You Forget One Very Important Thing Mate – (35) – FINALE!

Authors Note: This story is followed by 'Two Sparrows And A Blood Debt'

To Jack, there was no time at all for sad goodbyes or fond farewells, Elizabeth and Will were dropped off on the first merchant ship to Port Royal that the Pearl came across. And Jack had no idea when he would see them again, if he would see them again. Thoughts of Davy Jones and the future swirled around Jack's mind and try as he might, they would not leave. He really had to get around to telling Ashley that she was going to Tia Dalma's. But, in a way wasn't it better not to tell her? Because then she couldn't get angry, until they arrived there that is.

Which, in actual fact wasn't that long away. Jack had been thinking much more than usual, wasting the long hours that it took to get to Tia Dalma's house away.

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Through the heavy mist, two longboats from the Black Pearl rowed to the mouth of the Pantano River. Ashley (Completely unawares of the situation) Cotton and Gibbs rode in the lead, followed by Jack, Marty and one other pirate.

As they rowed past thick tangles of twisted roots and bark, Ashley asked Gibbs the question the whole crew wanted to know. "Where exactly are we going?"

Gibb's looked at the girl, unsure of what to say, he and Jack were the only ones that knew of Tia Dalma.

"Ahh, Jack has some business with an old friend of his, is all," Gibbs replied.

A pang of guilt came to Gibbs, but he knew he couldn't say a word. After all, it was for the girls own good. Staying with Tia Dalma was far better than coming face to face with Jones...or worse...The Kracken.

As the boats rowed into the still water of a steamy bayou, fireflies flickered in the heavy air. The longboats pulled up to a rope ladder that hung down from a sprawling wooden shack high up in a tree. A lantern hung at the door, casting a dim glow on the cautious pirate crew. They had arrived.

"Gibbs, Ashley, your coming with me, the rest of ye, watch the boats!" Jack said grabbing the ladder.

Ashley and Gibbs climbed up behind him and with one last nervous glance around, Jack pushed his way into the shack, the other two sticking close behind. As their eyes adjusted to the low light, they saw all manner of strange creatures in jars and bottles. Some were stuffed and hanging from the rafters. Others moved around in jars of murky water. Overhead dangled an old, dusty crocodile.

At a table, in the shadows, sat Tia Dalma, a mystic with an eye keener than any pirates. She'd been hovering over a bowl of spices of some sorts when her head suddenly snapped up.

"Jack Sparrow, why am I not surprised to see you here again?" She asked, standing and walking over to Jack.

"Well, we came for a favour," Jack said.

"Oh? What is that?"

"It's been roughly 13 years, and I presume you know what that means?" Jack asked.

"Jones," Tia replied.

"Aye, I was wonderin' if you could take my daughter Ashley in, I don't want her involved, Jones will come soon, and she must stay as far away as possible,"

Ashley stared at Jack. "What?"

Tia Dalma looked to Ashley, and then to Jack.

"I will read the girl," Tia said sitting down at the table.

"I don't believe in that kind of stuff," Ashley stated.

"Go on lass," Gibb's urged Ashley to sit down opposite Tia Dalma. She did so, but he could tell she was upset.

"You are full of anger, you conceal much about yourself," Tia began, Ashley stared at her, interested. "I need a lock of your hair," Tia continued.

Ashley leaned forwards and with a small blade Tia cut some off of the end and dropped it into a bowl of some kind of liquid. Looking down at it, she smiled.

"You have a great destiny, one that stretches way back in time,"

"I'm just a girl…nothing like that will happen to me," Ashley said, still not believing a thing.

"You have never forgiven your mother for leaving you,"

Ashley, shocked, stood up and walked off into a corner, staring out of the window.

"You'll take her then?" Jack asked.

"Never did I think I would watch over a Sparrow child, but it shall be done, for it is the fate of us all," Tia Dalma said, looking over to Ashley who had just walked out of the door.

"Where did she go?" Gibb' asked.

"She's sat on the dock," Jack said, looking out of the door.

"We'll leave ye to it then?" Gibbs asked sadly.

"Yes, I suppose this is how all things must be," Tia replied, turning away from them and staring down at a map that was on her table.

Jack walked out of the shack, followed by Gibbs. They climbed down the rope ladder and back into the longboats.

Jack turned and looked over to Ashley, who was sat with her legs swung over the edge of the small pier. She stared at him, questioningly; completely shocked and dismayed.

"Ashley, love?" He tried.

She turned her face away as a sign that she didn't want to talk to him.

"Another time then," Jack muttered glumly, as the crew began to row the boats back towards the direction of the Pearl.

When they had disappeared, Tia Dalma came out.

"Ashley Sparrow, you will learn great things,"