Wake up, my captain.

Charlotte, stay.

Lottie... you're alive...

I'll give your love to your mother then, shall I?

Don't blame yourself, darling.

What did you see?

"Charlotte? Charlotte, wake up."

Charlotte found herself on the Daybright, the boards of the ship creaking beneath her feet. It was twilight and the sea was smooth as glass, the sails slack, not a cloud in the sky to catch the pink of the dying sun.

You work for me.

Charlotte's eyes shot open.

She wasn't on a ship. She was in a cave, echoing with the clang of clashing swords and the clink of falling treasure. Above her was Elizabeth, her cold hands pressed against the skin of Charlotte's side.

"James is going to die," Charlotte said softly. Elizabeth stared at her. "Because we came here. I don't know why but I keep seeing it. I see it all."

"Charlotte--"

Charlotte forced herself to sit up, the pain not so bad as she remembered. In fact, it seemed to be completely gone. She looked down to her side.

"It doesn't make any sense," Elizabeth said.

Charlotte pulled the fabric, hiding the exposed skin and glancing around to see if any man had seen it before the reality of the situation calmed her embarrassment. "It doesn't matter. Where is Will?"

The Swann sisters struggled to their feet, Elizabeth shoving a sword into her twin's hand before yanking her along by the elbow. They ran back toward the treasure-Charlotte's fight had taken her further into the tunnels than she'd realized-and raised their weapons as one, turning the last corner to reveal the two Captains locked in combat.

Barbossa turned his head at the sound of their footsteps.

Elizabeth stopped so suddenly that Charlotte went flying forward a few steps.  She was aware of a gun being raised, aimed toward her but she was already turning to check on her sister despite the screaming in her head to hide. Duck. Anything.

BANG!

Charlotte reached out a hand, already opening her mouth to scream for Will, for Jack, for anyone to help. This wasn't part of the deal. This wasn't part of the deal!

Elizabeth blinked back at Charlotte, a similar expression of horror on her face. Slowly it dawned on them. They were both alright.

Charlotte turned her face back to the pirates, her hand still stretched toward her sister, her sword frozen before her.

Jack held his smoking pistol before him.

Barbossa was staring down at his chest, just as confused as the Swann twins.

"Ten years you carry that pistol... and now ye waste your shot?"

"He didn't waste it."

The room seemed to still.

Charlotte couldn't breathe.

Will stood above them all, hand raised above the chest. Moonlight glowed around him, glinting on the treasure and on the bloody knife at his side. The world seemed to be spinning, just like when she stared too closely at the ocean. The very air in the room was sizzling, burning, waiting.

Will dropped the coin.

An unfamiliar feeling sank into Charlotte's skin, almost as though the heart sitting behind her ribs wasn't actually her own.

She watched Barbossa look down at the blood blossoming across his chest, watched his eyes widening with puzzlement. Charlotte felt Elizabeth take the last two steps to her side and seize her hand again.

Everything was right. Her mind was screaming at the idea but she'd never felt so sure. Things were right again.

"Cold." Barbossa gasped.

He fell.

And it was over.

...

James Norrington's back hit the rail of the ship and sweat trickled dangerously close to his eyes. His muscles moved instinctively, relying on all his years of training as his mind searched desperately for answers.

Another of his men fell with a cry of pain that cut off unfinished.

The commodore lashed out, meaning to end his life fighting to the last breath. His sword buried to the hilt in the pirate before him, a shout of defiance leaving Norrington's mouth.

And the pirate... stopped.

Stared.

Raised a hand to its chest. 

The pirates nearby stopped and stared, pulled back, lowered their swords.

Norrington withdrew his sword.

The man fell to the deck.

One by one the pirates shuffled backward, glancing up at the moon and then at each other. Finally, Norrington reached forward and seized one of them, raising his sword to the man's throat.

"Surrender."

One by one, enemy weapons began to hit the deck. The pirates raised their hands and allowed themselves to be herded into the middle of the ship. Norrington stared down at the swords now scattered across the floor. His men were looking to him, jarred by the change, probably starting to wonder if what they'd seen had really happened.

Norrington took a deep breath. Time to seem confident.

"The ship is ours, gentlemen."

The sailors began to cheer. From the corner of his eye, Norrington caught sight of the door of his quarters opening and Governor Swann making his way out. He looked shaken but he as well put on a brave face and began cheering heartily.

Norrington turned away and faced the mouth of the cave again.

He'd barely survived.

How were the governor's daughters faring?

The commodore shoved the growing dread down and called for a rowboat.