Disclaimer: don't own POTC...

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Alderman bowed deferentially to the indistinct figure hovering over the women's bodies. Four of those bodies were already dried and dessicated husks, their souls consumed along with those of their piratical relations and lovers. Ochiri was displeased - there were only five bodies on the altar. She had expected six.

Alderman cringed was Ochiri broke off her feeding to angrily demand why her requirements had not been met. She was a fearsome sight to behold - a shape roughly in the form of a voluptuous woman, she was at least twice his size. She had no distinguishable features, only a jet black color shot through with red lightning. She spoke in a demonic dialect, understood by only those who had sold themselves into her sevice. Like himself.

"Mistress, with all due respect, I can assure you that the remainder of you meal will be arriving shortly." He winced as she shrieked in anger. How could he be so certain? she demanded, or was he just trying to cover up his shortcomings?

"No, mistress, I - " He stopped and straightened as his sharp ears caught the sounds of footsteps in the entryway. "Here they come now."

Alderman spun around and opened his arms wide in mock welcome just as the first of the pirates entered the cave. "Jack Sparrow!" he boomed. "It's been far too long!"

Jack jerked in surprise at Alderman's voice. "So it WAS ye all along, ye slimy git!" he cried. "I shoulda known - and as a matter of fact, I did know!" He pulled his sword and sauntered forwards as the rest of Jack's followers emerged from behind him. "So why don't ye just hand over this young lady's soul and we'll leave ye t'the rest o' yer ritual thingy here, eh?"

Ochiri's attention was focused sole on the three in front. The one speaking was the lover of the woman she had begun to feed on. The others - the man carried the sixth woman and the remainder of her feast. When she had finished devouring their souls, she would be strong enough to exist constantly on Earth without Alderman's help. And then she could do away with him. But he just didn't realize it yet.

Alderman chuckled and waggled as chastising finger at Jack. "Nonononono, Jack, I think you'll be quite eager to stay. Fight to the death even."

Jack snorted rudely and waved his sword dismissively. "Fer what? You have nothin' that I care about, an' prolly never will, ye son of a - "

Jack stopped short as Alderman lifted one of the limp women, revealing her identity. "Not even someone you love, Jack?" Alderman whispered softly, deadly. "Not even for you beloved Esperanza?"

"Jack?" Will didn't like the way the normally unswayable pirate had frozen. "What is it? What's going on?"

Jack didn't even hear Will speak. All his world came crashing down as he stared at the pale figure lying on the altar. "Esperanza..." he whispered, not even realizing he had spoken out loud. He had thought she was gone forever, and yet here she was, all those years later, at the mercy of the one man he hated most. His mouth had gone dry as he tried to come up with a retort to Alderman's challenge. All the schemes he had had running through his head had suddenly vanished. In one fell swoop, the situation was utterly reversed. Witty Jack had run aground.

Alderman laughed evilly at Jack's stunned expression. At last he had outsmarted the notorious Captain Jack Sparrow. At last he had the upper hand. He could do anything he wanted now. Jack was at his complete and utter mercy. Or so he thought.

Just then, three things happened at once.

A monkey shot out of the portal and through his legs, startling him.

He dropped the Soul Bottle.

And Jack lunged for Esperanza.

Ochiri let out an unearthly shriek as the crystal Soul Bottle shattered into thousands of razor sharp fragments. The glow of the two souls trapped within rose and dissappated as the souls returned to their rightful places. As Esperanza opened her eyes, squinting in the harsh glare of the portal's light, Alderman drew his sword and charged at Jack. Jack shoved the dazed Esperanza behind him as he barely parried Alderman's first strike. The battle had begun. The feud that had begun nine years ago was about to be resolved.

Elizabeth blinked blearily as she slowly became accoustomed to having a body again. Gradually the world came back into focus and she realized she was looking up into Will's eyes. After what had seemed to be an eternity, she was exactly where she had been when Alderman had taken her: in Will's arms.

"Hey," she said hoarsely.

He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "Can you stand? This isn't exactly the best place for reunions."

She nodded and he gently set her down. He barely managed to turn as Alderman's crew came bursting in. Will drew his sword and parried their charge. Elizabeth stumbled backwards and tried to figure out what was going on. Jack and Alderman were engaged in furious combat, while Esperanza was stabbing a crewman with a fragment of the broken Soul Bottle. Will was swordfighting the crew, as she had just seen. And since she had no weapon, she was pretty useless at the moment. Suddenly there was a shrill grating cry from the direction of her feet. She knew that sound. Slowly, with much trepidation, she looked down.

It was the monkey.

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A/N: DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!!