۞

The three friends talked further into the night, taking note of the gathering lightning in the distance on the starboard side. Jack stroked his mustache thoughtfully and said, "What do you think, William? Have ye retained any of that superna… supernashru… wot is th' word?" He turned his head to the side, looking at absolutely no one... and then merely said, "... supernashrural... thank ye, mate..." Will looked at his friend, sadly... Jack had taken to talking to those shadows that inhabited his mind since his rescue from the Locker... shadows that only he could see.

"Tha's the word.. Supernashrural…Yeah, like I was sayin' … any of those talents from yer cursed time on th' Dutchman that ye can predict what tha' sight off starboard will present us wif?"

"It looks like it could turn into a good blow, but since we are sailing alongside it, we might miss it - … 'might' being the operative word, with the currents being what they are. The winds are in our favor, though…my observations are only that of a mortal sailor, and are not of any supernatural origins, I'm afraid."

Jack turned his head, beads jingling together. "Ye're good at this, lad. Told ye that ye're a natural at sailin'…ye learned a lot on th' Dutchman, ye know... I credits yer father wif teachin' ye these things."

Will smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Jack... I still find it amazing, myself."

"I don't." Elizabeth sighed, contentedly, "You were born with pirate blood, Will; you and Jack are both born sailors. I have had to learn all of this the hard way, and I will never know a dram of what you and Jack know by instinct, " Elizabeth frowned, a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"Ahhh, darling. That's is why you have meself an' dear William, here, to watch o'er ye… you need watchin'!" Jack drawled, with a wink. "Honestly, Izzy, you're a damn good pirate, y'self, we all know it, an' I won't say that lightly. Ye didn't come by it by birth, ye came by it wif intelligence an' savvy." Elizabeth smiled with pleasure at Jack's compliment. He did not give them to her freely, and she enjoyed it when he did.

She did love Jack, yes, she certainly did… just not in the way that she loved Will. Will was her soul mate and the love of her life, while Jack was the true friend that challenged her and pushed her to be herself, and not someone's ornamental wife. They bickered and bantered, and he could be a most annoying, exasperating man… but they cared deeply about each other. She had never slapped him in anger, as many women had, but had come close. Just as often, if not more, she had the urge to playfully push him or hit his arm, which flustered the captain, greatly - he would not hit her back, but once or twice he did threaten to push her overboard.

Elizabeth and Jack both knew that any attraction that they might have felt for each other in the past was not that of the true lovers that she and Will were. They had learned, the hard way, where to draw the line with each other, and had forgiven any transgressions that they'd had against each other. It had become a deep friendship, although there were things that Elizabeth had done to Jack in the recent past that she would never forgive herself for, even if he seemed to.

The lightning approached, with accompanying thunder, and Jack stood up and wandered over to the railing, swaying slightly as he watched the sea begin to boil. "William, come here…"

Will got up from his seat and stood next to Jack. He saw the frown on Jack's dark features and looked out over the ocean, and he, also, sensed something strange. The sea didn't look right. The sky was churning in a very odd way, the clouds turning the same dull black as the Pearl's sails. The lightning was becoming stronger and was hitting the water…

… the sea just didn't look right. And then, suddenly…

"Oh bugger!!! GIBBS! WHERE ARE YE?" Jack shouted at the top of his husky voice. "…oh bugger….GIBBS!!!! WE ARE IN FOR A BLOW!!!! All hands… BUGGER!"

Suddenly, Jack's ensuing profanities were drowned out by a huge clap of thunder - the sky lit up in blinding light and the Pearl rocked violently to one side. Everything that was not tied down tumbled haphazardly over the deck. Everything seemed to spin wildly, lightning searing down from the heavens and thunder shaking the very air around the ship. Then, just as suddenly, the ship righted itself, the lightning stopped, and all was frighteningly still. The Pearl was dead in the water, and the sea was a smooth and motionless as a pane of glass.

Jack picked himself up off of the opposite side of the deck from where he had been previously standing, shaking his head and looking about for Will, Elizabeth and the other crew members that had been above deck. His eyes had to adjust to a blindingly bright light, and he blinked hard to see before him. "Damn!"

Will clambered out from behind some rolling barrels, gently pulling a dazed Elizabeth up from a large pile of rope. "…Jack? What the hell is going on here?"

Jack gingerly picked his way across the debris strewn deck, still shaking his head and looking around in awe. "… where is everyone else? What th'…"

The trio looked up with wide eyes. The sky was churning directly above the Pearl, in colors of gray and green. The stars were intermittently sprinkled among the clouds, not fixed in the sky but swirling in great circles, like water being stirred in a barrel, interspersed with lightning and rumbles of thunder… the moon was gone.

…up on main mast's lowest yardarm, a figure appeared to them, filmy and dreamlike in flowing textures, then taking a translucent human form in front of the astonished witnesses to the wondrous scene….

"… Capt'in Jack Sparrow and Williyam Turnah!"

Jack's eyes got as big as saucers… he tore his eyes away from the sight and glanced at Will and Elizabeth, "… bloody hell, it's Tia… I mean, Calypso…."

Elizabeth wedged herself between Jack and Will and took their arms, as they continued to stare at the apparition. The voice emanated from the very core of the figure, unrecognizable in form, but familiar by sound.

"… I am appearin' to de t'ree of you in a form dat you will be able to unnerstan'. I wish'd to t'ank ya for de aid dat you gave in ordah t' set me free from my eart'ly body to return to de sea… de t'ree of ya are true of heart…" amusement crept into the voice above them…" even Jack Sparrow is true of heart… sometimes…"

Jack drew himself up indignantly - only an elbow to the ribs from Elizabeth kept him from saying anything stupid. Will's eyes had grown large - even his experiences on the Dutchman did not jade his feelings of wonder…

"… I felt dat it woul' be fittin' to reward ya wi' knowledge about you'selves… I have stopped time an' space in ordah to speak to all of ya about' sometin' dat you need to be knowin'…."

"… dere be a bond between Jack Sparrow and Williyam Turnah dat no one know about… the bond of shared family blood…:"

"… what…?" Will breathed, his ears not quite believing what he was hearing. He glanced over to Jack, who was regarding the apparition with a tilted head and openmouthed surprise.

"… two generation ago, dere was a wild an' free spirited woman from de island of Eire named Evangeline, who loved wit' all her heart an' soul… she fall for a han'some man of de sea w'en she were very young, and she bore him a chile even tho' he only love her and stay wid her for a short time. Their love was all comsumin', like fire, an' he knew he could not stay wid her. His first love was de sea, an' she know dat. She kep' de chile close to her heart, but he also run away to de sea, at a young age - jus' like his fathah before him."

"… Evangeline, many years later she fall in love wid anothah man - anothah man of de sea, but a true man of de heart. She marry him, an' bear him a son who would also be a man of de sea, but not as wild an' free as her firstborn son… dis son, he would be de anchor, as her firstborn had been de wind…"

Elizabeth glanced at both of her men… it struck her that Will and Jack looked so much alike in their amazement - they did not resemble each other, but were sharing something that involved both of them and that neither of them understood.. She was amazed and yet afraid for both of them, as she was starting to understand what was taking place - Will was strong and steadfast as an anchor, as Jack was as wild and spirited as the wind. She put her arms around each of them and pulled them close to her protectively.

"… I will tell you dis in order for you both to understan' each othah… and you'selves… you have been to hell an' back for each othah… an' have save each othah from de devil himself. Blood runs thick dan water… de first man dat Evangeline love, his name was Jeremiah Teague… his son was de out-of-wedlock fathah of wild Jack Sparrow, who was also born out-of-wedlock…"

Jack's eyes were as round as moons, as Will held his breath… Elizabeth held them both and squeezed her eyes closed.

"… Evangeline's second lover, de man dat she marry, his name be Elijah Turnah… his son be Williyam Turnah, de fathah of a man of destiny, Williyam Turnah de Second… husban' of Elizabet' Turnah… Evangeline, she den die at sea wit' her husban', Elijah… young Bill Turnah be made an orphan, an' he den go on to de sea, himself…"

"… Evangeline's sons, Captain Jonathan Teague and Bill Turnah do not know dat dey have half brothahs… Bill did not know dat he sailed wit' his own nephew, Jack Sparrow! … Captain Teague did not know dat he met wit' his own nephew's intended bride, Elizabet' at the meeting of de Brethren of de Coast - de very meeting to shape de future of de pirate world… no one know dat Jack Sparrow and Williyam Turnah de Second… are cousins."

Elizabeth could feel the breath escape from her husband in a rush… and surprisingly, she thought she could feel Jack tremble for a moment.

"… de t'ree of ye have come to love each othah as family of de heart… now ye will find out dat ye have love of de family of de blood, also… Jack Sparrow be dead until he be brought back from De Othah Side by dem dat love him, even though they deny dey love him at de time… Jack Sparrow was charmed in order to he'p t' change de bad t'ings dat was takin' place in de pirate world. De charm has ended; Jack Sparrow will become very ill because of terrible beast what had swallowed him an' de precious Pearl… him look in a good way now, but it were all de spell an' he will go down wit' sickness an' pain."

Elizabeth and Will stared at Jack, who was still utterly mesmerized by the sight before them, shaking his head slightly, as to deny that any of this was taking place.

"… Jack Sparrow will be near de death again… it will be up to him family to help him… dere is nuttin' dat can be done to stop his pain… it will happen. But it will he'p to draw dis new family together."

"… dis is my gift to ye… ye needed to know dese t'ings. Use dis knowledge wisely, de t'ree of ye. Ye all need each othah…"

Suddenly, Jack froze in place - not moving, not breathing, not blinking. Elizabeth looked at him in shock and whispered, "…Jack…? JACK?"

"… Williyam Turnah… I shall bestow on ye a special gift…clever Jack Sparrow will not be aware of dis, an' you are not to tell him… ye showed your great love for Elizabet' an' she show her love fo' you- de two o' you will fin' love for Jack Sparrow, also. De t'ree o' you help to return my lover, Davy Jones, to me…. Wit' all of my respec' to you, I bestow on you de gift of special sight so dat you see into the true heart of you cousin, Capt'in Jack Sparrow, for only a short time… dis shall help you, as you help Calypso… I will not tell you when or how to use dis gift, you must know, youse'f, when to look into him heart an' know him, for he does not tell dese t'ings himse'f. You need to know him, young Turnah an' Elizabet'… he is your family, as you are his ..."

Suddenly, there was a huge wall of lightning and a deafening clap of thunder - the sea churned and the Pearl lurched upward furiously. Elizabeth screamed at the top of her lungs as Will grabbed for her.