A/N: Sorry it's been forever I've been trying to add as much as I can before getting to the movie parts.

The foyer of the Swann mansion was bustling with high class gentlemen and ladies there for Elizabeth's seventeenth birthday. The guests were mostly Naval Officers and their wives, including – but not limited to – the unmarried Captain Norrington and Officer Groves. There was no one that Elizabeth, or Coralie, had any interest in talking to.

Though the party was more for the Governor than his daughter she was required to stay and mingle with the adults. She was envious of Coralie who was able to slip away from the crowd and was outside looking up at the stars. Her shoes, yet again, missing as she leaned on a balcony railing. A cool breeze blew the loose strands of her hair out of her face and her dress to the side, revealing her bare feet.

"You'll catch a cold, Miss Coralie." Coralie turned her head before politely turning to face Officer Theodore Groves. "Especially with no shoes, though I'm not surprised," he added with a smile. "As a matter of fact, I cannot remember the last time you wore shoes," he noted with an amused tone.

"I do not mind the cold," Coralie said as she turned her gaze back to the stars. "The view is quite worth it." She turned and her gaze lowered to the ocean that, in the night, looked almost black. The waves were quiet and calm, lapping against the shore.

"Even so," Theodore said as he approached. "I cannot let you freeze whether you mind or not," he finished and a moment later Coralie felt him drape his coat over her shoulders. She gave him a grateful smile as she held it closed.

"Thank you," Coralie said. Theodore nodded with a kind smile.

"I don't suppose there's a way I can convince you to put your shoes back on?"

"I seem to have misplaced them," Coralie said with feigned-innocence and a slight frown on her face as if she were thinking of where they might be.

"Is that so?" Theodore said, his eyebrows rising in surprise while his tone said otherwise. "Would they happen to be that pair there?" He pointed down a few feet below to where Coralie had kicked off her shoes over the balcony.

"I do not see them," Coralie said, shaking her head, as she looked over the edge. Theodore chuckled.

"Miss Swann seems rather lonely inside, perhaps you should go back in where it's warm and keep her company," he suggested. Coralie nodded.

"Perhaps I should. It is her birthday after all," she said.

"Shall I fetch your shoes for you?" Theodore asked.

"No need." Coralie turned and started to walk back towards the glass doors. The older man chuckled and shook his head before following after her, opening and holding the door for her like a gentleman. "Thank you," she said. As she stepped inside she slipped his coat off her shoulders. "And thank you again."

"Of course, Miss Coralie," he said with a smile. She returned the smile before heading over to where Elizabeth was standing beside her father. Theodore walked back outside and looked over the balcony. A few moments later, James Norrington walked out and raised an eyebrow as he watched his friend on the ground, reaching down through the bars of the balcony.

"What are you doing, Mister Groves?" he asked, amusement in his voice. Theodore looked up and chuckled.

"Ah, Miss Coralie has misplaced her shoes and I thought I would retrieve them for her."

"Again?" He didn't sound surprised. Theodore stood with the pair of heels in his hand.

"If I had to wear these all night I think I'd throw them over as well," Theodore said making his friend chuckle.

"Well, while it was very kind of you to get them back for her, I'm not sure she'll see it that way."

"Of course but it's one less pair the Governor has to replace," Theodore said with a smirk. He watched his friend for a moment. "She's grown into quite the young woman," he noted.

"That she has," James said with a nod, not thinking much of his friend's comment.

"Beautiful, some might say," Theodore continued.

"I suppose so," James said, as if he'd never thought about it before. "Are you going somewhere with this, Groves?"

"I was just thinking, it's not too long now before someone… sets their eyes on her," Theodore said before waiting for a response. James frowned slightly as he thought then began to smile.

"I'm sure if you were to speak with Governor Swann," James started with a knowing smirk but Theodore sighed with a slight shake of his head. He stopped, leaned to see around James and smiled. James turned and saw through the glass that the Governor was scolding Coralie for her lack of shoes. "Groves to save the day," James said as he motioned inside. "I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

"Well then, if you'll excuse me," Theodore said before heading back inside. James smiled, as he too went inside, and he watched his friend return the heels to the young girl. She was reluctant to put them back on but thanked Theodore nonetheless.

Coralie, dressed in a pair of borrowed trousers and a large white shirt, sat in a chair as Will finished hammering a sword; he stuck it in a bucket of water before putting it down.

"Almost finished," he told her as she let out a sigh.

"Oh, take your time," Coralie said as she stood. She walked up to the swords that were finished and picked one out before she began to practice by herself.

"Check your footing," Will said, without even looking over, as he started to sharpen the sword he was working on. Coralie looked down at her bare feet and changed her footing, glancing over at Will, before she continued to practice.

After a few minutes, Will finished the sword and placed it in one of the holding racks. He turned to Coralie who was still trying out swings and footwork. He cleared his throat as he grabbed another sword and Coralie turned and her sword met his. She grinned and the two began to practice together.

"So, Elizabeth's turned seventeen now, I-"

"I told her that you wished her well," Coralie said. Will smiled.

"Thank you, Miss Coralie."

"Of course, dear William," Coralie said with a teasing smirk. His cheeks flushed ever so slightly under the dirt on his face and he pretended not to hear the equally teasing tone in her voice.

"Captain Norrington was there, wasn't he?" Will asked, trying his own smirk but when Coralie's face fell he regretted it.

"Of course," she said, pretending to not be affected.

"Will there be another party for your birthday this year?" he asked, changing the subject as best he could.

"If Elizabeth insists like she always does," Coralie said with a smile. Will chuckled.

"And…"

"And I will sneak you a slice of cake like always," Coralie said giving him a smirk. The two laughed before they continued to practice their swordplay.

It was a few months later, after Elizabeth insisting like always, Governor Swann planned a smaller party for Coralie's birthday. It just so happened an acquaintance of his was coming to visit, and would be staying with them, so he was able to turn the party into a small dinner, which Coralie didn't mind since that meant less standing in shoes she probably wouldn't be wearing. Besides it was Elizabeth who wanted Coralie to have a party every year, Coralie didn't care if she didn't have one.

Elizabeth stood behind Coralie, who sat in front of the older girl's vanity mirror, as she finished the younger girl's hair.

"You looked beautiful, Cora," Elizabeth told her with a smile.

"Thank you." Coralie turned to her. "Do you think your father would let us be excused after dinner?"

"I do hope so. I'm not sure how many old stories I'll be able to take."

"Do you know who this friend of his is?"

"Someone from England most likely… he didn't tell me who it was," Elizabeth admitted. There was a knock on the door and Elizabeth's maid poked her head in.

"Miss, your father's guest has arrived and dinner will be served soon."

"Thank you." Elizabeth turned to Coralie. "Now-"

"I am wearing them," Coralie said, seemingly annoyed but she smiled up at the girl.

"As the guest of honor," Elizabeth motioned for Coralie to go first. Reluctantly, Coralie left the room and started down the stairs. The girls could already hear the Governor talking to someone. Coralie kept her eyes on the stairs as she made her way down and only looked up once she'd reached the bottom. She saw the man the Governor was talking to, a younger man than she'd expected, and found him to have been watching her decent. He, of course, had a white powder wig on and next to the Governor seemed rather short. As their eyes met his mouth fell open slightly but he quickly snapped out of it as the Governor introduced the girls to him.

"My daughter Elizabeth, and my ward Coralie. Girls, this is Cutler Beckett the Director of The East Indian Trading Company. He is only here for a couple of days so I hope you don't mind me mixing his visit with your birthday dinner, Coralie."

"Not at all," she said. "It is a pleasure to meet you." She did a small curtsy. He took her hand and kissed the back of it, surprising her.

"The pleasure is all mine," he said with a smile.

…

A gentle melody played as the four finished dinner, the Governor had hired a small group to play for Coralie's birthday. Elizabeth was about to ask if the two girls could be excused from the table when Cutler stood from his place across from Coralie.

"The music is so lovely, Miss Coralie, I wonder if you'd give me the honor of a dance?" he asked. Coralie blinked and looked to Elizabeth, who looked equally surprised but also happy, then to the Governor who was smiling before she looked back to Cutler.

"I-" Coralie was cut off as Elizabeth nudged her. "I would love to," she said giving him a smile. He stepped around the table to her side, where there was open space to dance, as Coralie stood. Cutler seemed momentarily confused as when she stood she was shorter than she'd been in the hall. He then noted a pair of heels under the table. "I do not dance well with shoes on," Coralie told him quietly so the governor wouldn't hear. Cutler smiled, he didn't mind as it made the two closer in height.

"I don't mind," he voiced. The two started to slow dance to the music as Elizabeth and her father watched with big smiles. "I'm sorry, I must speak my mind… your eyes are just… breathtaking," he admitted and smiled when he saw Coralie's face flush pink.

"Well, thank you."

"You act as though no one has ever told you that before."

"I do not believe anyone has. You are the first," she admitted.

"I find that hard to believe."

"I am flattered that you do."

"I wish I could stay in Port Royal longer, if only to stay in your company," he admitted quietly.

"You have only just met me today. I am sure you will forget me soon enough."

"How could I?" he asked as if it were unthinkable. "I don't think I'll ever forget those eyes." Coralie tried not to smile as she looked down. "I do hope our paths will cross again."

When he left Coralie was sure she would never see him again and that his words had only been formality; he was being polite as a guest, and it was her birthday after all.

A/N: So… I kinda drove myself insane by trying to figure out ages and all that stuff and where Beckett would be when the girls were 17 and if it would be possibly for him to know the governor to have come to visit (for business) and how old he would be and I've decided, I don't care how old they all are canonically and I don't care where anyone was, this is a fanfiction it doesn't have to follow canon to a T. Beckett and Norrington are younger than in the movie. (James is now mid 30s and Beckett is now early 30s)