Charley's Curse.

Chapter 14-Hades' Ocean

The three of us head back to the beach where Norrington was waiting of us, it was almost pitch back as we grouped up. I leant my head back and stared at the stars and sighed, the next chapter of my life depended on the choice he would make and I had a good feeling it would be a very short chapter because after all I am a pirate and no one can change that, I belong on the ocean and somehow I doubt he would agree with me after all there is a noose with my name on it back in London and a large sum to go with it. "You're all right!" I heard Lizzie call out and we all turned to see her row over to us, there was an awkward moment as we tried to figure out which one she was calling out to. In the end it was obvious as she raced across the beach and rammed straight into me causing us to both fall in the sand and I hissed in pain. "Sorry Char, are you alright?" She asked scrambling up. I brought a hand back to my shoulder and brought it back in front of my face and saw blood, that's when I finally felt the pain, I looked behind me and saw Norrington standing there his sword drawn, and a dead Pearl crew mate on the sand. My adrenaline was so high I didn't even feel it. "I-I-" Stuttered the world became fuzzy and all I could her was a loud buzzing in my ears as I fell backwards on the sand. When I woke up I felt pain rack through my shoulder and I shot upright and looked around me, the Dauntless, I knew then that the Black Pearl had left us, unsurprising, they kept to the code and that's all I could have asked from them. Now my issues only grew, my arm was in a sling so I didn't move my shoulder too much, so I chucked my jacket on over my shoulders and opened my door to step into the bright sunlight on deck, so bright that I had to shield my eyes, as I stared at the sun, enjoying the warmth of it soak into my skin and the wind rush through my matted hair. It was blissful until someone roughly grabbed my arm, I looked over and saw a marine as he dragged my off to the main quarters. He knocked on the door before opening it and throwing me in. "Hey watch it!" I called back but he had left, I had no other option but to venture in.His cabin was dark even with the glaring sun outside, "you're up, how are you feeling?" I heard him ask behind me. I spun round and saw him, obviously he had just had a wash, his hair was now dripping and dishevelled and to top it off he was just putting his shirt, I spun around again."I'm fine." I managed to bite as my embarrassment took over, I heard him chuckle behind me. "What's so funny, I'm still mad at you." I heard him quite down."You can turn round now Char – Miss Swann." I slowly did and was glad to see he was clothed this time. "I get that you're still mad at me but is there anything I can do to make you a little less mad at me?" I thought for a moment, did I really want to make this work or did he hurt me just enough that it was impossible for me to not be mad at him. "I don't know James, we are currently sail to my death and my uncle as well, we can't – I don't. Argh it's so frustrating. Before when you asked me I would have said yes without any thought but now, after you just left me up there, you said nothing, you just left, and nothing will change that, nor the fact that I am a pirate and nothing can change that. So I don't know Jams, I wish I had an answer I-I-" Stuttered before h pulled me into a hug, I leant my head on his shoulder and wrapped my good arm around him, just standing like this it felt perfect, like I was home, but it couldn't last."I'm so sorry, Charley, I'm so sorry." he whispered into my hair. "I wish I could something, anything, but you're right, the law, I have to follow it, I don't have any option like you have no option. I will always remember though the girl who saved my life ten years ago, who could have easily thrown me into the ocean and let me drown. I will not ever forget you my Charley." I buried my head further into his chest this would be the last time we would ever be this close because after we get back to Port Royal I would be escaping to Tortuga, finding the Pearl and going back to my old life, however much I loved being with my father, sister, cousin, Gillette and James, my life was just so different from them, a gap that could never be filled no matter how hard I tried, this just proved it."It's not your fault James, none of this is any of our faults we have such different lives. I will never forget you though either. I-I-I never thought I would feel this for anyone. A pirate's life is lonely and I know there is noway that I could persuade you to come with me, promise me at night you'll look at the stars and think of me." I whispered, as a tears began to fall, no matter how much I tried to distance my self from him it doesn't stop my heart breaking at the thought of leaving him again.James pulled away and looked down at the girl who had haunted his dreams for ten years, he knew that when she told him the truth that he fucked up but now as the thought of the noose hanged over them he regretted everything immediately, he knew that he loved Charley but he couldn't leave the Navy it was her home, his life just like Charley's life was piracy. He pulled back and saw tears running down her face and his heart broke a little more. He brought his hand up and brushed her tears away, it took everything in his power not to cry either that would be no good for anybody. James for one of the first times in his life was at a lost, he pulled Charley closer to him and sh hissed in pain, he quickly let go and saw he had put pressure on the wound. "Sorry Charley, sor-" Charley held up her hand and stopped him mind apology, "James, it's okay, yeah it hurt a little but this isn't my first scar." she said pointing to her cheek, a smile appeared across James' face as he gently caressed the scar, he knew exactly when she got this, ten years ago almost to the day he calculated, their first meeting, it felt a lifetime ago to him. "I know, I gave you this, you were the best swords man I had ever met up until that point and probably since. You were utterly terrifying that wave raising up behind you, your hair going wild yours eyes glowing a bright sea blue, you were a sight to behold." He said smoothing her hair out."I was that memorable huh?" Charley said looking up at him her bright eyes boring into his."Of course you were I doubt anyone could forget you Charlotte Grace Swann." He murmured, a silence settled over the pair as they stood their neither quite sure what to say, eventually though James kissed the top of her head and moved to his desk busying himself with organising the papers which sat there.I watched organising and after a few minutes I walked over to him and I kissed his cheek before leaving. I left and found Nessie and Lizzie forming water balls. The look on Lizzie's face said it all, "Char look, I can do it. What about you?" Lizzie said excitedly I grinned she was in for a shock, I mean I was out of practise but that changed nothing I walked to the side and closed my eyes and the world stilled, nothing seemed to matter now I reached out to the ocean, the tingling started in the back of my skull as I reached my good arm out over the ocean, the spray from the waves congregated around my hand and then the waves that crashed below us joined, I missed his feeling, the feeling I had control over something. "Woah, Char you're amazing!" I heard Lizzie and Nessie say behind me, opening my eyes I glanced up at the huge water ball I had made, I grinned, I could do it, not wanting to flood the ship I drew my hand back and threw the ball as far as I could, it went almost all the way to the horizon before it dropped into the ocean creating a ripple effect which shook the boat. I felt Lizzie wrap her arm around her shoulder being gentle not to hurt my bad shoulder, Nessie went to the other side of me placing a hand over mine. "We'll get through anything right?" Nessie asked us, we looked at her and nodded."Of course we will, Lizzie will look after you along with father while I take to the ocean again with uncle Jack but I promise you before long we'll be sailing the seven seas together for good in charge of our own fleet, the Birds, for Swans and Sparrows." I said Lizzie looked at me and I could see the disappointment in her eyes. "Lizzie I made a deal with Commodore Idiot, I can't go back on my word, this is Hades' ocean for me, the ocean to my death, or that is what he thinks. I'll be okay, I promise you Lizzie I can take care of myself alright." Lizzie looked at me like a sad puppy but nodded."alright, but you have to continue to write and you have to come back for the wedding." She said, I smiled softly."I presume you're taking a chance on Mr Turner then?""Yes, I can pass up an opportunity for love and Will will look after me you don't have to worry.""Who said I was worried I believe Will should be the one who is worried." This caused us to laugh."True Lizzie, you are by far the bossiest of all of us." Nessie chipped in, I glanced down and saw her free hand go over her wrist, I looked over to her and realised, but she shook her head at me."I am not!" Lizzie huffed causing me to splash her with water as a marine walked up to us. "Miss Charlotte Swann you are to be confined to the brig with your uncle, you are to come peacefully with me now." Lizzie and Nessie began to protest but I shook my head."It's set, I will see you at the hangman's noose." I said walking away taking one last look at the open ocean, my sister and my cousin before I was up on that platform, before I escaped into the vast blueness of the world.