As we boarded the Dauntless, Norrington gave Elizabeth and I a hand from the raised long boat.
"Elizabeth, I'm" relieved you're safe." Norrington told her. "Clap him in irons. And behind his back this time."
"Commodore, you can't do that!" I told him.
"You're speaking up for him again?" he asked giving me a look.
"He can locate Isla de Muerta - but I doubt he'll be willing to help us from the brig." I said.
"We had time to get to know each other." Jack told him.
"We are bound for Port Royal, not Isla de Muerta." Norrington told us.
"No. The pirates have taken Will –" Elizabeth tried telling him.
"Your father is frantic with worry. Our mission was to rescue you and return home. That is what we shall do. Mr. Turner's fate is regrettable. But so was his decision to engage in piracy." Norrington told us.
"May I remind you, sir, that I did as well by helping Jack escape and taking your ship." I told him.
"Your father has already signed the papers for you to be exonerated of all charges against you." Norrington told me and I shook my head.
"Commodore, please!" Elizabeth begged. "Will only turned to piracy to rescue me, to prevent anything from happening to me."
"Norrington, think about it ... the Black Pearl, its captain and crew... the last pirate threat in the Caribbean. How can you pass that up?" Jack asked him.
"By remembering that I serve others, not only myself." Norrington told him before going to the wheel.
"Commodore, I beg you - please do this ... for me. As a wedding gift." She begged staring at him as everyone's eyes were on her.
"Elizabeth? Are you accepting his proposal on the condition he save Will?" I asked her.
"Not as a condition - a request." She corrected. Norrington considered her words before turning to one of his men.
"Free Mister Sparrow, and prepare to come about. He'll give you our heading." Norrington turned to Jack as he was freed. "Mr. Sparrow, you will accompany these fine men to the helm, and, after providing the bearing, you will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave'. Do I make myself clear?"
"Inescapably clear." Jack said as Gillette released him from his chains. "Oh! Congratulations, sir." The crew men led Jack toward the bridge.
"You two may seclude yourselves in my cabin. I'm afraid we do not have any ladies' clothing aboard." Norrington told us.
"Then she can wear men's clothing. I'm comfortable with what I have on." I told him.
"That would hardly be proper." He said and I gave him a look.
"Well, I am not going to stay hidden in a some cabin, I suppose it's going to be heaving bosoms and bare ankles for the remainder of the voyage!" I said. Norrington was exasperated at my words.
"Murtogg, take our guest below, and find her some trousers, and a shirt." He ordered and Elizabeth allowed herself to be escorted away before I went to the railing and looked out onto the sea.
That evening, Jack joined me at the railing.
"You didn't tell Commodore Norrington everything." I told him.
"Nor did you, I noticed." He said and I smiled.
"He might delay the rescue ... and that would be too late." I explained.
"Exactly." He told me smirking.
"These men will be facing an enemy that seemingly cannot be killed." I said looking at the sailors behind us.
"I have a plan." He told me. "If it succeeds, then any battle will be decidedly brief ... and one-sided."
"What's your plan?" I asked him and he just gave me a look.
"LAND HO!" the lookout called out and I turned to see Isla de Muerta laying dark and menacing on the horizon.
"Elizabeth, Miss Swann - below decks. I will not compromise your safety." Norrington told us. "Lieutenant, escort Elizabeth to my quarters, and make sure she stays there." One of the men came up to me and I just smiled at him.
"Touch me and I'll have your hand." I told him and he moved away from me, eyes wide.
"That's my girl." Jack said and I saw him smirking at me.
"I'm going with you on the isle." I told me.
"I'd have it no other way." he told me and I smiled.
"I don't like the situation, Mr. Sparrow. The island is riddled with caves. I will not put my men at a disadvantage." Norrington told him looking at the isle with his eye glass.
"Funny, I was thinking along those lines. How about you let me and Nicole go in alone, and while you're setting up an ambush, I'll trick the pirates out to you." Jack suggested
"I'll not allow Miss Swann to go with you." Norrington told us.
"Try and stop me." I told him and he just sighed before nodding.
"And you would lure the pirates into a trap?" Norrington asked him.
"They left me stranded. Twice. What have you got to lose?"
"Nothing I wouldn't be pleased to be rid of." Norrington told him making Jack smile.
"I knew you'd listen to reason!" Jack told him.
Later a long boat was being prepared to be lowered over the side as Jack wrapped his pistol securely in an oilskin pouch.
"That chart I drew up'll get you past the reefs. If you're steersman's good enough, that is." Jack told Norrington.
"I'll be at the wheel myself." Norrington assured him.
"We'll slip in, talk them into to come out, and you'll be free to blow holy high heaven the whole lot of them." Jack reminded him as the crewmen released the lines, and the boat dropped.
When we got into the caves we ran into Will racing away from the pirates.
"Do you have any idea where you're going?" Jack asked him.
"Jack! Nicole!" he said smiling at us.
"Don't talk. These caves magnify sound. Just follow me." Jack ordered and we followed him out of a narrow passage before stopping.
"Are you certain this is the right way?" Will asked him.
"It's the right way." Jack told him and we joined him at his side to see treasure piled on treasure, sparkling glowing, seemingly endless. At the center was a moonlit clearing and a stone Aztec chest
"Thank you, Jack Sparrow." We turned to see Barbossa behind us, flanked by his men. We whirled to run, but more pirates emerged from hiding. Nearly the entire crew of the Black Pearl was surrounding us. The pirates grabbed us and while Will and I struggled, Jack didn't fight them at all. "You couldn't have led him back more directly if you knew exactly where you were going." Barbosa laughed and moved towards the stone chest with us all behind him.
"You did know where you were going! You did lead us directly to them!" Will accused Jack who stayed silent. "Why?" Jack looked away as Will was manhandled towards the chest. Barbosa stepped up to him, becoming skeletal in the moonlight, and put the medallion around Will's neck before picking up the stone knift.
"What was begun by blood, let blood now end!" Barbosa said before raising the knife to Will's throat.
"You don't want to be doing that." Jack told him making Barbossa pretend to think about his words.
"No, I really think I do." Barbosa told him.
"All right then." Jack said shrugging. "Your funeral." This made Barbossa paused and come to us making him step out of the moonlight.
"Why don't I want to do this?" Barbosa asked him.
"Because, right about now, the H.M.S. Dauntless is lying in wait in the harbor." Jack warned him.
"Jack!" Will cried out in anger.
"And let's not forget, its guns and crew will cut you and your men to pieces the moment you step outside these caves." I told them and a buzz of apprehension swept through the pirates.
"Do you believe him?" one asked Barbosa.
"No. But him I believe. He is genuinely angry." Barbosa said indicating Will who was glaring at us.
"You've no hope of surviving Norrington's attack ... that is, if you're mortal." Jack told him.
"What're you suggesting?" Barbosa asked him. Jack shook off the hands holding him before strolling to Barbosa.
"Simple. Don't kill the boy yet. Wait for a more opportune moment." Will glared at him, listening to every word he said before Jack scooped up a handful of coins from the chest. "Like after you've killed... Every... Last ... One ... of Norrington's men." Jack dropped each of the coins back into the chest.
"I can't help wondering, Jack, why you're being so helpful and all? Last time you did that, it didn't end well for you." Barbosa reminded him.
"The situation has changed." Jack told him.
"That so?" Barbosa asked.
"Aye. See, after you're done with the Royal Navy, you'll have a bit of a problem: the H.M.S. Dauntless. There you'll be, with two lovely ships on your hands, and what to do? Of course you'll decide you deserve the bigger one, and who's to argue? The Dauntless a first-rate ship-of-line, and with it, you can rule the seas. (beat) But if you're Captain of the Dauntless, who's left for the Black Pearl?" Jack asked him before smiling and spreading his hands indicating himself. "I sail for you as part of your fleet, I give you fifteen percent of my plunder, and you get to introduce yourself at tea parties and brothels as 'Commodore Barbossa.' Do we have an accord?" Jack asked sticking out his hand. Barbossa licked his lips at the tempting offer.
"And we'll throw in a hat." I told him. "Any kind of hat you want." Barbosa took Jack's hand in his and I sighed lightly.
"Now, you can take care of the Dauntless, right?" Jack asked him.
"Men! Are you up for it?" Barbossa asked the pirates around me and they yelled to the affirmative. "Mr. Pintel, select five men to stay here. Take the rest of the men out ... not through the caves." I shared an expression with Jack. This wasn't part of the plan.
"There's ... another exit?" Jack asked him.
"Aye, for us there is." Barbossa told him grinning.