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


When Julia came above deck, the sky was clear and bright but the heat had changed. It was still unbearably hot, but now it was comfortable… familiar. The air caressed her skin like an old friend welcoming back a weary traveler after a long absence. The smell in air was different; it was hard to place just what the scent was, but there was a sweetness of wild roses and sea grass that reminded her of… Home! With a smile that nearly obliterated the sun in its brilliance, she tore across the deck, fistfuls of skirt in her hands, unmindful of the ventilation gratings or the stares of the crew. Reaching the railing at the stern of the ship, Julia had to grab hold of the balustrade lest her enthusiasm cause her to tumble overboard into the water. Before her, the crescent horizon of her hometown arced around her as the Amphitrite entered the waters of Charles Towne Harbor.

The waves glistened like millions of twinkling stars as the ship entered the bay. Unmindful of the activity swirling behind her as the crew prepared for docking, Julia stood enraptured as she was able to watch the vista of Charles Towne become more distinct as the ship made haste to the docks that would denote the end of her journey. My God, my Hell is about to conclude. Halleluiah! Or… am I just going back to the ring of Hell in which I have languished the past few months… years? Bloody Hell! And… why am I so melancholy at the idea of the voyage ending? Is it… is it because I have finally found the captain to be almost charitable in his feelings towards me? There is no way that I will miss him once we part ways. Is there?

In the blink of an eye, the wharf appeared all too soon and Julia was pulled from her ruminations as the Amphitrite bumped against the dock. The sudden pitch in the ship's docking caused Julia to lurch against the railing and she had to scramble to keep her footing. As she clung to the railing, one thought occurred to her – disappointment. It surged through her, much to Julia's horror and dismay. She was finally home; was that not what she had wanted for weeks on end?

Longshoremen and dockers on the pier quickly scrambled to secure the mooring lines members of the Amphitrite crew threw down. The gangplank was then heaved into place but Julia was surprised that she had no desire to run down the bridge and put the whole disastrous trip behind her. To pretend that her heart had not been shattered when her sister died in her arms. To pretend that her reputation had not been sullied by the unsubstantiated opinions of a ship captain with whom she was only beginning to understand. Instead, Julia wanted to hole herself up in the cabin she had occupied for the better of a week, open her book and lazily stroke her newfound feline companion.

Well, since none of that shall ever happen again, I suppose I should start moving towards the gangplank myself. Soon, I will not be even a passing memory to any of these men. And I shall remember these men all the days of my life. Julia smiled ruefully as she pushed herself away from the railing and crossed the deck. Her belongings had been placed near the captain's quarters and as she stopped before the door, Julia sighed wistfully, then picked up her bags. Another few moments and she would be on her way, captain or no captain.

"Miss Ramage! Let me take your valises from you."

Julia paused and turned in the direction of the voice, smiling when her blue eyes settled on Mister Greene. The giddiness that tinged his every movement reminded Julia that the men she had traveled with were indeed in love with the sea, but that time on land was the dessert to a banquet of sailing. His smile was infectious and Julia's grin mirrored Mister Greene's.

"Mister Greene, good afternoon. Are you not excited to be on dry land? And what a beautiful day to go with our high spirits…" Julia knew the tone of her voice did not match her words, so she broke eye contact and readjusted the satchel under her left arm.

"Miss Ramage! Let me get that…" At the look she cast his way, Mister Greene stopped in his tracks. There was a stubbornness to her chin, a determination to her mouth, a sadness to her eyes.

"Thank you, Mister Greene, but no. If I had my way, I would be departing the ship with all of you. But, Captain Norrington has other plans. He feels the need to escort me to my home. And so I wait for him to appear. Have you seen him recently?"

Mister Greene hoped the shock did not register on his face. Escort the passenger home? In all his years at sea, the boatswain could not recall a single instance in where the procurement of passage extended all the way to the doorstep. Unless… "Nay, Miss Ramage. Though I think that he is still ensconced in his quarters. If you are worried, you could knock on the door. I am sure he would not mind for he would have to understand your impatience."

Julia could feel his hesitation, as he obviously wanted to depart the ship with his fellow crewmembers, but felt an obligation to keep an eye on the captain's ward. She reached on her right hand and rubbed his shoulder. "'Twas a pleasure to meet you Mister Greene, but go. I thank you and everyone for everything – please convey my appreciation to the other men – but feel no more obligations to me. Be off with you and enjoy your day. Enjoy the rest of your days. Please. It was very nice meeting you. Take care of yourself."

The boatswain flushed red, but with a "The same to you. It was a pleasure," bobbed his head and galloped down the gangplank. Once Mister Heaney had made arrangements for the cargo to be unloaded and delivered, most of the crew pressed against one another in their excitement to reach solid ground. Julia smiled ruefully, knowing the men were eager to participate in more… salacious pursuits, and she wanted to stay out of their way. But, she had not seen Captain Norrington for several hours and if he did not appear soon, she was going to depart the ship herself and acquire passage back to her home – alone.

"Missus Ramage."

The words were spoken with a hesitancy that surprised Julia, but were still as effective in causing her heart to race as ever. She turned, setting her bags down as she did so, to acknowledge the captain standing behind her. Julia was surprised at how close he stood for she did not hear his tread on the boards of the deck. His green eyes were soft with humor.

"Captain Norrington, you surprised me. I thought you were in your quarters. Is there… is there anything I might be able to do to help in any way?" Julia was angry with herself for the reaction she felt upon seeing the captain, but there was little she could do. When he was polite, of which he had been of late, there was no denying the captain was a handsome man. And… they would part ways soon enough. But until then, it would be prudent not to act like a moon-eyed schoolgirl. What is it, or, rather, when was it, that caused you to go from immense irritation to actual giddiness whenever the captain was within earshot?

Norrington regarded the woman before him with a calculated eye, for there would be few moments left to do so. A black bonnet covered the majority of her tresses but what peeked out caught the sunlight, causing her hair to glint and wink various shades of burnished copper. A breeze skimmed across the deck, teasing the fabric of her dress, a mourning dress that she had not once worn during the whole journey, causing it to cling enticingly to her body. He had to look away lest he notice how the wind embellished the curves of her figure. Damn if she did not look more alluring in widow's weeds than she did at any other time during the journey.

"Actually, there is."

His words were soft and caused Julia to look sharply at the captain and swallow hard, slightly taken aback by his reply. Not that her offer was an empty one, but it was unexpected that the captain would accept her overture. Her chest rose as her pulse thundered under her skin. Throwing her shoulders back as if donning an invisible shawl of confidence, she smiled to cover up her surprise and waited for a further explanation.

"Missus Ramage, this box is for you. The, uh… the men wanted you to have something to remember the voyage by… to remember them by. They… they asked me what would be… most appreciated – by you. In the form of a gift," he quickly added. "After some thought, I told them that as much as you love the water, it is the birds in the air that capture your attention the most. They took that information and pooled their abilities and created a gift for you. Be flattered, Missus Ramage, for they have not done this for any other passenger before. I take no credit for what you have just received and while it may not be much, it is heartfelt and earnest."

Curious, Julia took the container from the captain's arms, very aware of the physical contact of her fingertips brushing against his bare forearms, and set the hamper on the wooden deck. Julia wondered if he felt the same thrill she did at the propinquity. But the thought was abandoned when she opened the lid, revealing the contents of the box. Her furrowed brow quickly disappeared and was replaced by a grin threatened to split Julia's face in two as she pushed back the lid with abandon.

"Oh bugger," Norrington muttered under his breath when he saw tears appear in his passenger's eyes. Wetting his lips, he looked away and quietly sighed to himself. The men had tried so hard to create something Julia would remember them fondly by. And here she was crying in disappointment. I thought that she was less selfish than that.

"I cannot… I cannot believe that the men would do something… so… thoughtful." Julia's voice broke as she pulled the carving from its nest. In her fingers was a carved wooden gull, it's wings spread in flight, looking as if it were coasting on the gentle currents of air. Her index finger traced the fine lines that were accented with tints of color. Turning it over, Julia saw that the crew has each scrawled their names or, in some cases, marks in a group signature. Unable to speak, she pressed her lips together to choke back a sob.

A brow arched and it took everything in Norrington's power not to scoff. Instead, his voice carried an edge of sarcasm. "Do you always get this excited about hand made gifts?"

Julia blushed right up to the roots of her hair and beyond. "I… I have not gotten a gift since I was a girl. Pardon my enthusiasm, but this means more to me than words can express. The fact that they put so much effort into it means that much more to me." She ducked her head so the captain would not see the reappearance of tears in her eyes.

Confusion marred his august features. Just when I think I understand this peculiar woman… And then it dawned on the captain – Julia was crying because she was pleased, not upset. "I am very sorry. I meant not to mock, only to tease. My social skills get unpolished when I set out to sea for long periods of time," Norrington said.

Julia shook her head. "No… There is no need to apologize. 'Tis I who should be doing that, actually. I appear very ungracious, but that could not be further from the truth. Please…" Julia groped for the appropriate words. "Please convey the impact of how much this gift means to me when you see your men next. Out of everything ever given to me in my lifetime, this means the most. Now, let me stop this… musing and let you get on with your day. The sooner you have me out of your hands, the sooner you can get to your life."

Norrington suppressed the urge to comment on the fact that she was not in his hands, bu he could remedy that and instead changed the subject. "I must apologize for running late. It took me quite some time to find an appropriate container for your gift. Although… I must admit surprise to finding you waiting here patiently."

Julia wondered if she could be witty or teasing and still keep up their fragile harmony or if it would be best to censor her words. Bloody Hell, I shall never see him again after today and why should I start reigning myself in now? Her smile was blinding but her voice was etched with mild irritation. "Another few minutes, captain, and you would have not."

The captain opened his mouth to reply and then immediately closed it, as if unsure of what to say. Wetting his lips and giving a short nod of his head, Norrington picked up Julia's bags and said, "Then, shall we begin the final leg of your journey?"

Julia slipped the carving back into the hamper and closed the lid in place. As Julia did so, the captain picked up her luggage and indicated that she take the lead down the gangplank. Hugging the basket to her chest, Julia gathered her skirt in one hand, lest she trip as she descended the platform to the pier. Very aware of the captain's gaze boring into the back of her head, Julia allowed her hips to swing with a bit more exaggeration than was her normal gait. She knew she was playing with fire but soon the two of them would be parting ways, so what harm could there be?

The dock was noisy with chatter, a symphony of desperation. Stevedores yelled between each other and to the crewmembers of ships needing to be unloaded. Heads were tossed back in laughter as jokes were told and comments made. Ropes were tossed, were caught, were tied. Vendors set up shop for the departing passengers and crew, hawking everything from food and ale in impromptu taverns to exotic fabrics and ribbons to take home as an apology for being away so long. Unwashed masses, combined with the competing food stands and unloaded cargo, created a stench that, combined with the salt air, gave Julia a little thrill. Sitting on the dock in Nassau, she had been bored and beyond vexed, unable to appreciate her surroundings. But now, her blood practically sang in excitement and apprehension.

His eyes were dark green, nearly black, as Norrington grabbed Julia's elbow and whispered in her ear. "Stay close, lest someone make the same mistake I did when I first laid eyes on you."

Irritation flared in Julia's heart as she nodded her head tightly, glad for the reminder that the captain was insufferable. Looking sharply at the captain, Julia was disappointed that he missed the darkening of her own eyes and the scowl that marred her features. The retort that was on the tip of her tongue was swallowed back, figuring that any withering reply Julia lobbed at him would be pointless, as she followed the captain's broad shoulders as he plowed through the crowd.