Intervening Fate

Vaguely she was aware that Jack had brought the still-beating heart of Davy Jones over to them. She dared a glance away from Will to see that Jack had placed the heart on the deck, and was putting the remnant of his sword into her husband’s hand. Wordlessly she met the other pirate’s eyes, knowing what he was giving up for her, for Will.

But Will had virtually no strength left, certainly not enough to lift the broken sword that amounted to little more than a dagger. Jack did not let that stop him though. He lifted Will’s lax arm and steadied the hilt as the sword was plunged into the heart. She turned to see Davy Jones react, and stagger off the ship into the maelstrom, then turned back to Will.

But there was no change. He was still fading fast, and as she pleaded with him once more to look at her, the light faded from his clear brown eyes, and they closed; his last breath leaving with a gasping sigh.

“No!” She wanted, needed, to stay with him, but Jack had other ideas. When he pulled her back she could see why, but that did not make it easier to bear. The ship was going down, the crew of the Dutchman were bearing down on Will, and his own father had a knife in his hand, ready to cut out his son’s heart. The Dutchman must have a captain, and now that captain was to be Will.

She winced as Bootstrap stabbed his son, obeying Jack’s command to hold on. She could not make herself turn away from the macabre sight of her father-in-law cutting her husband’s heart out, even as Jack’s pistol was fired and she felt them being lifted into the air, away from the rapidly sinking ship. She felt as though her heart had been stabbed along with Will’s, and was now being swallowed up by the maelstrom along with the Flying Dutchman.