A/N: Hello again. For those of you who are also reading my Lord of the Rings story 'Adventures of the Fanfiction Fellowship', I'm afraid I have some bad news.
The well has run dry.
I am stuck! I have writer's block! Ugh! I hate this! Needless to say, any help you could offer would be appreciated. Usually, once I get a chapter started, it's smooth sailing after that.
Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will.
SHOUT-OUTS:
The Last Evenstar: Patience is a virtue, my friend. Unfortunately, Jack has not yet made it clear to me when he will make his appearance. He is, after all, rather unpredictable.
LadyDeb: LOL! Her fate was indeed sealed, wasn't it? Fear not. I never seek to reform a villain once I have created one. They're too much fun to write. Glad you're enjoying it!
Mercury Gray: Did you just call Norrington 'Jamesie'? Hm. I may have to use that. That's great. Aw, poor Jamesie. Ha! I love it!
Athena Diagon Cat: Oh, yeah. Definitely some foreshadowing going on in that department.
Roisin Dubh: Yes, you'll see more about Cecily's past in future chapters. I don't know that Edwina will be within reach of Captain Jack Sparrow, but we'll see. And Will and James will have to start doing some 'male bonding' just to get James out of the house.
Book-addict. Oh, I'm glad you're enjoying it! And I wish they had left in the deleted scene from the movie at the end. You know, the one where James says 'My compliments'. That was so sweet and so unselfish.
Eodoram: 'Melts the heart and warms the soul'? Very well put. Thanks for the review!
Julia: Hmmmmm. Perhaps. You never can tell with pirates. And Captain Starling will be evil, never fear. Yes, Edwina will try to hook James up, but not for a couple of chapters yet. All will be revealed concerning Cecily soon enough. In the meantime, enjoy this chapter.
TWO WEEKS LATER
James sighed at the sounds coming from below his room.
"But he's a fine young man, Mother. If you'd only get to know him,"
"I have no desire to 'get to know him', as you so vulgarly put it. Victoria, he is beneath your station. It is all well and good to be polite to the young man, but allowing him to court you is altogether different."
"Edwina, don't you think you're being a little unfair? Lieutenant Harrison is really very nice and I am positive he has nothing but good intentions."
"Stay out of this, Cecily. You are not a mother and so have no idea of the responsibilities that come with it. If you ever marry and have a child of your own, you will understand."
It had been this way for three days now, ever since Edwina had realized Lieutenant Harrison intended to pay court to her only daughter. She had refused to give her permission and Victoria was genuinely distraught. James felt rather sorry for his niece. Every day, she pleaded with her mother to reconsider, but Edwina held firm to her initial decision. 'Stubborn as ever,' James silently reflected. None of it would probably hurt him so much were it not for the fact that Cecily consistently joined in these little 'discussions'. And Edwina always found a way to work in the fact that Cecily had not yet married and had children of her own.
James knew that, in Edwina's eyes, this was tantamount to committing murder or some equally grievous sin. Cecily was twenty-nine years old, far too old to be single. Society considered her a spinster or, in less flattering terms, an old maid. For his part, James was very glad Cecily hadn't married when she had the opportunity. He was sure Cecily felt the same.
He was growing weary of the arguments that started every morning and still seemed to be going when he would return from the fort in the evening. The tension in his house was so thick, he felt he could cut it with a sword. The only thing that had broken the mood was the visit Will and Elizabeth had paid last night.
"If this is what it would be like if I were married, then I'm glad I'm not," James muttered as he began preparing for the day ahead. Was it like this when one was living in a house with women? It had been so long, James honestly could not remember. He could dimly recall his own mother, who had died after giving birth to Cecily when he was six, but he could not remember her ever being as argumentative as Edwina was. Obviously, he had never known Edwina's mother, and so could not establish a comparison there.
Stepping out into the hallway, he collided with a tear-blinded Cecily and nearly knocked her off her feet. Only his quick reflexes prevented his sister from hitting the floor.
"Cecily? Cecily, what's wrong?" he asked as he pulled her to him. She fought the tears, but returned the hug.
"It's nothing, James. Really."
"Surely you're not letting what Edwina said get to you? Cecily, I thought you weren't interested in marriage."
"I'm not. At least, not anymore. But she makes it sound so awful, James. She makes it sound like no one ever wanted to marry me. And I know it isn't proper to talk of such things, but I do want children. She knows how I love children and she never fails to mention the fact that I don't have any."
"It's been hard for you, hasn't it, little one?"
She looked up at him, then, surprised by him using his special name for her. It had always been a joke between them. James was so tall, but Cecily had never grown much past five feet.
"I shouldn't have left you in England so long," he continued. "I should've sent for you long ago. As soon as that fiasco with that Brighton fellow."
"You can't blame yourself for that, James. I should've seen right through him. It was no one's fault except my own. I wanted to be in love again, James, and I was searching for something that I had lost long ago. I don't think I'll ever find it again."
With that cryptic statement, she retreated to the room she was sharing with Victoria and shut the door behind her. James heard the lock click and shook his head. Cecily was one of the dearest people in the world. Why did happiness seem to elude her?
'Perhaps it is a family trait,' he thought irritably before making his way down stairs. He would speak to Cecily more tonight.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"Enter!"
The door to the Commodore's office swung open, revealing Will Turner. James looked up from his papers and greeted his friend.
"Well, Mr. Turner! What brings you here today?"
'Uh-oh. He called me Mr. Turner. Must've had a rough morning,' thought Will. Said Will, "I come at the request of my fair wife. She wants to know if you and your family will agree to dine with us tomorrow evening. In short, will you come to dinner?"
"That sounds like a fine idea, Mr. Turner. I'll need to speak with my sisters of course, but I don't foresee any problems with those plans."
Will frowned at this display of formality. He had thought they were long past this kind of stuff. His own formality had been nothing more than a small joke. Unconcerned about the fact that James had not invited him in to visit, Will shut the door to the commodore's office and sat down in one of the chairs.
"What's going on, James?"
"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, Mr. Turner. I am extremely busy at the moment with all the paperwork regarding our newest residents of the fort. I assume you've met most of them by now."
"Yes, I have. But that's not what's bothering you. Now, suppose you drop the 'stiff upper lip' act and tell me what is bothering you?"
James sighed.
"Nothing you would be interested in, Will."
"Try me."
There was a moment of silence before James finally decided to take Will up on his challenge.
"Very well. Is Elizabeth difficult to live with?"
Will's eyes widened in surprise. That was certainly not a question he would've expected Commodore James Norrington to ask. Then again, James had been doing a lot of things lately that Will never would've expected him to.
"I-I-I suppose she can be. Yes, at times. But, then again, I'm sure that it's not always a whole lot of fun living with me, either. What makes you ask, James?"
"I just wondered."
"You wondered what it was like to live with my wife?" Will asked, barely containing his amusement as he realized how improper this conversation actually sounded. A color that could definitely be described as red made it's way up the commodore's neck and across his cheeks.
"I didn't mean it that way, Mr. Turner," he said, returning to his earlier gruff manner. Will rolled his eyes.
"I know you didn't, James. I was just joking. But I'll be serious now, if you really want to talk."
"Women are confusing creatures, aren't they?"
"Yes," came the emphatic reply.
"Why must everything always be of vital importance to them? They can make the simplest situation into a complicated muddle."
"Definitely."
"Take, for instance, my older sister and her daughter. Victoria wants to be courted by one of the young men who accompanied them here from England. Lieutenant Harrison is his name. Have you met him?"
"Yes, I have. He seems nice enough. Eager to please, I suppose."
James couldn't keep the smile out of his eyes at that statement because it was so very true. In fact, he was rather partial to the aforementioned lieutenant because he reminded James of himself when he had first joined the Navy.
"Yes, he is. But that is beside the point. Edwina refuses to even consider such a thing. She says Lieutenant Harrison is 'beneath' Victoria."
"I believe I've heard words to that effect before, but not about the lieutenant," Will put in. James looked ashamed and started to apologize, but Will stopped him.
"I wasn't talking about you, James."
"Oh. Well, the problem is this. My house is full of arguments because of this mess. And Cecily has been dragged into it, as well. Of course, as Victoria's uncle, society says that I have the authority to override Edwina."
"Really? What about her father?"
"Her father died four years ago. He was taken by the same illness that Cecily contracted. And even she has not emerged unscathed. My sister used to be a vibrant, active young girl. Her battle with scarlet fever left her very weak and she never fully recovered. That's why the doctors thought the climate here would be good for her. I don't know how much you remember about England, Mr. Turner, but it isn't exactly sunny and warm there a good deal of the time."
Will grinned.
"No, that much I remember."
"Anyway, as the oldest male of the family, I could, for lack of a better word, 'overthrow' Edwina's decision. However, if I do that, I believe that my chance of losing my family is very good."
Brown eyes widened.
"Your sister would do that? Prevent you from seeing Victoria and Cecily?"
James laughed. It was a bitter laugh, making Will shiver a little.
"Would she do that? You don't understand, Will. She already has done it. Long, long ago. When I joined the Navy, she disowned me. Two weeks ago was the first time I laid eyes on her in seventeen years. I was able to visit Cecily at her boarding school every once in a while, but I had never met Victoria."
Will didn't know what to say. He, of course, had lived without a family since his mother died when he was seven. Three years later, he had come to the Caribbean, looking for his father. But he couldn't imagine what it must be like to actually have family and for them to not want you. The memories he had of his mother, few though they were, were all happy and pleasant. Learning this about James was like opening a floodgate of understanding into the man's character. No wonder it took so long to break down the commodore's barriers! Elizabeth had been right all along. James had been hurt deeply in the past.
was
All this insight and introspection made Will uncomfortable. And he could tell from the look on the commodore's face that it was making James uncomfortable, too. So, he did what men have done since time began when they grow uncomfortable with a subject. He stood, cleared his throat, and changed the subject very smoothly.
"So you'll be at our house tomorrow for dinner then?"
James looked at Will gratefully. He hadn't meant to say so much, but Will's very smooth change of subject let him know that the blacksmith wouldn't be repeating it to anyone. Possibly not even Elizabeth.
"Yes, Will. My family and I will be at your house tomorrow night. I assume this is a formal occasion?"
"I guess. Just do us one favor, James. Don't wear the uniform. Be a person instead of a commodore."
James opened his mouth to protest indignantly. He was a commodore. Why shouldn't he dress like it? But, he did understand what Will was saying. In short, try to relax a little.
"Never fear, my friend. Commodore Norrington will not be at your dinner tomorrow night."
"Thank you, James."
Will left and James turned back to his paperwork. A requisition? What in the world was Captain Starling going to do with all that? If James hadn't been so preoccupied with his family, he probably would've double checked such a thing. Instead, he approved it without another thought and steadily began working his way through the mound of paperwork again.
ELSEWHERE IN THE FORT
"Harrison! Harrison, would you get your mind back on the job?!"
Lieutenant Harrison looked up from his work and came face to face with Captain Starling. He looked puzzled for a moment, then realized that he had been polishing the same spot on his sword for the past five minutes. Well, at least it looked good.
"I'm sorry, sir."
Captain Starling frowned at the younger man.
"What's gotten into you these days, Harrison? Does it have anything to do with Miss Barclay?"
In spite of the fact that Starling was his superior, David Harrison was rather irritated with the question. Surely it wasn't proper for a commanding officer to ask such a personal question. David was quite sure that Commodore Norrington wouldn't pry into the personal lives of men under his command.
But Captain Starling wasn't Commodore Norrington and he had no compunction whatsoever about prying into other people's personal lives. When David didn't answer, Starling continued.
"She's a lovely young woman, Harrison. But you're wasting your time."
David kept his eyes trained on his sword so the captain wouldn't see the sparks in them.
"Do you really think the Commodore would let his niece be courted by such a young officer? You're a good officer, Harrison, but you're rather inexperienced. And your family background won't help matters much, either."
"Begging your pardon, sir, but I come from a good family," David replied, his voice almost a whisper, his eyes still trained on the polished metal.
"Oh, I know that. I've met your family. They are good people, Harrison. But they aren't very well-off, are they? I mean, no wealth to speak of, no ancestors of prominence. Why, you're the first one to even join the Navy!"
David could take it no longer. His eyes came up to meet those of the captain and Starling blanched a little at the intensity of the young man's gaze.
"I suppose you think you have a better chance with Commodore Norrington's sister? Sir."
Thomas Starling stared at David in shock for a moment. Then his distinguished features twisted into a mask of rage. Never taking his eyes from David's face, Thomas reached out and slapped the sword out of David's hands. It clattered to the stone floor, making a terrific noise.
"Pick that sword up, Lieutenant."
David obeyed. As soon as he laid a hand on the sword and started to rise, he felt a hand pressing down on his back. He found he couldn't move and, instead of struggling, he just stayed there. Then the captain's voice was in his ear.
"I'm twice the man you are, Harrison. I could have either one of those women at my beck and call with a snap of my fingers. Mention Cecily Norrington to any one, and I'll see to it that you never get the chance to see your silly little Miss Barclay again. Do I make myself clear?"
"Perfectly clear," David responded through clenched teeth.
"I'm sorry? What was that? I didn't hear you."
"I said, 'Perfectly clear, sir'."
Thomas nodded, satisfied, and took the pressure off David's back. David stood, slowly, not looking the captain in the eye.
"I'm glad we understand each other, Lieutenant," Thomas said. He inclined his head slightly, then turned and left the room.
David stood for a moment longer, fists clenching and unclenching, willing his anger to go away. It wouldn't do him any good to get angry at Starling. That would only lead to trouble. And he couldn't tell Victoria what Starling had said about Cecily without getting punished for it. Normally, David didn't mind punishment. But Starling had access to the commodore that David did not and the lieutenant was afraid that Starling could turn the commodore against him. Then any hope he had of a future with Victoria would be gone. No, he could only pray that Cecily would realize what type of man Starling was before it was too late.
The lieutenant finished up his sword, then made his way out of the room. He never noticed the figure in the corner. For that matter, neither had Captain Starling. The figure scowled for a moment, trying to decide what to do, before turning on his heels and making his own exit.
'''''''''''''''''
A/N: All for this chappie! It's short, I know, but the next one will be longer. Cross my heart and hope to die!