Going To the Gallows

The Trip Back

Disclaimer: POTC belong to Disney.

Jack for some reason went back to Port Royal with Elizabeth and Will. He could have stayed at the Isla de Muerta with his treasure and Will and Elizabeth could have told Norrington, Jack had been killed. But no, Elizabeth and William were not accustomed to lying and Jack did not wish to be marooned in the cave with Barbossa's dead body and creepy monkey. After all, nobody could find the island unless they knew where it was or if they had the compass.

Jack's spirit was broken. He had lost The Pearl once again, but he knew she was in the capable hands of Mister Gibbs. He had fallen behind and the crew did what was best for them, he could not hold that against them. They had reclaimed the Pearl and sailed away.

Will was beside himself. Elizabeth had given her word she would marry Commodore Norrington. Will knew she promised this to save his life, but what kind of life would he have without her?

The only reason he started out on this adventure was to save her. Little did he know he would learn his father was not a merchant sailor but a pirate, and a close friend to the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.

Will said he would die for Elizabeth and now he felt as if he were dead. He knew that as a blacksmith he was not in her class, but now he had to deal with being a pirate. Jack told him he would have to deal with that someday and obviously that day had arrived.

The journey back to Port Royal was quiet. Elizabeth remained in the main cabin with her father and her fiancé, James. She was given strict orders to stay away from the prisoners, William Turner and Jack Sparrow. They were locked in the brig under the watchful eye of Gillette.

Thanks to Elizabeth Will was granted clemency. Her father agreed to this on the condition that he remained locked up until they got back to Port Royal and then he would go back to his life as a blacksmith. He was never to see or speak to Elizabeth again.

Elizabeth agreed to these terms and pleaded with Will to go along with her. She loved the blacksmith so much that she was willing to never see him again, as long as she knew he was still alive.

Will, not wanting to go against her wishes, consented with her but he told her he would be better off dead. Of course, this got him to thinking about many other things.

Will spent many hours talking to Jack while he was in the brig. Norrington was bound by the law so he had to take Jack back and have a public hanging. Elizabeth tried to get clemency for Jack also but his crimes were far too numerous in quantity and sinister in nature. Norrington thought about honoring Elizabeth's wishes, but his hands were tied. The Governor put no thought to it at all. He claimed Sparrow was a pirate and he was going to hang by the neck until dead, may God have mercy oh his soul. Perhaps they would measure Sparrow for a gibbet chain, in order to hang his body after execution, to warn other pirates of their fate.

Will felt sick; Jack was his friend, Jack was his father's friend. Barbossa's crew told him that the mutiny did not set well with Bootstrap and Will knew why. Jack was a unique individual who cared about others, not just himself. Not that he would ever admit to that. Sure, he was willing to trade a man's life for a ship but that was just the way of a pirate. Jack would do things that would profit him, but all he really wanted was his freedom. As he so profoundly put it, The Black Pearl was his freedom. When he lost the Pearl, he lost his freedom.

As Will sat in the brig with Jack he knew there was no way he was going to let Norrington kill his friend. Will closed his eyes and remembered the time he had had to make an iron cage to hold a pirate. The Royal Navy had decided to hang the man's body out for the crows as a symbol of Royal justice to all other scally-wags.

Will opened his eyes and looked at Jack. Jack was now sleeping. His back was up against the bars and his head was tilted back. A slight bit of moonlight shone in and danced across Jack's sharp features. He looked so peaceful, with his kohl rimmed eyes closed and his dark lashes lying motionless. He was still wearing the golden crown he had taken from the cave. His chest rose ever so slightly as he began to snore.

How could he sleep when he knew he had an appointment with death? Jack had told him he blew the opportune moment to claim Elizabeth, but he would not blow the moment to save Jack.

Jack made a slight move and as his arm fell to his side. Jack tossed his head to the other side and licked his parched lips. He opened his eyes slightly, looked at Will, and then went back to sleep.

As Will looked at Jack he remembered the poor man who was put into the iron cage.

The cage had been suspended in the middle of town and the man in it was not dead, but he may as well have been. There were huge black birds flying around it, fighting with each other, trying to keep their balance on a surface that was too small for them. Their heavy black wings flapped and then they settled down. Their ragged plumage hung about them like filthy gowns as they viewed the man in the cage.

Will, in his youth, had seen hangings before and he had seen bodies roped and tarred, but that was the first time he had seen a live man inside a cage. The birds had pecked out his eyes and their cruel beaks had slashed his face and shoulders to the bone. Blood dripped like tears down his ruined cheeks, dropping into black pools on the ground.

Will sat up straight, drenched with sweat. He remembered the awful stench. It was terrible, as though the body was already corrupting, but its convulsive movements would cause the iron cage to jerk and send out a frenzied black cloud of furiously buzzing flies. He remembered how the man's hand twitched and how his lips drew back as if to speak. As Will remembered this, Jack once again licked his lips and turned his head.

Will stood up and started pacing the small area. Jack woke and looked at him. "Whelp, don't lose any sleep. You'll soon be home. Life and death have a way to work themselves out. It's funny how those two things coincide."

"Jack," Will looked at him. "I can't let them kill you. You're like...you're like…"

Jack waved his hand at Will. "No need to say anything." His teeth gleamed inside his mouth and his dark eyes smiled up at him. "Dare I say I am a rogue and deserve my fate? That's how life is out here. There's nothing you can do about it. So it's time you left your sensitivities at home and grew up. Just be glad you won't be coming on this adventure with me."

Will stood silent, not knowing what to say. Part of him wanted to go with Jack, because he knew he had already lost his true love and now he was going to lose his friend.

Jack stared into the darkness for a long time and then broke the silence. "Whelp, your life is here, as it should be. Life is short and should not be wasted, you've learned that. When you get off this ship you must start a new life. You must not look back, you must go forward. You know you love Elizabeth and she you. You cannot be happy with your hearts divided. Remember you sought me out to save the life of your bonny Lass. I know your decision to engage in piracy was to rescue Elizabeth. Take the opportune moment and don't waste it."

Jack gave a slight laugh. "You were willing to kill me for threatening her just a little, and I was the one who saved her from the watery grave. You overcame that and I know you can do the same now."

"Jack that's different."

"No, it is not. All fear is the same. Take your chances, Whelp." Jack paused as the ship lurched.

"We are getting close to land. Someday maybe the sea will bring me back and I will find you with Elizabeth, I mean Miss Swann, and your many children playing about you."

Will laughed a little, and smiled at the picture of his words. He felt his spirits lift. Jack had brought hope to him, as a wind springs from nowhere to take a ship out of a flat calm and fill its sails. Will sat next to Jack and waited for Gillette to come get them.

The gruesome voyage was brought to a close. Gillette pulled Jack and Will out of the brig and pushed them like animals down the ramp to the docks of Port Royal.

Elizabeth had tears in her eyes as she stood stoically beside James arm in arm. The sun shone down hard and it was scorching hot, but she shivered as she pulled away from James and laid a kiss on Jack's dirt stained check and whispered. "Thank you Captain Sparrow, for saving my life and going back for William."

Jack smiled at Elizabeth and wiped her tears. "I could not condemn the Whelp to death but you were the one who eventually changed Norrington's mind." He glanced at the Commodore and then back at Elizabeth. "Yes, I injected my professional opinion but I was after me ship, you were the one who begged Norrington to go after William. I remember you asked him to do it for you as a wedding gift. I hope you and the Commodore will be happy. Remember to have drinks all around."

"I am so sorry, Jack. This is wrong." Elizabeth looked at him, wanting to say more but knew it would be useless.

Jack placed his filthy finger to her lips and Norrington pushed him back. Jack raised his hands. "Apologies, I meant no harm to the future Mrs. Commodore." He extended his arms to Norrington. "I know the drill, clap him in irons, right?"

"Mister Sparrow, you will accompany me to the fort. You will then spend the rest of your time contemplating all possible ways you could have made your life better. I will see you have a meal and drink of your choice. I will also ask you, not to touch Miss Swann. Do I make myself clear?"

"Inescapably clear," Jack looked at Elizabeth and for once he was at a loss for words, he looked at Will and made his farewell brief.

Will grabbed Jack's arm. "Jack, so much has passed between us."

"Aye Lad, we need not speak anymore."

They both looked at one another for some time in silence. Orders rang out around them. Ropes were being flung and sails were being dropped. Jack gave Will his golden smile. "Go claim your ship Whelp and bring her safe into the harbor. Don't ever leave her. Please don't do anything stupid."

Gillette shoved Will aside and Will almost struck out at him but Elizabeth caught his eye and he thought better of it. Will stood next to Elizabeth while James tied Jack's hands securely behind him to take him to the fort so that he would not be late for his dawn appointment.

Jack looked once more into the faces of Elizabeth and Will. He nodded at them both then turned to face Norrington. Norrington took his arm and lead him down the docks. Jack never turned around, he just walked off in silence.

Will's head was reeling and the nausea that he had felt the night before threatened to overwhelm him. He wanted to strike out at someone or something, he held his hands tightly clenched and they hurt as his nails bit into his palms. When he looked down he was indeed bleeding.

As Will turned to leave he saw the shadows of large, black birds in the sky. Will knew what had to be done. By dawn the gallows were ready, the crowd was gathered, and Will was ready to meet his destiny.

Will walked through the crowd to the raised ground on which Governor Swann, Commodore Norrington and Elizabeth stood. He acknowledged them all and then looked at Elizabeth. "I should have told you everyday from the moment I met you. I love you."

There he did it, now it was time to save his friend. He turned and walked away as the noose was put around Jack's neck. Jack's eyes grew wide as he watched the executioner place his hands on the lever.

Will knew he had to move fast. He ran threw the crowd and yelled for them to move. As the gallows door opened, Will pushed the people aside and threw his sword. He remembered Jack's words. 'That is a wonderful trick…except, once again you are between me and my way out. And now you have no weapon.' Well, Will was not between Jack's way out now. He was Jack's way out and he had come with two swords so he still had a weapon.

Will's sword stuck in the wood and Jack was able to get a foothold on the narrow blade. Jack balanced himself for what seemed to be an eternity, wondering if he indeed would cheat death one more time.

Will fought his way to the gallows and cut Jack free. Once again, Will and Jack were side by side fighting with each other. They were cornered by Norrington's men and Will put himself in between Norrington's sword and Jack.

He knew where his place was, it was between Norrington and Jack. Once he was joined by Elizabeth and she told Norrington that her heart truly belonged to Will, he knew his ship had come into the harbor.

THE END

A/N You know the rest of the story. Yes, they kissed and Jack sailed away on the Black Pearl. What a wonderful story. I hope you all enjoyed my interpretation of the trip back to Port Royal. Let me know. As Jack would say, bring me that review. I'm not crazy about really bad eggs but I will drink a mug of rum.

Lizzy