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Proper Husband Material

Will covered a yawn with his hand, knowing that he would get in trouble with his wife if he let show just how bored he really was, and tried to focus on Governor Swann's words.

It wasn't working.

The words, spoken with such earnestness and pride, were going in one ear and out the other, Will's thoughts barely touching them as they did so.

He knew what they would be anyway, wishes to he and Elizabeth for a long life of prosperity and love, orders to him to take care of his 'little girl,' orders to Elizabeth to behave for her husband to be, and stay, as always, within the realms of propriety.

He would be glad when the Governor finished, and he could leave, return to the smithy and bask in the silence that he found there. He knew that Brown was out, indulging in his alcohol as he was even more wont to do these days, and he would have the smithy to himself.

Tuning back in to what the Governor - would he have to call him father once he and Elizabeth were married? That thought was more than a little scary - was saying he realized that he had moved on from his pre-marriage advice to planning the engagement party with Elizabeth. That was not something, he decided, that they needed him there for, so he excused himself as hastily as he could without coming off rude, and returned to the smithy.

It was, as he had predicted, silent. It was not, however, empty.

"Fine day for it, eh, William?"

Will blinked once in surprise, then again, trying to reconcile the image in front of him, with what he had thought to be true.

"Was on my way past, 'n thought I'd pop in for a quick visit." Jack Sparrow told him, flashing Will a quick grin. "Needn't look so shocked."

"What are you doing here?" Will asked, still caught up in the fact that Jack Sparrow, the Jack Sparrow, was lounging in Brown's usual drinking chair, acting as if he belonged there.

Jack frowned at him in apparant confusion. "Pretty sure I just covered that, boy. I was passing through, and thought I'd stop by and say hello."

"Oh." Will blinked again. "Hello."

Jack laughed, leaning forward in the chair and resting his elbows on his knees. "I'm guessing that you're a bit surpised to see me, then."

Will leant against the wall diagonal to Jack and nodded. "Just a bit. What are you doing in Port Royal?"

"I heard tell there was going to be a wedding in the near future. And I love weddings." He waved his arms in the air to emphasis this point. "So when're you getting hitched, boy?"

Will shrugged, feeling helpless in the face of Jack's excitement. "Elizabeth and her father are discussing that as we speak."

"Hmm. . ." Jack cast a thoughtful look at the roof. "Interesting. 'M I gonna be invited?"

Will was struck with a sudden desperate need to have Jack there at the wedding with him, to have someone that he was close to in his own right, rather than being surrounded by Elizabeth's family and friends, and the various well-wishing citizens of Port Royal.

"I can't." He said softly. "I'm sorry. Norrington. . ."

"I know." Jack nodded sagely. "The man's still out for my blood. None too happy I got away, is he."

Will grinned wryly. "He isn't." Sobering up again, he frowned at Jack. "I want you there. Really I do. But I don't want to see you dead because of it."

"Understood." Jack said. "Don't want to see myself dead either." He sighed, sounding the closest to wistful that Will had heard him. "Would have been nice though. Seeing you all grown up and getting married. Bootstrap would've been proud. And Lizzie's a pretty girl."

Will shot him a look. "Don't go getting any ideas about my fiance, Jack."

Jack shot him a look made of pure innocence. "Wouldn't dream of it. Not my type."

Another look. "I didn't realise that you had a type."

"Sure I do." Jack looked offended. "And Elizabeth's not it."

"Well. . ." Will searched for something to say in response to that. "I suppose that's good then."

Jack nodded decisively. "It its."

Silence feel between them for several moments, and Will found himself wondering why, when he was with Jack, the silence wasn't as deafening as it was with Elizabeth.

It was hard to be comfortable with someone who didn't really know you, and in the past months Wil had come to realise that Elizabeth really didn't know him at all.

It was strange to think that Jack might know him better.

"Nervous?" Jack asked him suddenly, tilting his head to the side to study Will's face.

Will thought about saying no, then decided against it. He was sure that Jack would see right through him.

"Yes."

Jack nodded. "Thought so. Can't be easy marrying the Governor's daughter." He grinned. "But you stole Norrington's woman out from under him. Lucky boy."

Will shrugged.

"No?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "Not so lucky? And why would that be? Trouble in paradise?"

A shake of Will's head. "Not exactly. It's just. . .there's so much I'm expected to do for the wedding, and then I have to be I good husband." He grinned self-mockingly. "I don't know if I'm exactly proper husband material."

"'Course you aren't." Jack's smile was amused. "You've got the pirate blood in you, boy. But you'll be fine. Elizabeth has a thing for pirates."

"And you would know this, of course."

Jack grinned wickedly. "But of course."

"""

They spent the next hour or so talking, Will getting his fears of marriage to Elizabeth of his chest, and Jack trying to assuage them by telling amusing tales of his own experiences with various women.

Before he left, he promised to return again as soon as he could, and Will found himself longing for that moment with fervour that suprised himself.

"""

"Will." Elizabeth let out a frustrated sigh when he didn't respond, and tried again. "Will!"

Will lifted his head from its resting place against the parlour window and turned to face her.

"Sorry, Elizabeth." He didn't sound sorry in the slightest. "I was. . .distracted."

"I noticed." Elizabeth replied dryly. Will was constantly distracted lately, and spent nearly every waking moment staring out at the sea, as if he were waiting for something. No matter how hard she searched his expression, however, she couldn't work out what it was.

"What was it that you wanted?"

She narrowed her eyes slightly, surprised to find that she was dangerously close to snapping at him. It was one thing for him to daydream when they were discussing something trivial, another entirely to do it while they were talking about their wedding.

"We're getting married in a month, Will, what do you think I wanted?"

He smiled sheepishly and, or so she hoped, apologetically. It was a smile that made her want to forgive him entirely.

"I was trying to ask you about the guest list," she told him. "Is there anyone you particularly want to invite?"

She wasn't prepared for the sad, wistful expression on his face. It threw her, and she couldn't imagine what had put it there.

"Will. . ."

"The only person," Will said, his voice choked. "That I. . .particularly want there, can't be."

Comprehension dawned, and with it, the reason for those hours spent gazing out windows. She couldn't believe that she hadn't thought of it sooner.

"Jack."

His gaze, fully focused on her now, was intent. "I miss him, Elizabeth, and I want him to be there. He's a friend, a good one, and was one to my father. It just doesn't seem right for him not to."

It was her turn to apoligise now. "I'm sorry, Will, I wish- " She paused. "I wish he could be there too."

But did she really? She missed Jack, that was true, missed his roguish charm, and the way that he had made her, and Will, laugh. Despite that, she didn't think that she wanted him back in their lives. The way that Will had looked at him, as if he held the key to a life far more compelling than the life of a blacksmith, and the love of Governor's daughter, had made her feel like screaming.

She had thought that he was going to leave her for sure in those moments, leave her and run away to a life of piracy with a man who was wrapped in far too much mystery for her liking.

When he hadn't, when he had told her that he loved her, had kissed her while Jack swam away into the distance, she had been the closest to true happiness in her life. Now she couldn't help but wonder if she hadn't been selfish, hadn't put too much pressure on him to stay with her.

"Will. . ."

"I know he can't come, Elizabeth," Will told her. "I just wish he could."

"""

"Lizzie's in a right foul mood."

Will blinked over at Jack, sprawled catlike on his bed, in surprise.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because I heard her taking that same foul mood out on some of her servants when I passed by the Governor's house this morning."

Will narrowed his eyes. "'Passed by the Governor's house?'"

Jack lifted a hand in a quick wave, as if such things were trivial. "You wouldn't happen to know what's got the young lady in such a tizzy would you, young William?"

Will smiled sheepishly at him. "Possibly."

Jack arched an eyebrow. "Oh."

"We were discussing the guest list for the wedding last night."

"You didn't." Jack shook his head in apparent disbelief when Will nodded. "You are more foolish than I had given you credit for, boy. Elizabeth does not want to be reminded of that which you can never have."

Will bllinked in confusion at him. "What?"

"It's in your eyes, boy," Jack told him, expression serious. "The sea. As plain as day. You want to return to it, and even Elizabeth, with a woman in love's determination to not see what she does not want to, cannot deny it is there forever. I am a reminder she does not need."

Will turned his head to the side, away from Jack's far too serious expression, and stared at the wall. "I don't want to do this."

Jack sighed, very quietly. "What aren't you wanting to do, William?"

"Get married." Will turned back to face Jack, expression almost pleading. "It's too soon. I'm not ready for this."

"You've known the girl since you were eight, Will," Jack replied gently. "That's an awful long time to be waiting, only to find out it's 'too soon.'"

"I don't want to be married." Will told Jack. "Don't want to spend the rest of my life here in Port Royal. These people - I'm nothing to them. I don't mean anything. They know nothing of me, aside from the fact that I'm marrying their governor's daughter. I don't belong here."

"Where do you belong. Will?" Jack asked, voice barely a whisper.

Will leant forward earnestly. "On the sea. With you. I have pirate blood in me, you've said so yourself, like my father. I want to leave here, Jack, I need to leave here."

Jack's mouth was twisted into a frown. "I think you may need to think this through more carefully, William, don't think this be something you wish to do with so little forethought."

"But I have thought this through!" Will exclaimed. "Every day since I returned to Port Royal. I love Elizabeth, and I thought that I did so with all my heart. But I don't, at least not any more. I can't stay here, Jack." His gaze flicked back to the wall beside Jack. "I'd be lying. To Elizabeth, and to myself."

"Will," Jack's voice was quiet, and sounded almost pained. "You need to talk to Elizabeth about this."

Will nodded mutely, as Jack stood, brushing imagined dirt off his clothes.

"I'll be back, Will, and you can tell me if you still want to do this then."

"""

"- and Aunt Charlotte will be arriving next week, with her children - Will, are you listening to me?"

"What?" Will's head snapped towards her. "Sorry."

"Will. . ." Elizabeth began, but a shake of Will's head stopped whatever words were due to follow.

"I need-" Will began, then stopped. "I'm sorry-" He tried again. "Elizabeth, there's something I need to tell you."

Elizabeth waited expectantly, a hard ball of dread forming in her stomach.

"I can't- Elizabeth-" Wills hands were clenched into fists in his laps, and were shaking slightly. "I can't do this, Elizabeth. I'm sorry. I just, I just can't. I don't belong here, not any more."

Elizabeth's own hands were clenched tightly, her nails sharp points of pain in her palm. She could feel tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I need-" he stood abruptly, hands now fisted at his side. "I need to go."

She watched him leave, as blood began to trickle from her palms, and tears began to run slowly down her cheeks, watched as the sunlight began to fade, and her tears slowly ran dry. Watched, dry sobs racking her body, as the moon rose, and bathed the sea in a bright silver light. Watched as a ship appeared on the horizon, drawing closer with every passing second, and tried to find it inside her to be angry, to hate the person she knew was taking the man she loved away from her. Tried, and failed, then curled up in her chair, and slept.

"""

"I told her," Will said softly, leaning against the ship's railing and watched as the lights of Port Royal faded into the distance.

"Aye?" Jack replied, resting beside him, back against the railing. "And what did she say?"

Will bit his lip and shot a guilty look at Jack. "She didn't. I left before she got the chance."

"William. . ."

Will shook his head. "I know, Jack, I shouldn't have. But I couldn't just stay there. I couldn't."

Jack sighed, and leant his head back, staring up at the stars above them. "Don't want you to regret this, Will. If you want to go back there, just say the word."

"I don't."

"Not just now, Will," Jack said. "Ever. If ever you decide that you want to go back, tell me."

Will looked at him, studied his profile as if seeing him for the very first time. Let his eyes roam over the knotted, beaded hair, the sea-worn face. Followed the hard lines of his body, and watched as he swayed back and forth slightly, as if he were an extension of the ship itself.

"I don't think I will," he said with a smile. "But thank you."

"""

"William. . ."

Jack's voice startled Will out of the half-sleep he had fallen into, leaning against the ship's mast.

"Jack?"

"What are you doing here, boy?" Jack sounded lost, and his dark eyes were tired. "Why are you on this ship?"

Will cocked his head to the side in confusion. "What? I told you-"

Jack shook his head. "No. Why this ship. Why not hop onto another ship, one wrought by less dangers, and doesn't have the pride of the Royal Navy, Commander Norrington himself, out for its downfall?"

Will was surprised to find himself blushing slightly. "But another ship wouldn't have had you on it."

Jack blinked at him, eyes slightly wider than usual, and Will felt gratified by the thought that he had managed to surpise Jack.

"Oh."

"""

"Will. . ."

They were seated inside Jack's cabin, Jack stretched out on his bed, Will on the floor, leaning against one of the walls.

"Yes?"

"Why give up Elizabeth to be here?" That same pained expression from earlier was once again on his face. "You could still have been married to the lass, and been to the sea every now and then. You love the girl, why not stay for a while?"

Will traced the hard wooden floor beside hiim with a fingertip while he thought that over, eyes intently avoiding Jack's gaze.

"I didn't love her anymore, I don't think."

"Aye?" Jack asked, and Will could feel him moving closer, getting off the bed to come towards him.

"I used to." Will said softly, contemplatively. "A lot. But things change. People change. She used to mean everything to me, more than anything else. Now she doesn't."

Jack was kneeling in front of him by that point, and Will was still studiously avoiding his eyes. "Oh?"

"I thought that she was the only person I would ever love." Will whispered, cheeks flaming. "I think I may have been wrong."

Jack leant back on his heels, rocking back and forward with the ship's motion once more. "And now you care for someone more?"

Will nodded.

Jack's voice dropped to a whisper. "Who?"

Will finally met his gaze, a tentative half-smile on his face. "I think you already know the answer to that, Jack."

An answering smile grew on Jack's face, and he reached a hand out to lightly touch Will's face. "Aye," he whispered. "I think I do."

fin