Lay down, your sweet and weary head. Night is falling, you have come to journey's end. –Annie Lennox
The rough knocking seemed to come at an early hour, but as James opened his eyes, he saw the bright sun pouring through the windows. The person knocked again and James' first thought of who it might be was authorities…other than him. He sighed and got up anyway, still in his pirate attire that was rather frumpled and dirty and smelly. Still, he opened the door.
Adjusting his eyes to the light, the other person had the opportunity to talk, but didn't. They stood there speechless, looking at this man who was at the Turner home. When he could finally see, James said groggily, "Can I help you?"
"Who are you?"
James paused, "Naomi? Naomi Thompson?"
The woman in front of him paused, "How do you know me and why are you in the Turner home?"
He drew in a deep breath, "It's me, the Commodore…Come on in." He opened the door wider and she reluctantly stepped in. He closed the door and said, "People are still sleeping, so…I'll go get…" He paused, remembering she was a mid-wife. "Why are you here?"
She paused, "Are you really the Commodore?"
"Yes."
Naomi took his word and said, "Well, I'm Elizabeth's mid-wife."
James' eyes bulged temporarily and then nodded, "I'll go get her then." Leaving her in the entry way, walking though the living room, past the sleeping Bianca, James quietly knocked on the doors to the family room. Will opened one, a bit frumpled himself with his shirt untucked and his hair a bit awry, but looking more awake than the Commodore felt. "You just woke up, Commodore? It's the middle of the afternoon."
James grimaced, "Naomi is here to see Elizabeth."
Will nodded, "Alright. I'll go get her."
James stood in the doorway a little longer before he heard Elizabeth's voice calling to him. He slowly walked into the room and smiled dully, "Good afternoon…"
"So you know…"
He shrugged, "I hope that doesn't present an inconvenience for you."
She shook her head, "I was hoping to tell you sooner…but…there was never a break in the action."
James nodded, "Well congratulations…I know that you and Will are going make wonderful parents."
Elizabeth smiled broadly as Naomi stepped inside, "Thank you, James, that means a lot."
Jack had yet to see two people that had been involved in his life in the past two weeks. The one who had been involved in more than two weeks sneaked into his room, only to see him laying on the window seat, with the window wide open. His eyes were closed, and even from across the room, you could hear the sound of the ocean.
She's calling to him… Bianca thought as she walked over to him. "Ana will kill you if she sees you over here."
"She'll understand," Jack answered.
Bianca sat down on the floor and looked up at him, "Are you feeling better?"
He nodded, "Somewhat. But it doesn't matter…I've got t' get back t' my ship."
Bianca took in a deep breath, "Jack…I need to talk to you about that…"
"Me goin' back?" he said opening his eyes.
"No…Me not."
He turned his head, "What?"
She took in another deep breath, finding the courage, "I don't want to keep being a pirate. I never really wanted to be one in the first place, but considering the circumstances I was in, there was no other choice…" she paused, "And I love you, Jack and I appreciate you taking me in…me, inexperienced little me…but I can't keep on living like this."
He looked at her eyes, seeing she was being honest. He nodded and lightly kissed her forehead, "Whatever will make you happy."
"How could I be so blind? It went as far as Gillette and I never saw it." James shook his head, not really believing it himself. After the shock of his death had subsided, James' mind filled with the betrayal. The governor had left to see the remains of his house and to contact England. Naomi had left, leaving Elizabeth with a prognosis of how the baby was doing. Now, Will, Elizabeth and James sat around the table, drinking some coffee and letting the Commodore spill his feelings to his two closest friends. "I never even suspected Gillette to do such a thing…"
"James, it's not your fault that you didn't see it or suspect it. Betrayals are always unexpected and usually never seen." Elizabeth told him.
"My job was to protect the people of this town…including the Governor!" He shook his head, "I still can't believe it happened."
"You have protected Port Royal…" Will started off, "Gillette is dead and so is the Mercenary, isn't that what you set out to do? And with the help of Jack and Bianca and Ana…you've succeeded."
James grimaced. "Another thing to add to their problems. I never really intended for all of them to come to Port Royal…knowing what I would have to do."
Will and Elizabeth paused, "Are you going to hang them?" she asked, a little worried.
James took in a deep breath, "I will if they don't leave soon. And by soon I mean the next couple days. They need to leave."
Entering the room, Ana Maria swiftly slammed the door behind her. By the look on her face she was convinced Jack had enough time to recover and she was going to unleash her wrath on him. Bianca had left a few minutes later and now Jack was all alone. He smiled weakly, saying, "Hello Luv…"
"Don't you 'hello luv' me, you liar! He was the bloody Commodore and you never told me! The same Commodore that wanted to have you killed more than once! The same Commodore that sent an blasted armada out looking for you! This same Commodore, you take in? What the devil was in yer head?"
Jack paused, "Ana, it was a deal! He would stay on our ship to investigate the-"
"Pirates? How could you do that t' yer cre-"
"The Governor, luv. Someone was gonna kill him, as you have witnessed!"
She crossed her arms across her chest, "Why didn't you just tell me?" she asked, "I would've kept your secret, Jack!"
He paused. She was hurt and offended, he realized. But as much as he wanted to tell her a reason, there really wasn't one. "I- I dunno…"
She swallowed, "Jack Sparrow, I will walk right out that door if you don't give me a bloody good reason to stay. I have come with you on this little lying adventure and I'm sick of it."
Jack paused, he didn't want her to leave. She must know how I feel about her…doesn't she? He looked at her square in the eye and said, "Ana…as much as I lie an' cheat an' drink an'…shame you…I need you here with me."
She paused, still not convinced, "Why?" she said a little timidly.
He took in a deep breath and said the first thing that came to his mind, "You make me want to be a better man…"
A bit stunned, Ana took a moment before saying, "It sure doesn't seem like it…"
"With every decision I make, yer in my head."
There was a sudden knock and the Commodore's voice came through the door, "Can I come in?"
Jack immediately said no, but Ana Maria said yes and even went and opened it. She stared at him, "What do you want?"
James paused, "Can I enter?" She nodded, opening the door a little wider. He stepped in and saw Jack in the bed, the one place he was sure Jack didn't want to be. He cleared his throat as Ana shut the door and said, "You both know that I have certain rules to follow…and so to be perfectly blunt, I will have to hang you if you don't leave."
Jack and Ana stayed still and silent for a moment before Jack said, "Meaning…you'll let us leave?"
James took in a deep breath, "Yes."
"Wasn't that was started this whole thing?" Ana asked, "You let Jack go and this bloke turned against you."
"Yes, well, not a whole lot of people know you three are on Port Royal, and hopefully no one has discovered the Pearl"
"Have you told Bianca?" Jack said.
James paused, "Yes…I told her you all would need to leave before someone higher up found out."
"You're not tellin' her you're the bloody Commodore?!" Ana asked, a little surprised.
"No, and I would greatly appreciate if you wouldn't either."
Ana sighed, crossing her arms, "I think I can manage that."
James paused again and took in a deep breath, "Bianca went to tell the crew that we'd…you'd be leaving soon…"
"When do you want us out? With Jack's back and all?"
"Two days. Or you'll all be hung on the third," he paused, "Savvy?"
Ana took in a deep breath, looking to her captain who looked mad and then back at James, "Savvy."
The next day, the Turner house was in craze trying to make sure the three pirates could leave on time or even before the next day. Elizabeth was packing extra a poultice for Jack, just in case they would need it. Bianca was running back and forth the ship and the house communicating Jack's orders and the crews responses and Ana was hectic to try to make sure Jack stayed calm.
James on the other hand, was determined to leave the house today and make it to his own. Intent on going to the battlement and telling all of his men of the betrayal and lies, seeing as how they were a little in the dark the past two days. He was also hoping he could start rebuilding the Governor's house.
However, when getting ready to say his goodbyes to Bianca and the other two pirates, she was no where to be found. Circling the house, Ana noticed something was a little wrong. "Problem, Commodore?"
"Bianca…do you know where she went?"
"She's makin' runs between here and the ship. But I think the last one was her last…"
He frowned, Then I'll have to go out there. He looked up, "Thanks Ana."
James started to walk off, but Ana stopped him hesitantly, "Commodore…" she paused, "Jack wanted me to tell you…I mean, we both think…well…" Her face crinkled and then taking a deep breath she said stubbornly, "Yer a good man." And then without another word, she turned around and went into the bedroom and shut the door. James paused, a little surprised, but started to smile as he walked out to the Pearl.
"Ready, Captain?"
Jack turned from his sitting position on the window seat. Once again, he had the window wide open, watching and listening to the ocean. He smiled when he saw Ana Maria.
"More than you realize."
Walking down the gangplank, Bianca smiled when she saw Nathan walking towards the ship. She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck, laughing while he hugged her tightly and swung her around slightly. He swiftly set her down and removed his hands from her waist.
He sighed, a smile still on his face, "Hi."
"Hi," She smiled wider, "I have something important to tell you!" she couldn't wait to tell him of her plan. She knew that he would want to move to land as well, and then her life would be complete.
"I have something important to say as well…" he said, a little more calmly.
She paused, sensing trouble, "I have a feeling you should go first."
He swallowed, I was afraid of that. "I'm not going back with you…I'm staying here."
"Here?...Why?" the questions were hardly whispers, but he could feel the impact.
"The Governor…He needs me. I can't keep on being a pirate. It's not me."
Her happiness soon turned to uneasiness as she knew what this meant. Suddenly her news wasn't so important. He doesn't want to be with me, that's what this means. "So…this past week…as been what? A hoax?"
"No…not at all," he grabbed her hands gently, pulling her closer, "I love you, Bianca. And it hurts me deeply to do this to you…but I have to. I can't go on living like a pirate when my responsibility is here."
"Why did you pledge this Governor your allegiance? Why doesn't Jack have this kind of devotion from you?"
James swallowed, "Please, trust me Bianca…"
She sighed as she felt the tears coming on. "I do." Her eyes quickly started to fill with water and James saw him loosing her. Did you think it was going to be different? He quickly took in a deep breath and did something he had been earning to for a long time. He bent down and kissed her. And as she quickly responded to his quick action, Bianca knew she loved him too, for this kiss was more pure than anything she had ever experienced. What he had said was the truth, and she didn't need anymore reassurance.
When the pulled apart, she hugged him and left quickly, saying goodbye, but knowing she couldn't stay there very long knowing he wasn't coming with her. James sighed as he watched her go. This was for the best. And oddly enough, through the bitterness, he knew it was.
"You happy now, Captain?"
Jack sighed, watching the horizon as Port Royal was behind him. Ana Maria was leaning her head against his shoulder as he steered. Most of the crew was somewhere other than the main deck and Jack was glad for the privacy. "You've seen Will and Elizabeth, made peace with the Commodore, have a plan for Bianca, and back on your home…is this everything you want?"
He shook his head, "You know what I want," taking his eyes off the water he looked at her, trying to communicate that he wanted her.
She smirked slightly, "Jack…you can't possibly-"
"I do, luv," he said cutting her off quickly. Leaning against the wheel, he took his hands off of the wood and cupped her dark face in his hands, "I want you."
"Why isn't this good enough?"
"I can't pretend anymore, luv…I can't."
She smiled, "Truly?" Instead of answering, Jack just bent his head down and kissed Ana. He kindly reassured her through this loving act that he did love her and wanted her as his. When they drew apart Ana smiled widely and whispered, "So now what?"
The number of times that James had thought about whether to trust Jack or not seemed endless. The pirate captain was not to be trusted. Or so he had thought two weeks ago. The fact that Jack had somehow gotten under James' skin bothered him. He used to see Jack as a filthy sleazy pirate who used people to get ahead in his own life.
The fact was, James no longer thought that.
So as he paused, staring out the window in the Turner house, the story also paused until he could get a hold of his thoughts and feelings towards the pirate.
Will and Elizabeth already knew how he was feeling though. "Anyhow…" James started again, turning towards the couple, "We had a bumpy ride, but after we spent a night in jail…it worked out fine. Until he noticed my feelings for Bianca," James paused again and smiled meekly.
"So, Jack wasn't as bad as you thought…?" Elizabeth asked, a smirk on her face.
James sighed, "You know, I went into the thing with this image of him in my mind. One that I couldn't shake for the longest time. And it was all because of our first meeting on the docks a year ago…but now…now…"
"He's more of a person?" Will offered.
James nodded, "Exactly. Jack's a pirate…but he's also a pirate."
"And what of Bianca?" Elizabeth asked, "You love her…but you let her go…something not common."
James smiled slightly, "I've done it once, I can do it again…"
Will frowned a bit, "She loved you, James. Why let her…think of you as Nathan?"
He took in a deep breath, turning toward the window again, "Jack kept telling me Pirates and Commodore's don't mix…and I even told myself that. I thought I was letting her go so she could see me as her prince charming…but I didn't and haven't saved her from anything. In the end, I couldn't let her know who I was. And since I was never going to see her again, it was going to be easy to keep that secret."
"But are secrets always best kept?" Elizabeth asked, raising an eyebrow.
James swallowed as his emotions threatened to envelop him, "This one is...and will be."
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who's read this story. It's been a fun twist writing a Norrington story, and I'm glad that I could indulge all of your imaginations. I actually got the idea of this story from my mom, and going to present to her a full story from a mere idea on Christmas. I don't think I've told her that I'm planning a sequel. Or all of you for that matter. YES, I am planning on writing one. As all of my OLD readers know, (those of you who've read my "There's Your Trouble" trilogy) I love stories that have a 'ungettable' theme. Like this one.
So, come Late January-Early Febuary, I plan to have the sequel out. I've got a little bit of a plan in my head, but it'd be best if I knew exactly what I wanted to do and happen. The title will be I'll Find Myself To You. Some of you might recognize it from LOTR, and you should! Because I just watched LOTR:FOTR, and I heard that line.
Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, and I'll see you all in January, 2005.