**********************************************
Will placed his hand on the doorknob and paused for a moment as he felt the coolness of the brass come into contact with his palm. It sent a small icy sensation down his spine and made him arch his shoulders back slightly. He turned the knob slowly and pushed forward. He winced, as if in pain, when the door creaked, and as soon as a wide enough crack appeared, he squeezed through into the bedroom. The first thing he saw when he entered the dimly lit chamber was Elizabeth's face. She cocked her head to the side and stared at him curiously.
"Why are you so late coming home?" she asked him quietly.
He placed his hand on the door behind him and shut it with a swift motion, then leaned back against it gently. "I...I took a walk. By myself. I needed to." For a second, he frowned. He was telling her the truth, but he felt like he was trying to cover up a lie. She nodded, appearing not to be concerned at all with his attitude.
"Well, are you coming to bed?"
Will nodded and walked towards the side of the bed opposite to where Elizabeth lay.
"Stop," she said suddenly. He did, and turned to face her. She lifted her arm in the air and pointed at his chest. "What is that?"
He tried to lower his head to look down at himself and to find what Elizabeth saw that she thought was so curious, but all he saw was...
He laughed. "Oh, this," he said, brushing off the feather with one hand. "Just a little souvenir I didn't realize I'd kept."
Elizabeth smiled unconsciously. "A souvenir? From what?"
Will sat down on the edge of the bed. "Can you imagine what an honor it would be to have someone name their child after you?"
Elizabeth's smile faded and her mouth gaped slightly. "Someone named a child after you?"
Will grinned. "No." He shook his head. "Someone named a parrot after me."
Elizabeth furrowed her brow for a few seconds, but then her eyes bulged. She slammed both of her hands down on the blankets in front of her and leaned in closer towards her husband. "Jack Sparrow came to visit you?!"
Will bowed his head slightly and then reached up and brushed one of Elizabeth's curls behind her ear. "I barely got to speak to him."
"Does he know we are married?"
"Of course."
Elizabeth smiled broadly, but her smile soon grew slightly smaller. "I only wish I could have seen him. I've never met anyone quite like Jack."
Will shook his head and turned his eyes slightly to gaze out the window behind the bed. "No," he said under his breath. "Nor have I."
Elizabeth followed his path of vision with her eyes. She studied Will's face in silence for a few moments. "How often do you think about it? How often do you long for it, Will?"
Will didn't tear his eyes from the window. "Long for what?"
Elizabeth cast her eyes down at the bed. "For the sea."
Will swiveled his head slightly and placed his hand under Elizabeth's chin. He lifted her face and looked directly into her eyes.
"I can forget the sea as long as you are at my side."
"But you're a pirate."
"So? What comes with the life of a pirate? Gold? I have gold." He lifted his hand and stroked her hair, which truly did gleam like spun gold in the soft lamplight of the room.
Elizabeth sighed and nodded. She forced a smile before lowering herself into a lying position on her back. "Goodnight, Will," she said, and slowly shut her eyes.
"Liz." Will swung his legs onto the bed and lifted his wife gently so that the back of her head was resting against his shoulder and his arms crossed each other at her waist. "If it's a boy...what do you think of the name Jack?"
She smiled slightly. "Jack," she said softly. "Jack."
****
"Jack."
Jack Sparrow whirled around clumsily at the sound of his name and clamped his hands down on the ship's rail behind him. His eyes bugged out of his head as he leaned forward involuntarily, studying the form of Anamaria before him.
"Yes?" he answered.
Anamaria's lips formed into a tight line. His eyebrows gathered together as he looked at her face.
"Stop starin' me down like that!" he ordered with a wave of his hand.
"What's the matter with you?" Her question was soft but angry.
Jack opened his mouth, then promptly shut it again. "Nothin's the matter with me, love," he finally said, taking a step away from the railing and attempting to walk past Anamaria. She stopped him, however, by placing a firm hand on his chest.
"I saw you," she said. Her eyes widened slightly in concern. "I saw you seasick!"
"Jack Sparrow does not get seasick!" Jack declared proudly, angrily. He staggered to the left a bit as Anamaria removed her hand.
"Captain Sparrow," she said firmly. "I had to take the wheel for you earlier!"
Jack rolled his eyes and rolled his head around once before snapping it into position again. "Who 'as the wheel now then?"
"Jack!"
"The bloody monkey's back and 'as the wheel?!"
Anamaria pursed her lips and slapped Jack hard across the face. His head jerked to the side and he stumbled to the right due to the force. When he lifted his head again, he rubbed his cheek ruefully.
"Not sure I deserved that," he said glumly.
"Jack Sparrow, if you refuse..."
He leaned in towards her and placed a finger to his lips briefly. "I'm not seasick," he said in a low, hoarse voice. "'Fraid I'm a bit love sick."
Anamaria drew back in surprise, and Jack took the opportunity to walk his distinct walk past her and to reclaim his wheel.