Chapter 1.

The Year 1741, Port Royal

“But James,” the woman’s voice was high-pitched with obvious worry, “You cannot go out there again…he’s just a pirate.”

“He is not just a pirate Harriett,” James Norrington replied as he turned to face his younger sister, “I have a duty to my post and I will not let one man stand in the way of fulfilling it.”

Harriett looked up at her brother through her thick spectacles, “Is that the only reason you go?” she laid a hand on his uniform-clad chest, “Or does the betrothal of Ms. Swann have something to do with it as well?”

The man spun away and adjusted his powdered wig with jerky movements before placing his tri-cornered hat firmly atop it. When he turned back, his defined features were kept in careful control. He placed his two hands on his sister’s shoulders and let a small, tight smile slide across his face.

“I will come back Harriett,” he assured in a tender tone before turning to leave.

“James,” her plain features were twisted in concern, “Just don’t do anything stupid,” she said with a laugh, trying not to let the tears in her eyes fall.

He nodded without turning and walked to the door in his traditional military gait. Harriett watched him leave with a twisting feeling in her gut. There had been something in his green eyes that conflicted with his statement. The front door was opened by the manservant and then promptly shut again. Harriett held a hand to her mouth and shook her head slowly. She wished she could make herself believe that she’d see her brother again.

“Mistress?” Mary asked from the stairs, her double-chin quivering.

“Yes Mary I will be there in a moment,” Harriett replied in a placating tone before taking one last look at the closed door. Come back to me James, she commanded in her head before taking up her full skirts to go back to her duties.

Some months later…

Lord Cutler Beckett raised his piercing blue stare to see the former Commodore Norrington brought into the room. The Letters of Marque that Cutler held in his hand had already revealed the strange person the crew had picked up.

“I took the liberty of filling in my name,” Norrington said simply, a new ironic haughtiness in his voice.

“If you intend to claim these,” Cutler began, “then you must have something to trade. Do you have the Compass?

Norrington took steps forward as he spoke, “Better,” he said throwing a wet and thumping package in front of the Lord Beckett, “The heart of Davy Jones.”

Beckett smiled in his carnivorous way as his hands went to touch the source of his long-coveted power.

“Is this enough to regain my former station?” James asked, even as his thoughts went to his sister.

“Oh,” Beckett sighed, “No I have something much better in store for you,” he paused and let the heartbeat of Davy Jones fill the room, “Admiral.”

He didn’t look up to note the sudden spark replaced by sadness as James Norrington nodded and strode from the room. He had other things to do and see, and one of the first would be to walk through his own front door and greet Harriett…She must think me dead or near it by now, he thought and ignored the stares directed at his unkempt person. That would be number two on his list, hot water and a good scrub.

When he did reach his door at long last he hesitated to knock. The house looked just the same as it always had: a smallish affair with less land than many around it. Still, the flowers blooming next to the drive gave off exotic scents that he took in with one heady breath. James realized how pitiful he would look to her in his current state…would she mind the dirt? The unshaven chin? He laughed inwardly at the questions. She couldn’t see scarcely past her own nose without those silly spectacles…he was home and that would be enough for her…he hoped.

Harriett was just descending the stairs to the first floor when someone knocked on the door. Her heart jumped without her consent. There was a moment of excited pause before she chastised her own foolish reaction. It’s not him, she told herself. Harriett had told herself this every time someone came to the door over the last months. He had never come back, but still she expected him to walk through the door as if his ship hadn’t been destroyed in a terrible sea-storm, as if he hadn’t come to headquarters and given up his post without even visiting her…the thought hurt now even more than it had when it had happened.

The door opened and the manservant stepped back to reveal a dirty looking vagabond on the doorstep. Harriett could not tell much about him from this distance but only saw a brownish blur for hair and other colored blurs that represented face and torso and legs.

“Master Norrington,” the typically taciturn manservant exclaimed with a hoarse voice.

Harriett’s feet stumbled on the stairs. She grabbed quickly at the banister to stop her descent and then once her footing was established she rushed on hoping not to trip over her skirts. Breathing faltered, cheeks reddened, eyes gleamed, hair loosened from its place and tumbled over hopeful features. She was at the bottom of the stairs even as James had taken strides towards her. They converged like waves breaking on each other and stood, stilled by the force of collision.

“James,” she finally managed, “James is it you, is it really you?” tears made it harder for her to discern the expression on his face as she put hands to the familiar cheeks. Then she was sobbing into his dirty, frayed jacket wondering all the while why a beard tickled at her forehead.

“Yes,” he said in his usual controlled tone, “Yes,” this time his voice broke, “It’s me…though a bit dirtier than I left you.”

She laughed through the tears and tasted salt on her lips, “A bit?”

“Well,” he laughed too and pushed the tear tracks from her cheeks with both thumbs. Dirt from his hands remained in its stead making the situation even worse.

“Why didn’t you come and see me? Why didn’t you tell me that you were well? I heard you came and resigned your post but never a word to me,” she buried her face in his chest again, ignoring the smell.

“I could not return,” he paused and let one hand ruffle her hair playfully as he had done so often when they were younger, “I could not face you when I came back. I was too ashamed Hettie, too dreadfully ashamed of everything that had happened.”

“I would not have been ashamed of you. I just wanted to see you,” she sighed, “Well you’re back now.”

“Yes I’m back…”

“Will you be taking up your post again?” she disentangled herself from his tight embrace and wiped at her eyes.

“No, no I have been promoted to Admiral.”

“Admiral,” her blue-gray eyes widened, “But what-”

He held up a hand defensively, “There will be plenty of time for talk Harriett, but I really would like to wash and get out of these clothes now.”

“Of course,” she replied, “I’ll tell cook to prepare you something. Or would you rather rest until the evening?”

“I’ll rest,” he said and gave her his signature half-smile, “Thank you.”

She watched him go up the stairs wondering at the sudden defensive stance he had taken when she asked about his new title. Still he had been through quite the ordeal. Somehow she ignored the feeling of further loss and went to summon the bath water for him. It was so good to be doing something for him again…to be living with him again. An Admiral will be gone from port more often…especially with the recent crackdown on pirates, the thought came unbidden and unleashed even more.

Does he know about Elizabeth’s arrest and her betrothed off on some quest? Even John Brown, his former master didn’t know where he had gone…Only the arrest on the wedding day and then news he had left.

Those who had idle tongues let them wag over the whole affair. The wedding occurring so close to the betrothal announcement was strange enough. The couple, a governor’s daughter to an orphaned blacksmith was stranger still. The women who remembered the affair that had happened at the hanging of the pirate Jack Sparrow no longer needed to search for an audience, since William’s disappearance they had ample listeners. The very suggestion that the two had actually aided the pirate was enough to bring blushes to maiden listeners. Harriett wasn’t the kind of company to be told such secrets but she heard them nonetheless. More than that, she knew the truth…or part of it from James’s own account of the day.

Bathwater, Harriett reminded herself and gave the orders to the maids who were unoccupied in the kitchen. They started from their conversation and nodded. Harriett blinked twice at them and then turned to tell the cook, Ms. Young, to make something appetizing for dinner. Harriett received a glare that she couldn’t see for that comment and hurried away to busy herself with something else.

Sitting in the parlor her hands shook in her lap. Breathe for a moment Hettie…just breathe. She found her legs wouldn’t stay still but twitched up and down with nervous energy. Bouncing on her heels to her feet she went to retrieve a bonnet and shawl.

“Mary come with me to market,” she called to her former nurse maid, now maid and closest friend.

The old face showed itself, “For what may I ask Miss?”

“For thread,” she paused, “And darning needles.”

“But Miss you don’t sew…or darn for that matter,” her chubby hands secured her own hat with well-practiced motions.

“I know,” she answered on her way to the front door, the old woman bustling after. And all the while her heart sung out, He’s back…He’s really back.

The story takes place in the year 1741 and is meant to involve the latter DMC plot as well as the AWE plot. Some of the timeline will change slightly but I hope the differences won't be too incongruent. Also the whole story, but especially the end will be AU as many of the character's lives are affected by the OC (and no not in that Mary-Sue way ;) That said...

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Pirates. That's Disney's. The plot for this story as well as the OC Harriett and any other original characters are my creative property...I'm not making any money off of this so leave me alone ;) Don't use my plot elements or Harriett without asking. Thank you!

I really appreciate criticism/feedback so please review and tell me what you think!