A/N- I had this idea about halfway through Saltwater for Tears and it just wouldn't let go. So, after receiving such enthusiastic support for its predecessor, I proceeded with all due haste to write this one. After all, there wasn't a moment to be lost. I couldn't leave Stephen and Cora hanging that way! So, here it goes!

This is a sequel to my other fanfiction, Saltwater for Tears. If you haven't read that, this probably won't make much sense. Both are sequels to the POTC quintet I wrote with a friend (starting with the Mystery of Moonlight), but they have enough information from that to stand alone.

This is slightly AU for both POTC (particularly Dead Man's Chest) and Master and Commander (particularly the wonderful books by Patrick O'Brian). I'm doing an odd combination of bookverse and movieverse, so I kind of straddle both canons. Sorry for any confusion!

Dedicated to everyone who cried at the end of the first one (especially silverwolf of the night, who cried for the ship.)
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Chapter One
A Noteworthy Discovery
in which ghosts are raised

June 20, 1812

Stephen Maturin stared at the wide crystal expanse of the Caribbean sea, specifically at the place where a ship was meant to be. He was too exhausted by their frantic run to the docks to be as unhappy as Jack Aubrey, his particular friend, who had just finished reading the note left to them with their sea chests.

"It's the damnedest thing, Stephen, but it appears that Tom has gone and left without us. He received urgent orders to go off in search of some privateer in these waters and since we were off chasing your bird we just missed him. He couldn't wait for us. The note says he'll be back to retrieve us in no less than two weeks, unless they can capture the privateer before then."

Jack was clearly devastated; land was bad enough, but an island this small could possibly drive him mad. Port Royal had certainly seen better days. It was a dingy, sleepy town now, one so small they would likely know all of it and its every inhabitant before their first week was up.

Stephen was neither disappointed nor elated at this turn of events. All throughout their journey with Tom Pullings on his post-ship the HMS Renown as honored guests he'd felt a strange sort of discontent, a feeling so deep he doubted having solid land beneath his feet would eradicate it. It was the feeling that caused animals to run for high ground. It was the feeling that said something was coming, and all he could do was wait for the storm to break.

"Don't be distressed, joy," He said presently. "Rest will certainly do us no harm. In fact I rather think we need it. The first thing to do is find somewhere to stay."

They were just turning away from the quay when a small boy, no older than eight, came running to them. He carried with him a large basket overflowing with different types of plants and shells.

"Are you part of the Navy, sir?" He asked Jack without a preamble. He spoke with faint traces of an English accent, but his skin was tanned and freckled by many hours of sun.

"I am a Captain, lad."

"Where's your ship?"

"It seems to have left us."

"Oh," He looked crestfallen. "And who are you?" He cocked his head at Stephen, the sunlight catching his eyes. They were light in color, perhaps grey or blue. It was difficult to say.

"I am a doctor on this captain's ship. My name is Stephen Maturin." He glanced at Jack, prompting him.

"Jack Aubrey."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." The boy put a knuckle to his forehead in a surprisingly good salute. "My name is Dominic."

"If your ship left you, do you have a place to stay?" The boy asked. The sunlight played through his hair, which was a dark brown. He wore it long, and it was softly curled.

"No, not yet. We are about to set out in search of one."

"The inns here aren't very nice. Not for a captain." He said, wrinkling his nose in thought. Then his expression brightened. "I know, you can stay with me! Momma won't mind, I'm sure of it. Come with me!"

Without waiting for a response, the boy darted off. Bewildered, Jack and Stephen followed.

Port Royal was a very small town, but it was difficult to navigate because it had been built along no plan, buildings springing up wherever there was room or need. The boy clearly knew where he was going, so they had to stick close to him. He weaved through crowds that Jack and Stephen had to shoulder through, wheezing after long months at sea with no room to stretch their legs.

Dominic would pause for them to catch their breath every so often, and at one point he stopped beside a street that ended in the sea and pointed up to a large mansion on the hill.

"The governor used to live there, but he died a long time ago. He was my great-great-grandfather, and now my great-grandparents live up there."

"That's not where we're going, is it?" Jack muttered, estimating the time it would take them to get up that hill.

"I hope not. You'll bring on an apoplexy this way, Jack."

"I know, I know. Do let the subject lie, Stephen."

Dominic waited another moment or so, watching the sea heave nearby, then started off at a slower pace.

"I live just down here."

The street they walked down was rather quiet, and many of the buildings appeared abandoned, skeletons of what they once were. They were very old buildings. Oddly, many were marked by sulfur and smoke, and Jack spied a hole that would fit a large round shot exactly. There was a fort on the hill, and he remembered Port Royal as being a Navy stronghold in times past.

"Was this town ever besieged, lad? Do you know?"

"Oh, yes," Dominic replied. "By the Black Pearl, a long time ago."

Stephen felt a small icicle puncture his gut, although he could no accurately place where he'd heard the ship named before.

"Here is where I live." Dominic paused in front of an old two story building and then headed inside. Jack hit his head against the sign above the door, and walked in swearing. The sign had born a hammer and anvil and said Turner and Sons Blacksmith in old script.

"Is your mother at home? Your father?" Jack asked.

"Momma will return soon, but I don't have a father." He was already halfway up the stairs.

The first story had nothing but a dirt floor and a few old blacksmith's tools. It was tidy and neat, but had that empty feeling of a room whose purpose was past and was no longer lived in. It was a dead room.

The second story was light and airy, clean and simple, and full of life. The windows had been left open and a sea breeze stirred the curtains. A small table with a vase of flowers greeted them, and Dominic left his basket there.

"This room is mine," He said with proprietary pride, although the small room boasted nothing more than a bed, an old sea chest and a desk. The desk was covered with papers and different rocks and shells, even a few pieces of coral.

"Have you an interest in the study of nature?" Stephen asked.

"Yes sir, but my mother won't let me bring animals home to study. Not since I let the snake I found out of its cage so I could observe it and it crawled into her bed." He grinned cheekily. "She wasn't very happy about that."

"I'd imagine not." Stephen found himself smiling back. "I am a naturalist mysel-"

"I love the sea the most, though. My mother says it's in my blood." He turned to Jack. "I want to join the Navy, but she won't let me yet. She doesn't have the money for a commission right now, and she said she won't have any son of hers serving the Crown as anything less than an officer. I'm going to be a captain someday." He puffed up a bit at this. "Let me show you where you can stay. We have lots of extra room for when our friends come."

Dominic was off again before Stephen could try and pinpoint where the feeling he felt on hearing Dominic speak came from. They followed dutifully as he showed them into a large airy room at the very back of the house with a breathtaking view of the harbor. Two beds stood in opposite corners and a washstand sat between them. A simple silver bowl sat there, and beside it a pink piece of coral. On the other side of it was a small glass bottle with a model ship inside. Jack went over and picked it up, Stephen following.

"I think we should wait here until his mother comes home, and then ask her if it is quite proper for us to stay here. It would certainly be better than some rundown inn, I doubt there's a proper hotel in this place." He said in a low voice.

Jack grunted in assent and continued to turn the glass bottle end over end, observing every point of the ship. Dominic had disappeared, so Stephen sat on the bed and looked out at the sea. It was a restless shade of azure, thrashing against the shore and making all the ships in the harbor dance, tugging at their mooring lines with the ache to be free.

"Stephen," Jack began to say something, but at that moment they heard footsteps on the stairs down the hall.

"Momma!" Dominic cried.

"Hello, love. Mm, you smell of the sea. Did you go down to the harbor to collect your shells?"

"Yes, Momma, I have something to show you. I brought something else back. A surprise."

"Dominic Turner if you've brought another snake into this house-"

"No, Momma, it's a better surprise than that."

Stephen felt certain his heart had stopped. His hand was clenched on the windowsill. He knew that voice.

Dominic Turner?

"Stephen-" Jack began again. There were footsteps- they were coming closer. "Stephen-"

Stephen finally looked to Jack, who had moved to stand right beside him. Jack handed him the glass bottle with the ship inside and pointed to its stern. Even without his glasses Stephen could read the name.

The Lone Star Running

The door creaked open. Like one in a dream- or a nightmare -Stephen stood and met the eyes of the woman standing in the door. Dominic stood at her side, clutching her hand and looking up at her with the adoration of a child who sees in his mother his whole world.

"See, Momma? I told you it was a better surprise than a snake!"

The woman was Cora.

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A/N-- Dun dun dun! Okay, so maybe it was a bit obvious! But still, I had fun with that cliffie so I made it a short chapter. The next will be longer and it will feature some old POTC faves, so look out for that... reviews keep me alive!