Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters
None of them truly deserved her.
Oh sure, they all had their admirable qualities. Norrington was honourable, noble, respected and a proper gentleman; Turner was loyal, brave and hardworking; and Sparrow was adventurous, exciting, charismatic, and the personification of freedom and rebellion.
But their negatives countered those traits.
Norrington saw the world as only having two sides. Good or bad, noble or dishonourable, pirate or law abiding citizen. Although she may have grown to care and even love him she would always long for adventure, for something that was not allowed to be hers. In his love for her he would try to do whatever he could to make her happen, which would only succeed in making both of their lives unsatisfying.
No. He couldn't understand that there was more to the story, more to the lives of the individuals that society and the Crown had condemned. He couldn't see that even is people tried their very best day-in and day-out, they still might not find enough to eat or honest work, and so had to resort to doing whatever was necessary to survive. He didn't understand that sometimes a person could do all the right things, and still fail.
She knew better. She knew that many of these condemned people had stories, lives, hopes and dreams that were crushed beneath their lot in life.
He was an example of that. He and his uncle Pintel were kidnapped by the British naval and gangbanged into service. They were starved, beaten, whipped and degraded. Thank god he had Pintel. He never would have survived, let along escaped when their ship docked in the Caribbean. Ragetti shrived as he remembered those horrible years. She would understand that this was not the life he wanted when he was younger. Norrington wouldn't have. He would have made excuses for the naval, blamed Ragetti and Pintal, saying it was their disrespect that caused their treatment.
No. Norrington was a good man but he didn't understand Elizabeth. As such he didn't deserve her, because how can you deserve someone you can't even understand?
Although, Ragetti though, if he had to pick one of the three he would still pick Norrington as the best choice for Elizabeth because even though they would not have been the happiest together, James Norrington loved Elizabeth. He would have done anything for her and had always put her wishes and wants over his own need. That is was willing to go rescue Will Turner as an engagement present when he knew it was Turner she really wanted, and when he waked away, like a gentleman, when she stood beside Turner and declared her love. He may not have understood her, but he truly loved her.
Turner on the other hand was conflicting. He loved Elizabeth yes, but the more she moved to another direction the more they drifted apart. She was growing as a person; he was trying to stay the same. They might have still had a chance until Turner meet his long lost father.
Ragetti snorted at the though. No one seems to stay dead around here. Even someone you tie to a cannon and dropped into the middle of the ocean. Honestly, this Bootstrap Turner had abandoned his wife and son, was a sword sweeping pirate, sold his soul to Davy Jones, and after only a few days Turner had promised to free him of his curse and servitude. Everything from that point on saw his father at the first of his mind. Elizabeth an afterthought.
Perhaps he saw that she was drifting away and he wanted to make sure his had someone.
However, he was putting a virtual stranger in front of the person that he had loved for over 10 years! This man was no father but Turner was willing to put everything aside for him. It seemed that the more Elizabeth moved into the world of pirates the less and less she was like the girl he had known. The beautiful Governor's daughter is gowns and hats, white perfect skin and impeccable manners. No longer was she the feisty, daring lady who dreamed of pirates and a handsome hero. Now she didn't need a hero. She didn't need him to save her. Perhaps that's what happened. Turner is the type of person who has to do good. He has to save the innocent and vanish the foe. Once Elizabeth no longer needed protection he turned towards someone who did. Someone who needed savings and only he could do it.
What Turner didn't realize is that although Elizabeth didn't need saving, she still needed someone at her side. That is a hard thing to be when you are always trying to be the hero for someone.
No. Turner was a loyal man but didn't deserve her. She wasn't the first person in his heart.
Ragetti's thoughts turned to Jack Sparrow. Now here was a man who fit into the shape Elizabeth created at her side the longer she stayed with the pirates. Fierce, independent, charming, and could always seem to get out of the most impossible situations none the worse for wear. He was the Sea, he was freedom, and he was what she dreamt about as a child. The heroic pirate fighting off the Soldiers and Sailors of the Crown and always sailing away into the horizon with his stolen treasure.
He did have glory, fame, and sad and noble past. To be banded as a pirate for everyone to see because you wouldn't sell humans into slavery was noble and brave was what stories were made from. He was one of those that tried to do good in the world but was put down and beaten down until he was forced to turn away from society. Perhaps he and Norrington could have been comrades not the branding not occurred.
But after dreams come reality. Sure there may have been some attraction, some passion, some seduction in their interactions, but Sparrow didn't deserve her. Out of all of them, Sparrow deserved her the least, because unlike Turner and Norrington, Sparrow first looked after himself and only himself before he gave a thought to others. And even that was only minimal. He was arrogant, dirty, and dishonorable, had no morals or decency, and loved himself and the sea more than anything. Perhaps there was a bit of honor left over from his younger days, but it was so well hidden and so rarely shown that it was hardly worth mentioning.
No. Sparrow didn't deserve her. He would always be looking for something else, something more. He would never be satisfied with what he had, would never put Elizabeth over his own needs or wants, and could not provide her with a family.
Ragetti felt the wind blow across his face as he kept staring out into the horizon. They had been at sea for several days now and would not see land for several more. It was just the ship and crew and the sea. A good life, perhaps even a great one at times.
A slim figure came to stand beside him and then pressed against his side, taking his left arm and putting it around her.
"What are you doing over here?" asked Elizabeth in a soft voice.
Ragetti turned and put both arms around her. "Thinkin` ", he replied.
"What about?" she asked said with a small smile.
"That I love ye" he answered honestly.
Elizabeth smiled and reached up and cup his face, bringing it down to meet hers in a kiss.
They didn't deserve her, he thought. And he knew he didn't either. How could his amazing, wonderful, perfect woman love someone like him? He didn't have money or standing in society, a lot of bravery or loyalty, or quick thinking wit.
`But I will always try to make her happen` he though, `I will always put her first in my heart and love her as she deserves, and I will always stand beside her no matter where she decides to go`.
Yes, Ragetti knew he also didn't deserve Elizabeth but he would always try his best to be deserving of her love for a long as his lived.
No flames please.