Get My Life Back (3, 4 part 1&2, 5/?; Beckett/Norrington)
This wasn’t what James Norrington had in mind when he told his parents when he was young that he wanted to spend his life at sea. Ten years aboard the Flying Dutchman was not exactly how he had planned to spend his prime years. He had intended to rid the Caribbean of piracy, to see Jack Sparrow finally hanged for some rather….colorful charges, to see Cutler Beckett dead for his role in some rather unspeakable crimes of his own, and of course, to finally have Elizabeth.
But now he would see none of those dreams realized. He was quite certain that the Caribbean was still overrun with pirates. He was also quite certain that Jack Sparrow would never hang.
As for Cutler Beckett and Elizabeth Swann…
Norrington knew Will and Elizabeth had been married. It made his stomach turn in grief to think about. But it had always been a fool’s dream, and he was the fool who was stupid enough to chase it.
And Cutler Beckett. Norrington gripped the decaying wood of the side of the Flying Dutchman in mixed emotion. He hated that man. He hated everything he had given up for the sake of helping that man. Beckett was manipulative and deceitful and completely self-absorbed. And Norrington hated him for it.
At the same time, there was something about him that proved that no matter now much Norrington wanted to see Beckett hung, part of him would remain loyal to the slimy bastard.
Norrington let out a breath as he glanced toward the beach on which William Turner, Elizabeth Turner, and a boy that he assumed to be their offspring sat. He raised an eyebrow slightly in curiosity as Elizabeth sent their son away, leaving just herself and Will alone. He shook his head and pushed away from the edge of the ship.
“Will, he doesn’t owe you anything. Any debt that he owed you…or me…has been paid by now,” Elizabeth whispered, facing the sand underneath her. “It has been my burden for the past ten years to carry the guilt of being his murderer.” She shook her head slightly. “He doesn’t deserve to be there.”
“Elizabeth. There is not much I can do about it. Either he remains with me, or I can release him and ferry him to the other side,” Will replied, his eyes fixed on his ship floating not far away.
They were silent for several moments. Finally Elizabeth raised her head and let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding for the past few seconds. “There is another way,” she said, turning her head to look at Will.
Title: Get My Life Back
Chapter: The Goddess's Kiss (Part 1)
Author:
greeneyespurple !!! Yeah boy. Not me. I had nothing to do with this. I proofread it.
Rating: G
Summery: After their one day, Will thinks about why he envys Norrington so and Elizabeth summons a long-forgotten force.
Author's (ha. Um. Editor's) note:
greeneyespurple describes this as a sort of prologue to the body of the chapter. She told me that I could only use the second part if I so wished but I refuse to get rid of it because I think it sets up the rest of the chapter. So yeah.
Back on the ship, Will watched Norrington for a while. His movements were still the same since the day he died by a sword Will had made. Stiff, slow and graceful, Norrington did his duties. Norrington stayed as aloof as he could. Just the polite greetings and some short chats over some irrelevant topics. Will had to admit that he always had admired Norrington quite a bit. He was the prototype of the strong English man that Will always wanted to be as a young boy - and he shared a bond with Elizabeth long before Will had the chance. Even after his marriage, which proved to him Elizabeth was truly his and he hers, he couldn’t ignore the sudden sting as his beloved one mentioned Norrington’s name. She felt bad; she wanted to give him the second chance he deserved. Will wasn’t sure if he really deserved a second chance yet she was right that Norrington was never in his debt. In the end, Will could just hope the best; not only for Norrington, but also that Elizabeth was relieved from her guilty conscience she carried. She had to do it by herself and he could literately just hope that the gods where kind.
***************
Elizabeth tucked in young William Wetherby Jack Turner after telling him one of the many heroic things his daddy and Uncle Jack had done.
“So, enough of stories for today. Sleep tight.” She gave her son another kiss on his little nose, gently stroking some of his dark brown hair out of his face.
“Good night mommy.”
“Good night, Billie.”
Leaving the door open a bit just in case he called her, Elizabeth sat down on her rocking chair on the little veranda. Life wasn’t as bad here as she expected. A island with mere inhabitants, mostly odd creatures but she liked them. Majority were women with children, some men but she barely ever saw them. They all had a long past which nobody talked about and nobody judged. The surroundings were pleasing as well; she liked the deep woods, the flowers and water everywhere you went. The wish to go back to England occurred several times but for her and mostly for the child’s sake she stayed.
Yes, Calypso could be cruel, she proved it once in Elizabeth’s lifetime and she be damned to prove it in Billie’s lifetime, Elizabeth reminded herself. But there was also a loving feeling creature in her that she proved by letting her live here on her island. Yet she knew the only reason she let her live here, was that Calypso liked her husband a lot. Calypso, previously known as Tia Dalma, always talked to Will- not to her- and the way she looked at him made Elizabeth furious. Then again, nobody could really know what was on her mind; she was always a step ahead, planning everything years before.
But she was the key for James return, if anyone could release him it was Calypso. Elizabeth got up, loosening her hair she had tied up in a knot for the day. She stretched and walked over to the river that flowed a mere few feet from the veranda. While walking she noticed that she hadn’t thought of anything to say, no clever lines, and no plans. She would talk the same as she walked - in bare truth.
Her feet had reached the water, knowing touching her ankles.
The cool water felt good on her feet. She sighed. Calypso could not be found unless she wanted to. If she wasn’t hiding, she was hiding with somebody. Elizabeth closed her eyes, whispering.
“Calypso”
Title: Get My Life Back
Chapter: The Goddess's Kiss (Part 2)
Author:
greeneyespurple !!! Yeah boy. Not me. I had nothing to do with this. I proofread it .
Rating: PG
Summery: James Norrington wants his life back to fix the mistakes he had made. The goddess Calypso is willing to make it happen.
Author's (ha. Um. Editor's) note: Not gonna lie, I love The Little Mermaid allusions. XD
greeneyespurple read my mind man. I love that movie. Well, she wrote this chapter for a good reason: she's a mythology buff. I am the history and religion buff (as you will later see). We work well together. So give props to the real author of these chapters. And somewhere between getting from the Word Document to the post, the coding in this got all jacks up, so some of the parts have a different indention. Don't mind that.
The sun rose and set with James, day in and day out. He had been on the Dutchman for ten years and just couldn’t accept such a life as his destiny. The endless sailing, the orders (even though Captain Turner always was very careful giving him orders), the daily new crewmembers, the leaving members, the souls - it was a circle, an eternal circle. Not only physically but also mentally. James was struggling with his emotions.
Could this truly be my destiny, an endless life upon the sea?
Anger raged with in him. How could all of this have happened to him, Admiral Norrington? He began to reminisce about his life once again and as fate should have it, his thoughts returned to Elizabeth. He wanted to hate Elizabeth for everything she had put him through but still found he couldn’t. He had loved her, even died for her and still her heart remained with Will, the Blacksmiths apprentice. Just the thought of him being his Captain made him go absolutely mad. James Norrington, once Admiral and the pride of the Royal Navy, now under the command of Captain Turner - forever.
I want my life back. James thought while doing his daily chores.
I want it back no matter what it costs. I will serve under the crown once again and if I play my cards right I will rectify the mistakes I made with the Company and with … Beckett.
These were the daily thoughts that kept his mind straight, yet he laughed over them when he cried himself to sleep, realizing that they were just never fulfilling dreams. This went on the next odd days and the followings. But one day his thoughts were heard by someone.
If that’s the last thing I do, I swear by Calypso I will bloody have it back once again.
“Is that what you want most, James Norrington?”
Startled by the tone of a woman’s voice, James turned around to find a smiling female creature sitting on the railing of the ship. She looked familiar. He had seen her in the water but just assumed she was an illusion. Now he thought he needn’t any more proof that he was going insane. Yet out of curiosity he asked this creature who she may be.
“Who are you?”
James suddenly felt as if his world had come to a stop. The silence was so unbearable he could feel himself swaying and wandering towards something not from this (unnatural) world. He was being taken beyond when suddenly this strange creature called to him. Without hesitation he turned around and saw this nymph hoisted up on the edge of the ships rail. Now if he wasn’t mad before he was certainly now.
“You need not ask who I am, James Norrington. You know who I am. Do not deny your thoughts and wishes. What is it that you wish for most?”
James laughed pejoratively. If she looked like anything, then like one of the Tortuga strumpets. He had thought of gods or nymphs to look more British. Her dress, if you could call it that, was just some little pieces of shiny material covering her breasts and sex. But really nothing was as it seemed after all.
“Well, then I guess it is Miss Calypso. May I enquire the reason for your visit?”
“Come closer, my sweet.”
Knowing that he had nothing to lose within this mad world he stepped towards her. Her dark teeth and eyes starred at him. She stroked his hair, her smile never faded once.
“What service can I do you?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You called me.”
“When was that?”
She blinked her eyes and looked to the left. James saw himself, heard himself thinking.
I swear by Calypso I will bloody have it back once again.
His mouth formed in a slight “o” for some second before responding. He turned to face the mysterious woman and grabbed her by her shoulders. “Are you going to give it back to me?"
“Did you never wonder, James, why your soul is still full of desire? Ghosts do not desire or yearn to see somebody again.”
“I’m over Elizabeth.” He let go of her arms and walked over to the side.
“Not every somebody in your life was Elizabeth, am I right?”
His stomach turned. She was confronting him with things he had tried to drown into the sea and that was where she found them. “Why are you here? I’m tortured enough; I don’t need some ‘goddess’ bothering me
“You never feared death, did you James? You feared your life too much to do what your heart ached for.”
Becoming impatient with this interrogation, his jaw clenched as anger rose within him. “I had everything I could wish for.”
“Why did you call me then?”
“If you are so concerned about my heart, why are you here now, after ten years? Who sent you?”
“I can not be sent, only asked. The ‘who’ shall never worry you again for you don’t need it anymore. The ‘why,’ James, is what you want.”
”What could that possibly be?” he asked sarcastically.
“Life. To be acknowledged, to become what you think somebody owes you.”
“Who is that bloody somebody? I said I do not care for Elizabeth! Just let me die and rest in peace.”
She laughed harshly at his behavior while playing with her hair. “I can let you die but the peace you must find yourself.”
“And how am I to solve that problem, my fair Lady? I won’t see him again.” James bashed his hand against the railing, angry at himself for telling her the deep truth. Angry at Beckett that he still had his thoughts after all.
“The solution to your problem is simple; you called me for you still have a thing for this human. Not that I blame you, people are who they are, James. You have to accept that.”
She slid off the railing and floated gracefully over to him.
“My poor soul, the only way to get what you want is to once again become human yourself.”
His mouth dropped open. “You can do that?” he asked in a tone that was both sarcastic and unwilling to believe.
She had the wickedest smile he had ever seen. “It is possible and fortunately I know a little magic, James. The price has already been paid for you. She opened his shirt to reveal his deadly scar and traced its outline. James felt a cold shiver down his back and tried to shake away the memories of his own death. “Ten years James. That is what I can give you.”
He tried to focus but every touch sent thousand reminiscences through his psyche, his mother and father, his childhood, all the battles on open sea, the pirates, Port Royal...
But he spoke out the strongest of them. The one memory that had opened doors for him he couldn’t open himself; the place where all his desperation lay with the joy and the pain.
“The Company. I want my life back.”
Calypso kissed his scar and James felt that same stabbing pain that had put his life to an end. The heat that ran through his body was to hot to bear and yet the fear was making his body shiver from the cold.
With the release of her lips, the ship disappeared and James was left hanging in the midst of nowhere. He closed his eyes and waited- waited for the end to come. Or was it the beginning?
Title: Get My Life Back
Chapter: This will not be the end
Author: Yours truly with shoutouts to
greeneyespurple for her input.
Rating: PG
Summary: Now mid January, news has reached Beckett about the answer to the previous year's Acts. He is furious and begins to plot. That is, until someone shows up.
Author's note: I changed the year that the first three chapters are to take place in. But it really doesn't change much. It just clears things up to know that now because you think I'm out of my mind.
“I came to clean up the chaos this company is in, and this is what I am faced with. The outcome of my predecessor’s stupidity,” Beckett commented, crumpling up the note that had been given to him. News had recently reached him about the mid-December answer to Archer’s incompetence and Lord North’s new Act: a group of colonists had raided the ships of the East India Trading Company sitting in Boston Harbor and had thrown almost 90,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor. This came after a rather eventful year that was supposed to help revitalize the downing Company.
May and June had seen the passing of a new Act against the American colonists and for the benefit of the failing East India Trading Company. It lent the company much needed funds and renewed its charter. But, in return, the Company had to give up much of its independence and yield to the rule of the British government. Under this new Act, tea would be sailed directly from India to the American colonies, thus avoiding a tax that would have been placed on it if it had been sailed to England first. The duty that would be placed on the good was significantly less than the original duty, making it “more affordable” to purchase. The Act also placed new agents in America to sell the tea and also meant that only the EITC navy could carry the good from India to the port cities.
September saw the sailing of 600,000 pounds of tea in 2,000 chests to America, bound for Boston, New York, Charleston, Philadelphia. It seemed like the perfect plan. The colonists, however, did not appreciate the gesture. The special agents sent by the EITC to sell the tea were “taking American jobs” while the EITC navy sent to sail the tea from country to country were “taking jobs away” by cutting out the middleman. They were angry that they were being taxed “unfairly” in Parliament as they believed they were being taxed without being “represented” in Parliament.
Up until December, the greatest form of protest had been the boycott of the good. In that month, the colonists decided to do something far more rash: in the middle of the night, a large group of colonists, dressed as the American natives, boarded ships that laid anchored in Boston Harbor, and for three hours hacked open chests carrying 90,000 pounds of tea then dumped them into the Harbor.
It was now January and news had just reached Lord Beckett about the insolence of these colonists. This “Tea Party” as they called in was very well organized. It seemed to him that this had all been in the making for quite some time.
Now, he had to do damage control for not only the way the company had been run in his absence, but now for this.
Cutler Beckett was steaming. He sat at his desk, his hands in fists and his knuckles turning white. I will not let this be the end,” he said, dropping back against the chair. “Military force seems to be the only way to ensure that these colonists do as they should.” He stood and walked to his fireplace, staring at the flames thoughtfully. “Take a note to Parliament. Ask for their ‘legal’ permission to send more troops to Boston.” He turned his hands behind his back. “Though I will sail more with their permission or no.”
An agent bowed with a soft “Milord,” then left.
Beckett remained in silence as he turned back to the fireplace. He reached out, holding onto the highly decorated mantel piece.
As the flames danced, Beckett thought of the last time he had used force. He had an entire armada at his disposal and he had used it. But he had lost it. He had been far too confident. Never again. This time around, he would not underestimate his opponents. This time, he would give them the benefit of the doubt that they would have any chance of beating his fleet, while he would sail even more soldiers than expected and necessary. It was just good business that way. He would not lose this time. He would…
“Milord, someone here to see you.”
“Not now, captain.”
“Lord Beckett, he insists on seeing you.”
“I said, not…” he began, turning around. He never finished his sentence. Beckett felt his stomach twinge. His heart jumped into his throat and he choked on it. For a time, he could say nothing. A few seconds passed before he finally said, “Thank you captain. Leave us.” He waited until the soldier left before stepping towards his desk. “Unlike the rumors that were being passed around about me, I know for a fact that you, James Norrington, were dead.”
It's a massive post. I know. But ya know ya love it. :P
Previous Chapters:
Prologue; Luke 24:5; Bring Me To Life
But now he would see none of those dreams realized. He was quite certain that the Caribbean was still overrun with pirates. He was also quite certain that Jack Sparrow would never hang.
As for Cutler Beckett and Elizabeth Swann…
Norrington knew Will and Elizabeth had been married. It made his stomach turn in grief to think about. But it had always been a fool’s dream, and he was the fool who was stupid enough to chase it.
And Cutler Beckett. Norrington gripped the decaying wood of the side of the Flying Dutchman in mixed emotion. He hated that man. He hated everything he had given up for the sake of helping that man. Beckett was manipulative and deceitful and completely self-absorbed. And Norrington hated him for it.
At the same time, there was something about him that proved that no matter now much Norrington wanted to see Beckett hung, part of him would remain loyal to the slimy bastard.
Norrington let out a breath as he glanced toward the beach on which William Turner, Elizabeth Turner, and a boy that he assumed to be their offspring sat. He raised an eyebrow slightly in curiosity as Elizabeth sent their son away, leaving just herself and Will alone. He shook his head and pushed away from the edge of the ship.
“Will, he doesn’t owe you anything. Any debt that he owed you…or me…has been paid by now,” Elizabeth whispered, facing the sand underneath her. “It has been my burden for the past ten years to carry the guilt of being his murderer.” She shook her head slightly. “He doesn’t deserve to be there.”
“Elizabeth. There is not much I can do about it. Either he remains with me, or I can release him and ferry him to the other side,” Will replied, his eyes fixed on his ship floating not far away.
They were silent for several moments. Finally Elizabeth raised her head and let out the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding for the past few seconds. “There is another way,” she said, turning her head to look at Will.
Title: Get My Life Back
Chapter: The Goddess's Kiss (Part 1)
Author:
greeneyespurple !!! Yeah boy. Not me. I had nothing to do with this. I proofread it.
Rating: G
Summery: After their one day, Will thinks about why he envys Norrington so and Elizabeth summons a long-forgotten force.
Author's (ha. Um. Editor's) note:
greeneyespurple describes this as a sort of prologue to the body of the chapter. She told me that I could only use the second part if I so wished but I refuse to get rid of it because I think it sets up the rest of the chapter. So yeah.
Back on the ship, Will watched Norrington for a while. His movements were still the same since the day he died by a sword Will had made. Stiff, slow and graceful, Norrington did his duties. Norrington stayed as aloof as he could. Just the polite greetings and some short chats over some irrelevant topics. Will had to admit that he always had admired Norrington quite a bit. He was the prototype of the strong English man that Will always wanted to be as a young boy - and he shared a bond with Elizabeth long before Will had the chance. Even after his marriage, which proved to him Elizabeth was truly his and he hers, he couldn’t ignore the sudden sting as his beloved one mentioned Norrington’s name. She felt bad; she wanted to give him the second chance he deserved. Will wasn’t sure if he really deserved a second chance yet she was right that Norrington was never in his debt. In the end, Will could just hope the best; not only for Norrington, but also that Elizabeth was relieved from her guilty conscience she carried. She had to do it by herself and he could literately just hope that the gods where kind.
***************
Elizabeth tucked in young William Wetherby Jack Turner after telling him one of the many heroic things his daddy and Uncle Jack had done.
“So, enough of stories for today. Sleep tight.” She gave her son another kiss on his little nose, gently stroking some of his dark brown hair out of his face.
“Good night mommy.”
“Good night, Billie.”
Leaving the door open a bit just in case he called her, Elizabeth sat down on her rocking chair on the little veranda. Life wasn’t as bad here as she expected. A island with mere inhabitants, mostly odd creatures but she liked them. Majority were women with children, some men but she barely ever saw them. They all had a long past which nobody talked about and nobody judged. The surroundings were pleasing as well; she liked the deep woods, the flowers and water everywhere you went. The wish to go back to England occurred several times but for her and mostly for the child’s sake she stayed.
Yes, Calypso could be cruel, she proved it once in Elizabeth’s lifetime and she be damned to prove it in Billie’s lifetime, Elizabeth reminded herself. But there was also a loving feeling creature in her that she proved by letting her live here on her island. Yet she knew the only reason she let her live here, was that Calypso liked her husband a lot. Calypso, previously known as Tia Dalma, always talked to Will- not to her- and the way she looked at him made Elizabeth furious. Then again, nobody could really know what was on her mind; she was always a step ahead, planning everything years before.
But she was the key for James return, if anyone could release him it was Calypso. Elizabeth got up, loosening her hair she had tied up in a knot for the day. She stretched and walked over to the river that flowed a mere few feet from the veranda. While walking she noticed that she hadn’t thought of anything to say, no clever lines, and no plans. She would talk the same as she walked - in bare truth.
Her feet had reached the water, knowing touching her ankles.
The cool water felt good on her feet. She sighed. Calypso could not be found unless she wanted to. If she wasn’t hiding, she was hiding with somebody. Elizabeth closed her eyes, whispering.
“Calypso”
Title: Get My Life Back
Chapter: The Goddess's Kiss (Part 2)
Author:
greeneyespurple !!! Yeah boy. Not me. I had nothing to do with this. I proofread it .
Rating: PG
Summery: James Norrington wants his life back to fix the mistakes he had made. The goddess Calypso is willing to make it happen.
Author's (ha. Um. Editor's) note: Not gonna lie, I love The Little Mermaid allusions. XD
greeneyespurple read my mind man. I love that movie. Well, she wrote this chapter for a good reason: she's a mythology buff. I am the history and religion buff (as you will later see). We work well together. So give props to the real author of these chapters. And somewhere between getting from the Word Document to the post, the coding in this got all jacks up, so some of the parts have a different indention. Don't mind that.
The sun rose and set with James, day in and day out. He had been on the Dutchman for ten years and just couldn’t accept such a life as his destiny. The endless sailing, the orders (even though Captain Turner always was very careful giving him orders), the daily new crewmembers, the leaving members, the souls - it was a circle, an eternal circle. Not only physically but also mentally. James was struggling with his emotions.
Could this truly be my destiny, an endless life upon the sea?
Anger raged with in him. How could all of this have happened to him, Admiral Norrington? He began to reminisce about his life once again and as fate should have it, his thoughts returned to Elizabeth. He wanted to hate Elizabeth for everything she had put him through but still found he couldn’t. He had loved her, even died for her and still her heart remained with Will, the Blacksmiths apprentice. Just the thought of him being his Captain made him go absolutely mad. James Norrington, once Admiral and the pride of the Royal Navy, now under the command of Captain Turner - forever.
I want my life back. James thought while doing his daily chores.
I want it back no matter what it costs. I will serve under the crown once again and if I play my cards right I will rectify the mistakes I made with the Company and with … Beckett.
These were the daily thoughts that kept his mind straight, yet he laughed over them when he cried himself to sleep, realizing that they were just never fulfilling dreams. This went on the next odd days and the followings. But one day his thoughts were heard by someone.
If that’s the last thing I do, I swear by Calypso I will bloody have it back once again.
“Is that what you want most, James Norrington?”
Startled by the tone of a woman’s voice, James turned around to find a smiling female creature sitting on the railing of the ship. She looked familiar. He had seen her in the water but just assumed she was an illusion. Now he thought he needn’t any more proof that he was going insane. Yet out of curiosity he asked this creature who she may be.
“Who are you?”
James suddenly felt as if his world had come to a stop. The silence was so unbearable he could feel himself swaying and wandering towards something not from this (unnatural) world. He was being taken beyond when suddenly this strange creature called to him. Without hesitation he turned around and saw this nymph hoisted up on the edge of the ships rail. Now if he wasn’t mad before he was certainly now.
“You need not ask who I am, James Norrington. You know who I am. Do not deny your thoughts and wishes. What is it that you wish for most?”
James laughed pejoratively. If she looked like anything, then like one of the Tortuga strumpets. He had thought of gods or nymphs to look more British. Her dress, if you could call it that, was just some little pieces of shiny material covering her breasts and sex. But really nothing was as it seemed after all.
“Well, then I guess it is Miss Calypso. May I enquire the reason for your visit?”
“Come closer, my sweet.”
Knowing that he had nothing to lose within this mad world he stepped towards her. Her dark teeth and eyes starred at him. She stroked his hair, her smile never faded once.
“What service can I do you?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You called me.”
“When was that?”
She blinked her eyes and looked to the left. James saw himself, heard himself thinking.
I swear by Calypso I will bloody have it back once again.
His mouth formed in a slight “o” for some second before responding. He turned to face the mysterious woman and grabbed her by her shoulders. “Are you going to give it back to me?"
“Did you never wonder, James, why your soul is still full of desire? Ghosts do not desire or yearn to see somebody again.”
“I’m over Elizabeth.” He let go of her arms and walked over to the side.
“Not every somebody in your life was Elizabeth, am I right?”
His stomach turned. She was confronting him with things he had tried to drown into the sea and that was where she found them. “Why are you here? I’m tortured enough; I don’t need some ‘goddess’ bothering me
“You never feared death, did you James? You feared your life too much to do what your heart ached for.”
Becoming impatient with this interrogation, his jaw clenched as anger rose within him. “I had everything I could wish for.”
“Why did you call me then?”
“If you are so concerned about my heart, why are you here now, after ten years? Who sent you?”
“I can not be sent, only asked. The ‘who’ shall never worry you again for you don’t need it anymore. The ‘why,’ James, is what you want.”
”What could that possibly be?” he asked sarcastically.
“Life. To be acknowledged, to become what you think somebody owes you.”
“Who is that bloody somebody? I said I do not care for Elizabeth! Just let me die and rest in peace.”
She laughed harshly at his behavior while playing with her hair. “I can let you die but the peace you must find yourself.”
“And how am I to solve that problem, my fair Lady? I won’t see him again.” James bashed his hand against the railing, angry at himself for telling her the deep truth. Angry at Beckett that he still had his thoughts after all.
“The solution to your problem is simple; you called me for you still have a thing for this human. Not that I blame you, people are who they are, James. You have to accept that.”
She slid off the railing and floated gracefully over to him.
“My poor soul, the only way to get what you want is to once again become human yourself.”
His mouth dropped open. “You can do that?” he asked in a tone that was both sarcastic and unwilling to believe.
She had the wickedest smile he had ever seen. “It is possible and fortunately I know a little magic, James. The price has already been paid for you. She opened his shirt to reveal his deadly scar and traced its outline. James felt a cold shiver down his back and tried to shake away the memories of his own death. “Ten years James. That is what I can give you.”
He tried to focus but every touch sent thousand reminiscences through his psyche, his mother and father, his childhood, all the battles on open sea, the pirates, Port Royal...
But he spoke out the strongest of them. The one memory that had opened doors for him he couldn’t open himself; the place where all his desperation lay with the joy and the pain.
“The Company. I want my life back.”
Calypso kissed his scar and James felt that same stabbing pain that had put his life to an end. The heat that ran through his body was to hot to bear and yet the fear was making his body shiver from the cold.
With the release of her lips, the ship disappeared and James was left hanging in the midst of nowhere. He closed his eyes and waited- waited for the end to come. Or was it the beginning?
Title: Get My Life Back
Chapter: This will not be the end
Author: Yours truly with shoutouts to
greeneyespurple for her input.
Rating: PG
Summary: Now mid January, news has reached Beckett about the answer to the previous year's Acts. He is furious and begins to plot. That is, until someone shows up.
Author's note: I changed the year that the first three chapters are to take place in. But it really doesn't change much. It just clears things up to know that now because you think I'm out of my mind.
“I came to clean up the chaos this company is in, and this is what I am faced with. The outcome of my predecessor’s stupidity,” Beckett commented, crumpling up the note that had been given to him. News had recently reached him about the mid-December answer to Archer’s incompetence and Lord North’s new Act: a group of colonists had raided the ships of the East India Trading Company sitting in Boston Harbor and had thrown almost 90,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor. This came after a rather eventful year that was supposed to help revitalize the downing Company.
May and June had seen the passing of a new Act against the American colonists and for the benefit of the failing East India Trading Company. It lent the company much needed funds and renewed its charter. But, in return, the Company had to give up much of its independence and yield to the rule of the British government. Under this new Act, tea would be sailed directly from India to the American colonies, thus avoiding a tax that would have been placed on it if it had been sailed to England first. The duty that would be placed on the good was significantly less than the original duty, making it “more affordable” to purchase. The Act also placed new agents in America to sell the tea and also meant that only the EITC navy could carry the good from India to the port cities.
September saw the sailing of 600,000 pounds of tea in 2,000 chests to America, bound for Boston, New York, Charleston, Philadelphia. It seemed like the perfect plan. The colonists, however, did not appreciate the gesture. The special agents sent by the EITC to sell the tea were “taking American jobs” while the EITC navy sent to sail the tea from country to country were “taking jobs away” by cutting out the middleman. They were angry that they were being taxed “unfairly” in Parliament as they believed they were being taxed without being “represented” in Parliament.
Up until December, the greatest form of protest had been the boycott of the good. In that month, the colonists decided to do something far more rash: in the middle of the night, a large group of colonists, dressed as the American natives, boarded ships that laid anchored in Boston Harbor, and for three hours hacked open chests carrying 90,000 pounds of tea then dumped them into the Harbor.
It was now January and news had just reached Lord Beckett about the insolence of these colonists. This “Tea Party” as they called in was very well organized. It seemed to him that this had all been in the making for quite some time.
Now, he had to do damage control for not only the way the company had been run in his absence, but now for this.
Cutler Beckett was steaming. He sat at his desk, his hands in fists and his knuckles turning white. I will not let this be the end,” he said, dropping back against the chair. “Military force seems to be the only way to ensure that these colonists do as they should.” He stood and walked to his fireplace, staring at the flames thoughtfully. “Take a note to Parliament. Ask for their ‘legal’ permission to send more troops to Boston.” He turned his hands behind his back. “Though I will sail more with their permission or no.”
An agent bowed with a soft “Milord,” then left.
Beckett remained in silence as he turned back to the fireplace. He reached out, holding onto the highly decorated mantel piece.
As the flames danced, Beckett thought of the last time he had used force. He had an entire armada at his disposal and he had used it. But he had lost it. He had been far too confident. Never again. This time around, he would not underestimate his opponents. This time, he would give them the benefit of the doubt that they would have any chance of beating his fleet, while he would sail even more soldiers than expected and necessary. It was just good business that way. He would not lose this time. He would…
“Milord, someone here to see you.”
“Not now, captain.”
“Lord Beckett, he insists on seeing you.”
“I said, not…” he began, turning around. He never finished his sentence. Beckett felt his stomach twinge. His heart jumped into his throat and he choked on it. For a time, he could say nothing. A few seconds passed before he finally said, “Thank you captain. Leave us.” He waited until the soldier left before stepping towards his desk. “Unlike the rumors that were being passed around about me, I know for a fact that you, James Norrington, were dead.”
It's a massive post. I know. But ya know ya love it. :P
Previous Chapters:
Prologue; Luke 24:5; Bring Me To Life