Chapter Twelve- Sudden Drop and a Short Stop


Victoria opened her eyes. "Where's Will?" she murmered.

"Here." He was dressing in the corner.

"Oh, there you are. Is Francesca still sleeping in the captain's cabin?"

Will said, "No, she's been up for a few hours."

"Dreadful thing, having to see Jack hang. Can't we just get together all our pistols and spring Jack from jail?"

"Well we have to try."

She beamed, "We can! Oh let's get muskets, and all kinds of swords, and bombs–"

"How about subtlety for a change?"

"...That would work."

Francesca stepped in, "Hello. Where's Jack?"

"They've got him in the prison near the gallows..." said Will.

"We've got to stop them!" Francesca said as Governor Swann walked in.

"Francesca, Miss Gibbs- you may witness the hanging if you wish, but you may not interfere."

"As you wish," said Francesca, glancing at Vicky mischievously.

The hanging began. Victoria, Elizabeth, the Commodore, Governor Swann, and Francesca were standing in front of the battlement steps.

An official stood with rolled parchment, announcing, "Jack Sparrow, be it known that you have…"

"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow," muttered Jack.

"…for your willful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature. The most grievous of these to be cited herewith: piracy, smuggling…"


"This is wrong," said Elizabeth.

The governor replied, "Commodore Norrington is bound by the law, as are we all."

The list the official read was endless, "…impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England…"

Jack smiled in reminiscence, "Oh yes..." He looked at the executioner, who glared at him.

"…sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation and general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul."

Will walked through the crowd to the steps of the battlement, facing Elizabeth, "Governor Swann; Commodore, miladies. Elizabeth- I should have told you before..."

The executioner placed the noose around Jack's neck. A drumroll sounded.

Will ran through the crowd to the gallows. Elizabeth noticed Cotton's parrot perched on a flag. "Can't breathe." She faked fainting, distracting the governor and her fiancé.

"Move!" Will yelled as the floor beneath Jack was released. He threw his sword at the platform, Jack just barely using the blade as a foothold.

Will fought the executioner, Victoria and Francesca running after him. Francesca dodged the executioner's blows, cutting the rope. Jack fell and stood up quickly, slicing his bonds on the sword, taking it for himself. Victoria stood in front of Norrington's men, a pistol in each hand, "Come on you ugly wig-wearing pansies!" She fired her gun...with no bullets. "Fuck." The soldiers ran past her towards Will and Jack.

They grabbed a rope, using it to knock out several officers before fighting their way into a trap, Norrington's men cornering them with muskets.

Francesca and Vicky ran to the scene.

Norrington said to Will, "I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill conceived escape attempt, but not from you."

The governor was outraged, "On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency and this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him? He's a pirate!"

"And a good man. If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear."

"You forget your place, Turner," said Norrington.

"It's right here, between you and Jack."

"As is mine," said Francesca, standing next to Will.

"And mine," said Victoria, joining them.

Elizabeth stood beside Vicky, "And mine."

"Francesca! Elizabeth! Lower your weapons. For goodness' sake put them down!" Governor Swann said. The muskets were lowered.

"So this is where your heart truly lies, then?" Norrington said to Elizabeth.

"It is."

Will seemed troubled.

"Well! I'm actually feeling rather good about this," said Jack, moving very close to the governor, "I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh?" the Governor was appalled by the smell of rum on his breath, "Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically?" Jack turned to Norrington, "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that." Then to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth …it would never have worked between us, darling. I'm sorry. Will …nice hat. Men! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that you–" Francesca ran at him, knocking both of them off the battlement.

"Francesca!" Governor Swann yelled.

Will and Victoria sniggered, watching them surface in the water below.

"What was that for?" said Jack to Francesca.

"You're not going to leave me there. And you have to tell me all about what happened on that island." She took his hat off her head, putting it back on his.

"The island?"

"I can smell the rum on Elizabeth's breath a mile away, Sparrow."

"Ah...That I must explain."

Gillette mocked Jack, "Idiot, he has no where to go but back to the noose."

Jack spoke to her, "Ah, well, Francesca... I had a little surprise planned after all."

"Surprise?..."

"Sail ho!" the sentry called, the Black Pearl coming into view.

Francesca said, "What a surprise. But I should get this dress off before I sink to the bottom."

"It'll be my pleasure," grinned Jack.

The governor was about to order the guards to go get them, when the Commodore said, "Governor Swann, with all due respect...Maybe it is best to let them go."

Governor Swann nodded, "Perhaps on the rare occasion pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy, piracy itself can be the right course?"

"Mr. Turner."

"A moment, Commodore Norrington," said Will. "Elizabeth...I've tried to tell you for days now...there are two things I cannot abandon or pretend not to love: the life of a pirate, and the pirate herself." He turned to Vicky, "I love you, Victoria. I'm sorry I never told you before this."

He and Victoria kissed, jumping off the battlement.

"Will!" cried Elizabeth.

"I have not lost both my daughters to pirates, at least," muttered the governor.

"Elizabeth?" said Norrington.

"Commodore... I hold true to my answer. I will marry you."

"Your heart lies with Turner. I cannot change that," he said, leaving the battlement with Governor Swann. Elizabeth sprinted to his side and kissed him as a last resort. He nearly fainted. "We will marry next month then?"