Norrington's Darling

Beckett's Warning

POV: Zuri Sparrow

I watched James disappear down the road. I turned only when Beckett cleared his throat behind me. I gave him a vile glare. "What do you want, Beckett?"

His jaw clenched. "Zuri—"

"Miss Sparrow will do," I snapped.

Beckett drew in a deep, steadying breath. "Miss Sparrow, I have news you may have already thought of. Regardless of whether the thought has crossed your mind or not, it shall undoubtedly greatly upset you."

A cold hand gripped my stomach. "Go on..." My voice was only barely steady.

Beckett studied me for a minute. He let out a breath through his nose, moistened his lips and broke it to me with no introduction: "Miss Sparrow, Admiral Norrington is once again training. Soon enough, he will be out on the water, leading the front lines. It is highly possible that he will go out to sea...and never return."

He might as well have punched me in the gut. Or have had Mercer do it. Nothing hit me harder than those words did right then, knowing that one day my James would kiss me goodbye and leave Port Royal only to die at sea, never to see me again.

I had been silent, shocked and still, for some time when Beckett frowned. "Miss Sparrow?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

I couldn't speak. Words lodged in my throat, long before I had the chance to choke them out. I wanted to reassure Beckett I was fine, that I knew the possibilities, that I'd even thought of them countless times in the night hours. But my body refused to respond.

My chest got tight. My breath hitched. I wobbled in my seat. Beckett reached out a hand to steady me, his fingers wrapping around my arm. "Miss Sparrow? Are you alright?" I found I couldn't get air in. Panic laced Beckett's voice. "Miss Sparrow!"My throat was closed up tight. My chest stopped moving. My heart slowed. "Zuri!" Beckett's voice was a near wail, now. "Zuri, please!"

I found I could speak again, just barely, as black crowded into my vision. "Cutler!" I gasped, getting out a final plea for help before my eyes fluttered closed, my breath stopped, and my world went spinning out of my grasp.

I realized just before everything went black that I had, for the first time since the incidents between us, called Beckett by his first name. I had no time to ponder it, however. My mind shut down and I was out of it.

I woke to find Beckett chewing on his nails, pacing, Mercer crouched in front me, holding smelling salts beneath my nose. I was sitting in the chair. My eyes locked on Beckett. I stood shakily and took his hand from his mouth.

"You shouldn't do that," I said quietly, my voice much softer than what it normally was. I still felt vaguely faint and my knees felt like they could buckle at any given moment.

Beckett sat me back down. "You're alright, Zuri?"

"I..." I looked down. My voice was a whisper when I finally spoke again. "I don't think so, Cutler."

Beckett looked at Mercer. "Wait for me outside," he said quietly. He waited until the door clicked shut to speak again. "I didn't expect you to..."

"Faint?" I sighed. "I didn't think so, either. I've thought about my James dying at sea, but...it never seemed real to me until you said it."

Beckett studied me. "Zuri."

"Yes?"

His eyes were sad as he watched me. "Zuri...it's even more possible that Admiral Norrington will die now that he is an admiral. His position will put him at greater risk. I...I suppose I should have let you and Norrington talk about it more than the few short seconds I gave you." He looked down. He gulped. "I'm...sorry, Zuri." His voice broke as he added, "For everything."

And for some reason, I believed him. I nodded. "I know," I whispered. "And I'm sorry, too."

It looked like pounds of stress had been lifted off his shoulders. "Th-thank you," he said.

I was silent for a long time. "So...what do I do?"

Beckett sighed. "There's nothing you really can do. You just have to be there for him. And if he doesn't come back...you've got to keep going. For him."

"For him," I agreed, my voice shaking. A tear traced down my cheek.

Beckett watched me a moment. He gently squeezed my shoulder as he stood. "I'll give you some time." He hesitated before adding, "I'll send him home soon, alright?" I nodded and he left me there in my seat, tears dripping down my face, staring desolately at the place James usually sat, the seat empty. 

I tried to imagine the seat being permanently empty. I tried to imagine myself alone in this house, pushing on through James's absence.

With renewed vigor, I started to cry.