𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐒, wrists bound. an official droned on, recounting a list of jack's crimes.

"jack sparrow... be it known that you have been charged, tried and convicted..."

"captain," bella muttered under her breath. "captain jack sparrow." she stood next to her mother, struggling to stand in a large, heavy dress. it wasn't the dress weighing her down, it was the weapons stashed under it.

"...for your willful commission of crimes against the crown said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature the most aggrieves of which to be cited herewith... piracy... smuggling..."

she heard elizabeth mutter "this is wrong" a few people over. she couldn't agree more.

"commodore norrington is bound by the law," governor swann replied. "as are we all."

"the law is wrong," bella broke in.

as jack's crimes continued to be read, will appeared. he faced elizabeth.

"elizabeth . . ." he said. "i should've told you every day from the moment i met you. i love you." quickly, he turned around and moved further into the crowd.

bella put a hand on her hip, ready to rip the heavy skirt off.

"i can't breathe!" elizabeth exclaimed, providing the perfect distraction for will to shove to the front of the crowd.

the executioner firmly pulled the handle down, and jack dropped. at the time same, will hurled his sword at the platform beneath jack. he was able to balance.

will hurried up the steps to the gallows. the executioner slashed an axe at him, knocking his sword away. accidentally, jack's rope got cut, and he fell to the ground below the gallows.

with that, bella tore off her dress, revealing a badass outfit underneath. jack stood and slit his binds, locking eyes with bella. he looked at her with a face that said "woah" before he hurried to his feet. she raced toward him and will. jack tossed her one end of the rope, and they tripped some marines.

bella threw him one of the swords at her waist. she had taken his affects from the dauntless when jack was in the brig, so the sword was actually his.

looking down at it, he tilted his head in amazement. "nice touch."

jack and bella went left. marines cut them off. disarming a few of them, the two were joined by will. to the right, more marines appeared, cornering them.

"i thought we might have to endure some ill-conceived manner of escape attempt," norrington's voice droned. he looked to bella and will. "but not from you."

"on our return to port royal i granted you both clemency, and this is how you thank me? by throwing in your lot with him? he is a pirate!" governor swann exclaimed.

"and a good man," bella said firmly. she placed her sword back in its sheath and jack gently put his hand on her waist.

behind the governor, her mother stood. a look of understanding appeared on her face. however, she didn't seem surprised. she and bella met each other's gaze for a moment. bella almost detected a glimmer of pride in her mother's eyes, but will interrupted them.

"if all we have achieved here is that the hangman will earn three pairs of boots instead of one... so be it. at least my conscience will be clear." he said strongly.

"you forget your place, turner," came norrington's reply.

"it's right here — between you and them."

jack looked down at bella, who shrugged and smiled.

"as is mine." said elizabeth, joining will.

jack made a shocked face, earning an even wider smile from bella.

"lower your weapons! for goodness sake, put them down!" swann yelled.

the weapons lowered, and jack nodded smugly at the soldiers.

"so this is where your heart truly lies, then?" norrington asked elizabeth. for a second, there was heartbreak in his eyes.

"it is."

as norrington stared intensely at will and elizabeth, bella nudged jack. he looked at her questioningly until she nodded towards a blue parrot sitting on the stone ledge behind them.

"i'm going with you, jack," she whispered in his ear.

jack looked back into her eyes, a smile developing on his lips.

"well, i'm actually feeling rather good about this," he said, taking bella's hand.

"as am i," she nodded.

"i think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh? spiritually? ecumenically?" bella stifled a laugh. "grammatically?" jack moved towards norrington. "i want you to know that i was rooting for you, mate. know that."

"i applaud you for understanding," bella told the commodore. "but i still don't like your wig."

Jack turned to elizabeth and will. "elizabeth? it would never have worked between us, darling. i'm sorry."

bella smiled up at jack winningly then looked at elizabeth. "try not to get captured by pirates ever again," she added. "and please avoid wearing tight corsets."

"will . . ." jack threw up his hands. "nice hat."

"thanks for teaching me to swordfight," bella grinned. "i guess this is goodbye."

she turned back to the crowd.

"mother? although i understand your worries concerning my father's past, it's time for me to follow in his footsteps."

bella and her mother stared at each other for a second. finally, her mother spoke. "how did you . . ." she trailed off, and reconsidered her words. ". . . carry on his legacy, my dear," she said with a faint smile and a nod. then, she pointed at jack. "and you — don't ever hurt her."

for the first time, bella looked at her mother with understanding; a sense of comprehension. her mother had loved her father for the man he was; piracy and all. the only reason she didn't want bella knowing his story was because of how broken she was when he died. but just like her mother, bella had fallen in love with a charming pirate. there was no stopping her from getting the freedom she had always craved. she gave her mom a genuine smile that meant 'goodbye'.

jack gave bella's mother a light bow.

then, he grabbed bella's hand, and she followed him to the edge of the fort.

"friends! this is the day you will always remember as the day that you—" he tripped over the ledge, dragging bella with him as they fell down to the water below.

with a splash, the two immediately felt the rush of freedom that was now theirs. after they rose to the surface, they embraced and kissed passionately.

then, turning around the corner, a powerful, majestic, beautiful vessel appeared. bella and jack both smiled, and swam towards the ship.

a rope was thrown down to them, and bella held tight to jack as they were pulled onto the pearl.

"thought you were supposed to keep to the code," jack said to gibbs.

"we figured they were more actual guidelines," gibbs responded. he offered his hand to help jack up. jack then extended his arm for bella, and she took it happily.

cotton gave jack his hat. bella wandered towards the helm and picked up jack's coat.

"captain sparrow," she said, returning to him and placing the coat on his shoulders. "the black pearl is yours." jack walked towards the wheel, looking truly satisfied.

then, realizing the crew was watching him, he shouted: "on deck, you scabrous dogs! hands to braces!"

bella stayed next to her captain. this was everything she had wanted.

"now..." jack said softly. "bring us that horizon." bella smiled up at him, knowing this was where she was meant to be.

jack picked up his compass, humming quietly. "...and really bad eggs..." he turned the wheel slightly.

"drink up, me hearties, yo ho!" the two finished in unison, staring out at the water; the endless possibility, love, and freedom in front of them.

a/n

well, that's the end of part one. hope you all liked it! i had a lot of fun making these two fall for each other :)

i think you're going to love dead man's chest. having characters fall in love is one thing, but writing for them when they're already in love — it's my favorite.

jack and bella are already so similar, and they're the best team ever . . . please enjoy part two!