Destiny's Fight

sigh I swore to myself I wouldn't write this story…

Author: jedipati aka immortaljedi

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Two plots collide, and the Dutchman and her crew are caught right in the middle. And one question must be asked- was Destiny really averted? Sequel to "The Great Escape Attempts"

Author's Notes: This starts a few months after the epilogue for The Great Escape Attempts, roughly the same time AWE started. However, if you haven't read The Great Escape Attempts, you will be very, very confused.

And I can't believe I'm actually writing this.

What has gone before:

After making a deal with Jack Sparrow, Davy Jones decides to keep his "good faith payment" in the brig. Unfortunately for the Captain, the boy turns out to be something of an escape artist. Unfortunately for Will Turner, it turns out to be easy to get out of the brig, but hard to get off the ship.

After entertaining the crew for nearly three days with his escape attempts, Will learns that his father is on board, ironically during one of his many attempts to get off the ship.

After three days, Captain Jones forces Will to give an oath of service, and Will is bound to the Flying Dutchman for one hundred years.

Captain Jones goes after Jack again, who has failed to uphold his end of their deal.

They find him on Isla Cruces, along with several others, including James Norrington and Elizabeth Swann. The crew brings them back to the Dutchman, along with the Dead Man's Chest.

Captain Jones orders the Black Pearl destroyed, and then takes Jack Sparrow to the Locker.

James chooses death over service, while Elizabeth chooses to stay with Will, which means joining the crew.

And so we come to the start of this tale, of the supernatural, of struggle, of power and those who yearn for it, of adventure on the high seas. (And I'm stopping the present tense and purple prose, I promise.)

Ch 1

Captain Davy Jones walked around the upper deck of the Flying Dutchman, thinking. After a long time, he looked out at the island his crew was on. He'd learned long ago that while he could go on land only once a decade, his crew could go on land at any time he allowed them. And his crew got much less effective if they didn't get shore leave at least once a year.

So he'd given in and his crew got shore leave.

He stopped and leaned against the side rail. He lit his pipe and watched the sky lighten. As the sun rose, Davy straightened and put out his pipe. It wouldn't do to let his crew know that he enjoyed the chance for some solitude while they were gone.

Even as he thought that, Clanker and Hadras stepped through the side of the ship.

They both looked cheerful, and they carried sacks full of fruits and vegetables. Davy nodded. They might not need to eat, but when it was possible to get good food, they all appreciated it. He understood that some of his crew actually played dice for their share of whatever edibles they could get.

They also looked completely human. Davy smiled. He couldn't always make that illusion work, but when he could, shore leave tended to go a lot smoother. He'd found it remarkably easy this year. Clanker and Hadras headed for the little-used galley.

Maccus and Jimmylegs walked through the side right next to Davy. The Captain turned to them. "I take it things went well?"

Maccus nodded. "No problems- though Turner and Swann did… something. They were laughing fit to burst when we gathered, so I don't know the details."

Davy sighed and rolled his eyes. Turner and Swann were the newest- and youngest- of his crew. They'd joined the crew late last year, because of Jack Sparrow's machinations.

Most of the crew was back on board, but Davy was watching for those two in particular. There they were, accompanied by Turner's father. Bootstrap was shaking his head as he walked onto the lower deck, followed by his son and Swann. The younger two had calmed down enough that they were just grinning broadly.

There had been some problems with Bootstrap and Turner- they were both born William Turner- but it had been quickly solved by the simple matter of calling the older one by a nickname, Bootstrap.

"Do I really want ta know?" Davy asked aloud.

Maccus grinned. "They seemed to think it hilarious."

Davy shook his head and looked around. "Where's Palifico?"

"Last I heard, he was at the market, bargaining for some pineapples."

Davy nodded. "He'd best get back soon… ah, never mind." Palifico appeared on the other side of the upper deck, holding a bulging bag.

Davy looked around and realized that most of the crew had brought back food of some type. He wasn't terribly surprised.

"Turner! Swann!" Palifico bellowed down. They looked up. Everyone else stopped and watched. "What did you do?!"

Swann started to snicker quietly, but Turner merely grinned. "We met up- unfortunately- with an acquaintance. Why?" He radiated innocence. Davy didn't believe that for a second. The last time Turner had looked that innocent, he'd been caught trying to escape before he had to give his oath of service. Davy was fairly certain that the last time Turner had been that innocent, he'd not yet begun to walk.

Palifico shook his head as he handed off his burden to Clanker. "Because the gossip is flying- an East India Trading Company man was found outside his house, tied up and stark naked. When they woke him up, he described his attackers as a dark haired man and a blond woman wearing breeches. He named you two specifically."

Turner frowned and looked at Swann. "Didn't we leave him with his breeches?" he asked.

Most of the crew developed coughs at that question and de facto confession. Davy smirked and released the illusion that made them all look human. Swann grinned as her appearance shifted to that of a woman developing the markings and fins of an angelfish. "Of course we did," she said. "I didn't particularly want to see him completely without clothes."

Turner shuddered. "Good point." He took her bag from her and headed away to drop off both sacks in the galley. He obviously considered the subject closed. His fins rippled with his amusement.

Davy decided he'd be able to find out what made those two decide to humiliate the poor man later and turned to Maccus. "Get us ready for a dive," he ordered.

"Aye, Captain," Maccus acknowledged. He turned to the crew. "All hands, make fast! Prepare for a dive!"

Davy watched as the crew prepared the ship. Soon, all was ready. Davy headed for the wheel. "Down!" He yelled as he spun the wheel. He leaned into the rush of water as the ship tilted and dove underwater.

Another year gone. Nine more before he could have his own shore leave.

"Perhaps you would care to explain what happened," Lord Cutler Beckett said dryly.

Mercer looked furious. "It was the Turner boy and the Swann girl," he spat out.

Beckett leaned forward. "I thought they'd been seen on the Black Pearl shortly before it was destroyed."

"They're alive," Mercer assured him. "And they've apparently found a place to keep them safe. They both look well."

Beckett nodded and wandered over to the map on the wall. "They escaped somehow. Could that mean that Jack Sparrow also escaped?"

"No, I listened to them talking with a couple of men. One of them said it was a shame Sparrow had to go to the Locker."

Beckett frowned at the map, not really seeing it. "I don't suppose we know how they escaped, do we?"

"No sir."

Beckett frowned. "And they might know where the chest is. With that chest, I could control the Flying Dutchman."

"There are others who might know where it is. I learned of a pair- a pirate captain and a Voodoo priestess- who are searching for Jack Sparrow, or a way to bring him back."

"And you think they might be able to find the chest?"

"If they can find a way to bring a man back from the dead, they can find a way to control the devil of the seas."

Beckett nodded. "Put the word out. I want any of them- Turner, Swann, the pirate captain, or the Voodoo priestess. If someone brings any of them to me, they will be richly rewarded."

Beckett returned to his desk. He smiled as he filled out arrest warrants for the four people who might be able to find a way to help him control the seas. "See to it that these are signed by the governor. Make sure that he knows that the ones for his daughter and Turner are "alive only"."

Mercer gave a slight bow. Beckett dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

Beckett allowed himself a small smile before he looked down at the paperwork on his desk. He shook his head and got to work. He had a lot to do if he wanted the East India Trading Company to control the seas.

This one will end up more serious then Escape, but I think you'll all like it.

As always, I must thank my beta, Arquenniel, for the wonderful job she did.