A Pirate's Life for Me

Chapter 35: Family

Yet again, Annalise was trying to float amidst utter chaos. Like she was trying to swim in crashing waves.

It had all started off as much as she could have expected. She had had a vague idea of why Sao Feng was interested in her, having overheard his conversation with Barbossa. Although why he wanted her had been unclear until Sao Feng addressed her as Calypso; that was when things had started to go downhill. And the last thing she had expected of course was for him to kiss her.

But nothing could have prepared her for what came after. Canon blasts had rocked the ship and amidst the attack, Sao Feng had been killed. But not before he had named Annalise captain.

So now, here she stood, held captive by the very crew she had nightmares about and head of a crew who knew pretty much nothing about her and whom she knew nothing about. Some she had sailed with on their journey to the Locker, but they had barely interacted before the crew had mutinied on their return to the land of the living. But even if she knew nothing of them, she knew one thing for certain. Pirates were rarely loyal to the captains they knew, and she had no doubts about how they would act to a captain who had merely minutes earlier been their captive. They would not hesitate to throw her to the sharks to save themselves. She grimaced in a way that had nothing to do with Davy Jones's crew holding her tightly around the neck so she couldn't escape. To think she would die alone, surrounded by strangers...

"Annalise?"

Annalise turned in surprise at the sound of her name coming from a familiar voice she couldn't quite place immediately. Once she saw the man who had stepped into the light in his own surprise, however, her mouth fell open and his name left her lips in her shock.

"James?"

James Norrington stood in all his familiar navy glory, looking exactly like the man she had known her entire life until their unfortunate reunion in Tortuga. For a second, she was certain it was a hallucination. Then he took another step toward her, his movements slow with his own shock, and the realization hit her. It really was him. He really was there. A familiar face just when she thought everything was lost.

"James!"

In her moment of relief, Annalise pushed aside the pirate holding her and stumbled toward Norrington. To his credit, he caught her when she all but fell into his arms and hugged her just as tightly. Annalise almost melted in his warm embrace, something she hadn't felt in a very long time - not since she had grown too much for him to feel it proper accept her hugs even in private. And the way he held her, it reminded her of her father with his formal coat and somewhat awkward touch. It was enough to take her back to her childhood, to a simpler, happier time; and Annalise clutched him, wishing she could go back to that moment. But already it was slipping away and reality was sinking back in.

"Thank God you're alive." Norrington murmured into her hair, the relief evident in his voice. "Your father will be overjoyed to know you're safe. But where is your sister?"

It was like being splashed in the face by ice-cold water. His mention of her father returned Annalise to reality and just as quickly as she had hugged him she pulled away. He let her go easily although he looked confused by her cold look. Annalise decided to enlighten him.

"My father's dead."

Norrington blinked rapidly, before he shook his head. "No, it can't be true; he returned to England."

Annalise scoffed, her eyes raking over his uniform again. This time, however, the illusion was shattered as the bitter understanding of just how he had come about his reinstatement (and even promotion it seemed, as she eyed his lapels) seemed to drive a cold stake through her heart. Yet another betrayal to add to her list; would it never end?