Man! The big 100! I'm so happy, thank you all for your support of my story and I'd like to live to a ripe old age of 150 so, keep the reviews coming! Thanx!

Chapter twenty-three: Apparitions

Leaving Jack, the seven survivors made their way along the beach, Anamaria in the led, making their way in the direction that Will had gone. Blood spattered on the ground near his footsteps making him easy to follow. Soon, however, his path led into the trees and they didn't try to follow him. They'd come to a small stretch of beach where the three enemy ships were anchored.

They'd moved to a cove and were now on the direct south end of the island. They were going to try for the next bottle. Anamaria stopped and turned, ducking behind some fallen trees on a hill over looking the ships, to talk to the others. "Okay. That's the next bottle." She looked at Bill, "I don't think it's the right one."

"From the stories," Bill whispered, peering over the tree trunk to look down at the ships. "I came to understand that it's the North bottle but...I wasn't sure and Will never told me. It was in case I would tell under torture."

"While Jack was..." Anamaria took a deep breath and her heart clenched. "Dying, he told me 'North'. North is the right bottle."

"Well, you want to go get it?" Anamaria turned and looked over the logs to. There was only one crew there. They were gathering on the beach, ships tossing on the green blue water.

"Yes." She whispered. "They'll have sent people there already and we don't know where Will is. He could easily be down at the north bottle...especially if it's the one. He...she, what ever, won't want us getting our hands on it." Anamaria turned to Norrington. "What do you think we should do?"

Norrington looked taken aback at being addressed by her on such matters. After a few seconds, he came to himself. "I believe we should all go together. We know they aren't going to get it. If we get to the bottle on time, then we'll need us all together."

"I don't think I can do it." Elizabeth moaned. She was pale white and looked sick. "I feel really bad." Christian lifted her shirt just then and they all saw the bruises. His hand brushed her stomach and she bit her lip, trying not to cry out.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth." He said quietly, placing a hand on her stomach. "I don't think there's any internal bleeding but..."

"What about the baby?" Elizabeth asked quietly. They all held their breath. "Is it alright?"

"Well...no Mrs. Turner. The baby is definitely dead." Elizabeth nodded, tears in her eyes as watched the sky. Everyone knew she didn't really see it...she had no tears left to cry.

"If she can't go on..." Norrington began, but Elizabeth shook her head.

"No." She whispered, "I have nothing left to live for any more." Anamaria bit her lip and looked back at the men below. It was Jack's old crew...Ethan Barbossa's crew.

"Okay then. Christian, you help Elizabeth. We'll have more injuries before the night and we'll need you." Anamaria tried to hold her tongue against what she really wanted to say to him, but a small part of it got out anyway. "In less there's nothing you can do."

Christian's face lost the little bit of color it had held. "Anamaria...I tried to but..." Anamaria shook her head and stood. They still had to walk down the hill and around the south bottle, through the island and to the north bottle before the other men got there and they had many enemies to deal with.

Leading them back into the trees, they were again plunged into the scary song. After a long while of walking in silence, they came to the heart of the forest. Eyes seemed to be watching them from every direction and Anamaria shivered. The sound of running water was coming from nearby and Anamaria was suddenly reminded of Jack...under a waterfall...but there were no more female voices. Someone...a man, was calling her name. The voice was really familiar and, as they rounded the corner and came to a muddy hill over looking a water fall and pool, Anamaria saw him and smiled.

Norrington walked behind Gillette, his eyes scanning the forest as the feeling of eyes all around him fell onto his body. Occasionally he glanced back at Christian and Elizabeth who were moving slowly, Bill right behind them. He seemed to be their bodyguard.

"Someone's watching us." Elizabeth moaned, letting her head fall onto Christian's shoulder. She looked drawn and weak and Norrington new that she probably wouldn't live through the night. He turned back to the path ahead and heard the sound of a waterfall. Rounding the corner, he gasped, seeing a familiar face.

Bill was in a kind of stupor, his mind on his brother...and his son. He couldn't believe Jack was dead! After the mutiny he'd heard the stories and was so relieved his brother wasn't dead. Now, though...He watched Elizabeth being supported by the young doctor. Everything had gone so wrong. There was a waterfall ahead, he could hear it.

Coming around the corner, he gasped.

Elizabeth and Christian were each in their own worlds. Christian was thinking about all that had happened, all the death he'd seen. He'd have nightmares forever.

"Someone's watching us." Elizabeth moaned, her head falling onto his shoulder. She couldn't believe her baby was dead! Christian shook his head.

"No, that's your imagination." He whispered back. Elizabeth shook her head and he knew she didn't believe him. He had to admit, though, he felt the eyes to. Was Mr. Turner back again? They rounded a corner and saw a waterfall...Gillette swore loudly but they ignored him...each were just as surprised as the others.

Anamaria ignored the others and began to run down the side of the hill, screaming, tears falling down her face. "Jack!" She screamed, slipping in the mud and rolling part way down. Covered in mud, she plunged into the water and began wadding out to the waterfall. "Jack! Oh my god, Jack!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. She closed her eyes, feeling his heart beat against her chest...he was so warm! She pulled away and looked him up and down. He was whole...and fine...alive! "Jack, I love you, I love you so much!" Anamaria kissed him but, the moment her lips touched his he felt different...

Pulling away she was startled to find Nicholas. "Hi Ana." He whispered, smiling. Anamaria backed off, stepping away from him and looking over his shoulder. The others were also in the water but they were talking to thin air...or hugging thin air...What the hell?

"What's..." She turned back to Nicholas and touched his face, running her fingers over his cheeks and down his skin to his lips. "Are you..."

"No, I'm not alive." Nicholas said simply, shrugging. "I'm only able to come back because this island," He gestured around him, "Seems to be a plain between life and death. It's a no man's land. There are no barriers." Anamaria was confused but at the moment she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around him again and took in his scent. She never wanted to let go.

Bill's eyes were fixed on May...his May...she stood there, watching him with her head to the side, small arms wrapped around herself as if she was trying to keep warm. Behind her stood a younger girl with blowing black/brown hair. She looked so much like Jack had...Molly.

"May..." Bill whispered, going over to her and taking her face in his hands. Tears slid down her face. "May...this isn't real."

"Yes. It's very real." May whispered. She pulled away. "I met you're wife." Bill smiled sadly and May returned her smile then turned to look back at Molly, his little sister.

"Molly...Jack..."

"I know." Molly said. "We were there to meet him, mother and I. I was able to come, though. They were not." Molly hugged him tightly.

Norrington grabbed his niece and pulled her into his arms as she played with his powdered wig. She wrinkled her small nose and shook her head, blond curls bouncing about her chubby face. "Laura." He whispered. "Oh my god..." Norrington's military mind couldn't quite comprehend what he was seeing.

"Uncle James, where's my mommy?" Laura asked, looking around the pool. Norrington also looked but only saw the other people with him...they were talking to thin air.

"She's..." Norrington pulled his attention away from the others and ran a hand down his niece's soft face. Had it really been ten years? She should be a teenager by now... "She's in Britain Laura. She's alright."

"You didn't bring her? Why didn't you bring her?" Norrington felt the sting of tears in his eyes. He didn't even try to hide them but let them roll down his cheek. Slowly, with a small hand, Laura wiped them away. "It's okay Uncle James. I'm not sick any more." Laura smiled.

Gillette approached his wife slowly, hardly daring to believe...this couldn't be true. It was impossible! Dorothy was dead! She'd been dead for years! She smiled, her white dress damp to the knees from the lake and she held her arms out to hug him but he came no closer. All he could do was stare. "Honey?"

Gillette flinched at the sound of her voice and then slowly, very slowly approached. He pressed a hand to her forehead and let it slid down her face, his thumb moving across her lips. "Dorothy?" He smiled and then kissed her, holding her close to him.

When they finally pulled away she smiled, "It was a boy. The baby was a boy. Would you like to see him?"

Anamaria held on to Nicholas for a long time. She didn't have the strength to let go. He stroked her hair and finally, after a long time, she heard his voice in her ear. "Jack's here."

Anamaria pulled away and looked up into his eyes, questioningly. What did he mean, Jack's here? Looking around, she only saw the other people, talking or hugging the air. They obviously saw someone she didn't. Gibbs was laughing and chatting merrily with some invisible person...he looked happier then she had ever seen him. Further along was Elizabeth, she was crying openly and wiping away her tears with one hand, talking to an invisible person in front of her and holding an invisible baby in her arms. Furthest into the pool was Christian. He was silent, staring at a space in front of him but he looked happy.

"Ana..." Nicholas called her attention back. Anamaria pulled away and looked up into his eyes. "I love you but this isn't me. Just a shadow of who I was." Anamaria was confused.

"What do you mean?" She asked, her hand resting against his chest. She could feel a heart beat. He had to be real!

"I died so long ago Anamaria." Nicholas answered, sighing. "I'm no more then your memory."

"Then your not here?" Anamaria asked. Nicholas shook his head. "But I still...love you."

"And I love you." Nicholas said. "And I watch you still. And I saw how much you loved Jack." Anamaria looked away, no longer able to look Nicholas in the eyes. Heat crept into her face and, despite all her efforts; she broke down into sobs. He grabbed her and pulled her close again. "I know you love me. But that's a different kind of love now. I want you to be happy and if that means you're happy with Jack..." He trailed away.

"He's dead to!" Anamaria cried, taking in his sent as she sobbed. "I loved him and he's gone! Just like you!" Nicholas rested his chin on the top of her head.

"No. He's not gone." Nicholas said. Anamaria stopped sobbing, silent tears sliding down her face. "You know what you have to do Ana. Now do it."

Will walked circles in his 'cell' as Alinasa pushed her way through the forest. Quietly, he slid down the wall and brought his knees up to his chest, letting his face fall into them. This couldn't be happening, it was impossible. Jack had been alive only one short hour ago.

Tears came to his eyes, stinging at the corners as his face grew hot and his stomach clenched painfully. How was it possible that this had all gone so wrong? How had life gone so wrong?

A sense of coming into another clearing came to him and Will felt the pull of the bottles. There was one, Just a few meters in front of Alinasa...the North bottle...the right bottle. "What are you going to do with it?" Will called out into the echoing silence. He felt Alinasa smile.

"Checking it." She said, her deep voice echoing around him in the tight confines of his mind. "They are coming for it." Will let his head rise and he looked around, trying to pierce the inky black around him. They were tired; he could feel it, seeping into every fiber of his being. They moved past the plinth and into the jungle on the other side. There, Alinasa leaned against a tree, closed her eyes, and rested. She would wake when they came and stop them. No matter what.

To my reviewers:

DragonHunter200: I'm sorry about your hit kitten but that's one less I have to deal with if ever you decide I deserve their wrath! I'm sorry about the roller coaster ride with Jack, I'll make it up you I swear. I'm sorry I made you cry to...I'll go to my room now...but first, I'll finish my replies. Wait! I'm at school! I have no room!

Shadowolf XIII: Hey Taylor, haven't seen you in a while...wait, I saw you last class! Well, I looked for your story like you said and I can't find it/ I'll try again tomorrow! Anyways, see you next class.

padme17: I'm sorry! I truly am! I really didn't want to kill Jack! Honestly, I didn't. Please, keep reading. I'll make up for it.

forceflow46 ): I'm really sorry about how long it's taken and it's not my intention to make you wait. I just have to write it and all...and I don't have internet at home and I have an overbearing principal...sorry, I'm gonna shut up now and hang my head in shame.

Irish-bird: Hi! I'm sorry, I know I was mean...I'm a butt I know it. Please, just keep reading and reviewing. You won't be disappointed.

xImmortalx: You wanna know a secret? I want Jack and Ana to get together also but...it's just my hands decide what I write I have no control over them! That would be a very weird relationship though, I mean...no privacy and one or two of those pirates have to be gay and, if your gay, you'll love Jack, you know? Anyway, enough of that, keep reading and reviewing, I value your input.

Rose Noire le Mort: I like your name, I know a little French so...anyways, to your review...I'm glad to hear that you liked this chapter and that it was 'the best damn chapter ever' that was very touching. Anyways, I'm sorry if it made you sad but...the stories not over yet.

xkohleyesx: Hi, I don't remember if I answered your review last time but I'll just answer it again...I'm to lazy to look so....I'm not going to let anything slip on the Jack and Ana front though, you can probably guess where this is going. Then again, I mean, some people have made it look like one thing was going to happen and then BAM! Through ya for a loop. Anyway, thanx for the review!