Disclaimer: I don't get any money from this as I do not own POTC. If only owning Norrington were an option, or any of the navy boys for that matter.

Chapter 11: Some Annoying Evening

Lieutenant Theodore Groves was usually a happy well mannered gentleman. As such, he was generally well liked and considered a friendly affable sort of fellow by the men in the Royal Navy. In short, he usually enjoyed his life most of the time.

This was not one of those moments. He was at the Fordham Ball, a thinly disguised excuse to find a wife for the family's spinster daughter. As a gentleman, he made his greetings and had to use every bit of his naval training in tactics to escape Mrs. Fordham's clutches.

His escape complete, a glass of brandy was pushed into his hand.

"I thought you'd need this…" a wry voice stated.

Theo glanced at James Norrington with a grateful smile. "Gloat all you want…"

James chuckled. "I assure you, I shall."

His wife, Pru, poked him. "You can only gloat because you married me and are no longer an object of matrimonial prey."

James gave his wife a loving look. "Believe me, I'm thankful everyday for that fact alone."

He turned to Theo. "She's right, Theo. There is a solution to your complaint. Marry someone."

Theodore sipped his brandy. "It's not that sim-" His voice stopped suddenly as he turned toward the entrance of the ballroom.

"What?" Pru asked, frowning in confusion.

"What is she thinking?" he growled to himself more than to his friends, "That neckline is indecent!"

"I beg to differ, Lieutenant," Pru interrupted, "Perhaps it is very low, but it is well into the bounds of propriety, I assure you."

"It can't be! Do you know what every man is thinking at this exact moment in time? It's indecent! Clearly I've got rescue her yet again…" He began to move in Lady Marianna McGarvey's direction…

And stopped dead as he saw Mr. Henry Nelson intercept her first. His face turned thunderous.

Pru detached herself from her husband and touched Theo briefly on his arm. "Calm down," she advised, "You clearly can't do anything at the moment. Come back to James and I. We can chat awhile and then you can go charging off like a Neanderthal."

He looked at Pru with an arched eyebrow. "Fine."

As Marianna quickly gathered together a group of admiring men, whom Theo personally thought to be the worst group of rakes and reprobates, Theo was forced to cool his heels. Although Pru Norrington had suggested talking with their group, which now included the Turners and Gillettes, Groves was apparently content to scowl at the source of his displeasure from across the room while muttering angrily to himself, which consisted of the following:

"Look at that dress. It's attracting cads and rakes to flock to her. No doubt what they want and look at her! She hasn't a bloody clue!"

"Laugh all you want, Mari. I have half a mind to go over and tell her what a fool she's being. I wonder, should that be after or before I crush her to me, kiss her, and convince her in no uncertain terms that she's mine?"

"Of all those idiots, she chooses that nodcock Nelson to dance with. Everybody knows-"

"You might want to stop scowling. For one, Lady McGarvey had noticed, and so have several others. For the other, scowling does not improve your looks," a sarcastic Gillette admonished.

"How would you like your wife dancing with that man? There's something about that man I don't like…"

"Anne is my wife and therefore will not be an object of Nelson's interests. Furthermore, you barely know the man."

"I know him enough." Theodore growled, "I don't know who she thinks she is…"

"A widow enjoying herself, perhaps? It is common for widows to have paramours."

Theo shot Gillette a look that could have killed. "She does not have a lover."

Andrew snorted. "And you know that for a fact? Is there something you haven't told me…perhaps that you are in a position to know?"

"By God, I will be soon," Theo stated decidedly.

"It seems the lady has other ideas…" Andrew observed.

Groves turned just in time to see Marianna, his Mari, exit the ballroom with none other than the odious Mr. Nelson.

His fingers turned white around the glass he was holding.

"You might want to put down the glass. Mrs. Fordham wouldn't be very happy if you broke it…" Will Turner supplied.

In response, Theodore shoved the glass into Turner's hands.

"Excuse me." Theo muttered as he quickly strode off toward the door.

The other couples within their group were silent. "Anyone care to wager on when he'll be married?" Elizabeth jokingly asked.

The betting began in earnest…

Meanwhile…

Groves arrived just in time to see Henry's hand slide behind Marianna's neck as his lips met hers. The kiss seemed endless. Eventually, Mr. Nelson broke it off, not knowing how close he came to being shot without warning…

Still, Theo's stomach churning, he saw Mari smile softly. "That was nice…I"

That was it. He didn't need to hear anymore.

"Will be staying with me while the gentleman returns to the party." Theo's stern flat voice replied.

He glared at Mr. Nelson with rank antagonism and quickly sized up his opponent. Mr. Nelson was engaged in the same activity, and both ignored Marianna completely.

"Mr. Nelson" Theo said crisply.

"Lieutenant Groves"

"Good evening. I would assume that for the benefit of the lady's reputation you should enter alone…," Theo demanded.

To punctuate his point, Theodore moved his hand to his sword that he wore with his dress uniform. His eyebrow raised, sending a silent message that Theo would welcome any duel against what he viewed his adversary…

Mr. Nelson left, though he was most unhappy to do so. It helped, Theo thought, to have a rather large sword at hand.

Unsurprisingly, Mari spoke first. "What may I do for you then?" she asked, her tones frostier than the artic.

Theo clenched his jaw in frustration. "Answer a question for me. What do you think you're doing?"

Mari's chin rose in defiance, her temper barely in check. "I was talking with a friend I had met recently…"

"Yes, I saw that you had gotten quite cozy and had gotten past mere conversation." Theo didn't even try to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"Are you insinuating something? I prefer direct blunt speech from you sir."

Theo nodded angrily once. Blunt Speech? She'll get what she's asking for. "Really? Then let me oblige you. You've just shown a complete lack of propriety yet again!"

"I did nothing of the sort!"

"You let him kiss you." Theo said softly. He'd not realized how much that had hurt him. He wanted to be the only one she kissed, damn it! Whether she knew it or not, she was his. If she didn't know, Theo would have a devil of a time convincing her…

"Yes I did. Why does it concern you?" she replied stiffly.

Perhaps she never wanted me. Fool. "I suppose it doesn't…"

Her eyes turned dewy as she moved to stop him. "Theo, I…"

"Yes?" Theo winced at the obvious hope laden in his tone of voice.

"He kissed me. It was pleasant, nothing more…" she said softly.

That wasn't enough. He may be a glutton for punishment, but he had to know the whole story. "Then why did you do it?"

"He wanted to see if I felt anything for him. I was curious…"

"Curious? About what?"

"Don't think I'll answer all of your questions, Theo," Mari warned.

"I need to know," Theo implored, "Tell me…" Tell me. I need to know Mari.

Marianna looked up at the night sky. "I was curious to see if his kiss made me feel the same as when you kiss me…," she whispered.

"And did it?" God, please say it didn't…

"No." came her low, barely perceptible answer.

Theo's face cleared and a soft smile broke upon his face as relief washed over him in waves.

His voice was scratchy, hoarse with emotion as he said, "Good."

One word and then he embraced her. Staring into his eyes, Mari felt a bit dazed herself.

"Wh-" she began only to have a finger placed upon her lips and the admonishment to hush.

It was a simple kiss, merely a long brush of lips together. Both parties involved felt it to their souls. When they separated, they both opened their eyes again.

Mari smiled, but inside her emotions were in a whirl. She felt as if she stood on the edge of a cliff. She knew that to jump could be the stupidest decision she could make, but could also be the best thing she'd ever done.

Marianna had been thinking about her actions for quite awhile now. She knew that something indefinable had arisen between them. Another hard truth she came to realize had been that Theodore Groves was not a marrying kind. Certainly Marianna had heard enough gossip to support that fact.

She also mused upon the fact that the status of widow afforded many liberties. Many widows took lovers and as long as the affairs were conducted with discretion, the lady's reputation was not harmed.

Normally, Mari would never have considered this. However, the events of the past few years had pushed her life far away from normality...

This had all come to a head today, when she realized that she loved Theodore Groves, stubborn man that he is. She knew she couldn't marry him, even if had asked her. Her plans to catch her brother's murderer negated any possibility of it, especially with the high risk of death associated with her quest. And she just wanted to know him, once.

So, Marianna gathered up her courage, took a deep breath, and looked Theo straight in the eye as she said, "Do you want to become lovers or not?"

She winced as Theo registered his obvious shock. Perhaps blunt wasn't the wisest course…

AN: Some of the events from Theo's perspective. Sorry it took so long, but he research papers are driving me up the wall...and they don't even have anything to do with my major!