Obligatory disclaimer: The Mouse owns all, save my own original characters.


A rap at the door announced breakfast. Julia turned from the window, her lungs filled with a deep breath of the fresh salt air. A smile played at the corner of her lips at the thought of the captain on the other side of the door.

Julia had awoken at dawn, feeling more refreshed and alive than she had in longer than she cared to admit. The evening before had ended early, with the captain squiring Julia back to her cabin. Upon reaching her door, the captain took her hand in his, and after a moment's hesitation, kissed not the back of her palm, but a valley between her knuckles. Her reaction reminded her of sensations she thought were long dead.

If asked, Julia would deny that she had hoped the captain had been flirting with her. He had certainly shown a side of himself that Julia did not think possible. Although, she had to admit, he seemed to withdraw somewhat after the revelation of her former fiancé's name, as if the captain may have known Lord Beckett. No, that is not possible. That small moment was the only blemish in an otherwise stellar evening, and soon was forgotten once the captain chatted about his men and their commendable actions during the storm. Good food, coupled with the unburdening of past hurts that were listened to by surprisingly sympathetic ears, made for an unexpected evening that was supposed to have been extremely awkward. But Julia could not recall having such a gratifying evening.

Especially with such a handsome dinner companion.

Shaking her head at the thought, Julia mentally chastised herself for indulging such girlish thoughts. The captain – or someone – was standing on the other side of the door, waiting to deliver Julia her breakfast. Making him wait in the hallway any longer would border on rudeness.

"Come in," Julia called over her shoulder, allowing herself the precious few seconds it would take whomever it was behind the door to turn the knob and enter to smooth any loose wisps of hair back into place. Julia then stuck her head back out the window, pretending to find something quite engaging in the water, unable to prevent a full-fledged grin from appearing on her lips.

"Miss Ramage?"

Julia was grateful that her back was to the door, lest Mister Heaney see the disappointment on her face. Taking in another deep breath, then sighing quietly, Julia plastered a serene smile on her lips and turned to face the quartermaster. Seeing that his arms were laden not only with her breakfast tray but also other items, Julia crossed the room and relieved him of her victuals, quickly setting the tray on her bed before allowing her grin to deepen to a dazzling smile.

"Good morning to you, Mister Heaney."

"And also to you, Miss Ramage," he replied with a grin. "Sorry your breakfast is late. There seemed to be some confusion as to who would deliver your food to your room. I hope you are not too terribly hungry, as… well… I am so sorry you had to wait so long."

Julia did not want to comment on the feast she consumed last night or that, because of the banquet, it seemed nigh on impossible for her to have an appetite for the next several days to come.

Fixing a warm smile on the quartermaster, Julia placed her hands on her hips in mock admonishment. "There is no need to waste your worrying on me. I had not noticed the passage of time, as my attention was otherwise captured by the seagulls resting on the breeze outside my window. Besides, it is not as late as you think it is. My stomach has yet to chastise me, so there is no need for concern. But I thank you greatly for taking the time to bring me my meal; I know you are a very busy man."

The discomfiture washing over his features was nearly painful to watch. A good twenty-years older than she, his black hair was etched with gray at the temples and his face held lines at the corners of his eyes and mouth which were formulated over years of squinting into the sun and sea. Julia found the man to be quite handsome and personable. But also awkward around women, as if unused to being around the fairer sex, which made Julia feel embarrassed for him. In another time and another place, Julia might have cast her eyes in his general direction, for he was kind, pleasing not only in the face and, seemingly, well tempered. Or, Julia surmised, she would at least have smiled at him across a crowded ballroom with the hopes he might ask for a dance. But as it was, Julia found it pleasant to have someone on board who appeared just as they seemed – in his case, pleasant and considerate.

"Well, that is true; lots to do today. But, before I go, would you… would you mind taking a look at my shirt? I tore it on a broken beam during the storm and I know I would make a big mess out of trying to repair the damage. Normally, I would not ask, but you had offered to do some sewing, when looking for something to do the other day…"

Julia took pity on the man before her. His cheeks were as bright red as the apples in the trees behind her home. Not allowing herself to get wistful at the thought of her impending homecoming, Julia slowly nodded her head, a serene smile curving her lips, and said, "I would be happy to mend your shirt. However, I am not in possession of a needle and thread. Do you happen to have those on you or should we go searching for those very necessary items?"

With a grin that would rival the enthusiasm of a five-year-old boy given every Christmas present he ever wanted – all at one time – Mister Heaney vigorously nodded his head as he slid his hand into his pants pocket. Removing a leather bag, he worked the drawstring open and pulled out a spool of thread stabbed through with a needle. A small pair of scissors caught the light and gleamed in the recesses of the leather pouch.

Julia held her hand out, silently commanding the man before her to hand over the sewing kit. Once the pouch was in her right hand, Julia then extended her left, her gaze on the shirt draped over the quartermaster's arm. He handed it over without comment, his smile blinding.

"I should have this completed shortly; no more than an hour at most. Shall I come find you or do you want to return later?"

Mister Heaney regarded the woman before him. Her hair was pulled back in a simple braid, which was then pinned around the perimeter of her hairline, loose tendrils jutting out here and there. Her cheeks were flushed, not with embarrassment but with excitement. It was difficult for him to believe that a lass such as her was unmarried at her age, although everyone had their own story and Mister Heaney was sure she had her reasons. If I were a younger man, I would swoop in and grab her up. But, alas, I am married to the sea and there is no way a woman such as her would play second fiddle as a mistress. But maybe the captain… he might yet be salvageable.

Shaking his head, as if ridding his mind of unwanted thoughts, Mister Heaney took a step backwards. "Miss Ramage, I thank you for your help. I shall return in a bit to retrieve my shirt. If you are not here in your quarters, just leave the shirt on the door handle. Now, although it is extremely rude, I must go to my post. I am deeply in your debt."

Her dimple appeared in her cheek. "We shall discuss the nonsense of your statement later. Now go, leave me to my work. My fingers have been lax for too long. I shall look forward to mending this blemish. A good morning to you." Julia bobbed her head in dismissal, then took a seat on her berth. She smiled down at the shirt as she heard the retreating footsteps of the quartermaster.

After the passage of nearly three quarters of an hour, for she allowed herself to get distracted from her endeavor more than once, Julia found herself nearly finished with her task and allowed the chatter of the gulls to once again catch her attention. Rising from her bed, she set aside the sewing and went to the window. Enraptured, Julia watched as a flock rode the air currents, their eyes on the waves as they looked for prey. Resting her forearms on the sill, Julia watched with fascination and near-envy. The birds looked carefree and content, conversing amongst themselves while waiting for a hapless fish to swim near the surface.

"Missus Ramage." The words were soft, like a caress, across her cheek. But also deep and rich… nearly tangible in their rich texture. It was everything she could do to not close her eyes and allow her head to loll to the side, exposing her neck for a hand to glide across her skin.

Instead, Julia pivoted, trying to cover the fact that she was caught completely off-guard by flashing him a blinding smile.

"Captain," she whispered. Realizing the word came out barely audible, she swallowed and tried again. "And how may I help you today?" Good, her words came out stronger.

Captain Norrington's eyes twinkled. Over the sound of the waves crashing against the hull, he could hear the call of the birds to one another. The flush in her cheeks was not just from his sudden appearance – the wind had whipped at her cheeks as she had studied the seagulls. Her hair wisped around her face in mild disarray.

The woman before him was not an elegant society lady to be met in a proper drawing room, but an enthusiastic observer of the life revolving around her. And although there was a time such excitement would have been frowned upon by him, especially after the tumultuous relationship he had with Elizabeth Swann, the captain found Julia quite charming. Oh, there was no doubt that she could hold her own in social situations, but in the few days of their acquaintance, Norrington realized that Julia was not one to rely on anyone but herself. Too many past disappointments when others let her down cemented her absolute lack of trust. Biting the inside of his bottom lip, the captain formulated his thoughts, completely unaware that she watched the movement in complete fascination.

Swallowing hard, Norrington realized the best way to convey his news was to do so quickly and without apology. Or with minimal regret at most, for he was more sorry than was proper. "I apologize for the short notice, but I wanted to tell you personally that Charles Towne is but two hours away, more or less. Your journey is nearly complete." He hated that his words sounded so callous, but there was no time for sentiment.

It took a moment for the comments to register, but once the words sank in, instead of feeling elation, Julia suddenly felt the room spin, as if the wind got knocked out of her. "I… well… 'Tis good to know that your men were able to keep your ship on course, despite the storm. I just have to secure the stitches I set down in Mister Heaney's shirt and then I shall collect my belongings. When we reach port, I shall be ready."

The captain knew he was reaching in thinking that there was an undercurrent of remorse in the tone of Julia's words. He should have given her more advanced warning, should have told her last night. But waiting until the last possible moment kept her thoughts closer to activity on the ship rather than resuming her life in Charles Towne. Idiot.

Norrington had much to do, but there was a topic of conversation he had to broach before entry into port. "I also wanted you to know that you and Mister Cobb will not be crossing paths in any way once we reach shore. I do not want your homecoming marred in any way by such unhappy thoughts. Mister Cobb will not be departing the ship when we dock. We will be seeking justice for him at the port of origin."

Julia felt the color drain from her cheeks. Whispers of rumors circulated about what caused the first mate to end up behind bars and much of the speculation reached her ears. But, as far as Julia could tell, the captain had kept mum as to the details of the crime against her to the crew. "I know that you put him far below deck, in the brig. But whispers have reached my ears that he was physically punished for his actions. Did I hear correctly?"

Norrington could not look into those cerulean eyes that were so filled with confusion, especially knowing that his next words would upset her more. "I gave him ten lashes for what he did to you, yes. There was no excuse for him trying to compromise your integrity. Especially after telling him that you were not interested in such pursuits. Even if my original assumption of you had been correct, there was no reason for any of us to force ourselves upon you. And since I was wrong, then Mister Cobb's advances were that much more grievous." At the look of alarm upon Julia's face, Norrington continued. "I would have stopped at five lashes, but he… he kept saying… that his only regret was not… going farther with you. I… should not have let myself get so angry; the men had to stop me from continuing. I guess you could say that I lost control."

Shocked that the events had catapulted into such extreme punishment, Julia took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and said, "Captain, I appreciate your attempt to restore my honor," an honor you stole from me to begin with, "but such action seems excessive. I mean not to tell you how to do your job, but there was no need to… flog the man." At the look of anger marring his features, Julia hastily amended, "But you did rescue me from a possibly dangerous – and certainly terrifying – situation and I know I sound ungracious; I am not. Do not think that I am not thankful that you were in the right place at the right time. I just feel undeserving of such a strong reaction for such an indiscretion on Mister Cobb's part. Many men had done much worse to other women and received no retribution, so I feel a little… overwhelmed."

It took everything in his power to not cross the room and pull her into his arms, although he was unsure if he wanted to comfort her or shake some sense into her. Instead, he folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the open doorway. It was the safest course of action. "Missus Ramage, I had warned them men that if they laid one finger on you, be it welcome or not, that they would feel the tongue of a lash upon their skin. To not do so would cause the men to question my authority. It was not something I wanted to do, but it had to be done." Taking pity on the woman before him, Norrington added, "Besides, there is nothing worse a man could do to a woman and I think that he paid but a small price for his indiscretion." Then he pushed himself off the doorframe with his foot and turned, as if retreating back into the hallway, but grabbed the doorframe and stuck his head back in the room.

"Now, you know I would be remiss if I did not ensure that your safe passage did not extend all the way to your home. Once we dock, I will be leaving the removal of cargo to the supervision of Mister Heaney and shall escort you myself to your home."

Julia found herself in the unfortunate position of being caught completely off-guard and not knowing how to respond. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she was able to even begin to attempt to articulate her thoughts. "That… While certainly appreciated, that is very unnecessary, Captain. Once we reach shore, I can certainly acquire coach to my residence. Again, I do not want you to think that I am ungrateful, as I very much appreciate the offer, but your men will need you this afternoon more than I. It will be no problem for me to make it home on my own, so please, do not worry yourself over me."

Norrington could not prevent himself from rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Missus Ramage, this is not open to negotiation – I shall accompany you back to your residence. Now, forgive me as I must get back to the preparations for docking in Charles Towne."

Julia was left with her mouth agape – a retort coming too slowly – as the captain disappeared from sight. After a moment, she sank into the chair and rested her face in her hands.


A/N: Thank you all so very much for reading. Their trip might be ending soon, but there is definitely much more to the story. I appreciate your patience and support. :)