Son Of A Son Of A Sailor

by pineappleminivan

Ten thousand words and I forgot the most important part. Second chapter, three hundred words--the ending to the story.

1. Default Chapter

 Ahoy!

Please excuse me if my salutation is corny, but how else can I introduce my fanfiction that takes place on the high seas?

I consider myself a reader, not a writer, so my ventures into creating word are few and far between. But sometimes an idea grabs me bugs me until finally I have to write it down. In this case it was the far-too-close combination of the new Jimmy Buffet compilation (hence the title) and the "Pirates" movie that started this over 18,000 word freighter.

Readers of this story may note that this story does not focus of the characters that the movie so wonderfully portrayed. While William, Elizabeth and Jack all play important roles in this fanfiction, this story focuses on the characters in the movie whose potential was limited by the scope of the movie. The Commodore Norrington, she-pirate Anamaria, and pirates Pintel and Ragetti all play major roles in this story. (Ragetti was the cursed pirate with one eye, Pintel his partner. And believe me, their appearance in the story surprised me more than anyone else.)

My hope for you the reader is that you enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. And if you would be so kind, please drop a review or seven to help me improve my writing skills for the next time the muse takes me hostage. I would rather learn from my shortcomings than receive praise for a poorly-done job. That is why I believe that the readers have great power on this website like no other place. You, the reader, can help someone improve—you can't do that on too many other websites.

I would like to thank my sister for beta-reading my story, and I would especially like to thank you the reader for taking the time to read this yarn. So… dare I say it and risk ridicule?

Anchors Away!

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"Son of a Son of a Sailor"

By A PineappleMinivan

A solitary figure walked along the deck of a ship, protected by darkness. The broken melody of a nearly forgotten song whispered above the sound of the waves. There was no moonlight to reveal the inhabitant of this darkness, no light save for the dim glow of the ship's lanterns and the warm light from inside the cabin. There was much merriment upon the ship that night, but the man walking along the starboard deck had forgotten why. In a broken melody he sang a nearly forgotten song.

            "Yo ho... Yo ho.. A pirate's life for..."

            "Commodore?"

            The shadow turned sharply, quickly tucking a piece of parchment into his coat pocket. His abrupt movement startled the young lieutenant. "Commodore, we should be catching up with the Pearl soon."

            "Thank you lieutenant. As you were. And..." The Commodore cleared his throat.

            "I didn't hear anything, sir"

            "Thank you, Lieutenant. Carry on then."

            The figure hurried away, leaving Commodore Norrington alone with the sea- his sea. It had been his since the first time he set eyes upon it, and no vagabond *pirate* was going to ruin her with plunder and pillaging. He tightened a knot on one of the ship's ties- just to be sure. One never be too careful. After all, it was his attention to detail that helped him rise through the ranks.

            The sky above him gave an ominous roll, rousing some of the invisible men whose duties brought them out on this night. Norrington could hear their yawns as the darkness marched ever closer to morning.

            Another peal of thunder rolled across the sky, this one much closer than before. A second later lightning split open the sky, illuminating the vast expanse of water. The sound of a third thunderclap rang out, and with the sound came the rain, blurring sea and sky. Norrington made no move out of the rain, though over the sound he could hear the sound of sailors coming to life, getting ready to protect the boat when the winds would arrive.

            The coming of a storm had always fascinated Norrington, and on more than one occasion nearly caused his death. The sea roared in response to the wind, and overhead lightning danced across the sky. The ship began to rock more violently, and the warm light from inside the cabin went out. Now only the lanterns and lightning illuminated Norrington's view. Another crash- this one not from the sky but from the ship - the cabin.

            Norrington walked with unsteady strides as the boat rocked from to and fro. He heard a scream, and another crash. He hurried faster but seemed no nearer the cabin door. A hand grabbed his shoulder and stopped him from moving any closer, but the words that formed in his mouth to reprimand the sailor turned to a scream when a flash of lightning illuminated the specter that held him in its grasp. It was one of the cursed pirates from the Black Pearl! The skeleton grinned, and threw him over the side of the ship. He was falling, falling forever towards the sea just as he had forever hurried toward the cabin. Suddenly, a voice rang out over the crashing of the sea and sky.

            "Commodore?"

            Needless to say, he found it awfully odd to hear the voice of his butler on the open sea whist falling to certain death.

            "Commodore, you must wake up."

            With a jolt Norrington sat up- back at home- in his bed in Port Royal. He slowly processed these facts as the fog of dreams lifted off his mind. He was at home- on the ground. Oblivious as always was his servant, Charles. With an air of officiousness far above his station he commanded the Commodore to get ready.

            "You have quite the day ahead of you sir, you must rise and shine! Today you will be having breakfast with the daughter of Mister Wellington- the chief banker of our little town. Quite lovely, if you look past the moles of course. And then there is the matter of tea with Miss Gladys..."

            Charles continued to lecture upon the specifics of Norrington's day, but the Commodore was still a thousand miles away on the sea that was to him both his destruction and saving grace.

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            "Listen mate, it isn't wise to go up against her. Trust me, I've lost many a precious item to that which you call "little girl" over there. Now just pack up your bag and move along- savvy?"

            The poor chap whom Captain Jack Sparrow was trying to save from certain doom would hear none of it. After all, this was Tortuga, and a stout drink or four can make any man bold in this town.

            With a shake of his beaded hair the Captain stepped back. "Wish I could wish you good luck, but favor would seem to lie with our lady over there."

            As the man was leaving, he turned to look back at the eccentric captain.

            "And why is that Mister Sparrow?"

            Jack raised his glass in salute. "Absolute, unbridled rage- you know- at bloody gits and the like... And... Anything else that gets in her way. Especially me, of course." Gold and ivory flashed a knowing grin in the dim light of the tavern.  The man shook his head and advanced towards the woman sitting at the table.

            "Miss, I do believe that you will be coming home with me tonight."

            The woman did not raise her eyes from her glass, but instead picked it up and took a long drink. She sat it down after much deliberation and looked at the man with an air of indifference.

            "And why is that?"

            The man cracked his knuckles. "Because I say so."

            "And your name is?"

            "Davenport."

            She took another drink and sat the glass back on the table.  "Ah, Davenport. I see. Don't you want to know my name?" She reached for her glass again, but before she could raise it to her lips the man knocked it from her hands.

            He was out cold before her glass hit the floor.

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            Of all the duties of an officer, Norrington thought, surely teatime was the worst. The young lady who sat across from him daintily broke apart her biscuit and spoke with a shrill voice that showed only the best of breeding.

            It was a pity that she had nothing of value to say.

            "And so you are a Commodore? How exciting!"

            Norrington shifted in his seat. It was only the third time she had voiced that statement.

            "Yes. Quite. Do you like the sea, Ms. Gladys?"

            "Oh no, not at all, I get seasick just looking at it." Truly, he thought, the irony is lost on her. "No, my first love is needlepoint. Have you ever tried to sew? I suppose not. The best thing about it is..."

            Norrington imagined this young woman in twenty years, surrounded by her homemade quilts and tea cozies stacked to the ceiling, with a husband buried in his chair under piles of embroidered handkerchiefs. Was she still talking? He nodded his head in agreement, though oblivious to what she was actually saying. Her hair fell in fine curls around her face in a color quite similar to Elizabeth's. He shook his head. There was no need to travel down that road again.

            "Oh, you don't like the French cross stitch? I find it difficult, but very rewarding if you can master it. Perhaps you like the Bavarian double back..."

            Was she still talking about needlepoint, of all things? Norrington tried to imagine her facing an entire crew of undead seamen. Somehow, he though wryly, he doubted the ability of her stitching skills to save Port Royal.

            But Elizabeth had saved Port Royal. Saved countless innocent lives, and the life of that scum, *Captain* Jack Sparrow.

            "Really Commodore, I've never known someone to get so angry about the Swedish quadruple-knotted front stitch!"

            Norrington realized that he had been grimacing, and sighed. "Truly, Miss Gladys, I can think of nothing I dislike more in my life!"

            She smiled, and Norrington was internally incredulous. Was this woman daft?

            "A true Spanish half-turn roundabout stitch to the end, aren't you?"

            Norrington sighed. "Indeed."

            "More tea then, Commodore?"

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            "Listen love-"

            The sound of muffled voices and breaking glass warned the crew to stay out of the captain's quarters. A typhoon of epic proportions was brewing inside the cabin of the Black Pearl, though the sky outside was a blissful blue.

            "Now love, I just think it would be nice to visit 'ol Will, see how he is doing..."

            "No!"

            Another crash could be heard. Naturally, the entire crew was just outside the door listening to the best entertainment this side of Tortuga.

            "But it's safe now!" With animated movements the Captain illustrated his explanations. "Now love, we just sail on down to here, make a quick skip jump down here, and by the time you know it a great big Port Royal get together is underway with your very own Captain Jack Sparrow as master of ceremonies."

            The crew outside winced in expectation of another crash, but heard nothing. Inside the eye of the storm Jack braced himself for the worst, but relaxed slightly when he saw Anamaria set down the telescope. He loved that telescope- took it from the Governor himself.

            "It is a bad idea."

            "That's the only kind of idea worth doing, love!"

            "You are a bad idea." She crossed her arms and glared at him.

            Ah yes, Jack thought, she's pouting now. That means I've won this one. He laughed internally. Two million Anamaria, Captain Jack, one. He took a step closer with a flash of gold.

            "The only kind you like, love." He paused for a moment, and turned to the door.

            "Back to work, you salty dogs!"

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            A smile greeted Norrington at the door of the Turner household.

            "Commodore!"

            "Good day Mrs. Turner, Mr. Turner." After a warm hug and a heartfelt handshake, the trio stepped inside to dinner.

            "I apologize for my tardy arrival, I was... detained by my previous appointment. Never have I learned more about needle point than from that illuminating young lady!"

            "So, in other words, she was a complete clod."

            Norrington smiled inwardly. Leave it to Elizabeth to put it so succinctly. "Ah well, yes actually."

            Elizabeth laughed, and both men secretly cherished the sound. "Do not lose hope, Commodore. Come now, dinner shall be ready soon. I will go and check on its progress."

            As Elizabeth walked towards the kitchen the muffled voices of the two men grew more distant. The lack of animosity between the two men was a great relief to her, and to her surprise, a friendship formed where rivalry once had been. William had been commissioned to make swords for all of the officers in Port Royal, and in short, life was wonderful. She reached for the kitchen door, but was grabbed roughly from behind. A hand muffled her scream and prevented her struggling.

            "Come now, bird. Don't you remember Captain Jack?"

            Elizabeth immediately ceased to struggle and instead let out an exasperated sigh.

            "Mwhac!"

            Jack cocked his head to the side. "What was that, love?"

            Elizabeth pushed his hand off her mouth. "Jack! What are you doing here?"

            Jack stepped back and made a formal bow. "Now love, is that anyway to treat Captain Jack Sparrow of the infamous Black Pearl?"

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            "Your next order will be finished any day now."

            "Excellent, Turner, Excellent. I truly must commend you on your fine work-"

            The sound of glass breaking halted Norrington mid-sentence. Both men rose from the table and drew their swords.

            The two men looked at one another. The Commodore nodded.

            "Find her."

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            William tore through the halls of his house, calling out to Elizabeth. He could see that the kitchen at the end of the hallway was dark. He gripped his sword tightly and broke into a run, but was tripped halfway down the hallway. He looked up to see figure of Captain Jack Sparrow towering over him with his extravagant grin.

            "Jack?!"

            "Captain Jack! Captain.  Jack. Why does no one remember?" Jack's rumination on the topic gave William the opportunity to sweep his legs out from under him.

            "Where is Elizabeth?" Will grabbed his sword from where it had fallen and pointed it at Sparrow's throat. Under the weight of William's foot the Captain raised his hands in surrender.

            "Now listen mate, Elizabeth is just fine, just fine. He turned his head to the side ever so slightly, as not to upset the blade that rested there. "Elizabeth? Come now, bird."

            As soon as William saw her he dropped his sword and rushed to her. While he made sure she was all right, Sparrow rose to his feet and adjusted his various trinkets.

            "Now now, Turner, it's all right now. No worries. Just a bit of fun, to remember the old times. Savvy?"

            "Those old times are barely a year old. Savvy."

            Elizabeth put a hand on her husband's arm. "Come now Will. It's alright."

            "Yes yes, quite right." Jack shook his head, beaded locks dancing in approval. "But... there is the matter of your illustrious guest."

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            The Commodore was methodically searching the hallways of the house, moving from room to room in the efficient manner of well-trained soldier. The sound of feet in the adjoining room caused him to turn his head sharply.

            This was it, he thought. He steeled himself and reached from the door handle, but a well-placed dagger halted further advancement. Turning his head to look at the dagger beside him he made a non-committal sound.

            "Is that all then?"

            In lilting tones a feminine voice answered.

            "Not exactly."

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            Elizabeth and William exchanged a worried look.

            "The Commodore!"

            With Will once again glaring at an oblivious Jack, Elizabeth attempted to hurry back to the dining room to check on Norrington, but her husband stopped her from slipping away.

            "You stay here. And you" He grabbed Sparrow by the arm. "You are going to hide- and- not touch my wife"

            Jack saluted the young man. "Will do, sir. Will do."

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            With a mock flourish, Norrington bowed to his opponent, though his eyes never left her weapons. "My lady, your hanging awaits."

            "Enough talk."

            The Commodore grinned in spite of himself. Internally he wondered if his mundane life had given him a death wish.

            "Very well then. Shall we dance?"

            No more words were spoken as the fight ensued. Sword for sword it seemed an even match until the door burst open.

            "Commodore! Stop!"

            Norrington turned to the source of the voice- Elizabeth. "What? There are pir-"

            Before he could finish his sentence, a blow struck him across the back of the head.

            Elizabeth rushed to the crumpled form of the Commodore. She looked up to the guileless face of the fearsome she- pirate.

            "Anamaria!"

            She shrugged.

            "Pirate."

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            "Commodore, please wake up."

            Norrington opened his eyes to see the concerned face of Elizabeth looking down on him. She pressed a cool hand to his forehead and murmured comforting phrases. He closed his eyes for a moment and stifled a sigh, secretly wishing things could have turned out differently. 

            "Elizabeth..."

            "You need to rest now, Commodore."

           Why did she always call him Commodore? He had a name, he was a person- not just some title. How ironic, he thought, that everything I've worked so hard for is always standing in my way.

            "Duty calls, Elizabeth. Duty calls."

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            "Sound the alarm! Pirates are back in Port Royal!"

            Countless soldiers poured into the streets of the town, but they found no trace of the pirate that the Commodore claimed had attacked him.

            Norrington stood with his advisors in the strategic room. "Search the coast for their ship. One of them accosted me in the house of the Turners. They will be in hiding now." He paused for a moment. "And... post a guard at each exit of the Turner household. They may be trying to get in contact with them."

            The soldier closest to Norrington nodded and left the room.

            "That will be all, gentlemen."

            With that comment the other officers left the room. Left alone, the Commodore sat down and rested his head in his hands.

            "Sparrow."

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            "Sparrow!" The son of the late Bill Turner strode into the room.

            "Ah... Yes?" The Captain hastily shoved his latest bounty into his pocket. Sometimes, even a lowly pickpocket could yield great results, especially if aimed at a certain wealthy Commodore. Jack grinned in spite of himself.

            "You're not just here to visit, are you?"

            Jack leaned back in his chair. "Always the suspicious one, aren't you Turner? What makes you think I am here to visit you? Perhaps I am here to ask the fair Elizabeth on another island vacation." Grinning his literally golden smile, he leaned even further back in his chair, tilting it on two legs.

            "And perhaps, you wish to be turned over to the authorities, whom are at this very moment looking for you." William yearned to give Jack's chair the little push it needed to topple over.

            "Yes, yes, Turner, I can see it now." With great sweeping motions the pirate acted out his words. "Fugitive pirate Captain (must remember that) fearing for his life, is at mercy of the great non-pirate son of a pirate." At William's glare the Captain inwardly laughed at how easy it was to push Turner's buttons- just like his father, he noted with an unaccustomed sadness. The pirate stood and put an arm around the younger man's shoulders.

            "Let's just say I got a bit nostalgic for that judgmental glare, Turner." William was silent for several moments, and Jack's thoughts returned once again to his latest plunder. He moved to reach into his pocket when William's voice stopped him.

            "Jack."

            "Yes?"

            "Tell me about my father."

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            Shedding his heavily gilded jacket and his wig, the Commodore breathed a sigh of relief. The timepiece told him it was nearly nine o'clock, but slumber was far from his mind. Donning a simple brown jacket and breeches, he quietly stole along the streets of the port town with one goal in mind -to catch the Sparrow- and ensure he would never fly again.

            As he neared the Turner house he felt a twinge of jealously at the warm light emanating from within. His house, much larger than their simple dwelling, had never glowed as their home did.

He knew that the pirate and his crew were in this house. His men had scoured the cove, but found nothing- he knew his best chance at catching the fiend was by going it alone, without bumbling officers to slow him down.

            He didn't see the soldiers he had stationed to be outside their house, but he wasn't surprised. If the rest of the crew were as vicious as that woman, he thought, there was no way even the King's finest could stand up to them.

            The sounds of laughter filtered through the air, and for a moment Norrington stopped as a wave of sadness washed over him. Inwardly he scolded himself. They are happy- Elizabeth is happy, and that is all that matters. He shook his head to banish the unwelcome thoughts.

            "But are you happy?"

            He looked around for the source of the voice- it sounded familiar- the she-pirate! He drew his sword. "Show yourself now or face a hanging!"

            The voice laughed. "If I am not mistaken Commodore, your last attempt at catching me did not fare too well, did it?"

            Norrington's face fell. He was as well as unmasked, as good as unarmed with no way of knowing where the voice originated. He decided to try another tactic.

            "How did you know what I was thinking?"        

            "Your face is as open as the sky, Commodore. At least when you think no one is looking… Now if you would be so kind." The voice emerged from the darkness, holding a length of rope.

            "I am afraid I cannot, my lady."

            The woman laughed again, and Norrington wondered if perhaps all women were mad. He raised his sword in salute.

            "Shall we dance?"

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            Those inside the happy house were oblivious to the tense standoff just outside the window. Jack was relating the crew's various exploits in the year since his triumphant return to the Black Pearl.

            Standing on the Turner's dining room table Jack Sparrow held the attention of the entire room. He paused for dramatic effect. "And that, ladies and land lovers, is how I almost lost the ship in a game of checkers." The Captain took a bow, and his audience burst into applause.

            William Turner leaned back in his seat and grinned, one arm wrapped around the wife he adored more than anything else in the world. In the morning Jack and the crew would leave, but tonight was for stories and remembrance of times past.

            "And then! Let me tell you the story of the would-be suitor of Miss Anamaria..."

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            If there was one thing the Commodore knew, it was when he was losing the fight. This was one of those times.

            "Miss, is it necessary to use three lengths of rope to tie me to the mast?"

            Anamaria looked at the Commodore with mock sincerity. "Only the best for our Commodore" She pulled the cinch tighter and Norrington grunted in response.

            "A bit tight there."

            "Just think of this as the day you almost beat Anamaria the-"

            "Do they teach you these phrases in some Pirate Academy?" The Commodore glared at her, but his subsequent remark was cut short by another cinch of the rope.

            "Yes, you will make a fine present for our Captain."

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            "'Appy Birthday, to... you!" The entire household rang with the song as Elizabeth placed an enormous cake in from of the pirate Captain. He raised a hand to silence the room, and in a dramatic voice, thanked the crowd for their brilliant melodious performance.

            "But perhaps now it is time to have our cake, and eat it too."

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            "Shouldn't you go back to your pirate king?" Norrington had decided that since threats had no effect on the banshee, a retreat to snide remarks was the best course of action.

            Anamaria was obvious to his acerbic barbs. "Someone has to watch the birthday present." She paused with a slow grin. "Wouldn't want... pirates to get their hands on it."

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            Morning came far too soon and brought with it final farewells.

            "Leave it to Jack Sparrow to wait until broad daylight!" William Turner laughed and slapped the Captain on the back. Elizabeth smiled and pulled Sparrow into an embrace.

            "It was sweet of you to check up on him."

            Jack's eyes widened in disbelief. "My dear lady, I did nothing of the sort. I was simply-" His sentence was cut short when she kissed him on the cheek.

            "Thank you very much, all the same." She smiled at the garishly adorned pirate.

            Sweeping his hat off his head, he bowed.

            "Think nothing of it, bird."

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            Day broke over the sleepy port town, though the two inhabitants of the Black Pearl had yet to meet the blanket of slumber.

            "Shall we be expecting the infamous Captain soon, or will you further entertain me with your illuminating conversation?" The girl sat up from where she had attempted to catch up on her sleep moments before. Ah yes, Norrington thought, I've got her now.

            "Do you ever shut up?"

            "I suppose that a state of mast-tied captivity is conducive to an over abundance of conversation in a prisoner in an attempt to wear down captors to a state of impassive listlessness thus allowing said captive to escape."

            Norrington saw her confused look slip past her facade for only a moment before it was replaced with her customary look. "Then I just knock you out."

            "Quite, straightforward, aren't we?" She reached for the tattered boot she had been using for a pillow, and advanced towards the now helpless Commodore with a gleam in her eye.

            "Now I will finally get some sleep-"

            "Anamaria!"      Norrington's eyes narrowed when he heard the voice.

            "Anamaria, what is this wonderful present the men have been telling me about?"

            At the sound of her name Norrington saw another emotion slip past her facade, but it was quickly smothered by an impish grin. With a flourish and a bow, Anamaria turned to the Captain.

"Captain Jack Sparrow, may I present Commodore Norrington, who agreed to accompany us on our voyage to the Isla del Fantasmas."

            Norrington spoke coolly. "I don't know what you are talking about."

            Jack turned to face Norrington. "So, my dear Commodore, do not know what this is?" He pulled a tattered piece of parchment from his garments. Norrington's eyes flashed at the sight of the familiar paper before he could stop himself. Jack smiled a slow grin. "There there now, Commodore, it happens to the best of us."

            "Why do you need me? Take the blasted map and leave me on shore!" Norrington struggled against the binding ropes to no avail.

             "Oh a map, is it? Here now, you're helping us already."  Jack smiled at the look of defeat on Norrington's face-- this was much easier than he thought.

            "You still haven't answered me Sparrow! Why do you need me?"

The Captain mock-bowed to the Commodore and turned to leave, but called out over his shoulder in response to his prisoner's query. "Listen Norrington- some islands, you search for- and some islands, find you."

As Jack walked away the Commodore could barely hear his final words.  "Its been waiting, Norrington, your entire life."

            But in the ever-increasing distance, Jack could not hear his grumbled reply.

            "It's Commodore Norrington."

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            "Missus Turner, I presume?"

             "Why, yes. Is there something wrong?" The sight of the youthful soldier standing at her front door troubled Elizabeth. Her thoughts immediately went to Will, and then the Commodore. Both husband and wife had sadly noted Norrington's absence at their house in the weeks since the pirate's visit.

            "No… Is Mister Turner in residence?" Elizabeth noted the soldier hand tighten the grip on his musket.

            "Yes… Shall I go fetch him?"

            The young soldier nodded. "Y- yes… yes, please."

            Elizabeth murmured a nonsensical parting word and promised to be back in a minute. After she closed the door she finally released the breath she had been holding during conversation with the soldier. Will, in trouble again? She ran through the house to the garden, where her husband was installing a new iron gate.

            William Turner smiled as he saw his wife open the back door to their house, but his grin turned to a look of worried apprehension when he saw her face. "Elizabeth darling, what is the matter?"

            "Will, you must get away, a soldier is at the front door!" Elizabeth turned sharply when she heard the soldier knocking loudly on their front door.

            "Darling, I am sure nothing is wrong. Come now, lets see what the problem is." He took his wife by the hand.

But he did not set down his hammer.

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            "We have been at sea for nearly four weeks, is it really necessary to continue to tie me to the mast? It's not as if I can run away." Four weeks of blazing sun and rain with few breaks had left the once-pallid Commodore less than civil, and more than a little sunburned.

            "Any day now, mate! Any day now!" The pirate captain laughed, swept off his hat and plunked it down on the Norrington's head. "There, that suits you much better than ruffles and gold trim. Doesn't that look suit him, Anamaria?"

            Out of the corner of his eye Norrington could barely see the she-pirate, busy with a length of rope. Women and their string, he mused to himself, once again imaging the fragile Miss Gladys on the open sea. Another version of needle and thread, he thought ruefully to himself. He smiled to think of the fearsome pirate daintily counting rows of Bavarian half twist-its or whatever they were.

            "Looks to me like a tomato, no matter how you dress him up." The Commodore's smile quickly dropped off his face, which turned an even darker shade of red.

            Jack grinned, teeth glinting in the mid-day sun. "True as always, bird."

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"Is there a problem, officer?" Will Turner stood at his front door, one of his arms concealed from view. Elizabeth's composure was steady, but inside she was in turmoil. She knew the soldier's presence had something to do with the Commodore- she hoped that the officer's bumbling investigation would not implicate her husband.

            The soldier cleared his throat. "We… are investigating the disappearance of one Commodore Norrington. P- perhaps you have heard of him?" Elizabeth stifled the urge to roll her eyes. William Turner was in a similar state of unrest, but answered in an even voice.

"Yes, of course. He has not happened by our residence in several weeks, and we are worried about him."

            The soldier shifted from one foot to another. William's brow creased in apprehension. He's really not more than a boy, he thought. An arrest is too big a task for him. "Sir. w- would you please accompany me, we would like to ask you some questions about Commodore Norrington's disappearance."

            William knew a trap when he saw one. "I'm afraid not, young man."

            The soldier's eyes widened in shock. "I… must remind you, th- that if you resist arrest-"

            "Arrest? Who said anything about arrest?" Elizabeth was nearly beside herself with anger. To think of these men implicating her husband, the same man who saved Port Royal no less than one year ago!

            "I do apologize, but I cannot accompany you." Elizabeth's distraction had given William the time to think of an escape. He heard the echo of Jack's voice in his head. The opportune moment, he thought, would be now.

            The peaceful air was shattered by a woman's scream and the sound of breaking glass. Yet not even that cacophony could match the wail of a young red-coated soldier running down the street as fast as the wind.

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"You're free, Commodore!"

            "I do not consider trading rope chains for metal an improvement." Norrington frowned as he shook the metal bindings that held his wrists. The pirate captain threw one arm around the Commodore and guided him down the gangplank.

            "Looksee, Norrington-" The Commodore glared at the obvious omission of title. "Its pirate code- we have to stop in Tortuga on our way back out to the sea. Pirate code- unbreakable- savvy?"

            A man Norrington did not recognize turned to Jack with a confused frown. "I thought you said they were guidelines?" The Captain was not deterred this reminder of previous comments.

            "You are right, they are bendable, except in cases in which they are unbreakable, as so the case would seem now.  Onward!" Norrington stumbled as Sparrow slapped him hard on the back and pulled him ever closer to the unruly fires of Tortuga.

****************************************************************************************************

            "William, they'll find you!" Though Elizabeth tried to keep her composure, a note of panic still slipped into her voice. The broken glass had scared off the young soldier, but they both know it would not deter a larger number of his brethren.

 This panicked tone was not lost on her husband.  He took his wife by the hand. "Elizabeth…I have to go…" She looked up at her husband and raised a hand to his face.

            "I know," she whispered. "Just… don't get mixed up with any pirates- we don't already know."

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington awoke to the harsh sting of intermittent sunlight upon his already singed features. He closed his already lidded eyes further shut, feeling rough plank wood under his cheek. The sound of men at work and the crashing sea reached his senses at a snail's pace. Why was he on the deck floor?

Deciding that thinking was too much of a taxing endeavor at such early an hour, the Commodore instead tried to sit up, but felt the ship below him nearly turn over. He gave a startled yelp and held onto the flooring for dear life.

"Dearest Norrington, what is the matter?"

Norrington opened his eyes a fraction of an inch to see the gaudy pirate standing over him, grinning madly. "You fool! The boat nearly capsized!" Norrington winced at the pirate's bark of laughter.

The Captain patted the poor commodore on the back in a motherly gesture. "Dearest Norrington… do you happen to know the date?"

"Of course not you idiot, we've been at sea for weeks!"

            Jack smiled- this poor fellow was easier to provoke than even the Turner boy. "Now, now, please pay attention to the Captain. Where are we?"

            "You imbecile, if you're the Captain-" Norrington cut his remark short when he felt cold metal against his neck. He could hear Jack's voice barely inches from his face.

            "I can only stand so much insulation in front of my crew-" he increased the pressure on the blade- "You understand." Norrington visibly relaxed when he felt the metal removed from his neck. "Now Commodore, please answer the question." 

With a defeated sigh he answered. "We are currently en route to the depraved pirate town of Tortuga." Hearing the crew's laughter the Commodore became confused. Surely, he thought, never had a crew found more humor in simple directions than this daft lot.

****************************************************************************************************

The escape of William Turner caused uproar in the once sleepy port town. Soldiers searched the Turner house from top to bottom, destroying whole rooms in search for the presumed murderer of Commodore Norrington. Rumors claimed that the wife of the alleged gave no statement to the officers despite several interrogations.

The whole town mourned for the loss of their town's savior.

And they cursed the name of the Commodore that had been stupid enough to stand in his way.

****************************************************************************************************

            As the sun set in the sky Norrington finally felt reasonable enough to attempt sitting up. He had not been put back in his rope prison, so over all, he thought dryly, the deck floor was a vast improvement over the mast. The air was quite cold, he noted. Looking down he made a mental note of the loss of his jacket- and with mild alarm he realized he had lost his shirt as well. 

            "Missing your jacket and shirt are you?" The all-too familiar voice of the Captain narrowed Norrington's eyes in disgust.

            "I would appreciate a new shirt, if at all possible… Captain." The extra emphasis on the last word caused Jack to grin.

            "Well, Norrington, if life was up to me- you'd have your shirt and coat. But, seeing as your coat was so finely tailored, we had to trade it for…" He paused off and tapped one of his golden teeth. 

            Norrington laughed without humor. "What, another golden tooth for the famous Captain? Surely you could have paid for that yourself… Why are you laughing?"

            "Dearest Commodore, seeing as it was you who started (and dare I say quite finished) the fight, we felt it was only fair you pay for your own-"

            "I don't know what you are bloody talking about," Norrington snapped. 

            Jack turned and stared at the Commodore. Clearly, he couldn't take a hint. "You don't remember Tortuga at all?"

            "We haven't even been there yet."

            "So no tavern, no-"

            The Commodore stood and faced the Captain. Raising himself up to his full height (albeit rather shakily) he spoke with a disinterested tone "The last place once could ever find me is a tavern, Captain- I haven't had a drink since before even my Academy days."

            "And why is that?"

            "It disagrees with my constitution."

            Jack looked over his shoulder to a shadow now concealed by the advancing night. "Better not tell him about the earring then."

            The voice replied. "Or how he lost his shirt."

            Later, the crew would claim the Commodore's howl could be heard even at the bottom of the sea.

****************************************************************************************************

            William sighed with weariness far past his age. He knew that to keep Elizabeth safe, he needed to be as far away from Port Royal as possible. Gloomy thoughts filled his head as he walked unnoticed by the nighttime residents of the town. The sky above him gave an ominous roll, and for once he thanked the rain for hiding the storm in his eyes.

            If only I could get some rest, William thought, then I could keep moving. He trudged on through the soggy night, but the sight of a parked cart was too much to resist. Promising to rise before the driver returned, he settled in among the straw and was instantly asleep. And though his final waking thoughts were of his isolation, in his slumber he did not realize that in the cart that night he had company.  

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington, now mostly free of his hangover, was positive that it was no longer his mind that was swaying to and fro – it was the ship. If it was cold a few hours ago, it was positively frigid now, cold wind whipping the sails and cutting through even the thick blanket he had swiped from the Captain himself. Peering out from his alcove just below deck he saw men running to and fro, fastening the ship in preparation for the storm. Directing him was no other than Jack himself, wind whipping his hair and threatening to blow his treasured hat off his head at any moment. Norrington smiled spitefully at the thought- it would serve him right, after all.

            Another sway made Norrington think back to nights quite similar to this one, back on his own ship, back among his own comrades. He wasn't worried about the Pearl – they were pirates, but, he admitted grudgingly, they could sail as well as the King's Navy. The sound of falling rain was about to lull him back to sleep when a hand shook him awake.

            He could see the she-pirate silhouetted in the dark of his sleeping quarter. Her voice was barely audible above the sounds of the deck. "Do you think you are still a sailor?"

            He stood and faced the offending visitor. "Until the day I die."

            "Then follow me."

****************************************************************************************************

            "So should we kill 'e m?"

            "No! 'E lifted the curse, after all! Lets just rob him and leave him penniless on the roadside."

            "Okay."

            William lay perfectly still as not to alert the two gentlemen who kept him company that fateful morning.

            "So maybe we should-" Ragetti's remark was cut short by the quick motions of the man he thought to be in slumber. Being held at sword point by the son of Bill Turner was not what he wanted to do with his newfound freedom.

            "Perhaps you should not do anything."

            Both of William's visitors thought it was a great idea.

****************************************************************************************************

Norrington followed his herald onto the deck, already drenched though under the sky for mere seconds.

            "Help me with this tie! I cannot hold it by myself in this weather." The boat lurched under the command of the waves, and Norrington stumbled to keep his balance. With rain-blurred vision he tried his best to help the woman secure and tie the rope. They moved with as much efficiency as possible from tie to tie, Norrington stumbling often when the boat bucked the waves. Many other crewmembers were having the same problem as him, often sliding from one side of the deck to the other, barely missing going over. This was quite a storm, he thought to himself. Haven't seen something like this in years, except- he thought with dread- except in his dream.

            "Pay attention!" Anamaria's voice brought him back to his rain drenched reality. He focused his concentration on the task at hand, holding on to the tie while Anamaria made the intricate knots. A flash of lighting illuminated the sea and a wave that was soon to reach the Pearl. Norrington gasped- it was sure to throw them and anyone else on deck overboard. 

           "Woman! Secure yourself!" Norrington tried to warn the she-pirate but his voice was unheeded while she concentrated. Another flash illuminated the wave coming closer.

            "Secure yourself men! Another wa-" Norrington tried to warn the other crewmembers, but by the time he started to shout the wave had reached the boat and began to pull the boat to an unnatural angle. Norrington wrapped his hand securely around the rope closest to him seconds before his feet gave out from under him.

            He felt as if the wave had somehow slowed down, taking an eternity to pass by the boat.  A flash of lightning illuminated the other crewmembers holding on for dear life on deck- another flash, and he saw Anamaria fall and slide toward the railing of the ship.

            She had tried to kill him, he thought.      But no one deserves to die this way.

            He let go of the rope.

****************************************************************************************************

            "You're supposed to be dead, you know."

            William Turner was already having a bad morning – he didn't need a mystery added to the mix. His captives shrugged.

 "Well, we got away."

            Ragetti nodded. "Yeah, it was easy really, all we had to do was—"

Will saw the older pirate throw an angry look towards the guileless Ragetti. "Shut up! Don't tell him!"

William smiled a grim smile. If he had to be here, he might as well make it interesting. "No no, please tell me how you escaped the King's Naval Guard." When neither pirate answered he pressed the sword a little closer.

"I would very much like to know."

Pintel sighed in defeat. "Tell 'em"

            "Well, we still  'ad those ladies dresses…"

            Well, Will thought while listening to their explanation, at least I'm better off than these two.

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington slid down the deck after the she-pirate, oddly realizing that he could see all his actions in perfect clarity. Below him he could see Anamaria illuminated by lighting, barely catching a rope tie before falling overboard. His larger size, however, caused him to slide much faster than she had and he barely had time to react before he started to fall over the railing. The sea was dark and violent below him, his fingers barely catching the railing as he clung to the outside of the ship. He felt paralyzed, unable to keep himself from falling.

            Until a hand caught him.

****************************************************************************************************

"So what exactly are you planning to do with us, Mister Turner?"

            Well, Will thought amusedly, mortal fear brings out the manners in these two. He cleared his throat and stood up.

            "Oh, I don't know. How about rob you and leave you penniless by the roadside?"

            Ragetti looked up in horror, and Pintel's face held a similar state of shock. William laughed internally. For fearsome pirates they scared quite easily. "Please Mister Turner, we 'avent got any money! Poor Ragetti still has that wooden eye-"

            At this comment the younger pirate hastily removed his wooden eyeball for William's examination. William pushed the offered eyeball away.

            "No no, that's quite alright, I'm sure it is a terrible ordeal. But really, I do have to be going-"

            The sharp point of a bayonet in his back halted him mid-sentence.

            "Sorry gents, but he's quite right. Now if you would be so kind Mister Turner, please come with me. You are now under custody of the Royal Navy, and charged with the murder of Commodore Norrington." 

            The two pirates looked at each other, surprised to be forgotten in the midst of the red-coated soldier. Perhaps it was time to repay Will for his help to them. Ragetti looked down at the wooden ball in his hand. Well, he thought, it wasn't working to help him see.

            Perhaps it could help Will get away.

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington looked up to see Anamaria holding onto his wrist. He was momentarily amazed by the brave creature, but a sharp thunderclap brought him back to reality.

            "Let go you blasted fool! We'll both go over if you don't hold on to the ropes!"

            Anamaria shook her head in defiance. "We need you for the treasure! Now hold on!"

            Norrington was able to climb back over the railing with Anamaria's help, and they both scrambled toward a secure holding near the center of the ship. They had managed to beat they wave.

            But they had forgotten about the wind. Both Norrington and Anamaria fell again as a strong gust tore across the ship. This time there was no chance to catch a hold, and they fell freely towards the angry sea.

            The water was freezing cold, and Norrington fought to stay above the raging waves. He could barely make out Anamaria's struggling form beside him, going under the water much more than she was above it.

            "Norrington! I--" Her remark was silenced when she fell underwater for what seemed like the thousandth time. He reached out and brought her back to the surface, nearly pulling himself under in the process. Her voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of the cacophony in the sky. "Norrington! I can't swim!"

            "What?! A bloody pirate who can't even--" Norrington trailed off, incredulous at the idea of a pirate who couldn't swim. Anamaria began to slip under the surface again, and Norrington pulled her up into awkward embrace in an attempt to keep her from going under again.

            "You don't suppose you could learn now, could you? Ow!" A sharp elbow in the ribs caused Norrington to cut his statement short. Truly, he thought as the darkness around them increased, the irony is lost on her.

****************************************************************************************************

Officer Burroughs was sure to receive a promotion for this capture. Single-handedly, while on his daily walk to the market to get breakfast for the Captains, he had apprehended the murderer of Commodore Norrington. He didn't know who the two seedy looking fellows with Tuner were, but they really didn't matter. Besides, the fellow missing an eye scared him.

            Turner had put up surprisingly little fight, he thought. He bound the fugitive's wrists and turned to lead him back to the street. Beside him the fugitive made no comment, looking defeated. He turned his head to look back at Turner's accomplices, but they had disappeared. Just as well, Mitchell thought, I couldn't have handled all three men all at once. Plus, the fellow missing an eye scared him. He nodded to himself.

            William turner stared at the ground, furtively trying to think of a method of escape. Bound wrists and a bayonet in his back did little to help the situation. The familiar cobblestones of his town suddenly appeared foreboding as they neared the officer's station. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he tried to return to devising an escape plan. As his thoughts raced his mind picked up on the familiar cracks and lines in the street ahead of their path. He had seen many things in the streets of Port Royal, but a single wooden eye, bouncing down the stones of the street, was not one of them.

            Officer Mitchell, however, paid no heed to his feet, mindlessly following his routine and dreaming of his promotion. He strode more confidently with the station in sight. He cast a disdainful eye to his surroundings, basking in the thought of never having to patrol them again. He was sure to be promoted- to Captain, Commodore even! He felt his foot hit a large pebble of some sort, but he paid it no attention.

            Until it knocked him flat on his back.

William took this opportunity to run down the nearest alleyway but was quickly grabbed and pulled into a doorway.

"There, Mister Turner you 'elp us, we 'elp you!" Pintel grinned a grimy smile. Ragetti smiled sheepishly, his now empty eye cavity concealed by a rag wrapped around his head.

"I always was good a' marbles."

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington woke up- and that thought alone startled him. He senses came back one by one, slow as usual. Under his back he felt beach sand hot in the rising sun. He cracked his eyes to see the clear sky- no trace of the storm that had nearly killed him the night before. Somehow he had washed up on this beach, but what of his captors? He cursed himself mentally for worrying about the bloody pirates who had kidnapped him, humiliated him, and caused him to end up this isolated stretch of sand. He sighed. It felt as if there was a weight on his chest- and when he looked down- there was. It was the she-pirate, still holding onto him for dear life though fast asleep. His kept his voice quiet, as not to startle her.

            "You can let go now." 

****************************************************************************************************

            William looked at the two pirates, still not believing that it was they that had came to his rescue.

            "How- why- what were you doing?"

            Pintel smiled. "We was rescuing you, Mister Turner! Only fair, after all." Ragetti nodded.

            "Yes, quite fair!" Ragetti paused for a moment, and then looked at William with expectation in his eyes. "So, what do we do now?"

           William looked at both men, ragged from months of running. He supposed he didn't look much better himself. And now, he thought, he was in their debt, as they were in his.

            "I suppose the best thing to do is find the Commodore."

****************************************************************************************************

Norrington sat down on the sand, exhausted though it was barely four hours from whence he woke. He and Anamaria had canvassed the beach for seven hundred paces in both directions and built a prodigious signal fire to help the Pearl find them. With mid-day approaching, they took a break to eat the fruit that Anamaria had found during her venture into the thicket at the edge of the beach.

            Norrington sat uneasily, his half of the fruit lay uneaten in the sand before him. He stared out at the sea that had just hours ago nearly meant his death. He picked up the fruit and took a sand filled bite. Everything about this island seemed familiar, as if he had seen it before a long time ago. When he had gone exploring, he knew what was going to be behind every twist and turn. Though he hated to admit it, Jack Sparrow had been exactly right.

            Anamaria looked at him. "You know where we are, don't you?"

            Norrington turned to look at the fierce pirate beside him, and frowned slightly in defeat. "Is it really that easy to tell what I'm thinking?"

             "Yes." She turned to look out at the sea. "It is only a pity that we do not have the map." She frowned when he laughed, puzzled at his odd reaction. Perhaps the sea had driven him mad after all.

             "Oh, we already have the map-" He tapped his temple. "Just not the parchment" Norrington stood up and pulled Anamaria with him. "But when we get the treasure- I'm claiming it for the King."

            Now it was Anamaria's turn to laugh.

****************************************************************************************************

            The son of Bill Turner had foiled the soldiers of Port Royal now at least three times, and it was rumored that there was dissention in the ranks. Commodore Smith, who had been chosen to replace the now-dispatched Norrington, tried his best to quell the soldier's fears. He cleared his throat before addressing his men at a hastily organized meeting.

            "William Turner, like any criminal, will be caught. He will make a mistake, and we will catch him." He looked out at the sea of faces that stood at attention, taking in his every word. He continued to speak of valor and bravery, though in his mind he noted the late arrival of two soldiers.

            Good heavens, he thought, those are two of the dirtiest soldiers I have ever seen.

****************************************************************************************************

            "Quiet!"

            Norrington smiled grimly as struggled through the dense undergrowth of the forest. He called out over his shoulder to the now-incensed Anamaria.

            "Always have to have the last word, don't you?"

            "Yes. Now shut up!"

            Norrington laughed out loud. Rarely had his conversations with the opposite sex been as enjoyable as this. He decided to provoke her again, as it was his only entertainment. "That is not how an English lady conducts her self, Miss Anamaria." He felt a stick hit the back of his head. She's not really mad, he thought, or that stick would have been a rock.

            As he trudged through the forest he sighed in relief. Though he was marooned with the most insane woman this side of England, at least he was alive, and not in Port Royal. He frowned at the thought. Is that why he had decided to go on this treasure hunt- to get away from himself? Any further ruination was silenced by another stick smacking him square in the back of the head. He stopped suddenly and snickered when Anamaria collided with back and fell backwards onto her seat. He turned to look at her with an air of indifference.

            "Oh, did I startle you?"

            "You in trouble now!"

            He turned and started forward again, noting that the thicket was starting to lessen. A pile of rocks indicated that they were still on the right direction. He pushed through the vines, and gasped at the sight before him. No illustration could do justice to the real thing.

            However, of all the times to pick tackling him, Anamaria could not have chosen  worse. But at least, Norrington thought as they fell off the side of the waterfall, it's not raining.

****************************************************************************************************

            Officer Fiske was bored and extremely tired. Of all duties, surely checking roll was the worst. He looked at the empty parchment that lay before him and sighed. "Yes?"

            "Lieutenant Raget- I mean Mahoney reporting for duty! Sir!"

            He looked up to see the garish face of the Lieutenant. A patch covered one eye, and he gestured to it. "Ah… how did you…"

            Ragetti self-consciously pulled at the eye cover. "Oh this—lost me eye fighting the… those blasted pirates."

            Officer Fiske shook his head. "Well, sorry then. State reason for duty?"

            "To 'elp find the Commodore!"

            For a moment the only sound was quill against parchment. He handed the paper to the Lieutenant and sent him on his way.

            "Next!"

            He looked up from his list to the gritty grin of the next Officer.

            "Officer Ian Shady, reporting for duty! Here to find the Commodore, and return peace to the Port!"

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington stood on the bank of the river, watching the feared she-pirate flail around in the water.

            "Norrington! I cannot swim!" The Commodore noted that her accent was more pronounced because of her fear.

            The Commodore crossed his arms and sighed. "It's the only way to learn- plus, you're still above water, if you haven't noticed." He saw a look of realization cross over her face, and her movements became less frenetic. Norrington sat down on the bank and watched the she-pirate finally learn how to swim. After a few more minutes she was treading water, he said to her, like she had been doing it all her life.  

             "Now swim to shore!"

            The smile of triumph from learning how to stay above water quickly left her face. She shook her head, droplets flying everywhere. "I can't!"

            "Yes you can! Just put one hand in front of the other!" he made swimming motions with his arms. "Honestly, I cannot believe that you never learned how to swim."

            Out in the river Anamaria crossed her arms, but quickly went back to treading water when she started to sink down. Norrington sighed and jumped out into the river. He swam over to her and demonstrated the proper movements. He soon saw that she was a quick study, and they both started toward the bank of the river. He heard her breathe a sigh of relief when her feet hit the muddy bottom, and looked back at her as he walked back onto the bank.

            He smiled at her. "Now see, you're a natural at this thing! Can't live on the sea without getting a feel of the water-" He fell to his knees and gasped in pain. 

"Please forgive my stopping, Miss Anamaria, but it appears I have been shot in the leg with an arrow. I propose you now run."

****************************************************************************************************

             Only legend could explain how people first arrived on the Isla de Fantasmas, and only legend could describe how to escape. The leader of the Fantasmas people sighed. He did not wish to have another false hope with another outsider. He heard the cries outside the thin walls of his meetinghouse.

            "We have found him! This time we have truly found him!"

            He sighed, and put his head in his hands. He did not know if his people would stand for another failure, but he was powerless to stop it. He heard the cheers outside grow louder- they must have brought the poor soul back. Odd, he thought, that took much longer than last time.

            He stepped outside, acknowledging his people. He saw his warriors file back into the town square, bloodied and bruised. Four of them carried a still struggling man, who he assumed to be the new key. But behind him he saw the rest of the hunting party struggling with what he assumed to be a wild animal. He looked closer and saw that it was a woman. She punched the closest warrior, knocking him out cold.

            Well, he thought not an animal, but close enough.

****************************************************************************************************

 The warriors carried Norrington back to their village and placed him in front of the man he assumed was their leader. He was nearly blinded by the pain in his leg, but he found his thoughts drifting back to the map he had studied a thousand times. He knew every ledge, every hill and valley, but nowhere on the map did it mention a village. He looked around and noticed that several landmarks held the same eerie familiarity that had gotten them this far. With a start he realized that this village was built right over where the treasure should be. He tried to catch Anamaria's attention, but she was still busy with the warriors. Finally an exasperated warrior knocked her out cold, and dumped her next to him in front of the tribe's leader. Norrington pulled her to a sitting position, instinctively placing a protective arm around her. He looked up to see the tribal leader looming over him. He pulled Anamaria closer and raised his chin in defiance. The leader spoke in gentle terms.

"I am Cesar. Welcome to our village." A cheer rose up in the gathered crowd.

Well at least the bloke speaks English, Norrington thought.  In his most confident voice he answered the leader.  "I am Commodore Norrington of the English Royal Navy. And should you try and harm my companion, or me you will face the wrath of the King's entire fleet."

Cesar laughed internally. This one has the heart, at least. 

            "If they could find us, I would tell them to take their best shot." The leader took a step closer and watched as the Commodore tensed.

            "You are the most odd looking Commodore I have ever seen!" The crowd laughed at their leader's words.

            Norrington grew suspicious. "Just exactly how many Commodores have you seen?"

            Cesar laughed quietly. "I have seen my share of men of the English Navy" He stopped and motioned to people that Norrington could not see. "Have these two looked after and cleaned up, and bring the Commodore to my house after he has been tended to. As for the girl- just try to keep her from destroying the town."

****************************************************************************************************

            The two newest officers walked the streets of Port Royal, slowly making their way towards the home of the deceased Commodore Norrington. The sentinel that once stood guard at the door had been dispatched for other duties weeks ago- it seemed that the disappearance of Norrington was a lost cause, and Commodore Smith was growing quite accustomed to his new role. Ragetti and Pintel easily got into the house, and the people of the street simply assumed that another routine search was taking place.

But busy with the chores of daily life, they did not notice the other man to enter the house later that night.

****************************************************************************************************

            Cesar turned in his chair when his servant announced the arrival of the Commodore. Two of his guard brought Norrington in and placed him in a chair opposite Cesar. The tribal leader noted that Norrington had chosen wisely not to fight.

            "Welcome, Commodore."

            "Where is the girl?"

            "She is fine, do not worry. My guards will be bringing her in as soon as she wakes up. She will have a nasty bump for a few days, but she brought it upon herself."

            Norrington pursed his lips, and his sentence was clipped. "Self-defense."

            Cesar continued, undeterred by Norrington's icy glare. "I don't suppose you would like to know why you have been brought here."

            "Actually, this is my second kidnapping, so I'm finding all this quite routine."

            "Well in that case, perhaps we shouldn't bring in your friend. If you don't want to know about your task, there's no point in you being in here at all really—"

            "Wait." The Commodore dropped his eyes to the floor. "Bring her in… and… tell me what it is you want me to do."

            Cesar looked at the Commodore with sympathy. "Its really not just for me, Commodore, its for you and your friend as well. If you ever want to leave the Island, that is."

            The leader's pause gave Norrington the opportunity to speak. "I have—I had a map of this island, and no where on it did I see a village or any mention of civilization…"

            Cesar looked up sharply. "You had a map?"

            Norrington nodded. "Yes, it was given to me by my grandfather. He said he had confiscated it from some pirate—"

            The opening of the door silenced the Commodore. In walked Anamaria, obviously subdued. The four guards that escorted her placed her in a chair to the right of Norrington, and stepped back- but the did not leave. Cesar nodded to the guards.

            "You may go now." With a look of hesitation the guards left.

            Norrington tried to catch the she-pirate's eye, but she started at the floor eyes downcast.

            "Anamaria—"

            Her response was barely audible. "I'm fine Norrington."

            The Commodore looked up angrily at Cesar. "What did they do to her?"

            Before Cesar could respond, he her Anamaria's voice, barely above a whisper. "They didn't do anything to me, now quit being a fool and listen to the man." Cesar noted that Norrington appeared to be appeased slightly when the woman insulted him. The Commodore turned to face Cesar again.

            "I had a map, yes. It was confiscated pirate bounty and my grandfather gave it to me as a birthday present. I had a certain fascination with pirates when I was a boy that my grandfather was willing to indulge." He looked sideways at the she-pirate, who gave no reaction.

            Cesar nodded. "Well, Commodore, your statement is only partially correct. While your grandfather did indeed hand it down to you, it was not a piece of pirate bounty- in fact it was not of pirate origin at all." He paused for a moment.

            "To put it frankly, it was your Grandfather's map."

****************************************************************************************************

            The false officers and alleged murder had no trouble entering the house, but once inside they found any further action quite difficult.

            "Halt! In the name of the King!"

            William turned from the door to face an elderly gentleman brandishing an umbrella.

            "Just because the Commodore has not yet returned does not mean that you ruffians can come and clean house!"

            William smiled. This must be the Charles that Norrington talked about, he thought. Just as described, completely daft.

            "I am here to help find the Commodore—I am William Turner."

            Charles squinted and reached for his spectacles. He put them on and promptly dropped the umbrella. "Will Turner! Why, of course, of course, look anywhere you like!"

            William looked surprised at the complete reversal in Charles' demeanor. "Don't you know about… about the charges they have against me?"

            Charles walked around to William's back and took his coat. "My dear boy, of course you didn't kill the Commodore. Anyone who was going to kill the man would have done so after the first five minutes of meeting him. But after a few months, you build up a resistance." Charles winked and motioned for Will to follow him. "Come, your friends are already here."

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington sat in the chair silently, trying to come to grips with what Cesar had told him.

            "I—my—grandfather…"

            Well, Cesar thought, it's best to give it to him all at once.

            Norrington still couldn't speak. "How—how did you?"

            Cesar spoke again. "Your grandfather arrived at this island much like you did, washed overboard while scrubbing the deck. But he did not have the lovely company." He gestured to Anamaria, who remained motionless. Norrington inwardly glared at the tribal leader, who continued with his tale. "He happened upon our tribe, and met the ancestors of my family. He spent many happy years with our people until finally he tried to leave. He had lived in ignorance of our burden, but in a moment of weakness the woman who was my grandmother told him of the curse of the Isla de Fantasmas. Our island is forever adrift, and once one sets foot upon the shore, they can never leave."

            Norrington furrowed his brow in confusion. "Then how did he—how am I here if he couldn't leave the island?"

            Cesar sighed. "Those who cursed our island had left but one way to lift it, and though your grandfather fought valiantly, he was young and scared. He attempted to finish the challenge, but he could not pass the final test. He fell weak and made a bargain with the elders that one day his descendant would return and break the curse, or die in sacrifice." He looked Norrington in the eyes. And so here you are Commodore Norrington--"

            "Don't call me that." Norrington snapped. "I don't want anything to do with this- not my family, not the Navy, nothing!" He stood up and stormed out of the tribal leader's house.

            For a moment Cesar was left speechless with Anamaria still in the chair in front of him. Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

            "He will be fine—its not every day you learn your grandfather traded your life for his." She left silently, and Cesar let them both go. He shook his head- he didn't even get to tell them about the treasure.

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington stormed out of the leader's house. How dare his grandfather make such a bargain! It was cowardly, it was spineless, it was weak—it was everything his grandfather had taught him not to be. He remembered the stories that he treasured as a boy, and the map that had held his fascination for all his young life. He stumbled through the forest, hoping that the increasing darkness would hide him from his captors. When he saw the river he stopped and leaned against a tree trunk. The night was silent save for a single voice.

            "You're running, just like he did—"

            "Go away!" Norrington's own vehemence surprised him. He stalked further down the riverbank, grumbling to himself. How dare she follow him out here!

            Anamaria's voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "I'm not going anywhere—"

            "What matter is it of yours, anyway? There's no treasure out here- it's buried under the village if that blasted map right." He stopped and turned to face the she-pirate. "Just go away, I'm going to be dead soon enou—" Norrington was stopped mid-sentence when Anamaria suddenly pushed him into the river. Norrington gasped and splashed about, trying to get his bearings.

            "You blasted pirate! What did you do that for?"

            "Well, since you were already wallowing in self pity, I thought I would just push you in all the way."

            Norrington glowered and stumbled back onto the bank. Murderous thoughts ran through his head. "I ought to have hung you when I had the chance."

            Anamaria looked at him in mock confusion. "And what time was that? The time I knocked you out, or when you were tied up on the mas—aahh!" Her taunt turned to a scream when Norrington picked her up by the arms and tossed her not so gently into the water. He smiled a grim smile, realizing that he would pay dearly for this moment of triumph. Anamaria sputtered and splashed, but managed to swim to shore. For a moment the two adversaries simple stood there glaring at each other in the evening light.

            Norrington watched several emotions pass over Anamaria's unguarded face, but finally a look of resolve settled on her features. She took a step forward, and Norrington flinched. She laughed quietly at his reaction. "We need to get back to the village. I will kill you another night."

            It took Norrington several moments to realize that she was joking. A wave of relief washed over him, but it was then replaced by doubt.

            "Why should I go back? Those people just want me for some kind of sacrifice-" He frowned at a sight unseen. "Thanks to my weak-willed grandfather."

            Anamaria sighed. "Have you ever considered the possibility that you might—pass the challenge?"

            Norrington looked at her. "What do you care anyway?"

            She smacked him on the back of the head. "You are not the only one stranded on this island, you remember that Commodore!"

            He smiled and shook his head. This woman knew exactly how to put him in his place. Norrington offered his arm to Anamaria, who looked at him dubiously before accepting it. They started back to the village as the sun settled on the horizon.

            "But Anamaria—"

            "What?"

            "Don't call me Commodore."

****************************************************************************************************

            "Please, William I insist that you stay the night."

            "Oh no, I couldn't impose—"

            "You must! I insist, that you three get cleaned up and rest until morning. What kind of officer looks like – that?" With a look of disgust Charles pulled at the Pintel's newly stolen clothing."

            The pirate protested. "I like it—red is quite a becoming color—"

            William realized that the Commodore was not joking when he said that his butler was rather… forceful in his recommendations. "Oh no, Charles you have done enough already by letting us search here."

            "Come now! You've only begun to search… And where better to stay than in the house of the man the entire English Navy thinks you've murdered?"

****************************************************************************************************

            The entire village had gathered in the town square to listen to their leader speak. A feast had been prepared, and there was great celebration among the villagers. The chief rose from his place at his table and silenced the music and dancing.

"Good people, tonight—we celebrate—for tomorrow we will finally be free of our confinement!"

            Norrington slouched down in his seat and mumbled to Anamaria. "Yes, we will be released from an island prison or more realistically, I will meet a gruesome death." Anamaria chose to ignore the Commodore for the time being.

            Cesar did not hear Norrington's grumbled remark and continued with his speech. "So let the celebration continue. To Norrington!" He raised his glass in salute, and Norrington, startled by the sudden approbation, nodded his head in thank you. Cesar handed Norrington a cup. "Take and drink full, my friend—we salute you!"

            Norrington's eyes widened when he tasted the liquid-- alcohol. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly—I have a reaction—a… an allergy really…"

            Cesar laughed. "Nonsense!" He lowered his voice so that only those close to him could hear. "You will need its courage tomorrow."

            Norrington looked at Anamaria, who appeared to still be ignoring him. He looked back at the drink in his hand, Cesar, and then the drink again. He raised the glass to Cesar in acknowledgment. Well, he thought, if I'm set to die tomorrow…

            "Here's to old Granddad."

****************************************************************************************************

           Anamaria had lived with pirates her entire life. She had seen death, destruction and villainy and its very best. But nothing, she thought, could compare to the absolute spectacle of one drunken Commodore Norrington.

            "One more! Jus' one more now if you would love." Anamaria watched from her position against a tree trunk as the Commodore signaled a servant girl to bring him another glass of his new favorite drink. The party had slowly dwindled to just a group of ten or so. Cesar had retired earlier on in the night, but not before catching Anamaria's eye. His words of warning came back to her.

            "I would watch over a sailor who cannot hold his drink."

            Barking laughter brought her back to the rum-soaked reality. Norrington stood wobbly and gestured to his new friends.

            "While I would love to keep up the merriment, I do believe I am going to faint. Carry on gents!" Norrington then stumbled down the village street, while Anamaria followed silently. He turned with delayed reactions when he realized he was being followed.

            "Who's there?"

            Anamaria stepped out of the shadows into the torchlight.  He smiled with glassy eyes.

            "Ah, the darling Anamaria! Come now, dance with me!" Norrington pulled her into a farcical dance, miming with stumbling steps the minuet. Anamaria promptly stomped on his foot and managed to get away.

            "You fool! Be quiet and go to your bed!"

            "That—" He paused and swayed back on his feet. "—Would be a problem, since I don't bloody remember where that is."

            Anamaria sighed, exasperated. "I will show you then, come on."

            Norrington laughed and yelled out in a singsong voice "Yes! Lets us go, and best to rest, for tomorrow is the test! The short fellow taught me that, rather clever isn't it? Whoa—hey!" Anamaria had decided to dispense with words and simply push the Commodore in the direction of his bed. Norrington resisted for a moment, and then simply allowed the she-pirate to push him along the streets of the village. "You know what Anamaria?"

           Anamaria sighed for the thousandth time that night. Her attempts at controlling her temper were lost on the Commodore. "What?"

            The Commodore halted his feet, and promptly fell back on his rear end. This did not, Anamaria noticed, deter him from his conversation in the least.

            "You are a fascinating creature. Really, I've never met anyone like you—"

            "Shut up Commo—"

            Norrington waved his finger at her. "No no no, Miss, mustn't say that word now. I'm Tom—" He shook his head fiercely. I'm Norrington. But—back to what I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted." He cleared his throat, as if in preparation for a speech. "You're amazing, absolutely incredible—" He paused at look up at Anamaria. She could see him looking at something far away, though he was staring straight into her eyes.

            "But you're so different from her in every other way…" He continued to talk as he pulled himself awkwardly to his feet. "That's why this is so confusing-- you don't know anything of society, I doubt you've ever seen the inside of a dress, let's not even talk about the fact you're a…"  He trailed off and reached out as if to touch her, but then pulled his hand back. "It's just that I… you see I've been… and—" Anamaria stood frozen, bewildered by the sudden change in the Commodore.

            "I think… I should sleep."

****************************************************************************************************

            Cesar rose early to the familiar sound of the birds. He stretched and basked in the soft morning sunlight that filtered in his bedroom window. By mid-day, he knew, that sunlight would turn severe.

            He looked into the sky and sighed.

            "Today, Norrington, we see if you can fly."

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington awoke and immediately groaned. Not only did he have another hangover, he remembered everything that occurred the night before. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling for several minutes, wishing that he could have his boring, terribly depressing life back. At least, he thought, I could sleep in my own bed then.

            "You need to get up and get moving."

            From across the room he heard Anamaria moving about. He sat up, pushing the thin blanket off.

            "What? Oh right… off to die then." Anamaria made no response. He looked down at his bed, noting that for a captive's conditions, it was rather nice. Very large, he noted, more than enough room for his person. He stopped and blinked. Well, he thought, that would explain why the other side of the bed is still warm.

****************************************************************************************************

            Cesar stood and watched as the unlikely pair was escorted towards the town square where he stood waiting. The early morning hours had given Cesar the opportunity to consult Norrington without the entire community watching. As they came nearer Cesar noted that the Commodore kept throwing glances at the woman, who chose to remain unaware.

            Finally they met and Cesar nodded in greeting.

            "Are you ready?"

            Norrington simply stared at the leader until Anamaria jabbed him in the ribs.

            "Ow! I mean, yes, yes of course. Ready as always!"

            Cesar turned silently and beckoned for them to follow. He called out over his shoulder. "I can only hope that your performance matches your enthusiasm, Commodore."

****************************************************************************************************

            Charles nodded, fully content at a job well done. He had taken three men-shaped dirt clods and transformed them into well-groomed gentlemen—at least, in looks. He had even managed to find a proper patch for the poor one-eyed chap. His sympathy, however, was quickly erased by the morning noise.

            "Give me that! It's my piece of bacon!"

            "Shut up! It's mine—age before beauty!"

            Charles slammed the book he had been reading shut with such a force it stopped the two pirates mid-grapple. William stood by the window, ignoring any of the morning racket.

            The butler sniffed. "I would hope, that you would learn to conduct your self as officers since you are posing as such."

            Ragetti looked chagrined. " 'E's right, you know."

            Pintel glared at his breakfast adversary, and then frowned in defeat. "I suppose 'e is right. We's officers for now, and I don't want to 'ave to wear those ladies dresses again"

            Charles nodded, satisfied at another battle won.

            Then it is time for you to go patrolling, and find out what news the Commodore's finest have learned this morning."

****************************************************************************************************

            Cesar had led them through the wild part of the island to a place the Commodore recognized only by the warning on map. He imagined the bold words hanging in the sky over the spot.

            "All fear who go here."

            Anamaria looked at him. "What did you say?"

            Norrington shook his head. "Nothing, nothing. Just an old warning."

            "The map." Cesar nodded. "Well, your grandfather was right." He walked up to a ledge, and beckoned to Norrington to follow suit.

            "Now, here is the first challenge—"

            "How many are there?"

            Cesar glared at him. "Don't ask questions… Look, from this point on we can't continue with you. But I can tell you that your challenge awaits on the other bank of the river." Cesar pulled a branch aside to give Norrington a view of the breathtaking cliff, and the river that snaked its way through the valley below. "Oh, and one other thing Norrington—"

            Norrington stood, eyes still locked on the river that was surely miles away. He looked warily at Cesar. "What could be possibly worse than this?"

            Cesar paused, and looked out at the river. "You have to jump."

            Norrington nodded, as if it was the most logical thing he had ever heard. He even backed up to give himself a running start. Maybe it's better to go this way, he thought. At least the view will be nice. He looked up at Anamaria, who returned his gaze and then looked away. She dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

            "Get on with it then."

            He nodded. "Right." He took a running start, and jumped.

            Cesar and Anamaria were left alone on the ledge.  He nodded. "Looks like he knew how after all."

****************************************************************************************************

The pirates in officer's clothing patrolled the streets, scarcely believing that no one recognized them from their rather recent pillaging escapade. Ragetti took the time to tip his hat to every lady that passed by, and eventually the older pirate had enough

"Stop it, will you! We can't be look a' the ladies when we's 'supposed to be helping Will!"

            Ragetti shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Right! Back to work!" The duo marched on toward the officer's station. "Officer Mahoney, keeping the streets of Port Royal safe from—"

            "A Thief! Somebody help! Thief!"  Ragetti was cut off when a crying woman ran up to them, grabbing his lapel. "Please, you must help! That man—" She pointed to a figure rapidly diminishing in the distance. "--Stole all my belongings!"

            The two pirates looked at one another, and then back at the woman.Pintel nodded to the woman. "We'll get your money back miss—nobody knows these thieves' habits better than us."

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington had fully expected to die in a messy splat, and found himself terribly disappointed when he realized he hadn't fallen at all. He looked around him and saw stone on all sides. I'm in a cave, he thought. That wasn't on the map either.

            "It's a bit unnerving the first few times, but you get used to it."

            Norrington turned quickly to face the voice that was behind him. His astonishment quickly turned to annoyance when he recognized the grinning visage.

            "Jack!"

            The man in question nodded, and then looked up quizzically. "Why does everyone say my name that way?" He shook his head. "Never mind, now if you would follow me I do believe that there is a treasure in here somewhere, and I do wish to find it."

            Norrington glowered at him, wishing Anamaria were here to shut the Captain up. "How did you get here?"

            A third voice answered him. "Oh, just like the rest of you, random bits of sea trash attracted to this little magnet of an island. Now Commodore, I do believe that you were looking for me."

            Norrington turned in all directions, but he could not see the source of the voice. Jack, on the other hand, merely took the disembodied voice in stride. He cleared his throat.

            "Excuse me, but you wouldn't happen to know where the treasure is, do you?"

            The voice laughed. "Yes, as a matter of fact I do. But for now, why don't you both just follow the trail on your right, and we can have a more proper greeting."

****************************************************************************************************

            Ragetti quickly outpaced his partner, who volunteered to double back in case the thief had tried to fool them. He ran down alley after alley following the thief, who looked to be quickly tiring. This fact gave him compelled him to run even faster, and in short time he caught up with the perpetrator.

            "Oy! I mean… hold there man! You are under arrest for the stealing of that nice lady's purse!" The thief tried to punch Ragetti in the stomach, but he dodged and knocked his would-be assailant to the ground. The stolen purse fell from the thief's arm and Ragetti stooped to pick it up. As he bent down he heard a grunt and a thud as the thief fell unconscious to the ground. Above him stood the older pirate.

            "You can never trust these criminals. Never know what they will do next."

****************************************************************************************************

            The Captain and the Commodore turned what seemed like the thousandth corner before finally reaching the outside of the cave. In the shade a figure rested against a tree.

            "Welcome, gentlemen to my home! You may call me Thomas."

            Jack watched Norrington flinch at the sound of the name. The figure walked out from under the shade to greet the two men. was dressed as a pirate, even more flamboyantly adorned than Jack, with an intricately ornate mask over his face. Freaks and pirates at every corner, he thought. I just can't get away from them. Jeweled beads hung from his shoulder-length hair, and on his head sat a tri-cornered hat stitched with the finest gold thread. Thomas took off the expensive hat and bowed.

            "I suppose you want to get on with the challenge then."

            Jack whispered to Norrington. "Ask him about the treasure."

            At this comment Norrington shook his head vehemently, and stepped past Jack. "Yes, I would rather like to get this finished."

            Thomas laughed, his voice eerily clear despite the mask. "Well, you've done splendid thus far."

            "What?" Norrington looked at Jack, hoping for an answer.

            "You've been looking at this challenge all wrong- there aren't any steps, there isn't any grade for effort—you get one chance; and you either pass or fail. All of this—" He gestured to the surroundings. "Do you think this is real?" When Norrington gave no response he continued.  "The only thing you need to understand is that you have one choice to make." He paused and drew his sword.

            "And in fact, this might be the easiest choice you will ever have to do in your life."

****************************************************************************************************

             " 'Ere you are miss, safe and sound, all money accounted for!" Ragetti proudly handed the purse over to the young woman, who promptly hugged him in return. She then did the same to Pintel, who blushed.

            "Now Miss, we were just doin' our job."

            The young woman, whose name she later revealed to be Julia, thanked the duo again. "How can I repay you?" She stopped and smiled. "I know! You both must join my family for dinner some time—my father is a master craftsman. Perhaps he can repair a window for you, or—"

            Pintel looked at Ragetti, then back at Julia. "Just what kind of craftsman is your father, Miss?"

            Julia smiled proudly. "He is only the best glass craftsman in all of Port Royal."

            The older pirate grinned. "Why Miss, I have an order right up your father's alley."

            The duo made plans to contact Julia's father and they parted ways-- the pirates to the officer's station, Julia to her mid-morning chores. She opened the purse to count the bills, and found she had several more than when had started from the house with. 

            She stopped and stared at the red-coated backs of the officers, unable to say a word. They, however, remained oblivious to Julia's attention.

            "I don't see why we couldn't 'ave kept the rest of the money from the thief." Pintel

            Ragetti turned to the older pirate with a look of disbelief on his face. "Don't you remember what Charlie said? We's officers now! Besides…" He paused and pulled a small velvet bag from his coat pocket.

            "Mister thief gave us plenty to go around. What use would she 'ave with diamonds?"

****************************************************************************************************

Norrington stood motionless, facing the gilded pirate unarmed, without even a shirt to protect himself from the blade.

            "This is how you pirates fight fair then?"

            Jack spoke up from behind him. "As a matter of fact, it is."

            Thomas ignored Jack's comment. "This doesn't have to be difficult, really." He turned the sword around and handed it to Norrington. "Now if you would please, follow me through the door."

            Norrington glared at the pirate. "What door?" Thomas took him by the shoulders and turned him around. A large oak door stood in the middle of the open field, on the exact spot where the pirate Captain stood seconds before. Norrington nodded in disbelief. "Of course, how silly of me." He grasped the heavy brass handle and opened the door, but before he could even gasp he was roughly shoved through the frame.

            He stumbled and barely managed to keep a hold on the sword he had been given. He realized he was in the same meadow, but the sun was now setting in the sky. Norrington looked up to see a sword rushing at him, and barely managed to block before it sliced him clean in half. Norrington looked past the sword to see the grinning mask of Thomas, iridescent in the setting sun.

            "Excellent. Just Excellent." He continued to strike at Norrington who blocked each blow, still not believing that it was quite happening.

            "Well, I must say you made the right choice!"

            Norrington grunted in reply, grimacing when Thomas new sword nicked his shoulder.

            "And what choice was that?"

            "To fight!"

            Norrington blocked another blow, stifling a cry when Thomas' blade cut his cheek.

             The masked pirate continued to strike without tiring. "But what will you do, when we make this interesting?"  Thomas raised his free hand and torchlight filled the field with light. Norrington's face paled when he realized what lay directly in front of him, past the jeweled mask of his adversary.

            "Look familiar, don't they?"

            Norrington had always looked at the gallows with a feeling that justice was being served. Now, as he watched masked men fit nooses around Anamaria and Jack, he felt only dread. 

            Pirates deserved to hang, he thought- But not like this. He gripped the sword in his hand tighter.

            "And now, your final choice, which to live, and which to die? Either way they will be stuck on this island where they will then, well, die." He stopped for a moment. "And then there is your ubiquitous third option—"

            Norrington looked at Thomas. "And what is that—" He gasped as he felt a rope pulled taut against his neck. He looked down to see the familiar wood of the gallows under his feet.

            "Well, to put it simply, you."

****************************************************************************************************

            "So, love, here we are, under these beautiful stars—"

            "Jack!"

            "And you look lovely, of course. Norrington has been kind I hope—"

            "Jack!"

            The pirate turned slightly to look at Anamaria. "Is something the matter?"

            She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Think of a plan!"

            Jack looked at her quizzically. "Anamaria—" He reached up to pull at his noose-- the masked men had neglected to tie their hands. "We have nothing to fear if Norrington has learned his lesson well."

            Anamaria glared. "And that lesson is?"

            Jack grinned. "There's the right way, the wrong way… and the pirate's way."

****************************************************************************************************

            Thomas laughed. "Choose wisely, you can only save one!" He frowned when Norrington stood frozen. "Well, get on with it then!" He gestured with his hand and the bottom fell out from each platform. Norrington felt a sharp jerk, but his neck did not break. Wonderful, he thought, I will suffocate to death instead.

            "Norrington, whatever is the matter? You know I was going to give you time to make your decision. Now hurry, why haven't you made your choice yet?"

            Norrington felt as if time had stopped. He could feel his lungs burning from lack of oxygen. Thomas moved closer to the hanging Commodore and whispered in his ear.

            "Or perhaps, I could make you the same deal I made your grandfather." Norrington's eyes widened.

            "There's the right way, the wrong way…"

            Norrington felt the weight of the sword still in his hand.

            "And the pirate's way…"

            He swung the weapon with all his might towards the jeweled mask of Thomas. Metal met the crystal mask and Norrington felt it shatter under the force of the sword. Immediately Norrington felt himself released from the rope, and he fell to the ground. He immediately jumped up to see Jack and Anamaria in a similar state of freedom.

            The crumpled form of Thomas lay on the ground mere feet away. Norrington picked up his sword and pointed it Thomas' head. When he saw the form make no movement he reached down to pull the shattered mask from off his assailant's face. Norrington and Anamaria gasped when the torchlight fell upon the man's features.

            In a weak voice the unmasked man spoke. "Welcome to my island. My name is Cesar…"

****************************************************************************************************

            Ragetti and Pintel walked into the officer's station to the sound of cheers. The captain on duty came over and saluted the duo.

            "Bravo men! Well done, today you served Port Royal well!"

            Pintel shrugged sheepishly. "We's just doing our job really."

            The captain would hear none of it. "Nonsense! Do you even know who you saved from certain robbery?" The captain, as much a showman as any pirate, paused for dramatic effect. "You saved the daughter of Sir Edmund Berry—heiress to the Berry glassmaking fortune!"

            Cheers filled the station house once again, and both pirates took small bows. The captain then turned to the assembled crowd and barked out orders to resume work.

            "Now gents, we have a important task for you, since you showed yourself so worthy today."

            The two would-be candidates looked at each other. Pintel nodded. "At your service, sir!"

            The Captain beckoned them closer, and spoke in a hushed voice. "We need you to find that blasted William Turner. I'll show you what we have now on him…"

****************************************************************************************************

            Norrington immediately dropped his sword and knelt by the fallen Cesar.

            "Cesar! What—how—"

            "I apologize, but I have not been entirely myself for many years now—" His explanation was interrupted by a burst of coughing. "The strain of the ghost has left me very weak."

            "Ghost?"

             "Thomas. For many years he has haunted us, and in turn we were unable to find rest. But now-- Thomas is gone, and now we may leave as well." Norrington looked away, unable to speak. He felt Cesar's hand lightly grip his arm.

            "Norrington… That—that demon was not the same man your grandfather was. Your grandfather—Thomas—he was a good man who never forgave himself. And that haunted both him and my people ceaselessly… until now. He is free now, as am I." He paused, and laughed, but his laughter ending in another coughing fit. "But Commodore! I never expected that—how do you explain your actions?"

            Norrington smiled and shrugged faintly.

            "Pirate."

****************************************************************************************************

            Ragetti and Pintel marched back towards the Norrington mansion with a sense of dread.

            "Well, what are we supposed to do now"

            "I don't know Ragetti—let me think of something!"

            "We don't 'ave to arrest 'e m, you know. We aren't really officers."

            "But they are counting on us!"

            Pintel sighed. "Just shut up for now and let me think of something." They reached the door to the Norrington house and knocked. Charles entered the door and led them inside. William looked at them expectantly.

            "Well?"

            Pintel shifted from foot to foot. "Well, you see—"

            Ragetti interrupted. "They want us to find you are arrest you!"

            William did not appear startled in the least by the information. "Well then. I hope you know you can't do that."

            "There's the problem!"

            Charles re-entered the room and took their coats. "Did you find any new information?"

            The older pirate shook his head. "Nothing Will, nothing! All they are saying is that 'e disappeared without a trace."

            William smiled without humor.. "Always trust the authorities to do a through job."

****************************************************************************************************

            Cesar gestured to Norrington to let him back down to the ground, to which Norrington complied. Cesar closed his eyes and folded his hands over his chest.

            "Goodbye my friends. I do hope you can swim."

            "Wha—"

            The rush of the ocean immediately silenced any question that might have been raised. In seconds the ground was under water, and the three pieces of driftwood floated in the mid-morning sun.

            Jack blinked, eyes resistant to the sudden changed in light. "Well then, the sun appears to have changed her mind again."

            Norrington watched Anamaria, but she needed no help. Jack turned to look at her with surprise. "And when did you learn how to swim?"

. "I just picked it up." Norrington glared behind her.

            "Right, a natural at it." He turned to look at Jack. "But we can't swim forever."

            The pirate captain, however, was busy waving to an object behind Norrington.

He grinned with a glow to match the sun.  "Well then, how about we take a cruise?"

            Norrington felt something bump him in the side.

            "Anamaria, I haven't even said anything!"

            He looked to see Anamaria no where even close to him.

            His voice was detached when he spoke again. "Oh, sorry Anamaria…"

She huffed and carefully turned around to see him pulling himself onto a floating chest. She and Jack hastily swam over, but Norrington held on tight. 

            "I claim this for—" Norrington stopped looked down at Anamaria from his perch on top of the box. 

            "Don't worry, there's plenty for everyone."

            Anamaria scoffed. "What about the King?"

            Norrington laughed. "What about him?"

****************************************************************************************************

            The unlikely trio of officer and accused sat down to a downcast dinner with the butler of the murdered man. There had been no improvement in finding Norrington, and William was missing Elizabeth terribly.

            "Pass the butter please."

            "Of course."

            "Thank you."

            It appeared that only Charles was making any gains at all, his improvement was in the training of the two would-be officers. If he could just keep them a few more weeks, they might pass for human beings at some time in the distant future. Ragetti reached across the table only to have his hand slapped.

            "Ow! What was that for?"

            Charles sniffed. "Reaching across the table."

            The pirate looked chagrined. "Oh. I'm sorry then."

            "Quite all right. Do not attempt it again, however."

            William sighed and looked out the window. A woman passed on the street, and William blinked twice. He could have sworn it was Elizabeth, but when he looked again he could see it was not. The patter of Charles and his charges was not of concern to him, and he felt slowed down by their bumbling progress in finding out information.

            "Wrong fork! Try again!"

            "Oh, sorry…"

            William was about to get up and leave the table when he heard a knock at the door. With a look Charles left to answer the door. William heard the muffled exchange from his seat.

            "No, you cannot come in! I am eating dinner! No, wait—" The sound of dull thud caused all three men to jump from their seats. Ragetti and Pintel picked up their dinner knives and crept toward the door. William made a quick move toward the staircase, but before he could reach it the door burst open and red-coated soldiers spilled out, bayonets at the ready.

            The soldier Ragetti and Pintel recognized as the Captain marched in, pushing all the other officers aside. He clapped and strode up to the pirates in disguise.

            "Well done, well done! You are sure to receive a promotion for this capture. Take him to the jail!" Before the two could protest several soldiers escorted William out the door.

            "Take the butler with him—he was an accomplice in all of this." The Captain turned to the pirates. "And you, are to be thanked. I will speak to Commodore Smith about your reward for this matter. I urge you to be there when we hang this scoundrel—" He paused and looked at their astonished faces. "Don't worry, it's all perfectly legal, he already had his trial, magistrate said he was guilty as sin. We should be able to schedule a fine public hanging in few weeks time." He slapped the incredulous pirates on the back. "It's a sight to behold, isn't it? Justice at work in Port Royal!"

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            Norrington kicked the cabin door open, where Jack sat pouring over his latest find.

"They will have been looking for me."

            "I know."

            "And they will have assumed me dead, or worse."

            "I know."

            "And you know who they will blame."

            "I know." Jack stood and faced the Commodore. "And that is why we have our sails out in this hurricane wind. So let's let the Captain, captain. Savvy?"

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            It seemed that all of Port Royal had turned out to see the hanging of William Turner. The sun was barely in the sky when the townspeople started to gather, and by mid-morning the crowd was enormous—and completely silent.

            William sat in the jail, head in his hands. He thought of his father, he thought of Jack, but most of all, he thought of Elizabeth. They would not let her visit in the three weeks, four days and eleven hours from whence he was arrested. He heard the lock being opened.

            "Mister Turner. It is time to repay society the debt you have earned."

            William nodded.

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            Elizabeth walked down the street, counting the steps to the gallows. She reached the edge of the crowed and walked through to the front. The crowd fell into a hush when she passed by, walking as silent and distant as a ghost. They would later claim that she showed not fear, but under the black veil, she tearfully cursed the man brave enough to die for a crime he didn't commit.

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            William counted the steps from the jail to the gallows. His jailers shoved him along, roughly pushing him onto the gallows platform. The Captain who arrested him stood up and introduced Commodore Smith.

            There was no applause.

            The Commodore cleared his throat and addressed the crowd. "Ladies and Gentlemen, today you see a fine example of our justice system at work. The savage murderer of Commodore Norrington will finally be made to pay for his crime."

            Two soldiers placed the noose around William's neck while another stood guard with a musket. The Commodore continued.

            "And now, let William Turner serve as a cautionary tale, a warning to any who would dare commit murder in our town. Let it be known that if you take a life, we will take yours." The Commodore fell silent, but there was no applause. He cleared his throat. "Well then, on with the show I suppose."

            He gestured to Ragetti and Pintel, who stood off to the edge of the platform. "And the honor of finishing this criminal goes to the men who caught them. Gentlemen, away!"

            Neither man made a motion to move forward. Ragetti fingered the bag of diamonds in his pocket. Well, he thought, I never liked jewels anyway.

            The Commodore was growing impatient. "Gentlemen! Please!"

            Ragetti pulled the bag from his pocket and opened it behind his back. The Commodore sighed.

            "I will do it then." The Commodore strode across the platform in the confident strides of a leader. Stay composed, he told himself, your image is as polished as--

            "Diamonds!"

            How odd, the new Commodore thought, to find myself lying down at a time like this.

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            From her place in the crowd Elizabeth watched as the pirate throw the bag of diamonds onto the platform and into the crowd. A mad scramble for the precious jewels ensued, and Elizabeth's mind echoed back to another attempted hanging.

            She pulled the pistol from her skirt, and slipped towards the platform.

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The Commodore pulled himself up from where he fell and shouted in an attempt to return order.

            "Stop I say! Halt your proceedings!" The crowd paid no response, and the Commodore started towards the lever once again. William, under the guard of three soldiers, was helpless to improve his situation. He watched as the Commodore crawled over the fighting bodies to reach the lever.

            The Commodore had just grasped the handle when a shot rang out. How odd, he thought, I can't seem to pull the lever anymore. He looked at the piece of wood in his hand, frayed at the bottom from a gunshot blast. He tried to look for the source of the shot but the crowd was still fighting over the jewels.

            Another shot rang out, this time much louder than before.

            "In the name of the King halt your proceedings—"

            "Or face the plank—I mean the gallows!"

            The crowd looked up in unison to see two pirates standing on the ledge of a nearby building. How odd, Commodore Smith thought, the one pirate sounds just like Commodore Norrington. The two pirates took hold of a length rope and swung their way onto the platform.

            Norrington strode towards his replacement. "Halt this farce at once! This man is innocent, as you can see I am perfectly fine." He glared at the soldiers. "Set William Turner free at once!"

            Commodore Smith stood and stared at the latest arrival. With a puzzled expression he queried the unknown pirate. "And you are…?"

            Norrington nearly hit his head in frustration. "Have I been gone so long you have forgotten me? I am Commodore Norrington!"

            Norrington looked out at the sea of confused faces. He sighed in frustration. "Well, I got a bit of a tan. I suppose that might throw one off. But I have returned with little damage." He paused. "Well, maybe a lot of damage."

            The replacement Commodore eyed the newly healed scars and bruised neck with astonishment. He walked up and put his face mere inches from Norrington's. The crowd grew silent in anticipation. Commodore Smith took a step back, and addressed the crowd.

            "It is he! Let us hang the real pirate who kidnapped him!" The crowd cheered, but whether it was for William's release or Jack's capture Norrington could not tell. Regardless, he knew what he had to do. He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

            "Wait!" All eyes turned to this Commodore in pirate's clothing. "I hereby pardon—"

            "I don't believe you have to power to do that, Commodore Norrington." Commodore Smith sensed that he was being pushed out of his newly accustomed role, and he wasn't going to give it up without a fight.

           Norrington shook his head. "Oh really? I do believe you were only installed as a temporary Commodore until I returned, isn't that true?"

            Smith sputtered and tried to think of a defense. "Well—but you see given the circumstances—"

            Norrington dismissed his excuses with a wave of his hand. "Should we ask the people of this fine town what they think?"

            The crowd roared back denouncing Smith. Norrington turned with a triumphant grin to Smith. "Well then, it appears we have an answer." He cleared his throat. "I hereby pardon all pirates present of any past crimes, and I hereby pardon William Turner for—ahem—murdering me. To be perfectly honest I wouldn't blame him."

            Never before had Norrington heard a cheer like he heard on that day. But after the crowd died down, two red-coated soldiers were still dancing on the platform.

            "We's free! We's pardoned! Hurrah!" Ragetti danced around and hugged William.

            "I am so sorry, William we were trying to help you escape! I even threw away all of the diamonds—"

            William laughed, happier than he ever thought possible. "It's alright, I know you did your best. You too Pintel."

            The older pirate smiled gratefully. "We're indebted to you forever, Mister Turner."

            Norrington turned to the dancing soldiers. "You two! Come here at once!" the two pirates sheepishly went to the Commodore, who looked at them in astonishment. "Are you the same cursed pirates from the Black Pearl?"

            The duo meekly nodded. The older one spoke first. "But you said all pirates present—"

            The other one interrupted. "And we is pirates, Mister Commodore—"

            "Of all crimes—"

            "So that means we's free! You said so!"

            Norrington grew very still for a moment, and the two pirates quailed in their stolen boots. Norrington fixed the younger pirate's musket strap and then threw his head back and laughed.

            "So I did, so I did. And I will stand by my word. Your attempt at saving William proved you are worthy of the second chance you have been given." He lowered his voice so that only they could here. "And I trust that you will not waste it."

            The two pirates nodded and stepped back Norrington turned to William Turner, and shook his hand. In the commotion Elizabeth had already rushed to his side and removed the noose. He spoke to both William and the crowd.

            "We are in your debt forever William Turner, and I and the whole town thank you for your service." He stepped back and clapped, and the crowd followed suit. He then addressed the crowd a final time.

            "And now, I am sorry but you must go on your way without witnessing a hanging. Many apologizes!"

            But despite his apology, Norrington was sure that with the exception of a certain ex-Commodore, no one in the crowd that day was sorry at all.

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            That evening a figure stood outside the Norrington house cloaked in the moonlight. The windows of the dwelling blazed with a light never seen before from inside the house. The door opened to reveal a young woman calling out to the figure.

"Norrington, do come inside, the celebration is inside the house!" Elizabeth laughed.

            Norrington stepped into the light from the door. "Yes, I will be inside in a moment." Elizabeth smiled understandingly and closed the door quietly. Norrington sighed and leaned back against the ivy-covered wall. He was happier than he had ever been in his life. Which obviously explains, he thought to himself, why I'm crying for the first time in my life.

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            Anamaria sat at amidst the merriment, but took no part. Jack sidled up next to her and put an arm around her.

            "I've seen this before, love."

            Anamaria looked up at him alarmingly. "You have?"

            Jack nodded. "Yes yes, its quite common. I've had my fair share of it myself."

            Anamaria tried to hide her panicked look. "And what is that?"

            He picked up the drink in front of her. "Rum." Anamaria sighed, exasperated. He set down the glass and turned her face to his. "Or perhaps it isn't the rum that has you down tonight." He kissed her and then pulled away. "We just can't work out, love—you know how I feel about monogamy." He looked out the window, and then back to her. "But there is someone who has been looking rather forlorn at his own party—"

            "Jack!" From across the room people were calling to hear his famous stories. The pirate captain stood up and patted Anamaria on the shoulder.

            "But what do I know, bird—it's probably the rum."

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Jack bowed at the conclusion of another story, and from his perch between Julia and Pintel, Ragetti inquired about the good Commodore.

            "He will be fine." Jack dismissed the question with a wave of his hand. "I have a feeling the good Commodore is finding the light just about now."

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            Norrington dried his eyes and straightened his jacket. He was about to take a step towards the door when he heard it open and close. He saw the she-pirate slip out the door and into the darkness. He stayed silent, foolishly trying to hide from the woman.

            "I know you're there, Commodore."

            Norrington snorted. "I thought I told you—" Anamaria walked up to him, finding his hiding place. Ruefully he realized she had smoked him out.

            She smiled, the light from a window falling softly over her features. "I remember—Tom."

Norrington gasped slightly at the sound of his first name. From her lips it didn't sound like the burden he'd thought it to be. He cursed the ache in his heart and walked past her towards the door. "We really should be going inside now—" Anamaria caught him by the jacket arm, and turned him to face her. The sound of laughter and music filtered into the night air around them. Norrington stood frozen, unable to move as she brushed his hair out of his eyes. Norrington had scarcely noticed that in his time at sea, it had grown down past his ears. How stupid, he scolded himself, to think of my coiffure when a beautiful girl is standing right in front of me.

            "You're right. We probably should head inside." She nodded and turned, tearing her eyes from his. Now it was his time to stop her. He picked up her hands in his, but try as he might, no words came to his mind. He didn't know how long the pirates were going to stay in Port Royal—he didn't even know how long he would last in his newly reinstated title of Commodore. He smiled when he realized that it didn't matter, and kissed her hand. 

            "Anamaria, I can't think of anything to say—" He took a breath.  "Would you dance with me instead?"

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The End.

ARRRRRR!

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