying not to faint. I gulped in air and tried to concentrate on what Barbossa was saying.
"Gentlemen, the time has come! Our salvation is nigh! Our torment is near at end." What was he talking about. This sounded like what he had been saying on the Pearl. Oh no. They were going to kill me. This was what he meant. I had to try to escape.
"For ten years we've been tested and tried, and each man jack of you here has proved his mettle a hundred times over and a hundred times again!"
The men began to cheer and Ragetti nodded sadly. "Suffered, I have."
"Punished, we were. The lot of us - disproportionate to our crimes! Here it is!" In one swift movement, he removed the chest's lid and ran his hand over the coins. "...the cursed treasure of Cortés himself. Every last piece that went astray, we have returned...save for this." He pointed triumphantly at the medallion round my neck. Will's medallion.
Will scrambled up the slope. "Jack !"
Jack pulled him back in disgust. "Not yet. We wait for the opportune moment." He began looking round the cavern for any form of weapon.
"881 we found, but despaired of ever finding the last." Barbossa's voice echoed through the cavern, but both Will and Jack ignored it.
"When's that?" Will demanded. "When it's of greatest profit to you?" He glared at Jack who turned to face him.
"May I ask you something? Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?" He moved away. "Do us a favour – I know it's difficult for you, but please stay here and try not to do anything stupid."
"And who among us has paid the blood sacrifice owed to the heathen gods?" Barbossa was in full flow now. I was not paying attention. I was more interested in what I had just seen. Will and Jack were going to try and rescue me. My chest constricted painfully at the thought of Will getting hurt.
"Us!" I was startled by the pirates shouted reply to Barbossa. He looked gleeful at the thought of lifting the curse.
"And whose blood must yet be paid?" I gulped, but he did not seem to notice. Please let it be someone else's blood that was needed, I prayed.
I shuddered as every one of the pirates turned to look at me and pointed gnarled fingers at me as they shouted. "Hers!"
Barbossa looked slyly at me. "You know the first thing I'm goin' to do after the curse is lifted? Eat a whole bushel of apples." He picked up a knife and without thinking, I took a step backwards. "Begun by blood...by blood undone."
I closed my eyes tight as he advanced, muttering frantic prayers. He cut my palm and I flinched with pain, but then looked down, expecting more.
"That's it?" He looked at me and I thanked the gods silently. Praying really does work. Apparently though, Barbossa was not quite finished.
He clasped a hand over mine and I screamed in pan as he squeezed my blood onto the medallion. "Waste not." He dropped the medallion and there was silence as they all tried to feel the difference. I stood clutching my palm, not really caring about what had just happened.
"Did it work?" One of the pirates questioned. They were all looking around for any obvious sings of change.
"I don't feel no different." I raised my eyebrows, but I did not really take it in properly. A gentle babble of talk broke out.
"How do we tell?" I recognised the voice of Pintel's and I froze as a single shot was fired from a gun. Was it Will? Or Jack? I looked around cautiously, but I did not see either.
"You're not dead." I swivelled round to look at the pirates. Pintel was standing with a bullet in his chest. Barbossa had shot him? Why wasn't he dead?
"No." Suddenly, the depth of what had just happened sank in. "He shot me!" The other pirates did not seem to care about this news.
"It didn't work." One of them, I think it was Ragetti, finally managed to choke out. I looked around in bewilderment.
"The curse it still upon us!" They all looked around in puzzlement, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. Barbossa turned to face me, a look of utter contempt on his face. "You, maid! Your father, what was his name? Was your father William Turner?"
"No." I shook my head defiantly, but he did not seem to be able to process this news. In an attempt to explain myself I took a different approach. "No, his name was Samuel Turner." I said lamely.
"Where's his child? The child that sailed from England eight years ago, the child in whose veins flows the blood of William Turner . Where?" He slapped me away and treasured rattled as I toppled off of the mound.
"You two! You brought us the wrong person!" Bo'sun flung accusations at Pintel and Ragetti who shrugged them off.
"No! She had the medallion. She's the proper age." This did not seem to settle the other pirates so Ragetti stepped in.
"She said her name was Turner – you heard her!" A hand clasped over my mouth to stifle the scream that threatened to escape. "I think she lied to us."
I looked at the figure who had emerged for the water more carefully. It was Will. He signalled for me to stay quiet and motioned that I should follow him. In a last desperate attempt to thwart them, I grabbed the medallion.
"You brought us here for nothing." I heard the other pirates try to turn against Barbossa.
"I won't take questioning and no second guesses, not from the likes of you, Master Twigg." Barbossa said simply.
"Who's to blame? Every decision you've made has led us from bad to worse." I smiled at the seemingly unavoidable mutiny as I followed Will through the water.
"It was you who sent Bootstrap to the depths!" I was no longer listening, but instead watching Will carefully, learning his every movement.
"And it's you who brought us here in the first place." There was a murmur of support at this accusation.
"If any coward here dare challenge me, let him speak! Hmm?" There was instant silence, and I could imagine them thinking up a new plan of action.
"I say, we cut her throat and spill all her blood, just in case." One said finally. Barbossa finally noticed the monkey's pointing, and put two and two together.
"The medallion! She's taken it! Get after her! You feckless pack of ingrates!" I heard the pirates begin to move.
"No oars here. Where's the oars?" I raised my eyebrows at Will who just shrugged. He put a hand on my back to hurry me, and I felt a tingle go down my spine.
"The oars have gone missing. Find them!" Was the last thing I heard before I collapsed into Will's arms and let the water wash over me.
)o()o()o()o(
By the time we reached the Interceptor I was shivering and barely conscious. I looked around at the people on the deck and screamed in irritation. "Not more pirates."
"Welcome aboard, Miss Elizabeth." I peered at the man who had spoken and tried to place who he was. I was sure I had met him before.
"Mr. Gibbs?" His name sprang out at me from hidden memories. He smiled at me and then turned to Will as he hopped over the side of the deck.
"Hey, boy, where be Jack?" Will just looked at him and I frowned. Where was Jack. I hadn't seen him since my vision.
"Jack? Jack Sparrow?" The words sprang from my mouth before I could stop them, and I instantly wondered why I had said that. I knew fine well that it was Jack.
"He fell behind." Will answered softy, leading me away. I looked back at Gibbs who looked stunned and then at Will. He seemed close to tears and I wanted to hold him and take away all of his pain.
"Keep to the code," Gibbs said finally. A woman quickly took command. Shouting orders at the rest of the crew.
"Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails! Make quickly, divvies." I listened to her strong voice as I stepped into the dark cabin.
Surprisingly, I seemed to know my way around the cabin, and I quickly found bandages for my hand. I began to wash it tenderly, and then proceeded with the bandages. "What sort of a man trades a man's life for a ship?" I asked Will.
"Pirate." He answered simply. Here, let me." He took my hand and gently wrapped it. I bit my lip as I watched him.
"Thank you." He seemed to come to a decision and looked up at me. As I met his gaze I blushed and he spoke quickly to cover the awkward moment.
"You said you gave Barbossa my name as yours. Why?" I looked away. Why had I? I tried to think back but there was no reason that seemed appropriate.
"I don't know." I winced at a sudden pain that shot through my hand, and pulled away. Will looked at me in concern.
"I'm sorry. Blacksmith's hands - I know they're rough." I smiled.
"No...I mean yes, they are but... but don't stop." Our eyes locked and he rubbed my hand gently. I smiled shyly.
"Elizabeth." I had to try not to cry. Will though I was Elizabeth. He didn't love me. He loved someone else. Someone I was pretending to be but wasn't. I bit back tears and pulled out the medallion as a distraction.
I held it out to him. "It's yours." He looked at it for a minute and then took it, turning it over to see it properly.
"I thought I'd lost it the day they rescued me. It was a gift from my father. He sent it to me. Why did you take it?" Great. Now I felt guilty about this as well.
"Because I was afraid that you were a pirate. That would have been awful. I was trying to save you. I didn't want them to hurt you..."
"It wasn't your blood they needed. It was my father's blood...my blood...the blood of a pirate." Will cut me off quickly.
"Will, I'm so sorry, please forgive me." He clenched his hand around the medallion and then slammed it down on the table. Unable to look at him any more, I got up from the table and left, tears streaming down my cheeks.
A/N Wow! That was such a long chapter! I know a lot of it is script, but I'm tried to make it interesting. The bit about Elizabeth as me should be interesting- I have a great idea for that bit! I know where I want this story to end up (or at least I hope I do) but any ideas would be appreciated! Please review!!!