Birds of a Feather

The Curse of the Black Pearl

Chapter Fourteen

Prisoners in a Different Way

Barbossa slammed the cabin door behind them, "What be the first rule?"

The Mermaid sat on the bed, her head held high, "Never ask for a favor in front of the crew."

"And yet, what did you just do?"

The Mermaid narrowed her eyes, "I am more than aware of your need to playact to the crew. It's why I continue to go around with no name."

"That'll be enough of that," Barbossa warned. He pulled down a small kit of medical supplies from a shelf and set it on the table. "Now, do you have any injuries the water couldn't heal? You and the holy boy looked pretty banged up."

"I'm fine. It's Philip who needs the medical attention. Please Hector, put him in my cabin and I'll take care of him."

"Take care of him?" Barbossa raised a brow. "And exactly what does this entail? You do remember he is a prisoner?"

"Why? What purpose is there in still holding him hostage? We kept him for Turner's name, and now we have Turner. There's no use in keeping Philip our prisoner anymore."

"You're right. Silly me. I'll go toss him overboard to freedom right now. How does that sound?"

The Mermaid hissed.

"That's what I thought," Barbossa smirked. "Look, I know you've had a rather sheltered life, but you don't owe him for saving you during the battle."

"I know that."

"Then why are you so adamant about keeping him safe?"

"I…" She stopped, words failing her as she struggled to find an answer for the strange feelings. The lightness in her chest, the flutter in her stomach, and the heat rising to her cheeks. "I do not know."

But from the look on her face, Barbossa did.

"Oh, isn't that perfect!" Barbossa slammed the medical kit back on the shelf. "Of course! He's the first man in the outside world you've ever known. I should have seen this coming."

"Seen what?"

"You like him."

The Mermaid blinked, "Well yes… he is pleasant company."

"You fancy him," Barbossa corrected.

She stared at him for a long moment, and then burst out laughing.

"Fancy?" her lips played with the word. "Mermaids do not fancy men. We seduce and attract them, but we do not develop romantic feelings for them."

"Don't lie to me; I've known you for ten years. I can tell you desire him."

The laughter continued to reverberate from her lungs, but its passion deflated, becoming hollow and false as her mind desperately tried to sort through her overwhelming thoughts of Philip Swift. The kindness and sacrifice he made to stay behind to give Will and Elizabeth a head start. The devotion he had displayed towards them. The way he had stepped between Will and the pirates to beg them to find some compromise without bloodshed.

The way her heart raced so funnily at the touch of his skin on hers when she massaged his hands. The way he had used the nickname of Fins because he wanted to give her the respect of more than the cold term it. The way he had refused to leave her behind in the cabin, even though he knew he would probably give up his only chance at freedom.

The feeling of those strong arms wrapped around her body. The incredible cut of his abs the made her want to bite her lip and then him in a decidedly not violent fashion. His soft brown hair. His kind green eyes that could see deep into parts of her so deep down she herself didn't know they existed. And those lips always whispering words of kindness and prayer... lips she so badly wanted to learn the taste of.

Did he want to learn the taste of hers?

"Well, yes…" Mermaid looked away, confused by her own feelings. "Maybe I desire him, but that is because of what I am. Mermaids desire, not fancy. He's nothing more than a potential meal to me."

"Really?" Barbossa challenged. "Alright, then you have my permission to eat him. Pintel and Ragetti are busy cleaning and refilling your tank, but I'll take you down to the brig to eat him right now. Happy?"

The Mermaid was horrified, "No! I'm not going to eat him!"

"But you said he was nothing more than a potential meal."

"Potential doesn't mean I want to eat him."

"But you said you desire him because you wanted to eat him."

"Yes, but…"

"But what?" Barbossa urged.

The Mermaid sighed heavily, "Alright, fine… Maybe the desire isn't rooted in that kind of hunger."

"So, the reason is you wish to mate with him then? You know he's a Holy Man? I'm not saying incorruptible, but it would be a challenge. I'll tell the boys not to spy through the peephole if you succeed."

"It's not like that." The Mermaid paused, and then laughed, "It's nice to know you'd allow me to seduce him though."

"I never said I would, only offering my opinion on the difficulty of it and giving my girl assurance ofher proper privacy in the act," Barbossa countered. "In fact, I think it's a bad idea to allow him to return to your cabin. Now that the crew knows of your legs-"

"It was an accident."

"It shouldn't have happened!" Barbossa snapped.

"But it did," The Mermaid said firmly. "We cannot change that fact."

"Do you not understand the danger you are in? Do you not realize what will happen to you when we reach Isla de Muerta? When the curse breaks?"

"I'm not a fool."

"But you are naïve to the ways of the world!" Barbossa exclaimed.

"And whose fault is that?" The Mermaid shot.

"You don't know the first thing about men! Warm-blooded men with lust pumping through their veins and hunger in their soul. You've grown up around men who could never feel anything but the ache of desire! This man can fulfill that desire, and he knows you have legs and all the things a woman has in between! I would be a fool to leave him alone with my-"

The Mermaid gave him a steely glare as his words faltered.

"Your what?" The Mermaid demanded.

"This man is not to be trusted alone with you," Barbossa said flatly.

"But he has been already," The Mermaid shot. "But now what? He is not because I desire him in whatever fashion it is I do? He's not like them, Hector. He's different!"

Barbossa gritted his teeth. He could not stand to see The Mermaid foolishly give her heart to the first man she met. As strange as their history was, The Mermaid was dear to Hector; a precious treasure he couldn't help but hoard. Even if this Philip Swift was the greatest man to walk the earth, Barbossa wasn't about to give up his…

He couldn't even allow himself to think the word.

It was clear now to Barbossa that making The Mermaid fear and doubt Philip's intentions wasn't going to get her to drop the request to have Philip in her room. It was time to change tactics.

"I don't care what impression you got in fifteen minutes of bonding. Different, the same, or whatever in between, the boy is valuable," Barbossa said. "He's the Governor's son-"

"Nephew," The Mermaid coldly corrected.

"Nephew," Barbossa rolled his eyes. "He's worth a king's ransom… Literally. Why should I give him to you?"

"Why?" The Mermaid shrieked, her eyes flashing black. "Why?"

Barbossa took a step back; clearly that had been the wrong thing to say. Fury flashed across The Mermaid's face as she finally lost it on Barbossa. It was a rage that had been brewing for years.

"Because I have done everything you have ever asked me!" The Mermaid screamed. If Mermaid tears weren't so valuable that mermaids trained themselves not to cry, a fountain would be pouring from her eyes, "I fought for you! I killed for you! I have stayed for you! What I am, what I have become is only what you made me. A nameless creature. And in all that time, I have only ever asked for one thing. One thing! A name! To be more than "It" or "The Creature" or "The Stupid Monster" or whatever other title has been thrown at me that has made it very clear that this crew sees me not as a living breathing person with a brain to think and a heart to break, but a tool for destruction. Just one simple word; it doesn't matter to me what name you pick. Call me Fins even!"

"Are your two calling you that still?" Barbossa blurted out.

He shut up when he saw a flash of fang.

"At least they see me as a person," The Mermaid snarled. "But you… You wretch! You are too consumed by your greed and pride to acknowledge the thing that is so plain to me. Years ago, you stole my chance to have a name. I've moved past that. I've forgiven you, grown to care for you, and learned to honestly respect you. At least show me the respect of giving me a name now!"

But Barbossa met her with not a single word; just stood there and stared at her. And in those moments of silence, The Mermaid lost her fury. He watched as her eyes turned from anger to desperation. Barbossa's heart broke as he saw how much his refusal hurt her.

"Please," The Mermaid whispered. "Please, name me."

She begged him pathetically in an innocence and hopelessness he had only ever seen in her once before. The day when he found her on the rocks in the cave of Isla de Muerta, bleeding, broken, and ready to die.

And yet.

"...I can't."

For the first time in years, The Mermaid could feel the tears aching to gather in her eyes, but she fought them back with all of her strength.

"Please," The Mermaid grabbed his arm. "Hector, please!"

"I can't!" Barbossa shook her off. "Don't you understand? I do it to protect you from the rest of them! Giving you a name would show that I care about you and I can't let the crew think I'm weak."

"So that is what our bond is to you?" The Mermaid's voice hitched. "Weakness?"

Barbossa looked away, "I'm sorry."

The Mermaid felt like she was once more that terrified child chained to a wall in a dark, creeky room.

But she wasn't that child anymore. Never again would she let herself be that helpless little girl.

"No, you're not." she seethed. "Because now I know where we stand. Now I know that your pride means more to you than me. Now I know how you feel about me. But do you know how I feel about you? How I grow to think of you? To feel for you?"

"Don't say it."

"I love you. As bizarre and unhealthy as this relationship started, I love you. You are the only father I have ever known, and I would be proud to take your name. That's why I have begged you over and over to name me… to hear that you love me too. That you see me as your daughter. Because I know deep in your heart, that is where you've made a home for me. You care for me as if I had your eyes and nose and brain and blood; as if I were the product of a dalliance you had nine moons before I came into this world."

Barbossa couldn't look her in the eye, and The Mermaid felt her heart finally break.

"I guess you really are my family," The Mermaid said coldly. "You've hurt and rejected me just like my sisters did. All I am is exactly what you made me, Hector… I'm sorry you abhor your creation."

She tried to keep her composure as she strode towards the door. The Mermaid couldn't bare to look at him a second further, but it was hard to walk on her unpractised legs.

"One year," Barbossa said a second before she opened the door.

The Mermaid scowled and turned back at him in confusion, "What?"

Barbossa had a guilty look on his face and he still couldn't meet her eye, "I'll let the boy stay in your room if you promise one more year."

"You want me to alter the agreement?"

"You've already fulfilled your duties as we agreed upon them, and I know you're going to leave once the curse is broken… but if you agree to stay with me for one more year, I'll give you the boy."

The Mermaid crossed her arms, "Twelve more moons?"

"It's not that long."

"No, it isn't," The Mermaid considered the offering. "But Twigg and Koehler are dangerous. If I stay one more year, I am going to need more than just Philip."

"Name your terms. But I won't be giving you any names."

"Fine," The Mermaid glared at him. "First term, no harm comes to Philip."

"Done. Next?"

"Twigg and Koehler do not stay. They will try something with me, and I do not know how long I can fight them off."

"We can dash their heads against the rocks of Isla de Muerta if ye wish," Barbossa grinned.

The Mermaid arched a brow, "Only if I get to eat what's left of their flesh. I think eating my tormentors would be oddly satisfying."

"I definitely made you a pirate through and through," Barbossa chuckled. It wasn't really clear to either party if the plans to murder and eat Twigg and Koehler was a joke, but there was no doubt that both were capable of making it a reality. "Anything else, My Girl?"

The Mermaid locked his eyes, "No more chains. If I'm free, I'm free in every way."

Barbossa outstretched his hand, "Agreed."

They shook on it.

"Oh," The Mermaid added, "and if you shoot either Pintel or Ragetti again to test if the curse is broken, I will maul your face so badly, your own mother wouldn't recognize you."

Barbossa chuckled and thought to himself, That's my girl.

"And that's the full story," Philip finished relaying the events of the past couple of hours to Will.

"Wow… I really did not expect any of that to happen to you of all people," Will shook his head. "So, you really were saved by a monkey?"

"Yep."

"Fought pirates with a mermaid?"

"Yep."

"Saw a woman in a complete state of undress?"

"You know, I always thought you would be the first of the two of us to do that," Philip grinned.

Will laughed, "How hard are you going to have to pray to get that image out of your mind?"

"Oh, I'm never getting that image out of my mind, whether I want it or not."

"And do you want it?"

"I'm exercising my right to silence on the stand for this court interrogation."

"Did she at least look good?" Gibbs asked in the cell directly across from them.

Anamaria immediately smacked him upside the head.

"Forgot we weren't alone for a minute," Philip mumbled.

"Don't none of you be picturing Fins in that state!" Ragetti gave his best glare at the prisoners as he and Pintel swabbed the floor.

"Fins?" Will asked.

"Their name for The Mermaid," Philip explained. "And don't worry, I'm a holy man. I won't be intentionally lingering on the image."

"It's alright," Pintel said. "We're fine with you having the image. You did cover her up."

"Hold on Swift," Marty cut in. "You saw a woman naked for the very first time and your first instinct was to put clothing back on her?"

"Even I'm judging you for that one," Anamaria admitted.

The pirates chattered among themselves in agreement, only silenced when Pintel slammed his mop against the bars.

"Hey, we should get Fins a nice waist belt to go with the shirt," Ragetti suggested. "Now that the others know about Fins' little condition, she might be more inclined to be out of the water in the future."

"You're right," Pintel agreed. "Fins is going to need a good set of clothing. Some dresses, skirts-"

"Should we get her trousers?"

"She'll probably rip them during transformation."

"Okay, but I'm getting her a nice pair of boots. Don't want her delicate feet to walk on that mucky deck and get herself splinters."

"You know if she got splinters on her feet, you'd pull them out for her," Pintel rolled his eyes. "She's got you wrapped around her finger."

"You're no better," Ragetti protested. "Who's the one who gets persnickety about the temperature of her tank water?"

"I don't want her to get a cold!"

Will and Philip traded a look.

"Either this mermaid is the most charming woman on the planet or those two are the dimmest men I have ever met," Will said. He nodded towards the other cell, "And we sailed in with that lot."

"Hey!" Pintel protested.

"No, he's got a point," Ragetti said. "We're not that bright."

Pintel frowned, "Doesn't mean he has to say it."

"So, this mermaid," Will carefully looked at Philip, "what's going on? Do you… have feelings for her?"

Philip was very aware of the dozen pirates staring at him.

"I don't know," Philip tried to pretend it was only himself and Will in the room. "It's quite… odd the way I'm feeling. Like… I was meant to know her. Like something's right now in the world I didn't realize had been wrong before. Does that make any sense?"

"No," Marty called from the cell across.

"Yes," Will said. "I know exactly how you feel. It's the same way I felt about Elizabeth the day we met. I knew I had found the missing piece of my soul."

"Piece of my soul?" Philip tugged at his collar, which suddenly felt too tight. "No, I mean, come on. She's a mermaid and I'm a missionary. You can't get more opposite. And I've only known her a few hours; I don't even know if she likes me."

"She wouldn't have gone to the Captain on your behalf if she didn't," Ragetti was not even willing to pretend he hadn't been listening.

"Yeah, I know our girl pretty well," Pintel said, "and if Fins didn't like you, she definitely would have eaten you by now."

Philip frowned, "I'm sorry, but has she actually eaten someone before? While in your charge? Or is it just a threat you throw around?"

"She did actually eat someone once a few years back," Pintel answered. He exchanged a disgusted look with Ragetti, "…We agreed never to speak of it again."

"That poor man," Ragetti shook his head sadly.

Philip sighed, "Of course, not only she's a mermaid, but she's a mermaid who eats people."

"That's just a regular mermaid, Kid," Gibbs said.

"And son of God, Philip Swift of all people has fallen for her," Will chuckled.

"No, I haven't," Philip shook his head, shooting a particularly dirty glare at his best friend. "I can't really have feelings for a mermaid of all things. And one I met only a few hours ago at that."

"Well if you have, keep a careful eye out," Pintel warned. "The Captain may be hesitant to make his affection for her known, but we aren't."

Ragetti chuckled and cracked his knuckles, he and Pintel trying to look a fearsome and intimidating display.

…It didn't work.

"And to think, these are the men who killed your father, Will," Philip shook his head. "My condolences. At least my father's killers were intimidating."

"Swift, we are not going to have a 'my father's killers are better than your father's killers' quarrel," Will rolled his eyes. Then something clicked in Will's mind. He looked at Pintel, "You knew William Turner?"

It surprised Pintel for a moment.

"Ol' Bootstrap Bill?" A dark grin crossed Pintel's face, "We knew him."

Will and Philip exchanged a look and then eagerly leaned in, somewhat excited for the information about to come. William Turner Senior had never been an intriguing figure for the boys to discuss while growing up. But in the past several days after learning he was a pirate, Philip and Will had been full of questions and theories.

"Never sat well with Bootstrap what we did to Jack Sparrow. The mutiny and all." Pintel remembered the words Bill had said all those years ago, "He said it wasn't right with the Code. That's why he sent off a piece of the treasure to you. He said we deserved to be cursed. And remain cursed."

"Stupid blighter," Ragetti sneered.

"Good man," Gibbs said immediately, almost like a reflex. He had never met the man, but he said it out of the affection he had grown for those two men in the cell across his that Gibbs had known since they were just boys.

"Wow," Philip shook his head. "I can't believe your father would just sent a piece of cursed treasure to you and your completely oblivious mother."

"Oblivious? Sarah Smith?" Pintel snorted. "There are many words I would call Smith – Fiery, cunning-"

"Scary," Ragetti shuddered but still his tone held a note of something dreamy in it.

"But oblivious is not one of them," Pintel finished.

Both Will and Philip's eyes went wide with realization.

"Why do you know my mother's name?" Will asked.

"Smith?" Pintel frowned. "Cause she sailed with us for years. Sarah Smith had quite the reputation among us pirates. Other ships wouldn't bother us because they didn't want to cross Smith. Even Barbossa was afraid of her. Thought she was going to come after us after we got rid of Bill. Hid out about three months until we were certain she wasn't going to find a way to break the curse and kill us all."

"Always was obsessed with that whole Trident of Poseidon tale," Ragetti added. "Thought she would have gone with that."

"Probably didn't because of Junior here," Pintel jerked his head at Will.

"I'm sorry," Will was completely dumbfounded. "Are you saying my mother was a pirate?"

Philip shook his head, "Great. You're a full-blooded pirate. I'm going to have to pry Elizabeth off you with a crowbar."

"Yep, Sarah Smith, Scourge of the Sea," Pintel chuckled. "So dangerous and so beautiful. All the crew wanted her. No one could believe it when she picked Bootstrap of all people."

"Personally, I thought I had a pretty good shot at her," Ragetti said. "But Jack Sparrow saw to it that Bill got her."

Will just stared at the pirates in stunned, horrified disbelief. Words were a foreign concept to his mind as he struggled to process the extent of his pirates lies to him.

Keying in to his friend's distress, Philip sympathetically patted Will on the shoulder, "You ever wish we could just wake up and find this whole thing has just been a bad dream, and it's really the morning of Norrington's promotion ceremony?"

Will sighed, "At least the kissing Elizabeth part has been good… You're right, this probably is just a dream."

"I really hope Elizabeth hasn't been eaten by a shark or molested by Sparrow. I am not explaining either to my uncle."

"Hey, I'll take your uncle if you take Norrington."

"No deal," Philip said quickly. "So… what exactly happened to Bill Turner? You lot can't die, but I don't see him anywhere on the ship. Clearly something happened if you need Will to break your curse."

"Well, as you can imagine, Bootstrap's words and sending the treasure didn't sit too well with the Captain," Pintel continued.

"That didn't sit too well with the Captain at all," Ragetti giggled. "Tell him what Barbossa did."

"I'm telling the story!" Pintel exclaimed.

Submissively, Ragetti nodded and took a step back.

Pintel took a deep breath, then turned back to the men, "So, what the Captain did. He strapped a cannon to Bootstrap's bootstraps."

Philip's jaw dropped open and Will's eyes went wide.

"Bootstrap's bootstraps," Ragetti repeated in glee.

Philip began to say a prayer, "Lord, forgive these men and protect the soul of William Turner, a brave man who stood up for what was right… in that particular situation. Forgive him for the rest of that pirate stuff as well. Lord, we know from the example of your son, the Lord Jesus Christ overturning the tables of the money lenders that what is legal is not always Holy. I pray you have kept the soul of my dearest friend's father as safe as you can possibly allow."

But Will was silent with stunned horror and he took in the horrible fate bestowed upon his father.

"And last we saw of Ol' Bill Turner," Pintel continued without a regard for Philip's prayer, "he was sinking to the crushing, black oblivion of Davy Jones' locker."

It was almost impossible to see that Will had begun to shake, though it wasn't clear if it was out of anger or sorrow as he fought back tears. Ever the best of friends, Philip's hand clasped Will's shoulder in support without a single word of prompting, and Will knew his best friend had his back. If Will needed mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual support, Philip Swift was right there to give it to him.

But Will could not shake the image of his father – tall, broad, handsome in his memory – sinking helplessly into cold, black, deep water.

"'Course it was only after that we learned we needed his blood to lift the curse," Pintel awkwardly added.

"That's what you call ironic," Ragetti simply said.

Philip paused, "Wait… Is that it?"

Pintel and Ragetti exchanged a look.

"What'd you mean?" Pintel asked.

"You just left him there?" Philip said. "You didn't go back to haul him up and get his blood? He's literally just been wading around the bottom of the ocean floor, tied to a cannon, still alive to this day for ten years?"

Pintel and Ragetti laughed again.

"The Captain's no fool, Boy," Pintel said. "He had your exact same thought."

Will frowned, "Then why didn't you retrieve him?"

"Oh, we tried," Pintel answered. "First time we went, we couldn't get deep enough without a cannon to weigh us down. The pressure wouldn't let us reach the ocean floor in that depth. But if we did go down with a cannon, we couldn't cut both ourselves and Bill free, and grab him in a way he wouldn't be able to escape before we hit the surface."

"So the Captain gets an idea," Ragetti laughed. "Tell him the idea."

"I could if you stop interrupting me!" Pintel barked.

Ragetti bowed his head and muttered, "Sorry."

"So, what was the idea?" Philip asked.

Pintel gave a grin that showcased all of his black and yellow teeth, "The Captain decides that we should get ourselves… a mermaid."

It hit Philip and Will like a brick to the face... a familiar feeling that Elizabeth had once literally caused during a childhood escapade.

"You got The Mermaid to free my father?" Will whispered. "But what happened?"

"Yeah, why didn't she succeed?" Philip blurted out. "Why did she stay? How did you get her?"

"AHEM!"

Everyone turned to see Barbossa and The Mermaid – who was awkwardly leaning her weight against Barbossa for support – standing in front of them. Instantly, Ragetti dropped his mop and raced to The Mermaid's side, throwing one of her arms over his shoulder to hold her up.

"If we're done with story time," Barbossa threw a ring of keys at Pintel, "The Mermaid has bartered for the Governor's son-"

"Nephew," The Mermaid corrected. "Must we do this again?"

"Nephew," Barbossa shot her a look. "To get a room upgrade. The boy will be staying in The Mermaid's cabin with her."

Philip glanced at Will, "No. I'm not leaving Will behind."

"How quaint. You think ye have a choice," Barbossa laughed as Pintel opened the cell, and Barbossa yanked Philip out. Barbossa slammed the cell door shut and immediately smashed Philip face first against the bars, "But if there's any funny business with my mermaid-"

"Captain," The Mermaid coolly warned.

Barbossa threw her a look, then turned back and whispered in Philip's ear, "You will be praying for death when I'm through with you. And considering you're a religious man, I would take that literally. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Philip groaned.

"Here," he snarled back at The Mermaid. "Do with the boy as you wish, but keep his virtue intact. We treat him the same way we treated his cousin."

Barbossa turned and literally threw Philip at The Mermaid. She just barely caught him, the impact nearly buckling her weak legs, but just in time her arms locking around his torso and held him upright.

Philip took a sharp breath as he felt The Mermaid's arms holding him. They felt so enjoyable and natural to be locked around his waist. He was suddenly very glad that he had put an effort in obtaining a great physique.

He was less glad that Ragetti was still also holding her, and he was looking on approvingly in an awkward three wheel situation.

For a second, Philip thought he saw The Mermaid blush, and then she gently pushed him off of her. He wasn't free to make a break for it though, because a second later, Pintel had twisted Philip's arm behind his back and started marching Philip up the stairs.

"I guess I'll see you later, Will," Philip called as the group led him away from his friend.

"Try not to make friends with any more mythical sea creatures while you're gone!" Will called.

"I make no promises!"

"Well, I'm right back where I started today," Philip looked around The Mermaid's cabin when Pintel and Ragetti had left. "At least I'm not chained to the wall this time."

"I ensured you were free to move," The Mermaid's voice came behind him from the tank.

Philip glanced back at her and was immediately thankful for his timing. When his back had been turned, The Mermaid had stripped off his shirt, leaving herself naked in the time it took to dive back in the water. Philip had looked back just as she dove under the surface, her body transforming back into a mermaid and her breasts getting covered modestly. But still Philip's eyes went wide as he saw his shirt lying abandoned on the floor and put together the implications in his mind.

He was never going to get the image of The Mermaid naked out of his mind, was he?

"So, I am here until we get back to the island." Philip looked around the room awkwardly, "Do you think they could bring me a hammock… and maybe some food? I haven't eaten all day and I don't fancy sleeping on the floor."

"Ragetti and Pintel should be in with both shortly." The Mermaid settled at the edge of her tank and held out her hands, "Come."

Philip automatically approached and placed his hands in hers. He smiled as she began turning them over and lightly tracing her fingers over his skin.

"What are you doing?"

"Seeing if you have any further wounds to heal," The Mermaid replied. "Hold still while I do so."

Philip obeyed and let her examine his body, pouring water over every wound and healing him. His breath hitched as her hands stroked one particular cut over his chest, and pushed away unbidden thoughts that would make Pastor Thomas give him a lecture about the sanctity of marriage and a man and woman becoming one flesh. By the small smirk that quirked The Mermaid's lips, Philip was certain she knew his thoughts. What warmed his heart was remembering the terrified way she had recoiled from him when he took off his shirt before her naked form, and now she made no indication she wished to move away. In fact the way her hands lingered over that wound...

He cleared his throat and gently moved her hand to another injury. They were getting into a very dangerous territory.

When they were finished and The Mermaid withdrew her hands from his skin, Philip found he missed them.

"I am sorry for any grief I may have caused you today," The Mermaid swam away from him to the opposite end of the tank. "I know it has been quite stressful."

"I think you and I are fine," Philip said. "It's Elizabeth you seem to have the quarrel with."

"I thought she was my friend," The Mermaid said shortly. "She was just playing me, even after I promised to protect her."

"Protect her?"

"It is the obligation of a mermaid to protect women at sea. I told her as much, but she still saw me as an enemy, even after I unchained her. She understood the loneliness I felt and still said such cruel things. She knew I was there in the cave listening. She wanted to rub it in my face. Let me hear her call me a stupid monster."

"She was scared. I'm not going to defend her actions because they were cruel and I will be speaking to her about them should we safely escape this mess, but you must understand. Elizabeth was terrified, and you were part of a crew who kidnapped her and tried to use her blood for a pagan ritual," Philip pointed out. "She spent the most time with you, so it was easy to project the blame on you, not to mention it's easier to cast the non-human in the role of monster."

"Is that what I am to you?" The Mermaid tried to shield the fear from her voice. "A monster."

Philip shook his head, "A monster is someone who hurts without reason. From all I've seen of you so far, I cannot comfortably cast you into that role."

"But I could be a monster? Your opinion could change."

He took a deep breath, "And that is why she was afraid."

The Mermaid cast her eyes to the floor. Though tears did not well in her eyes, the pallor to her skin and way her hair fell limply in front of her face and was left to dangle there broadcast her sorrow.

"But I'm not afraid," Philip said.

Her head jerked up.

"I'm not afraid of you," he repeated. "I've known you less than a day - less than a full day - but deep in my heart something tells me that you're different. I know it as true as up is up, down is down, and the Lord is my god."

The Mermaid smiled.

"But there's so much more I need to know. You claim to be a prisoner and yet you are free to go about wherever you wish. You can challenge the Captain in front of the crew. You are even able to barter with him. I don't understand. You have a strange relationship with the Captain. One might even say you look at him like your father."

The Mermaid wouldn't meet his eyes.

Philip stared at her, "Okay, that's it. I have to know your story. How did you go from being kidnapped to save Bootstrap Bill Turner to being Barbossa's weird daughter thing? I know the Lord works in mysterious ways, but even Joseph got an explanation for his turn of fortune."

"Which Joseph?" The Mermaid asked. "Mary's Joseph or Jacob's Joseph?"

"We'll get to the Bible study later," Philip waved off, not really cluing in that The Mermaid actually recognized the reference. "Please… Fins."

The Mermaid frowned and looked up, "Fins?"

"It's the only name I have for you," Philip said. "It seems a shame. Such a beautiful woman deserves a beautiful name."

She fidgeted with her fingernails trying to pretend to be interested in a hangnail, "I wish I had been given a name."

"Why weren't you?"

"It is a long story."

His decision made, Philip walked over to The Mermaid and reached into the tank. He grasped her hands, and The Mermaid pulled back for a moment in surprise. But his eyes met hers, and The Mermaid let out a breath. She relaxed and surrendered her hands to be clasped in the tender way she had held his.

"Please, Fins," Philip cracked a small smile. "I want to know your story… everything about you. How you got here, why you stayed here… How the Lord brought you into my life. Please, tell me."

And in that moment, The Mermaid knew that this was exactly where she and Philip had been destined to end up. Ever since a boy with greens met those of a hazel-eyed tailed girl.

A touch of destiny.

The Mermaid gave him a gloriously beautiful smile, "You really want to know?"

"Absolutely."

"Alright, Philip Swift… This is my story."

A/N: Yes, I'm back. No promises about when the next update will be as I'm currently working on a monster of a Star Wars fic, but dang it! Birds of a Feather has been in my head for six years, and it will never go away. I might as well get out a few more chapters before my passion for POTC ebbs again.

So, let's talk about the new movie for a minute. I don't want to give away too much for this story, but there are a few elements in it that simply would not work with my story. For example, the whole Barbossa thing (you know what I'm talking about) does not work at all with the relationship arc that takes place with The Mermaid in this story. There's a few other elements along those lines, and let's not even talk about the blatant continuity errors like the origin of Jack's compass.

I have seen the movie twice, and purchased the novelization. After reviewing the story a lot, I have a few ideas on how to make the story compatible… though it might be a little light on the inclusion of Will, Elizabeth, Philip, and Syrena, but I think I have a few ways to do this. However, if a majority of people tell me they don't want me to add Dead Men Tell No Tales to this story, I won't. So, let me know if you really want to see it, because I will have to majorly revamp that movie to not only make it cohesive with my story, but actually make the movie as fun the first four are to watch (good Lord was watching DMTNT a chore the second time around. I literally only did it for the beginning and ending scenes.)