I was just suddenly inspired for this oneshot. I was reading my reviews for "A Few Minutes" and I came up with idea.
Summary: Will and Elizabeth share a moment. Set directly after Dead Man's Chest.
Disclaimer: Do you think I'd be writing about Will if I owned him? Yeah, I didn't think so.
William Turner, a young man by anyone's standards, suddenly felt very old, and was possibly in the strangest predicament. The last few years of his life had been a whirlwind, and he honestly didn't remember half of it. What he did remember was merely a feeling; fear, anger, love. The very marrow in his bones seemed to ache, and what he wanted was to lie down for several days and simply sleep. But he never did get to have what he wanted. It was such a strange thought, and possibly the most arrogant thought to have ever crossed his mind, but it was true.
His dirty and calloused fingers gripped the small knife he was staring at, watching as the blade glinted in the dim light. His eyes ached for sleep, but he was wide awake. His wrist ached from constantly throwing the knife down onto Tia Dalma's table. His heart ached from the loss of Jack, and the loss of his Elizabeth. No, there had been no freak accident where she had slipped on a splinter and the monkey had eaten her, but he had the harrowing feeling that her heart was no longer his. Strangely, instead of feeling angry, he merely felt sorrowful that he would not be the one to be Elizabeth's everything. He sighed slightly at this thought, a few of his oily bangs falling into his eyes. He didn't bother to move and push them out of the way.
Will's very limbs felt heavy from the strange air that floated about in Tia Dalma's home and from the lack of sleep, but he did not want to sleep. He wanted to stay awake, and think of all that had transpired. Adrenaline no longer shot through his blood, and he was left feeling startlingly empty. He lifted his brown eyes and did a quick sweep of the room. Barbossa (Will never did think it would be a relief to see him) was speaking with Tia Dalma, Gibbs and the other pirates were already sleeping, propped up against the wall, and Elizabeth was sitting alone, across the room from him. Her beautiful face looked up, and his heart wrenched. Her face was contorted with grief, and she looked like a lost little girl. Though he doubted she would welcome it, he moved from where he sat to cross the room and settle down beside her.
"How are you?" He asked softly, arching his neck to kiss her forehead. He wanted to do more; he wanted to take her up in his arms and protect her from the world, but if she was no longer his, it was not his place.
"Well." She responded, giving him a fake smile. Seeing that he did not believe her, she sighed, tears filling her eyes, springing unbidden. "Oh, Will." He could hear the tears and emotions choking her. "I am afraid." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Will moved his arm and placed one around her shoulders, drawing her to his chest. She settled against him, one hand on his shoulder, and the other arm around his back. It was a familiar position and it gave him great comfort. There was something very soothing about Elizabeth, even when she was covered in sweat, grime and blood. He didn't mind the small squelch that came when their clothes came into contact. She was absolutely radiant, and it ripped at his heart that she was in pain. Even if she was crying over her love?, Will was absolutely enchanted by her. He loved her, and that wouldn't change simply because she didn't love him. First and foremost, he was her friend, and a friend didn't abandon their friend when they were in pain.
"All shall be well." He soothed her softly, his chin on the top of her head. "I promise, Elizabeth." His voice was somewhat stronger, but he was not stronger, and Elizabeth could tell.
She sat up, pulling away from his grasp and wiped her own tears away. She could feel that Will was tense, everything about him spoke of anguish. She knew what he thought. She remembered the look of desperation and despair that he had tried to cover with a harsh question as they left Jack to be consumed by the kraken. She knew that he wasn't really angry with her. Hurt, of course, but never angry. Elizabeth slipped her hand into his.
"Thank you, Will." She gave him a small smile, but it faded to a solemn look. "Do you really believe I love Jack?" She asked, a hint of amusement in her voice, but the slight entertainment faded as Elizabeth gazed into Will's endless brown eyes and saw the pain there. He would never say it aloud, but he believed that she had given her heart away to another man.
"Well, I don't." She continued stubbornly. "I…" Here, her voice shook violently. "I chained him to the mast. I knew it was him the kraken was looking for. I knew it, and I didn't want the rest of us to be hurt by him. I'm sorry I… I did kiss him, Will. But I'm not sorry." She declared honestly.
Will sat forward, turning his torso to look at her. Her posture was strong, through her beautiful eyes glimmered with unshed tears. Her chest visibly moved as she struggled for breath. She put a hand against her mouth, looking away from him. The fear she trembled with was almost tangible; he could almost taste it. He felt a strong wave of concern for her, and it didn't even register to his mind that she didn't love Jack, and that she loved him. He just wanted to soothe away whatever ache plagued her, and make her world, at least for a moment, complete and right. He placed a frightened hand against her cheek, gauging her reaction.
Elizabeth did her best to smile, but could only turn into his touch and press a kiss to his palm. There was nothing more she could say. She had run out of words. She desperately wished he would speak and say anything. Though his hand against her face was comforting and offered some warmth to her cold soul, she couldn't stand the silence between them. She was willing to accept the consequences of her actions; the cold shoulder for a few days, him screaming at her, anything. Even if he called off their engagement. Just as long as he said something and expressed emotion to her. His eyes spoke novels of his emotions, of his conflicted mind, of his love for her, but she wanted to hear his voice. She wanted to listen to him speak his mind and explain his heart to her. For so long, it had been her relying on him for emotional and physical support. Just for once, she wanted to be his rock and his everything. It made her feel unimportant, as if he didn't need her, and she wanted him to need her.
"Elizabeth, I wanted to be very angry with you when I saw you kissing Jack. It… broke something in me. Though now all I want is to save my father and to simply be his son, I want to save you from the gallows. I felt as though I had been plunged into the sea and left for dead." His eyes were focused on the floorboards beneath them. "I felt alone. In fact, I've been feeling alone for a long time. I understand why you did what you did, and I'm grateful, but I still have one question. What happens when we rescue Jack and get to the end of this mess?" His eyes momentarily flickered up to meet hers, before focusing on the floor once more.
"What happens?" She asked aloud. "What happens, Will, is we get married. I'm so ready to be married, especially to you." She reached a hand up and dragged her fingers gently through his greasy and tangled hair. She smiled fondly at him. "Jack is a temptation for me. He is freedom, but I've realized something."
"What?" He asked curiously.
"I don't want that freedom. I don't want the freedom Captain Jack Sparrow," She said with much bravado. "Can give me. I want the freedom I have in your love. I am free to simply be whoever it is that I am. And that's what I want. I am tempted by Jack's dangerous nature. But I find solace in your love. You are all I need. Jack is just a meaningless want." She looked down at her hands curled in her lap.
"I know that if I followed through with him, I would only be left in pieces. Jack is ultimately selfish, though he is a good man. He has only ever looked for pleasure in me. You only ever looked for my wellbeing. Will," She tilted his chin upwards. "I love you. I love you more than anything I've ever known. I want you for the rest of my life. I don't think you understand that. I want to wake up next to you. I want to mother your children. I want to take care of you. I want to protect you." Elizabeth held his head lovingly in both of her hands. She absentmindedly brushed one of his rare curls from his eyes. "You have been everything to me, and I want to be everything to you."
In that position, Elizabeth cradling her love's head gently, they stayed for several minutes. Both refused to look in the other's eyes, afraid of what they might see there. Elizabeth feared that he would leave her, though she did not doubt she deserved it. Will was afraid to see a lie, that her beautiful words that rang true in his heart, that she would tear his heart out and leave him for freedom and a dreamer's life, where she would find only pain and death. He swallowed heavily. He wanted to love her; he wanted to be the only one that captured her heart. In truth, he wanted the same things she did. He wanted to be her husband, to give her children that would be as beautiful as she, to provide for her in every way, and to love her in every way imaginable. He wanted to elicit frenzied cries from her in the throes of intimacy and passion. He wanted her eyes to be only for him, for his eyes were only for her.
"Will?" Elizabeth asked softly, letting her hands fall from his face to her lap. "Are you alright?"
Will looked up at her. "Honestly?" She nodded, and he continued. "No. I'm far from all right. I still think you want him." He admitted.
"I don't want Captain Jack Sparrow." Elizabeth declared, looking straight into his eyes. "Don't you see, Will? I never wanted him. I only wanted what he symbolized for me; freedom! And you see what freedom was cost us. I've had my adventures. I want to go home." She told him tearfully. "I really want to go home."
Will gave her a tentative smile that flittered on and off his face. Bemused, he wanted to hold her and give her comfort. Yet at the same time, a more violent side that hardly ever reared it's ugly head wanted to scream and shout at her, and disregard her words of love. She had kissed another man, and they were betrothed. But, he thought, calming the beast inside him that ached to come out, he did understand why she had kissed Jack, and he understood she didn't want Jack. She had wanted freedom, but didn't want that freedom anymore. She wanted him. He smiled, and that smile stayed on his face. What a curious thought. She loved and wanted him, in the same way he wanted and loved her.
"What?" A small smile found it's way onto Elizabeth's face, though she was confused.
"You love me." He said, as if discovering this for the first time.
"I do." Her smile grew into a grin. "I do, Will."
"Are you willing to say that again in the future?" Will asked her, his tone slightly mischievous.
"Of course, Will. I already promised you I would." She trailed a finger down his jaw line and then leaned forward slightly, looking into his eyes.
There were no words to describe Will's relief. A strange, though not unwelcome, peace descended upon him as he kissed Elizabeth gently, one hand snaking behind her neck, pulling her close. He drew away from her after a moment of selfish indulgence, and then brought her to his chest, where she settled against him. He closed his eyes. Though they had a long road ahead of them, which would be fraught with danger and likely death, he could escape and enjoy this moment for now, and then bottle it up. He would remember it when life seemed at it's cruelest and when he was close to his death and look fondly upon the promises made then.
"I love you, Elizabeth."
But she was already asleep against him, exhausted by the pain of losing a good man and the trials they had faced. He smiled at her sleeping form, and adjusted himself. All would be well. As long as he had Elizabeth to remind him of all that was good and right in the world, he could go the distance needed to survive.