In my mind I'm where I belong, as I rest in your arms… -DC Talk
The next morning was full of headaches when James Norrington finally opened his eyes to the morning light. He shut his eyes quickly when the sunrays hit his eyes, and rolled over and groaned. "What a night." He muttered to himself.
Not like he could remember if it was or not.
He faintly remembered Bianca screaming, and Jack. James' brow quickly furrowed when he thought of the pirate captain. He stood up quickly and then sat back down, feeling all the blood rush from his head. He paused for a moment and then stood up again- slowly.
He opened his door and quickly shielded his eyes from the late morning sun. Slowly he made his way across the ship, maneuvering himself around the other crewmen and finally to the Captain's cabin. He entered without knocking and paused a moment for his eyes to adjust.
"Try knockin' Nathan."
James slammed the door behind him and said, "What the devil did you do to me last night?"
Jack raised a brow, "I didn't do anythin'."
"What'd you do? Slip poison into my drink or something?"
Jack grinned, "I imagine this is your first hangover…Commodore, what you experienced was Rum, the worlds finest."
James still wasn't satisfied. "You got me drunk!" He said, indignant.
"You got yerself drunk. I never knew two mugs could get someone drunk. I thought for you at the most five…but two…" he shook his head.
"You could be hung for this!"
Jack rolled his eyes, "I could be hung on a lot more, Commodore. Things a lot more important as well. Do you even know if gettin' drunk is breakin' a law?"
James pursed his lips, "You knew exactly what you were doing! Admit it!"
Jack's expression quickly changed from comical to serious, and he said, "Aye. I knew what I was doin'. Too bad you can't remember."
James frowned, "Remember what?"
Why bother? Jack thought to himself, "Remember that you got yerself out of here jus' when I was about t' give ye another…" He looked at the Commodore, "Two mugs of rum an' some harmless jokes…that's all the night consisted of, Norrington. Nothing illegal an' nothin' deep."
James paused, looking at Jack, wondering if he was telling the truth or not. Of course it was always hard to tell with Jack. Norrington's response was cut short when the ship suddenly jolted forward and the two men had to brace themselves against the walls of the cabin.
Ana Maria came in seconds later, "Jack, it's the bloody Royal Navy! Some Lieutenant shouting over that yer his! What is he talkin' about?"
Jack shot a glance towards the Commodore and growled under his breath. He started to go out the door but James grabbed his arm, "They'll board," he said in barely a whisper.
"Captain!" Ana Maria yelled, still in the doorway.
Jack looked at the Commodore, "Got any bright idea's then?"
Norrington smiled and looked at Ana, "Have they seen any of the crew before?" She shook her head and he nodded, "Stay in here…"
Jack was indignant, "I'm the Captain of this bloody ship! No way am I staying in this cabin!"
James turned to him, his head still spinning a little but tried to look calm and confident, "If they know you're here, they'll board and take you back t' Port Royal. I know he will."
Jack stared at him for a moment and then whispered, "What if the bloat recognizes you?"
James paused and then shrugged, "I'll figure something out." And then left the cabin. Ana Maria stared at Jack for a moment and then walked up to him, "What the blast is that 'bout? Yer the bloody Captain! They fired a bloody canon into our hull!"
"And I intend to stay Captain, luv. Now go out there and follow along with Nathan's plan."
Ana gave him a skeptical look but then walked out of the cabin.
Norrington took a deep breath as his eyes refocused to the sunlight and he finally recognized the man standing tall and above all the rest. It was the Lieutenant Jonathan Wilson. "I ask again, who are you?" he called over to Norrington.
James straightened up, "I'll answer that when yer commandin' officer comes out of hidin' boy."
Wilson sneered, "I am in command of this ship. Lieutenant Jonathan Wilson of Port Royal, British Royal Navy."
James smirked, "I don't care."
The younger man pursed his lips together, "Who are you?"
"Nathan Anderson, Captain of this 'ere ship, the Black Pearl." The crew seemed to hold their breath, looking from person from person and eventually looking for the real Captain, but not finding him, their eyes fell upon Ana who gave them a stern look of 'go with it'.
Wilson raised a brow, he wasn't fooled easily, unfortunately. "The legends of the Black Pearl since Jack Sparrow's escape are infamous, Captain…Where is he?"
James swallowed, "Deserted. The fool doesn't learn who not to trust."
"Then you have a death wish yourself."
James smirked, despite what he was feeling, "I didn't say he was alive when I deserted him, Lieutenant." The young man's eyes widened and Norrington stepped forward, "Now, what's yer business blowin' holes in my ship?"
But the Lieutenant had caught something in the other man's story, "Captain, Jack Sparrow was in our jail not more than a week ago…when did you murder him?"
Ana Maria couldn't take it anymore, "We picked him up there, you fool an' then did him in! Now go back t' yer bloody Commodore an' tell him the facts!"
The young man in the red coat took the rather unsubtle hint quickly and told his men to go back to Port Royal. Ana Maria sighed and looked at Norrington, "Not a bad performance, Anderson. You managed up enough confidence to act like a Captain. Well done."
Norrington smiled, somewhat happy that Ana Maria didn't hate him. Jack quickly came out of his cabin and looked at Norrington, "Thanks…" he said coming up to him. "Guess I'm not the only man here with tricks up his sleeve."
After getting his head back, James began to think about the encounter with Jonathan. The whole thing seemed to be wrong. In lots of ways.
What was a lieutenant doing on a ship by himself without a commanding officer? What was he doing over here?
Before James had time to answer any of these questions Bianca sat down across from him at the small round table in the galley. "Quite a display you put out there today."
James shrugged, "To save the Captain's skin…"
She looked at him, "I guess you paid back the debt, correct?" The look on her face was stern- unmoving.
He swallowed, "Debt? What debt?"
"You were dead drunk last night! And I'm sure you would've been dead if the Captain hadn't done something."
Norrington paused, What"What are you talkin' about?"
"I'm talkin' about you being like every other guy on this bloody boat!"
What did she expect? "A pirate…?"
"Aye. Bloody scoundrels the lot of them!"
"And…"
She turned away, her voice lowering a little and her curly dark hair covering her face, "I knew it when you stepped on this ship. I saw it, Ana saw it…" she turned her eyes towards him, "You were different…"
He frowned, not quite sure how to answer that, "And the importance of my being different would be?"
Bianca sighed, sitting back. Should I tell him the truth?
What is it that has gotten you in the past? "It would've been a nice change…" she said finally.
Norrington sighed as well, looking down at his mug, "Don't get any thoughts about me, I'm just like everyone else here…"
Bianca leaned in, "That's where yer wrong through…"
He looked up, "How so?" he said, irritated that she kept going on.
She shook her head, "There's somethin' about you…I can't put my finger on it- but it's somethin' definitely not…pirate."
James slowly got up, "If you excuse me…" She shrugged and he quickly left the galley and escaped to the refuge of his cabin.
Ana Maria frowned. The noise had become too much. "Sit down, would you? Yer gonna wear a hole in the bloody floor."
Bianca frowned at her room mate, "It ain't botherin' what yer doin'."
"I'm tryin' to sleep!"
She rolled her eyes and sat down on her cot. "What's got you so worked up anyhow?" Ana asked.
Bianca narrowed her eyes deviously, "I'll tell you that when you tell me what's goin' on between you and the Captain."
Ana turned her head towards the other pirate, "Nothin' that concerns you! Or ever will!" Ignoring the look Bianca was giving her, she turned her head back around and said, "I didn't stay on this ship so I could be the Captain's whore."
"I'm sure you didn't intend on it…" Bianca said, and a moment later a thought flew through her head and out her mouth, "You haven't-"
"No!" Ana said, cutting her off, "I haven't slept with him," she paused, "Not like it would be yer business if I did…" She paused again, "And I'm not gonna sleep with him…"
Bianca smiled, knowingly, "Whatever you say."
"Oh good grief, just go t' bed!"
But when Bianca tired to shut down her mind she remembered why she was pacing in the first place. Thoughts of Nathan were keeping her awake. In fact, thoughts of Nathan were keeping all of her attention and focus busy. And although confronting him about his drunken state had been somewhat satisfactory, she didn't get the response she wanted.
She was attracted to him, that had become obvious on the first day- but she wasn't the type of woman to go throwing herself at a man, nor was she the kind of woman who would go out of her way to speak her mind to a man either.
So why was Nathan different?
She usually was someone who went with the flow of things- if a man pursued her, she would be willing, but she never, ever pursued or sought out a man. Since her last 'big' relationship, men seemed optional, at the least.
But with Nathan…with Nathan she saw something different in him. She could see him going places, other than being a pirate. She could see him being a king of a large country. And from his conduct today, she was sure he had a hidden profession.
She could also see herself being apart of that hidden profession.
And that's what was keeping her from being her 'go with the flow' self.
His mouth watered.
His taste buds longed for it.
What 'it' was, he wasn't quite sure, but he wanted some.
He needed some.
Snap out of it! Keep your mind focused on something else.
But something screamed for him to go to the cabin and get what he wanted.
No! I'm not going in there. If Jack…The Captain knew, he'd throw me off the ship.
"Nathan!" the sudden outburst jolted James Norrington from his craving and thoughts that he looked at Gibbs.
"What?"
"I've been sayin' yer bloody name twice now, what the blast is on yer mind?"
Norrington tensed, "Nothing…"
Gibbs smiled knowingly, his eyes seeming to smile along with his mouth, "A girl, eh?"
The English officer rolled his eyes, "If it was a girl, Gibbs, then I'd be in trouble."
"Ah! So it be a woman…"
"Not really…" Norrington admitted, "Whatever I drank last night with Jack has gotten to me."
Gibbs laughed a rich laugh as James merely smirked. "Well that, I can help you with…" Gibbs reached under his pillow for a small canteen and opened the lid and smelling it, "Nothin' like rum that can clear away yer worries."
James swallowed as guilt suddenly rose up in him and he reached for the canteen Gibbs was holding out.
Like every other guy on this bloody boat!
He drew his hand back slightly and paused, is a pirate now my conscience? He waited a moment and then reached for it again, getting closer this time.
Like every other guy
Norrington sighed and dropped his hand, "Suddenly, I'm not thirsty…" he said going to his cot and sitting down. He sighed and took off his hat, running his hand through his hair.
It's bad when a pirate keeps you from drinking.
You shouldn't be drinking in the first place! You're a Commodore of the Royal Navy! Under the Crown!
He sighed again and laid down. Gibbs shook his head, "So it is a woman."
Norrington turned his head slightly, "Not sure…But Bianca was givin' me quite a tongue lashing earlier."
The older man frowned, "Bianca? Are you sure yer not thinkin' of Ana Maria? Bianca doesn't tongue lash anyone…even if they deserve it."
Norrington nodded, "Oh it was her…dark, curly, long hair? Big, beautiful blue eyes? Yeah…it was her."
Gibbs smiled, "Indeed…"
James looked at him, "What?"
Gibbs shrugged, "What the tide brings…" he said and then laid down himself, blowing out the candle next to his cot and somewhat cutting off the conversation. Norrington sat in his cot a few moments longer, thinking about what Gibbs had said about Bianca not giving anyone a lashing. Odd…He's known her longer than I have…you'd think he'd know what she was like and if she did that to people.
Then why'd she bother with you? A pirate who 'just came off the road'?
Good question. Too bad I don't have an answer.
Can I ask you something? Have I ever given you reason not to trust me? Do us a favor- I know it'll be difficult for you, but stay here- and try not to do anything…stupid.
"But you did give me reason not to trust you Jack…I was going to be your leverage. How could you do that and walk away with a clean conscious?"
"But I wasn't goin' t' do that! It was just part of my plan! If I told Gibbs I had nothin- I'd have no crew, an' then there was no Elizabeth
"You didn't care about Elizabeth. You didn't care about me."
"Then how come I saved your life?"
You forget your place, Turner.
It's right here…between you and Jack.
"And that? You saved mine."
"I realized you were a good man Jack…"
"So you do trust me…"
"I'm not sure Jack...was saving my life the opportune thing to do? So you could finally kill Barbossa, is that why you brought me along to begin with?"
"Will…you don't understand! I wasn't expecting to…to…"
"Care?"
"No! I can't get attached! NO!"
"Then I have no reason to trust you."
Jack woke up with a jolt and quickly hit the wooden floor with a thud. He moaned and opened his eyes, letting his eyes adjust to the dark. Too close t' the edge you fool, he told himself. He slowly moved back up to his bed and sighed. "What a nightmare." He whispered under his breath. Not like it wasn't anything he hadn't experienced before. Dreams of the past adventure he shared with Will had been haunting him for at least two months.
There's gotta be something…anything I can do… That thought had crossed his mind a little less than a month before and he had intended on trying to get of the horrid dreams, but things had come up and his plan had been dashed.
Though he wasn't sure why he hated them so. Most of them were the exact memory, no inserts of himself or Will and no extra conversations between the two, but the past two weeks, they had grown worse. Will had started doubting him, hating him, yelling and cursing him...
That was most likely what Jack hated the most. He didn't want that kind of reaction from Will.
Jack sighed and rolled over, trying to think of what he was going to do when the sun rose the next morning and how he was going to get back to sleep. A thought crossed his mind, and though absurd- Jack hoped it would work. "One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight…"
Author thanks:
Padme17: uhmmm I actually do have an ending for the story and I'm currently writing chapter twelve…and I think I'm pretty close to an ending. We'll see… But I don't really have a plot for a sequel…their might be one…I dunno- I need a plot.
Dawnie-7
PiratePrincess91: Thanks…I hope I keep doing a good job with the two pirates. And Norry and Bianca…it's rather sweet really. And I like that! Giving him more ties to a pirate then he would want! I really like that! Can I use that?