A Pirate's Life for Me
By: SilverstartheWaterbender
Silverstar: Here's Chapter 4!
Little Miss Vampire: I love Jack! Thanks for reviewing!
J. B. Duenweg: Thanks for reviewing!
Wolfen-Ways: Great! Thanks for reviewing!
spirochick39: Thanks for reviewing!
X5-452-54: That could be a little difficult, since I'm already trying to fit in Mary and an OC from one of my other reviewers. Sorry:( Thanks for reviewing!
Disclaimer: I don't own POTC.
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Chapter Four: An Obsessive Commodore
"And then they made me their chief," Jack concluded.
"Three, two, one…" Mary thought.
SPLASH!
The three men turned towards where Elizabeth had fallen. "Will you be saving her, then?" Jack asked after a moment.
"I can't swim!" Mullroy answered.
Jack looked over at Murtogg, who shook his head. Jack rolled his eyes. "Pride of the king's navy, you are," he muttered.
Mary removed her hat and sword. "If you lose these, I will personally turn you into a eunuch, savvy?" she threatened, handing them to Mullroy. He gulped and nodded. Jack gave his effects to Murtogg, and jumped into the water. Mary followed.
The water was cold and murky – no doubt due to the medallion – but they had no trouble locating Elizabeth. Mary came up for air just as Jack grabbed her. He swam upwards, but was quickly pulled back down. When they came up again, part of Elizabeth's dress was ripped off. Mary grabbed onto one of her arms, steadying her, and they swam towards the docks.
Jack placed Elizabeth on the docks, and then helped Mary out of the water. Mary put on her hat and strapped her sword to her rope-belt as Murtogg examined Elizabeth. "Not breathing!" he said frantically.
"Move!" Jack ordered. He ripped off the corset, and Elizabeth came to. Jack handed the corset to Mary, who passed it on to Murtogg.
"Never would of thought of that," Mullroy said.
"Clearly you've never been to Singapore," Jack answered.
"That suggests things," Mary muttered.
Jack examined the medallion. "Where did you get that?"
Mary gave him a look. "Do you want specifics or the generals?"
Right on cue, Norrington and his lackeys made their entrance. "On your feet!" he ordered Jack. Mary opened her mouth to protest, but a few soldiers pointed their guns at her. She closed her mouth and smiled weakly.
Governor Swann came and placed a blanket around his shivering daughter's shoulders. He took one look at Jack and Mary and said, "Shoot them!"
"Father!" protested Elizabeth. "Commodore, do you really intend to kill my rescuers?"
Norrington frowned but lowered his weapon. Mary smiled gratefully and Jack made his "thank you" motion.
"I believe thanks are in order," Norrington said, holding out his hand. Jack eyed it warily.
"Jack, don't --" Mary started, but Norrington gave her a look that said, "Talk and I will kill you." Jack held out his own hand. Norrington grabbed and rolled up the sleeve to reveal a P shaped burn.
"Had a brush with the East India Trading Company, did we? Pirate?" Jack winced, and Mary groaned loudly.
"Hang him!" the governor told Norrington.
"Keep your guns on him, men!" Norrington ordered. "Gillette, fetch some irons!" He rolled Jack's sleeve up further to reveal an odd tattoo. "Well, well…Jack Sparrow, isn't it?"
Jack smiled. "Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please, sir," he corrected.
"And don't you forget it, Jimmy!" Mary added.
Norrington stared at her before continuing his questionnaire. "Well, I don't see your ship, Captain."
"I'm in the market, as it were," Jack replied.
"He said he'd come to commandeer one," Murtogg broke in.
"Told you he was telling the truth," Mullroy muttered. "These are his, sir!" He handed Norrington Jack's pirate stuff.
Norrington examined the gun. "No additional shots, nor powder…" He moved on to Jack's magic compass. "…a compass that doesn't point North…" He pulled Jack's sword out of its sheath. "And I half expected it to be made of wood. You are without a doubt the worst pirate I've ever heard of!"
Jack smiled cryptically. "But you have heard of me."
Norrington rolled his eyes and turned to Mary. "Well, let's see what the damage is here."
Mary looked left, right, and behind her. "Who, me?"
Norrington rolled his eyes again and grabbed her right arm. He rolled up the sleeve to find…nothing. Growling, Norrington grabbed her other arm. Nothing there either.
"In your face, Jimmy," Mary said, sticking her tongue out at him.
Norrington looked like he would kill her right there, mark or not. Instead, he asked, "What's your name?"
"Mary Anderson, sir." Norrington eyed her suspiciously. Mary sighed and pulled her sword slightly, revealing part of the blade. "It's real, see?"
"And where," Norrington said, smirking, "did you get that lovely bracelet?"
Mary looked down at the bracelet. "A birthday present from my friend."
"Your friend? You mean, your friend the jeweler?"
Mary stared at him. "I did not steal my bracelet!"
Norrington's smirk widened. "Now, did I say that? Only a thief would immediately jump to conclusions like that. Seize her." He obviously was looking for an excuse to kill her.
One of the soldiers grabbed her hands and put them behind her back. "Let go of me! Norrington, you obsessive son of a bitch, you are so going to pay for this!"(1)
At this point, Gillette returned with the cuffs. Jack was led off to be clapped in irons, and Elizabeth came to the rescue. "Commodore, I really must protest! Pirates or not, these two saved my life!"
"One good deed is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness, Miss Swann," Norrington argued.
"But it seems enough to condemn him," Jack cut in.
"Indeed."
"But she doesn't have the brand!" Elizabeth retorted, pointing to Mary. "She's only a child!"
"Hardly," she scoffed. "I'm sixteen, and at this point, Keira Knightley was seventeen, which makes you seventeen, and already you've gotten proposed to!" Apparently she had lost everyone at "sixteen."
"Simply because she doesn't have the brand, does not mean she hasn't practiced piracy," Norrington explained. "It's difficult enough to find one black pearl, let alone the amount on that bracelet. And I doubt she was able to make so much money on her own."
"Man, you really need to find a hobby!" Mary called.
"Finally," Jack muttered as he was cuffed. Without warning, he threw the chain around Elizabeth's neck.
The men raised their guns, but Governor Swann cried, "No! Don't shoot!"
"I knew you'd warm up to me," Jack said triumphantly. "Commodore, my effects please. And my hat!" Norrington didn't move. "Commodore!" Jack warned. Norrington scowled, but took the effects from Mullroy and handed them to Elizabeth.
"I'd also thank you to release the girl," Jack continued. The soldier immediately let go of Mary's hands. Mary backed off and rubbed her wrists, casting a grateful look at Jack.
"Now, Elizabeth," Jack said. "It is Elizabeth, isn't it?"
"It's Miss Swann!"
"Now, Miss Swann, if you'd be so kind…come, come, dear, we haven't got all day."
Lizzie turned around and put on Jack's effects and hat. At one point, it looked like she was hugging him. Jack smiled at Norrington, who rolled his eyes. So did Mary. She wasn't fond of Sparrowbeth.
"Easy on the goods, darling," Jack told Elizabeth.
"You're despicable," Elizabeth said darkly.
"Sticks and stones, luv. I saved your life, you saved mine; we're square." He turned Elizabeth back around. "Gentlemen…m'lady, you always remember this day as the day you almost caught…Captain…Jack…Sparrow!" He thrust Elizabeth at the soldiers and fled. Mary took advantage of the distraction and charged into the confused soldiers. Once free, she took off down the docks and into the town.
Jack joined her momentarily, followed by the sound of guns. "Does this happen to you a lot?" Mary asked, trying to dodge bullets.
"Little too much for my liking, luv," Jack answered.
Mary groaned. "Why does that not surprise me?"
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(1) I apologize to those of you that like Norrington. I really don't like him.
Silverstar: …I got nothing. R&R!
Edited 9/ 18/07