What Is & What Will Never Be

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not & cannot obtain ownership of POTC 1, 2, or 3...

James looked at Elizabeth, happily rocking her baby.

'Lovely Elizabeth...you're so happy. You love your husband; you love your baby...what am I doing here? I love my wife...don't I? I shouldn't cause unneeded trouble...'

He cleared his throat once more, resting his hand lightly on the young woman's shoulder.

"Elizabeth"

She looked up at him expectantly.

"I..."

"Darling! What of...?" Will walked into the room, smiling, but his smile turned into a look of confusion.

"Commodore Norrington", he acknowledged politely.

He glanced at Elizabeth. "I...was not aware of your visiting. Elizabeth?" He glanced at his wife again.

"Mr. Turner", Norrington answered. "I give you and Mrs. Turner my congratulations. The Governor as well. He asked me to come on his behalf, moreover—he is engaged in business."

James paused, taking a breath from the sudden, rapid stream of words he had spoken.

"Thank you", Will responded, and went over to his wife.

They were all silent for a moment.

"Is that all, Commodore?" Will asked, before Elizabeth could speak.

The baby suddenly cried out, and Elizabeth hastened to rocking and cooing her.

"Yes, farewell", James said quickly, smiling faintly. He looked back at Elizabeth one last moment before retreating from the room.

James closed the door behind him with a long sigh. He had barely the chance to walk to the corner of the hallway, when he was abruptly stopped.

"Aha! I knew you would pull this!" the captor exclaimed.

"Captain Sparrow!" James growled, flustered.

"Yes..." Jack looked subtly pleased. "At least once ye got me name right. Now, ye better march in there right now an' set things right! Or else..." he fingered his pistol.

James glared at him, his eyes piercing through Jack's like knives.

"If you would let me explain, Sparrow..." he pushed Jack roughly. "No one gets hurt."

"Is that a threat?"

"Only if you make it one."

"In that case, ye better start talkin' pretty darn fast." He clicked his pistol. "Savvy?"

"Nothing happened", James uttered evenly.

Jack shook his head. "S'cuse me, sorry?"

"I said nothing happened!" James yelled angrily, storming away from him.

Jack grabbed his arm. "When you mean nothing do you mean..."

"I mean that I did nothing whatsoever to upset the Turner's marriage and all I did was congratulate them, and yes, I will always care for Elizabeth, but I do have a wife and I love her!"

Jack gaped at Norrington's full eruption of anger as he stormed out of Jack's way and out of the room.

"Shush, my darling", Elizabeth said softly as she opened her blouse for the child.

"Well, Elizabeth. That seemed a bit...odd", Will remarked as he walked around the bed to the other side and sat down.

"Hmm. Yes. You think there's something wrong?"

"Well, you know darling, I never thought he got over you..."

"Will! Come now!" She shook her head. "E—even if he did still care for me, how despicable it would be for him to say so at a time like this!"

She frowned a she refastened her blouse, but smiled again as she caressed the sleepy girl.

"Elizabeth, love" Will's voice caught her thoughts.

"It's not worth getting upset over this. He probably was just coming for congratulations & on your father's behalf."

"I know." She smiled faintly, and offered the baby to Will. He smiled broadly, watching her fall asleep again in his arms. He then gently placed her in the crib next to the bed. As his back was turned, he heard Elizabeth groan.

"Alright, darling?" he asked after tucking their daughter in.

"I didn't realize how exhausted I was."

"Well you have had quite a tiring day; sleep", he murmured as he placed a kiss upon her lips.

The door closed.

Her heart fluttered a she wondered how long it would be for her husband to return. A week? Two weeks? They rarely spent time together, for he was always doing some work for the Governor, such as he was doing now.

She patted the head of the yellow dog that came to sit by her knee. "What of our friends, hmm? What of James?" she cooed to the dog, who wagged its tail at her.

She gently pulled at the gold key in its mouth, but he only growled, unwilling to give it up.

"You silly thing!" she scolded, giving him another pat, and she resumed crocheting.

The yellow dog sunk to his paws, laying flat on the wooden floor.

She flicked her wrists, working her fingers as she weaved the material. She thought again of James.

'James' she put a hand on his wrist, pleading with him through her eyes. He only looked at her, glancing at the traces of red wine on her lips.

'I must go'

She went into distress. 'I wanted tonight to be romantic and carefree, and all this effort—and you abandon me yet again!'

'Belle, you must understand...'

'That these petty things you aren't even getting rewarded for are more important than spending time with your wife?'

'Belle...'

'No' she stood away form him. 'What kind of a marriage is this?'

Her own harsh words echoed through her mind. That was the last thing she had said to him before he left for France—on the Governor's bidding, so he expressed—to see Miss Swann.

Belle questioned if he really loved her, but he must! Oh, he must! She willed him to return, and hoped for a better marriage.

She placed these thoughts aside as she continued to sew and crochet, and pat her furry companion as he whined for attention.

'Hmm hmm hmm...' Jade murmured to herself as she stared into the fire, holding the cup of steaming tea before her face. Her green-gold eyes glowed the way a cat's does in the dark. The day had been long; it was nearly nightfall. She had gone to check up on Elizabeth but an hour ago, but she, Will, and the baby were asleep.

"I wonder what Jack did about..."

"About what?" she felt breath at her neck, and nearly dropped the tea, as she jumped in alarm.

"Easy, love", Jack said.

She shook her head admonishingly at the pirate. "You should /know better, Mr. Sparrow."

"Should I?"

"Well, what have you done?"

"Are you accusing me, Miss Rochet?"

"Aye, that I am." She set the tea on the mantle, and placed her hands on her hips. "So..."

"He's gone."

"Jack! Did you...?"

"No, he said nothing. So I heard."

Jade tentatively put her hand to her lips, remembering. Only knowing the hurt it would cause Belle.

"And he just...left?"

Jack shrugged, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Felt guilty, I s'pose. An' rightly so (that pompous idiot!)"

"Jack" she sat next to him, her eyes filled with inquiry, but Jack put his hand to her lips with a smirk.

"However, the plot does not yet thin." He reached into his coat and drew a folded piece of parchment. "Ol' Commodore dropped it on the way out." He gave it to Jade, who carefully opened it. "Obviously knew he wouldn't have the guts to say it."

Jade read the first few lines.

"He was going to tell her everything. Even about kissing me...il est amoreux de la!"

"Sadly yes. That's why we should burn this letter (he suddenly, when saying 'burn' remembered about his rum being burned quite a while ago, but dismissed the thought).

But I believe the stubborn bloke finally came to a realization about those lovebirds an' realized the consequences."

"Really, Jack? For, what's tormented moi, est le fait that Belle will get hurt."

"Oh, certainly, if this gets in the wrong hands, love."

"What of him now?"

"Farewell, Miss Swann", he whispered into the night as he boarded The Dauntless.

"This was a mistake."

He felt absently through his pockets.

"What? I was sure it was here..."

He felt again. "No! The letter!" he exclaimed frantically.

Running onto the dock, he headed again to the Turner's household—he must not let it get into the hands of anyone—especially not Elizabeth.

il est amoreux de la: He is in love with her

est le fait: is the fact