Welcome! I am so excited to be starting At World's End. Thank you so much for sticking around this far. Now let's see where this next part of the journey takes Lena.

As always, I do not own anything related to Pirates of the Caribbean.

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

Very few lights were out as the night settled over Singapore. Despite the late hour, there were still several people out and about, though it could not be said that they were a comforting sight to see. They weren't people that Caroline Palmer needed to worry about at the moment. She and Elizabeth Swann sat in a small boat, making their way down the waterway, where they would be meeting with others.

Two months of internal agony left the world feeling vastly different to Lena. Nothing was the same without Jack beside her, and despite never needing someone before and always being an independent person, she had somehow started depending on him quite a lot. But he wasn't there to rely on. In fact, there was no one to rely on.

Despite knowing the woman beside her for years, Lena felt like she didn't know Elizabeth at all. Her friend Lizzy was a distant memory, replaced by the fierce woman that looked like her. Lena knew she had changed as well though, so she couldn't say it was only Elizabeth that created that feeling between them. She just couldn't see in herself what had changed, not as easily as with her friend.

Living with pirates tends to do that to a person.

As they traveled, Elizabeth sang quietly, "the bell has been raised from its watery grave; hear its sepulchral tone? A call to all, pay heed the squall, and turn your sails toward home!... yo ho, all together, hoist the colors high. Yo ho, thieves-"

"And beggars, never say we die," another voice cut in just as they went to get out. A man stepped out from the shadows, clearly one of Sao Feng's men as he stood guarding a door along with another pirate. "A dangerous song to be singing, for anyone ignorant of its meaning. Particularly women, particularly women alone," he threatened as he stepped up to the two of them.

Neither woman needed to speak as another voice, one Lena had grown quite accustomed to in the past two months, cut into the conversation. "What makes you think they're alone?" Barbossa stepped down, joining their group as he looked down at the man in front of them.

"You protect her?" the pirate asked as he stepped between Lena and Elizabeth, looking at Barbossa. A mistake on his part.

Elizabeth pulled out a knife, holding it against his neck as she asked, "And what makes you think I need protecting?"

Lena stepped forward so she could shoot Elizabeth a look. As if they needed to create problems before they even got inside. She had never imagined Elizabeth to be so impulsive and ready to jump into action, yet she had seen this side of her a lot in the last couple months. Lena, on the other hand, still preferred to still her sword if she could.

"Your master's expectin' us," Barbossa said before sending a particular look to Elizabeth, joining the look Lena had already been giving her. "An unexpected death would cast a slight pall on our meeting."

Taking the hint, Elizabeth released the man, shrugging at Barbossa as she did. The action was unapologetic as she stepped aside, waiting for him to lead.

As they walked, the man, whom they learned was called Tai Huang, and his men led them up the path and through the doors, all the while ignoring their quiet conversation. Otherwise, they most certainly would have been under even more suspicion than they already were.

"Have you heard anything from Will?" Elizabeth asked Barbossa as they followed after their guide, keeping enough distance to not be overheard.

Not answering her question, Barbossa instead replied, "I trust young Turner to acquire the charts, and you to remember your place in the presence of Captain Sao Feng."

"Is he that terrifying?" Elizabeth asked.

"He's much like myself, but absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play," Barbossa explained, though he paused to glare at Lena as she scoffed at his words.

With a guilty smile, she nodded as an apology. "We'll be sure to watch what we say." She still remembered his earlier words, warning them to watch what they said while around him. They needed to stay on his good side. And mentioning Jack Sparrow was not how that would happen. How they would convince him to get a ship without telling him their purpose would be tricky, but Barbossa had assured them that it would all work out.

Entering the set of doors, the heat was already noticeable as they were greeted by more of Sao Feng's men. It was anything but a warm welcome however. Asked to leave their weapons, Lena shifted uncomfortably as she slid a hand across her belt, resting on her blade. Even if she knew she wouldn't get further without taking it off, it didn't make her any less comfortable with the idea of walking in empty handed. Even with a backup plan.

Reluctantly, she placed her sword, pistol, and a small knife she had taken to carrying onto the table, along with Barbossa's weapons. It was a strange feeling, surrounded by potential enemies without the familiar weight resting against her waist. Elizabeth, on the other hand, made no move as she stood with no weapons in sight.

With their weapons handed over, Elizabeth moved to step forward, only for Tai Huang to hold up his hand, halting her. "You think because she is a woman, we would not suspect her of treachery?" he asked Barbossa, while also eyeing Lena, knowing she had already been carrying weapons.

"Well, when you put it that way," Barbossa said, unable to argue.

"Remove, please," Tai Huang said as he waited for Elizabeth to comply.

With little else to do, Elizabeth removed her outer layer, revealing a harness underneath, that held a small arsenal. One by one, she removed the guns from their straps and placed them down, adding to the ever-growing pile of weapons.

Almost embarrassed for her friend, Lena looked aside, hiding her face as Elizabeth continued to pull out weapons, finally finishing as she placed a bomb and one final gun, hidden in her boot, upon the table. She would never understand why she carried so many excessive weapons with her. Lena had argued with her beforehand that it would be found out anyway, but Elizabeth didn't care. There was no way for them to use all of it either, even if they did manage to sneak it in.

Finally, with a mountain of weapons on the table, they were ready. Or so they thought. Until Tai Huang repeated, "remove, please," with far more emphasis than needed and a sleazy smile to go with it.

Appalled by the suggestion, both Lena and Elizabeth froze, sharing a look at what was expected of them. They both knew there was little choice in the matter though if they were to carry through with their plan and go in to speak with Sao Feng.

If she hadn't been uncomfortable before, it was now as they walked through the bath house, surrounded by pirates and feeling very bare. Lena was starting to wish she hadn't been so determined to be topside during this mission. No matter how much she needed the charts, this had never been something she considered she would have to work through.

Tugging desperately at the bottom of the robe, she walked very carefully, afraid to reveal more than she already had. She would have loved to hit those men, and she knew Elizabeth would agree. Scantily clad in nothing but a thin robe that barely came to their thighs, they were on full display. Meanwhile, Barbossa stood the same as always, not a single layer removed from his hat down to his boots. All because they were women. It was sickening.

After an agonizing walk across the area, they finally stopped before the man Lena assumed was Sao Feng, set in his own private area with two women attending to him.

"Captain Barbossa. Welcome to Singapore," he greeted before he said to one of the ladies beside him, "more steam."

With the pull of a string, more steam filled the room as he continued speaking. "I understand you have a request to make of me."

"More of a proposal to put to ye," Barbossa corrected. "I have a venture underway and happen to find myself in need of ship and a crew.

"This is an odd coincidence," Sao Feng said, giving nothing away to why it would be so.

Elizabeth jumped in then, stepping up from behind Barbossa as she asked eagerly, "because you happen to have a ship a and crew you don't need?"

Unamused, Sao Feng explained, "No. Because, earlier this day, not far from here, a thief broke into my most revered uncle's temple and tried to make off with these." Off to the side, rolled up and sitting unassuming, was a chart that he picked up. "The navigational charts. The route to the farthest gate. Wouldn't it be amazing if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?"

"It would strain credulity at that," Barbossa admitted as he watched somewhat wearily to what would follow.

Lena glanced at Elizabeth, knowing who they most likely were talking about. It seems they didn't get the charts after all, which put a slight hitch in their plans.

Sao Feng stepped forward as he waved towards his men. Off to the side, they watched as Will was pulled up from a tub of water, arms tied to a post as he took a deep breath, finally out of the water.

"This is the thief. Is his face familiar to you?" Sao Feng asked as he looked at the three of them, all shaking their heads as they said nothing. They couldn't give anything away or it would fall through. "Then I guess he has no further need for it," he said as he walked up to Will. With a stake in hand, Sao Feng moved, ready to slam it into Will, causing Elizabeth to gasp, jerking unintentionally at the risk of Will being threatened.

Lowering his hold on Will, Sao Feng turned with a hard look on his face as he looked at Barbossa, Lena and Elizabeth. "So, you come into my city, and betray my hospitality."

"Sao Feng," Barbossa stepped up quickly, trying to assuage him, "I assure you, I had no idea-"

"That he would get caught?!" Sao Feng interrupted with a yell. "You intend to attempt a voyage to Davy Jones' locker. When I cannot help but wonder, why?"

Barbossa tossed Sao Feng a piece of eight, which he quickly snatched from the air and held it up to his ear, listening without prompting. "The song has been sung. The time is upon us. We must convene the Brethren Court. As one of the nine pirate lords you must honor the call," Barbossa explained.

Lena could only hope that the change of topics would be enough to distract him. She didn't know how the man felt about Jack, but Barbossa had made it very clear that it wasn't in a positive light. She deeded this to work though. She didn't care what reason people used in order to agree to the trip, she just needed them to agree. Stepping forward cautiously, still not saying anything, she waited to see what would happen.

Sao Feng still considered his words as he called to one of the ladies, "more steam." Though when she pulled the lever, it seemed that nothing happened, prompting him to yell it again, louder, as if his anger would make it happen quicker.

Finally, as steam began filling the room again, Sao Feng said, "there's a price on all our heads, it is true. Since it seems that the only way a pirate can turn a profit anymore is by betraying other pirates."

Barbossa was quick to cut in, not wishing to linger on the idea of betrayal when they needed Sao Feng on their side. "The first Brethren Court gave us rule of the seas. That rule has been challenged by Lord Cutler Beckett."

"Against the East India Trading Company, what value is the Brethren Court?" Sao Feng challenged. "What can any of us do?"

"You can fight!" Elizabeth yelled as she stepped forward, shaking off one of Sao Feng's men as he went to grab her shoulder. "You are Sao Feng, the pirate lord of Singapore! Would you have that era come to an end on your watch? The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy, and yet you sit here, cowering in your bath water!"

Lena clenched her fists, annoyed at Elizabeth's rash speech. "Don't instigate him," she muttered under her breath. She felt she could win over the world with speeches, but that didn't always work if she was going to start challenging all the players they needed to be on the same side.

"Elizabeth Swann, there's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there? And the eye does not go wanting." Sao Feng looked over Elizabeth before he paused then as he turned to look at Lena, "And Caroline Palmer, who has been strangely silent this whole time." His suspicion was clear as he looked between the group, reminding them, "but I cannot help but notice. You have failed to answer my question. What is it you seek in Davy Jones' locker?"

"Jack Sparrow."

Lena could have kicked Will if he had been close enough. Cursing to herself, she had to wonder how he couldn't have picked up on the fact that they were avoiding his name.

Will didn't stop there, saying, "he's one of the pirate lords."

Walking away, the tension was clear on Sao Feng as controlled his words carefully, anger in his tone. "The only reason I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the land of the dead... is so I can send him back myself!"

"But he needs to be there with the other pirate lords, for the Brethren Court," Lena spoke up, looking between Sao Feng and Barbossa, hoping he would be able to convince him to go along with that line of reasoning.

Picking up where she left off, Barbossa tried to persuade him. "Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight. He failed to pass it along to a successor before he died. So, we must go and get him back."

"So, you admit, you have deceived me," Sao Feng said before he yelled, "Weapons!"

At once, all of Sao Feng's men drew their weapons, surrounding the group as they stood in the middle of the area, weaponless with only words to help them.

Barbossa held out his hands placatingly as he said, "Sao Feng I assure you, our intentions are strictly honorable."

His words were contradicted however, as at that moment, their back up plan came into account. From the slits in the wood beneath them, the crew, hidden in the underbelly of the bathhouse, tossed up a pair of swords for each of them. Positioned perfectly, Lena, Elizabeth and Barbossa all stood with a sword in each hand.

Next they knew, Sao Feng reached for a man near him, pulling him back as he placed his sword to his neck. "Drop your weapons or I kill the man!"

At once, everyone froze as they looked around, confusion evident as no one spoke. It was not something Lena had expected, as he was clearly not with them or Sao Feng, which made her weary of what that might mean for everyone there. A third party was not needed or expected during these negotiations.

"Kill him, he's not our man," Barbossa said, uncaring of the man's fate.

Will seemed to be thinking the same thing as Lena as he spoke. "If he's not with you, and he's not with us...who's he with?"

The world seemed to pause in the room as everyone looked around, as if waiting for an answer to appear. And it did. Bursting through the wooden dividers and doors, numerous soldiers bearing the East India Trading Company's logo appeared, immediately opening fire on anyone within range and bringing out weapons, ready to fight in close combat if needed.

Every corner of the room turned into an all-out battle between EITC and Sao Feng's men while Lena and the others were trapped in the middle of it. Left with no choice but to focus on making it out alive, Lena held the swords tight as the first soldiers reached them, swords colliding as even more stormed the building. As she pushed past one, another followed, swords swinging constantly as the firing of guns echoed behind her, taking down others around her. Mid swing, her sword fell short as one of Sao Feng's pirates fell onto the soldier before her, taking them both out of range.

With an opening, Lena dashed towards the doors, spotting Barbossa, Elizabeth and Will, all moving towards that direction as the soldiers slowly pushed their way further into the bathhouse. As she went, she continued blocking any blows that came her way and swinging at anyone she saw poised to fire, not caring who they were aiming at. It didn't take too long before they found themselves backed into a corner, a line of soldiers in position before them, prepared to fire. Just as they readied their guns, an explosion went off beneath them, scattering the men and giving them the perfect opportunity for escape.

At once, everyone pushed their way through the doors, allies and enemies alike, as they were chased into the streets of Singapore. Lena only had a few seconds to catch sight of Elizabeth and Will in front of her, while Barbossa was just a few steps behind her with Sao Feng by his side. Every turn they took into the streets presented more obstacles as they dashed through the markets, knocking over civilians, soldiers, and pirates alike.

Lena sliced at one soldier as he appeared in front of her, coming from the side as he cut off her path. Luck would have it that she didn't have to worry about him as an explosion went off, shaking the ground they were on. Rather than trying to keep herself stable, Lena took the chance to tackle him, knocking them both to the ground before she scrambled up and continued past him.

With that first explosion, she had a feeling it was going to get a lot louder. Not wasting any more time with fighting if she could, she ran towards the docks. Hopefully someone had a plan figured out on how to get out of this mess.

Just as she neared the docks, Barbossa was already there though the rest of the crew was drawing near.

"What's the plan?" Lena asked as she stopped beside the captain.

Barbossa was otherwise occupied as he looked at Will who appeared first, with an entire group of Sao Feng's men behind him. Just moments after him, Elizabeth appeared as well as Gibbs and the rest of the crew, gathering behind her and Barbossa.

"You got the charts?" Barbossa asked as he looked at Will, suspicion clear in his voice.

Lena had to admit, she was thrilled to hear that, regardless of how he had managed to snag them.

"And better yet, a ship and a crew," Will countered, which explained why the group behind him weren't currently attacking them.

Elizabeth stepped up then, asking, "Where's Sao Feng?"

"He'll cover our escape and meet us at Shipwreck Cove," Will explained.

Tai Huang stepped forward around Will as he gestured down the docks. "This way, be quick."

It seemed they truly did have everything they needed. Following after them, the group moved quickly as they boarded one of Sao Feng's ships, his men following them onto the ship. As they moved out, Lena couldn't help but stand by the railing, watching Singapore slowly move further away. None of it made sense. Sao Feng had been ready to kill them. She supposed that being attacked by the East India Company, regardless of what his position had been before, could help him make a decision.

Either way, they had what they needed. What she needed. Whether he showed up for the Brethren Court or not didn't matter to her. She knew she should care more, but the world could have been burning and she wouldn't feel the need to help at the moment. Because she felt like she was only a few steps away from finding Jack.

If everything proved true, the navigational chart would lead them to Davy Jones' Locker and lead her to Jack. Closing her eyes, her grip tightened on the railing as she couldn't help the swell of hope that took hold as she realized just how close they were. She had to have faith this would work. Everyone seemed to believe that it was a place they could truly get to. Tia Dalma. Barbossa. Even Sao Feng had spoken like it was possible to some extent.

It was what she had been terrified and reluctant of the past two months, but she believed. With her whole heart, she finally believed she would see Jack again.

Next chapter, we will hopefully reach world's end and have a certain reunion. We'll just have to see how long the trip takes. Until next time!