DISCLAIMER: I OWN NADA. This story takes the characters from the movies, but nothing else. No magic, curses, or anything like that. It's really weird because it's realistic.
James Norrington watched his wife smile politely at Will and Eleanor Turner. He knew Elizabeth had been somewhat in love with Turner, that they had made a secret pledge to get married, even if it meant eloping. Then Turner had betrayed her, marrying Eleanor Brinton, the daughter of a local butcher. Poor Elizabeth had moped around for months.
James had been away at the time of Turner's betrayal, chasing the notorious pirate Jack Sparrow all around the Caribbean. Then he had run into the ship which had once been Sparrow's and found it captained by another infamous buccaneer, Hector Barbossa. Barbossa had escaped, but Sparrow could hardly get away, since all he had for a "ship" was a small dinghy. James had brought the eccentric pirate back to Port Royal, stuck him in the jail, and then gone to visit Elizabeth. He found her skinny and heartbroken.
He knew she did not care for him as anything but a friend, but arranged with her father to marry her. She was too depressed to refuse. The wedding was lovely, except that the couple was so somber. Two months had passed since. Two months which James would have enjoyed thoroughly if it were not for his wife's unhappiness. He loved her. He loved waking up knowing she was in her room, waking up as well. He loved the nights when she hesitantly came to him, giving him her body willingly, if not eagerly. He loved the mealtimes sitting across from her, talking about neighbors and village happenings. He loved coming home from patrols around the island and having her waiting on the dock. Most of all, he loved the fact that more and more she was happy to see him, and less and less of her time was spent moping around or crying quietly in her room.
He longed for the day when she would love him as much as he loved her. Hearing her say "I love you." was his deepest desire. He firmly believed that one day, he would hear those words; and for now he was content to wait, even if he had to wait for years.