A/N: Sorry I have taken so long to update everyone. Reviews keep me going so... you know... review and stuff.
A large black man with disgusting skin had Elizabeth hanging over the side of the ship by her dress. She tried to escape his hold, twisting his wrist and kicking around but it was no use. Will shoved his way across the ship, trying to get to them in time. Jack only watched as he fought against Barbossa.
"No!" Will screamed as the man let go of Elizabeth. Syren gasped, frozen in place as Elizabeth let out a blood curdling scream as she came down into the water like a bullet. Everyone stopped fighting and and silence washed over the ship like death itself was creeping among them. Some of the men leaned over the ship to watch if she would emerge from the water. Personally, no one had anything against Elizabeth. She was nice, beautiful woman and a great pirate as well. They respected her as a pirate only could.
Will felt as if he couldn't breathe. He gasped for air a couple of times, fighting back the tears. Jack and Barbossa stared at each other, waiting for one of them to speak.
Barbossa was first, "Sparrow," He said awkwardly.
"Barbossa," Jack replied, just as awkwardly. They both nodded at each other and sheathed their swords, walking over toward Will who was frozen in his spot against the side of the ship.
Jack put a hand on his shoulder, "I..." He didn't know what to say exactly. "She was a good woma-"
"No! No, she is not dead, Jack! She isn't dead!" He hissed, his body trembling. Jack jerked his hand away and scowled.
"I know it's hard to understand, Will, but fate-" Barbossa tried to say.
"That was not her fate! She isn't dead!" He screamed, "She can't be!" He growled.
Syren looked up at him. Tears formed in her eyes. She looked back to where the woman had fallen, searching for a sign that she was still alive. Barbossa searched over the water, trying to spot Elizabeth but instead he spotted what he was looking for. He smirked but quickly hid his excitement. Jack spotted this and followed his gaze which landed on his prisoner. He grimaced, moving his arms around in a shooing motion, hoping that by chance she would see him. She noticed the movement from the corner of her eye and focused on it. She saw Jack shooing her away from the ship then pointing at Barbossa discretely. She went back to searching for Elizabeth. It had been too long. Then it occurred to her that maybe she was unconscious. With that thought in mind, she dove into the water. Barbossa saw a flash of her tail. It was beautiful. Long, the colors shining in the sunlight, smooth, beautiful. Syren dove deeper and deeper, keeping an eye out for Elizabeth.
She spotted her body floating down to the sea floor. She quickened her pace and grabbed her by the waist, wasting no time in swimming back up. She knew that if she returned Elizabeth to the ship, she would be captured by Barbossa and taken away, maybe be killed. She looked at Elizabeth's pale face and all consideration was lost, she had to give her back to Will. She knew that Will wouldn't be alright if she died. He needed Elizabeth. No one needed her other than to open the doors to the hidden treasures. She didn't know what it was like to fall in love but judging by the way Will and Elizabeth acted, she could assume it was wonderful and it pained her to know that she would never experience it for real. Truly be loved and love someone back. She felt empty, all of those men dying for her when they truly didn't love her as a person, just a creature with undeniable beauty and a voice from the heavens.
She smiled at Elizabeth. Happy that she had someone like Will to love her, hold her in his arms and mean it when he said that he loves her, someone that will always be there to protect you and someone that will cherish you for who you are, not what you are. She finally reached the surface, struggling to keep Elizabeth over the water.
"There!" Gibbs said, pointing at them. She waved her arm at them.
"Elizabeth!" Will said, happy to see her even though she didn't look very alive.
"Well, what are you waiting for, ya' sea snakes? Get 'er on the ship, both of 'em!" Barbossa ordered. The men started to shuffle across the ship, following his orders.
"Oi! This be my ship and I be the Captain of it so I give the orders around 'ere!" Jack shouted louder than Barbossa. The men stopped what they were doing and waited for Jack's orders. He cleared his throat, "As you were." He mumbled.
Syren swam toward the ship and let the men pull Elizabeth up. Will immediately took her into his arms and tried to wake her. Barbossa pulled Syren into the ship and watched as she grunted as her tail shaped into a nice pair of legs. He kept his hand on her firmly so she wouldn't move. She decided not to struggle and Barbossa decided he could wait a while, just to make sure Elizabeth would be alright. When trying to wake her didn't work he gave her mouth to mouth, pushing down into her stomach and chest. She wouldn't respond.
"Come on, Elizabeth, love, come back to me." He pleaded as he tried to get her to breathe.
Syren watched sadly. Will loved that woman to death. She had to come back to him. Without her, nothing would be the same, he could see this. Barbossa searched around until his icy gaze landed on the man that dropped her into the water. The man looked back at him, fear glistening in his one eye. Barbossa cocked his head and pulled out his gun, pointing it at him.
"That wasn't a smart thing to do, now was it?" He asked before shooting the man in the heart. He fell hard onto the ship's deck. The gunshot echoed through the silence but no one moved from their spot, looking down at Will and Elizabeth.
Jack leaned over to Barbossa, "What if she doesn't... make it?" He asked, grimacing at her pale features.
He shrugged, "It is a terrible loss for us all. We all hold her dear to us but it be no moment for a funeral, Jack. Things will go as planned. I defeat you, take the creature, find the cove, unlock the doors to the treasure, take the treasure, come back and take back what is mine. The Black Pearl." He said casually.
"I have faith you won't get that far, mate." Jack said, smiling at Barbossa's confidence, trying to mask his worry.
Will kept trying, each time more determined it will be the moment she will come back to them. She never did.
"No!" He cried out, putting his forehead against hers. The ship remained silent, no one dared to move or say a word.
A wave of emotions washed over Syren's fear, "Don't give up." She whispered at Will. Everyone looked at her and she hugged her naked body, hiding her face behind her long hair. She felt something drape over her and looked up to see Jack wrapping his coat around her. She felt her cheeks heat up, a new sensation to her.
"What?" Will whispered, his voice caught in the knot in his throat.
"Don't give up," She wiggled out from under Barbossa's hand and crawled over to Will despite the pain in her legs. She knelt down beside him, hesitantly putting her hand on his shoulder, "She isn't dead." She whispered. She reached over and put her small hand on Elizabeth's stomach, pulling it over to her chest slowly. Will could see a bright light emanating from the palm of her hand. She removed her hand and put it against her lap respectively. She looked at Will expectantly and he stared back at her, unsure of what happened or what to do but he went with his gut feeling and tried mouth to mouth one more time. He pushed against her stomach one more time and she started to cough and choke on the water. Will helped her sit up and patted her back, laughing with pure joy that she was alive. She gasped for air a few times before regaining full consciousness. Will hugged her tightly.
Barbossa reached forward, grabbing a handful of Syren's hair and pulled her back to him. He pulled a knife to her throat and his men immediately pointed their weapons at Jack's crew. Jack scowled, "Hector, you and I both know that this isn't fair." He stated, walking over to him. Barbossa pressed the knife to her neck harder. She winced, holding onto his arm for support. Jack stopped in his tracks, "Now, let's not do anything we will regret, hm?" Jack said, raising his arms up, signaling her wasn't going to try anything.
"Thanks for the girl, Jack. I'll be back for the Pearl soon." He said as he parted his way to the Queen Anne's Revenge. Syren began to struggle out of his hold violently, not caring if the knife sliced her or not. She really didn't want to leave with this man, not at all.
"Barbossa, give her back!" Will shouted from his place on the floor with Elizabeth.
Barbossa scoffed, "I don't think I will, boy." He said, scratching his eyebrow. He yelled at his crew, that was now on the Revenge, to start heading West.
Syren took his arm and bit down into it as hard as she could. He grunted, dropping the knife to the floor and jerking his arm away from her. She gasped as she fell to the ground on her knees, her legs too weak. She didn't care about the pain, she crawled back toward Jack. Barbossa took out his pistol and shot her. Jack's crew stepped in front of her protectively, pointing their weapons at him.
"Has got a bit of a fight in 'er." He cocked his head, showing respect. He smiled at Jack, "I'll be seeing you, Jack." He said before retreating into his ship quickly. They all stood their ground until Barbossa and his ship were far away enough.
Jack knelt down beside her, "Are you alright, love?" He asked, flipping her over so she was facing him. The blood dripping down her chin made him grimace. She looked frightening yet frightened. She looked away from him and spit something out of her mouth. His eyes landed on a chunk of Barbossa's flesh and his eyes widened.
"Oh!" He gasped, leaning away from the chunk of it.
"By God," A pirate said, leaning in to take a better look at it, "that be a chunk of Barbossa's flesh!" He said, both amazed and slightly frightened that such a beautiful and innocent looking creature could do such a thing. Some curious and nearby pirates also came around to look at it and then at Syren. She hid her face with her hair, crawling away from them.
"Alright, you rapscallions, nothing to see here! Back to work, we have a long way to go!" Jack shouted. The men hesitated to follow Jack's orders, settling to stare down at Syren. Jack growled to himself in annoyance. "Oi! Who does a Captain have to shoot to get things done around here, eh?" He shouted again.
"Come on, you heard the Captain, back to work, men!" Gibbs shouted, shoving the pirates away and down the stairs.
Jack grimaced as he couldn't take his gaze off the flesh. His head turned toward Syren but his eyes didn't. Syren almost sighed. She picked it off the floor and tossed it over the side of the ship, grimacing as well. Jack now managed to look at her. "Are you alright?" He asked. His voice was pleasant to her.
She laid back down on the floor and watched as Will, Elizabeth and Gibbs came toward them. "Get the lady some clothes." Jack said toward Gibbs who was quick to comply. He came back with one of Jack's baggy shirts and some trousers. She pulled them on weakly and smiled as a thanks. Will was worried sick since she didn't bother to sit up to put the clothes on. He knelt beside her, "Are you alright?" He asked.
She nodded her head weakly, "Just... tired..." She said in whisper.
"Look!" Elizabeth shouted, pointing down. They stepped back, looking to the floor. There was a large puddle of crimson blood trailing down toward Jack's feet. He stepped around it, grimacing lightly.
"She be wounded." Gibbs said worriedly.
Will gently sat her up and she let out a cry. Some men stopped their duties to check what was wrong but continued when they couldn't manage to see past Gibbs and their Captain. Jack helped Will put her on her knees and hold her in place. Her body was limp and her breathing was strained. Elizabeth leaned over to look at her back, searching for any wound. She gasped, covering her mouth. Jack let her arm go and walked over. He grimaced at the sight.
"Oh, that is bad indeed." He said, pulling on his beard. "Gibbs, do something about it." He said, pointing him over. Gibbs shrugged sheepishly. He looked over at Will but he knew Will knew nothing about this kind of thing so he quickly flicked his gaze on Elizabeth. "You. Do something." He ordered casually.
Elizabeth scowled, "What? Are you serious?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yes, quite." He answered innocently. Elizabeth opened her mouth to argue but Will cut her off.
"Will you please help her?" He asked in annoyance. He lifted her off the ground and headed toward Jack's cabin. He followed after him frantically.
"Um, I don't want her on my bed, Will. She will ruin my fresh sheets with her blood." He said awkwardly.
Will glared at him coldly and Jack snapped his mouth shut. Will gently put her in the bed face down and removed the coat, lifting her shirt to half of her back. The bullet was lodged into her lower back, a few inches above her coxes, into the muscle. Will grimaced, looking away. Elizabeth reached into one of Jack's many pockets and he flinched away but she kept her hand inside. She pulled out a thin knife with a sharp point.
"What exactly are you planning to do with that?" Jack asked, pointing at the ominous weapon.
"I have to remove the bullet." She said as if it were the most common thing to know.
"With a knife?" Gibbs asked, sounding disgusted and worried.
"Do you men have any better ideas?" She asked, clearly annoyed. They looked at each other, shrugging and shaking their heads. "I didn't think so. Gibbs, go sterilize this for me." She said before leaning over to Syren to say something but someone interrupted her.
"Sterilize?" Gibbs asked. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and signaled him to lean forward. He put his ear near her mouth and she whispered something into his ear. His eyes widened. "Really? Are ye sure about this?" He asked. She gave him a look and nodded her head before leaning back down to Syren.
"Alright, I am going to remove the bullet and it's really going to hurt but we have no other choice. Do you trust me?" She asked, keeping her voice steady and low.
"Have you..." She grunted, "done this before?"
Elizabeth looked at the men, asking for help. They all looked away casually. She scowled at them, "Yes, numerous times. You have nothing to worry about." She lied.
Syren took a deep breath and nodded weakly. Gibbs came back with the scorching hot knife and carefully handed it to Elizabeth.
"Will, hold her legs down, will you?" She said as she positioned the knife to Syren's wound. He did as he was told and held her legs down firmly. "Jack, her arms." She ordered.
"Actually, I have to go check on-" He said, trying to walk out.
"Jack, do as she asks! Syren isn't going to hold on much longer if we do not act now!" Will shouted. Jack quickly walked over to the headboard and held her arms over her head awkwardly.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and dug the knife into the wound. Syren screamed loudly, causing Jack to flinch back. She arched her back in pain and jerked her legs around. Will struggled to keep them in place.
"Hold her still! If she moves, I could make the wound worse." Elizabeth ordered. Gibbs rushed to the bed and pushed her down. She screamed again as Elizabeth moved the knife around, searching for the bullet.
Jack grimaced. Her face was toward him and her face expressed pure pain and misery. He could nearly feel her pain. He felt bad for the girl. He leaned over to her as everyone else concentrated on keeping her still and removing the bullet. "Syren," He whispered to her.
"Jack?" She whispered back. She moved her hands, grabbing onto one of his. She recognized the gloves and rings.
"Aye, love. Um... everything will be alright. Elizabeth is going to fix you and then we are all going to find beautiful treasure. Lots and lots of beautiful treasures and jewels. So much that I could buy all of England..." He said dreamily.
She screamed loudly and snapped him out of his trance. He shook his head and squeezed her hand absentmindedly, "and then you can swim freely with your sisters, happily ever after." He whispered to her.
Will managed to read his lips since he had been looking at them from the corner of his eyes. He remembered the conversation between Gibbs and Syren earlier and immediately let go of her legs, walking over to Jack and dragging him out of the cabin, closing the doors behind him.
"Jack," Syren called out weakly. No one even heard her. Elizabeth continued to work on the wound as best as she could and Syren groaned, she was loosing too much blood and soon her consciousness.
"Jack, we can't make her open the doors to the cove." He said sternly.
"What?" He asked in disbelief, "Of course we can. You are really negative, Will, that's not good." He said, trying to reenter the cabin. Will stopped him.
"No, you don't understand, Jack- and this time you better listen to me or I swear I will punch your teeth out!" He threatened angrily. Jack waited for him to continue, "I overheard Syren talking about the treasure with Gibbs,"
"Gibbs? Since when are they on speaking terms?" Jack asked randomly.
Will flicked Jack's nose, "Focus!" He hissed. "She said that this gold is cursed,"
"A curse never stopped me before, why should it st-"
Will made a furious face and jerked his arms around, using all his might not to blow Jack's teeth out. Jack watched him as if he were crazy starting with the fact he was talking about not getting gold.
"For the love of God, shut up and listen!" He growled. Jack held his hands up in surrender. "If a certain piece of the treasure is removed, not only would a curse plague you and your crew but it casts the curse upon the guardian who failed to keep it safe, Syren." Will explained and Jack's face twisted into a grimace, "She would be trapped inside of the cove for the rest of her life for not fulfilling her purpose." He finished. Will searched Jack's face for any sign of emotions that would let him know what his intentions were now. Jack nodded his head slowly, thinking things through carefully.
"I see..." He voiced. He played with his beard, "Well, a small little curse is nothing she can't handle." He said merrily as he tried to reenter his cabin. Will jerked him back so they were facing each other. Will fixed Jack a glare only the devil can feat. Jack swallowed heavy and shrunk down in fear.
"Jack, you can't do that to her! I know what it's like to lose everything and be trapped in a hell-bound place. It's not very nice, Jack, not very nice at all and you and I of all people should know, don't you think?" He snapped. "Are you really going to take that girls life for some cursed treasure? You're going to have to take it back either way!"
Jack had to defend himself on that one, "What? I will do no such thing! William, treasure is treasure and treasure makes pirates happy and as we have been through before, I want to be a happy pirate." Jack said sternly.
"Jack, I will not let you do this to her. Now, your either with me," He took a step back, fixing him with a glare, "or against me." He said.
Jack didn't know what to do. Even if he didn't show it, he didn't really want to take her life away but he did really want the treasure and a silly curse wasn't going to stop him. Although... feelings might. Not so much as feelings. It's more like, interest. Yes, that's sure to be it, interest.
Will waited impatiently for Jack's answer. It never came as he stared at the floor, lost into space. Will busted through the doors angrily. Elizabeth was finishing stitching her wound up. By now, Jack's bed was red instead of white and Syren was unconscious. She had a wet towel on her face. Will gave Gibbs a questioning look at this.
"She came down with fever." He answered softly.
"I worry that she won't make it over night." Elizabeth said. Although she wasn't facing them, Will could tell she was crying. He hugged her from behind and she grabbed his hands tightly.
"We're leaving." He said sternly. He released Elizabeth and pulled Syren into his arms gently.
"What? Will, I don't-"
"Don't ask any questions, just get to the Dutchman's Ship and tell the men that we're setting sail toward Whitecap Bay, quickly, I'm running out of time." He whispered to her, making sure neither Jack or Gibbs heard him.
Elizabeth nodded and did as he said. He started to head out but Jack blocked the doorway. "Get out of my way, Jack."
"Not until you tell me what your doing." He said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I don't need to explain anything to you, Sparrow. Out of the way." He said, pushing past Jack. The Flying Dutchman was already beside the Pearl, ready to leave on his command.
"Will, I can't let you take her." Jack said as he pointed his sword at Will's back.
"Jack, you know that won't do you any good." Will said, chuckling at his attempts to threaten him.
Jack smiled to himself, "You have a couple of hours head start, Will. Remember, you won't make it the day, soon you'll just have to go back into the ocean." He said. Will could hear the smile on his face.
"That should be enough time, Jack, thank you." He said as he continued to walk toward his ship.
"What are friends for, mate?" He said, smiling sweetly.
Will ignored his comment and boarded his ship without giving the Pearl a second glance. Jack smiled to himself and walked down to the cells. He climbed in through the broken bars and pulled a chest out from the shadows of the corner. He opened it and grinned at the beating heart before him.
"No hard feelings, eh, Will?"