A Not So Happy Ending

I

Note: Everything up until the asterisk (*) in this chapter is not something I thought up. It's all in the movie. I included it as an introduction. So, NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED!

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She looked so mature, so beautiful. She was captain of a Singapore fleet, supposedly Sao Feng's fleet. Captain Elizabeth Swann. I honestly never thought I'd hear those three words together in my entire life. She wasn't a dainty lady. She was a strong woman who seemed not to need a man by her side to survive on the open seas. It wasn't something you heard of often.

"James?!" She exclaimed when she saw me, and broke free of the naval officer holding her back. She stepped down the stairs and once she was in front of me, I couldn't help but hold her close, even if it was just for a few measly moments. I looked straight into her eyes and said happily, "Your father will be so happy to hear that you're alive." Elizabeth replied sadly, "My father is dead." My smile faltered and I replied, "No, he returned to England." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at me and snapped, "Did Lord Beckett tell you that?" My smile vanished altogether as I tried to comprehend Gov. Swann's death.
"Sir? The prisoners?" Lieutenant Theodore Groves asked me. I looked at him and nodded, "Put them in the brig. The captain can have my quarters."
Elizabeth shook her head and stepped back towards her crew. "I'm going with them." She really had grown up since I had asked her to marry me, all those years ago.
I grabbed her arm but she stepped back again. I told her, "I swear, I didn't know." She retorted, "Know what? Which side you chose?" I sighed as I let my lieutenant lock the entire crew in the brig, including Elizabeth, who was the love of my life.

I went down to the brig a few minutes later with the key and unlocked the cell in which Elizabeth's crew was in. "Come. Quickly." I said with haste. Elizabeth looked a bit baffled but nodded to her fellow crew members, giving them the OK to leave. She stepped forward and looked at me with disgust. I did not like it. She asked coldly, "What are you doing?" I replied calmly, "Choosing a side." She merely rolled her eyes and left the cell. I followed her out, making sure no one was going to catch the prisoners escaping. I didn't lock the cell door back up. I didn't think I needed to. There was no one else in it. Or so I thought...

I made sure each prisoner got across the Dutchman to their own ship safely. Before I knew it, it was Elizabeth's turn. I told her sternly, "Do not go to Shipwreck Cove. Beckett knows of the meeting there. I feel there is a traitor among them." She replied through gritted teeth, "It is too late to earn my forgiveness." I gasped and stared at her. "I had nothing to do with your father's death. But that still doesn't acquit me of my other mistakes." She seemed sad all of a sudden, yearning for something which I did not know. She said softly, "James, come with me." I thought about it for a bit. It did sound awfully tempting at that moment. What would happen if someone found out I was the one who had freed the prisoners? I'd surely be out of a job, once again, if not worse. But before I could give Elizabeth an answer, someone called out to us. "Who goes there?" I unsheathed my sword and held it in front of me while pushing Elizabeth back. I said with a stern tone, "Go. I will follow." She looked at me and said, "You're lying." I turned to look back at her then slowly leaned in and said, "Our destinies have been entwined Elizabeth, but never joined." That was when I placed my lips on hers. It didn't feel as good as I thought it would but I still rather enjoyed it, as it was any action I had ever received in my busy life. Then I pulled away, returning my gaze back to where the voice had come. "Go, now!" I urged her. She finally listened and started crawling across the rope that connected the two ships. That was when the person revealed themselves. It was just one of the crew members of the Dutchman. I could take him easily. "Back to your station sailor." I ordered him. He simply replied, "No one leaves the ship." I ordered him to stand down but he just yelled that the prisoners were escaping. Elizabeth shouted my name and that's when I made the choice that would affect my life... and death... forever. I frowned and used my pistol to shoot the line Elizabeth had been traveling across, to let them get away. When I had turned back around, I immediately felt the pain of something extremely sharp and rough in my stomach. I didn't scream. I just fell to the floor as I felt my life drain from my body. The random crew member had stabbed me. I heard the heavy footsteps of Davy Jones approaching. I was not going to die. Not today. I would tell him I was afraid of death, even though I wasn't. And then I'd eventually stab his heart and rip out my own, becoming immortal. I didn't think of the price of that choice at the time, being as I was dying and all.

Davy Jones kneeled down to me and smirked as he said, "James Norrington, do you fear death?" * I nodded sharply and begged him to take me on his ship. He laughed and replied, "You'll serve before the mast... One hundred years." I felt the sharp object being extracted from my midsection and instead a cold, slimy object had replaced it momentarily. I was healed... but also bound to the ship. I could never leave. What have I done?