What Is & What Will Never Be
Chapter 6
Disclaimer: I do not and cannot obtain ownership of POTC 1, 2, or 3...
CaptainAnna13: I am terribly sorry for not updating sooner, but you must understand that I am trying to write a completely different book at the same time, which I aim to finish by the end of the month. But just for your comment, I'll be posting two chapters by Thursday evening!
Elizabeth just began to feel awake, but did not open her eyes. She sighed as she snuggled into the soft warmth of the bed; the satin sheets soft and cool against her face.
She finally fluttered her eyes open briefly, facing the bright morning sunlight. Only then did she realize what had happened to her the day before.
She turned and rolled over onto her back, groaning in slight pain and fatigue, but smiled when she looked up into the face of her husband, who was standing over her.
"Good morning, darling", he said softly.
"Will", she cried, suddenly getting the feeling that she hadn't seen him in days.
She began to sit up, but Will gently pushed her back down and kissed her.
"Will, I love you so much", Elizabeth murmured as she pulled away from the kiss.
"I love you too."
"Will" She suddenly looked alarmed. "Our baby..."
"She's perfectly fine, darling. She only woke once in the night, and now she's sleeping like a little angel."
Elizabeth leaned over slightly to the side of the bed, and smiled lovingly at the sleeping girl.
"Jenevieve", she said suddenly.
"Oh, Elizabeth, how beautiful", Will said, as he placed a hand on her shoulder. Elizabeth grasped the hand, and looked back at Will, tears shining in her eyes.
"I love you and our daughter so much, Will."
"Oh, Elizabeth." He took her in his arms. "You know I would die without you. I didn't know if having a life with you was possible. But it is, darling. My dream has come true. And now we have our beautiful Jenevieve."
"I was afraid, you know", Elizabeth said softly, pulling back slightly from his embrace.
"Afraid of what, love?"
"Of losing you. I had accepted Commodore Norrington's proposal to save your life. He took it seriously. Oh, Will!" She threw her arms around his neck. "I was almost forced into marriage. To...to him."
Will gently stroked her hair. "Elizabeth, it's alright, my love. We're a family now. Nothing and no one is ever going to take that away from us."
"I know", she said, smiling. "I'm so happy."
Will kissed her smiling lips.
"Do you want to know something?" Elizabeth asked suddenly, mystery in her voice.
"What?"
"Do you remember when were below deck, after you had rescued me from Barbossa, and you were wrapping up my cut hand?"
"Yes."
"...And do you remember...when we almost kissed?"
"Yes, Elizabeth", Will answered, still wondering why she would bring this up.
"I...I wanted to kiss you so much, Will."
Will nodded.
"But then...then the medallion, and you were angry. You were so angry at me, Will."
"Elizabeth..."
"Did you ever forgive me", she asked softly.
"Of course I did", he said gently. "I've regretted that moment..."
Elizabeth interrupted him by placing a passionate kiss on his lips. "Will that make up for it?"
"It certainly will", he said, grinning.
"Do you want to know something else, Will?"
"Ah, more secrets are they, Miss Swann?"
She smiled, but continued. "I said I didn't know why I gave Barbossa your name as mine."
"You did."
"That's not true."
"Not true?"
"I loved you then, probably as much as I do now, William Turner. I had always dreamed of being your wife."
Will suddenly looked serious. "Why did you not tell me this before, Elizabeth?"
"Because...because I am so blissfully happy now, and everything is right, and I love you so, more than ever."
"Elizabeth...Will said slowly. "If you had only known I felt the same way about you. But I waited until the last moment."
"And why did you wait so long, Mr. Turner?"
He smirked. "As Jack said, I suppose it was the opportune moment."
Elizabeth laughed lightly.
"But I should have told you, if not the moment I met you, when we were alone in the cave. My words were unkind. I'm sorry."
"Oh, Will, that's all in the past", Elizabeth said affectionately, putting her hand to his face.
"Yes it is", he replied, kissing her fingers, and then kissed her wedding ring.
They gazed in each other's eyes for a few moments, before they heard Jenevieve start to stir.
Will went to the cradle and placed the awakening baby in her mother's arms.
"Good morning, my precious Jenevieve", Elizabeth said.
The baby girl looked up, her deep brown eyes, the same as her father's, shining in excitement as she looked at her surroundings.
The two loving parents cooed over her, and Elizabeth rocked her, and she fell asleep again with her bottle of milk that the midwife had set aside for her, saying that Elizabeth would be too weak to provide milk herself. Elizabeth was disappointed at this, but obeyed.
"Oh, Will", Elizabeth said after they had settled Jenevieve back in her crib. "Am I imagining it, or was that pirate here?"
Will chuckled. "Oh no, he was. He's most likely still here. And Miss Rochet is here as well."
"Oh", Elizabeth sighed. "It would be the proper thing to see them, and thank them for coming, and their support." She started to get out of bed, but Will stopped her.
"Elizabeth, you're much too weak. They'll understand."
"But Will..." she faintly protested.
"I assure you darling; they will be sticking around for another week. Even if I tried to kick them out, Jack would make excuses, and I would end up allowing him and his lass to stay anyway."
Defeated, Elizabeth sighed, "Okay." She was tired, and her body was achy.
Will adjusted the covers over her. "I'll be back with some hot tea."
Elizabeth smiled at him, and he departed. She looked at her baby beside her, and smiled again, feeling how lucky she was.
Will strode down the hallway, and was just passing the living room to go into the kitchen, when he noticed something, doing a double-take.
"Well, what you know", he muttered. He looked disapprovingly at Captain Jack Sparrow, asleep on the couch, and Jade Rochet curled up next to him, her head lying on his chest.
Will noticed the bottle of rum on the coffee table and just shook his head.
He looked at the clock, and saw that it was a quarter to nine. "Hmm...they'd best be getting up soon."
Almost as soon as he uttered these words, Jack stretched, and looked surprised for a moment.
"Morning, Jack. Sleep well?"
Jack startled at the voice, and looked over to see who it belonged to.
"Will, mate", he yawned. "How's uh...Elizabeth...and uh...baby?"
Will shook his head again. "Fine, Jack, fine. You do have a room Jack. May I ask why you did not use it?"
"Well, ye see, Jade here..."
"Oh, no excuses", Will said a bit annoyingly. "Just get up, clean this..." he motioned towards the rum. "...mess up, and get yourselves cleaned up."
Jade then awakened, and upon seeing Will, apologized, and giving Jack a slight slap, quickly made sure the rum was cleared away, and ushered Jack to their room.
Will laughed to himself. "That's Captain Jack Sparrow for you."
Aboard the navy ship, The Maiden, James Norrington sat in solitude in his chambers, willing the already fast ship to possibly go faster to Port Royal.
He still felt quite horrible about himself, and every time he looked at his bandaged hand, he was again reminded what a horrible, despicable person he was.
"Never, never again", he muttered to himself. "Shall I be so stupid."
"Yes, James, deprecate yourself", James suddenly heard the whispering voice. "It's excellent for you mind."
"No, James. Just accept that what you did was wrong and move on. Be proud of yourself that you have found common sense."
"No! What did I tell you, James? Recognize that what you did was wrong, but beat yourself up for it! Face the consequences!"
"No, no, James...you have a wife...a home...allow yourself to heal..."
"No, shoot yourself!"
"No!"
"No!"
"James!"
"James!"
"James!"
"ENOUGH!" James shouted, throwing his hands up in the air, and stood up, pacing.
"Commodore", Gillette entered the room.
"What?" James snapped.
"You...alright there?"
"Yes, fine", he sighed. "Are we making good progress?"
"Yes, we are. We should arrive in Jamaica in about a week's time."
"Thank you", James replied, and dismissed him.
He sat down, covering his face with his hands. "What is wrong with me? Am I going crazy? Voices in my head? An angel and a devil on my shoulder?"
He shook his head, and tried to relax. "Belle, I'll make it up to you..." he murmured.
"Belle!"
"Yes, come in", Belle beckoned, as she looked up from her sewing.
A woman entered the room. "Belle you need to go on home now, you've worked enough hours already. I appreciate your effort, and I'm paying you extra."
"Well, thank you Miss Melanie", Belle said to the owner of the dress shop. "But I need to finish this dress."
"Belle", Melanie said putting her hands on her hips. "I'll say it once again; go on home now. You've already worked extra hours. It's already 9:30! The shop closed at 7:00. And you've been working extra hours all week."
She waited for Belle to speak, but she did not, so she continued.
"Now, Belle if it's a question of money, you needn't do all this for a raise. You're a fine dressmaker, and..."
"No, it isn't the money", Belle interrupted. "I have a fine living, I live in a beautiful house...we're fine."
"Then what is it?" Miss Melanie asked.
Belle suddenly shed tears.
"Belle..." Melanie came over to her.
"I...I just can't bear coming home to a big, dark, empty house at night again. Commodore Norrington...my husband's been gone for ever so long. I'm probably being selfish, but it seems that ever since we got married, he'd...he'd leave on military assignments and assignments for the Governor..."
"Oh, Belle", Melanie comforted her softly.
"I just keep wondering if he really is leavin' home for work, or just making excuses to get away from me."
"Oh, Belle, Belle", she hushed her, and hugged her. "Certainly not. He loves you." She patted her back. "Thank you for telling me the truth."
Belle nodded, and brushed her eyes.
"Were you having problems before he left this last week?" Melanie asked gently
"Well, yes", she said. "I don't know why things are this way."
"Oh, I'm sure everything will be fine once he gets home."
"Excuse me!" came a call. Both women looked to the door, to see a man peering in.
"Excuse me just a second, Belle", Melanie said and hurried to the front door of the shop.
"Open?" the man asked.
"No, we're technically closed, but what's your business?"
"I've a note addressed to...Mrs. Belle Norrington. I was told I might find her here."
"Oh, yes, she is here. Thank you."
The man handed her the note, and with a tip of his hat, bid her good night.
"Oh, Belle, a note's come for you", Melanie said, as she re-closed the door, and handed it to her.
"Oh", Belle said, and opened it, and quickly read it. "It's from James", she said, a bit surprised. "He wrote at last week, so he should be here by the end of this week."
Belle continued to read it, and smiled a bit.
"What did I tell you? Things will work out fine."
"Well, thank you again Melanie."
"No problem at all."
Okay, next chapter!