Okay here's another one. I thank everyone that reviewed the last chap. I know there are more people reading this, I can see it on my alert list, so please guys whoever you are just take a moment to leave a comment about what you like or didn't like about what you've read please!

Disclaimer: I own nothing blah, blah, blah.

Ch 12: Trying to Cope

"Glad to have ya back maties," Jack called from his place behind the wheel as the remainder of his crew climbed back on board. "Now that you're all back would you mind telling old Jack what it is that delayed your return?"

"Imprisonment," Will remarked dryly.

"Oooh, good reason," Jack smirked. "I hope the ladies were not sullied in any way. If so I would be happy to take them to my cabin and console them," he said touching a hand to his heart.

"Oh do shut up," Will muttered.

"Now, now I didn't mean Mrs. Turner," Jack remarked feigning offense as Briana disappeared below deck without saying a word.

She trudged into the sleeping quarters where she was relieved to find she was alone. She sighed and sat in a hammock where she removed the hat and wig she'd been wearing before starting to unbutton the red coat jacket she was wearing. She pulled the jacket off roughly and threw it to the floor. She tried to work off the buttons on the shirt she wore, but found them even harder to do in her current state. She cried out in frustration and abandoned them.

"May I have a word?"

Briana looked to the doorway at the sound of Norrington's voice and looked away when she locked eyes with him.

"Were you just going to watch me undress?" she said without much anger in her voice.

"No. I planned on leaving when your shirt began to give you trouble, but then I thought it best to stay," Norrington replied crossing the space to stand beside her hammock. "I thought something might bothering you."

"I don't see why you should worry," Briana replied not looking at him.

"I am merely concerned for a ship mate," Norrington said refusing to acknowledge it as anything more than that.

"I hadn't thought we were close enough to talk to one another about our problems," Briana said lamely.

"Is that so?" Norrington said a bit sharply before dropping to his knees so Briana had to look at him. Not waiting for her to answer he said in a dangerous tone. "The man that took you away, did he take advantage of you?"

"Oh that," Briana said shaking her head. "No. He didn't get very far."

"I see," Norrington said studying the woman seated before him. His tone became gentler when he spoke again. "Is this about the man you shot?"

"What makes you think that?" Briana replied quietly.

"I was right there with you when it happened," Norrington said. "Its not very difficult to realize it had an affect on you."

Briana stared at her lap. "I didn't want to do it."

"I doubt there are many who disagree with you. There is nothing to prepare someone for the taking of a life," Norrington remarked laying a hand on hers for comfort. "I'm sorry you had to go through with it. Truly I am. But think that if you hadn't, Elizabeth and Will would have been executed."

"I know," Briana replied looking up at him. "Even though I wish there had been another way its what I had to do. I'd do it again if I had to….if it was for someone I cared about."

Norrington studied Briana with schooled features that didn't show the suspicions he had about what she meant. Could she have meant him? No, not likely. She'd said so herself after they'd kissed that she wasn't going to go developing feelings for him.

He watched as she lifted her hand from beneath his and rolled up the sleeve. She winced at the sight of the angry red skin on his wrist that had been burned there in the shape of a P for pirate.

"They still marked you" she said examining the burn. "Does it hurt?"

"Not very much," Norrington replied. He let her delicately brush her finger against the skin with feather light pressure. She traced the outline and sighed.

"This is what you get for accompanying me on shore," she stated.

"But you weren't harmed. Just as I intended," Norrington said with a smug note.

"I think," Briana said continuing to trace the branded skin with her soft finger. "That you are in danger of making me alter my view of you. You're very chivalrous when you aren't hating me."

"I don't mind being agreeable," Norrington scoffed.

"Yes you do," Briana said in a humorous voice. "If only because you don't want to be accommodating to people you don't like. That's allowed James. You may not be the most warmhearted person to be around, but you're by no means a bad person."

"If you feel so," Norrington said nonchalantly.

"I do. Particularly after you came down her to give me absolution after what happened," Briana remarked. She leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his mouth. She sat back feeling proud of herself for taking the initiative.

Norrington regarded her with his face grave and thoughtful. He shifted closer to meet her mouth with his and was satisfied that she didn't pull away. They let their exchanged kisses be drawn out and slow as they savored something they couldn't quite name. He opened his mouth to stroke her lips unhurriedly with his tongue until she slowly opened to him. Their tongues lazily, but pleasurably caressed the others as they enjoyed losing themselves in the other's touches. Hers naïve and curious. His studied and patient.

When they parted gradually, Norrington's piercing dark eyes were intent on her face as though looking for an answer that was evading him.

"We can be genial and share some stolen kisses. I don't mind leaving it to just that," Briana said leaning back onto her hammock.

"So be it," Norrington said appearing somewhat appeased.

"Good," Briana said in contentment. She made herself comfortable as she lay back in the hammock. "Where do you think we'll be sailing to next?"

"Jack hasn't made any indication of precisely where we shall go to next," Norrington said sitting down on the floor more comfortably. "No doubt we'll stay in warm waters. I don't think we'll leave the Caribbean at all."

He looked at Briana and saw that she was fast asleep. She looked very innocent like that he thought.

He rose from his seat and walked away to let Briana sleep. As soon as she was sure he'd gone, Briana's eyes opened and she looked to the doorway.

Contrary to what she'd said, Briana wasn't very sure of where this situation was leading. In fact she was just a bit uneasy about what would come of it. She knew now that for some God foreseen reason she liked James Norrington. She liked him a great deal. There was really no other way to explain it except that he was unlike anyone else she had ever come in contact with. He was not the nicest man she had ever met, but he was straightforward with how he felt. There was no fake pretense at courtesy where he was concerned. He only acted that way he truly felt.

What really intrigued her was his behavior towards her as a woman. He didn't treat her like a China doll, nor did he act like a gentleman most of the time, and there was still something vaguely gallant about him. Or was that simply how she saw him?

Then there was his physical character. He was by no means the handsomest man she had ever seen, but that was nice. Norrington was not a dandy who worried about his appearance first and foremost, and he was not completely without appeal. There was something nice about his looks. They were dark, brooding, masculine, and….seductive. He was strong, and the timbre in his voice was very compelling and pleasing to listen to. And then there were those eyes. They could appear so dark, as though they could look into you.

Briana stared at the rafters above her head. She could not think this way about him. It would not do when he had made it abundantly clear that he was not interested in anything that resembled a relationship. He offered her amiable companionship, not deep attachment.

--

The next day the crew were in lively spirits on deck as the Pearl set sail for a new destination in search of more treasures. Under Jack's insistence they had been crooning off key all morning.

"Yo ho! Yo ho, a pirates life for me!" everyone sang out merrily as they went about their tasks.

"I love that song!" Jack shouted from behind the wheel. "What say we have another go mates?"

"If anyone sings that song again I'll walk the plank," Will complained.

"Right. Wouldn't want to make Mrs. Turner a widow," Jack replied. "Its just such a savvy little tune."

"Hey why doesn't O'Connor sing something?" Anamaria suggested. "She's always humming some damn tune to herself alf the time."

"An excellent suggestion Ana," Jack grinned. "Briana, what say you to providing my crew with some entertainment using that melodious voice of yours eh?"

"If you insist Captain," Briana remarked from where she was scrubbing the deck on her hands and knees. She got to her feet and placed her hands on her hips. "What will it be? A sad ballad or a jaunty pub song of the Isle of Erie Captain?"

"Let's have us a romping song we can all of us sing once we get into the rum later on," Jack replied enthusiastically while some of the crew laughed.

"Aye sir. Then I think it'll be this one my ma said never to repeat," Briana said with a good natured grin.

"Oh now I like the sound of that," Jack remarked eagerly.

Briana inhaled from the diaphragm and let her voice ring out on the deck.

"An old man came courting me, me being so young, an old man came courting me, saying 'would you marry me'. Maids when you're young, never wed an old man. For he's got no faloo-doo-rum, fal-diddle-oo-doo-rum. He's got no faloo-doo-rum. Lost his ding-doo-reeum. Maids when you're young never wed an old man."

Most of the crew enjoyed hearing to the suggestive lyrics and didn't fully appreciate the full, lush voice belting the notes out passionately. Norrington discreetly listened to the young woman's voice and found he enjoyed it. It was a shame she hadn't sung sooner rather then humming to herself and keeping that lovely voice hidden away.

"A young man is my delight, me being so young. A young is my delight, he'll kiss me day and night," Briana sang. "Maids when you're young, never wed an old man. For he's got no faloo-doo-rum, fal-diddle-oo-doo-rum. He's got no faloo-doo-rum. Lost his ding-doo-reeum. Maids when you're young never wed an old man!"

Briana stopped singing and was praised with some clapping and a few cat calls. She laughed and went back to doing her cleaning.

"I'd be happy to kiss her day an night," Ragetti said to himself. as he passed Norrington. For some reason it made the other man feel a twinge of annoyance that he didn't usually pay any mind to when he heard the crew saying even lewder things about women.

--

As the afternoon passed the crew finally stopped their work to go below deck to have a meal. Briana threw the dirtied water she'd been using to clean the deck off with over board and turned to see Norrington approaching her timidly.

"You have a very fine voice," he stated with his hands clasped behind his back. "You should sing something to match its quality."

"I- thank you," Briana said uncertainly.

Norrington nodded before walking away with everyone else.

Briana watched him walk away with a blush staining her face.

"What's the matter with you?" Anamaria commented pausing beside Briana.

"What? Um nothing," Briana said unconvincingly.

"Uh huh," Anamaria said disbelievingly. "You like im don't you?"

"Who?"

"O'Connor we're both women. There's no good playin dumb. I know a woman that likes a man when I see er."

"I do not like him," Briana said defensively.

"Suit yourself," Anamaria said. "If ya ever want to talk come find me."

Without another word the piratess turned on her heel and left to go below deck.

After a minute Briana walked off to join the rest of the pirates. She was feeling confused and out of sorts as it was when a man behind her spoke.

"My faloo-do-rum's good for any time lass," he said suggestively.

This comment would have normally gotten no more response from Briana then a blink of her eye, but with the mood she was in, she was not amused. She spun around and grabbed the man by the shirt front and pushed him against the wall.

"Listen to me you dense eejit, I'm in no mood to have another git blather about that sort of thing because it's disgusting. So quit your useless talk you manky old blighter before I do me da proud an lay you out right here," Briana threatened moodily. She released the confounded man with a last jerk against the wall and stalked away while a few others looked on in fright or amusement.

"I knew it," Anamaria smirked triumphantly as she walked off.

--

I love this chapter because I really got my use of some traditional Irish. The song in this chapter is called, "Maids when you're young never wed an old man." For anyone who's confused by some of the words in Briana's little rant, the term eejit is a moron or an idiot. All Irish references were obtained from my copy of The Feckin Book of Everything Irish by Colin Murphy and Donal O'Dea. I highly recommend getting it the slang is soooo good! So it would seem that Norry and Brie are definitely feeling something for one another, but they don't want to. Will it work out? We'll see after one or two more chapters first guys. I swear by the Code. Okay yes I know I'm the biggest nerd ever!