Story Title: At World's End

Chapter one

Paring: Norrington/Elizabeth --- Will/Elizabeth mentioned

Movie: POTC 3: At World's End

Author: Damn Regret

Summary: Elizabeth boards the Dutchman and sees the admiral James Norrington. Her and her crew was ordered to be locked up. Later James comes to let them free. Elizabeth was confused at his actions. One last goodbye was given between them as it seems. What if James never died? And was granted a specialty from Tia Dalma?

Disclaimer: I don't own the movie or any of the characters used. Pirates of the Caribbean 1, 2, and 3 belong to Disney. The beginning of this is from the movie and the rest I made up well I changed the story up a bit.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!

Elizabeth followed by her crew walked down the steps of the Dutchman onto the deck. Standing in front of her was a familiar face, it was James Norrington.

He sees her as well and he was surprised. "Elizabeth!" he says excitedly embracing her. "I heard you were dead."

"As it seems," she looked at him grossly.

He knew that she blamed him for her father's death. He let go of her shoulders and looked at her, "Listen I didn't have anything to do with it."

She took a few steps back away from him, "Right," she said sarcastically.

James frowned and looked down. Beckett came onto the deck.

"Step aside," he ordered Norrington. James rolled his eyes and moved.

"Ah, isn't it you again and this time you have all these men," Beckett says as he looked around. "Where's the captain?"

One Asian pirate stood by Elizabeth and pointed to her calling her Captain.

"You're the Captain?" Beckett sneers.

"As much as you don't like it, I am," she grunts.

"Ok…Norrington you're in charge of these dogs, lock them up."

James looked at him as he walked away followed by two other soldiers. He then turned back to Elizabeth, "Alright take these pirates down low…as for the Captain, she will take my quarters."

Davy Jones's crew grabbed them and started to drag them away and as for Elizabeth, she took command.

"Stop, wait," she shouted. She looked at James, "Thanks for your offer but I choose to remain with my crew."

"Elizabeth you…" he was cut off by her voice.

"Sorry, I chose my side," she says. She walks behind her crew as they are being pushed below deck.

About an hour as past…

Elizabeth hears keys jingling from a close distance. She grabs the bars of the cell and tries to see who it is. She then starts to notice the uniform, "James? What are you doing?"

"I'm letting you out."

"Why?"

"I'm choosing a side," he stares into her eyes. She looks back and partially smiles. He then opens the cell and guided her out. Elizabeth looks behind her and signals her pirate crew to tag along. The crew got to the rope where James told them to hurry. Shortly following, Elizabeth stops to look at James.

"Hurry you don't have much time," he worries.

"Come with us," she breathes out. He looks at her confused.

"Come with me James," she grabs his hand. He looks at her hesitantly and then looked around to see if anyone was coming.

"Look go now and I'll follow behind you," he says.

"No, you're lying," she said briefly. He knew they were running out of time, he had to get her out of there. Then he heard shuffling near the area they were at. He quickly turns back to her, grabbed her other hand, and kissed her deeply.

"Who goes there?" Bootstrap was walking towards them. James let go which caused Elizabeth to fall forward. She had her mouth slightly open and stared down at his shoulder.

"Elizabeth go now," he pulled her on top of the edge. She started to climb across the rope until she here's a commotion where James was at.

"Why are the prisoners escaping?" Bootstrap asks.

"Silence!" James barked.

"No one leaves the ship," Bootstrap added as he moved toward Norrington.

"Stand down!"

"Part of crew, part of ship," he began to say.

Elizabeth started to climb back to help James, but he saw her coming and shot the rope causing her to fall into the water. When he turned around Bootstrap took a piece of wood and stabbed him in the stomach. He still stands until he saw Davy Jones and his subordinates tagging along, he then fell backwards sitting against the ships rail.

Elizabeth swam towards the ship and saw a rope hanging from it. She began to climb the rope until about 5 feet away from the deck, there is where she hangs.

"Are you afraid of death?" Davy asks.

James lifted his sword with the strength he had and stabbed Jones in the shoulder.

"I would take that as a no," he takes the sword out of his exposed shoulder and looks at it. "By the way nice sword," he and his mates walk away.

Elizabeth starts to pull herself upward more. She is directly behind James's back, but on the other side hanging.

"James," she whispered. He opens his eyes trying to stay alive. She hops over the ledge and crouches by him. She sees him sitting in a pool of blood and it staining his uniform. She immediately grabs the wood and yanks it out.

James let out a moan, but he seemed to be fine. She then put her hand over his wound and pressed against it to stop the blood from flowing. He looks at her wanting to speak, but he was too weak from the amount of blood loss to.

"James can you move?" she asks.

He shifts a little and moved his arms to position them to get up.

"I…I think I can get up," he lets out.

"I don't want you to force yourself though."

He pushes up with his arms and legs, he barely makes it up. Luckily Elizabeth was there for support.

"Got it?"

"Yeah," he says as he grabs onto the rail.

"Hey look over there!" Maccusshouted pointing over to them.

"He's alive?" Jones asked. Elizabeth turns around afraid,

"Man," she sighs.

"Get them!" Jones commanded. James faints and topples over the ledge. Elizabeth looks and jumped into the water. It seems that Beckett appeared on deck shortly after she jumped.

"What's going on Jones?" he looks at Davy.

"The prisoners had escaped...the Admiral fell over board and Captain Swann followed. It seemed that he freed her and her crew."

"Ah Norrington…how couldn't I least expect that." He slammed his hands on the rail, "Damn it! Are they alive?"

"I don't know about the Admiral, but I'm surely Captain Swann and her crew is."

"Why didn't you stop them?" Beckett looks up and turns to walk towards where Jones and his pirates were standing.

Jones looked directly in Beckett's eyes, "No one leaves the ship."

"Psst…right." Beckett rolled his eyes and walked fiercely passed him bumping his shoulder. Jones sighed heavily and looked back raising Norrington's sword at him aiming. Maccus wasnext to him and took his crab arm and grabbed it,

"Sir you can't," he told Davy. Jones let down and pulled away.

"Come on," he led his crew back below deck. Elizabeth had brought James to the surface. They were still in the water because they had to hide from them. She was holding on a handle that stuck out from the ship and with the other arm she held James. He was unconscious and she hoped he wasn't dead. He was still losing blood in the water, she could see the dark water turning red.

She started swimming to the Black Pearl that still waited for her. It was hard with James to drag along with her. Her swinging one arm and paddling with her feet was just not working. She tries and looks for any crew members that were on deck by the rail looking. At least they should have respect and loyalty to their Captain, but she couldn't see anyone.

James let out a groan and started to move his head. Elizabeth looked in relief. When he breathed she knew he was alive. Thank the lord he was alive. She looked at him to see if he would wake up. He lifted one arm and rubbed his face. He opened his eyes and saw her only about 6 inches away.

"Where are we?" he realized that he was holding him from going under the surface.

"We are in the middle of the Pearl and the Dutchman. We have to find a way to get to the Pearl quickly." She said.

"I'm alive?" he knew it was a stupid question, but right now he didn't care.

"Of course, you're here aren't you," she looked at him. He could barely move his torso because of his wound and from the freezing water. Elizabeth herself was freezing to death.

She looks again to see if anyone coming in a boat towards them, but she doubts it, it was so dark you couldn't see anything.

"You're shaking," he tells her.

She turns to him again, "I know, this water is cold. How can it be when it's like 83 degrees?"

"I don't know, but I can refrain us from freezing," he said. He then put his arms around her to pull her closer to him. Even with the cold water they were in she began to feel the warmth from him.

She then put her arms around him as well. They were held tightly, but not crushing. She put her head on his shoulder and her shaking and quivering began to stop. His upper abdomen started to hurt bad because of her pressed up against him. But he didn't show any signs of pain he held it in.

He wanted to stay like this forever. He didn't want to let go like this was the last time he will ever do this to her. Probably was because of Will and all that. But he was surprised they hadn't married yet.

"Are you ok? Cause I'm kind of against you pretty tight," she asks with her head still on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine, it doesn't hurt much," he lied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he says softly. Elizabeth closes her eyes like she was about to fall asleep, but she was starting to think. How can this feel so good? Why when she holds Will in her arms it doesn't feel this way? Why am I feeling so much for James now? He is my closest friend and all, but despite from the past about the proposal, the hurricane, and now when he was so close to death when he saved her. He always gave his life for mine. Why? He knew that I didn't feel the same for him. But that was before, that was the past. Now I think more about James and all the reasons for him to my wishes. Will has a choice to his father or me. I really don't care much anymore. I still want to marry him, but I think I'm falling more in love with the Admiral.

"Captain!" she hears from a distance. She quickly opens her eyes and looks around. She sees Mr. Gibbs in a boat coming towards them. James looks in the same direction. There were about 3 other pirates with him, 2 rowing the boat and one with a gun pointing at the Dutchmen.

"Captain I see you're alive," Mr. Gibbs said happily lending a hand to her.

"I know it was close," she says as she accepts his hand to get the boat. While she gets in the other pirate with the gun helped James into the boat.

"I see you brought the Admiral with you," he whispers to her.

"He was the one who let us free," she smiled.

"Aye, he was always good to you Captain."

"I know," she said as the pirate lay him on the boat's floor. He was holding his upper abdomen and moaning. Elizabeth patted Mr. Gibbs on the shoulder signaling them to head on back to the Pearl and kneeled by James's side.

"There's no blanket or something to cover you up, sorry," she looked at him.

"I don't mind I'm not that cold anymore," he said hesitantly. Elizabeth smiled and remembered how warm his embrace was. She looked at his wound on his stomach and put her hand on top of his that was covering it.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help."

"You helped a lot Elizabeth," he stared at her. She smiled and took his hand in hers as they reached the Pearl. She looked up as they began to pull the boat up towards the deck.

She saw Will and smiled, "Did everyone make it over?"

"Yes and safely, I'm glad you're safe though," he hugged her. There it was the cold and meaningless feeling. She pulled away and walked over to where they lay James. He was on top of a table looking thing.

"Will we have to help him, he's still bleeding," she said worryingly.

"What happened?"

"Your father stabbed him with a piece of wood as I saw," she looked down at the wound.

"My father? You saw my father?" he looked at her.

"Yes I did, he told me everything about freeing him and all that."

"But I wouldn't thing he would harm the one who freed the one I love."

"Will, he was under Beckett's and Jones's order. Don't you think he would do what ever it takes to not let anyone off the ship?"

"Right," he frowned.

"So what will we do?" Elizabeth looked at Will.

"I think I have an idea," he said as he ran off to get Tia Dalma.

Then Elizabeth turned back down to look at James, "Don't worry we'll help you."

He smiled at her knowing everything will be alright, "Thank you for your effort."

"Always for a friend," she said softly. Will came back with Tia Dalma. She had brought a bowl with her crab like figures in it.

To be continued – Chapter 2