Author's Note: I'm on fire! Three chapters in one day! I don't expect to make it through a fourth, since I do have to sleep before I go to work, but this is far better than I could have predicted. I hope these three chapters have earned your forgiveness for my extended absence from this story.

Chapter 5

Her name was Tia Dalma, and it was obvious to anyone with half a brain that she was a witch. She greeted Jack happily enough, however, so Robin decided they were safe. For now, at least. Then the woman caught sight of Will.

"You…you have a touch of destiny about you, William Turner." There was a distant, vacant look in her eyes as she said this, almost like she was seeing something else that wasn't there. Robin had heard stories of people who could spout prophecy or see the future, and she wondered if that was what was happening here.

Tia Dalma beckoned Will to sit down, clearly deciding he would be the one to broker any deal. After Jack offered up the undead monkey as payment, which the woman accepted, Will unfolded the cloth Jack had given him.

Tia looked at Jack sharply. "The compass you bartered from me: it cannot lead you to this?" she demanded.

"Maybe," Jack answered evasively. "Why?"

The witch gave Jack a knowing smile. "Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants!" Robin looked at Jack, waiting for the denial, the sarcastic response. It never came. Instead, he flinched and looked away. Curious.

"Your key go to a chest," Tia Dalma proclaimed. "And it is what lay inside the chest you seek, don't it?"

"What is inside?" Gibbs asked.

Tia Dalma's eyes glinted in the candlelight. As she began weaving the tale of Davy Jones, Robin noticed that she seemed to be…enjoying the story. And she spoke as if it were no mere legend, with all the details embellished and conjectured over the years. No, she recited it as if it was cold hard fact, all of it…almost as though she'd been there.

"And so, him carve out him heart, lock it away in a chest, and hide the chest from the world," she finished. "The key he keep with him at all times."

Will stood up, turning to face Jack angrily. "You knew this."

"I did not!" Jack countered. "I didn't know where the key was, but now we do. So all that's left to do is climb aboard the Flying Dutchman, grab the key, you go back to Port Royal and save your bonnie lass, hey?"

Robin was thankful Will hadn't heard even a quarter of the tales of the Flying Dutchman and her captain that she had. If he had, he would have run from them right then and there at Jack's suggestion. As Jack turned to leave, however, Tia Dalma demanded to see Jack's hand.

Jack's secret was out, then: he was a marked man. While Gibbs and the others understandably made several signs against evil and backed away, Tia Dalma merely turned and began searching for something amongst her wares in the back. Jack took the opportunity to surreptitiously snatch an amethyst ring off the table, but something else caught Robin's eye.

Lying beside the ring, among the other trinkets, was a curious locket on a string of dark pearls. The locket showed a crude image of a man's face framed by the claws and legs of a crab, forming it into the rough shape of a heart. Robin reached out, unsure if she wanted to take the locket or simply open it, but Tia Dalma's return forced her to quickly retract her hand.

To Robin's, and Jack's, and literally everyone's, immense confusion, Tia Dalma proudly presented Jack with…a very large jar of dirt. After convincing Jack that it would in fact be helpful, Tia Dalma revealed where they could find the Flying Dutchman.

The next night, Robin stood next to Jack and Will, looking out at the wrecked ship dashed across the rocks. "That's the Flying Dutchman?" Will asked in disbelief. At Jack's nod, he shrugged. "Doesn't look like much."

As Will boarded the longboat to head to the other ship, Jack called over the railing, "Oi! If you happen to get captured, just tell them Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt. Might save your life!" Once Will was a safe distance away, the crew started putting out all the lamps on the ship. Jack took up his post at the railing, pulling out his spyglass and watching Will, his shoulders tense.

"Jack," Robin said softly. "He'll be alright. He's not stupid, and he's even better with a sword than you."

"What makes you think I'm worried?"

"You haven't taken your eyes off him, and your hands are shaking." Jack clenched his teeth, willing his hands to be still. "He'll be fine."

Jack sighed, turning to look at her for a moment. "I know. But if something happens to him…" He shook his head. "I'd have to answer to the boy's father, and I'm not sure as I could face him." He turned back to look through the spyglass again, and let out a horrified cry as he came face to face with the being that haunted his nightmares: the tentacled visage of Davy Jones.

"You have a debt to pay," Jones growled, stalking forward. Others appeared on the deck of the Pearl, gathering up the crew and forcing everyone to their knees. Jack backed away, terrified, glancing at his palm. Robin had to fight the urge to take his hand; doing so would give away more than Jack was comfortable with, and possibly give Jones yet another tool to use against him.

She kept her eyes on Jones' crew, making sure they didn't harm any of the others. As such, she was barely listening to her husband and Jones, until…

"One hundred souls. Three days."

Jack grinned in triumph. "You're a diamond, mate! Send me back the boy, I'll get started right away." He started to swagger off, but two of the fishmen cut him off.

"I keep the boy, a good faith payment. That leaves you only ninety-nine more to go." Jones and his crew started laughing sadistically. Robin glanced at Jack in horror; he had to change the terms, he had to! This wasn't part of the plan! She could see the gears turning in Jack's head.

"Have you not met Will Turner? He's noble, heroic, a terrific soprano. And did I mention…he's in love. With a girl. Due to be married…betrothed." Gods' bones, Robin thought in amazement. He actually looks like he's considering it! "Dividing him from her and her from him would only be half as cruel as allowing them to be joined in holy matrimony."

There was a beat of silence; Jones almost looked moved. Then… "I keep the boy! Ninety-nine souls! And to ensure you don't try to weasel your way out of this deal…" Jones clicked the crab claw that replaced his left hand, and two sets of powerful arms grabbed hold of Robin and dragged her forward, stopping before Jones. The cursed captain leaned forward, one of his tentacles snagging the chain that hung around her neck and revealing her wedding band. Robin saw Jack swallow nervously as she saw that Jack's ring had slipped out from his shirt.

"Mrs. Sparrow, is it? We'd be honored to have you as our guest." Jack clenched his fists, lips lifted in a snarl. Davy Jones turned back to Jack, grabbing his hand and rubbing the black spot off his palm. "Three days."

The breath was driven out of Robin's lungs as she was instantly transported onto the deck of the Dutchman, still clutched tightly in the crewmen's hands. She looked back helplessly at the Pearl, where she thought she could just make out the silhouette of her husband at the railing.

"Take our guest down to the brig, to our most…comfortable accommodations," Jones said with a laugh. "And put the whelp to work." Robin and Will shared a desperate look as they dragged her below deck.

Jack, my love, Robin thought to herself, I hope you know what you're doing.