After the storm Jack ordered the Interceptors white sails set wing-to-wing. That night, when everyone would retire for the night, Jack insisted I stay in the captains quarters with him. Will thought it was a bad idea butI agreed after he swore he'd be on his best behavior. It took a while for me to convince Will, but I did in the end.
"Do you think you'll stay in Port Royal your entire life?" Jack asked me.
"Until father insists I marry and my husband leaves it, yes." I said.
"I would think any man would be happy to have you by his side." he told me and I smiled, going to the large window and staring out into the inky blackness.
"Elizabeth is the beauty of the family, not me. She only has eyes for one suitor and he her." I told him.
"Will turner." he said and I nodded. "What of you? Do you have your eyes on a man?"
"No." I told him honestly.
"Why's that?" he asked me.
"Why should I tell you?" I asked him smirking. "For all I know you'll stab me in the back in the moment rises."
"I would never stab you in the back." he told me and I looked him in the eyes, looking for dishonesty.
"All the men I know are looking for a woman who will stay inside and obey. The good housewife. A beautiful object that will hang off their arm and make them look good." I told him.
"You don't seem the type." he told me.
"I'm not. I'm a free spirit and I just want to stay close to the ocean." I told him and he smiled at me.
"Why not stay on it at all times?" he asked me and I gave him a look.
"I wish I could, but I can't." I told him. "I'm going to sleep. Good night Jack." I climbed in the bed and slept
The next day, Jack held his compass in both hands as the indicator thought of a way to go. He kept glancing at me before sighing.
"Come here." he told me. I walked to him and he pulled me to him before looking back down at his compass and smiling as it settled on a direction. "Bear three points starboard." AnaMaria turned the wheel, adjusting course. The ship leaned into the new direction and Jack looked down at his compass. I saw the indicator spin and reverse itself before settling on a direction again. "Six points port!" I saw AnaMaria frown before following the order and turning the wheel back. I looked on deck and saw Will and Gibbs talking, Will glancing up at us every so often. Jack let go of me and grabbed my hand before walking down to them.
"How did he get off the island?" I heard Will ask.
"I didn't!" Jack told him. Both Will and Gibbs jumped and looked at us. "My body's still there, rotting away, and I am but a ghost!" they stared at him before I started laughing with Jack.
"how did you get off the island?" Gibbs asked him.
"Ah, that's a dark and unpleasant tale, best left untold." Jack told him before releasing my hand and walking away.
"Wait - what about the pistol?" Will asked as we followed him.
"The pistol. When a pirate is marooned, Will, he's given a pistol with a single shot. No good for hunting, or surviving, really. But after three weeks of starvation and thirst - the option of that pistol begins to look good." Jack told him, taking the pistol out and raising it. But I survived. And I still have that single shot. It's meant for one man. My mutinous first mate -"
"Barbossa." Will said and I looked between them. I saw Jack nod before moving away from us.
"Land HO! Land HO! LAND ho! LAND ho!" Cotton's parrot called out. I looked out and saw the faint outline of Isla de Muerta in the distance on the port side.
"How does he do that?" I looked back to AnaMaria.
"They'll be anchored on the lee side. Haul your wind, and keep to the weather of the island -" Jack told her. When we got to a lagoon Jack ordered the anchor to be dropped. Jack, Will and I rowed away from the larger vessel in a small longboat, toward the rocky shore. I looked ahead as the rush of a waterfall grew louder. Ahead of us was a black cave mouth, right at water level.
"What's that?" Will asked.
"Depends." Jack told us.
"On what?" I asked him.
"On whether the stories are all true. If they are, that's a waterfall that spills over at high tide, with a short drop to an
underground lagoon. If not -" the moving water tugged on the longboat and we were sucked into the cave. "- well, too late." The boat rushed forward, plunging us into darkness. I felt the longboat take a harrowing drop over a short waterfall making me gasp. Moonlight showed through an opening at the top of the cave showing we'd landed safely in a gorgeous underwater lagoon. We let the longboat float lazily toward a sandy shore. "Chalk one up for the stories." Will leapt out into the water and pulled the boar ashore. We made our way to a small cavern where Will went to save Elizabeth before coming back to us. Elizabeth jumped at Jack and I, a silver platter in her hand, ready to swing it. Jack caught her hands before she could do any damage to either of us.
"You?!" Elizabeth asked, recognizing him.
"Me!" he said smiling.
"Lizzy." I went to her and hugged her tightly. She was safe.
"You're in league with Barbossa!" Elizabeth yelled at him, trying to push me behind her. I pulled away from her and stood between the two of them.
"No, I'm - rescuing you." Jack told her.
"Lizzy, he's telling the truth. Will and I asked for his help in rescuing you." I told her.
"You went to him willingly?!" she asked, unable to comprehend what I said.
"Miss Swann! We're here to rescue you!" Will said, gaining his footing as we heard the pursuit approaching. "It's going badly!"
"This way!" Jack said grabbing my hand and pulling me with him as we raced off toward a bit of moonlight. We climbed up a dark crevasse that led out onto the island.
"I'm glad we got here in time." Will told her.
"Truthfully - you were a bit late." Elizabeth told him.
"The trick isn't getting here, it's getting away." Jack told us. And as if on cue, we heard the yells of pirates coming closer to us and we took off running again. We raced through the rocks in a clearing as the sounds of pursuit was close behind. Suddenly Jack stopped.
"Come on!" Elizabeth yelled at him.
"What are you doing?" I asked him.
"No. This won't work." Jack told us. "I'll stay behind, and fight them. You go on." My eyes widened at the suggestion.
"No." I told him.
"I'll lead them away." Jack said as the sounds came closer. "Go to the opposite end of the island, and signal the ship. I'll keep 'em busy."
"Are you sure? Jack - this is not something you have to do." Will told him.
"I'm sure. When you've led the kind of life I have, there are debts that must be paid. Maybe I can balance the scales a little." He told us. I saw Will nod before hesitatingly giving Jack his sword so that he had two, one for each hand. I went to Jack and hugged him, which he returned after a moment.
"Be careful." I kissed his cheek before Lizzy grabbed my hand and pulled me with her and Will.