A/N: Well, look at this. Appears we got here just in the nick of time. What does that make us?
Tikki: Big damn heroes, m'am.
Sorry I didn't update guys. I got sick, then I had finals, then I got sick DURING finals. Then Pirates 3 came out. I'm sure EVERYONE has seen it so far, so no whining about spoilers. I've seen it 4 times and going to see it for a 5th soon. Yes, I know it's July but I actually found a big theater that is still showing it. As for AWE... for you Norrington fans out there, my heart breaks with thee. My boyfriend teased me mercilessly that after Davy Jones left, Norrington looked around to make sure the coast was clear and scampered outta there. SO HE'S STILL ALIVE!! Sorta. It did get me brewing for a sequel for this story, but each time I sat down to write I got really sad. I love Norrington, and I'm glad they showed his humanity and regret this time around.
And Jack STILL cracks me up. You can tell if you were in the theater with me if you heard snickering each time his nose showed up. Even on the last time I went I brought a container of unsalted Planters peanuts. My mom and I both held it protectivly and said "MY peanut." even during the movie. Then afterwards we'd drive home with, guess what playing? All 3 of the Pirate's soundtracks playing from my iPod through the car's speakers.
This chapter is slightly shorter than the last. I had finished one part, then got stuck and wanted to give you guys more. Yes. You. Sweet lovable you!! That had me really stuck. Then finally the old ticker got running hot and I belted out more. WHOO! Anyway, time to celebrate since now we're on DOUBLE DIGIT CHAPTERS!!
Disclaimer: I don't own James. I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. I don't even have a pirated copy of Pirates 3, which I kinda want so I can write a fanfic concerning AWE. I don't feel comfy writing it unless I have the DVD so I can pause, rewind, listen closly, ect. And yeah, if I did have a pirated copy A) I would still buy the real one and B) It's a PIRATE movie, damn it! You should of seen that coming.
All of James goes to Disney, which actually goes to Steve Jobs since he's the majority share holder of Disney. That's right, the owner/creator of Apple. It gives me chills too.
James Norrington: Well... atleast I can get an iPhone.
Natania: You can barely LISTEN to my iPod correctly. What are you going to do with an iPhone?
James Norrington: Call my agent. -fumes- I still can't believe they let me DIE!!!
Take THAT to the bank, Jobs!!!
When James had first encountered technology from the 21st century, he was quite surprised and even a bit frightened. Certainly years of military training had curbed his reaction, but the shock still echoed faintly inside of him. Everything he encountered was somewhere between childlike awe and mind-numbing fear. His first experience with an automobile was mostly the latter of the two.
But we shall backpedal just a bit before that fateful encounter.
Natania had thrust a hat and sunglasses onto James, just in case he was recognized. While Jack Davenport was indeed a British actor with very little work in America, it wasn't worth the risk of poor James having to deal with the limelight. Besides, it was also a psychological comfort. She figured he would blend in more (it was a glaring cloudless day but still frightfully cold), and be able to look around without drawing too much attention to himself. In fact, Natania felt a lot like a mother taking her child to their first day of school. There was that strong anxiety mixed with excitement bubbling under her thoughts.
She shook her head to bring her mind back to matters at hand and gave James a quick once over. He looked quite passable. Her father's clothing was horribly baggy but the coat covered that up nicely. She had considered giving him one of her father's fedoras to wear, but that was just too silly and opted for a baseball cap that said 'Alien Skin Software' instead. Natania grinned and James had just raised an eyebrow at the black alien with big silver eyes that posed next to the words.
Without any further hesitation Natania unlocked the door and held it open for James. "Welcome to the year 2006 James. Watch your step."
Of course, he didn't heed that last warning as well as he would have cared to. James was busy staring with a very mixed expression at the world beyond the refuge of Natania's home. It was strange, yet at the same time very familiar. Homes as large as small manors back in Port Royal stood far closer then any with status would enjoy, but still had a bit of land for each plot. In fact, most of the land was sheltered on each private plot save for a strip that ran along what he first thought was a black river. Of course, it wasn't a river but rather a road with the horseless carriages Natania had mentioned lining the length of it. James took a few steps forwards, stumbling slightly over the raised door jam, and walked down the brick path.
Natania closed the door behind them and locked it with her keys. Being winter, all the trees except the pine trees were bare, but no snow had fallen this year just yet. The lawns were still green, but a faint green from the lush color they would bare in the spring and summer.
"What on earth is THAT?" James quietly asked, pointing at the black cables overhead.
"Hmm?" Natania looked up at the power lines. "Oh. That's what brings electricity to the house." She walked past him over towards her partially dilapidated Saturn. It was a pathetic little four door that didn't even have power locks or windows, and was rapidly closing in on its 16th year of existence. "Best if you don't ask any questions while in public. Might get some funny looks."
James nodded and followed her to the right side of the car which she unlocked and opened for him. "Your chariot awaits you." She bowed and grinned with relish. An eyebrow peeked over the sunglasses and the corner of his lips twitched in amusement.
Natania giggled a bit after he sat down and shut the door, and then got into the car from the other side. "Okay, first some simple indoctrination. This is a seat belt." She pulled out the strap from her side and showed it to him. "It's a safety precaution. Basically it will stop you from bouncing around the car when I sped up or stop. Pull it across and place the tab here." She let it click into its receptacle.
James nodded and went to do the same. Unfortunately he pulled it too sharply and it didn't want to move past a few inches. After a great deal of struggling and getting it out about six inches further, Natania spared him further embarrassment and assisted him. Of course, this actually further embarrassed James since she had to undo her own seat belt and stretch across his body to reach it. They both managed to keep their faces from flushing red too much.
'Thank goodness he didn't tangle it like Mom does. She always gets the clip twisted around backwards and it takes forever to fix. Wow… I didn't realize his chest was so broad. GAH! Focus… focus.' Natania reprimanded herself as her mental banter swerved towards tantalizing thoughts.
She quickly pulled the seat belt out a good length and handed it to James so he could do the rest himself. 'It's the best way for him to learn. I can't baby him.'
James was still a bit embarrassed and softly whispered a thank you. Natania put back on her own seat belt and continued.
"Okay, with that's out of the way let's move on. Basically the rest is simple. Lock the door by pushing the tab inwards." She demonstrated on her own door, which he mimicked. "It's to cold for the windows to be opened, but if it was I would suggest not sticking any extremities out of it while moving. I'm sure you knew that though. Now, this is going to be noisy when I start it so don't worry. Not as bad as cannon fire, I'm sure, but it is going to be a new sound for you. When we drive, there should be other sounds on the road, mostly from other cars. Try not to get surprised. We'll have to get on the highway shortly which can move very fast and have a lot of other cars around too. The most important thing is to just relax. I'll have this car in control and nothing will happen to us."
James nodded and rubbed his hands on his legs. He felt a bit like a child from her words, but his stern military upbringing had given him a steady resolve and nerves of steel. "I shall be fine. Don't worry yourself with me so much, Natania."
She pushed her glasses back up on her nose a bit with a grin. "Alright. Off we go."
When Natania turned the key in the ignition, nothing had prepared James for the roar it would first give. That was the best way to describe it, a roar that shook the whole frame of the car. Once the metal beast made its displeasure known, it settled into a low growl that came from the front. James hadn't trembled at all from the fierce display, but he prayed silently that Natania wouldn't notice how he gripped his knees and how white his knuckles had become.
The ride was pleasantly simple after that strange start. While logic screamed in James' brain for answers of how the carriage moved with no visible means of support, he stayed very calm and just looked out the window at the houses they passed. In fact, it climbed up a steep hill better than any horse he had ever seen. He started to relax his hands and even smoothed the creases he had made. Then they started approaching a very high stone wall, which Natania turned the car to follow for a short distance.
She glanced briefly to James, worried. "I don't want you to worry. This is the side of the highway. We have to go over it on a bridge so we can turn around and get on." He just nodded and looked outside.
He saw another car move past them, and when they reached the peak of the hill James saw for the first time urban chaos at its finest. Instinct demanded he shrink back into the seat, but just firmly set his jaw and sat rigid. It was a massive stretch of road, with room for three vehicles to drive side by side in either direction. What seemed like hundreds of cars, in various sizes and colors, hurried under the bridge and off into the distance. Even a few very long vehicles sped along, rumbling faintly and adding their own distinct sound to the melody of the highway.
Natania so wanted to reassure James, but she kept her mind focus. The best way to help James now was through concentration on the task at hand. The ride was thankfully short, and James only jumped once when a car that was exceeding the speed limit rushed past the left side to cut her off. James would have complimented her nerves, if his own weren't wavering at the moment.
At long last, or 7 minutes if James had indeed been keeping track of the time, the vehicle ambled to a far slower pace before veering off to the right and finally halting in a spot surrounded by other, unmoving vehicles. He also tried very hard not to let his sigh of relief be audible as Natania turned off the shuddering mechanical beast, proclaiming that they had arrived. He shook his head and clicked his tongue, chiding himself at the fact that a few days ago he had bravely faced off against the undead in close quarters; however a mechanical carriage disturbed him so greatly. Before he realized it, Natania had opened his door and held it open wide, well as wide as the space allowed, for him to exit.
"Coming? It's the building right there that says 'Old Navy'." She motioned over her shoulder with her thumb.
James nodded, disentangled himself from the safety belt and stepped out. It seemed they stopped in a rather wide open space with other horseless carriages –cars, he corrected himself, were resting and empty. A few slowly meandered past looking for a place to stop, but were far less menacing then earlier. Natania led him closer to a large gathering of buildings that lined themselves tightly together with large bright facades to draw attention. After climbing a few steps and walking along the side of one store, the area opened up where the buildings seemed to face inwards on a long courtyard. People were walking around, talking to others they were with or seemingly no one in particular. They entered or left the various shops, some carrying bags with a name emblazoned on the side, some just peering into the windows of the shops while bundling themselves against the cold.
Natania tugged his arm gently and motioned him towards this 'Old Navy'. He wondered briefly if he was going to get a 20th century officer's uniform. It would be most interesting to learn the advancements the Royal Navy would have made in these many years. However as they got closer to the façade, there seemed to be nothing naval of the sort there.
After passing the glass doors slid open sideways without any warning, James leaned down to Natania and whispered softly. "Er… forgive me for asking… but why is it called 'Old Navy'?"
She paused for a moment and rubbed the back of her neck before answering quietly, "You know what? I have noooooo idea. But the clothes are cheap, considerably durable, and comfortable. Speaking of which… this is going to be difficult considering we have to figure out your size."
James really wanted to ask what she meant by 'finding his size', but thought it would be best if he saved any questions for later. He obediently followed her over to a section that seemed to be designated for men's clothing. After relinquishing his sunglasses and hat to Natania, he examined rows of shirts and slacks for anything that caught his eye. James soon also started to notice it was a far more comfortable temperature inside then the frigid cold outside, and Natania reflected this by opening and removing her heavy jacket. He copied her action, down to how she folding it over one arm while meandering the rows of clothes with him.
"I'm thinking we stick to plain button down shirts. Nothing too complicated, you know? You're going to have to try on a few different ones to see what fits best. Maybe a few t-shirts too. Right now it's about seeing what fits best." Natania wondered aloud as she picked out a few that caught her eye and held it up to him. "That looks about right… I'll get the next size up and down just to be safe."
Natania grabbed a few different styles of shirts in various sizes and dumped them in James' arms. She also hurried him over to the jeans section, spending over ten minutes holding various cuts, styles, sizes, and lengths over James. This was of course quiet embarrassing as the only proper way to do so involved pressing the garment against it's intended destination and seeing if the waist band accommodated James' width. This led to a great deal of blushing on both of their parts as well as a great deal of mumbled apologizes from Natania.
At long last she led James over to a place where he could actually try the clothes on. The attendant looked at the two of them curiously for a moment before handing them a tag and unlocking a changing room door for James. James looked to Natania a bit despairingly, to which she gave a thumbs up and mouthed 'You'll be fine' with a smile.
While she spend the next few minutes on an uncomfortable folding chair and humming a few Beatles tunes that popped into her head, James found himself pitting battle against various garments. He worked on the shirts first, placing the ones that fit most comfortably in a neat separate pile next to his borrowed clothes. He felt very exposed in what Natania had called a tea-shirt, but couldn't figure out why it gained such a name. He then spent a few moments very embarrassed after removing it and realizing it was shaped like a capital T.
Then, disaster struck. He was working on the strange blue pants when he realized he couldn't close them. Panic faintly set into the back of his mind as he struggled with what to do. He quickly realized that there were really only had two options: either figure it out on his own by whatever means possible, or ask Natania for help. With flushed cheeks, he quickly chose the former of the two.
It was tricky, but victory was finally achieved. With a heavy sigh he opened the door and peered out, looking for his benefactor. Natania was slumped in a chair, tapping her foot and humming, but sat up straight and smiled when she noticed him.
"Ah… at last. I was hoping that the evil t-shirts didn't eat you." She grinned while walking over to him. "Hmm… not bad. Is it comfortable?"
James allowed himself to be led over to where there awaited three full-length mirrors. "Actually it is. The pants were difficult, but are a great deal more comfortable than they first appeared." He examined his reflection, turning and brushing back a few loose strands of hair out of his eyes. It still felt very odd to be in such an outfit, but it complimented Natania's own clothing style nicely.
'It's so very strange, to think that wearing such clothes I'll fit in with this world.' James thought to himself as he further studied himself.
A few more trips back and forth from the men's section and the changing rooms provided James with more fashion experience for the 21st century he'd ever care to know. It all was rather comfortable but very unfamiliar to James since he was used to wearing his uniform most days. Even on his days off he felt a little out of place wearing anything in public that seemed too casual. Here, on the other hand, casual seemed to be openly embraced and he hadn't noticed anyone dressed in a more formal sense. Also this method of getting clothes was far easier than getting everything custom tailored, until they reached the embarrassing situation of undergarments.
Natania brought a tape measure with her, and thank what ever powers may be did not insist on taking his measurements herself. He did, however, have to feel the brush of her hands when she had to adjust ever so slightly where he wrongly measured for his waist. They both were bright red, leaving Natania to grab a package of underwear and tossing into their carry bag and muttering under her breath. James just cleared his throat and found the floor to be the focus of his gaze.
Finally they were done, and Natania had even managed to find a pair of shoes for James. She explained that they were called "sneakers", and he rebutted that he didn't want to own anything so underhanded. She stared at him for a moment, then shook her head and reassured him that it was fine.
James stayed quiet behind Natania as she paid for all of his clothes. It seemed like several outfits of similar styles, and a few for sleeping in. A woman sat at a counter and rang up the articles of clothes with a very annoying beeping mechanism. James felt his heckles rise when it first announced itself in such a close proximity to him, but looked on passively as Natania was. Actually it seemed to bother her too; she winced when a pair of pants had to be beeped several times before the employee was satisfied.
The saleswomen were kind enough to let James wear his newfound garments after Natania paid for her purchase. James was very glad to change permanently out of his borrowed clothes and into something that fit him far better. He even tried to carefully fold them and place them away in the funny bags with the rest of his new clothes. As he walked towards the exit, he couldn't help flexing his feet and moving slowly with each step and feeling strange squishy comfort in his new "sneakers".
A/N: If your hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you. -blinks- Oopps... another Firefly moment. You guys are so great! I got reviews even after I disappeared... it's... it's so touching to know you guys care! -sniff- More is appreciated, and all comments are welcome. I hope you guys enjoy this chatper as much as I did hearing my mom snicker while she read it. It's terribly satisfying to know that people love your art, so please review.
A little P.S. to anyone who likes my writing style. I'm thinking of doing more stories to get my jucies flowing when I get stuck with this story. I really like writing and want to do more. Here's the prob. I don't know WHERE or WHAT to start with. Anyone fan of a (major character)/OFC sort of story should take note. I have a few movies and/or books that I can and want to do. Here's the list in no particular order: Pirates of the Caribbean (w/Jack...not Norry since I have plans with this story), Secret Window (w/Mort), Sleepy Hollow (w/Ichabod), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (w/Wonka), Lord of the Rings (I'm thinking w/Boromir, Faramir, Eomer, or Haldir... Legolas is done too much but I'm willing to try), and From Hell (w/Abberline). That's all I can think of for the moment.
Ones I am thinking of doing and might be able to pull off but I don't have the DVD include: Borne Supremacy (w/Kirill... or even the enigmatic Jarda), Goldeneye (w/Alec ...I'm majorly jonesing Sean Bean suddenly), National Treasure (w/Riley or Ian)... and that's all I can think of now.