Authoress Note: Welcome to Chapter 16 of Tortured. I want to thank those who have left reviews on this story. It truly does mean a lot to me that you guys are enjoying it. I am trying my best to make my way through the chapters and making them as long as possible. I hope that you guys enjoy this next chapter. Without further ado Chapter 16. ENJOY!

Chapter 16

Rose, Jack, and Barbossa walked away from a long boat beached on one side towards a second longboat on the other side. They came near Beckett, Davy Joes and Will.

"You be the cur that led these wolves to our door." Barbossa said looking at Will.

"Don't blame Turner. He was but the tool of your betrayal." Beckett mused with a smile. "If you wish to see its grand architect - look to your left."

Rose and Barbossa looked over to Jack.

Jack looked to his left too before snapping his head forward. "Me? My hands are clean in this. Figuratively."

"My actions were my own, to my own purpose. Jack had nothing to do with it." Will said definitely.

"There! Listen to the tool."

"Will, I've been aboard the Dutchman ... I understand the burden you bear. But I fear that cause is lost."

"No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it." Will said looking over at Jack.

"If Turner was not acting on your behalf, then how did he come to give me this?" Beckett questioned holding up the compass. "You made a deal with me, Jack, to deliver the pirates - and here they are. Don't be bashful; step up and claim your reward." He tossed the compass to Jack.

Jack caught it with ease.

"And what reward does such chicanery fetch these days?" Barbossa questioned looking at Beckett.

"Her. When the cannon smoke clears and the brethren slaughtered, off he sails on the Pearl, Elizabeth in his arms, and the blame dead square upon his rival."

Rose turned her attention to Jack with narrowed eyes. He wanted Elizabeth to himself? Why didn't that surprise her? The things that he did up until now were now starting to make perfect sense to her. And she didn't like it. She wasn't about to have Elizabeth sail off with Jack when Will was still there for her and was deeply madenly in love with her.

"Even if that was my plan - and I'm not admitting to anything - there's not a tinker's chance of it coming off anymore." He looked to Rose. "Is there?"

"There never was." Beckett pointed out.

"Your debt to me must still be satisfied. One hundred years in servitude aboard the Dutchman ... as a start." Davy Jones said looking at Jack.

"That debt was paid. With some help."

"You escaped."

"A technicality."

"There's no better end for Jack Sparrow than bilge rat aboard the Flying Dutchman. I propose an exchange. Will leaves with us ... and you can have Jack." Rose said with a small smile on her lips.

"Done." Will said easily agreeing with his future sister in law.

"Not done." Jack said trying to defend himself.

"Done." Beckett said with a small smile.

"Rose, love, you're condemning me. Again."

"Jack is one of the Nine Pirate Lords. You have no right!"

"King." Rose pointed out to Barbossa.

"As you command, your nibs." Jack said as he started towards Beckett.

Barbossa grabbed Jack's shoulder and whirled him around as he drew his sword. "Blaggar!"

Jack evaded it but not fully as the circlet coin dropped to the sand.

Jack the monkey scurried to pick up the coin.

Jack raised his eyes to Barbossa.

"If you have something to say, I might be saying something as well."

"First to the finish, then."

Will and Jack completed the trade.

Jones shoved Jack down. "Do you fear death?"

"You have no idea." Jack muttered to Jones.

"Advise your 'Brethren': you can fight, and all of you will die. Or you can not fight, in which case only most of you will die."

Rose felt the anger surge in her. "You murdered my father."

"He chose his own fate."

Rose squared her shoulders. "And you have chosen yours. We will fight ... and surely you will die."

"So be it."

Rose and Will turned away as Jack the monkey dropped the coin into Barbossa's hand.

Will looked at Rose confused. "King?"

"Of the Brethren Court. Courtesy of Jack."

"Maybe he really does know what he's doing."

"One can only hope." Rose said softly as she walked towards the longboat that would take them back to the Empress.

PIRATES

Rose boarded the ship letting out a soft breath as Will climbed up onto the ship behind her. She looked around and saw James standing next to Elizabeth his hands wringing together nervously at the front of him. Rose's lips quirked a tiny bit as he looked up seeing her there safe and sound.

James walked across the deck to her quickening his pace to her. "You're alright."

Rose smiled as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug welcoming her back on board the ship. "I wasn't in any danger." She said softly against the admirable jacket he wore.

"Yes, you were…"

"Beckett tried to scare me…" She pointed out. "I won't give up easily."

James took a sharp breath knowing what she meant.

Rose looked over seeing her sister reuniting with Will. A small smile came to her lips. "But for now things are right." She admitted softly. "Even for a little bit."

"We go to battle in the morning."

"I know."

"Surely you must be afraid." James said softly looking into her blue eyes.

Rose let out a soft breath running her hand through her blonde hair. "As much as I want to admit that I'm scared, I know I can't… we're going to battle to right the things in the world… meaning… bringing Beckett down and bringing Davy Jones down as well. Difficult task I would say, but we don't have much of a choice in the matter."

"We always have a choice."

"We don't fight we lose everything. The pirates lose everything and the East India Trading company gets everything." Rose said softly shaking her head. "You won't be able to go out onto the seas as an admiral. You have made your choice and you are no longer at that post…"

James took a sharp breath. "I know that me being admiral was something that at one point you would want to see me as…"

"You can always work towards it again." She said softly.

"You would want that?"

"James… I want you no matter what." She admitted softly looking at him. "I don't care what your rank is in the military… I just want you and I want you to be happy." She looked into his green eyes. "I just want you to be happy James."

"And I want you to be happy too Rose."

"And I am with you." Rose said softly.

"You've already forgiven me…" He said softly pulling away from her.

"Yes, but you need to forgive yourself for what you done. You done it in a moment of weakness and you decided to change your fate."

"You saved my life."

"And you saved mine." Rose said softly touching his cheek softly. "You just need to forgive yourself and we can move on."

James took a sharp breath. "How could you forgive me so easily?"

"You thought you were doing right." She admitted softly. "There is nothing wrong with that. But you now know that this is the right path."

"A dangerous path as well."

"That's life." She said softly looking up at him nipping her bottom lip between her teeth. "And I intend to be with you no matter what."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

This is the end of Chapter 16. I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. I hope that it turned out better than what I could make it. I have a handful of chapters left to write for this story. Then we'll be finished, unless you guys would like to see a sequel to this one of James and Rose's life after their adventures. Please leave a review and let me know what you think of this chapter. Reviews help me keep going when it comes to writing. I hope to have the next chapter out soon. Until next time.