Author's Note: Once again, thank you to my reviewers! As always I'm very grateful to know that there are people who enjoy my writing! So, here is chapter ten!

Chapter Ten

When Jack got back aboard the Black Pearl Norrington was still on deck. He seemed to be in deep thought and Jack let him be and went into his cabin. He'd been there maybe ten minutes when there was a knock at his door. He sighed and said, "Come in Norrington."

"How did you know it was me?" Norrington asked as he entered the room.

"I expected ye." Jack replied, "Especially after our conversation with Mr. Turner and Miss Elizabeth.

Norrington nodded and said, "Why have you been helping me? It can't be because I gave you a one day's head start, and make no mistake, in exactly 24 hours I did try to follow you."

Jack grinned and said, "Yeah I know ye did, I heard tell of ye."

Norrington allowed himself a small smile and nodded. "So are you going to tell me why?"

"Frankly Commodore, I don't have a specific reason, least ways not one like what you seem to be asking for. However the world is more interesting with ye in it, and Will and Elizabeth seem to be fond of ye." Jack said in a matter of fact way.

Norrington nodded and didn't press the matter; he seemed to understand that was the best answer he would get. So after sitting in silence for a couple minutes he said, "Well I suppose I should get to bed. I'll see you on deck tomorrow." Jack nodded and Norrington got up and left the room.

In the morning a loud pounding on Jack's cabin door awakened him. He got up and staggered over to answer it. When he pulled it open he found himself face-to-face with Annamaria. "Captain, Will and Elizabeth are onboard", she said. She looked him up and down and said, "Ye may want to get dressed afore ye go to see 'em."

Jack grinned winningly and said, "Aye luv, I'll be sure to do just that." Annamaria nodded and left, and Jack closed his door. He had been sleeping with nothing but his briefs on, and hadn't expected such an early wake up call.

After Jack had put his clothes on he went out on deck. He looked at Will and Elizabeth and said, "What do ye two think yer doin' here?" he demanded.

"Well," Elizabeth started, her eyes flashing at Jack's tone, "we 'think' we are here to figure out a way of helping James. Do you have any ideas?" she asked.

"Aye, I do as a matter of a fact." Jack said.

"What is it?" Will asked eagerly.

"Well, ye see it's like this…." Jack began as he led them into his cabin.

When Commodore Norrington woke up he went down into the galley for breakfast. Once he'd finished he headed out on deck to see what there was to do to occupy his time. He went up to Annamaria, who was sewing a sail that had been torn the previous day, and said, "Is Sparrow around?"

"No, he's havin' a meeting with Will and Elizabeth in his cabin", she answered vaguely.

"Oh," Norrington said, surprised, "well I suppose I should go join them."

"No, no, the Captain said they're not to be disturbed. Even by ye." Annamaria said quickly.

"What!" Norrington exclaimed angrily, "You know they are most likely discussing me!"

"Most likely so," Annamaria replied unconcernedly, "the Captain still said to make sure everyone left them be."

"Fine!" Norrington snapped. "Is there any work I can out here?"

"Well, ye can help me mend this sail, but I warn ye, it's dull work." Annamaria said.

"I suppose I might as well, after all I wasn't invited to the meeting." Norrington said bitterly and started to work.

Norrington was still on deck an hour later when Jack, Will, and Elizabeth came out. Elizabeth was saying, "Are you sure Jack? It sounds as though there is some risk to you."

"Hush luv, it's nothing." Jack said spotting Norrington listening closely.

"What's nothing?" Norrington said.

"Nothing." Jack replied with an annoying grin.

"Hello Commodore, good to see you again." Will said pleasantly.

"How are you doing today James?" Elizabeth asked.

"Fine, how was your meeting?" Norrington asked.

"Good, Jack was just telling us of his plan to clear your name." Elizabeth said.

"Really? And you didn't think I should be present?" Norrington asked quietly.

Will opened his mouth like he was going to explain but Jack stepped forward and said, "It's my fault Norrington, don't go blaming them, they wanted ye there."

"May I ask why I could be there?" Norrington said softly, "It is after all my life you are deciding upon.

"Jack said you were to close to it, and there was nothing you could do anyway." Will said.

"He said it would make you unnecessarily worried." Elizabeth said, trying to calm him down."

"Unnecessarily worried!" Norrington shouted, "I could be hung if I am caught!"

"Are ye questioning me judgment?" Jack said, standing in front of Norrington. Before Norrington could say anything Jack said, "As I told ye before Commodore, I won't let ye hang." Then he turned to Will and Elizabeth and said, "You two should be getting back to Port Royal afore anyone misses ye."

"Yes, you're right," Elizabeth said, "so we will see you tonight then?"

"Aye." Jack said with a nodd.

A few minutes after they left Jack started preparing a rowboat. "Where are you headed to Sparrow?" Norrington asked.

Jack sighed and stood still for a moment before going up to Norrington and motioning with his hands as he said, "Ye know it's really not all that hard to say 'Captain', me name is Captain Sparrow, and I'm not going anywhere yet. It's not wise to go out until at least seven in the evening, at the earliest."

"So then you will meet with Will and Elizabeth?" Norrington asked.

"Not right away, but yes, I'll see them." Jack replied.

The day passed by relatively uneventfully, except for Gibbs coming to Jack and once again asking him what they were going to do with Bates' old crew (who were still locked down in the brig for lack of anything better to do with them). This time however Jack had made his decision about what he wanted to do with them. He informed Gibbs that after they left Port Royal they were going to give them a chance to become part of their crew.

"What if they don't work out Cap'n?" Gibbs asked skeptically. "They were, after all, a part of Bates' crew, what if they are just like him?"

"I don't think they are just like him somehow. I think they just got stuck with a bad captain, and didn't know what to do about it. At any rate I think they'll work out, they owe me a debt 'cause I let them live when I coulda easily killed 'em."

"Aye, that is true." Gibbs admitted.

"However, if they don't work out, despite the debt they owe, than we can take more drastic measures." Jack said and left it at that.

"Aye Captain, so after we leave Port Royal we give 'em a chance with the crew?" Gibbs asked. Jack nodded.

As the day went on Commodore Norrington would occasionally say something to Jack to try and figure out what he had planned with Will and Elizabeth, but he didn't get very far, a fact that seemed to frustrate him. Around seven in the evening Jack announced that he was heading out, and he would return later. When he rowed to the docks he found that once again the Harbormaster, along with everyone else was already gone and the docks were deserted.

After Jack had attended to business elsewhere in the town he headed to the blacksmith shop, where he had planned to meet with Will and Elizabeth. He knocked on the door, which was instantly answered by Elizabeth who whispered, "Jack, finally, we were getting concerned." She quickly let him in and said, "Have you completed the first phase of your plan?"

"Aye luv, I did at that." Jack answered. "And tomorrow night I'll do the second part."

"How long do you think the whole thing will take?" Will asked curiously.

"It really depends on how Parrish responds to it." Jack said.

"I guess that makes sense." Will replied with a nodd.