Strange……it felt warm……

The sun……

Soft sand……

Jack opened his eyes, and quickly closed them. It was too bright out. This time he carefully opened one eye and then the other, adjusting to the sunshine. He blinked away tears from the sun's evil rays.

He groaned. "Ahhhh, my neck…" Jack rubbed the back of his neck. He was leaning against something hard and uncomfortable.

"What the…?" Jack turned around to look at a palm tree. He felt the rough bark. It was not the same as his soft, well softer bed back in the captain's lounge.

Jack sat up.

This isn't the Pearl

He felt the sand beneath his feet. Warm and inviting. He heard the familiar waves crashing to shore. A crab walked sideways across the shoreline, looking for a mate or a home?

"Where am I?" Jack spoke aloud, almost expecting an answer.

He saw a sea turtle raise its head above water. It came closer and closer to shore until it had arrived on land. It began to shuffle its way away from the water.

Jack shot to his feet. He could feel his bones crack from the position he'd been laying in.

In an instant, despite the suns glare, Jack felt cold.

"What is going…" as he lifted his hands to his face, he saw bones.

Jack blindly and skillfully grabbed for his pistol. He cocked it and held it steady in front of him.

"Woah! It's me, Captain!"

With his other hand, Jack removed the piece of cloth that covered his eyesight. Before him stood a strange man, perhaps strange from the darkness that covered him. Jack sat up slowly and finally recognized him. The intruder held his hands in front of him for defense.

"Would you please…sir…lower your pistol?"

Jack released the tension on the handle of his gun and lowered it.

"Are you ill?"

The wide awake captain averted his eyes away from the stranger. He stared at his right hand, grateful yet astonished that it was covered with flesh, bone, and scar.

"No, I'm alright."

"Barbossa sent me back here because of news, Captain. He believes we are getting closer."

Jack placed his pistol on his pillow.

"I'll be out in but a moment."

The informer nodded his head in respect and left the cabin room.

Jack let his legs dangle over the side of his bed. He was glad to be back on his ship.

"I wonder if they connect…" he mused. Uneasiness spread through his nerves. He didn't feel right. A change in the winds…what was soon to happen?

Jack's gaze ended on a painting that was hanging over his nest. A sea turtle that was swimming through a clear and rippling sea was not paying any attention to the uneasy captain's thoughts. It had its own way to go.

Relax Jack thought to himself. I've survived five years on the Pearl, why is there need to worry now? I am a pirate, I fear nothing.

Once Jack was set with his effects, he opened the cabin door to beautiful sunlight. A slight wind blew through his untidy hair. He could smell salt from the ocean. A million sparkles made their presence known on the blue waters.

Barbossa was at the wheel, leading the Pearl to her fate. A trustworthy mate, Jack was sure.

He made his way up to Barbossa and stood beside him.

"Ah, there ye be, Captain."

"What's your news, mate?"

Barbossa grinned, gold glinting in the sun. His eyes flashed slyly. "I be thinkin' that we're on the right track."

Jack sighed.

"…All we'd need now, Captain, are the…"

"…Bearings," Jack finished. "Why are ye always trying to fish it out of me, dear friend?"

"I think it's only fair to the crew." Barbossa's tone had immediately gone cold. "Ye be leading us blindly."

"Have I ever given ye reason not to trust me?"

"It's not me. It's them," said Barbossa cocking his head towards the end of the ship. Jack's sailors were attending to his ship. There seemed to be a drudging feeling on them all.

"It's been three days without a hint of anythin'. It could lead to somethin' terrible."

"We're getting closer, I know it." Jack stared out to see. I know it.

"Jack." Barbossa turned to finally look at him. Now in the sunlight, the rest of his features were visible. His skin was smooth and tanned. His eyes were a light brown, unlike the night before when darkness was his ally. They told Jack of times that did not want to be mentioned again. His black mustache and goatee gleamed with the light, although it was unseemly caked with salt and other things from being on the sea. His long black hair was underneath a wide brimmed hat, topped with a two purple feathers, a prized possession he had plundered in Versailles. His wear was well worn, but he still looked kingly and could be mistaken for a conquistador.

"Jack, I be thinkin' ye should let out the bearings. It's not that I don't trust ye, but as I just told ye, the crew is a bit shifty. There could be a mutiny abroad."

Jack sighed once again. "I thought I had picked up a more trusting crew."

Barbossa laughed, the sound ringing across the deck, allowing a few heads to perk up, only slightly interested.

"A trusting crew? Ha! Have ye ever thought, Jack, that maybe they aren't the problem?"

Jack narrowed his eyes at Barbossa.

"What do you mean?" he asked him slowly.

"Jack." Barbossa put his hand on Jack's shoulder and gave a distressing look. "Ye've told us that ye have valuable information, information that ye willn't share with us. Yur mates. Do ye not trust us, Jack?"

Jack looked back at his crew, who had finally gone back to work on keeping his ship. Not only was there a dark cloud hanging above his head, his ship, but there was a cloud amongst his crew. A cloud of rebellion.

"BLAST IT, JACK!" yelled Barbossa. Jack felt hands around his throat as Barbossa began choking him. "TELL US WHERE BE THE TREASURE?!?!"

Jack shook his head, dissolving what he had just imagined. Again he felt his neck to be sure hands weren't enclosing it.

"I'm waiting for the opportune moment," said Jack quietly. "Once I see…once I reach the spot, I'll know we're there."

"I believe it's for yer own safety, Captain. Won't ye PLEASE reconsider? Things be getting mighty dangerous out here."

Jack looked into Barbossa's eyes. He saw compassion only.

"Ye're a true friend, Barbossa."

"I've always been trusting ye, Jack. Can ye trust me this once? Yur one pirate I would hate to see meet his end." Barbossa managed a tiny smile.

A change in the winds, perhaps, Jack? He asked himself. He knew he could trust Barbossa, right? He was one of the two people he completely trusted.

"Barbossa."

"Aye?"

"We be going the right direction, mate. If ye are right, then we should be reaching Loadstone Rock in but a matter of hours. Once we reach there…" That was as far as Jack had told his dear friend. Barbossa's right hand drifted to the handle of his sword which hung by his side. He could see his fingers tensing with Jack's words. The captain paused, mildly interested with Barbossa's purpose, but then finished.

"…We head thirty-four degrees due North West." Jack suddenly felt exhausted.

Barbossa gripped his sword but did not pull it out of the scabbard.

"I believe ye've been saved, Jack, from something mighty terrible."

Jack did not answer, but smiled weakly.

"How about a drink of rum?"

"You know what lies on my priorities, Barbossa." Jack managed a grin as a sailor came up to them with two mugs.

"To the treasure!" said Barbossa.

"To Isla de Muerta," said Jack. Their mugs clacked and the two pirates drank to their destination.