𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐘, bella stood by herself against the rail.
she was still thinking about the previous night. was she making a mistake by trusting jack? she couldn't be. he was everything to her . . .
but then, jack slowly stepped up next to her. they stood in silence for a minute or two. both of them understood the dangers that lay ahead of them. but all that mattered for this moment was the two of them.
finally, jack placed his hand on bella's shoulder. "bella, love . . . why did beckett want you?"
"i think you can guess," bella replied quietly. jack's nostrils flared up in response.
she elaborated. "six years ago, i went on a trip to england with my mother. he proposed," bella told him.
jack had a look of comical disgust on his face. "i'm sorry," he said in acknowledgment.
"i rejected him, somewhat colorfully," bella softly smiled, remembering how she had cursed him out. "and we left the next day, so i hadn't heard from him since."
"does he know about your . . . bloodline?" jack asked.
"no," bella said plainly. "i suspect his sentiments toward me would have changed by now."
"ah," jack nodded slowly. "still lusting after you, then?"
bella took jack's hand off of her shoulder and placed it on her waist, turning to face him. "he's not the only one."
"oh . . . so i'm fighting a materialistic ice cream cone of a man for your love." jack smirked.
bella laughed, shaking her head. "you've already won."
jack's gaze turned genuine for a moment. "i'm not going anywhere," he eventually murmured.
bella stared deep into his eyes. she searched them, probing if he was certain. she couldn't tell if jack was completely committed to one idea or the other. he was still tempted by the idea of immortality, but what bella and will said were having an effect on that desire. she finally nodded, trusting him.
jack reached out to take her hand, but instead pulled her to his chest and kissed her. they swayed on the spot, both becoming lost in the other's touch.
they finally pulled apart, and bella smiled up at him. "well then . . . to shipwreck cove?"
"aye, shipwreck cove."
* * *
"look alive and keep a weather eye! not for naught it's called shipwreck island, where lies shipwreck cove and the town of shipwreck!" gibbs shouted to the crew as the pearl crept towards the entrance to shipwreck cove.
"you heard him! step lively!" pintel exclaimed.
"you know, for all that pirates are clever cobs, we are an unimaginative lot when it comes to naming things," jack remarked. bella and gibbs followed him past the rail.
"aye," gibbs agreed.
"i once sailed with a geezer who lost both of his arms and part of his eye," continued jack.
"what'd you call him?" inquired gibbs.
jack raised his eyebrows and turned around. "larry," he replied.
bella smiled at him. they walked across the main deck, before hearing tia dalma's angry voice. jack stopped and ducked behind a barrel, pulling bella with him to eavesdrop.
". . . if you no longer want my favor, barbossa, then perhaps i should be calling a different captain to my cause," they heard tia dalma say. "witty jack would not turn down the promise to survive the coming storm, i think."
jack narrowed his eyes. he and bella exchanged a look of confusion as they kept listening in.
"i do not renege on a bargain oncestruck. but we agreed on ends only; the means are mine to decide," barbossa replied.
"caution, barbossa," tia said harshly. "do not forget it was by my power you returned from the dead, or what it means should you fail me."
barbossa's response sounded equally as harsh. "don't forget why you had to bring me back, and why i could not leave jack to his well-deserved fate. it took nine pirate lords to bind you, calypso," jack and bella's eyes widened in shock. "and it'll take no less than nine to set ye free."
bella took jack's hand and quickly pulled him away from their hiding place, back towards the helm.
"we're doomed," she whispered to jack.
"not if we don't release her," he replied.
"you heard barbossa!" she muttered.
"i have a plan, love," jack assured her. "promise!" he said, approaching the wheel.
"a plan?" repeated bella. "you mean a calculated improvisation?"
jack glanced at her with a slight scowl.
"step out, mr. cotton," he ordered, taking cotton's place steering. "there's some dangerous cross tides ahead that will prove a trick to navigate."
the black pearl sailed straight at the upcoming cliff as if it was about to run aground. but visible between the rocks, a huge sea tunnel was revealed.
the devil's throat.
bella stood beside jack at the wheel and glanced over into the water.
"deep enough for the ship's draw," she observed in amazement. "i would never have believed it."
"if you knew how many died making it deep enough . . . you'd believe," jack told her, steering through the passage.
the pearl sailed toward a distant light. finally, it passed from the tunnel.
bella stared up at what was in front of her. shipwreck city, tall and strong, lay before them. it cast warm patterns of light to the dark, still water. the large town was an architectural masterpiece, constructed of broken, derelict ships.
moored around the city were dozens of pirate ships. all types, sizes, colors, from all over the world.
jack, bella, pintel, and ragetti stared out over the rail.
"look at them all!" pintel pointed in awe.
barbossa stepped up near them. "there's not been a gathering like this in our lifetime," he spoke.
". . . and i owe them all money," jack frowned, glow of the city reflecting in his eyes.
a/n
next chapter is the brethren court !!! stay tuned :)
also, i can't believe we're at 23K views. i love u.
that's all for now, i'll see u on friday!
sarah