AN: This is one of my favorite chapters so far, and I hope it is keeping in character with Jack and Barbossa. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this!

"Ship spotted on horizon!" yelped the fellow in the crow's nest. Following where the man was pointing, I saw a large, black ship coming toward us. Though at first glance it appeared plain, the ship seemed to emit a certain elegance and grace the longer I stared at it.

"That's the Pearl," grinned Jack, who had spotted it as well.

"I guessed as much." My voice was emotionless and controlled, but inside, I was bursting with glee and anxiety.

Now was the moment. When finally, after years, I would be able to see Ella again. Had she changed as much as I had? Was she still as spirited as I had always remembered her as? My stomach was having butterflies flitter around in it, but this time it was from excitement. Soon.

As I smiled out toward the ship, a strange, fleeting thought past my mind. How was Jack going to get Barbossa to hand over the Pearl? Frowning slightly, I grasped onto the idea and pondered it for a moment. From what I understood, Barbossa was no fool, nor one who commonly made bargains. But then I remembered the conversation I had overheard in Tortuga, one I hadn't bothered to think about since then…

"There she is," sighed Jack contently. "Nothing more than a little bit of exchange, and she'll be mine again." He smiled fondly out to the sea, eye never wavering from his ship.

"You mean the leverage?" I asked abruptly. I hadn't exactly meant the comment to come tumbling out as it had; unfortunetely, this "leverage" was what I had been thinking about at the exact moment he had made his comment.

Jack stiffened, smile gone, an alert and sharp expression replacing it. "Well, well, it looks like we have a spy in our mists." He glanced out of the corner of his eyes coyly, drumming his fingers on the railing. The relaxed feeling had disappeared, and was now replaced with a tense, forboding tone. Something was not right; I had no idea what was wrong.

"Spy isn't exactly what I would call it," I answered smoothly, but somewhat softly, for inside, I was freezing up, worry and concern peeking out. The way Jack was acting, reacting, talking; all of it was not the Jack I had been traveling with for the past two weeks.

"Indeed." Jack produced his spyglass and gave the appearance of watching the ship sail closer, though I could feel his gaze studying me. "How much of the conversation did you hear?"

I gripped the railing slightly. If I told the truth, it would probably be safer…however, how far would that get me? I would be in the same position as before. "All of it," I lied. It was a far reach, to lie, but I was hoping that Jack might let something slip, something he would think I already knew.

"Well, I suppose the information is nothing...surprising to you," he whispered so only we could hear each other. "Though, you're a bright lass. I'm surprised you haven't figured out what the leverage is by now."

Nothing new? What did he know, that I already knew? The whole thing was a gigantic riddle, and it was making my head hurt. I turned my face slightly to look at Jack. His head was also turned a small degree, staring at me, waiting for something to happen. Waiting for me to react in some fashion. Most likely in anger or fright, now that I really considered it, though the idea was strange to me. What could make me angry, or frightened, for that matter?

Barbossa had one of the keys to the Fountain of Youth, which Ella owned, or was keeping safe for the Commodore. Jack had said before looking for the Black Pearl, he had been searching for the Fountain of Youth as well, and found out he was missing a key and a map, the things that I had.

He knew.

Somehow, Jack had found out I had the key and map. That was the information.

But it wasn't information Jack had, it was leverage, something he had been very specific about.

I was the leverage.

The realization hit like a thunderbolt, and my first thought after was how could I be so stupid not to notice what was really going on. Now, stepping back from the situation, everything was so obvious. Why Jack had begged me to help him rescue the Pearl, why he had come to my rescue that night.

I stepped back from the railing, shaking visibly. But Jack was faster. As soon as I left his side, he grabbed my arm and pointed the pistol to my chest. This time, the threat was for real, and I was truly terrified.

"Sorry, luv," said Jack solemnly. "But you did promise…anything to get the Pearl back…"

"You bastard," I hissed. The fright was quickly replaced by a extremely hurt, angered feeling. I wanted nothing more than to punch him in the jaw again (preferably break it), but he was holding my right arm tightly.

Instead, I spat in his face, hitting him squarely on the left cheek. He blinked, then brought his arm up slowly to wipe it off, looking at me the whole time. I couldn't tell what he was thinking; his eyes were too hard to read.

"Gibbs," he yelled. "I'm going to need some rope."

"Oh no you don't!" I ordered, panic rising, dread seeping through my bones, catching the full attention of the crew. "Don't you dare--" Jack hand stopped my mouth, pressing my head to his chest. I struggled, jabbing him, twisting for all that I was worth.

"Hurry!" he called out painfully.

I saw Gibbs coming guiltily with some rope, with at least five men trailing behind curiously. Somehow, the seven of them were able to slip the rope around my body and fasten it around me securely, restricting me to the movement of a snake.

I knew all was lost at that point. The Pearl was practically on top of us now, with crew members running around, shouting orders on both sides, so I stopped moving and allowed myself to be led to where a plank was being prepared to be thrown, standing stiffly, awaiting my sentence. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, like in the movies. Except this wasn't a movie. This was real, just like every part of my wretched existance I had been living for the past four years.

I could not believe what was happening was reality; but everything that was happening felt strikingly real. The only comparision I could think of was Alice in Wonderland. But Alice was able to wake up from her dream, I wasn't.

Jack's eyes were on me, I could feel them boring into my skin, watching my reactions. I refused to so much as turn my head in his direction, only looking toward the ebony ship in front of me, hurt and betrayal overpowering me, causing a few tears to escape. I was not a hateful person. Almost always I would be able to find an ounce of good in anyone I met, no matter the situation. But I couldn't make myself think this way for Jack, not now. I absolutely hated this man.

"Cap'n, it looks like Jack Sparrow," said Pintel, leaning over the railing precociously.

"As I see," growled Barbossa. "Ready the cannons. There will no doubt be a fight."

"Who is Jack?" asked Ella, approaching toward the two men. "And why will we be fighting with him?"

"Get back below deck," ordered Barbossa without turning around. "This does not concern you."

"No. I want to know what is going on."

Barbossa tilted his head back toward Ella, a glare on his face, ready to spit out something foul to get her to leave, but Pintel interrupted the argument.

"That's odd. Jack had a lady with him, except, she's all tied up. Pretty little thing."

All three came up to the railing to see what Pintel was talking about, and Ella's heart came up into her throat.

The girl was tall, dark brown hair blowing rebelliously in the wind, squinting at the glare of the sun. For a moment, Ella thought she must be having an illusion, until their eyes met. The girls eyes became wide, bright dark blue eyes that had always seemed to know everything.

Ella nearly fainted from the shock, but managed to keep herself standing. She wanted to shout for lady, but then she saw the ropes that bound her.

So she screamed.

"Ella!" I yelled, after hearing the ear splitting sound emit from her mouth. "ELLA!"

"Shush up, yeh little twit," snarled a burly crew member next to me, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me against him. "Or I just might hav'te make yeh." A terrible chuckle escaped his decaying mouth as he licked his lips quickly. I gagged, and nearly hurled.

The click of a pistol was heard behind my head. "Let her go," growled Jack menacingly. "Or she will be the last thing you ever see."

The pirate released me grudgingly, but not before pinching me on the arm, leaving me to stand there numbly, not believing anything I was seeing or hearing.

"Jack Sparrow!" called out a scratchy voice from across the gap. "What in the world do you think you are doing?" A great, grimy man was against the railing of the Pearl, next to whom stood Ella, with hands over her mouth, eyes never leaving me.

"Getting my ship back!" responded Jack cheerily.

"And what makes you think I would let you do that?"

Jack grabbed my shoulder and pulled me over to him, glancing down shiftily. "She does! I have a bargain to strike, savvy?"

The news seemed to surprise Barbossa, at least, that was who I assumed he was. He stroked his wispy beard before smiling, revealing a row of rotting teeth. "Well then, let's hear it. Men, lower the plank!"

A gangplank was lowered, and Jack, to my surprise, lifted me up over his head and swung me onto his shoulders. "This is utterly humiliating!" I screamed in protest, the shock of it getting rid of the horrid feelings before. "Put me down! Put me down! You have no right to look at me, let alone treat me like this!" I could feel myself heading toward hysterics, so I took two deep breaths, trying to compose myself.

Jack didn't respond. Instead, he slapped my upper thighs smartly to make me shut up. Of course, this only made me want to scream louder, though I didn't, and I didn't dare struggle, for fear of tumbling into the sea below.

Once we were on the opposite deck he let me down gently, and dragged me over to Barbossa, who was holding a pistol out in front of him. "Hello, old mate," he greeted flashing his famous smile, one that I dearly wanted to punch out, and producing a pistol of his own and pointing it toward Barbossa.

Barbossa opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Ella, who pushed her way to the front. "Finn? You...you're…alive." Ella held her mouth, tears dripping down her face, shaking. I thought she was going to faint, and so did a balding man next to her, who quickly put his arms around her in support before she crashed to the deck.

I was about to say something, but a great whooshing sound was heard from behind, and a loud crash of wood hitting water. The four of us turned around to see…a ship. A ship that apparently had just come out of the water. Oddly enough, I was not terribly surprised at this, though it was rather odd. Instead it all seemed rather familiar…like from a story I had heard…

"Oh no," grumbled Barbossa as he looked at the ship. "Not him. Not now."

Jack leaned back to get a better view, squinting in the glare of the sun. "Is that…who I think it is?"

Suddenly, a man appeared out of thin air right beside Jack, causing the pirate to jump violently, which he tried to supress quickly. He was young, handsome, and looking awfully confused, his eyes looking between Barbossa, Jack, Ella, and myself suspiciously. I could feel myself blush when his eyes rested on me, butterflies flying around in my stomach again.

"Jack? What are you doing here? Who is this?" His voice was low and musical, a strong contrast to Jack slurred rougish tone.

"I don't suppose you have the key?" asked Barbossa, lowering his gun slightly. He was addressing the young man.

"It wasn't there, not even a body. Ella, I'm not sure what to say…" the man glanced over at me again curiously. Silence filled the air, awkward and heavy.

"You were looking for a key?" I blurted out. "Why?"

"You were looking for the key?" interjected Jack, frowning slightly. "You're already immortal, Will. Let the rest of us have a chance."

"What?" asked Will.

And that's when it clicked in my mind: the ship, the name…

"You're William Turner?" I gasped.

"Yes. Who are you?"

"Winifred Delaney. I know your wife."

William blinked while he processed the information, in which he then gaped openly before stammering, "You know Elizabeth? Wait, did you say you were Winifred Delaney?"

"You're Winifred?" asked Barbossa. "You aren't dead though!"

"Of course she's not dead!" said Jack, patting me on the shoulder. "Why would dear Finn be dead?"

"She said that she drowned at sea," explained Barbossa, pointing at Ella first, then me.

"That explains why there wasn't a body," mused Will to himself.

"But why were you looking for the key?" asked Jack again.

"I asked him to," said Barbossa.

"Well, she has the key," answered Jack, wrapping his arms around my waist protectively, still holding the pistol.

"Don't touch me," I seethed.

"You have the key?" asked Barbossa, raising an eyebrow.

"She has the key," said Jack again before I could say anything.

"So you want the Pearl in exchange for her?"

There was absolute silence at the question. Will was staring at Jack like he had suddenly sprouted horns (at least that's what I was imagining him with), Ella, who had been silent for a change, gasped, and Jack was looking suddenly very uncomfortable. "That was the idea."

"You lying lout!" I hissed. The hurt, the pain, the betrayal were gushing out of me, causing my mouth to be looser than usual. "Tricking me into rescuing your rotting ship! You said you always kept your blasted promises, but it was just an act. A lying, villainous, cowardly act!"

"Oh yes," said Jack, covering my mouth. "I almost forgot. I get the other girl, Ella." He let his hand fall. "There, my word is kept. Happy?"

"NO!"

"Well, Barbossa?" Sparrow inquired, ignoring my response, and my futile struggles. "Agreed?"

Barbossa surveyed the frigate we had come on, then looked back at me. Then he stashed his gun away and put his hand out, which Sparrow took and shook. "Agreed."

"NO!" shrieked Ella. "FINN!" Gibbs, who had come up during our exchange, grabbed her and stopped her from hurling herself toward me.

"You impertinent, surly, scut!" I hissed at Jack.

He grabbed my shoulder and faced me before Barbossa could take me away. "Listen, luv, I'm sorry. I really don't want--"

"Don't even start," I warned. "I've had enough of your lies. You…you…artless… dog-hearted, miscreant!" Tears were brimming on the rims of my eyes, and I bit my lip, trying to stop them from falling.

Barbossa snatched my wrists roughly, pulling me behind him. Ella was still struggling against Gibbs, fighting like a wildcat, Will was standing there, looking aghast, and Jack…I had to blink to make sure what I saw was real. His face was tensed up, hand in fists, and he seemed to be looking after us with troubled eyes, as if he was second guessing his decision.

"I don't let valuable items slip through my hands…"

Blasted, he certainly hadn't been talking about me then. He was sad because he was letting the key and map go. All the fright, anger, hatred, and suffering came pouring out with my sobs and struggles at this horrid realization. "You mangled, flea-bitten, urchin!" I screamed at him, fighting against Barbossa. "You, you…whoreson! You…vulgar, double-crossing knave!"

"Oh, and one more thing, Jack," added Barbossa above my cursing. "You try to follow us, she dies."

I could visibly see Jack cringe at the statement, but thought nothing of it as I was led away by Barbossa, kicking and screaming, wanting nothing more than to be back at home with Ella again.