"𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐖𝐄'𝐕𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋!" elizabeth exclaimed as they boarded the dauntless.

"no! you're safe now," disagreed governor swann. "we will return to port royal immediately -– not go gallivanting after pirates."

"then we condemn him to death!" cried elizabeth.

"the boy's fate is regrettable. but then, so is his decision to engage in piracy," her father said.

"to rescue me!" elizabeth argued. "to prevent anything from happening to me! that's why bella came, too!"

bella appreciated this lie immensely, and nodded vigorously for affect.

bella saw norrington react, re-considering their motive. jack noticed too.

"if i may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion... the pearl was near to scuppers after the battle. it's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time. think about it," jack played devil on norrington's shoulder.

"the black pearl... the last real pirate threat in the caribbean, james," bella continued.

"how can you pass that up, right?" jack asked, exchanging a look with her.

"by remembering that i serve others, mr. sparrow, not only myself," norrington glared at jack.

"commodore, i beg you, please do this. for me. as a wedding gift," elizabeth said.

this took everyone by surprise.

"elizabeth... are you accepting the commodore's proposal?" governor swann asked.

"i am," came her reply.

"a wedding!" bella gasped.

"a wedding, i love weddings! drinks all around!" exclaimed jack, making bella giggle.

"cheers to elizabeth and james!" she added with a grin.

off norrington's disgusted look, jack grimaced. "i know. 'clap him in irons', right?"

"mr. sparrow. you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with a bearing to isla de muerta. you will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave.' do i make myself clear?"

bella pursed her lips, but jack understood that norrington was serious. "inescapably clear," he sighed.

murtogg and mullroy escorted jack away. norrington turned to elizabeth, beginning to have a conversation with her.

then, governor swann looked at bella. he spoke to her. "i'm very grateful that you decided to help my daughter, but i must question your choice of escaping with that pirate."

"i couldn't just sit aside and let elizabeth die, could i?" bella fibbed, making a believable story to save her own neck. "sparrow seemed as though he could be trusted, and therefore was the most logical option."

"i see," the governor nodded slowly. "well, then, i must thank you."

"oh, don't mention it," bella brushed him off. "i had to do the right thing!"

governor swann smiled down at her, believing that she was of pure intentions.

"good day, then, governor," she finished.

"ah, yes, good day," he replied. bella walked away from him slowly, then immediately quickened her pace and hurried over towards the helm.

"jack!"

jack smiled as she raced towards him. "shush!" he exclaimed when she reached him.

"silent as the grave?" she raised her eyebrows. bella gazed at him expectantly, but he didn't break, remaining silent. she chuckled then sat on a nearby barrel, staring down at the rest of the ship.

ahead of them, she heard murtogg mutter to mullroy: "why do you think she's friends with him?"

"that's bella stevens!" mullroy answered quietly with his hand on the wheel. "different, that one. at sixteen, she snuck out of port royal on merchant ships seven times in one month!"

"oh, i remember now," murtogg said in recognition. "she got into a duel with gillette because he said women didn't know how to swordfight. could've killed him, she's talented!"

bella was quite entertained by their banter. she glanced to her left, where jack was standing. he was holding his compass. in the bright sunlight, she saw its shape and coloring. it certainly seemed familiar.

jack seemed to be overhearing the conversation between the marines as well.

"aye, that's her. she never ends up in too much trouble, though," mullroy told his partner.

"i've heard she's quite persuasive. a natural negotiator," murtogg continued. "that explains their friendship."

jack smiled listening to them talk. bella saw, and their eyes met. 'seven?' jack mouthed to her, impressed. she shrugged, grinning.

"seems to possess all the traits of a pirate," mullroy observed.

"and a good one," jack interrupted.

bella beamed over at him.

murtogg and mullroy glanced behind them. they immediately looked awkward, and straightened themselves.

sensing the tension, bella rose. "well, gentlemen," she smiled, patting jack on the shoulder, "enjoy your voyage."

* * *

they approached the isla de muerta quickly. by the time the sun set, they were nearby.

"you didn't tell them about the curse," bella said, approaching jack on the main deck.

"i noticed neither did you," he answered. "same reason, i imagine."

bella nodded. "i want you to get the pearl, and i couldn't let will die, even if he can be incredibly stupid," she told him. "norrington wouldn't have risked it."

"could've gotten him drunk," jack suggested, breaking into a supportive smile. "don't get me wrong, love, i admire you. you're willing to do whatever's necessary."

bella blushed slightly. she hoped he couldn't see in the dusky light. finally, she decided to say what had been on her mind. "what does that compass point to?" she asked.

jack hesitated, gazing at her for a moment. finally, he spoke. "it points to the thing you want most."

bella shook her head slightly. "the thing you want most?" she repeated with doubt.

jack nodded. bella searched his eyes for a glimmer of a lie, but she saw only truth, and she trusted him.

"it was your father's," he reminded her.

"i know," she faintly smiled.

it made sense now — why the compass had always pointed to the horizon in front of her, why her father had valued it so much.

bella let a natural silence commence before speaking. "jack . . . why don't you let people see the good in you?"

jack looked down at the water. "i'm flattered, darling."

bella looked at him inquiringly, waiting for an answer.

". . . but i'm bad. it's in my nature. it's who i am, look at me," jack lifted up his right wrist.

"bad depends on whose side you're on," bella said softly.

jack chuckled. "well said."

"you're a smart man, jack." bella paused. "i never envisioned a pirate as charming as you," she confessed.

jack slowly started to close the space between them. "peas in a pod, love."

he looked like he was leaning in, but then norrington interrupted them.

"sparrow! you will navigate the voyage," he said. bella almost slapped the commodore.

jack looked annoyed too. he held their gaze a moment longer, then turned and walked off.