1A/N: Yeah, I know the last chapter was sad and to be perfectly honest, it all goes down hill for Ari from here. You'll see. But don't feel too bad for her because there is a BIG surprise at the end of this story-I mean it, but...ya'll are gonna kill me...(nervous smile) Can you believe after about 4 or so chapters, this story is going to be over?
TriGemini- Yea, Ari didn't deserve that, but what can I say? It's just the way things go sometimes! (sobs) And Will is not a jerk, he just doesn't know what to think or who to choose. Well, maybe he is a bit of a jerk, but you'll see why he's been 'leading' Ari on. Thanks for reviewing!
Blossomlite- Yes there will be more Jack/Elli pairings, hopefully in this chapter if I make it long enough, but there won't be too much between them because they hate each other. (Coughs) Sure...Thanks for your great review!
Incubus2704-Hey! Thanks for coming back and reviewing! Kudos for updating your story! And yes, I try to make my stories as well written and real as possible because I want to be able to draw people in and make them feel what I feel, what my characters feel, so that is a very good complement! Making my stories real and drawing people in is my personal goal as a writer.
Jinxeh- I'm sorry this chapter made you so sad! I really am, but your stories made me sad at times too so we're square luv! (As Captain Jack Sparrow would say) If I were you, I would untie Karolyn before she hurts herself, or others...don't worry! Ari can take her! Oh, by the way-I started watching 'Silence of the Lambs' but never finished it...have you ever seen 'Benni and Joone?' Awesome movie, Johnny Depp is so adorable in that movie!
orlandoschick08- Hey! Welcome aboard and thanks for reviewing and don't worry, I update quickly!
Kas kas kas- Welcome aboard to you too! Thanks for reviewing and I wish I could update that quickly, but I like to build the suspense! Don't worry though, I update every 3 or 4 days! Kudos for the most creative screen name I've seen so far!
Chapter Twelve- Per Te
"Ari, come on out please." Elli groaned, banging on my cabin door. I ignored her and buried myself deeper under my covers, the only place were I felt safe right now. "What happened down there? Did Will hurt you?" She asked and I heard the icy tone her voice had.
'Yes.' I felt like answering because it was the truth after all. Will had hurt me and deep too. How dare he go and lead me on like that? I honestly thought things had changed between him and I- I honestly thought he didn't love Elizabeth anymore. Well that just showed how stupid and delusional I was. How could I have thought that I would ever be more than a friend in his eyes?
"Ari?" A different voice called. It was Will. I crawled out from underneath the covers and sat on the bed, waiting for him to say something. "Ari, please let me in-I need to talk to you." I winced. Not what I wanted him to say. I just wanted him to leave me alone.
"Go away Will." I shouted. I heard him sigh, but he didn't walk off.
"I want to talk to you-please." He said softly.
"Talk to me then." I replied coldly.
"Not like this. I need to see you." He murmured.
"Well I don't want to talk to you Will Turner. You really hurt my feelings, I hope you understand that!" I shouted, standing up and hitting my pillow with frustration.
"I do and that's why I want to talk, I want to apologize." He replied. I sighed and rubbed my head. I knew from the beginning that he was going to be the death of me. I also knew that should probably let him in because he wasn't going to go away anytime soon. I jerked the door open and glared at him.
"Well come in." I muttered and walked back farther into the room, not sitting down on anything. He walked in and closed the door behind him, also not sitting down on anything.
"So...care to explain why you've been leading me on these past few days?" I asked coldly.
"Well, first off I want to apologize for 'leading you on'- I honestly wasn't doing it on purpose...in fact I didn't know how you felt about me for a long time. I found out though when you decided to swim after Jack and I when we were heading towards the island." He began in a soft voice, looking me in the eyes and I fought the strong urge to look away. I was afraid, afraid of what he would say, what I would say or do.
"Go on." I encouraged him because he had fallen silent.
"Um right...well, I was trying to figure out how I felt about you and that's why I pushed you away when you um...kissed me... because I realized that-..." Will would've continued, but I cut him off. I didn't want to hear what he was going to say because I already knew.
"I understand." I muttered. "You chose her." He nodded and smiled softly.
"You are a wonderful person though Ari, you're smart and caring, but I barely know anything about you and I've known Elizabeth since I was 12. Besides, I don't want to hold you down if you ever want to return to your world. You understand don't you?"
I was silent for a long time, wondering what to say. I wanted to tell him that nothing else mattered, that I didn't care if he held me down because I didn't like my world anyways and I wanted to stay with him forever because I loved him- he made me happy and made me want to be a better person, but I just forced myself to smile and nod because there was nothing else to do.
Well, that's not true. I could try and forget about Will, but I knew that wouldn't work because even though I was upset with him right now, I found that love still lingered in my heart and that the way I felt towards him was not going to go away anytime soon.
He laid a hand on my shoulder and I fought the urge to touch him back-instead I walked up on deck slowly. As soon as I walked out on deck, I knew something was wrong. The crew members were running around obeying the orders that Anna Maria and Mr. Gibbs were issuing. The thick panic in the air made me forget about what happened with me and Will...for now at least.
"What's going on?" I cried, looking around.
"The Black Pearl is after us!" Elli replied, running up to me. I went to the edge of the ship and looked behind us. Sure enough the large black ship was sailing towards us, cutting through the water at an unbelievable speed. The jolly roger was hoisted and everything and I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach-there was no way we could escape. I dimly saw Barbossa
standing on deck and glared at him. Even though I was upset with Will right now, I wouldn't let Barbossa have him as his sacrifice. "What were you and Will talking about?" Elli asked me suddenly. I turned and looked at her.
" Nothing much, but he chose Elizabeth." I murmured. Elli sighed and hugged me. She had really hoped that Will would forget about Elizabeth and love me instead because I was such a better match for him.
"I'm sorry."She whispered.
"It's not your fault-it's mine." I muttered and walked off after she let go of me.
"Why are they catching up to us? This is the fastest ship in the Caribbean!" I heard Elizabeth cry in her whiny voice. I turned and looked at her, just itching to wrap my thin hands around her pretty slender neck.
"Tell them that when they catch up to us." Anna Maria shouted from where she stood at the wheel.
"We're shallow on the draft right?" Elizabeth suddenly cried, having a rare stroke of genius.
"Aye..." Anna Maria replied, looking skeptic.
"Well, then can't we lose them amongst those shoals?" Elizabeth asked and gestured to a small cluster of scraggly looking islands. I just stared at her, wondering where she was going with this. I had no idea what she was talking about and that frustrated me because how did she know more about sailing than I did?
"We don't have to outrun them long, just long enough!" He cried, agreeing with Elizabeth
"Lighten the ship!" Anna Maria shouted, also agreeing with Elizabeth who looked proud of herself and I was so tempted to smack that self-satisfied look right off her face.
"Anything that we can afford to lose, see that it's lost!" Mr. Gibbs commanded the crew who looked up at him for a minute and then went to work, tossing barrels, crates, chairs, everything off the ship and into the ocean. Elli and I went to help them, seeing as there was nothing else to do.
Will, hearing the commotion up on deck, walked out of the cabin and was puzzled by what he saw. Crew members were running around, tossing crates and furniture over the side of the ship.
He ran over to the edge of the ship and looked behind him. What greeted him was a lovely sight of the Black Pearl looming behind us, the jolly roger smiling evilly. As Will looked, he saw dozens of long oars being lowered into the water on either side of the Pearl. Will knew those were to help speed the ship along and he knew we were going to have to fight in order to get out of this mess.
He looked beside him and saw a crew member trying to push one of the cannons into the water, but Will stopped him.
"We're going to need that." He said gravely.
"It was a good plan...until now." Anna Maria muttered, looking over her shoulder at the Pearl and how fast it was gaining on us.
Suddenly Will ran up onto the top deck, causing everyone to turn their attention towards him. I involuntarily looked at him with mild interest, wondering what he was planning.
"Gibb! We must make a stand, we must fight! Load the guns!" He cried. Hey, that sounded good to me, I liked fighting, especially if I can get to Barbossa and kill him before he can get to Will.
"With what?" Anna Maria asked in reply.
"Anything! Everything! Anything we have left!" Will commanded. Mr. Gibbs stared at Will for a moment and then turned to the crew.
"Load the guns with nails, crushed glass-anything! Do it you dogs or it's you we'll load into the cannons!" He shouted. That encouraged the crew and then went around following orders. I looked at Will and smiled. I loved him, I really did, but I guess I could learn to let go and not be so bitter. Even though Will had hurt me really deep, I would just deal with it and get over it. I didn't want to be all whiny and depressed the rest of this trip, that's something Elizabeth would do and I didn't want to be like that because then I'd be like her and I really didn't want that.
"It seems Jack isn't the only one who can think of crazy plans." I said softly, making Will laugh.
"How do you know if this plan is crazy or not?" He asked.
"I don't know, we're just going to have to find out-aren't we?" I replied and ran off to help the crew, leaving Will smiling as he watched me walk off. He knew things were alright between us again and somehow that mattered the most to him now than anything else. Will really didn't want to hurt me and he really was upset that he couldn't return the feelings I had towards him, but at least I seemed better about it, at least I was happy again because that's all he really wanted for me.
I was down in the kitchen, smashing bottles to put into the cannons and imagining that the table was Elizabeth, (hey, just because I forgave Will doesn't mean that I still can't be hostile towards Elizabeth...) when all of a sudden I felt the ship spin around completely.
"Whoa!" Elli cried and dropped all the bottles she had in her arms. "Damn it!" She shouted and went about to picking them up.
"I'll be right back, I'm gonna see what's going on." I muttered and ran out on deck.
"Hey- don't leave me here!" Elli shouted.
I looked ahead of us and saw that we were facing the Black Pearl. Joy. I could see the crew scurrying around on deck with Barbossa standing in their mist, stroking a pet monkey on his shoulder. I narrowed my eyes at him and imagined blowing his face apart with a pistol."There you
are." I heard someone say. I looked around and saw that Will was standing beside me. "Where were you?" He asked.
"Loading silverware into the cannons." I replied. He laughed a little. "What? You said 'anything and 'everything.' And so that's all we have left because the crew stupidly tossed all
ammunition overboard. By the way-who's stupid idea was that?" I demanded, looking at the crew, who were too busy loading the cannons to answer me.
Will was laughing harder by now. "Here, this is for you. I found it below deck." He said(once he had regained himself) and handed me a pistol that had gold engravings on it. I admired it and smiled.
"Thanks." I said. Will smiled and laid and hand on my shoulder, but then he noticed Elizabeth watching us carefully and walked off, giving me an apologetic smile. 'Now I can look stylish as I brutally murder Elizabeth.' I thought to myself as I glared at her. I stalked off to go below deck and finish helping Elli make our 'ammunition.'
"There you are-geez!" She cried and slammed a bottle down on the table and carefully gathered the shards in her hand.
"I'm sorry, I was distracted." I muttered.
"Will." She hissed and slammed down another bottle.
"I said I was sorry." I reminded her.
"I know, I know-I'm just frustrated." She replied.
"Why?" I asked casually. "Jack?"
"Hell no!" Elli shouted and walked out on deck to put the glass in one of the cannons. I followed her.
"It is Jack isn't it? I knew you liked him." I said.
Before Elli could answer, the Black Pearl started firing at us out of nowhere and we both ducked instinctively. Pirates from Barbossa's ship began boarding the Interceptor and I stood up, pulling out my pistol while Elli pulled out her sword. We began fighting off pirates as best as we
could, but even though we took care of a whole lot of them, it seemed more kept coming and I wondered how big Barbossa's crew was. Our crew returned fire and I couldn't help, but laugh. Oh yes, we had the best ammunition in the world, we were so going to win this fight.
Bullets began raining overhead and Elli and I crouched down again, finding ourselves next to Will, Anna Maria, Mr. Gibbs and Elizabeth."We could use a couple more ideas lass!" Mr. Gibbs called to Elizabeth who was attempting to load more ammunition into a musket. I grabbed it from her and forcefully reloaded it.
"It's you're turn." She cried, watching me reload it carefully. I shoved it roughly in her arms once I was done.
"We need us a devil's dowery." Mr. Gibbs muttered.
"We'll give em' her!" Anna Maria cried and caught Elizabeth in a death grip, pointing a pistol at her head.
"Yes, since it is her blood they need." I agreed and smiled slyly at Elizabeth, who looked terrified.
"She's not what they want." Will intervened. Good thing he hadn't heard what I said or we wouldn't be at a good place again. Anna Maria slowly released Elizabeth.
"The medallion!"She gasped, noticing that it wasn't around her neck. Will stood up and ran off below deck to search for it.
" Ari." Elli called. I looked over at her.
"Yeah?" I shouted over the roar of the cannons.
"Let's get one thing straight here, I do not like Jack, I don't even know what happened to him. He could be dead and if he is-good."
"You're still thinking about that? That just proves you like him." I said and smiled mischievously while Elli glowered.
" Not true-I hope I never see him again in my life!" She cried.
"Well, sorry to ruin it for you love, but here I am." Jack said. Elli wheeled around and glared at him. I started laughing.
"Yea, so much for that huh Elli?" I cried gleefully.
"You were supposed to be dead. Why the hell did Barbossa let you live?" She demanded.
" I'm glad to see you too, love." Jack smiled at her slyly and then turned to Elizabeth. "Where's the medallion?" He asked.
"Wretch!" She shouted and reached out a hand to slap him, but he grabbed her wrist. He looked carefully and the bandage on her hand and smiled even slyer.
"Ah, where is dear William?" He asked in a low voice.
"Will!" Elizabeth and I gasped at the same time and Jack stared at us oddly. I sprang to my feet and ran over to the hatch that lead below deck. I looked over my shoulder once and saw a couple of pirates dragging Elizabeth off to the Black Pearl. Ha ha, stupid bitch. Serves her right! I finished relishing this moment and knelt down by the hatch, peering down into the dark room. At first all I saw was wood and water, but then I thought I saw some movement.
"Will!" I called, bending down low, my face practically touching the ground. I saw him look up at me and smiled. "Are you alright?" I asked.
"Yes." He responded, smiling. But then his face sobered and he looked at me gravely. "Ari... the medallion is gone."
"How?" I demanded. Will then looked a little sheepish.
"A monkey ran off with it." He replied lowly.
"What the hell?" I cried.
"Hey, I swear it happened." Will assured me.
"Well, the most important thing is getting you out of here." I said and began pushing all the debris off of the hatch. Will looked up at me, waiting patiently even though he was starting to
become worried because the water was rising and it was now up to his waist. "Hold on Will, I almost got it!" I cried, noticing that he looked anxious.
"Ari!" Elli shouted. I turned to face her and looked up just in time to see a pirate attempting to grab me. I reached for my sword and tried to pull it out, but my nerves had kicked in and suddenly my hands became heavy and clumsy.
His rough hands grabbed my wrists and forced my arms behind my back. The pirate hauled me to my feet and proceeded to drag me away.
"Ari!" I heard Will cry.
"Will! I'm so sorry!" I called as I kicked and thrashed, attempting to free myself from the vice like grip of my captor. It was no use, in no time at all I was on board the Black Pearl, tied to a pole with the rest of my crew. Elli was beside me by now and Jack was beside her.
"Peachy." Elli muttered.
"Now, if any of you even thinks the word 'parley,' I'll have your guts for garters." One fat pirate threatened as he wrapped more rope around us. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. I had been threatened so many times that now they have no effect anyways.
"Ari, are you alright?" Elli asked softly, noticing how quiet I was. I didn't answer her, instead I stared out at sea, watching the half-sunken Interceptor with a dull gleam in my eyes.
'It's all my fault that Will is still on there.' I thought to myself. 'If only I had been faster...what will happen to him...'
Suddenly, the last half of the Interceptor, the half with Will still on it blew up. My eyes grew ten times their normal size and I thrashed against the ropes that held me.
"Oh God!" I cried, my voice shaking. "Will!"
No.
He couldn't be dead...
I loved him god damnit!
And now he would never know.
"You've got to stop it!" Elizabeth shrieked and began batting at Barbossa pathetically
."Welcome aboard the Black Pearl again Missy. You took advantage of it last time, if all holds fair you'll return the favor." Barbossa chuckled and shoved her into the waiting arms of the crew. She shrieked and hissed as they began fondling her. I was too angry to care about her though, too depressed.
"You bastard, you son of a bitch! Why did you do that god dammit?" I shouted, looking straight into Barbossa's yellow cat-like eyes.
"Ah missy, I'm so terribly sorry." Barbossa said with sarcasm dripping off his voice.
"Bastard." I hissed.
"Will!" Elizabeth suddenly cried. Oh, so now she was the delusional one...oh my God! Elizabeth wasn't delusional, Will was standing right before us...with a pistol pointing towards his neck...
"Will! You stupid freak! I thought you were dead." I shouted. I told you he was going to be the death of me He offered me a small smile and then hardened his face as he looked at Barbossa.
"Barbossa, they go free." Will demanded in a clear voice, motioning to Elizabeth and I.
"What's in your head boy?" Barbossa leered.
"They go free." Will repeated with the same firmness in his voice, pointing the pistol right between Barbossa's eyes.
"Will don't..." I whispered. Somehow I knew where this was leading.
"You only have one shot and we can't die." Barbossa sneered triumphantly.
"Don't do anything stupid." I heard Jack murmur.
"You can't-but I can!" Will cried and pointed the pistol under his neck.
"Will-are you mad?" I shouted.
"Like that." Jack said at the same time.
"Who are you?" Barbossa demanded, looking at Will carefully as if trying to place him. At this Jack broke out of the tight grasp the crew members had on him. He stepped in between Will and Barbossa.
"No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though. Eunuch." Jack said quickly. Suddenly and idea came to me.
"Right, he's no one-it's my blood you need!" I cried.
"What?" Jack, Will, Barbossa and Elli all shouted at the same time.
"Yeah...he's my...brother..." I said, looking skeptical myself.
"What?" Jack, Will and Elli shouted. I glared at Jack and Elli to shut them up and looked at Will, silently begging him to not say anything and go along with my plan; no mater how mad it seemed. Will seemed to catch what I was asking, because he just looked at me, not saying anything. No one said anything for ages it seemed, but then the silence was broken by Barbossa's cackling.
"Well missy, ye almost had me fooled, but ye forgot one very important, thing-Bootstrap only had one child and ye look nothing like him, so I doubt ye are his daughter." Barbossa broke off and started laughing harder.
"Damn." I swore under my breath.
"Now, name your terms Mr. Turner." Barbossa said, once again turning to Will.
"They go free." Will shouted.
"Yes, we know that already." Barbossa replied irritated. Jack began motioning to himself.
"And...the crew are not to be harmed..." Will added, noticing Jack waving his arms.
"Agreed." Barbossa smiled, showing all his yellow teeth.
Elizabeth was brought forward and dragged onto the plank while Will was bound.
"Barbossa, you swore she'd go free!" Will cried. Barbossa turned to Will and grinned.
"Aye, but tis you who failed to specify when or where." Barbossa replied. Elizabeth looked back at Will one last time, but that was obviously too long for the pirates, for they shoved her off the plank and sent her tumbling into the blue Caribbean water. I tried not to snicker.
"Now your turn lass." Barbossa said and motioned for me to be brought forward.
"But...I don't want to be thrown off. I want to stay." I cried, not wanting to be separated from Will. I already thought he had died once, and if he died on the island, I don't know what I would do.
"Well, we have to get rid of someone, I don' want two women aboard." Barbossa said.
"Captain, how about her?" One of the crew members said and gestured to Elli.
"What? Hell no, you better get your hands off me!" Elli shouted.
"She'll do." Barbossa nodded and Elli was brought forward, struggling against her captors as Jack laughed and I looked at her sympathetically.
"Shut up you fag!" Elli shouted and was shoved off the plank as well.
"Now you Jack." Barbossa replied.
"I was really hoping we could just skip all of this." Jack pleaded.
"Well Jack, maybe you could conjure up another one of your miraculous mistakes-but I doubt it." Barbossa replied and shoved Jack onto the plank. Jack turned around once again.
"Last time you gave me a pistol." Jack reminded Barbossa.
"I suppose you're right." Barbossa agreed and handed Jack his 'effects.' He tossed them in the water and Jack gracefully dove after them, swimming after Elli and Elizabeth to the island that he regretfully knew so well.
A/N: Well, now things get interesting! Jack and Elli are stranded on an island together and I seriously doubt one of them will get off the island alive, but hey-anything can happen!
