A/N: Soo...because my life is apparently more melodramatic than anything I could ever write, I found out this week that the friend I'm staying with is losing her place because of issues with her contract, so she has to move. Given that I have nowhere else to go, I'm gonna need to uproot, move cities, and go and stay with family. Not good, but hey, maybe a new beginning is in order seeing as finding a place in this city has been dead ass impossible. I really want to do my best not to allow this to interfere with updates. I'm working on slowly stockpiling chapters so if things get rough I can have them ready to go and post easily, but if things end up being a little bit late I'm sorry! I do apologise for the ongoing melodrama in these notes and if it's tiring to hear about - just imagine how much *fun* it is to live. It's been a whole ass time of it, but at least I'll be able to write a very eventful autobiography one day.
That being said, I've said it a thousand times and I'll say it again, the sheer loveliness of you guys has made the last ~7 months bearable and I'm massively grateful for it - and I'm very excited about the plans I have for the rest of the story. And I also cannot believe this story is one year old next month! This one's just a wee quiet one, but Jack is back in the next one which is always something to look forward to.
It was difficult to enjoy their last day together before James' departure, mostly because the departure loomed heavily before them. It was the same sort of thing that had made a Sunday infinitely less enjoyable than a Friday, or even Monday itself, back when she was still in school. It was almost laughably easy to be so concerned with making the most of the time they had left together that they failed to enjoy it altogether.
The setting of the sun filled her with dread, and when they found themselves curled up together in bed she didn't want to close her eyes because she knew when she next opened them it would be morning and he'd have to go. Maybe this was the sort of thing Aerosmith were singing about in that one song.
They'd spent the evening picking at their dinner without eating much before finally retreating up the stairs to make love - a phrase that she'd once scoffed at, but the only one that fit the bill here. Soft and slow and hopelessly tender, when they were done she couldn't help but cling to him like a damn barnacle, taking some comfort in the fact that he seemed to be experiencing much the same thing, always finding some excuse to touch her - as if he needed one.
"What will you do while I'm gone?" He asked quietly.
"Languish in bed - refusing to dress or eat, counting down the seconds until you return," she replied with a dramatic sigh, rolling onto her back and stretching out "My grand finale will be staring at the wallpaper til I go mad. You'll come back to Hattie tying me to the bedposts for my own safety."
"Anybody who's known you for five seconds would know you're not capable of such behaviour."
"It's what you've driven me to. Shocking, isn't it?"
"It was a serious question, Theodora," he nudged her out of her ever-joking habit.
"I'll go visit Jack," she made a face "Probably the day after you leave. Make a show of being the good little wife. Put some thought into how we might move forward."
"I shall be thinking on the same matters," he nodded "This venture affords an opportunity for me to assess our situation. He's keeping a close eye on Governor Swann, but there must be a way. Perhaps he'll entrust his keeping to me, and then I can use that."
"And then you'll be the first one that's blamed when we help him escape."
"That is the problem. The same could be said for you and Sparrow, though, if he does anything foolish - which, I might add, he is bound to do. Be careful."
"I'm always careful."
"Then I dread the day when I see what reckless looks like."
"Stay with me here forever and I promise to keep a lid on it," she teased.
"Would that I could," he snorted.
"What will you do while you're gone?"
"Languish in bed - refusing to dress, nor eat, until we're reunited."
"Good lad," she laughed "Beckett won't have any idea what to make of that."
"Mm. Yet it may lend credence to the witch rumours."
"It'll do wonders for my ego, though."
"Ego?"
"Sense of self confidence."
"Oh, well in that case."
Theo smiled, and then it turned into a sigh. Her eyelids were growing heavy but she didn't want to sleep. It was difficult here with him, but without him? It would plunge her back into the old days - being here with nobody who truly knew her. Yes, she had Hattie, but she didn't know the full truth, and his warning to watch her words around her just to be extra cautious still lingered in the back of her mind.
"A week," he murmured as if sensing her thoughts "Possibly less."
"Maybe more."
"I doubt it," he said "But it's not impossible. With things as they are, we have to account for the unexpected."
Oh, how she longed for a day when the unexpected was…well, actually unexpected. When she could trust that the ground wouldn't give way beneath her feet with her next step forward. Her face must've betrayed her thoughts, for he continued.
"But not much more. And then, one day, no more. No Jones, no Beckett."
It was meant to reassure her, but it only made her feel guilty. Between the two of them, there was only one who was about to sail off and face Davy Jones himself, and he was busy comforting her.
"And in the meantime, you'll have your lucky charm," taking up his hand, she smoothed her thumb over the pale ring that sat on his finger.
"My two lucky charms - the other is in my coat pocket," he murmured.
It warmed her heart that he'd taken on her necklace as such a totem. She never would have guessed that he might when she'd left it behind for him all that time ago - it was mostly meant to be a gesture of how serious she was about the verse she'd left it tucked in beside.
"I must ask something of you while I'm gone, though," he continued.
Theo said nothing, waiting for elaboration rather than asking for it.
"I would prefer it if you stayed away from the beach - the secret one that you and Hattie frequent - and if you refrained from swimming."
"Oh?" she frowned.
Of all the things she'd expected, that hadn't been it.
"I'm being overcautious, of that I'm certain, but it would set my mind at ease. It's too secluded. Too much of an opportunity for those who may mean you ill."
"A drowning is easy to fake," she murmured.
As she did, she pulled the covers up about her shoulders, a chill suddenly settling over her.
"I was trying not to word it like that," he said flatly "Again, I'm being overcautious - of that I'm certain. If I believed you to be in real, dire danger then I would not leave at all. But it would set my mind at ease."
"All right."
"What?"
"All right," she repeated "I'll stay out of the water."
And she'd even resist making a Jaws joke about it, too.
"I hadn't expected to secure your agreement so easily," he admitted.
"What can I say? I have to keep you on your toes somehow. Or maybe I just want to avoid arguments tonight."
"Perhaps I should leave more often," he teased.
"No. You shouldn't."
The kiss he pressed to the top of her head told her he agreed.
The night that followed was both very long and far too short all at once. Theo spent it dozing more than sleeping - her eyes constantly flying open and relief washing over her when she found the room still dark. Found that they still had time. Of course, the price of that relief was the dread and disappointment when they opened for a final time and found the room filled with dull daylight. Then she shifted onto her back and found James standing at the foot of the bed, dressed in full uniform save only for his hat and his boots, and her heart sank even further.
"Why didn't you wake me?" she asked, voice rough from sleep.
"I was just about to. It's a foul morning," he sighed.
Sitting up, she drew her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs. She felt even more naked for how entirely dressed he was, but any sense of self-consciousness she might've once had around him in that regard was already completely long gone.
"Worried I'd beg you to stay?" she teased half-heartedly, her attempt at cheer not even reaching her face.
"No, you never would," he said, and the fact that he knew her so well sent another wave of sadness through her "Although I did dread the way you're looking at me presently."
If it was anything like the solemn resignation on his face, she understood why.
"A week," she said softly "Just a week."
"Perhaps less," he nodded in agreement.
Possibly more.
"I'm unused to dreading departures such as this," he admitted quietly.
"Usually your goal would be a noble one," she said.
He could hardly be blamed for not having much enthusiasm for seeing through Beckett's schemes for power. Giving a heavy sigh as if to agree, he retrieved his finely polished boots from where they stood by the door and sank into the chair by her vanity to put them on. Theo realised she hadn't exactly ended on a cheery note, so she pressed on.
"But this one is still good…just in a more roundabout way. Before long, Jones will no longer have the kraken at his beck and call, meaning we stand a chance in the future. Plus, you have a chance to buy us some goodwill and trust as far as Beckett himself is concerned. We'll be able to use that."
Having pulled one boot on, he regarded her with some small amount of amusement, a fond smile that was still tinged with sadness on his face.
"I've been telling myself much the same all morning."
"See, that's how you know it's right."
"Because you think so, too?" he huffed a laugh.
"Because we agree on it. Doesn't happen too often, does it?"
"I'm sure we'll refrain from making a habit of it," he said drily.
Theo offered a small smile in return. He was likely right. Silence loomed as he pulled his other boot on and then stood, tucking his hat beneath her arm and then finally turning his gaze to her. Returning his gaze evenly, she pressed her lips together and then sighed. She wouldn't beg him to stay - he was right about that. Not only because she knew he couldn't, and not even because a childhood spent being a military brat had somewhat prepared her for departures such as these, but mostly because she knew he wanted to leave no more than she wanted him to leave. She refused to make it more of an ordeal by acting stupidly and selfishly.
"Of course," he sighed, coming to sit by her at the edge of the bed "I'm unused to leaving behind a wife, too."
"I'm honoured to factor into the equation," she murmured - and was only half teasing.
To distract the great James Norrington from his duty was no small thing.
"Of course you do," he snorted, tucking an errant lock of hair behind her ear before sighing "The veriest sap, indeed."
There was nothing left for him to do now but say his goodbyes and actually leave. They both knew it, too. But seeing as neither of them were quite ready for it, it left them in this sort of limbo - unable to do much else, but not quite willing to tear off the band-aid just yet. Time was hardly going to wait for them, though, and he directed a grim look towards the window and sighed.
"I must away. Being late on my first real day of duty will hardly prove my reliability to Beckett."
"All right," she nodded "I love you."
Dipping his head towards her, he kissed her softly - and then when he pulled back he hesitated and then kissed her again. Two kisses turned into three, and then three into five, then more - all of them chaste even if they lingered, neither of them wanting to pull away properly because then he really would have to leave. But it couldn't go on forever, and finally they did part, James lifting her hand and pressing his final kiss to the backs of her fingers.
"I love you too," he said "And you will be well."
"I will be," she nodded "So will you."
She said the last part like it was an order - and maybe it was. If he went and got himself hurt doing something gallant and brave, she'd never bloody well forgive him.
"As will I," he agreed, and then he was rising to his feet and adorning his hat.
Theo was already fiddling with her wedding ring, turning it round and round on her finger. This part was the worst part, she knew that. When he was gone, she could stop dreading his departure and just get on with things…and then start worrying about his safety around Jones and his motley crew of monsters.
The door to their bedroom clicked open as he turned the doorknob, and the outside world came rushing in. He felt it too, she could tell by the way he squared his shoulders and lifted his chin, becoming very much Admiral Norrington right before her eyes. Lingering in the doorway, James' brow furrowed slightly before he finally bowed his head as a way of goodbye - apparently sharing her thought that goodbye itself sounded too final.
"I'll see you soon," she offered.
It was the best she could do, but judging by the tight-lipped smile it drew out of him, it worked.
"Soon," he agreed with a final nod, and then he stepped out of the room entirely, closing the door behind him.
Theo remained there unmoving, listening as he descended the stairs, bid goodbye to Hattie, and then finally as the heavy front door shut in his wake. Only then did she move, sighing heavily and slumping back into the bed. She smacked the back of her head off of the headboard as she did so, and very much hoped that it wasn't some sort of ill omen as she lay there, rubbing her scalp with a grimace. Hopefully soon would be sooner rather than later.
One thought, however, did comfort her. None could be dreading this day more than Gillette probably was.
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