A/N: Having only managed to see Dead Man's Chest twice, any of the actual dialogue is probably completely wrong and the scene in Beckett's office likewise... Ok, enough of my own criticism, and on with the usual - don't own PotC, never have, and not likely to either.

"…and I also have a warrant here for a Commodore Norrington." Beckett announced, holding the parchment aloft.

"Commodore Norrington – " Governor Swann began.

"Is right here." Norrington pushed his way to the front of the crowd, resplendent in his dress uniform despite being soaked to the skin from the tropical storm. "Is there a problem?"

It was only then that he realised William Turner and Elizabeth Swann were standing before him in shackles, surrounded by a detachment of marines he didn't recognise. Belatedly he remembered Groves' brief report of the unannounced arrival of an East Indiaman that he'd blithely glossed over in his haste not to be late for the wedding. Having so missed the earlier outrage of both the Swann's this late hindsight quickly turned to astonishment and then anger as Beckett nodded to his marines and Norrington was swiftly shackled before he knew what was happening.

Accompanied by the protests of Governor Swann, all three of them were marched off to Fort Charles' jail.

0000

"This is a beautiful sword," Beckett said, drawing it from its sheathe and holding it out in front of Norrington. "It's a shame you had to lose it in so trivial a matter." Norrington seriously doubted Beckett felt any such thing. When he failed to answer, Beckett frowned with irritation held the sword point down, as though it were a walking stick.

"I brought you here for a reason. Beckett turned to look at the huge world map being slowly and painstakingly painted on the wall. "I want information. You let the pirate Sparrow go, therefore, one does wonder," Beckett turned back again, "what your relationship is to the man. What you know."

What the hell? Norrington could hardly lay claim to a friendship with the Sparrow, but something about Beckett infuriated him to the point where despite his lack of knowledge he refused to bow.

"You arrested me, took my commission from me and left me with the threat of a court martial hanging over my head, one that could very well leave me with the death penalty. And you want me to do this for you? Either you're mad or you've clearly got the wrong James Norrington." Norrington spat out venomously.

Beckett sighed, and re sheathed Norrington's sword and with no further words to Norrington, instructed the marines to take him back to his cell.

0000

Will was taken next, and was clearly offered a better deal because he quickly returned to see Elizabeth rather than being tossed back in a cell. He'd managed to change from his wedding finery too, unlike Elizabeth, now a sad mockery to what was supposed to have been one of the happiest days of her life.

Will and Elizabeth, it seemed, were to be freed on the condition Will obtained the compass of Jack Sparrow. Norrington wondered what on Earth Beckett would want with such a thing; if he knew of its existence then surely he was smart enough to pay attention to the rumours of the cursed Aztec gold that it led to? And was he the only one to notice that despite Beckett's promises of effectively a pardon for Jack through the letters of marque in return for the compass, there was no actual mention of similar for Will and Elizabeth?

There was no mention of Norrington's ultimate fate either. Will shot him an apologetic look and swiftly left.

0000

Elizabeth managed to nod off to sleep at one point, though James could see it was fitful, her features marred by a small frown on her face.

Groves and Gillette managed to talk their way past the guard, though Beckett had done his best to prevent any visitors.

"Lord Beckett has taken command of the navy here, though I hear tell if the charges stand against you the Admiralty will send someone to replace you." Groves told him. James lay his head against the bars.

"Somehow I think that's more like than not at this point." He lifted his head again. "It seems Lord Beckett is determined to rid himself of anyone with the slightest connection to Sparrow." He turned to check Elizabeth was still sleeping before continuing in low tones. "Beckett has promised a pardon for Sparrow if he returns here with that compass of his. He has made no such promises for anyone else's welfare."

"So he's like as not to hangthem and youif Sparrow returns." Gillette looked grim. He opened his mouth as though to say something further when the marine guard returned.

"I'm sorry sirs but I'm going to have to insist you leave."

"Don't worry James we'll think of something." Groves whispered hurriedly while they were ushered out.

0000

"Come quickly." Governor Swann returned in the depths of the night, freeing both Elizabeth and Norrington from their cells. Norrington had initially declined; he would face whatever was put against him. He hadn't reckoned on Elizabeth however, who managed to coax him into accompanying her as protection. Swann handed his daughter a letter to the King of England, with whom he apparently still had some standing, in an attempt to go some way into having the charges dropped against them. It didn't bode well for Will though, if he returned without Beckett's 'request'.

Swann briefly gripped Norrington's arm before he followed Elizabeth into the carriage. "I know how much you care for her…" he swallowed, as though nervous. "Take care of her. Please." James nodded.

The plan took a decided turn for the worst when they arrived at the docks. Hearing raised voices and realising something was horribly wrong, Elizabeth and James slipped unnoticed from the carriage while Swann unknowingly caused a distraction. Elizabeth, seizing James' arm began dragging him in the direction of the building Beckett had taken over as his own.

"What are you doing?" He asked, attempting to recover his arm from Elizabeth's grip. She smiled slyly. Oh God, she had something on her mind, and he was willing to bet that look had crossed her face before she'd managed to drag him and the Dauntless to Isla de Muerta.

"Well, if we're about to embark on something incredibly insane," he remarked, shedding his heavy woollen dress coat, now ruined by both storm and time in a filthy jail cell. "In the rather unlikely event I regain my commission I'll be obliged to purchase a new one in any case, and the damned things take up a good portion of my pay." He removed his wig too, making himself look a lot younger without its severity. It wasn't like Elizabeth hadn't seen him without his uniform and wig; over the years he'd become something of a family friend, almost a big brother figure to her, and that had probably been one of the reasons she'd had trouble seeing him as a potential husband.

"So what is the plan, may I ask?"

0000

Beckett immediately returned to his office on discovering the almost Jack Sparrow like way Elizabeth Swann and James Norrington had managed to evade custody. Opening his box of papers, he noticed something particular was missing.

"You realise those papers carry no validity unless they bear my signature." He announced to the darkness.

"I realise, else I would not have remained." Elizabeth Swann appeared from the shadows behind him. "I have come to negotiate."

Beckett was smug. He had her, and he knew it. Especially as he could see no weapon in her possession, the only thing carried being the letters of marque.

"I'm listening." He said, trying to inconspicuously edge towards his desk where he kept a pistol. There was a dull click behind his temple.

"I wouldn't bother." Came the deep tones of the former Commodore's voice. Beckett's eyes flicked as far as they could towards the pistol and back to Elizabeth. "Unless you care to see the colour of a man's brains?"

"Not that I think he has any." Elizabeth mocked, stepping forward.

"I'm listening," Beckett repeated, "intently," he managed, without showing any of the fear or anger that was beginning to appear. The smile Elizabeth directed at Beckett made James glad he wasn't the object of her ire.

And despite Beckett's assumptions of her being unarmed, she was by no means so. "Consider into your calculations," she said, producing a dagger from inside her sleeve and motioned with it, "that you robbed me of my wedding night." Beckett took the hint and walked to his desk, weary of the pistol held point blank behind his ear.

"I wonder however, whether it was interruption or fate intervening?" Beckett drawled, all the while flicking his eyes over to where James stood holding the loaded pistol. James quickly strode over to him and jammed the pistol beneath his chin while the man was still turning to react.

"I believe it would be unwise, my lord," James spoke in a mocking tone, "to comment on that which you do not know." Elizabeth, taking advantage of the distraction, seized the signed and sealed letters from the table and began backing out of the office, towards the veranda and the docks.

James followed, all the while keeping his eyes on Beckett and wishing there was something more that he could do to wipe that smirk off the man's face. When he reached the doors, he glared at Beckett. "I'd pray we never see each other again," he said gesturing with the pistol.

Then he was gone.