THE GIRL & HER SAILOR [Pirates of the Caribbean]

Faith

The Pearl had become quieter and quieter as the sun slowly sunk into the horizon and when the music ceased and most of the sailors had retired to their bunks in a drunken stupor, James Norrington was the only one left on deck. Not even Gibbs who usually made sure everything was in order at this hour was anywhere to be seen. And James was glad about that, he did like the sailor surprisingly much but he couldn't stand his pearls of wisdom right now. He was leaning over the railing, a bottle of rum in his hands and listening to the faint sounds of the ocean beneath them.

It was a clear and peaceful night, barely any clouds to be seen and wherever he looked there was water, no land in sight. He was staring at the cold darkness, thinking about what the sea was capable of and not even the moonlight reflecting on the gentle waves could ease that dreadful feeling growing inside of him by the second. His mind was filled with images of sailors screaming, of dark waves swallowing them whole, of falling, of the cold darkness around him, filling his lungs till he couldn't breathe anymore, not knowing where up and down was. James sighed and raised the bottle to his lips, the taste of warm and stale rum filling his mouth. He had learned to love that burning sensation down his throat, a familiar, almost comforting feeling these days.

He didn't notice Elizabeth approaching. James was too lost in thoughts and memories and only when she went to stand beside him, making her presence known, he turned to face her. Despite the men's attire she was wearing, she still bore striking resemblance to the Elizabeth he knew and it was beyond him how anybody could have possibly mistaken her for a man even with her hair tied together. At least her voice should have given her away. And perhaps she looked even more like herself, dressed in these clothes and maybe he knew her too well to judge her disguise. 

She did not say a single word at first, only looked at him and her gaze felt like it was burning right through him. Perhaps with distaste, maybe it was pity, he couldn't tell anymore. And he stayed quiet as well, turning away again till the silence between them became too much to bear and the faint sound of the calm ocean beneath them made him more uneasy than he would have liked to admit. He was a sailor, he should love the sea as a woman, not fear her! And maybe he did after all, maybe he loved the sea still despite everything she had done to him, despite knowing what she was capable of and what incredible power lay within her. He couldn't hate her, never. The sea was calling him, had been since he could remember and he was to honor her call every second of his life. "What do you want?" he finally asked the young woman besides him, not turning away from the reflection of the moon in the cold darkness. 

Elizabeth stayed quiet a little bit longer as if she didn't quite know herself why she found herself on deck alone with him at this hour. Had he not made it clear that he wanted to be alone? Had he not scared her away with his biting remarks? “I want some company.” she informed him at last, her voice soft and quiet. A little glance to his side told him that she had not shifted her focus away from him. He raised an eyebrow and turned his head completely to look at her. 

“Well I do not.” he muttered. There had been a time where he would have given anything for her to willingly enjoy his company just like she had when she was a child and he barely a man but these times were gone now. It felt like an eternity ago even if it had not been. So much had happened, too much. And it would be a lie if he were to say he didn't love her anymore. Not unlike the sea he would never truly be able to hate her, in a way Elizabeth Swann did remind him of the sea, the power that lay within her. She was wild and stubborn and unpredictable. But Elizabeth had made it inescapably clear that her heart already belonged to the poor blacksmith turned pirate instead. It's why she was here to begin with, to find the man she loved and it wasn't him. It never would be, he had accepted it by now. 

James hated that she got to see him like this. He hated that she saw a side of him he had intended to hide forever, a side of him that was weak and hurt and so very unlike the man he had once been. So very unlike Commodore Norrington. He hated that she saw him fall victim to his own pride and that she witnessed him going down the same path so many other good men had before him. Not that he was a good man, he really was the anything but that and he looked down, twirling the bottle in his hand, watching the dreaded liquid move around inside of it. His facade had crumbled and maybe it was time to pay for his sins now. "Got all the company I need."