Ready, Set, Don't Go
By: Slayerchick33
Summery: Weatherby's thoughts on how much Elizabeth has grown the day before she gets married to leave. Only thing is, Weatherby's having a hard time letting Elizabeth go.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Pirates and the song belongs to Billy Ray Cyrus.
Flashback:
"Father! Father!" The young twelve-year-old Elizabeth shouted excitedly at the top of the stairs, seeing her father enter their large estate. The young blonde lifted her skirts and bounded down the stairs to give her father a 'welcome home' hug.
"Hello darling." Weatherby said, getting down on his knees to her level to gather his only daughter into an embrace.
"I've missed you so much, father." Elizabeth muffled against her father's jacket. Weatherby had been gone for two weeks on a voyage to settle and sign some documents on the island of Dutchenberg with it's newly appointed governor.
"I missed you too darling." Weatherby smiled, placing a piece her now blonde curly hair behind her ear. "So, what have you been up to since I've been gone?"
"Regular stuff, I guess." Elizabeth said, grabbing her father's hand and holding it in her own as they walked into the parlor. "I got to play with Will a couple of days ago! I've missed him too, he's been so busy lately that it feels like I haven't seen him in years."
"Well he is growing up, Elizabeth and so are you."
"Yes, I know. But, guess what?" Elizabeth said with stars in her eyes, looking up to her father.
"What?" Weatherby asked, sitting down in his chair.
"Will's coming over today, he told me so. Mr. Brown gave him Saturday's off, so Will's coming over to play with me." Elizabeth said excitedly about her best friend.
"Oh really." Weatherby said. It wasn't that he didn't like Will Turner, he was his daughter's best friend. But she was growing up and would be starting lessons on becoming a woman when she tuned thirteen. As much as Weatherby didn't want his little girl to go, he promised her mother that she would be taught by the best teachers in Port Royal.
Just then, a knock was sounded at the door.
Elizabeth gasped. "That must be Will!" She said turning around and running to the door to greet her best friend. "Will!"
Weatherby got up and walked out of the parlor to see Elizabeth greeting William Turner with a friendly hug.
"Good afternoon, Miss. Swann." Will said shyly.
"Will, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Elizabeth?" Elizabeth giggled. Her laugh sounds just like her mothers, Weatherby thought to himself.
"Welcome back, Governor." Will said to Weatherby, noticing his presence.
"It's good to be back, Mr. Turner." He said to the boy.
"Father, we're going to go outside and play." Elizabeth said before heading out the door.
"Elizabeth!" Weatherby called after his daughter.
"Yes father?"
"Be safe." He said simply.
Elizabeth smiled. "I will father."
Weatherby stood still by the door, listening to his daughter and her best friend's laughter. Too be young and carefree again. Not moments later, the door opened again, Elizabeth's head poking through.
"Father, can I ask you something?"
"Of coarse."
"Will and I created an obstacle coarse and we need someone to tell us when to go. Could you come outside and tell us when to go?" Elizabeth asked, thinking her father would say no.
"I'd love to." Weatherby answered truthfully. He never got to do anything with Elizabeth when she went out to play, and now was the time he would finally be able to. In fact, Weatherby didn't do much with Elizabeth as they did make in London. She now had Will as her playmate and by the time he was done with his governor duties, Elizabeth was getting ready to go to bed.
Father and daughter walked to where Will was standing by the big palm tree in the Swann's front yard. Elizabeth went and stood next to Will about a foot away from him at their invisible starting line.
Weatherby went and stood behind the two friends. "All right now. Ready…Set…Go!" Weatherby shouted as the two took off together. Just how it has been since they arrived in Port Royal. They were always together, creating dreams together, just like best friends do. Like lovers do.
End Flashback
She's gotta do what she's gotta do,
And I've gotta like it or not.
She's got dreams too big for this town,
And she needs to give them a shot.
Whatever they are
That was Weatherby's most favorite memory of his daughter. Sure, he had many memories with his only daughter, but that was the one most present in his mind. It was probably the time Weatherby knew that Will had developed feelings for Elizabeth, which is why he made Elizabeth grow up so fast. So she wouldn't fall in love with William Turner. If Weatherby could try to think of any reason why those two shouldn't be together, his mind went blank. Sure, in the beginning he could think of a million reasons why they shouldn't be together, most of them regarding their class. But in the end, none of that mattered. He knew Will loved his daughter and would do anything to protect her, which was enough for Weatherby.
Weatherby sat in the chair of Elizabeth's room, watching her pack her many dresses into a suitcase to move into her new house with Will. Today was the day before hers and Will's wedding and she was finally packing her things to move. You think she would have packed a week ago when they finally got the house, but not Elizabeth. She told me she was waiting for the opportune moment to pack her stuff, apparently it settled on the day before she was to marry.
He looked out the window to see the carriage that was almost filled with Elizabeth's belongings, having only about enough room for the bag she was packing and herself.
"Are you sure you don't want to come see the house, father?" Elizabeth asked him again, placing her music box in the bag.
"I'm sure, Elizabeth. Plus, I've pretty sure I'll be over there again, when you and Will are all settled in." Weatherby said. Truth be told, he wish he could go with her. In fact, he wished she didn't have to leave.
Looks like she's all ready to leave
Nothing left to pack
There ain't no room for me in that car
Even if she asked me to tag along
God I gotta be strong.
Tomorrow would be the start of Elizabeth's new life with Will. No longer to be known as 'Miss. Swann', but 'Mrs. Turner.' Tomorrow she would start a new beginning without her father to lean on, but her husband to lean on. Will would be there at her worst, to dry her tears, and comfort her from her fears. They were truly in love, and sometimes Weatherby had trouble believing that. But truth be told, he would just tell himself that to make him feel better about Elizabeth getting married. He was truly afraid of letting go of his little girl.
Weatherby turned around, hearing a gasp come from his daughter.
"Oh my goodness! Father, look what I found!" Elizabeth said. Weatherby was suddenly brought back to when she was ten years old and finding her first sea shell. The excitement in her house made her sound like a five year old. Oh how he wished she would turn five right now.
"What is it?" Weatherby asked, walking toward her.
"It's the pearl necklace mother gave to me before she died." Elizabeth held up the necklace for her father to see. "I thought I lost it." She paused for a moment, admiring the necklace. "Father, will you put it on me?"
Weatherby took the pearls out of his daughter's small hands as she went to hold up her long, blonde hair. He clasped the necklace around her slender neck and she let her hair fall around her shoulders.
Elizabeth turned around to face her father and gave him a smile. "How do they look?"
"You look just like your mother." Weatherby stated.
She's at the startin' line of the rest of her life
As ready as she's ever been
Got the hunger and the stars in her eyes
The prize is hers to win
She's waitin' on my blessings before she hits that open road.
Baby get ready,
Get set,
Don't go.
"I love him so much, Father." Elizabeth said, folding some of her petticoats. "And I know you really don't approve of Will, but he's everything to me." She turned to her father. "When I'm with him, I feel whole. Like everything in my life has finally fallen into place. All the good and bad things that have happened to us, I don't regret them. It's like what mother used to say to me, 'Everything happens for a reason, never regret anything.' And I'm finally starting to understand why."
Weatherby placed a smile on his face, trying to hide the pain he was feeling inside. He truly did not want Elizabeth to leave. He wasn't ready for her to leave. Weatherby recalled when Elizabeth would always say 'one more, father.' One more bedtime story, one more piece of cake, one more minute of playtime. Oh how Weatherby wished he could hear his only daughter say 'one more, father,' just one more time. But she didn't need one more. All she needs is William Turner now. The one Will Turner.
She says things are fallen in place
Feels like they're fallen apart
I painted this big 'ol smile on my face
To hide my broken heart
If only she knew.
The last bag Elizabeth was packing was almost full, only enough room for the petticoats she had been holding. It was almost time for Elizabeth to leave to go to her new estate. Weatherby asked himself why he was acting like this, knowing she was only going there to drop off her stuff and put them in the necessary places. She would be back later, by supper time and stay for the night. Tonight would be the last night Elizabeth would spend in the Swann mansion. Tonight would be her last supper with just her father."It's almost time for me to go, father." Elizabeth said, handing the last bag to a servant to take down to the carriage. Elizabeth stood close to the door, taking a good look at her now almost empty room. Everything was taken down to her and Will's new house except for her bed and her smallest dresser. "It looks so empty."
"Not entirely empty." Weatherby said, opening the closet and pulling out her gold wedding dress.
Elizabeth smiled at her father. Oh how Weatherby would miss those smiles he would receive everyday from his daughter. Weatherby wanted to tell her so bad not to get married, at least not yet, not until he was ready. But truthfully, he would never be ready to let his little girl go. So Weatherby gave his daughter a smile back and kept his mouth shut, not getting in the way of Elizabeth's dream to marry Will Turner.
Not getting in the way of letting her wings spread.
This is where I don't say what I want so bad to say
This is where I want to but I won't get in the way
Of her and her dreams
And spreading her wings.
Elizabeth walked out of her room, or former room as of tomorrow, Weatherby in tow, shutting the door behind him before looking in her room once more. It's been her room since they moved here, and it has changed so much. When we first moved here, it was much more childish, but now, it was the room of a grown up woman.
Elizabeth stopped at the stairs waiting for her father. Before she descended down the stairs, Weatherby grabbed her hand.
"Are you still too old for your father to hold your hand while we walk?" He asked her.
His daughter smiled. "Not today." She said, squeezing her father's hand before heading down the marble staircase.
When they reached the bottom, Elizabeth kept her hold on Weatherby's hand, not letting him walk outside to wave her off. "I need you tell me something, father."
Weatherby stood in front of his daughter and waited for his daughter to continue.
"I know that you don't approve of me marrying Will, but I want you to tell me that it's okay for me to marry him. I want to hear your blessings." Elizabeth asked, tears forming in her eyes. She loved Will, she only wished her father would accept that.
"At first, Elizabeth, I didn't want you to marry Mr. Turner. But now that I think about it, I believe you two were meant for each other. You grew up together, playing silly games and racing each other this way and that. And now that you're all grown up, and ready to take the biggest step in your life, I completely approve of it." Weatherby said, tears forming in his own eyes, tears falling down Elizabeth's.
Weatherby leaned forward and placed a kiss on Elizabeth's forehead and wiped away the tears on her cheeks. "You're ready for this Elizabeth. You've been ready. I was the one who wasn't ready. It's not easy letting my only little girl go. I just wasn't ready to let you go."
"Are you ready now?" Elizabeth asked, wiping her tears away.
"I don't think I'll ever be ready, darling. But I do know that Will loves you and you'll take care of each other and that's all a father needs to know."
Elizabeth lifted her arms and wrapped them around her father's neck, bringing him into an embrace. "I love you so much, father."
"I love you too, Elizabeth."
She's at the starting line of the rest of her life
As ready as she's ever been
Got the hunger and the stars in her eyes
The prize is hers to win
She's waitin' on my blessings before she hits that open road.
Baby get ready,
Get set,
Don't go.
Elizabeth gave her father one last hug before stepping into the carriage. "I'll be back by the time supper's ready.""Elizabeth!" Weatherby said suddenly.
"Yes, father?" Elizabeth asked.
"Be safe."
Elizabeth smiled at the familiar words. "I will, father."
The horses in front of the carriage started trotting down the dirt pathway out of the Swann mansion. Elizabeth poked her head out of the carriage window and waved 'good-bye' to her father.
Weatherby waved back to her, smiling at her. He truly was happy for his daughter, as much as he didn't want to admit it. He knew that she would be safe because Will would be there with her. Elizabeth no longer needed her father's shoulder to lean on, she had Will's now. And as much as he's going to miss her laugh he hears everyday, miss her smiles, and just plain miss her, Weatherby knew that she was going to be fine. After all, she was ready to get married to Will.
Weatherby heard stories of his friends daughters getting married and how they felt sad, but happy at the same time. He dreaded ever feeling this way, but knew it would happen sooner or later. And frankly, he loved the feeling. He was happy for his daughter, true he was sad that she would be leaving, but she had stars in her eyes when she waved 'good-bye' to him. That's when he knew she would be fine.
No father ever likes seeing his little girl grow up, but every father has to do it sooner or later. But Weatherby had the ride of a lifetime watching Elizabeth grow, learn, and love.
She's at the startin' line of the rest of her life
As ready as she's ever been
Got the hunger and the stars in her eyes
The prize is hers to win
She's waitin' on my blessings before she hits that open road
Baby get ready,
Get set,
Please don't go.
Soo I pretty much love this song and thought it was perfect for Elizabeth and her father.
What did ya think??
R&R!!
Deuces!!!
Slayerchick33