Chapter 24

"Jack, what are we doing? We should just go back! It's too dangerous!" Will hollered as they continued trying to get to the harbor.

"Since when is something too dangerous for us?" Jack joked.

Will looked at Jack seriously. "Jack let's face it! That was ten years ago! We're not that young anymore! I've got a family now, I have to think about them to before I go gallivanting into battle blind!"

Jack wanted to scream at him but he knew that that would not be the right thing to do.

"Fine William, if you'd like you can go back. But I'm going and I'm gonna beat them, with or without you."

Just then they passed the restaurant.

"Mr. Gaverty! Mr. Gaverty! Sir!" Marshall said running from the window to the office.

"What is it?" Mat said swinging the door open.

"Sparrow and Turner! They just passed sir!"

"What?"

"They just passed the—"

"I heard you! Why the hell are they out in this weather? Maybe they're bigger idiots than I thought. This could work to our advantage…" Mat thought for a moment, "… Boys! We're going out there!"

"But sir, the hurricane is approaching, we could all die!" said one of the men as they all stood up and looked at Mat crazily.

"You're point? We're going on with the plan, the change is weather is to our advantage! Now either come with me or get the hell out of here," Mat said going to his office to grab his jacket and gun.

"Mat what are thinking?" Chloe said running into his office.

"I'm going on with the plan," he answered picking up his gun and putting it in its holster.

"I know, but you could be killed out there. I wont let you do it Mat—"

"Chloe I have to, this is the only way I can beat them," Mat said putting his hands on her shoulders.

"But I—"

"I'm sorry Chloe. I have to go," Mat said kissing her one last time.

He then put on his jacket and headed for the door with the group of men behind him.

"Marshall!"

"Yes sir."

Marshall went over to him and Mat whispered, "Stay here with Chloe, watch over her. Don't let anything happen to her."

Marshall nodded his head and went back to the bar.

He took one last look behind him at the inside of the restaurant and Chloe, and then went out into the storm.

Chloe stood there with Marshall as the door closed.

"It's okay Chloe, he'll be fine. Don't worry, I've known him a long time and he's never been one to give up easy on a fight."

"Thank you Marshall," she said sweetly.

"How 'bout a drink?"

"Sounds good to me."

Marshall smiled as he poured her a drink and slid it over.

Elizabeth crept out the front door and was going off the porch when she heard a voice behind her. She turned around, and was surprised to see Bootstrap sitting there on the chair on the porch.

"And where are you going?" he said standing up.

"Bootstrap? I was just—"

"Going to find Jack and Will?"

"No I—"

"I know you Elizabeth, you never put down a fight."

"A fight? What fight?"

Bootstrap suddenly realized what he had said, "I mean—"

"I was just going to find them, not fight. I thought that maybe they went down to find Gaverty and I wanted to stop them before they did something they'd regret later. Bootstrap where did they go?"

"Down into town, to find Gaverty, just like you said," He answered obviously lying.

"Uh-huh so I wouldn't just happen to find them near the Pearl would I, or even the Dutchman perhaps?"

Bootstrap laughed a little, "I can see where you and Will are alike. I'll tell you this Elizabeth, they didn't go into town for Gaverty."

"Then where did they go?"

"I can't tell you. I promised Will I wouldn't let you get hurt, and I'm not about to break that promise."

"Bootstrap please. I need to know where they are…" Elizabeth pleaded.

"They… they," Bootstrap didn't want to break his promise but at the same time he knew how much Elizabeth loved Will. He knew that even if he didn't tell her where they'd went she would still go, "They went to the Dutchman."

Elizabeth ran to Bootstrap and hugged him tightly, "Thank you, you have no idea how much it means to me."

"Your welcome, now you better run if you want to make it there in time."

"Okay…" Elizabeth began to leave, "Bootstrap?"

"Yes."

"If anything happens to us, please… take care of Liam…"

"I'll see you, William, and Jack in the mourning," Bootstrap said smiling, he knew how well the three of them fought, especially together, and knew that nothing could stand in there way of winning.

Elizabeth nodded and began leaving but was stop this time by Bootstrap, "And Elizabeth?"

"Yes," she said turning around.

"Be careful out there…"

She nodded and left finally. She knew where the Dutchman was and was determined to get to it as soon as possible.

Will and Jack arrived to the harbor and followed the beach beside it until they came to where the Dutchman was hidden out at sea.

"There she is!" Jack yelled.

"Ya ready?" Will asked.

"William, when have I not been ready to kill Norrington?"

"I thought you were, I mean had been, rooting for him?"

"Yes but that was with dear Elizabeth, this is war."

"Well then, let's go to war."

They found the hidden small boats and took one, pushed it off into the sea and headed out to the ship.

The crew spotted the duo heading towards them aboard the ship.

"Norrington! Sparrow and Turner have just been spotted headed towards the ship sir. Plan of action?" Maccus hollered.

James emerged from the cabin and onto the deck. "Right on schedule….Nothing. Let Mr. Sparrow and Mr. Turner come aboard."

Maccus looked at him confused, "Aye, sir," Maccus headed back to his position while James kept his place on the deck waiting their arrival.

Will and Jack reached the ship, "Now what?" Will whispered.

"I'll go on deck, have a little talk over with Norrington while you go through one of the canon ports and sneak on deck, Savvy?"

"Jack?"

"Yes."

"Whose ship is this?"

"No one's at the moment," jack laughed.

"Jack, who here has been Captain of this ship for the last ten years?"

"Oh, I didn't think of that…."

"I'll go on deck, you go below okay?"

"Fine, but when Norrington has one of them lock you in the brig don't blame me."

"Deal."

Then Jack climbed up into on of the ports while Will continued up the side.

Right as Will "sneaked" on, he heard a voice, "How nice of you to join us again Mr. Turner."

Will looked up to see James approaching him.

"Thought you'd like it," Will smirked.

"And by what do we have the pleasure of your presents?"

"Business."

"With me?"

"Yes and someone else."

"You're father went ashore yesterday—"

"Not my father," Will said seriously.

"Oh, then who?"

"I know she's here James, I figured it out the minute the minute this so called 'hurricane' blew ashore. She is to come ashore when I do, once every ten years to bring someone new to the job if it hasn't already happened."

"Good job William, you figured out what was already figured out."

The crew gathered around the two men wondering what was going on.

"You're right James, I've had you figured out for years now. I should have never brought you back."

"Ha-ha, you probably shouldn't have, but that's not my problem is it?"

"Actually now that I think about it, I'm glad I brought you back…" Will said beginning to get out his sword.

James followed by getting out his, "May I ask why?"

"So that I can kill you myself," Will said as their swords began to clash.

Jack was below deck trying to figure out his next move, he first made sure that all the crew had went on deck and then he began to look for the guns. He finally found them, took three and began to go on deck when he saw something in the corner of his eye: rum. So he did what every good pirate pirates would do, he went over and grabbed a bottle of rum, drank ever last sip and continued on deck.

"I thought the plan was to talk to him, not fight him… yet," Jack said as he saw the two men fighting. Suddenly everyone stopped in their tracks and looked at Jack.

"I improvised," Will said tilting his head.

"Sparrow? Good, now I can kill you both at once," Norrington said looking at the two men. Jack then got out his sword as they continued fighting.

Back on shore, Elizabeth was staring at he ship trying to figure out her next move, when she her rustling behind her in the bushes. She got out her sword and turned around.

But it was not any enemy, but Gibbs… and the rest of the Pearl's crew.

"What in the name of—, Gibbs? What are you doing here? Where's Liam?"

"He's fine, Bootstrap stayed back with him at the house. We're here to help you."

Elizabeth was about to protest but then remembered how ruthless the Dutchman's crew was. "Alright then."

They got three of the small boats and went out to the Dutchman. They arrived unseen since the crew was paying so much attention to the fight.

"Come on guys lets—"

"Elizabeth stay here, we'll go up first. After a few minutes come up, but only if—"

"Alright, now go," Elizabeth, whispered sitting back down as Gibbs continued up the side with the other crewmembers.

The minute they all jumped on board the fight stopped and the three men looked around confused.

"Gibbs? What the hell are you doing here?" Jack asked confused.

"We're here to help ya, Cap'n."

"Nice job Sparrow, sneaking onto the ship, then having your crew just 'happen' to appear too," James said.

"I had nothing to do with this," Jack said pointing at the Pearl's crew.

"Neither did—" Will was cut off by James coming at him with his sword again. The three men then went back into fighting as if they'd never stopped.

Gibbs looked around for a moment, and then began fighting with a nearby crewmember of the Dutchman, the rest of the two crews followed. It was now a full on battle between the two crews and three men, while Elizabeth waited impatiently to go up on deck to give them a piece of her mind.