The Flying Dutchman made good speed as she chased down the Chinese ship, the Empress. It was the dead of night and the Empress was unaware that she was being followed by the most dreaded ship in the Caribbean.

"So, Admiral Norrington, what do you do once you catch up to a ship?"

Norrington just about jumped out of his skin. "Amanda! What are you doing here? You could be killed! Get below deck at once; I'll come find you after the battle."

Amanda laughed as she went below decks. Did he honestly think that she would not come?

"Elizabeth?" asked Norrington as soon as he realized who he was seeing.

"James!" Elizabeth shoved the guard off of her and ran to him, "James!"

"Thank God, your alive. Your Father will be overjoyed to know your safe."

"My Father's dead," answered Elizabeth sharply.

"That can't be true. He returned to England."

"Did your Beckett tell you that?"

Davy Jones stepped forward. "Who among you do you name as Captain?"

All the pirates pointed at Elizabeth, "Captain!"

Norrington was surprised.

"Captain?" asked Davy Jones in disbelief.

"Tow the ship," demanded Norrington. "Put the prisoners in the brig. The Captain shall have my quarters." Norrington was wondering how he was going to explain all this to Amanda. Surely she would understand that this was the last place that he had expected to find Elizabeth.

"Thank you, sir. But I prefer to remain with my crew." Elizabeth started walking away, but Norrington grabbed her.

"Elizabeth, I swear, I did not know."

"Did not know what? Which side you chose?" She yanked her arm away from him. "Well, now you do."

Following the battle, Norrington located Amanda and took her to his quarters. Amanda knew what was wrong. She had seen the whole thing.

"Amanda, what do you think about Cutler Beckett?"

"I don't know. I really know nothing about him. James, you look as if you have seen a ghost."

"I have reason to believe that Beckett murdered Governor Swann. Amanda, I think I have chosen the wrong side."

"I know."

"What?"

"I heard the whole thing. I saw Elizabeth."

"They'll hang her. I have to do something." Norrington struggled to control his emotions.

"James, your going to have to chose. Make your own destiny. Join the East India Trading Company or become a Pirate of the Caribbean. Elizabeth Swann or me. What's your choice?"

James took Amanda into his arms and kissed her.

"I love you, James. I don't want you to do something that you will regret later."

"Amanda, all my life I have been asking myself 'Am I worthy'? The answer is I'm not. I'm not worthy of Elizabeth, I'm not worthy of the British Royal Navy, I'm not worthy of the East India Trading Company, and I'm not worthy of you."

Amanda kissed him back. "What are you worthy of, James?"

Norrington answered her in one word, "Destiny."

Norrington made his way to the brig. He knew what he was going to do. He would make it look like a prisoner escape. He was in charge of the ship and his word was law. If he said it was a prisoner escape, then that is what it was. No one would ever be the wiser.

As Norrington unlocked the cell door, the pirates and Elizabeth stood up.

"Come with me," demanded Norrington.

The pirates hesitated.

"Quickly!" Norrington added.

Elizabeth nodded, and the pirates filed out of the cell. "What are you doing?" asked Elizabeth coldly.

"Choosing a side," answered Norrington.

The pirates, Elizabeth, and Norrington made their way to the back of the ship. They began using the tow line, that was dragging the Empress behind the Dutchman, to make their way back to their command ship.

"Do not go the Shipwreck Cove. Beckett knows of the meeting among the Brethren, I fear there may be a traitor among them," Norrington told Elizabeth.

"It's too late to earn my forgiveness," said Elizabeth.

Norrington looked at Elizabeth. He did not know what to say. Her forgiveness? he had done nothing but try to love her! And she still blamed him for the Governor's death? "I had nothing to do with your Father's death." He tried to think of something else to add to that last statement. "Though that does not absolve me of my other sins." That should cover anything else she was mad about.

Elizabeth looked away, struggling with some inner conflict. "Come with us . . ." She turned and looked him in the eye, "James, come with me."

Norrington's mind went back to Amanda. "James, your going to have to chose. Make your own destiny . . .Elizabeth or me?"

He was about to reply to her when a voice called out above them, "Who goes there!"

Norrington grabbed Elizabeth and pushed her protectively behind him while, at the same time, he drew out his military sword. "Go! I will follow."

The look that Elizabeth gave him told him that she knew he was not telling the truth. "'You're lying," she stated.

"Our destinies have been entwined, Elizabeth, but never joined." Norrington leaned in and kissed her full on the lips. Something he had been longing to do ever since he first proposed to her at his promotion ceremony. "Go now!"

Elizabeth climbed up onto the railing and started making her way across the tow line.

Bootstrap Bill approached Norrington, who turned and pointed his sword at him, "Back to your station, sailor."

Bootstrap looked from Elizabeth to James. "No one leaves the ship," he said.

"Stand down, that's an order," replied Norrington.

"That's an order," whispered Bootstrap. "Part of the crew, part of the ship."

"Steady man!" yelled Norrington, but Bootstrap would not be stopped.

"All hands, prisoner escape!" yelled Bootstrap.

That is when Amanda ran out onto the balcony above them.

Norrington pulled his gun out in his desperate attempt to stop Bootstrap. "Belay that!"

"James!" yelled both Elizabeth and Amanda at the same time. He glanced at first one then the other. Elizabeth started to make her way back to the Dutchman.

James had to chose -shoot the line and save Elizabeth or shoot Bootstrap and save himself. It really was not much of a choice for him. He had lived his whole life serving others, not himself. He shot the rope, dropping Elizabeth and some of the pirates into the Caribbean sea. He had not even lowered his gun when he felt a piercing pain run through his stomach.

"James! JAMES! Nooo! No!" screamed Elizabeth from the sea.

Amanda dropped to her knees and covered her mouth with her hand. Hot tears flowed from her eyes, down her cheeks, like an unstoppable flood.

By this time, most of the Dutchman's crew had gathered around to see what all the commotion was about. "the Admiral is dead?" they asked. "The Captain's coming!" yelled another. The crew fled in fear of Davy Jones.

Davy Jones stood in front of James, "James Norrington, do you fear death?"

With the last of his strength, James raised his sword and plunged it through Jones' chest, the place that should have been occupied by his heart. With that done, he released his last breath.

"I take that as a no," said Jones. He pulled Norrington's sword out of his own chest. "Nice sword . . .hmm." Davy Jones walked away.

Amanda could not move. It was as if her body was no longer her own. James is dead . . . It was so unreal. she chocked back a sob as she stared down at his body. he had made his choice, his sacrifice, and his destiny. In the end, he knew Elizabeth would never be his, but he had still been willing to give his life for her.

"There was never so noble a man as you, James . . ." Amanda's grief overcame her.