Almost automatically, the pirates were fighting together, against the EITC. I killed and stabbed and slashed at the Navy, yelling vile things at them, and soon there were puddles of blood at my feet. I couldn't risk one of my un-godly screams at the moment, the Singaporean pirates wouldn't know to close their ears.

I ran another man through with my sword and glanced up. Elizabeth was pushed out of the way of Mercer's bullet by Will, who had broke free of his bonds, and the lead ball embedded itself in the forehand of one of Sao Feng's handmaidens. She was caught by her twin, who looked murderous.

I quickly looked away.

I spun around, screaming a battle cry, as someone attempted to stab me. He was on the floor after a few exchanges between the barrel of his rifle and my cutlass, staining my boots red.

I ran out of the bathhouse, following Barboussa and Elizabeth, absentmindedly knocking the redcoats out of my way. I yelped in pain, and half in fury, as someone sliced at my leg, opening a deep gash. I spun around and there was no one there, though I could see the flaps of a red jacket flying around the corner.

"Ears!" I shrieked, and then screamed, a short one, almost out of the human hearing range. The tail of the redcoat went limp, and the coat's owner toppled over backwards.

I nearly ran into the rest of the crew, as we had all miraculously made it to the docks of Singapore. "Do you have the charts?" Elizabeth asked Will breathlessly. I limped to them, lightheaded, and leaned against Barboussa, the one nearest to me. He supported me but made no comment about my sliced open calf.

"Better," Will replied, ruffling the Navigational Charts, then smirking proudly as a troupe of Singaporean pirates stepped up behind him. "A ship and a crew."

Barboussa turned his head. Another wave of Navy officers were charging into the fray. He silently gestured for us to come on and held me up with one arm.

We hurried through the battle, unnoticed, and to the ship Will had acquired. It took a moment for me to gather courage to cross the plank, over the open water, and onto the Hai Peng. "I'm fine," I grunted, sitting on the stairwell. I ran my eyes over the wound. It was still bleeding, but barely.

"Ye may say that, but there is no harm in askin' for help," Barboussa smiled devilishly and gestured for Elizabeth to come and help me. I glared at him but allowed her to take me below decks to a cabin.

"I should've been more alert," I grumbled, wiping the blood with a wet rag. I ignored the sting. Elizabeth and I were to share a cabin, and I sat on my bed. She leaned against the wall, waiting.

"It isn't your fault," She assured me, smiling but concern glinting her in honey colored eyes. "None of this is."

I leaned back and studied her. "None of this is my fault?" I asked incredulously. "I let him climb back on the Pearl, Elizabeth, I let him convince me. It's my fault he's dead." I felt the familiar hot feeling of tears behind my eyes. I blinked and willed the feelings to leave; they were soon replaced with a cold determination.

Elizabeth glanced at the floor and then at me. "It's not your fault," She said gently. "It's anything but." She hesitated. "Jack--"

"Don't say his name." I requested quietly.

"He," She continued, kneeling beside me, "He wanted me to tell you something."

I stared at the floor, waiting.

"He wanted me to tell you he's sorry," She whispered, sadness and guilt underlying her voice.

A few tears escaped my eyes.

"Why did he apologize?" She asked, albeit quietly. She met my eyes, sitting down indian style.

I raised my head. "He said he loved me," I whispered. "We..."

She looked away, biting her lip. She looked so guilty that I wondered what was bothering her so, but I decided not to ask. "You two didn't..."

"No," I finished on my leg and wrapped another bandage around it, securing it with a knot. "I wish we would've. We never had the chance."

She was silent. "Adeena, I'm sorry," She stood and helped me up. I brushed at my eyes and smiled wanly. I haven't shown anyone a real smile since he passed. "I'm so, so sorry..."

"I can be patient." I said, mostly to myself. "I will see him again."

She nodded and offered her arm for me to support myself on. I shook my head and walked out on deck. The stars twinkled like frozen fireworks above our heads as we pulled away from Sao Feng's domain.

Tia Dalma was at the railing, watching the opaque water, rippling from the small waves created by the ship. "Sao Feng has no where left to cower," Elizabeth stated quietly, has over Tia's shoulder. I glanced at her and stood at Tia Dalma's other side. "Do you think he will honor the call?"

"I cannot say," Tia replied ominously. "Dere is an evil on dese watahs dat even da most staunch and bloodt'irsty pirates 'ave come ta fear."

I was silent, as was Elizabeth. Was she referring to Davy Jones? The EITC?

Elizabeth quietly left, her eyes suspiciously bright, and I stood with Tia. "We will retrieve him, right?" I asked quietly.

Tia met my eyes for a moment. "If da sea cannot tell ye," She was referring, once again, to the fact that I am, apparently, of the sea. "Dan neither can I."

With that, she turned and glided away.

I put my head in my hands, and leaned on the railing. A thousand what ifs ran through my head; not for the first time, and not for the last...

***

Adeena watched herself in the mirror. She wore only her white undershirt and slacks, and clutched her necklace in one fist. Jack's hair bead was visible, and dangled off her index finger. Adeena's stare was fixed on it.

In her other hand was a knife. It was long, she had smuggled it from the kitchen. The tip rested on her chest.

She tore her eyes from the Jamaican bead and to the blade.

Does death hurt... She wondered, a small drop of blood appearing where the butcher's knife punctured her skin.

Her door was opened.

Adeena whirled around. Jack used to do that, "forget" to knock. She had asked him about it once, while they lay in bed, and he had sheepishly admitted he would try to catch her changing clothes.

But it wasn't Jack, as Adeena's heart believed, for a split second. Her hand with the knife fell, as Will realized what she had been about to do.

"Oh, no..." He murmured, and rushed over. He took the blade from her and threw it across the room, then turned back to Adeena.

"Give it back," Her voice was threatening. She clenched her fists.

"No!" Will replied. "No!" He lowered his voice. "What would Jack want you to do? Just give up?"

Adeena raised her chin. "He'd want me to find him!" She answered. "To get to him, in any way possible!"

Will looked away. "Maybe..." He lifted his eyes again. "But he would want you to be happy."

Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of depression hit her. She almost staggered, but instead choked back a sob. "Then why do I hurt? Why do I hurt, so, so, much..."

Will felt his own eyes water. He took her into his arms instead of replying, and held her until she abruptly pulled away.

Finally, she wrenched herself from him, and glared. "You aren't him," She said, "No one will ever be him."

Adeena Mari Cole stalked from the room, and left a very confused, sad, and angry William Turner II behind.

I woke up gasping, and drenched in sweat. I was tangled in the sheets, a horrible headache was starting behind my eyes, and I felt the wetness on my cheeks.

A dream, I thought.

But I knew.

It had happened. I had dreamed of the night I was interrupted in killing myself.