Admiral James Norrington: In Memoriam

Epilogue: The Two Days

Some years passed. Slowly. 

Henry Turner was born and James did all he could to keep him safe along with Elizabeth. It pained him every day to see what could just have been easily his own child grow into a small replica of his rival. His bitterness at this was only quenched at bay in knowing the fact that the boy had to live without a real father, as James himself was never intending to be a surrogate father. It was unfair to Will and to the boy. It was also painful for James to play family with who he wanted to share a family with. 

The one day came when Henry was nine years old. Will returned and he spent the whole time with Elizabeth and Henry, while James, Felicity and Sarah made themselves as scarce as possible, the latter pair still living in the vicinity, albeit in their own homes not far from Elizabeth's residence. 

When Will was due to depart once more, he and Elizabeth went to James and Will apologised for the burden James was given. 

"It must be cruel to see Elizabeth grow with a child who could have been yours if destiny had been kinder...I release you from your promise. You no longer need to be bound to Elizabeth on my behalf...you're free." 

"But Elizabeth will still be without you." 

"She has Henry. He's a good boy." 

"No doubt, but she still needs you." 

"It's too late for me...I'm bound to the Dutchman...if I corrupt that duty, I become like Jones; a bitter, deformed monster of a man." 

"I will only leave Elizabeth when SHE tells me to, and although she's often sickened at the sight of me in your place, never once has she asked me to leave...for as long as she needs me, I am staying put. Besides...I've nowhere else to go." 

Felicity wanted to tell James otherwise...she held out her hand to him. 

"Don't live with Elizabeth anymore, James. Move in with me. We'll be her supportive neighbours and friends, but you needn't bind yourself into that house as well. It's too painful. We can see the toll it's taken on you...trust me, you look bloody awful!" 

James tried not to chuckle pathetically. 

"I release you from my household, James," said Elizabeth numbly, "I know how I've treated you...ever since Port Royal and Jack Sparrow...was cruel...still is...and I've nothing to offer you. I'm so sorry...please be free. If you won't leave me, at least leave my home. Live with Felicity. She...she..." 

"Let's go, my love," said Will, "farewell, Admiral." 

"Captain Turner," nodded James mutually. 

A couple of hours later, the green flash emitted the sky, and then a scream of agony and an equal wail of lament came from a woman and child on the cliffs. James buried his face in his hands as Felicity sat beside him, saddened that she hadn't gained James' love in nearly a decade. His loyalty remained with Elizabeth, perhaps a little more fleetingly, but remained just the same. 

******** 

More years passed, insufferably slowly. Henry grew up and even joined the Royal Navy, an honour James wished he could have bestowed upon his own son one day. But he was now in his fifties and the chance of children seemed long gone for him. 

One thing that changed for the better however, was that he and Felicity finally acknowledged feelings for one another. It was rather difficult to live together for nearly ten years and NOT fall in love. James was finally beginning to find Elizabeth less appealing and Felicity more enticing. His crush on Elizabeth was ending at last. Apparently time did heal some wounds after all. 

Sarah had also found love with a marine after some time. She and her new husband were expecting their second child at the end of the summer. 

Elizabeth waited patiently for her husband to return again as well as her son from his own maritime adventures. Little did she know that Henry had become obsessed with breaking the curse placed upon his father and had teamed up with Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa's long lost daughter to do so. 

Then, one evening, something extraordinary happened. 

The Flying Dutchman returned, no longer looking cursed or full of destiny, but an ordinary looking vessel. And coming to shore from it was Will Turner. 

Henry was there, along with Carina Barbossa. Elizabeth had spotted the ship and rushed to see if it could possibly be true. And to her delight, it was. Will had returned for good this time and so had her son, who it seemed had found love. 

It was as it was sailing beyond Jack Sparrow's beloved horizon that Elizabeth and Will spotted the Black Pearl. Both of them wanted desperately to hear Henry and Carina's story. 

James and Felicity were informed and soon all of them managed to hear the tale of the Trident of Poseidon and how Jack and Barbossa played a role. Will and Elizabeth felt some melancholy hearing about Barbossa's death, but held no soreness towards the fact that Henry was in love with the man's daughter. She reminded Elizabeth a lot of herself in many ways. 

With the Turners fully reunited, James was fully free. 

He was still good friends with Elizabeth, and had a respectful comradeship with Will. He avoided Bootstrap Bill when he could, but the man was reaching an old age and bygones became bygones over time, before it was too late. 

At Elizabeth and Sarah's suggestions, James married Felicity and also conceived a child with her after all. Elizabeth reminded James of how old her own father was when she had been born and emphasised that it was never too late to have a happy family. 

Felicity couldn't have agreed more. She finally had the man of her dreams and had not long after the wedding and the Turner reunion, gave birth to twins: a girl named Lisa Felicia Norrington and a boy named Weatherby Laurent Norrington, named for both Elizabeth's father, whom James saw more as a father figure in their years together at Port Royal, and after his own father and Felicity's, who coincidentally had a father named Laurent, similar to Lawrence. 

James Norrington watched his new wife bathe their children and smiled as he looked out of the window and out to the horizon of the sea. He finally understood what appealed so much to Jack Sparrow...to be living free at last. 

(And that is the end of my Norrington story! I hope it was to your likings! Be sure to comment! Thank you and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!)