Now by PineappleIce
Pairing: Elizabeth/Will
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 348
Warnings: Spoilers, character death
Summary: Elizabeth makes a decision. Post-AWE

"Mrs Turner! Mrs Turner, where are you going?" The kind grey eyes of the merchant vessel's Captain were confused and dark as he stared at the woman he had found floating in the ocean.

Water. She was alone here, sat in the tiny boat, her eyes burning from the sunlight reflecting on the endless blue sea.

"I don't belong here." A pause. She was climbing over the side, into the rowing boat. She looked back at the Captain. "I'm sorry."

Her throat was dry... so dry. Her skin was burning from being in the sun. She closed her eyes.

"Wait!" The Captain stepped forward, but froze as the young woman produced a pistol and pointed it at him. Her brown eyes were determined, and he noticed for the first time that they were dark and serious, caused by seeing too much of the world. "Who are you?" he breathed.

Now her throat was closing up. Now even when she opened her eyes she couldn't see. Now she was smiling.

"I'm Elizabeth Turner." A wicked grin crossed her pretty face. "I'm the Pirate King."

She was somehow no longer sitting in the boat, but sprawled on the floor. Hair, bleached from too much sunlight, covered most of her brown face, and now she was gasping for breath through it.

"Where will you go?" the Captain had shouted as the boat hit the water.

Now her breathing had all but stopped.

She had looked back up at him, a grin on her face. It made her look younger, almost carefree. "To find my Mister Turner." She swept the hat off her head and held it to her heart. "Thank you, Captain."

"Will," she breathed.

Silence. Darkness.

Elizabeth Turner died that day.

The Captain turned to his men, who were stood in silence, staring. "Safer to let her go, I feel," he said.

"Elizabeth?" Now there was light, warmth, and a pleasant twisting feeling in Elizabeth's stomach she had missed. His strong arms lifted her gently to her feet. "Oh, Elizabeth... why?"

Their foreheads were resting together. "I couldn't wait ten years."

He smiled sadly. "Perhaps not." His arm snaked around her shoulders. "Come on, then. To eternity."