Disclaimer: Nothing here is mine. I just flounder helplessly in the glory that is Pirates.

A/N: This is a Will/Elizabeth fic. Huzzah, because they were so cute in AWE! Anyway, please, for the love of goodness, PLEASE tell me if there are ANY grammatical errors and/or spelling mistakes. I'll fix them ASAP. Reviews/concrit very much appreciated!

It's been ten years.

It's been ten years, and he can still remember her. He remembers her golden hair and her sparkling eyes; he remembers the feel of her skin, smooth and soft beneath his hands. He remembers the words she said to him ten years ago, and he remembers how she meant them.

But so much has changed in ten years.

It's been so long. What if she's changed her mind? What if she's found someone else to share her life with? Gods know, he wouldn't blame her. No one wants a husband they'll only see once every ten years. But what if she's not there?

Clearly, being temporarily immortal doesn't protect one from the dangers of uncertainty.

He knows she's still alive, at any rate. Every day for the last ten years, every soul he's seen, he's given thanks it's not hers. He doesn't think he could bear it if it were.

But enough of that now because the ship is clearing the surface, and he can feel the Sun's warmth for the first time on ten years. He can feel for the first time in ten years, and it's wonderful. He's approaching the island now, and if he squints, he can just make out a figure standing on the shore. He prays to all higher powers that this isn't a dream because he's waited ten years for this, and he's counted every minute of every hour of every day.

As the ship draws closer, he feels a tightening in his chest and it takes a moment for him to recognize it as joy. Elizabeth is standing on the shore smiling at him, and that's when he knows it's going to be alright. She has waited. She still loves him.

It's been ten years, and he's finally coming home.