Elizabeth dropped her sword in shock. She was on board the Flying Dutchman with Will, her first visit since their wedding day. It had been five long months since she had seen him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. They had been fencing when Will had told her what he had found that he could do.

"What?" She asked, dumbly.

"I can bring someone back," Will paused as recognition began to stir behind her eyes, "I can bring your father back."

Elizabeth brought her slim hand to her mouth in shock and confusion, looking away from her husband to the vast sea. Traitorous, convoluted thoughts twisted in her head – did she want her father back? She chastised herself for thinking such a thing, but she couldn't help but feel that she wasn't strong enough to lose him again. After a moment she felt Will's hand on her shoulder and she leant back into him.

"When?" She asked tentatively, now that the shock had worn off she couldn't wait to see him again – how she had missed his company, and Will's and, she thought with a wry smile, even James Norrington's – living without them, in Port Royal, was a lonely affair.

Three days later they were nearing their destination, near World's End. She couldn't believe she was here again – every breeze and sound reminded her of what had happened only months ago yet seemed like so many lifetimes. After the events of the battle with the East India Trading Company, Elizabeth had come to the conclusion that although she had enjoyed her adventures, she wanted to settle down – something she never thought she'd hear herself say. She had, after marrying her sweetheart, retired to Port Royal, living comfortably on her father's lands and estate, waiting for Will to return to her. She had considered going back to England and rejoining London society, but her heart had won out – despite the bad memories that accompanied the good, the Caribbean would always be her home.

There was a shout from the crow's nest from Bootstrap, "We're here William!" Then with a sheepish note he added, "Captain Turner."

Elizabeth started from her thoughts and looked around her. It was day this time. Will had told her that they wouldn't need the green flash this time around. She could hear the thundering falls nearby and was reassured by the sound of the anchor being dropped. They were here.

She looked down anxiously as Will climbed into the small rowboat. Once he had settled he looked up at her, waiting expectantly for her to join him. She hesitated, not wanting to ask for help – it would make her look foolish. She was grateful to be wearing breeches instead of a dress. Gingerly she climbed down the rope ladder until she was level with the boat. Suddenly she realised she had completely forgotten how she was supposed to dismount the ladder without falling into the rowboat, or worse, the sea. Thankfully she was saved by Will who came up behind her and lifted her into the boat by her waist.

Elizabeth sat timidly at the prow of the small craft, wishing that all her sense of adventure and rebellion hadn't left her. She watched with detachment as Will efficiently cast off the lines and begin to row them a small distance from the Dutchman – they were rowing from the side of the ship protected from the brutal water flow. When they were about 100 metres from the vessel Will stopped, extending a hand beneath the surface of the water, willing the sea to hold them in place – a perk of being the Dutchman's captain. Elizabeth smiled sadly at his form, as he frowned in concentration. The air between them had been tense and uncomfortable in the last few days. Elizabeth realized that the two of them had never spent so long together in each other's company. On their return from the Isla de Muerta she had only ever spent time with him on the deck, when she wasn't reading in Norrington's quarters, talking with her father about her ill-fated wedding or taking a turn around the ship with the Commodore himself. Elizabeth felt a sudden pang of loss as she thought of her once fiancé. She had truly wronged him, she realised now. "What has the world done to you, James Norrington?" she recalled her words, with the realization that the world had inflicted his love of her on him. Looking again at her husband she felt a rush of guilt, guilt that she had carried with her since her wedding day. When Will had kissed her fantastically, heroically on the Black Pearl she had felt disappointed. Disappointed that that fairy tale kiss had lacked the meaning and, if suppressed, passion of the one James had given her only days before.

Will withdrew his hand from the water and turned to face her, taking in her delicate form – he couldn't help but feel that she had changed in the short time since had seen her last, she seemed more fragile and even, god forbid, more domesticated. He saw her gazing into the horizon wistfully, mourning he supposed for her father still. A small niggle of doubt raised its head – or is he mourning her separation from Jack? Regardless, she belonged to him. He still couldn't understand how she could have changed so much in such a short amount of time.

"Will?" He was startled from his reverie by her throaty voice. He remembered himself and began to explain what they needed to do.

"You need to get into the water," he ignored her shudder of discomfort, "and swim downwards, I'll hold onto you with a rope, so you won't get away, you need to call your father and he should come to you. Once I think you have him I'll pull you back. You need to be clear when you call him otherwise there's no knowing who will come through."
Elizabeth was disturbed by his lack of comforting words or detail but decided to place her trust in him one more time. She looked into the depths of the water with trepidation, not liking to dwell on how cold the sea would be.

"What happens if he doesn't come? Can we try again?" she asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

"He'll come." Will said, evasively.

"Will?"

He sighed, and conceded, even in her new temperament she was still persistent – maybe there was still hope.

"No. If it doesn't work that's it. You won't be able to try again," at her shocked expression he elaborated, "You can't try bridging the two worlds again, your body just won't be able to take it."

Elizabeth nodded, almost in defeat, she turned to the water again – she was ready. She pulled her overcoat off, a thick jacket of fur that Will had bought especially for her in the Americas. Will was shocked to see that underneath she wore non other than the Navy coat that the Commodore Norrington had given to her when she was aboard the Dauntless. She stood up, and Elizabeth made to pull the coat off, but then thought better of it, tightening the sash that closed it. Will gave her the end of the rope, carefully measured so that she would just be able to reach the other side, but not enter fully. She tied it around her sash with shaking hands and Will was again struck by her frailty. Taking one last look at Will she stepped off of the boat.

It was so cold. Elizabeth's mind seemed to freeze. After a long moment she remembered what she was meant to do and began to swim down, feeling the rope around her waist become more and more taut as she went. There was a light ahead! She swam with determination now. As her hands made contact with the glowing surface she felt the rope tighten up, struggling against it, she reached her hands through – feeling warm air on the other side. She pulled against Will's hold again but was unable to pull away, with dismay she realized that she was beginning to run out of breath, in panic she called out into the ocean, "Please? I need you! Come back to me!" large bubbles bloomed in front of her and as her eyes began to dim she felt Will pulling her back. Defeat overcame her and she watched with grief as her arms pulled back from the other side.

Just as her hands were about to re-emerge she felt something grip them tightly and her mind cleared at once. Feeling a sharp tug on the rope she squeezed the hands and pulled them towards her, with the last of her strength. She saw her hands entwined with long masculine fingers reappear from the light, and with that her world went dark.

Will pulled the rope as hard as he could, frantically leaning his weight into extracting her from the water, she was heavier now, and he could only hope that she had found her father. Suddenly the rope went slack, toppling him backwards in the boat, and he watched the water in shock and horror. What was happening? After a few moments he saw Elizabeth's dark hair coiling to the surface and leapt forwards seizing her shoulders, dragging her desperately to the boat. He watched in anticipation a moment before he was relieved by a sharp intake of breath from her prone form. He felt the boat lurch sharply and turned to see the man she had saved. But it was not the man he had expected.

Rolling over the side of the boat with great heaving gasps and racking coughs was none other than the former Admiral Norrington.