Feedback: Like a mermaid needs water. Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

Disclaimer: You all know the drill. I don't own any of the BTVS characters or POTC characters, because if I did the hideousness that was On Stranger Tides would not exist.

Rating: T

Summary: Set during POTC: At World's End and post 'The Gift' Season 5 of BTVS. Tia Dalma had seemed so sure when she said that everyone who'd died were at rest. Clearly she'd never met Buffy…

Ah, love, let us be true

To one another! for the world, which seems

To lie before us like a land of dreams,

So various, so beautiful, so new,

Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,

Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;

Matthew Arnold 'Dover Beach'

Buffy blinked up at the sky above her as The Dutchman re-emerged from the water. The once menacing clouds were slowly fading to fluffy white and wisping backwards, teasingly revealing blue sky and a shimmering ball of sunshine that warmed her soaked clothing and dried the water droplets on her skin.

She stretched out her arms and legs, cat-like, arching her back and wriggling her toes, feeling her joints click satisfyingly into place. Her skull was once more knitted back together, the sun was shining and Davy Jones was no more.

So far, so good.

A dark shadow blotted out the sun in front of her, and she grinned up at the man standing in front of her.

"Hey, James. Welcome to the undead club."

He inclined his head in greeting, a smirk crossing his features. "Buffy."

She took his proffered hand, now cold like hers, and stood up, watching as the crew of The Dutchman stumbled around the deck as they once more regained human form. Barnacles fell from skin, arms replaced fins, lungs replaced gills, clams shrank and disappeared revealing clean, smooth flesh. The death of Jones had lifted the curse finally and here was freedom, here was change… a chance for a new beginning.

She could see it in the sailors' eyes; see it in the way they looked at the man beside her, as though he was the saviour captain they had all been waiting for.

The glint of victory suddenly seemed tantalisingly close and as she turned to look at James, she knew the fierce lust for winning that she saw written on his face was mirrored in her own gaze.

"Well," he said knowingly. "Whatever shall we do now?"

She grinned. "Wanna blow stuff up?"

Norrington's answering smile was feral. "As the lady wishes." He turned to his crew as they awaited his orders and launched himself into action. "Ready on the guns!"

Except it didn't happen like that.

Instead of a warm Caribbean sun and the smell of salt and smoke, Buffy found herself spat back into a box, six feet long and not wide enough to stretch her arms out, or sit up in, or to do anything other than lie back and try not to panic and breathe and break her way out of, choking on grave dirt, black clammy soil pressing her down and falling in her eyes and tasting it on her tongue-

Suddenly freedom.

She coughed, collapsing onto the damp grass and churned earth. The ground was cold beneath her cheek and her fingernails were bloodied and broken from scrabbling to escape. She rolled over and heaved, vomiting up sea water and soil.

She realised tears were tracking down her face, the wind tangling her hair and she flopped down onto her back to gaze up at the night sky. There was no moon or stars, just the neon light in the distance from the street lamps and the cold rock of her gravestone carrying her name carved in graceful letters.

She vomited again.

This was not what she had been expecting. There had been a plan in the back of her mind, a plan to kill Jones and save James and every monster on board The Flying Dutchman. A wild, crazy plan that had involved the whims of a goddess and the ability of Jack to follow her orders. In no part of her hastily made up scheme had she imagined she'd wake up in her own grave and have to dig herself out.

Had they survived? Who had won the battle? What had happened to James? Why was she here again? And why, why was she alive? She couldn't stop crying and her throat felt raw, heart thudding in her chest like cannonfire and she was alive alive alive-

She picked herself off the ground, unsure what to do or where to go. What was the date? How long had she been gone? Could she simply go home? Dawnie…

The sound of motorcycles and demonic laughter drifted to her on the breeze and she felt the Slayer ripple under her skin. This she could deal with, this was familiar. She reigned in all of her questions, doubts, fears and smoothed them down beneath a blank mask. Let the Slayer do what she did best. Hands clenched into fists she began to walk towards the sound of death.

Some things at least never changed.

With The Endeavour blown into a million tiny matchstick pieces along with Beckett and his crew, the rest of the armada simply turned and sailed away, unwilling to continue a venture that had really been one man's misguided crusade.

Jack, who had been expecting more of an orgy of fire and destruction, was left with the slightly disconcerting feeling that there hadn't been quite enough explosions, and the ever present need for a drink. Why was the rum always gone?

"You almost look disappointed we haven't all been blown to Kingdom Come, Sparrow."

Jack raised one eyebrow and shrugged at the man next to him, fingering his hat and bringing it down lower over his face to shadow his eyes.

"There'll always be tomorrow. And it's Captain Sparrow to you, Captain Norrington."

Norrington glanced at the pirate in dry amusement then rubbed a hand over his own chest where the neat white line of a scar ran. "Never thought I'd be in charge of The Flying Dutchman."

"I'm surprised they let you be in charge of anything bigger than a dinghy, but not everyone's got my sense."

"And I thank God daily for such a mercy," Norrington retorted, but with less heat than there might once have been.

There was motion behind them and Bootstrap saluted smartly as the two men turned. "Orders, sir?"

Norrington smiled at the sailor, who was once more in his right mind and fully human. "You're no longer bound to The Flying Dutchman, Mr Turner. You're a free man and I strongly suspect you have a son and daughter-in-law who wish to be reunited with you."

Bootstrap grinned gratefully and shook James' hand. "Aye, aye, Captain."

Norrington returned his smile and watched as the older man made his way over to his family, but beside him Sparrow was running his eyes up and down the length of the ship as though looking for something.

"Speaking of reunions, has anyone seen Buffy?"

Norrington narrowed his eyes, but the expression on his face was pained. "I…I thought she went down with The Flying Dutchman?"

"She did. But the ship and the crew are back. So why isn't she?"

"She'll be here," piped up a small voice from beside them. The pirate and the sailor shared a look as Fred crossed his arms, lips pulled into a stubborn pout. "She told you so and Buffy doesn't break promises."

"Lad-" began Jack.

The boy cut him off with a fierce look and folded arms. "No. She's coming back no matter what you say about it. I'm not s'posed to get left behind." He scrubbed a hand over his eyes and glared. "I can wait."

"I have until the sunset and then I'm bound to the sea. I can wait no longer than that," Norrington said softly.

"Fine," Fred replied, tilting his chin up. "But after that I'm coming with you. Anyone who sails on The Flying Dutchman is immortal. Then I've got as much time as I want to find her."

"You can't spend your life waiting for her to come back, boy. She wouldn't want that."

"I don't care," Fred shrugged. "She's worth waiting for. Thought you knew that?"

James narrowed his eyes at the knowing tone but didn't deny what had been said. "Very well, boy, have it your way. Until sunset, and then you're part of the crew."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

A hand touched his and he turned and found Elizabeth and Turner standing beside him. Elizabeth hugged him tightly and then stepped back, her hand finding her husband's.

Norrington smiled gently at them. "My very best wishes for your future," he said and found he was actually sincere. "It's been…an adventure."

Turner bowed his head. "Good luck," he said seriously and then grinned at his wife. "Come, Mrs Turner. I believe we're owed a honeymoon."

Elizabeth smiled. "Please tell me it's somewhere dry."

As far as resurrection reunions go it had been awkward to say the least. Mostly due to the fact that her friends couldn't believe she was alive and were overjoyed to see her… and all Buffy could feel was mad as hell that she was back again.

"So, just to clarify, you weren't in a hell dimension?" asked Giles, pushing his glasses further up his nose and scouring the codex in front of him.

"No," Buffy stated, for what felt like the fifteenth time. "I mean, there was the whole cursed-eternal-pirate-skeleton-deal and a ship full of monsters, but I think on the scale of evil it was no worse than being here."

"A ship full of monsters and Davy Jones you say?"

"Yep, guy with tentacles for a face, terrible attitude, pet Kraken… you know just an all-round loveable guy. Where are you going with this?"

"I thought I read something…" Giles took his glasses off and wiped them, needlessly, on his jumper. "And he faced Jack Sparrow?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow," she corrected automatically. "About so high, alcoholic, obsessed with his hat-"

But Giles had already wandered off into the Magic shop's bookshelves.

"I was still talking. Rude." She huffed and sank down onto a chair, gazing round at her friends and struggling to know what to say to them.

Xander smiled awkwardly. "So, what's new with you?"

"Well, let's see. I died and woke up in a dinghy several centuries in the past, realised I was still dead, fought a lot of pirates, hung out with a lot of British people, died again and then crawled out of my own grave here. So you know, not much. Chillin." Buffy smiled icily. "How was your day?"

Willow winced. "Buffy, I'm so sorry, we thought you were suffering in a hell-"

"Dimension, yes I know. But FYI, Will, when you jump into a portal to save the world, you don't get punished for it." She sighed. "I know you were only trying to help, but next time? Don't. I mean, sure, it wasn't Heaven, but it was…nice. I liked it. I miss it."

"But we missed you," said Dawn quietly. "Aren't you just a little bit happy to see us?"

Buffy stood up and wrapped her sister in a tight hug. "Of course I am, Dawnie. But I died. I did my duty, I saved the world, I protected you." She held her sister tighter and stroked her hair. "I wasn't expecting to come back so I made a new life for myself."

"With pirates?" Dawn hiccupped, scrubbing at her eyes.

"With pirates and squid monsters and stupidly handsome British officers," Buffy confirmed, a smile tugging at her lips. "And they're waiting for me. They still need me."

Her sister shook her head. "I need you here."

Buffy stroked Dawn's hair gently and smiled at her. "No you don't, Dawnie, not anymore. You grew up whilst I was gone and I'm so proud of you. I'll always be proud of you. But I need to go back."

Giles emerged from between the stacks of books, clutching a large blue tome in his hands with a small gold bird engraved on the front. A small gold bird that looked a lot like a sparrow. He smiled wistfully at Buffy and patted the book. "I believe I've found a way for you to return if you wish it."

"Giles?"

"You will always be my Slayer, Buffy," he said softly, eyes shining wetly, "and I will always be your Watcher. But I think it's time I learnt how to let you go."

He opened the book on the table and spread the pages flat with sure hands. The text rippled, running from the book like water and filling the shop with the sharp tang of salty air and the song of the ocean. Giles began to read and Buffy closed her eyes and breathed in.

And out.

And in.

And found herself floating in the ocean, staring up at a perfect setting sun, rays of amber and red spreading out across the sky.

She was alive. She breathed out again and grinned, unable to stop the hysterical bubble of laughter that rose up and spilled over. She was alive!

"Man overboard!" a voice called and by her head a thick ship's rope suddenly splashed into the water.

She grabbed hold and in less than thirty seconds was heaved up and over the side. She landed gracelessly on the deck and lay sprawled, grinning at the crew.

"You're late, Miss Summers," said a stern voice from behind her. "Your timekeeping is appalling."

"I thought I told you to call me Buffy," she replied, accepting the hand that was held out to help her up. "And I'll have you know that I'm never late, I just like to make an entrance." She beamed at Norrington as he suppressed a smile.

"Summers!" Jack swung his arms out to the side exuberantly, a bottle of rum in each hand. "We thought you were gone for good."

"I didn't," piped up Fred, weaving his way through the adults to give her a tight hug. "I knew you were coming back. I told them so."

"As it turns out the boy was right," Norrington agreed, gesturing to the setting sun. "You've been gone but a few hours. The Flying Dutchman does not sail until sundown."

"Will and Elizabeth?"

"Left for their honeymoon on dry land. Elizabeth left you this," Norrington handed her a letter, "and an invitation to come and visit them as soon as you were able."

Buffy smiled, but it faded as she looked at him anxiously. "Listen, James, I hope you don't mind about the whole being dead thing. I-"

"Thank you," he interrupted and took her hands in his. "Believe me when I say I am sincerely grateful for not being permanently deceased."

"Really?"

"Truly."

Buffy relaxed and squeezed their interlinked fingers gently. "Well, like I said, death's pretty dull and I didn't want you to be eternally bored."

"Well, it's certainly not dull anymore," he agreed with a sly smile.

Jack cleared his throat and Buffy regretfully let go of Norrington's hands. Behind them, she knew The Black Pearl was waiting for its Captain. She rubbed her arms, "I guess that's my cue to leave too." She hesitated. "I could come with you if you like. I was dead so I definitely qualify for being onboard."

He smiled at her kindly but shook his head. "Ferrying the dead for a decade? You'd hate it."

"Probably," she agreed easily. "But I could keep you company."

"No," he said gently. "Though I appreciate the gesture. There are not many people who'd give up ten years for the sake of a friend. As I have said many times before, Miss Summers- Buffy, you are a most unusual woman."

Buffy shrugged. "Comes with the territory I guess."

"Ah yes, your mysterious story. I suppose I won't get to hear it now?"

"I said you could hear it if we both survived. Technically you died," she pointed out gently, "so all bets are off I'm afraid." She stuck out her hand. "Well I guess this is goodbye then. This is how you Brits do it, don't you? Shake hands?"

James smiled. "Indeed. It's been…interesting." His fingers closed around hers and suddenly she realised how close his face was to hers; wondered what his mouth would taste like if she only pressed forward. His eyes searched her own. "I will miss you."

"James?" she pressed her finger to his lips as he leaned in. "James, what are you doing?

"I was going to kiss you. But if you do not wish for me-"

"No!" she stammered and pulled him closer before she missed her chance. "No, that's not what I meant. I just- are you sure this is a good idea? I mean we're not going to see each other for a decade and-"

He leaned down and tenderly pressed his lips against hers. The kiss was chaste and sweet and as he pulled back she found herself reaching for him, fisting her hands in his jacket and pulling him closer. She sighed into his mouth, the warm, soft press of his lips parting beneath her own as she finally took what she wanted.

Perhaps she had landed in Heaven afterall.

When she finally remembered that now she was alive and needed to breathe, she broke away regretfully and rested her forehead against his.

"I wanted a memory of you," he admitted, breath mingling with hers, "a memory that would be all mine. I have wanted to do that for a very long time and as this was my last chance, I thought I would be a pirate and steal something to keep with me."

"You can't steal something that was freely given," she murmured back and pressed her lips against his again, before smiling at the heat in his eyes. "Ten years ferrying the dead, huh?"

"Yes. Ten very long, very celibate years."

Something warm curled in her belly in response and she licked her suddenly dry lips, smirking as he watched the motion helplessly. She leaned up to whisper hotly in his ear. "I can do better than a kiss."

"Are you coming, Summers?" said Jack, as The Pearl closed in alongside them.

She clutched at James' hand, even as they began to back away towards the ship's quarters. "It's not quite sundown, so take Fred and wait for me. Captain Norrington and I have some unfinished business."

Fred pulled a face in disgust but Jack merely saluted with one of his bottles. "Til sunset, Summers."

She turned back to James. "Want to ruin your reputation as a British gentleman?"

Norrington's mouth curved up slightly at one corner. "Buffy, I am a disgraced former commodore, who failed to kill the only pirate that really mattered, whose fiancée abandoned me for another man, who fought in a battle with people I mostly despised against people who I despised more, and I'm now the captain of a ship which ferries the dead to paradise. I think I ruined my reputation a very long time ago." He smirked at her. "Though I am not averse to your offer to help me tarnish it further."

Buffy cocked an eyebrow. "Is that British for yes?"

James grinned and tugged at her hand. "Let me show you the Captain's quarters."

Some hours later, after The Flying Dutchman had sunk below the waves and the crew had long since gone to bed, Buffy sat on the ship's steps and looked up at the stars. Wondered what they looked like underwater. If James could see them; if they were looking at the same ones.

Beside her, Jack checked his compass and corrected The Black Pearl's heading slightly to the left. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. Tried again. "So, you and Norrington."

Buffy sat up and took a swig from her bottle of rum, pilfered from the ship's rather copious supplies. "Yes, me and Norrington."

There was a pregnant pause. "Any plans, love, for the next decade until the dear Captain returns?"

Buffy arched an eyebrow and folded her arms, a creeping sense of suspicion travelling up her spine. "What did you have in mind?"

"Just as a hypothetical question, how would you feel about another little adventure?" the pirate replied offhandedly. "I've been thinking about going north, seeing the sights. Mermaids, monsters… the fountain of youth..."

"I'm not sure if an immortal Jack Sparrow is a good idea," she observed wryly.

"That will be immortal Captain Jack Sparrow, thank you very much, love. And besides, someone has to keep the rum industry going."

Buffy smirked and raised her glass. "How selfless of you."

"I'll take that as a yes."

The former slayer rolled her eyes and looked up at the stars once more, feeling the old familiar feeling of trouble settling down next to her. She breathed in the cold sea air once more. Let it fill her lungs as she touched her mouth in memory. Thought of immortality and James and the stars. Felt the threads of her new life weave into place and knew her decision.

"Do you have a map? A plan?"

"Love, I always have a plan," Jack grinned devilishly. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

Please Read and Review!

So, after four years (yes four years, which has to be some new kind of appalling record for chapter updates) this story has been finally updated and yes- completed! For those of you who have been hanging round for an update, you are the most patient reviewers a writer could ever have. Thank you for sticking with me and with this fic for so long.

I hope it was worth the wait!