A/N: As promised, it's been a week and here's the next chapter! Thanks for all the encouraging reviews! XD

As the ocean sun loomed over the Singaporean port, two beautiful ships made their way through the waters, sailing steadily one behind the other. Taking up the lead was a well made Eastern style pirate ship, the name in kanji written across the side of it, and huge red sails rising on the masts. Following a length behind it was another beautiful vessel, black sails flowing silkily in the wind as it went.

Perched behind the wheel of the Black Pearl, Barbossa stood, a cranky look of despise pasted upon his face. He hated being told what to do, and it made all the more dislikable that Jack Sparrow had been the man who'd done the bossing. Barbossa had felt that he had been one step ahead of his rival, but as always, Jack had sticky fingers and had easily made things favor his will. To top it all off, Barbossa knew he still didn't have a map, which made him exactly like a puppy, as Jack had put it, because all he could do was follow along and hope for the best. The most he knew of the Fountain of Youth's whereabouts was that it was around the island of Cuba, recently discovered and distinctly remote.

//-//-//-//-//

In a much better mood, Jack Sparrow sat alone in a chair in a guest's room on the Singaporean ship manned by Elizabeth. Before him was a desk, and on the desk lay a particular map, illuminated by a candle. Jack was looking intently at the mark on the map entitled, Fountain of Youth. The Fountain's mark was on the inner most circle on the map, and Jack's hands reached to fiddle with the ring circling it. He rolled it until a few words were distinguishable above the Fountain of Youth. Death awaits the unique. How strange it was. After Jack had pondered for a few moments' time and came back to himself still with no answer, he decided that it was time to consult the so called Captain. Besides that, he was looking forward to having a little chat.

Jack rolled the map back into a scroll and put inside his jacket, not changing the circles' positions. He picked up the candle in its holder and moved it to the nightstand beside his cot and then turned to leave his quarters. He walked out onto the deck of the ship and, moving quickly, pulled the arm of one the Singaporean crew members and stopped him. The man stared at him in question.

"You, you can read, aye?"

The man slowly nodded.

"Then what's this blasted ship's name?"

"DeLurk." The man spoke so quickly that Jack wasn't sure of what he had heard.

"English please?"

"The Lurker…"

"Ah." Jack smiled thoughtfully and loosened his grip on the man's arm and he scuttled away.

Jack then continued on to the ship's stairways that led up to the wheel, where hopefully Elizabeth would be. Jack poked his head over one the stairs to look, and yes, Elizabeth was steering the wheel, looking a little apprehensive. Jack finished walking up the stairs and tapped Elizabeth on her shoulder, and she looked around with her eyes flashing in the light of the setting sun.

"What is it, Jack?"

"That's still Captain, to you, Captain Turner."

Elizabeth turned her head.

"I just thought you might like to be relieved of your-"

"I'm perfectly comfortable manning the wheel. Why would I want to relinquish the wheel to you anyways?"

Jack felt a bit taken aback by Elizabeth's hostility, "Just thought you might be tired, mate. Besides, do you even know what you're doing?"

Elizabeth took in a breath defiantly. "It's better to learn now so that I'll be able to do it when you're not here to pester me."

Jack smiled for the first time. "Then, seeing as you claim to be learning, allow me to give you a few pointers."

Hesitantly, Elizabeth finally nodded after a few seconds. Jack stepped behind her and put his arms around her own, grasping the pegs on the wheel where her own were. "You're steering it all wrong, love." He whispered, and Elizabeth inhaled sharply.

"How can you steer wrong when you're going in a straight line…?" Elizabeth asked, her voice slightly rasping.

Jack, still smiling, elaborated, "Well, you see the waves? Good. If you notice, they're coming in against the ship, so to say you're sailing against the current-"

Elizabeth quickly interrupted, "If I sailed with the current I'd be going back to Singapore."

Jack nodded behind her, "Yes, I know. Unfortunately sailing against the current is necessary for you now. But, if you were to angle the ship slightly to one side, it'd be much easier."

At this, Jack's hands gripped her own slightly tighter and he pulled the wheel slightly to the right, and in response Elizabeth felt the ship beneath her angle just slightly and sure enough, it sailed slightly quicker. After a few moments Elizabeth cleared her throat and Jack promptly released her hands and stepped away. She turned around and smiled meekly. "Thanks."

Jack nodded, his smile widened. "But if you'd be so kind as to listen to another few words I have…"

Elizabeth nodded.

"Goody." Jack pulled the map out from his pocket and unrolled it, holding it out in his hands.

Elizabeth stepped back so that she was in line with Jack and she could see clearly the lay of the map. She'd seen it once before when Barbossa had been looking at it while they sailed to the end of the world, but now it was arranged differently. She saw labeled, The Fountain of Youth, and above it the words Death awaits the unique.

"Not sure what it means, love, but thought you'd like to see it." Jack said softly as he too looked at the map.

Elizabeth squinted in thought, her eyes scanning the rest of the map. She looked to the right of the words above the Fountain and saw that they read out something as well. Life is the reward.

"Any idea what that means?"

Jack glanced at it as well and sighed. "Not a clue."

After a few more minutes, Jack rolled the map up once again and replaced it in his coat, turning to leave Elizabeth. She faintly called him back.

"Jack?"

He turned his head, his eyes sparkling. The sun had set now, and the moon in the sky could be seen. "Hmm?"

Elizabeth smiled, "How did you get to Singapore? I didn't see a ship of any sort."

Jack grinned in amusement. "Dolphins, mate."

Elizabeth gazed curiously. "What happened to sea turtles?"

Jack turned completely around and straightened up. "Well, sea turtles have served me well throughout my times at sea, but I have found that dolphins do just as good, better actually."

"Oh…indeed…" Elizabeth replied.

Jack swiftly came forward and Elizabeth gave him a look of wonder.

"Elizabeth…is it true, that you've been married off?"

For the first time Elizabeth swore she saw something of hurt in Jack Sparrow's eyes, and she felt a stab at her heart.

She nodded slowly. "Yes. Yes, that is accurate."

She heard Jack sigh. "I told you it wouldn't have worked between us, and you told me the same once." She said softly.

Jack met her gaze once more and smiled, but the sparkle was gone from his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I suppose we were right then." With that he turned around and walked off, muttering, "I need some rum."

Elizabeth watched him go sadly. She'd thought she long since gotten over her somewhat of a crush on Jack Sparrow, and now she felt as if she'd just broken his heart. But why should she care? Will was who she loved, and he was who she should care about…not Jack. It wasn't possible that…No. No, she firmly told herself. That was not an option. She sharply turned on her toes and returned to the wheel, gazing out into the new night, glittered with stars.

//-//-//-//-//

By the next morning Elizabeth was exhausted from a night of continuous steering and gazing. She didn't know how any of the other pirate captains could manage without sleep. Perhaps that was why they had first mates…She yawned sleepily, wondering if she was even headed for the right direction anymore. She didn't even have a compass. She sighed just as steps were heard and she turned her head to see Jack coming up from the deck. He smiled cheerily and walked over to her.

"Alright, my shift now."

Without any resistance Elizabeth let go of the wheel and slunk away. When Jack was sure she had truly left, he pulled out his compass and opened it up. For the first time in a long time the needle swung between directly behind him and off to his left, and he knew it was torn between two. Jack frowned and shook it a bit until the needle reluctantly swung to his left and stayed there. Satisfied, Jack put the compass away and adjusted the Lurker's course. Over the night the current had changed slightly, making it easier to sail to the left.

Without warning visions from his sleep returned to him, haunting his mind. He closed his eyes tightly and reopened them, trying to clear his head. He'd had a horrible night's sleep, but he wasn't going to mention that to anyone. As far as he was concerned, nothing different or strange had happened. Everything was normal. Nothing unusual.

Without warning the Lurker suddenly jerked to the right and water splashed everywhere. Jack nearly lost his footing and fell over, but his hands gripped firmly upon the wheel provided balance. When the ship straightened out, he hurried to look over the railing out into the water. Behind him he heard anxious footsteps coming up the stairs and on cue Elizabeth was leaning over beside him.

"What was that!?" She asked loudly.

"Don't know…"

Elizabeth gazed behind The Lurker at the Pearl and wondered if it had noticed anything. Before her eyes she saw the Pearl jerk to the right just as the Lurker had done seconds before. She punched Jack's arm and he jerked his head to look as well.

"There must have been something down there…" Elizabeth said slowly.

Jack nodded, his eyes dark with thought. "Or maybe…someone…"

Elizabeth exchanged a look with him of curiosity and then a horrible roar was heard.

They both shot over to the railing on the right, the side from which the roar had sounded. There were a few moments of daunting silence that seemed to drift by as if they were hours of anticipation. Just when Elizabeth was beginning to think whatever it was had gone away, the water began swirling beside them, and something was rising up from the center of the swirling water. There was another piercing roar of hatred as the huge serpent rose higher and higher, it's yellow eyes gazing down at the two ships it was hovering over. With what would have been a smirk had it been human, the serpent lunged forward and it's long neck shot after its head and it returned to the water, causing a terrific wave to shoot into the air and come splattering onto the ships, and the two vessels were flung to their left. Both Jack and Elizabeth had their ribs flung into the railings painfully, and they both knew that this was going to be a bit of a worrisome dilemma.