Chapter Ten

On the way to the Aztec gold, Pintel tries to calm Will down and stop his struggling. “No reason to fret. It's just a prick of the finger, a few drops of blood…”

Another pirate pushes by them. “No mistakes this time. He's only half-Turner. We spill it all!”

“Oh…” Pintel shrugs, laughing. “Guess there is reason to fret!”

Jack pushes through the pirates. “Beg your pardon.”

Barbossa draws the knife and prepares to slip Will’s throat. “Begun by blood...”

“Excuse me…” Jack makes his way to the front.

Barbossa ignores him. “...by blood un-“

“Jack!” Will cries.

“S'not possible!” Barbossa gasps.

“Not probable…” Jack reminds him. He looks around. “… Where’s miss Gibbs?”

“Where's Elizabeth?” Will cries.

“Oh… she's safe, just like I promised.” Jack grins, “She's all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised.”

Will makes a terribly sad face and looks as though he’s about to cry.

“… And you get to die for her, just like you promised.” Jack goes on. “So we're all men of our word really except for Elizabeth who is, in fact, a woman.”

“Shut up! You're next.” Barbossa goes to slit Will’s throat again.

“You don't want to be doing that, mate.” Jack suggests.

“No,” Barbossa replies, “I really think I do.”

“Fine.” Jack shrugs. “Your funeral.”

Barbossa groans. “Why don't I want to be doing it?”

“Well, because... because the HMS Dauntless, pride of the Royal Navy, is floating just offshore.” Jack replies. “Waiting for you.”

-

Murtogg and Mullroy sit next to one another in the boats. “What are we doing here?” Murtogg asks.

“The pirates come out, unprepared and unawares, we catch 'em in the crossfire, send them down to see Old Hob.” Mullroy replies.

“I know why we're here. I mean why aren't we doing what it was - what Mr. Sparrow said we should do. With the cannons and all?”

“Because it was Mr. Sparrow who said it.” Norrington mutters.

“You think he wasn't telling the truth?” Murtogg asks.

Norrington sits for a moment, annoyed at them. Then he pushes them both out of the boat.

“HEY!” The director screams, “I’M THE ONLY ONE ALLOWED TO HARM THE ACTORS!”

-

“Just hear me out, mate.” Jack says, “You order your men to row out to the Dauntless. They do what they do best.”

“YEAH! KILLING SPREE!” Ragetti shouts, clapping his hands.

“… except, you may want to leave that one here.” Jack goes on.

Ragetti whimpers.

“And, Robert's your Uncle, Fannie's your Aunt, there you are with two ships. The makings of your very own fleet. 'Course you'll take the grandest as your flagship, and who's to argue?” Jack clears his throat. “But what of the Pearl? Name me Captain, I'll sail under your colors, I'll give you ten percent of me plunder and you get to introduce yourself as... Commodore Barbossa. Savvy?”

“I s'pose in exchange, you want me not to kill the whelp.” Barbossa sighs.

“No, no, not at all by all means, kill the whelp.” Jack replies.

Will whimpers. “I’m not a whelp!”

“Just not yet. Wait to lift the curse until the opportune moment. For instance...” He picks up a few medallions. “After you've killed Norrington's men...” he drops them back as he speaks. “Every... last... one.” He pockets the last medallion without anyone noticing. “And, of course… there’ll be no harming me bonny-lass.”

“… You’ve got a bonny-lass?” Barbossa asks.

“Yes, Gibbs. You’ve met her, haven’t you? Spirited girl, fiercely loyal.” Jack grins. “I believe she kicked you in the change purse as I made my way to that island?”

Barbossa winces. “Ah, yes. I met her.”

“You've been planning this from the beginning!” Will screams. “Ever since you learned my name.”

Jack shrugs. “Yeah.”

“I want fifty percent of your plunder.” Barbossa says.

“Fifteen.” Jack replies.

“Forty.”

“Twenty-five.” Barbossa is about to refuse when Jack adds, “And I'll buy you the hat. A really big one... Commodore.”

“We have an accord.” Barbossa agrees and they shake hands.

“All hand's to the boats!” Jack shouts, and he sees Barbossa glance at him. “You give the orders.”

“Gents...” Barbossa grins, “Take a walk.”

“Not to the boats?” Jack asks in confusion.

-

The cursed pirates walk on the sea's floor to the Dauntless, the moonlight revealing their true form

-

In their boats, Norrington and his men prepare to fire as a small boat appears. But Norrington notices that it’s sailors are dressed as women. “Hold fire. “

-

Ragetti twirls his parasol. “This is just like what the Greeks done at Troy. 'Cept they was in a horse...instead of dresses. Wooden horse.”

-

The pirates begin to board the Dauntless as the sailors and soldiers are distracted by the “women” in the boat. Governor Swann goes to the door of the Captain’s quarters.

“Elizabeth? I just want you to know I, uh, I believe you made a very good decision today. Couldn't be more proud of you.”

Elizabeth throws a makeshift rope out the window and climbs down to a waiting boat, muttering something about bloody idiot parents.

“But, you know, even a good decision if made for the wrong reasons can be a wrong decision… Elizabeth? Are you there? Elizabeth, are you even listening to me?” he enters the room and sees the rope. “Oh, what have you done?”

-

“Yoo-hoo!” Ragetti cries from under the Parasol.

“Stop that!” Pintel growls. “Already feel like a fool.”

“You look nice, though.” Ragetti replies.

“I look nice?!” Pintel jumps on him and begins strangling him. Their parasols fall away and they’re revealed. The soldiers aboard the Dauntless see the pirates and begin to fight them.

-

“I must admit, Jack,” Barbossa sighs, “I thought I had ye figured. But it turns out that you're a hard man to predict.”

“Me?” Jack chuckles. “I'm dishonest. And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly.” By now he’s lost about half of the actors. “It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid.” Without warning, he throws a sword to will and begins fighting with Barbossa.

“You're off the edge of the map, mate.” Barbossa hisses, livid at being tricked. “Here there be monsters.”

-

Elizabeth climbs aboard the Black Pearl and goes into the “dungeon”.

“Oh, god! It's Elizabeth!” Gibbs mutters.

“You’d think you’d at least act glad to see me.” Elizabeth mutters.

“I would act happy to see you, where Jack here with you.” Gibbs growls in reply. “But he’s not here, is he?”

“He’s off with Norrington and the others.” Elizabeth replies.

“Where are they?” Gibbs asks.

“Fighting Barbossa, I’d imagine.”

“Barbossa? They’ll be killed!” Gibbs pulls at the bars. “Let me out. I’ve got a man to save!”

Norrington hears the bell tolling on his ship, warning of danger. “Make for the ship! Move!”

-

“You can't beat me, Jack.” Barbossa growls.

Jack runs him through and Barbossa sighs and rolls his eyes. He then takes his sword and stabs it through Jack’s torso (actually, he just slips it into Jack's armpit, but with the correct lighting and camera angle, anything is possible).

“Shit…” Will mutters, “Gibbs is going to kill me…”

Jack staggers into the moonlight to reveal a skeleton. “That’s interesting…” he pulls out the sword and tosses it back to Barbossa.

“What… in… the hell!” Barbossa shouts.

“I couldn't resist, mate.” Jack grins and reveals the medallion he stole.

“So what now, Jack Sparrow?” Barbossa asks, lunging at Jack with his sword out. “Will it be it two immortals locked in an epic battle until Judgment Day and trumpets sound? Hmm?”

Jack shrugs. “Or you could surrender.”

“Arr.” Barbossa laughs and lunges at Jack again.

-

On the Pearl, now that Elizabeth has freed the crew, they run out of the hold.

“All of you with me. Will is in that cave and we must save him.” Elizabeth cries. “Ready? And heave!”

Everyone ignores her.

“Please, I need your help!” She grabs Gibb’s arm. “Come on!”

“Any port in the storm!” Cotton’s parrot cries.

“Come on, guys!” Gibbs cries, grabbing hold of the rope next to Elizabeth. “We’ve got to save Jack!”

“And Will.” Elizabeth reminds her.

“… Yeah, yeah, but more specifically, we need to save Jack. Now, everybody, heave!” Gibbs orders.

“Those… are not… your lines…” the director growls.

“Jack owes us a ship.” A random sailor cries, trying to get the play back onto track and deflect the Director’s anger. “And we’ve got the pearl…” he waits for Gibbs to say her line. She doesn’t, so he adds, “And there's the code to consider.”

“Damn the code to the depths!” Gibbs screams. “My true love is in those caves, fighting undead pirates!”

“… but… the code…” Anamaria whimpers, disliking Gibbs’ newfound agreement with Elizabeth.

“You're pirates.” Elizabeth mutters. “Hang the code, and hang the rules! They're more like guidelines anyway.”

“Yeah!” Gibbs grabs Anamaria’s arm. “Come on, you know I’m, buying you that Evanescence CD for your birthday… help me.”

“… You’re buying me the new CD?” Anamaria asks, smiling in anticipation.

“Of course.”

“You seem to forget that I AM THE DIRECTOR AND I SAY WHO GOES WHERE!” The director screams. “AND GIBBS AND ANAMARIA STAY ON THE SHIP!”

“But what about Jack?” Gibbs whimpers.

The Director smacks her over the head. “I DON’T GIVE A SHIT WHAT HAPPENS TO JACK!”

-

Elizabeth rows a lifeboat away from the Pearl. “Bloody pirates.”

-

Gibbs sits on the deck, watching Elizabeth sail away and holding an icepack to her face. “Bloody Director…”

-

“I'm gonna teach you the meaning of pain.” A pirate growls, advancing towards Will with a sword drawn.

“Do you like pain?” Elizabeth enters the scene and knocks the pirate out with the oar from her boat. “Try wearing a corset.”

“… that is the lamest line in all the god’s green earth…” Will mutters.

Elizabeth hits him over the head with the oar. “THIS ISN’T JUST FOR PIRATES YOU BLOODY PIECE OF-“ She notices Jack as a skeleton. “Whose side is Jack on?”

“At the moment? Ours.” Will replies.

“Jack!” At the sound of the scream, everyone looks over and sees a bleeding Gibbs running towards them, trying to outrun the director.

“YOU GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE YOU CHEATING PIECE OF SHIT!” The director tackles Gibbs and begins beating her bloody. “I TOLD YOU NOT TO LEAVE THAT BLOODY SHIP!”

“Gibbs!” Jack pins Barbossa to the wall with his sword and goes running for her, pushing the Director off. “I thought I’d never see you again!”

“YOU FRICKING PIRATE!” The director raises a hand to strike Jack.

“Wait!” Jack holds out a bag of ketchup chips. “Let her stay, and you get these.”

The director’s fingers reach for the bag. “Ketchup…”

“Deal?” Jack asks.

The director sighs. “Deal. Gibbs stays.” She snatches the ketchup chips and runs off set.

Jack helps Gibbs to her feet. “Are you alright, luv?”

Gibbs throws her arms around Jack and they both step into the moonlight. “I missed you so much!”

Jack gives her a strange look. “The skeleton bit doesn’t throw ye off?”

“Not at all.” She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I think you look cute.”

Jack grins. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’ve got Barbossa to finish with…” Barbossa can be seen struggling to pull the sword from the wall.

“Oh, yes, go ahead.” Gibbs turns to fight another undead pirate. “Let me know when you’re done.”

Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Will string 3 pirates together, stick a grenade into the middle one and push them out of the moonlightso they aren’t pirates anymore. “No fair!”

Jack cuts his hand and bleeds on medallion, and then tosses it to Will. Barbossa aims pistol at Elizabeth and Jack shoots Barbossa while he's looking at Elizabeth

Barbossa laughs. “Ten years you carry that pistol, and now you waste your shot.”

“He didn't waste it.” Will drops both medallions into the chest

Barbossa drops his sword and looks at the blood spreading from his wound. “I feel... cold.” He falls dead, an apple rolling from his hand; the curse now lifted.

"Such a shame, for someone who's almost hot." Gibbs sighs, poking the body with a random stick.

"... But I'm hotter, right?" Jack asks.

"Of course you are."

-

On the Dauntless, the pirates realize that the curse was lifted as a few of their own fall dead.

“Parley?” Pintel whimpers.

-

“We should return to the Dauntless.” Elizabeth sighs.

“Your fiancé will be wanting to know you're safe.” Will replies.

“Oh, grow a set!” Elizabeth turns away in disgust.

Jack swaggers up to Will with Gibbs at his side, his arm around her. “If you were waiting for the opportune moment... that was it. Now, if you'll be so kind, I'd be much obliged if you'd drop me off my ship…”

-

An official reads Jack’s charges aloud as Gibbs can be heard in the corner, sobbing. Jack has a noose around his neck.

“Jack Sparrow, be it known that you have...”

Jack clears his throat. “Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow.”

“...for your willful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most egregious of these to be cited herewith - piracy, smuggling, impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England...”

Jack smiles. “Ah, yes…”

“... sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul.”

“NO!” Gibbs screams.

Elizabeth stands at her side. “There, there…”

“Don’t touch me!” Gibbs growls, elbowing Elizabeth in the gut.

Elizabeth doubles over and hisses, "God damn pirates..."

Will walks through the crowd to the raised ground on which they stand. “Governor Swann. Commodore. Elizabeth. I should have told you every day from the moment I met you. I love you.”

Elizabeth notices Cotton’s parrot. “Oh, look!”

Gibbs elbows her again.

“I mean... I can’t breathe!” She falls backward.

“Move!” Will throws a sword as Jack falls through, the sword sticks in the wood and Jack has a foothold. Will fights to the gallows and there cuts Jack free and they fight all the way up to a tower where they are cornered by Norrington's men

“I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt... but not from you.” Norrington hisses.

“On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency. And this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him?” Swann whimpers, tugging at his wig. “He's a pirate!”

“And a good man.” Will replies. “If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear.”

“You forget your place, Turner.”

“It's right here... between you and Jack.”

Gibbs runs to Jack’s side. “This is my place, too, you pale goat.”

Norrington sneers at her.

“As is mine.” Elizabeth joins them.

Norrington’s face pales. “So this is where your heart truly lies, then?”

“It is.”

“Well! I'm actually feeling rather good about this.” Jack pulls Gibbs along with him and they make their way along the group. “I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh? Spiritually...Ecumenically...Grammatically?” to Norrington, he adds, “I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that. Elizabeth... it would never have worked between us, darling. I'm sorry. Will... nice hat."

Will tips the had foreward ever-so-slightly. "Thanks."

Jack clears his throat. "Friends! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that-"

He falls over the battlement, pulling Gibbs with him.

“Sail ho!” A small boat can be seen, which is where Gibbs and Jack have safely fallen.

“What's your plan of action? Sir?” A soldier asks.

“Perhaps on the rare occasion pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy, piracy itself can be the right course?” Swann mutters to himself.

“Mr. Turner…” Norrington unsheathes his sword. “This is a beautiful sword. I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life.”

“Thank you.” Will replies.

“Commodore! What about Sparrow?”

“Well, I think we can afford to give him one day's head start.” The soldiers leave and Norrington trails behind them.

“So,” Swann clears his throat, “this is the path you've chosen, is it? After all...he is a blacksmith.”

“No.” Elizabeth takes off Will’s hat and almost kisses him, then pulls away. “He's a pirate.”

-

Jack and Gibbs are pulled aboard the Pearl.

“I thought you were supposed to keep to the Code.”

“We figured they were more actual... guidelines.” Anamaria helps Jack and Gibbs onto the ship.

“So, Gibbs…” Jack takes her aside, “There’s this song I want to teach you…”

-

The sequel is next. I hope you guys liked this!