MidnightDreamer1988 (Dancing around with a brown bottle): Drink up me hearties, yo ho!

Jack Sparrow – Luv, before you can say you own this franchise, might I point out that a gang of rum-swilling pirates cannot fall under the jurisdiction of a woman who actively chooses NOT to drink?

Disclaimer – Pirates of the Caribbean is not mine…I'll stop dreaming now.

Wow, it's so sweet that people are still keeping up with this story (despite the nearly two-year-hiatus…oops). I feel a bit touched, and flattered too! Thank you all so very much! I really appreciate all you readers, especially those of you who took the time to provide me feedback!

Now, straight to the point. Seeing as poor Will Turner did not make a cameo last chapter, let's start with him!

Come To Join Me Crew Lad?

Chapter 5: In which the Kraken enjoys some death and destruction, and everyone journeys to Isla Cruces

Daybreak had long passed, yet Will still found himself rowing endlessly in his tiny longboat, his arms aching with fatigue, but before he could even slow his pace, a voice in his head would remind him that he was currently In possession of the key to the chest of Davy Jones, and Davy Jones would not be one to take the loss of the key lightly. No, it was better for him to put as much distance as he possibly could, even if his arms currently felt like they would detach from his body.

Thankfully, after long hours of loneliness at the sea, he spied a ship sailing in his direction, a small merchant trading ship by the looks of it, but a ship nonetheless. He immediately urged his arms to push forward just a bit longer, and when he was finally within viewing distance of the ship's crow nest, he began to wave his hands in the hopes that the crew would be kind enough to take him aboard. Within minutes, he heard a clamor on deck, signaling that they had finally spotted him, and his good fortune continued when he saw a rope fly through the air and land right next to his longboat. He made sure the key was secure, and then dove into the water, his hand clenching the rope tightly just as the crew began to tug it back to the ship.

By the time Will had reached the deck, he was cold and wet, trembling with both the chill in the air and his fatigue. He was immediately sent to the captain's quarters, where he was then given a blanket and a cup of grog. While the grog was almost unbearable, Will's throat was parched with thirst, and his stomach cried out for sustenance, so he hurriedly polished off his cup of grog before wrapping the blanket around him for warmth. Just as he was given a second cup of grog, the captain walked into the cabin, his eyes alight with curiosity.

"I see you've recovered a bit from your long journey, but I must admit that I'm mighty curious. It's a strange thing to come upon a longboat so far out open waters," greeted Captain Bellamy. Will could see traces of suspicion lurking in his face, but perhaps even Captain Bellamy understood that a single man, especially one as bedraggled and exhausted as Will, could pose no danger to his ship.

However, Captain Bellamy was still blissfully ignorant of the presence of Davy Jones, a danger which Will was all too aware of.

"Just put as many leagues behind us as you can, as fast as you can," replied Will hoarsely, his throat burning as he took another sip of grog. Curiosity was now completely vanishing in face of suspicion as Captain Bellamy narrowed his eyes.

"And just what are we running from?"

But Will's attention was no longer focused on Captain Bellamy, for his gaze had caught a dress made of fine material, a dress so ridiculously familiar that he couldn't stop himself from rising from his seat to see if it was real, and not just an apparition. His fingers skimmed the length of tulle, the soft silk, the rich satin, remembering how pretty Elizabeth had appeared, even drenched in the rain, her face pale and her lips blue with the chill in the air. He recalled the encouraging squeeze her hands gave his as he swore to save her when she was imprisoned, their hands interlaced through the bars of her cell, and the sweet expression she had even as she uttered the words that made Governor Swann stumble with her audacity. Every memory of Elizabeth swirled within his mind, along with the painful reminder that she had been in prison when he had left, and he still had no compass to present to Beckett to barter for her safety.

But if this was her dress, then surely she was still not in prison, was she? Her dress being so far out at sea had to mean that she had rescued herself somehow, right? Will knew that Elizabeth was not one to sit still, and she was incredibly resourceful and well-trained in many arts, even sword-fighting, which he himself had taught her. In addition, she had full knowledge of sailor and pirate lore, so she could easily pass off as a sailor if she hid her physique well…

"The dress." Will cleared his throat slightly, making sure that the hope swelling within him would not be evident in his tone. "Where did you get it?"

Captain Bellamy's mouth twitched with amusement. "It was found aboard the ship. The men thought it was an omen of ill fate."

"That's foolish."

"Ah yes, exceedingly foolish," agreed one sailor.

"It brought good fortune though," pointed out a second sailor. "The spirit told us to pull in at Tortuga, and we made a nice bit of profit there."

"Off the books, of course," ended Captain Bellamy, as if admitting to Will that their merchant ship had entered a pirate harbor was a cardinal sin.

Tortuga. Will had outlined his search for Jack to Elizabeth, and he had told her that he would start with Tortuga. No doubt Elizabeth had somehow managed to persuade the Edinburgh to sail to Tortuga so that she could search for Jack. In her mind, where Jack would be was where, he, Will, was supposed to be, and Elizabeth would be completely unaware of Will's predicament, especially since he highly doubted that Jack would tell Elizabeth the truth.

If Elizabeth had even found Jack. For all he knew, Jack could still be sailing around while Elizabeth would desperately be searching for him in Tortuga. In fact, it seemed highly likely that Elizabeth was probably still at that filthy pirate port, patiently waiting for a sign of himself or Jack. He'd have to head for Tortuga immediately once the Davy Jones business was complete so that he could be reunited with Elizabeth.

"Tortuga," Will confirmed. "I imagine some of your crew may have jumped ship there."

Suspicion flickered once again in Captain Bellamy's eyes. "Why do you ask?"

Before Will could even open his mouth to reply, a third sailor rushed into the cabin. "Captain, a ship's been spotted!"

"Colors?" Captain Bellamy snapped.

"She isn't flying any."

Captain Bellamy snorted angrily. "Pirates!"

Will's blood froze with fear in his veins. Pirates didn't fly any colors.

But neither did Davy Jones.

"Or worse," he whispered, racing out of the cabin along with the sailors and Captain Bellamy.

Beneath the deck, Elizabeth swung gently on her hammock as she leafed through the Letters of Marque, contemplating whether it was necessary to alert Jack of their existence. She knew that they were intended for Jack, but the signature space was still blank, and she could easily scribble Will's name into the blank and guarantee his safety after this quagmire came to an end. And while Jack was certainly a good man, despite his pirate veneer, there were occasions on which Jack was exceedingly infuriating, and knowing him, he would probably pocket the letters for himself without allowing Elizabeth to so much as glance at them in the future.

In addition, she would probably have to describe how she obtained those letters, and she didn't really want to fabricate a whole new story to add to the collection of lies she was accruing thanks to her disguised appearance.

She tucked the Letters of Marque back into her coat and sighed. Whether or not she revealed that she was in possession of Letters of Marque, ate the very least, she needed to let Jack know who his enemy was, especially since Will had not bothered to tell Jack the whole story. It hurt her deeply to know that Will had single-mindedly asked for the compass, but had not divulged information such as his upcoming marriage (well, almost-marriage thanks to that fool Cutler Beckett) to her, the fact that she was in prison awaiting his return, and the fact that she had, in fact, been in grave danger, since her sentence was death by hanging. She loved Will deeply, was devoted to him, and desperately wanted to defy all rules and propriety for his sake, but sometimes, she wondered if Will's loved her to the same degree. Yes, Will had been solicitous, friendly, and well-mannered before their pirate adventures, so much so that he always greeted her respectfully despite her affections for him, but wasn't love supposed to make one crazy? Why did it always seem that Will was willing to give her up when in reality, she wanted him to take her in his arms and tell her that she was always to be the most important person in her life? Was it really so wrong to be selfish in love? Was it always better to follow the rules, to be compliant and step aside, like Will had done so many times? He loved her, but sometimes, she felt like she was the only one who brought passion to their relationship, while he always remained respectful. It was enough to make her want to shake him and insist that he be more spontaneous and forceful.

Elizabeth sighed once again. There was no use dwelling on these thoughts, and she would do better to remain occupied so that her mind didn't constantly wander to the one question that lurked inside the darkest depths of her mind.

Do Will and I really love each other enough, or is something missing?

His vision was almost nothing more than a red haze, barely penetrable by the light streaming through the sky from the sun. Sunshine, as if the day was cheerful and full of hope..

Not if he could help it. Not when he had woken to find the key missing, and its place, the cloth picture that the boy had thrown down on the bets table yesterday. The key was no doubt in the boy's possession, and with it his heart was further from his grasp than it had ever been.

He would pay dearly.

The crew had gathered upon his shouted orders, Bootstrap restrained at the very front. Good. Only a crew member could have helped the Turner boy escape, and who better than the father? He would pay too.

Davy Jones made his way towards Bootstrap, his tentacles writhing with rage as every vessel in his body burned, angry hot blood rushing to his every limb. "You will watch this! Let no joyful voice be heard! Let no man look up at the sky with hope! And let this day be cursed by we who ready to wake...the Kraken!"

"NO!" Bootstrap's yell was so pained and tortured that it had the power to slice cleanly through a man's heart.

Of course, Davy Jones had no heart to speak of in his chest, so an elated grin spread across his face as the crew members unleashed the Kraken, sealing the Turner boy's fate forever.

"Beckett?" Gibbs muttered, his gaze focused on Elizabeth.

"Yes, it was Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company who sent Mr. Turner to fetch the compass," Elizabeth answered truthfully. "Mr. Turner's retrieval of the compass would set Miss Swann free from the gallows, so Mr. Turner set out straight away while Miss Swann was kept in the gallows as incentive."

" Will was working for Beckett and never said a word," Gibbs murmured incredulously. His gaze immediately swung the Jack. "If Beckett wants the compass...only one reason for that."

"Of course," replied Jack. A frown had formed one his face upon the mention of Beckett's name, but it grew more pronounced when he realized exactly what Beckett was seeking. "He wants the chest."

"Yes, he did say something about a chest," confirmed Elizabeth quickly, hoping that someone would finally explain the significance of the chest to her. She had masked her expressions well when she had been speaking to Beckett in his office, but she had felt a bit like a prize idiot when he informed her that he was not seeking the Aztec gold of the Isla de Muerta, but an entirely different chest. Hopefully someone would clarify exactly what it was that Beckett was after.

"If the Company controls the chest, they control the sea," Gibbs explained succinctly. Elizabeth recalled how Pintel and Ragetti had pantomimed the beating heart of Davy Jones that was contained in the chest. If Davy Jones was the sea, and his heart was in the chest, then whoever possessed the heart had full control of Davy Jones and thus full control of the sea. She wrinkled her nose in distaste and Jack gave her a small smile.

"A truly discomforting notion, mate," he agreed.

"And bad, bad for every mother's son what calls himself pirate." Gibbs glanced around nervously, as if Beckett was closing in on them, and then returned his gaze to the sails. "I think there's a bit more speed to be coaxed from these sails! Brace the foreyard!" He hurried away, clearly shaken by the idea of Beckett gaining control of the seas, although Elizabeth wasn't entirely sure how making The Black Pearl go infinitesimally faster would help.

"But what's the incentive for me?"

"Beg pardon?" Elizabeth asked, turning to Jack with a confused expression on her face. His comment seemed completely random, although Jack did tend to be exceedingly random at times, so perhaps she shouldn't be that surprised or confused.

"Beckett arrests William and Lizzie, and then tells William that in exchange for me compass, he can have his bonny lass. But what do I get from giving me compass to William?"

"You get the satisfaction of knowing you saved the lives of two people who once risked their own lives for you," replied Elizabeth archly.

"Pirate." Jack's telltale smirk spread across his face, causing Elizabeth's blood to boil. "Pirates are always in need of persuading, mate, and Beckett, being a man who has dealt with pirates, is not foolish enough to believe that I would willingly relinquish my hold on the compass for so little a prize."

Elizabeth was surprised that the Letters of Marque hadn't burnt a hole through her garments yet. They certainly felt like they were burning hot, constantly reminding her of their presence. But if she gave them to Jack, how would she ever rescue Will. Beckett had said that Elizabeth would be freed when Will brought the compass to him, but he never really stated whether Will would be freed from his charges.

"Smithy."

Elizabeth jerked back to attention. "Yes Captain Sparrow?"

"What's my incentive?" Jack repeated.

Elizabeth sighed. She could tell him about the Letters of Marque without showing him, and if he managed to sail away to freedom, then she would never have to worry about handing him the letters. "Beckett has signed Letters of Marque for you. Full pardon, commission as a privateer on behalf of England and the East India Trading Company."

Jack scoffed. "As if I could be bought for such a low price."

"But if you were danger, you would snatch the papers up without a second's thought," Elizabeth retorted, a slight smile on your face.

"Now why would you say that mate?"

She smiled coyly, completely unaware at how her cat-like smile suddenly revealed all her femininity in full power, stunning Jack Sparrow momentarily. "Because you're a pirate."

She walked away as Jack stood there, still taken aback by the full force of her feminine powers, neither one realizing that one person had kept tabs on their entire conversation, one James Norrington.


A loud boom sounded into the air, and suddenly Will realized exactly what was going to happen. He climbed the mass hurriedly, his heart sinking as he finally spied the ship in the distance, the one flying no colors, one all too familiar to him. It sank into the waters almost immediately after his gaze had locked upon it, but he knew that of the threat that had yet to come. He had seen the devastation from the last ship, a foreshadowing of what was to come, and he knew that this time, the outcome would be far, far worse due to his presence, his cursed presence, aboard the Edinburgh.

"The Flying Dutchman," whispered Will, his voice hoarse with fear. "I've doomed us all."
Of course, none of the other sailors knew of the existence of Davy Jones. To them, he was a myth, a legend, and instead of preparing to fight a battle that could not be one, they stood on the deck dumbfounded as their ship jerked violently in place.

"Mother Carrie's chickens! What happened?"
"Must've hit a reef!"
Captain Bellamy immediately sprung into action upon hearing the frantic cries of his crew. "Free the rudder! Hard to port, then hard to starboard!"
The sailors immediately began to execute the orders. "Free the rudder! Hard to port!"

The ship began to veer dangerously to the left, and just before Captain Bellamy could shout for them to now turn hard to starboard, Will saw a single tentacle of the Kraken emerge from the water, wrap around Captain Bellamy's waist, and then plunge back into the frothy depths, so quickly that a single sound had not even escaped from Captain Bellamy's mouth.

And Will watched as horror registered on every face, as the terrible truth that death was just around the corner dawned upon every sailor.
"KRAKEN!"

And then chaos ensued. Sailors ran about in sheer panic, unable to flee the tentacles that crashed onto the deck of the ship. Some attempted to shoot their rifles, but their puny weaponry was no match against the strength and power of the Kracken. Amidst all the pandemonium, Will could see a sailor waving about Elizabeth's wedding dress, insisting that the Kraken take it for payment. Not that offering a dress would do any good, but Will didn't even have a chance to yell that to the sailor, seeing as a second later, he was flung from the ship by a sweeping tentacle. Will immediately knew that his position on the mast was unsafe, especially if the Kraken was determined to sink the ship, and he plunged his father's knife into the sail, providing him a cushion as he slid down, the knife tearing through the sail easily.

His feet hit the deck just as a giant tentacle crashed straight through the middle of the ship, effectively splitting it into half right at the moment Will dove into the water, escaping the ravaged and destroyed boat. His eyes automatically close upon his impact in the sea, but before rising to the surface, he opened his eyes and saw the horrific profile of the Kraken, it's tentacles thick, strong, and powerful, it's head too large to imagine, and eyes (thankfully both focused on the Edinburgh) as wide as Will himself. He immediately began to propel himself to the surface just as he saw the Kraken pull the Edinburgh ruins into the sea, forever removing all trace of the trading merchant ship from the surface.

He broke through, gasping desperately for air while he groped around for a piece of wood to float upon. However, before he could even contemplate his next action, he heard a bubbling, and suddenly, the Flying Dutchman surfaced right before him, almost grazing him as it sailed towards the Edinburgh ruins, scanning for surviving crew members. While the crew of the Dutchman were busy rounding up the sailors that had managed to live through the destruction of the Edinburgh, Will grasped tightly to the seaweed and numerous growths that clung to the hull of the ship, pulling himself up bit by bit until he had reached the jagged mouth at the bow of the ship, a perfect hiding place and one that Davy Jones would not even fathom to think of. However, as he gazed down below, he could see Elizabeth's wedding dress sink into the depths of the sea, and he felt pain stab at his heart.

It was almost as if he had lost his love to the sea. Even though he knew that Elizabeth was safe (well, as safe as she possibly could be in Tortuga), seeing her wedding dress flutter helplessly to the bottom of the sea seemed to confirm the fact that there was to be no wedding.

A symbol that maybe there would never be a wedding…

Will suddenly jerked as he heard a voice echo from the deck.

"The boy's not here. He must have been claimed by the sea."

"I am the sea." The anger in Davy Jones' voice was unmistakable. Will heard a thump of a wooden leg. "You need some time alone with your thoughts. Brig!"

"What of the survivors?

"There are no survivors." Jones' words were echoed by the slash of multiple swords against the soft flesh of the throats of the survivors, and Will cringed, knowing fully well that had he not been aboard the Edinburgh, the entire crew might have been able to return to their port with a tidy profit on their hands.

Because of him, an entire crew was dead, and their souls now weighed on his conscience.

No, not his conscience! This was Jack's fault! Jack had been the one to press-gang Will into Davy Jones' crew! Jack had been the one who left him behind without a worry or care, leaving him to have to fend for himself. Jack was the one who sailed away without providing him a means of escape from hell on the sea.

Suddenly, he heard Davy Jones' voice ring out in the air authoritatively once again.

"The chest is no longer safe. Chart a course for Isla Cruces. Get me there first or there'll be the devil to pay."

"First?

Even from his position in the jaws of the bow, Will could hear the rage, the absolute anger that sizzled in Davy Jones' voice. "Who sent that thieving charlatan onto my ship? Who told them of the key? Jack Sparrow!"

Elizabeth smiled to herself as she leaned against the rail of the ship, reveling in how utterly glorious it was to get the last word in a conversation with Jack Sparrow. However, it wasn't long before she heard heavy footfalls come to a stop beside her. She turned slightly to the right, expecting to see Jack beside her once again, but to her surprise, it was James who leaned against the railing alongside her, a slightly sarcastic smile on his face.

"It's a curious thing," he began, his smile starting to look a bit more like a grimace with every passing moment. "There was a time when I would have given anything for you to look like that while thinking about me."

Elizabeth cocked her head in confusion. "I don't know what you mean."

James' smile only grew more knowing, and if possible, more annoying as well. "Oh, I think you do," he retorted with a smirk, the confidence in his voice so thick that Elizabeth wanted to hurt him somehow. Slap him step on his foot, kick him in the ankle, anything for him to take back the implication that perhaps she was beginning to feel more strongly for Jack than she would for any man.

"Don't be absurd," Elizabeth snapped back, her anger getting the best of her. "Jack Sparrow still thinks I'm a male, and so far, everything he's spoken of has turned out truthful or has made sense, so why should I not take his judgment and comments seriously?"

James gave a scathing laugh and pushed away from the railing. "So you never wondered how your latest fiancé ended up on the Flying Dutchman in the first place? You honestly believe that Mr. Sparrow has nothing to do with Mr. Turner's disappearance. Elizabeth, you are not a gullible fool, I know that all too well!"

"Edward Smith, Norrington!" hissed Elizabeth angrily, shooting quick glances around her to make sure that her cover was still intact. "And what are you implying? That putting my faith in Jack is a betrayal against Will?"

"I'm not Mr. Turner, who blindly adores you, nor am I Mr. Sparrow, who has known you only for a year or so. Out of the three of us, I perhaps know you best Elizabeth, because out of all of these men, I was the one to meet you first. You were only eleven then, but you had such a morbid fascination with pirates that I feared for your upbringing. Your father attempted to shield you from all the horrors of piracy, but you relished the secrecy, the adventure, and the intrigue of it all. You seem ill at ease during societal events, yet on a pirate ship, you masquerade effortlessly, and converse with Mr. Sparrow in a manner that you have never addressed Mr. Turner or me by. You're fascinated by Jack Sparrow, and sometimes, fascination is the first step to becoming infatuated with someone."

"You're saying that I'm infatuated with Jack Sparrow?" asked Elizabeth incredulously, her head spinning from James' monologue. He couldn't possibly be right! However, before she could prepare a retort, she felt James hand by her side, untying a string, and suddenly, the compass was deposited straight into her hand.

"It points to whatever you desire Elizabeth," James whispered. "Before, when you had only spoken to Mr. Sparrow for minutes, it pointed towards the chest of Davy Jones, because that was what you believed the key to Mr. Turner's salvation would be. What does it point to now?"

James took off, leaving Elizabeth frozen against the railing, the compass resting in her raised hand. Once James had completely disappeared from sight, she managed to free herself from her daze and shook her head furiously. James was being absolutely ridiculous! She loved Will, and while she may find Jack fascinating, that certainly didn't mean that he was her heart's desire! How could she possibly desire Jack when she had to save Will?

She yanked the lid open and closed her eyes, taking deep breath before opening them to see where the compass pointed to, watching as the arrow constantly kept wavering between the direction they were sailing towards and the dreadlocked captain at the wheel. She patiently stood rooted in place for a minute, but the arrow continued to unsteadily waver between the two directions, and with an exasperated sigh, she shut the compass.

"James is right," she muttered to herself as she stormed away from the railing. "Unique really does mean broken."

James Norrington returned to his job of swabbing the deck once he had pulled away from Elizabeth, mulling over everything he had said and heard. He had no doubt struck a nerve in Elizabeth by implying that her love for her beloved Mr. Turner was diminishing in the face of her fascination for the idiot Jack Sparrow, but it was as plain as day to him that she had been staring at Jack the same way she used to stare at a blacksmith's apprentice a year ago, when she was untouched by piracy and adventure. She definitely seemed to hunger for the unusual, and Jack Sparrow was at the top of that list.

And of course, thanks to his failure, James Norrington was at the bottom of all lists, the loser by all accounts – he didn't have Elizabeth, he didn't have a ship, he didn't even have anything to call his anymore. He had lost it all in pursuit of Sparrow, and the outcome was that he was now a crew member of his mortal enemy. Life had really sunk him to the lowest level possible.

He retrieved his rag from the bucket and began to furiously scrub at a stain that perhaps only God knew the cause of when his mind stumbled upon a fact that he had not come to realize earlier.

The Letters of Marque.

Elizabeth had mentioned them to Sparrow, had told him that the letters were the incentive that Beckett was to provide him for handing over the compass, but she had not mentioned how the letters were currently on her person.

So at the moment, only two people knew that the Letters of Marque were aboard this ship – Elizabeth and himself.

If he could get his hands on the heart before Sparrow ever could, if he could sneak away with the heart and the Letters of the Marque, then he could rise to glory, reclaim his own position, and would no longer be just a shadow of the Commodore Norrington he used to be. His power and prestige would come back to him with a flick of the wrist, and he could relinquish his lowly position of deck hand for that glorious former position of a naval officer in the Royal British Navy.

But he was thinking too far ahead. He had to keep himself calm and collected so that when the time came, he could execute his plan flawlessly.

One course of action at a time James, and soon all the rewards you deserve will drop straight into your hands once again…

Jack couldn't help but grin as he sauntered towards a pensive and troubled looked Elizabeth sitting on the steps above deck, gazing out into the sea. He had seen Norrington and Lizzie talking from a distance, and Lizzie looking a bit exasperated, but he couldn't make out the topic of their conversation from his vantage point at that moment, although he suspected it had much to do with him.

After all, he's the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. Everyone knows him (and it helps that his name rolls off the tongue quite nicely too).

He sauntered over towards Elizabeth, bottle of rum in hand. "Smithy. Here I thought that you'd help your dear friend Norrignton swab the decks," he drawled with a smirk. "However, you seem to firmly seated here, as if the troubles of the world are weighing you down."

"Are you ever completely serious Captain Sparrow?" questioned Elizabeth with a roll of her eyes. "Surely even you must have your moments of normalcy."

"Life doesn't get any better by always being serious mate. So why not drink and enjoy life?"

Elizabeth snatched the bottle of rum from Jack and took a long swig of it before handing it back to its owner, startling Jack a bit. Sure, she had drunk rum on the island, but she had burned most of it. Now, it seemed as if she almost had a liking for what she once called "a vile drink".

"My tremendous intuitive sense informs me that you have a few questions for me Smithy," Jack stated, changing the subject from his lack of normalcy to Elizabeth's troubles. "Care to share them mate?"

Elizabeth sighed. How was she supposed to tell Jack that the reason she was feeling troubled and pensive was because she had imagined her life being much different at this point in time. She had thought she'd be married, be happy with Will in Port Royal with the occasional adventure. A part of her still felt that she could go back to that dream as soon as this whole Davy Jones' Heart matter cleared, but a hidden, brazen part of her constantly rattled in her brain, telling her that the taste of adventure was too much, that she could never again return to that simple, sweet dream that she had once harbored, the dream to marry a blacksmith she loved and live happily ever after.
Of course, there were multiple other matters on her mind too, so she decided to use one of the numerous topics on her mind as a decoy. "Something you said to me earlier has caught my attention, Captain Sparrow."

Jack's eyes glimmered with intrigue. "My every word and action draws attention, but do tell Smithy." Curiosity and humor bubbled within him. What fascinating topic and conversation would Lizzie initiate now?

Elizabeth rolled her eyes once again at Jack's comment, but continued to speak. "Earlier, you asked what your incentive was for handing the compass to Beckett. I suggested that the incentive was to save the lives of Mr. Turner and Miss Swann, but you seemed to hint that you needed greater incentive."

"I didn't hint that Smithy, I outright said it," replied Jack, a single eyebrow raised.

Elizabeth felt the blood rush to her head as fury began to simmer within her. "So you have no sense of honor, decency, or moral center?"

Jack grinned toothily. "Pirate."

"So you'd let Miss Swann hang for your freedom," snapped Elizabeth angrily.

Jack's grin widened, if possible. Was Lizzie trying to figure out what he would risk for her sake? Someday, when the whole ruse was up, he would have to tell her just how much he enjoyed their debates, especially due to her masquerading as a man when he clearly saw through her disguise.

Until then, however…

"Mate, I know Lizzie better than you'll ever know her-"

"You were only acquainted with her for a matter of days!"

"Trifles!" declared Jack with a wave of his hand. "Be it days, hours, weeks, months, years, or whatever you wish to refer to, the fact is that I will always know Lizzie better than you. Now let me get to the point. I know Lizzie, and my tremendous sense of intuition of the female character tells me that she is probably not lounging about in a prison cell. She probably flitted away as soon as she found an opportune moment. So I can say, without a doubt, that dear Lizzie is quite safe."

"How could you know Miss Swann better than I?"

Jack chuckled, noting that Elizabeth had changed the subject, because really, what could she say against his comments? She was quite safe at the moment, just as Jack had said, so she couldn't really contest that.

"Because we're very much alike, she and I, us, and one day, she'll come to my side."

"Shouldn't you gain a sense of honor, some decency, and a moral center before you make such a claim? And wouldn't personal hygiene be a surer technique of obtaining a woman?"

"Shows how much you know about women, Smithy," Jack replied glibly. "How many women have you been with? Zero, I presume."

Elizabeth went slightly red, but ignored his comment. "You seem far too certain that she'll come to you. She loves Mr. Turner, and was even going to marry him."

"Going to marry him. Not married him. That bond definitely hasn't been set in stone yet. And in response to your statement, she'll come to me because of curiosity."

Elizabeth cocked her head. "Curiosity?"

Jack grinned and rose from the steps. "She longs for freedom mate, to do what she wants because she wants it. She'll want to act a bit selfishly, and one day, she won't be able to resist the temptation."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. Hours ago, hadn't she been wondering exactly what it was like to be selfish in the matters of love? Had Jack seriously hit home with his reply? Would she be able to resist the siren call of temptation, the lure of freedom, adventure, and selfishness?

Elizabeth shook her head with disgust. Was she letting Jack Sparrow, of all people, win an argument against her?

"Why doesn't your compass work?" she blurted out randomly.

Jack wrinkled his brow. Bugger, she had hit a nerve. "My compass works fine," he replied gruffly.

"Captain Jack Sparrow, let me tell you why your compass doesn't work for you any longer. You say that Miss Swann is battling between a society life and a life of freedom, between honor and selfishness, between decency and self-interest, but in reality, that's the battle you're fighting, isn't it?"

"I have no battles of that sort whatsoever, I can assure you. I am a fully selfish, self-interested, freedom-seeking pirate."

Elizabeth knew that sometime sooner or later, she would hit another nerve. She had definitely hit one with the mention of the compass, after all. "One day, Captain Jack Sparrow, the moment will come where you have the choice of being selfish or doing the right thing."

"I love those moments!" interrupted Jack with a smirk. "I like to wave at them as they pass by."

"You'll have the chance to do something courageous," continued Elizabeth. "Something that pits your desires against your honor, and when that chance comes, you'll discover that you're far from a pirate; you're a good man."

"I'll have you know that all evidence of me so far has proven contrary to your charming statement."

"But it'll happen one day Captain Sparrow, believe me," replied Elizabeth with cool confidence.

"Enlighten me then mate."

Elizabeth smiled slowly, a smile akin to a cat toying with a bird, and her eyes smoldered as she spoke. "You'll fall prey to curiosity. You'll want to know what it's like to be an honorable man. You'll want a chance to be admired, to gain the awards that follow. The temptation to know what it tastes like will be too great for you."

Jack's throat went dry, his eyes unable to pull away from Lizzie, beautiful and dangerous even clothed in men's garments. Her smile was entrancing, and her eyes sparkled with emotions that Jack suspected even Lizzie wasn't aware of. "I do want to know what it tastes like," he murmured, his voice as smooth as velvet.

Elizabeth suddenly realized just how close the two of them were, but she couldn't even recall when she had rose from her seat to join him. She had been goading him, trying to see if she could find a glimpse of the good man she knew was hidden deep within him, but she had stumbled into her own trap, caught under the spell of dark brown eyes that held all the adventures and secrets of the world.

And she couldn't pull away.

For minutes, the two of them stood perfectly still, not a single muscle moving as their gazes were locked onto each other. Jack was almost ready to close the distance between them, to yank Elizabeth in his arms and declare that the ruse was up, to drag her into his cabin and kiss her until both of them were senseless, but before he could take the first step, he felt a tingle in his hand, and a sudden burning sensation as the black spot slowly reappeared on his palm.

"Land ho!"

Gibb's loud cry broke through the trance, and Elizabeth immediately pulled away from the scene, rushing towards the opposite railing at the highest and most inconspicuous speed she could manage, her head light from her mental sparring with Jack. When had their discussion turned into a staring contest? When had she suddenly fallen under the spell of Jack Sparrow? Why hadn't she been able to pull away until Gibb's shouts broke the tranquil moment?

She shook her head and withdrew the compass from her coat Now was not the time for questions. She was Isla Cruces, and she had the opportunity to save Will. Jack and all the questions that followed him could wait in the face of rescuing Will.

Jack watched Elizabeth walk away as he clenched his fist, cursing the reappearance of the black spot. It had been the opportune moment to take Elizabeth for himself, and the blasted black spot chose that moment, of all moments, to reappear. However, as he stared out towards the land that Gibbs spotted, all thoughts of Elizabeth filtered out of his mind as he once again focused on the dire situation he was in, and only one thing could save him from certain death at Davy Jones' hands…tentacles…pincers…whatever they were.

"I want my jar of dirt!"

Sigh, this chapter was kind of difficult to write, because parts of it were recaps (I have used some exact quotes in this chapter) and then some I rewrote and tailored to fit Elizabeth acting as a man. I had fun though, and I kind of enjoyed having Norrington speak some more in this chapter. I adored Norrington in the second movie (shame he got killed off in the third one…but fanfiction can easily rectify that matter ). I had a reviewer (murmuring'.breeze-) ask if Norrington would be a contender of Elizabeth's love, and while I don't really see that happening in the story (who knows? Sometimes characters have a life of their own and take your story in a completely different direction than you intended) I definitely do see him as a vital part of the story.

Anyways, I really hope I did the characters justice in this chapter, and I hope everyone enjoyed it. Please review and provide me feedback, because it is really important to me!

Have a good weekend!