A/N: I can't stop writing… thanks for the reviews!

*10*

Incredibly Stupid

"He'd understand if you don't want to go to the hanging," Jules told her friend as Abigail fastened her hat onto her elaborate hair do.

"Jules, it's my obligation. And no, I don't want a lecture," Abigail told her.

Juliette nodded, her pink hat sliding slightly back on top of her tamed curls.

"Are you ladies ready?" Gillette asked, poking his head into the room where they were finishing their hair and hats.

"Yes," Abigail said, just as Jules said, "No."

Gillette sighed. "Well, Miss Montalvo, why don't you accompany me to the hanging. We're the only ones ready, and there's no sense waiting."

He extended his elbow to Abigail, and she really had no choice to take it or be uncomprehendingly rude. They headed for the front door, and she looked over her shoulder to Norrington, who gave her a nearly imperceptible nod of consent.

At least she had that.

"So," she said, deciding that the possibility of uncomfortable conversation would be better than awkward silence, "how many of those soldiers landed on you the other day?"

Gillette looked annoyed anew. "Most likely all of them," he grouched. "And now I only have forty-eight. I only have record of that many, but I had fifty that day. I must have had two from the wrong platoon."

"I don't know why they all jumped in like that, but I must say"- Abigail started, but cut herself off at the frustrated look on Gillette's face.

"I shouldn't have brought it up. I apologize," she said instead of the "it was hilarious" she was planning.

They walked a bit more, and Abigail spoke again.

"We're taking the long way?" she asked Gillette.

"Why not?" he said, smiling at her.

"No reason not to," she said, when she really wanted to take the shortest way possible and get the heck off his elbow.

"You look nice today," Gillette decided to comment, just to make everything more uncomfortable.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Abigail said, trying to make the situation as professional as possible.

Gillette opened his mouth to add to that, but Abigail had other ideas.

"It that James and Juliette? Oh it is! We would do well to go meet them," she said, towing Gillette along, and not hiding her relief as well as she would have liked.

Upon catching up with their friends, Norrington held out his elbow for Abigail.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," she said formally to Gillette, as she switched places with Juliette, who mouthed, 'thanks a lot' to her in passing.

"James," Abigail said as they neared the gallows.

"Yes?" he said, turning his attention to her.

"You know that by letting me in here, I might decide to do something incredibly… stupid?" she asked.

He nodded, serious. "I know that," he said.

She nodded back, equally as serious for once.

Jack was standing placidly at the edge of the gallows, guarded by a platoon of guards that was not Gillette's.

They foursome stood on the steps directly under the roof to shield them from the sun, Abigail with Norrington and Juliette with Gillette.

A soldier stepped up with a scroll of paper, and unrolled it to reveal that it was a mile and a half long.

"Jack Sparrow, you are charged by the His Royal Highness the King of England, and are sentenced on this day to hand by the neck until dead. You are charged with the following crimes: Piracy, impersonating a member of the clergy, impersonating a member of the Royal court…"

"How can one person have done so much damage?" Gillette pondered out loud.

The hangman stepped forward towards Jack, and things fell apart for the Royal Navy.

Out of nowhere, Abigail shrieked. "AHH! I SAY!"

Norrington jumped around. "What is it?"

Abigail looked horribley insulted. "That Lieutenant of yours needs to be more careful where he puts his hands!

Half the crowd turned to glare at Gillette, and Jack slowly inched away from the hangman.

"It's terribly inappropriate!" Abigail continued, making an almightly scene. "I should think you owe me an apology!"

Gillette looked terrified. "What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!"

"Did so."

Norrington finally caught on as Jack disappeared into the crowd. "Abigail…"

She turned to him. "Yes, sir?"

"Your mission has been a success."

She smiled. "Sorry, Commodore."