Disclaimers: POTC isn't mine, nor the characters belonging to this franchise.
'I'm sorry Simon, it saddens me to leave you…'
'Bah, it's ok, don't worry. It's not as if you were really gone, we're still on the same ship, so we'll still see each other' Simon said, shrugging. He wasn't one for sentimental outburst, though he really liked his young friend. 'And anyways, I'll have more things to tell you then, and you're still part of the "crew of below", so I hope you'll come see us often' he said, giving her a quick bear hug. She looked one last time at her former quarters and climbed up the stairs.
'Well, Ensign Reynolds, you are officially one of us. I really hope you won't miss the snores and the smell of your previous place, though if you want, you can always go back there you know… ' said Lieutenant Groves opening what would be Lawrence's own quarters. He winked at her before gently punching her elbow as a friendly gesture.
'These are dire times, and I'm sure I'll get used to a private space and the lack of foul smells' laughed Lawrence who eagerly looked around her room.
The place wasn't very big, she had already reached the end of the room in six strides, but to her, it was a real luxury. Since she'd left her home three months ago, tonight would be the first night she'd spend alone, she would finally have some privacy and be more at ease with her femininity.
Lieutenant Gillette handed her her bag before giving her a box.
'Take it as a welcome gift from both of us' he said, smiling before sitting on the only chair in the room. She opened the box and flushed vividly. 'Oh my, what am I to do now…' she thought. The content of the small box was a sort of sanitary package with a pair of scissors, some cream, and … a razor.
'I know, you won't use it for some time, being young and all that, but I thought we should be the one to offer it to you. As your protectors and friends.'
Lawrence smiled brightly at the two Lieutenants. 'Thank you, thank you both, I am very touched by your kind gesture. But, have I heard right: protectors? Friends?'
This time, Groves and Gillette laughed at the same time.
'But of course, you silly! Do you really think we are that friendly with many people?' Groves laughed again. 'And besides, we would have left you to your status of mere sailor mending to things here and there if we did not care about you. You're like the little brother neither Andrew nor I could bring on board with us!'
'Well, in my case, I don't have a brother, but that doesn't change the end result at all' smiled the said Andrew.
A warm sensation spread in her chest. Never had she expected to be so welcomed by such dignified men that not two months ago she had no idea existed at all. The open-sea does create strong bond then, she mused.
'I am so grateful to have you both then, thank you, thank you so much for being so kind to me.'
'But of course' said Groves 'and know, we'll leave you to settle a bit and make yourself clean for tonight. The Captain's expecting us at 0730, so be there and be square!'
'I wouldn't miss it for the world, Lieutenant Groves.'
'Oh come on now, after our emotive moment, I think we can address to one another on a first name basis when we're in private, you've earned that right with the promotion, Lawrence' he winked.
'Alright right then… Theodore'
'See you in an hour then!' said Gillette before leaving the room with Lieutenant Groves and shutting the door.
Once the door was shut, Lawrence jumped into her bed, her own bed, and held the pillow against her chest. She was just so happy, everything was perfect. Tonight, she would eat with her newfound friends, Theodore and Andrew, and… Her stomach tightened. 'And I'll also be eating with the Captain… Oh, I'm sure I'll make a fool of myself in front of him, or that he'll reproach me something and leave me to my previous position. What if he finally finds out the truth about me?' her stomach tightened even more. 'No, there's no reason why he would find out. I've spent three months at sea with exclusively a men company, and nobody noticed. Theodore and Andrew even gave me a razor! Though they reckoned that I wouldn't use it yet, more like never, but still, that is proof that none of them as any suspicion about me. So everything will be alright.'
Now calmer, she proceeded to clean herself as best she could with a large bucket of lukewarm water. Feeling cleaner, she put on her best clothes and wrapped her hand-wound with a new rag. She looked at herself in the small square mirror that was laid on the table and noticed for the first time how changed she was. She already knew her complexion had changed; her ribs were sticking out more now that she had lost some weight, but she had also put on some muscles, especially in her arms and her back. What surprised her were her face and her hair. Her cheekbones were more prominent, her eyes bigger, and her skin-tone had definitely took on a darker shade. Her blond hair, which she had recut not long ago, had turned a lighter shade here and there because of the sun and the salt-air, but all in all, those changes in her appearance gave her a wilder look that suited her rather well. She knew beauty didn't matter anymore, now that she was supposed to be a boy, but deep down she was still a young woman, and she care about how she looked, as long as everyone still believed she was a man.
The said hour came quicker than she had hoped. She tied her hair with a fine ribbon, readjusted her waistcoat and jacket, and left to the Captain's quarters, her stomach tightening once again, both in anticipation and anxiousness.
The Captain's cabin was situated on the upper floor, just under the top deck where the helm was. She put her ear against the door to be sure other officers were already there. She wasn't ready to be alone the Captain for some time, or else she didn't know where her thoughts would lead her this time.
She was relieved to recognize Gillette's laughter, and so she gathered her strength, took a deep breath, and knocked.
Groves is the one who greeted her. He already had a glass of brandy in his hand, and so were Gillette and an older man she didn't know.
'Ah, and here comes our new Ensign, right on time' quickly smiled Captain Norrington, who was pouring himself a glass of the same beverage as everyone else, it would seem. 'Please, do come in, M. Reynolds.'
Lawrence looked around with awe. The Captain's quarters were huge and decorated with fine taste; on one of the walls spread a beautiful map of the discovered territories; his furniture were of mahogany wood, and his collection of books looked very promising, as she noticed at first glance. The other reason of her surprise was to see the officers, and the Captain, in shirt-sleeves, their jacket on the back of their chair, the sleeves of their shirt rolled up.
She tried very hard to control her thoughts, and admonished herself for thinking of how intimate it was to see them all more relaxed.
'Alright, I think we should sit, M. Davis will eventually come, if he comes at all' said Norrington. The assembly took place around the table, the Captain at the head, Gillette at his right, the man Lawrence didn't know at his left, Groves sat next to his friend Andrew, and Lawrence took a seat between Groves and the empty chair that would or not be occupied by the doctor.
The said doctor eventually did come, apologizing as clumsily as his methods were. Only then did Captain Norrington rise up, raising his glass and inviting the other men to do so, while Lawrence remained seated.
'Now that everybody is here, I want to congratulate and welcome among us our new Ensign, M. Reynolds' said he, looking straight at her, smiling briefly then drinking to her health with the others before they sat.
The young woman blushed at the attention addressed towards her and smiled faintly.
The meal began joyfully, and the discussion started. Lawrence was listening to a story Lieutenant Groves was telling her, while the Captain, Lieutenant Gillette, and she now knew as Lieutenant Commander Flanders.
'I say, Lawrence, can you pass me the plate?' said Groves pointing to a heavy plate filled with potatoes. Lawrence was about to take it to hand him over when she heard Norrington say in a serious:
'Now Theodore, we wouldn't want young Reynolds to hurt his hand more than it has been, would we?'
'What? Hurt?' Both Gillette and Groves turned worried eyes towards her.
'It's nothing really' she said showing them quickly her wrapped palm 'I had already forgotten about it. The Captain is too kind to worry, but it really is nothing' then she handed over the plate.
She was happily surprised by the care her Captain had showed her, especially when even she had forgotten about it because it was indeed nothing at all.
After a while, and a couple of plates finished along with lots of glasses drunk, Doctor Davis fell asleep in his empty plate, to the hilarity of the assembly, except for Norrington who just rolled his eyes in pity for the poor man that was this Doctor Davis. The conversation resumed; Captain Norrington was talking about one of his first takes of a pirate ship, arguing the details with his Lieutenant Commander.
Lawrence was fascinated; she could have listened to him hours on end, lulled by the harmonious inflections of his voice.
She shook her head. 'Whow, slow down there, what was that kind of thoughts? Since when have I become so interested in the other sex? That does not do at all, young lady, now gather yourself and keep a straight face.' She somehow focused on something else and was lost in her thoughts when the very voice she was thinking talked about her, alerting her attention.
'I think our young Ensign is slowly falling asleep, don't you think Andrew?' he chuckled.
'Yes, yes indeed, or perhaps he is already regretting his decisions of being part of our restricted group because our conversation bores him to death?' Gillette said, winking at her.
'God no!' she exclaimed 'I mean, no, I certainly am not bored by your conversation, on the contrary, though I reckon that I am indeed exhausted by this day, the change from being a mere sailor to an officer takes its toll on a young man as myself.' She rose from her seat. 'Captain, sirs, I bid you a good night'
'Enjoy your private quarters Lawrence!' said Groves waving at her.
She saluted them and left the Captain's quarters.
'What a night!' she thought, undressing in her room, 'I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring'. This night, she slept as soundly as a log, her arms and back still aching from her work on the decks, and her thoughts revolving around the events of the day, especially about how wrong she had been about Captain Norrington.