Sisters of the Caribbean: Commodore James Norrington

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Ship Ahead

          I woke up the next morning, my head swimming in pain. The light that shone through the glass window made my eyes hurt. I shifted to lay on my stomach and cover my face from the light, but I was entrapped between James' arms. My heart began to beat wildly, it was getting a tad bit strange to be honest. He's a man of high social status that not only shares a bed with me, but kisses as well. I had to fight the urge to let my mind wonder to the moment we shared not too long ago. In my dazed state, I hadn't realized he had awoken. He placed a small kiss to my shoulder that made me shiver.

          "Good morning, darlin'," He whispered, his voice husky.

          "Good morning," I replied.

          "How did you sleep?" He asked, drawing designs on my arm with his finger.

          "Very good," I responded as I turned to face him, "And yourself?"

          "I didn't sleep too well, I was too concerned about someone's injuries to sleep,"

          "James!" I exclaimed, I couldn't believe he had lost sleep over me. A little head injury and a bruise is not worth the loss of sleep.

          "What?" He asked, clearly confused as to how I could be bothered.

"You shouldn't worry yourself about me, you're the Commodore, you have people to command on this ship. They need you at your best, you can't be losing sleep over me!" I exclaimed, sitting up quickly.

"It has no major effect on me, darlin', I promise." James said, trying to convince me, "I'll be fine."

I furrowed my brows, hoping my anger would cause him to admit that he was more tired than he admits and would coax him into sleep.....it didn't work. James chuckled and ruffled my hair.

           "You're so cute," he said with a smirk.

I laid down flat on my back and groaned loudly causing him to laugh. James kissed my cheek and slowly slid out of bed.
I sat up and watched as he began to dress himself, putting on his uniform again.

          "Enjoying the show, darlin'?" He asked with a laugh.

          "I would be enjoying it even more with a scone in my hand, but I'll manage."

James laughed and shook his head, I loved that laugh. The real genuine laugh of his made my heart flutter.

          "We should be getting close to them," James said, buckling his belt.

A pain shot through my heart at the idea of the soldiers capturing Leon. I hadn't thought about it much, I figured they'd be long gone now considering they took the fastest ship so I felt no reason to dwell on the possibilities of them being caught. Hearing James saying that we should be close scared me. I didn't want them to be hung or face any consequences at all.

          "James?"

          "Yes, darlin'," he replied turning to face me.

          "What's gonna happen when you catch them?"
I looked James in the eyes, my heart was pounding in my chest so loud that I could hear it. James sighed and sat down beside me on the bed.

          "Darlin'," he began, his voice barely above a whisper, "You already know what's gonna happen. What has to happen. "

          "It doesn't have to happen, James," I said, scowling down at the blankets, "They're my friends, Jack is family. I can't......I can't let them die."

James sighed again and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, "I know, darlin', but you have to."

          "No, James, I don't. I won't," I replied, "I don't know what this is James, I don't know what we are, but I'm prepared to give it all up to protect them."

James' expression hardened slightly, before softening again. He tried to act unfazed, but I could tell by the way his fists clenched that he was angry with me.
Before he could reply, Groves knocked loudly on the door.

          "SHIP AHEAD!!!" He yelled, "SHIP AHEAD!"

The look James gave me was menacing almost. He shot up off the bed and ran out the door behind Groves, slamming the door behind him.
The second that door slammed, I let out a shaky breath . The look James gave me when I had said that I would choose Sparrow, Leon, and Turner broke my heart. I truly did love and enjoy whatever it was that we have. I felt something, my heart always fluttered when I'm with him. When he speaks, my body shivers. His presence pulls me to him like a moth to a flame. I don't know what it is about him, but I know that my feelings for him were deeper than I'd liked to admit. He makes me feel warm. He makes all the bad things disappear from the world when I'm with him. I'm able to block out any noises in my head. I doubt he feels the same which bothers me more than I'd like to admit as well. I want him to feel the same way, to share the same connection, to be ask magnetized to me as I am to him. I don't believe it's love, I wouldn't know what that felt like, to be in love. I love my family, my friends, but I've never been IN love. A part of me wants it to be love, to have someone that will stay by you no matter the costs. Another part of me wanted it to be too good to be true. I didn't want to have to pick between him and my family. I wanted to save Leon and the boys and I can't do that easily if I'm in love. I don't want to feel the heartbreak, the sorrow, the need for him to come back. I didn't want that, my heart was torn in half, so torn that it was falling into many pieces. This was what I had wanted my entire life and yet here I was denying it. I was denying my one chance at love. My chance to be with James Norrington.