Pirates of the Caribbean: Shadows of Destiny

2. 'Sea of sorrow.'

The silent nights quickly turned into silent days, weeks... Will it ever be the same again?

Gibbs finds himself once again in the middle of an intense argument between Elizabeth and Jack. The atmosphere is filled with tension as Elizabeth, consumed by grief and frustration, yells at Jack.

"You and your stupid cursed dealings with the sea! There's always some price to pay, and now Will is the one paying for it."

"Lizzie, love, you must know I actually tried to save your Will, I just got.. intercepted in the act," Jack replies.

"I've told you this already," Jack continues, his tone being a mix of exhaustion and agony, "Almost everyday," He adds, the weight of guilt and grief is noticeable in his words.

Gibbs, sensing the need to interfere and break the tension, finally speaks up. "Jack's right, Elizabeth, stop being so delusional. You know Bootstrap is captain of The Flying Dutchman now. Ain't fair to be laying all this blame on Jack. We're all in this mess, and it ain't doing any good to keep pointing fingers."

Elizabeth, temporarily taken aback by Gibbs' straightforwardness, gives him a annoyed glance.

"And I'm tired of hearing the same argument, over and over again," Gibbs adds. Jack sees an opportunity and uses this moment to quickly walk away, leaving Gibbs and Elizabeth in their lingering silence of disagreement.

Gibbs doesn't stand there any longer and also walks away, leaving Elizabeth stand there alone, her heart still heavy with the weight of grief and other unaddressed emotions.

Elizabeth decides to look at the waves of the ocean to take her mind off of things, but instead it brought her to the dream she's been having every night.

While looking at the waves, Elizabeth notices a ship getting closer to theirs. Out of habit she yells 'Hail the approaching vessel and demand their intentions!' Once the suspicious ship got closer they could see it was The Fly Dutchman. Everyone expecting Bootstrap as the captain walking onto their ship, but with each step the captain takes it becomes more clear that it's not.. him, "Will" Elizabeth happily announces, running towards him, seeing his face light up as she approached him, this heals all the pain in her heart at once, she touched his cheek to feel the warmth of his skin again, yet she was scared that he would drift away into dust, but luck was on her side, and so she kissed him; then everything turned black.

Being brought back to reality by a deep, thrilling voice, Barbossa rises from the shadows, "Them dreams o' yours won't bring him back, Elizabeth," he tells her, his tone crusty but colored with a hint of sympathy.

"Ye best face the reality we're in now, or ye'll be lost in the sea of sorrow forever." he continues.

Elizabeth stares at Barbossa, letting his words sink in before she replying. "I can't help it, Captain. Every night, when I close my eyes, there he stands before me, alive."

Barbossa narrows his eyes, a sly grin playing on his lips. "A dream is far from reality, Elizabeth, the people in your dream aren't alive, just part of your imagination," he tells her with a husky tone.

"What are you trying to tell me," Elizabeth exclaims annoyed.

Barbossa gives her a quick glance, and then starts talking, "That it's maybe time to move on, and find a new course in life."

Elizabeth looks confused at the ground, "What are u suggesting?" her tone filled with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. Barbossa looks at her with a slight smirk, and a knowing glint in his eyes.

"Oh," Elizabeth starts, "No!" she adds with a repulsed tone. Barbossa laughs at her tone, "Assuming I'm talking about Jack, aren't ya," Barbossa declares.

Elizabeth rolls her eyes in annoyance. Barbossa, whose still chuckling, responds, "Ye caught me there. But it doesn't change the fact that theres a new horizon awaiting, and clinging to the past won't get ye there."

Elizabeth, frustrated, remarks, "I can't just forget him. I won't, never."

Barbossa leans in, softening his tone. "No one's askin' ye to forget, but there's a difference between rememberin' and bein' consumed by the memory."

Elizabeth is met with his gaze for a moment, her expression being unreadable. But without saying a word, she turns away, leaving his words lingering in the air.

As Elizabeth walks down the stairs, Ragetti shouts, "It doesn't have to be Jack, ye know! Maybe consider another fine gentleman!" His voice being a curious mix of dedication and a hint of self-promotion.

Pintel slaps his friend on the arm. "Hey!?" Ragetti says, his expression being both surprise and confusion. Pintel points to himself with a overconfident smirk. Ragetti can't help but burst into laughter.

Barbossa rolls his eyes in disappointment at the sight of them.