Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners.


I think I may have butchered Jack's language a little bit...ok a lot, but i'm not used to writing pirate. I've also probably over acted the characters personalities a bit, but it amused me to do so. This is my first fan fic of POTC there may be a spoiler or two from DMC. This story is a bit sappy but it does have its moments.

thank you for R&R i appreciate it muchly

This isn't going to be fun...

Chapter 21: Parties & Shopping

I made my way into Elizabeth's room after a long uneventfully argument with her and sighed pouting on the side of the bed watching Jack whom was still sound asleep. "I'm going to throw her overboard again…this time there will be sharks." I thought groaning at the aspect of seeing Norrington at the festival that was to be held in honor of some fishing holiday they celebrated on the island. "Jack wake up and whisk me away to the Pearl…please." I thought silently and wishing he would just crack only one tiny smile.

"He will be fine…I promise I will watch over im lass." I heard Gibbs say softly as I smiled thankful that Gibbs was not known as a pirate, but had once sailed with Elizabeth long ago. "Ye be the firs ter know if he wakes." He said putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder as I nodded wiping the tears that had snuck there way down my face.

"Brandi we need to go now." I heard a soft hesitant voice and looked up to see Will was dressed in a nice looking suite and had Elizabeth near him holding onto his arm.

"James is waiting." Elizabeth whispered softly as I shot her a look that could freeze all seven seas. "I know…you don't care." She sighed and motioned to me to hurry along. "I'm sorry but I need to keep him away from Jack and here and you currently are the only thing that seems to distract him." She muttered as I followed them down the staircase and paused with a visible frown creasing my face.

Outside the mansion was a carriage awaiting us and I saw Norrington was going to be joining us. "Ew." Was all that came to mind as I received a bow and polite kiss to the hand from Norrington before he assisted me into the carriage with himself Elizabeth and Will on the other side away from us. "I have to sit next to him too?" I thought miserably eyeing Elizabeth who was watching me carefully.

"You look very lovely tonight Miss Brandi." Norrington said to me as I smiled as politely as I could feeling my face flinch only briefly at this forced smile. "Please call me James for this evening…it's meant to be a fun night with no formalities." He stated softly eyeing my reaction curiously.

"Very well James…please call me Brandi then." I said softly ignoring the smile on his face and shooting a withering look at Elizabeth who looked up sighing slightly.

We arrived without further incident in the town square which was lit with paper lanterns and candles. It was actually really pretty with the decorations and colorful people milling about in equally colorful gowns, but the present company could be damned for all I cared. I hated Commodore James Norrington and really wanted Jack there instead, but knew I wouldn't get my way that evening, so I choked down my anger and pride allowing him to lead me around and talk with some of the people. "I hate this act." I thought miserably feeling my face start to hurt slightly with the phony smile I had planted on it. Elizabeth and Will had been walking around as well and soon we all came together to a table set up for Elizabeth's father and friends sitting down to watch the colorful fireworks display. I was happy to watch the lovely colors scatter across the sky and ignore all those around me except for Elizabeth and Will whom were all that I had with me at that moment that I could stand anyway.

"Would you care to join me for a dance?" questioned Norrington as I eyed Elizabeth seeing I would still have to keep up the charade and sighed. I didn't want to dance and especially with him but nodded anyway allowing him to lead me into a long dance one after another since Elizabeth appeared to be content with me making him happy for the time being. "Would you mind walking with me Brandi?" he inquired after our third or fourth dance, I had lost count at how many of those and the stories I had tuned out.

"Of coarse James." I said placing a phony smile on my face following him down slowly through the still busy town square eyeing the people that were truly enjoying themselves. "I wonder if Jacks awake yet." My mind wandered to Jack again and I sighed. "What is it James?" I questioned as he paused turning to face me thoughtfully before offering me a bench seat beside one of the well trimmed bushes in the square.

It was off away from the many people and seemed a bit quiet but I didn't mind the quiet, I was concerned with why we were there and away from people. Norrington was fidgeting slightly which I found amusing and hid a smile hearing him clear his throat. "I've been here three days…If I count my first visit and he's already nervous." I thought with a stifled giggle eyeing him carefully.

"Elizabeth said that you were thankful to Mr. Sparrow for saving your life…twice from what I was told. I was curious to why you watch over that pirate." Norrington spoke this very softly as I felt my heart leap into my throat wondering if he had somehow found out about Jack and my relationship with each other. "Bugger…why did I bring him up." He thought frowning slightly.

"He was kind enough to save my life as said, but more than twice and also didn't do anything to harm me upon finding me on his ship. I still am not sure how I got there and where I come from entirely." I said carefully before hearing a sigh and staring up at curious eyes watching me almost as though I was some china doll. "He isn't what I expected a Pirate to be."

"True…he is by far the worst pirate I have ever met, he's also the strangest one." Norrington said as I restrained my very verbal and violent remarks. "I just worry at your close range sympathies for the man. I wish for you to be careful…I would hate to see him do anything to make you uncomfortable and to do you any harm." He said as I thought of ways of harming him before shaking my head and sighing remembering my promise to Elizabeth.

"I doubt he would do anything of the above. Thank you for your concern James." I said being polite for Elizabeth's sake and standing heading back to the others not seeing his surprise glance following behind me.

I was thankful when I spotted a familiar face in the crowd of people, even though she was getting many dirty looks and seemed uncomfortable around them. "Anna-Maria." I thought feeling a genuine smile on my face for the first time that evening as I walked over to her seeing her smile slightly in relief. I sensed she had been looking for someone familiar in the crowd and nodded in greeting following her out of the sight of others and sitting on a bench.

"How is the Cap'n?" whispered Anna-Maria clearly indicating she had been told to keep things quiet around the aristocrats surrounding us. "I eard eh's still sick." She whispered seeing me lower my eyes quickly trying to hide my glazed tear filled eyes.

"Yes…Gibb's is looking out for him right now. I would rather be up there, but Elizabeth insisted I come here and distract that pompous Norrington." I murmured very carefully making sure only she had heard my remarks. "I'm surprised I haven't throttled the man." I said softly seeing her smile at this and nod moving away quickly spotting a figure coming our way.

"There you are…I was worried when Elizabeth and Will couldn't find you." I heard Governor Swann say as he ignored Anna-Maria and hid his look of distaste from her. "Come join us…James was worried you had gotten hurt or something." He said as I flinched at his overly happy tone on the subject of Norrington.

"I hate that man." I thought sadly smiling as he grasped my arm and lead me back to the others. I saw Norrington was relieved at my appearance and walked off toward the guards that had apparently been sent to look for me as well. "This man is way too concerned for me…as much as I dislike him I find this outburst of his adorable." I thought faintly hearing murmurs behind me and seeing more guards hearing the news of finding me. "Yuck…did I actually think adorable?" I thought annoyed as I felt a warm hand placed gently on my shoulder from Elizabeth's father as he motioned me to go over to the good Commodore.

"I'm glad you are alright." Norrington replied as I eyed the guards that had somehow melted into the crowd again before putting on another fake smile giving Elizabeth another venomous glare.

"I needed to get away…I'm tired." I said softly as he nodded his face creased with concern as he motioned over Elizabeth who glanced back and forth inquisitively.

"I'll escort Brandi home…she's not feeling well and claims she is tired." Norrington said softly as I started at this and shot Elizabeth a "Help me please." Look that I saw was clearly wasted on her.

"I said tired not sick." I thought angrily as Elizabeth nodded giving me one of her apologetic looks before Norrington lead me to a carriage and assisted me into it.

We road in silence all the way to the mansion and when Norrington helped me from the carriage I thanked him and nodded my goodnights watching him leave the mansion grounds. "Thank you powers that be…he is finally out of my hair." I thought making my way quietly up the stairs to Elizabeth's room after a surprised butler had let me into the mansion. I opened the door seeing Gibbs was watching Jack intently his flask in his hand drinking slowly. "Jack…you still haven't woken up." I thought miserably seeing he was as I left him and looked oddly content even thought I wasn't.

"Ello Lass." Gibbs said softly upon hearing my entrance a small smile on his face. "He asn't stirred as of yet." He said softly as I nodded feeling myself warm up to the elderly pirate thankful for his concern over Jack. "I'll be goin to the Pearl and check on im in the mornin." He whispered as I nodded watching him quietly leave the room and walking over locking the door behind him.

"I need to get out of this dress and corset." I muttered doing just that, which became a very slow process as I finally managed it and found a nightgown left out for me. "Comfy finally." I thought with a smile as I went over and crawled into the bed wrapping my arm around Jack watching him hoping for some movement and getting nothing. "I wish you would wake up…I miss that annoyingness that is you." I whispered feeling my eyes growing heavy as I sighed allowing sleep to settle in.