Norrington's Darling

Separation

POV: James Norrington

That night, Zuri left to do a painting she'd been commissioned for of Theodore. She had agreed readily to his request, though it had been sent last minute, and Theodore had promised to pay richly for it—perhaps even out of Beckett's own pocket. With something between a smile and a grimace, Zuri had assured him that wasn't necessary. I wondered what had changed to make Zuri care about Beckett's expenses.

Alone in my house with only my depressing thoughts for comfort (though they were nothing of the sort), I stripped out of uniform and into much more casual shirt and pants. I ate a meager dinner and found myself a bottle of brandy. Hesitating, I stared at it. After a brief inner war, I caved in to my yearning and twisted the cork. I poured myself a shot glass's worth of the stuff and threw it back.

I wrinkled my nose. To my horror, I found I had acquired the taste for rum. Brandy no longer seemed all too appealing. With a grimace, I tossed the bottle in the simple metal wastebin Zuri had insisted upon having in the kitchen, pleased by the sound of the glass smashing.

I climbed up the stairs, passing the room Zuri had made her office and slipping into mine, just a few doors down. I sat at my desk for a moment, pondering whether to write my report against Kitts and Stals. Sighing, I wrote myself a note to do it another time and slipped out of my seat. I went into our bedroom and fell face-forward onto the soft bed. A content sigh escaped me.

I rolled onto my back, wondering if Zuri missed me as much as I missed her in this very moment. It felt like a part of me had been ripped out, soothed only by the thought that she would return soon.

That only made me more guilty about dying.

If I felt this bad knowing she would return, how would Zuri feel knowing I would never return?

Remorse coursed through my body, but before I could give myself time to weep, my body and brain shut down and I fell into sleep.

I woke to the sound of the door closing. I blinked myself awake and my eyes sought out the light of the candle floating in midair. But it wasn't floating—it was held in the grasp of my darling Zuri, who wore a large grin on her face, her hands and cheeks and arms and hair spattered with paint. Even her lips were sprinkled with flecks of color.

"Hi," I said, my voice croaky.

She kissed my cheek. Thankfully, the paint on her lips was drying. "I'm sorry I woke you. You looked so peaceful asleep..."

I shrugged. "No worries," I said softly. "I'd rather wake up for you than not."

Zuri smiled at me. "You're sweet." She pointed to the privy. "I'm going to wash all this paint off me and then I'll be in bed. Okay?"

"Okay," I mumbled, wriggling back beneath the bed covers. It was a good ten minutes before Zuri slipped back into the room and under the covers. My lips found hers in an instant and my arms wrapped around her body. I brought her to sit on top of me, holding her close to my chest. Her tongue found its way into my mouth and I let her take dominance, different from usual. Our passion was not without reason—it seemed as though the thought of my death had put both our hearts racing, our minds reeling at all we had not done.

"I love you," Zuri gasped out, her chest heaving, both of us aching for breath.

"I love you, too," I whispered.

"I love you more," Zuri promised.

"I love you most," I murmured against her lips.

The next time I woke, it was to shouts in the streets and the ringing of the bell. After a moment, I deciphered the pattern. With a groan, I disentangled my limbs from Zuri's. 

"Jamie—?" she began.

"I've got to go," I said tiredly. "That's the call for all marines to get to the ships."

"What's happening?" Zuri asked, the sleep clouding her eyes disappearing, replaced with her usual sharpness and a frown creasing her brow.

"I don't know," I admitted, "but certainly nothing good." I shrugged my uniform back on, kissed Zuri goodbye (longer than normal and it was certainly no peck on the lips), and dashed out into the dark streets of Port Royal, the darkness pierced with lights too few and too far between.