The Admiral And His beloved

9

"You be the cur that led these wolves to our door." Barbossa says

"Don't blame Turner. He was but the tool of your betrayal." Beckett says smirking at me as James holds my waist tighter

"If you wish to see its grand architect look to your left."
He speaks again

James,I,Elizabeth, Barbossa, Jack the Monkey all look over at Jack. Jack looks to his left, too.

"Me? My hands are clean in this. Figuratively." Jack says

"My actions were my own, to my own purpose. Jack had nothing to do with it." Will says

"There! Listen to the tool." Jack says as I look at him disappointed

"Will, I've been aboard the Dutchman ... I understand the burden you bear. But I fear that cause is lost." Elizabeth says

"No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it." Will says to her

Will's eyes shift toward Jack. Elizabeth clocks it and glances
at Jack. Calculates.

"If Turner was not acting on your behalf, then how did he come to give me this?" Beckett says staring into my soul

Beckett holds up Jack's Compass. That convinces Barbossa.

"You made a deal with me, Jack, to deliver the pirates and here they are. Don't be bashful; step up and claim your reward." Beckett says still staring at me

He tosses the Compass; Jack catches it.

"And what reward does such chicanery fetch these days?" Barbossa says

"Her."
He says as James holds my hand trying to make it obvious he must be stopping now

"When the cannon smoke clears and the brethren slaughtered, off he sails on the Pearl, Elena in his arms,and the blame dead square upon his rival." He continues as I had enough

"What?" I say loudly

There is a moment of silence as this settles in. James looks at me; the sadness is clear in his eyes. I shake my head saying ts not true even though I know it is. James is my husband now and that cannot be changed. I must get over him and I am. As if I was in the right mind anyways I was drunken with rum.

"Even if that was my plan, and I'm not admitting to anything, there's not a tinker's chance of it coming off anymore." Jack says

He turns to me.

"Is there?"

"There never was."

"Your debt to me must still be satisfied. One hundred years in
servitude aboard the Dutchman ... as a start." Jones says

I hold in my laughter seeing him having to stand in a bucket of water. Whose idea was this?

"That debt was paid. With some help." Jack says

"You escaped."

"A technicality."

I smile at the idiots.

"Elena," Beckett says to me