Chapter 10 Earth and Rain

It was a dark day.

After the service the group went back to the Turner household, expect Michael, who went back to jail.

Jack, Norrington, and the rest of the teenagers were sitting in the dimly lit den, talking. The fire burned and the light danced on the wooden surfaces of the coffee table.

Brian and Wilson were sitting on the couch together, silent and stoic while Norrington was in the armchair, sipping a cup of tea.

Jack was sitting in a chair opposite Norrington, and instead of sipping tea…he was sipping rum while his gaze was fixed to the floor.

Cindy was sitting in another armchair, curled up and holding her knees, watching the others.

Jennifer was sitting on the windowsill, listening to the conversation, with a bottle in her hand.

"Jack," Norrington looked at him, "What is your fondest memory of her?"

Jack looked up and his eyes were dry, but filled with sorrow. He began to think, and he was glancing around at the faces of everyone, except Jennifer's, whose eyes were on him.

"When," he paused, "we were on the boat and we admitted that we didn't entirely trust one another."

"I remember that from the deleted scenes." Cindy smiled gently and thought a bit more.

"What about you Commodore?"

Norrington just smiled and shook his head.

"All my memories of her are fond ones."

"Even when she left you for Will?" Jack had a small grin on his face as he waited for Norrington's reply.

"Especially that one." Norrington couldn't help but smirk.

"I never watched the movie." Wilson admitted frankly as a smile tugged at his lips.

Cindy glanced at him, "You bitch, you're gonna watch it once we get home."

She immediately regretted what she said. Her eyes went over to Jennifer who was still sitting on the windowsill, drinking from the bottle, not bothering to look at the rest of them. Then her eyes went to Jack, who was looking down with a mournful expression on his face.

Brian shifted uneasily in his seat while Wilson still looked at the floor.

She looked around and saw Jack set his tea aside and put his hands over his face. Suddenly her thoughts wandered to Will. He was still up in his room, alone, and mourning. No one had gone up there to check on his since the end of the funeral. A pang of worry struck her heart.

Slowly her mind drifted to the funeral.

FLASHBACK

The cemetery was nestled at the base of the eastern mountain. It overlooked the southeastern beach and had a beautiful view.

Will had chosen a beautiful grave for Elizabeth, it was right underneath a willow tree near the top of a small hill.

The ceremony was small, only a few family members came along with a few friends.

The sky was dark, and it was heavily overcast with a definite chance of rain.

Will, Jack, Norrington, and Elizabeth's father carried the coffin to the grave and a minister performed the last rite.

Cindy kept her head down most of the time, with the exception of her hidden glances to Will. Will was somber, almost apathetic. He didn't seem to hear anything and kept his eyes, unblinking, on the coffin. His eyes were dry, and he shed no tears at all.

Jack was quiet as well. He remained close to Jennifer, so that she was always in his sight, but far enough so that she didn't know he was there. Jennifer, in the meantime, was silent, and kept her eyes locked onto the coffin, with wide, almost curious, eyes.

Brian kept his head down the entire time, and refused to look at anyone. He would only look up to see where he was going, and he didn't look anyone in the eye and he refused to speak. Wilson had a similar plan of action, except he spoke to people, barely, but at least he spoke.

Michael was standing near the back, watching the ceremony with a solemn face. No one dared to look at him, and he kept silent around his guards.

The minister, and everyone attending, was clad in the traditional black, even Jack. Cindy and Jennifer were wearing black dresses that one of the maids owned. Brian and Wilson borrowed a few black shirts from a closet filled with spare clothes.

The ceremony was beautiful, and once the coffin was settled into the soft earth, it began to rain.

Slowly, the muddy dirt was piled onto the elegantly carved coffin until it was out of sight.

Red roses were tossed into the grave as several of the men pilled it. A single white rose was thrown in. When she looked up to see who had thrown it in, she met Will's hollow eyes.

END FLASHBACK

Cindy looked into the fire and watched the flames dance around the logs. A large piece broke into two pieces, sending small embers into the air, making it look like fireflies were there.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps, and looked up. Jennifer had stood up and walked over to Jack. She leaned in close to his ear and whispered something no one could possibly hear, except Jack.

He just nodded his head and watched her leave the room. He looked over to the side table, and saw the bottle she was drinking, standing there, completely empty.

Norrington stood up and tried to follow her, but was restrained almost immediately by Jack.

"You can't be serious! Letting her go out alone, in the rain, when it's dark, and when she's drunk?" Norrington looked outraged.

"No. That is exactly what I'm not doing," his tone was angry but restrained, "I shall handle this Commodore." He looked down and took a deep breath and calmed down. "Listen, you better get home, it's late."

Norrington nodded his head in defeat, "Yes. I agree."

"Good bye."

Norrington turned to the other teens and nodded his head and left the house.

"Speaking of late," Jack turned to the others, "You all best be off to bed as well."

The teens nodded their heads and left the den in silence.

Brian and Wilson went to their room and closed the door leaving Cindy in the hallway.

Cindy walked down the hall and stopped in front of her door. She paused and then looked towards the door leading to Will's room. Her hand slowly went to the doorknob, and then she walked into her room, only to see Will standing at the window in her room.

"Will?" He turned to face her and his face was stoic and unemotional. "What are you doing in here?"

Will walked over to her and looked down at her. His soft brown eyes showed his deep sorrow and she couldn't help but stare into them. Tenderly he kissed her. She didn't try to stop him, but she couldn't help but feel strange. He pulled her closer to him, and led her to the bed, where he gently placed her onto the soft sheets.

"Will, what about—" before she could say Elizabeth's name, he placed a finger on her lips. He carefully pulled it away and kissed her with a forceful passion.

Unhurriedly he pulled her shirt off and kissed her neck. His hands worked gently at removing her skirt while he kissed her body.

Cindy felt guilt strike her heart.It was morally wrong, even by her standards. But this was what she wanted, in a sense. She wanted Will, and she got him.

MEANWHILE…

Jennifer stood at the docks once again, overlooking the sea raging from the storm. The rain pounded heavily on her cloak, but it didn't matter.

Her eyes wandered over the waves that crashed upon the docks, as if they were trying to escape the sea themselves.

Jack stood a good distance away from her, and watched her. She was going to stand there for a long time before she would move at all, but he could wait. He watched her sway, and he knew she would probably leave, but she didn't move. Instead she collapsed into the water.

"Shit!" Jack cursed under his breath as he rushed over to the dock and searched the top of the water for her. She had already begun to sink to the bottom. He threw off his cloak and jumped into the water. His eyes burned from the salt, but he could make out a dark figure lifelessly falling farther down. He quickly swam downward and grabbed her. Frantically, he removed her cloak, and pulled her to the surface.

He reached one arm behind him and grabbed at the dock. He felt the familiar wood and clutched it with his free hand, while the other held onto Jennifer.

He looked up, and saw that the dock wasn't too far above the water. He held on, and used all the strength he could muster, and pulled him and Jennifer onto the dock.

He lay on the dock, letting the rain wash away the salt in his eyes as he held Jennifer in his arms.

Her skin was flushed, even in the cold, but her eyes remained closed. Her body was shaking, and he needed to get her into some dry clothes quickly or she might get sick.

He stood up, and began to carry her through the street. It was a long way to the Turner house, and Jack glanced at the houses he passed. Their lights were off, but he knew the occupantswere sleeping in their warm beds.

Jack looked around and walked through an alleyway and came upon a small house. It was a wooden cottage, and was very old. But the light was on and it didn't seem hostile.

He slowly made his way up the steps and he knocked on the door. He heard footsteps, and then an elderly woman opened the door. She had a kind face, and she was dressed in a gray skirt and a light top with a bandanna covering her gray hair.

"Can I help you?" her voice was kind, and she began to look Jack up and down.

"My," he paused, "she's ill. We need a place to stay for the night. Just long enough till the storm stops," Jack looked down at Jennifer and then to the old woman.

"Yes, of course, come in." The old woman backed away and Jack smile gratefully.

"Thank you." The old woman closed the door behind him and led him to a couch.

"Here are some blankets," the old woman said handing him a few quilts from a nearby closet. Jack took them and began to cover up Jennifer. "What happened to her?" The old woman leaned over his shoulder and watched him wrap her.

"She drank too much."

"Oh," the old woman replied. She walked away and came back a minute later with a few cups of tea. "Here," she handed him a cup, "It'll do you some good."

Jack accepted the cup and began to sip at it slowly, letting the warm liquid melt his insides.

"Thank you."

The old woman smiled and began to drink her own cup. "It's quite alright dear. I'm happy to help."

"How can I repay you?"

"No."

"But—"

"No. I shall have none of it." She raised her hands and began to walk away.

"May I know your name?"

She turned and faced him, "Faith."

Jack watched as Faith left the room. He finished off his tea and set the cup aside and pulled up a chair. He took Jennifer's hand into his and waited for a sign.

MEANWHILE…

Barbossa looked out onto the dark water as it lapped up against the hull of the ship. The air smelled cleaner because the rain had just finished falling a while ago.

He felt a strange sensation in his mind. He started seeing things from Michael's mind. He saw images of people, feelings, and other things. But what amazed him most was that most of these images were of Jack, Will, and four teenagers.

'What?' Barbossa thought as he began to think about these images more.

Two images stood out most. One was an image of Jack holding this young mahogany haired girl with forest green eyes. The other was of Will standing very close to an adolescent with golden brown hair and cobalt blue eyes.

Suddenly he heard footsteps and he snapped his head around and locked eyes with Lily.

"You're seeing visions aren't you?" She kept her gaze steady and as a smirk crossed her face.

"And why am I havin' visions milady?" Barbossa exhaled and waited for the undoubtedly unusual answer.

Lily's grin grew wider and replied, "It comes with body borrowing. You see images from the persons whose body you borrowed. Don't worry," she saw the look of sarcasm of his face, "It's a natural side effect."

"Is there any other things I should be knowin' 'bout?" He raised an eyebrow and Lily just smiled.

"Well," she brought her finger up to her mouth and smiled devilishly, "I should think nothing else will happen, except maybe," she paused for a long time.

"What?" Barbossa sounded a bit panicked as he saw the semi-shocked look on her face.

'Oh my god,' her thoughts wandered back to the first night she had him meditate. She lit a red candle, a blue candle…and a black candle.

Her gasp sent a sharp chill through Barbossa.

"What! Tell me!" He advanced on her with an angry and fearful glare.

Her mind immediately to another thing her priestess had told her.

FLASHBACK

Lily sat in front of her priestess and had an array of candles in front of her that were all the colors of the rainbow.

"Red." Her priestess held up a small red candle and waited for Lily's response.

"The color of blood," she paused, "Of life, energy, passion, emotion."

"Good," the priestess smiled and held up a black candle. "Black."

"The color of the void, it absorbs, takes energy into itself."

The priestess nodded her head and held the red and black together and leaned in towards her.

"You must listen to me, never do any meditation with other non experienced witches and light these two together." Her tone was grave and her glare was imposing.

"Why priestess?"

"Because, this will cause changes in your companions and cause them to change into horrible beings. They will need to take into themselves the life force of others, and this is irreversible."

END FLASHBACK

"Do you feel thirsty?" Her voice was trembling and Barbossa seemed confused.

He opened his mouth, and she glared at his teeth. His canines were a bit more pointed than before. His skin was a bit paler than before too..

"What did you do?" Barbossa's eyes were wide as he watched Lily think very deeply.

'This might actually help.' Lily began to think and hen looked at Barbossa with a keen eye. "This is actually not a bad thing."

"What isn't a bad thing!" He grabbed her shoulders and watched her squirm in pain.

"I—" her shoulders felt bruised as he clutched them, "I made a good mistake."

"What kind of mistake!" He bore down harder on her and waited for a reply.

"I—accidentally lit—the wrong candles—" she winced in pain, "You're—gonna—change!"

He released her and watched her fall to the floor.

"What do you mean change?"

"You're—" she paused and rubbed her shoulder, "You're gonna need blood soon in order to live."

Barbossa was dumbstruck. Blood?

"What in the hell did you do?"

Barbossa began to think and then he felt his mouth become very dry.

"You feel the thirst don't you?" Lily smirked and watched Barbossa face her and nod his head slowly. "We're almost to Port Royal." She walked closer to him, "By tomorrow you can feast on Jack. Till then," she pointed to a sailor scrubbing the deck, "You shall feed from him."

Barbossa nodded his head slowly and followed Lily as she sauntered over to the unknowing sailor.