True Love: Forever Reunited

A/N: Hello there everyone!! This story takes place after AWE and the ten years Will must be Captain of the Dutchman. It could be considered a sequel to my other POTC story, True Love, which takes place between COTBP and DMC, and though it isn't completely necessary to read that one first I would advise it because two of the OC's from that story will feature in this one as will some of the events. Anyway, as the writers have said, the curse on Will is broken after his initial ten years on the Dutchman because Elizabeth is faithful to him and this is story follows that. Hope you enjoy!!

Chapter 1: At Last

Elizabeth Turner woke with a start as the early morning sun shone through the window of her small but comfortable home. She had hardly slept a wink the previous night. Ten years. It had been ten years to the day since she had been forced to watch the love of her life sail away on the Flying Dutchman, ten years since she had seen his heartwarming smile, ten years since she had been able to kiss his lips or have him hold her in his strong arms. She didn't know if time passed any more quickly in the world beyond this one, but any way you put it, ten years was a long time.

She climbed slowly out of her bed and gazed out her window which overlooked the sea, and the spot where she had bid farewell to Will. The Empress was docked there, its red sails fluttering in the wind. Tai Huang and the crew had left it to her soon after Will's departure. They had gone back to Singapore, but told her to keep the ship, because after all, she was still captain and Pirate King. She opened the window and heard the noises of the early morning movement of the little town in which she resided. There had been thoughts of returning to Port Royal, but she simply couldn't bring herself to do so. She needed Will by her side before she could face all those memories; memories of she and Will's time together, memories of her father, memories of James, and memories of a life that she could hardly believe ever existed. Because she was a highly educated woman, she had taken up employment as a governess in order to make money. She slipped on her robe and moved down the hallway and slowly opened the door to the bedroom of the other occupant of the house; that of she and Will's son, William Turner the third, or as she had come to call him, Willy. She gazed at him, her heart brimming with love at the sight of his sleeping form.

He was perfect in every way to her, and looked so very much like his father had at that age. Elizabeth absolutely adored being a mother, and having her son around her for these past years had helped her to get through it. Willy was a living, breathing reminder the love that she and Will shared. Tears came to her eyes though, when she thought of how much her husband had missed out on; he had missed Willy's first step, his first word, learning to read. He had even missed out on teaching him the pirate song. It just wasn't fair. Neither was it fair that he had to depart a mere 24 hours after they had first been married. Fate could be cruel, she thought, as she wiped away the tears. But it could have been so much worse, she told herself. If Jack Sparrow had not helped Will to stab the heart and become captain of the Dutchman, then he would have been lost to her forever. With death as the alternative, she would take the 10 years.

"Willy," she said softly as she tapped his shoulder. "Time to wake up."

The boy's dark brown eyes popped open instantly. He knew what today was, and it seemed that he had not slept much either. Elizabeth had told Willy the story of his father at least a million times in his nine years, but she never got tired of it. She loved talking of Will to their son, and he always asked to hear stories of him before he went to bed. Willy was a happy child, but Elizabeth knew he would never be complete until he met his father, and there had been many nights where she had dried her little boy's tears at missing the father that he had yet to meet.

"Good morning mama," he said, sitting up with a yawn, his light brown hair tousled from sleep. "Is papa coming today? You said he would be here today, at sunset."

Elizabeth smiled, pulling her son to her in an embrace. "He'll be here Willy, I can just feel it."

"I hope so," said Willy, returning her hug. "I want to meet him more than anything. Is he really captain of a ship?"

"Yes he is," said Elizabeth in the playful voice she often adopted when telling her son stories. "William Turner, Captain of the Flying Dutchman."

"But he won't have to leave again will he?" asked Willy worriedly, his eyes wide. "I don't want him to leave. I know he had to go and do the job you told me about before, but he can stay now, right?"

A mixture of happy and sad tears brimmed to Elizabeth eyes once again. "No my darling, he won't have to leave again. He can stay. Forever."

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Captain William Turner stood on the deck on the Flying Dutchman fidgeting about, hardly knowing what to do with himself. It had been ten years since he had seen his beloved wife, and it had nearly driven him insane. If it hadn't been for his father's company, he probably would have gone over the edge. It was nearly sunrise in this world, which meant it was nearly sunset in the mortal world and almost time for the green flash to appear, and for him to be reunited with Elizabeth; finally the time had come. Memories of their last meeting flashed through his head; it crushed him that he had had to leave a mere twenty four hours after they had been married. He wondered what she had done in these past years. Perhaps she had sailed on the Empress? He grinned. His wife the Pirate King. He felt a gentle but worn hand on his shoulder.

"Will," said the voice of his father, of the man he had come to know over the past decade. "Are you ready?"

Will smiled. He had grown so close to his father over the past years, and felt a very strong bond with him. "I've been ready ever since I left," said Will truthfully. "But I'm just a little nervous. What if, for some reason, the curse remains, and I am doomed to this forever?"

"You won't be," said his father seriously. "Elizabeth will be there waiting for you. You know that."

"I do know that in my heart," admitted Will. "But what if Calypso appears and tells me I must maintain my job. What if there is no captain?"

"There will be," said Bootstrap in a matter of fact tone. "I'm sure that Calypso already has someone in mind."

Will was about to answer when Calypso suddenly appeared on deck there, in the form of Tia Dalma.

"I do have someone in mind," she answered in that peculiar voice. "But your time on the Dutchman is over William Turner. I have watched your wife from afar, and she has indeed stayed true to you. But for now," she said in a cryptic tone, "You had best bid your father farewell."

Will whipped around, shocked, as his eyes fell on the man who had come to mean so much to him, the one who had been his friend and confidant during this long decade. "I thought you were coming ashore with me?"

Bootstrap gave him a bittersweet smile. "Son, life has been hard on me; I've been undead, sent to the bottom of the ocean on a cannon, and almost been turned into a barnacle upon this very ship. I've been cursed twice, and not to mention I was a pirate, which isn't very easy on the body."

"But…" protested Will. "Why won't you come?"

"Calypso has told me that it is my time to go," said Bootstrap. "And truth be told, I knew before she even told me. My death has merely been delayed by being in the immortal world with you. I wouldn't trade these last years with you for anything Will," he said sincerely. "But now is my time to go. Once you leave for shore I will return to the other side and see what awaits me there. I may have helped to ferry the dead over the last years, but I have no idea what lies on that side. It has always been in my blood to die at sea."

Despite himself Will felt tears sting his eyes. Bootstrap enveloped him in a hug. "I'll miss you father. But I hope to see you on the other side someday."

"Not too soon, I hope," answered Bootstrap with a little chuckle.

"You will see each other," said Calypso in her strange accent. "Everyone is reunited on the other side someday."

Just a few minutes later the green flash appeared and Will found himself in the mortal world once more. Then he felt a strange sensation in his chest that he hadn't felt in ten years; his heart was beating. He grinned; he could see Elizabeth from here. He was feeling so much right now that it was impossible to put any of it into words and he could hardly believe that this was actually happening. Next to Elizabeth however, he saw another figure.

"Who is that?" he wondered aloud.

"Well," said his father. "I have to say that he looks a lot like you Will, even from here. I think that's your son," he said, as he gently put his hand on Will's shoulder.

Will's mouth dropped open, and his heart pounded, which still felt odd. His son? Could it be possible? He had no time to ponder this though, because the Dutchman was almost at shore. He turned to his father one last time.

"I love you father," he said bluntly, knowing that now was no time to hold back anything.

"I love you too son," responded Bootstrap as he gave his son one last hug, tears flowing down his cheeks. "And never forget how proud I am of you. Give my love to Elizabeth and to my grandchild," he said softly.

"I shall," answered Will as he hugged his father tightly.

"Go and be with your family Will," said Bootstrap. "You've waited long enough. I'll see on the other side someday."

"On the other side," said Will nodding.

"Goodbye William Turner," said Calypso, that odd smile still on her face. "I thank you for performing your duty properly."

Will nodded at her and gave her a little smile. Finally, his foot hit the sand. He was off the Dutchman forever.

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The hours passed far too slowly for Elizabeth and Willy. They went about their day, trying to do things that helped the time pass more quickly and lessen their apprehension, but to no avail. Finally however, the time came, and when it was nearly sunset they made their way towards shore. Willy walked a little ahead of Elizabeth, singing.

"We extort, we pilfer we filch we sack, drink me hearties yo ho. We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot, drink up me hearties yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me…." He trailed off, stopping at the edge of the hill and staring off into the sunset.

Elizabeth stood next to him, placing her arm around his thin shoulders. He looked hopefully up at her, and she attempted to give him a reassuring expression. The truth was however, she could hardly breath and her heart was pounding in her chest, which caused her to glance over at the chest next to her that contained Will's heart. As the sun got ever lower, she could still hear his heart beating. Finally the sun went behind the horizon and her breath caught in her throat. She felt Willy movie even closer to her, waiting. Then, there it was; the green flash. Suddenly she couldn't hear Will's heart beating in the chest anymore.

Could this really be happening? Was it really true that he was returning to his family for good? And then she saw it; sails on the horizon. The Dutchman was sailing into shore, and on top of the rigging she could see a figure with a bandanna and a pure white shirt, smiling; Will. She gasped, a smile erupting onto her face as Willy looked up at her once more an unsure smile on his adorable face.

"Mama is that papa?" he asked excitedly. "Is that really him?'

"Yes, it is Willy," she responded as happy tears flowed down her cheeks. "It's him."

"Come on!!" he said as he grabbed her hand and led her down the hillside to the beach. "Let's go and meet him."

Elizabeth ran beside him, and noticed a strange figure appear on the Dutchman as it hit the shoreline; it was Tia Dalma, or as they now knew her, Calypso. She shot Elizabeth a sad, but eerie smile, and Will nodded to her form as he stepped off the ship. She noticed that Bootstrap was on deck as well and he nodded at her and gave her a kind grin. She was too distracted though, to wonder just now about what his fate would be. The minute Will's foot hit the ground the Dutchman and Calypso disappeared, off to find a new captain. It was completely silent for a moment and Will and Elizabeth Turner locked eyes, still several feet from each other. They stood for a moment, drinking in the sight of each other. Elizabeth noticed that Will glanced quickly over to Willy, a surprised, but blissful smile on his face. The silence was soon broken.

"Elizabeth!!!" Will cried out in strangled, emotional voice as they ran towards each other.

"Will!!" cried back Elizabeth in a high voice, tears choking her voice as she too, began to run.

They finally met and collided into each other's arms, both of their faces wet from the salty tears. Will pulled her to him, squeezing her tightly, as though he were desperately afraid that he would be whisked away without warning. Elizabeth leaned her head against his chest, hearing his heart beating inside once again.

"Will….." she said in half sob. "Will, you're here, you're finally here. How I've missed you."

"I'm here," he said in that sweet, deep voice that she had missed so much. "I'll shall never leave you again. Never." His voice shook, but Elizabeth knew that he had never uttered a statement that meant more to him. They went into for a kiss, and it was the most loving, most passionate kiss they had ever shared, because they had been forced to wait so long to have it. "I've missed you so much, my Elizabeth."

Elizabeth smiled into Will's chest as he stroked her hair. "Will," she said gently as they broke apart, not able to take their eyes off each other's faces, as though this were just too good to be true. "There is someone that wants to meet you. Willy," she said delicately as she held out her hand. "Come here and meet your father."

Will looked at his wife and then down at the little boy before him. He looked to be a little over nine years old, and he resembled himself very highly. "This is our son?" he questioned, fresh tears coming to his espresso colored eyes. "This is our son?" he said again, hardly able to believe it.

"Yes," confirmed Elizabeth in a heartfelt tone. "This is our son, William Turner the third. Or as I call him, Willy."

Will instantly pulled the boy up into the air and into his arms, holding him tightly against his chest. "Willy…." he said, his eyes closed as he held his son even closer. "My boy, my blessing. I will never leave again. I promise you with all my heart. I dreamt that you might be here," he said, happy tears running down his cheeks.

"Papa," responded Willy in a soft voice. "Oh papa, I love you," he said as he placed his little arms around Will's neck and squeezed his father close to him.

"I love you too my son," said Will, the word sounding foreign but welcome on his tongue. "I love you so very much."

Will set little Willy back on the ground, and Elizabeth noticed that neither of them could stop grinning, both of their eyes wet.

"Papa, papa!!" exclaimed Willy the minute his feet hit the ground. "Will you give me a piggy back ride? Please!!!" He begged, sticking out his lower lip, a tactic that always worked on his mother.

"Of course Willy," answered Will in a hearty tone as he lifted his son up on his shoulders. "Here we go!!" Willy laughed as his father began to walk.

Elizabeth smiled, and Will reached out for her hand, and held it tightly, while keeping one hand on Willy's feet so that he didn't fall. "I'm home," said Will in a whisper, so elated that he didn't know what to do.

"Yes," said Elizabeth, her soul feeling so alive with him by her side. "You're home. For good."

At this point Willy began to sing the pirate song once again, and he pleaded with his parents to join him. And so they did, and the Turners walked along to their home singing at the top of their lungs.

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!!!"

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A/N: Hey everyone!! I hope you like this first chapter of many to come!! Just a note; yes the 10 year curse is broken because Elizabeth is faithful to Will, and therefore his attachment to the ship is broken and he can be with his family permanently. As to the whole heart issue, I guess people are still debating whether or not Will is immortal or mortal when he returns permanently home, but for the purpose of this story he gets his heart back and is mortal. It could work the other way too, I suppose, but I'm going to do it this way. Please read and review!!