A Line In The Sand
Chapter Five

Author's Note: This is a deleted scene from At World's End. I think I got the general gist of it, but I haven't seen it, only heard about it, so it's very much my take on it.

"Did you know?"

James turned from giving instructions to his men and came face-to-face with Governor Swann who had stormed into the cabin.

"Did you know?" he repeated.

"Know what?" James asked, keeping his voice low and gently steering the Governor to the door.

"She's dead!" Swann replied, refusing to move. "Jones just told me – Elizabeth is dead!"

"She can't be," James said slowly. "I would know. How did he say she died?"

"That monster of his took Sparrow's ship."

"The Pearl? But… But they were all on the Pearl. Sparrow, Elizabeth, Will Turner and – and Victoria. Beckett would have told me if they had all perished."

He had taken the Governor's arm in a bid to calm him, but he could feel himself trembling, feel sickness lurch in his stomach. It couldn't be true. They couldn't be dead. He'd had such plans…

He heard the creak of wood and looked up to see Mercer and Beckett in the doorway.

"Is this true?" he asked. "Are they all dead? Miss Swann? The Turners? You promised me they would have letters of marque! It was part of your payment for the heart. You swore the Turners and Miss Swann would go free!"

"I did," Beckett replied. "What makes you think I have broken my promise?"

"Jones told me about the Pearl!" Swann cried. "I know my daughter's dead!" he made a wild snatch at James's sword and dragged it out of the sheath. James made a grab for him. "I'm ending this," Swann said, one hand on the chest. "I'll destroy him for what he's done to my daughter."

"Will ye now?"

There was the unmistakable clump of Jones's clawed leg on the wooden floor of the cabin and James drew his pistol and pointed it at him.

"Stay back, Jones. Let me deal with this."

But Jones kept coming; he leaned over the chest, his tentacles flickering only inches from Swann's repulsed face.

"You'll destroy me, will ye? And will ye carve out ye're own heart to take the place of mine? For this ship must have a Captain, Governor."

"Leave us."

Jones snarled, the tentacles bunching up as though into fists.

"I said. Leave us."

Jones straightened up as Beckett swept passed him. Jones cast a mocking glance at James's drawn pistol and turned haughtily to leave. James lowered the pistol, but kept it in his hand as he turned furiously to Beckett.

"Your daughter is alive," Beckett said gently, his eyes flickering from the sword to Swann's face, completely ignoring James.

"Then why would Jones say –"

"Because Jones is cruel. But my intelligence says she has been sighted in Singapore. She is alive and I intend to keep the promise I made to the Admiral. She will have her letter of marque."

"And the others?" James asked sharply. "Will Turner? Victoria?"

Beckett smirked knowingly at him and nodded, "Both sighted in Singapore with Miss Swann."

"He should – he should be stopped," Swann said weakly, still pointing the sword at the chest.

"Elizabeth would not want you to do it," James said and took the Governor's hand with his free one, gently pulling the sword from it.

"No," he said faintly. "James, I think – I think I should like to return to England."

"We can deal with that. There is a ship leaving quite soon. We will be sure you are on it," Beckett said smoothly. He glanced at James who was wearing a pained expression, still clutching his pistol, and gave him his most sincere smile. "Never fear, Admiral."