Disclaimer: I don't own POTC. Chapter title is a poem by John Masefield.

A/N: The chapters have been short, I know. Here's a nice long one. I'm so sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I've been SWAMPED with finals and now that I'm home my PC sucks. Here we go.

Chapter 10: Sea Fever

But despite his best efforts, Jack's sudden urge to sail off to Colombia on his newly recovered Pearl did not go over well at all. William simply would not take "a simple adventure" as an excuse, and although Gabriel said nothing, it was clear that he had the same thoughts.

The entire predicament reached its peak when Jack began bellowing with his rarely seen captain-consuming rage and then stormed out of the house, hollering something like "You have no right to tell me what I may or may not do with my own bloody ship!" It was real ugly.

Priscilla looked over the banister from upstairs. "What is Captain Sparrow so upset about? Gabriel, what did you say to him?"

Gabriel looked up at her, shaking his head. "I didn't say anything."

Camille had her arms crossed in front of her chest. She had tried to calm the men down, but it had been to no avail. As usual Will was worried about where Jack's head was at when it came to Camille vs. treasure, and he had argued his point as vehemently as humanly possible. "Well, that didn't go over too well at all."

"I'll say," Ana Maria said, appearing with Cadence following her. "I could hear him yellin' all the way from the other end of the house. What's gotten him so upset?"

"Jack wants to sail to Colombia," Will said simply, eyeing Camille. She felt a moment of panic, because Ana Maria would never let this slide.

She looked back and forth from the gentlemen to Camille. "Colombia? Why on earth would he choose that country? I've never heard him refer to anything that has to do with Colombia."

Gabriel shrugged. "Neither have any of us," he said as Will opened his mouth again. He quickly shut it, nodding hastily and looking down at the ground.

Ana looked puzzled. "Of all the times for the man to go mad. Does he know where the Pearl's at?"

Camille nodded. "Aye, he's probably there at the moment."

Will sighed. "It's probably best to let him brood over this for awhile. But this discussion is not over."

Camille bit her lip, weighing the pros and cons of going to Jack. No, she had to be strong. This curse could not get the best of her nerves yet. She nodded after Will spoke, but knew that he was still watching her reactions very carefully.

She was very grateful when the doorbell rang, and flitted off immediately to answer it, though Annie was there. She swung back the door and gasped in surprise. There was James Norrington. In all that had happened recently, she had completely forgotten about their deed. Plus, she was harboring a pirate!

But there was something very different about him. He was not wearing his blue officer's uniform; not even a red one. Could he have been demoted so low? Even his powdered wig was gone, as he showed the brown hair that she'd never known him to have.

She opened the door wide, making a curtsey and gesturing him inside. "Won't you please come in, Commodore?" she said, figuring it was much more polite to call him by the incorrect title rather than no title at all. "Mr. Norrington" just didn't sound right to her.

He nodded. "Thank you, Miss Quartermaine. But I'm afraid I am to be referred to as James Norrington from now on," he said with no change in intonation.

"Very well," she said. She was not going to question him. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

He looked at her, and his eyes looked rather saddened. He cleared his throat. "I have come to ask your permission to say my final farewells to your father." Seeing the shocked look on Camille's face, he explained "I'm leaving for England in one week's time."

"I see," she said, leading him through the halls. "You will find his epitaph just beyond the flower garden. It's a bit of a walk."

Norrington smiled. "That's quite all right. Thank you, Miss Quartermaine." After he exited to the garden, Camille let her jaw drop in horror. She turned around, and sure enough Will and Ana Maria were standing there with the same expressions on their faces.

"Oh my God, did we just ruin his career?" Camille asked.

Ana Maria bit her lip. "I think so."

"This is not good," Will added.

But there really wasn't anything that the three of them could do to correct it. They had done what pirates do, and chosen between their captain and his enemy. But she felt horrible. "It didn't even cross my mind that he would be punished for losing the Pearl."

"Well, what did you think was going to happen?" Ana Maria asked.

"I assumed the men would just be reprimanded. I mean, he is a very good soldier," Will admitted.

"It was the last pirate ship in the Caribbean…" Camille said, leaving off in the middle of her thought.

"Why the guilt anyway, Camille? I thought you despised the King's Navy."

"It's only that little prat Gillette whom I despise," she said sourly. "The King's Navy has never done me any wrong. I've always thought James to be a decent person, as well. Besides, not once has the man tried to get into the marriage bed."

"And a man of that nature is worthy of your liking?" Will guessed.

She nodded. "Aye," she said, grinning as Gretchen appeared above the stairs.

"Camille? Oh Camille, there you are! I haven't been able to find anyone to fetch my slippers for me. I've no idea where they are," she called down.

Will ducked a little, Ana Maria frowned, and Camille put her hands on her hips. "There are much bigger things going on than the location of your slippers," she replied casually.

Gretchen looked at her, as if she was mishearing. She was not used to being denied every small luxury. She looked at her with a cold stare. "But I need my slippers. My feet will get cold without them."

"I don't think that would be so detrimental to your health, Gretchen." Camille spoke quickly, hoping the faster she dismissed the woman's attitude the sooner it would disappear. And right then an idea was going through her head. Ignoring Gretchen's incessant whining and looked at Ana Maria. "I think it's time to start preparing dinner, don't you think?"

Ana Maria nodded, for once missing the look in her eyes. The small group parted from watching the garden shortly before Norrington came back in. He found Camille with Cadence about to go up to the nursery.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked.

Norrington smiled politely. "Yes. Thank you so much, Miss Quartermaine."

"Please, Mr. Norrington. Won't you stay for dinner?"

Both Norrington and Cadence looked at Camille oddly, but she smiled so sincerely. "I-I don't think so, Miss Quartermaine," he said after recovering himself.

"I am not going to take 'no' for an answer. You were always a very good friend of my father's, I think it would please him greatly."

Norrington nodded. "That may be true, but I couldn't impose."

Camille laughed, making Cadence smile and clap her hands. "We've got extra mouths to feed anyhow. The Thatchers are here all the way from Peru to stay in our house. One more place setting at the table is not going to do us any damage, I assure you."

Norrington didn't know what to say, so he gave in. "Well, I suppose I could stay for a bit."

Camille smiled. "Wonderful. Now if you'll excuse me, I am needed in the kitchen."