A/N: Wow...I get bribed with Jack Sparrow clones and cookies and you guys get a new chapter...y'all should thank Jackspearl...she reviewed and bribed me...thank you to all my other reviewers...especially those for my new songfic...Stay With Me...Just to let you know, we're coming up on home stretch here...only a few things left to tie up...and then I may write a small epilogue...this is another chapter I should warn any Norrington likers about...yet another dark chapter...happy is coming...someday...gotta get out of trouble first...

Yours,

Merlana

Disclaimer: I own nothing...but not for lack of trying I'll have you know...

Chapter 9: A Clash Of Titans

You open your eyes and immediately regret the action. Even in the dim light of the cell, your eyes are tearing. Your head throbs painfully, and your right shoulder feels like someone stood upon it. You can feel seeping out of a cut on your forearm and another on your cheek. Jack's worried face swims into view above you and you try for a smile. Your smile ends up being a grimace of pain as Jack gently dabs a piece of his shirt onto your cheek and your arm.

"Look who's finally decided ta come back ta the land o' the livin'," Jack mutters. You roll your eyes and Jack smiles broadly. "'Ey! Gibbs! Git the lady some water!"

"Aye Cap'n," calls the burly, gruff-voiced quartermaster of the 'Pearl.

"Gibbs?" you ask hoarsely, and Jack nods.

"The Tiny Dancer was taken luv, both crews are 'ere," Jack answers. You nod weakly, then look up into his chocolate eyes and silently ask if everyone is okay. "Everyone's fine luv, stop worryin'," Jack replies.

"'Ere Cap'n," Gibbs says, handing Jack a shallow bowl filled with water. Jack gently lifts your head and pours the water down your throat.

"Thanks," you say after Jack has finished. You sit and realize belatedly that hitting your head does not make for being able to sit up comfortably. Your head spins sickeningly and you start seeing doubles of Jack's worried face. Eventually, the spinning ceases and you reach out to Jack. He takes your hand in his and gently, so as not to injure your already injured shoulder, lifts you to your feet. Your head starts swirling again and you fall into Jack and shut your eyes tight against the spinning world.

"It's okay luv, jus' relax," Jack's soothing voice cuts through your wave of nausea and dizziness. You open your eyes slowly to find that the spinning has stopped and your racing heart begins to slow. You take a few deep breaths to calm yourself while Jack rubs your back.

"Cap'n?" Gibbs asks, his voice sounding apprehensive. You turn around to look at him and he nods to the door of the cell. You look over at the door and stifle a gasp of . Norrington stands nonchalantly in the cell doorway, his sneering face watching Jack.

"Ah, isn't that lovely," Norrington drawls.

"Aye, Commodore, she is," Jack snarls in return. "What d'ya want?"

"Your lass," Norrington begins and Jack's arms tighten around your waist possessively. "She's a navy ." The color drains out of your face and Jack's eyes turn stormy. "And, since she's turned pirate, I'm going to have to hang her as well," Norrington says, barely masking the glee in his voice.

"Ye'll be leavin' 'er alone," Jack says, his voice low and ly. Goose bumps rise on your exposed skin at the knife-sharp edge Jack's voice has taken. Some of the other crewmembers in the cell with you, namely Ana, Raycraft, Katey and Jesse, all take a few steps back from Captain Sparrow.

"Well, since you'll be by then, it shouldn't matter anyway," Norrington intones. Jack's face goes stony and the color drains out from under his tan.

"Jack, jus' relax. I'll pay the consequences," you say, planting a firm hand on Jack's chest to stop him from doing anything stupid. Jack looks deep into your eyes as if searching for something.

"Over my body," Jack states seriously. "I've lost one, I ain't losin' another," Jack murmurs. You feel overwhelmed by the power of the emotion in that statement. Jack grips you firmly around the waist and hugs you to him. Gibbs moves over to stand sort of half in front of the pair of you. Ana and Raycraft follow suit. Katey, Jesse and the other's gather behind and off to the side, bristling with anger.

"As I said Sparrow, you'll be by then so it shouldn't matter much," Norrington says. "Your last meal Captain Sparrow," Norrington says, but the use of Jack's title is sarcastic and not truly respectful.

"It's Commodore Sparrow now, Norrington," Jack says. Norrington snorts and throws a piece of stale bread into the cell. The bread hits Jack on the arm and he doesn't even blink.

"Wench!" Norrington barks at you and Ana and Katey bristle with anger, obviously Jack has told them about what happened on the 'Pearl. "You're coming with me!" Norrington nods to two men off to one side of the cell door. The pair pf them are big, muscled and strong. Their faces are in identical expressions of disgust as they enter the cell. None of the surrounding pirates try anything. The pair reaches you and Jack and each one takes one of your arms.

You struggle vainly for a few moments and then give in to them. Jack has stepped back, and you grab his hand.

"I love you," Jack says fervently, and Norrington snorts in disbelief.

"I'll come back for you Jack," you say, and the men drag the two of you apart. You are pulled into the dank corridor and the cell door is slammed shut. You turn for one last look at Jack and see that he looks forlorn and a little bit lost. Gibbs is standing beside him, and they are talking quietly. Ana looks panic-stricken and Raycraft, Katey and Jesse are standing mouths agape at Norrington.

"We'll be back at sunset for Sparrow," Norrington drawls, and a man you don't know, one of Jack's crew throws himself at the door, Norrington steps back and spits on the crewman. Norrington then turns around to face you. He nods to both of his men and they pull you roughly out of the jail and onto the street outside.

"Where are you takin' me?" you ask. No one answers your question and you let out a string of curses under your breath. Norrington turns around.

"Little spitfire aren't you?" he says quietly, his voice carrying an undertone of jealousy. You glare at him and move to scratch him again, the lines on his face where you got him earlier are still an angry red. "Now, now," Norrington drawls and the man holding your right arm wrenches it hard. You cry out in pain, and tears spring to your eyes.

"You ," you mutter, just under your breath. Norrington still seems to hear you and laughs quietly to himself. You are pushed forward and stumble a little over the uneven cobblestones.

They march you up toward the governor's mansion, and your mind turns to remember the times when you were a little that you climbed this hill to play with Elizabeth, and you wonder how she will greet you now. You are pushed into the driveway and up the front stairs. A grim-faced butler answers Norrington's knock and ushers everyone into the parlor.

As you enter the plush room, your eyes take in the expressions of the people who are waiting for you. Phineas Swann, ex-governor of Port Royal stands behind his daughter with a grim and determined expression on his face. Elizabeth's face is tear-streaked and her eyes flash in anger as you step into the room. Little Jack sits beside his mother on the sofa and his is the only face in the room that seems even remotely happy for your appearance. The two men release you and Norrington pushes you forward.

"You are a captain of a Navy vessel, what possessed you to join Sparrow?" Swann asks. You look at Elizabeth and you can see that she doesn't understand any more than Swann does.

"She was coerced sir," Norrington says, a dangerous edge to his voice. "We found her vessel off the coast, a skeleton crew was aboard."

"Then you would have seen the Creation!" you blurt out, and Norrington shakes his head.

"All we saw was the Tiny Dancer, and your pirate crew," he adds with a sneer.

"But the Creation, she was there – we was guardin' 'er, so you'd know we - " you trail off when it dawns on you that Norrington wouldn't have found out where the Tiny Dancer was from any crewman, much less have been able to take it by happening upon it by chance.

The pieces begin to fall into place, it was all a setup – just so Norrington could capture Jack. But why Will? And why Will's son?

"No, there was no such ship anywhere around," Norrington snaps, "stop lying to the – Governor's wife."

You notice the slight hesitation as Norrington talks about Elizabeth. Another piece in the puzzle – Norrington's desire to be governor, and his desire for Elizabeth have overridden any sense of morality in him. You gasp as you realize that he had Will killed and tried to have little Jack killed as well, so he could be governor. An added perk of course was the easy capture of Jack Sparrow and yourself.

"Commodore?" Phineas begins, "must you hang the poor ? After all, you said yourself that she was coerced." You thank your lucky stars that Phineas is still alive and kicking, one more obstacle for Norrington to override before he can take over completely.

"She is a pirate, and pirates must be hung. We must follow the letter of the law in this matter," Norrington says placidly.

"I beseech you then Commodore, let her go on some lesser charge," Phineas requests. You are surprised to hear the ex-governor of Port Royal begging like this in front of the Commodore. Apparently, the tangled web that Norrington is weaving covers more than you had thought.

"Papa! She as good as killed Will! How could you stand up for her?" Elizabeth shouts, getting to her feet and coming up to you.

"Liz! I didn' kill Will, neither did Jack fer that matter! 'E was already when we got there!" You cry, all the while trying desperately to come up with a plan to get out of this.

"He was already ?" Elizabeth whispers, she flops done on the sofa again, and closes her eyes as they fill with tears again.

"Then who killed him?" Phineas asks into the tense silence. Norrington sends his two bodyguards out of the room, and takes a place behind you, a hand on your right shoulder. The hand grips our shoulder far too hard and you grit your teeth against the pain.

"Ask the y Commodore," a familiar, slightly slurred voice says. You whirl around, wrenching your shoulder from Norrington's grip in the process and thereby causing yourself immense pain. The sight of Jack's sword at Norrington's neck, and the fierce determination on Jack's face greets your watering eyes.

"Jack! 'Ow did you - " you begin but trail off as Jack's sword prods deeper into Norrington's neck. A bead of red drips onto the bleached white collar of Norrington's shirt.

"Ask the y Commodore 'ho killed Will," Jack's voice has gone knife-sharp and too quiet. His body is too relaxed and his sword is too steady.

Norrington has gone from his usual pale white, to a pasty greenish color. Elizabeth rises to her full height, and eyes flashing she stands nose to nose with Norrington.

"Tell me James, who killed my husband?" Elizabeth says sweetly. Norrington gulps, his adam's apple coming very close to the tip of Jack's sword.

"I don't know what you are talking about my lady," Norrington says, a genuine bewilderment in his face.

"Ah come off it Norrington, ye know what I'm talkin' about," you snarl. Jack pulls back a little on his sword, clearly not sure anymore about threatening a man of the navy.

"I'll have you arrested for the indignity of this!" Norrington yells, his voice squeaking a little bit. You gently pull your very sharp dagger from its sheath and flash the blade at Norrington.

"You see, I know, an' you know, an' if ya tell someone else the truth, then we can all go home," you say, running your finger along the blade. "The man who sold me this tol' me it was sharp enough to split 'air, d'ya wanna try?"

"(Your name)," Jack says low and menacing. You glare at him, Norrington is the culprit here, and you are going to prove it with or without Jack's help.

"Yes Sparrow, call off your bitch," Norrington chuckles. Your knife is at his throat, replacing Jack's sword before either man can move.

"Don' ya dare move Norrington," you growl. Norrington's hands move toward his belt for his sword but yours are quicker and a resonating clang is heard as your sword and his crash together in mid air. The vibrations from the hit send shocks of pain up your arm and proceed to set fire to the wound in your shoulder. You hiss and grit your teeth to keep from screaming. Jack has backed away from you, and is huddled with Elizabeth.

"I wouldn't try to fight me, you'll just lose anyway," Norrington says haughtily. You snarl like an angry cat and the battle begins. Slash, thrust, parry, Norrington's sword is a blur and yours meets his time after time. You spin away from a slash that would have removed your left hand and drive deep into Norrington's opening. pours from the open gash.

"What was that you said?" you ask ly, and Norrington howls with rage. He comes on fast and hard, swinging his sword haphazardly and so fiercely, it's a wonder he hasn't managed to decapitate you. Norrington finds an opening and slices your arm open from elbow to wrist. You fall to the ground and he stands over you, sword raised in triumph.

"You'll pay dearly for this Captain," Norrington says happily. You groan in pain and lift your eyes to meet Jack's. His eyes are distant and you can see that his emotions are getting the better of him.

"Jack, please," you cry softly. Jack looks down at you, his eyes seem to slide into focus and he snaps back to reality again. He stands over you, his arms crossed and his eyes flashing.

"Norrington, there are those 'ere 'ho feel like they're no' getting the truth outta you."

"Oh really, and what would you propose we do?" Norrington asks, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Jack, he did it! He killed Will!" you scream, and try to raise yourself to your feet. Jack looks at you. "Think man, the Creation – why was it there of all places? The Tiny Dancer – how would Norrington have found it? Think, what could he gain from ing the Governor?"

Jack's face grows stormy and you can see the wheels turning in his head. A dangerous smile lights up his tanned face as the puzzle forms itself in his mind. "Murderin' the Governor? An' then tryin' ta blame the one pirate you ne'er caught?"

"James? Is this true?" Elizabeth asks. Norrington looks at her, and Elizabeth shivers with disgust. You gently pull another dagger from your belt and make like you are going to throw it at Norrington. He jumps out of the way and your throw matches his new place, the dagger flies end over end and hits Norrington hilt-first on the side of the head. Norrington sways for a moment and then topples over like a rag-doll.

A/N: Sorry for the wait...it's just that it's exam time and my life has suddenly become filled with ever increasing amounts of studying...hope that this chapter was worth the wait...

Yours,

Merlana