Summary: Eilzabeth is given the chance to live her dreams and explore the world and a certian (cough) Captain (cough) and ship help her do just that.

A/N:Alrighty. Just so you have a heads up this is my first "published" (you get what im saying.) Fan Fic and it is NOT a one shot. This is just the first chapter and I wanted to see what you guys thought. This is Not a Will/Elizabeth fic! Sorry to all you guys that are fans of the couple, but this is most surely a Jack/Elizabeth fic! (causeI love them!)

Disclaimer- I own Pirates of the Caribbean...in my dreams! I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. Sniff.

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Chapter 1- Freeing the Swann

"No."

A wave of gasps and murmurs swept through the room as the silent response passed from Elizabeth's lips. She brought her downcast tear filled eyes up to Wills face. His brown eyes stared at her with a mixture of disbelief, shock and surprise, a twisted expression of pain and sadness on his handsome face.

"I can't Will…" A tear made its way down her pale cheek and the delicate features of her face tensed as she choked back a sob. She opened her mouth to speak, find some sort of explanation fitting for the moment, none came and the only thing she felt she could do was whisper an urgent apology and dash from the crowded room.

Will stood at the front, his hand still held out as if he were holding hers. His face had gone from surprised to expressionless. Noticing the room was silent; waiting to see what he would do next he nervously cleared his throat and looked up at the priest.

"I'm sorry…you'll have to excuses me." That was all he said as he calmly walked down the isle after Elizabeth. As Will took his last step out of the prim white chapel he heard a burst of conversation and a flurry of chatter and gossip.

Elizabeth Swann had succeeded in putting a devastating halt on their wedding day.

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Will had spent all afternoon looking for Elizabeth. From her house to the Black Smiths shop he had swept thru town asking any one and everyone that passed him if they had seen her, now as he gazed at her from afar he felt a sudden wave of stupid ness that he hadn't thought of it before. The sea.

There she sat in the sand, wedding dress and all watching as the calm, salty waters gently tugged at her dress and veil, desperately trying to pull them out to sea. Her gaze was fixed on the everlasting horizon and tear tracks marred her cheeks. The intricate pin up of her hair had long since come down and the flowers of her bouquet were limp and frail. To any common passers by she would have looked like a women scorned on her wedding day. If only they new.

Will allowed a ghost of a smile to grace his lips. She truly was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He made his way down to the small beach, his shoes making a soft scrunching noise in the grainy sand and whispered a quiet "hello" as he lowered himself next to her on the sand. Not acknowledging his presence and keeping a firm fix on the horizon and a minute of thick but comfortable silence passed between them as they both stared out to the sea.

"You know I always loved the sea…" she said quietly. "I've always been fascinated by it…the mysteries and wonders it holds…all the places it can carry you…" Still looking at the horizon she let out an airy laugh "When I was little I wanted to be a pirate. I longed for it. Reading everything I could and hearing my mother tell me all the stories…it sounded so exciting, so exhilarating, and I used to think 'There are many things I would give up to have a life like that' I wouldn't have given anything…but I would have give a lot."

Will turned his gaze to her. He had known that Elizabeth had a fascination with pirates. He never knew that she felt so strongly about it though. Since their last encounter with pirates she seemed to make it clear that she detested them and that they were all scoundrels. Did she really though?

She continued, "And then when Barbossa and his men attacked Port Royalsix months ago and all the trouble ensued, my view on pirates completely changed. I thought they were vile and disgusting and I questioned myself for ever thinking it would be exciting to be or meet a pirate." She laughed dryly. "Now it's clear to me that my opinion has changed drastically." She finally tore her gaze away from the horizon and played with the wilted flowers in her fingers, tearing the petals off one by one and watching them blow away in the wind. Taking a deep breath she turned her honey brown eyes on Will and he looked at her curiously. What exactly did she want?

"You know that saying…'You never know what you have until it's gone?'" She asked a bit nervously.

He nodded, having an idea of where this was going, "I do." She put the flowers down and turned her whole body so she was looking him square in the face.

"Well…I miss it Will." Her voice broke and she looked down again unable to face him. "Even though I only really experienced it once I miss it. God…the wind in my hair and the spray of the sea, the excitement of not knowing what could happen at any given moment." She tilted her head towards the direction of the ocean and closed her eyes reminiscing and she spoke, her voice full of passion and life. "Being on a ship with a crew and a Captain and searching for riches beyond your wildest dreams…not having to wear a bloody corset all the time!" He let out a short laugh and smiled at her attempt of humor. She looked up at him, the wind tossing her veil and hair, the sun shining on her face.

"I want that Will…I want it so much I can taste it, and its there reaching out to me and calling for me!" Her face fell slightly and her eyes turned downcast as she looked at the sand, all life gone from her eyes. It was like a breeze came and blew out her candle and she was left in darkness. "But I cant…I…I cant…I mean its-…Oh god look at me…You probably think me ignorant and foolish. I'm sitting here telling you of my dreams when it was I who left you at the alter…on our wedding day…You think me selfish do you not?"

At that moment Will realized that he loved this women so much it would drive him crazy. So passionate and alive with opinions and dreams. She was like a fire that exuded warmth and light but could still scorch you if you got to close. Unfortunately for Will he was already charred and burned from her flame…and he loved her even more for it.

Grasping her smaller feminine hand in his he stared at her for a good long moment, breathing in her beauty with his eyes as if she might vanish before him.

"I do not think your selfish Elizabeth…I think you are a women who knows what she wants and feels that because of her responsibilities and life style that she cannot have what her heart most desires." His hand brushed a lock of unruly dirty blonde hair behind her ear. "But you don't see…that you can have it."Tear's slowly made their way down her cheeks and she grasped her hand in his.

"But Will what about-"

"Elizabeth. I love you." He interrupted her. "I love you so much. You are one of the best things that has happened to me…" She made to speak again but he put a finger to her lips and silenced any sound that was to come. "I love you so much…that I will let you go…"

She couldnt believe her ears. Let her go? He was willing to give up his marriage to the women of his dreams, the love of his life, so she could have her freedom and happiness.

"Will what about you? What about what you want and what only I can give you?" She was openly crying now as she grasped his hand in hers. Will smiled as he looked into her tear filled eyes. If it was possible she looked even more beautiful when she was crying and that made him smile all the more.

"But, what about you? What about what you want? Do you want this? To be tied down for the rest of your life? Having children and raising a family while your dreams slowly come out from under you?" A seagull let out a cry as it landed on the dock and Elizabeth used it as a distraction to look away from the penetrating stare of Wills eyes. She couldn't look at him. It wasn't right…she felt…ashamed and guilty for putting him a position like this.

"I know you don't want that." Grabbing her hand he slowly slid the engagement right off her finger and she watched in morbid fascination and slight panic as he placed it in his pocket and turned to look at her again. "And I also know…that you don't love me like I love you." Her face crumpled and she began to ramble on about how he was wrong and how she did love him. To tell the truth she was a complete mess at the moment and Will again felt a wave of love rush through him for her. How stubborn she was.

"Elizabeth look at me." And she did. She looked into those deep brown eyes and realized what was missing. There was nothing. No rush of love no butterflies in her stomach when he touched her hand. No swells of affection or happiness when he kissed her…nothing. "And tell me that you feel the same way that I feel about you. Tell me that you honestly love me enough to spend the rest of your life with me."

Again she was at a loss for words. It was so simple what he was asking her…yet she couldn't say it. She couldn't. He was offering her the chance of a life time, to go out and do what she loved most. Handing her, her wildest dreams on a silver platter and she was openly trying to decline. She knew all to well why. She loved Will. She did. He was everything she could have ever wanted in a man. Safe, dependable, caring, loving, safe, safe… Safe. Will was safe. She would never be burned with will. She would always be loved and appreciated. He was the kind of man you could spend the rest of your life with and you would never expect him to question you or leave your side. That was just it…she didn't want safe.

She wanted burning passion and all consuming love. She wanted excitement and a fire that burned her and scorched her with the fierceness of love and desire. Passion. Will couldn't offer passion. He could offer fairy tale love. He could offer security and a decent future. With Will she already knew the path she was walking and she knew where it would lead. She truly, madly, deeply…did not want that.

She wanted something else…someone else who could offer her the world and more. Who would take her to the limits and show her the excitement and dangers of life. Who would burn her with passion.

And for the second time that dayElizabeth found herself saying "No".

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