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The Flying Dutchman	By : BrethlessM Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > General Views: 3366 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
A/N: Hi again! I was up half the night last night, scripting endless appologies for this chapter before I remembered that I'm the author, and I don't need to appologize! (I hate it when author's begin a chapter by appologizing, so I refuse.) Here's the skinny - Will's back, so this is a Will-heavy chapter. I appeal to your faith in me and you tolerant natures to not skip this chapter in annoyance (if that kind of thing annoy's you - Sparrabeth's, yes, you), but to read this chapter carefully with an eye on the massive subtext and not so sub text, that I've tried to use to tie this whole thing together so that it makes sense. Unfortunately, (for me too,) Jack does not really appear in this chapter, but the next and final chapter makes up for it completely. This was difficult to write, so I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts on it - good and bad. Of course, if you're actually interested in my thought process regarding this chapter and tieing it into the whole fic, please ask. I'm very nerdily eager to share, cuz it was kind of a facinating thing to experience. Anyway, read and enjoy, and then tune in for the conclusion to Part 1, which if I stay on track, will be up around this time on Friday. Thanks! - Kimberlee

P.S. - This is my longest chapter yet for this fic - there was a lot of ground to cover! - K.
Chapter Nine

He was surrounded by the brilliant green light that had become as familiar to him as a heartbeat and then Will Turner, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, entered the gloaming of the living world. After ten years spent straddling the boundary between the living and the dead, Will was arriving home at last.

He was a changed man, there was no denying it. You could not make your home at the end of the world for so long without it having an affect. Will had always been a quiet man, but over time he�d become even more taciturn, speaking only to his father, or to give orders to his crew. Those who chose to serve under Captain Turner rather than succumb to the cold embrace of the sea grew to respect him. He was stern, but fair. He was never cruel to the souls in his care, but discharged his duty with a singularity of purpose that brought peace back to the seas after the long, cruel reign of Davy Jones.

Will Turner was a good man and honorable, but there was one thing he had learned above all else after ten years as Captain of the Dutchman - a man without a heart, was only half a man.

His heart of course, had been left behind with Elizabeth after his one day spent with her before setting sail so long ago. It had been cut out of his chest with his father�s knife after Davy Jones had stabbed him there. Will had returned the favor, sending Jones to the depths and replacing the creature as Captain. It was a bitter sentence, to serve ten years aboard the accursed vessel, especially after he had finally married Elizabeth in the midst of the very battle that had resulted in his near death.
It was the thought of Elizabeth that had kept Will�s soul from hardening completely. The hope, idealistic though he often feared it might be, that she had waited for him haunted his waking dreams. He loved her still; how could he not? She was all he had in the world, and the image of Elizabeth as he�d last seen her, standing on the fading beach clad in an insubstantial black dress, was burned into his mind.
As he neared the beaches of Port Royal, he searched the approaching shore and cliffs for her figure. Even after ten years, he believed he�d still know her shape, even if she were miles away. There ahead, on one of the distant cliffs, a woman stood, her skirts blowing around her in the breeze from the sea. He knew immediately that it was her � Elizabeth - his wife. A shudder went through Will, and he did not bother sorting through the emotions behind it. He�d long ago given up on such things as fear and despair. For a man in his position, feelings like those would have led to madness in due time, and he�d shut the memory of them away inside himself.
Even love was something he was no longer accustomed to embracing, and when it swept over him as he drew closer to shore, it was with an intensity of desperate need that would have appalled him in a time when he�d been another man.
But he was home now, and Elizabeth was there waiting for him. He could be that man again, without a care in the world beyond the needs of his wife and their happiness. He gave the orders to weigh anchor and ready the longboat; the Captain was going ashore.
He did not notice the smaller figure standing alongside his wife.
Will headed towards his cabin to gather the few belongings he would take with him. There was little he�d accumulated during the recent years, but he checked anyway. His sword and pistols were in place, and the tri-corned hat he rarely wore, due to an unpleasant remembrance, was the only thing worth the time he�d taken to return to the barren room. He placed it on his head and turned around� only to leap backwards in surprise, drawing his sword in the blink of an eye.
A figure lurked in the corner of the room, nearly indistinguishable from the shadows. �Show yourself!� Will demanded, his voice rich with an authority gleaned thru his many hard years as Captain. There were few men who would not have been intimidated by the fierceness of his glare.
The person in the shadows, a woman to Will�s surprise, merely laughed in a low, throaty voice. �Is dat any way to greet a friend, Will Turner?� she asked in amusement.�
Will froze. �Tia Dalma?�p>
She laughed again. �Aye - if you like, my sweet man. I will not waste time over such details as names.�
Her voice was rich as honey, and Will shivered at it�s caress. �What do you want?� he asked, sheathing his sword. A mere weapon would not hurt the sea goddess, but that did not mean he would not be on his guard. She was the reason, after all, that he needed to be here at all.
She was Calypso, goddess of the sea, and Will was not unfamiliar with her. He�d first met her when she�d just been Tia Dalma, a Caribbean sea witch Jack considered a friend, and they�d gone to her for help in finding the chest containing Davy Jones� heart, as well as the key to unlock it.

He hadn�t known her true nature at that time, but soon he�d learn that it was she who had set Jones the task of guiding the souls of those who�d died at sea into the afterlife. Jones had been betrayed by Calypso, and had given up his duty only to bring a curse upon himself and his crew, turning them all into monstrosities of sea. The last time Will saw her, Calypso had just been freed from her human body prison, only to dissolve in anger into a swarm of rock crabs that flooded the ship before vanishing altogether.
He couldn�t help but wonder, during his unwanted sentence as Captain of the Dutchman, if when she�d first met him in her swamp shack on a long ago night, she had seen his future. If she�d know, when she�d said he had a �touch of destiny about him�, that she knew he would end up under her control. It was a curiosity that weighed heavily on his mind and soul.
Although Will knew that he was technically under Calypso�s control in his duty as Captain, this was the first time she�d come to him, and that made him extremely wary. She had not answered his question, save for a black-toothed smile. He stood still, watching as she circled him, eyes scanning his body.
�You have done well, Captain Turner,� Calypso finally said when she�d crossed in front of him again. �You have served me faithfully, and without complaint, despite the difficulty of your situation.�
Will remained silent.
�And now, Captain, it is time dat you returned to land� for a time.�
This caught Will�s attention, and he felt his rage beginning to build. �What do you mean, for a time?� he asked in a low, deadly voice.
A playful smile lit Calypso�s face, and she tilted her head to one side. �Your terms are simple, Captain. One day ashore� and den after ten years, you may give up de sea, so long as you find your true love when you return to shore.�
�Yes,� Will struggled to maintain his control. �And Elizabeth is there, waiting for me to return.�
�Aye, dat she is,� Calypso agreed. �But do not forget� it is not enough dat she love you. Elizabeth Swann must remain faithful to you, even unto death.�
Will took a step closer to the goddess. �Turner,� he growled. �Not Swann. Not anymore. And are you implying that she has been unfaithful?� He was furious with whatever game Calypso was playing.
Calypso merely grinned enigmatically at him. �She has been true, but dat is not for me to decide. I am here only to remind you dat, should your love prove false to you, it is your duty to continue as Captain of the Flying Dutchman.�
So that was it. �My term is through, my goddess,� Will spat, beginning to walk away from her. �You have no more claim upon my soul. I will not be manipulated into doubting my wife, just so that you can keep your Captain.�
Calypso�s rum-rich laugh filled the cabin again. Very well, Captain Turner. You have 24 hours to prove your woman�s faith. Just keep in mind, de Dutchman need a Captain, and a normal life is unsuitable for one such as you. You have a destiny.�
At those damningly familiar words, Will spun around, but Calypso had vanished. A knock at the cabin door startled him, and he flung it open, wide-eyed, and with one hand on his pistol before realizing that it was his father standing outside the portal. Closing his eyes for a moment to subdue his anxiety, Will opened them again to find Bootstrap staring at him oddly.
�You all right, Captain?� Bootstrap Bill asked his son.
Will nodded. �Of course.� Straightening his shirt, he stepped out onto the deck. �Is everything ready?�
�It is,� Bootstrap confirmed. �You�re ready to go?�
Will�s smile was real, and affectionate. �Immediately. Are you certain you won�t come with me?� he asked.
Bootstrap looked down at the deck. �Nah,� he said. �You need some time alone with your missus. When a new captain�s been chosen�� he trailed off, staring back out to sea.
He stared at his father. �What will you do?� Will asked.
The older man looked at his son. �I suspect I�ll come ashore. I�m not quite ready to give up the ghost yet, Will. It�s only�� he paused. �It�s been a long time since I�ve been on land.�
�Sick of the water?� Will asked wryly.
Bootstrap shrugged. �The sea� she�s like a woman. You may tire of having her underfoot, even hate her sometimes, but the minute you�re away from her, you�ll do anything to have her back.�
Will didn�t answer, and his father expected no reply. The older pirate smiled and clapped a hand on his son�s shoulder. �Off with you, Lad, and a fair wind at your back.�
Will didn�t have to be told twice.

Elizabeth ran. Her hand clasped tightly in her son�s, they ran down the hills, through the streets, and down towards the docks. At last, panting with exhaustion, the two fell onto the abandoned beach where Elizabeth had said her final goodbyes to Will one evening a lifetime ago. She didn�t know how she knew this was where he�d come ashore, but she did.
She was just regaining her breath when she heard his voice calling to her across the water. She stood in the sand, scanning the horizon, and there in a wooden longboat, Will was rowing as powerfully as he could.
Elizabeth didn�t wait for him, and in that moment her son was forgotten, for he hadn�t even been born yet. She was back on that same beach ten years earlier only this time, Will was not sailing away from her but towards her. Ripping off her boots as she ran, Elizabeth pounded into the waves not slowing until she was waist deep in the water, and still she pushed against the tide pulling her in every direction.
The salt water on her face was not the sea, but her tears, and she called out to Will, no longer able to see him above the growing waves breaking around her head. And then he was there, and she was in his arms. Will was in the water with her, kissing her lips and her face hungrily as she laughed and cried her relief at having him with her at long last.
Will carried his wife ashore, over the threshold of sea into land. Setting her down on her bare feet, he held her away from his body, eyes raking over her as though to memorize every new freckle on her skin. Her hands wandered over his face, his shoulders, trembling at the long forgotten sensation of his skin against hers.
A small voice behind them broke their trance. �Mother?�
Will�s blood froze in his veins, and he found he couldn�t move. Elizabeth�s eyes widened and she turned slowly, revealing a small boy with golden hair, just the same as hers. Will couldn�t think clearly, and though his eyes registered the sight of the boy in front of him, whom his wife was extending her hand to, he could not make sense of what he was seeing.
No. It wasn�t true.
But even to his dulled mind, it was clear to Will that this boy was not just any boy, but Elizabeth�s son. There was a ringing in his ears, and Will realized that he was opening and closing his fist spasmodically. He had stopped taking in breath.
Elizabeth did not notice the change in Will�s demeanor. Taking her son�s hand in hers, she presented the boy to his father. �Will,� she began formally. �I�d like you to meet William Turner, III� your son.�
It took a moment, but slowly her words sank in. His son. His son, his and Elizabeth�s. Will examined the boy with an open mouth and frantic eyes, finally noticing the eyes, the cheekbones and the slope of the brow that without a doubt marked the child as his own. They had made a son.
Falling to his knees, Will let his breath flow weakly from his body. He could not stop staring at his boy. William. �Hello,� he said finally.�
William looked nervous. �Hello,� he answered shyly.
�Oh, God.� Will reached out and took William in his arms. The boy stiffened for a moment; then his small hands circled his father�s neck, holding him tight. His son smelled like a young boy should; dirt and sweat from play mixed with the more sanitary smells of peppermint and lye. It was an aroma that would have brought tears to the eyes of any other man� any man who still possessed a heart within his chest.
Suddenly glaringly aware of his inadequacy, Will let go of his son. He stood awkwardly, taking his wife�s hand in his and William�s small one in the other. �Take me home,� he asked, and they did.

The house was not the manor Elizabeth had lived in for all the years Will had known her, but it was obvious that she had made it into a home for herself and their son. It was the home of someone who loved the sea, and the theme whispered over and over throughout the rooms. In the sitting room on the bench of the pianoforte, Will found the antique chest that contained his still beating heart.

He ran his hand over the wood and the ornate lock as though caressing a lover. �I don�t know what to do with it,� he admitted.

Elizabeth put a hand on his arm. �Is it supposed to� go back?� she asked uncertainly.

Will shook his head. �I�m not sure� I think, eventually� when there�s a new Captain.

William was watching them from the doorway, oddly subdued. Will, of course, had no experience with his son�s behavior, and did not know any different. Tearing his eyes from the chest, he smiled at the boy who was watching his every move. �Will you show me around?� he asked softly.

Elizabeth smiled encouragingly, and William managed a nervous grin. He grabbed his father�s hand, ignoring how cold it was and that the man flinched at the contact, and led him on a tour of their home.
He was a boy, and he showed his father his own room first, watching as the man examined the scrimshaw artwork he�d learned from sailors, and the strange array of knickknacks he�d been given by the many pirates he�d met over the years. When Will stopped in front of the pair of crossed swords that hung above his bed, William spoke. �They were my grandfather�s,� he said, going to stand by his dad. �Mother managed to get them for me before I was born. They�re all I have of him.�
Will nodded. �I remember them,� he said. �I made them.�
�You did?� William asked in surprise. His mother hadn�t told him that.
Will smiled. �The blacksmith I worked for, Mr. Brown, he was rarely in a condition to do much work, so I ended up covering for him on a number of occasions.� He gestured to the sword. �This set happens to be the first of my creations good enough to pass as expert craftsmanship. I don�t know that I ever told Elizabeth,� he added thoughtfully.
William smiled, gazing up at his swords with new wonder.
�I�ll teach you to use them� if you�d like,� Will added quickly, seeing a strange look come over his son�s face.
�That�s okay,� William said. �I�m� Mother�s already trained me. But you can help me get better,� he offered. �I�m need to get really good before I can become a pirate.�
�A pirate?� Will looked away from his son, and his eyes again fell on the shelves of exotic trinkets. �Do you see a lot of pirates around here?� he tried to ask nonchalantly.
William�s eyes were bright. �Oh, yes!� he said. �Mother and I go help the pirate ships on the beach, whenever they come to Port Royal. I�ve learned how to tie knots, and climb the masts, and ��
�Is that so?� Will interrupted, stunned by the enthusiasm on his son�s face. �Well, I�m sure you�ll make a fine sailor someday, if that�s what you want. Although, I don�t know if piracy is the right kind of ambition for a child� but no matter. Why don�t you finish showing me around?�
William closed his mouth quickly, unsure of what he had done wrong to cause the edge in his father�s voice. �Okay,� he agreed, but this time he did not take the man�s hand.
Elizabeth was waiting for them in the bedroom, kneeling besides the trunk where they had stored all the clothing she�d either made or purchased for Will over the years. Will knelt beside her on the floor and placing his hand over hers on the lid, opened it to look inside. He pulled each item out one by one, examining it closely with a slight smile on his lips. Will said nothing all the while, but Elizabeth quietly gave each garment�s history, as if she had stored the memories of the clothing in place of the ones she did not have of her husband.
Sorting out one set of clothing from among the assortment, Will put the rest back as neatly as before. �I suppose I should wash before supper,� he said.
Elizabeth smiled. �The basin is already in the kitchen, we just need to fetch and heat the water.� Turning to William, who was again lingering in the doorway, she asked, �Would you start bringing in water? I�ll be there to help in just a moment.�
Son gone, Elizabeth leaned close to Will again, pressing her forehead against his shoulder. �I missed you,� she breathed. For a moment, they sat in silence, then �he�s a wonderful boy, our son. He�s sweet, and honest, and he�s so smart. You�ll be proud.�
�Yes,� Will said. �He�s� I never dreamed I had a son.�
�He was my miracle. God, Will, I don�t know how I would have survived if not for him.�
Calypso�s words echoed in Will�s head momentarily, and he brushed them aside with an audible grunt that made Elizabeth eye him worriedly. �What is it?� she asked.
�It�s nothing,� he tried to smile. �Did you know he wants to be a pirate?�
Elizabeth bit her lower lip, searching her husband�s face. �Yes� don�t be disappointed, Will. I couldn�t very well dissuade him, seeing as how we�re both pirates ourselves.�
�Former pirates,� he corrected, but without anger. He sighed. �I suppose it doesn�t matter what I think in any case. I haven�t been here to have a say.� Realizing how his words sounded, he smiled softly and added, �You�ve done well with him. I can�t imagine how� I�m sorry I wasn�t here, Elizabeth.�
She smiled, but a troubled expression lingered. The sound of William�s return with the first bucket of water reminded Elizabeth of the task at hand, and as Will helped her to her feet, he saw her face clear of worry.
The basin was filled with little trouble under the efforts of three sets of hands, and as Will began preparing for his bath, Elizabeth took William to his room to find something to occupy him with.
�But, why can�t I help? Like I did with Jack?� William asked.

Elizabeth flipped through the pages of one of William�s lesson books. �Because it is time for you get back to your studies � you had quite a holiday while Mr. Sparrow was here, and besides,� she added. �I�ll be there to help him. He doesn�t need the both of us underfoot.�
Captain Sparrow,� William grumbled. �And I wouldn�t get in the way.�
�Of course you wouldn�t,� Elizabeth said gently. �I know that. It�s just� I haven�t seen your father in ages and I�d like to have him to myself � just for a moment.� She knelt beside him. �Can you understand that?�
William furrowed his brow. �Yes,� he said finally. �Alright then.�
Making sure he was truly content, Elizabeth gave him his assignment and kissed him on the forehead. �You�re a magnificent boy, William,� she told him.
He gave her a half smile, biting his bottom lip in the same way his mother always did. After a brief hesitation, William met her eyes. �I don�t think Father thinks so,� he admitted quietly.
Elizabeth�s eyebrows rose in surprise. �Whatever gave you such an impression? Why wouldn�t your father love you?�
William shrugged one shoulder, looking down at his notebook. �I don�t know,� he mumbled.
�William,� Elizabeth said kindly, turning her son�s face to hers. She looked at him for a minute before continuing. �There�s no possible way he couldn�t love such a wonderful boy. Give him time� it�s been a long day, and if he�s seemed to be�� She thought a moment. �Just give him a few days to get settled again. We can�t imagine what it�s been like for him, being away for so long.�
William smiled softly, and nodded. Standing up, he threw his arms around his mother�s shoulders and gave her a tight squeeze.
Leaving her son�s room, Elizabeth paused outside his door with her hand on the handle. She had always pictured her reunion with Will to be full of nothing but joy. She had somehow managed to overlook a few of the smaller details, and the result of that oversight was now being made apparent.
She arrived in the kitchen with a concerned look on her face. �What�s the matter?� Will asked, he was already in the tub.
Elizabeth sighed, not looking at him as she sat down on the adjacent stool. �I think I may be a bad mother,� she admitted.
Will quirked an eyebrow. �What?� he asked. �Where did this come from?�
�I didn�t realize how awkward this would be for William. He needs time to get to know you, but you�re his father � I think I just expected everything to work itself out,� she admitted. �He�s worried that you don�t, or won�t like him, and I�m afraid that there�s something I could have done to make it easier-�
Will interrupted her, standing in the basin and drawing her into his arms. �Don�t,� he whispered, holding her close. �It�s not your fault. I�m the one who�s handled things awkwardly, not you. It�s natural William will feel uncomfortable at first, but we�ll just all have to do our best.� He kissed the top of her head, stroking her hair. �I�m sorry, Elizabeth. Sorry to have put you through all of this.�
Elizabeth laughed chokingly. �All of this?� she wiped her eyes. �All of this is wonderful. I have a good life,� she said.
Will couldn�t help wondering if that were true � if she wouldn�t have rather continued her life as the Pirate King of the Brethren Court if she�d had a choice. But these doubts were dashed from his mind when he realized that Elizabeth was looking at him, and that he was naked.
Elizabeth�s breath had stilled in her throat as she stared at her husband�s nude body. Her hand reached out shakily to trace the contours of his chest, hearing him gasp as her fingers made contact with the smooth, tanned skin. Will lifted a trembling hand and stopped her explorations, pressing a heated kiss against her knuckles.
�Elizabeth,� he whispered.
His tone of voice made her stop, and her eyes flew to his. A blush was rising in her face as she read the hesitation in those blue depths. �I�m sor-� she began, but again he cut her off, this time with a finger pressed against her mouth.�
�No,� he whispered. �Don�t apologize.� His face was heavy with sorrow. �It was so soon after they took my heart last time. I�ve been without it for ten years and it�s made me�� his eyes begged her to understand. �I want to wait � until I�m whole again. I don�t even know if that�s possible now, but you deserve more than just a hollow shell of a man to call your husband.� He kissed her sweetly. �Please understand?�
Elizabeth tried to shake off her hurt. She did understand, but it didn�t make it any easier. �Yes,� she whispered.
He moved away from her, and sank back into the tub. Elizabeth sat back down on the stool, and tried to be content with just watching as Will scrubbed at his limbs with the bar of lye soap as though trying to rid himself of the memory of the dirt as well as its physical presence. There was an emptiness in her heart that pained her, and she balled her hand into a fist, pressing it against where she thought the pain was in an attempt to make it vanish. This was not how she expected things to be at all.�
When it was nearly time for supper, William decided that he�d had enough of his lessons and he made his way into the kitchen to find his parents.
His father was still in the bath, although he appeared to be nearly done, as his skin had turned a bright pink from the scrubbing. His mother sat beside him, laughing at something he had said and neither of them noticed William standing there. He watched them for a moment.
They were leaning close to each other, holding hands, and William noticed a smile on his mother�s face that was different from any he�d seen her wear before. He felt a rush of panic, and realized for the first time that now that his father was home, his mother didn�t need him. William studied what little he could see of his father�s face and thought to himself, not only was he unneeded, but maybe his father would not want him around at all.
Though his mother had missed it, William had noticed the strange anger in his father�s face in the moments before she introduced them, and it had scared him in a way he would never have thought possible. What if the older man had anticipated coming home and having his wife all to himself, and had instead found an unwelcome surprise in William? His blood ran cold at the thought. He knew his mother loved him, but he understood now that she could never have chosen to have a child and raise him alone while her husband was away for ten years.
His face was pale, and it was this face that Elizabeth noticed lingering in the doorway. Realizing with shock how late it had gotten, she jumped up to check on the stew she had been cooking for her obviously starving boy, not realizing that it was fear and not hunger that had twisted his insides so horribly; she was too busy sorting through her own confusions.
William watched in silence as his father stepped from the tub and dried himself. Pulling on his fresh clothing, Will wondered at his son�s quietness. �I was a quiet boy too, when I was your age,� he tried awkwardly.
William nodded in response, and saw his mother look towards him. They both knew he wasn�t normally quiet at all.
Will cleared his throat and tried a new subject. �William tells me you�ve taught him how to use a sword,� he said to Elizabeth. There was evident pride in his voice but his wife noticed the hint of trepidation there as well.
She was pleased when William answered for her. �We practice one hour every day, except on the weekends,� he said. �She says I�m getting really good.�
Placing bowls of thick stew in front of each of them and setting a plate of bread on the table, Elizabeth smiled and ruffled her son�s hair as she took her seat. �No, she say�s he�s almost as good as his father.�
Will nodded, with a hint of a smile on his face. �That�s high praise indeed,� he joked. �Tell me all that she�s taught you.�
And for nearly an hour, things began to improve within the little family. William�s enthusiasm for the subject grew with his father�s encouragement, and he went into great detail about their training routines, the mistakes he�d learned to correct and the one�s he was still working on.

Elizabeth�s anxiety began to lessen as she watched her husband and son talk. Will was so very changed by his experiences, she could tell, but she hoped with every fiber of her being that once his heart was returned to its proper place that things would get better for them.
It was strange, sitting here with Will in the room. It was like a strange dream. Elizabeth found herself unsure of how to act, and she could sense an edge in her husband that had grown considerably rougher while he�d been away. He had always been rather solitary, keeping all of his emotions inside, but now he seemed almost as hard as stone, and while there was some warmth there, Elizabeth was afraid of what she would find if she looked too close. She felt like a stranger with Will, putting on her best smile and doing all of the things she knew were expected of her. She loved him still, this changed man, but it was an unfamiliar love she knew she�d have to weather. Her words to William had applied to herself as well� they all needed time to adjust.
Just at that moment when Elizabeth was telling herself that everything would be all right, William said the one thing that Elizabeth knew in an instant would change everything.
�And when Mother was play fighting with Uncle Jack, she actually forced him over-�
�Uncle Jack?� Will�s spine stiffened and he turned to stare at Elizabeth. �Jack Sparrow?� he asked.
Elizabeth nodded hesitantly, and opened her mouth to explain.
Will didn�t give her a chance. He stood up so that he was practically looming over her. �What was Jack Sparrow doing here?� he asked in a low voice.
William looked at his parents in confusion. �Uncle Jack came -�
�He�s not your uncle,� Will said sternly. �And I�m still curious as to why he�s such a familiar presence in this house that my son would have occasion to address him as such.� He was looking at Elizabeth as though he�d never seen her before.
Elizabeth didn�t know how to even begin to explain the odd circumstances surrounding Jack�s sudden arrival, and many of the details she would prefer left unmentioned; especially in the face of Will�s extreme reaction. �Jack appeared a few days ago,� she started. �He just showed up and William found him on the beach��
�The beach,� Will clarified, �where you take our son to learn how to be a filthy pirate?� The recent visit from Calypso was swimming in his brain and he knew he was overreacting, but Will couldn�t suppress the suspicion that had risen in him. Jack and Elizabeth had a past, after all.
Outrage rose in Elizabeth�s face, but William beat her to a response. �Pirate�s aren�t filthy,� he said, jumping to his feet. �Mother is King of the Pirates and she�s wonderful, and the men we�ve met have always been good to us.� He stared at his father angrily, but looking as though he would cry. �And Uncle Jack is the best pirate ever! He told me stories, and played games with me, and someday he�s going to let me join his crew!�
Will leaned over the table. �Jack Sparrow is a base-souled devil, and no son of mine will serve under his flag.� He was breathing heavily. He needed to regain some control. �Go to your room, William,� he said quietly.
William opened his mouth to retort but Elizabeth stood up quickly. �William, please,� she said firmly. �Go to your room. I�ll come to see you to bed shortly.�
Shooting a look of betrayal at his mother, William glared one last time at his father before hurrying from the kitchen.
Will waited until he heard the boy�s bedroom door close. �Quite the young cockerel you�ve got there,� he said.
�How dare you?� Elizabeth said in an angry even voice.
Will whirled to face his wife. �How dare I?� he asked incredulously.
�Yes, you. You had no call to speak so horribly to him. He�s just a boy,� she said. �If you�re angry about Jack, you can blame me, not him.�
�I wasn�t blaming-�
�No, but you did scare the life out of him.� Elizabeth was furious. �And you�ve no reason to be upset about Jack�s visit anyway,� she said. �I didn�t tell you because there hasn�t been time. He showed up two days ago and one of the neighbors found him here. We said he was my brother so as not to cause a scandal, and he stayed until this afternoon when he could use your return as an excuse to leave again.�
Will stared at Elizabeth. He wanted to believe her, but he couldn�t help wondering if Jack had been the reason Calypso had appeared in his cabin that very afternoon. �And he was a perfect gentleman?� he asked with sarcasm.
�Even if he weren�t,� Elizabeth answered, �you should have a little more faith in me. I did manage without my husband for ten years, I hardly think I would ruin all that within the last two days.�
Will bit his angry tongue, knowing she was right, and that he was out of line. His experiences with Jack Sparrow had taught him to be on his guard, especially where Elizabeth was concerned, and although he hated the idea that the man had been in his home, there was nothing he could do about it. �I�m sorry,� he said, releasing the tightness in his shoulders. �I had no excuse��
Elizabeth resisted forgiveness for a moment. Then, �I understand,� she nodded. �It�s been a very long day for all of us. Why don�t you clean up the dishes while I check on William, and then we�ll get some sleep.�
Will complied, and Elizabeth went after her son. Opening his door, she softly called his name but the boy didn�t answer her. He was curled on his side, eyes shut, apparently fast asleep. She gently brushed the hair from his face and kissed his cheek, whispering, �good-night.�
The door to his room closed again, and William opened his eyes. Listening to her footsteps retreat down the hall, he quietly got out of bed and pulled the covering off of his pillow. Quickly filling it with clothes and a few odds and ends, William at last stood on his bed and took down the pair of swords from the wall. Pausing, he looked at them for a long moment before at last discarding them on the floor. He�d get new ones, better ones.
Carefully opening the window with as little noise as possible, William slipped from the room and out into the night. There was plenty of time before sunrise would carry Jack and the Black Pearl away from Port Royal, and on this voyage, there would be one additional member of the crew. If he were lucky, William would be long gone before anyone noticed him missing.

She was in his arms again, and her hands were tightly entwined in his hair. His lips were on hers, and she kissed him with a hunger born of loss and longing, and of years spent without him. Her skin was warm to the touch, and as she traced the muscles of his abdomen, the soft hiss of his breath against her ear further enflamed her until she could barely stand to be so near.

And yet she could not get close enough, even as her clothes melted away from her body and his bare flesh melted against her own, he was still too far from her. She mewled softly in agony, and he laughed silkily into her hair, whispering his love in an almost reverent voice. She cried back her own impatiently, pulling his face to hers as gently, fluidly, he entered her body.

Finally, perfectly, she was home; she was at peace. �Jack,� she whispered.

And in her dream, Jack smiled and answered back, �Lizzie, my love�.�
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The Flying Dutchman