A/N: Okay, Chapter 20 is up, too. Maybe I'll work on 21, don't know though. Thanks Terra21 and JeanieBeanie33 for reviewing. As always: read and review. Much thanks

thomthom

At World's End: Chapter 20

The crew set sail for Port Royal. It was going to take about two weeks to get there. Jack didn't tell anyone that was floating around his head. He had grown silent and thoughtful over the course of the days.

It wasn't until land was in sight that he spoke to Danielle about his plan.

"I'm going to turn myself in as a trade. William can take the heart to Barbossa and Jones. Then someone can free me from prison, providing I don't get executed right away."

Dani shuddered at the thought. "I cannot and will not let you do such a thing, Jack."

"I will not let any other harm come to you, Dani. I've done a poor job of protecting you until now."

"Jack, this is so unlike you. You were never supposed to protect me."

"Do you have any ideas then, even though we're not going to use them?"

"I will go to Norrington and persuade him to help me. To leave me alone with it or to tell me where it is. But it should be me, no matter what."

"Danielle, no. No, no, no. There is no way I am going to let you do that. He hasn't touched you, has he? Because I'll cut his hands off. Where did he touch you?" Jack locked eyes with her to see if she was lying.

"Jack! He didn't touch me. Please, I have to do this. There is no way you can safely enter, let alone exit, Port Royal. I have to do this."

They got closer and closer to port and Danielle got in a long boat. She rowed to the dock and the guard helped her out.

"Miss Danielle, Mr. Norrington had been wonderin' where you had gotten to. He'll be so relieved to see you back."

"Thank you."

She turned around and looked out and could see Jack in the crow's nest of the ship, still out in the deep water. She wished that he couldn't see her right now. Dani was so ashamed that she had given up her pirating. She felt even more awful than she had thirteen years ago when she had arrived on these shores.

Danielle made her way back to her small flat. A guard had been posted at the door, to notify Norrington the second Danielle had returned home.

"Miss Danielle, we 'ad been worried about you. What with all the pirates about these days. Shall I go get Commodore Norrington?"

"He's Commodore again?"

"Yes, milady."

"Then yes, please tell him that I have returned home safely and would like to meet with him later, if you would be so kind. I should be cleaned up and read in about forty-five minutes. Only return if he cannot meet with me."

"I'm sure that will be fine, ma'am. I will do as you wish." The guard said before bowing and heading back to the fort.

Dani shut the door to her flat and sighed. It was going to take a lot of convincing to get this heart from Norrington. And she didn't dislike Norrington, she didn't want to hurt him. He just was always choosing the wrong woman. Always. He was going to get his heart broken again. She went to her room to start to freshen up.

Dani pulled her hair into a loose bun on the top of her head, some hair falling in small curls around her face. She then chose her best red dress and laced herself up. She couldn't breathe. She didn't know if it was because the dress was small or because she was so nervous, but she smiled at herself in the mirror and tried to tell herself that everything was going to be okay.

Out on the ship, Jack paced. He walked from one end of the ship to the other, mumbling to himself. Barbossa sat back and watched as the man in front of him, looking crazier than ever.

"Will you stop it, Sparrow? What do you think is going to happen? Do you suppose she's going to sleep with him?"

"Quiet, you. I'm trying not to think about that."

"Jack, calm down. She'll be fine. You can trust her," Will said to him, putting a comforting arm around his shoulder.

"I didn't want to put her in any danger."

"The only way she'll be in danger is if you go into Port Royal. She'll be fine."

"I just don't like the thought of her persuading him. I've seen her persuasion techniques, mate. How do you think she got on my ship in the first place?" A smile crept across his lips. "Because I'm a kind, generous soul? I think not."

"I wonder why she didn't try anything with me. She just decided to jump ship."

"Would you want to sleep with you?" Jack asked him and in return got a very dirty look.