Chapter Thirty Two

The Madness of a Queen

- Still Nearing World's End -

"We should be approaching the Locker soon." He said, walking below deck, taking his coat off and throwing it on the chair beside the window. Saphira looked up from Jack's shoulder, from which her head had been resting on, and met Captain Turner's intense hazel eyed gaze. Will's gaze softened as the look of determination somewhat faded as he said, "The Locker has strange affects on people-" Jack snorted at that, though Will pushed past it. "-I've lost crew coming up here-"

"-wouldn't it technically be down?" Jack asked, pursing his lips together, stroking his beaded beard as if he was deep in thought. After muttering a warning, "Jackie", Saphira turned back to Will so she could ask, "You think that's what happened?"

Will nodded, leaning against the door frame and crossing his arms over his muscular chest. he glanced out the window. It had been hours since the snow had stopped falling and entered an almost eerie calmness. That's what the World's End was. Madness. Insanity. Going from one extreme to another. William closed his eyes momentarily, before saying, more so to Saphira than Jack, "Calypso put a curse on the Locker years ago, that anyone who ever passes near or through the World's End would face troubles. Madness. The Spirt of the Locker preys on the most vulnerable person on deck." Saphira met Will's gaze for a moment. Jack looked halfway pleased at the fact that it wasn't him this time. Will leaned back against the door as Saphie said, "Preys?"

"Yes. Makes you go insane. Caly told me that the Spirit picks the person the person that will bring everyone down should something happen. I'm guessing that it picks your weakness and attacks that." Will's countenance fell as he said that, knowing that her weakeness was. Jack clicked his tongue and said, "So? Kill the Spirit."

"Jack, you can't get a Spirit. It's already dead." Will said, turning to face his friend with a look of 'did you really just say that?' Saphira shook her head at her fiancee. Jack sighed, apparently not out of humor as he said, "Well this 'as been fun. I best be goin' back to me ship to make sure tha' Satan didn't bring it down to hell." Jack shuddered slightly at that statement, before kissing Saphira's head, and walking past Will out of the Dutchman's lower decks. Saphira got up from her seat and walked over to Will, "Darling, I'm sure it's fine."

Will nodded, but still had that look on his face. He was worried, and Saphie knew it. She smiled up at him, and wrapped her arms around him. Will put his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder's, closing his eyes. "Saph, I just don't know what I'd do if something were to happen-"

"-Will, don't think like that." Saphie said to him, in a reasurring tone. Will nodded as Saphie said, "Darling, I think you love her too much for your own good. Don't worry." Will smiled at that. She kissed his cheek and said, "I better follow him. No telling what he and Grant will get into." Will nodded, as she smiled up at him and said, "Promise me. Don't worry."

"I can't make that promise." Will said with a smirk. Saphira laughed, and walked past him up the stairs, no doubt going back over to the Pearl to make sure that Grant and Jack hadn't killed each other yet. Or to make sure that Ana wasn't over there as well, since she and Jack tended to get into heated arguments when left alone. Will shuddered at the thought of an argument that left Jack...well, we won't get into that.

Will looked away from where Saphie walked to the other door. Lila was standing in the doorway with a look on her face as if she didn't know what to make of what she just saw. For the sake of her own ego, more than anything else, she brushed past it for the time being, and walked over to him. Will smiled and brought her into his arms as he asked, "Better?"

"Not really." She replied in a voice that he had barely recognized as Lila's. Will closed his eyes and rested his head on hers, trying to remember what Calypso had told him all those years ago when he first became captain. The person affected by the Spirit would be targeted by their weakness until driven mad. But what if the Spirit wasn't possesing Lila? What if Lila was actually seeing something? Will wasn't too worried, as Lila guarded that key with her life. But he still couldn't help but wonder.

"Captain? You're wanted on deck." Came Bootstrap's voice from the stairs. After what he walked in on a few days before, Bill was a little more cautious of when he came down the stairs...perticularly if Will and Lila were no where to be seen, the lower decks were pretty much off limits. Will, who was still holding Lila's had tightly as if he was afraid to let it go, said, "Grant's taking over the Sun for you. I asked him to." When Lila's gaze met his as if she was going to argue with him, Will said rather quickly before she had a chance to snap at him, "I just...I want you to be with me." Lila nodded as Will leaned down and kissed her cheek. He gaze her hand a squeeze, before dropping it, and saying, "Do me a favor and make sure that the chest is restained, alright? I don't want it...being lost when we fall." Lila knew that wasn't the reason. She could tell by the way he said that that he was worried.

Lila looked back at the chest, before picking it up. She shrugged and said, "I'll just take it with me then." The two of them stared at each other for a long time. Will opened his mouth to say something, but Bill's booming voice yelled, "William!!" Will nodded at Lila and said, "Stay with me?" Lila nodded and followed Will out, holding the chest in her arms as she did so.

"To stations! All hands, to stations!" William ran up the stairs of the Dutchman, and took the wheel from his father. After saying something to him, which Lila couldn't understand since she was below deck with people running and screaming about, Will motioned for Lila to walk up towards him. She did, and glanced backwards at the Pearl, "We're gaining speed-" Will looked down, because of the tone of her voice. "-why are they losing it?"

"No telling." Will said with a long sigh as the Sun passed the Pearl. Lila looked down at the chest when she heard Will's heart beating faster. She looked up at him to see that he was turning the ship around backwards. He put an arm around Lila's waist, pushing her against the Will. His breath was hot against her neck as he whispered, "Have you done this before?"

"Davy did it differently." Lila said quietly, still keeping her grasp around the chest. She didn't remember how her uncle had gotten to the Locker, all she remembered is that it wasn't quite like this. Lila closed her eyes as she felt the ship fall backwards somewhat. Will looked over at the Sun to see that it had turned completely around as well. He then looked over at the Pearl and locked gazes with Jack momentarily, before Jack gave a simple nod. Will closed his eyes momentarily before saying to Lila in a gentle, yet commanding voice, "I'm going to let go of you and the wheel. Don't move, alright?" Lila felt the breath catch in her chest as she looked behind them to see that the Dutchman was tipping backwards into nothing. She glanced over at the Pearl to see that Jack was holding on to Saphira, knowing what was about to happen, just waiting for Will's signal. "Lila!"

Lila found herself nodding, though she couldn't tear her eyes off of the sight of the Dutchman falling backwards off of the waterfall. "Don't look behind you." Lila turned and closed her eyes momentarily before looking over at Will. Will nodded at Jack, and yelled, "NOW!" Jack let go of the Pearl's wheel and grabbed Saphira as he held on to the mast. She couldn't know for sure, but she knew that the same thing was happening on the Widow and Sun. Will was the last to do it. She felt his arm slip away from her as he let go of the wheel and let it spin wildly.

Lila screamed when the Dutchman tipped. Since Will had let go of her, and commanded her not to move, she felt herself slip and fall into the air. Not a moment later did she feel him reach out and grab her and press her against the railing, keeping a firm arm on either side of her, trapping her against it. Still keeping a firm grip on the chest, Lila wrapped her arms around Will, and buried her head in his chest as the Dutchman fell backwards over the water fall.

[k, so you don't get confused....the thoughts of the Spirit that only Lila can hear are
in italics... and the one at the bottom only will can. ]

- The Locker -

"...dead men tell no tales..."

"Will?" He opened his hazel eyes to see Saphira staring down at him. Sand was blowing all around her in the Locker, as it usually did, and the whiteness of it all was more bright than it usually was. Will leaned up on his elbows and looked around. It was deserted, or so it seemed. The four ships were resting in front of him, though he couldn't see anyone else besides him or Saphira. "I don't know where they are." Saphie took Will's hand and helped him up. She looked up at him for a moment, to see that his eyes were focused on something ahead of them. "Will?"

"Saphie, look." Saphira turned to see that Lila was standing in front of them, staring at the chest that was sitting perfectly and untouched just a few feet in front of her. Will looked down at Saphira who was staring up at him with a look of concern. He nodded and the two of them began walking towards where Lila was standing. Will and Saphie walked up behind her as Will whispered, "Li?"

"His death will be your fault."

"No." She whispered in the direction of the chest. Saphie took Will's hand since Will had somewhat tensed up when he heard the tone of Lila's voice. He had no idea what was going on in her head, but judging by the look on her face, something was wrong."
"Lila, darling-"

"You will stab the heart."

"Never." She said, her voice shaking. Will made a motion to walk towards her, but stopped himself. He remembered the cryptic warning that Calyspo had given him all those years ago. Never interfer with a person possesed of the sea. It had to run its course, as much as it killed Will to watch this. Something happened. Will nor Saphira was sure as to what Lila had just seen, but it was enough to start making her cry.

"He's dead."

"No, he's not."

"You killed him."

"No, I didn't."

"You killed him!"

"No..."

"William Turner is dead! And who do you think stabbed his heart?"

If Will could really die at that moment, he would have been. It was killing him seeing her there, helpless, and knowing that in some twisted way, he was the cause of it. Saphira put an arm around her as tears were sparkling in her own dark eyes. Lila never looked like that. She always had a look of determination on her face, now she looked....so completely helpless, vulnerable even. Tears were streaming down her face as the mocking voice rang out in her head....

"He's not dead." Lila's voice was shaking as she said those words. "He's not."

"YOU KILLED HIM!"

"No."

"Who has the key? Who was suppossed to watch the chest? WHO IS HOLDING THE SWORD?"

It was all playing through her mind. She was holding the sword above the beating chest of her husband...

"Will..." She glanced down to see her sword drawn.

She raised the sword up, and pierced it. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Will collapse to the ground....

"WILL!" Lila fell to her knees, sobbing. Giving in, Will broke out of Saphira's grasp and ran over to her. She was frantic. Screaming as she closed her eyes, tears flowing down her face.

"Li...Lila...LILA!" Will put his arms around her, trying to calm her. Saphira ran to their side, as Lila still sobbed, still not registering that that was indeed Will. Will looked up at Saphie to see tears were coming down her cheeks as well. Will closed his hazel eyes, and pulled Lila to him as he said, "Love, it's me....Lila, it's Will! I'm here." Lila looked up at him, black smudges from her heavily kohl-lined eyes were on her cheeks.

Lila stared at him for a long time, before Will whispered, "Darling...I'm here." She stared crying, causing him to pull her into his arms again. "Will..."

"Shh, I'm here." He pulled her back into his arms, letting her sob in them. He rested his head on hers, and after a long sigh, looked up at Saphira. After a minute, she kneeled down beside them, and put her arms around Lila too. Will closed his eyes momentarily, before they waundered off to the chest that was just a few feet in front of them...

"William, you have to stab the heart.
It's the only way to save Lila from this madness."

"Will, are you alright?" Saphie said, lifing her head off of Lila, since she had been trying to comfort as well. Will pushed the sound of the Spirit out of his head, and stared over at the chest. His heart was pounding louder in the dead man's chest, as he looked over at Saphira and said, "Yeah..." He put his head back on Lila's and said, "I'm fine."