Title: Because
Author: blackpoetcat
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Pairing: Norribeth
Disclaimer: Not mine, Disney's; commandeered just for fun
Feedback: Hope so...
Warning: none
Notes: Post-DMC, little long-known spoilers of AWE, rather AU
Summary: Admiral James Norrington met pirate Elizabeth Swann under precarious circumstances

Because

Oh God, he was so tired!

Tired of Davy Jones’ enforced cruel bloodsheds, tired of the paperwork which seemed to grow constantly during his absence, tired of the reports he had to compose after returning from sea.

But most of all, he was tired of one Lord Cutler Beckett and his overbearing demeanor.

Admiral James Norrington propped his elbows on his desk and buried his face in his hands. A deep sigh escaped his throat. When would this man stop to bother the Caribbean in general and himself in particular? He knew his duties. He never needed anyone to remind him of them, nobody ever dared to interfere his orders. But there was no time of ease since he returned with the heart seven months ago.

He might as well could’ve remained with Sparrow and the other pirates. If he had stayed aboard the Black Pearl, he’d been free at last and the threat of a dishonorable death by the gallows would make sense at all. Unlike now, where he plodded until exhaustion to uphold the law while that bloody Lord still hesitated to destroy his warrant, just in case he’d conspire against the EITC. Fucking bastard!

He rubbed his temples and poured himself a glass of brandy before he browsed flippant through the mass of parchments. Someone knocked and opened the door without waiting for permission and walked quietly towards him. James cursed in silence but didn’t raise his head from his papers, not even when the intruder stopped in front of his desk.

“Yes, Mr. Mercer?”

“Lord Beckett requires your company in the new gaol wing, Admiral.”

“Now?”

“Indeed.”

Norrington nodded, grabbed his hat and left his office behind Beckett’s so-called secretary.

“Who is it?”

“I’m not allowed to tell you, Admiral. You have to wait.”

James snorted with disgust.

As usual, of course. Like he was a child that shouldn’t know what his parents came up with. Hell, he was an high-ranking officer! He deserved at least some basic respect.

When they arrived in the most secure part of the fort’s prison, Beckett turned to him and smiled. James recognized this arrogant smirk and knew in an instant that he’d be not pleased about what he’d learn here.

“Ah, Admiral Norrington. Very kind of you to join us. I’m sure you remember our dear guest?”

***

James stepped nearer to the bars and looked into the cell. In the next moment he felt as if an iron fist pressed his heart together. He fought hard to remain as stiff and composed as always, to hide the terrible shock behind cold eyes and a stern façade. Only his strong will prevented his voice from trembling.

“Welcome back to Port Royal, Miss Swann. I suppose you didn’t intend to be saluted this way, did you?”

“First and foremost I didn’t intend to speak to you anymore, you treacherous bastard!”

Elizabeth fumed in barely suppressed rage, her eyes shot daggers at him.

“Well, if you keep on declining my generous offer, you won’t have to speak to the Admiral anymore, Miss Swann. Nor to anyone else, as you will be executed tomorrow morning”, Beckett remarked.

She bit her lips and tried to cross her arms before her chest, causing the chain rattle which tied her shackled wrists to the wall.

“I’m certain it will be less tantalizing than to endure the aftermath of your so-called generous offer.”

Of course. Elizabeth would never surrender nor show any weakness or fear, not even in such a life-threatening situation. James couldn’t help but admire her unbroken spirit.

He looked from her to Beckett.

“What offer?”

“I provided her a wealthy and respectable future as my wife. It’s that or the gallows for Miss Swann.”

Norrington gaped at the smaller man. His thoughts seemed to rush in spinning circles. Why on earth should Beckett want to marry Elizabeth? Not only was she a pirate, her reputation was ruined and she herself probably what society called ‘damaged good’. A very bad match for a Lord in every aspect.

But nevertheless, she was the only child of the Governor. As his son-in-law, Beckett would inherit Swann’s funds as well as his connections and influence among the Peers. Those were things James never cared for when he courted Elizabeth himself, but were worth a marriage for overambitious people like Beckett, who continued his efforts to persuade his prisoner.

“Think about once more, Miss Swann. I’m certain you won’t kill your father by watching his beloved daughter hang, now would you?”

The Lord’s smile became more cheeky while he remembered Elizabeth of poor Weatherby Swann.

“My father will understand that I’d rather die than deliver myself into your greedy clutches, Lord Beckett!”

Her chin rose and her arrogance composure matched Beckett‘s in a glimpse. He nodded and turned to leave.

“You have time to change your mind until dawn, Miss Swann. When the guards will come to take you to the scaffold, your sole chance to save your life is gone. In case you’ll decide to be reasonable, call the guard on duty.”

He caught Norrington’s eyes who seemed rooted on his spot.

“Are you coming, Admiral?”

“Of course, Mylord.”

James stepped a few inches towards his former fiancée’s cell.

“Believe me that I’d rather never met you again than witness your death. But I have to perform my duty. Adieu, Elizabeth.”

“Fuck your duty, James! I hope you’ll enjoy my execution.”

He shook his head before he started to follow his superior.

“I thought you’d known me better, Elizabeth. I never enjoyed executions. They are just part of the law I swore to enforce. Good bye.”

***

Climbing the stairs, James couldn’t resist to ask for information.

“How did you apprehend her?”

It was Mercer who answered.

“She returned to her father two nights ago. One of the Governor’s servants earned the reward we offered months ago for this special case.”

James preferred to not comment. He should have known...

When the men reached the hallway, they found Governor Swann waiting in front of Norrington’s office. He approached them and shook his folded hands in a beseeching gesture.

“Lord Beckett, please release my daughter! You promised to protect her from any harm.”

Beckett produced a sad but obvisiously false smile.

“My dear Weatherby, I really am sorry about your upcoming loss. But you must understand that our accord was meant in case of her participation in a battle then or her due return after Sparrow’s death. Now it is a fact that she spent nearly eight months aboard several pirate ships, in the company of known criminals. Therefore, she is a pirate.”

He looked at Norrington.

“And what does the law say, Admiral? What is it that every person deserves who committed piracy?”

James cleared his dry throat and clasped his hands behind his back. Then he focused on Swann’s gaze.

“A short drop and a sudden stop, with no regard of gender or status. I’m sorry, Governor. There’s nothing I can do.”

Swann stared at him in disbelief and visible pain.

“But... James... You loved  Elizabeth! How can you do this to the woman you once wanted to marry? How can you do this to me? I thought we are friends!”

Norrington nodded and adumbrated a sympathetic smile.

“I still am your friend, Governor. But I’m bound by the law. And, as you perhaps understand, though I really loved Elizabeth when I proposed to her, time and circumstances have changed.”

He pressed his lips together before he continued, never leaving the older man’s eyes.

“I stopped loving her a long time ago. To be honest, I don’t even like her since she turned pirate. I’m sorry to hurt you, sir, but when we were together on the Pearl, I recognized that Elizabeth’s nature is nearly equal to Sparrow’s.”

Swann winced back, shaken. Tears ran down his face.

“You lump my daughter together with that filthy scum? You? The man I loved like the son I never had? The man I supported for nearly a decade? How dare you...”

Norrington straightened his figure.

“As I said, I’m sorry, sir. I never meant to hurt you. But I can’t deny the truth. Elizabeth is a pirate by heart and will never change. Neither for your well-being nor anything else.”

He signaled to a pair of soldiers passing by.

“Marines, show the Governor to his carriage and accompany him home. He’s unwell and needs some rest, see to it.”

“Aye, sir.”

Weatherby Swann looked one last time into cold green eyes.

“I never thought that this day would come, but you forced me to cut our connection. Admiral Norrington, I’d appreciate it if you’d avoid my house and any possible encounters in the future.”

James stern face didn’t show any regret or guilt.

“As you wish, Governor.”

Then the two marines led the older man out of the fort. Beckett smiled and patted James’ shoulder.

“Well spoken, Admiral. It seems you’ve adapted to your expected role and position. Perhaps I should crush your warrant.”

He started to walk towards the exit, but turned back one more moment.

“Of course, not until Miss Swann had either married me or been hung.”

Beckett and Mercer finally left the fort. They didn’t hear the snort of disgust what followed them.

***

Some time after midnight, a shadow scurried through the dungeon. Every few steps the figure paused and looked around. But there were no guards, save from the black clothed man in front of the only occupied cell. The man that just unlocked the door and entered the cell...

The shadow could hear his cold voice.

“We both know that you will at last accept my master’s offer, Miss Swann. You’re not the type to sacrifice yourself. So why don’t you spare my time and let me call for Lord Beckett, hm?”

“Spare my remaining time and leave me alone!”

“I don’t think so. You spent months with pirates, you’re not better than any whore. So why do you care for whom you spread your legs now?”

“Because she’d never spread them for a man she doesn’t love!”, a dark voice hissed behind him.

Before Mercer could turn or react otherwise, he was knocked out with a hard hit to his head. He fell to the ground and didn’t move anymore.

Elizabeth looked from the limp form to the man in civilian clothes before her, surprise and confusion clearly written on her face.

“James?! What the hell...”

“No time for conversation, Elizabeth. We need to hurry.”

Norrington presented a key and unlocked her shackles.

“Help me to remove his coat, you’ll need it.”

They both stripped the unconscious Mercer of his black coat, then James shackled him with hands behind his back and finally gagged him while Elizabeth slipped into the piece of cloth.

“Why didn’t you kill him? He’s an assasin.”

“I know. But I never killed people from behind and won’t start tonight. Besides, as I’ll vanish the same night as you, it is quite obvious who’d sprang you free. No need to hinder him confirming my treason.”

He locked the cell and grasped Elizabeth’s hand.

“Come quick now, we have to catch our ship. It’s only half an hour until the tide’s turning low.”

They snuck through the fort, to the lower part of the docks and boarded a small vessel. A sailor with grey hair and beard met them on deck.

“Mr. and Mrs. Barclay?”

Norrington nodded and put an arm around Elizabeth’s waist.

“Yes. I suppose we’ll find our baggage in our cabin?”

“Aye. We’ll leave in a few minutes. Best go asleep now.”

“That we’ll do, Captain Roberts. Thank you and good night.”

Elizabeth just smiled to the captain, then they went below deck.

***

A moment later, they approached a small but tidy cabin with only one bunk. She cocked an eyebrow and looked at James who nodded towards the small bed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll sleep on the floor.”

She smirked.

“I didn’t worry. If there’s one thing I’m certain about you, it’s that you’re a gentleman.”

He tilted his head, a wistful smile appeared on his face.

“Sure about that? Despite all my treacherous deeds?”

“Yes. You are a gentleman, James. And a pirate...”

He laughed out loud at that dry remark. Elizabeth’s eyes went wide in astonishment.

“Amazing. A miracle.”

He stopped laughing, puzzled.

“Miracle?”

“I know you since our crossing from England, but this was actually the first time I saw and hear you laughing.”

He shrugged.

“Well, maybe there wasn’t anything worth it.”

“No, you didn’t allow yourself to relax or really enjoy something in the past. You always performed the perfect officer and gentleman, James. You were never just a man.”

She fixed his gaze and stepped nearer to him.

“In former times you’d been upset if I’d called you a pirate. But you really are one. Especially now, after you committed piracy by springing me from jail. So please tell me, from one pirate to another, why did you rescue me? It irrevocable means the gallows for you.”

He sighed and closed his eyes for some seconds. When he opened them again, Elizabeth gasped. She couldn’t remember if she ever saw such amount of emotions in these oceans of green.

“The answer is very simple, my dear. I would rather hang myself than condemn you to the noose. Or leave you to Beckett’s mercy in a painful marriage.”

He took a deep breath and whispered:

“Because I never stopped loving you.”