Legal Note: I do not own any of the characters associated with Pirates of the Caribbean. I do not have any legal right to use them or any other proprietary words originating from these movies. This story was done just for the fun of it. Not for profit. If you like it please tell me. If you don't like it please tell me why with particulars but not excessive detail.

Author's Note: In September of 2009 I expressed to my friend Pirate-on-fleet-street an interest in writing a few oneshots with unusual pairings (ones that are not Sparrabeth or Willabeth). We decided that it would be fun to cooperate on such an undertaking. This story and eleven others are the products of that venture. We hope you will enjoy them.

Summary: Takes place between DMC and AWE. Will is brooding and drinking alone in a tavern in Tortuga when an old friend asks him about Jack and Elizabeth. PAIRINGS CHALLENGE

She Loves Him

The tavern stank of sweat and spilled rum. The atmosphere was heavy with smoke and the room where Will Turner sat was dim. It suited his mood. He sat at the same lone table as Jack Sparrow and Mr. Gibbs had plotted to turn him over to Barbossa in exchange for the Pearl. That wasn't exactly true but four tankards of rum had somewhat clouded Will's thinking.

Elizabeth had gone off with Barbossa to find passage to Singapore. The plan to rescue Jack was madness, surely. But he'd thrown in his lot with the rest of them at Tia Dalma's house. He was bound to help them. But he had plans of his own. He needed the Pearl and where Jack was the Pearl would be. Madness or not he was going to the Locker.

"Is that William Turner I see in the dark there?" a familiar voice said.

"I am," Will mumbled laying his hand to the hilt of his sword. The last thing he wanted was a fight right now. He could barely stand. A fight would be nearly laughable.

"I thought it was you." It was a young woman who seated herself next to him and plunked down a fresh bottle of rum. "What are you doin' in Tortuga? I heard you was gettin' married."

"I was. Wedding got postponed," Will said looking at the girl. He tried to focus and finally made out her face. "Anamaria? I haven't seen you in more than two years."

"Aye. I've been keeping out of sight," she said pouring herself some rum and topping off Will's. "With the East India Company restrictions I've had to run me cargos at night and mighty close it's been a time or two. What brings you here? Where's Elizabeth?"

"You heard about Jack?"

"Everyone's heard about Jack," she said glumly. "Witty Jack finally ran out of luck."

"We're going to get him back." Will slugged back a mouthful of rum.

"You've been drinking too much." Anamaria looked around as if searching. "Where's Elizabeth? Has something happened?"

"Something?" Will chuckled humorlessly. "She kissed Jack. That's what happened. She kissed him and then he went down with the Pearl and now she's..."

"She's what, Will?" Anamaria asked gently. She saw the pain in the young man's eyes.

"She's... I don't know!" Will growled. "Elizabeth's different now. Things aren't the same between us."

"Ah. I see. And you think what?" Anamaria prodded.

"She loves him! That's what I think." His voice was filled with brooding pain. Hurt was writ on his face. "She loves Jack and now we're going to get Jack back from the Locker. And she loves him."

"How do you know she loves Jack?" Anamaria filled his tankard again. "Is she sleeping alone? Did she tell you she loves him?"

"Sleeping alone?" Will's fuzzy mind didn't catch the implication. "Of course she's sleeping alone. Who would sleep with her?"

"I thought you..." The light dawned for Anamaria and she smiled. "You two never..."

"Never what?"

"You two never slept together," she giggled and shouldered him playfully.

"No!" Will was embarrassed. "We wanted to... to wait. Until after."

"So what is it that you've been doin' for the last t'ree years, Will Turner?" Anamaria was enjoying the young man's discomfort.

"I've been teaching her how to use a sword."

"Oh is that what you're calling it?" She giggled again and poked him in the side. "Want to give me a sword lesson?"

"What?" Will recoiled from the poke and was confused by her words.

"Now, William Turner," Anamaria chided. "Don't tell me that for t'ree years you've gone without. A fine looking man like you? No woman?"

"I've been faithful to Elizabeth."

"So I guessed." She frowned at him. "And now she's in love with Jack. Where has your faithfulness gotten you?"

"I..." Will had no answer. He just stared in puzzlement.

"Come now, Will. Don't sit there sulking in your mug." Anamaria was close to him now. Her voice soft. He could feel the heat of her touch on his arm. He smelled the salt sea in her hair. And her eyes were so dark and deep a man could lose himself for eternity there. "Come away wit' me now, Will. In the morning you can t'ink and decide what you'll do. Tonight let me take away those troubles. Put them aside for the night. In the morning I'll let you go. Go and do as you will. And if you come back for me I'll still be here. But I won't ask you to. That's not my way."

When they kissed nothing mattered anymore for Will. All the frustration and hurt and anger dropped from him like an anchor cut from its cable. His head spun and her lips were soft and they went away together.

Additional Note: If you enjoyed this story and wish to read the other stories in this challenge you can find them on my profile and on Pirate-on-fleet-street's profile. fanfiction(dot)net/u/1931701/