(Allison's POV)

The next morning's breakfast was quieter than we were used to, everyone kinda stuck in their own thoughts. Our original plan had to change, though none of us seemed sure on what to do next, and the clock was ticking. We only had five days left, and it wasn't looking good.

"I hate to bring this up, but obviously we need to figure out what we're doing next." I finally break the silence, looking at the rest of the crew. Morgan, Chris, and Nate all seemed especially quiet, though I understood, this was no time to dwell on it.

Morgan sighs, before meeting everyone's gaze. His stormy grey eyes looked dull compared to normal, and you could tell he had lost some of his usual spark, with Cece gone. "You're right. I want everyone's opinion on this, I'm not exactly sure what course of action we should take next myself, if I'm being honest." Morgan admitted, his usual casual and teasing demeanor gone, replaced by a more serious one.

              "We need to get the treasure and the girls, but go about it in an order where we can meet the deadline." Eduardo speaks up first, drawing our attention to him. "I say we go with the closest to our current location first, then work our way towards the farthest. It makes sense, and that way we don't back track." He finishes, and everyone nods.

               What he said made sense, but it was a difficult choice to make. No matter how we went about this, someone was going to end up waiting on us. Depending on who we went to get first, two of the girls were going to be spending days with their captor, extra time we didn't want them to spend there, but we had no choice.

             "So where to first then?" Captain asks, looking to Eduardo.

             Eduardo looks hesitant to answer, glancing at Nathan and Christopher before doing so. "I'd say mermaids bay. We can get Luna, and the Heart of Zerzura in one trip. It's the closest, and we could get one treasure out of the way while getting Luna back." He says, meeting Morgan's gaze.

               Morgan nods, before looking to everyone else. "Any objections?" Morgan asks, though his hand clenches into a fist as he looks around the room. I knew it was because Cecilia would be waiting on us, and I'm sure Morgan didn't like it. None of us really did though.

              "No. But where to after that Ed?" Chris asks, looking to the navigator once more.

              "Well... That depends. The isla de muerte is the farthest. So Id say that's last." He says, glancing at Dee, who was currently sitting in my lap. The little girl had pretty much been glued to my side, though at night she slept in Nathan's room, because me and Thomas didn't have the room.

              We had offered to make room, but Nathan didn't seem to mind, and since Arabella wasn't there, he had the extra room.

             "Though I'm not sure where Cecilia is, we should go for her and Arabella before heading to the island last." Eduardo adds, glancing at everyone.

             "So mermaids bay first. No matter what, this blows. Two of the girls are going to be waiting going through God knows what, no matter where we go first." Russell exclaims, slamming his hands down on the table in frustration.

"We have no choice Russ... I know it's bullshit, but Ed's right. I don't like it either, but we're doing the best we can." Kris speaks up, placing her hand on Russell's, as she tries to calm him down.

"I think we need leverage, as well. I'm not saying we won't succeed, but how do we know black beard and Jones won't fuck us over? Is there anything we can get to use just in case?" Penelope asks, her green eyes grazing the room.

Everyone goes quiet at her words,looking thoughtful. It's captain who speaks first. "Jones's heart. The heart of the captain of the Flying Dutchman, or also known as the dead man's chest." Morgan announces, meeting Penelope's gaze.

"What does it do?" Penelope asks, curious.

"Jones's heart is in a chest, hidden somewhere. The captain of the Flying Dutchman always has their heart separated from their body. They keep the chest hidden, and with their heart in there, they cannot die. The heart is kept alive as well, something to do with the chest it's kept in. It's what makes Jones immortal." Morgan explains, thoughtfully. "The chest would be a good bargaining tool. Stabbing the heart is what kills the current captain of the Flying Dutchman, though killing the current captain isn't what makes one captain of the Flying Dutchman." Morgan continues.

"So stabbing the heart kills the captain. How does one become captain then? If it's not stabbing the heart?" I ask, curious.

"By simply putting ones heart in the chest, and removing the current one. You don't have to kill the current captain to take over, all you would have to do is put your heart in the chest, and you become the new captain. The previous captain's heart usually gets stabbed, but really, it's not necessary, and the heart could be returned to the previous captain actually, though that's not the route most bother to take." Morgan goes on to explain.

"So we can get this too, and use it just in case?" Thomas asks, and Morgan looks a to Eduardo for the answer.

Eduardo nods. "It's possible, we just have to keep on schedule. We head to mermaids bay first then." Eduardo explains, and Morgan nods. "I'm sorry Nathan... And I'm sorry Captain." Eduardo adds, looking to the two men.

"It's what has to be done. She'll be alright." Nathan answers quietly, as he looks back at Ed. "Besides, I think we might need some help to get Arabella anyway, possibly Luna too..." He trails off, his brown eyes looking to Christopher next.

"What did you have in mind?" Christopher asks, curiosity in his gentle brown eyes.

"I think you should write to Talon, see if he can help. He's the only one I know that can go that far into the ocean. Plus, I'll have to ask for help too. We have Allison, but Arabella said the thieves guild has a lot of gifted now. We can't just go in like this.... I'm gonna write to Captain Funto... See if the Fenrir will be willing to come with us.." Nate trails off, fidgeting slightly.

It was obvious he didn't want to have to ask for help, but he knew he would need it. "If both of you could also send word we're looking for the Notre Dame as well... I would appreciate it." Morgan spoke up suddenly, and everyone nodded.

"Of course captain." Nathan comments, looking at Morgan.

              "We will get her back Morgan." Penelope adds, looking to captain.

"We will get them all back, and keep our ship." Kris adds, her hazel eyes hardening, in determination.

"Thank you. Head for mermaids bay then Ed." Morgan commands, smiling sadly as he leaves the room.

Nathan begins to clean up the plates and such, and everyone else goes about their business. "Can we go play for a bit Alli?" Dee asks, tilting her head to the side cutely as she looks at me.

"Of course Dee." I answer, smiling gently at the little girl. She was mysterious as she was cute, as she grabbed my hand, dragging me out to the deck. I laugh slightly, letting her pull me to where ever she wanted to go.

            We headed for the deck, and Dee began playing tag with me, and Thomas joined us for a bit as well. After a few rounds of tag, I pull some water from the ocean, swirling it around Dee, as she runs through it, giggling.

I decide to finally ask Dee the questions that had been bugging me. I was grateful for her help, the whole crew was, but was curious about why a little girl was wandering around by herself.

"Hey Dee?" I ask, crouching down to the little girls level.

"Yes?" Dee asks, her light orange eyes meeting my silver ones.

"Why were you alone at a prison?" I ask, and she fidgets slightly, scratching the back of her leg with her foot.

"I wanted to help. You're looking for the island right? I can help find it..." Dee trails off, looking out towards the ocean.

               "Yes... But how do you know where the island is Dee?" I ask, curious, though I think part of me already knows the answer.

             The little girls shifts her gaze back to me, sighing. "Because I've been there before. I was on the ship that found it a long time ago. We chose the treasure of eternal life, not realizing... I tried to save me and a friend of mine... A boy... But it didn't work.. We both still died... We got separated... The boy is somewhere far off, half way across the world probably. I was left to wander.. Though I left the island..." She says, sounding older then the mere ten years old that she looked.

               "I'm sorry Dee." I whisper, pulling the little girl into a hug. She hugs me back, gripping me tightly. "Dee... Are you... A ghost?" I reluctantly ask, though I'm pretty sure I know the answer already.

                   (Luna's POV)

           I swim across the room for the umpteenth time, still pissed off. This wasn't my world, and I couldn't believe the audacity of my parents. I was currently in a guest room at an underwater castle, like something out of a fairytale. The room was nice, don't get me wrong. It had a big bed, with a vanity, closet, dresser, among other things, decorated with coral from the ocean, in different colors.

                   The problem? The door was locked, and I was stuck here, without any of my weapons, and apparently my parents had made a deal with the Prince of the mer people, promising me to him. Yea, my parents that abandoned me, were trying to make a profit off of me, by trying to force me into an arranged marriage. Assholes.

              "Okay.. I can do this... I can find the Heart of Zerzura, then get the hell out of here." I mutter to myself, as I run a hand back through my hair.

              That was the only positive thing out of this. I was closer to the treasure now, and if the whispers of any of the staff were true, it was somewhere in this castle. All that was left to do was get out of this damn room.

              "Just get the treasure, and the crew will find me once I swim back up... Chris will find me..." I mutter again, trying to reassure myself.

I start searching the room, for anything I could use to open the door. It was locked from the outside, and I wasn't sure if there was anything I could use to get out, unless I waited for someone to open the door.

I grabbed a comb from the vanity, as I approach the door. I try to slip the top of the comb, in the small space that was the crack between the door and the trim. I slide it up and down, hoping it could spring the door open. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Plus, normally I didn't use a comb. Unfortunately, this time it didn't. The comb wouldn't slide all the way in, and I couldn't get it to slide far enough into the crack like I needed it to. "Damn." I curse, before throwing the comb across the room.

I swim over, going to pick up the comb, when the door suddenly opens.

(Cecilia's POV)

              I struggle against the cuffs on my wrist, for the millionth time, to no avail. I was in one of the storage rooms, chained to the wall, on the Notre Dame. The only bright side was that I wasn't put in Captain Velmont's room. I shudder at the thought, hoping they don't move me in there.

              Part of me was still in shock, still not believing it. Velmont was alive, and I was once again on his ship. Just when I thought I had moved past this... I think bitterly. "Okay.. I can do this. I just have to survive until Morgan gets here.." I tell myself aloud, as I try to calm down.

               It was hard to calm down, when the man of my nightmares was still alive, and I was on his ship, weapon less.

               I glance around, trying to get a good look at my surroundings, though it was dark, which made it difficult to see. It seemed like a storage room, there were multiple boxes, not that far from me. I think I see the outline of a table not that far from me, but I'm not exactly sure. My cuffs were chained to the wall behind me, positioned above my head.

                 I sat leaning against the wall, as I tried to find something that I could possibly pick the locks with. The chain did have some give to it, and I could walk a little bit farther into the room, before the chain stopped.

              I get up, deciding to try and see if there was anything I could use on the nearby table, though I wasn't holding my breath. Velmont had probably already removed any items I could use to my advantage from the room, but I had to check anyway, just in case he missed something.

              I search the table, not finding anything I could use to pick the locks, but I do find a quill pen, and though I can't use it to pick the lock, I stash it in my boot, figuring I could use it as a small weapon if it came down to it.

              "If only I could get in those boxes." I mutter, looking at the boxes stacked not that far from me. I hear the door open suddenly, and I freeze out of habit, terrified of who could be walking into the room.

(Arabella's POV)

I wake up in one of the rooms at the thieves guild, cuffed and chained to the wall. The room was mostly empty, a table, a few boxes, nothing really useful looking.

"I can get out of this..." I tell myself, though in all honesty, I wasn't so sure of that.

My head was pounding, Johnny had gotten a good hit in, which knocked me out earlier. The cuffs he put on me blocked my gift, so I couldn't rely on that unless I got the cuffs off.

I had one dagger left, I had shoved the rest in Nate's boot before they took me, hoping the crew would find a way out of the prison. A dagger however, was of no use to me unless I got out of the cuffs, and I couldn't use it to pick the locks.

"I guess that bastard finally did it..." I muse out loud, as I examine my cuffs. Johnny had been working on them before I left, though I had hoped he wouldn't be able to accomplish it.

I look up, my vision more clear now, as I scan the room, I notice I'm not alone. Another girl is chained to the wall across the room, passed out.

She had lavender hair, that looked oddly familiar. She was slumped over, but her chest rose and fell, so I could tell she was still breathing. "Alli?" I ask, though I know it couldn't possibly be... Could it?

The girl stirs slightly at the sound of my voice, raising her head, her silvery grey eyes looking at me, slightly confused. "Alli?" She asked, looking confused. "No.... My names Nadia... Who are you?" She asks, and my jaw drops at her words.

The sound of the door opening interrupts us, drawing our attention to the door.

A/n: okay, first off, sorry for taking forever. Plus I seem to have thrown my rotation out the window... Lol... Sorry about that, I'll get organized here soon.. Also, before anyone says anything, yes I am aware that is not how the dead mans chest traditionally works according to pirate lore. I'm changing it though, for reasons that will become clear later on in the story. So for plot reasons, that's how it's going to work.. Lol.. Many of you are working on finals and projects for school... As the school year is getting closer to its end... Good luck!! I hope it's going well!!! And thanks for reading!!

-Jinx