Norrington's Darling

Paying Respects

POV: James Norrington

She had never looked so beautiful as she did right then.

She was dressed in breeches (which happened to be mine) and a loose blouse and her signature black leather boots, her hair loose and tossing about in the slight breeze, bracelets on her arms, a silver chain with a tiny (and useless) metal compass dangling from it, the promise ring on her hand.

I watched, my heart squeezing happily. Zuri took in a lungful of salty air, her eyes closed and a small smile playing across her lips. She looked so happy, so content, so at ease. She was the most relaxed I had seen her since we'd returned to Port Royal.

Not wanting to bother her, I turned back to my work, climbing up the mast to adjust the sails. Theodore gave me a pointed look and gestured to Zuri, who was still in her own little world. I gave him a knowing smile.

"Not yet," I whispered.

"Make the move!"

"Shhh!" I hissed. "When I'm ready."

"At this rate," Theodore hissed, "that'll be never!"

I rolled my eyes and dropped back to the ground. I sauntered over to my girl and joined her, pressing my arm and shoulder against hers. "Hello, darling," I purred.

Zuri slowly opened her eyes, the motion similar to a cat. A lazy smile stretched across her lips and she leaned all her (very light) weight into me. "Bonjour, mon amour."

I chuckled. "You're French now?"

"Why not?" She nuzzled her head against my shoulder. "It is the language of love."

Now, Theodore's voice whispered in my mind. I shoved it away. Not the right time.

I studied her as she turned to face the ocean again, her eyes looking out across the azure waters. "Do you like it here?" I finally asked.

"Hmm?"

"Do you like it? Being out here, on the water, with no one to bother you but me?"

She laughed lowly. "Oh, James. I love it out here." She slipped her hand into mine, passing me a smile. "I love being quote-on-quote bothered by you, too."

I smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Well, for that I'm glad."

She sighed contentedly and rested against me. I put one arm around her and caught Theodore grinning as he dropped from the mast. As he walked by, he poked me—hard—in the back. I forced myself not to react and just rested my head on top of Zuri's.

"We're getting there soon, aren't we?" she suddenly asked, all happiness gone from her voice.

My throat closed up. After three days of sailing, we'd gotten only a few hundred miles from the place where Jones had claimed Jack and the Pearl. And though I didn't relish the screaming and crying and pummeling of me Zuri would be doing, I knew I'd take it all with a straight face and comforting words. Zuri deserved more from me, but I didn't know what to do for her. All I could do was be by her side, even if I felt useless during it (and even if she beat me up until I was black and blue).

"We are," I whispered.

Zuri's arms wrapped around my waist and she buried her head into me. "I want to get there, but at the same time...I don't." She paused and then rushed on, "I just want to keep sailing forever. Just you and me and Theodore and Andrew and Anamaria and Charles and Philip and Thomas. Just the eight of us sailing around for the rest of our lives, without Beckett and without Mercer and without Jones. Damn it, even without Elisabeth!"