Jack and I were standing on the gallows.
"Jack Sparrow, be it known that you are..." the official began.
"Captain. Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack corrected.
The official continued, "... being punished for your commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most egregious of these to be cited here with. Piracy, smuggling, impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England..."
"Ah yes." Jack chuckled and looked at the executioner who glared at him.
"... sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage,pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul." the official finished with Jack's and started to read mine, "Sylvia Emerald..."
"Barbossa." everyone stared at me, but I continued quietly, looking at my ring, "By rights I would have been married by now, so you may as well call me by his name."
The official looked at the Governor, he nodded and the official started over, "Sylvia Barbossa, be it known that you are being punished for your commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being piracy. And for this crime you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul." the official nodded to the executioner who placed nooses over my head and Jack's.
The drum roll started, then I saw a disturbance in the crowd and heard someone shout, "Move!"
At that moment the lever was pulled, Jack and I started to fall and I closed my eyes.
Wait for me Hector.
I felt a sword underneath my feet, it had stopped me from falling. I saw Will run up onto the platform and start fighting the executioner. I slipped my head out of the rope and hopped off the sword, used it to slice through my bonds, pulled it out of the trap door and helped Will and Jack fight off the marines. We worked our way up to the battlement and were surrounded.
Norrington walked up and sneered at Will, "I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt. But not from you."
"On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency. And this is how you thank me!? By throwing in your lot with them!? They're pirates!" the Governor sounded shocked.
"And good people." Will insisted.
Jack nodded, looking around at the marines. I rolled my eyes.
"If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn three pairs of boots instead of two, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear." Will finished.
"You forget your place, Turner." Norrington sounded like he was talking to a child.
"It's right here. Between you and them." Will blinked.
Elizabeth stepped up beside us, "As is mine."
"Elizabeth! Lower your weapons!" the marines didn't move on the Governor's order, so he tried again, "For goodness sake put them down!"
Norrington nodded and the marines lowered their guns, then he looked at Elizabeth sadly, "So this is where your heart truly lies?"
"It is." Elizabeth nodded.
Norington looked sadly at the ground.
"Well. I'm actually feeling rather good about this." Jack walked over to the governor, "I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh? Spiritually? Ecumenically? Grammatically?" the governor just leaned away, so he went over to Norrington, "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that." Jack then looked at Elizabeth, " Elizabeth, it would never have worked between us darling. I'm sorry." Elizabeth's expression was that of slight confusion, so he turned to Will, "Nice hat." Will smiled and Jack was about to say something to me but I interrupted.
"I'm coming too." I said simply.
Jack nodded and we started backing toward the edge, "Friends! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that..." he fell off the ledge.
I rolled my eyes and finished his sentence with a little extra added, "That you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow and Sylvia Barbossa!" with that I dived after Jack.
When I came up I saw the Black Pearl coming around the other cliff. Jack and I swam toward it. We were swung on board by means of some rope and flung water all over everyone.
"I thought you were supposed to keep to the code?" Jack questioned his first mate Gibbs.
"We figured they were more actual guidelines." Gibbs said smiling.
Someone handed Jack his hat and a female crew member put Jack's coat around his shoulders, "The Black Pearl is yours, Jack."
He walked over to the helm and put his hands on the wheel fondly.
He suddenly remembered he was being watched and yelled, "On deck you scabrous dogs! Man the braces! Let down and haul to run free!" as the crew scurried around, he said quietly to himself, "Now... bring me that horizon."
Jack the monkey jumped onto my shoulder and I scratched his head, "I like you too, Jack."
"You do?" the human Jack looked surprised.
I glared at him and he looked embarrassed, "Oh." he looked away and muttered, "I hate that monkey."
"We don't care much for him either. Do we?" I whispered to the monkey.
The little creature chirped and shook it's head. I chuckled and looked out to sea, listening to the captain sing to himself as he sailed the ship into the sunset.
Barf bags are available on request.