Disclaimer: For the last time, I do not own POTC but I do make a final plea for Norrington. Please? Pretty Please?
Chapter 25: Epilogue
A year later…
James, package in hand, stopped at the gates to his home. He'd had a devil of work day. Five ships had come in to port and two of them had a great sum of messages and letters about naval business. He'd spent most of the day holed up in his office, sorting through everything, and he'd finally shoved the rest to Gillette. It had been getting late and he knew Pru had ordered a special dinner in celebration of the one year anniversary of their marriage.
Could it have been a year already? The time has already passed so quickly…
He continued on, his steps getting lighter the nearer he got to the house. A month after their marriage, they'd begun looking fora home of their own. They didn't need a large one, but needed one big enough for entertaining that was close to the fort.
A week after their search had begun, James was contacted about a promising property. They immediately fell in love with the home. The house had been painted a cheery yellow with dark blue shutters. It was definitely on the right side of large, just perfect for their purposes. The property included stables and separate buildings for servants' quarters which both Pru and James had been hoping for.
The owner of the home, a merchant with a large family, was leaving Port Royal for England immediately. Being pleased that he'd found a buyer so soon, he'd sold it for a bargain price. They moved in a month later. Pru would have preferred to move in sooner, but James insisted that it be decorated to her specifications before they settled in.
James opened the door and called out for Pru. He heard her reply, "I'm upstairs in our sitting room!" and he began his way up the stairs. When he entered their sitting room, James saw that a lovely private dinner for two had been set up by the window. Pru, in a gorgeous blue gown, stood with her back to him, gazing out onto the town.
She turned and gave him a warm grin. He moved to her and kissed her with all the passion of a man who's glad he's finally come home to the one he loves. "Mmmmm…Happy anniversary to you too…," she said happily.
"The year has passed all too quickly in my eyes…perhaps it's because I'm the happiest I've ever been…" he replied.
"Well, shall we eat?" she asked.
He pulled a chair out and assisted her in sitting. James then moved to the other side of the table where he sat ina comfortable chairand looked over the meal. It appeared that they would be having herb grilled fish, roasted potatoes, and rolls for the main course. He eyed the large lid covered platter to his left and deduced that it hid the dessert. Not that he felt heneeded dessert…I have my wife for that, he thought wickedly…
"I know that look in your eye…you've thought of something naughty…haven't you?"
He laughed. "A year of marriage and you already know me so well?"
"Out with it, darling. I simply must know what you were thinking a moment ago…"
He sighed as he leaned across the table. "Well if you must know, I was thinking that I don't need dessert when I have you…"
She grinned. "Normally I would agree, but I'm quite famished and as delectable as your kisses are, I need something a bit more filling…"
He raised his hand to his heart. "Really, love, you wound me…"
Her eyebrow arched. "I think you'll survive. Shall I propose a toast?"
Pru raised her glass of water.
"To our marriage, may it be as wonderful as it has been the past year…"
He clinked his glass to hers… "And may we love each other more with every passing day, if that's even possible…"
They took a sip of their drink and then began eating. Pru was ravenous and finished her food before James did. He felt he had to comment on it…
"And here I thought women ate like birds all the time…"
"Only when we're trying to marry you. It makes us appear dainty."
"And now?"
"You can't get away now…" She laughed as she cast him an evil grin…
"Don't worry, I shan't even try to escape…"
He finished his main course and they went on to dessert, chocolate cake. Pru simply loved chocolate and went mad for it anytime it was available…
When they finished, Pru said shyly, "I have something for you…"
"I have something for you…" he replied as he picked up the box he'd been holding earlier.
"You can go first," she said while avidly eyeing the box.
He handed her the package. "It's actually two gifts, one bought, one made."
Ripping open the wrapping, Pru tore into the box. Inside was a piece of paper and a small box. The small box was opened to reveal a silver locket. On the outside the letter J was engraved on the left and P on the right, with the letter N entwining both. "It's beautiful," Pru whispered.
"Open it, Pru." he ordered.
She opened the clasp to reveal the inside of the locket. There were two miniatures: one of him and one of her. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "James…" she said.
He wiped her eyes with a napkin. "Shhh…don't cry. Look at your other gift."
Hiccupping, Pru took the paper and unfolded it. It was a letter:
Dearest Pru,
It has been one year since we came together in marriage. In that time, I have been happier than I can ever remember being in my entire life. My whole being feels complete now that I have you in my arms every night and wake up to your beautiful face each morning. I can ask for nothing more save spending the rest of my life with you.
Until I met you that day on the Hunter, I had felt something missing within me. I'd constantly make it a habit of standing on deck, staring out into the ocean, hoping that what I was looking for would suddenly appear. Little did I know that I should have been looking in the cargo hold…
Even after I met you and then later of course, when I found out you were (Thank God!) a female, I didn't realize that I was finally complete. You've told me many times how stubborn and arrogant I can be. That's a prime example. To think of all the time I lost by being stupid and dense! But I will not dwell on that fact. To do so would waste more time that I could be spending with you.
Life in the past year has not been boring. We've fought and argued, loved and liked. We don't always get along. We both have a tremendous amount of pride and certainty in our opinions. But oddly enough, that's one of the reasons I love you. You, my dear, are no weak weeping willow that bends at every light breeze.
You are my helpmate, my lover, my wife, my friend. You see more of me than anyone is allowed to seeon this earth. I am not just a stiff and cold Commodore with you, my love. I am a man and one that is desperately in love with you…
Yours forever, dearest Pru. Yours, yours, yours,
James
June 12
Pru was trembling with the struggleholding her wildemotions inside by the time she finished the letter.
James sought to fill the silence, nervous that she might not have liked the gift. "I realized the other day that I had never written you a love letter. I had always wanted to do so,but with the tumultuous path of our courtship, I was never sure you'd accept one…Pru? Say something, please!"
Sob. "You…You…James!" She hugged him while she sobbed. "That was the sweetest thing you've ever written. I love you so much, it hurts sometimes. I never knew you could communicate so beautifully…James, I…"
He comforted her. "Shhh…I know, Pru, I know. I love you with all my heart and soul too."
She hiccupped again. It wasn't until several minutes later that she stopped and the tears dried. She leaned back away from him and went to retrieve the gift she had gotten for him.
She handed him the box. "I too got two things for you. It seems great minds think alike…"
He unwrapped the box and looked inside…There were two smaller boxes. She pointed to one. "Open this one first."
He took the box and lifted the lid. Inside on a silver chain, was a miniature of Pru. He looked up at her, smiling in pleasure. "I thought that when you have to sail, you would need something to remind you of me…"
"It's wonderful! I could never forget you, Pru, but it will be a great companion when I'm missing you…"
He put it aside as he took the other box. When he opened it, James at first believed it to be empty. He frowned and looked up at Pru. "Look harder," she implored with a nervous smile.
James glanced inside the box again. Feeling around with his fingers, he felt a something soft. Taking it out of the box, it proved to be two pieces of yarn, one pink, one blue.
His mind went blank. "Are you trying to tell me something?" he asked hoarsely.
She smiled shyly as she nodded. "James, about eight months from now, the Norrington family will gain a new addition…"
She'd barely gotten the news out when she saw James's whole face change. His eyes grew larger and went wide with surprise. His cheeks expanded as they do when one is surprised and his mouth opened into a half smile, much like the one a person gets when surprised as well.
That's all she saw before she was crushed into his arms and placed upon his lap. "I take it you're pleased?" Pru asked.
"Pleased? Pru, you've given me more than I ever expected…I'm going to be a father! We'll have a son-"
"Or a daughter," Pru interrupted with a smile.
"Doesn't matter. As long as you and the baby are alright, I don't care. You are…well, are you not?"
She nodded. "I'm perfectly fine, as least the doctor says so."
"Good." He kissed her with all the joy of the moment.
She took her arms off his neck. With a saucy eyebrow arched, she asked, "And now, should we proceed to the other celebration of our anniversary?"
He frowned with concern. "Are you sure we should be doing that?"
"It's perfectly acceptable, so I'm told. Come on," Pru cajoled wickedly, "If you relent, we might just be able to play 'The Pirate Wench and the Naughty, Naughty Commodore.' I personally see something I want to plunder very, very much." She indicated her desired area of plunder with the artful movement of her hand. James moaned in anticipation...
She got off his lap and stood before him as he growled, "You'll soon see what we do with pirates around here, wench." He stood up quickly as Pru shrieked with laughter and turned to run. Right before she got to their bedroom, he caught her in his arms.
"I suppose you've caught me? Taking me to the gaol are we?" Pru asked with a pout.
"Oh, I'll be taking you alright…" he stated firmly as he carried her into their bedroom.
Life, James was coming to realize, could be very good…Very good indeed…
And about seven and a half months later, Felicity Alexandra Norrington was brought into the world to the delight of her parents…
AN: Thank you for all of the wonderful, wonderful reviews!Only 7 reviews to get to 100! Iwon't mention you all by name, but thank you for reading my first fic. I finally got the courage to write it.
I'm not sure when I'll be writing another one, but I have a few ideas. I'm thinking of a series in which an eager yet inexperienced Pru and a reluctant James go about playing matchmaker for all of their single friends…Gillette (and Anne?), Groves, even Governor Swann! Who knows…?