-Little Miracles-

Disclaimer: Only the plot, Lily and other characters, ships or shops you did not see in the movie are owned by the small, non-profit organization that consists of me, myself and I. Everything else belongs to Disney and whatever filmmakers were involved in the process of making "Pirates of the Caribbean."

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Chapter 6

James hid a smile as Lily kicked her feet back and forth while Matthew White attempted yet again to get a proper measurement for a new pair of shoes. This was the fifth shop today, and nearly everything Lily needed had been purchased. She now had several nightgowns and dresses and more sets of undergarments; all of which, aside from the new sky-blue one she currently wore, would be delivered to his home as per arrangement.

The only things left, really, were shoes, and at the moment, she didn't seem to want them very badly. Every time Mister White moved to measure her foot, she would either kick it forward, backward, or keep them both swinging back and forth in constant motion. James contemplated helping the man, but decided it was much more amusing to allow her to continue with her little game for now.

As the day had progressed, Lily had slowly adjusted to Mary Kate and visiting the various shops and had ever so slowly begun to open back up. She hadn't quite returned to being the chatterbox he had known that morning, but she had begun playing small games such as this one with the shopkeepers and with Mary Kate and himself. "You're going to spoil her," Mary Kate murmured as she came up behind him.

"I am not. She deserves a little fun and happiness." Especially after last night's nightmares.

"Because of her back?" she asked quietly. "And don't try and deny what is there, James. I know what I saw."

James hesitated, then gave her a brief nod, though he continued to watch the small child a short distance away. "That among other things," he said somberly.

"What did she dream of, James? What happened to her back?" she asked quietly.

James debated a few moments about whether or not he should tell her with Lily so close by, then lowered his voice. "I would really rather wait to discuss this at a time in which Lily is not immediately around."

Mary Kate touched his arm lightly for a very brief moment. "James, please," she implored. "It may be that I might be able to help her."

"Though I know you are able to help most people, I am not entirely certain you can with this," he answered truthfully. "Last night, I wasn't entirely certain that I could and I feel that I barely managed."

"Perhaps if you told me, I might be able to at least help you help her."

He sighed quietly, nodding. "Very well." He paused, to collect and organize his thoughts and what he knew so far. "I believe it might be best to start by tell—"

"Commodore Norrington?" a familiar female voice interrupted.

James stiffened and turned slowly, vaguely noting the thin veil of civility that slipped over Mary Kate's features. "Mistress Turner," he acknowledged with a polite nod.

"I thought that might be you. How many times have we been through this, Commodore?" she asked, a smile gracing her features. "My friends call me 'Elizabeth'."

"Forgive me," he replied with a small quirk of a smile himself. "It's a rather hard habit to break. If I might ask, what brings you here, today?"

"Will had a pair of shoes that needed mending. I volunteered to retrieve them." Her head dipped momentarily. "I must admit, I hadn't expected to see you in here…I had thought you to be recovering from that crazed drunkard who ran you through with his rum bottle."

James shot her a look as if to suggest she think about what she just said. An expression directed at Murtogg or Mullroy or Gillette on most occasions. "I am perfectly well, Mis—Elizabeth."

"Then why were you not at the Williamson's last night?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mary Kate stifle a smile. Behind him, Matthew White finally rose, having gotten Lily's measurements when she stilled at the new arrival. "I was—" He paused when he felt a slight tugging at the back of his coat. "Mary Kate, Mist—Elizabeth, please excuse me a moment." Upon turning, he found Lily as expected. He knelt beside her, "What is it, Lily?" he asked gently.

She leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "I'm hungry."

"I know you are," he replied just as quietly. "As soon as we are finished here, we will go. Do you want anything in particular?"

"Can we have more of that bread and that yellow stuff like yesterday?"

"You need more than sweet bread and bananas for lunch, Lily."

Lily shrugged and gave him a slight smile. "You asked."

James smiled wryly and swept a hand over a few displaced curls. "I did at that. Just be patient for a little while longer and then we will go, all right?"

She nodded, then tugged on his jacket again as he began to turn his attention back to Mary Kate and Elizabeth. "I'm thirsty."

He nodded and stood, his hand automatically wrapping around the much smaller one that had latched onto his. "Mister White?" He waited until the man paused briefly in his search for the proper size to turn his attention to him. "Do you have anything appropriate for a child to drink?"

"I believe I have some water, if that will be suitable?" he said, directing the latter part to Lily herself. Lily nodded and slipped around James so that she was partially hidden from everyone.

"Thank you, Mister White," James said as the man returned with a cup of water and passed it down to her. Shyly, she took it from him and tried to hide behind James once more. "What do you say, Lily?" he asked when no words were forthcoming from her.

"Thank you, Mister White," she whispered, before slipping as close to him as possible.

James then turned back to the two neglected women; his coat tugged back as Lily gripped his pocket and didn't let go. "As you can see, other, more important matters arose," he said, finishing his earlier thought to Elizabeth.

"I do see." Elizabeth knelt to Lily's level. "And what is your name, Young Lady?"

Though her tone was kind, Lily shrank back even more, enough so that she dropped the cup and was forced to let go of his coat. She tripped over something behind her, lost her footing and sat down hard on the floor. Her lip began quivering and her eyes welled up with tears. James rushed over and scooped her up. "What is it, Lily? What's wrong?"

"Was it something I said?" Elizabeth asked, glancing between James and Lily. "I didn't mean to upset her." Though he didn't see it, Elizabeth even went so far as to look to Mary Kate for answers. She didn't have any either.

Sniffling, Lily pressed close enough to whisper in his ear. "Papa yelled at me all the time. He called me 'Rat' a lot, but when he didn't, he said 'Young Lady'."

James hugged her to him and glanced behind him. Seeing the seat Lily had vacated moments earlier, he sat down. "Lily," he began gently, "I'm certain Elizabeth didn't mean it the same way he did."

"But the words…"

"I understand you don't like those words," he said, his grip tightening around her. "Just remember, though, when someone says something like that, your father is not here and he is not the one saying it. He won't hurt you anymore."

"Promise?"

Knowing he didn't know the future and how things might turn out, he chose his words carefully. "I promise I will do everything I can to help keep him from hurting you again." Apparently, that was good enough for her, because she hugged him fiercely.

When he looked up, he saw strange, yet different expressions on the faces of both women. He raised an inquiring eyebrow and smothered a wry smile at the knowing look Mary Kate quickly concealed. Elizabeth's face, however, remained slightly confused. As if she had no clue as to what to think of what she had just seen. Eventually, she apparently realized he wasn't always the rigid naval officer he appeared to be and her expression warmed.

"Commodore Norrington, I believe I have found the proper fit," Matthew White interrupted.

"Thank you." James gave him a short nod, then looked down to Lily. "Here, let's get you turned around so you can try your new shoes." He turned her around on his lap and slipped one of her worn shoes off. Lily wiggled her toes as he set it on the floor, then removed the other and placed it next to the first. She sat very still and watched him buckle the new ones on her feet with interest. "Why don't you walk around the shop and tell me if they hurt any, hmm?" he said, setting her on the floor.

He watched as she walked a few feet, then turned and walked straight to Mary Kate, who led her around the store providing a skirt she could hide behind. "How did such a child come to be in your care, James?" Elizabeth asked, coming up beside him.

He bit back the slight groan that wanted to emerge at the thought of explaining everything again. "Her father and I had arranged for him come and work for me. I had thought to help the man get back on his feet, but he didn't appear on the ship as we had arranged. Instead, he sent his daughter."

"Surely he didn't send her alone!" Elizabeth said.

"He did. Though now that I think of it, perhaps he thought I might be able to find a better life for her. Perhaps his debt was too great for him to follow through. Or, perhaps he didn't want to worry over her any longer. I couldn't tell you. I don't know his mind, but she is here, and I've decided to take her in myself, rather than ask one of the other families. And I certainly wouldn't send her to some orphanage. I've known several men that have come from them, and based on what they've told me, I wouldn't dare put her through such things."

"The poor dear!" Elizabeth shook her head. James watched while Lily picked up an even smaller shoe from a small bench on the other side of the room. Mary Kate sat down for the moment and Lily climbed up into her lap and proceeded to compare her shoe to the small one she held, then climbed down and tried to examine Mary Kate's shoe. He diverted his gaze. "She is a lovely child," Elizabeth said.

"Lily."

"Pardon?"

"Her name is Lily. Lily Cooper." James smiled as his attention turned back to the small face. Mary Kate stood and they began moving again. "And yes, she is a very lovely little girl." He didn't see the appraising look Elizabeth gave him.

He watched as they approached him and smiled as they came to a stop in front of him. Lily scrunched her nose and extended her arms. "They're stiff."

James smiled wider and leaned forward to help her into his lap. "You shall have to wear them and break them in, then. Do they pinch your toes any?"

Lily shook her head as she pulled one of her feet up for closer inspection. "Just stiff."

"That is easily remedied," Mary Kate said, reiterating what he had said. "They will become more comfortable the more you wear them and play in them."

"But they're too stiff for play. An' where would I play?"

"You wear them to make them less stiff, Lily, and you could play on the grounds at home, or nearly anywhere else, so long as I or someone else I send is with you," James said. He lifted Lily to the floor and rose to approach the counter, retrieving her old shoes as he did so.

"Why can't I just wear my old ones?"

"They are too small, now," he answered.

"Do they fit well enough?" Mister White asked.

"Yes, thank you," James nodded. "How much do I owe you?" he asked. Beside him, Lily reached up to be held again, but James kept his focus on the man before him as they negotiated a price. Lily stamped her foot and, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her look down at her shoe with a puzzled expression. She stamped her foot again, the sharp crack of her heel hitting the wood planking of the floor sounding loud and clear through the small shop. She stamped her other foot to get the same sound.

Lily began jumping around a little, and James had to force down the smile that threatened and give her a stern look instead. She stopped, chastised. "They make noise," she said, by way of explanation.

"Yes, they do, and it is a little loud, Lily," he rebuked gently, though perhaps a bit too firmly.

Her expression turned distressed. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

His gaze softened, and he knelt beside her. "I am not upset with you, Lily," he said gently. "I just don't think Mister White would appreciate such noise. Especially when business is being conducted, do you understand?"

Lily nodded, the quiet child again becoming more prominent. James' heart twisted painfully. It seemed every time she opened up and began acting like the child he knew was in there, he would say something, or something would happen to cage that spirited little soul back up. He wanted desperately to see that happy child he had seen just after waking, but at the same time, he knew certain things simply weren't acceptable in the eyes of society.

He certainly didn't want her to become spoiled like many of the young women on the island.

James quickly fished out the proper coins and handed them over. He then stood and passed her old shoes to the shoemaker, who would repair and resell them, before turning back to Lily. "Shall we go eat, now?" he asked, hoping such a topic might bring her spirits back up.

It did. Lily's head lifted and she smiled. "Please?" she said, lifting her arms.

"Lily," he admonished. "You can walk. I know you can."

She pulled her skirts back a little and looked down at her new shoes before looking back at him with a rather impressive pout. "They're stiff." James raised an eyebrow. "If I walk too much, my feet will hurt."

"But if you do not walk, you will not break your shoes in, therefore, they will always hurt," he replied. "Now, what would you like to eat?"

The distraction proved effective yet again. "I already told you."

"And what did I tell you then?" he asked.

"Please?" she whimpered. If he had wanted her to act more like a child her age, this certainly wasn't exactly what he had had in mind.

James sighed. "We shall see." She smiled rather brightly, and memories surfaced of similar behavior of his own, as well as how his grandfather had dealt with that behavior. He gave a small smile to Elizabeth and White. "It was nice to see you, Mis—Elizabeth. Thank you again, Mister White." With a quick nod, he led Lily out the door.

Mary Kate followed them, moving up to his side. "Where do you plan to eat?" she asked. It had already been decided she would join them for lunch as well in repayment of sorts for her help.

"A small tavern and inn men of the fort frequent; the Erring Galleon," he answered. "Though I am not certain. I have been in there few times myself, and I rarely saw any children." He glanced over at her. "Do you know of a more appropriate place?"

"Not particularly, no. I have not seen many who dine out with children in any parts of the world I have been to."

"Nor have I." He glanced down to see Lily walking stiffly. He considered letting her continue walking, but he also wasn't entirely certain how much longer they would be walking today. The carriage had already left, unneeded for now, and the streets had dried up considerably in the afternoon sun.

After several moments, he paused and swept her up onto his hip, again keeping his sword accessible. It was the thought that she might become fussy later as blisters pained her that changed his mind. Lily immediately snuggled close, much as she had the day before, laying her head on his shoulder. Minutes later, she began fingering his jacket's lapel.

They had just turned onto the street on which the small tavern stood, when an object in a window caught his eye. He stopped abruptly and entered the small shop. "I thought we were eating," Lily said, but her eyes widened, her expression becoming one of awe at the sight before her.

Toys lined various shelves within, of all varieties: little wooden soldiers, porcelain and rag dolls, toy ships, dollhouses and many other types of items. "I know we were going to eat, Lily, and we are, but I thought you might like to have something from in here, first. You may choose any two items, if you like," he said, setting her on the floor and pushing her forward a bit to explore on her own.

As she gazed around and examined everything around her, James thought she might choose dolls or a dollhouse. Something most girls liked. When she came back to him empty-handed, he raised an eyebrow. "Do you not want anything in here, Lily?" Mary Kate asked. "There are many lovely dolls."

"Or do you already know what you want, and would rather have me pick it up for you?" he asked, remembering yesterday's experience at the fruit cart.

Lily nodded. "Will you come and get them? Momma never let me touch anything that wasn't clothes."

James smiled. That explains it. "Of course I will." He allowed her to lead him where she wanted. "Which items do you want, Lily?"

"Can I have that right there?" she asked, pointing to a small black cloth puppy.

"I told you that you could have any two items you wanted. The puppy is a very fine choice," he said, handing it to her. She immediately cuddled it to her chest. "What other toy would you like to have?"

She hesitated, scuffing the toe of her shoe on the floor. "Commodores are boat people like Captain Hen'erson, right?" she asked, looking up at him rather bashfully.

"They are, in their own way, yes," he answered, unsure of what she intended.

"I want a boat that looks just like yours, then."

He started, dazed that she should want a toy ship—especially one that looked like the Dauntless. "You do?" he croaked.

"Mmhmm. That's a all right choice, isn't it?"

"It is, Lily," he said, struggling to find his voice. "You simply surprised me, is all. I had expected a doll or a dollhouse."

Lily looked at him, shaking her head. "But I don't like those. I had a doll and Papa just throwed it at me." It astounded him that she could just state such instances of abuse so bluntly. But, he supposed, being mistreated had no doubt been an everyday occurrence for her, and was the only thing she knew. "I can have a boat instead, can't I?"

"Yes," James snapped out of the trance he had fallen into and gave her a warm smile. "Yes, of course you can." He searched through the various toy ships in the shop and quickly located one that resembled the ship in the bay as closely as possible. He picked it up and handed it to her. "Here you are. You're certain this is what you want?"

Lily took the ship, managing to keep hold of her stuffed puppy, and looked the toy over. "Yes," she said, a brilliant smile spreading across her face. She then looked at him with an innocent expression. "Can we eat now?" she asked, biting her lower lip.

James chuckled. "Yes. We can eat now. Just as soon as these are paid for."

They left the shop moments later with their new purchases, continuing on their way to the tavern for lunch. James was, once again, carrying Lily, who held onto her new toys with both hands. Mary Kate walked alongside them at a serene pace. Lily began chattering, more so than she had that morning. Mostly, she spoke of where she might put the ship in her room.

She was still chattering away when they entered the usually dim tavern. The windows were open, however, adding a considerable amount of light to the lit candles and oil lamps scattered around. When she noticed the change in surroundings, she became more silent, but apparently, the sight of so many in uniform seemed to comfort her enough that she did not withdraw as she usually did.

"Commodore on deck!" shouted a sailor in the back.

James hurried to wave them back into their seats before they all rose completely. "I am out of uniform and off-duty, Gentlemen. There is no cause to stand on ceremony, nor to treat me as a superior officer at this time. Please, sit back down and enjoy yourselves."

"James! I hadn't expected you to come check up on me!" Gillette's voice called out from somewhere in the middle of the room.

"Mister Lieutenant!" Lily exclaimed, squirming to be set down. James did so, amused by the various teasing laughs directed at the lieutenant from the rest of the men, then quickly placed their orders with the bartender. "Look at what James gave me!" she called out, surprising him with her greeting, especially considering how shy she had been when Nathan left the night before.

"Really, James, a ship?" Thomas Evans asked. "What possessed you to get such a toy for her?"

"You are aware she is a girl, and girls usually like things like dolls, aren't you, Sir?" asked Mister Hawke, the helmsman of the Dauntless, as he took advantage of being able to address James as more of an equal.

Lily scrunched her nose. "I don't like dolls."

"I heartily agree with you, Lily," Nathan said. "Dolls aren't always all that nice to have around."

James raised an eyebrow as he found two seats next to Gillette for Mary Kate and himself. "I allowed her to pick what she wanted. She chose a ship. You can even ask Miss Birch."

"It is true. It was her choice," Mary Kate confirmed as James slid her chair in for her. "Thank you, James." He ignored the raised eyebrow Gillette questioned him with and sat down. Lily tried to climb up into his lap, but was unable to do so until he placed her ship on the table.

"Well, in any case, it is a fine choice of a toy," Nathan said. "It's always nice to know someone in the port appreciates the Navy."

"Indeed," James agreed as their food was placed in front of them. Especially when a child chooses a toy because of what you do.

. . . . . . . . . .

Love it? Detest it? I'd like to know!

Author's Responses:

Emma lOu: I'm glad you liked that part! I know I certainly enjoyed writing it. I can't recall at the moment how the idea of her licking her bowl came to me, but it just seemed to fit with the moment, I guess. As for Norrington and love, well, you'll just have to wait and see for now. ;)

Mia: I agree: small, cute children can really help a story.

Cheska: Thank you. Ack! I'm trying to write faster…I swear I am. If I could get it all finished, I would certainly update more often, but as details beginning to trickle in, it's becoming difficult to stay ahead. I am trying, though. ;) Yes, 'poor James' is fitting, and I'm glad you think Lily is cute. :)

InaraSerra: [whew] The natural and comfortable relationship is what I was going for. :p Though I do worry at times that I might be pacing it all too fast. But then I remember that she has also had two months or so away from her father before she arrived, so that helps me justify it a bit in my mind. No, her father isn't very nice, or doesn't seem to be, and I'll be revealing more about her past as I go, though some if it might come to light in this story's "parent story" (if that makes sense). As for Miss Birch, she's just a new friend of his. I'm glad you're enjoying it, though, and I'm also glad that Norrington's being seen as the human he is. :p

Ms. Baldwin: I actually wondered about her mimicking him as well. I guess it helped the story and stuff. :p

LoneGunGirl88: I'm glad my characters are easily likeable. I'm also pleased to find my descriptions are pleasant. I do try to write them so that they aren't overpowering and all.

Sallie: [blushes] Thank you. I'm very flattered that you hold my story in such regard.

Moonbeam: Thank you. And don't worry about being late with a review or anything like that. There's no need to apologize for real life things.

Eledhwen: I'm so glad that this is true to period and stuff. I've been trying to research all sorts of things to keep this accurate and all, though some of it is difficult to find where I am, and online at times. As for Lily meeting Elizabeth, well… :p

Jaina Kenobi: He was a bit over his head, wasn't he? :p As for Miss Birch and his current relationship with her, they're just friends. If I can ever get my other story completed enough to start posting here, you might like it, though you may also not like it. I'm not sure of your tastes, so… :p

Thank you all again for your lovely comments. I'll return next weekend with Chapter 7.

Take care until then!

- Seaweed