Jack didn't know what it was that sparked the recognition in his mind. Was it a

flash of fabric, tattered now, but still so familiar? Or maybe it was something in the way

the creature moved; some nuance in the thing's shambling steps that reverberated in

Jack's memory? Whatever it was, Jack recognized William "Bootstrap" Turner the

moment his skeletal form emerged into the moonlight.

Jack had witnessed the effect of the curse back in Port Royal, but it had never

occurred to him that it might have affected Bill as well. Still, it made sense. Skeletons

could not drown, did not need to eat, or breathe, or maintain warmth. Plunging to the

floor of the sea meant certain death for a normal man, but a cursed one would survive.

It was hard to decide how to feel. Should Jack be happy that his long-lost

William lived? Or, should he be horrified that the once gentle Bill Turner had suffered

unimaginable horrors to such a degree that, judging by the mutilated bodies on the deck,

the man had lost his mind?

It was too much to process, and Jack was so overwhelmed by it all that he didn't

notice he had dropped his sword until he heard it clattering on the deck. "Bill?" he

whispered softly, gazing in horror at the thing Bill had become.

Then suddenly, the poor creature was rushing toward them and instinct took over.

Jack retrieved his sword just in time to parry a blow from his attacker. He could hear the

younger Turner in the background, but was too focused on defending himself to pay the

boy much mind. Bootstrap's attacks were powerful and frantic, but also mindless and

random. That was Jack's only advantage. It followed that if skeletons did not need to

breathe, eat, sleep, or perform any of the functions human bodies required, they also

could not be knocked unconscious. The only option was to bind it.

'How fortunate for me that Bootstrap seems to be focusing all of his attention on

my person and not on his son,' Jack thought with a bit of sarcasm.

"Get some rope," Jack yelled, hoping the younger Turner would do as he asked.

It was all Jack could do to repel Bill's frantic attacks. The captain was relieved when,

moments later, Will returned from wherever he had gone with a length of blood-soaked

rope in his hands.

'Very good. Now, how to disable a creature that may not even feel pain?'

The answer came as Jack's eyes fell upon a barrel with a green fish painted on the

side. Jack backed towards the barrel, not surprised when the raging creature followed.

Upon reaching it, the captain kicked the heavy barrel over and the deck was soon

swarming in slippery fish. Bill stumbled and went down and Jack jumped on top of him.

"The rope, Will. NOW!"

Bill was tearing into Jack with his bare hands, but the pirate managed to hold the

creature down long enough to secure it with the rope. Bill raged against the bindings, his

howls piercing the night.

'It's not going to be fun getting him to the ship.'

"Okay, lad," Jack said, turning to address the younger Turner. "Those ropes

won't hold him for long. We have to get him into the dingy and to our brig and pray to

god the brig holds him."

But Will wasn't moving. The boy's eyes were wide with fear and horror, as he

stared past the pirate to the creature they had just captured. "Jack…" he whispered

softly, voice trembling.

"I know, lad," Jack said impatiently. "Yes, it's very frightening. There, there and

all that. Now, we don't have the time…."

Will shook his head, backing away from them both. "No."

Jack was going beyond frustration straight to anger. "William!"

Still, the boy did not move. He only continued to shake his head, eyes wide, face

pale.

'No help at all, is he?'

Jack turned back around to face his captive, and it was suddenly apparent why

young Tuner had been so upset. A cloud had passed over the moon, and Bill no longer

looked like a creature from one's worst nightmares. No, Jack realized with an almost

physical sensation of pain, the creature now looked like William "Bootstrap" Turner—

pale, bloody, panting, eyes seething with psychosis, but a flesh and blood man who was

the spitting image for his son.

The resemblance was even stronger than Jack remembered. They could have

been twins. For the first time, it occurred to Jack that Will never really knew what

happened to his father. It must be quite a shock.

'Certainly was a shock to me.'

"It's okay lad," Jack said, much more kindly. "There will be time later, I promise.

I shall explain everything to you…least, everything I know. But right now, I need you to

help me move him back to our ship.

Will nodded slowly, and took a few trembling steps forward to come to the

captain's aid. "That's a good lad," Jack said with a smile that was completely forced.

'Bill—no William is alive. He's alive. Or at least, he's not completely dead.' It

was almost too much to comprehend, and Jack was being assaulted by so many different

feelings, it was more than he could bear. Was there anything left of William in this

monster—any spark that could be reached to bring Bootstrap back from madness? Jack

didn't know what Bill had suffered, but it must have been pure torture to make someone

so gentle into such a ruthless killer. Was it even reasonable to hope that someone could

survive such torment and be whole?

And one nagging thought would not leave the captain's mind. 'Whatever he

suffered, my poor beautiful William…he suffered it because he defended me.'



::Author's notes::

It seems like I say this with every chapter, but I am terribly sorry it took so long for me to

update. Thanks to all of you who have kept on reading and especially to those of you

who give me feedback. Some day I'll finish this damned thing! I swear!

Sergio: ACK! I hope I got this up soon enough to avoid your heart attack…not that I

suspect this ending is much better. ducks

Lyowyn: Sorry for the agony. Yeah, I knew the ending was pretty obvious at the last

chapter, but I couldn't think of any other way to do it.

Brightbear: Sorry about the nails! I hope you still have some left.

Emeraldwolf: As always, you are such a patient saint and so encouraging. Thanks again!

Thunderlover: Thanks! You know, I always tend to see slash everywhere, so Bill and

Jack having a history was the first conclusion my mind jumped too.

Seaspray: You burned the rum! Don't let Jack find out about that.

Troublegirl: That is so flattering! Thank you! I hope it's still on your list after all this

time.

Bittersweet46: blushes Many thanks! Are there stories where Bill is chipper? I guess

since I love angst, it never would have occurred to me to write it that way. Besides, I

know I'd lose my mind at the bottom of the ocean.

Wyall Jared: Thank you muchly. And see, I did continue…it just took a while.