Hello everyone! I'm back! Isn't that great-ish? Depends on your point of view I suppose! If you're bored of these stories then you'll be like "Oh. Crap... not her! I thought she'd gone away!"

Well, now I'm back there's nothing to do but bring good ol' Jackie back to, eh? We can't leave Belle lonely for too long (I value my life too much)! Thank you to everyone who read the last one and a hug to everyone who reviewed it as well!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

LV

XX

Hope was all that kept me going. It kept me breathing. Without the knowledge that things were going to get better I'd have suffocated and drowned in my own pain.

I must have been a nightmare to be around. Sometimes I'd snap at the slightest thing and other times I'd just sit there, wrapped in my own pain, shutting everyone else out and longing to be left alone. But I hated being alone. When I was alone I'd feel so trapped by the fears and doubts screaming in my head that I would go and look for company. This usually ended in an argument because I'd woken someone up. The slightest things annoyed me. My temper had always been short, but now I was like a gun with no safety catch. I was like fire near gunpowder. I could explode at anyone at any time. Everyone had quickly figured out it was safest to avoid me. Maybe that was why Barbossa had sent me a different way from the others.

He needn't have worried. I was determined to be on my best behavior. I knew better than anyone what it would cost us if I slipped up, but if the worst came to the worst I was ready. I gripped the hilt of the sword concealed in the lining of my cloak and my mouth twitched into the closest thing to a smile that had been on my face in a very long time. I kept my head bowed and the hood of my cloak up not just to shield myself from the continuous drizzle, but because I didn't want to draw attention to myself. Not that there was anyone around to pay attention to me.

The backstreets of Singapore were dark and pretty much empty. The few people I passed barely gave me a second glance. They all looked too tired and strained to pay me much attention. There was no doubt that recent events were taking there toll on everyone. Most of the time it was just me walking alone, along empty streets. The windows of the houses I walked past were dark and blank. My footsteps were so loud in the silence and darkness that I was convinced there was someone following me. I even stopped and turned to look behind me, but the ally was empty.

I got to one street where the lamps had all blown out. I slowed and hesitated for a second, but I reminded myself of why were here and I strode on with fresh determination. Of course the problem of reminding myself why I was here was that I had to think about it. I had to think about him and what he could be going through. I didn't want to fall into that trap. Not now, not when strength was so important. I tried to block any thoughts from my mind. I didn't want to think about what we were going to have to do. Barbossa had said enough times that we may not get there, to where he was. We may not even get out of Singapore. And if we didn't…

No! Stop thinking about it! Every time I did I worrying about not making it. Then he'd have to stay there. And I didn't know what happened there. And I didn't want to. All I knew was that it wasn't pleasant and I couldn't leave him there.

All I needed was something to fill the silence. Something to stop me thinking. There was no-one to talk to and I wasn't going to stoop to talking to myself. Singing was alright though, as long as it was quiet. It was such a shame that the only song I could think of was not only the most important one ever sung in the whole of pirate history, but also the most dangerous to be caught singing. Especially since it was rumoured the East India Trading Company was close by.

The king and his men
stole the queen from her bed
and bound her in her bones.
The seas be ours
and by the powers
where we will we'll roam.

Yo, ho, haul together,
hoist the colors high.
Heave ho, thieves and beggars,
never shall we die.

Some men have died
and some are alive
and others sail on the sea
– with the keys to the cage...
and the Devil to pay
we lay to Fiddler's Green!

The bell has been raised
from its watery grave...
Do you hear its sepulchral tone?
We are a call to all,
pay head the squall
and turn your sail toward home!

Yo, ho, haul together,
hoist the colors high.
Heave ho, thieves and beggars,
never shall we die.

Yo, ho-

I broke of as I saw a light a head of me. I could hear the sound of many voices and as I emerged into the street between the harbor and the bathhouse I saw the familiar signs of a busy port. There were a lot of people, but they were all too busy to notice me, the insignificant woman standing in the shadows. I scanned the faces of those coming up from the harbor.

It was Barbossa I saw first because he is taller and he has the most ridiculous hat. Elizabeth was standing next to him. She was also wearing a ridiculous hat, but at least she had a reason. She was wearing hers so that she would blend in in Singapore. Barbossa wears his because he's a fool and thinks he actually looks intimidating in it. I fell into step with them and lowered my hood. Barbossa barely glance at me, but Elizabeth gave me a smile. I frowned at the three men I had only just noticed seemed to be with our little procession.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"Just some people we ran into," replied Elizabeth.

"Aye, and no thanks to you," said Barbossa bitterly.

Elizabeth shot him a furious look. "It was self defense!" she protested. I thought about asking what had happened, but soon decided I didn't want to know. Anyway, it looked as though Elizabeth had her mind on other things. I could see worry hidden in her eyes. The reason for this soon became clear when she clanked at Barbossa and asked in a would-be-casual manner, "Have you heard anything from Will?"

Barbossa rolled his eyes slightly, but didn't even look at her. "I trust Master Turner to acquire the charts, just as I trust you two to remember your place in front of Captain Sao Feng."

"Is he really that terrifying?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

"He's much like myself, absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play," Barbossa replied.

"What is he talking about?" I hissed to Elizabeth as we came to a stop outside a wooden door. "He's not got a-"

"Stop yer mumbling, Isabel!" Barbossa snapped. Maybe I hadn't been talking as quietly or slyly as I'd thought. I pulled a face at the back of his head. Elizabeth stifled a laugh. One of the men we were with raised his fist and banged on the door. A small panel slid open, the man we were with said something, it must have been a password because the panel banged shut and the door sprang open.