Chapter 8 Broken Man
Norrington paced in his study, contemplating his course of action.
"Should I dress in the dark blue uniform, or the red one?" He looked at the outfits hanging on the chair and he held them up to his body and looked in the mirror.
"The blue one is more formal, but the red one is a bit more striking." He posed once and then smiled into the mirror. He made one last look at both of them and then smirked and said, "The blue."
He began to dress and then he started thinking to himself.
'How will I greet them? What if they have guests? Who would they be? What if Jack was there?' His thoughts immediately went form duty to his friendships and he began to wonder what he would do if Jack were there.
He glanced to a book that lay face down on his desk. It was a small, leather-bound book with old pages. On the spine it read in gold, Law's of the Officers. It was a book of all the laws that were applicable to any area of England. He looked at the book and remembered a law that he found. It stated 'Any man wishing to leave the business of piracy with his life may forfeit a sum of 100,000 gold pieces to the Crown as payment for his crimes.'
Norrington sighed and finished dressing. He grabbed his sword and put it to his belt and grabbed the book.
"I'm going to regret this," he muttered under his breath as he left his home and proceeded to the Turners.
MEANWHILE…
"So what you're saying is that you've had a liking towards designing dresses?"
Jennifer was looking at Cindy, whose face was trying very hard at concealing the smile, but failing miserably.
"Yeah, I like designing dresses," she caught the look, "What? I get bored and I have color pencils."
Jennifer just grinned at looked at Cindy.
"Have you ever designed any dresses for me?"
"Yeah," Cindy scoffed, "When I was really bored, but they were damn good though," she turned to face her, "One was dark wine red corset that tied up in the front with straps and a semi-puffy long skirt with matching black gloves."
Jennifer's eyes looked over Cindy and a smile tugged at her face, "That's so awesome, dude, you should make these you know? You could really make a shitload of money here."
"Yeah, and I could be labeled a pussy."
She just smiled and looked away from her, trying not to laugh.
"Oh course you wouldn't be," Elizabeth stated, "You would be a seamstress."
Cindy and Jennifer looked at her for a split second and then burst out laughing.
"What?" Elizabeth looked at them, "What's so funny?"
They just kept on laughing hysterically until Brian and Wilson were laughing too.
Elizabeth just rolled her eye and left the room.
"I'm going to take a nap." Elizabeth left the room and went up the stairs.
"That is so funny," Cindy said in between her breaths.
"Yeah man," Jennifer inhaled deeply, "I needed a laugh."
Suddenly, Jennifer stopped laughing and turned around towards the door. Seconds later, there were several loud knocks. The butler walked over to the door and opened it. The light streamed in as the man walked into the house.
"May I present, Commodore Norrington." The butler announced as he closed the door. Norrington walked into the den and bowed his head.
"Commodore," Will looked at him with a slightly confused face, "What a surprise, we weren't expecting you."
Norrington looked around the room at the different people, but his eyes fell upon Cindy. He gasped quietly and then faced Will who saw and was a bit frosted.
"Yes, well, I come with news."
"News of what?"
"I've found a way to help Jack," Norrington looked around the room and the teens were looking at him wide-eyed and Will was astonished.
"Really? How?"
Norrington offered the book to Will who started skimming through the page. "If he surrenders 100,000 pieces of gold to the crown then he may be deemed a free man," he paused as he saw the look of amazement on his face, "However, it would require that he leave piracy."
Will's head snapped up and he closed the book.
"Jack would never give it up, you know that."
Norrington sighed, "I tried," he smiled weakly, "Well, I do hope you shall talk to him about it."
"Of course," Will smiled, "Would you like to stay for dinner?"
Will wasn't the Commodore's biggest fan, but he did extend courtesy when it was due…even if he did show up uninvited.
"Why, thank you. I would love to," The Commodore smiled and he shot a quick glance at Cindy, who wasn't looking.
"Well, we aren't going to eat for several hours, so please, make yourself comfortable." Will smiled a fake smile and the Commodore looked around and then saw that the seat next to Cindy, besides the side where Jennifer was, was open. He strolled over the seat and sat down, with Cindy eyeing him.
"Hello, may I ask your name?" He smiled and Cindy was reluctant, but she answered.
"Cindy," she turned her head away towards Jennifer, who was just smiling and watching Cindy look at her wide-eyed.
"That's a lovely name," Norrington offered.
"Thanks," she didn't bother to turn around and Norrington had a slightly sad face. Jennifer looked at her and gave her a slightly guilty face. Cindy shook her head and pursed her lips.
Jennifer sighed and walked away from the couch. Cindy looked at her and glared. Norrington seized his chance.
"So, may I inquire as to the well being of your husband?"
Cindy eyed him and scoffed, "I'm not married."
Norrington's heart felt a bit lighter as he pursued the subject.
"A fine woman such as yourself is not married? I find that difficult to believe."
"In my area, people aren't allowed to marry until they're eighteen."
"Eighteen? Well, that's incredibly odd. Women around here usually get married around fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen."
"Cuz their freaks." Cindy's tone was annoyed and Will watched. A pang of jealousy hit his heart as he watched Norrington try to hit on her.
MEANWHILE…
Michael sat in his room, eyeing the sword that was there. He knew that Barbossa had put it there while he was using his body.
'Why don't you tell someone?' He thought to himself.
"Who would believe you? They'd just think you were crazy." He stood up and looked into the mirror. His eyes were darker and his lack of sleep was evident.
'You should tell someone, like Jennifer or Brian. They'd understand.'
"Ha, Brian would prolly rape me before I could finish the sentence. But Jennifer," he paused and began to think about it a bit more, "I have no idea what she'd do."
He felt something closing in.
"Oh no," he felt the familiar clouding of his mind, "Damn it!" His body fell to the floor unconscious. He lay there for a few seconds before his eyes fluttered open.
"Hello again boy." Barbossa looked in the mirror and fixed the collar on the shirt.
'What do you want this time?' The inner voice seemed less imposing and angry, but was more complacent.
"Well," Barbossa smiled into the mirror and saw the reflection of Michael smiling back at him, "I plan on hurting someone."
'Who?' Michael's voice sounded panicked.
"Take a wild guess."
Barbossa looked around the room and saw the door. Then his eyes fell on the sword he brought in there. He grabbed the sword and left the room. Michael watched as Barbossa led his body, carrying the sword, to another room. Barbossa opened the door slightly and peeked inside. He looked around the room and he saw his target.
Elizabeth was sleeping in the bed, and didn't stir when he closed the door gently and walked over to the side of the bed. He looked over her and watched her chest rise and fall, and how her hair splayed onto the pillow in a golden brown mass. He gripped the sword firmly and unsheathed it quietly so as not to wake her. He raised it up above his head and…
MEANWHILE…
Jennifer walked into the cellar and looked around. Wine was stacked into the walls in these racks and it was a bit dusty. Her eyes wandered over the bottles and she saw they were mostly red wines and champagnes. She heard something move behind her and she didn't turn her head around. Instead she looked at the floor to try and see the person's shadow, maybe to determine who it was. Unfortunately, there was no sunlight; therefore there were no shadows. She cursed to herself and stayed still.
"Hello luv," a husky voice came from behind her.
She turned her head around and came face to face with Jack.
"Norrington is in the den you know." She smirked and looked away.
"Which is exactly why I am down here." He grinned.
"So you're down here just to hide from Norrington?" She stepped back and he stepped forward.
"No," he grinned even wider and eyed her.
"So what are the other reasons?" She looked down and started to panic a bit.
"Well," he stepped a little closer to her, "I'm looking at one reason," he looked down at her and he could almost smell her fear.
He leaned in and she felt his familiar hot breath on her neck, caressing it gently. Slowly, he placed light kisses on her neck and trailed up to her jaw line. Her head tiled upwards and he found his way to her mouth. He tenderly kissed her and gradually slipped his tongue into her mouth, and explored. He snaked his arms behind her back and brought her closer to him. Her arms came up and wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to her. Steadily he released her she looked up at him. Suddenly she felt all these doubt wash over her. What if he doesn't mean it, what if someone comes in, what if what if what if…These swirled in her head until she heard a yell. It was faint, but it was coming from upstairs.
"What's wrong luv?" Jack looked down at her and gave her a concerned look.
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"I heard someone yell—" she looked at the exit and ran right past Jack and up the cellar stairs and into the house.
"Damn it," Jack cursed under his breath as he ran after her and into the house. Will watched Jack run through the den and knew something was wrong and followed him. The Commodore saw Jack and he blinked once before seeing Will closely behind. He got up and followed them, with Cindy not too far behind.
"What's the meaning of this?" Norrington called out to the people in front of him.
He just watched Jennifer open all of the doors in the hallway until she opened one and stopped dead in her tracks. Jack ran up behind her and opened the door all the way. The group gazed inside to see Elizabeth, lying on the bed, with a blade through her stomach and Michael standing over her with a petrified look on his face.
"Dear God," Jennifer said as she watched Will run into the room and kneel beside the blood soaked bed. His hands were covered in warm blood as he pulled the sword out of her and tried to wake her up.
"Elizabeth," tears were streaming down his face as he held her body, "Wake up honey. Wake up!" He was sobbing and Jack was watching this with a few tears in his eyes.
Norrington was petrified. He looked at Will cradling her body and then at Michael, who was almost statue-like.
"You there! Boy!" Norrington stormed up to Michael, "Did you kill her?!" He looked into Michael's eyes and grabbed his shoulders, "Did you?!" he was furious and his face was covered in tears as well.
"I—I—" He opened his mouth but no words came out.
Norrington grabbed his wrists and held them together tightly. "I hereby arrest you under the charge of the murder of Elizabeth Turner under the Royal Crown."
Jennifer turned to Cindy who was petrified as well and tears welled up in her eyes. She stumbled away from the scene and almost didn't make it down the stairs.
Jack's gaze went from Will, to Norrington, to Jennifer leaving, and Cindy. He left the room and wiped the tears from his eyes and watched Norrington haul Michael off to the local jail.
"Will," Jack slowly walked over to the bed where Will was still cradling her body.
"She's fine, she's just sleeping is all…she'll wake up any second now…any second…" He was rocking back and forth letting her warm blood trickle onto his clothes.