Hello there. As you can see, there'll be no Sailor-to-English translations needed for this chapter (you're welcome) ;). We won't be making any significant time jumps, either. We do, however, learn that one of our characters isn't such a bad fellow, after all. Hang in there – Will returns home to the V.I.'s in the next chapter, and the pace will start to pick up a bit more after that.

Thanks for reading! Reviews are much appreciated!

Chapter 4

"I CAME TO GET DOWN, I CAME TO GET DOWN – SCREEEEEE – SO GET OUT YOUR SEAT AND JUMP AROUND! – SCREEEEE – JUMP AROUND! – SCREEEEE – JUMP AROUND!"

The sound of Lauren's obnoxious ringtone jerked Elizabeth from a sound sleep. She sat up and frantically fumbled for her phone on the nightstand. "Hello?" she answered in a groggy voice, while she pressed her free hand over her racing heart.

"What are you doing right now?" Lauren asked in a no-nonsense tone.

"Sleeping. What time is it?" Elizabeth pulled the phone away from her ear to check the time display. It was 7:30 a.m.

"It's 7:30," Lauren confirmed.

Elizabeth rubbed a hand over her tired eyes. She had spent the majority of the night before rehearsing what she planned to say to her father and making contingency plans. As a result, she hadn't fallen asleep until well past four in the morning. "Why, Lauren?" she groaned.

Lauren ignored her question. "Meet me at the beach at eight, okay? We need to talk."

Elizabeth flopped back on her pillow. "Okay, fine. I'll see you then." The line went silent and, thinking Lauren had hung up, she allowed her eyes to drift shut.

She bolted upright when her friend's loud voice shouted over the speaker, "Elizabeth! Get up! Don't go back to sleep again."

Elizabeth stood up and ran a hand through her tangled hair before she shuffled across her room toward the bathroom. "I'm up, I'm up! I'll see you at eight."

Twenty-five minutes later, Elizabeth descended the steep, sandy path in front of her house, to the beach. Lauren was already there, sitting in the sand, facing the sea. Elizabeth plopped down next to her. "What?"

Lauren turned her head to glance at Elizabeth. "You look like hell."

Elizabeth straightened the gray tank top that she'd thrown on over the red sports bra and plaid shorts she'd slept in. "I'm not the one who woke me up at 7:30 after I'd only had three hours of sleep," she retorted, in an annoyed tone.

A guilty look flitted across Lauren's features before she assumed her normal unflappable expression. "Well, my apologies, but I needed to talk to you. What time does your dad get home?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "His flight arrives at noon."

Lauren picked up a handful of sand and watched it filter through her slim fingers, back onto the beach. "I really hope it goes well. You're doing the right thing, Elizabeth. Don't forget that."

Elizabeth gave her a tired smile. "I have a plan. I stayed up most of the night imagining every possible way things could go wrong. I think I've worked out every scenario." She shrugged. "I'm just ready for it to be over with."

Lauren nodded. "Hmm…yeah, I can imagine." She threw the remainder of the sand into the surf and dusted her palms off on her shorts. "Well, just remember, you can always stay with us if you need to."

Elizabeth preferred not to think about what would happen if the conversation with her father didn't go well. She drew a deep, calming breath before she answered. "Thank you for that." She eyed Lauren, who stared blankly ahead at the horizon. Elizabeth could tell there was something else on her friend's mind. "So, why did you really want to talk to me?"

Lauren's eyes narrowed a little as if she were deciding how best to phrase whatever it was she had to say. While keeping her eyes focused on the sea, she asked, "Have you talked to Will lately?"

The question caught Elizabeth off guard. Lauren rarely brought up the subject of her cousin, and hadn't at all, in fact, since the day after she'd insisted Elizabeth email him more than six weeks ago. "I chatted with him last night. We text back and forth on instant messenger most evenings. He said they're pulling into port today, so he wants to do a video chat with me tonight."

Lauren turned to face her then, and in a calm voice, asked, "Elizabeth, don't take this the wrong way, but what the hell are you doing?"

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes in confusion. She had no idea what Lauren was referring to. "I don't understand what you mean."

Lauren tilted her head to the side and pursed her lips. "I mean, what's going on between you and my cousin?"

Elizabeth blinked, nonplussed. "There's nothing going on, Lauren. We've just been talking." She paused to sort through her jumbled thoughts for any memory of something she may have said or done to give Lauren the impression that there was anything going on between her and Will. She came up blank. "Why?"

Lauren took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Hear me out, okay? I'm just concerned. About both of you." She picked up Elizabeth's hand and gave it a warm squeeze. "I don't know how you feel about Will, and I fully realize that I am overstepping here, but it's only because I care, okay?"

Elizabeth gave her a wary nod.

Lauren continued, "Let's just say, hypothetically, that both of you hit it off really well when he comes home in November, and you, by some odd twist of fate that I'd rather not think about because you're my best friend and he's my cousin, and just, ugh. It's almost as bad as thinking about my parents." Lauren screwed her eyes shut and rapidly shook her head as if to clear the disagreeable thought from her mind. "Anyway, let's just say that things work out and you two start dating. How can that possibly end well, Elizabeth? Your dad would never approve of Will. You know that. And leading him on would be beyond wrong. You're going to have to ask yourself beforehand if you'd be happy with him, and if you'd be willing to stand up to, and possibly alienate, your family and the life you know for him. Try as he might, and, knowing Will, he'd do so until it killed him, he can't give you the kind of lifestyle you're used to, and I don't want him to get hurt as a result. I don't want you to get hurt either. I realize that this sounds horrible, and I'm sorry, but I just want to get it out of the way before things go anywhere between the two of you."

Elizabeth's heart dropped to her stomach as she listened to Lauren in growing disbelief. Anger and pain boiled up inside her. She fisted her hands in her lap so tightly that they began to tremble. "Do you really think I'm that shallow?"

Lauren slowly shook her head. "Elizabeth, that's not what I w-"

Elizabeth gave her an incredulous look and pounded the sand with a tightly-clenched fist. "Apparently, it is! You just implied that you think that if Will and I ever were to date, that I'd leave him and hurt him because he wouldn't be able to give me material things! Do you really think that matters to me?" Years of pent up loneliness and longing for someone to give a damn about her erupted, and she had to pause to take a shaky breath before she continued. "I've spent my life longing for love from a parent who's never around and who, I'm half-convinced, only sees me as a pawn, all the while missing one who's dead, Lauren! If there's anyone who knows that material comforts and possessions are a poor substitute for a loving relationship, it's me," she nearly shouted. "I don't give a damn about things!"

Lauren's eyes widened slightly, but a corner of her mouth twitched up with the barest hint of a smile. "There we go. See, that wasn't so hard now, was it?"

Elizabeth's pulse pounded in her ears. She directed a glare toward her friend. "What do you mean?" she demanded, through clenched teeth.

Lauren shrugged. "Two things." She held up her index finger. "One, I knew there was no way I would be able to get you to admit to your feelings for Will by asking you straight up how you felt about him. Two, I wanted to know exactly how far you're willing to go to make a relationship work, should one arise from this."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. She quickly stood and walked a few paces away to calm down before she said something else she'd regret. She knew that Lauren would never intentionally hurt her, but her words still stung. After her anger had ebbed enough to allow for rational thought, Elizabeth mentally conceded that, to an extent, Lauren was right on both counts. She wouldn't have admitted her feelings to her, had she asked, and, until now, she herself hadn't been aware of just how much Will had come to mean to her. The full realization of her feelings for him hit her with surprising force, and she laid a hand over her heart as it gave a heavy thump in her chest.

Lauren's method of extracting information, however, left much to be desired. Elizabeth waited a few more moments until her pulse had slowed to a normal rate before she returned to sit beside her friend. "You are a manipulative wench, you know," she grumbled, dropping her head into her hands. She scrubbed her palms over her face. "Have you ever thought about becoming an attorney? Good Lord. You'd have the defendant pleading guilty to all charges before the trial even got underway. You make Natalia Romanova's methods of extracting information look like child's play."

Lauren leaned over and gave Elizabeth a tight hug. "I am sorry. I just needed to know. And I really am concerned. For both of you. But just know, that I'd support you. Even though it'd be weirder than I can imagine." Lauren shook her head. "Also know that I will kill you if you ever hurt Will. Conversely, I wouldn't hesitate to castrate him, if he ever tried anything."

Elizabeth pulled away and eyed her friend warily. "Sometimes, you are truly terrifying. You know that, don't you?"

Lauren grinned and flipped her dark hair. "Of course, darling."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "But there's nothing going on between us, so let's not worry about that right now. Besides," she shrugged, "he probably just feels obligated to talk to me because I'm your friend."

Lauren laughed. "I can practically guarantee you, that that's not how he feels."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed as she studied Lauren's expression. "There's something you're not telling me."

"It's time for me to go," Lauren suddenly announced as she quickly rose to her feet and glanced at her watch.

"There is something you're not telling me!" Elizabeth exclaimed. She stood and followed Lauren across the beach to the footpath that led up the hill to the driveway.

"Nope. I just have to get home. I promised my mom I'd stop by the market before I go to work," Lauren insisted. When they reached the top of the hill, she stopped next to her car and opened the door.

Elizabeth grabbed her arm. "Hey, wait a minute! I'm not finished. I have a bit of a bone to pick with you, Miss Turner."

Lauren turned and gave her a carefully neutral look. "Yes…"

Elizabeth pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. "Speaking of Will, what exactly did you tell him about the centipede incident? How did that even come up?"

Lauren's eyes widened in alarm for a moment before she mastered her expression. "It just came up in conversation. Don't worry. He asked what we'd been up to, and I told him about our hike," she said with a shrug and a tight smile.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and continued to stare at her friend. Knowing Lauren, that wasn't the only thing she'd told him. Thoughts of her other indiscretions flooded her mind then, and she felt her face heat up with embarrassment.

Lauren grinned, confirming her fears. "Let me know how it goes with your dad today, okay?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes and shook her head.

Lauren's smile turned smug. "Have fun talking to Will."

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Elizabeth paced restlessly across the thick carpet in the hall outside the door of her father's study. He had arrived earlier in the afternoon but had been on a conference call ever since. She paused to listen at the door. When she heard only silence, she raised her hand and knocked.

"Come in," came his muffled reply.

With confidence she didn't feel, Elizabeth stepped into the room. Her father sat, bent over a stack of papers behind a massive, walnut desk, his form silhouetted by the afternoon sunlight that streamed in through the large windows behind him. He looked up when Elizabeth stopped in front of the desk.

"How's it going?" she asked.

He smiled in reply. "Very well, thank you."

She uneasily shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Do you have a minute?"

He leaned back in his chair and nodded, steepling his fingers together in front of his chest. "Of course, what's on your mind?"

"It's about school," Elizabeth began.

"Ah, yes," her father interrupted with a slight smile. "You must be anxious to begin. Law is a fascinating career field."

"That's the thing. I'm not going to go to school for prelaw, Dad. I've given it a lot of thought, and I enrolled in the nursing program, instead." Her heart began to hammer in her chest. She'd dreaded saying those words all summer, and now that all the chips were down, she felt more anxious than she'd expected to feel as she awaited his response. She watched myriad emotions flit over his features. Confusion, betrayal – that one pierced her heart – and then, finally, anger.

Weatherby Swan rarely yelled, but he did this time. "You did what?" he thundered.

Elizabeth forced a smile to her lips. "It's what I want to do, Dad. I love volunteering at the nursing home and helping people. I don't want to be a lawyer."

Her father leaned forward in his chair, his eyes boring into hers. "How can you possibly know that you don't want to be a lawyer when you haven't even given law school a chance? Elizabeth, you've been planning this for years!" He accentuated the last word by slamming his palm against the desktop.

Elizabeth took a step closer to the edge of the desk and rested her fingertips on the wooden surface. "No, that's what you've been planning. Those are your dreams and wishes for me. But what about my dreams? Don't I get a say in my future?"

Her father sighed deeply and closed his eyes for a moment. In a calmer voice, he continued, "Elizabeth, you're my only child. I just want what's best for you."

Disappointment filled her, and she felt her chest constrict. She shook her head and forced the words past the lump that had formed in her throat. "No, you don't. You want what's best for you. If you really cared about what's best for me, then you'd allow me to choose something I'll be happy doing."

"I do want you to be happy, Elizabeth. I just don't want you to make a series of poor decisions that will jeopardize your future!" he insisted with vehemence.

Elizabeth brought her hands to her chest and pressed them over her heart. "Exactly! My future! I want to do something that I know I'll love for the rest of my life. Money isn't everything!"

Her father scoffed. "You only say that because you've never been without it."

Elizabeth shook her head. She had vowed to herself that she would remain calm, but he was making it extremely difficult. "Neither have you, so how would you know? Lauren's parents work all of the time to make ends meet, but you know what? They enjoy their work, and their relationship with each other is happy and loving, Dad! That's what I want. That's what I need."

His lips thinned into a hard, unyielding line. "You don't know what you're talking about!" He lowered his eyes to his desk, and in a softer tone, continued, "You're too young to understand. Do you think I want to watch my daughter perform backbreaking work, day in and day out, for a menial wage?"

Elizabeth squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, willing the churning sea of emotion rising within her to calm. "I understand what you're saying," she began in a tightly controlled voice, "and I appreciate your concern. But I've enrolled in the nursing program. It's what I want to do – what I need to do – and I am going to do it."

Her father's civil veneer vanished, and he slammed his fist down on the desk and stood. "Not while you're living under my roof, you're not! I'll not allow you to make a mockery of everything our family has built over generations. If you continue on this course, your selfishness will do exactly that! We have standards and duties to uphold, Elizabeth, and as my only child and heir, it's high time you start taking responsibility for your part in this family's legacy!"

Elizabeth's eyes widened, and her head snapped back as though he had slapped her. Her heart dropped into her stomach. She realized then just how much hope she'd had that he would support her goals. She grasped onto what remained of her composure before she answered in as level a voice as she could manage, "I understand and respect that. But also, understand that by doing this, I am taking responsibility for my future. If you won't agree to allow me to make my own choices while living here, I'll move out."

Her father's eyes narrowed. "Where will you go? You don't have a job or money."

Elizabeth gave a short nod. "I have a plan." Rather than stoke his ire even more by continuing to argue, she gave him a tight smile instead. Despite his flaws, he was her only living parent - the only family she had - and she didn't want to alienate or hurt him any more than necessary. "Have a good evening, Dad." With that, she turned and left the study and made her way through the house and out to the driveway. After she'd climbed into the driver's seat of her SUV and shut the door, she gripped the steering wheel tightly and briefly closed her eyes before she flipped the gearshift into drive and headed to the nursing home for a meeting with the director.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Dinner was tense at best. Elizabeth's father kept his eyes on his plate nearly the entire time, and Elizabeth kept hers on her phone screen as she searched online for available apartments. They usually ate late when he was home, and tonight was no exception. She glanced at the clock at the top of her phone screen. It was 8:30. Her video call with Will was in less than two hours, and she wanted to shower, change, and fix her makeup before then.

She looked up when she heard her father clear his throat. His mouth was pressed into a stern line, but the expression in his eyes was a bit softer than it had been earlier in the day.

"Elizabeth, I've given your plans a great deal of thought. I agree to allow you to pursue this nursing nonsense, but I won't financially contribute to your education. You can stay here at the house, but, I'm cutting off all other financial support."

Elizabeth struggled to reign in the angry retort on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to tell him that it didn't matter if he'd decided to allow her to pursue it. Staying under his roof would only make it easier for him to manipulate her into doing his will, and she was done playing the pawn. She was an adult and it was her decision, whether he liked it or not. However, knowing that saying so would only make him furious, she carefully laid her fork on her plate with forced composure and dropped her hands to her lap, where she clenched them into fists beneath the table. In a calm voice that belied her anger, she simply said, "My scholarships will cover my tuition and books." She saw the disappointment in her father's eyes and quickly looked away.

She rose from the table and said, "Goodnight, Dad," before she turned to leave the room.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

It was nearly a quarter past nine when Elizabeth finally made it up to her room. She had been waylaid by Dominica, who had wanted to know how everything had gone.

Fortunately, she was cutting the time until Will's call close enough that the turmoil of the day hadn't had a chance to settle in. The last thing she needed was to be red-eyed and splotchy. After she'd showered, she wrapped a towel around herself and headed for her walk-in closet to try to find something to wear. She finally settled on a V-neck, wine red tank top and a pair of black shorts. After she was dressed, she returned to the bathroom to redo her hair and makeup. She felt a little ridiculous about putting so much effort into her appearance for a video call.

When she'd finished, she glanced at the time on her phone screen. It was nearly ten. The resident swarm of butterflies in her stomach took flight as she gave herself a quick once-over in the full-length mirror on the bedroom wall. She took a deep breath and slowly released it before she sat down at her desk and switched on her laptop.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Will stood in front of the bathroom mirror and eyed himself critically. He wasn't a vain man, but he wanted to make sure he didn't look like he hadn't slept in two days – which he hadn't – or like he'd been working for the past twenty hours straight – which he had. He'd been on the verge of falling asleep the morning before, after chatting with Elizabeth, when a fire had broken out in an engine room. After the fire had been extinguished, the mess cleaned up and repairs made, it had nearly been time for his watch to start. Then, after his shift and watches were over with, he'd had to be topside to man the rails when they pulled into port. That always got his adrenaline pumping. The feeling of the wind and the smell of the sea, combined with the sound of Boston's cover of The Star-Spangled Banner blasting over the ship's sound system as they pulled into their home port was invigorating, to say the least.

After that, he'd showered and pulled on a clean, gray t-shirt over a pair of black track pants. Will grimaced at his reflection. The last place he wanted to have his first face-to-face meeting with Elizabeth was in his cramped rack, but it was the only place there was that ensured him any privacy.

He tilted his head back to put in eye drops and had just raised the bottle to the edge of his eye and squeezed it, when Jack walked past and clapped him on the back, nearly causing him to gouge his eye out with the dropper.

"Hot date with your computer again, mate?"

Will rapidly blinked his eye to sooth the burning sensation. "No."

"Right," Jack grinned. "Oi, want to go up to Roppongi this evening, then?"

"Pass," Will replied. He was exhausted and spending a night in the notorious party district was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment. At Jack's disappointed look, he added, "Maybe next time."

Jack's expression brightened. "I talked to my dad. He found a three-bay garage with a storefront and three apartments above it, below our price range. Half of what we expected to spend, in fact, which means we'll be able to pay cash for the lot of it. It seems the real estate market is in quite a slump, which works in our favor. This place has been for sale for two years, with no bites, so they're desperate to sell. The apartments have been unoccupied for almost a year, but Dad says they're in good condition."

"That's great news," Will agreed. Having living quarters in the same building as the garage would save significantly on housing costs. So would the lack of a business loan. "What do you think about it?"

Jack leaned a hip against a sink and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm all for it. Looks like we've found the place then, eh?"

Will nodded. "Looks that way."

Jack straightened. "Well, I'm going to catch some sleep and then get off this bloody tin can while I'm able."

"Stay out of trouble tonight, Jack, and for God's sake, don't pass out on the train this time, alright?" Will called after him as he sauntered off toward the showers.

Jack threw Will a look over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. "Tell your dolly-belle hello for me."

Will shook his head. He finished up with the eye drops and headed for his rack.

After he was settled in, he opened his laptop and waited for Skype to load. The wireless signal was surprisingly strong, and the program opened immediately. He checked the time and, feeling slightly nervous, hit the call button.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

The Skype ringtone sounded on Elizabeth's laptop, making the butterflies in her stomach accelerate into hyperdrive. She took a deep breath and answered on the third ring. When Will's handsome face appeared on her screen, she couldn't help but smile.

"Hey," Will greeted with a smile of his own. He had been slightly taken aback when the bright smile, a smile just for him, flashed across her full lips. She looked even more beautiful than she had in the photos and video she'd sent.

Elizabeth didn't know how long she stared into his mesmerizing dark eyes, a world away, but she lowered her own briefly, before replying with a shy, "Hi." She felt her face heat up under a blush and hoped the light in her room was dim enough that he wouldn't notice.

Will noted the slight blush that tinged her cheeks as she lowered her eyes before meeting his again on the screen. He realized with some surprise that she felt shy – not a characteristic he would have attributed to her, based upon the emails and texts they'd exchanged - and he tried to put her at ease. "Nice to see you this evening," he winked. "I hope you'll forgive the scenery on my end. Unfortunately, my rack is the only place where I have any privacy to make a call. Would you like a tour?" he asked, raising a dark eyebrow.

Elizabeth nodded. "I'd love one." She watched as Will rolled to one side, out of sight of the camera, revealing a view of a very narrow, low-ceilinged bunk.

He ducked back into the frame. "As you can see, it's a pretty tight fit. There isn't enough room to sit up in here, so I have to lay down."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "You weren't joking about the accommodations," she laughed.

"No, ma'am," he answered with a grin. "Yours look much more comfortable."

Elizabeth shrugged and looked over her shoulder before she returned her attention to the screen. "Just a bit." She couldn't help but notice how tired he looked. "You look tired, Will."

The sound of his name on her lips made his heart give an odd thump. He cleared his throat to dispel the sensation. "I'm alright." He studied her image on the screen closely. Despite her beautiful smile and the warmth in her golden-brown eyes, he detected a bit of weariness there as well. "Are you alright? How did the conversation with your dad go?"

She shook her head and pressed her fingertips to her temples. "Not as well as I had hoped. It's sort of a long story. I don't want to bore you with all the gory details."

Will leveled a concerned look into the camera, wishing he could be there with her in person to reassure her. "Elizabeth, you won't bore me. I'd like to hear about it if you feel comfortable telling me."

Elizabeth's heart skipped a beat when he said her name. She bit her lower lip and took a deep breath before she dropped her gaze to the desktop and traced her index finger over the pattern of the wood grain. "Well, when I told my dad, he basically went through the roof. I've never really seen him that angry before. At least not at me. To sum up, he told me that he wouldn't let me go to school for nursing as long as I was living under his roof. I told him that I understood, and, in that case, I'd move out. Then, I went to the nursing home where I volunteer to meet with the director. I told her that I need a job and that I plan to go to school for nursing. She hired me for a kitchen position until I'm able to get my certified nursing assistant license. I went ahead and enrolled in the course. It starts on Monday and it'll be in the evenings, so it won't interfere with my class schedule, once school starts. I'll be finished with it by the end of the month. The nursing home will pay for the course if I agree to work there for at least six months after I receive my certification, so of course, I agreed to that. I'll attend my classes during the day and work the evening shift. The plan is to find my own apartment once I have enough money saved up for a deposit, the first month's rent, and enough to buy basic necessities. I don't need to worry about money for college tuition because my scholarships will cover that. I can finish my Associate of Science degree and be licensed as a registered nurse in two years' time." Elizabeth glanced up at the screen. Will's eyes were narrowed slightly as if he were intently focused on what she was saying. A smile lifted the corner of her mouth. "Bored yet?"

Will's eyes widened, and he blinked. "No, no, quite the opposite, actually." He was very impressed, in fact. "I think it's an excellent plan. I hope everything works out."

Elizabeth pressed her lips together to hide a shy smile. "Thanks. At supper this evening, my dad told me that he'd decided to allow me to 'pursue this nursing nonsense' and that I can stay at the house, but that he's cutting off all financial support. I don't really see it as a concession. In fact, I know exactly what he's doing. He expects me to fail." She paused and sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging under the weight of the day's events. "I just wish that he would genuinely care and support me, but it always feels like his love is contingent upon whether or not I do what he wants," she finished in a whisper as a lump began to form in her throat. She looked up at the ceiling and concentrated on not blinking so that the tears that had welled up in her eyes wouldn't fall. She cleared her throat, and once she was certain there was no danger of revealing her feelings, she turned her eyes to Will's image on the screen and continued with resolve. "But I won't fail. I'd just love to tell him, 'Go ahead and underestimate me. That'll be fun.' I won't, of course. That'd only stir things up and I like to try to avoid as much conflict as possible. I'm going to follow through with my plan," she finished with a shrug and a small smile.

Will struggled to keep his expression neutral as the now-familiar protective feeling rose within him. He'd seen the brief flash of pain in Elizabeth's eyes before she'd turned her gaze up to the ceiling. He wanted to tell her that she didn't have to hide anything from him, but he felt that that reassurance would only be welcome with time and trust, and he'd wager she didn't trust easily. He forced himself to smile, instead. "Hey, hang in there, alright? Everything will work out. Besides, I have a feeling that there's no stopping you, once you've set your mind to something."

"Damn straight," Elizabeth replied with mock solemnity. She couldn't help but laugh about the whole, messy situation. It was either that or cry, and she'd rather avoid that at all costs.

Will's forced smile turned genuine as he watched her eyes sparkle and her face light up with laughter. "You have a beautiful smile," he said without thinking. He held his breath after the words were out and watched Elizabeth's face flush a soft pink.

She felt her smile widen involuntarily. Had he looked in a mirror, she wondered. "Look who's talking," she replied.

Will looked down at his keyboard and uncomfortably cleared his throat.

"So, what's new with you?" Elizabeth asked, calling his attention to the computer once more. "Less than three months and you'll be heading home…that has to be exciting."

Will nodded. "I'm looking forward to it, for many reasons. Jack's dad located a building. It's a three-bay shop with a storefront and three apartments above it. He's going to put in an offer for us, and he doesn't see any reason why the sale won't go through." An idea came to mind. The building had three apartments. He and Jack would each have their own, and that left one extra. "Actually," he began slowly, "about the apartments. Jack and I will each have our own, but there will be one extra. If you're in search of an apartment for yourself, maybe, if you want to I mean, well, would you be interested in looking at that one?"

Elizabeth's lips parted, and she blinked. She didn't know how to reply. Live in the same building as Will? She wondered how Lauren would react to that. Or herself, for that matter. A vision of having to watch and hear the women whom he'd undoubtedly date when he returned, come and go through his door, flashed before her eyes. She felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought, even though she knew that it was ridiculous for her to feel so. After all, it wasn't like she had any claim to him. "We'll have to see," she replied hesitantly.

Will instantly regretted the question when he saw how uncomfortable it had made her. The last thing he wanted to do was push her into anything. "I'm sorry, that was probably a bit too forward of me."

"No, no," Elizabeth rushed to assure him. "I appreciate the offer, really, I do. I just don't know if you'll want me around that much after you get to know me." She watched a look of relief pass over his features.

Will gave her a wry smile. "I don't think you have much to worry about, as far as my feelings are concerned, Elizabeth." He hesitated a moment as he mentally battled over whether or not to tell her exactly how he did feel about her. He wanted her to know how much she mattered to him, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable, either. "Hear me out, okay?" he began. When Elizabeth nodded and gave him a small, encouraging smile, he continued, "Since I've met you, I feel like I have something to look forward to. Even mundane things that happen every day have become something I can share with you. I've never really had anyone I could share my experiences with. Lauren likes to talk, gossip, mainly, but she doesn't really care about, or have the patience for, the day to day stuff. My dad was never around, and my mom always worked so hard to make ends meet that she was usually too exhausted during the limited time she was home, for that sort of thing."

Warmth enveloped her heart and a soft smile touched her lips. She rested her elbow on the desktop and propped her chin in her hand. Before she could reply, Will's eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze focused on something behind her. He nodded toward whatever it was that had drawn his attention. She looked over her shoulder to see what had caught his interest. Her father stood in the doorway, his expression solemn. She swiveled in her chair to face him and stood, to block the screen.

"Hi, Dad," she nervously greeted.

He took a couple of steps into the room. "What are you up to this late?" he asked.

Elizabeth felt instantly on edge but shrugged to hide her discomfort. "Not much. Just surfing the internet." She wondered what else he could possibly have to say to her after the conversations they'd had that day.

Her dad nodded. "I forgot to remind you about the upcoming dinner next Friday evening."

She'd forgotten all about the dreaded annual event that he referred to. Senators, mayors, and other various dignitaries from across the Virgin Islands descended upon their home for a formal dinner and an evening of cocktails on the second Friday of August, each year. She groaned internally, but replied, "I won't."

He raised an eyebrow. "James will be there, of course. As will Cutler Beckett."

Elizabeth's heart fell at the mention of the second name. As uncomfortable as James Norrington made her, he was just a taciturn, stuck-up, ass who hadn't bothered to speak a word to her, other than the occasional greeting, ever since an unfortunate incident involving his car, a decade ago. It hadn't been her fault that he had left the shiny, red vehicle unlocked, and it wasn't every day a kid was able to sneak warm-from-the-oven, chocolate chip cookies into the driver's seat of a BMW Roadster convertible. She still detested him for throwing her over his shoulder and marching her through a houseful of disapproving guests before turning her over to her father for punishment. Cutler Beckett, the chief financial officer of the overseas branch of her father's import and export company, on the other hand, was scary as hell. The man, only eight years her senior, had made a completely inappropriate pass at her the year before, and she'd carefully avoided him since. She could still hear his condescending, voice…

"Seventeen, hmm," Cutler had whispered in her ear as his hand grazed the curve of her hip when he'd come to stand beside her on the terrace outside the salon where he'd found her alone. "Only one more year until you're legal, Elizabeth." She'd immediately walked away from him and joined a group of adults just inside the house. Although she'd managed to avoid him for the rest of the evening, she'd felt his eyes on her the entire time. She shuddered at the memory.

She'd told Dominica about it, who had confronted her father. Her dad had brushed the incident off as a misunderstanding and hadn't taken her concern about it seriously. Although he had spoken to the creep about it anyway, Elizabeth seriously doubted that their chat had had any effect on Cutler.

She took a deep breath. "Do you have any idea how uncomfortable Cutler makes me feel, Dad? I know you think that he was just making a joke last year, but the thought of being anywhere near him makes me nervous."

Her father gave her a reassuring smile. "He assured me it was a misunderstanding, Elizabeth. Yes, the comment was misplaced, I grant that, but I spoke to him, and it's been handled. He assured me it won't happen again."

Elizabeth wished she could have as much faith in her father's employee as he seemed to have. Knowing from experience that further argument would be futile, she gave a tight shrug, and absently rubbed her hands over her arms against the sudden chill she felt. "Well, goodnight then."

When he finally left the room, she took a moment to pull herself together before turning back to the screen. She sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it.

Will had overheard the whole conversation. An uneasy feeling tugged at him and he wondered what had happened at the event she referred to. The stress in Elizabeth's voice and her tense posture throughout the exchange only increased his concern for her.

She finally turned around again and sank down into the chair. "Sorry about that," she said, meeting Will's dark-lashed eyes, which appeared full of concern through the screen.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

She shrugged and forced a smile. "Yeah. It's all good. Anyway, I hope that wasn't as awkward for you as it was for me."

Despite her attempt at levity, Will could see the effort behind her smile. He wanted to ask her what exactly this Beckett had done, but he didn't want to add to her burden by forcing her to rehash it again. He'd rather take her mind off of it if he could. "When does your dad leave again?"

"Three weeks," she sighed, resting her chin in her hand. "Again, I'm really, really sorry about that." She dropped her eyes to her lap.

"Elizabeth," Will said, drawing her attention to the screen once more. When her gaze rose to meet his, he shook his head. "You have no idea how much I wish I could be there to talk with you in person. It's quite frustrating to be a world away and not be able to do more than offer words of encouragement."

Elizabeth gave him a genuine smile. "I wish you were, too. It's going to seem strange when you move here. I'm looking forward to it, but it'll feel a bit surreal."

He shrugged. "Like with anything else, we'll just take it one day at a time. Your friendship has come to mean a lot to me."

"Ditto. Your willingness to listen and the encouragement you've given me throughout this whole debacle has meant more than you know," she replied, as she sat back in her chair and toyed with a curl of dark blonde hair.

"I'm here any time," he assured her. "So, what's your favorite type of flower?"

Elizabeth looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully for a moment before she answered. "Roses. I enjoy gardening and I try to get them to grow, but the salt from the sea spray gets carried on the wind and ruins my best efforts. I have some luck if I plant them behind the house, against the foundation, but the gardener tends to get upset with me when I do that."

Will mentally filed the information away for later use. "Roses, hmm?"

"Yep. I love the way they look and smell, and the meaning behind each color," she explained. She felt a yawn coming on, and moved to the side, out of view of the camera. While she was off screen, she took the opportunity to study Will's handsome features. His eyes were the personification of warmth, the color of rich, dark mahogany in sunlight.

"Hello?" he called softly. Elizabeth had been away from the screen for several moments, and he wondered if she was still in the room. "Are you still there?"

She sat up straight, popping back into the frame as she did so. She watched as a smile slowly spread over his face and he laughed softly. The sound was as warm as his eyes.

"Where did you go to?" he asked.

"I had to yawn. Didn't think you'd want to see that."

Will cocked an eyebrow. "That must have been quite a yawn…I thought you'd left."

Elizabeth blushed. "I…got distracted. Sorry." By your gorgeous eyes, she mentally added.

Will shook his head. "No worries. I had better let you get some sleep though. Do you think we can do this again tomorrow?"

"Of course. At six-thirty?" she asked.

Will gave a nod. "It's a date," he winked.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

The following Friday evening, Elizabeth stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom and eyed her reflection critically. She straightened the amber jeweled clip that secured her hair back from her face on one side, while the rest fell over her opposite shoulder. The simple, champagne-colored, V-neck halter gown with its long, A-line skirt, flattered her figure, without drawing too much attention to it. She hated these types of events. She'd rather wear her denim shorts with a t-shirt and flip flops, but her dad – and his distinguished guests – would probably have a coronary, if she did.

She'd attend the dinner and then disappear, she vowed to herself as she stepped into a pair of silver flats and headed for the door.

Elizabeth was bored. She'd finished her meal, but the guests still lingered at the table, talking. The two middle-aged women seated on either side of her were engaged in conversation with others, and she studiously avoided looking directly across the table to where James Norrington sat. Instead, she studied the wilted lettuce leaves on the plate in front of her.

A movement from James' direction caught her eye. When she looked up, she was surprised to see him staring directly at her. He usually ignored her existence entirely. He was leaning as far back in his seat as the straight-backed chair would allow. Once he'd caught her attention, he raised an eyebrow and pointedly looked to his left and right, where his dinner partners leaned across the table in front of him, engaged in a heated debate. He rolled his eyes.

Elizabeth pressed her lips together to stifle a surprised laugh. The stuffy James Norrington making a joke? Unheard of! At least within the past decade. Usually, his humor was so dry, it could be described as desiccated.

The moment passed when he returned his attention to his dinner partners, and the woman to Elizabeth's right turned to speak to her.

After the dinner was finally over, everyone began to move into the salon for drinks. Elizabeth was just about to exit the dining room to return to her bedroom when she felt a light tap on her arm. She looked up. It was James.

"How are you this evening?" he asked quietly.

Elizabeth eyed him uncertainly. "I'm fine. Why?"

"I would like to speak with you. Will you meet me outside?"

"In front of the house?" she asked.

He gave a single nod. "I'll join you shortly."

Confused, she made her way outside and stood on the front steps. She watched the bright tropic moon hovering in the sky just above the sea, as she waited. To say she was surprised was an understatement. It was the first time he'd said more than ten words to her since she was little, and that had been when she was eight, and he was twenty. That particular occasion had become known as the 'BMW Incident.' Since then, he'd adopted a quiet and distant air.

The Swan and Norrington families had been friends for generations, and James' father before him had been a senator as well. Politics, like blood, tended to run deep in families, and the Norrington's were no exception.

A noise behind her caused Elizabeth to turn. She watched as James stepped outside and closed the door behind him. He came to stand a few feet away from her on the step below where she stood. Even with Elizabeth's one-step up advantage, he was still taller than her. She raised a curious eyebrow.

"Sorry to pull you out here like this," he said.

"I must admit, I'm a bit puzzled," she replied.

He released a deep breath and looked down at the brick step. "I know I haven't been the most cordial person lately," he began.

"Lately!" Elizabeth exclaimed in a quiet voice, cutting him off. "James, you haven't said more than ten words put together to me since I was eight." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Look," he sighed, giving her a placating look, "just hear me out, a moment."

Elizabeth gave him a doubtful look but nodded for him to continue. She'd been hearing the words, 'just hear me out,' a lot, lately, it seemed.

"Your father told me about your plans for school. I just want you to know that I think it's admirable. What you did took guts, and you have my full support."

She pursed her lips and gave a small nod. "I don't need your support, but I appreciate the sentiment."

James rolled his eyes.

She looked out toward the sea again and smirked. "I have to say, I didn't know you possessed a sense of humor."

He laughed quietly.

Elizabeth looked at him in surprise. "And a laugh! Well, nothing will surprise me after this. You know, I feel it incumbent upon me to tell you that the silent, stuffed shirt façade is quite creepy."

He looked puzzled. "Stuffed shirt façade?" He scoffed. "Please, don't mistake my disinclination for small talk, for apathy or snobbery. If I don't have anything to say, I hold my tongue. Besides, up until very recently, and please, don't take this the wrong way - in fact, I'm going to invoke the privilege and protection of being a very old family friend who has watched you grow from the time you were an annoying, screaming baby, into the lovely young lady you are today – anyway, until very recently, you seemed to have no opinions or will of your own. You just did your father's bidding." He regarded her perceptively with intelligent blue eyes.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. She was about to fling back a snarky retort when she recognized the teasing glint in his eye and the slight curve of his mouth that hinted at a smile. She conceded that he was mostly correct. "Well," she sighed tiredly, "sometimes it's just easier to keep the status quo. However, I've lately discovered that the easiest route isn't always the best one."

"Indeed," he nodded. "Well, shall we return inside before we're missed?"

"Probably should. You know," she added, as they turned to walk up the stairs to the front door, "you're not half bad when you're not yelling at me and throwing me over your shoulder to haul me into my father for punishment for sitting in your car."

James stopped on the landing and turned to face her with a mischievous glare and the barest hint of a smile. "Yes, well, I could say the same thing. You're more pleasant to talk to yourself, now that you're old enough to act like a real person instead of a precocious brat. Besides, you can't blame me for being angry. You left muddy footprints on the seat and floor of my new BMW, and chocolate fingerprints all over the steering wheel and upholstery."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?!" she exclaimed.

He turned back toward the door and held it open for her. "You're excused. I've long since gotten over it."

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

After he'd made sure that Elizabeth had gone upstairs to the safety of her room, James Norrington scanned the empty foyer. When he'd assured himself that no one else had seen where she had gone, he made his way into the salon and stood off to the side to observe the crowd. His eyes finally found whom they'd been seeking - Cutler Beckett, the chief financial officer of the overseas branch of the Swan family's international import and export company. Unfortunately, the man's business frequently brought him to the corporation's international headquarters on St. Thomas.

James had kept a watchful eye on the man all evening. He'd noticed Beckett's pass at Elizabeth at last year's annual dinner, and though he didn't know what he had said to her, she had looked genuinely discomfited, afterward. He'd made a mental note to keep an eye out this year. He had his own reasons for not trusting Beckett, and, aside from that, there was just something about the man that didn't sit well with him. When he had noticed Cutler heading Elizabeth's way after dinner, he had stepped in and asked her to join him outside, to get her out of the slimy eel's way.

Weatherby Swan was a decent man at heart, and a valuable political ally, but when it came to his own daughter, he could be quite oblivious and even cavalier at times. James' own feelings on the matter of Elizabeth were a bit ambivalent, even to himself. He couldn't reconcile the beautiful young woman she'd become with the annoying child she'd been. She'd seemed uncomfortable around him, ever since the BMW incident and then, after he'd gone off to law school, and found himself thrust into the political arena, he hadn't given his father's friend's young daughter a second thought. Elizabeth had grown up, while he'd had his head turned, it seemed, and he hadn't even realized it until the incident with Beckett last year. A sense of duty and protectiveness had kindled in his heart then, much like he imagined he'd feel for a younger sister, had he had one.

OOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOOoooOOO

Elizabeth locked the bedroom door behind her before she kicked off her flats and sat down at her desk. She glanced at the time on her computer screen. It was ten-thirty. She hoped Will would still be up. He'd told her the night before to give him a call after the dinner was over with. She bit her lip and hit the call button next to his contact photo.

Will was awakened by the sound of his Skype ringtone, blasting over his headphones. He glanced up at the computer screen, propped against the side of his rack. It was Elizabeth. He propped himself up on one elbow as he attempted to get his bleary eyes to focus and answered. When his vision finally cleared, he stared in awe for a moment at the image on his screen. She looked exquisite. Her hair, done in loose waves, cascaded over her left shoulder and was swept back on the right, secured with an amber jeweled clip that nearly matched the color of her eyes. His gaze trailed down her slender neck to her dress's plunging neckline that revealed a hint of cleavage. He jerked his eyes away from the sight, thankful that she couldn't actually see him checking her out. "Wow," he finally said. "You look breathtaking."

Elizabeth blushed. "Thanks." She hesitated a moment before she said, "You look really tired. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"No, no," Will assured her. "I'm glad you called. How did tonight go?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "It was surprising, actually. I had a great talk with a person I'd heretofore written off as someone I'd never want anything to do with, but they pleasantly surprised me this evening, and even helped me escape complete boredom at dinner."

"Well, that's always good news," Will conceded. Relief filled him. He had been concerned about Elizabeth's safety and peace of mind all week, especially after he'd heard her father so casually brush aside her fears about one of the guests. "Who was your unexpected ally?"

Elizabeth gave her head a slight shake. She still felt a bit baffled by the revelations of the evening. "James Norrington."

Will blinked, nonplussed. "Senator James Norrington?"

Elizabeth pressed her lips into a tight line and gave a nod as she raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Yep. I'd written him off as a stuffed-shirt jerk, but it turns out he's just kind of quiet and doesn't like small talk." She paused a moment and tilted her head to the side. "Well, that and I destroyed his car when I was eight."

Will laughed, even as a thin thread of jealousy wound its way through his chest. He quickly dismissed the feeling. He had to admit, he owed the man his gratitude for looking out for her, even if her own father hadn't. "You destroyed his car? That sounds like an entertaining story," he grinned.

"Well, ruined the upholstery, anyway. With chocolate. And mud. He wasn't amused. So, in short, tonight was unexpected. Anyway, he told me that my dad told him about my plans for school, and James said that he supports my decision. Not like it's any of his business, but the sentiment was nice."

"Hmm," Will replied. He forced his next words out in a light tone, even though they threatened to catch in his throat. "So, do you like him, then?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened in alarm. She detected a bit of a hard glint in Will's normally warm eyes. "What? Good Lord, no! Although, my dad would like nothing better than that," she conceded, rolling her eyes.

Will quietly released a tense breath and decided to change the subject. "How are your nursing assistant classes going?"

"Great," Elizabeth smiled. "I'm really enjoying them. Only three weeks left to go. I started work in the kitchen at the nursing home this week, too." She shrugged. "It's okay, and it's temporary, so I don't mind. School starts next week. I just hope I'm able to balance everything, you know? It'll be easier once the CNA course is over with."

"You'll do just fine," Will assured her. "I have some news for you."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and bit the corner of her lower lip. "Oh, you do? Well, let's hear it then."

"The sale for the shop went through. Jack's dad signed the papers today." Will paused a moment to consider whether he should offer the apartment again. According to Lauren, Elizabeth hadn't had any luck in her search so far. "I don't know if you've given it any more thought, but I spoke with Jack, and the third apartment is yours if you want it."

Elizabeth smiled. "That's great news about the shop, Will! Congrats!" She'd given the apartment situation a lot of thought over the past week and had searched for some on her own. The pickings were extremely slim, and everything that was available was over her budget. Will's offer of the extra apartment had begun to sound better and better. At least she'd have neighbors she could trust. She'd find a way to deal with her other reservations when the time came. "I've given the apartment some thought, and I'm seriously considering it." She squinted one eye shut and hesitantly asked, "Are you sure it'll be alright with everyone?"

Will nodded. "Jack's girlfriend, Anamaria, will be moving out of my house in Christiansted and into his apartment above the shop the first week of September. I spoke with her, and she said she'd be willing to help you move, and she'd feel a lot better if she had a neighbor in the building." Will dropped his eyes to the keyboard for a moment in thought. He probably should give Elizabeth a bit of a heads up about Anamaria's quirkiness. "About Anamaria," he began, "she's one of my closest friends. I grew up with her and Jack. She's…" he glanced up at the low ceiling of his bunk as he searched for the right adjective, "interesting. She'd do anything for the people she cares about, but if you get on her bad side, she can be quite terrifying. She's eager to meet you, though."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "She sounds a bit like Lauren."

Will laughed. "A little, but, Anamaria is more tactful, wiser, and, believe it or not, much scarier when you make her angry."

She smiled. "I look forward to meeting her."

"The feeling is mutual," Will replied. "Teague - that's Jack's dad - said he can show the apartment whenever works for you."

Excitement about the thought of having her own place energized her. "Well, then, in that case, I think I'll take you up on your offer, Mr. Turner."