A/N: 'ello all. I am SO sorry for the long delay. School has just been CRAZY and I'm just getting over the worst case of writer's block. I apologize most profusely and humbly!
Just so there is less confusion, part way through this chapter it switches to a different view; it's kind of like Jack's view of the last events, kinda like a flashback.
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing, especially not PotC :( and I am not making any money by writing this.
And now, ladies, gentlemen, children and pirates… (drum roll) Chapter 7!!
A yell cut through the air as the bullet collided with the target. Norrington stumbled back, his hand going up to cover the wound. The soldiers rushed forward. Three going to Norrington and two to Scarlet. One of the men grabbed her gun and the other grabbed her arms and put a pair of irons on her wrists.
With his hand over his arm, Norrington came toward Scarlet.
"You will do as you are told so that I am not forced to kill you and explain to Mrs. Turner why you died," he continued "You are coming back with us to Port Royal where you will be taken to the Turner's. You will attend the up coming ball and become a lady again. In time you will also marry. Do I make myself clear?"
Glaring, Scarlet retorted "So this is all for Lizzie? Let me guess, the Turner's are planning a ball and you happened to overhear Lizzie say somethin' about wantin' to talk to Rebecca. So you decided to get her. Is that it? What'd ya think, ye could win 'er back? I got news for ya, James, she's married and in love with Will. And unless they both die they ain't leavin' each other. So this whole thing ain't gonna get ya anywhere, mate."
The look that crossed James' face told Scarlet that she had hit the nail on the head, hard.
James just said "Lock her in the brig."
With that Scarlet was dragged down the steps and tossed into the cell. Sitting against the wall of the ship Scarlet sighed. She thought 'This is going to be a very long voyage.'
JPOV
Jack stood at the helm of the Pearl watching as Gibbs went to drop the Courageous' cannons overboard. One of Scarlet's crew was climbing the rigging to cut up the sails.
Suddenly he heard Scarlet yell "Hold it!"
He turned to look at her. He was shocked at what he saw. Scarlet had her arms pulled behind her by the Commodore. She looked like she had only an hour earlier when she had punched Jack in the nose, absolutely furious.
She yelled "Johnny forget what I said." Looking around at her crew she said "All o' you get back to the Rose."
Jack started toward the rails below the upper deck. Scarlet looked at him and yelled "Jack, get outta 'ere before he tries ta hang ya again!"
He stopped, their eyes locked for a second. He couldn't do anything. She wouldn't let him. She broke eye contact and called to her first mate "Gina! Take care o' her!"
Norrington called out "This is your only chance. Leave now and you will be spared today."
Every one turned to look at Scarlet.
She yelled "Get outta 'ere ya scallywags!"
Jack pulled the Pearl away and watched as Gina did the same with the Rose. The Courageous pulled away.
Before it was out of range Jack heard a female scream "You are a pathetic, worthless ass!"
He then heard a gun shot. He immediately picked up his spyglass. He saw the deck of the Navy ship. He saw Scarlet standing with a smoking pistol held in front of her. Moving slightly Jack saw Norrington stumbling backwards with his hand over his upper arm.
Jack laughed in spite of the situation. Scarlet had shot the Commodore with the spare pistol she kept. Jack had wanted to do that for a while.
As the Courageous got farther away Jack knew there was no rescuing Scarlet by attacking the ship. No, they had to plan this.
Jack maneuvered the Black Pearl back next to the Crimson Rose. He then swung across and climbed the steps to the helm. He stood next to the first mate who looked shocked.
Jack said "We need ta talk."
He didn't know how much Becky had told her crew about herself and didn't want to mess things up.
Gina led him down to the Captain's cabin. She turned to look at Captain Sparrow.
She said "I don' get why he took jus' her."
Jack asked "How much do ye know abou' Scarlet?"
Gina explained. She knew almost everything.
Jack said "There's a motive behind it. We 'ave ta rescue 'er."
Gina looked at the Captain.
"Go against the Code?"
Jack smirked slightly.
"As me crew says, there more actual guidelines."
Gina nodded.
The two created a plan. They would head to Tortuga to pick up supplies. Then head out to Port Royal. The two ships would slip into the hidden cove. Captain Sparrow would make his way into town and to the Turner's. Jack would find out what happened to Scarlet and they would go from there.
The two ships set a course for Tortuga.
Regular POV
Scarlet sat in the iron barred cell on the Courageous. She stared at the cell opposite her through the bars that made up the door. She knew there was no escaping the commodore here. She also knew that there was little chance that Sparrow or Virginia were going to rescue her. If they were going to they would have done it already. The Black Pearl was the fastest ship in the Caribbean and the Crimson Rose was the close second.
Scarlet turned her head to look at the cell directly next to her. She thought 'Damn it! Every thing was working. I almost had Captain Sparrow back. I was just gonna give Gina and Jack the bearings and go with Jack to that island, get that treasure and then go back to Port Royal to see Lizzie and Will. Well, I'll get to see them now. Not exactly the reunion I had planned. Bloody Commodore.' A smile spread across her red lips at the fresh memory of the bullet ripping into Norrington's arm.
The next week dragged by for Scarlet. She was confined to the cell except when she was let out to walk the deck, under close watch, for a half hour each day. She was given two meals a day that were typical of Navy sailor rations.
One positive aspect of her time on the Navy ship was that she was reunited with a boy she knew from childhood. The two children had become close friends during their passage from England. They had stayed close as they grew up. When Rebecca's mother died her father made a desperate attempt to make her a lady, if only to help keep her mind off of her mother's death. The two friends lost contact. Andrew recounted his life and his experience in the Navy. It was not a real shock for Rebecca that Andrew had joined the Navy. He had been fascinated with the sailors when the two had made the journey from England to Port Royal. Andrew had been somewhat surprised when Rebecca had told him that she was a pirate because he knew that it had been pirates that had killed her mother. He was astounded that Rebecca was Scarlet though he saw where Scarlet's personality came from Rebecca's.
Andrew had secretly informed Rebecca about the Commodore. It appeared that James had changed drastically since Rebecca had left. He had become stricter and his moods shifted far too fast to be healthy. He also seemed somewhat depressed at times.
Scarlet realized that James' behavior change was probably because of her. She had never told him why she left or even the fact that she left. He probably thought she had been kidnapped by that pirate that had attempted it before. Scarlet was sure he was angry with her for becoming a pirate, his greatest enemy. And to be found with his arch enemy probably only made the situation worse.
Scarlet awoke to commotion above deck. Judging by the length of time they'd been at sea, she figured they must be preparing to dock in Port Royal. Norrington, accompanied by two soldiers, unlocked Scarlet's cell. The guards placed a pair of irons around her wrists. Gripping her arm, Norrington escorted Scarlet up onto the deck and off the Courageous. When they reached the street running past the docks, Norrington guided Scarlet into a waiting carriage.
Scarlet stared out the window as the carriage made its way through town up to the Turner's home. Memories of her life before becoming a pirate flashed before Scarlet's eyes as the familiar town passed by the window.
A/N: This story is not compliant with Dead Man's Chest or At World's End.
Reviews are greatly appreciated. And I apologize once again for the long delay!