Title: Dragonfly

Author: Muse a.k.a. Viorith

Rating: R for sexual content and violence.

Pairing: Will/OFC, Jack/Anna Maria

Feedback: Yes

Archive: Ask first please!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with PoTC, I'm just playing with them. I do own Sabine. So please ask if you want to play with her.

Summary: Sabine has loved Will since she was 16, but since his eyes were for Elizabeth only, she settled for his friendship. A year after the curse is lifted, Sabine now needs him to teach her the way of the blade so she can avenge her father's death on a man that once called himself his friend.

Chapter 27

Will watched the woman nestled in his arms and against his chest sleep. She had finally dozed off just over an hour ago, but her rest was a fitful one. Dawn was approaching, and soon they would have to head to the east shore. He didn't want her to go. He didn't want this to be the last time he got to hold her while she slept. He raised his left hand and examined the ring that sat upon the fourth finger.

A simple silver band that matched the band on her hand. He still found it incredible that they had done it. Jack seemed the most surprised out of everyone, while Anna seemed to have been waiting for the announcement. He still didn't know how, but she and Sabine had managed to find a gorgeous dress that day that was fit for royalty to wear.

"Shh," he whispered when Sabine moaned softly in his arms. He stroked his thumb across her forehead and followed it with his lips. "You don't have to wake yet," he stated when he pulled back to see her dark eyes opened.

"I can't sleep," she replied, then stretched the muscles of her body.

She wrapped around her husband's body, and her eyes closed as her lips sought his out. She pushed his back flat to the mattress, and was rewarded by his hands moving down her back and palming her backside. He took his time exploring her body before he reluctantly pulled away.

"Sabine, I—"

"—You don't have to say it," she interrupted.

He kissed her again, a new passion ignited in his body as he rolled her under him and settled between her thighs. He had thought it best for her to save her strength, going into the fight with Jacinto. Her youth and speed would be an added advantage, but he couldn't keep the doubt from entering his mind. If these were the last moments he would have with his wife, he wanted them to be worth remembering.

She was ready. At least she was as ready as she could be to go face the man that killed her father. There was no doubt in her mind that she might never return to reclaim her things. She had agreed with Will, that they would return to Port Royal after the duel. During their discussion of it, they had always used the term 'when', but as she readied herself, the 'if' rang out louder and clearer.

She had left her hair down, securing it from her face by two clips on either side. Likewise, she picked out and donned a plain simple dress. She knew it might slow her movement, but I could also throw Jacinto off, or block any swipes intended to cripple her. Besides, if she was to die, she at least wanted to die as a woman, and not as a pirate.

"I have something for you," Will stated opening up the trunk at the foot of the bed.

He pulled out the sword he had made for her back in Port Royal before their adventures began. Unlike the one she had purchased, the sword he presented was specifically designed for her left hand. It was also lighter than any sword she held, but the blade's edge was just as deadly.

"It's beautiful," she remarked examining the sword.

"You're beautiful," he corrected, placing his lips over hers for a tender kiss. "It's not too late," he added. "Jack will be there, he can take your place."

"No, Will. It has to be like this. If you don't want to come—"

"—The British Navy couldn't stop me," he assured her before giving another kiss. "Jack and Anna are waiting downstairs," he informed when they broke apart again. "Are you ready?"

"Si."

Will fastened the sword around her waist, slipped his hand into hers and led her out the room.

The sun had just begun its climb into the horizon and was still streaking the sky with lightening shades of blue as it chased back the night. Down near the surf, Jacinto stood with D'angelo and two of his men. None of them had the appearance of being armed, save Jacinto with his sword, but Jack knew better.

He led the way, followed by Anna-Maria, Will and Sabine. They too appeared unarmed, but had their weapons hidden at the small of their backs, as he was sure was the case with Jacinto's men. Pending on how the duel ended the survivors might be determined by who was the fastest draw.

"You have brought one of my prizes with you, Sparrow, how thoughtful," Jacinto greeted when they were close enough. "Did you bring the gold as well?"

"There's been a change of plan, mate," Jack stated halting several feet away. "You're not going to fight me, your going to fight Dragonfly."

"Dragonfly?" Jacinto repeated with a chuckle. "Who is this Dragonfly?"

"I am," Sabine spoke and moved to stand next to Sparrow.

The chuckle turned into an outright laugh that his men participated in. "You want me to fight this child for my gold? Why don't you save me the trouble and give the gold to me now?"

"Afraid?" Sabine questioned as she drew her sword. She unbuckled the sheath and handed it to Anna-Maria. "Do you only have courage when holding people at gunpoint?"

"I did not realize you were so eager to die," he too drew his sword.

"It's not me who will have to answer for my crimes today," Sabine stated.

The other's moved back, allowing the duel to begin. Sabine gave a slight bow in Jacinto's direction then took a defensive stance that was a combination of what she had learned from both Will and Jack. She and Jacinto circled each other slowly, their feet placed carefully down, the tips of their swords only meeting with a soft clank.

Jacinto stuck first, making a quick lunge that had Sabine react to a hit as opposed to a sword. She jumped, tripped over her feet, and landed hard on the sand.

"Move!" Will ordered when Jacinto tried to capitalize on her mistake.

Sabine rolled to her left missed by first his sword, then his foot intent on slamming into her side. She swiped her blade at his ankles, forcing him to retreat and giving her the time she needed to reclaim her footing.

"Concentrate Dragonfly," Jack instructed.

The young woman tried Jacinto, testing his reactions by making sudden quick movements. The tip of her sword clinked against his for several successions before she flicked her wrist down with a fast broad sweep that nicked her enemy in the side.

They paused, her father's murderer looked down at the blood wetting his shirt. It was a small cut, but it meant the world to Sabine. It enraged her opponent.

Jacinto gave a primal yell and began attacking with renewed vigor. The finesse of his early movements gave way to brutal hacks. He used his sword like a club, slamming it down repeated onto Sabine and forcing her backwards a step at a time. She blocked his shots as best she could, but as her arm tired under the unrelenting onslaught, she began losing the battle. She twisted around to dodge another swing. With her back exposed, Jacinto lunged forward and drew blood in the form of a long cut.

Sabine cried out and stumbled, but managed to keep her footing. Jacinto gave a sneer as he slowly approached her. He reached a hand behind him, for it to reappear with a dirk.

Will moved forward, at least that had been his attempt had Jack not barred his passage.

"He's cheating," Will snapped.

"It's not your fight mate."

Sabine kept her distance from him, her eyes shifting from his sword, to his dagger, to his feet before settling on his eyes.

"Scared little girl?" Jacinto taunted with a leer. "You should be. You should have left this for the men."

"You shouldn't have killed my father," Sabine retorted.

Jacinto charged forward. Sabine pivoted on the loose sand, but not enough to avoid the bite of the dirk into her upper left arm. She let out a sharp hiss, her right hand covering the cut.

"I will take you apart a piece at a time if I must," her opponent jeered.

He charged again, but Sabine was able to dodge completely. She whirled around quickly, her sword cutting into his left hand deep enough that he dropped the dirk into the sand. He turned around and Sabine was ready. Her sword pointed straight at him, her stance one she had learned from Jack during his tutelage.

She kept her mind on her foe, but let the anger she felt rush to the surface. The sound of the shot that killed her father echoed in her head. She remembered his dying words to her, and the smug way Jacinto looked that day.

Back and forth they challenged each other, but it wasn't before long that the power of the fight shifted in Sabine's favor. Her youth and her vengeance pushed her forward, surged the blood in her veins. She parried, retreated, parried again and lunged.

For several seconds it seemed like times stopped. No one moved. It wasn't until Sabine pulled her sword back and saw blood coating the blade from the tip to six inches down did she realize what had just happened. The front of his shirt slowly changed from white, to bright red as his blood seeped onto it from the mortal wound.

Sabine dropped her sword and stumbled backwards. Jacinto took a step forward. His sword slipped from his hands as he dropped to his knees. D'angelo drew his gun, and would have fired, had Will, Anna-Maria and Jack not already had theirs out.

"It was a fair fight, mate," Jack stated his warning softly.

Sabine watched the life's blood bleed from the man she hated. She looked down at the weapon used to take him from the world. She placed a hand to her mouth, turned, took a step and vomited. Her stomach emptied it's contents, and continued to heave long after there was nothing left inside.

Will was by her side in the blink of an eye. He held her hair back, smoothing his hand up and down her back, ever mindful of the cut there.

"It's over," he assured and quietly comforted when her retching finally turned to sobs. He held her close, kissed her softly and prayed that everything truly was over.

"It's over," Jack echoed the words to Jacinto's surviving first mate.

"This is far from over," the man shouted back.

Jack gave a deep sigh, "Unless you feel like joining your Captain, I would suggest you take his body and let this be the end of it for now."

Will kept his eyes on the other pirates as the woman in his arms continued to cry softly.

"You haven't heard the last of us girl, that I promise you," D'angelo vowed. "You will live to regret this day."

The other two men with him collected Jacinto's body and led the way back to the ship. D'angelo stayed long enough for one final glare. His eyes moved from Jack, to Anna-Maria, and finally to Will and Sabine. He spat on the sand, turned, and departed.

SIX MONTHS LATER

The symbol that hung above the Smithing Shoppe was the same, but the wooden nameplate that used to read J. Brown proudly displayed the name W. Turner. It brought a temporary smile to Elizabeth's lips. Many a late night conversations had been of Will's ambition to take over the shoppe from the drunkard Jonathan Brown, especially since it was Will that did all the work. With his determination, and she suspected a bit of La Samara's gold, his dream was finally his reality.

The smile faded as she further remembered how the dreams had included a life with her. They had planned to live above the shoppe where they would raise their family. She passed her hand over her stomach where her and James' baby grew. She wondered how he would take the news. Would it devastate him, would he care now that he himself had a wife?

Her fingers wrapped around the handle. From inside she could hear the evidence of his presence from the clanging of hammer on heated steel. She hesitated for a moment before she pushed the door inward. The heat hit her as soon as she was inside. The donkey stood ideally drinking water from the trough set at her workstation. Will worked a piece of metal, his hammer swinging down, molding the molten steel into the primary form of a sword. His shirt had been removed, the only protection from his skin and the sparks a thick leather apron.

Elizabeth admired his body, watched the movement of his muscles, as they worked under his skin. He always maintained a natural olive complexion, but the skin covering his back was darker than Elizabeth remembered it being the last time she was in the shoppe. Before he had taken off with Sabine.

The rear door leading to the alleyway was open, and with Elizabeth still holding the front entrance open, a heavenly cross breeze entered cooling off everything in its path. Will instantly looked up, a soft smile touched his lips when he saw her standing in the door.

"Elizabeth," he beamed and set his tools down.

She entered into the shoppe, letting the door shut behind her. She went to hug him, but was stopped short by his strong hands on her arms.

"I'm filthy," he explained, "I would ruin your beautiful gown."

"I've never mind before," she replied.

She turned from him, a nervousness taking over her body. Never before had she been nervous around the blacksmith, and she couldn't for the life of her understand why she was so. She wanted him, but there was a problem, two in fact. He was not free to be had, and she was not free to have him.

"I see nothing's changed here, it still looks the same," she stated covering her nervousness.

"There was nothing wrong with the shoppe, just the management it was under," Will surmised.

He removed the apron, trading it for a white towel to wipe his body down with. Elizabeth turned around in time to see him exchange the towel for his shirt.

"I brought this for you," she stated handing him a white envelop with his name printed across in beautiful calligraphic handwriting. "It's an invitation to a party for you¼ and Sabine of course, if she feels up to coming out."

"Thank you," Will took the invitation and set it on the work bench next to the towel, apron, and letters he picked up from the mailing office that afternoon.

"How is she?"

"About the same," he answered. "She's terrified to be around people, but scared of being alone. She'll only go out in public if I'm with her," Will sighed softly and passed his right hand over his hair. Those strands that managed to escape from the ponytail were tucked behind his ears. "I'm thinking about taking her away," he finally confessed.

"A vacation would be nice," Elizabeth agreed, "You two haven't really had a proper honeymoon yet."

The blacksmith shook his head, "No, I mean away for good. This place isn't good for her, and I hate seeing her like this. Maybe if I take her somewhere else, she can be the person she used to be. The person she should have been, before all this started."

Will retrieved one of the letters from the pile and handed it to Elizabeth.

"From Spain?" she queried recognizing the Spanish writing. "What's it say?" she questioned after Will gave an affirmative nod.

"It's from Senor Cabeza. I sent a few of Sabine's pieces to him, and he's agreed to take her on as an apprentice."

"All the way to Spain?"

"No one knows her in Spain, she'll be safe there. She'll be able to paint again, she'll be happy there." he reasoned as he put the letter back.

"And you? Will you be happy there?"

"As long as I'm with her I'm happy," he answered.

Elizabeth nodded and put forth the best fake smile she could muster. She was happy for him, and she was happy for Sabine, but she was still falling to pieces inside. She moved forward and placed a hand on his right cheek while she laid a kiss on the other one.

"Everything will work out. I'm sure of it," she assured.

She gave his other cheek a kiss, gave another forced smile that didn't quite light up her eyes and took her leave.

"You had no right," Sabine shouted storming from the kitchen with the letter from Senor Cabeza clutched in her hands. "Those were my paintings, my personal¼ you had no right," she repeated.

"I'm your husband," he explained following her closely.

"So because you put a ring on my finger that gives you the right to run my life?"

"It gives me the right to do what I think is in your best interest," he wrapped a hand around her bicep to keep her from further fleeing the situation.

Whenever they began discussing her future, Sabine would beg off, usually heading for their bedroom. Will was determined that this conversation wouldn't fall by the roadside as so many others before.

"Running away to Spain is not in my best interest."

"Neither is staying here frightened to death to live!" he shouted. She stared at him as if he had just uttered a secret that was never to be spoken aloud. "You don't leave the house unless I'm with you. You don't walk around in town unless I'm with you."

"I didn't realize I had become such a burden to you," she stated with quiet anger.

She tried to turn away, but Will captured her face in his hands, "You know that's not true, but you can't make yourself a prisoner in your own home, and of your fear."

"That's easy for you to say, isn't it? You weren't the one to have a madman swear he would come after you. There's no more treasure, Will. What do you think D'angelo is going to do to me when he comes looking?"

"If you're not here, he can't find you. And if he can't find you, he can't hurt you," he stated logically.

"Running away is not the answer."

"You're not running away."

"Will—"

"—Just listen to me," he pleaded.

Sabine opened her mouth, but closed it before any words passed. She allowed her husband to lead her to the sofa and sit her down, while he knelt next to her on the floor. It was hard not to stare into Will's deep brown eyes and not give into anything he wanted. It was a look he used to give her when they were teens and he wanted her to do something she didn't. It had always worked then, and if she wasn't careful it would work again.

"This island is our home, it always will be, nothing can ever change that. It holds all of our memories, good and bad, it's what's formed us, but it's also suffocating us. We've been through so much the past year, we've seen so much¼ we've grown beyond Port Royal. Neither of us can truly be happy hear anymore."

"I'm happy with you," Sabine stated.

"I know you are, and I'm happy with you, but that doesn't change the fact that you are still terrified to be on your own. Spain is a new start for us," he began with a hopeful tone to his voice. "It's a chance for us to make a new life, to make new memories. The past won't over shadow us there."

"I don't know," Sabine stated, but Will could tell her resistance was weakening.

"You would have gone anyway. Had none of this happened, Diego would have located you a tutor, and sent you to Spain, and you would have gone, eager for new adventure."

"I've had one adventure, and it left a sore taste upon my lips."

Will released one of her hands to stroke her face, "They aren't all that way. Some of them can be quite pleasurable."

"And what of you? Would you be happy in Spain?"

"You're what makes me happy," he confessed. He maneuvered his hand behind her neck and pulled her lips down to claim. "I would happily endure hell if I had you by my side."

"I don't¼ I haven't picked up a brush since I've been back."

"Stop trying to find reasons to say no," he chastised. "We have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Just say you'll come with me."

Will pulled her forward. With his hands around her waist, he pulled her from the couch, settling her on his lap as he reclined onto the rug. His fingers walked up her back until they reached the ties of her dress. They began working the knots free, as he lifted his head so his lips could claim hers in a passionate kiss.

She opened her mouth to him, her tongue delving deep to taste him. He started off seducing her, but it was he that succumbed to her seduction. Her mouth left his, trailing wet kisses down his throat, until her lips locked over the pulse throbbing in his neck.

"I'll go," she conceded, "But on one condition."

"Anything," he panted eager to have her lips back on his.

"If we hate it. If either of us truly hate it, we will come back."

Will nodded, and managed to mumble a quick, "Agreed," before rolling her under him.

He knew it would work. Sabine was born to be an artist. Once she began painting again, she would find her joy, and eventually make peace with the events of the year. And he would finally have the family he always longed for. Sabine would be his family.

fin