(no subject)
Title: Providential
Author: Underworldvixen
Rating: Mild PG for this chapter
Pairings: Elizabeth/Norrington
Summary: Written for the Norribeth challenge. What if James didn't die on The Flying Dutchman? What if he washes up on the island where Elizabeth is now living? Set after AWE.
Status: Part 1 of 3
Being alone at sea makes you remember things from your past. For James Norrington, it was the negative memories that continually ran through his mind. All those heart-wrenching memories of Elizabeth: Of his proposal to her a top the parapet, of her stepping in between himself and Turner, of her finding him in Tortuga and, finally, kissing her aboard The Flying Dutchman and helping her to safety. If he could have turned back time, there were many things he would have changed. He would have proposed to Elizabeth earlier, maybe even started courting her earlier. He would have been less focused on her more, and not his work. After all, it was evident that Elizabeth didn't truly care what position a man held.
All I wanted was to make you happy, Elizabeth. To give you the best life possible.
But that kiss aboard The Flying Dutchman, that had sealed his deep love and affection for Elizabeth. At least she'd remember that he loved her, even if he never lay eyes upon her beautiful figure again.
Although ensuring Elizabeth's freedom had come at a steep price. A crew member of Jones's crew had discovered them, yelling, and surely waking those slumbering down below. It had been a matter of urgency then, to get Elizabeth back to The Empress. After a brief exchange in which she pleaded with him to follow her. He had told her he would, but she had seen right through his fabricated lie. The look in her stunning eyes had made a lump rise in his throat and he uttered the words in which he hoped she'd understand.
"Our fates were always entwined, Elizabeth. But never joined."
And then the kiss. Oh, that sweet kiss. It had almost set James on fire. Even after they broke apart, James could still feel the tingle of Elizabeth's sweet kiss. The shuffling sound of someone approaching had set James on edge. He had whirled around, a tall, intimidating figure, drawing his sword. The disformed crew member had edged toward them. "Part of the crew, part of the ship," he had repeated, over and over.
James had tried to keep him back, saying a manner of things to stop the deranged crew member in his tracks. Elizabeth's scream jolted James and sent a shiver of panic down his spine. James had turned around, only to see his darling crawling back across the tow line towards him. Brave Elizabeth. Demonstrating such attractive qualities that had captured James's heart many years before. Raising his pistol, James had shot down the tow line. Elizabeth had cried out as she plummeted into the dar ocean below, and James's heart had fell with her.
A large wave had crashed against the ship, making James lose his footing and stumble. A sharp pain had grazed his side, and a slight trickle of blood smeared his uniform. The ship lurched in the waves again and James was knocked off his feet. He had lay on the deck of the ship, finally seeing the crazed crew member clutching a sharpened piece of timber, a demented look in his, otherwise, empty eyes.
"Nobody leaves the ship!" the mad sailor had bellowed.
Dark figures had surged out of the shadows, more of Davy Jones' crew. They gathered around James, staring down at him with merciless eyes. A tapping sound; and the captain of The Flying Dutchman himself appears. He observes James for a moment before turning to the sailor whom had attempted to attack him.
"What are we to do with him, captain?" a crew member had asked Jones.
"What is the meaning of this?" a cold, drawling voice had rang out, quiet, but deadly enough to bring a sudden silence upon the ship. The voice, of course, belonging to none other then Lord Beckett.
"The prisoners from the brig are gone," a voice from the crowd had answered.
Beckett's eyes had been alive with venom as he had looked upon James, who had still remained in his fallen position.
"Shall we have him killed, sir?" Mr. Mercer had asked, his voice alive with malice and a touch of eagerness.
But even James knew, Beckett would consider that too easy. Once he was dead, that was it. Beckett would want to punish him, and torturously draw out the punishment.
"Take him to the Endeavor. Lock him in the brig. Leave him there," had been the cold reply.
And so, James had been ruthlessly hauled to his feet and all but dragged down to the brig. Ironic, how he had just rescued Elizabeth from there and was now condemned to the place himself. And so he had remained there, unable to see anything happening above, pacing back and forth like a confined wild beast.
The punishment was drawn out. Unnameable time had passed, and yet James had remained in solitude. He would have been driven mad, if not for the superior memory of saving Elizabeth. Her cherished memory stuck with James, keeping him sane and making deep love flood his every cell. Even the aching gnawing of hunger and thirst wasn't enough to dampen his spirits.
He had finally known something of what was happening when he heard the yells. The sounds of fighting and distant cannon fire also mixed with the cries, and yet James had only thought of Elizabeth. Wishing with all possible strength that she was safe. The sound of running footsteps had made James stop his agitated pacing as none other then Lieutenant Groves had appeared.
"Lieutenant?" James has said, in shock.
Groves had fumbled with the keys, finally jamming them with force with the lock and letting James out. With a nod and single acknowledgment, "Admiral," Groves had melted away, as though he were never there.
James had rushed above deck, seeing instant bedlam. The Endeavor had been caught in between two pirate ships. Sailors on board had been leaping overboard in an attempt to escape. James had seen Lord Beckett and the look of loss on his cold, cruel countenance. The pirate ships had passed on either side and opened fire, blowing the Endeavor to pieces, and that had been the moment James leapt overboard.
___________________
Now he was stranded at sea, kept afloat by a large fragment of the Endeavor. Occasionally, a scarlet clad figure floated past; sometimes James recognized the face and sometimes he didn't. There were times when many bodies floated past and James squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that it was just a grizzly nightmare. The occasional shark fin rose up through the water and James would pull himself up on the timber and shudder. Sleep proved to be almost impossible and it was only when James was overcome with fatigue that slumber could finally reach him.
After several days out at sea, James was delighted to see an island on the horizon. He was weak from hunger and thirst and his clean visage he had had as an Admiral now resembled the scruffy, dirty look he had when in Tortuga. The bodies of sailors dotted the sand and fragments from the Endeavor littered the water. The fragment on which James was lying bumped up against the shoreline and James, overcome with exhaustion, dropped onto all fours: Crawling up the beach, seeking shade and something to quench his ravenous hunger and thirst.
James hadn't even spared a thought to the fact that there could be other occupants on the island. Indeed, it was a deep shock when he heard a voice call out his name. His insides felt as though they had been turned to stone, and shivers of both shock and joy ran up and down his spine. He recognized the sweet, heavenly voice from which his name was joyfully cried. He looked up the long stretch of golden beach, his lips lifting in an infinite smile, as he saw a vision of heavenly beauty rushing towards him in the form of Elizabeth.
She dropped down beside James and threw her arms around him, and, forgetting all about his exhausted state, James returned her embrace with vigor.
Author: Underworldvixen
Rating: Mild PG for this chapter
Pairings: Elizabeth/Norrington
Summary: Written for the Norribeth challenge. What if James didn't die on The Flying Dutchman? What if he washes up on the island where Elizabeth is now living? Set after AWE.
Status: Part 1 of 3
Being alone at sea makes you remember things from your past. For James Norrington, it was the negative memories that continually ran through his mind. All those heart-wrenching memories of Elizabeth: Of his proposal to her a top the parapet, of her stepping in between himself and Turner, of her finding him in Tortuga and, finally, kissing her aboard The Flying Dutchman and helping her to safety. If he could have turned back time, there were many things he would have changed. He would have proposed to Elizabeth earlier, maybe even started courting her earlier. He would have been less focused on her more, and not his work. After all, it was evident that Elizabeth didn't truly care what position a man held.
All I wanted was to make you happy, Elizabeth. To give you the best life possible.
But that kiss aboard The Flying Dutchman, that had sealed his deep love and affection for Elizabeth. At least she'd remember that he loved her, even if he never lay eyes upon her beautiful figure again.
Although ensuring Elizabeth's freedom had come at a steep price. A crew member of Jones's crew had discovered them, yelling, and surely waking those slumbering down below. It had been a matter of urgency then, to get Elizabeth back to The Empress. After a brief exchange in which she pleaded with him to follow her. He had told her he would, but she had seen right through his fabricated lie. The look in her stunning eyes had made a lump rise in his throat and he uttered the words in which he hoped she'd understand.
"Our fates were always entwined, Elizabeth. But never joined."
And then the kiss. Oh, that sweet kiss. It had almost set James on fire. Even after they broke apart, James could still feel the tingle of Elizabeth's sweet kiss. The shuffling sound of someone approaching had set James on edge. He had whirled around, a tall, intimidating figure, drawing his sword. The disformed crew member had edged toward them. "Part of the crew, part of the ship," he had repeated, over and over.
James had tried to keep him back, saying a manner of things to stop the deranged crew member in his tracks. Elizabeth's scream jolted James and sent a shiver of panic down his spine. James had turned around, only to see his darling crawling back across the tow line towards him. Brave Elizabeth. Demonstrating such attractive qualities that had captured James's heart many years before. Raising his pistol, James had shot down the tow line. Elizabeth had cried out as she plummeted into the dar ocean below, and James's heart had fell with her.
A large wave had crashed against the ship, making James lose his footing and stumble. A sharp pain had grazed his side, and a slight trickle of blood smeared his uniform. The ship lurched in the waves again and James was knocked off his feet. He had lay on the deck of the ship, finally seeing the crazed crew member clutching a sharpened piece of timber, a demented look in his, otherwise, empty eyes.
"Nobody leaves the ship!" the mad sailor had bellowed.
Dark figures had surged out of the shadows, more of Davy Jones' crew. They gathered around James, staring down at him with merciless eyes. A tapping sound; and the captain of The Flying Dutchman himself appears. He observes James for a moment before turning to the sailor whom had attempted to attack him.
"What are we to do with him, captain?" a crew member had asked Jones.
"What is the meaning of this?" a cold, drawling voice had rang out, quiet, but deadly enough to bring a sudden silence upon the ship. The voice, of course, belonging to none other then Lord Beckett.
"The prisoners from the brig are gone," a voice from the crowd had answered.
Beckett's eyes had been alive with venom as he had looked upon James, who had still remained in his fallen position.
"Shall we have him killed, sir?" Mr. Mercer had asked, his voice alive with malice and a touch of eagerness.
But even James knew, Beckett would consider that too easy. Once he was dead, that was it. Beckett would want to punish him, and torturously draw out the punishment.
"Take him to the Endeavor. Lock him in the brig. Leave him there," had been the cold reply.
And so, James had been ruthlessly hauled to his feet and all but dragged down to the brig. Ironic, how he had just rescued Elizabeth from there and was now condemned to the place himself. And so he had remained there, unable to see anything happening above, pacing back and forth like a confined wild beast.
The punishment was drawn out. Unnameable time had passed, and yet James had remained in solitude. He would have been driven mad, if not for the superior memory of saving Elizabeth. Her cherished memory stuck with James, keeping him sane and making deep love flood his every cell. Even the aching gnawing of hunger and thirst wasn't enough to dampen his spirits.
He had finally known something of what was happening when he heard the yells. The sounds of fighting and distant cannon fire also mixed with the cries, and yet James had only thought of Elizabeth. Wishing with all possible strength that she was safe. The sound of running footsteps had made James stop his agitated pacing as none other then Lieutenant Groves had appeared.
"Lieutenant?" James has said, in shock.
Groves had fumbled with the keys, finally jamming them with force with the lock and letting James out. With a nod and single acknowledgment, "Admiral," Groves had melted away, as though he were never there.
James had rushed above deck, seeing instant bedlam. The Endeavor had been caught in between two pirate ships. Sailors on board had been leaping overboard in an attempt to escape. James had seen Lord Beckett and the look of loss on his cold, cruel countenance. The pirate ships had passed on either side and opened fire, blowing the Endeavor to pieces, and that had been the moment James leapt overboard.
___________________
Now he was stranded at sea, kept afloat by a large fragment of the Endeavor. Occasionally, a scarlet clad figure floated past; sometimes James recognized the face and sometimes he didn't. There were times when many bodies floated past and James squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that it was just a grizzly nightmare. The occasional shark fin rose up through the water and James would pull himself up on the timber and shudder. Sleep proved to be almost impossible and it was only when James was overcome with fatigue that slumber could finally reach him.
After several days out at sea, James was delighted to see an island on the horizon. He was weak from hunger and thirst and his clean visage he had had as an Admiral now resembled the scruffy, dirty look he had when in Tortuga. The bodies of sailors dotted the sand and fragments from the Endeavor littered the water. The fragment on which James was lying bumped up against the shoreline and James, overcome with exhaustion, dropped onto all fours: Crawling up the beach, seeking shade and something to quench his ravenous hunger and thirst.
James hadn't even spared a thought to the fact that there could be other occupants on the island. Indeed, it was a deep shock when he heard a voice call out his name. His insides felt as though they had been turned to stone, and shivers of both shock and joy ran up and down his spine. He recognized the sweet, heavenly voice from which his name was joyfully cried. He looked up the long stretch of golden beach, his lips lifting in an infinite smile, as he saw a vision of heavenly beauty rushing towards him in the form of Elizabeth.
She dropped down beside James and threw her arms around him, and, forgetting all about his exhausted state, James returned her embrace with vigor.