/I don't own anything you recognize in this story. /

Chapter Thirty Three

Waking up, I felt disoriented, as well as a little confused. How could I be in a soft bed when the last time I remember being awake I was in the depths of the ocean swimming for my life?

"I see that you are awake, Elizabeth," a voice said beside me.

Looking beside me, my eyes widened in surprise when I saw who it was. It was Norrington.

"I can honestly say that it's good to see you, James Norrington," I croaked.

Norrington smiled painfully. "A couple of years ago I would have given anything to hear you say that."

"I am sorry, sir," I said. "It would have been a more painful heartbreak if you had married me and found out that I had never loved you."

"I suppose it's all for the best," Norrington stated.

"Where am I?" I asked, pushing myself up into a sitting position.

Norrington lovingly plumped the pillows up behind me. I could still see that he loved me, but it was more of a resigned loved. He did it only out of memory of what could have been and out of brotherly affection. Seeing him helping me, I couldn't help but think that someday he would make a lucky woman the happiest one alive.

"You are in you're father's house," Norrington told me. "You are safe now."

"What did you do with Davy Jones' heart?" I asked.

"I gave it to Cutler Beckett," Norrington said. "It is in safe hands."

I sat up in shock. "How could you say that? You know what's going to happen if that heart's in that man's hands? We are all going to die in our beds, you mark my words."

"Calm down, now, Elizabeth. Nobody's going to be murdered," Norrington exclaimed, trying to ease me back into bed.

"They will with that in Beckett's hands," I shout, struggling against arms.

"All in good time, Elizabeth," Norrington soothed gently and finally I slumped against him, exhausted.

"Will and Jack are still out there, at the mercy of the men that you think will be our allies," I cried. "They will never conform to another one's control."

Norrington rocked me gently. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. It was the only way. I had to do it for all of our sakes."

I pulled sharply away from him. "It isn't the only way. And we still have a chance if we act quickly. Where does Beckett live?"

Norrington looked at me curiously. "Why do you want to know such a thing?"

Jumping out of the bed that I was in, I grabbed my clothes that had been thrown precariously over the chair by my bed. Pulling my clothes on, I shuddered at the cold dampness on my skin, but I didn't care. If there was still a chance to save Will and my friends, then it was a chance that I was going to take.

"What the bloody hell does it look like?" I asked. "If we can get Davy Jones' heart from Beckett, then we can end this madness once and for all."

Norrington stood and grabbed my arm. "Are you mad, Elizabeth? That would be insanity, it would be madness. Even if you could manage to get into his house unseen and unawares, where would you even begin to look?"

"Well, there's an obvious answer if I ever saw one," I said sarcastically, folding my arms across my chest. "People keep their most prized possessions close to them. So obviously if he's still in bed, which I have an idea that he still is, we will be able to find what we're looking for in his room."

Norrington placed a hand on my shoulder. "You know all of this is an impossible task. As well as a desperate one."

I looked into his eyes. "A lot of things I do are impossible and desperate. But I do it anyway because I know that there is enough room for me to dare to hope."

Norrington sighed. I could tell that I was getting to him and that he was quickly giving in. Suddenly, Norrington started staring at my hand curiously. Before I could protest, he grabbed my hand, revealing my wedding ring.

Norrington looked up at my face, defeat in his eyes. "You are married."

I smiled sadly back at him. "I did. I married Will not but six hours ago."

"Only last night," Norrington said softly. "I couldn't even dare to hope."

I took Norrington's shoulders. "If you are doing all of this for me, then you can still do this last thing for me. For Port Royal. For the people that matter. For the world. You are still the best commodore Port Royal has ever known. Show them that their hopes haven't been dashed."

Norrington straightened his shoulders resolutely. "Well, then, we better get going before more innocent lives are lost."

I nodded my agreement. Finally, I had found a strong ally that I could trust, or at least for a while. Things were about to get more interesting for Port Royal.

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Author's Note: Chapter Thirty Three for everyone. I hope everybody enjoys the story so far. Like Elizabeth said, things are about to get interesting. Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter, I greatly appreciate it. I hope everybody continues to read it. I'll update as soon as I can and try to keep things moving along. Don't forget to review!