Disclaimer: I don't own PotC stuff, alright?

Note: Hi guys! Hopefully you are happy since I came out with chapter at the speed of light! Well, I did mostly because I found out that there is not only going to be one PotC sequel but TWO! Ha ha ha! But seriously, I really hope you like this chapter, it is probably my favorite so far. I titled it "Thoughts", simply because there is little dialogue in this chapter, it is mainly the thoughts of almost all of the main characters. I wanted it to be thoughtful and deep and ironic. I wanted to make you think about how you percieve each character and hopefully clue you in to why they do the things they do. Well, enough chit chat, R&R please! Thanks!

CHAPTER 11 - Thoughts

Will was a sensible man who had a good life. He could only stand and remember when he was only a lowly blacksmith, going through life practicing fencing and dueling for six hours a day, the other eighteen were spent thinking about Elizabeth Swann. Every once and awhile he would visit her, and they were good friends, but Will always thought of her as so much more. Her father didn't approve of their friendship, yet they remained good friends for eight years. But until Will had gotten Jack out of prison and they began an exciting adventure, Will's life was going nowhere fast. He had no chance or future with Elizabeth, and he could only sit and secretly dream of being a pirate. So really, Will owed his entire existence to Jack. Without Jack, he wouldn't have learned about his father, and Elizabeth wouldn't have fallen in love with him.

He thought of how much Elizabeth made him happy. She was always happy and kind, she could always find the positive side of a situation. She was graceful and ladylike, but could really kick ass when need be. As he stood on deck with Gibbs on a surprisingly cool July morning, he reminded himself that his wife was the most important thing in his life.

Then, he heard a door close and saw a small woman exit her cabin. She had her hair swept up into a complicated knot on her head, her hair being lighter and longer than Elizabeth's. Her average height and figure weren't ordinary, but in fact utter perfection. She was fragile, but not frail; strong, but not manly. Her blue eyes were opened wide as if everyone was invited inside. As she crossed the deck she exulted so much confidence. Another door slammed shut and Will saw Jack out of the corner of his eye coming from the opposite direction. He said nothing to the crew but only walked as if to meet the woman. Jack then engulfed Victoria in his arms and kissed her.

"Ughh…" Gibbs sighed next to him. "Those two 'ave been at it since last week. Something's goin' on,"

"I guess so," Will said, puzzled. It took him a moment to register that it was in fact Victoria that was tangled up in Jack's arms. And all he could feel as he watched them was irritation.

APL4H

Elizabeth could not concentrate on her sewing. She was trying so desperately to mend Will's pants properly, but her thoughts kept drifting off and she would end up only staring into space. She was ecstatic because it had been a week and no foreign ships had been after the Pearl. Apparently Victoria was here to stay. But she was saddened because Will hadn't seemed himself the past few days.

He was quiet, evasive, and defensive even about minor things. Only the previous night, when she tried to wrap herself around him, he pushed her aside. Oh well, it was surely only a phase. Something had happened on deck, something with the charts and courses was incorrect, there some little problem that Jack and Gibbs forced Will to deal with himself.

Elizabeth stitched up the hem of the leg of Will's pants and then put them aside. She turned to her newest story on her beside table, and then, finding it uneventful and dull, put it away.

She stood, leaving the cabin and going bellow deck, where Will was fixing the lock on the brig. He was knelt at the bottom of the brig, attempting to weld something together. She approached him at the floor.

"Hello, Darling," she said, kissing his cheek.

"Hello," he said, turning and kissing her again. "I've almost finished this. Are you hungry?"

She shook her head. He was certainly the most upbeat he'd been in the past few days.

"Darling, please, what's bothering you?" Elizabeth honestly asked.

"I'm not sure…I can't focus, something's going on that I can't understand."

"I know how you feel. Don't worry, it'll all be better when we get to Tortuga tomorrow," Elizabeth reassuringly said.

"I hope I can wait 'till tomorrow," Will replied.

"I hope so, too."

APL4H

Jonathan Carlynton was finally beginning to see how much he had let himself go over the past twenty years. He was loosing money, credibility, family, and friends within Port Royal and London. His good friend, Governor Swann, was probably thinking that he was mad, attempting to strip Commodore Norrington of his title. That plan hadn't gone as well as he had hoped. The Governor disgustedly shoved Jonathan out of his office, saying that his claims against Norrington were absurd and reckless. As he sat on an uncomfortable chair on the terrace of his home, he pondered what could have made his daughter so unhappy in Port Royal.

He thought of tiding himself over with a drink, but refused. His wife had gone to a meeting with the Ladies' Club, and the servants were all preparing dinner inside the manor home.

He thought of all the late nights he had ever had, which usually revolved around various drinks and women other than his faithful but fragile wife. Twenty years ago, she was so full of life and happiness. Jonathan was now seeing that it was he who destroyed that happiness and life that she had. Of course, Victoria added to that happiness after she was born, but Jonathan was to quickly remove it, too, all those nights he would come home drunk or what not.

He would not only constantly abuse her spirit, but also her body. He thought of his wife's figure, and all of the various scars that covered her once beautiful body.

And Victoria, even she as a child, would be forced to witness these things. She was an intelligent girl at a young age, surely she could put two and two together. And why wouldn't she? Jonathan was loud and ill-tempered, he could easily wake an innocent girl from a dreamy slumber.

No wonder she ran away. Jonathan also seemed to remember Elizabeth Swann, Victoria's only confidant in the world, who left Port Royal for good after she married someone lower than her class who had turned to piracy. He remember the Governor being devastated, and Jonathan not offering any helpful advice. What was it like to have no friends? What was it like when no one cared for you or understands what you are going through? Although Jonathan would deny it daily, he was familiar with these questions. His friends had also deserted him after he would drink till he'd pass out. Jonathan was now beginning to realize that Victoria would think highly of the road of piracy, since her own best friend had taken to it.

Standing up, Jonathan walked to the trophy room, where he had all of his prized animals and guns on display. Before he married, he was quite the hunter. Unlocking a case trimmed in black velvet, he removed a small pistol with only one shot.

He thought to himself, "Victoria is gone. I drove her away and there is nothing I can do about it. Then I will just have to live with it." Lifting the pistol to his head, he closed his eyes and pulled the trigger.

The last thought that came to mind was "Or not."

APL4H

Anamaria stood alone at the helm of the Pearl. She liked being alone. She liked being able to think freely, when all she had was the sea to distract her. Occasionally she would see a dolphin or a porpoise, but as far as excitement, you couldn't look for the ocean to give it to you. It was pensive, relaxing, beautiful. It was why she was a pirate. To be close to her only love, the sea.

Well, not her only love.

The sea and Jack. Hopefully two things that would never leave her side. Every night she prayed that Jack would finally think of her as more than just a friend. It had been years since she met him, and she had always been loyal to him. Except for the one time when he "borrowed" her boat, but that was another story, before she was with the Pearl.

But with Victoria back on board and getting pretty close with Jack lately, she realized that her chances of getting close to him were not going to happen.

That bitch. She couldn't hold her alcohol, and she wouldn't hold her sanity on this ship, either. She was a classy broad, she wouldn't be able to handle the work, the physical demands of working on a pirate ship. But knowing Jack and Elizabeth, they would treat her like a princess anyway. Anamaria had been nice to Victoria, setting up her cabin, getting dresses for her, cleaning her cabin, acting like a damn maid for her, and what thanks did she get? Not enough.

Anamaria and Elizabeth were becoming good friends, but when Victoria came onto the ship, Elizabeth stopped talking to Anamaria as much. She was now a nobody again. Her only female friend had forgotten her. They didn't even talk at dinner anymore. Before Victoria, Elizabeth sat with Will on her right and Anamaria on her left. Now Anamaria was forced to sit next to Gibbs, who was next to Jack, who was next to Victoria, who was next to Elizabeth. Her conversations didn't get that far through the grapevine, and now Anamaria's meals didn't involve conversation.

But she would get that bitch. Someday soon, she would get her. Oh no, she wouldn't kill her, she was a Christian after all. But she would break her. She decided it would be best to take the helm at this time every day from now on. It would give her time to think and devise her plans.

APL4H

Victoria floated through the Captain's quarters, running her fingers over anything she could get her hands on. Studying the various books and maps and notes that Jack wrote to himself, she realized that Jack was a very diverse man. And quite cultured to, for a pirate. There were papers of math and science, sheet music of Mozart and Beethoven, and some personal artwork.

And Victoria was happy. The happiest she had been for a long time. Probably because she felt safe, wanted, loved, important, popular…but there was one thing wrong. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was amiss. It wasn't on the ship, but something going on somewhere affected her, and it bothered her that she didn't know what it was. She silently prayed that her mother was alright.

Sitting at Jack's desk, she shuffled through the various maps and charts and notes. She came across a sketch on blunt, crinkled paper. It was of a pretty woman. In the sketch, she looked troubled, saddened. Her lips were in a pout and her brow was furrowed. But she was beautiful just the same. Looking closer, Victoria realized it was her.

The door opened, and her favorite Captain walked in.

"'Ello," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders and kissing her cheek. "Oh, so you found that old thing, eh?"

"Yes. It's interesting," Victoria said, still studying the drawing.

"Interesting? What's so interesting about it?"

"Just, her expression, the way her feelings are perceived," Victoria said, referring to the drawing as a different person even though she knew it was of herself.

"You do realize it's you, don't ya, Luv?"

"Yes, but it doesn't feel like me. Is that how I look to you?"

"Sometimes. I can tell when something's bothering you, when you're really concentratin' on a specific thought. You can't hide your emotions, Vicky, no matter how hard you try. It's what makes you 'you'."

"Oh, Jack," Victoria cried, tears running down her cheeks as she pulled Jack's lips to hers.

He lifted her up off of the chair and brought her to his lap on the bed. She pressed her palm against his shoulder as he wrapped his own arms around her waist and neck. Their foreheads touched, both of them staring in opposite directions.

"Jack?"

"Aye?"

"When will we reach Tortuga?"

"Early morning, I s'pose. Why?"

"I'll need to get drunk. Very, very drunk."