Transformation (10)
Title: Transformation Chapter Ten
Rating: PG
Characters: Elizabeth; Norrington; Groves
Pairing: Norribeth
Warnings: Spoilers for AWE and is AU
Summary: A light hearted chapter featuring James and the incomparable Theodore Groves!
AN: Sorry it's been a while since I last posted, had the first of my A-Level exams, *shudder*, but I'm baaaack!
James landed on the deck of the Dutchman with a heavy thud, letting the heavy rope snake out of his hand and return to the Endeavour. James turned to watch Groves, for whom it had also, clearly, been a long time since using a rope. Unfortunately Groves’ grace was not quite as great as James’ and the man lost his footing once on the deck, tumbling back onto his tailbone and being dragged backwards on the deck by the rope - forgetting in the melee to let go of it. Thankfully one of the crewmembers had the sense of mind to pull the rope from the officer before he got pulled over the side of the ship. James let out a dry chuckle as his friend got to his feet and sheepishly readjusted his wig, the hat having fallen off along the way.
“Not a word.” Theodore said sounding pained as he approached his commander. James pursed his lips and tried not to make contact with him, or any of the crewmen suppressing giggles around the deck.
“Any ways, I think you owe me an explanation for dragging me over here, don’t you?” He added testily.
“Indeed I do.” And as James helmed the ship he explained the atrocious things that Beckett had been doing, as if Groves didn’t already know, the Dead Man’s Chest, and killing Davy Jones. He explained with some difficulty his apparent immortality and saw the flash of temptation cross his friend’s features - the cheeky bugger wanted to put that to the test!
He watched his friend’s face as he spoke, unnerved slightly by his silence, but knowing that it was his way - to listen and only ask questions at the end. James realized as he finished that he had somehow omitted Elizabeth from the story, but he decided he would explain that later. Groves bit his lip, thinking carefully about what he was going to say, resting his weight onto the side of the boat, hands splayed wide across the gleaming wood.
“So what do you need from me?” He said, short and too the point, still looking over the seas.
“Sail with me. Revive the Navy in all her glory.” Groves smiled at his friend’s sincerity - but his completely having missed the point.
“You don’t need me for that. What do you want me to do?” He asked again.
“You are good officer, a fine man and,” James clapped him on the shoulder, “a true friend. Sail with me again as my first officer?”
Theodore smiled, “You realised that is, technically a demotion for me?” he teased his old friend before agreeing - the two men shaking hands on the matter.
James was pleased. Smiling, he led the man back down to the main deck and joked that Groves could have the honour of telling Lieutenant Turner that he had been replaced as his first act as first officer. They chatted amiably as they watched the Endeavour bank slightly to the starboard side, and drawing away from them.
“Have they not noticed I’m gone?” Theodore asked, somewhat put out.
James let out a deep laugh, “Beckett doesn’t want to spend any longer than he has to with me - I suspect you’re easily replaceable.” James ribbed him.
James was in no hurry to set off just yet - they were capable of getting anywhere in the Caribbean in under three days. What really gnawed at James’ consciousness was that he still hadn’t decided on a final plan of action yet. He supposed he would have to talk to Groves and Elizabeth about that. A sailor came up to the two officers, it was Turner, and offered Theodore his, more than slightly wet, hat which some pitying crewman had fished out of the water. Theodore thanked him and Turner a returned to his tasks with a deferential bow. James was relieved that there were no apparent hard feelings.
Theodore was telling him about the latest situation in the English colonies, how a group of children - as young as six - had been hung on Beckett’s orders, on the charge of associating with pirates. James shuddered, “how could the world have come to this?” he wondered as he gazed over the guard rail into the ocean. He thought longingly after the whisky that was in his cabin, but wouldn’t dare to intrude on Elizabeth’s sleep. As if on cue the captain’s quarters doors swung open with a bang and Elizabeth still in her fantastic gown stumbled out into the daylight, looking bleary eyed and dazed by the sun. Theodore immediately whipped his head around, glaring accusingly at James. James merely shrugged helplessly, “She was on board at the time is all.” Groves looked like he wanted to interrogate him further about what his friend thought he was doing with a rather saucily clad younger woman, whom James was most likely still very much in love with, in his cabin. Before anything more could be said Elizabeth made her way over to the men and exchanged stiff formalities with the new first officer. Elizabeth didn’t really know a good deal about the man except that he had taken a disliking to her after she had humiliated his commander, and for that she couldn’t blame him. She moved to lean on the guard rail on the other side of James and the three stood in silence for several minutes, alternating between gazing pensively into the horizon and shooting furtive glares at each other. Finally James suggested they convene in the cabin so that they could discuss what their plan of action would be. Elizabeth smiled in acquiescence and Groves gave a sharp nod. She slipped her small hand through his arm and he led her in - the action not missed by the keen eyed first officer. Theodore let out a cough that sounded an awful lot like tutting to James, and Elizabeth frowned in disapproval.
James sighed in annoyance, by all means this should have been a perfect scene for him, captaining the most powerful ship in the Caribbean with his trusted friend and the woman he loved at his side, and instead they were ignoring each other’s presences and distinctly cooling the atmosphere. Bloody insubordinates, James thought, bloody women!
AN: Sorry if bits of it are muddled, at 1:17 am it looks ok to me but if tomorrow I wake up and it looks like a Monet (i.e. great far away, not so much up close) then I'll edit and repost. Please keep R&Ring, that's what keeps me going!
Rating: PG
Characters: Elizabeth; Norrington; Groves
Pairing: Norribeth
Warnings: Spoilers for AWE and is AU
Summary: A light hearted chapter featuring James and the incomparable Theodore Groves!
AN: Sorry it's been a while since I last posted, had the first of my A-Level exams, *shudder*, but I'm baaaack!
James landed on the deck of the Dutchman with a heavy thud, letting the heavy rope snake out of his hand and return to the Endeavour. James turned to watch Groves, for whom it had also, clearly, been a long time since using a rope. Unfortunately Groves’ grace was not quite as great as James’ and the man lost his footing once on the deck, tumbling back onto his tailbone and being dragged backwards on the deck by the rope - forgetting in the melee to let go of it. Thankfully one of the crewmembers had the sense of mind to pull the rope from the officer before he got pulled over the side of the ship. James let out a dry chuckle as his friend got to his feet and sheepishly readjusted his wig, the hat having fallen off along the way.
“Not a word.” Theodore said sounding pained as he approached his commander. James pursed his lips and tried not to make contact with him, or any of the crewmen suppressing giggles around the deck.
“Any ways, I think you owe me an explanation for dragging me over here, don’t you?” He added testily.
“Indeed I do.” And as James helmed the ship he explained the atrocious things that Beckett had been doing, as if Groves didn’t already know, the Dead Man’s Chest, and killing Davy Jones. He explained with some difficulty his apparent immortality and saw the flash of temptation cross his friend’s features - the cheeky bugger wanted to put that to the test!
He watched his friend’s face as he spoke, unnerved slightly by his silence, but knowing that it was his way - to listen and only ask questions at the end. James realized as he finished that he had somehow omitted Elizabeth from the story, but he decided he would explain that later. Groves bit his lip, thinking carefully about what he was going to say, resting his weight onto the side of the boat, hands splayed wide across the gleaming wood.
“So what do you need from me?” He said, short and too the point, still looking over the seas.
“Sail with me. Revive the Navy in all her glory.” Groves smiled at his friend’s sincerity - but his completely having missed the point.
“You don’t need me for that. What do you want me to do?” He asked again.
“You are good officer, a fine man and,” James clapped him on the shoulder, “a true friend. Sail with me again as my first officer?”
Theodore smiled, “You realised that is, technically a demotion for me?” he teased his old friend before agreeing - the two men shaking hands on the matter.
James was pleased. Smiling, he led the man back down to the main deck and joked that Groves could have the honour of telling Lieutenant Turner that he had been replaced as his first act as first officer. They chatted amiably as they watched the Endeavour bank slightly to the starboard side, and drawing away from them.
“Have they not noticed I’m gone?” Theodore asked, somewhat put out.
James let out a deep laugh, “Beckett doesn’t want to spend any longer than he has to with me - I suspect you’re easily replaceable.” James ribbed him.
James was in no hurry to set off just yet - they were capable of getting anywhere in the Caribbean in under three days. What really gnawed at James’ consciousness was that he still hadn’t decided on a final plan of action yet. He supposed he would have to talk to Groves and Elizabeth about that. A sailor came up to the two officers, it was Turner, and offered Theodore his, more than slightly wet, hat which some pitying crewman had fished out of the water. Theodore thanked him and Turner a returned to his tasks with a deferential bow. James was relieved that there were no apparent hard feelings.
Theodore was telling him about the latest situation in the English colonies, how a group of children - as young as six - had been hung on Beckett’s orders, on the charge of associating with pirates. James shuddered, “how could the world have come to this?” he wondered as he gazed over the guard rail into the ocean. He thought longingly after the whisky that was in his cabin, but wouldn’t dare to intrude on Elizabeth’s sleep. As if on cue the captain’s quarters doors swung open with a bang and Elizabeth still in her fantastic gown stumbled out into the daylight, looking bleary eyed and dazed by the sun. Theodore immediately whipped his head around, glaring accusingly at James. James merely shrugged helplessly, “She was on board at the time is all.” Groves looked like he wanted to interrogate him further about what his friend thought he was doing with a rather saucily clad younger woman, whom James was most likely still very much in love with, in his cabin. Before anything more could be said Elizabeth made her way over to the men and exchanged stiff formalities with the new first officer. Elizabeth didn’t really know a good deal about the man except that he had taken a disliking to her after she had humiliated his commander, and for that she couldn’t blame him. She moved to lean on the guard rail on the other side of James and the three stood in silence for several minutes, alternating between gazing pensively into the horizon and shooting furtive glares at each other. Finally James suggested they convene in the cabin so that they could discuss what their plan of action would be. Elizabeth smiled in acquiescence and Groves gave a sharp nod. She slipped her small hand through his arm and he led her in - the action not missed by the keen eyed first officer. Theodore let out a cough that sounded an awful lot like tutting to James, and Elizabeth frowned in disapproval.
James sighed in annoyance, by all means this should have been a perfect scene for him, captaining the most powerful ship in the Caribbean with his trusted friend and the woman he loved at his side, and instead they were ignoring each other’s presences and distinctly cooling the atmosphere. Bloody insubordinates, James thought, bloody women!
AN: Sorry if bits of it are muddled, at 1:17 am it looks ok to me but if tomorrow I wake up and it looks like a Monet (i.e. great far away, not so much up close) then I'll edit and repost. Please keep R&Ring, that's what keeps me going!