Horizons
Title: Horizons
Author: nelliedances/Miss Ruby Tuesday
Rating: Mild R for later chapters
Pairings: Jack/Elizabeth, mentions of Will/Elizabeth
Warnings: Very vague DMC/AWE. Set after the third movie
Disclaimer: Sure I own it; I also have a great bridge for sale in Brooklyn, if anyone’s interested.
Summary: Elizabeth, trapped and unhappy with life on land and with Will, embarks on an affair with Jack.
Status: Complete with epilogue.
Something was grabbing at the back of Will's shirt. He swatted at it. Bloody damn mule who thought she was a damn, bloody goat.
“Go 'way!” he slurred.
“Come on, Will, time to go.” That voice was not the voice of the of Master Brown's mule, especially considering that blasted mule never really spoke. Mule of a few words... In fact, it sounded suspiciously like...
“Norrin'ton! Jayz Norrin'ton! How'd you get in my shop!?” He went to clap the man on the back, but missed.
James Norrington sighed. How did he continuously get himself into places where he was cleaning up after Will Turner, just like a bloody mother, especially after how he'd stolen Elizabeth away from him? At least now, he could take cold comfort in the fact that, judging from Will's actions, it now seemed as though he would be relegated to the same fate.
“We're not in 'your' shop, Will. You're in a tavern and I am taking you elsewhere before you further embarrass yourself.”
“Right then... Embarrass.” Will tilted off his stool into Norrington's arms, barely staying upright. “You're a luckee man, James. A luckee, luckee, single man. Women'r naught but trouble. Trouble!” He went to poke Norrington in the chest, but again missed. Damn man wouldn't hold still.
“You have no idea,” he replied drolly.
~*~
Will felt seasick. He had no idea how this was possibly on land, even land as unsteady as this. All he really was sure of that he was going to very sick, very shortly. Norrington averted his eyes as Will retched into the bushes on the side of the road. Though he had guessed it was Elizabeth that was upsetting, he was curious what exactly she'd done that had sent him out to drink himself into oblivion.
“If you'd do me the favour of ceasing to vomit, I'll put you up in my home for the night.”
“I don't want to be a bother...” Will was cut off as he retched again
“It's no bother, young William. And I am truly curious as to what led you to this current state.”
“Lead on,” Will sighed and wiped half-heartedly at his mouth. Much as he didn't want to talk to a man who had also been engaged to Elizabeth, perhaps Norrington was also the only man who would understand.
The walk to Norrington's home was uncomfortable. Will might have considered bolting if he hadn't still been so woozy from all the drink. He had the distinct feeling of lamb being led to slaughter as he walked up to a tidy, if unassuming, looking house on a bit of a hill.
“This is it?” Will's voice sounded hoarse from vomitting.
“Yes. Do you want to come in or would you rather wallow on the porch alone?” Still reluctant, Will followed his former adversary into his own home. Once inside, Norrington roused a scullery maid and set her about to putting on tea for both of them.
“So tell me, Will, how was it I came to find you drinking yourself half blind instead of becoming drunk on the beauty of our dear Elizabeth. Wedding plans gone awry?” Cruel? Yes, but turn about was certainly fair play. Will Turner, after all, had caused him a great deal of heartbreak in the past.
“She's taken up with Jack.”
It was the response that Norrington had expected, but it somehow sounded more better in his mind. Coming from Will's lips, it sounded cheap, sad, and pathetic.
“I'll have to say, Will, I'm not shocked by it. You should have seen the look in her eyes when she spoke to him aboard the Pearl... as well as all the nights she spent in his cabin before we found you.” That's it James, twist the knife a little more.
“She... spent nights with him?”
“She did. Near on every night I was on watch, at least. Once most of the crew was sleeping, she'd sneak out and go into his cabin. She never came out again until dawn was breaking.”
“How could she!?” he slammed his fist onto a table for the second time that night. “Oh Elizabeth... How could she? I love her.”
“May I remind you, Will, that I do too?”
Realization dawned on him, widening his eyes. “She did the same to you, didn't she? Every word she said to you... a lie... And me, as well.”
“And God help us both, we still love her. What fools we mortals be,” Norrington stated dryly.
Will took a sip of his tea, only to choke on it.
“Oh, God... Oh, God... That's what had changed about her. That's what was different. The smell of rhum! Oh, God, she came to me still smelling of him.” Will cracked before Norrington's eyes. What little self control he might have had was gone with that revelation. Norrington might have felt some pity for him if he hadn't remembered her in the same: coming to him smelling first of Will, and then later covered with Sparrow's burnt sugar scent. Norrington placed a hand on his back.
“She was never meant for either of us, Will. Her heart was never for either of us to have, even though she seems to have ripped out and trounced upon both of ours.”
“No! You might have given her up without a second thought, but I won't...” his voice dropped to almost a whisper. “She's all I've ever wanted, since I was a boy. If not for Elizabeth, I have nothing. I can't lose her, I won't lose her, especially not to him! I have to see her, to speak to her.” Will shoved himself out of the chair before Norrington had a chance to caution him against such a rash idea.
“That's not for you to decide, Will,” he muttered at the retreating shape. “It's not your choice any more than it was mine to lose her to you.”
Author: nelliedances/Miss Ruby Tuesday
Rating: Mild R for later chapters
Pairings: Jack/Elizabeth, mentions of Will/Elizabeth
Warnings: Very vague DMC/AWE. Set after the third movie
Disclaimer: Sure I own it; I also have a great bridge for sale in Brooklyn, if anyone’s interested.
Summary: Elizabeth, trapped and unhappy with life on land and with Will, embarks on an affair with Jack.
Status: Complete with epilogue.
Something was grabbing at the back of Will's shirt. He swatted at it. Bloody damn mule who thought she was a damn, bloody goat.
“Go 'way!” he slurred.
“Come on, Will, time to go.” That voice was not the voice of the of Master Brown's mule, especially considering that blasted mule never really spoke. Mule of a few words... In fact, it sounded suspiciously like...
“Norrin'ton! Jayz Norrin'ton! How'd you get in my shop!?” He went to clap the man on the back, but missed.
James Norrington sighed. How did he continuously get himself into places where he was cleaning up after Will Turner, just like a bloody mother, especially after how he'd stolen Elizabeth away from him? At least now, he could take cold comfort in the fact that, judging from Will's actions, it now seemed as though he would be relegated to the same fate.
“We're not in 'your' shop, Will. You're in a tavern and I am taking you elsewhere before you further embarrass yourself.”
“Right then... Embarrass.” Will tilted off his stool into Norrington's arms, barely staying upright. “You're a luckee man, James. A luckee, luckee, single man. Women'r naught but trouble. Trouble!” He went to poke Norrington in the chest, but again missed. Damn man wouldn't hold still.
“You have no idea,” he replied drolly.
~*~
Will felt seasick. He had no idea how this was possibly on land, even land as unsteady as this. All he really was sure of that he was going to very sick, very shortly. Norrington averted his eyes as Will retched into the bushes on the side of the road. Though he had guessed it was Elizabeth that was upsetting, he was curious what exactly she'd done that had sent him out to drink himself into oblivion.
“If you'd do me the favour of ceasing to vomit, I'll put you up in my home for the night.”
“I don't want to be a bother...” Will was cut off as he retched again
“It's no bother, young William. And I am truly curious as to what led you to this current state.”
“Lead on,” Will sighed and wiped half-heartedly at his mouth. Much as he didn't want to talk to a man who had also been engaged to Elizabeth, perhaps Norrington was also the only man who would understand.
The walk to Norrington's home was uncomfortable. Will might have considered bolting if he hadn't still been so woozy from all the drink. He had the distinct feeling of lamb being led to slaughter as he walked up to a tidy, if unassuming, looking house on a bit of a hill.
“This is it?” Will's voice sounded hoarse from vomitting.
“Yes. Do you want to come in or would you rather wallow on the porch alone?” Still reluctant, Will followed his former adversary into his own home. Once inside, Norrington roused a scullery maid and set her about to putting on tea for both of them.
“So tell me, Will, how was it I came to find you drinking yourself half blind instead of becoming drunk on the beauty of our dear Elizabeth. Wedding plans gone awry?” Cruel? Yes, but turn about was certainly fair play. Will Turner, after all, had caused him a great deal of heartbreak in the past.
“She's taken up with Jack.”
It was the response that Norrington had expected, but it somehow sounded more better in his mind. Coming from Will's lips, it sounded cheap, sad, and pathetic.
“I'll have to say, Will, I'm not shocked by it. You should have seen the look in her eyes when she spoke to him aboard the Pearl... as well as all the nights she spent in his cabin before we found you.” That's it James, twist the knife a little more.
“She... spent nights with him?”
“She did. Near on every night I was on watch, at least. Once most of the crew was sleeping, she'd sneak out and go into his cabin. She never came out again until dawn was breaking.”
“How could she!?” he slammed his fist onto a table for the second time that night. “Oh Elizabeth... How could she? I love her.”
“May I remind you, Will, that I do too?”
Realization dawned on him, widening his eyes. “She did the same to you, didn't she? Every word she said to you... a lie... And me, as well.”
“And God help us both, we still love her. What fools we mortals be,” Norrington stated dryly.
Will took a sip of his tea, only to choke on it.
“Oh, God... Oh, God... That's what had changed about her. That's what was different. The smell of rhum! Oh, God, she came to me still smelling of him.” Will cracked before Norrington's eyes. What little self control he might have had was gone with that revelation. Norrington might have felt some pity for him if he hadn't remembered her in the same: coming to him smelling first of Will, and then later covered with Sparrow's burnt sugar scent. Norrington placed a hand on his back.
“She was never meant for either of us, Will. Her heart was never for either of us to have, even though she seems to have ripped out and trounced upon both of ours.”
“No! You might have given her up without a second thought, but I won't...” his voice dropped to almost a whisper. “She's all I've ever wanted, since I was a boy. If not for Elizabeth, I have nothing. I can't lose her, I won't lose her, especially not to him! I have to see her, to speak to her.” Will shoved himself out of the chair before Norrington had a chance to caution him against such a rash idea.
“That's not for you to decide, Will,” he muttered at the retreating shape. “It's not your choice any more than it was mine to lose her to you.”