The sun shining in my eyes woke me up and I wrinkled my brow.
Jack and I were curled up on the deck on the bow. I inside of his curled body like a crab in a shell when I woke up. Not daring to move in case I woke him up, just lying there, looking up into his face... and wondering how we got onto the deck. Oh well... I thought, If we fell at least it wasn't into the water. I yawned, turning my head up into the sky, admiring the colours above me, the sky streaked with bright pinks, oranges, and purples like a painting. I looked up at the purple clouds, the bottoms tinted with a burnt orange color.
But I wasn't really thinking about the clouds or the pretty colours in the sky... I was thinking about my future.
I felt like I was in the middle of a war, holding a bomb to give to one side. On my right was John P. Walker, an opera singer, my fiancée, and my theatre career, my father's house, the memories, and of course Will and Elizabeth. On my left was Captain Jack Sparrow, the Black Pearl, the sea, treasure, adventure, his love, and freedom. Both sides had an equal amount of disadvantages as well. If I went back to Port Royal I would lose Jack, and freedom, actual freedom! But if I stayed with Jack I would lose the career that I had worked so hard for all my life. The bombs in my hands were going to explode soon and it wouldnt matter which one I chose because I would be dead. And whichever side I gave the bombs to would destroy all hopes of ever going back. I sighed.
Fingers running through my hair pulled me out of my thoughts like a riptide, pulling me out to sea. I looked up to see Jack looking down at me, with a smile on his face as he stared at me. I smiled tiredly and sat up...
"I didn't want to wake you." I said, "Otherwise I would have been up long ago." Jack smiled as we stood, looking about. The deck was empty. I frowned.
"How do we get on the deck?" I asked slowly. Jack smiled.
"I moved us." He said, "You were having a nightmare." I wrinkled my brow... I had a nightmare? I shrugged, this was not the first time I had had a nightmare and not remembered.
My hair was still damp as I ran my hand through it, pulling out all the tangles in my way. It was hopeless though, my hair was thick and long, the curls tight spirals. I was halfway through before I gave up. Jack's coat still hung on me, though off to one shoulder. Straightening it I reached down and picked up the blanket that laid on the ground.
Reaching over to Jack, who was looking out into the water quietly, I kissed him on the cheek. He turned and smiled at me.
"I'm going to put this away." I said, folding the blanket over my arm. He seemed to have been startled from thoughts and nodded. I looked at him before walking away. What had put him in such a quiet, thoughtful mood?
I threw the blanket over Jack's bed lazily, my skin somewhat itchy from the salt water the night before and pulled off his coat, hanging it on a chair.
Straightening my shirt I walked back out of Jack's cabin and into my own, pulling on another shirt (a white one), a pair of brown pants, and my black boots. I let my hair fall in its curly messiness loosely around my shoulders.
Stepping out into the sun made me blink feverishly as I walked through the crew, who had just woken up and were readying the ship to continue our search for Isla Draconia.
His shoulders were stiff under my hands as I ran them over his back. I wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head on his shoulder. Jack put his hands on mine and looked at me. I frowned to see that he looked sad.
"What are you thinking?" I asked, kissing the back of his neck gently. He sighed, touching the spot where I had kissed him, as if storing a memory.
"You're going home after we get the emerald aren't you?" he asked. I looked down, my eyes closed.
. . . I had to make my decision. . .
I turned and passed the bomb to the pirate, a sad look on my face, in my mind.
"I am home, Jack Sparrow." I said, "Maybe one day I'll go back and find what my father wanted me to... but for now I'm happy here." Jack smiled as he turned around in my arms, putting his hands on my cheeks and kissing me deeply. The kiss from him that still left me weak at the knees. I smiled.
"Alright, alright," I said smiling, "Go get dressed, Captain," I added, pushing him playfully but with force back toward his cabin, laughing, "We have much work to do this day."
Of course, once again midday came and there was no sign of the Isla Draconia or any other bit of land for that matter. I stood at the helm still, my mother's wedding ring still on my right ring finger, shining in the sunlight bright colours as my hands gripped the wheel of the Black Pearl firmly.
He just can't keep his hands off me can he? I thought amusedly as I felt Jack's arms around my waist.
"Is this your favorite place Jack? I seem to find us like this often." Jack smiled against my neck.
"I'd much rather have you turned around." He said, spinning me around to face him. I smiled.
"Well, now you have it. What-" his lips were on mine. His lips too... I thought, smiling in his kiss.
When he let go of me I turned back around, looking back out into the horizon, searching for any sign of the lost island.
An hour passing left me to gape at the sea ahead of me... I had found my grandfather's island.
It was clear to see why many ships had been lost to Isla Draconia for my grandfather chose it well.
Storm clouds hung over Isla Draconia, rain and lighting falling into the seas around it. Already I could feel the wind around us being drawn to the island. The landmarks were what frightened me the most, however as I gripped the wheel of the ship tightly. Rocks, their sharp tips sticking up from the water dangerously, the water churning around them, surrounded the island, making it one of the key reasons, I'm sure, that so many ships were lost to this passage. The island wasn't much better as I wrinkled my face hopelessly. Two of the three angles that I could see Isla Draconia at were covered in cliffs. Just in case the lucky sailors get past the rocks. I thought bitterly and closed my eyes.
"That's odd." Jack's voice in my ear, "All the storm clouds are gathering in that one spot... see?" he pointed and I sighed, so it was Isla Draconia... Jack couldn't see it. He looked at my face and sighed. "That's it isn't it?" he asked, "That's the island." I nodded slowly.
"And by God it is a scary sight." Jack frowned and I let out my breath at his confused face. I pointed and described to Captain Sparrow each landmark, all the while Jack's face becoming more and more sinisterly troubled. When I was finished Jack put one hand to his head, donned with his hat. A plan was beginning to form in my head.
"We'll board a longboat in one hour." I said, "And you and I will row through the rocks only because the Pearl will never fit through the rocks." Jack looked at me, surprised that I was taking charge despite my wide eyed face.
"Alright, luv." He said, "but why don't we go tomorrow?" I looked at him and bowed my head.
"Because I dont trust this place. Not in the least bit."
The water sloshed over the side of the longboat as I clung to the side, my bangs hanging around my face as those who didn't make it into my hair that had been pulled back with a ribbon.
"Christina!" I looked up to see Ana-Maria, looking over the railing with Glenn, "Don't go getting yourself killed." I smiled and blinked as the overpowering wind blew my hair in my face.
We had anchored the Black Pearl just outside of the edge of the storm clouds, just where the water was beginning to churn around the rocks that they could not see. Jack looked a bit shaken... but he was fine. I looked over at him, biting my bottom lip.
"Is it worth it Christy?" Jack asked, using my nickname, "The rocks and the cliffs don't bother me... it's just the fact that I can't see them." I looked at him, fire in my eyes.
"And you don't think that I'm capable of pointing and telling you where they are?" I snapped. Jack looked startled but grabbed the oars nonetheless.
"No, luv." He said, "That's not what I think." Turning away from him I scrutinized the rocks before us, trying to find the best way through the rocks. Before long I had found one.
"Alright, Jack." I said, turning to him and giving him a smile. "I see a way through." Jack nodded, grinning at me in encouragement, and we rowed off.
I will not describe to you the next twenty minutes of my life, for the fear and yet desperate courage and skill was too great and terrible to describe. Even now I remember little of it but the screams of "Left! NOW ROW LEFT!" and "There's a rock just there! Lean to the right when I tell you!" and the joy when I saw the sand of the island. Yet no words can describe to you the terror when the front of out boar cracked at the collision of a rock or the desperation that stung me as I held onto the side of the boat.
But, through all these feelings, we made it.
My breathing came heavy as I jumped from the boat. I began to trudge through the water.
"Well," I said, coming to the sand, a small beach before trees into an unknown wild, "We made it to the island." I turned around. "Jack?"
The Captain of the Black Pearl was still trying to make his way through the sand that he could not see, his face grimly set.
"Oh!" I cried, rushing over and taking Jack by the hand, leading him through the sand like a blind man. I had to admit, with all the times that I had depended on Jack, it almost felt good to be helping him for a change.
"This is ridiculous, luv." Jack said. I turned to him, smiling.
"Love is ridiculous," I replied randomly and brought my lips to his, "but I trust it." His mouth was gentle, caring, and almost timid?
"Alright, luv." Jack said, smiling back at me, "Let's find this treasure so we can get out of here." I nodded.
Hours could have gone by yet it was only moments to us as we trudged through the wilderness of the island, my hand on Jack's and his out in front of him, his face nervous, his eyes wary. I smiled at him, whispering when a rock or such got in his way. The island was strangely quiet, no chirp of birds, no wind through the trees, nor the splash of waves on the cliffs and rocks. We walked through the trees and grass, hopping streams, climbing rocks.
An hour went by and I stopped, breathing heavily and labored, leaning against a tree. Jack sat on the ground beside me, putting his arms on his knees wearily. There was still no sound on the island but the slight hearing of Jack and me breathing.
Suddenly, through the quiet I heard a singing... a low tone... a woman's voice... I took a sharp intake of breath... was it my mother?
"Jack?" I whispered, "Can you hear it? It's my mother... singing... come this way." I leapt up and grabbed Jack's hand, pulling him to his feet.
We ran through the trees, me no longer guiding Jack gently but dragging him behind me, leaving him to fend for himself without really noticing...
I could hear it...
"Past the point of no return
No backward glances
Our games of make believe are at an end
The final threshold
What warm unspoken secrets will we learn?
Beyond the point of no return."
I gasped.
We had run to a lake, bigger than any I had ever seen, and yet black as night. I reached down and touched my hand to it, Jack as well, following my lead. The black water ran over his finger and suddenly his eyes lit up as he looked around fervently. He looked at me.
"I can see!" He said, "I can see the island!" I smiled at him but could not keep my eyes off the figure behind him. Jack turned and I let out a pleading look from my eyes.
Behind Jack stood the wispy form of my mother, her brown hair falling around her face well kempt yet dirty. She wore the red dress that she had been wearing the night she was killed though now she wore a white cloak over it, blowing in wind that was not there. She had her mouth open in song. I waited until she was finished. This had been our favorite song.
"You have brought me
To that moment when words run dry
To that moment when speech disappears into silence
Silence
I have come here
Hardly knowing the reason why
In my mind I've already imagined
Your arms wrapped around me
Defenseless and silent
Now I am here with you
No second thoughts
I've decided
Decided..."
A smile lit up my mother's face and Jack looked confused. My mother took something out of her dress and held it out. I looked down to see that it was a dagger. Frowning, I shook my head. My mother shook hers as well and lifted her voice again... it sounded just like I remembered... though now only an echo.
"Past the point of no return..." I joined in, walking toward her. She took my hand gently.
"No going back now
Our loving play has now at last begun
Past all thought of right or wrong..." I felt the dagger, cold on my hand as she cut it open. I looked down at it as Jack stepped forward protectively, ready to strike if enough happened.
"One final question
How long are we to wait before we've won
When will the blood begin to pour?
The sleeping blood thirst into bloom." She kneeled me down and put my hand in the water, the blood traveling through the water like a virus... but it was making it clear. Jack looked down at the lake with a speechless expression. I still could not believe that this was happening. What was my mother doing here?
"When will the flames at last consume us?" My mother's voice was beginning to fade and so was her figure.
"Past the point of no return." A sad smile was on her face and she put her hand on her heart to tell me that she loved me. I smiled at her, a single tear ran down my face.
"The final threshold..." she was gone but I continued singing.
"The bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn...
We're passed the point of no... return..." Jack's hand on my shoulder pulled me from my trance and I turned to him.
"What was that about luv?" Jack asked. I shook my head...
"I dont know..." I replied, another tear falling... "Perhaps my mother was sent to help us." I turned back to the lake before us, now clear... and a passageway bridge going across it to the center where... a small mound of land was. I looked at Jack for a moment and sighed, wrapping my bleeding hand in a cloth. I was through now. I wanted off that island.
"Come on." I said and took Jack's hand, though I knew he could see by himself and grasping it tightly.
Jack seemed to be leading me more than I him as we crossed the bridge and as we walked I began to feel less and less sure of myself.
Suddenly, just as we passed the halfway mark I felt pain in my stomach and looked down at my shirt to see red stains developing on my white shirt. Jack seemed to be hunched over as well, grasping his leg. I looked at my arms and legs, covered in bleeding cuts now... I looked down at a particularly large one on my arm and could remember when I had cut it on the corner of a fence when I was young... with horror I realized that every scrape and cut from my whole life was opening and bleeding. Jack was now on his knees. Being a pirate I'm sure he had many more. Holding my arm I looked down at him.
"Jack," I said, "We're almost there! I can make it the rest of the way on my own. You stay here! When I get the emerald the curse should lift! Please just stay here!" Jack looked up at me.
"No, Christy." He said, standing up, "We have to go back. This place is dangerous. He shook one of his hands and blood came off of it.
"Yes, Jack." I shot back, "We lost Joe to this wild goose hunt and by God I will not leave this island without that emerald. I will not have his death be in vain!" I could feel blood filling my mouth from what I could not remember and spit it out to the side, running with all the strength I had across the bridge. I could feel the wood beneath my boots beginning to crack but paid it no heed. We needed to get out of here.
- - - - - - - JACK'S POV - - - - - - -
Jack looked out over the bridge, clinging to the side as his leg erupted into pain again and watched as the woman he loved ran across the bridge, limping due to the pain in her stomach where she had been shot... Suddenly...
"Christina, NO!" Jack shouted as he watched her fall to the ground. He saw something leap out of the water, all the light in the world was gone as he watched the figure lift up its arm and bring a spear down... right into Christina's heart! Jack gasped and ran forward, pulling out his sword and killing the figure, watching as it fell back down into the water.
"No, Christina. Please, no! Don't leave me here alone! Don't you dare die!" Jack leaned his head down and cried into the woman's chest, his teardrops a crimson color onto her skin, staining it... Her eyes were glazed as she looked up at the Captain, her hand on his neck. They leaned toward each other and brought their lips together.
- - - - - - - END JACK'S POV - - - - - - -
I ran across the bridge, my side killing me to no end. My breath came out in gasps as I ran, my leg dragging behind me. I could see it now... the stone table, high and shaped likes a goblet. I ran to it, falling slightly and grabbing onto the top of it.
What I saw on the top of the table entranced me and for a moment I had to only stare at it.
It was cut like the diamond on my mother's wedding ring, sitting in a slight hole on the table, a stand for it I supposed. Reaching over I picked it up, lighter than I expected it was and tucked it into my belt, the small pouch hanging off of it. I turned to smile at Jack, but a cry rang out.
"Ah!" I heard Jack scream and I turned to see a figure jump out of the water, its hair black and falling in string like clumps on its head. It was a human no doubt... but, due to the fact that its skin was that of a dead fish and its body hunched... I figured it was dead... I wouldnt put it past my grandfather, though little I knew about him, to have the dead bodies of the sailors that died here attack any guests. Damn! I cursed and rushed to pull out my pistol... but I was too late. The figure brought up its arms and crashed a spear down through Jack's back, causing the end of it to come from the front of him. I rushed forward, shooting the figure and watching it crash to the lake, falling to my knees in front of the Captain.
"Jack? Jack? No! Jack, please dont leave me here! I can't do this alone! Jack! I fell back as his body fell forward, my back crashing down onto the bridge. Why did this have to be happening to me? Why? Blood came from his stomach and fell onto me dripping where my wounds still were open. His body hung over mine, as I could tell he was still alive. I brought my lips up to his and they touched...
Suddenly Jack was breathing, and I was fine. The cuts on our arms and legs went away and the darkness around us went away to reveal that of a blue sky, spotted with occasional clouds. I looked up at Jack, overjoyed to no longer see the spear in his back. He looked just as overjoyed to see me. He smiled his crooked smile at me and pulled me close.
"Oh, Jack!" I cried, "I thought you were... I thought you were..." Jack's fingers rested on my lips gently.
"Speak of it no more..." He said, "We're done. The curse is lifted. It was all an illusion." We both stood and I laughed in relief, bringing my lips onto his, throwing my arms around him. He laughed.
"Alright," I said, "Let's get out of here." The two of us turned, out clothes bloodstained by the wounds that were no longer there, and ran across the bridge, our feet flying as we ran. Suddenly, the ground began to shake underneath us and Jack and I looked at each other and our eyes widened, running faster, our hands linked.
The next few moments of my life were very brief and fleeting, no matter how extraordinary it was. We came to the beach and leapt into the boat, rowing away from the island through the water that no longer churned for the storm clouds were gone and we both rowed like madmen. We were not but to the end of the rock field when suddenly, the island made a large suction noise and was suddenly gone... a whirlpool replaced in its lack.
"Jack..." I whispered nervously, "Can we go now?" Jack gave a small nod and began rowing fast, ignoring the pull of the sea around us, being pulled into the whirlpool.
Somehow, we made it to the side of the Black Pearl and climbed up, our breath coming in gasps. I climbed over the side of the ship with Gibbs's help and fell to the ground, my breath coming short and my eyes blurring.
The last thing I knew was a pair of arms around me lifting me before falling into a sleep that not even a banshee could awaken.