Sorry I haven't been able to update sooner, but work has been hell on me for two weeks, but now I have it more calmed since Christmas is over. I hope all of you had a great Christmas and thanks again for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

Katherine felt irritated as she sat across the judge, Judge Martel, and next to Abigail and James. He was a new judge from London and was known for making fair decisions even to the poorest person. Apparently, James accused Jack of sneaking into his home, starting a fight with him and is the reason why Katherine got hurt. She was tiered of also getting stuck in the middle, but James will have to learn the hard way.

"Please, Miss Swann," said Judge Martel. "Explain everything from the beginning." There was a writer that wrote down everything the witness said. Katherine nodded. "Of course, sir. I opened the door for Captain Sparrow."

"You're not telling the truth, Katie," warned James, glaring at her.

"Please, Commodore, let her explain."

"But she's lying. She's going this to protect him."

Katherine shook her head. "I'm not protecting him. Jack sent me a message to talk at night."

"And you welcomed him in your nightgown," scowled James.

"If you don't keep your silence, I'm going to interrupt the proceedings and wait until Miss Swann is well enough to go down to the court house for the testimony."

"There's no need for that," said Katherine, softly.

The judge sighed. "I just warn you that you're under oath."

Katherine blinked. "I have no reason to lie. I'm telling you everything what happened."

Judge Martel nodded. "Was the message written or spoken?"

"Written," responded Katherine.

"Do you still have it?"

Katherine shrugged. "I tore it up."

"Who gave it to you?"

Katherine glanced at Abigail. "My friend, Abby."

"And who gave it to her?" asked the Judge.

"A crew member to the Black Pearl, Mr. Gibbs," explained Katherine.

"That's a lie and you know it, Katie," growled James.

"I'm sorry you don't believe me James. I feel embarrassed that I didn't ask for your permission first since I am a guest in your home and maybe you wouldn't have gotten so upset, seeing Jack," she said, looking down. She never knew she was that much of a good liar. "Maybe you might not have started the fight."

Judge Martel looked at James. "I thought Sparrow started the fight."

"He wouldn't leave my home when I told him to, so he gave me no choice," explained James.

Katherine felt a strange tension in the room. "Everything was my fault, sir," she said. "I'm very sorry. Is that enough of my testimony?"

The side of Judge Martel's mouth twitched. There was no other evidence he could get out of Katherine. Katherine smiled secretly at Abigail, knowing that she just saved Jack's life again.

"Captain," said Mr. Gibbs.

"Yeah?" asked Jack as he sipped from his bottle and studied a map.

"Mr. and Mrs. Turner are here to see you."

Jack looked up as Mr. Gibbs he let Will and Abigail into his cabin. "Ah, the happy married couple!" he greeted. "Should've invited me. I love weddings!"

"You like to drink at them," teased Abigail.

Jack smirked. "Aye, I do. So what are you going to name the rugrat when it's born?"

"Jennifer if she's a girl or William if he's a boy," answered Will.

"Well, I'm happy for the two's of ya. What bring you over here?" asked Jack.

"I have a letter from Katie," said Abigail, handing it over to him.

Jack quickly opened it and read it. A smile crept on his face. "It says that I should say that I sent a letter to her so that we could meet."

"Yes, the Commodore accused you of breaking into his plantation, but Katie denied it," said Abigail.

"She wants to protect you, Jack," chuckled Mr. Gibbs.

"H-How is she?" asked Jack.

"She's fine," said Abigail.

"Tell her that I said thank you for doing this for me. I knew it. She still loves me."

"Katie, I believe that what you did with Sparrow was a mistake," said James as they entered his study.

"Why?" asked Katherine.

James sighed. "Instead of calming the hostilities between us, you're provoking them. Don't you understand that by defending him, it only gives him illusions that you still care about him?"

"James, I want to fully understand this," said an angry Katherine. "I don't want you or Jack to take me as an excuse for you hatred towards each other."

"It's him that is using you as an excuse to fight me. While he says that he loves you, he's probably getting his hands on those women in the taverns he goes to," said James, raising his voice.

Katherine stiffened. "Why do you say that?"

James scowled. "He's a pirate, Katie. What do you expect? He's trying to seduce you to provoke me."

"And you James? Aren't you doing the same thing?" said Katherine, glaring at him.

"By only asking me that offends me. Since I've found out what your sister did to me, there is not one day that I regret breaking our engagement." Katherine eyed him mysteriously. "And even the day when we found out that they supposedly had fled together on that ship and that they had died, I proposed to you, remember? That's why you shouldn't think that I only want to marry you just so that I can get to Sparrow."

Katherine sighed. "I apologize then. I'm very thankful for such a generous offer, but I have no intention of marrying again."

"But you reassured me..."

"No, I told you that I'd think about it," interrupted Katherine, "and I already did."

"Please, know each other well and we've been through a lot together."

"I think you'd be better off with someone else," she said, looking away.

"I don't want another one," said James, stubbornly. "You are the only one that matters to me."

Katherine stood up. "I beg you not to insist because it'll do you no good."

"Why?" he asked also standing up. "Are you planning to go back to him?"

"Not with him or anyone else," she simply said.

"What will happen to you then? You also have to think about your father. He doesn't seem as strong as he was before. You have no money of your own, Katie."

"Look, James, my father and I are well financially. He's the governor and the house is about done, so we can go back and stop living here as guests. Even if my father insists on me marrying you, I'll move by myself and rent a room as long as I finally live in peace. If anything happens otherwise, then I'll see what I'll do. Excuse me," she said, walking out of James' study.

James smirked as he knocked on Carmen's door. It had been a long year and strangely enough, he had missed her. His need for her grew again much like before as a confidant, a choice maker, and maybe a secret lover. When she opened the door to his shock she had changed nothing. She was still the same gypsy he knew when he first met her.

Carmen's brow rose and crossed her arms seeing James on her door step. She almost smirked at his sight. She had wondered when he would come visit her from his trip from London and at last he came at the end of the week.

"Are you just going to leave me standing here?" asked James.

"Maybe or maybe not. I haven't decided yet," she responded, smirking.

"Are you mad that I left without saying anything to you?"

"Or should I be mad that you plan to be engaged with Katie, but still use me for sex."

James shook his head. "I wouldn't do that."

Carmen shrugged and walked into the house with him following her. "Why should I make myself useful to you?" She almost gasped when she felt him behind her so close she could almost feel his breath.

"Because you feel the same passion I do when we're together. You can't resist me like I can't resist you," he whispered, tracing his lips across her shoulder and neck. His hand gripped her hips when the other went under her shirt.

Carmen turned her head back to look at him. "Do you care about me?" she asked softly, their lips close to touching.

James traced her face with his finger. "I do," he said, pressing his lips to hers. They made their way to her bedroom and let the passion consume them both.

Katherine smiled as she walked inside Will's blacksmith shop. She was glad that she was out of James' watch for now. She moved back into the governor's mansion again with Weatherby, but James still came back everyday to check upon her. Though she hated doing it, she decided to move to an apartment once her arm healed. She could even ask at the convent if they needed any sowing for the wealthy woman of Port Royal. She could also help Abigail and Will with the shop to pay for rent. She couldn't stand living with her father anymore. He was always persisted her into marrying James, but Katherine wouldn't listen to him. She needed peace before she went insane.

When she turned, to her surprise Jack stood there looking at her. He seemed just as shocked to see her, as well. Will just smiled at them looking innocent. "Uh, I have to deliver something to a client. I'll be back soon," he said, walking out the door.

Abigail, too, smiled to herself. "I have laundry to do," she said and left quickly.

"Was this planned?" asked Katherine, turning away from his eyes.

"In a way, yes," admitted Jack. "I needed to talk to you."

Katherine sighed and nodded. "Alright," she said, sitting down on a chair.

Jack sat next to her. "Does your arm still hurt?" he asked.

Katherine shook her head. "Not really."

"I'm sorry that it happened. I know it was my fault," he said, looking at her, but she still didn't look at him. "Katie," he whispered. "Come back to me."

She finally looked at him. "Not any more, Jack."

"Katie, you know why I did what I did," he said, getting nearer.

"Yes, but I have no desire to go back with you."

"Why do you resist?" he hissed lowly. "I know you still love me."

Katherine scowled. "Stop it, Jack," she said, standing. "Don't you understand that what we had is over?"

"Are you going to marry Norrington?" he asked, growling, also standing.

"No," she responded quickly.

Jack eyed her. "Why?"

She sighed. "Fine, I'll explain it to you. I know that what happened was not your fault, but since I met you, for various circumstances, I haven't been able to live my life in peace. The time has come that want to have a normal life."

"I understand, Katie, but I promise..."

"No! Don't promise anything!" shouted Katherine. They were both startled by her outburst. "I don't doubt that you have the best intentions, Jack," she said more calmly, "but that won't be possible."

Jack sighed frustrated. "If you're talking about Norrington..."

Again she interrupted him. "I say it for the two of you. I don't want to be the reason that the two of you keep fighting."

"We can leave on the Pearl," he suggested.

"I once offered you that, Jack," she said, loosing her patience. "You told me that the distance wouldn't stop James from catching us."

Jack glared at her. "Is that why you won't comeback with me? Because you're afraid that he'll provoke me?"

"You provoke him, too, Jack," accused Katherine. "You did it the day you found me in the market, and then you broke into his house."

Jack stepped closer to her. "I needed to talk with you. I needed to ask for your forgiveness, Katie, and to tell you that I love you more than my life." Katherine again turned away. She felt his hand reaching hers. "I love you."

Katherine snatched her hand away. "Stop," she hissed. "Why can't you accept it?"

"Because it's not fair that we sacrifice ourselves for a stupid vengeance. I'm tiered of Norrington!"

"And I'm tiered of the two of you, too!" yelled Katherine. "You pushed me away from your side so I wouldn't suffer, and now that I'm ready to give you up, you come back and torment me again." Jack turned around, pressing her against his body and making her gasp. "Don't... At least for once in your life act like a gentleman."

"I never was, Katie," he said, looking into her eyes. "That's how you loved me."

"That's it Jack. I loved you, but not anymore."

Jack looked down at her lips. "I don't believe you. You're shaking."

Katherine's face hardened and shoved him with her good hand. "You bloody pirate," she cursed as she left, leaving him stunned.

Hope you guys liked it and please review.