Author's note: So! I got Pirates 3 for Christmas, and while I was watching it, it hit me: Why haven't I written a POTC fanfic? (More specifically, a Norrington fic, seeing that he is steadily becoming my favorite character.) 24 hours later…here it be. I have divided it by movie. Part I is Curse of the Black Pearl, Part II is Dead Man's Chest, and Part III is At World's End.

Disclaimers, etc.: All Pirates of the Caribbean characters, place names, events, etc. copyright Disney. All scenes from the movies are depicted as accurately as possible.

[Insert desperate begging for a review here.

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1: Sharp Relief

"Two paces, march! Right about face! Present arms!"

The redcoats responded like a well-oiled machine. The former lieutenant strode down the aisle of bayonets with the impeccable decorum and rigid composure of a man who had been a soldier his entire life. The very picture of honor. His heart swelled with pride. What a fine day for a promotion.

James Norrington accepted the sword from Governor Swann and gave it an experimental whirl. His lips twitched into a slight smile. Commodore. Years of loyal service in the Royal Navy had finally paid off.

He was suddenly broadsided by the realization that his entire life had been spent in uniform. Granted, he would never have come to Port Royal if he had not been in the navy, but standing there in the bright Caribbean sunshine surrounded by bayonets and powdered wigs, it hit him that other than the occasional military honor, he had achieved nothing of real merit in his life.

The possibility of wasting his life had occurred to him many times before. Norrington was no stranger to doubt—or self-loathing, for that matter. Nevertheless, this promotion ceremony threw into sharp relief the fact that he had never done anything but serve. Honor's slave. A fine goal, to be sure, but not really one he'd be proud to profess upon arrival at the Pearly Gates.

Norrington's train of thought was derailed when Governor Swann thumped him on the back and said, "Congratulations, James. You've made Port Royal very proud."

Norrington inclined his head respectfully. "Thank you, sir. I'm honored beyond words."

The governor smiled. "I expect your efforts to rid the seas of dangerous pirates will not decline?"

Norrington's brow furrowed. "Of course not!" he said, a little more indignantly than he had intended. He smirked. "My ship is called the Dauntless for a reason. It's a mindset I have embraced since my childhood."

Governor Swann grinned mischievously. "I expect your efforts to win my daughter's heart will not diminish either."

Norrington bowed his head to conceal the hint of color in his cheeks. All he could muster was, "No."

The old man smiled with paternal pride. "A smart match," he said to himself.

Norrington's face went blank as he tried to summon the gall to speak. "Have you ever wondered whether your life has been in vain?" he mused.

Governor Swann cocked his head, gigantic curly wig bobbing in a ridiculous fashion. "What do you mean?"

Norrington blinked, drawing a painful sigh. "I think I've spent too much time in the King's service. I grew up in Windsor, not even a mile from his castle. Have I ever told you that? My father was…away much of the time. My mother wanted me to stay with her and help care for my sisters, but the prospect of sailing for months at a time, wearing fancy frocks, and earning the respect and adoration of all of England was too great a temptation for me. I joined the Royal Navy when I was fourteen years old, and I've never looked back. I never saw my sisters grow up. I never spent enough time with my mother. I haven't loved anyone. I'm…a machine." He looked up suddenly, thoroughly embarrassed. "Forgive me. I've forgotten my place."

The governor put on a smile that Norrington knew was forced. "No, not at all," he assured him. "Today is your special day. Try to enjoy it. Set aside your honor for awhile and just relax."

Norrington grinned mirthlessly. "Believe me, sir, if I could ignore my honor even for an instant, I would."

The governor nodded awkwardly and turned to go, clearly made uneasy by Norrington's impromptu divulgence. "Well, congratulations again, Commodore. Take care of that fine sword of yours."

Norrington nodded. "I shall."

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"Enough," Norrington muttered nervously. "Enough of this."

The string trio seemed deafening. The violin screamed above the cello like a soprano from hell as he stepped toward Elizabeth Swann. She was stunningly beautiful, as always. Was that a new dress? His heart pounded. Stop, he thought. Don't. Stop right there. Don't even try it. The feet kept walking, then the mouth started going.

"May I have a moment?"

Up to the battlements. No, not away from the crowd! Horrible idea, just horrible. But now she was walking; he couldn't back down now. Dammit. Disaster loomed like black sails. Elizabeth looked like she could throw up at any moment. She was feverishly and inexplicably fanning herself, despite the mild Caribbean morning.

"Uh, you look lovely, Elizabeth," he said lamely. She nodded and smiled painfully. Norrington started pacing anxiously. He nervously fiddled with the diamond ring in his pocket, afraid to pursue his stupid little dream any further. Change the subject, change the subject. Don't turn your back on her, you coward! No, don't change the subject, just don't change it to— "I, uh, apologize if I seem forward, but I…must speak my mind." He hesitated. Last chance to bale out. His heartbeat seemed deafening, and he was almost certain his knees would give out and he'd end up sprawled all over the battlements, undoubtedly ruining his nice new frock. "This promotion throws into sharp relief that which I have not yet achieved." He looked over his shoulder at her, his expression earnest and hopeful. "A marriage to a fine woman." Elizabeth looked panicked. Odd. "You have become a fine woman, Elizabeth."

"I can't breathe," Elizabeth whispered.

Norrington turned his back on her and smiled tensely. "Yes, I…I'm a bit nervous myself," he admitted.

He turned around, both eager and fearful to hear her answer. Much to his surprise, Elizabeth had vanished. "Elizabeth?" He glanced over the side of the battlement. A lacy circle of foam rippled the sea below. He felt panic rise within his chest and choke him like a corset. He gripped the wall and shouted, "Elizabeth!"

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Norrington anxiously paced the battlements in the solitude of the night. He had anticipated an exciting day, possibly even the best day of his life. It had been terrible, one botched attempt after another. It was a miracle he had not tripped on his way to accept his sword.

Elizabeth had always been a little distant with him. He had seen her gaze amorously at that stupid blacksmith many times, but she had never been cold toward him before. She had always been at the very least polite; occasionally she even reciprocated. His proposal could not have gone worse. He suspected Elizabeth's corset was only partly to blame for her chilly reception. He had been beating himself up over it all day. Obviously, he had done something wrong. He had clearly offended her somehow at some point. How the hell had she fallen? As if things hadn't been uncomfortable enough! Thank God nothing had happened to her…

"Nothing" included being rescued by a filthy, washed-up pirate. The shock of seeing Elizabeth sprawled on the deck, wet as a drowned rat, in nothing but her chemise—and with a random pirate drooling over her—had really added to the misery of the day. At least Captain Jack Sparrow had not escaped. At least he was safely behind bars awaiting the gallows like every pirate deserved.

Norrington was startled by the sudden and untimely appearance of Governor Swann. Awkward. "Commodore," he said, far too loudly for the time of night. "You aren't on watch duty, are you?"

"No," Norrington said. "I find a night walk clears my mind. We've all had a stressful day. Elizabeth in particular, I'm sure."

"Has my daughter given you an answer yet?"

Norrington hung his head glumly. "No, she hasn't."

"Well, she has had a very trying day." The governor glanced at the gathering storm clouds. "Ghastly weather, don't you think?"

"Bleak," Norrington agreed half-heartedly, "very bleak." How fitting.

Governor Swann stopped. "What's that?"

Norrington paused. He could hear a faint whistling sound. He recognized it in an instant. "Cannon fire!" he shouted, tackling the governor. Sure enough, the wall beside them blew out. "Return fire!" he bellowed.

Before long, the battlements were well-stocked with both cannons and soldiers. Norrington instantly assumed leadership, cool and calculative under pressure as always. "Sight the muzzle flash!" he ordered. "I need a full spread, fore and aft! Governor! Barricade yourself in my office." Governor Swann cowered fearfully, hiding under his gigantic wig. "That's an order!" Norrington snapped at him. He singled out two guards to protect the governor. "Mr. Murtogg, Mr. Mullroy, escort the governor home."

"Yes, sir," Murtogg said dutifully, leading the governor by the elbow down the battlements.

"And make sure Elizabeth is safe!" Norrington yelled after them. He drew a shuddering sigh and surveyed the smoke-veiled ship that sat in the harbor below like a black ghost. "God, make sure she's safe…"

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A bleak sunrise was the only evidence that dawn had arrived. Port Royal lay in shambles. Norrington anxiously sought out Murtogg and Mullroy and demanded, "Where is Elizabeth?"

Before either could reply, Governor Swann burst into the courtyard and bawled, "They've taken her! They've taken my daughter!"

A lead weight dropped in the pit of Norrington's stomach. He clenched his teeth. "We'll get her back," he vowed. "We'll dispatch every damned ship in this harbor; we will bring her back!" He turned on his heel. "Gillette!" he barked. "Prepare the Dauntless to sail!"

"It's no use," the governor said forlornly. "We'll never find her; how do we even know where she's gone?"

Norrington unfurled a map on a nearby table. He placed a finger over Port Royal, thinking. "The only way out of here is east. They'll probably go to Tortuga next; it's a hornet's nest of pirate scum."

Will Turner suddenly burst onto the scene, hot-headed as always. "They've taken her! They've taken Elizabeth!" he blustered. Always the last one to hear the latest news.

"Mr. Murtogg, remove this man," Norrington said calmly, tracing a possible route with his index finger.

Will shrugged the guard away. "We have to hunt her down! We must save her!"

"And where do you propose we start?" the governor interjected. "If you have any information concerning my daughter, please, share it!"

"That…Jack Sparrow," Murtogg said uncertainly. "He talked about the Black Pearl."

"Mentioned it is more what he did," Mullroy clarified.

"Ask him where it is!" Will said. "Make a deal with him; he can lead us to it."

"No," Norrington said dismissively. "The pirates who invaded this fort left Sparrow locked in his cell; ergo they are not his allies. Governor, we will establish their most likely course—"

He was interrupted by the thunk of a hatchet in the table. "That's not good enough!" Will shouted.

Norrington calmly removed the hatchet from the table. "Mr. Turner, you are not a military man, you are not a sailor—you are a blacksmith. This is not the time for rash actions!" He seized Will by the arm and led him away. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth."

He stuffed the hatchet into Will's arms and bitterly returned to his map. This whole situation had thrown into sharp relief his utter incompetence in the face of real danger. Sure, everything had gone just fine last night—but where was Elizabeth? What good was he if he could not protect her? He leaned heavily on the edge of the table. Splinters bit into his palms. Some man of honor he was. He was just a machine. An unthinking, unfeeling machine.

"As I was saying," he said suddenly, "their most likely course is east. Gillette! Get the Dauntless ready to make way! Every moment of delay diminishes the chance of rescue!"

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2: Where Her Heart Truly Lies

Norrington leaned on the rail of the Dauntless, feeling more than a little downtrodden. Over two weeks at sea and not even a sail on the horizon. He was beginning to wonder whether he would ever see Elizabeth again. Will had already disappeared after her, along with that Sparrow fellow. At least they were out of the way and could not hinder a professional search this way.

He snapped to attention when he noticed a tendril of smoke on the horizon. After a few seconds, an enormous column of fire exploded beneath it. "Governor!" he called excitedly. "I think I see something!"

Governor Swann shaded his eyes with one chubby hand. "Elizabeth," he breathed.

"Gillette! Four degrees west!"

Sure enough, standing on the tiny spit of land, sooty-faced, with a gaping Jack Sparrow beside her, was Elizabeth Swann. "Father!" she yelled, throwing herself into his arms. Norrington stood by while the two had a heartfelt father-daughter reunion.

He smiled when she finally looked up at him and bowed his head. "Miss Turner," he acknowledged respectfully. He couldn't help but break good form. He surged forward and threw his arms around her, hugging her close. "Elizabeth, thank God," he murmured in her ear. He hugged her tighter. "We've been searching for days. God, I thought I'd never see you again."

"Thank you, James," she answered. She wouldn't return the hug.

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Elizabeth was her usual fiery self when they returned to the Dauntless. As expected, Governor Swann planned on returning to Port Royal—a reasonable proposition which Elizabeth vehemently opposed. "But we have to save Will!" she insisted. Norrington cringed inwardly. Still pining over the stupid blacksmith.

"No," Governor Swann said curtly. "You're safe now. We will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!"

"Then we condemn him to death!"

"The boy's fate is regrettable. But then, so was his decision to engage in piracy," her father said bitterly.

"To rescue me! To prevent anything from happening to me!" Elizabeth argued.

"If I may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion," Jack said, gingerly stepping forward. Norrington groaned inwardly. Something nonsensical was surely looming. Jack leered in Norrington's face. His breath smelled like onions and cheap alcohol. "The Pearl was listing near the scabbards after the battle; it's very unlikely she'll make good time. Think about it. The Black Pearl. The last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate." He grinned maniacally. "How can you pass that up?"

Norrington gave the pirate a long look. "By remembering that I serve others, Mr. Sparrow, not only myself," he said icily.

"Commodore, I beg you, please do this," Elizabeth said, following Norrington to the helm. "For me. As a wedding gift."

Norrington turned, butterflies rising in his stomach. He was vaguely aware of his jaw dropping.

"Elizabeth, are you accepting the commodore's proposal?" Governor Swann asked disbelievingly.

Elizabeth trained her beautiful eyes on him. Norrington could feel his pulse quicken. "I am," she said firmly.

"A wedding? I love weddings! Drinks all around!" the pirate squawked. Norrington shot him a death glare. "I know…clap him in irons, right?"

Norrington strode down the steps toward him, barely able to contain his excitement. "Mr. Sparrow, you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isla de Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave.' Do I make myself clear?"

"Inescapably clear," Jack said breathily.

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"Let's see," Norrington muttered as he rifled through the wardrobe in his cabin, "I think I still have a few old frocks in here…"

"You don't have to, really," Elizabeth said quickly. She stood in the doorway, anxiously wringing her hands. She would not come into the cabin.

"Aha!" Norrington grabbed a red military jacket from the bottom of his wardrobe, making an effort to beat the dust out of it. He handed it to Elizabeth, smiling sheepishly. "Here. I'm afraid it has a few wrinkles, and it won't do a thing for your figure, but it's better than nothing.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, favoring him with a genuine smile as she shrugged into the old coat.

Norrington could not suppress a smile. "Somehow you manage to look stunning even in that old rag," he said. "I shall bore you with tales of our daring rescue mission later. You may sleep in my cabin tonight if you wish. I'm sure you must be exhausted."

"I am," she said, yawning as if on cue. "I can't thank you enough, James."

"You don't need to. I'm just relieved to see you alive." His face broke into a smile. "I'm so happy you accepted. I was so afraid you wouldn't." He happened to glance into her eyes and was instantly enraptured. Even in her filthy state, his fiancée was even more beautiful than he had remembered. He leaned forward to kiss her goodnight, but she turned away and leapt into bed. He made his way toward the door, a little disappointed. "Good night, Elizabeth," he said. He hesitated. "I love you."

"I know you do, James," she said quietly.

He extinguished her lamp and stepped outside, closing the door quietly behind him. Then he slammed his fist against the railing above him in exasperation. "Where was the honor in that?" he muttered bitterly. A passing guard glanced curiously at him. "You, soldier, I want a guard on this door at all times. No one disturbs Miss Swann, understand?"

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After a night of stressful battle and a few harrowing days at sea, Norrington finally found himself back in Port Royal. What better way to celebrate his homecoming—and the upcoming wedding—than a pirate hanging? And what better pirate to hang than Jack Sparrow himself? The long arm of justice could reach even islands nobody could find, it seemed. The only regrettable part of this ending was the utter lack of repercussions for Will. Rather than receiving a spot beside Jack on the gallows, he had been rewarded with a fancy new hat. No one seemed to recall that the whelp had in fact turned pirate himself. No one should escape judgment.

He stood with the governor and his fiancée, listening to the hangman read off the lengthy list of Jack's crimes. Rather impressive ones, frankly.

He grew uneasy when Will suddenly appeared before them, foppish hat and all. "Governor Swann, Commodore," he acknowledged. "Elizabeth. I should have told you every day from the moment I met you. I love you."

Norrington glanced uneasily at Elizabeth as Will disappeared into the crowd. The drums quickened along with his pulse.

"I can't breathe," Elizabeth gasped, fainting. Norrington leapt forward to help her. The crowd made a collective noise of astonishment.

Oh, bloody hell, Norrington thought. Will had sabotaged the hanging and was presently hacking away at the hangman. The two pirates were soon surrounded and subdued, but not before they had caused a considerable disturbance. Norrington pointed his sword at Will's throat and said irritably, "I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt, but not from you."

"On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency," the governor whined. "And this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him? He's a pirate!"

"And a good man!" Will blustered. "If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear."

Thank God, the whelp had come to his senses. At the least opportune moment, of course. "You forget your place, Turner," Norrington said fiercely.

"It's right here, between you and Jack."

Elizabeth broke into the ring of bayonets to stand beside the two pirates. "As is mine," she proclaimed.

Norrington blinked, stunned. He could hardly speak. Hardly think. He forced himself to say something to cover up his sudden shock. "So this is where your heart truly lies, then?" he mumbled shakily.

Elizabeth nodded. "It is."

His gaze fell. The words were enough to kill him. Jack started yammering about something. He leered in Norrington's face, saying something about rooting for him. Norrington hardly heard any of it. He was crushed.

Jack leapt onto the battlements and crowed, "Friends, this is the day that you will always remember as the day that—" The pirate tripped and tumbled off the battlements to the sea below.

"Idiot!" Gillette laughed, peering over the edge. "He has nowhere to go but back to the noose!"

Right on cue, a ship appeared on the horizon. Of course.

"What's your plan of action? Sir?"

Norrington was speechless. His mind could hardly piece together all that had just happened. Apparently these battlements were permanently cursed with bad luck and faulty gravity. The governor started spewing platitudes, as he was apt to do in situations like this. After awhile, Norrington found his voice again.

"Mr. Turner!" he barked. He removed his sword from its sheath. "This is a beautiful sword. I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life."

"Thank you," Will said smugly.

"Commodore! What about Sparrow?" Gillette demanded.

Norrington forced a mirthless smile. "I think we can afford to give him one day's head start."

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Norrington tore into his study like a hurricane. He ripped a map from the wall, knocked all the books off of his desk with a swipe of his arm, hurled a tray of tea to the floor. "Turner!" he bellowed, hurling an inkwell at the wall. He finally slumped in his chair and collapsed on his desk in despair. He took the ring out of his pocket and turned it in the light. How could this have happened? How could she prefer a bloody pirate over him? Maybe if he talked to her… No, no time for that. He and his men would have to sail in the morning so they could catch Sparrow. He couldn't decide which was worse, the pirates themselves or his eternal moral—not to mention legal—obligation to hunt them down. Ever honor-bound.

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R&R, my loves! Onto Part II!