Chapter 2

She took them out and placed three around his wound.

"What are you going to do?" Elizabeth asked.

"I got to stop the bleeding first," she responded. Elizabeth nodded in understanding and Dalma lifted her hands and began a ritual spoken in a foreign language. The crab figures began to circle around the wound and then shot up to the sky. There was light surrounding the crabs as she spoke. James felt better in a way, he knew that she had revived the missing areas of his stomach and closed the wound.

She then said something else and the light ran straight through James's head. After that he felt relieved and better than after she closed the wound. He didn't know what Dalma had done to him, but he didn't care to ask.

"You should feel better now. I just need you to take off the layers of clothing on your torso to let the air in. Then dress the wound with this," she gave him a white cloth that you use to wrap injuries. He nodded and thanked her. She nodded and walked away back below deck perhaps.

"I have to go talk with Jack about plans so I'll be a while. Ok Elizabeth," he looked at her. She wasn't paying attention at him, she was thinking about James without anything on his torso area. How would he look? Will waved a hand in her face and she snapped back into reality.

She looked at Will and nodded at him not knowing what he had said. Will then ran off to find Jack. James sat up and began to take his coat off. Then he spotted Elizabeth watching him, he could see that she was spacing out.

"Is there something on your mind?" he asked her.

"No, no I'm just a bit shock at how close you almost died and how I was almost caught. That's all," she looked at him and smiled.

"Oh, it's all fine now. Don't stress your self on what happened earlier it's ok," he looked at her and slid off his wet coat.

"But I will never forget this," she stared into his eyes. They both looked away at the same time. James looked down at his uniform blouse he had on and began to take it off. He started to unbutton it until he shrieked at the pain that shot up his stomach.

Elizabeth looked at him and grabbed his hands, "Stop, if it hurts let me do it."

He was shocked at what she offered. For some strange reason she had gotten closer to him. Was it the kiss they had before he was stabbed or was it when she saved him from drowning? He was just happy she was back on good terms with him.

She unbuttoned the rest of his blouse and pulled it off his body leaving the ascot around his neck. She unwrapped that and placed it where all his wet clothes were. Then she stared at his wonderful physique he had. Lean muscles showing and abs poking out. He was gorgeous, she wanted to touch and feel him, but she knew that wouldn't be right.

All she could do was complement, "Wow James I didn't know you had such a great body." She studied him up and down.

He smiled, "Now you do." He jumped off the table, "Can you help me wrap my wound?"

She nodded and grabbed the cloth and wrapped him and secured it. After that she still had her hands placed on the securely made knot she made. There was an awkward silence and Will came back with a scroll. Elizabeth looked and brought her hands down to her side and James turned around and saw Will.

"I see you're doing fine Norrington." He said. Then looking at Elizabeth, "I have the scroll of the seas here. I want you to take a look at it. Since you have Mr. Norrington with you he should be able to help you with the readings. I will be in Jack's office below deck if you need me."

She took the scroll, "Yes I'll be sure to take a look of this, thank you Will."

With that he turned and ran towards the stairs that lead below deck. She turned to James, "Ok let's take a look shall we."

"Ok," he replied. Elizabeth unrolled the scroll and walked towards the railing of the ship, "Come," she signaled him. James walked with her while she studies the scroll.

"Here take a look James it looks more naval to me," she hands the scroll to James in confusion.

"Let's see," he grabs the scroll. He sat on a barrel next to him and Elizabeth was leaning on the rail facing forward at the scroll.

"It looks like a map of all the pirate territories as it seems."

"What?" she asked.

"I don't know about the pirate lords, but this shows where you can find the homes of their kind."

"That won't be useful, we have the Lords with us and their crew," she stared at the scroll, "I wonder why Will would have us look at it instead of Jack."

"He has to have reason," James stated.

Elizabeth took the scroll from James and rolled it back and set it on the table where James was healed. Then she walked back over to him. This time he was standing up facing the big bright moon that hid behind the sea.

"I've been thinking about us James," she says as she leans towards the sea.

He looks at her, "Us?"

"Yes we do have a strange relationship. Don't you think?" she says still staring out into the open.

"I would say," he turns into her direction.

"The proposal, the hurricane, Davy Jones's heart, Beckett, and now. In every moment that I was in danger you risked your life for me and I did nothing in return," she looked at him.

"It's my choice on what I do with my life. There's no need for return on what I do for you. I don't regret anything that I decided for you except…" he stops.

"Except what?"

"Nothing…"

"James I know there's something. Tell me."

"Well the only regret was that I let you go so many times…I didn't stand up, I wanted you to be happy," he looked at her.

"James…" she started to tear up. She knew James loved her, but he did so much he let he go. "James you need to be a man every once in while. You need to express your feelings to someone. I'm here now with you and that's what matters now," she took his hand. He looked into her eyes knowing that he can trust her to be there for him as he does for her. Then he began,

"I don't know what to do ever since your leave for Turner, the hurricane, and now Beckett. I have so much filled up," he looked down at her and hand in his. "I thought so differently when I had you in engagement. Then you were kidnapped by Barbossa's pirates. That pained me so much to see someone I care about just slip through my fingers. Then under orders and by mind I had the whole navy searching for you and to capture Sparrow. What pained me more was letting you go to Turner numerous times. I'm sorry If I can't be the pirate you've always dreamed of."

She started to cry, "Why?" Elizabeth knew why, but asked to just to hear him tell her he loved her.

"Because, I love you Elizabeth." She knew it was coming and how sweet it sounded when he said it to her. Will hasn't told her that he loved her in forever. She wanted to here those words, but evidently she wanted to hear it from James not Will.

Then he caught her mumbling, "I love you too." He looked at her with bright eyes as she was still tearing. She turned his body to him as he did his.

He cupped her face with both of his hands. With his thumbs he wiped the tears away, "Please don't cry Elizabeth, it's not your fault." He walked closer to her and stood about 1 foot a way from her holding her face.

"If I knew we could've avoided all of this," she coughed.

"No, If we did it wouldn't be the same," he explained.

"You're right…" she looked into his eyes as she thought about it. She walked closer to him this time and they were just inches away. She looked from his eyes to his lips and back up. She leaned in and kissed him tenderly. She loved the feeling he gave her, it was better then when he held her.

Compared to Will, James was more soft and innocent not hard and careless. He returned the kiss. James thought he was lucky enough to kiss her again. She actually wants him and desires him. Maybe because she sought out her dreams and found the real James in him. Maybe she will tell him how she feels about him. Maybe everything he gave up is finally coming back. They stopped for air and Elizabeth pulled him as she walked towards the stairs and sat down. He sat down with her.

"James do you think that Will wants to marry me?"

"I believe he does."

"But by now I hoped to be already married," she looked down.

"Sometimes things happen and you have to postpone."

"This is different though. It's like all this is happening to prevent us from coming together."

"I see, do you still want to marry him," he just had to ask out of curiosity. He didn't want Elizabeth to marry him, but if she wishes he guessed it wouldn't matter. He knows that this is better than to live in misery and without this. If she wouldn't have sought out her pirate dreams she would be living with him in a big house unhappy. Because she wanted this and she wanted Will, she knew that was happiness.

"I don't know now," she looks up clasping her hands together.

"Why? Did something happen?" James looked at her.

"I would believe so. James I fell in love with someone else now," she turns to him.

"You did?" he smiles hoping she was talking about him and not Jack.

"With you," she takes her hand and reaches for his damp wig that still covered his head. James closes his eyes as she removed the accessory from his head. His dark brown hair was tied back and his bangs that he possessed fell in his eyes as he opened them.

Elizabeth saw how good he looked without the wig and he was half naked. She reached for the tie that held the rest of his wet hair. She pulled it lose and let his hair fall. His hair wasn't as long as Will's, but came to his neck. His bangs covered his right eye which made him look so sexy. Elizabeth imagined everything of him like this, nice body, and sexy hair.

She smiled and tucked some of the extra bangs back, "I want you."

He looked at her deeply in her eyes, "I've always…"

"You waited for this haven't you?" she asked.

"You don't know how long. And if I have to wait longer I wouldn't mind," he smiled. All she could do was smile back at him. She was getting tired, and wanted to lay down so she yawned.

"You can go rest, it's really late and you need the energy because you're Captain and all," he tells her.

"But I want to stay with you," she pleads tugging at his arm as she leaned and rested the side of her body on him as they were seated on the steps. Everyone was below deck sleeping getting enough rest for the upcoming battle they expected in a few days. Jack and Will were the only ones up below deck discussing plans and conflicts as Will made it seem.

"But you're tired. Here I'll walk you to your quarters alright then I will go see what's happening with Sparrow and Turner," he smiles.

"I guess I'll have to take that," she gets up. James stood up behind her and followed her to the Captain's quarters. She takes a key out of her pocket of the Chinese battle uniform she wore. She opened the door and the light that was provided was a candle on a nightstand. She walked in and knew he was still standing at the door way.

She turns around, "Come in." She waves a hand to him. He stepped into the door way. He didn't a women's room without invitation, it was only proper. He walked to a chair that was near the bed and sat down. He would stay there until she fell asleep. He watched her take off her boots and sat on the bed.

She looked at him, "Are you sure you don't want to sleep, you look like you could use some too."

"I'll be fine, but thank you for offering," he assured her, but she was right he was tired. He wanted to sleep in her bed, and comfort her as she fell asleep, but that could only be a dream. Elizabeth herself was hoping that he would accept her offer and climb in with her, but of course the gentleman of him took over.

But she couldn't resist, "James come on," she tapped the bed.

"I have to see about Sparrow and Turner remember," she said nervously.

"It doesn't matter they would tell us tomorrow morning," she told him signaling him to come to the bed.

"Elizabeth it wouldn't be proper, you're engaged to Mr. Turner," he said.

"It doesn't matter, do you remember what we talked about earlier?"

"Yes, but I don't want to you know…"

"Don't worry we won't get caught I have the key and I'll go lock it," she assured him as she got up and walked over to the door as she locked it. She then turned around and jumped into the bed lying down comfortably.

"What are you waiting for? Come join me in this nice bed," she turned her body to him with her hands under her head on the pillow.

All James could do was accept it, he wanted to catch up on his sleep and how comfortable Elizabeth looked in that queen sized bed. He got up from the chair and sat on the other side of the bed, then he felt Elizabeth push him on the pillow. He kicked off his shoes and brought his legs on the bed.

Elizabeth was sitting up with her legs crossed on the bed, "Isn't this like the best bed?"

"It is fairly comfortable, and soft," he closed his eyes until he felt her arms over his chest. He quickly opened his eyes and saw her getting closer to him.

"James I love you," she smiled admiring how his chest felt under her soft hands.

He smiled at what he wanted to hear for a long time, "I love you too."

She leaned over him and kissed him slowly be careful not to hit his wound. She lifted her head up stopping the kiss leaving him desperate for more. To him she was the best kisser compared to his previous girlfriends. And to her he was better than Will and Jack. She couldn't believe that he was so full of desire and sorrow. She was sorry for what she had done to him in the past, but what matters the most now was that she was with him, with James Norrington. She loved this, him sleeping with her tonight. This, she will never forget. James felt the same way about the whole situation, what a surprise how she now desires him than Will.

She laid back down on the pillow next to him. She grabbed the comforter that was folded down and tossed it over them. She turned on her side opposite away from him and closed her eyes hoping she would fall asleep. Then she felt James's arms wrap around her pulling her closer to his front. She smiled at his actions and spoke, "I like this James."

"This? This is…"

"Everything," she responded. They fell silent and eventually fell asleep.

To be continued – Chapter 3