The hangman reached for the lever that would end the pirates' lives. James Norrington's mind raced. He had to save Elizabeth—but there was no possible way. Lord Beckett was standing right beside him, and there were dozens of soldiers and pedestrians around. He could do nothing to save Elizabeth.

A gunshot echoed through the fort. At first, no one reacted to the sound, unsure of what they had heard. The executioner fell backwards off the gallows, dead before he hit the ground, and then a blade flashed through the air, slicing each of the ropes. The five on the gallows looked at each other in surprise.

A woman screamed, and the soldiers finally leapt into action as they realized what was happening. The pirates on the gallows removed their nooses, and a few managed to take weapons from the soldiers who were coming at them.

Lord Beckett motioned to an area on the battlements above them. "The shot came from there," he said to some nearby guards. "Make sure to trap the one responsible." Beckett's face was strangely calm, as though knowing that there was no possible way for the pirates to escape. Admiral Norrington was secretly hoping that the pirates would beat the odds and manage to get away.

The crew of the Black Pearl was managed to hold off the soldiers, despite their chains. The fight was not helpful for the Royal Navy's image. Norrington worriedly searched for Elizabeth amongst those in the fray, but he was unable to locate her. He kept nearly leaping forward to help the pirates, but knew to do so would be suicide.

Beckett's face became livid as the two watched the fight in astonishment. The crew of the Pearl managed to break through the soldiers' ranks and begin to make their way out of the fort. "Admiral, take some troops and stop those miscreants." Beckett was absolutely furious, and Norrington did not want that anger turned towards him. He nodded and quickly left, motioning for some nearby soldiers to follow him.

O O O

Lord Beckett waited impatiently for a report on the pirates. He hoped that Admiral Norrington had succeeded in capturing, or even better, destroying the crew of the Black Pearl. He urgently needed something to lift his spirits given the news he had just received, and the wine he was drinking was not helping.

Beckett looked up and set down his glass as the door to his office opened. "Admiral Norrington, sir." Admiral Norrington nodded to the man who had let him in as he entered the room. Norrington watched Lord Beckett nervously, forcing Beckett to conclude that the news he was about to receive was not what he had hoped.

"Admiral?" Beckett prompted, his voice deathly low.

Norrington opened and closed his mouth. Beckett did not need to hear the report to know that the crew of the Pearl had escaped. "They got away," he stated. Norrington nodded, shifting his weight nervously. "And you aren't following them because…"

Norrington swallowed. "They took the Black Pearl, sir." Beckett was clenching his fists so tightly his knuckles were turning white. "There is no ship that can match the Pearl's speed." Beckett stared slightly at the wall behind Norrington, his icy blue eyes seemed to pierce the wood as Norrington continued to explain the situation. "If we knew their destination, sir…"

"But we don't," Beckett concluded shortly.

"No, sir," Norrington admitted.

An awkward silence fell between them again. "Admiral, I have a question for you." Norrington simply nodded, unsure of what Beckett wanted. "During the time you spent with Robin," Beckett began, noticing Norrington clearly become even more nervous than before. "Do not worry, Admiral," he assured him. "I am not accusing you of anything. You know Robin as well as I do, perhaps even better—I have to accept that." Norrington did not relax. "Has Robin ever done anything…completely illogical?" Norrington's brow furrowed, indicating that he did not understand the question. "Did she ever do anything particularly irrational, something that you could not believe she would do?" The Admiral still did not speak. "Nothing you say will be held against you in any way, Admiral. I give you my word." Beckett knew that his word did not count for much, and Norrington probably did as well, but the Admiral began to speak hesitantly after a few moments of thought.

"Lord Beckett, I rarely understand what Miss Sparrow does. Most of the time, she seems to act on flights of fancy, not really thinking her actions through." Norrington became more confident as she continued. Beckett's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed that the Admiral was speaking almost admirably of Robin, but he said nothing of it. "But I have come to learn that nearly all Miss Sparrow does is for a purpose. Even the most irrational act is often a step toward a larger goal—towards something she wants."

"Like her father," Beckett commented quietly.

"I suppose so, sir."

"What about sacrificial?"

Beckett noted a small amount of perspiration on Norrington's face. He silently cursed himself for not noting whether or not the Admiral had been sweating when he entered the office. "Not that I am aware of, Lord Beckett."

It was a lie. Beckett could tell; but he choose to say nothing about it. "Suicidal?"

Norrington shifted his weight uncomfortably again. "Do you mean suicidal as in attempting to take her own life, or doing something that is highly likely to cause her death?"

Beckett paused before answering. He had meant the latter, but the fact that Norrington asked about the more literal meaning of Beckett's question made him think that perhaps Norrington really did know something about Robin that Beckett did not. The Robin that Beckett knew would never even consider taking her own life, but Beckett suspected that, at some point, Norrington had witnessed, perhaps even prevented, a suicide attempt. Had Robin changed that much?

"Both?"

Norrington was apparently not expecting that answer. He shifted his weight yet again. "Yes."

"To both?"

Norrington cleared his throat. "Yes, Lord Beckett."

Beckett frowned. Then he remembered that Robin did everything for a purpose—Norrington had just confirmed that. Any attempt on her own life was likely to her own purpose, merely a ploy to get something she wanted. Thus, Beckett dismissed this news.

"I admit that I have no idea as of yet what Robin hopes to accomplish," Beckett stated.

"Sir?" Norrington asked, confused.

The door to Beckett's office opened again. "The prisoner as ordered, sir." The man escorted the woman into the room.

Norrington turned to see who it was, and Beckett was quite shocked to hear him exclaim the name that Beckett believed few even knew. "Jacqueline!"

Robin was in shackles, still wearing the elegant green dress Beckett had had made for her. "Admiral Norrington," Robin said, coldly but politely. "Lord Beckett." Her eyes were unfeeling, cold, even more so than that fateful night many years ago when she had left him… Beckett took a deep breath, pushing the past to the back of his mind.

"Why?" Beckett asked, his voice quiet and deadly.

"Why what, my lord?" Robin asked innocently.

Beckett grit his teeth. "You know very well what."

"Apparently I do not, Lord Beckett."

Beckett took a deep breath, attempting to keep himself from leaping out of his chair and strangling her. He held up a beautiful ring—the engagement ring he had given her, the ring that Robin had thrown to the ground as she went to betray him. Robin glanced at Norrington, who still seemed to be putting everything together.

"You risked your life…you threw away a life that any other woman would die for," Beckett said quietly.

"I am not 'other women,'" Robin said through clenched teeth. "You told me that yourself—as I recall, that's one reason why you wanted to marry me."

Beckett glared at her as he slowed stood. Robin really was infuriating. "Your individuality does not excuse aiding the escape of a crew of criminals," he sad quietly. "Neither does it excuse your flirting and…" Beckett took a deep breath, looking pointedly at Norrington. "…with every man."

Robin raised an eyebrow, and Beckett knew that she was going to make a remark about his hyperbole before she even opened her mouth. "I'm not sure if the Admiral counts as 'every man,' Lord Beckett," Robin said with a slight smirk. Damn, he knew her well. But he was slightly surprised that Robin admitted to the possibility of a romantic relationship with Norrington. Then again, he supposed that she probably thought there was no reason to try and hide what Beckett already knew.

"That kiss with Ragetti before you were captured was an accident, then," Beckett remarked casually. Robin's cheeks tinged pink, and she glanced quickly at Norrington, who appeared extremely surprised, either by the stupidity of Robin's actions or the fact that she had been kissing yet another man. Beckett was furious about both, but was strangely angrier about Robin kissing the pirate. Lord Beckett had attempted to personally shoot the one-eyed pirate when he had seen the two sharing that intimate moment, but unfortunately he was not as good at shooting from afar as his former clerk, Mr. Mercer, and the pirate had gotten away unscathed. "Nothing to say to that?" Beckett said quietly, walking around the desk and standing near Norrington.

Robin appeared to want to say something, yet she remained silent and merely watched Beckett as he moved. "I do not want to see you hung anymore than you want to die," he said. Norrington looked at Beckett in horror as Robin glared at him. Ignoring the Admiral, Beckett continued, "I have a proposition for you, one that I believe you will find even more to your advantage than our previous agreement." Lord Beckett took a deep breath and walked a few steps toward Robin. She watched him carefully, likely all too aware of her vulnerability with her wrists chained, but she did not move. "Admiral," Beckett said suddenly, continuing to gaze into Robin's eyes.

"Yes, Lord Beckett?"

"Leave us. And make sure we are not disturbed." Robin shifted one foot back, glancing worriedly up at Norrington. "This offer is private—something between Robin and me, alone." Robin's eyes widened slightly and she gulped, looking up at Norrington again as though begging for him not to leave. Beckett couldn't help but smirk slightly at her sudden unease. "Did you not hear me, Admiral?" Beckett asked with Norrington did not leave. He turned to look at Norrington, whose eyes were locked on Robin, although he quickly looked away from her when Beckett turned. "Go on." Beckett smiled slightly at Robin, enjoying her increasing dread.