A/N: I would consider this to be my first really serious piece of writing so please give as much con/crit as you'd like. I wrote this in a span of about 5 hours this afternoon but hopefully, you like it and please review!

Disclaimer: POTC belongs to Disney.

Elizabeth had everything packed. She was perfectly ready to go. Her house was tidied up and all that remained was for her to walk out and leave. But something was stopping her. He was stopping her. How she so desperately wanted to go.

The days felt like years when she was alone. And she had ten years worth of waiting to do. A year and two months, in actuality, but still. It was a long time. And she wasn't sure if she could do it. It hurt her. It hurt her how awfully things ended between her and Jack. Finally. She allowed him to once again enter her thoughts, despite her ample attempts at forgetting him over the course of the past year. She wanted more than anything to go and find him but one look at the chest… that black chest that caused her so much guilt.

She was guilty of a lot, really. And she felt that guilt. She was guilty of making Will feel betrayed when she kissed Jack. She was guilty of killing Jack. She was guilty of getting Will killed. Perhaps it was indirect… but she still felt it was her fault. And now, because of that mistake, he was cursed to spend ten years on a dreary old ship in the land of death. A truly cursed fate, indeed. Not that her fate was so much better but it was the least she could do for her husband, wasn't it?

But he's not even your husband, is he…

No. It was true that there had been no rings, no marriage papers… no proper ceremony. It all happened so fast, it was like a dream. She could barely remember anything except for the pleading look in his eyes when he asked her to marry him, the torrents of rain pouring on her face, the sight of blood and death, and the worry she felt. Not worry that she or Will would die… but worry that Jack was alright. That he would live to see another day. She didn't go all the way to World's End for him to die that day, it wouldn't have been right.

And then Will died. And she thought she had died, too. But Jack saved her. He saved her from certain death. And how did she repay him? By leaving. Forever. It was him, however, who didn't want to say a proper goodbye. She wanted to kiss him, to get to experience him one more time. He was the one to say that once was enough. It was probably for the best, really. After all, she had a promise to keep now. She had to be faithful. And she thought that she would have no problem being faithful to Will. Sweet, caring Will…

But the heart. It brought back so many memories, evoked so many emotions. Because it was through that chest that she ever came to have any feelings for the Pearl's captain. It was when they searched for that chest together that she learned the secrets of the compass and discovered what her heart's true desire was. It was through that chest that she was able to finally know what it was like to be a pirate, to be free. To act on selfish impulse…

She had been curious. And her curiosity got Jack killed.

Elizabeth shook her head, sending those disturbing thoughts away. She set down her bag and walked to the closet where the chest was hidden. She carefully opened it and ran her fingers delicately over the heart-shaped lock.

"Will you keep it safe?"

"Yes."

I'll keep it safe, Will. I'll keep your heart safe. But as for mine… I think it was stolen long ago. And I don't know if I can get it back.

A single tear ran down her cheek which she wiped with the back of her sleeve, closing the cabinet, wishing that Will could hear her apology.

I'll be back. I will… Will…

She held her head up high, determined. She would go. She would get back what was rightfully hers. She could live like this no longer. She had a matter to settle and she wouldn't rest (not that she had had much rest in the past year) until it was done.

But first, she'd need to find a way of this wretched island. It wasn't even that scenic! She couldn't believe how careless Will had been when he chose to drop her off here. It was a boring island with a few jagged rocks and a couple of trees. It was nothing special. Not only that but it was lonely. She was so alone. And being alone tends to cause a person to lose a bit of their common sense, which is what she attributed the sudden spark for this venture to.

She had grown accustomed to talking to herself, pleased with the conversations she had. Although they always seemed to land on one specific topic. Needless to say that the topic was the sole reason for her utterly unbearable heartache.

Why had he left? Why hadn't he come back for her like she thought so many times he would? It had already been more than year… he'd had plenty of opportune moments, as he so liked to put it, to come and see her. To whisk her away into a life of forgotten sorrows and cherished moments. But no. He left and didn't come back and she doubted he ever would. So if he wouldn't come to her, she would go to him.

It was awful not having him around. It was like she had no rock to hold onto, no joy to feel, no air to breathe. She was literally wasting away on this island and refused to do so any longer. Here I come, Jack. Here I come.

She picked up her bag again and walked out the door, locking it behind her and throwing the key into the wind which landed it in an obscure part of the beach. She didn't run after it. She didn't even care. For she had a feeling she would have no use for that key after this final adventure. There was only one key that she would hold on to… the key to the chest. The key to Will's freedom. Freedom…

It seemed like such an obscure state of being. Almost intangible. As though it had come and gone from her life, never to return. Not with the choices she had made, at least. Some might envy her life. She knew that. They might think that she has the freedom to do what she wants, living on her own, no one to answer to or take care of. But her life was far from that painted picture of false bliss. It was the complete opposite.

She was in a personal hell. An invisible prison from which she could not escape. Bound by a promise to stay, secluded from the rest of the world, from the man she loved, but dared not to believe so. Did she even believe in love, anymore? In anything? There was not much to believe in. Not where she was. Perhaps she should be thankful. Grateful that she is alive but sometimes, the fate of James, Sao Feng, her father, and even Davy Jones himself seemed more enviable than her meaningless existence. Sure, she was living and breathing on the outside… but on the inside, she was dead. She was cold and felt nothing but sadness when the sun rose because it was just the start of another ordinary day that only caused her to dwindle into nothingness.

But now, things were finally looking up. She looked at the world in a whole new light. Soon enough, she would see Jack. She would see him. He had engulfed her. Even in his lack of presence he tormented her so. It wasn't just a passing fancy, no. She had a burning need to see him. To see what it was like. Again. Forever.

She bartered her way to Tortuga, doing things she wasn't proud of, including begging. Something a pirate king should not do. But she was determined. Desperate. Anxious?

Yes. Anxious. She was nervous as to what his reaction would be. If he was even there. What would she do if he wasn't? Would she continue searching for him, or just go back home? She was surprised when her heart made up her mind for her.

The trip to Tortuga didn't take but a few days, much to Elizabeth's pleasure. She wandered around the streets aimlessly, looking for any sign of the pirate captain or his ship. Looking for any sign of him.

If only I still had the compass…

Her high hopes urged her to continue the search and she entered the first tavern she saw, scanning the room for a mess of black hair. She found nothing. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She saw Gibbs sitting the corner drinking rum and approached him, smiling as he gagged on his drink upon seeing her.

"Miss Elizabeth!" he shouted with wide eyes. She was the last person he'd expect to see here.

"How are you, Mr. Gibbs?" she asked as casually as possible, taking a seat next to the astonished old man.

"What are ye doin' here? Tortuga's not the place for a lass like ye, you know." A fatherly concern evident in his slightly more than surprised voice.

"I'm looking for Jack. Do you know where he is?"

Once again, he choked on his rum and looked at her grimly, his mouth forming a thin line and she knew that meant bad news. Her eyebrows furrowed and she bit her lip as she nodded slowly, encouraging him to go on. He set his bottle down with a sigh and eyed her sympathetically before casting his gaze to the side.

"'M afraid I don't know where he is, Lass. Last I saw of 'im was about a year ago when he got the Pearl stolen again. Barbossa, o' course. An' then he got the charts to the Fountain o' Youth and set sail on 'is dinghy. Haven't heard from him since."

Involuntary tears began to well up in her eyes as she thought of all the horrible things that could have happened out at sea.

"Do you… Do you think he's alive?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"I've no reason to believe otherwise. But it's nigh unusual not to hear from a captain such as Jack in such a long time. And it ain't just me. No one's heard of him in a while, not even his… lady friends. Least not anyone on this side o' the world."

"I see." She whispered tonelessly. "And where do you think I could find him? How do I find him, Gibbs?"

"I wouldn't know where to begin. Maybe he went after the Pearl. Maybe he got lost at sea."

"Don't say that!" she shouted, slamming her fist on the table, tears flowing freely now. "He's alive, I can feel it. Where else would he have gone? Please, tell me anything you know."

"Why is it you're in such a hurry to find him? I thought ye were to be lookin' after the heart?"

"I'm afraid it's more complicated than that, Mr. Gibbs. It's not about promises anymore. There are… some things… I have to do. Some words unspoken. I need to before I can move on. If I ever will move on."

"Ye didn't hear this from me but I reckon Jack's keepin' a low profile, just waitin' to take his ship back. Probably pretendin' to be some deckhand or something. Anything to get close to the Pearl."

"Any other ideas?" she asked; pleaded; begged.

"Shipwreck Cove." He added after a few moments staring pensively at the ceiling.

"Shipwreck Cove?" she echoed, astonished. "Why would he be there?"

"His father's getting' old."

"His father?"

"Aye. Captain Teague. I think ye met 'im at the Brethren meetin'."

"Teague is Jack's father?" her mouth agape.

"Aye. Anyway, someone needs to take his place as Keeper of the Code and Jack be the rightful person to pass it on to. It's possible he's there, learnin' the tricks o' the trade."

"Would he be so close and not even think to come see me? Shipwreck Cove can't be but a few miles from where Will left me. He wouldn't be there." She said, shaking her head assuredly.

"Well, 'm out of ideas, Elizabeth. I've no idea where the captain is."

Elizabeth turned her head away from Mr. Gibbs and started at her boots, almost giving up. Until finally, an idea came to mind.

"Tia Dalma." She said, her face was one of realization; of possibility.

"Dalma? Ye mean Calypso?" he inquired, confused.

"Yes, Calypso! It's perfect. I don't know why I didn't think of it before."

"In case ye don't remember, she wasn't exactly… on our side."

"I know that. I don't mean the goddess herself. I mean she was a priestess, right? She knew things far beyond our comprehension. There were others like her, I remember. I could just ask one of them!"

"They've all gone. With Calypso, to the depths of the sea."

"Then what hope is there for me?"

"Well, sometimes what ye're lookin' for is right… behind ye." He ended in an awed voice, looking behind her with utmost interest.

Slowly, as if anticipating a huge pang of disappointment, she turned around and came face to face with the one person she was searching for. It was Jack, Captain Jack Sparrow, in all his glory. Yet that heartbreaking look of solemnity didn't leave his face, not even upon seeing her. His eyes remained unreadable and his eyebrows furrowed. She tried her best to smile but it came out broken and looked more like a grimace. She stood up from the chair, trying hard not to lose her balance under his haunting gaze. His eyes narrowed in disbelief and his mouth was partly opened. She felt as though he was looking through her and not at her. As though she wasn't even there. Was she? How could she be sure this wasn't just a dream? How could someone prove to her that this was re-…

"Lizzie?" he asked; questioned; doubted.

"Jack." It was the first time she'd said his name in what seemed like forever.

"I thought… I didn't think… It pointed here. It's the first time it didn't point east. I had to come see… what are ye even doin' here?"

"What's east?" she asked, knowing all too well the answer.

"Does it matter? It's not anymore."

"Let's go." She said, grabbing his sleeve and leaving the tavern to talk somewhere more private, leaving Gibbs with his mouth agape, ready to drink more rum.

Jack's mind was racing as was his heart when he felt her hand touch his arm. It's really her. She's really here. But why? Did it even matter why? She came. And the reason seemed insignificant now. After all this time all he ever wanted was this. He knew he wouldn't be able to live forever without her. He remembered how, when he reached the Fountain, just as he was about to drink its mystically magical waters, his father's words 

ringed in his ear. "The trick is living with yourself forever." He would be alone. An eternity was worth nothing without Elizabeth. She would be the only reason for him to even want immortality. He could not live knowing that she didn't.

Elizabeth stopped next a closed shop and faced him, her breathing uneven and easily audible. Her mind was racing, as well. All she could think of was that he was here! He found her. And with the compass… so that must mean he loves me! I'm what he wants most in this world? Can it be…?

His serious demeanor didn't change as he stroked her hair lovingly and leaned in, his breath hot against her ear.

"Why are ye here, Luv?"

Oh, how she had missed his voice. Imagining it was one thing. Actually hearing it, feeling it was an entirely different story. And it was real. It was all so deliciously real.

"Why do you think I'm here? Would I leave if it wasn't something important? I feel compelled to tell you that the reason I came to Tortuga this time is for completely different reasons than the last."

"Ye mean Will."

"I mean not Will. I came for you."

He looked into her eyes for a moment and carefully, almost hesitantly pulled her into an embrace and smiled for the first time since his unexpected arrival in Tortuga when Elizabeth nestled her face into his chest and started making some sort of sound. He could not believe. What was… was she… laughing? He pulled back and looked at her, an eyebrow raised.

"Am I missin' something, Luv?"

"I was. But I've found it! Finally. I've found you." She whispered as she got on the tips of her toes and planted a sweet, soft kiss on his lips which he gradually turned into a passionate and fiery one.

He frowned slightly when she broke the kiss to take a deep breath. She cupped his face and looked him in the eye, her bottom lip quivering only making him want to kiss her even more.

"I am sorry. Not just for the kraken. But for everything. For Will, for the way we parted… for not realizing just how much you mean to me sooner. I am so, so sorry. Please forgive me…" she spoke slowly, enunciating each word carefully, on the verge of tears.

"I'm guessin' ye didn't come all the way here to apologize, Luv. But for what it's worth, I forgave ye a long time ago."

"Why didn't you come?"

"Why did ye… why didn't ye ask me to?"

"I didn't think I had to. I thought you knew."

"I didn't know anythin', Elizabeth. I still don't know."

"Jack, I love you… what else do you need to know?"

"I'd figure that's just 'bout it." He said as he took her in an ardent, one the verge of desperate, kiss. And that was all she needed to know. But he went beyond what she needed. He gave her what she wanted; what she had been longing for all this time.

"I love ye, Elizabeth. No… Lizzie. I love ye, Lizzie." He said, burying his face in her hair, the scent overwhelming him.

She let some tears of joy escape her eyes at the feeling of his warm, inviting lips trailing kisses up her neck. She wanted nothing but to stay. To stay where she was forever.

"Jack…"

"Lizzie… ye've no idea how long I've waited. I wanted to go… believe me, I did."

"Why didn't you? What was stopping you?"

"Ye were, actually. I thought ye'd hate me. Resent me. I didn't want to make things worse between us, Luv."

"Did you get the Pearl back?"

"Aye, I did."

"Barbossa…?"

"Marooned him. Probably escaped, though." He said, smirking.

"And the Fountain?"

"Aye. I found it." His voice huskily serious.

She let her head hang and nodded somewhat. She expected him to brag about how he found it. The key to immortality. And how he would live forever and what a grand adventure he had.

"Lizzie… if ye were to leave, I would die."

"What do you mean? I don't… understand."

"I mean that I'm as mortal as ye, yer highness."

"You found Aqua de Vida… and you didn't drink it?" she asked, trying to process this interesting piece of information.

"Life isn't worth living without ye, Lizzie. Much less an eternity."

She could swear her heart was melting. She had never expected to hear something so sincerely beautiful from Jack. And yet here they were. In each other's arms. A picture-perfect ending.

"I love you so much."

"I love ye too, Lizzie Swann."

She looked up at him and smiled widely, knowing all too well that her name would soon change. Legitimately, this time.

He offered her his hand and she gladly took it as he led her to the Black Pearl, as magnificent as she remembered.

"Welcome home, Luv." He whispered, kissing her with all the love he felt for her. And she kissed back as all her worries faded away into an actual, tangible bliss. Freedom. That was what was in his kisses. Loving freedom. Free love. They were free to love, now. Now…? Always. Forever.

Elizabeth woke up to the sun's rays shining through the window of Jack's cabin. Of their cabin. She yawned and rolled over only to find that her dear husband was missing. Where did he run off to, now?

She got up and walked to the deck, her eyes wandering straight to the helm and there he was, steering his ship with pride. And with James. She smiled at her son. Jameson Sparrow. J.S. Just like his father.

He was teaching their son of only seven years how to steer the ship and how to spot a storm. She smiled at the gleam in James' eyes as he held the spokes of the wheel for the first time, Jack admiring him with a fatherly pride before turning his gaze to her, giving her one of those smirks that still had the power to make her melt, even after all this time.

She reflected on that fateful day in which she decided to go searching for him and found what she had wanted for so long. She found forgiveness, love, and happiness. And a life with which she was content. She laughed at her innocent mistake.

An eternity with which she was and would always be content. Thanks to an act of selfish impulse on her part and a man far greater than the legend. She didn't take her heart back. Instead, she got his. And she was determined to keep it safe. Forever.