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Disclaimer: Sorry, forgot this last time. These cahracters are not and have never been mine.
Scene 4 – They All Come Together, Then Split Up Again
One week later, on the island of St. Rogers, there is a flurry of activity in a crowded bar. The crew of The Pursuer is roaming all over the island, glad for their brief break from pirate-hunting.
Norrington and Elizabeth, who is still in disguise, are sitting together at a corner table. Unbeknownst to them, Jack, Will, and Anamaria are watching them from a table across the room
Unsure of exactly how she got in this position, Elizabeth tries hard to think of an excuse to get her away from the man she most wanted to avoid at the moment. Unfortunately for her, her head still hadn't completely cleared from the drinks that she had earlier that day and nothing was coming to her.
Norrington noticed her discomfort, but didn't associate it with him. "You seem depressed, Boots. Why aren't you getting drunk and partying like everyone else here?"
"I could ask the same of you, Commodore." She was trying to end this conversation before it began, but the Commodore seemed insistent on talking to her.
"Fair enough. How about this, I'll tell you my story, then you have to tell me yours."
Oh great. Now I get to hear what a horrible person I am for following my heart. I can't wait. "Fine. Go ahead, Sir."
"Well, it all started about a month ago, when I was promoted to Commodore. It was that day that I finally proposed to Elizabeth Swan, daughter of the governor. I was expecting her to say yes, as her father was very fond of the match and he had been encouraging her."
He paused to look at her. "Well, what did she say?"
"Nothing. She fainted. That sparked a long series of events that aren't important to recount right now. Basically, she fell in love with a blacksmith turned pirate in the course of a week. She only agreed to marry me so that I would agree to go save his life. I knew that, of course, but I thought that maybe I could change her mind. We saved him, then she didn't see him again for three weeks. Then, he saved his pirate friend from a hanging and declared his love for Elizabeth. In that instant, I knew that I had lost her forever."
Elizabeth is surprised. Despite her father's raving, it seemed like the Commodore was willing to let her go. Despite herself, she was overcome with a strong feeling of sympathy. After all, she has lost her love as well. "That must have been a horrible feeling."
"Trust me, it was. But, you know what? I cared about this girl so much that I was just glad that she would be happy. But I was wrong. That very night, the bastard abandoned her. It was horrible. I had lost my love, and she had lost hers. Neither will return anytime soon."
Abandoned me? Elizabeth can feel herself starting to cry. She had never thought of it that way. "Excuse me, Sir. I must get back to the ship."
Norrington is surprised. He tries to stop her and ask what is wrong, but she ignores him. Pulling her hat low over her face, she heads back to The Pursuer, not even noticing the man whose foot her boot slams down on as she passes.
Will curses under his breath at the sailor who had just nearly amputated his foot. He stalks back to the table and sits.
"Thanks, Jack. Now it hurts to walk. I told you we shouldn't get closer."
"We didn't move closer. You did. Now, was it Norrington and did he see you?'
"Yes, it was Norrington and no, he didn't see me."
"Good." Jack slowly gazes out the window and the moon reflected in the calm ocean, trying to figure out his new plan of action. He is so intent on his thoughts that he almost missed Will's next comment.
"Do you think I could just hitch a ride home with them?"
Jack snaps out of his reverie and looks over at Anamaria. Both burst into laughter.
Using all his self-control, Jack stops laughing to attempt to answer Will's confused and annoyed glare. "Do you realize just how many problems there would be with that? Like, if their ship does catch up to us, how you would be forced to fight against me and my crew?"
Anamaria puts in, "Also, there is your attempted murder to consider. Has it occurred to you that the commodore could very well be the man who hired that gang?"Will shakes his head. "I seriously doubt that he would do something like that."
"But how could you ever really know?"
Jack nods in agreement. "She has a point, there, matey. If, and note that I'm sayin' if, he was the one who tried to kill you, he probably won't take very kindly to you showing up again. Especially is you want to hitch that ride to get back to the woman he loves."
Sighing in disappointment, Will concedes. "I suppose that you're right."
"I'm always right."
The three turn to watch Norrington walk briskly out of the bar after the offending sailor.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth is standing on the deck of The Pursuer, looking out at the moon reflecting in the ocean. As she is the only one onboard, she lets her tears flow free as she thinks of one William Turner.
"He abandoned me. The commodore is right. What else could have happened? Here I am crying my heart out for him, and he is probably not even thinking of me. I have to stop this. I can't let myself get this upset. I need to be over this."
She is so caught up in her misery that she doesn't notice as Norrington walks quietly up next to her. He gently lifts off her hat, letting her long hair tumble free
"Would you like to step into my cabin a moment, Elizabeth?For privacy's sake. I believe that you owe me an explanation."
She silently follows him into his cabin and sits on the bed. He closes the door and sits next to her. She has stopped crying, for the most part. "I'm sorry. I just had to get away. I couldn't stay there- all those memories. But now I'm going to move on. The man I thought I loved abandoned me first chance he got."
"You didn't deserve that. You deserve someone better, someone who will protect you and won't cause you pain."
"Someone like you."
"Only if you want me."
Contemplatively and sadly, Elizabeth returns, "I think I need to have you. As my father says, true love is security and happiness with someone. Passion is something totally different and unnecessary. When we get home, if you still want, I will marry you gladly."
"Elizabeth! That would be the greatest honor. I love you, I always have, always will. Are you sure, though?"
"I'm positive."
"Amazing! You have made me so happy! Now I have even more inspiration to catch that pirate ship as soon as possible."
"Yes. Surely." Norrington is confused by her slow and distant tone. For someone who just declared her love for him, Elizabeth was being unusually cold. "Darling, you are tired. Why don't you sleep, now?"
Elizabeth is not in the mood to put up a fight. "Okay. Goodnight."
Norrington kisses her cheek and goes out to pace the deck. He is happy, but a little wary. When his crew begins to return to the ship, he goes back into his cabin and looks pensively at Elizabeth, who is sleeping fitfully. He then lays a blanket out on the floor and goes to sleep.
Elizabeth woke only once that night, in the grips of a terrible nightmare that she could neither remember nor fully shake off. Looking over and seeing Norringtinon next to her gave her some comfort, and she was able to fall back asleep rather quickly. Despite all her intentions, however, her last thought was of Will.
Next chapter: Everybody meets up again (for a much longer time than in this one).
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