(Y/n) sat on the wooden seat that lay beneath the windows in the cabin. The soft, well stuffed cushions underneath her, the only thing preventing her backside from going numb, like it had done so many times when she had been with the nuns. The hours spent on the wooden pews, while the black clad women had prayed to their god, only serving to fill her mind with more images of the sea. Of the freedom that it offered. Of a ship of her own, and a flag under which she would sail.
Like her father, the sea was the only place that she felt like she truly belonged. She had been born aboard the vessel upon which her mother had lost her life. The rocking of the ship better known to her than the embrace of her own mother. The smell of the sea air, the most beautiful scent in the world. It was true that the sea could be a fickle creature. That she had her moods like any other. One moment as steady and calm as a mill pond. The next, the water could churn and toss a ship around as if it were nothing. Waves higher than the main mast, making even the hardiest of sailors pray to whatever god they believed in, for salvation. Yet (Y/n) would not change her life for the world. She was born to be a pirate. To reek revenge on the East India Company, the Royal Navy, and most of all Cutler Beckett, for the loss of her mother. Now if she could just find the Isla de los antiguos. Find its treasure. Then she would be able to afford an armada to bring down Beckett, once and for all.
>>-----------------------------------<<
"Mister Norrington!" Gibbs called out, as he slopped some food into a bowl, and placed a few biscuits onto the wooden tray. Norrington gratefully dropping his spoon into the tasteless slop in front of him, before getting to his feet and making his way over to see what the first mate wanted.
Gibbs hadn't said a word about what he had noticed in (Y/n), to Jack. It wasn't, after all, something that you would necessarily tell a father. That he had seen the same look in (Y/n)'s eyes, as he had in Katherine's so many years before. That he had an idea that despite her protests, (Y/n) had seen something in the disgraced former commodore. And despite what Jack had become. Whether it was really Katherine's plan to bring the two unlikely people together, or not. Gibbs had a feeling that the captain wouldn't like it. So, he would just have to keep his idea of helping, to himself for a while longer.
"Mister Gibbs?" Norrington sniffed, hoping that given the lateness of the hour, their new captain hadn't thought of a new job for him to do. The setting sun telling the commodore that there wasn't enough light left in the day, to see to scrub the deck again.
"I want ya ta take this ta tha captain." Gibbs explained, as he handed Norrington the tray. Norrington dropping it straight to the table, not liking the idea of being Jack's lacky.
"If Captain Sparrow wishes to eat, he can come and get his own bowl of pig swill, just like the rest of us." Norrington huffed, before turning to make his way back to his seat. Only to find his wrist caught by Gibbs' hand.
"Not that captain, lad. Tha other captain. I sent her to her cabin earlier. Tha lass will probably be hungry. I need someone ta take her, her meal. She needs ta rest a little. Better that she not come down here. But if ya don't want ta do it.........." Gibbs explained, as he picked back up the tray. Norrington quickly taking it from the first mate's hands.
"No......no......I.........I'll take it. I'll take it to the captain."
"Good. Oh, and just remember, she may be Jack's daughter, but she's more like her mother. Underneath all that pirate bravado, beats tha heart of a lady. Though that said, I would still watch that she doesn't go fa her pistol. Or her sword." Gibbs advised. Placing a reassuring pat to Norrington's shoulder, before ushering him on his way.
>>--------------------------------<<
"Yes!?" (Y/n) called out, her eyes never leaving the sea, or the reddening sky, as someone slowly opened the door to the cabin. The weight of his boots causing the old wood beneath them, to creak and groan.
Norrington was sure that he had never seen anything as beautiful, as the woman that sat, seemingly deep in thought, before him. The last rays of the sun highlighting her exquisite features, as she stared out over the vast expanse of water. The former commodore sure that if her mother had looked anything like (Y/n), then he could quite understand why Jack had lost his heart. Why the rogue of a pirate, like he, had fallen in love so quickly.
"I brought you some food." Norrington said quietly, as he placed the tray on the desk.
"Well, I say food. I'm not quite sure that I would describe it as that. But..........." Norrington continued, his words drifting off as it became apparent that (Y/n) hadn't heard a word that he had said.
"It's beautiful." Norrington sighed, as he followed (Y/n)'s gaze out over the water, before turning and making his way back to the door.
"Yes, she is." (Y/n) replied without warning. Norrington turning back to look at her.
"Great and vast. She can be frightening. Deadly. A law unto herself. She can make grown men tremble at her ferocity. And yet, she can be so benevolent. She offers all those that call her home, a freedom like no other. She gives more than she ever receives. And she is the only mother that I have ever known. When Katherine was..........when the sea took her to its bosom. When grief took my real father from me. The sea gave me herself in return. A mother that can never be taken from me. A mother that I cannot leave." (Y/n) continued. Norrington slowly inching back towards the younger Sparrow. Not failing to notice the tears that were streaming down her face. Each perfect drop glistening like a ruby in the sunset glow, as it rolled down her cheek.
"I........I'm sorry about your mother. Gibbs said........."
"It's not your fault. You weren't there. I shouldn't blame you. I'm sure that despite the fact that you were in the Royal Navy, deep down you are a good man. A terrible pirate.......but a good man. I somehow feel that my mother would have liked you........." (Y/n) interrupted. Her voice low. Barely above a whisper. Norrington steeling himself, as he carefully made his way to the captain's side, and hesitantly placed his hand on her shoulder. His eyes growing wide, as she sprung to her feet, and wrapped her arms around him. Her head burying itself into his chest. Norrington pulling her closer. His fingers combing through her hair, as her tears stained his shirt.
"I'm going to kill Cutler, James. And when I watch him taken by the water. Pulled down to his watery grave. My mother will finally be avenged. The man that caused my father's grief, will be no more. And I will be able to rest." (Y/n) continued. Her arms tightening around the shocked man. Norrington unable to believe that she had called him by his first name. But knowing that he wanted to hear her say it again and again. To hear her say it everyday for the rest of his life.
"Stay? Please. I need someone to talk with. Someone that I think can understand." The young Sparrow asked. A small smile creeping across her lips, as she felt Norrington nod. (Y/n) reminding herself, that when the morning came, she would have to give him a day off from scrubbing the deck.