Hornblower and the Pirate Captain

Summary - In Which Norrington had a killer hang over, Jack makes an appearance and the Spanish do the French.

Reality fell hard upon his head like a thirty foot wave upon the deck of a ship. He cursed as he realized that he had awoken late since his Steward had left the piping hot breakfast on the small table in his cabin. Hornblower did not want to start the day like this. And with a bit of a back easterly wind to boot. It was just going to become one of those days. He was sure of it. However, he decided that he wasn't going to let those thoughts get in the way of his breakfast.

Grabbing the tin cup, he savored the hot sludge called Coffee. It warmed him from the inside out. Just the way coffee aught to always do. It's Duty done, the empty coffee cup was put to the side and he tucked into the breakfast. He had a lot to do today. Mr. Smith would arrive at three bells, he needed to get supplies stowed in the bowls of the Audrey.

Once he had finished his breakfast. He splashed cold sea water onto his face to wash away the crusts of sleep. Then he set himself to properly dressing. His suit was crisp as always. Not a thread out of place. He put a comb through his dark curls and tied the deep blue ribbon around the whole.

Finally feeling a bit better; Hornblower made his way up to the deck. Even if it was still late, no one said anything. Mr. Bush put a finger to his hat in salute. Hornblower replied in kind and took his place on the holly stoned deck. He paced there, looking out to see, his seaman part of himself noting the smell of rain and the black clouds upon the horizon.

His thoughts inadvertently turned to Norrington and he ground his teeth. Never had he been so annoyed with a senior officer. He knew he had to stop comparing Norrington with Pellew. No one could top Pellew. Sir Edward Pellew was like the father Hornblower had never known. The man taught him what an officer should be. Hornblower knew he would never be half the man Pellew was, but he hoped he could live up to the hope Pellew had for him.

Coming to a full stop. Hornblower snapped orders to pull sail. They would have to weather the storm. It was coming on fast.

_ _ _

The rain pelted down by the time James Norrington woke. He was in the guest bedroom that had become his at the Mansion of his friend and the Governor, Weatherby Swann. His uniform had been detangled from his body and apparently laundered for there it sat on a chair, clean, bright, crisp.

A fire had been lit in the fire place, the windows were shuttered. Yet, he could hear the thunder and lightning. Groaning from the beginnings of a headache, Norrington threw the covers off him.

A knocking to the door and in waltzed Swann, he had forgone the wig and the baldness shocked Norrington some what, even though is own dark brown hair was hanging in strings about his face.

"I was worried about you," Swann said. He smiled though. Norrington damned the man for being so happy on such a day.

"You needn't have bothered," Norrington replied. Swann waved it away and directed him towards the wash room the stood off to the side of the main bedroom.

"Have a bath, sir, you'll feel better, and I must ask that you be careful of the liquor you partake of. I am running out of my favorite port," Swann chuckled. Norrington nodded his head and rolled his eyes at the admonition. If he were a lesser officer, he wouldn't have gotten drunk in the first place.

He wobbled a bit on his face but made it to the wash room. It was almost as big as the bed room, dressed in dark reds a tub sat in the middle of the room. Steaming water came from it and the smell of lavender filled the room. Norrington lent over a bucket strategically placed for such a moment and up chucked into it.

Once he was done, Swann called a servant to take the bucket out. It was replaced right away in case Norrington had use of it once more.

Norrington shucked off the night shirt and sunk into the steamy water. Sighing as he did so. It felt so good.

"James," Swann started. The man named opened one eye to take in the Governor. He looked worried.

"I don't know what has gotten into you but you are no longer the man I thought you were. Is it because Elizabeth spurned you?" Swann asked.

Was it? Norrington blinked. He wasn't sure. Now, he wasn't sure if he loved Elizabeth or if he loved the fact that not only was he a Commodore but a husband to a beautiful woman who was of a higher class than himself.

No, he wasn't mad. He said so and Swann looked less worried; "Than why drink till you lose your sense, man?"

"I…" that wasn't an easy question to answer. He had no reason. He just could. He could deal with his anger that way. He could do his job that way. Never mind the fact that most of his orders meant that he had completely ignored the Spanish in pursuit of a whiney Pirate Captain who seemed perpetually drunk.

"I understand, but, you are a better man, please, try and control yourself," and with that said, Swann left. Content in the knowledge that this talk had done the trick and Norrington wouldn't become drunk any more.

Norrington sank into the water. Completely embarrassed.

_ _ _

Captain Jack Sparrow looked the ship up and down with a professional eye. The Spanish ship was a three deck, 84 gun, behemoth. He knew that his Pearl could never match it. Not in power at least, speed was a whole other concession.

The Spaniards had docked in Tortuga and seemed to take the place over. The pirates relented and didn't fight over rule of the township. Which, to Jack, didn't factor into anything that pirates stood for.

Forget the fact that he never wanted to be one in the first place. Glaring, he decided that he was going to make way for fresh winds and better waters. Or, at least, would set these Spaniards straight.

_ _ _

Captain Bruno Cesar glared at the man who sat on the other side of the table. The Drunken Bride was quiet for being a pirate nest. Not that he cared. It served fine ale and his men were in need of womanly comforts.

"Are you sure he has it?" Cesar asked grimly. The other nodded.

"Aye, I'm good at my job. You can trust me when I tell you that the information you need…is with Hornblower of the Audrey," the other smirked.

"Mr. Thorn, if this information is wrong, you shall be whipped by my hand, have no doubts about it, sir," Cesar warned in a gravely tone the bode ill will to whoever failed him.

"I have no doubts," Mr. Thorn replied solemnly.

Screams from the dock made both men look up and out the door. Outside, the darkened sky was bright, and the smell of burning wood permeated the air.

Cesar swore. That was his ship on fire. He rushed out and ordered his men to the ship. The fire had overtaken by the time he and his men had gotten to the docks.

It was too late. He was now a Commander without a ship.

In the shadows; two dark eyes smirked as they too took in the fire. It would be too brash to take the Spanish on head-to-head, but then again, he always ever did what he ever should do.

TBC

A/N - I hope you all have enjoyed the update. Thank you for reviewing.