Title: Reflection

Rating: PG

Genre: Angst

Summary: Appearance was important to everyone, but especially to those that had high places in the world.

Disclaimer: End of Dead Man's Chest-era fic. I own nothing.

Author's Notes: Based on the song "Reflection" from the movie Mulan and the image of Mulan with half her makeup on and half of it off. Much love to classicslover on LiveJournal for beta-ing this for me Feedback is appreciated!

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Appearance was important to everyone, but especially to those that had high places in the world. If even one thing was out of place, you would be labeled, and to be labeled was the next to worst thing that could happen to a person. The worst thing of course would be to lose your job. Without that to stabilize you, you had no chance of survival in the world. You ceased to exist and after time, you would throw everything aside and forget who you used to be. The things that you held important back when you had your life, would be forgotten and you would end up losing yourself.

This was exactly what had happened to James Norrington. But he was about to reclaim his life with what was held in a small satchel on Lord Beckett's desk.

When he was allowed the chance the clean up after giving Lord Becket his cherished prize, James shut the door to the small room and sat down in front of the water bowl and the mirror. Staring at his reflection, he almost laughed at himself. His hair was askew and going in directions he didn't know was possible. His eyes were tired and deep beyond that he saw a pain that had grown in intensity due to past events. Cupping the water in his hands he cleaned off the left side of his face first. Leaning back in the chair, he looked at his reflection now.

His left half now mildly resembled what he once was, someone of worth, someone that was strong and wouldn't turn to such things as his right half had recently. His right side remained the same, untouched by the clear water waiting in the bowl beneath him. It was an ever-present reminder of the things he had become. Steadying his breathing, he cleaned the right side as well and putting the hand towel to his face, breathed in its slight perfumed scent.

Pushing the chair back, and looked into the mirror one last time. Who was he, really, the left or right side? Or was it a combination of both? Shrugging his jacket back on, he opened the door to the hallway and decided that, in time, he would find his true reflection.

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Author's Notes: Thank you for reading! Please submit a review!