The Challenge
Part 7
by
Disclaimer: I have no claim on POTC or the lovely characters who populate it, even if it seems that James Norrington has, somewhat disconcertingly, made himself quite at home in my head with no apparent plans to leave. Jack Sparrow has been dropping by at random for years, as well, which surely doesn't help matters.
Originally Posted: 12/21/09
Warning: Gratuitous use of a male OC, but he kind of demanded it, and James seemed to like the whole idea as well, if only because it caused Jack's jaw to audibly hit the floor.
Jack Sparrow had steeled himself for his return to Port Royal, and felt prepared for anything that might meet him.
Then, before they could even make port, the Black Pearl found herself surrounded not just by the Dauntless and the Fleetwing, but also two other ships from the fleet of one Vice-admiral Lawrence Norrington. Jack found himself both stunned and a little terrified.
James, however, sprung into action, leaping into the rigging with more grace than any officer, let alone one with his wounds, had the right; adrenaline could do that to a man. "Lawrence, you damned fool, if you fire on this ship, I will kill you myself!" he bellowed, every inch the commodore, his voice cutting through the air like a blade: deadly cold and serious.
There followed several long moments of frantic activity aboard the Vice-Admiral's flagship. Then, at last, Lawrence lowered his spyglass and shouted back, "James, by God, is it good to hear your insufferably insolent voice!"
"Note the flag of truce over my head and prevent any navy weapons from being pointed at this ship, Lawrence, I owe my life and more to every soul aboard her." He grinned viciously. "And they come bearing further gifts."
Lawrence promised them safety, then began bellowing out orders across his own ship and the others, providing the Black Pearl one hell of an escort to the docks. Jack's crew, many of whom had recognized Norrington's voice, were in various states of shock ranging from mild to nearly-having-small-seizures.
James dropped from the rigging, landing a bit stiffly and wincing in pain, then made his way to Jack's side. He had never seen the pirate so pale. "Are you all right, Jack?" he inquired softly.
"Fine. Just ah... recognized yer brother from a few past brushes with 'im. Saw my life flash before my eyes. Not all that unusual, really," Jack babbled.
James smirked and took hold of Jack's wrist, the rough pad of his thumb stroking the softer skin below Jack's palm, in a way that wouldn't be noticeable to anyone perhaps peeking at the Black Pearl through a spyglass. "He'll not harm you, this time. He's given his word. I would..." He hesitated. "As much as I would prefer you to linger and take advantage of that, it would be courting doom. I would suggest you take your leave soon." He squared his jaw, determination not quite hiding his disappointment. "I had not expected him to arrive for another week, from what his letter had suggested. He is here due to the court martial."
Jack nodded slowly, and leaned his shoulder against James' arm in an equally subtle fashion. "Aye. I'll be waitin' for you, though, Jamie." He shot the commodore a sidelong glance, and his breath caught at the sight of the warm smile that he watched breaking across James' features.
"Yes. And I will join you as soon as possible, if only to go after those responsible for this." He gestured at the various damages to Port Royal. He met Jack's gaze, his smile growing wider, and they nodded at each other in silent agreement, breaking apart briefly.
Jack called Gibbs to take over the helm for a moment, and then silently led James below-deck. He let the commodore press him against the wall and opened himself up eagerly to James' hungry, desperate kiss. Jack matched his fervor, clutching at James' shirt tightly, and when James began to taper off the kiss, Jack reluctantly let him; the pirate did, however, capture James' lower lip in his teeth when the commodore tried to break away. James' breath caught as Jack sucked on it, then slowly let it slip away, white and gold teeth dragging smoothly across it.
"Damnable tease," James muttered, but pressed a final, light kiss to the corner of Jack's mouth before lifting his head. He glanced at Jack's hands still tightly holding onto fistfuls of his shirt and smiled wryly. "I suppose I should dress in something other than shirt-sleeves." He raised his eyebrows. "I know that you have various items stolen from my wardrobe."
"They won't be real comfortable for you just now, James." Jack's hands relaxed their grip, then traced the lower edge of the bandages on James' back through the shirt fabric, raising his eyebrows a little.
"I know." James raised his eyebrows back.
Jack sighed, but mixed with the exasperation in the sound was all-too-obvious affection. "Bloody Navy."
James shut his eyes and smiled nervously. "Not for long."
Feeling James' muscles tense, Jack reached up and stroked the nape of James' neck soothingly. "You're sure about all this—and sure that they really mean t' get rid of you, just over the papers and all?"
"I am sure." James looked at the floor. "It is more than merely my actions that have led to this. It is politics, which is also part of why Lawrence is here, for all that his presence is the opposite of helpful in that regard." James half-smirked; it was a bitter expression. "He is the one, after all, who has frightened the admiralty into becoming wary of anyone who shares his surname." He shook his head slowly. "I have come to terms, over the past few months, with the facts of their corruption." A flicker of anger and betrayal crossed his expression for a moment, but did not linger for too long. "They mean to use my offenses and the threat of my dismissal as a way to control Lawrence, and it will fail. They will only make him more angry, and strengthen the conviction of many of his supporters." James snorted in disgust. "I hate politics." This time the anger lingered.
"Well, then. You'll soon be free of it, love," Jack murmured, his stroking fingers now digging in a little, massaging away knots of tension along the back of James' neck.
"Aye," James whispered, and his eyes fell open, the mixed heat and tenderness in them making Jack's heart skip a beat. "They would take from me the powers of command, for their own purposes, but they cannot take from me who and what I am."
Jack made a low, guttural noise. "If we weren't about to dock, love..." His hungry leer said the rest.
James grinned widely, with a wicked edge. "I look forward to it—later." He brushed his lips across Jack's all-too-briefly, just a whisper, and then released him, stepping back with visible reluctance, schooling his expression into a cool and composed look. "We should prepare then, should we not?"
Jack ordered the prisoners brought up from the brig. The captain and his three men looked battered and a little singed, but said nothing as they walked down to the dock. The Serafina's captain did, however, become rather wide-eyed at the sight of Norrington and flinched from the commodore's hard glare.
Vice-admiral Lawrence Norrington met them soon after. "James are you—" He stopped dead upon sighting Jack Sparrow and seemed as though he might actually go so far against decorum as to growl, his face reddening with rage.
"Lawrence," James said quietly, a note of warning in his voice. His brother visibly bit his tongue and looked James over with open scrutiny. The commodore was sans coat, hat and wig, but had indeed found other various items in Jack's cabin that had been stolen from his own wardrobe, and was thus otherwise dressed, even wearing a waistcoat that sat uncomfortably over his injuries. "I believe you and Captain Jack Sparrow have met before in passing. Captain Sparrow, my brother Vice-admiral Lawrence Norrington."
Jack folded his hands and gave his odd little half-bow.
Lawrence's lip curled. "I do recall him."
"And may I remind you that you have provided the Captain, his ship, and his crew with clemency for so long as needed for their current stay here?" James' voice was sharp.
Lawrence met his brother's gaze warily. "I have. Would you care to explain to me exactly why they have merited this?"
"Because they saved my life, destroyed the Serafina, wherupon I was being held captive, and have brought to Port Royal her captain and other men of import." James gestured toward the prisoners. "If they will not speak, Captain Sparrow himself also knows where the rest of the ships responsible for the attack on Port Royal currently make berth."
"Does he?" Lawrence's eyes narrowed.
"A number of 'em invited me to join their little fleet," Jack explained, surprisingly curt and matter-of-fact. "I'd no interest in the matter, all things considered, until recent. I've friends in this town, you see." He gave a mocking grin, but his eyes remained cold.
Lawrence considered this, and his gaze moved from Jack to James, to Jack again, before he met James' gaze and held it as he ordered the marines behind him to take the prisoners from the Pearl to the gaol at the fort. He then spoke quietly to his officers, sending them away. He approached his brother only once the three of them—the two navy men and the pirate—were alone on the dock, aware as they were of eyes watching from the Pearl. Then again, Lawrence had never cared for the regard of pirates, and so therefore probably considered them to be alone enough.
"James, may I speak to you privately for a moment?" He reached as though to rest an arm across the back of James' shoulders.
James stopped him. At his brother's slightly hurt look, he shook his head. "I am sorry. You cannot see them, but I am wearing a lot of bandages under this." He gestured at his shirt and waistcoat.
Lawrence's brow contracted. "Are you all right?"
"The captain and crew of the Serafina had their fun, one could say, and I have bled for it, but I have been well cared for since then." He glanced pointedly at Jack.
Lawrence scowled stubbornly. "One good deed cannot redeem a man of a lifetime of—"
"More than one," James interrupted.
"Is that a family motto then?" Jack inquired, feeling left out.
"Indeed," Lawrence growled, glaring at him.
"If you harm him, brother, I will kill you myself, or perhaps do something even worse," James said, his voice quiet enough that Jack would not have heard it if he had not been listening so very intently.
That gave the vice-admiral some considerable pause and his glare turned into a look of deep confusion as he looked into his brother's eyes. "James?"
The commodore stonily held his gaze, and lifted his chin slightly in silent defiance. He was deadly calm.
Lawrence hesitated, then glanced from one man to the other again. "James, may I remind you of your duty to—"
"Duties that will not be mine within a month's time, and you know it, Lawrence." He glared now. "You know that you have not the resources and connections to prevent it, and I know that you have no plans to give in to the demands of people who could prevent it. I do not resent you for it, but I do resent your taking up of an attitude such as this about the matter."
"Knowing that, then, I am surprised that you would further injure your reputation. I have connections in the East India Company who would—"
"I will not work for them. I am not a merchant sailor, Lawrence, I am a military one, and business with the East India Trading Company is more politically treacherous than even the navy. You inherited the gift for politics. I did not."
"You could—"
"I will not," James snapped. "I have my own plans made." He explained in brief that a letter of marque was already written for him, awaiting only James' signature, and told of his plans to continue his duties in a mercenary capacity.
Lawrence's formerly red face was now pale and wan. "But... but this is mad, James. Do you have no thought for your family or—"
"You can handle yourself, and you know well that I have no care for Benedict," James countered, his tone dry and deadpan.
"But what of you, James? I cannot think that you would do this to yourself intentionally. I do not understand." Lawrence pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "What happened to your sense of ambition? I know that you once had dreams that almost compared to mine in scope—"
"Long ago, perhaps I did, Lawrence, but many things have changed since I arrived in these waters. Your dreams grew and flourished, mine broke apart; I grew further disillusioned and disgusted with politics while you grew more adept at playing its games. I would prefer to remain a captain for the rest of my days, as a mercenary here in the Caribbean, than to continue to live at the mercy of men such as the ones currently preparing to discharge me from the navy."
Lawrence frowned and turned his back for a moment, stepping away to collect himself. James took the opportunity to glance at Jack. The pirate held up his hands, miming applause silently. James struggled not to laugh and returned his attention to his brother in order to keep his expression thoroughly grave.
"Captain Sparrow, may I ask why you are still here?" Lawrence snapped suddenly, without looking at either of them.
"I'm trying to work out if I need to be takin' my crew out of here to avoid your wrath, Vice-admiral. Sorry to intrude on more personal matters, but I'd really like to be secure about whether or not ye plan on killin' me, so if you don't mind—"
"I do mind," Lawrence bit out.
Jack glanced hesitantly at James.
"Captain Sparrow, you and your crew are welcome to dock here in Port Royal. You may re-stock your supplies and conduct any necessary repairs. I shall remain aboard to ensure your safety, if necessary," the commodore said, perfectly courteous.
Lawrence turned and glared at him sharply. "You would not—"
"I would," James said, quiet and dangerous, all politeness abruptly fled. "Captain Sparrow does indeed have friends in Port Royal, Lawrence, and I am one of them."
The vice-admiral must have seen something unsettling in James' eyes, because he suddenly wore a look of great dismay and deep concern. His voice took on a tone that was gentler, due more to confusion and dismay than to any actual softening of his mood. "James—"
"I've said nothing about your wife," James interrupted incisively, immediately halting his brother into terrified silence. "I've said nothing about your former first-lieutenant, who is now a commodore as well, as I understand..." There was an air of cold threat in his tone. "And never have I considered mentioning certain facts about the latter to the former." He took a deep breath. "Never have I considered it, until this moment. Would you dare judge me, brother?"
Lawrence paled again.
Jack's eyebrows lifted so high that they threatened to vanish under his headscarf, but he dared not say a word.
The vice-admiral bowed his head, eyes downcast and a resigned, slightly pained look on his features. "How long have you known?"
"Eight years. I confronted him about it, and he told me the details. I warned him, as I felt was my duty and my right as your brother, to treat you well and to keep the relationship discreet, or else I would disembowel him."
Jack was gaping openly at this point.
Lawrence's head jerked up and he stared at James, wide-eyed, looking as though he might gape at him as well. "You... but... I—"
"Lawrence," James interrupted quietly, his tone significantly gentler. "I was, at the time, having the occasional guilt-ridden tryst with your second lieutenant." He half-laughed, which covered the small squawk of surprise from Jack behind him. "You, at least, seemed happy."
"You what?" Lawrence managed, sounding strangled, then the rest of James' words seemed to sink in and he looked away again. "I... Good Lord, James, why did you have to share in my—my—" He cut off, unable to continue for several moments. Then he said in a brittle and pained voice, "I had not previously considered perversion to run in one's family in such a manner."
"You still seem happy with him," James murmured. "Are you not?"
"I am," Lawrence said quietly, tersely, as though it cost him much to say it. He slowly raised his head and looked at Jack with hesitation, still showing open distrust and hatred. "But James..."
Jack folded his hands behind his back and offered his most harmless-looking smile as he fought the urge to flee.
"Leave me to my happiness, Lawrence, and I shall leave you to yours. I do not want to hurt you, but I will if need be," James said firmly, and stepped to stand between his brother and Jack. "For him," he added, more quietly.
"James," Jack said softly, sounding both touched and more than a little worried, stepping closer.
"Trust me," James whispered out of the corner of his mouth, his lips scarcely moving. Jack fought the urge to make a joke about matadors.
Lawrence seemed to be putting a few things together. A flicker of sudden shock and understanding lit up his features, followed swiftly by disbelief and finally reluctant understanding. In more steady tones, he inquired, "Captain Sparrow. You saved my brother from this fleet of pirates?"
"Aye," Jack said. "I did." He wanted badly to touch James, but refrained for now, knowing that there was still a small chance that they were still visible to curious, albeit distant, naval eyes. "He gave me a hell of a fright." Jack swallowed, wondering at how his voice had so easily grown rough at the mere memory.
James' eyelids lowered as he resisted the urge to turn and to offer comfort.
Lawrence's remaining rage seemed to finally ease somewhat. He took in a slow breath and let it out. "If you hurt him, I will hunt you down and kill you in a slow and painful manner, Captain Sparrow. Are we clear?" His voice was dark with promise.
"Inescapably," Jack concurred.
Some fraction of the tension in James' shoulders eased. "Thank you, Lawrence."
"I will need time to think about this, James. I... you are utterly mad. How long has this..." he gestured vaguely toward them.
"It had only just started, in a way, when you visited and brought with you the additions to my fleet last year," James said softly.
Lawrence looked thoughtful. "You have been happier, since then. I had wondered." He shook his head. "We have work to attend to, James. This attack on the fort..."
"Yes. We need to take down those responsible post-haste," James agreed, taking on more business-like tones with great relief.
"I must return to the fort. You are meant to be prevented from your duties due to the questions surrounding your court-martial, but damn that to hell for now; we will need your mind for this, James. Are you fit to work into the evening with me?" Lawrence inquired, his own composure fully returned.
"I have a spare uniform in my office. With that, I will be."
"Very good. I shall send word to bring us a coach. As you are injured I will not have you walk all the way back to the Fort." He nodded a curt farewell. "Captain Sparrow." Then he turned on his heel and marched away.
Once he was out of earshot, James sighed in relief.
"Are you sure he's not planning to kill me, James?" Jack asked quietly.
"At the moment, he may be, but he has duties first, and once he has thoroughly focused his more violent energies upon those, he will be able to think in a clear-headed manner about the whole matter, and reach the conclusion that his options are to either accept us in a peaceable fashion, or cause both he and I to suffer more than our share of personal ruin," James replied, equally quiet.
"I see what Will meant about a lion's mouth," Jack muttered.
James chuckled, and turned to face him, an affectionate smile tugging at his lips and a hint of wickedness making his eyes glitter. "Are you then afraid of me, Jack, in that I can disarm and defeat such a creature?"
"No. Enticed, maybe," Jack purred.
James cast a resentful glance along the docks in the general direction of any and all naval personnel. "Would that I could do something about that at the moment..."
"Me too, love." Jack leered. "You'll just have to make it up to me."
"I will indeed. You have my word on that." James held out his hand, and when Jack went to meet the handshake, James shifted so that they grasped each other's forearms. Jack's breath caught slightly as James' thumb traced the brand there with deliberate intensity. "And with patience, you can have the rest of me as well."
"I'll hold you to that, Jamie-love," Jack promised.
"You will not be disappointed." James inclined his head in a nod, and scarcely resisted the urge to kiss the pirate before releasing him and stepping away.
Jack let him go with considerable hesitation, lingering in place to watch him walk away toward shore, until he saw James rejoin his brother. Jack then made his way back aboard the Pearl, not surprised to hear the crew skitter away from the railing where they had doubtlessly been watching the whole affair with interest. Some of them might even have overheard bits of it.
Most of them were trying to look busy and innocent by the time Jack made his way on deck. Only Gibbs met him, with a slightly awed look. "Cap'n."
Jack nodded. "Mr. Gibbs, get us started on repairs, then see about gettin' us re-stocked. We're safe from the Foxhunter for now."
"An' the other Norrington?" Gibbs inquired, more for the sake of the eavesdropping crew than anything.
Jack smirked. "Didn't you hear, mate? He's a friend." He then left his flabbergasted crew and went to his cabin to calm himself with rum, in order to prevent himself from following after James out of both worry and sheer maddening curiosity.
The brothers stood beside each other in silence for several long moments.
Then, with visible nervousness and soft sincerity, Lawrence inquired, "Are you happy, James?" His voice roughened just a little when he added, "With your pirate."
"Yes. I am," James murmured. "We both are." A soft smile touched his lips, involuntary and surprisingly sweet, but with a slightly wicked edge.
Lawrence saw it, and looked away, staring straight ahead. He cleared his throat. "All right," he said. "And you will, I take it, sail with him?"
"Often, yes, but not always, I am sure. He will of course require more profitable prey than I shall seek to take down, but he has not touched a British ship since retaking the Black Pearl."
"I see." Lawrence took a deep breath, his eyes downcast. "I—I think that I can see what appeals to you about that life despite..." He sighed. "I had only hoped that you would succeed where I had failed, in finding a young woman and having a loving family, without my same..." He trailed off, unable to finish.
"I know. I had thought I might, but I cannot be sorry for how things have worked out," James mused. "She loves her husband and is happy with him, and I—" He laughed. "I have found someone who can challenge me as no one else can, and I am happy as well." He swallowed tightly. "I thought, many times, after I was captured, that I would die aboard the Serafina. I had no regrets, save for two. One I have amended." He glanced back in the direction of the Pearl with a hint of a smile. "But the other was that I had never told you that I have known about you and Marcus for years, and that I still love and respect you as my brother. I even care for Marcus as an extension of our family, as well. It seems important, that you should well know it. Especially now."
Lawrence's throat tightened. When he looked up and met James' softened gaze, he found himself unable to find words. The vice-admiral then gently took hold of his brother's shoulder, pulled James forward and kissed his forehead. After a moment, he found his voice, although it wavered. "Thank you, James." He cleared his throat, but found this did not help, and so only said again, in a whisper, "Thank you."
James rested a hand on Lawrence's arm. "You are more than welcome, Lawrence. I in turn must thank you for not killing my lover."
The elder brother snorted in amusement despite himself. "You constantly amaze me, do you know that? You have always been the wisest of us, in open spite of birth order, and I had thought you would one day outshine me, to my inevitable chagrin." His voice was tight with emotion. "Then again, I had also never dreamed that the navy would do this to you, or that we would be having such a conversation as this."
"I can outwit you, my brother, but never outshine you. You know that." James smirked. "I do not have your uniquely brusque manners and could never maintain the boundless energy you have. You can be the just and noble sun and continue to shine over the British Empire, but I will be content as the disreputable moon and only light up a few darker places out here on the empire's outskirts."
"Yes, you do seem to be embracing lunacy, in more ways than one," Lawrence countered, glancing sidelong over his shoulder in the direction of the Black Pearl.
James punched his arm, but grinned in a manner both vicious and pleased.
"As I recall you reminded me before, he is also capable of outwitting me," the vice-admiral muttered. "And of outwitting you as well, on a few occasions. Perhaps you deserve each other."
"Lawrence, you are a scoundrel."
"No. The scoundrel is the man you are bedding."
James burst out laughing, due to sheer shock and disbelief. It took him some time, but he recovered and shot back, "Yes, but he is my scoundrel, so keep the militia off of him or I shall say very cruel things to the man you are bedding and he shall bitterly talk your ear off about it for the rest of your days."
Lawrence cursed under his breath as the coach arrived, but at the same time, he was smiling with a mixture of relief, ferocious amusement, and embarrassment. "Fine. As you will. Now shall we get back to business?"
"Indeed. We have hunting to do." James entered the coach first.
His brother sat across from him. "Ah, that reminds me, I just recently heard about the nickname that you have earned amongst your enemies out here."
"Have you, oh great Foxhunter?"
"Yes. I admit your name is far more ominous, James 'Death Himself' Norrington."
"Commodore," James corrected.
"For now." Lawrence raised his eyebrows significantly.
"Point made." James smirked. "Although Captain James 'Death Himself' Norrington has a pleasant ring to it as well."
Tentatively, Lawrence half-smiled. "Mayhap so."
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