A/N: For warning and disclaimer, check part one.

Promises-Part Two

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"Here she is, Isla Cruces. Where Davy Jones keeps his heart." Jack smiled as they rowed their boats to the shore. It had taken just one more night for them to find it. It was almost high noon before they had moored the Pearl and lowered the boats to go ashore. Elizabeth sat beside him, looking quite confused. Norrington sat behind her, looking unenthused as always. Pintel and Ragetti were rowing their boat. The others had been instructed to stay aboard the Pearl for the time being.

"Good work, Lizzie. You got us here." Jack whispered into her ear as they reached the shore. "Now let's pull out that compass and find that chest. Savvy?"

Elizabeth just smiled as she walked up the beach and pulled out the compass. The needle whirred about until it pointed directly in front of them, down the shore. "That way", she pointed before heading off in the direction.

Part way down the beach she stopped and turned to Jack. "I just don't understand something, Jack. How are we to open the chest without the key?"

Norrington stopped and smirked, thinking Jack had forgotten that small detail in the plan. Jack, however, just smiled. "We worry about that later. First, we need to get the chest before Davy Jones finds out about our little plan."

Elizabeth just shook her head in exasperation, and then looked at the compass again. The needle whirred about as usual though this time pointed to her left, off into the woods. She was about to speak up, when the needle suddenly pointed behind her, towards Jack. Glaring at the compass, it moved once more, only this time pointing away to her right, farther up the shore. Following the needles direction, her gaze fell upon the crystal waves as they rolled up and down the sand. She glared back down at the compass, but the needled stayed steady in its position. Sighing, she followed the needle back to the waves when something caught her eye, something that vaguely looked like a body being tossed around in the waves as they crashed upon shore.

Jack and Norrington had seen it too. A shimmer in the water had caught Jack's eye as he looked about. When he turned towards the ocean, he saw the body roll part way up before it was drug down once again. A sickening feeling of dread crept over Jack as he began to walk cautiously towards it. Elizabeth was on his heels, interested as to who it was and whether or not they were alive. Norrington seemed reluctant to go, but decided it would be better to follow. He didn't know which direction the compass now pointed to for him to find the chest and he didn't want to rouse suspicion yet.

As they neared the body, both Jack and Elizabeth gasped as recognition dawned on them. "Will!" Elizabeth ran up to him and tried to pull him out of the water. Jack was by her side in an instant, pulling him farther up the beach until he was out of the reach of the waves. She pulled Will's head into her lap and gently brushed the hair out of his face. "Oh, Will."

He heard someone shout his name then hands began pulling him away from the water. He wanted to scream at the pain they caused, but he was just barely hovering in consciousness and had no energy to do so. He let them pull him up the beach, until he was cradled in someone's arms. No longer being constantly inundated with water, Will was able to cough, and despite the pain it caused, expel some of the water from his lungs.

The voices seemed so familiar as they spoke around him, yet he couldn't quite grasp who it was. Cracking open his eyes for a moment, Will was able to see three blurry faces hovering above him. Jack and Elizabeth. Who the third person was, he had no idea. He had found them at last. "Elizabeth." He managed a soft, hoarse whisper before his eyes slipped closed again and his body limp. Darkness descended over his mind and he knew no more.

Jack's gaze flitted over the young man's body where he was cradled in Elizabeth's arms. His skin was red and blistered from the sun, but also there were open gashes, thin and long like whip marks. Dark bruises covered his ribs, which were no doubt broken. He had no shirt, only ripped and battered breeches to cover him. All of his exposed skin was raw and burnt from being constantly exposed to the elements. A black cord was wrapped around his left forearm, but his attention was drawn from it at Will's whisper.

Elizabeth felt him go limp after he whispered her name, but she could still feel fine tremors that wracked his body. He was burning with a fever, no doubt from the many open wounds on his body. She wondered how it was that he had become so injured, but knew that they needed to get him back on the Pearl quickly.

Seeing how hurt he was, Norrington shrugged off his overcoat and handed it to Jack. Compassion overruled his hatred and for a moment, he was a gentleman once again. Very gently, they wrapped Will in it, hoping to keep him warm and protected until they could get to safety. Then, Jack scooped him up and began carrying him back the way they had come. Elizabeth and Norrington were quick to follow.

"One of you must go back to the Pearl and let the crew know of what has happened. They will need to get things around in order to help him. We also need them to be prepared to haul the boat aboard." Norrington nodded at what Jack said, knowing that time was of the essence. They didn't know how bad he was hurt, but he knew that Will was entirely too weak to even stay conscious for long.

"I'll go. You two should bring him." Norrington stated before he ran off in front of them, disappearing around a bend in the shoreline. He wouldn't be like the rest of the men, though they believed him to be a pirate; he wouldn't let any man suffer, no matter the history they had. With that thought in mind, Norrington ran a little faster towards were the Pearl was moored.

Norrington trudged on for a few minutes, running up the endless stretch of beach until he spotted Ragetti and Pintel where they were sitting with the small rowboat. He saw the startled looks upon their faces as he came running up to them without the other two he had departed with. They quickly jumped up and got in the boat, preparing to row out as soon as Norrington got to them.

He jumped in the boat with the two pirates and gave them their instructions as they rowed out to the Pearl. "We found Will. He washed ashore as we were looking for the chest. Once I am aboard, you two need to go back and meet Jack and Elizabeth. I must ready the crew for their arrival."

The two pirates were shocked to say the least, but did as they were told and rowed back to shore to meet Jack and Elizabeth as they came rushing up the beach. Once they were in the boat, Ragetti and Pintel chanced a look at the missing man. They could see very little of him save for his head sticking out of the overcoat he was bundled in. His face was gaunt and burnt from the sun, a few bruises covered his cheeks and jaw, and a long gash ran down his forehead following his hairline. Judging by the looks of Jack and Elizabeth, they knew that Will was obviously hurt worse. Picking up the oars once again, Ragetti and Pintel rowed towards their ship with all haste.

The crew on deck rushed around as they hauled the boat aboard. Ragetti, Pintel and Elizabeth climbed aboard to help while Jack stayed in the boat with injured crewmember. Once aboard, two men came up and bore Will away into Jack's cabin where he was placed on the small cot. All the lanterns in the room were lit, the desks and tables covered with bandages, flasks of water, and all the jars of medicine the crew could find.

Gibbs, Jack, and Elizabeth entered the cabin and closed the door, leaving the rest of the crew outside. Elizabeth knelt at Will's head, stroking the dark hair out of his face while the other two unwrapped him from the overcoat. Jack grabbed a flask of water and handed it to Elizabeth.

"He needs to drink. He's dehydrated." Elizabeth nodded in understanding as she put it to Will's lips and tried to coax him into drinking the liquid.

Gibbs and Jack set about cleaning his wounds and putting all sorts of concoctions on them in hopes that they would heal. As they rolled Will onto his stomach, Jack once again caught a glimpse of the black cord wrapped around the young man's arm. This time, though, he saw what was attached to it and gasped. It was the key to Davy Jones' chest! He untied it and set it on the table, not saying a word about it; he would talk to Will when he woke up.

Once all his wounds were cleaned and taken care of, Gibbs left the cabin and returned to the deck. He was to inform the rest of the crew about what had happened. Jack and Elizabeth stayed with Will, keeping watch over him until he awoke.

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In the darkness, there was comfort for him, peaceful and free from pain. A small ray of light started to shine through, a reason why he needed to wake up, something that he should remember. But with the light came pain, agonizing pain that was searing through his chest with each breath he took. The darkness started to ebb away and left him hovering on the edge of consciousness, much to his despair.

His limbs felt heavy and his head pounded. He was desperately thirsty, though the very thought of moving to acquire the desired liquid almost seemed to banish the craving. His chest was ablaze with pain and his skin felt tight, like it was stretched over too big a frame. Everything hurt, and despite his greatest desire to slip back into sleep, he managed to crack his eyes open.

The room he was in was brightly lit and looked strangely familiar. He turned his head slightly to the side and smiled a strained smile at the figure sitting in the chair. Jack. He looked concerned, almost worried, but he smiled nonetheless. At the sight of the younger man waking up, Jack had moved closer to the bed, eagerly awaiting the return on consciousness.

Much to Will's surprise, Jack knelt down next to him and placed a cloth against his forehead. It was blessedly cool against his burning flesh and Will found himself sighing in relief. When he opened his eyes, Jack was holding a flask to his lips, urging him to drink. After a few sips of water, Will slumped back in the cot, tired and in obvious pain.

Jack smiled down at him sadly as he stood up and made for the door. "I'll be right back, Will. Rest." Then he was gone and Will was alone in the empty room. He closed his eyes, content for the moment, and allowed his body to drift back to sleep.

All on the deck were startled when the door to Jack's cabin opened. They were all worried that Will had taken a turn for the worst, but the easy look on their captain's face banished their fears. Gibbs and Elizabeth were immediately at his side, wanting to know the reason he wasn't watching over their ill comrade.

About two hours ago, Jack had kicked Elizabeth out of the cabin, telling her she needed to rest and eat. When she refused, he told her he wanted to be alone for a while; that he needed to think a few things over. Seeing the look of desperation in his eyes, Elizabeth had left, going to find Gibbs and speak with him about what else they could do for Will seeing as he was the most skilled in the areas of medicine aboard their ship.

Now, he was standing there before them, almost looking happy. Jack nodded for Gibbs and Elizabeth to follow him as he walked up to the quarterdeck. Once he was sure no one else was within hearing distance, he turned towards them and began to speak.

"He woke up, though it wasn't for long. I gave him a drink of water, but he then laid back down and began to fall asleep." Gibbs nodded while Elizabeth looked worried. Her heart was torn in two now, and though she was worried about him, she wasn't sure if she still loved him. She knew the news would be devastating to him, especially if he found out that it was Jack Sparrow that had captured her heart.

"There is little we can do for him now. We can give him more of the medicine to reduce his fever, but the wounds just have to heal on their own. He will be tired for a little while until his body recovers its full strength, but I think he will be fine." Gibbs looked out behind Jack as he spoke. Many times had he seen those types of wounds, the type given to those marooned by their crew. They weren't serious enough to kill directly, but more second handedly by infection, drowning, or starvation. Luckily they had found the young man before his body was beyond their aid. "He most likely was only out there for a day or so. We need to give him food and lots of water to speed up the recovery. I will send some to your cabin."

Jack thanked him, then went back to the cabin, followed closely by Elizabeth. When they entered the room, Will was sound asleep on the cot. It wasn't a surprise for they had only rescued him about five hours ago. His weakened body shouldn't have been awake yet for it needed to recover.

Elizabeth rewet the cloth on his brow and gently brushed a few strands of hair out of his face. Much to her surprise, he stirred and seemed to move closer to her touch before those dark eyes fluttered open. Swallowing hard, she replaced the cloth and tried to turn away before he saw the tears in her eyes, but his smile stopped her. It was small, barely upturning the corners of his mouth, but it was there.

"You should be asleep." She chastised him gently as she pulled the thin blanket up over his shoulders, unable to look at his wounded body any longer. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"I have missed you, Elizabeth." His words were whispered but they seemed to echo in the too silent cabin. Elizabeth stole a look at Jack and saw the wounded look he bore, though he tried to hide it. "I love you."

Her breath seemed stole away at those words. Looking down at him, she just smiled and once again caressed his cheek. "Go to sleep."

Of their own accord, Will's eyes started to slip closed. As he lay there, something felt off. At first he thought it to be the pain he was in, but as he took stock of his body's condition, it hit. The key was gone! He slowly moved his arm back and forth across the cot, but couldn't feel the cord anymore. Dark eyes snapped open as he tried to sit up, only managing to get partially there before six hands were on him, pushing him back down.

"No, I need to . . ." he struggled weakly in their arms but found he had to stop speaking in order to breath. As they went to lay him back down, he sat up more, trying to throw the hands off him. "Please. Let me up."

"Will. Shhhh, lay still. You're okay." Gibbs had come in with a tray of food and was setting it down on the table when Will launched himself upright. His eyes were open for a moment, but they slipped closed again as they tried to lay him back down. The way he was struggling against them, he believed that Will was caught in the grips of a nightmare. Once again, he tried to lay the young man back down in the bed with the help of Jack and Elizabeth.

A yelp of pain made them all jump and they looked down to see Will weakly trying to curl in on himself. His face was covered in sweat from the exertion and his breathing was rapid and shallow. Gibbs grabbed the cloth from the bowl of water and knelt down by the young man's head, gently running it over his face. His breathing slowed to a somewhat normal pace and the eyes fluttered open. Gibbs smiled gently at him before he helped Will lay on his back once again.

"You're okay now, Will. It was just a nightmare, nothing more. You need to lay back now and get some rest." Gibbs held the flask of water to Will's lips but was surprised when the young man pulled his head away.

"No, my key." Gibbs and Elizabeth looked confused at Will while Jack quietly slipped over to one of the tables and fetched the missing object. "Not a nightmare. Missing my key." The short breathy phrases were broken up by Will trying to draw air into his lungs, though it didn't seem to be working all that well.

"Here it is, Will. I found it tied to your arm and removed it while we were tending to you wounds, along with your knife." Jack went around to the open side of the bed and showed Will the key. At the relieved look, Gibbs and Elizabeth finally understood what had happened and smiled. Maybe he was more aware of what was going on than they had thought. "I see you found it."

Will shook his head as he closed his eyes. His little fight had him entirely drained and had aggravated his wounds. They were screaming at him now, but he would not give in to the call of sleep until he told them all that had happened; only then would he rest.

"My father." At their confused looks, he elaborated. "My father was aboard The Flying Dutchman. I didn't know him until he told me."

He was unaware of the looks cast at him from the three as his eyes were still closed in pain and exhaustion. Both Jack and Gibbs bore looks of shock at hearing of Bootstrap, while Elizabeth just looked genuinely confused. When Will offered no other explanation, Jack questioned, "And how did you come by those wounds?"

Cracking his eyes open a small amount, Will sighed before attempting to sit up. It was a long tale that he didn't wish to retell lying down and vulnerable; he had been feeling that way too much over the past few days. "I was to haul a line; my father came up beside me and gave me one look before he dropped his line . . ."

Flashback

"Turner, grab that line and haul for all your worth!" The cry came over the howling wind. Will turned and grabbed the loose line and started to pull, forcing all his weight back. Another crewmember came up beside him, he looked more like a man than any of the other creatures aboard, but he was not untouched by the curse.

Will cast the gangly man a sideways glance though said nothing as the sailor helped him haul the line. They almost had the sail in place, when Will turned to go tie the line. A hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. Looking down at the hand, then following it back up to face of its owner, he was surprised to find something indiscernible in those dark eyes. For a moment, the touch and the gaze felt familiar, but he shook it off and went to tie off the line.

"Will." The man's voice stopped him in his tracks and he looked deep into those eyes once again. Suddenly, the wind picked up again, snapping the sail. The line whipped out of the sailor's hands, catching Will on the arm and sending him flying. The sail, under the awkward strain of the wind and only being half held in place, began to rip until a few other crewmembers ran to Bootstrap's aid.

Will just upon the deck, trying to shake the stars out of his vision. When he stood up again, the first mate was walking towards him bearing an angry expression. He swallowed nervously, not knowing exactly how it was his fault, but somehow these pirates would see it that way.

"I think we need to teach the whelp a few lessons! You need to mind the tasks you are given when they are given to you!" A clawed arm snaked out and struck Will across the face, snapping his head to the side. For a brief instant, the strange sailor met his gaze, but let if fall just as quickly. "Get the Captain. This boy needs to learn!"

"NO!" The strange man stepped between Will and his captors, as he was wrestled face first up against the mast. He couldn't quite see what was going on, but Will knew this man was fighting on his behalf.

"And why should the whelp earn your loyalty? What has he done to earn your trust?" The first mate barked impatiently. He only had a mind to whip their new crewmember into submission, not talk it out.

"He's my son."

End Flashback

"He wouldn't do it, couldn't do it. So Davy Jones let the crew get a piece of me." Will stared out the window as he told them of how he came upon meeting his father again. It felt unrealistic to relate such a tale, but he knew they believed him, especially given all they had gone through.

Taking a deep breath, he continued, not having the heart to look at Elizabeth yet, for fear that emotions would get in the way. He had been away from her side for too long, then for her to learn of all the hardships he had gone through to save her life, he thought that she would be almost overwhelmed. He didn't have the strength to deal with that right now; wouldn't be able to comfort her and reassure her that he was okay. After another fortifying breath, he continued. "They threw me in the brig where my father came and found me once again. We talked for a little while, about the key and chest, about the ship, about our missing years."

The unmistakable look of happiness that crossed his face couldn't be missed, but there was also a look of loneliness there. Jack then realized how hard it must have been for father and son to be reunited so tragically, and then separated again, just as harshly. Will was lucky though for he did get to see his father, had the chance to speak with him again, while others would never have the same chance.

"Then I remember him coming back, he was rushed. I can't recall all that happened; I just know that he tied the key to my arm, telling me to keep it hidden until I was safe. He also gave me his knife for protection. Then the crew came down and brought me up to the deck and pushed me off the plank." Will looked up finally, meeting only Jack's eyes for he was the only one who would possibly be able to understand what he would say next.

"I made a promise to him. I promised to stab the heart with his knife and rid him of his hell." An odd look crossed Jack's face, but he didn't say anything. He just silently nodded and turned to face the window, almost seeming lost in thought. "I need to do this for him Jack. It is the only way. I never give my word unless I plan to achieve it."

Silence then fell over the room. Jack stood at the window, lost in his own thoughts. Gibbs sat next to the bed, now trying to coax Will into drinking and eating something, though the young man was adamantly refusing, his gaze never leaving Jack's back. Elizabeth stood a little ways away, in the middle between Will and Jack. She looked back and forth between the two, unsure of what to do or say, so decided that silence was best.

Her heart was torn in two. She loved Will, or had loved him. Now, however, her heart told her to go with Jack. What Will had done was valiant, but his promise was selfish, where as Jack's seemed more like it was best for all. Looking in Will's eyes, she could tell that he was avoiding her gaze. Sorrowful love lay within those depths, an emotion neither were willing to deal with at the moment. It seemed he subconsciously knew of her choice, though didn't want to confront it.

In fact, Will's thoughts were close to what Elizabeth presumed. He had noticed a change in her, odd looks she cast to Jack, while he was relaying his tale. She seemed to stand close to Jack, look at him with love and concern in her eyes, looks she once reserved for him. Casting a quick glance at her Will saw the apology in her eyes, the sorrow there, but then they turned to Jack and a look of admiration filled the amber depths. If she would have looked back, she would have seen the hurt look that crossed Will's face, but she never did.

When Jack finally did turn around, he appeared to be normal, though there was an air of apprehension around him. Looking at Will, he smiled lightly. "You need to rest. We will go after the chest tomorrow. There is no doubt in my mind that Davy Jones will have found about the key and our destination. He is heading here as we speak. We need to get that chest before they do." He started towards the door, closely followed by Elizabeth. "Gibbs, will you stay and tend to him. Make sure he eats and rests. We may need him tomorrow. Good night, Will. It is good to have you back."

With that said, they left the room. Gibbs saw the pained look upon Will's face and sighed. 'I am sorry, Will. If I could have stopped it, I would have. But you know how untamable women are; they are just like the seas.' Keeping his thoughts to himself, Gibbs offered Will the flask of water once again. He coaxed the man to eat a small amount of fish, then handed him a flask of rum, with a twinkle in his eye. "Jack doesn't know about it, but I figured it would do you some good."

Will nodded and took a few swallows, effectively emptying the container. It was a horrible and bitter beverage, but it seemed to do the trick, unraveling his mind and loosening his taut muscles until he was beginning to drift off to sleep. What he didn't see was the triumphant look on Gibbs' face, nor the empty bottle of medicine that he cleaned up from the table. He helped Will lay back in the bed and covered him, watching over him for a little while to make sure he would sleep before he slipped outside the cabin doors.

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It was nearing dawn when Elizabeth snuck out of the cabin to find Jack standing alone near the bow of the ship. He looked lost in his thoughts again, like a little lost child. They hadn't spoken since they had left Will's cabin a few hours ago. Silence had reigned the deck where they and the crew waited until Gibbs had come out and given them a report. Jack headed up to the quarterdeck, the place he went to think things over. Needing to be alone with her thoughts once again, Elizabeth volunteered to keep watch over Will until the morning.

She had been gently bathing his still slightly fevered brow with the cool cloth when she heard the soft click of Jack's boots upon the deck. She watched as his silhouette walked along the deck in a lonely curving path until he reached the bow. Having made up her mind, she quietly slipped from the room, trying not to disturb the sleeping injured.

"Jack." He turned towards her and watched as she came up along side of him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He pulled her close and laid his cheek upon her head. Somewhere deep in his heart, he knew what she would say, but for the moment, he wanted to enjoy her presence. "We need to talk."

"I know what it is you wish to say, and though my heart denies it, my head knows better." He gently kissed her head before he looked down into her eyes.

"I do love you Jack, I really do! That you must know. But now that I see Will again, I cannot deny that part of my heart either." She closed her eyes lest the tears she felt welling up would escape. It was to no avail though as one slipped down her cheek only to be quickly wiped away by a gentle caress. "I agree with you on what we should do with the chest. Will is being selfish where you are not."

Jack just nodded, knowing that she was desperately trying to change the subject before she completely broke his heart. It was a valiant attempt, but only an attempt it would remain. The damage was done, but somehow he expected it. When he had allowed himself to love her that first night, he knew that it was ephemeral, like most things in his life. It wasn't her fault that she loved Will more; that was just the crazy games the heart played.

"I know, Lizzie. But I have one thing to ask of you."

She turned in his embrace to face him fully, looking deep into his eyes questioningly. "Anything. Just name it and it is yours."

Instead of answering her, Jack just leant down and kissed her lips softly. Then he captured them for a lazy and slow passionate kiss. When they broke apart, they both had tears in their eyes. She let her head fall upon his shoulder for a moment, reveling in the comfort his presence brought. She then straightened and bid him a goodnight before returning to the cabin where Will lay upon the bed.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

He was comfortable in his dreams; everything that had happened over the past few months disappeared from his mind as he lay in the darkness. Then the cooling sensation stopped. It took him a moment to drift to full awareness, but when he did, he saw the door to the cabin closing softly. He sighed as he realized what it was that had pulled him from the realm of bliss; someone had stopped bathing his fevered body in the cool water.

He was about to try to drift off back to sleep when he saw the silhouettes of two people embracing out on the deck. Struggling to sit up, Will managed to get out of bed and over to the cabin door. Opening it slightly and leaning heavily against the doorjamb, he looked out and saw who was upon the deck. It was Jack and Elizabeth. He could tell they were talking, but what words they spoke, he knew not. A pang of emotional pain raced through his chest at the way they held one another with such love and care. He was about to turn away, giving them privacy when he saw them kiss. His stomach tightened in knots and suddenly each pain in his body flared to new heights.

He stumbled back into the room, not closing the door as he crashed down onto the bed. A gasp escaped his lips as the pain took hold for a moment, then the tears came. Sliding down his cheeks in small rivers, he silently wept until she reentered the room. He was so blinded by his own tears that he didn't notice hers. She never looked down at her charge, but rather walked straight over to window and let her own silent tears fall.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

TBC . . .

A/N: Thank you to all the reviewers. I hope you like the second part. If you do, please let me know. An artist likes to know when their work isappriciated. Plus positivie reviews help feed my muse, which means faster updates! So, thanks again and please review!

LOSTinME