Author's Note: Hi! Thank you for taking the time to read my story if you're reading this...March Break has probably started for most of you already but not for me... *sigh* Oh well. Enjoy your March Break or Spring Break, I call it March Break...Yeah, so, I hope you enjoy my story too! :)

Chapter 14

Will raced down to the cargo hold to help. Cassandra stood on deck with Elizabeth, holding her spear up warily. She waited anxiously and her mouth dropped when she saw the Kraken's huge tentacles slither up the side of the ship and rise in the air. The scream died in her throat.

Everyone backed away, scared.

"Will..." Elizabeth said fearfully. The Kraken rose higher and higher in the air and Cassandra wondered why Will was holding the attack off for so long.

"Will?" Elizabeth said again, in a scared voice.

Another few moments went by and they were the tensest moments of Cassandra's life. "WILL!" Elizabeth screamed, looking into the hatchway.

"FIRE!" Will bellowed.

There was a boom as the canons fired from below and the Kraken jerked as it was hit. There was a disturbing scream that emitted from it and one of its tentacles landed on the ship, making Elizabeth and Cassandra duck and scream.

It was huge! Promptly its tentacle slid off the ship as it slithered back into the ocean. Everyone on the ship suddenly cheered and they hurried to the side of the ship.

"It will be back- it's not gone," Will warned. He turned to Elizabeth. "We have to get off the ship."

"There's no boats..." Elizabeth said. Cassandra looked over at the last boat on the ship. It was in pieces.

Suddenly there were frantic, loud steps from the hatchway and Cassandra's mother suddenly appeared. She was breathing hard and her face was pale and full of fear. "There- there was a huge creature!" she sputtered, her eyes wide and full of shock.

"Mother..." Cassandra murmured, quickly walking over to her. She wrapped her in a hug. "It's all right, mother...It's gone now...Just stay on deck, okay? It's probably safer..."

Cassandra suddenly heard Will's voice, loud and commanding. "Load all the gunpowder into the net in the cargo hold!" He turned to Elizabeth and handed her a rifle. "Aim when I tell you to..." he instructed.

Elizabeth looked determined. "Whenever you're clear..." she replied.

Will ran down to the hold. Cassandra turned to go but suddenly stopped as she spotted Jack, out on a longboat, rowing away.

Anger surged through her and she heard Elizabeth beside her say, "You coward..."

Cassandra sighed and turned away from it. She walked over to her mother and guided her toward the cabin. "Come over here, mother...You need to stay out of danger..."

Mrs. Lockhart suddenly stopped and turned to face her, placing her hands on Cassandra's arms. "You need to too." she said forcefully.

"I can take care of myself, mother..." she countered. "Trust me, if these past few months have taught me anything it's that I can take care of myself."

"Don't be foolish Cassandra! This is dangerous- you could get yourself killed!" she snapped, becoming testy.

"Put your backs into it!" Gibbs yelled. "Work like you're being paid for it!"

He was yelling at the sailors who were pushing the windlass. Cassandra and her mother watched. They were raising the net, which was full of gunpowder and rum kegs, as Cassandra had heard.

All was well until Cassandra and the others on deck unexpectedly heard the shouts and cries of men below. The wood of the ship was breaking- the Kraken was attacking the men in the hold!

As Cassandra turned around she saw its tentacles, rising high in the air. She looked desperately at Will, who was hanging on the rising net. "Shoot Elizabeth! Shoot!" he yelled. He swung his sword in the air. "Here! Come get me, I'm here!" he goaded the Kraken.

Cassandra looked to Elizabeth, who was ready to shoot. The other girl was just about to fire when a tentacle suddenly slithered toward her from the cabin. Cassandra's eyes widened and she gasped.

"Elizabeth!" she cried. "Watch out!"

Elizabeth looked at her, surprised but it was too late for her to act. The Kraken wrapped its tentacle around her legs and dragged her toward the stern. Elizabeth screamed and stretched her arms out to grab onto something.

Cassandra thought Elizabeth was going to be pulled away but she was saved by Pintel and Ragetti who drove an axe down onto the Kraken's tentacle and chopped part of its limb off. A man had tried to grab the rifle and shoot but the Kraken lifted him up and tossed him and the rifle away.

Everyone watched as the rifle flew in the air and landed on the quarterdeck. Elizabeth raced up the steps but fell in her rush and gasped as she reached for it- but a boot was blocking it.

She tried to move the boot and nudge the rifle from underneath it. She looked up and saw with admiration and wonder that it was Jack!

Cassandra was just as surprised and awed. He looked toward the Kraken, picked up the rifle and took aim. Cassandra saw with alarm that Will was still dangling from the net. Will jumped off the net and Jack shot, the bullet hitting the kegs and causing a massive, fiery explosion.

It consumed the Kraken and it screeched in pain. Cassandra almost felt bad for the creature but was glad that it was gone.

"I want to get off this ship! I want to get off!" Cassandra's mother yelled. She had her back pressed against the wall of the cabin. She was stiff and clearly traumatized by the event.

"Aye, abandon ship or abandon hope..." Gibbs muttered.

"Everyone into the longboat." Will ordered.

Cassandra moved with no hesitation. She was glad to get off the ship.

She moved with the others and sat down beside her mother. Cassandra rubbed her arms, trying to calm herself after the horrific event.

"Step to, Will!" Gibbs ordered sharply as Will suddenly paused on the ladder. He slowly got in and as Cassandra looked at his face, she noticed that his mind was elsewhere. Elizabeth got into the boat last and Will asked the question everybody was wondering, "Where's Jack?"

"He decided to stay behind. To give us a chance..." she said to him. She turned away and rubbed her arms, looking upset.

Cassandra felt her heart drop. Jack was going to stay behind? Even though the wily and eccentric pirate sometimes annoyed her, he also a good and decent man. She couldn't imagine living without Jack.

"That pirate fellow with the long hair?" her mother asked, confused.

Cassandra turned to her. "Yes, mother..." she said quietly.

"Go!" Elizabeth ordered testily at the sailors. They started rowing the boat and everyone was quiet as the it moved along in the water. Cassandra looked down at the blue-green sea and found it strangely eerie but also very calming at the same time. Ever since they had run into that sea creature, the Kraken, the blue-green depths of the ocean seemed daunting and ominous, as if something or some unforeseen event was lurking below.

She shook her head and turned away, fixing her gaze on Gibbs and Marty in front of her. She rubbed her arms to warm herself of the chill that had started. The boat was cold, the seat was cold. She shivered, despite the fact that there was a bright Caribbean sun.

"We'll go see Tia Dalma..." Gibbs decided. "She'll know what to do..."

Lord Cutler Beckett sat at his desk, looking unhappy. His mouth was set in a straight line and his features were stern. The office he occupied was rich and lush with dark mahogany wood, chocolate brown velvet and various ornaments and knick-knacks that spoke of elegance. Drapes of a soft tan colour flanked both sides of the large window behind him, which had been left uncovered to allow a good view of the tropical trees and to let in the sun.

"The last of our ships has arrived..." an Irish voice informed.

Beckett still looked unhappy but he turned his eyes to the man that stood in front of him.

"Any news of the chest?" he asked his quiet voice full of impatience and slight annoyance.

"None. But, one of the ships did pick up a man adrift at sea..." the man named Mercer answered. "He had these..." Mercer held up a rectangular leather pouch in his gloved hand and threw them on Beckett's desk.

Beckett looked down at them for a second and then reached for them. He unravelled the pouch and was just about to look at it when a voice from the door said,

"I took the liberty of filling in my name..."

There stood a man, looking very annoyed. He was dressed in dirty, worn navy garb and his hair was long, loose and messy. Beckett suddenly smiled and put the letters down. There was a man standing beside him, holding his arm.

Beckett sat back and gestured to the man, signalling him to come forward. The scruffy man yanked his arm out of the other man's grasp and turned to the man pointedly. Beckett pursed his lips. This man obviously didn't like being ordered around. He was probably of a higher order, Beckett figured.

The man walked forward. "If you intend to claim these, then you must have something to trade," Beckett told him. "Do you have the compass?" he asked as the man in front of his desk.

The man shook his head. "No, I have something better..." he replied. Beckett watched him curiously. The man suddenly smiled and threw down a small bag. Beckett leaned forward and looked at the bag that appeared to be beating. Flies swirled around it.

"The heart of Davy Jones..." the man said, watching Beckett's face.

James couldn't help the smirk the graced his face as he stood in Beckett's office. He had finally been redeemed....

The sky was a beautiful violet-blue when they rowed the longboat into the inlet of the island. Cassandra and her mother had both turned their heads to look at the sky. It was early evening and the sun was slowly going down. A gentle wind had picked up and caressed their skin.

Tall palm trees surrounded them and white sand lined the large inlet. Cassandra was finally relieved to be near land. They had rowed on the open water for so long. The atmosphere was calming but quiet.

The whole boat was quiet and sad with the loss of Jack. No one spoke. No one made any sound. Cassandra's mother had quickly learned that Jack was very important to them and that he had been the captain of the ship. She was also very melancholy.

Cassandra couldn't help it anymore. She thought of Jack and her heart throbbed painfully. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears and she put her head in her hands. She cried softly, her shoulders shaking and her mother put a hand on her shoulder. Cassandra accepted the comfort and laid her head against her mother's shoulder, feeling awful.

Elizabeth had started crying too. She quickly wiped at the tears that gathered in her eyes and blinked rapidly. Will watched her with sympathy and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. Elizabeth started slightly but then relaxed under his touch.

Will's a good man too, Cassandra thought. So gentle and in love with Elizabeth.

She turned her attention away from them and watched as they rowed deeper and deeper into the island.

It was nightfall by the time they finally arrived at the swamp where Tia Dalma lived. The swamp was quiet, except for the soothing sound of crickets. Mourners all around stood in the water and up in the trees, holding candles in memory of a life lost. It was dark and the glow of the candles made Cassandra feel sleepy, she was already drained from her crying.

The tall trees sheltered them and vines hung everywhere. The soft lapping of the water was also very soothing and Cassandra felt her eyes droop. She just wanted to sleep. To escape this world of chaos and disorder.

They rowed slowly toward the tree house in which Tia Dalma lived and took refuge in there. Tia Dalma welcomed them. Her face mirrored the sadness they felt and she kindly let them in.

As they all sat inside her dwelling, Will repeatedly threw his knife down on the table as he appeared to be reflecting over the sad situation. Everyone was quiet and didn't know what to say. A dark cloud hung over them.

She walked over to them with a tray full of mugs. "Against the cold and the sorrow..." she explained. Elizabeth reluctantly took one and held it, her eyes tearing up.

"It's a shame..." Tia Dalma murmured as she knelt beside a subdued Will. "I know you we're thinking with the Pearl you could have killed the devil and set free your father's soul..."

"It doesn't matter now," Will said. "The Pearl is gone...along with its captain..."

Cassandra's heart fell. She wanted to save her father too and now without the Pearl it seemed like there was no chance.

She turned to her mother and saw that her own eyes shined with tears. Mrs. Lockhart looked up at her and took her hand, squeezing it. Cassandra squeezed back in reassurance.

"Aye," Gibbs agreed, from the open door. He was leaning against the doorframe. "And already the world seems a bit less bright..." he observed, looking up.

"He fooled us all right till the end," Gibbs continued, walking into the house. "But I guess that honest streak finally won out," There was a pause and then Gibbs lifted his cup. "To Jack Sparrow!"

"Never another like Captain Jack." Ragetti remarked, raising his cup.

"He was a gentleman of fortune, he was." Pintel added, becoming teary-eyed.

"He was a good man..." Elizabeth said, holding her own cup up.

"Aye." Cassandra said as she raised her cup in salute and drank as everyone else did. He was a good man. He had saved her in Tortuga.

Will suddenly turned to look at Elizabeth. "If there was anything done that could bring him back..." he started quietly. "Elizabeth..." he whispered, rising from his seat.

"Would you do it?" Tia Dalma asked. "Hm? What would you..." she trailed off and looked at Elizabeth with a smile and then turned to look at Cassandra. Cassandra found her gaze unnerving. "What would any of you be willing to do? Hm?" she asked loudly. A light shone in her eyes as she looked at them. "Would you sail to the ends of the Earth and beyond to fetch back witty Jack and him precious Pearl?" she asked cunningly.

There was a moment of silence as everyone absorbed this and then Gibbs suddenly spoke.

"Aye." he answered in a strong and firm voice. Soon there was agreement all around, as Pintel and Ragetti and Cotton stood up and agreed. Cassandra and her mother joined in and there was collective agreement.

Tia Dalma smiled, pleased. "All right..." she began. "You will have to go and brave the weird and haunted shores at world's end..." she told them, her eyes eager. "And you will need a captain who knows those waters..."

She smiled mysteriously as she walked past them and turned around as someone descended the steps. Everyone's eyes widened as an old man with a beard came down and stopped at the foot of the stairs, facing them.

"So tell me," he began. "What's become of my ship?" he asked. A small monkey sat on his shoulder. He suddenly grinned and took a bite out of a green apple. He laughed deeply, with his mouth open as apple juice dribbled down his beard and the monkey turned its head to the side, laughing as well.

Cassandra shook her head, stunned. Who was he? And how was he going to get them to world's end? She smiled slightly as she looked at him. She didn't know who or what he was but she did know that they were going to save Jack. She would go too, to save him and somehow, along the way, she would find a way to save her father.

For now, though, as she looked over at her mother and smiled, she realized that she had been given mercy. She had found her mother and her father. She was freed of a life of pain and grief and doubt and fear. No, she hadn't escaped it but she had been released of the chains that had threatened to bring her down. It was redemption, at last.

THE END

(All right, I'm not finished with this yet! I plan to have a sequel to this! Don't be angry with me lol...I won't leave you hanging. Hope you liked this story!)