The organ music echoed around Eleanore and James could feel her fingers tighten on his arm. One by one, each bridesmaid made her way down the aisle on the arm of an usher. Expectantly, guests stood and waited for the bride to begin on her way down the aisle. An enormous knot formed in the pit of her stomach. Ella eyed her brother. Something was strange with him. He was utterly too calm and she knew that he was not a particularly cool headed person in a bad situation. She felt the heat of people's stares and the jealousy coming from numerous women that she was sure Beckett had been with. Elizabeth caught her eye and even she, who smiled easily at Ella, seemed to be hiding something. A casual hand was laid over her still flat stomach as she patted her father's shoulder. The former governor looked extremely uncomfortable as he wore no wig or uniform.
"Jimmy." Ella whispered beneath her veil. She heard him mutter in reply.
"Mmm?" Her eyes darted around the room nervously.
"Is something going on?" She asked and he chuckled.
"Well, we are in the middle of your wedding dear sister." He reminded her lightly. She swallowed heavily.
"Really?" She asked, her voice light with sarcasm, "I had not realized." Ella was avoiding the stare of Cutler Beckett like the plague as she saw the hunger behind his eyes. Cold fear came over her as she realized she was to be a pawn of his perverse pleasures tonight. She almost laughed for he wouldn't get the image of virginal perfection he'd been imagining, but a scarred one.
As they reached the altar, James turned toward her and lifted her veil.
"There is still a way for you to get out of this..." He said and she looked down into her flowers.
"I gave my word." She said stupidly. The truth was, she was more worried that Beckett would take his anger over her backing out on Jack, or God forbid, Elizabeth and William.
"Ellie..." James said in disbelief.
"Mr. Norrington...are you going to hand over my bride or not?" Beckett's voice intervened. James glared at the man as a few snickers were heard throughout the audience. Ella silently thanked God that she had gloves on as he took her hands.
James sat beside Charlotte in the front pew as the priest began his speech. Ella wasn't even listening, but she did notice her brother kept squirming in his seat.
"Eleanore?" The priest's voice invaded her thoughts.
"What?" She asked, confused. A small rumble of laughter floated through the people.
"Place the ring on Lord Beckett's finger." He said firmly. Beckett looked sternly at her.
"Eleanore, you are embarrassing me." He whispered. She slipped the ring on his finger and repeated her vows with no emotion in her voice.
"If anyone should object to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace." A moment passed and Ella began to pray silently. Please...somebody save me...I don't want this...Panic began to shoot through her but she remained facing the priest. As the priest opened his mouth to finish the ceremony, a very proper and refined male voice came from the back.
"Actually, I have a slight problem with it." Ella's eyes squeezed shut as Beckett's grip on her hand tightened.
"If you move, you will regret it."
Wild hope began to pulse through her as she moved her eyes as far to the left as she could. All she could see was the dark blue of a coat. The people had changed from murmurs to full out chatter.
"Sorry mate, but I believe that's my woman you've got there..." The voice said. Ella's head picked up. Beckett let go of her hand, but she could not bring herself to turn and look for fear it was all in her mind. Beckett laughed, sending a chill down her spine.
"Do you hear ladies and gentlemen? This man thinks he has a right to my own fiancée!"
To Ella's surprise no one laughed at his remark, in fact, the room had hushed.
"Eleanore...please...just turn around and look at me." The man pleaded. She shook her head, afraid of what could happen if she did. "Ella?" Beckett laughed loudly.
"Don't you see, you fool? She doesn't love you! Who could?" A click was heard and then Jimmy's voice.
"It's all right Ella...he won't do anything...turn around please..." Still, she could not bring herself to look. A hand touched her shoulder.
"I know my actions of recent were less than honorable...I should have fought for you from the start. Instead, I watched you leave and didn't do a thing to stop it." A sigh. "Before I met you, it was always about me...I didn't care about other people...you made me see just how wonderful it is to have friend whom you cherish. God knows I do not deserve your love or even your respect...but people change Eleanore...and I am willing to change...I'll give it all up...I'll build you a house with gardens and a sunroom and nurseries and all of that domestic type nonsense." She could not suppress a laugh as tears began to fall from her eyes and onto her skirt. "The truth is, I...I..." He stopped, her head lifted hopefully.
"Yes?" She whispered, praying with all of her heart that he was going to say it.
"I...I love you. I'm sure of it...ever since you left I've felt like someone reached inside me chest and ripped out my heart...my soul even feels empty."
"This is absurd." Beckett said, rolling his eyes.
"Shut up you..." James bit out, shoving the gun further into Beckett's cheek.
"Thanks mate..." The refined male voice replied to the former Admiral. James only nodded, keeping the gun pointed. Will was poised, hand on sword, ready to attack if necessary. "So...I was sort of, you know, wondering...if you'd reconsider this whole marriage to Mr. Beckett."
"That's Lord Beckett to you, Sparrow. Do not forget your place, I did after all, put you in it."
"Funny you should mention Cutler...I am sure most of these people do not remember me as I look right now...perhaps if I had come as I looked only yesterday...you see, I am Captain John Sparrow of the Queen's Navy. At least, I was until this man branded me a pirate for standing up for what I believed in. You see, good people of Port Royal, I refused to transport a certain cargo. Slaves, if you will. You all may not believe it, but I did indeed have some thread of moral fiber back then. I now go by a different name. Ah yes, now I see the recognition. Jack. It suits me better don't you think..."
"I fail to see how this is relevant to my wedding." Beckett replied dryly. Ella slanted a glance at her almost husband.
"Yes, well then...the truth is...it is not you she is supposed to be with. It is me." Jack replied easily.
Cutler let out a low chuckle as the crowd began to raise their voices.
"You honestly think that Eleanore would choose you after the crimes you have committed. She is a decent woman...an image of perfection...do you think she would even look your way...?" Ella sighed, hearing Beckett make decisions for her when he hardly even knew anything about her.
"Yes." She whispered and Beckett cleared his throat.
"Excuse me?" He asked, irritated. She looked at him.
"I said yes...you know...a positive response...the opposite to no?" She said her voice dripping with anger.
"That's right love, get angry." Jack's voice came from behind her.
"I...I'm sorry but I will not be marrying you today. In fact," She said, pulling the ring off of her finger, "I would not marry you if you were the last man on earth. You've threatened my family, my friends...you've blackmailed our own governor to gain his position...honestly...your crimes are the unforgivable ones..." She sighed raggedly and stood straighter.
"Please Ella, let me look at you...look at me." Slowly, still gripping the wedding ring in her palm, she turned to face the Captain and nearly dropped dead in shock at the sight of him.
He was clean, sober and handsome. His black hair had been cut, washed, brushed and tied back neatly, his face was clean as an angels, his brown eyes bright and young. His hands were clean as were his nails. He wore a new suit and coat. No rings graced his usually jeweled hands and there was not a smudge on him. But the strangest thing was his beard had been trimmed and the full pouting of his lips were visible. He looked positively boyish, yet grown at the same time and he was beautiful. Not that Ella would have changed him from the way he was, but she had to admit, women would swoon over his obvious beauty.
"I don't think all of the riches buried in this world would ever compare to your beauty right now." He said, kneeling at her feet.
"Jack, I..." He stopped her, producing at small diamond ring, knowing full well she hated gawdy huge gems. James had told him so that morning after all. "Oh." She said quietly, allowing him to slip it on.
"Would you take me up on my offer? Would you consider spending all your days with me? I know I can be a loathsome creature sometimes...I don't deny it, but I am relearning how to be human again. Would you marry someone like me? A reformed pirate?" She sniffed, still crying, but managed to laugh.
"On one condition." She said, kneeling so that they were eye level.
"Anything." He replied. She took both of his hands.
"I don't want you to change Jack Sparrow...I loved you as you were...I would never ask you to give up your ship and your love of the sea...I only ask you to include me in it. I would love that house too...a home base...as I will require at least two children to satisfy me. So I suppose my answer to your question is yes." As she leaned in to kiss him finally, Beckett pulled her up by the arm, causing her to cry out.
"No! This is ridiculous, she is my wife! She said the vows and she gave her word. She is coming home with me!" He cried, turning his anger to Jack. "Sparrow, if it is the last thing I do, I will see you hang!"
"The only place you are going Lord Beckett, is to jail!" A female said. All heads turned to see Elizabeth Swann standing on the pew, her arms folded.
"On what charges?" Beckett chuckled. Elizabeth grinned.
"Treason." As his attention was averted, Ella broke free of his grip and took Jack's extended hand, allowing him to lead her out of the church as the crowd closed in on Beckett.
Oh my Gosh...you guys...I am sorry, this chapter sucked. At least I think it did...but it will get better. If worse comes to worse, I will redo it later. And I didn't mean to put Jack out of character, but this is who he was before he was a pirate and there is still some shred of him left in Jack. Here is what I picture Jack as now.