Sparrow's Eternal Love

Chapter 12: Escaping The Brig

It was hours later when someone came down to the brig. I look and see James standing outside the door. He pulls out a ring of keys and I stood up, standing with my crew. The door swings open.

"Come with me," James says. I didn't move and my crew stays with me. He begs me with his eyes. "Quickly," he says impatiently. I motion my crew to leave.

"What are you doing?" I ask. He looks me in the eyes.

"Choosing a side," he says strongly.

As we exit, I watch James. He has truly decided. We run out on deck to the far corner. My ship was waiting. The rope connecting it to the Dutchman being our escape. I look at James as my crew scramble across to safety. He helps people get on as fast as they could. I wait for everyone to go before it was my turn to go. James grabs my arm before I could leave.

"Do not go to Shipwreck Cove. Beckett knows of the meeting of the Brethren. I fear there may be a traitor among them," he warns. I nod but shake him off of me.

"It's too late to earn my forgiveness," I say coldly.

"I had nothing to do with your father's death. But that does not absolve me of my other sins," he says looking at me with sorrow. I smile slightly.

"Come with us... James, come with me," I say, and he gives me a thoughtful look.

"Who goes there?" A voice calls.

James unsheathes his sword and we both look up and see Bootstrap.

"Go. I will follow," he says, and I narrow my eyes at him.

"You're lying," I say, and he looks at me with soft eyes and then puts a hand on my cheek.

"Our destinies have been entwined, Maria... but never joined," James says and closes the distance between us with a kiss. I stand there in shock but understand that this was a man's dying wish. He pulls away. "Perhaps our fate could have been different if I had chosen you... But I know it would never work. You love Sparrow. Plus, you were engaged to Beckett at the time," he says with a sad smile. I stand there in shock at what he was saying. "Go, now!"

"You're a good man, James Norrington," I whisper.

I step up onto the rail to make my way onto the rope. I pull myself along the rope, looking back at James every now and then. He was poised, ready to defend us, ready to fight.

"All hands, prisoner escape!" Bootstrap calls out alerting Jones' crew.

"Belay that!" James yells pulling out his pistol.

"James!" I yell in panic and climb back towards him.

I saw panic in his eyes, and he shoots the rope down. My crew and I plummet into the water. I feel the familiar tingling up my legs when I hit the water. My crew look at my tail with wide eyes. I look up in time to see Bootstrap impale James with a sword. This can't be the Bootstrap that I know. He wasn't acting like himself when I was talking to him earlier.

"James! No! No!" I scream in grief and frustration and then force myself to swim to the ship.

A fire ignites in me. Too many people were dead. First my father and now James and crying over them would do nothing. The only thing I can do was avenge them.

I was hauled onto the ship and ignored the looks the men gave me as my legs returned. One of the men offers me a coat. I take it from him and wrapped it around myself.

"Captain?" One of the men prompts me.

I walk to the helm, and they follow.

"Cast off! Separate all connecting lines! Bring her around! Hard to port!" I order. The men scramble around deck as I continue to walk through them.

My face hardens at the sight of the Flying Dutchman shrinking in the distance.

"I will have my revenge, Cutler Beckett. Mark my words," I mutter under my breath.

I go to my quarters to change into something more appropriate since I lost my pants and shoes when I landed in the water. Thank God my top was long enough to cover me. I also fix my hair into a bun.