A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Short chapter, sry.

Disclaimer: PotC belongs to Disney.

Oh, why is it always this? Why is it always me?!

I took a breath and glared at Merlow.

"Get. Away. From me," I whispered.

"Actually," said Merlow smoothly, "it should be you getting away. You and--ah, it's the amazing Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"Yes," agreed Jack. "Now, if you'll allow me to take my bonnie lass..."

"No."

"Get away from me!" I shouted. My hands found my sword and grasped the handle.

"You don't know the story behind my pistol, do you?"

"I do. What about it? You go killing innocents and don't even give them a chance once the bloody bullet touches them!"

"Pirate."

I drew out my sword.

"Ah," said Merlow. "Has Sparrow not told you anything else? Perhaps that the prophecy says that the owner of this pistol is immortal?"

Jack opened his mouth and closed it again.

I'm sick of immortality!

"So you might want to think twice about stabbing me. Let's see now... I believe I know why you're on my ship. You want something of Jack's, or rather, it's now mine. According to Pirate Code."

Liar! Without thinking, without bothering to contemplate what would happen, I pushed his arm away from me and plunged the sword into his chest.

Merlow staggered back with his arms up and pulled the trigger of his pistol. I heard a shrill cry as the bullet hit a seagull in the sky and it dropped into the water. Crimson blood gushed from around my sword, which was still sticking out of him. He pulled it out and looked at the thick red liquid with interest before dropping it on the deck. In a few seconds, the wound stopped bleeding. In fact, all the blood was gone, and the tear in his clothing repaired. Merlow stood up, as well as he had been before.

"Oh," I said slowly, feeling extremely thick, "I--er--I was curious. I just wanted to see what would happen."

"I have to ask," said Jack, "does that hurt?"

"Only a little," said Merlow, and pointed his pistol at Jack.

Jack held up his hands.

"I believe," he said. "That it would be extremely beneficial of you to hand over the beneficial item that belongs to me, and therefore protecting your beneficial places of treasure. I do happen to know where your beneficial places of treasure are. Savvy?"

"No. I could just kill you now."

"No, you couldn't," I said fiercely.

"And why not?"

In way of answer, I stepped in front of the pistol.

"Kill me."

Merlow frowned.

"Bloody prophecy."

"Elizabeth," said Jack warningly.

"Jack, I've made my decision."

"Oh, you're in love," said Merlow. "And you're willing to die for Sparrow. How terribly noble. Or nobly terrible."

"I'm inclined to do what is right," I hissed.

"Yes, yes," said Merlow boredly. "All right, let's have our negotiation."

"We want Jack's possesion and for you never to harm anything to do with the Black Pearl," I said.

"And what's my part of that?" said Merlow.

"You can have another crew member," said Jack slyly. "You can have Will Turner."

"Jack!" I exclaimed.

"All right, then, not the whelp."

"I want," said Merlow suddenly, "a share of your treasure."

"You've got enough," said Jack annoyedly.

"I want a share of your treasure."

"You can have ten percent of me plunder in a month, in Tortuga."

"Agreed."

Jack and Merlow shook hands.

"Hand it over, then," I said.

Merlow disappeared below deck and reappeared a few minutes later holding a golden necklace. The pendant showed two hearts entwined.

Jack snatched it from Merlow's hand.

"We'd best be going now."

"Remember the bargain," sneered Merlow as we swung back.

"Jack," I said immediately. "What is that?"

"This," said Jack quietly, showing me the necklace, making the sunlight sparkle off the surface of the gold, "is an ancient treasure that I paid a fortune for from Tia Dalma."

"What does it do?" I whispered.

"It grants a woman and her lover eternal happiness."