Norrington's Darling

Let Her Mourn

POV: Zuri Norrington

A bed had been prepared for James. Jack and Gibbs helped me lay him down on it. Jack covered James' body with a white sheet. Blood seeped through it. Jack layered another one over and Gibbs ushered me from the cabin.

In silence, they comforted me. Jack held me. He'd never gotten to tease me and James. He'd never seen us married and alive and happy together. He had missed that. I felt a deep ache within me. I knew it would not—could not—be filled.

When the day passed, we were still making way for Shipwreck Cove. I didn't doubt Elizabeth was behind us, ignoring James' order to save herself.

Night fell fast. I sat beside James, staring in silence at the surprisingly pristine white sheets covering his body. Tia had come in during the day—she said she'd done something so his body would not rot, so that I would have someone to bury when all this was finally over.

One hand rested on my stomach. The other lay on James' hand, still covered in the sheet. Falling prey to exhaustion, I lay my head upon James' shoulder, missing him with an ache even deeper and darker inside me that threatened to swallow me whole and drag me into an abyss from which I would never escape.

I almost welcomed it.

Bootstrap's words flooded back to me: "You carry a child. I cannot kill you, Zuri, sister of Jack Sparrow. Nor do I think I would if you were not carrying. You are Jack's sister. You must live, for him." 

Jones' did, too: "Heartless as I may be, I see the child you carry. Your marine would not wish his child to die before it is even born. Live, and do not repeat the mistakes of your brother or your husband. Let this child bring happiness to you once more."

Cruel men, one who was my husband's murderer and one who was my brother's murderer, the latter without a heart in his chest, had both told me they would not kill me because I bore a baby. James' baby. 

I rubbed my stomach. This child—Cedric or Briar—would never know their father. They would not hear his laugh or see his smile or feel that glowing pride whenever James complimented them. They would never know what it would be like to have James Norrington's love upon them.

Silent tears slipped down my face. I had thought I had run out of tears long ago. But I could still surprise myself.

My heart thundered in my chest, pounding with pain. Sweet James. Sweet, sweet James. Taken from me.

A tear soaked through the sheets. I sat by James long after it had evaporated and dried up. The horizon paled. I watched as colors bled across the fabric of the sky.

I never noticed when I fell asleep.