Hello, readers!

I am very very very sorry that it's been so long since I updated this story, but I promise I didn't forget about it or you! I know this new chapter isn't very long, but I was hoping to give you some quality fluff and a little more background on Almyra, so I hope it doesn't come across as an information dump.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Almyra stood with her arms crossed, frowning deeply as Elizabeth informed them of who sent Will on a mad mission after Jack for a pardon for Elizabeth and himself from the gallows, speaking in hushed tones on the deck of the Black Pearl as the rest of the crew scrubbed the deck around the captain, first mate, quartermaster, and the governor's daughter that stood near the edge of the deck.

"Beckett!" Gibbs said in a tone that Almyra would've almost called a squawk if they hadn't been speaking about it quietly.

"Yes," Elizabeth told them quickly, "they're signed. Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company."

Almyra glanced at Jack as he made a gagging expression, followed by the noise, "Blaah!"

The expression on his face, despite her efforts and the seriousness of the topic, made Almyra smile, but only for a moment. The topic of Cutler Beckett made her skin crawl. He was a ruthless bastard, and he was willing to tear down anything and everything to rule the seas like he wanted, including ripping apart families. He was as much a monster as Davy Jones. There was a branded scar on Jack's arm to prove it, and her father had worn a matching one before he died by Beckett's own hand, before Almyra's very eyes.

Her voice was hushed like the others, but held a savage, bitter note that the others didn't. "Will Turner was working for Beckett, and never said a word. We let him on this ship, I let him near me, and near Jack..."

Jack slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side, fingers gently moving up and down in soothing motions from her ribcage to her waist as he tried to calm her. "Easy, my siren. As you said, we didn't know."

"Beckett wants the compass," Gibbs reminded as Elizabeth moved her gaze from the blonde pirate woman to the quartermaster when he began to speak again. The white-muttonchopped pirate seemed unfazed by Almyra's obvious detestation toward the lord. "Only one reason for that."

"Of course," Jack said, kohl-lined dark eyes growing large as he looked between his conversational company, arm around his first mate tightening slowly. "He wants the chest."

Elizabeth's eyes seemed to grow a bit wider too, nodding in agreement. "He did say something about a chest."

Almyra felt herself tense in Jack's arms, shaking her head as her sunbleached hair seemed to fall partially out of her blue bandana, like it was as desperate to escape the truth of the conversation as she was. "If the Company controls the chest, they control the sea."

"A truly discomforting notion, love," Jack agreed, shaking his head.

"And bad," Gibbs explained quickly as he looked at an almost puzzled looking Elizabeth. "Bad for every mother's son what calls himself a pirate."

"It's something we cannot allow," Almyra agreed, shaking her head. "Master Gibbs, if you would help me. I believe there's a bit more wind that can be put in these sails." She squeezed Jack's hand softly before pulling herself from his arms and moving toward the helm.

"Aye," Gibbs agreed quickly before following her and calling out for the crew. "Brace the foreyard!"

Almyra stood by the helm, watching the crew and Jack as he and Elizabeth continued the conversation in a most flirtatious manner. She couldn't find herself in it to be bothered by the sight, too busy thinking about the gruesome fate that awaited every pirate should Cutler Beckett rule the seas with the heart of Davy Jones. She knew her death would make her father's look like a peaceful one, and if she had to guess, Beckett wouldn't kill her quickly. When she was young, living on the ship with her father, he'd attempted to barter with her father for her hand, claiming it would be a better life for her to be married to someone like him, but her father had refused. He'd seen something in Beckett he didn't like or trust.

It was a fact that Almyra had never thought to mention to Jack. She was afraid of how her captain would react to knowing the man that had branded him a pirate, a criminal, and a wanted man had once vied for her hand. She didn't particularly enjoy thinking about such things.

Jack casually strolled back toward Almyra at the helm, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, and gently pressing kisses to the soft skin of her neck, mumbling sweet nothings for a moment. "Come back to me, my siren," he whispered against her skin. "Before you get lost in that beautiful mind of yours."

"What if I'm already lost?" She replied in a whisper, the sound almost blending with the sea breeze that pushed their sails forward.

"Then allow me an attempt to bring you back," Jack said with a soft smile, gently turning her to face him as he kissed her forehead, and then her cheek, and then her lips.

Almyra hummed softly, blue-green eyes drifting closed as she let go of the helm and tenderly held Jack's face in her hand, lips moving softly against his for a brief moment before she pulled away, resting her bandana-wrapped forehead against Jack's for a moment.

"Did it work, Myra?" He asked softly, brushing his nose across hers.

"Partially," she said softly, smiling and moving slowly away so her blue-green eyes could meet his nearly black ones more squarely.

"Then, come," he announced, taking her hand and pulling her down the stairs and toward the captain's quarters, where he closed the door behind her.

Almyra brushed a thumb across Jack's ribs, arms wrapped around his bare chest and head laid on his shoulder, sandy hair splayed out around her as he kept her tucked neatly into his side, one of his hands moving in a steady pattern up and down her bare skin.

Jack hummed softly, and smiled at her, stilling her hand by placing his overtop of hers. "That tickles, Myra."

"Sorry," she whispered, looking up at him with a soft smile.

He smiled back at her, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "My Myra," he mused softly, "my siren. Such a spell you've cast on me."

She hummed softly in reply. "A spell I hope never breaks, Jack. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd get on just fine," Jack assured, brushing a thumb across her cheek and the calloused pads of the fingers on his other hand tenderly over the scar on her stomach left by Barbossa's attempt to end her life at the end of his.

"Maybe," she agreed in a whisper, kissing his shoulder softly in reply. "But I hope I never have to."

Jack lifted her chin gently, dark eyes meeting hers as he brought his lips to hers again in a slow, sweet kiss that told her how much he loved her more than words ever could.

She returned the kiss, hoping she could return the message of how much she loved him as strongly as she felt it. When she pulled away after a long moment, both of them breathless, she touched his face gently. "You're a good man, Jack Sparrow. And when the time comes, I know you'll do the right thing. And, whatever that may be, I'll be by your side to protect you. Like always."

"We protect each other, Myra," Jack reminded softly, brushing her hair out of her face. "And we always will."

She opened her mouth to speak again when Jack's expression changed drastically, fear filling his dark eyes as he moved his hand off of her face and clenched his fist tightly.

"Jack?" Almyra asked in surprise, light eyes growing wide as she propped herself up on her elbow to look at him more seriously. "What's wrong?"

Jack swallowed hard and slowly opened his hand, and the first mate felt her stomach drop to her knees.

The black spot had returned.