The morning at the docks had passed rather diligently.

Sailors worked, Captains shouted commands, wood creaked and ropes pulled as loaded crates were hoisted, some of the fishermen hauled in their morning bustling of movement and sound that occupied the port while merchant vessels and all manner of ships disembarked, was all too familiar.

The sight could almost make him feel proud. After so many years of efforts, Port Royal was finally becoming a true stronghold for England, a beacon of safety amidst the unruliness if the rest of the Caribbean.

Yet, there was a faint feeling of unsettlement lodged deep in his chest that would not allow him to relax.

If only he could finally eradicate the pest that pirates presented, then perhaps...

Regrettably, the attacks on the ships and the raids on the colonies remained a persistent torn on his side and that of the entire Royal Navy, a torn that appeared determined to cause never-ending torment. Even as the time passed and more funds were seeing their way towards this side of the world, he still felt like the number of poorly equipped, disorganized, brainless wastrels that had nothing to offer but a great amount of trouble, never decreased.

By all possible means, piracy should be reaching its dying breaths, and yet, it refused to perish with a tenacity that was almost commendable.

It aggravated him beyond measure.

But whether it be by his efforts or someone else's, piracy would witness its pitiful end sooner or later.

James' rather somber thoughts were easily dispelled by the sound of boisterous laughter, causing him to halt in his steps and push at the door with curiosity, wondering of the reason as to why it would be coming from the adjacent room instead of the one they shared.

Venturing inside, he discovered his wife and son relaxing together on the rarely used bed. Seemingly engaged on a game in which Elizabeth repeatedly covered Casey's head with a feathered tricorn.

The hat was so large that it covered the entirety of his head and part of his body every time she placed it over him, swiftly moving it out of the child's grasp whenever he attempted to grab it, which invariably made him squeal in delight. Their son stared at the swaying feathers on the top with an expression of complete enthrallment, stubbornly grasping at air every time his mother would waved it in front of his eyes.

"That appears to be quite the entertaining game the two of you are enjoying." he observed, casually announced his presence.

Both their heads turned at the sound of his voice, forgetting about their activity once he claimed their attention.

The moment Casey's big, twinkling eyes met his, the child allowed himself to fall onto his stomach, beginning an ungainly labor towards the edge of the bed in what he guessed was an attempt to reach him. And while their child had yet to master the art of crawling, his confidence and the fervor in his efforts had been compensating for the lack of coordination.

Unfortunately for his son, his mother captured his legs with a single hand, efficiently trapping him in place and preventing his advance without strain.

A loud noise of displeased complaint was expressed as the child noticed a lack of progress, turning to look behind to find the source of his shackles. Elizabeth smiled down at him as she tugged gently at his legs, but did not ease her grip. Instead of becoming discouraged, Casey moved his gaze forward with a focused frown, grabbing onto the linen sheets and pulling as he tried to free himself.

Watching their son continued to wriggle his small body with soft grunts of exertion, they both kept their lips firmly pressed together while resisting a laugh. However, they became incapable of resisting the exchange of a soft laugh at the expense of their stubborn baby once their own gazes crossed.

"You do know it won't be long before he begins crying if you stay there watching, don't you?" His wife asked with a raised eyebrow and a sly smirk, yet her eyes observed him with warmth and delight.

After a particularly strong whine, he decided to take pity on his son's plight, approaching them with a sure step.

Confiding in his capability to prevent their vivacious child from having a premature encounter with the floor, Elizabeth released her hold, unintentionally sending Casey face first onto the linens. Fortunately, he immediately raised back on all fours before either of them could even think to worry, resuming his path with a pleased gurgle at having regained his freedom, seemingly undeterred by the trifling delay.

Small fists found their way to his trousers, clinging persistently as loud babbles pressed on his thigh. The demand to be held was direct and impossible to neglect. Promptly complying, he took Casey into his arms, pressing a careful kiss to the growing locks on the top of his head, the ones that Elizabeth always insisted on maintaining perfectly coiffed even while hidden under a bonnet, and in spite of the constant struggle that doing so presented.

"Good afternoon, son. Have you behaved for your Mother today?"

His greeting was met by an excited yell on his ear and a sonorous slap to the chin that was followed by a few kicks to his ribcage. Casey's undiluted enthusiasm made him smile with affection, holding his legs still as his thumb gently stroked the bottom of his foot.

"Is it so? Commendable job indeed."

"gahh!"

"Yes," he agreed with a slight flinch, retrieving the small hand from his face after receiving a second slap, "I am glad to see you are well." he offered, moving to place him against his chest, stroking his back in hopes it would help temper his vigor. While his growth had been remarkable over the past few months, he was still petite enough that his size allowed him to comfortably carry him in a single arm if he so desired.

"I think he is still much too young to properly understand you, Dear." he heard Elizabeth tease.

The weight of Casey head resting on his shoulder distracted him from a response, his tiny hands seizing his cravat as he dragged the fabric into his mouth with admirable strength.

He could understand why Elizabeth would often compare him to a spirited pup.

"No, I believe he does." he argued as his fingers worked to untie the garment from around his neck to avoid being strangled with it. "He simply seems to hold a predilection for mischief." Glancing at Elizabeth, he added with an impudent smirk, "Just like his mother."

Her eyes had narrowed in feigned offense, but the delight reflected on her face made it clear she was fighting a fresh fit of laughter.

"Again, that is nothing but a slanderous accusation against my character, Sir."

Sitting down on the bed, James placed their son on the narrow space between their legs, looking back to his wife with a subtle raise of his brow before nodding towards the tricorn in her lap.

"Will you deny that to be my ceremonial hat then?"

Elizabeth blinked with confusion, following his gaze and remembering the accessory that was still clutched in her grasp, but her lips swiftly upturned into a coquettish smirk as she distractedly toyed with one of the long feathers at the front. "Casey liked the feathers. He insisted on trying it."

"Oh, he insisted, did he?" he inquired casually, moving his attention down to the child and finding him completely focused on filling his mouth with wet fabric, receiving an unhappy whine of protest when he attempted to pry the cravat from his strong hands.

"He most certainly did." she insisted stubbornly.

Her unabashed posture and the mirthful twinkling in her eyes after having placed the blame on their young son, left him unable to present her with a stern façade.

Studying the hat with more interest, Elizabeth turned it a few turns in between her hands, eventually decided to bring it to her head, settling it over it with a light pat as she stared at him from under her lashes. "Does it suit me?"

The contrast of her unruly tresses and youthful, beautiful features against the dark rigor that the thing had always represented was odd, but it somehow added to her charm.

"You look lovely, Elizabeth." he offered sincerely, bringing his palm to hold one of the exposed, delicate ankles resting on the bed.

Something changed in her expression at his attention, her eyes sharpening with sagacity as her hand covered his. "That is rather bold, Commodore."

James suffered a moment of disconcert at her reaction. Unsure on how he had caused her offense and uncertain on how to apologize for it, he tried to retrieve the transgressing appendage. Her hand immediately tensed around his and her sober expression suddenly vanished, yielding into a bright, mischievous giggle.

A breath he had not realized he'd been holding finally escaped as careful fingers reached for his cheek, stroking his skin as she regarded him expectantly.

"Have you finally obtained that which you had yet to achieve?"

All worries disappeared as a memory echoed in his mind.

'Marriage to a fine woman.'

The inviting lull of her voice and the adoring expression on her face as she leaned towards him left him slightly dazed. The hand that was not wrapped around hers moved to remove the cumbersome obstruction that obscured his view of her, bringing himself even closer.

A heart full of spirit, a hint of deviousness, an irresistible beauty... She truly was the loveliest woman he had ever placed eyes upon.

"Yes."

Her soft breath reached his mouth as they neared, but the feeling of a light weigh landing on his arm distracted him, forcing his focus away from her to discern the source of the disturbance.

It appeared that, growing bored of the garment he'd been happily ruining, Casey had set his sights back on the pitiable hat, pulling on the feathers with delighted babbles.

James felt a little regretful at watching the thing being damaged, but could not bring himself to put an end to his son's joy over it, so he settled for tapping the center of his forehead in reproach. Quickly bringing a palm to his back, steadying his flailing limbs after he lost his balance while trying to turn his way, humorously noticing that Elizabeth's hands had reacted almost faster than his and were now holding onto their child's arms.

Her enchanting laugh illuminated her features as she watched their son return to the task of plucking the feathers off of the hat, entirely unfazed by his near-fall.

"He wanted your uniform as well." she informed, reaching to wipe a trickle of saliva running down Casey's chin. Offering an exaggerated exhale as she worriedly placed a palm on her cheek, "I think he might have inherited your objectionable taste."

"Objectionable taste?" he repeated, feeling the corners of his eyes narrow at the remark.

And at the short, confident nod she offered as a response, he let out a soft chuckle. Feeling a deep sense of contentment settle in him as he watched her mirth.

"Ah. But do not fret, Dear. Please know that I have grown rather fond of seeing you in it." she promised, as if consoling him, moving a finger to her pursed lips and tilting her head to one side, staring at the center of his chest in contemplation, "Although, if I am to be given the choice, I do prefer your appearance when you are wearing nothing at all." she decided, running a languid hand over his thigh with a deliberate smirk, tracing a path over it a few times before eventually settling on top of his bent knee.

"Elizabeth." he chided with an indolent sigh, convinced that she was taking revenge over his words at dinner the other day.

However, the reason why he still found the will to attempt to censure her lack of decorum was almost a mystery to him. He surmised it had to be more related to a conditioned reflex resulting of his rigorous upbringing than a true care over the scandalous declarations that he had become somehow adept at returning. Regardless of the reason for it, his reaction made her expression turn into that of a misbehaving child, her eyes growing dark with allure as she stroked his forearm in a plea of forgiveness, lacing her fingers around his. Completely unaffected by the scolding and retaining her sly smirk.

"I do think he resembles you more. And I had hoped that might mean he would be of a more serene nature, but…" her words interrupted, letting go of him to stop their child from trying to crawl away, turning to regard him with a resigned smirk. "He's very lively." she decided with a small chuckle, fighting Casey's determination to fall off of the bed, by placing him on her lap. After being subjected to a particularly loud squeal of protest, she noted with a grimace "And possesses an excellent lung capacity."

He felt himself smile sympathetically at her struggle. Resisting the want to make the observation that it was entirely possible their son's personality was more affine to hers. He was certain to receive a glare for his audacity.

"I regret to inform you that I was not what one would normally consider a tranquil child." he revealed with unmasked humour, probably much too belatedly to be of any warning.

Still occupied with distracting Casey, Elizabeth merely glanced at him from the corner of her eye with a sceptical, but amused grin.

"I do not know what could you possibly mean by that, James. You are the perfect example of propriety and outstanding behaviour." she informed him with confidence, "I cannot imagine you would have been much different as a child."

His eyes were now focused on his child's form. Casey had finally given up on his escape and was now extending his arms in his direction, likely hoping to be rescued. When she saw it, Elizabeth let go of him with a weary sigh.

"When I was a boy, I spent a considerable amount of time chasing after my father's coattails like a stray whelp." he recalled, a deprecating smirk forming on his lips when she smiled with delight at the new information. "I would run around all over his ship while pretending to be a marine, practice sword fighting with whatever object was at hand."

...Comply to his every command as best as he could in spite of the fright he'd felt.

At the time, the greatest wish of his young heart had been to please his father, to be recognized, to make him proud. Hoping that observing him closely might help him become even a little more like him.

"Truly?"

"I believe I was a proper rascal."

She watched Casey with a pondering smile, caressing his active feet as her nose wrinkled. "I suppose watching him wear that garish coat if he becomes a marine won't be all that awful."

His shoulders jerked in surprise at her casual declaration. Confident that he had been careful to never manifest a desire or an interest in making their child pursue a career as one of the King's men, his wife's -of all possible people- agreeable demeanour to the prospect, left him feeling quite perplexed.

Yet, she remained ignorant to the sudden tumultuousness inside his mind, continuing to speak with an expression of dramatic resignation, "I'll accept that there are much worse things that could happen."

The sight of the small form on his lap, playing with pieces of his uniform without a care in the world while his parents appeared to be deciding the future of his life, held his entire focus.

After choosing his words with deliberate care, James reply was calm but sober, "With you as his mother I am confident he'll become a courageous man." He trusted that Elizabeth would never allow their son to grow up into a weak-hearted man, regardless of his intervention, "However... I think it would be preferable he does not become a marine." he confessed, regarding her with caution as he continued to stroke Casey's back comfortingly.

Imagining that such a small being might one day be subjected to the harshness of a life of combat was not something he was keen to do. But their child would not be a child forever, he would eventually grow and become a man of his own right. And even as his father, James would not be able to protect him from harm in the way that he did now, nor stop him from endangering himself. The realization only deepened his frown with worry.

"Unless he truly desired to, of course."

If that were to be the case, then he would do everything within his power to assist his son's efforts.

When his eyes returned to his wife, he found her staring at him with wide eyes and an open mouth.

An uncoerced chuckle escaped him at the unusual expression he was witness to.

"There is no reason for you to appear so astounded, Love. Or is it that you consider me to be such an oppressive father?" he inquired in playful taunt.

"No, of course not." she was quick to deny with a prominent jut of her lips, letting her fingers tightened his in reassurance, "But you cannot fault me for my surprise. With the amount of tireless dedication you have devoted to that uniform, I was certain I would find you trying to teach our son how to navigate the second he learns how to read."

"I have every intention to do so." he agreed, his mood remaining pleasant and relaxed, "But I would much prefer him choosing the path he wishes to follow in life without feeling obliged to emulate me."

"Even if what he wanted was to become a pirate?" she challenged with a sly smirk.

...Except that.

"He won't ever have a reason to resort to the wickedness that is piracy."

"And do you truly not wish for your child to follow you around like a stray whelp then?" she teased him merrily, watching Casey as he avidly sought to climb his chest. "I think the sight would be immensely delightful."

There was something about the question that caused an uncomfortable knot to form at the base of his throat. Looking at her with a frown he could not mask.

Her wide smile fell significantly when he was too slow to deliver a response.

"...James?" she called for him with a concern that matched her expression.

"My feelings on the matter should not be relevant, Elizabeth."

"Why would they not be?"

The question was filled with innocent confusion but he was not able to let go of his unease.

"I once caused my father great disappointment after being permitted to accompany him on one of his voyages." his admittance was soft and troubled, gazing into Casey's trusting eyes with a deep sense of sorrow. "I would never wish for him to experience what I did at the time."

Only after he was done talking, did he realize the words he had carelessly spoken. Not once had he ever before consider such thoughts. He couldn't understand why he had said what he had.

"I'm sorry. It was not my intention to suggest that I would ever feel disappointed in our child." he was swift to reassure her, "But I wish to prevent him from ever believing that I could be, even if he were to express no desire to become a marine."

Elizabeth, however, continued watching him with a troubled scowl. "You used that word again."

"Pardon?"

"Disappointment." she clarified, bringing her hand to hold his neck with unusual carefulness. "How could you ever refer to yourself as such?"

It was his turn to grimace.

"...Can you tell me?" she pleaded gently, with eyes full of concern. "What happened between you and your father?"

The intensity of her stare almost made him want to look away in shame.

"I was much too young to properly remember the events that unfolded that day, Elizabeth."

It wasn't truly a lie, although it could not be said to be the entire truth either.

He could not have been older than five, but in spite of his short years, there were some things that occurred that day that he would not be able to forget even if he had wished to. The terror of seeing one of those men running towards him as the ship was overtaken, the gelid water entering his lungs, the desperate struggle for air after he regained consciousness. Most of all, he remembered the profound ire and shame reflected on his father's eyes as his small body laid soaked and trembling on the floorboards of the deck.

'Saved by a pirate, James. You stupid brat! You should have let yourself drown, boy. I would have rather that, than a Norrington smeared with the taint of being indebted to a pirate!'

The beating afterwards had been just as memorable. He was almost unbelieving of how he'd survived his father's rage after that day, but was grateful that the man had mostly become indifferent to his existence after those events. And after his mother's dead a couple of years later, James had been essentially forgotten by his father.

However, the harsh words had etched themselves into his memory, and he had not for a moment allowed himself to forget the crime he was guilty of.

At the sadness that seemed to overcome her at his response, he could not bring himself to completely deny her request.

"My father was a stern man, and I made a dangerous mistake."

But noticing the way in which her eyes gazed at him with nothing but compassion and love, he offered her what he hoped was a more encouraging smile.

She needn't worry about him. He was already a grown man. One that had no time to dawdle on the distant memories of his dead father, not when he had a wife and a child of his own that he needed to care for. And the love she presented him, brought him happiness like nothing else had or ever could.

"Do not worry yourself over it." he pleaded gently, "He only meant to prepare me by giving me a proper education."

In spite of his intentions, the unhappy grimace returned as her lips pressed into a tense line of displeasure at his defense of the man.

"By that you mean to say he beat you into obedience."

He had never said as much, but it seemed that Elizabeth had drawn her own conjectures about some of his father's preferred methods of education.

"I meant to say he instilled proper discipline in me."

Her chin raised in defiance. "I can understand even of you don't tell me everything." she challenged with vehemence, grabbing him with a lot more strength than he would have normally expected from her. "And his intentions do not justify his actions."

A tired exhale sank his shoulders as he wrapped a hand around her back and traced soothing circles in it, hoping to help calm her anger. "It's a perfectly acceptable manner to educate a child."

"My father never raised a hand at me."

"But you are a woman, Love."

The wrinkle between her brows became impossibly deep after hearing his response. "So you intent on educating our son in such manner then?" she questioned with a dangerous glare.

The question achieved its purpose. His words faltered as his arm tightening around them, holding on more securely as the distant feeling of a hard slap to the cheek moved to the forefront of his mind.

The child in his arms was too fragile, too innocent to be subjected to such severe treatment. His desire was to protect the small life that he had created together with the woman he loved, he wished for that more than anything else in the world. And the mere notion of raising his hand to the child that was trustingly resting on his lap, pained him immensely.

"That is not…"

"It is the same." she contradicted with frustration, "It's barbaric and cruel." and with a fierce warning in her tone, she added tersely, "And I won't ever allow it to happen."

"I seem to have greatly misspoken." He apologized with a regret, allowing his eyes to fall when he could not longer hold her stare.

"I know." The whisper that graced his ear was filled with tenderness, as was the palm that caressed his cheek. "I know you would never inflict deliberate pain on him, James."

He was grateful that he was not forced to say it, grateful that she understood, grateful that he was permitted to stay where he was to bask on the calming scent of her body.

"Nevertheless." she mused with a lighter tone as she pulled away from their embrace to take Casey in her arms, looking at the child with intrigued, narrowed eyes. "I do believe he would look incredibly dashing with a cravat." A wide smile returning to her face when he cooed back at her and kicked his legs. "You agree with Momma, Darling?" she asked, raising him up in the air and bouncing him a little roughly.

His short limbs flailed with more enthusiasm as she brought him down and kissed his stomach. Laughing at his reaction, Elizabeth buried her face more deeply on his clothes. "Yes. I'm sure you'll be the fiercest, most dashing Captain that has ever sailed these waters."

Contentment filled his chest as he watched the two of them smile at each other.

"But what will you do if he shows no interest in sailing?" he asked in jest, seeking to dispel the gravity of their earlier conversation.

His wife was watching him as if he had asked the most ludicrous question, her eyes turning to regard their child with surprising seriousness, head tilting to the side as her lips pursed in concentration.

"No." she eventually declared with finality, shaking her head in dismissal. "That is simply not possible."

The confidence in her voice was such, that made it impossible for him to doubt her.