Caribbean Crusades

Chapter 9

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Alrighty, this is the second to last chapter… I hope you guys all enjoy it.

Padfoots-Pirate - Lol…I totally agree, maybe I should put that into the next chapter…hmmm…

Chavi West-Wind - I didn't actually think about what they would be doing up there. Let's just say that they were…talking about…rum …Jack would like that conversation. Heh heh. I'm 17, I'll be 18 in July…heh heh…I will finally be able to (legally) drink alcohol…yay! (the drinking age in NZ is 18). I had some rum the other day. I wanted to know what it tasted like so I went and asked my mum, who gave me a bit. It has a very strange flavour…but I liked it.

Righto, enough of my babbling, go read the story…

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We stood in a stunned silence for a while.

"We should return to the Dauntless." Elizabeth said.

"Your fiancé will be wanting to know you're safe." Will said. Stupid boy. Elizabeth turned and walked slowly out of the cave.

Jack swaggered over to Will, adorned with jewels and a gold crown. "If you were waiting for the opportune moment…that was it." Will looked at me and I nodded in agreement. "Now if you'll be so kind, I'd be much obliged if you'd drop me off my ship."

We made our way back to the boats in silence and Will started rowing us back to the Dauntless.

"Uh, Jack." Elizabeth said hesitantly. "I don't know how to tell you this but…the Black Pearl has gone."

Jack looked up slowly. "Gone?"

"I let the crew out of the brig, but they refused to come with me. They said that it was against the code."

"Aye, I told them to stick to the code." Jack said, more to himself than anyone else.

"I'm sorry, Jack." Elizabeth said.

"They done what's right by them. Can't expect more than that." Jack said, looking down, not much expression in his voice. He sounded resigned. I scooted closer to him so we were touching. I wanted to do something, but I didn't know what. He looked at me and gave me a sad smile.

It took a couple of days to get back to Port Royale. I felt a bit weird being back there after such a long time. Well, it wasn't actually that long a time, but it seemed like it. So much had happened since I left.

As soon as the Dauntless docked, they carted Jack off to the cell again. I felt strangely empty without him around. He'd become such a vibrant presence in my life.

I walked aimlessly around the streets. I didn't want to go home, for obvious reasons. I made my way to Will's place, deciding that I'd stay with him for the time being. He wasn't home, so I just let myself in and decided to wait for him. I sat down in a chair and I almost immediately fell asleep.

I was awoken again by the front door being opened. I rubbed my eyes and turned to see who it was. It was Will.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm not going home." I said. "Besides, I need a plan."

"A plan?"

"To rescue Jack. We can't just let him hang like that. He doesn't deserve it."

"I suppose you're right." Will agreed. "What did you have in mind?"

I pulled Will down on the chair next to me and explained to him what I had in mind. With his help, I could put this plan in motion and rescue Jack.

An hour later, with all the little details sorted out, I got up to leave.

"Where are you going?" Will asked.

"I've just gotta go somewhere. I'll be back soon." I said. Will had said that I could stay at his place tonight, seeing as I didn't want to go back home.

I made my way down the dark alleyways to the back of the jail. I dragged a large rock underneath the window and stood on it on tiptoes so I could see in the window.

"Jack!" I whispered. "Jack, are you in here?"

He came to the window. "What are you doin' here, luv?"

"I just came to tell you not to worry about a thing. Me and Will have it all sorted out. You will not hang tomorrow."

Jack grinned. "Thanks, luv. I'm countin' on you."

I grinned back and motioned for Jack to come closer. I leaned in and gave him a kiss through the bars on the window. "I thought you really needed that." I said, before turning and running back down the alleyways in which I came.

By the time morning came, I was getting more and more nervous. What if I couldn't do it? What if I did something wrong and I couldn't save Jack? What if the whole plan went to hell?

I think Will could tell that I was really worried, even though I tried not to show it. He came and sat next to me on the couch. "Don't worry, Sam. I wouldn't let him hang. We'll try our best to save Jack, alright?"

I nodded.

"Good. Let's go."

We made our way down to the fort, where they would be doing the hanging. Will and I stood to the side of the crowd of people, waiting for the opportune moment, to put it in Jack's words.

Jack was led to the gallows and a rope was put loosely around his neck. I really had to restrain myself not to do anything then.

The official started reading out the list of things Jack had done. "Jack Sparrow, be it known that you have…"

I could see Jack muttering something and I'm sure it was something along the lines of "Captain. Captain Jack Sparrow."

"…for your wilful 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, impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England…"

"Oh, yes." Jack said and grinned at the executioner, who glared back at him. I must remember to ask him about that one.

"…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."

This as our cue, Will walked through the crowd towards Governor Swann, Norrington and Elizabeth, I pushed my way through the crowd towards the gallows.

Just as the trapdoor was opened, I threw my sword so that it stuck into the trapdoor, as a foothold for Jack. I leapt up onto the gallows and proceeded to cut through the rope with a dagger, while Will kept the executioner busy.

Jack and Will grabbed the rope and used it to trip the redcoats over, while I ran alongside them with my sword, slashing at anyone trying to attack them from the sides.

We fought our way up to the tower and Jack and Will used the rope to trap a couple of the redcoats against a pillar.

This was where we were surrounded by the redcoats, guns with pointy bayonets on the end pointed at us. Jack blew at the feather in Will's hat, which was waving around in his face. I had to try hard not to laugh at that.

Norrington and Governor Swann joined the group. "I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill conceived escape attempt but not from you." He said to Will. "And you, Samantha. I'm very disappointed in your behavior, as I'm sure your parents are also." Norrington said to me.

"And what makes you think I give a stuff?" I replied, folding my arms across my chest defiantly.

"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!" Governor Swann said in disgust.

"And a good man." Will added. I noticed Jack point to himself proudly. "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." Nice speech, Will.

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

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

"Too right. Mine too." I said, glaring at Norrington.

Elizabeth joined us also. "As is mine."

"So this is where your heart truly lies, then?" Norrington asked.

"It is."

I noticed Cotton's parrot, and I could see that Jack had noticed it as well. " Well! I'm actually feeling rather good about this. I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh? Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically?" he said to Governor Swann, leaning in very close to him. I could almost see him squirm. He turned to Norrington and did the same. "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that." He turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth…it would never have worked between us, darling. I'm sorry."

He turned to Will, trying to think of something to say. "Will…nice hat."

"And yer comin' with me, luv." He grabbed my hand and we made our way towards the edge of the battlement. "Men! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that you–" he was cut off as he tripped over the edge of the battlement, pulling me over with him.

We landed in the water with a big splash and fought our way back to the surface. "Jack, you clumsy idiot." I said, hitting his arm.

He just grinned and kissed me. "I thought that you needed that." He said when he pulled away.

"Yeah, and I think I need another one." I said, leaning in again.

We pulled away after a while and took a breath, before swimming towards the Black Pearl, which was anchored over the other side of the harbour.

A rope was dropped into the water and we grabbed on before being flung through the air, onto the ship.

"I thought you were supposed to keep to the code." Jack said to Gibbs.

"We figured they were more actual…guidelines." Gibbs explained.

Cotton handed Jack his hat back, which he proudly placed on his head.

Anamaria walked up to Jack and put his coat on his shoulders. " Captain Sparrow…the Black Pearl is yours." She said.

"On deck you scabberous dogs! Man the braces!" he yelled to the crew, who all scurried around, trying to look busy. I walked up to the helm and stood next to Jack. "Now...bring me that horizon." He said, with that smile of his. I could tell that he was home again.

He started humming to tune to 'A Pirate's Life for Me'. "And really bad eggs. Drink up, me 'earties yo ho."

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This is not the end…there is still one more chapter to go so don't despair…lol…

I will post the last chapter before I go away, so check for it in a couple of days…

Have a good one!

~Rhi