To Live, To Die, And To Live Again

A Pirates of the Caribbean one-shot:

I've never been surrounded by so much death. People falling around me. Friends...enemies...I can't even tell which is which anymore. And the rain doesn't help much either. But there is hope...Elizabeth and me are finally married...some what. I never planned on marrying the love, my world in the middle of a great battle.

Now, I was aboard the Flying Dutchman cutting down anyone in my path. Jack was somehow suppose to get the Dead Man's Chest, that's the whole reason I'm hear. I have faith in Jack to get the chest, but what if something went wrong? Then everything would be in vain. Suddenly, I hear a shout. Someone jumps on top of me and pins me down to the deck. I stare up into the eyes of my father.

"It's me!" I shout over the roaring wind. "William."

The crazed look in eyes doesn't go away. He shouts again, raising his sword. I gather up all my energy and push him off me. He rolls across the deck. My heart sinks. I can't do this...not to my father. I can't. I jump to my feet now. So does he. He comes charging towards me again, sword drawn. I block his blow with my sword.

"It's me...!" I cry. "You're son..."

He stops for a moment and stares at me. His eyes seem to change, just for a moment. He puts his hand up to my face. His lips move, but I don't think he's saying anything, or nothing I can understand. A small smile passes my lips. He's remembering...but then his eyes change and he gives a yell. He tries to stab me with the sword. I block him. He tries again and I block him. I see Elizabeth now, fighting Davvy Jones. She may be excellent with a sword, but she can not fight off Jones. I try to run towards her but my father was right behind me. I turn back around quickly. I block his sword and knock it out of his hand. I goes flying. He falls against the railing of the ship. I point my sword to his throat.

Suddenly, I hear a familiar cry. I turn to see Elizabeth fly across the deck into the wall, unconscious. Davvy Jones is standing over her, ready to kill her.

This time, I would not put my father before Elizabeth, even though if I left him there, I could lose him forever. I pull out the dagger he gave to me last time I was aboard this bloody death ship. I look at my father. I know he's afraid.

"I'm not going to kill you. I made you a promise!" I say quickly. I raise the dagger and thrust it into the twisted coral that is now part of my father. I won't hurt him, but it will keep hi m pinned down. I give him one last look before I run towards Elizabeth and Jones. He never wanted this fate. He never wanted this fate for me. Now, I can only hope that Jack has the Chest, but it's a fool's hope.

Jones is ready to kill Elizabeth. Jones can't die. Elizabeth can. I thrust my sword into the spot where Jones' heart is suppose to be. He gives a yell. It was probably the stupidest thing I could do, but it was the only thing I could do. Jones gives a small laugh.

"Mencer! Did you forget? I'm a heartless wrench!" he yells.

I try to pull my sword out, but it's stuck. I pull harder. It's not moving. What would Jack say if he saw me now?

"Don't do anything stupid!"

Ha! It was too late for that now! Jones' spun around knocking me in the head. The blow knocks me down. I'm breathing harder now. I glance over at Elizabeth who has just opened her eyes. She looks at me. Worry is all over her face. I try to put all the fear behind me so she doesn't see it written all over my face. I know it could be the end for us. It could be the last time we would ever be together.

Jones is now staring down at me. He follows my glaze over to Elizabeth, trying to pull herself up more. Her eyes glare straight at Jones.

"Ah, love. Dreadful love. And yet so easily, savored." He steps closer to me. He points his sword at my neck. "Tell me William Turner, do ya feel dead?"

I brace myself for the worst. I glance over at Elizabeth, praying that she doesn't do anything stupid either. I know this has to be the end. The end of me... the end of us.

I'll always love you, Elizabeth...always!

"Do you?" Jones turns around. There stands Jack Sparrow holding the beating heart in one hand, a broken sword in the other. Jones pulls the sword away from my throut.

I look over at Elizabeth. I smile. She smiles back. Just like Jack to wait for the opportune moment. Elizabeth's eyes dart over to Jack. My eyes don't leave her. I'm soaking in her sight. I love her...more than she'll ever know. I never want to leave her. I always want to be with her.

"You're a cruel man, Jack Sparrow!" Jones hissed at him.

Cruel? I almost laughed out loud.

"Cruel is a matter of perspective!" Jack replies.

Jones gives Jack a strange look. An evil look. A look I saw before.

It was the look he had when he was going to kill Elizabeth...it was the look he had when I first met him when he killed the sailor that tested him...it was the look he had when he opened fire on the Black Pearl right before the kraken attack...and it was the look he had when he realized I was Bootstrap's son...

"Is it?" Jones asked Jack.

Suddenly, he gave a terrible scream. He turned around and drove his sword into my chest. I screamed in pain. I heard Elizabeth yelp. I saw Jack's expression, his mouth wide open. Jones smiled and pushed the sword farther into my chest. I screamed louder. I have never felt so much pain. I was having a hard time breathing now. Jones yelled something at Jack. Jack just stood there, unmoving. Jones laughed. Suddenly, I see my father jump and attack Jones.

NO!

I wanted to scream, but nothing came out. Elizabeth made her way slowly towards me. I saw she was shaking. Breathing was becoming harder and harder. I felt her hand run through my hair.

"Elizabeth..." I breathed. Just to say that one word, took so much energy.

I knew I was dying, I wanted to fight it...I didn't want to leave Elizabeth forever.

Elizabeth was struggling to find the right words to say. My eyes were starting to close. I kept fighting the urge to close them, but when I did my energy became less and less.

"Elizabeth...I... love you..." I whispered. My eyes started to close.

"Don't leave me...don't leave me..." I heard her crying. The words echoed through my head.

I kept trying to breathe. I wanted to tell her, "I'm not leaving you...", but I couldn't. Darkness was about to take me. The pain was unbearable.

Yes...I thought. I just want it all to end..

Suddenly, I felt someone grab my hand. My eyes shot open. Jack was now next to me.

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth gasped.

"Saving Will." Jack said simply. "But it could be a fool's hope."

I felt something in my hand. I didn't bother to ask what is was...I already knew. I felt Jack raise my hand and bring it down into the heart of Davvy Jones.

Good old Jack...I thought.

I gave one last final sigh and closed my eyes.

"Nooooooooo!" Elizabeth cried.

Oxygen ran throughout my body. My eyes shot open. I coughed heavily. It was a little hard to see at first, but then the dark shapes around me became faces. The crew of the Flying Dutchman was standing around me and so was my father. He smiled.

"The Dutchman must always have a Captain." he said as he helped me to my feet. It was hard to stand at first, but he helped balance me. He lead me to the steering wheel of the ship. I realized that now it was my duty to bring the souls into the next world. A price for living forever. I grabbed the steering wheel. My father handed me a bandanna. I tied it around my head.

"Orders, Captain?" He asked.

"Prepare to fire."

I glanced over across the water to the Black Pearl. Jack was standing at the railing smiling. I gave him a nod. He yelled something to his crew. I turned the ship and started to sail right towards Beckett's ship as the new Captain of the Flying Dutchman.

"Let's finish this!" I said.