Getting back on dry land was a bit difficult for Gwyneth. She had to balance herself in a different way than she had been needing to do for the past couple of weeks. The Commodore helped her from falling at once instance and she tried to keep from blushing.
"Who may I presume is this?" The Commodore asked, looking at Beverly.
"Commodore, this is Beverly-"
"Jackson…" She said, filling in for Elizabeth.
Elizabeth smiled at Beverly and then looked back at Norrington, "And Beverly, this is our Commodore, James Norrington."
He grabbed her hand and kissed it lightly on the top, "Pleased to meet you ma'am."
"James, Ms. Jackson is a widow- her husband was unfortunately killed by pirates…"
"Jack Sparrow?" He questioned right away.
The four looked at each other, and then Beverly said, "No Commodore, just pirates."
Gwyneth looked at her, Why would she cover up for him? Strange. "Very well." Norrington answered.
"Well James, we were hoping, Will and I, that you could find a suitable home for her?"
"Where did you live before?"
"My house was destroyed, Commodore, I have no where else to go…"
He nodded. "I will try my best Elizabeth. Now, I have a carriage waiting for all of you. For the time being, can I assume that Ms. Jackson will be staying with you?" He asked, addressing the Turners.
Will nodded, "Yes, she will."
"Very good. Good Day, Will, Elizabeth, Ms. Jackson…Ms. Johnson."
In the carriage, Gwyneth tried to ignore that Norrington gave her when he addressed her, but it kept coming up. Get your mind on someone else. "Will, what did Jack mean when he said to tell you child his stories?"
"Yes, and when he said that the Commodore wouldn't run into him for a long time." Elizabeth jumped in. Both women obviously anxious to talk about Jack.
Will sighed, "Elizabeth…Gwyneth….Jack has made a firm decision not to come to Port Royal…"
"As is in…" Gwyneth asked, thinking the worst.
"As in, when he came to warn me about the pirates- that was the last time he was going to set a foot on Port Royal."
The carriage was quiet. Gwyneth didn't want to unleash her emotions in front of Beverly and she had a feeling neither did Elizabeth. Well I'm glad I wrote him that letter…I hope he could read all of it. Gwyneth sighed. He could read all of it…Well at least he has basic reading skills. From there, he'll just have to guess. Her heart broke to think about Jack being in such a position.
She was finally dropped off at her house and she told Elizabeth that she would drop by tomorrow to give her back her dress. Once inside, she was bombarded with questions, kisses and hugs from her family. Little Trevor had latched himself to her leg and her parents were checking her all over to look for any more injuries. "Family! If I may suggest something?" Faith spoke up, "To let dear Gwen here, get some rest?"
They all agreed and while Edward took Trevor, Faith took her sister-in-law up to her room. "Are you really okay?"
"Yes Faith, thank you."
She nodded and helped her out of her not so tight corset. "Am I to assume that Jack Sparrow and Will came to your rescue?"
"Yes. Yes, you are."
When Gwyneth didn't volunteer anything else, Faith went on, "Gwen, I noticed something the last time you came back…a certain air about you. Could it have been a certain Captain?"
She met her sister-in-laws blue eyes with her own green eyes. "Faith…"
"I'm not here to judge Gwen."
That's when she broke. The tears came freely. All day she had been holding them in and trying desperately to keep a smile on her face a light in her eye, but all the while fighting back the pain that was overcoming her heart.
Faith took her into her arms and they leaned against the bed, her rocking Gwen as tears saturated her bare skin. She tried to calm her down, but to no avail. She knew now that Gwyneth had been keeping this in for quite a while, which was of course, like her. She also knew that this Jack Sparrow fellow left more of an impression on her sister-in-law than she first thought.
She knew when he had showed up with Will at the restaurant, that he felt something for Gwyneth. If he was willing to come to Port Royal to risk being hung, for Gwyneth- it had to mean something. But not only did he care for her, but she deeply cared for him. Faith sighed and kept stroking her sisters back.
Gwyneth awoke the next morning in bed. She had no recollection of what had happened the night before past coming through the front door. It all seemed to be blurred. But she was glad that she had gotten a decent night sleep.
She sat up and remembered something she had wanted to do since she got aboard the Black Pearl. She got out of bed and walked over to her dresser, opened a drawer, and pulled out her sampler that she had been working on. Then going back to the warmth of her bed- she finished what she had started.
About an hour later a knock on the door came. "Come in." She said. In stepped Faith. She smiled at her and motioned for her to take a seat.
"Faith- I was hoping to talk to you, last night…did I…"
"Spill your guts?"
Gwyneth smiled meekly, thinking she already knew the answer.
"Yes you did…"
"Wonderful." She said blushing. "I'm sorry if I said anything that might have offended you…Well because frankly, I'm not quite sure what I said."
"It's fine, don't worry about it. I now understand everything. But…what are you working on?" She got side tracked from the project sitting in Gwyneth's lap.
"Oh! Um…just something I thought of…" She held it up and it read, 'Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirates Life For Me.'
Faith smiled, "You're mother will find that interesting."
"And I'm thinking you do too…"
"Well Gwyneth- after all, he is a pirate."
"No, there's your trouble Faith, he's much more than a pirate."
Faith sighed; she nodded, and remembered the story Gwyneth had shared last night. "But what I wanted to say was that the Commodore is down stairs."
"The Commodore?"
"Yes! He had been stopping by to tell us updates ever since you were taken."
"Well why is he here?"
"He wants to take you out…he's down stairs talking to your father right now."
Gwyneth suddenly became light headed and words of Elizabeth from a week earlier came to mind, He was looking at you! This is…unexpected. "Fine, I'll get ready. Send up someone to help me!" Faith nodded and left.
Twenty minutes later Gwyneth decended the stairs and caught the glimpse of the Commodore. "Commodore Norrington, what an unexpected surprise! What brings you here?"
He took in a deep breath, "Two reasons Ms. Johnson, One, to take you out to lunch and two, Sparrow seems to have gotten a letter to you."
Gwyneth held her breath, did he just say what she thought she said? "Please, Commodore, Call me Gwyneth…"
"Yes…Gwyneth." He walked towards her and handed her the letter. In rather harsh handwriting she saw that it was addressed to her. A smile came to her lips and she was most pleased to see that Jack had written to her. Their departure seemed so sudden and impersonal.
"If you excuse me for just a few moments, Commodore, then I saw be yours for the afternoon."
He smiled and nodded. She nodded and left the room, walking fast into the dinning room. She opened the sealed letter and read it carefully.
Gwen,
Understand luv, that this is my first letter- don't be too judging. Your letter brought a smile to my lips. Thanks luv for doing such a thing to Brenda's hair. But the thing that caught my eye is that it will make me think of you. Which is something I'm happy for.
I wish you happyness with your life in Port Royal. You won't be seeing me for a while luv, and I would like to tell you something. Something I hope you will always remember- our time together won't be forgotten and I do in fact…care deeply for you luv. I hold you in my heart.
-Jack
The sudden ending made Gwyneth remember where she was. That letter was probably the highlight of this day. It was probably going to be the highlight of her entire life. She wouldn't forget about it, and she would keep the letter until she died.
To know that she was held in Jack's heart confirmed her own feelings for him. She might have not felt for him what she had for Nathan, but it came close. Too bad he was a pirate or she would've been in trouble. She would've stayed with him and possibly asked him to marry her. She smiled. Nice thought- but since he was a pirate…well, some things are best left alone.
She came out of the room and walked to Norrington. "I am ready Commodore. Take me where you will." Her parents smiled, happy that she was going somewhere with the Commodore.
He held out his arm for her to grab and said, "Please, call me James."
She nodded and grabbed onto his arm. Feeling somewhat content on where her last relationship had left off at, and where this relationship might take her.
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Author Thanks:
Well thanks to everyone who reviewed my story. I appreciate it so much. Thanks for the laughs, tips and just everything. This is the VERY END of this story. No sequel…*tear* but the very good news is that I have another story coming out… IN YOUR EYES. That's the title…look for it around New Years…By then I'll have rested and come up with good ideas. Please check it out. Thanks to all of you again.