To be a Father

Title: To be a Father
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I do not own PotC
Summary: Takes place after first movie. After pursuing Sparrow for a few months, Norrington captures a pirate ship and finds a sick toddler hiding on board.

WARNINGS: This is AU after first movie. Elizabeth and Will are married and living in the Governor’s mansion. The events of DMC are not going to happen in this story, and though Elizabeth and Will are in it (and Jack Sparrow mentioned), it focuses on Norrington. Commodore haters beware my whole purpose in writing this is to give him a much nicer ending than the one rumored to be in the third movie… Also, his love interest will be an OC from our time/world. It’s not an original concept, but I assure you that I am going about it in a completely original way. Also, this is unbeta’d; if you are interested in the job, please contact me.

Chapter Two

They had the doctor come on board the ship rather then carry the sick child into the cool night air. Gillette insisted on going in with the doctor while Norrington remained on deck to confer with his navigator. His mind could barely stay on track as he worried about the little girl in his cabin.

An ear-piercing shriek, followed by Gillette swearing loudly broke the oppressive silence.

Norrington ran to his cabin as fast as legs could carry him, heart hammering. He was in the room confronting the doctor with a pistol, unable to remember drawing it.

However, the sight of Gillette holding a sobbing Penny was, in his mind, a good enough reason to do so.

“Commodore, please lower your weapon,” the doctor said calmly, though his eyes were full of fear.

“Not until you tell me what’s going on,” he insisted, cocking the pistol.

The doctor audibly gulped.

“He wants to bleed her, Commodore, and I’ll not allow it!” Gillette said, fiercely.

“The child’s blood carries ill humors. It must be drained from her, or she will die,” the doctor insisted.

“Commodore, I beg you not to allow this. I’ve lost two sisters to physicians that bled them dry. Have you ever heard of anyone to survive a bleeding, much less a weak child? Surely if we didn’t need blood to survive, God would not have given us any!” The lieutenant cried, clutching the child tighter.

“You may leave, doctor,” Norrington said, putting away the pistol and walking toward Gillette.

Penny held out her arms to him.

“Comdore, Comdore!” She cried, practically jumping in his arms when he reached out to take her.

The doctor looked as if he were about to argue, but decided instead to get away while he could.

Gillette’s face was flushed, and he was breathing hard.

“What do we do now?” He asked.

Norrington looked at the girl cuddled in his arms.

“We’ll take her to Port Royal. If I remember correctly there is a midwife that practices herbal remedies.”

“You would take her to the witch?” The lieutenant demanded.

Norrington scoffed.

“I don’t believe in witches. And if she can help Penny, then I don’t care what the superstitious gossips call her.”

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When they docked at Port Royal, Norrington sent a message ahead to his maid. She was to prepare a room and procure things a little girl might need.

It had taken two weeks to get home. Over that time, Commodore Norrington grew closer to Penny than he ever thought possible. He had never had anyone that depended on him for everything, hung on his every word, and smiled bright enough to light up the room whenever he entered. Slowly, Penny was helping to heal the wound Elizabeth Swann had left on his heart.

He had never understood how Governor Swann had let Elizabeth get away with so many things. He did now.

The child had thankfully not gotten worse. Some days where good, with barely a sniffle, others were filled with fever, coughing, and vomiting. Today was one of the better days. Dressed in her worn, but clean dress, Penny rested in the commodore’s arms as they rushed to the carriage waiting to take them to the midwife. This scene was witnessed by several of the port’s gossips, and soon all sorts of bawdy stories speculating on the connection between the little girl and the commodore were busy circulating.

Norrington had expected as much, and was determined to ignore the gossip. However, if he was unable to locate her family, he had decided to claim Penny as a daughter. The thought made him smile.

He wasn’t sure what he was expecting the midwife’s ‘shop’ to look like, but certainly not the very clean room he was escorted into by a servant.

They were left alone for a few minutes. Penny watched him as he walked around examining different tools and jars of … stuff. Each jar was labeled but the writing was in a language he had never seen before.

Suddenly the door opened and a kindly older woman appeared.

“What can I do- Penny!” She cried, and hurried to the child.

Penny allowed the woman to pick her up, but she kept her eyes on Norrington to make sure he was still there.

“Madam, you know this child?” He asked with a sinking feeling.

The woman turned to look at him suspiciously.

“Where did you find her?” She demanded.

Penny winced as the woman tightened her grip and Norrington held up his hands in a placating gesture.

“I found her hiding under some netting on a pirate ship. Do you know where her parents are?” He asked.

The woman seemed to relax a bit at his explanation.

“Her mother Alice, is a healer, like me. She was my apprentice for three years, then left to learn from a new master in Greece. She returned last year with Penelope. Never said who the father was. She set up shop in Spanish Town. Last I heard pirates had kidnapped her and Penny. That was three months ago.”

She smiled down at the girl.

His eyes widened at her story.

“You mean to tell me that an English woman traveled from Port Royal to Greece and back by herself?”

The midwife shook her head.

“Alice wasn’t English, Commodore. I’m not really sure where she’s from originally. I hadn’t seen or heard of her until she showed up on my doorstep one evening asking for help. She was starving, and her clothes were unlike any I’d ever seen before. I don’t normally take in strangers, but there was just something about her. And the ideas she had about the healing arts were fascinating. I called her my apprentice simply because I was so much older than she was. But the truth is, she taught me much more than I taught her.”

Penny started squirming. The mid-wife put her down, and handed the girl an old worn doll that had been made out of a rag. Penny squealed joyfully and held up the doll so that Norrington could see it. He smiled and nodded to her. She settled down, content to play with her new toy.

“Alice was always looking to learn more about healing. Especially about something called ‘diabetes’. She said it was a disease that affects the kidneys and heart. Her inquiries led her to write a letter to a physician in Greece. He was so impressed with her ideas, that he sent three servants and five guards to escort her there. After three months passed with no letters, I began to think the worst. Then one day, nearly three years after she’d left, she just showed up here with Penny. They stayed a month with me before moving to Spanish town. A few weeks ago a mutual friend of ours sent word that Alice and Penny had disappeared during a pirate raid. I never thought to see either one again.”

Norrington was quiet as he considered this new information. So Penny didn’t have a father, just a mother that was probably dead. Should he attempt to search for her? Where would he start? After much interrogation he had determined that the pirates of whose ship he had found her on had been oblivious of the child’s presence.

Once he was sure that Penny would be all right, he would travel to Spanish Town to see if he could find any leads on her mother. It was the least he could do.

“I brought her here to you because she’s been ill, but she looks healthier now than I’ve ever seen her.”

Penny grinned up at him and raised her arms to be picked up. He scooped her up noticing the pretty pink color that tinged her cheeks. She ‘walked’ her doll up his arm, and bounced gleefully when he took the doll and ‘walked’ it back down to her. He was so used to seeing her look pale and tired, but now she was rosy and full of energy.

The midwife smiled sadly and nodded.

“I’m afraid she has several allergies and medical problems. Most children born with her condition would not survive long at all. Luckily she has a mother who knows how to take care of her.”

“She seems to be doing better here,” he commented.

“Yes, I keep this room very clean. Her most severe allergies are to mold and dust, which is everywhere. Being on a ship for so long could not have been good for her. You should make sure that her quarters are kept clean and dry. Outdoors she’ll need to wear a cloth mask loosely over her nose and mouth. Even so, she shouldn’t stay out very long.”

Norrington looked absolutely horrified.

“Don’t worry so much, Commodore. Alice was very confident that Penny would ‘grow out’ of most of these afflictions.”

“Why, had she seen it before?”

She smiled and shrugged.

“Alice refused to speak of her past. Said it might impact the future. She spoke in circles a lot, constantly afraid of saying something that she shouldn’t. Though I haven’t that faintest idea what that might be.”

The more he learned about Alice, the more he wished to meet her. She was obviously no ordinary woman.

“I will find Alice, if she is alive. But I probably shouldn’t take Penny with me. Could she stay with you?” He asked, though it pained him to think of being separated from the little girl. How bad would it be if he found Alice and would have to say goodbye to Penny forever?

The midwife shook her head.

“I haven’t the time or staff to see that she is looked after properly.”

He felt relieved and distressed at the same time. What was he to do?

“I will have a servant bring you some herbs later tonight with instructions on how and when to give them to her. They will help. You should try to find someone who can care for her while you are gone, but if you can’t there are precautions you can take so that she may travel without becoming too ill.”

“Thank you, Madam. Penny, give the doll back,” he said, reaching for it.

“Noooo! Mine!” She shouted and held it tightly to her chest.

The midwife laughed.

“She can keep it.”

Norrington thanked the woman again, and began to leave, when he suddenly stopped and turned back to her.

“I can’t believe I haven’t thought to ask their surname,” he said.

“Clark is the one she uses, but I doubt it’s real.”


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“Penny, you’re supposed to eat porridge, not wear it,” he told the little girl as he wiped her face with a clean cloth.

She blew a raspberry at him, effectively covering his own face in the lumpy white mush. He sighed and sat back in his chair, deciding to let her have her fun and eat what she would.

He wiped his own face and turned to his dinner. Two days had passed since his visit with the midwife, and he still had no idea what to do with Penny. Thankfully, the herbs and medicines were doing their job very well. Penny had had barely a sniffle since.

His maid, Martha, had worked herself so hard for Penny that the poor old woman had taken ill.

The bedroom that Penny now occupied had been shut up for so long, he didn’t think they’d ever be able to get all the dust out. Martha had done an excellent job, but had inhaled so much dust she’d come down with a very bad cough. Currently she was staying with her daughters’ family while she recovered.

That left just him and Penny, and pretty much squashed his plans of having Martha look after Penny while he was away. There was only one option left, and he seriously wondered if just taking Penny with him wouldn’t be better.

“Comdore!” She cried with a huge grin as she held up porridge-covered fingers to give him a bite.

No, he had to think of Penny and what was best for her, regardless of how uncomfortable he would be.

Once he had made the decision to visit the Turners, he felt much better about it. He hadn’t seen Elizabeth since the wedding, and was hoping enough time had passed that looking at her and Will together wouldn’t hurt so much.

It took the better part of two hours to get them both cleaned up. Penny was absolutely delighted when Norrington, covered in porridge himself, decided to kill two birds with one stone and bathe with her in the tub. Penny thought it was a wonderful game, and Norrington was able to get them both clean with the least amount of trouble.

He smiled indulgently as she splashed him again, giggling. She then tried climbing on him, as he tried to soap her up. She slipped and landed back in the tub with a splash. It was silent for a minute, then the wailing started.

The commodore quickly gathered her soapy body close to his chest. She rested her head against him, and slid her tiny fingers up to play in his chest hair. He smiled, but then bit back a curse when she gave them a hard tug.

Gently as he could, he placed her back in the water, and massaged his injured chest.

“You are the first woman to see me naked in almost ten years,” he told her, ruefully.

She responded by blowing a huge snot bubble out of her left nostril.


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As Penny and the Commodore sat in the parlor of the governor’s mansion waiting for Elizabeth and Will to join them, Norrington noticed that Penny seemed to be picking up his nervousness. She was restless even though he had brought a few toys to keep her occupied.

She whined a bit, and tugged on the cloth loosely tied around her face. He hadn’t been sure how ‘clean’ the mansion would be, and didn’t want to take any chances.

“Commodore! What a pleasant surprise,” Elizabeth said as she swept into the room with a wide smile.

He waited for the stab of pain that usually accompanied that smile, but surprisingly, it never came.

“Mrs. Turner,” he said, inclining his head respectfully.

“Norrington,” Will greeted him, holding out a hand.

“Turner,” the commodore responded gruffly, giving the younger man a firm handshake.

Will stepped back and draped an arm around Elizabeth’s waist. A few weeks ago this would have bothered him, but now, he simply didn’t care. It was almost amusing to think that William Turner felt threatened enough by him to put on such a display.

Elizabeth let out a surprised gasp when she suddenly saw Penny peek around at her from behind Norrington’s legs.

She and Will exchanged a glance, then Elizabeth moved forward to get a better look at the girl.

“Mr. and Mrs. Turner, I’d like you to meet Penelope Clark,” he said, pulling her gently in front of him.

Elizabeth knelt down and held out a hand to Penny.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Penelope. My name is Elizabeth,” she said with a smile.

Penny kept hold of Norrington’s trousers with one hand, and tentatively reached out to Elizabeth’s hand with her other. She gave the hand an exaggerated shake, mimicking what she had seen Norrington and Will do a moment before.

“Penny,” she told her firmly.

Elizabeth laughed and nodded at her.

“Penny it is then. Can you say, Elizabeth?” She asked.

Penny looked up at Norrington uncertainly.

He gave her a reassuring nod.

“Lizbet,” she said finally, and turned to bury her face in Norrington’s pant leg.

“That’s very good,” Elizabeth said standing back up.

The commodore picked the girl up and she rested her head on his shoulder, staring at Will and Elizabeth warily.

“Why is there a cloth over her face?” Will asked as he gestured for everyone to take a seat.

“Dust and mold make her sick,” he explained, settling Penny in his lap with a doll.

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense any longer, Commodore!” Elizabeth chided, unable to hide the affection in her eyes as she stared at the girl.

Norrington sighed and began his tale. Elizabeth had tears in her eyes by the time he was done.

Penny was nodding off in his lap, and Will seemed to be thinking really hard.

“Do you know what Alice looks like?” He asked, finally.

Norrington blinked and looked down at the sleepy girl in his lap.

“I didn’t ask. I just assumed that she’d look like Penny,” he admitted, feeling like a fool.

Elizabeth and Will began exchanging some very odd looks. It took the commodore a few minutes to figure out they were having a silent conversation. Actually, with the scowling Elizabeth and frowning Will, it was more of an argument than a conversation.

“Should Penny and I step outside,” he asked, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice.

They looked up at him like two little kids with their hands caught in the cookie jar.

“There is a woman…” Will began, but was cut off by Elizabeth.

“She doesn’t look a thing like Penny. There’s no way she could be the girl’s mother,” she insisted.

Will let out an annoyed sigh and crossed his arms over his chest.

“But Jack found her near where Norrington found Penny! Besides, children don’t always resemble their parents, especially when they are so young,” he argued.

Norrington gave them his sternest glare.

“What woman? What are you talking about?” He demanded, rubbing a comforting hand across Penny’s back when she whimpered at his tone.

Elizabeth glared at Will who left the room and returned a few seconds later holding a letter.

Norrington reached for it, but Elizabeth snatched it away.

“Before you read this, you must swear that you will not use any information in it to catch Jack,” she said, vehemently.

“Elizabeth, don’t-” Will trailed off when she darted to the fireplace and dangled the letter over the flames.

“Jack is our friend. If you want to find the girl’s mother, you’ll have to do it without our help,” she said, passionately.

It was one of the easiest decisions he had ever made. And that was rather disturbing.

“Fine. I swear not to use whatever information is in that letter to bring Jack Sparrow to justice.”

Elizabeth blinked, unable to believe that Norrington would give in so easily.

“Now say you won’t kill him,” she said, desperately trying to think of any loophole she might have missed.

He gave her a stern look and said, “I swear not to use whatever information is in that letter to kill Jack Sparrow.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off.

“That has to be good enough.”

She exchanged another glance with will before reluctantly handing the letter over.

Norrington read it, a knot forming in his stomach.

Apparently Jack Sparrow had picked up a woman drifting in the ocean. He spent several paragraphs describing her in lewd detail. Dark auburn hair, green eyes, tan skin… ‘She has more curves than Lizzy, but so is every other woman in the world…’ Norrington bit back a grin at that.

She was a bit dehydrated and had a very large bruise on the side of her head, but other than that, seemed fine. Until she woke up and had no memory of herself or anyone else.

He had intended to drop her off at the next port, maybe take her to a doctor when a shark attacked one of his crew. The poor pirate’s hand had been mangled, but before they could amputate it, this mysterious woman had stepped in and fixed it up. Within a week he could use it again, though carefully. Her knowledge of special herbs and salves kept infection away. It was almost like magic.

Jack went on to say that it was unbelievable that she could remember so much about healing, but nothing about her own life. He wanted to bring her to Port Royal as the name seemed to evoke some familiar reaction to her. If Elizabeth and Will were willing, he wanted to leave her with them for a few months. If they had no luck, he would gladly take her back into his employ as his ship’s own personal physician.

Norrington looked back up at the top of the letter, it was dated nearly a month ago.

“Well, is she coming here?” He asked.

Elizabeth gave him a wary look while Will nodded.

“Some time next week,” he said.

Norrington nodded and handed the letter back.

“Alice is said to be a great healer. I doubt this is a coincidence.”

The couple looked at him as if their own lives were in his hands. The power he held over them was almost intoxicating.

Penny yawned, and he realized that he needed to get her home. He got to his feet.

“You will contact me once Sparrow has left. I will bring Penny by to see if either recognizes the other. However, once this matter has been put to bed, I will resume my pursuit of him. Is that acceptable?”

They nodded, eagerly.

“Then we’ll be off. I expect to hear from you soon.”

End Chapter Two

A/N: I have one more chapter written, please let me know if you think I should continue.
-PJ