Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter, and once again thank you to those who reviewed!
Chapter Nine
"What!" Will and Elizabeth said in unison.
"Jack, you had better start making some sense!" Elizabeth said.
"Well, it's like this luv," Jack started, "I was in Tortuga, drinking rum…"
"That's a big surprise." Elizabeth snorted.
Jack looked at her sternly and said, "Which reminds me, there will be no burning of me rum while I am here."
"Jack, tell us about the Commodore!" Will reminded him.
"Right," Jack said, trying to regain his course of thought, "well I was in Tortuga drinkin' me rum when I noticed a fight breakin' out. So when I looked closer I realized it was your Commodore who was one of the fighters. Though if truth be told, he wasn't doin' much fightin'."
"What do you mean?" Will interrupted.
"He was getting beat up Will," Elizabeth said impatiently, "right Jack?"
"Aye, that he was." Jack said affirmatively, "So I got him outta there as fast as possible and took him to the Black Pearl, where I had Annamaria tend him."
"He let you take him to a pirate ship?" Elizabeth said in amazement.
"Well no, he'd passed out by that time, so I carried him aboard." Jack admitted.
"How did he pass out?" Elizabeth asked.
"I'd say a combination of all the drinkin' he'd been doin', and getting beat up." Jack replied.
Will grinned and said, "I bet he wasn't to happy when he woke up."
"Well he lived." Jack said wryly.
"The important thing is he is safe now." Elizabeth interjected.
"And, after a little persuasion, I got him to tell me what was going on." Jack said.
"What did you do to him?" Elizabeth asked, alarmed.
"I didn't do anything to him!" Jack said indignantly.
"Well, I find it hard to believe James would confide in you, no offense Jack but you are not his favorite person. How did you get him to talk to you?" Elizabeth said suspiciously.
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! I have me ways!" Jack said, with a grin that betrayed just how much he was enjoying this.
"Anyway, you said you had questions?" Will said, deciding to bring the conversation back to track.
"Aye, what do ye two know about Captain Parrish and Gillette?" Jack asked.
"Captain Parrish is a new transfer from England," Elizabeth answered, "Father says he may become the new Commodore now that everyone thinks James is a rapist. As for Gillette, he has always been loyal to this Port, and rumor has it he may get a promotion soon too, but as I said that is just a rumor that's going around, it may not be true."
Jack nodded thoughtfully, "I'm guessing the good ol' Governor thinks Norrington is guilty?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Elizabeth said bitterly, "he is of the opinion that there is no way James can be innocent, because all the evidence points against him."
"Uh huh." Jack murmured, still thinking.
"Jack, can we see the Commodore?" Will asked suddenly.
"If ye wanna come to the Pearl." Jack replied, "Norrington doesn't want to come to the town."
"Yes of course we'll come to your ship to see him!" Elizabeth said eagerly.
"Follow me then!" Jack said, standing up and swaying slightly.
"Right now?" Will said in surprise.
"No time better than the present." Jack said, "Ye comin' or no?"
"Yes, you're right, I suppose now is as good a time as any, lets go!" Elizabeth said, and Will just nodded. Jack nodded too, and led them out of the Blacksmith shop and to the docks where his rowboat waited.
Once they were in the rowboat and on their way to Jack's ship Will said, "You know Jack, I'm surprised you're helping the Commodore without any benefit to yourself."
"What kind of pirate do ye think I am?" Jack said indignantly, "Besides, it's not over yet!" he added with a grin.
Will just shook his head and winked at Elizabeth, who rolled her eyes. When they got aboard the Pearl Gibbs said, "Hello Will, Elizabeth. Captain, ye didn't mention ye were bringin' them."
"They wanna see the Commodore. Go and collect him, tell him to report to me cabin."
"Aye, Cap'n." Gibbs said, and went off in search of Norrington.
Jack led Will and Elizabeth into his cabin, and then sat down in his desk chair. He motioned to them to have a seat as well. In a couple minutes there came a knock at the door and Jack called out for the person to enter. Norrington came in and looked around, then stopped dead when he noticed Will and Elizabeth. He glanced over to Jack and said, "What's going on Sparrow?"
"For the one millionth time, it's CAPTAIN Sparrow, and I found two other people who believe in your innocence."
"Really?" Norrington said, looking at Will and Elizabeth, "You don't believe I did it?"
"James," Elizabeth said and hugged him in a sisterly way, "of course we don't think you did that horrible crime."
For the first time since he had been accused Norrington's face broke into a true smile and he hugged Elizabeth back. "That's the best news I've had in awhile!"
"We were just happy to hear you were safe." Will added.
Norrington snorted and said, "Well, I guess that depends on your definition of safe."
"Hey!" Jack interrupted, "I haven't let anything happen to ye!"
"Well you're taking an awful big chance by forcing me here to Port Royal!" Norrington retorted.
"That's what I thought at first," Will said, "but Jack is right, the Black Pearl isn't at all visible until you actually enter the cave, and the cave itself is almost impossible to see because it is surrounded by coral."
"Well it's not likely anyone will enter the cave, I didn't even know it was here." Norrington grudgingly admitted. "How did you know of it?" he asked Jack.
"I have me sources." Jack said evasively.
"James, I have a question," Elizabeth said, "How did you escape Port Royal?"
"Well, I was in my office when Parrish came to arrest me. He was alone and he told me he was arresting me for rape and that I was going to be hung." Norrington paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts before continuing, "Well I guess I panicked because the next thing I knew I had grabbed a heavy vase off my desk and slammed it down on his head. Then I went out the window in case he had reinforcements coming through the building. Then believe it or not, I actually took my inspiration from Sparrow here." Norrington said, nodding to Jack.
"Captain, Captain Sparrow!" Jack said.
"Yes, well, I went into the blacksmith shop to hide until things calmed down and I could find a way to leave Port Royal." Norrington said.
"Where was I?" Will asked in confusion.
"You were there, but you had the donkey pulling the machinery, and you were pounding away with your hammer, so it was extremely loud and I managed to slip in and hide without attracting your attention. You weren't expecting anyone, and I waited there until it got dark and you finally left." Norrington said to Will. "There were still men looking for me when I left the blacksmith shop, but it was dark by then and it was easier to evade them. I headed to the dock where I bribed the harbormaster for a little sailboat, and I somehow made it to Tortuga. When I got there I naturally got rid of my uniform as soon as I could."
"How'd ye get the clothes ye have now?" Jack asked with interest.
"If you must know, I had to steal them off some passed out guy lying in the an alley." Norrington admitted. "I threw out my wig as well."
"Ye look much younger for it." Jack remarked with a grin.
Norrington glared at him a moment and was about to make a retort when Elizabeth said, "So what are we going to do?"
"What do you mean 'do'?" Norrington asked her, distractedly.
"Well, we have to help you, we have to get you back to your position as the Commodore." Will said seriously, "Right Jack?" he said and looked to the pirate captain.
Jack looked thoughtfully at Norrington, who suddenly said, "How can he possibly help me? He is a bloody pirate! He would be hung as soon as anyone saw him!"
"Ye never know Commodore," Jack said, "I may be able to do something."
"Like what? And why would you even want to? I tried to hang you! More than once!"
Jack just ignored him and said to Will and Elizabeth, "Well, I better be getting ye two back to town, it's getting late, and we don't want anyone to miss ye." They nodded and Jack led them out on deck.
"Thank you for believing me." Norrington said to Will and Elizabeth.
"Of course James." Elizabeth said warmly. "We'll find a way to clear your name."
Once Jack, Will, and Elizabeth were in the rowboat and on there way back to the docks Will said, "You will help him, won't you Jack?"
"What do ye think I've been doin' William?" Jack asked.
"Well, I mean help him to clear his name." Will said.
"I dunno Will, we'll see." Jack said vaguely. When they got to the docks Jack told Will and Elizabeth not to worry and to get a good night's sleep, then he rowed back into the darkness and toward his ship.