It had been several months since you had heard anything from him. It was said that the crew of the Dauntless had perished in a tropical hurricane whilst in hot pursuit of the Black Pearl. You had feared for the worst, especially after several of the Dauntless crewmembers returned to Port Royal. However no word about what had happened to Commodore Norrington.

Yet you heard the news of his resignation as Commodore which had made you wonder beyond anything – He had taken great pride in that position, besides the naval life was his life. Until that awful rainy day when Lord Beckett of the East Indian Trading Company arrived in Port Royal with the warrant for a James Norrington, Elizabeth Swann and William Turner.

Then today as you can hear the clock strike noon a man appears on your porch, an man how you thought you knew.

"James…" you whisper breathless as you take in his appearance. Dirty, smelly and nothing left of the proud man you know, "What have you done."

Opening your arms to let this defeated man in and he accepts the offer without blinking or saying a word. You care nothing for the people that see you as you pull him tightly against yourself. Fearing that he is merrily a fiction of your imagination, ignoring all the dirt and the smell, you are simply glad to see him returned.

Not certain for how long you have been standing there just like that but it appears to be quite sometime as you take notice of the suns position having changed.

Letting go off him you reach for his hand and without another word you pull him into the hall. Adele who has seen everything that has transpired simply tells you that she has drawn a bath you nod your head in thanks.

Returning your attention back to James you sigh, which seems to pull him out of his trancelike state.

"I should not have come here." He stammers and steps backwards from you trying to let go off your hand, you refuse.

"There are a lot of things you not have done James," You pull him back against you, "Coming here is not one of them."

Letting your free hand brush against his unshaven face and he leans in apparently relinquishing the touch. "Besides where else would you have gone?"

Leading him upstairs towards your bedroom ,your head fills with questions, opening the door you are glad to see the bath ready.

"Shall we try and see if we can make you more presentable?" Despite your cheerful tone your face shows concern about his condition.

"You make it all sound so tempting." He brushes a strand of hair away from your face as you from your face as you help him undress.

"I fear that Adele will have to fill the other bath as well…" Smiling widely as you notice that he is completely covered with dirt whether he has his clothes on or not.

"I am sorry…" Placing your fingers against his lips you let him know that you do not care about it.

"Now be a good boy and sit." You playfully push him towards the bath as you hear Adele call out for you. "I promise to be back quickly if you promise to stay where you are."

"I am naked and you are holding my clothes where do you suppose I will be going?" James scowls at you but at least he sounds like the man you know.

As you walk into the parlour you are met with an unpleasant surprise. There sitting in your parlour are Lord Beckett and his, what exactly was this Mercer figure? Holding out your hand an icy cold feeling grabs hold of your body as he kisses your hand.

"Lord Beckett what brings you here?" You respond calmly.

"An invitations. I have been meaning to invite you over for dinner for some time now…" You smile politely. He is only after my money. "Tonight."

Your smile fades a little, something tells you that Beckett knows James is here. The way he and that man off his are staring at you it just doesn't feel right.

"Regrettably I have other plans for this evening." Thinking of your upbringing you stay in the role of perfect hostess.

"That is indeed regrettable but perhaps you and Mr. Norrington can join us for diner tomorrow evening." The smirk on Beckett's face tells you that he knows about you and James, "You will tell him that won't you?"

"I will tell him when I see him." Trying to keep your voice from showing any emotions.

Both men stand up and take their leave of you as you shut the door behind them you can not control you anger as your hands shack. Practically fleeing upstairs you closed the bedroom door and lock it placing your head against the cool surface hoping to calm yourself.

"What did HE want?" James sounds angry.

"Dinner." you say with a shaky voice. Really not wanting to hear anymore angry remarks from him you close the distance between the door and the bath in lightening speed.

"I am cold." You sit down on the edge of the bath reaching for his hand, letting your fingers entwine with his calloused ones .Letting his head rest against your hip the pair of you remain silent for a short moment.

"Why are you cold?" His voice sounds tired as his green eyes gaze up at you.

"I missed you…" That is not all of it and his eyes tell you that he knows it, "Lord Beckett knows."

"He knows what?' The green eyes cloud over with confusion you cannot hold his gaze and look back down to your hands.

"About us." Was there even an us. There had never been any conversation about this affair let alone a relationship.

Sensing his inner turmoil you again silence him with placing your fingers against his lips stopping him from speaking. "Later…" you whisper, "we will talk about it later."

Letting go of his hand you stand up to get the pitcher of fresh water. Gently tilting his head forward you let the water run over his hair. When you attempt to pour some liquid soap on his hair he grabs your wrist stopping your motion.

"I would rather not smell like a woman." His head is still down and he is not looking at you.

Letting out a small giggle you smack his shoulder playfully with your free hand. Twisting your hand free you hold the small bottle under his nose.

"I do not believe a woman would smell like sandalwood."

"Then why do you have this?" Even hiding by his hair you can see him quirk that eyebrow at you.

"Because I have this indecent fantasy of finding you all smelly and dirty on my porch one day." Your eyes twinkle with mischief and a broad smile graces your face.

"How indecent of you indeed." Hearing his voice dropping lower you realize that you might not be safe where you are currently standing, "Punishment seems to be required."

A hand flashes out towards you and grabs your arm pulling you dangerously close to the bath. "Oh no," You cry out, "James that water filthy."

The pulling stops just before you are bound to topple into the bath. Afraid that you might have ruined the atmosphere by your remark you stand there silently.

"Well…" Before you know it your pulled into the bath having yourself pressed against his chest. "That is what happens when indecent fantasies turn into reality."

Starring at him in disbelief with your eyes wide open and your mouth hanging open. Of course he uses the opportunity to kiss you, first cautious which turns more demanding later on. Only breaking loose from each other because of the lack of oxygen. Breathing raggedly you stare at each other.

"I think it for the best if we talk before we continue." James looks directly at you before he climbs out of the bath leaving you behind.

Watching him as he dries himself you remember that he still is not entirely clean and he has no clothes to put on.

"Adele has send someone to retrieve some of your clothes." Standing up you step out of the bath soaking the floor. "I am going to change…" You leave him behind in the bedroom.

After you have succeeded in getting the heavy clothes off you pull on your nightgown, there is no need to redress as you do not intend to leave the house. Stepping back into your own bedroom you find James dressed and staring out of the window with strange clothes on.

"I see that they have brought clothes." A clean pair of trousers and a white shirt.

Sitting on the edge of the bed you wait for James to speak. It was after all he who wanted to speak. After awhile you feel that if you where to stare at his back any longer you would burn holes in it. Smiling softly as you remember him doing just that moments before he had brought you outside and kiss you.

It had been the time after Elizabeth's refusal of his hand, the near defeat against Barbossa and the escape of Captain Jack Sparrow. Governor Swann had called upon a social visit, bringing the rather pensive Commodore with him. You had already given the offer of dinner, which both had accepted, at first the Commodore wanted to postpone the dinner but you insisted upon it. It had been such a long time since you had a guest for dinner. During dinner you maintained conversation about his interests and yours, making fun of the similarities between the two off. It had felt so natural and unforced between the two of you.

When he did finally kissed you, ever so gently you knew that you where lost. The following days and weeks he either visited you or you went over to his house. Keeping lengthily conversations until the fateful day when all the build up tension exploded around you and this affair started; first frantically out of both your needs to have someone for yourself, later it became more. As secrets and fears where shared and a certain playfulness appeared.

A little startled you look up when he calls your name from very close by, he is sitting down next to you on the bed and reaches for one of your hands. Looking at it contemplating his next move.

"I am not very good at these sort of things, "You node your head encouraging him to continue. Suddenly a look of shock appears on his face and he stumbles over his words , "N..not that I h..have had much of …"

"James…" You have to smile at him and give his hand a squeeze.

"Sorry. It is just that I am not entirely sure what we are having."

"An affair?" Your own doubt shining through in your voice.

"Wouldn't we both have to be married to be having an affair?"

"I don't know," At this point you want to call what you are having love but you are afraid of saying it, afraid to that word would put an end to everything, "It would appear that we have found an error in our upbringing."

"It would appear that way. I…" Anxiously you await what is coming as again he doesn't finish his sentence. "…I have thought about it often and it weighs heavy on my mind. I must admit that I care for you a lot."

James doesn't avert his eyes from you and you lick your lips as your mouth suddenly turns dry as a desert. "As do I care for you James, a lot." Watching as he lets out the breath he had been holding.

For a moment you smile at each other awkwardly until you feel that it is silly to do so and look away for a short moment.

"Yet I believe it is too short after your husband death to ask for your hand it is not proper and people will talk..."

"People will always talk James," Holding up a hand to protest, "I do not care besides they no nothing of when I became a widow."

"And there is the matter of Lord Beckett. At this point I am uncertain of my future to offer you a future together with me."

This is not what you had expected. Does he want to leave you behind and perhaps come back for you when things are looking more bright? You stand up and walk towards the window your back towards him.

"How can you say such a thing," Your anger clearly showing through, "Man can be so heartless at times…"

"Because it is the truth." But he sounds uncertain.

Turning around to face him your eyes filled with tears. "Can you not see that I do not care what happens in the future as long as I can have you." You feel like throwing something in his direction as his serious face turns into a small smirk, complete with quirked eyebrow.

"Does this mean you won't allow me to court you publicly? As is the usual custom within or position in society."

Letting out an angry cry you throw the vase next to you in his direction obviously missing him as it lands safely on the bed. "Really James you can be so confusion at times it makes me angry."

Picking the vase from the bed he steps towards you placing the expensive piece back where it belongs. "Has anyone ever told you that you look rather fetching angry?" He draws you in for a fierce kiss.

"Here is someone tell you that you are still smelly and dirty and are in no position to court me this way." Hearing the rumbling laughter starting in his chest you draw away from him searching for Adele to fill a new bath, for a clean and fresh new start in your life.

Authors Notes: Reviews are welcome and check in tomorrow of the final piece.