ANs: Set ten years after 'A Worlds' End' I'm assuming that if you clicked on the link you have seen the movie and therefore don't mind some heavy spoilers. This is your last warning.
Disclaimer: Don't own, the movie belongs to Disney and anyone involved in making it.
She had said goodbye to Will on a beach. Angry red eyes stared out over the ocean as though they were trying to see past the distant horizon. Just a few more days, that was all she would have to wait and then she would meet Will on that same beach where she had said goodbye to him. It would be the first day in ten long years that she would love the beach again, if only for a day.
"Elizabeth?" The young, she did not feel so young anymore, woman wiped furiously at her eyes before turning to face the man who addressed her.
"Yes Jack?" The pirate shook his head and reached to take her hand.
"William hasn't forgotten you lovely. I promise." Fresh tears rose in her eyes and she moved to the railing.
"What if he has?" Sun warmed, weathered hands gripped her shoulders gently and Jack turned her to face him.
"Mrs. Turner your husband would face hell and back to spend his one day with ya. He will not not have forgotten." A half-smirk formed on the elder pirate's face and he let her go to flip his hands theatrically in the air. "... and if he has than I shall have ta kill the limy rat me'self and take his place at the head of the Dutchman." Elizabeth smiled softly through her tears.
"You would Mr. Sparrow." Jack shook his finger in the air.
"Captain... Captain Sparrow, Mrs. Turner. Don't forget who arranged for you to come aboard his ship as part of his crew now would ye lass."
"My apologies Captain." Elizabeth's voice dropped into a more serious tone. "I owe you so much Jack."
"Nonsense my queen." Jack gave her a small smile that revealed crooked teeth. They left the conversation of who owed who what and why at that as he turned and strutted back towards the ship's wheel to check their heading. With a sigh Elizabeth returned her gaze to the ocean before glancing down at the chest that sat at her feet. She could hear the dull throb of Will's heart over the crash of the ocean.
The ten years of waiting had been the hardest of her life but she had weathered them to the best of her ability. They had not been unbearable, for nine of those years she had had a companion, a little boy, her son. William Jack Turner, the nine year old went by Jack more often than Will, unless she was upset with him. Jack was actually the only one who called Will by his first name.
When the boy had been four Jack had sailed back into Port Royal and swept both her and her son off their island home and back into a life of piracy. It was only right after all, she was the pirate king. She belonged on the seas. Elizabeth had to admit that this life suited her far better than the one she had been trying to lead. She had no longer had to withstand the whispers that had accompanied being a single mother attempting to live alone in high society.
Her eyes sought out her little boy near the bow of the ship. Gibbs was teaching the child some of the finer points of knot work and Elizabeth smiled softly. The boy had pirate in his blood, from both sides. Jack was meant for the sea and had taken to life aboard the ship with such enthusiasm that Elizabeth almost did not believe that he had not been born on a ship. Jack said he was a gift from Calypso and Elizabeth believed that to be true with her whole heart. The sea goddess had given her a precious gift.
The young woman's smile did not last long. Her son looked so much like Will that it was uncanny. It hurt to look at him, more times than not she resented him. She knew that Jack, that both Jacks, saw it. Her son knew that his mother's heart was partially closed to him.
Elizabeth suddenly longed for the privacy of her cabin and tears burned at her eyes again as she knelt down to pick up the chest. As she made her way towards the privacy of the rear cabins Jack, the elder one, moved to intercept her.
"Elizabeth?" The woman hurried past him and felt his fingers brush her hair.
"I wish to be alone." The elder man nodded once.
"I will make sure that you are not disturbed love." Elizabeth gave him a grateful smile and quickened her pace. She missed the contemplative, look on the man's face as she left him standing on the deck.
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Jack watched the young woman disappear into the seclusion of her cabin and sighed. Elizabeth would never truly be happy. He knew that but that did not make him regret his ten year old choice. At least Will was alive. He dreaded to think what would have happened to the fiery young woman if William had been lost for good.
The pirate understood the young woman's fears, she feared that her love would no longer favor her after ten years apart, more so though she feared being parted from him again. He raked a hand through stringy hair. There was a way to make her happy but he loathed to take that path and prayed to Calypso that getting to see Will again would calm some of the hurt in Elizabeth's heart.
"Uncle Jack?" Jack jumped a little and spun to face the youngest Turner.
"William my boy... Da'not do that to your old Uncle Jack." The boy grinned as Jack gently jabbed his nephew in the chest to make his point.
"Aye, aye cappin." Jack smirked, removed his hat, and dropped it onto the child's head. It fell down into Will's eyes and Jack scooped the kid up into his arms and swung him around as the boy pushed the brim back up.
"Momma misses poppa doesn't she." There were times that Jack cursed Calypso's gift to Elizabeth. The youngest to bear the name William Turner was wise beyond his years.
"Yes lad."
"Will seeing him make her smile?" Jack wondered if the boy had ever actually seen his mother's true smile. He doubted it.
"Yes William, brighter than you have ever seen her smile in your wee nine years of life." The boy frowned and glanced in the direction of the cabin he and his mother shared.
"She should stay with poppa than." Jack tipped the hat further back onto Will's head and settled the boy against his hip to look into the child's eyes.
"Aye lad, she should, but she would not leave ye." Will was silent for a moment and Jack almost dropped the boy when the child's eyes flicked from dark brown to green.
"Don't give her a choice. If momma stays with poppa would you take care of me Uncle Jack?" The elder pirate stared at the boy in shock.
"Aye William." The child grinned and his eyes flickered back to their normal deep brown. Jack stumbled as the boy's arms were suddenly wrapped around his neck. "Then momma needs to stay with poppa." The words were whispered against his ear and Jack held tight to the boy.
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She could see the beach. It was just beyond the reef on the port side of the ship. Her hands shook and she moved to grip the railing so none of the crew would see their first mate quivering. What if Will didn't come, what if he had forgotten about her? Her grip tightened on railing and she heard it creak.
"Momma?" Her nerves were so tightly wound that she almost blindly lashed out.
"Yes Jack?"
"Poppa is coming." Elizabeth turned to look down at her son and moved away from the railing to kneel in front of him.
"You sound so sure Jack."
"He will." Elizabeth pulled the boy against her chest. He sounded so sure.
"I hope you are right baby." The boy wrapped his arms around her waist and they clung to each other.
"I promise he will come momma. When he does you will be happy again." Elizabeth clung to the boy with all of her strength. Jack pushed against her and Elizabeth reluctantly released him. He flashed her a bright impish smile and turned away from her. "I'm gonna go wake Uncle Jack." Before the young woman could caution the boy or stop him the child was skipping off. When he had disappeared into the Captain's cabin she finally stood and turned her gaze towards the darkened horizon. It would be dawn soon.
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Bootstrap Bill Turner kept his attention focused the wheel and tried to ignore the pacing, nervous form of his captain and son. Will had been an honorable man to serve under for the past ten years and the Dutchman once again served her purpose. That could easily change if Will failed to find his Elizabeth.
"How are the winds?"
"Calypso is with us." Almost to prove his point a gust of wind billowed the sails. Bill glanced backward and saw the ghost of a smile on the younger man's face.
"Do you..."
"Calypso willing She will be waiting for you Will. I do not think fate will deal you the same hand that it dealt Jones." The younger man nodded but resumed his pacing.
"Do you think it would be faster..." A tiny smile quirked at Bill's lips.
"It is your ship Captain. One of these years you will remember that. We will get there before dawn if you command us to be." Will moved to the railing and Bootstrap watched as the younger man gripped it.
"Give the orders and take us below. We will trust the sea and Calypso to help us make the best time."
"Aye Captain."
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Jack leaned his forearms against the railing and shook his head as he watched Elizabeth pace the deck below him. He could almost see the desperation in each of her movements and the crew had wisely holed themselves away to avoid her short temper. The only ones on deck at the moment were Gibbs and Cotton who stood beside him and Pintel and Ragetti who were talking quietly on the lower deck.
The pirate glanced down beside him and ruffled a hand through Will's hair as the boy looked up at him. The boy gave him annoyed look as the brushed his hair back out of his face. Jack took pity on his nephew and dropped his hat onto the boy's hair to hide the dis helved locks.
"Your father will get a shocked to see you wearin' my hat"
"Really?" Jack nodded.
"Nobody gets to wear my hat." The boy grinned and glanced towards the slowly lightening horizon while Jack focused his gaze on Elizabeth. The young woman had finally stopped pacing and was watching the horizon with rapt attention. Jack knew that she was waiting for the sun to peek her head above the horizon.
"Poppa will come uncle Jack." Jack glanced down at the boy and nodded as the sun peaked over the horizon. Below him Elizabeth froze and Jack turned in a slow circle to watch the distant waters. There was a green flash.
"Jack, there!" The pirate captain spun and narrowed his eyes in the direction Gibbs was pointing. It took a moment to find what the elder pirate was pointing out but when he saw it he left out a breath. In the distance the sea churned and bubbled as the Flying Dutchman rose from the ocean's depths.
"WILL!" Jack's gaze flickered towards Elizabeth and he found that the young woman had run to the railing and was leaning over the starboard side of the boat.
"Elizabeth?" The woman's name was a bare whisper that was choked with disbelief and longing. The woman and Jack turned as one and Elizabeth stared.
"Will?" She was moving in an instant as her brain caught up with the fact that Will was standing mere feet from her and she was not in his arms. She ran to him and Will caught her as she all but flew into his arms and claimed his lips.
The Dutchman's captain crushed his wife to him and Jack looked down at the child who stood beside him. "That there be your father laddy." The boy smiled softly and looked up at him.
"He makes momma happy." Jack glanced back at the couple on the deck of his Pearl and shook his head at the sight of William having lifted his lover into his arms. The couple had not yet broken their initial kiss and Jack knelt down beside his nephew.
"Aye lad, he does. Now... when they stop kissing..." He glanced up for an instant and than looked back at the boy "...if they stop kissing... you are going to go down there and introduce yourself savvy? That infernal pirate you call a mum is a bit overwhelmed at the moment." The boy grinned and Jack adjusted the hat so it sat better on the boy's head. "Go tell that father of yours that he finally proved to me that he's not a eunuch." The boy smirked and moved down the short flight of stairs that led to the lower deck.
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She was not sure she could let him go again. That was the only thought in Elizabeth's mind as she clung to her husband. She could not do this again, she could not let him go.
"I've missed you so much Will." Her husband rested his brow against her own and gently wiped away her tears.
"Not as much as I've missed you. Every second of every year Elizabeth, you have not strayed far from my mind. You are my heart."
"I have your heart, now and always Will." The Dutchman's captain smiled and tipped his wife's chin upward for another kiss.
"Now and forever by love." He would have been content to hold her like this forever but a soft voice interrupted them.
"Momma?" Elizabeth pulled away from him and Will almost cried out at the sudden loss he felt as she stepped away from his side.
"Will." His eyes followed her voice and he could do nothing more than stare as his wife knelt beside a little boy. "This is Jack." The Dutchman's captain was speechless as he took in the child's features and noted how much like his own they were.
"Is he?" Elizabeth nodded wordlessly, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Yes." Will felt numb as he moved to kneel in front of the boy.
"He is wearing Jack's hat." His wife made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob and Will moved to push the hat back so he could better see the boy's face.
"Jack..." The boy bowed with a flourish and looked up only to have the hat fall into his eyes.
"William Jack Turner at your service Captain Turner." Will shook his head and smiled. His son had obviously been around Jack for too many years. His smile widened as the boy continued. "Captain Sparrow has asked me to inform you that he no longer believes you to be a eunuch." Elizabeth laughed softly and it was the most beautiful sound Will had heard in ten years.
"Does he now?" Will moved to pick up the boy. When the boy was safely in his arms his wife pressed back to his side and Will finally turned to face the Pearl's Captain.
"You are a bad influence on my son you scurvy bilge rat."
"Aye Captain Turner, would ye prefer it any other way?" Will grinned at his old friend and tightened his arm around Elizabeth.
"Hardly Mr. Sparrow." The elder man moved down the stairs to join them on the lower deck.
"Captain... It's Captain remember lad? One would think that with your own boat you would know the value of the title by now." Will shook his head in amusement and passed his son to his mother as he moved to embrace Jack.
"Its been too long Jack."
"Tis good to see you again William. May I ask why you are still on me ship when you should be on land?" Jack ended the embrace and gestured towards a longboat that had been prepared in advance.
"Thine chariot awaits its king and queen." Jack moved towards Elizabeth and held out his arms. "Hand young William over to me and I will bring him ashore when the sun reaches her zenith." Will nodded and held out his hand to Elizabeth.
"Would you join me ashore my lady?" The young woman nodded and young Jack reached for his uncle.
"Goodbye momma." She nodded as Will led her towards the longboat.
When the couple was out of sight Jack turned towards Gibbs.
"Mr. Gibbs... prepare a longboat. Tis my intention to take young William here over to meet his grandfather."
"Don't you owe old Bootstrap money?" Jack shrugged.
"I owe everyone money. 'sides me'thinks old Bootstrap will forgive me my debt when he meets the charmer that is young Will." Gibbs shook his head and took a swig from his flask.
"That just might be true. Ye do tend to have the luck a' the gods in matters like that."
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When their ship had crested the ocean's surface to find the Pearl lying in wait Bootstrap Bill had never been more overjoyed. He had felt Will's joy as his captain had instantly disappeared to find his beloved. Now as he watched the longboat float alongside the Dutchman he felt a new kind of joy.
He recognized a Turner when he saw one and the boy that climbed aboard with Jack was a Turner by blood.
"Jack."
"Bootstrap."
"You owe me many a piece of eight you scurvy cur." Jack grinned and shook his head.
"Aye, unfortunately I left me coin purse back on the Pearl. I do, however, come with a gift far more valuable. Young William?" The boy walked up beside Jack and the elder pirate plucked his hat from the boy's head. "Your grandson likes to steal my hat Bill." The eldest Turner chuckled.
"So I see." He turned to the boy. "You look so much like your father lad." The boy smiled cheekily.
"So I see." Bill laughed loudly and turned to Jack.
"A smart tongue he has too. That would be your during I presume?"
"A' course Billy, young Jacky here learned from the best he did."
"By the best you mean old Gibbs I hope." Jack scoffed in disbelief and Bill used the opportunity to pull the younger pirate into an embrace. "Tis good to see you again Jack. Why don't you and show the young one around his father's ship?" Bill released Jack and turned to the boy. "Is it Will or Jack me'boy? I've heard Jack call ya both."
"William Jack Turner sir. Momma calls me Jack, Jack calls me Will, you may call me either."
"Will it is than, tis too confusing and bad for ones' health to have too many Jacks about." The boy grinned.
"Aye sir. Now can you show me my Poppa's ship?"
"A'course me'boy. This way, this way."
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Elizabeth rested her head against Will's chest and sighed. She could hear no heartbeat but for some reason the lack of sound comforted her, perhaps because all she had had of Will for ten years was his heart. To have the whole of him was a welcome change.
"I've missed you Will. More than I can ever say." Will clasped her hand and squeezed.
"I know." He seemed so distant suddenly and Elizabeth moved upwards against him so she could see his face.
"What troubles you my love?"
"You. I can see what being apart has done to you Elizabeth. I never wanted this for us, being apart for ten years, with one day to our own."
"It was this or lose you for good. I would not have lived without you." He fell silent and gently stroked her hair.
"Tell me about my son." Elizabeth smiled softly and tucked her head against her husband's shoulder.
"He's a good boy. Jack spoils him rotten." Will laughed softly.
"That I could see. Jack will be more of a father to him than I ever will." Elizabeth shot into a sitting position and her eyes widened.
"Don't say things like that. He is your son." Will sat up as well and pulled Elizabeth against him.
"I never doubted that for an instant Elizabeth. I can tell by his look that he is my child. I am just glad that Jack has been there in my absence. He has been good for both of you." The woman in his arms nodded sadly and Will pulled her closer. "I've upset you. I did not mean to, not on the one day we have together. Don't keep secrets from me Elizabeth, what troubles you?"
"Will is closer to Jack than he is to me. I almost cannot stand to be with him, he reminds me so heavily of you."
"Do you love him?" The young woman stiffened.
"Of course I do. He is all I have of you."
"Than you will raise him as best you can and he will see that." Before Elizabeth could respond Jack's booming voice interrupted them.
"The pair of you land lubbers had best be decent. There are young eyes afoot." Will chuckled softly as their son ran around the rocks that sheltered them from the sun. The boy dropped down between them and Will pulled the squirming nine year old into his lap.
"Over here Jack." A moment later the elder pirate stuck his head into their makeshift shelter, he was followed closely by the elder Turner. "I see the lad found you even before I did. My warning was for not."
"It is all right Jack." The pirate turned his attention towards Elizabeth.
"The pork we began preparing before sunrise should be finished. Shall we eat before calling the crews to land?" Elizabeth nodded and stood to brush the sand from her bare legs.
"Gibbs, Pintel, and Raggeti?"
"A'course Mrs. Turner. The lot of them be waiting on the beach already. They might mutiny if we don't feed em soon." Will laughed softly and shook his head. Jack had more trouble with mutiny than any pirate captain he had met in all his years at sea.
"You said crews? Jack."
"Your crew will be joining us right Captain Turner? They had best, the Pearl's hull stinks of the filthy swine we carted here in anticipation of your arrival."
"They will join us then as you command Captain Sparrow. I thank you on their behalf, if you believe there will be enough to share."
In the end there was more than enough to share, with enough casks of wine and mead and rum to spoil any pirate crew. The celebration lasted well into the afternoon and early evening and as the sun started to slip towards the horizon Will and Elizabeth hastened away from the merriment to spend their last hours alone together.
They had been away for almost an hour when Jack, pleasantly drunk and clutching bottles of rum in each fist stumbled upon them.
"Tha crews are returnin to their respective vessels Mr. And Mrs. Turner. Tis little more than an hour before sunset. Billy and I assumed you would like time to say goodbye." Will nodded his thanks. "What about Will?"
"Master Gibbs has already returned him to the Pearl. The lad fell asleep a bit ago, too much excitement for his wee mind I assume." Jack turned to go, stumbled a few feet, and stopped. "Dearest William will you be a gentleman and escort Mrs. Turner back to the Pearl? I shall leave a longboat for your use. You can say goodbye to your boy when you come aboard." Will nodded and returned to his wife as Jack left them in peace.
They spent much of their final hour making love and saying their goodbyes and as the sun started to sink further towards the horizon he finally got the courage to speak to her about the next ten years.
"Will you be able to do this again?"
"Of course." She did not sound at all sure by his ears.
"I love you so much Elizabeth. I want you to be happy. If you..."
"If I what Will?"
"If you find someone who can fill your heart, even partially, please take the opportunity." Tears welled in his wife's eyes.
"I cannot do that to you." Will brought his finger to her lips and shushed her gently.
"I want you to do it for me. Find someone who will make you happy, who will make the ten years bearable and in ten years come to see me again so I can keep going on." She nodded and Will gave her a warm smile. "I will always love you Elizabeth Turner, with all by heart."
"I know." Elizabeth clasped his hand and pressed it against her cheek. "I will do what I must to make sure I am here for you ten years from now."
"That is all I can ask of you." He leaned down to kiss her gently only to have Elizabeth deepen it. He broke the kiss reluctantly and guided her to her feet. "Let us return to the Pearl so I can say goodbye to our pair of Jacks." Elizabeth smiled softly through her tears and nodded as she allowed Will to lead her to the beach.
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The sun was dangerously close to setting when Jack finally saw the longboat leaving the island. He would have less than fifteen minutes to put his plan into action. A moment later the boat bumped alongside the Pearl and Jack ordered the men to help the young couple aboard.
He glanced up onto the upper deck where Will was waiting with Gibbs and he motioned the boy down. The child stood beside him and looked up at him with eyes that were hopeful and pleading. That look immediately turned to one of sadness as he saw his mother's face.
"Momma?"
"I will be alright Jack. Come say goodbye to your father." The boy nodded and moved over to Will so the older man could pick him up. The Dutchman's Captain hugged the boy tight and Jack clung to his father.
"I'm glad you make momma happy. She deserves to be happy."
"Yes she does. Will you try to make that happen for me?" The boy gave him a slight nod and wiggled to be let down.
"Uncle Jack and I will make sure she is happy." The boy moved away as Jack moved to hug Will.
"Good luck with your mission laddy? Savvy?"
"Of course Jack." Jack nodded and gave Will his best smile. Will returned the smile and moved towards Elizabeth. He pulled her into a long embrace and tipped her chin upwards to kiss her, trying to remember the feel of her soft skin and hair against his own. "Ten years is a long time Elizabeth. I will never forget you."
"I know."
"Elizabeth come here lovely, let Will be going, tis almost sundown." The young woman nodded and stepped into Jack's embrace. Will turned towards his ship but spun when he heard Elizabeth scream.
"Jack?" Disbelief and pain rung high in his voice and the wind picked up as the sky darkened. A knife was buried deep in his wife's side and Will felt white hot rage boil in his stomach as he watched the bright crimson stain blossom across Elizabeth's shirt. Jack lowered the dying woman to the deck and looked up when he felt the tip of Will's sword against his throat. "Why!"
"Once a pirate always a pirate. I'm doing what Pirates do best, stabbing another in the back as they walk away. She is dying Will. She has sailed with me for little over five years, she is part of my crew." The man pulled up the cuff of Elizabeth's shirt to show Will the vivid 'P' burned into his wife's wrist. "She made the choice to live and die by the sea. Ask her if she is afraid to die Will. Do it now because you can."
Comprehension lit through Will's mind like fire and he was instantly kneeling by Elizabeth's side. His hand settled behind her head, his over hand around the knife buried in her side. He took her from Jack and clung to her.
"Elizabeth?" Light brown eyes fluttered open and Elizabeth moaned softly.
"Will?" She sounded terrified, not knowing why Jack had suddenly decided to betray her after all these years.
"Stay with me my love." Her eyes fluttered closed and Will shook her gently.
"ELIZABETH!" Her eyes opened again.
"Are you afraid of dying Elizabeth? Of going on without me? Will you give yourself to me for an eternity of service? Please Elizabeth?" Life flared in her gorgeous tear filled brown eyes and Will knew she understood. She nodded. "I need you to say it my love. Pledge yourself to my crew."
"Jack?" There was suddenly fear in her eyes. "What about Jack." For a moment Will thought she was referring to Sparrow but a look at the man made him realize that she was talking about their son. The boy was clinging to the leg of the Captain's trousers.
"Momma needs to be with you Poppa. Uncle Jack is going to take care of me." Will gave the man a grateful smile and turned back to his wife.
"I told you that Will needed Jack. Jack will protect him." The woman relaxed against him and for an instant Will feared that he was too late. "Elizabeth? Please."
"I pledge myself to an eternity of service to your crew Captain Turner." Will's eyes lit with tears and he leaned down to kiss her. As he did the two of them disappeared as he used his power to return them to the Dutchman. She would be his forever.
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