Chapter 3:  Tortuga
 

            “I can’t believe that Beckett made me bring you along,” Robin said in annoyance, almost unheard over the drunkenness of the bar.  She was seated in a dark corner at the back of the tavern, her feet up on a table as she was drinking rum.  “The last thing I need following me around is a military rat.”

Norrington glared at her, but did not comment on her insult.  “You can’t believe it?” he said, rubbing his still aching arm.  “He knows how I feel about pirates, and now he’s having me live as one!  And this place,” he said added with a shudder, looking around the bar.  “I never thought I would see Tortuga again.”

“Again?” Robin repeated after swallowing her latest sip of rum and eyeing Norrington curiously.  Norrington looked determinedly away from her, feeling her eyes watching him.  After a short silence, Robin said, “I’m sure you’ll be rewarded when you return.  With more power or the like.”

Norrington was wearing a black cloth to cover his mouth, nose and one eye, as well as an old tri-corner hat.  The strange choice of fashion was the pair’s attempt to mask Norrington’s identity.  There weren’t many in Tortuga on good terms with him.  Probably none.  Norrington tugged at the cloth with annoyance.  “I feel ridiculous.  These clothes, this mask…”

Robin rolled her eyes, clearly having no sympathy for him.  “At least you’re not wearing that absurd wig.”

“What was wrong with my wig?” Norrington asked, his hand going to his uncovered wavy brown hair.

Robin laughed.  “Everything.  I don’t understand why anyone wears them.”  Robin’s laugh died as she suddenly sat up straight, taking her feet from the table.  Her eyes were sharp as she glared at someone who had just entered the bar.  Norrington followed her eye line.

A pirate with a large hat had just entered, gazing around the bar as though searching for someone.  “Barbossa,” Robin breathed, her eyes narrowing.  Her brow furrowed as someone followed Barbossa into the bar.

Norrington’s heart skipped a beat.  He knew her.  He shook his head and breathed, “It can’t be…”  Robin glanced at Norrington curiously as he watched the woman following Barbossa.  She was wearing men’s clothing, much as Robin was, and was very petite.  Norrington’s revealed eye was wide and full of emotion.  He could not help it.  This was the woman he had once proposed to, that he had loved.

“You know her?” Robin asked, interrupting Norrington’s thoughts.

Norrington nodded slowly.  “Yes…yes, I know her.”

Robin seemed to almost read his mind as she rolled her eyes, muttering “Oh, Calypso,” disgustedly as she stood.

Norrington grabbed her arm.  “Where are you going?”

Robin pulled her arm from Norrington’s grasp.  “Barbossa probably has some idea where Jack is,” she explain, setting her bottle of rum onto the table that had until recently been her footrest.

Norrington stood and glared down at Robin with his revealed eye.  “Did you not understand what I said?  I know Miss Swann…we know each other.”

Robin glared back, not at all intimated by him.  “I figured that.”  Norrington found himself captured by her eyes—he had never looked so intensely at them before.  They were deep, dark, beautiful…and strangely familiar…  Robin looked away, turning her gaze to Elizabeth and Barbossa.  “Your name is now Peter, and you’re a…friend…Barbossa will accept that…and you speak to no one but me.”  Norrington shook his head.

“You think that will work?” he asked disbelievingly.

Robin smiled in a manner that made him strangely nervous.  “It should.  Just avoid…what’s her name?” she asked, her eyebrow arched in curiosity.

Norrington breathed in deeply, glancing back over at the woman.  She and Barbossa had made their way over to the barman and seemed to be interrogating him.  “Elizabeth,” he said quietly, the name leaving a sweet taste on his tongue.  “Elizabeth…”

“Avoid…her,” Robin said, not acting as though she did not notice his behavior.  “Come, Peter.”  Norrington followed Robin, nervously watching Elizabeth.  As they approached, Elizabeth looked at them, looking at the two curiously.  Norrington’s heart raced as she looked into his revealed eye, but she did not seem to recognize him.

“Captain Barbossa,” Robin said to announce her presence.  Barbossa turned to her.  After a moment, surprise and recognition registered on his face.  He smiled broadly, revealing his yellowed teeth.

“Robin!” he exclaimed fondly.  Norrington and Elizabeth looked from Barbossa to Robin, both confused.

Robin smiled sweetly, but her eyes were hard and cold.  Barbossa took a step toward her, but Robin swiftly drew a pistol from her belt, cocked it, and put in Barbossa’s face.  Barbossa’s eyes crossed to look at the barrel of the gun.  “Now, Robin, dearie,” he said, throwing his hands in the air in surrender and watching the gun nervously.  His smile slid right off his face.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Elizabeth exclaimed in surprise.

“This cutthroat marooned me on a desert island and left me to die,” Robin said angrily through clenched teeth.

“Something that doesn’t seem to work all too well,” Barbossa muttered under his breath.  Elizabeth smirked.

“No, it doesn’t,” Robin said with a slight laugh.  Norrington glanced around the bar—no one appeared to notice or care about what was happening.  Robin took a step closer to Barbossa, the gun now less than in inch from his face.  Barbossa tried to take a step back, but promptly ran into the bar behind him.

“Now, lassie, shouldn’t we talk this over?” Barbossa asked nervously.

Pure hatred was gleaming in Robin’s eyes.  Norrington was surprised that Barbossa was not wounded merely from the intensity of the woman’s glare.  Norrington’s eye was drawn to Elizabeth.  He noticed her hand moving covertly toward the handle of a gun.  “Don’t you draw that, missy,” Robin said harshly, her eyes not diverting from Barbossa.  “Peter.”  She nodded her head toward Elizabeth.

Norrington took a moment to realize that he was the Robin was addressing.  He drew his pistol and aimed it at Elizabeth.  He did not cock it, and he found it extremely difficult to keep his hand from shaking.

“I’m curious,” Robin said.  “What exactly are you doing here with—you have a name, miss?” she asked, looking at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth’s eyes nearly matched the hatred in Robin’s, clearly not liking her new acquaintance.  “Elizabeth Turner,” she answered.

Norrington’s heart dropped.  He had not known that Elizabeth had married Turner, though he supposed that he should not be surprised.  He hardly noticed the odd look that passed over Robin’s face as she heard the name.  “Turner, eh?”  Barbossa appeared to relax as Robin’s attention turned away from him.  “Married young William, then, did you?”  Elizabeth’s mouth dropped open in shock.  Barbossa, however, did not react this, though this could possibly be attributed to the fact that he still had a pistol in his face.

“How do you know Will?” Elizabeth asked incredulously.

Robin smirked and ignored the question, turning back to Barbossa.  “So what are you and Lizzie doing here?”  A small growl came from Elizabeth’s throat.

“Just passing through,” Barbossa said with a smile.  “I don’t believe that’s a crime—well, perhaps it is,” he said, looking around the bar that was filled with thieves and beggars.  “I’m not sure what the laws are anymore; I’m afraid I don’t keep up with the times.”

“We’re looking for someone,” Elizabeth said suddenly.  Barbossa glared at her as she stepped forward.  Elizabeth glanced at him before continuing.  “Perhaps you know where he is.”

“Mrs. Turner…” Barbossa warned quietly.

Elizabeth held up a hand to silence him as she watched Robin carefully.  “We are looking for Captain Jack Sparrow.”

“How interesting,” Robin said, lowering the pistol from Barbossa’s face, although she continued to aim it in his general direction.  “It so happens that we are also looking for Captain Sparrow.”  Norrington glanced nervously at Robin as he lowered his gun from Elizabeth.  He had no idea what Robin was planning—he did not even know if she had a plan.

“What business do you have with our former Captain?” Barbossa asked, gazing suspiciously at Robin.

Robin grinned coldly at him.  “Why are you searching for him?”  Barbossa frowned.  Robin nodded, putting the gun back into her belt.  “I won’t press that particular matter if you won’t.”

No longer under a death threat, Barbossa now turned his attention to Norrington.  “Who is this?”

“This is Peter,” Robin said simply.  Barbossa appeared to be prepared to ask more.  “He’s…a friend.”  Barbossa closed his mouth, his brow furrowing as he studied Norrington.

Elizabeth stepped between Robin and Barbossa.  “Do you have any idea where Jack is?”

“On first name terms with him, as you?” Robin said with a grin.  “I wonder what business the two of you have.”

Elizabeth scoffed angrily.  “I could say the same thing about you,” she countered.

Contrary to how Norrington believed Robin would respond, she laughed.  “That is such a…ignorant suggestion.  But you, on the other hand…”

Elizabeth took a step toward Robin, clearly attempting to be threatening, but Robin’s grin did not falter in the slightest.  “We are just after—.”  Elizabeth caught herself before she finished.  Robin continued to smirk.

A man cautiously walked over to the group from the other side of the bar.  Norrington thought the man looked vaguely familiar, but he could not place him.  “I have the…information you desire, Captain Barbossa.  Do you have the payment?”  Barbossa turned and grabbed the man by his shirt and nearly pulled him over the bar.  “First I want to hear this…information.”

“Oi!  Mr. Gibbs!”

Norrington suddenly realized who the man was.  Mr. Gibbs had once served on board a Royal Navy ship with him…and on the Black Pearl.  Norrington shuddered.  He did not want to remember that period of his life.  Mr. Gibbs sighed and said, “Never mind.”  Barbossa let go of him as he looked for the source of the voice.

“Oh, bugger,” they all heard a familiar voice say.

Barbossa headed to the door, blocking the main way out.  Robin vaulted over the bar without hesitation, blocking the back door.  Norrington and Elizabeth stood in the middle of it all, unable to locate Jack amongst all the pirates.

Then Norrington saw Captain Sparrow making his way through the crowd, his dreadlocks as dirty as ever, and his bandana covered by his tricorne.  He was headed quite calmly towards the back door.  Mr. Gibbs followed him.  Jack Sparrow stopped before Robin and spread his arms wide.  “Robin!  This is an unexpected pleasure.”

Robin’s smile was very brief and fake.  She put her pistol to his head.  “I’m afraid you’re a wanted man, Jack.”  Robin looked at Norrington and nodded her head slightly toward Jack.  Norrington drew his own pistol and aimed it at Captain Sparrow from behind.  Jack turned slightly, eyeing the gun nervously.

“Well done, Robin, me dear,” Barbossa said, walking over to her.  Robin suddenly aimed her pistol at Barbossa, who stopped in his tracks.  “I take it you want to come along to…finish whatever business you have with him.”

Robin smiled what appeared to be a real smile.