Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean

Jack: That would be a truly discomfiting notion, luv…

Alright! This is my first attempt at writing a Jack and Elizabeth pairing, which I really wished for after Dead Man's Chest, although the whole "Sparrabeth!" and "Willabeth!" discussion really tired me (as a joke, my brother and I tried propagating "Sparrowill!", but neither of us were very dedicated or very serious :D). Anyhow, as you all know from the movies, I most certainly did not get my wish, which was rather disappointing, since I'm not fond of William Turner. I've been watching the movies over and over again though, and this idea suddenly popped up in my head.

The story takes place during Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest, and now I'll just shut up and let the story unfold…

Ah yes, and pardon me for the somewhat uncreative title, but bear in mind that I'm a college student with tons of homework that I'm currently procrastinating on.


Come To Join Me Crew Lad?

Prologue – In Which Elizabeth Makes A Split Decision

Elizabeth Swann's first impression of Tortuga was certainly going to be memorable, having stepped into a tavern only to witness the largest drunken brawl in all of history, complete with people being thrown from the aisles and staircases, the flying fists, and even the sharp clanging of swords ringing out through the air. However, what was even more astonishing was that at the center of the rowdy crowd was Commodore James Norrington, whom Elizabeth had assumed was the epitome of propriety, cleanliness, and good manners, seeing as he had behaved with her most courteously during the period of their engagement. Obviously, he had completely discarded that visage, for he was currently in a rather decrepit state, his clothes unkempt and stained, scraggly brown hair peeking out from underneath the ruined and mussed white wig, his face streaked with dirt, and a rum bottle in his hand. And it seemed that the polite Commodore had caused the commotion, for there were quite a few men who were attacking him with swords, and while the Commodore seemed quite alright at defending himself, Elizabeth knew very well that sooner or later, he would be outnumbered. So she drew out her sword and began to fend off the attackers, keeping her eyes open for one Captain Jack Sparrow

A few minutes after she had joined the fray, her prediction was correct, for she and James were surrounded, being held at the point of the a sword, and while her eyes were simply scanning her surroundings and looking for the elusive Jack she had hoped to see, James was foolishly challenging their attackers.

"Come on then!" he yelled out menacingly, standing in one place, swaying ever so slightly due to all the rum he had consumed as he held his sword, pointing it towards the crowd. "Who wants some? Form an orderly line and I'll have you all one by one!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes in exasperation while keeping her own sword in front of her, just in case someone took James' drunken threats seriously.

"Come on!" James' voice increased in volume and annoyance. "Who's first?"

Elizabeth's patience finally snapped, and without a single word or indication, she simply grabbed the rum bottle in James' hand and smashed it against his head, watching him fall in satisfaction, thankful that she no longer had to listen to his empty threats. She glanced upwards to see the entire crowd of attackers staring at her in disbelief, and she simply shot them a smile.

"I just wanted the pleasure of doing that myself!" she exclaimed in her disguised voice, releasing the remainders of the shattered bottle to the ground. Smiles of understanding broke out from all around her, and cheers began to ring out through the air as the pirates began to cluster around James, lifting him from the floor and carrying him out of the tavern. Elizabeth followed curiously from a distance, unsure of what was occurring, and before she knew it, the pirates had thrown him into the mud, where the pigs were housed, laughing as they walked away from James, the tavern regaining its typical drunken stupor. However, Elizabeth couldn't bring herself to leave the site, and she slowly made her way to James, who was rising from the mud, coughing and wiping away the disgusting slop that had accumulated on his face. She kneeled down next to him, her eyes alight with pity as she stared at the man who was once the pride of the king's navy.

"James Norrington" she whispered softly, catching his attention as his eyes drifted towards her visage. "What has the world done to you?"

James Norrington was quite sure that he was hallucinating. His days in Tortuga were already far beyond miserable, and the day had continued to spiral downward as he encountered Jack Sparrow, the cause of all his misfortunes, and failed to shoot the infuriatingly smug pirate. Then he somehow managed to make enemies with the entire tavern in a matter of minutes, resulting in him being held at the point of many swords, and before he could begin to defend himself, he had felt his own rum bottle slip out of his hands. He was just about to turn around and skewer the man who dared to touch his rum, but he heard a crash, and his world had gone black. Somehow, during the time he had been unconscious, he ended up in the pigpen, drenched in mud and unidentifiable slop. Yes, his day had certainly gone from miserable to downright terrible.

And despite all he had gone through in the last hour, this was by far the worst circumstance he could imagine. He closed his eyes for a moment, sure that the person kneeling next to him would disappear, but once his eyes reopened to see Elizabeth Swann/Turner staring down at him, pity laced in her gaze, James knew that his day, if possible, had become even worse. His broken engagement with Elizabeth was still a festering wound in his heart, and he had decided to heal his heart by chasing after the pirates who brought William and Elizabeth together, going as far as to chance a hurricane just to achieve vengeance. However, not only had that attempt failed, but now, Elizabeth was seeing him in his sorry state, and he was still quite bitter about her rather abrupt breaking of their engagement.

"James?" she murmured softly, her voice full of concern that James had wished she had shown to him during their earlier days of acquaintance. "Are you alright?"

James was decidedly not alright, but was there really any need to tell Elizabeth that? Anyways, the pity and concern in her eyes clearly showed that she had already observed his pathetic state, so there really was no need to elaborate.

"I'm fine for a man who's been banged on the head by his own rum bottle and thrown into muck" answered James bitterly, wiping a bit of the mud from his eyes. Elizabeth helped him remove the white (and now completely ruined and soiled) wig from his head and pressed a finger against the bump rising from his head, eliciting a hiss of pain from James.

"Sorry." Elizabeth smiled sheepishly and withdrew her hand, rising from her knees. "I believe that was my work, but what else could I have possibly done? You were standing there, challenging those men like a drunken fool, and I was afraid that if I didn't stop you in some manner, they would all go at you and you would be unable to defend yourself!"

"Next time you wish to help me, do try to hit me with something less precious to me" muttered James sullenly, rising to his own feet and running his hands down his sullied uniform, trying to brush off as much muck as he possibly could. "I really could have used that rum to help me forget my misery."

"Men!" seethed Elizabeth angrily, her eyes flashing. "All you men ever seem to think about is rum and women!"

"And I suppose your husband is an exception to this rule?" James sneered, not intentionally wanting to snap at Elizabeth, but at the same time, trying to placate the bitterness he held in his heart. However, upon the mention of William Turner, Elizabeth's anger melted slightly, and it finally came to James' attention that not only was Elizabeth in Tortuga, of all places, but she was in men's clothing, and was unaccompanied as well. Where in the world was that annoying blacksmith?

"He's not my husband…not yet" replied Elizabeth, her voice clipped. "Our ceremony was interrupted by Cutler Beckett, but thank you for your concern."

"Fine then, where is your fiancé?" James demanded furiously. "Why has your blacksmith-turned-into-pirate abandoned you in Tortuga unaccompanied?"

"Will and I are sentenced to hang to death for assisting in the escape of a dangerous pirate. Neither of us can take shelter in Port Royal now." Elizabeth grew slightly downcast as she remembered her father's kindness and desperation to save her from the gallows, but she took a deep breath and continued to explain her current circumstances. "I was taken to the gallows, and Will decided to bargain for our freedom by seeking out Jack and handing the compass to Beckett, but while he was gone, Father released me from the gallows and I managed to escape. I'm looking for both Jack and Will now. Have you seen either of them? I saw the Black Pearl in the docks, but I haven't seen a trace of either man!"

The mere mention of Jack made James' blood boil with rage, but Elizabeth's pleading face struck a chord within James' heart, and before he knew it, he suddenly heard his own voice ring out in the air.

"I'll take you to him."

The dock was rather dark and rickety, but seeing as they were in Tortuga, Elizabeth figured she shouldn't expect more from the drunken inhabitants of a rowdy pirate island. She was just aching to see Will once again, to feel his soft lips on her, to feel like a cherished woman once again after weeks of disguising herself with the garb of a sailor. She couldn't care less about the fact that she now smelled rather questionable having spent far too many minutes with the pigs and James, or that the wood beneath her feet was creaking dangerously with each step she took. She simply wanted to rush to Will and feel his arms wrap around her, and –

Her gaze suddenly fell upon Captain Jack Sparrow, and she was suddenly quite aware that her heart was beating awfully fast upon catching sight of Jack. She quickly shook her head, trying to dispel the butterflies that suddenly seemed to flutter within her, convincing herself that Jack was nothing to admire, with his disgusting habits, lack of cleanliness, complete disregard for morals and honor, his finely toned body, his expressive, kohl-lined eyes, his tell-tale smirk…

Wait, why on Earth was she suddenly thinking of Jack Sparrow in such a flattering manner?

She shook her head slightly once again, clearing her head only to realize that Jack was on the verge of boarding his ship, and she needed to catch his attention so that she could inquire of Will and be reunited with her fiancé once again.

"Captain Sparrow!" called out Elizabeth urgently, her boots thudding against the wooden dock as she made her way to the Captain of the Black Pearl. Jack turned his head slightly, not recognizing her from his quick glance.

"Come to join me crew lad?" called out Jack jovially. "Welcome aboard!"

Elizabeth was about to inform him that she had come for Will, the man she loved. She was about to speak the words she had been prepared to say to his face ever since she escaped Port Royal. However, before she could even open her mouth, a sudden wave of realization hit her.

She did love Will, and she did wish to find him and ensure his safety, but she thirsted for adventure, for the thrill of a pirate's life. She had spent months in Port Royal dreaming of the days that she and Will fought side by side against Barbossa's cursed crew, and she hungered for those action-filled days once again. She had felt caged, sitting in her mansion, waiting for freedom. She had thought that marriage would bring her the freedom she wished for, but her marriage had been shattered, and she had ended up in an entirely new prison. But now, she was free, free to do what she wanted just because she wanted to do what it was that she wished to do (good god, she was beginning to sound like Jack!), free to act on her own whims and desires.

And she knew that those days would be scarce if everyone on the ship knew her as Elizabeth Swann, the upper-class, refined daughter of the Governor of Port Royal.

So instead of speaking the words she had planned to say, she simply tossed aside her previous plan as a new one began to formulate in her mind.

"Edward Smith, ready to join your crew!" she called out, ready to follow Jack, but a series of sputters caused her to turn around and see James vomiting over the side of the dock. However, within a few seconds, he had emptied the contents of his stomach, and he shot Elizabeth an incredulous stare.

"Elizabeth Swann, exactly why did you just tell Sparrow that you are a man when you are undoubtedly female? Whatever happened to your plan to find William Turner?" hissed James, thankfully keeping his voice down so that he wouldn't attract attention.

Elizabeth shut her eyes for a moment as she stood in place, trying her best to devise a suitable explanation for her current course of actions, and was quite horrified to discover that she had none.


Okay, I've never done a Jack X Elizabeth story, and it's been ages since I wrote a fanfiction, so you need to help me by reviewing! Please? It's not that difficult to just click that button and provide me with feedback :D