/I don't own anything you recognize in this story. /

Chapter Fifteen

The days quickly became monotonous. Every morning I got up for breakfast before going out on deck. Doing several miscellaneous chores took me by midmorning and I was left with the long day stretched before me.

Despite my pleading, Will wouldn't allow me to help out with any of the plans that he and his father were planning along with Jack. I was beginning to get frustrated and soon the days found me locked up in my room for longer and longer periods each day.

Thursday morning dawned bright and early. Waking up at my usual early hour, I quickly got ready before heading out. I was going to make Will make me help the crew, as small as our numbers were, to get back to Tortuga.

As I ascended to the top deck, however, I smelt a rather different smell than what I grew accustomed to out on the open sea. It was the smell of land and the stench of humans.

"We just arrived at Tortuga an hour ago," Will said, coming up behind me.

I turned to look at him. "I see that you don't see the need to tell me when you do."

Will was about to retort an answer when he saw my smiling face before laughing himself. I was glad to see him smiling again. It seemed as if he was smiling more often lately. And for that I was thankful. I didn't want to see him heartbroken and warn from his journeys for the rest of his life.

"So what do we do now?" I asked, breaking the silence between us.

"We'll go to shore and find out where we can find Cutler Beckett. Then, we find him and get Davy Jones' heart and we will be triumphant," Will exclaimed, smiling.

"Not so easy as it sounds, though," I said apprehensively.

"Perhaps not, but we have an advantage," Will said.

I brushed Will's hair out of his face. "And what's that may I ask?"

Will kissed my cheek. "My father."

I nodded in understanding. Bootstrap Bill couldn't die and since he was loyal to us, we would have a huge advantage.

"What are we carrying on about?" Jack asked coming towards us, taking a swig from the bottle in his hand. I had a strange feeling that in that bottle was rum.

Will turned to Jack. "We were discussing our plans of action when we get into Tortuga."

"Ah, the romantic life that everybody dreams of having," Jack said dreamily, leaning back and waving his arms before balancing himself back straight. "No one could ask for such a life anywhere else."

"Of course, Jack," Will laughed. "Only you would think of Tortuga as the place of dreams."

Jack twirled his mustache. "But of course it is, young laddie. Where else in the world would you find a port where you can do whatever you wanted?"

"You have a point there, Jack," a gruff voice said behind us. "It's the place to find the opportune moment."

Jack raised his keg of rum. "You always had it right, Bill."

"If I hadn't, we wouldn't be where we were right now," Bootstrap Bill said, laughing at Jack's antics.

I stepped foreword. "So when can we leave? I want to get this over with."

"All in good time, Elizabeth," Bootstrap Bill exclaimed. "But first, we must get one thing straightened out before we do anything else."

Stepping aside, he revealed what was behind him. I gasped in surprise. Will clenched the hilt of his sword and Jack, well; Jack just took another swig of rum. It was Barbossa. I growled and leaped foreword but not before Will grabbed me by the shoulders and held me back. I glared at Will, for I had wanted to get my hands on that man and wring his neck for all the trouble he'd caused.

"You cheating, lying bastard," I growled through my teeth, still struggling against Will's grip.

Barbossa shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I don't know what to tell you, Miss Turner. I'm just a humble pirate doing what is best for everybody."

"What's best for you more likely," I spat. "You only care about yourself."

"That is true, yes," Barbossa said, thoughtfully scratching his beard. "But right now, everything's in my best interest and you'll thank me for everything I'm doing right now in the end."

I looked at Bootstrap Bill with hatred penetrating through my eyes. "Why did you let him go? You know what he's done."

"It's all a part of the plan, Elizabeth. With all the time you've spent with pirates, I would have thought by now you would have realized we don't keep on a straight road as long as it gets us to our ultimate goal," Bootstrap Bill said apologetically. "I'm sorry for the pain it has caused you."

"Pain," I huffed. "You pirates have done more than pain. You've taken more than just pain, Mr. Turner. You've taken my life. And the only love I've ever known to increase the dwindling numbers that pirates are becoming. I've had enough."

Bootstrap Bill looked at me, sadness in his eyes. He seemed truly sorry for everything that has happened, but I knew he wouldn't change anything that he had done so far. In that moment, I knew what I was supposed to do.

"I'm going to leave now," I said quietly. "You probably won't ever see me again."

"And where will you go from here, Elizabeth?" Bootstrap Bill asked softly. "Will you find what you're looking for?"

I lifted my chin defiantly. "I am. I will go back to Port Royal, find my father, clear our names as best as I can, and then we will head back to England. I will get as far away from this place and pirates as I can."

"Well, your choice is yours. I wish you luck," Bootstrap Bill said with a curt nod.

I was about to leave when Will touched my shoulder gently. Looking into his face, I could see the confusion riddled in his eyes.

"Elizabeth," he said.

I pushed his hand away. "You must make your own choice now. Either you love me and you'll follow me to the ends of the earth, or you love your father more and you'll find whatever means you can to defeat Davy Jones. That's not my fight."

With that, I walked away and headed down to my room to gather my things. If Will truly loved me, he would make the right decision. Putting my few things in a bag, I went back up on deck. I was just about to leave when I heard someone calling my name. Turning around, I saw Jack running toward me.

"Wait," he panted. "I'll go with you even if means losing my life to protect you. Someone needs to watch over you."

I stared at Jack in surprise. Why would he, of all people, want to leave the Black Pearl? It was his ship after all. After several moments in stunned silence, I finally lifted my chin.

"If you want to come with me, you better get in that boat or I'll leave you behind," I exclaimed.

Jack cheered and jumped into the boat with me following behind. I was unable to stop smiling. I wasn't going to be alone and vulnerable in Tortuga after all.

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Author's Note: A bad ending, I'm sure, but I didn't know what else to say to end it. I promise it'll get more interesting as it goes on, but I had to write this chapter to set everything up the way I wanted, maybe. I don't have a clear ending or where I want it to go, but I promise you, I won't let you down. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, I really appreciate it and I hope you keep reading. I'll update when I can. Don't forget to review, it makes the writer happy!