So, thank you for reading. just a heads up, in case you didn't know, this is a Will x OC fanfic. Sorry to the Will x Elizabeth fans. It generally follows along with the Movies, excluding On Stranger Tides.

Let me know what you think!

A Love That Waits.

Chapter 1 – Man Overboard.

I remember when I was about seven years old, I was aboard a ship with my little sister Elizabeth, who I called Lissy and our father and Mr Norrington, along with other crew members. I don't remember why we were on the ship, the reason behind our voyage on that ship, only the excitement I felt at being at sea. The fearlessness and freedom I felt at sea. Being on board that ship I felt a happiness I couldn't explain, and in a child's way, the purpose of the voyage wasn't important, only the thrill of going along for the ride.

I stood at the railing of the bow of the ship, slowly breathing in the scent of the sea, the tangible saltiness on the air. A gentle breeze lifted my hair. Lissy stood back from the edge of the boat, closer to father. She was always more cautious than me. I turned back to the sea, and watch the waves crash against the side of the ship, making a slapping sound. I sang a song under my breath as the ship continued to push through the fog that had long-since settled on the water.

"Yo ho yo ho, a pirate's life for me, we pillage and plunder and we rifle and loot, drink up me hearties yo ho, we kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot, drink up me hearties yo ho…"

I let the softness of my childlike voice ring out across the merciless waves, eerie and mysterious.

"Yo ho yo ho, a pirate's life for me, we extort we pilfer we filch and sack, drink up me hearties yo h-"

A firm hand grasped my shoulder and I gasped, turning around to look at the man who had scared me.

"Quiet missy, cursed pirate's sail these water's," Joshamee Gibbs told me, his eyes shifting about, as if searching for said pirates. "You don't want to bring them down on us now do you?"

Before I could answer, Norrington cut him off, "Mr Gibbs, that will do."

We both turned to look at him, young and proud, though he was much younger then. We all were.

"She was singing about pirate's," Gibbs said, pointing at me, as if blaming me. "Bad luck to be singing about pirate's this mornin' in this unnatural fog, mark my words."

"Consider them marked." Norrington's proper English accent was so obvious when talking to Mr Gibbs. "On your way."

"Aye Lieutenant," he walked of, passing them and muttering something about how it was bad luck to have a women on board, even miniature ones. I just ignored him, what did he know anyway?

"I think it would be rather exciting to meet a pirate," I announced to Norrington. Lissy walked over to me and slipped her hand into mine.

"Do you really think so?" she asked me, with adoration in her eyes. Back then I think she would have followed me anywhere.

"Yes I think so," I told her, smiling.

"Me too."

I looked back up to Norrington and tried not to take offense at his patronising smile that said: it's just a passing fancy, she'll get over it. Grownups never thought we saw that smile, but sometimes we did.

"Think again, Miss Swann," He said, walking up to the bow of the ship and looking out at the murky waters. "Vile and desolate creatures, the lot of them. I intend to it that any man who sails under a pirate flag or wears a pirate brand, gets what he deserves. A short drop and a sudden stop."

My eyes widened and I audibly gulped, imagining the feeling of the coarse rope tied around my neck. I looked past him and saw Gibbs pulling his short scarf tight around his neck, holding it up to imitate the hangman's noose while sticking out his tongue. I turned back to Norrington with what I was sure was a shocked and horrified expression. I dearly hoped Lissy wasn't listening.

"Lieutenant Norrington, I appreciate your fervour, but I'm concerned about the effect this will have on my daughters'," he glanced at us and noticed that Lissy wasn't paying attention, instead she was looking out over the water. "Especially Clara."

"My apologies governor Swann," he said, before walking off.

I turned to my father, trying to make him believe I wasn't scared. "Actually, I find it all fascinating."

"Yes, that's what concerns me." He said before walking off as well.

I shrugged my shoulders before turning back to the waters, watching through the fog. I admit that I was searching for a glimpse of pirates but instead I was greeted with another sight. Through the fog I saw a dark shape. I squinted my eyes and leaned forward, trying to see what it was. The object moved closer to the ship and I saw what it was. An umbrella floated past, along the side of the ship. I smiled and followed it about three steps before watching it float away. Now what was an umbrella doing out here? Who's umbrella was it? Maybe it was a pirate's? I immediately put that thought from my mind, calling myself an idiot. Why would a pirate have an umbrella? It isn't even raining!

I turned back to the front and was shock at what I saw. An unconscious boy was laying on a makeshift raft of wood, floating on the waves and coming closer to the ship. I panicked and turned around, calling to anyone who would listen. We had to get him out, we had to help.

"Look, look, there's a boy in the water," I yelled. That spurred them into action. Norrington looked over the railing and spotting the boy yelled 'man overboard'. Everything happened so fast then, people rushing about. Lissy ran to father and partially hid behind him, confused as to what was going on. I anxiously wrung my hands together as I watched them bring him up and lay him on the deck.

I heard someone say "He's still breathing." In that moment I felt a rush of relief wash over me and I felt a little numb. I tried to get a glimpse of him while also staying out of the men's way, but I had no such luck. It wasn't until Gibbs said something that caused them to move to the railing. Their attention was focused on something else more important. I spared a glance behind me and saw the burning wreckage of a ship, still alight, flames dancing high. It would have held my attention longer if I wasn't so preoccupied with the boy. While they were talking, I slowly walked over to the boy. My head snapped up briefly when I heard Gibbs say "Pirate's", but I continued to walk over to the boy. I stood next to him, looking down, my eyebrows furrowed. Who was he?

He was lifted up and moved before I could further contemplate. Father came up beside me as I watched him being carried away.

"Clara, I want you to accompany the boy, he will be in your charge. And take Elizabeth with you. Take care of them."

For the first time I noticed Lissy standing there, looking at me. I nodded at father, grabbed Lissy's hand and followed the boy. I looked down at Elizabeth and she met my eyes. She had such bright blue eyes, so different from my own brown ones. She smiled at me, so trustingly, and it was probably in that second that I decided I would always protect her, my baby sister.

They moved him up deck, out of the way, and gave him a towel to keep warm. I didn't know what was going on next, I was too preoccupied with the boy. He held such fascination for me. I kneeled down next to him and Lissy went to his other side. She just sat there while I stared. I felt her growing impatience.

"Why isn't he waking up?" she asked me.

"I don't know Lissy," I told her, truthfully, though she voiced my own concerns.

"Will he ever wake up?"

"Yes. I just don't know when."

She was quiet after that, waiting far more patiently now. I turned back to look at the boy. He was rather good looking, I thought at the time. though I would never admit that out loud. He looked to be about one or two years older than me. He had a shock of damp black hair and his skin was fairly pale. I reached out my hand and gently stroked his fair out of the way. His eyes jerked open and his hand snatched out and grasped my arm, breathing heavily and gasping for air. Lissy squeaked and jumped up in fright, backing away from him. I tried to calm my beating heart after the fright he gave me.

"It's okay," I told him softly. "My name is Clara Swann."

"Will Turner," he told me in return, still breathing heavily.

"I'm watching over you Will," I glanced at Lissy who was beginning to come back to his side. "We both are," I amended. He seemed to calm down and he laid his head back down, falling back asleep.

"He scared me," Lissy admitted to me.

"Me too."

We sat there for a moment longer before Lissy reached out her hand and grabbed a medallion that was hidden in his clothes. I looked at what she held as she took it away from his neck.

Lissy looked at it with wide eyes, before looking at me. "He's a pirate," she told me. For the second time that day I panicked. How could I not after the way Norrington was talking and the way everyone was acting? It was one thing for a child to say she'd like to meet a pirate, but another for a child to have pirate contraband on his person.

"Hide it," I hissed at her, and I think, for the moment she understood my panic.

"Has he said anything yet?" Norrington's voice made us both jump and we turned around to look at him. I hoped to God that Lissy could use one of her ingenious hiding spots to hide that necklace.

"Only that his name is Will Turner, that's all I found out," I said.

He nodded before telling his men to take Will below, no doubt to a bed. I watched them walk away before turning to Lissy.

"Give me the necklace, we have to hide it," I said, though in truth I wanted it. After all, it was a real pirate medallion. Lissy pulled it out of her bodice and looked at it, smiling gently.

She shook her head at me, "No, I want it."

What? She wanted it too? But I was the one who wanted to meet a pirate! I was the one who knew their songs! But Lissy just looked at me with pleading eyes. How could I say no to her? I sighed.

"Fine," I told her before glancing around surreptitiously. "But just make sure you don't let anyone see it. I mean it Lissy, don't tell anyone you have it, not even Will."

"Not even Will?" she asked me.

"Not even Will." I repeated.

"Okay," she said, happy to have it.

I sighed again and walked down the stairs. No doubt Lissy would come up with a brilliant hiding spot. She always did, which was why she always won Hide-and-seek. i just didn't have the patience.

As i walked down the stair, i glanced out at the sea again. a shiver went up my spine at what I saw. A ship, out in the distance. A black ship with black sails. A pirate ship. I squeezed my eyes shut and when I looked again, it was gone.

But in the next passing four years of my life, I forgot all about it and I didn't see it again.

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