A/N: Yes, hello, there...in the words of a great man: "As you can see...I am not dead!" Honestly I could go on forever about the things I've been doing but that's not why you're here. I am very busy but I felt the need for a creative outlet again so here it is. Not sure what sparked me to choose this fic over all others, but, hey, if you're here than you're probably glad I picked this one. Looking back at the first part of this fic, I realized how young I was when I wrote it. *shudder* Read it if you want, but honestly it isn't much and you probably won't miss anything by not reading it. Mostly because of that the first two or so chapters are going to be a bit exposition-heavy, so hang in there for a minute I promise it won't be so exposition-y for long! If you're still with me: thanks again for your support. I write mostly for some sort of therapy to myself but it's always a nice feeling to share my creative things and have other people enjoy them too :)

Chapter One

The day started off as any other, rather uneventful considering the recent chaos that plagued Port Royal only months ago. Morning brought with it all of the seemingly ritualistic movements and sounds. Shopkeepers preparing to open their stores, receiving goods from the ships that entered harbor in the early hours of the morning. The sound of the military drills carried down from the fort and rose above the sounds of townspeople bustling about. Every morning, Jessica would wade through all of this to get to her most beloved spot in the entire town. This morning is no different, she sat perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the mouth of the harbor. From here she can see not only the entire town, but the vast, endless ocean stretching all the way to the horizon. The morning light glinted off of the top of the water, making it shimmer like a thousand treasures. It has been far too long since Jessica was last out there, sailing across the world's vast seas. That is why she makes the difficult journey to this spot almost every morning, to at least admire the beauty of the sea. The last time she was on the ocean was on the voyage back from Isla de Muerta. She tells herself that a break from being on the ocean is probably for the best, she had been held captive on the Black Pearl for eight years. However, deep down, she knows she could never tire of sailing the open waters. Sailing is in her blood, after all.

A few hours later she climbed down from her perch, needing to get on with her daily tasks. On a normal day, she would have already been at the docks working as an extra hand. It took some convincing, and a favor from the governor, but the dock crew eventually gave her a job. It hadn't taken her long to prove to the other workers she was capable around ships, despite their protests against her being a woman. Sure, a pampered townswoman may not have known her way around ships, but Jessica Sparrow was no townswoman. But, despite starting as any other day would, this day was not a normal one. Jessica had been looking forward to this day for some time now, albeit with mixed emotions. She made her way around town, picking up important items for the day, trying to finish before the afternoon. After dropping off a few items at the church, she made her way back to Mr. Brown's blacksmith shop.

Living in the loft of a blacksmith's shop wasn't as bad as it first sounded. Besides, she didn't really have to pay anything to live here. She wasn't sure Mr. Brown even knew she was living in his loft. Most of the time he was too drunk to notice anything. She still decided to support her other needs with a job, she couldn't just live off of Will's charity forever. She did not see any sign of Mr. Brown. She looked around for a moment, wondering where Will had gone off to, when a voice came from the back of the shop.

"Well, how do I look?" the familiar voice asked.

Will stepped out of a back doorway, dressed in fine clothes with a grin on his face. An image from her childhood flashed before Jessica's eyes. A young boy, dressed in ragged clothes, holding up a small dagger like a sword, asking the same question. "Like a pirate," she had teased then. Now, words escaped her.

"Is it really that bad?" Will asked, laughing away worry.

"No, sorry- I...you look great," Jessica responded with a smile.

An additional benefit of living at the blacksmith's was that Jessica had plenty of time to talk to Will, allowing them to rekindle the close friendship they had shared as children. Above everything, that is what she loved about living in Port Royal. In this time, she had also gotten to know Elizabeth far more than she had in the time they were on the Pearl together. It had not taken Jessica long to realize why Will had fallen for her. That is why this day is so special, this is the day Will and Elizabeth were to be married.

Jessica spent the next few hours with Will, intending to walk over to the church with him. Elizabeth was being fussed over by her maids at the governor's mansion. That was the last place Jessica would ever see herself. Elizabeth had asked her father for the favor for Jessica to get her job, but a mansion was no place for a pirate. It took Jessica saying this outright to Elizabeth to get her to realize that. Elizabeth hardly cared, but people might talk. The last thing she wanted was for Elizabeth's reputation to be tarnished any more than it had been when she chose Will over Commodore Norrington. Nor was Jessica about to sit at the church with a bunch of socialites. Besides, she wouldn't be caught dead in a dress, let alone alive in one. She hoped her appearance wouldn't cause too much trouble for Elizabeth on her wedding day. No, the blacksmith's shop would do fine. She could tell Will was nervous, so she did her best to calm him down.

"You love Elizabeth, don't you?" Jessica said more than asked.

"More than anything," Will replied.

"Then nothing will be able to stand between you. Relax, everything will work out."

"How optimistic of you, where did the old Jessica go?" Will teased.

She smiled, "I am certain of very few things, but this is one thing I do not doubt. No matter what happens, you and Elizabeth will get through it, together. A few years back, I met an old woman, crossed paths with her when the Black Pearl once made port. She claimed to be able to read the stars, claimed she knew things about the world no one else could. Something she said has always seemed to stay with me. She said, 'There are some bonds that are written in the stars. From the moment the world came to be, these bonds formed, and never shall they break.' I am not a spiritual person, it isn't in my nature, but the bond you and Elizabeth share...that is something written in the stars."

At first,Will only looked at her in response, and Jessica started to feel heat rising in her cheeks. She crossed the line, said something ridiculous, and now Will had no idea how to respond. Seconds later she realized she was worried for no reason.

"That means a lot, Jess, it really does. Thank you," Will said.

They were about to leave for the church when the wind suddenly shifted, blowing the unmistakable scent of rain through the open windows. Jessica heard the distant rumbling of thunder as the sky darkens. None of this boded well for the primarily outdoor wedding that was supposed to take place. Any hope of this being a passing storm vanished when the torrential rain started. Will and Jessica merely stand in the middle of the shop, watching the rain with dismay. Through the rain and thunder, Jessica heard another distinctive noise, numerous boots on the ground.

"Something isn't right," she said quietly to Will, reaching for her sword.

In that same moment, the front door of the blacksmith's shop was kicked in, producing a noise that rivaled the thunder. Almost instinctively, Jessica jumped back, raising her sword. She dropped her sword into the dirt when a dozen soldiers filed into the shop and raised their bayonets. A higher-rank officer walked in and pointed at Jessica.

"Arrest her," he said.

Will stepped protectively between Jessica and the soldier that was about to arrest her.

"She's done nothing wrong. The governor granted her clemency," Will said, anger creeping into his voice.

"I'm afraid Governor Swann no longer has the final say in the matter," the officer said, brandishing another set of irons. "Which means the same terms no longer apply to you either."

When she imagined walking with Will to the church, Jessica did not imagine the two of them being in shackles or being flanked by dozens of soldiers. On top of everything, both of them were now soaked to the bone from the pouring rain. Though she tried very hard to ignore it, Jessica started to feel fear rise inside her. These are not just shackles for her, they are a death sentence. She could vaguely hear Will talking to her, but the worry inside her blended his voice into the sound of the pelting rain. She was so consumed with worry that she did not even begin to wonder why they were heading toward the church instead of the jail.

"Everything will work out, remember?" she finally heard Will say.

He gave her a comforting smile, which she tried to return, but, truly, she was not so sure. The soldiers brought them under a breezeway, where the wedding guests had gathered to escape the rain. The soldiers formed a half-circle around Jessica and Will, pushing the guests back some. Elizabeth ran in from outside, where she had been sitting in the rain, when she saw them. She too was soaked, wedding dress and all. Her hair, surely once styled gorgeously, now hung around her face in wet ringlets.

"Will!" she exclaimed, running up to him. "Why is this happening?"

"I don't know," Will responded, trying to sound comforting. "You look beautiful."

She smiled for a moment, but started to frown again as she spoke.

"I think it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding," she said, dolefully.

This was supposed to be a day of happiness, instead it had been turned into a day of grief.

Everything became slightly clearer when Jessica finally noticed the man with his back to them. He was dressed in a long, black cloak and was a few feet in front of them, looking out over the flooded wedding scene. Jessica could not see his face, but the cloak she recognized. Anyone wearing a cloak like that did not hold any good will toward people associated with pirates. Her gaze did not leave the man, even as she heard Governor Swann trying to make his way through the crowd.

"Let me through!" the governor exclaimed, angrily. "How dare you! Stand your men down at once! Do you hear me?!"

The man in the black cloak turned around slowly, handing his cloak to one of the soldiers. Jessica immediately felt as if she was going to faint. Her face flushed white and her blood ran cold. She took a step backwards, only to be blocked by the soldiers. Fear threatened to strangle her if she was unable to get away from this man. Will looked at her, his eyes exuding worry, but she hardly noticed. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

"Governor Weatherby Swann, it's been too long," the man said.

His voice sent chills through Jessica, her mind still reeling.

"Cutler Beckett!" Governor Swann said in shock.

"It's Lord, now, actually," Beckett responded curtly.

"Lord or not, you have no reason and no authority to arrest these two!" Governor Swann said, motioning to Will and Jessica.

When Lord Beckett's eyes passed over Jessica, she tried to act unaffected. Belatedly, she realized it's much too late for that, she had already been undone by the mere sight of him. As he looked back at Governor Swann, Jessica believed she noticed a slight smirk in his expression.

"In fact I do. Mr. Mercer!" Beckett called.

Another man walked up beside Beckett and opened a leather case. Beckett picked up a folded, sealed piece of parchment and handed it to Governor Swann.

"The arrest warrant for one William Turner," he paused and shuffled through the papers before handing the governor another.

"And one Jessica Sparrow."

This time there was no mistaking it as Beckett stared directly at Jessica. The corner of his mouth twitched upwards in a cold smirk. It was everything Jessica could do not to let tears come to her eyes. Years of thinking she had finally escaped the notice of the East India Company and its cruel mercenaries, all for him to show up and prove her wrong. Absently, Jessica noticed Will squeezing her hand comfortingly in his own. She finally shook the fog from her mind and noticed both Will and Elizabeth looking at her with worried expressions. Had she really looked that afraid?

"This warrant is for Elizabeth Swann!"

The governor's shocked exclamation threw a new wave of worry through the trio.

"Oh, is it? That's annoying. My mistake. Arrest her," Beckett said flatly.

Soldiers immediately moved to pry Elizabeth from Will's side.

"On what charges?!" Elizabeth protested.

Will struggled against the soldiers holding him as the others started to clasp irons around Elizabeth's wrists. Jessica could do nothing but glare seethingly at Beckett, resolved to watch his every move. There was no doubt in her mind this was all a show of power.

"Ah ha! Here's the one for William Turner. And I have another one for a Mr. James Norrington. Is he present?" Beckett said, holding up a final paper.

"What are the charges!?" Elizabeth demanded once more.

"Commodore Norrington resigned his commission some months ago," Governor Swann replied.

"I don't believe that was the answer to the question I asked," Beckett replied.

"Lord Beckett, in the category of questions not answered—" Will stated firmly.

"We are under the jurisdiction of the King's Governor of Port Royal. You will tell us what we are charged with," Elizabeth demanded.

"The charge is 'conspiring to set free a man convicted of crimes against the Crown and Empire, and condemned to death. For which, the p—'"

"For which the punishment, regrettably, is also death," Beckett finished when Governor Swann faltered.

Jessica, Will, and Elizabeth looked between one another with grim expressions.

"Perhaps you remember a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow," Beckett stated rather than asked.

"Captain!" the three of them interjected simultaneously.

"Captain Jack Sparrow," Elizabeth corrected.

"Captain Jack Sparrow. Yes, I thought you might."

Whatever Cutler Beckett wants with Jack, Jessica knows it can't be good.

The three of them were swiftly escorted to the jail and placed in individual cells. As the soldiers left, Jessica rubbed her wrists where the shackles once were. Outside, the rain still continued its downpour in a silent lament for the three doomed souls. Jessica slid down the back wall of the cell, the cool stone cutting into her back. She closed her eyes and drew in deep breaths, still trying to recenter her mind after that unfortunate encounter. She hears Elizabeth and Will exchanging comforting words to one another between their cells. Her own incarceration she understood. If she didn't know Beckett, she would wonder why two innocent people also had to be dragged into this. But Lord Cutler Beckett was nothing if not ambitious. Trapping three people into whatever scheme he had up his sleeve increased his chances of succeeding.

"Jessica, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked from across Will's cell.

"Your wedding day just got ruined and ended with you being arrested, and you're asking if I'm alright?" Jessica replied with a grin. "Never let her go, Will."

"I don't intend to. But you already know that. Stop deflecting blows, Jess. What's the matter?"

Damn him, Jessica mused to herself.

"Who is that man to you, Jessica?" Will insisted after she didn't answer his first question.

"Cutler Beckett," Jessica said slowly, feeling the name drip like poison from her lips, "is the cruelest man I have ever had the misfortune of crossing paths with."

She could practically feel them hanging on her every word as she continued.

"He was an agent with the East India Trading Company, though I'm sure his…promotion means he's more than just that now. Now he undoubtedly holds what he's been striving for — more power. Though that small increase will hardly satisfy him. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. We're nothing more than tools to him. Strategic pieces to use to get what he really wants. Do not underestimate him and do not trust him. You two may have a chance to get out of this, to get away from him. But him being here means only one thing for me: death."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked almost immediately.

"I'm worse than just a pirate to him. I'm family to Jack Sparrow. That alone more than doubles my slights against his world-view. I cannot be allowed to live. He had his chance before and failed, I'm certain he won't fail again."

A/N: Hope you enjoyed. I'm trying to hold myself to a weekly/bi-weekly update schedule but I am very very busy atm so updates may or may not fall on the same days. I'm shooting for Fridays but I wanted to put this out while I had the time.