----
Peter, Sarah and Kimmi were enjoying the new adventure and were playing tag with Elizabeth on the deck in front of me a few days after our first trial. Will came up behind me and sat down on the stair above me.
"Amanda," he began.
"Mmm," I mumbled. My mind was miles away.
"What do you do if the person you love is...unfaithful?"
I started playing with my hair. "Elizabeth was unfaithful to you?"
"She kissed Jack."
"Well then, we both have reason to be upset."
"How do you..." He stopped. "Why do they..." He stopped again, trying to find the right words.
I smiled as I looked off into the distance. "I was unfaithful to Jack once. I was a prisoner on The Pearl when Jack was marooned the first time and I kissed your father while he was gone." I heard Will move a little in surprise. "Sometimes you have feelings for someone that you don't love and you have to explore them, even if they amount to nothing. I would say that Elizabeth was getting her feelings for Jack out of her system."
"But what if they aren't gone? What if she loves him now instead of me?"
I swallowed. I wouldn't like that at all, but I said nothing. I got up and turned to Will.
"Well then, you're just going to have to ask her that yourself."
"Look! There's something off the port bow!" We all looked at one of the crew who was leaning over the side of the ship and pointing to the sea. I walked to him. His eyes were glued to the sea.
"Emily! You came back from the dead!" He jumped into the ocean.
"No!" I cried and grabbed at thin air. He was gone. "Children, stay away from the sea," I shouted behind me. I looked down at the sea and saw Jack in the clear water.
"Amanda," he whispered as he reached for me. It didn't sound like him, but I didn't care. My feet moved unbidden on top of the railing, but I didn't notice. All I saw was Jack staring up at me. "Come back to me, Amanda." I nodded and prepared to jump into the sea after him. Before I could jump, I felt something grab me and I fell onto the deck. I fought. I had to get back to Jack!
A strong hand slapped my face and my head began to clear. Will shifted under me. His arms were wrapped around my waist and my fingernails were digging into them. I removed my hands as he let me go. Before I could get up, I shouted to Barbossa.
"Full force, Barbossa! We must get out of here as soon as possible! Order everyone to stay away from the edge of the ship. Don't look into the sea!" I took Will's hands and he helped me up.
"What was that?" he said as he tried to catch his breath.
My face was stone. "I don't know."
"You're bleeding, Will." Elizabeth pushed up one of his sleeves and looked at his bleeding arm. "Let me fix that." She quickly took him below deck.
----
Elizabeth took out the medicine kit and set it on the table before Will. He cradled his arm as she took out a cloth and got it wet.
"That looks awful," she breathed as she washed it off.
Will grinned, but his mind was miles away. "She fights hard when it comes to Jack."
Elizabeth began to wrap his arm with an extreme look of jealousy on her face. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you have feelings for her."
Will looked up at her and locked her gaze. "What do you care? It seems pretty clear to me that you love Jack now."
Elizabeth tied his wrap roughly. "That's nonsense. I don't love Jack. I love you." She touched his cheek, but he quickly removed it.
"I saw you kiss him."
Elizabeth looked down and then back up. "So what? It doesn't mean anything."
Will touched her temple and she closed her eyes. "You are hiding something." She opened her eyes, but said nothing. "If we cannot be honest with each other, then this is never going to work. Tell me what's wrong."
Elizabeth licked her lips. "I kissed Jack so I could tie him to the mast." Will sighed and looked away. "It meant nothing to me, Will." Will looked back at her. "The Kraken was after him, not us. It was the only way."
Will took his hand away. "So you sent him to his death? You let him die when we could have saved him?" Will slammed his hands on the table and got up.
Elizabeth put her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry, Will."
Will brushed his hair back with his hands in silent frustration. "Don't apologize to me. Apologize to your widowed cousin." The sound of his heavy footsteps going up the stairs weighed heavily on Elizabeth's heart.
----
Will and Elizabeth remained silent for the next few days. I decided to invite them to dine with me in my quarters. They came on time dressed in their finest. The room was silent as they sat down and I served the first - and only - course: fish. I sat down and put my napkin in my lap. I looked at the solemn pair, seated on both sides of the table.
"So, Davy Jones' Kraken must've been very powerful to kill Jack." I cut into my fish. "I can imagine the way Jack must have felt when he battled it. Sacrificing himself to save everyone." I smiled. "I always knew that there was a hero in him." Will wouldn't meet my eyes and Elizabeth put her hand over her mouth as she started crying.
"Cousin," she got out through tears. "I'm so sorry."
I looked up at her and put some fish into my mouth. "It's quite alright, Elizabeth. One learns to cope with death over time."
"No," she said to stop me. "You don't understand. I-" She stopped to catch her breath. "I sent Jack to his death. If it wasn't for me, he would still be alive."
I dropped my silverware. "What?" I breathed.
"The Kraken was after him, not us. I shackled Jack to the mast so we could escape. It wasn't his idea." She swallowed. "He's not a hero."
I fumbled with my dishes, knocking over my glass and tipping my plate. "What?" I repeated.
Elizabeth burst into tears. "I'm so sorry, Amanda."
My eyes misted over as I got up and tripped over my chair. Somehow, I got to the door of my cabin and left.
----
The next day, Elizabeth approached me at the helm. I looked at my compass and checked our heading, then I put it away.
"Yes, Elizabeth."
"Amanda, please forgive me. I told Jack that I wasn't sorry, but I truly am. I had no idea that he had a family."
"You were forgiven before you asked for it, Elizabeth. I hold no grudge against you. You did what you had to." I let go of the helm for a second and hugged her. In that split second, the ship hit a sand bar and stopped.
"We've run aground," Barbossa said, stating the obvious. Jack's island was ahead us about half a mile.
"Alright, Will and Mr. Gibbs. You two go and get him. The rest of us will get the ship off of the sand bar."
Will didn't move. "Why aren't you going?"
"It was part of our agreement. I do not want Jack to know that I'm on board."
"Dress up like a man and go," Elizabeth suggested.
"He knows my body's shape. It won't fool him."
Gibbs climbed down and jumped into the shallow water. Will gave Elizabeth a kiss on the cheek.
"We'll be back with him."
----
Will wiped the sweat from his brow as he and Gibbs trudged through the knee deep water. They had been going for about twenty minutes.
"Jack better be nearby," Will said as he and Gibbs set foot on the island.
Gibbs scratched his head. "Funny, this island reminds me of something, but I can't remember what it is." They stood for a second.
"Tortuga," they said at the same time.
----
Ho hum, what shall I think up next? Lol (Rubs hands together. Evil laugh) Just kidding…maybe….