A/N: You know, I'm so happy Syrena's getting her name soon. For those who don't know, I actually write the chapters using the name Syrena, and then replace all with The Mermaid before posting each chapter (hence why The is always capitalised). Last chapter was the fourth one in a row I almost forgot to change the name. Besides, it's really awkward when someone tries to get her attention and they don't have a name to call her.

Alright, rant over. I hope you enjoy another chapter of me awkwardly calling Syrena "The Mermaid."

Also, once again, the flashbacks in this chapters are totally thematically relevant and not there simply to pad the chapter. Totally not because this was originally part of last chapter, but it ran too long and this chapter was going to be too short.

Birds of a Feather

The Curse of the Black Pearl

Chapter Thirteen

The Spitting Image of Bootstrap

Barbossa wanted to burst out laughing. What did this impertinent little upstart think he was doing?

"You've only got one shot, and we can't die," Barbossa pointed out.

Will glanced around the ship. He was happy to see that both Elizabeth and Philip were safe, and a little wary that Jack Sparrow was too.

"Don't do anything stupid," Jack urged. Apparently he had already gotten over the fact Will had smacked him with an oar and basically left him for dead.

Will's eyes turned back to Elizabeth. The sight of her in the hands of the pirates so infuriated him that all thoughts of his own safety was the last thing on his mind. All he could think about was saving Elizabeth.

Then it hit him. His safety.

Will ran back to the railing, and pulled himself up onto it.

"You can't." Will turned the gun on himself, "I can."

"No!" Philip yelled as he and Elizabeth struggled against the pirates, who were muttering among themselves. "Don't do it! It's the one sin that can never be forgiven!"

"Who are you?" Barbossa just stared at the boy, trying to come up with a reason he should care if the boy lived or died.

For a split moment, Jack Sparrow considered what to do. The image of that oar swinging into his face fueled the desire of revenge, but stronger came the images of Bill Turner and Sarah Smith each desperately asking the man they called both Captain and Friend to please protect their son.

Damn you both.

"No one," Jack surprised Philip, Will, and Elizabeth with his answer. Was Sparrow actually trying to protect Will? "He's no one. Just another Governor's nephew here to save his cousin. Really, there's this whole bloody flock of Swanns and Swifts in Port Royal. Had to only pick two. This one impressed me with his lovely singing voice. Poor boy's a eunuch though."

"It's Turner," The Mermaid announced. All eyes went to her. "I recognize him from Elizabeth's escape."

Will had no reaction initially when his eyes set on The Mermaid, but then something flickered in his mind, making him pause. It played like dream – blurry and fragmented – but felt more real. Almost like a long forgotten memory.

Cannons fired all around the twelve-year-old Will Turner. He desperately ducked shots as people died left, right, and center.

Then he was in the water. The ice cold water. He coughed as his head struggled to stay above the surface. Will could only tread water for so long.

Something grabbed him. No. Someone. Arms held his head above the ocean. He saw panicked hazel eyes and black hair. The girl had slightly darkened skin. There was something below the water. Was that a tail? It couldn't be.

"Are you alright?" The girl spoke with a strange accent. Where had she come from? "Do you need help?"

There was a plank of wood. He swam for it. The girl followed. She didn't use her arms, just her legs. She swam quite powerfully despite her method.

He reached the plank. Will pulled himself onto it. It took so much effort.

"Don't worry," The girl said. "I'll find help."

The girl started to guide the plank away from the burning ship. Everything went black.

Will opened his eyes.

The girl was different now. Blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and freckles. She looked like an angel.

"It's okay," The angel girl said. "My name's Elizabeth Swann."

"Will Turner," Will replied.

Where had the other girl gone?

"I'm watching over you, Will," Elizabeth said.

Everything went black.

Will never did see the other girl again.

Until that day. Will had always thought that memory had been a dream. His mind's way of reconciling the trauma of the attack, and that the girl who had saved him was some strange version of Elizabeth. The other girl had certainly been the proper age.

But there she was: flesh and blood, steely eyes staring at him coldly, and smirking at him dangerously. The girl who saved his life and brought him to Elizabeth Swann was sitting right there. Will couldn't believe it.

How had she ended up on the Black Pearl?

"Turner?" Barbossa repeated The Mermaid's words, pulling Will back into the present. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," The Mermaid met Will's eyes. She knew the look on his face meant he recognized her.

"She's right," Will didn't have time to figure out what was going on with the girl. Elizabeth's life was still at risk. "My name is Will Turner. My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins."

"He's the spitting image of old Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us!" Ragetti cried out.

The Mermaid rolled her eyes, "I thought we established that Bootstrap is in no condition to haunt us?"

"On my word, do as I say, or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' locker!" Will threatened.

Barbossa smirked, "By all means. I've been wanting to meet with Jones for some years now."

The Mermaid hissed, "Don't you dare jest of such a thing! You know what horror he would bring upon us!"

"I agreed with The Mermaid," Jack threw in his two cents. "Jones is a very unpleasant man I do not wish to ever encounter again."

"Again?" Elizabeth questioned.

Jack shrugged, "We all have a past, Love."

"Wait," Philip frowned. Apparently everyone had lost interest in the fact Will was still threatening to commit suicide. "You're not actually implying Davy Jones is real?"

"Mate, you're standing next to a mermaid and a crew of pirates who can't die. You're seriously questioning the existence of Davy Jones?" Jack shot.

"OI!" Pintel surprised everyone by being the one to finally interrupt the banter. "I don't know about all of you, but I'd like to be uncursed if we could figure out this Turner situation."

The rest of the crew gave an eager cheer.

"If you're so adamant about not meeting with Jones," Barbossa shot The Mermaid a look, "I suppose I have no choice. Name your terms, Mr. Turner."

"Elizabeth goes free," Will's reply was instant.

"Yes, we know that one," Barbossa rolled his eyes. "Anything else?"

Will looked around, thinking hard to himself. He would have asked that the Interceptor be spared so that Norrington wouldn't have further ammunition against him when he returned to Port Royal. Yet, considering how it had just blown up, Will found himself out of luck on that front.

Was there anything else Will even wanted other than Elizabeth's freedom? It was then he noticed Jack gesturing wildly in the background.

"And the crew," Will hastily added. "The crew are not to be harmed."

"Wait a minute!" Philip interrupted. "Will, you're not actually handing yourself over to them? I thought we agreed to make these decisions together!"

"I don't have a choice, Philip." Will replied. He then paused, suddenly noticing something, "What happened to your shirt?"

"That doesn't matter, and yes, you do!" Philip exclaimed. "Look, can we just stop and think about this for a few minutes? I mean, I know I'm speaking to William Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and a group of pirates, but could we try to be reasonable for five minutes? Captain Barbossa, what do you need of Turner?"

"His blood on the medallion to break our curse," Barbossa replied, highly amused by the preacher. It would be fun to string Philip along for a little while, even if he could feel The Mermaid glaring at him.

"Alright." Philip looked around, "Who has a knife?"

Far too many daggers rose in the air for Philip's liking.

"And where is the medallion?" Philip asked.

"I have it here," Barbossa held it up. "What be your grand idea?"

"It's simple," Philip replied. "Right here, right now, Will can put some blood on that medallion and hand it over to you. You drop us off on some island where we can signal the Navy, because let's be honest, my uncle probably has half of England's armada looking for us. Your crew can go back to Isla de Muerta, break the curse, and we'll all live happily ever after. Doesn't that sound simpler than a hostage situation?"

Barbossa smirked, "A fine plan, Master Swift. Just one small problem."

"What's that?"

"What if this is another trick? How do I know that this is the real son of Bootstrap?"

"Look, if it turns out to be the wrong person, you know where to find us," Philip replied. "I'm Holy. My word's got to matter for something. Now do we have a deal?"

Barbossa looked over at The Mermaid and grinned, "I see why you like the boy. He's highly amusing."

"From time to time, I suppose," The Mermaid shrugged, trying to sound indifferent. "Will you take the deal?"

Barbossa turned back to face Will, "Agreed, Master Turner. Maybe next time, Master Swift."

Philip crossed his arms and muttered to himself, "That's what I get for trying to talk sense into pirates."

"Gentlemen," Barbossa called as a few men pulled Will off the railing and restrained him, "you know the heading!"

Barbossa smiled as the familiar island came into view. He could hear Miss Swann and her boys struggling in the grips of his men, no doubt only truly being kept in order by The Mermaid.

But they weren't what had Barbossa's attention. No, it was Jack in the corner of his eye, and the sight of Jack made Barbossa recall the last time he had seen that island.

It had been a calm night, with nothing foreboding about it. The whole crew had been ready to pounce on their dear Captain Sparrow. The whole crew, except one man who Barbossa knew would be the hardest of all to convince.

Bootstrap was manning the helm while Sparrow was obliviously occupied in his cabin. There was only a handful of crew on deck. The rest waited below for Barbossa's signal.

"Clear night," Barbossa called as he approached Bootstrap.

Bootstrap looked up at the First Mate. Immediately there was suspicion written all over his face, and Bootstrap's guard was up. Barbossa knew Turner had heard the rumors and been waiting for this moment.

"Yes, the weather is fine," Bootstrap replied. "Is there something I can do for you, Sir?"

"Perhaps," Barbossa said. "Mister Turner, I was wondering if you might give me a little insight into your thoughts on the Captain?"

"Sparrow's insane, eccentric, endangers the crew, but at the end of the day gets the results he needs. I won't lie, Sparrow is a close friend and has been for roughly a decade."

"So you're loyal to him?"

"Absolutely."

"Then you'll miss him when he's gone?"

Bootstrap glared at Barbossa, "What do you mean when he's gone?"

"Forgive me, I should have phrased it better," Barbossa laughed. "You'll miss him when you leave. Don't try to hide it, everyone knows this is the last time you'll sail with us… Or at least, so you claim. We have been down this road several times before. I'm surprised Smith even pretends to go along with that flight of fancy."

"This time it's real," Bootstrap insisted. "I'm settling down with my wife and child. We're going to have an honest life."

Barbossa snorted, "An honest life? Admit it, Turner. You'll never have an honest life. You're a pirate, your wife is a pirate, and it's only a matter of time before the child becomes one too."

"That's never going to happen! Sarah and I agreed, this one last adventure and we both settle down. No more 'merchant sailor' no more 'visits to her sister' that doesn't exist. This one last treasure and then we settled down for life."

"Oh, I'm sure that's what you and Smith think, but as long as Sparrow's got a ship, he'll be dragging you along with him no matter how hard you protest."

"That's not true."

"Remember the Louisiana Incident? He tracked you down, tricked you into coming on the ship, and then set sail, effectively kidnapping you for three months. You and Smith moved back to Port Glasgow to get away, and yet he still found you. As long as he has a ship, you will never escape him."

"Then I guess that's my problem!" Bootstrap snapped. "What does it matter to you?"

Barbossa smirked, "What if I found a way to help you become free of Sparrow?"

Bootstrap's eyes went wide, "No. I won't."

"I never even said what it was."

"You don't have to. I've heard the rumors. You're going to mutiny. You're going to going to betray your Captain, and break the first rule of what an honorable First Mate is supposed to never do."

"It's not up to you to dictate to me what a First Mate should or should not do. You turned down the role, and now you have to live with that. We will be mutinying, Mister Turner. Tonight. And you can either stand with us or against us."

"Then I'll stand against you," Bootstrap turned the helm over to a nearby crewmember who had been watching the exchange carefully. Anger burning in his chest, Bootstrap started down the stairs, no doubt about to give Sparrow the tip off.

"I wouldn't be so quick to make a choice, Mister Turner!" Barbossa called after him. "After all, there's that family of yours to consider!"

Bootstrap froze at the bottom of the steps, "If you think I'm afraid of that threat-"

"Oh, I think you are," Barbossa followed down the stairs and came to a stop in front of Bootstrap. "We both know how dangerous this crew can be."

Bootstrap gritted his teeth, "And we both know that Sarah can take care of herself."

"There's no question that Smith can hold her own against a man or two, but fifty? Not to mention factor in your child. Can she protect both of them?"

"If you touch my family-"

"Oh, so now you can handle fifty men?" Barbossa mocked. "Face it Turner, you have one choice. Stand with us, or I'll get rid of you, Sparrow, and I'll turn this ship for Scotland. There can't be that many Sarah Smiths in Port Glasgow, or does she go by Turner these days?"

Bootstrap swallowed. Barbossa watched in amusement as Turner thought over his options, trying to find some way to get out of this. Yet there was no use, they both knew Barbossa had the upper hand.

As Barbossa watched Bootstrap work it all through, he was glad that it had been Turner sailing with them at that moment, and not Smith. Bootstrap's anger was always a seething one; calm and collected as he tried to figure out the best way to channel his fury to cause the most damage. Sarah Smith on the other hand had a fiery temper, more act than think, and deal with the aftermath later. If it had been Smith to whom Barbossa had spoken, she would have run him through the second he threatened her child. The rest of the crew would have turned on her and killed Smith as a result, but she would die happy knowing she at least took Barbossa with her.

"Alright, I'll stand with you," Bootstrap finally spoke. "But on three conditions."

"Name them," Barbossa grinned.

"First, you never again threaten to lay a hand on my family," Bootstrap warned. "I let you get away with it this time, but trust me, there will be no next time."

"Agreed. Next?"

"You give Jack all the proper rites of mutiny. Leave him on land, and give him a loaded pistol."

"Fine. Your final demand?"

"Once we get the treasure, you let me go home. Do we have a deal?"

Barbossa paused. There was something strange, dangerous in Bill's eyes. Hector had sailed with Bootstrap enough times to recognize when Turner had a plan. Whatever it was, Barbossa couldn't figure it out. He almost didn't want to go through with anything until he figured out what Turner had up his sleeve. But time was of an essence, and Barbossa needed to be rid of Sparrow that night.

Barbossa shook Bootstrap's hand, "Agreed."

"Barbossa, you lying bastard!" Will Turner roared as the pirates jeered at Elizabeth, pointing their swords at her as she stood on the plank.

Barbossa couldn't help but smile to himself. Truth be told, he was a little glad to see that Sarah Smith's fiery temper had been passed on to her son. Barbossa may not get along with Smith, but he had respected her temper. He couldn't help but wonder if Will knew that not only had his father been a pirate, but his mother was too.

He was quite surprised that Smith wasn't here with her son. Odd. Barbossa would think she'd be the first one to scream obscenities at him.

"You swore she'd go free!" Will struggled against his captors.

The Mermaid – who had was sitting on the railing, pretending to the guard the very unimpressed looking Philip Swift – hissed threateningly at Will. She may have saved Turner's life once and he may have been a close friend of Philip, but no one threatened Barbossa around her. She might have even taken a swipe at him, but she had no desire to crawl on the deck pathetically again like when she attacked Elizabeth.

"Don't dare impugn me honor, boy!" Barbossa exclaimed. "I agreed she'd go free, but it was you who failed to specify when or where."

The pirates laughed as they tossed Will towards The Mermaid and Philip. Philip turned a very angry look on his friend as more pirates surrounded them.

"Philip," Will clambered to his feet. A pirate grabbed Will by the shoulder to restrain him. "I'm sorry. I did my best to save Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth?" Philip echoed with an edge to his voice. "I'm not upset about Elizabeth. You did your best for her."

"Then why are you angry?"

"I don't know," Philip rolled his eyes. "Maybe it's because when you were negotiating for you freedom, you forgot about me?"

Will scowled at his friend, "I thought part of the servant of God thing meant you had to be selfless."

"Nowhere in the Bible does it say I have to be happy that you had the chance to help me go free, and instead left me to be a prisoner of a pirate ship where I only have a mermaid for an ally."

"Your ally?" Will looked strangely at The Mermaid. "You're… a friend?"

"Sort of," The Mermaid shrugged. "It's nice to finally meet the long awaited Turner."

"Pleasure's all mine," Will's words were overtly false. "Philip, do you need to explain something?"

"Oh, sorry," Philip said. "Mermaid, Will. Will, Mermaid. She doesn't have a name."

Then it hit Will, "Are you wearing his shirt?"

"He gave it to me after I got knocked out of my tank by your cutlery cannons," The Mermaid explained. "Twigg and Koehler had unchained him to attack Philip for telling them about some armory. He helped protect me."

"Protect you?" Will questioned The Mermaid but looked bewildered at Philip.

"We've bonded a little," Philip admitted with a shrug.

Will stared at Philip. He opened his mouth a few times, trying to say something – anything – but there were simply no words.

"It's been a strange day," Philip simply said.

"Mister Turner is right," Barbossa suddenly announced. It was at that moment, Philip and Will realized that Barbossa had been waiting for them to finish their conversation. Apparently he wanted to rub the stranding of Elizabeth on a deserted island in their faces. "It does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it?"

Will and Philip did their best to glare daggers at all the pirates eagerly agreeing with Barbossa.

"I don't like where this is going," Philip muttered.

"It's alright," The Mermaid assured him, "these waters aren't that bad. Though I think there might be a shark or two in this particular area."

Will gawked at Philip, "Lovely friend you've made."

"As I recall it, you met her first," Philip shot.

"For the love of-" Barbossa sounded particularly exasperated. He looked to The Mermaid, "You said they wouldn't need to be gagged. Either get them to shut up so we can get on with this, or I'll be breaking our deal."

"Understood," The Mermaid nodded, and then dramatically fixed the boys with a terrible glare.

Will was surprised. The Mermaid had been the one who asked that he and Philip not be gagged? Maybe The Mermaid wasn't as bad as Elizabeth made her out to be.

"As I was saying," Barbossa turned back to Elizabeth, "I don't want to lose something so fine. So, I'll be having that dress back before you go."

"No!" Philip cried out, but his words were cut off when The Mermaid slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Trust me," The Mermaid warned. "You don't want to upset Barbossa any further."

The pirates jeered and whistled as Elizabeth pulled off her dress. Philip quickly averted his eyes as once again his cousin went parading around in her underclothes for the second time that month.

"Goes with your black heart," Elizabeth threw the dress at Barbossa. To be honest she probably would have thrown it at The Mermaid if she had been close enough. How on earth could Philip be calling such a creature who had imprisoned Elizabeth and attacked her multiple times his ally?

Taunting Elizabeth, Barbossa held the dress close to his face and announced, "Ooh, it's still warm."

"Do not worry," The Mermaid assured the boys as Barbossa threw the dress into the arms of the lustful crew. "The curse makes it so he can't actually feel if it's warm or not."

"Because that makes this situation better," Will muttered.

The crew began jeering at Elizabeth as she walked to the end of the plank.

"Off you go!"

"Come on!"

Reaching the end, she paused and looked back at Will. Their eyes met and a million silent emotions rushed out to the other. But the greatest thing of all was the love shining their eyes.

"Will," Elizabeth whispered. Even if there was band of pirates and her cousin watching, Elizabeth had to say it one last time. She cleared her throat and loudly declared, "Will, I love you."

"I love you too, Elizabeth," Will grinned, blocking out the raucous laughter of the crew and the bewildered expression on Philip's face.

"Uh... Something you want to tell me, Will?" Philip asked.

Will looked awkwardly at his friend, "It's a long story, but Elizabeth and I are sort of together now."

"But- How- When- I left you alone for two hours!"

"I could say the same thing concerning your mermaid." Will paused to look at The Mermaid, "No offense."

"None taken," The Mermaid grinned.

"And don't get so huffy," Will shook his head. "Let's not pretend this isn't your dream come true, Philip."

Philip paused, "...Ok, good point. I'm going to silently stand here and start composing my speech for your wedding reception in my mind."

Will reddened a lot as The Mermaid giggled.

"Too long!" Bo'sun yelled. He stomped on the plank, and the jolt sent Elizabeth flying off.

"No!" Will and Philip yelled.

They tried to surge forward to see if Elizabeth was alright, but true to her duty, The Mermaid grabbed them by the shoulders and stopped them.

"Sorry, nothing personal," The Mermaid said as she pulled them roughly back to her. "Just be happy I'm not using my claws."

Philip scowled at her, "And to think I gave you my shirt."

"That was for your sense of modesty, not mine," The Mermaid pointed out.

"She's alright!" Pintel declared. He knew that Will and Philip were too far back to see what was going on, and feared they might attack Fins if she stopped them from ascertaining Elizabeth's condition.

Sparrow was quickly sent after Elizabeth, and soon the ship set sail once more for Isla de Muerta. Barbossa watched with glee as Sparrow and Swann became increasingly smaller in the distance.

The pirates sent about their work, taking their places to sail the vessel, hauling Sparrow's crew to the brig, or heading below if they were off duty.

"Put Turner in his own cell," Barbossa ordered. "We don't want to risk a drop of his blood. And put Swift in the brig too."

Will struggled against his captors, looking positively murderous as the pirates dragged him below. Will's eyes met Barbossa's, and the Captain recognized the look of Bootstrap Bill Turner. The one that meant if given half a chance, Bill would end the life of the people who was giving the look to.

It was the exact same look Bill had given Barbossa before they tried to kill him.

"You did what?" Barbossa roared.

The crew was surrounding Bootstrap, shining skeletal in the moonlight.

"I sent my piece away," Bootstrap calmly repeated. He had been waiting for this moment from the second he agreed to Barbossa's deal. It had broken his heart to think that his actions meant he would never see his wife or son again, but hopefully the letter he sent along with the medallion made things a little easier for Sarah and Will.

"Where?" Barbossa growled.

"To my family," Bootstrap replied.

"Gentlemen, set course for Glasgow."

"It's not use," Bootstrap laughed. "I warned them months ago. Search Scotland all you want, but Sarah will have left with our child long ago. I don't even know where they are anymore."

"Why would you do this?" Ragetti cried out. He looked so innocent with his appearance of helplessness among the sea of angry, murderous faces.

"I don't approve of the mutiny against Jack Sparrow," Bootstrap explained. "I was never even a willing participant. It wasn't right with the Code, and it's never sat right with me. That's why I sent off a piece of the treasure to my family. You all deserve to be cursed and remain cursed, even if it means I stay so too."

"Do you not realise what the consequences of such an act are?" Barbossa growled at Bootstrap.

Bill looked Barbossa straight in the eye, "I've made my peace. Besides, I'm as cursed as you are. You can't kill me."

Barbossa grinned, "I never said I was going to kill ya. Gentlemen, someone get me a cannon."

"Barbossa!"

The Captain turned in surprise to see The Mermaid stumbling towards him, assisted by Ragetti and Pintel.

"What is it?" Barbossa asked. "I'm quite busy at the moment."

"Why are you sending Philip to the brig?" The Mermaid exclaimed. "He was fine with me!"

"The injuries you had before beg to differ."

"They were given to me by Koehler and Twigg. They attacked us."

"Oh, really?" Barbossa turned and called, "Bo'sun! Masters Koehler and Twigg have been getting into The Mermaid's room again. Please see to some discipline."

Bo'sun nodded and grabbed the furious looking pair by the arms. The Mermaid had no idea what would be done to them, but frankly didn't care.

"There," Barbossa faced The Mermaid once more. "Better?"

"No!" The Mermaid snapped. "Please, can we at least talk about this? As a favor to me?"

Barbossa sighed, aware of the dozens of eyes on him. To give in would be weakness to them… and yet when The Mermaid looked at him with those big hazel eyes like that.

"Fine," Barbossa grabbed her by the arm roughly for show. "My cabin. Now."