Disclaimer: I don't own POTC or anything to do with it, blah, blah, blah...

I know I really shouldn't be posting this when I have three stories to update, but... oh well. I felt like writing a short story on POTR and so... here it is.

It's Will and Elizabeth. I still don't get all those people who make Will so weak... it disgusts me. Don't take it personally; that's just my opinion. I also don't understand why people do WillJack and that stuff... I mean, you've got Will and Elizabeth, a guy and a girl MADE FOR EACH OTHER.

Again, that's just my little opinion... -whistles innocently-

Um... I can't whistle... -cough-

Place

The winding stairs came to an abrupt stop at her feet, Elizabeth's dress sweeping the already well-swept floor of the main corridor.

There was a ball to occur in the manor tonight, celebrating the engagement of the governor's daughter. But Elizabeth wasn't wearing a corset. No... after that incident, she doubted she'd ever don one again. And no one could make her. Even her father couldn't. The girl's stubbornness was good in at least one aspect.

Even without her corset, the governor's daughter was beautiful. Shining like the morning star, Elizabeth was dressed in an silver dress, intricate patterns of gold sewn into the fragile fabric. She didn't have a hat; the ball was to be in her own house, after all. It was late... the ball was beginning.

Elizabeth let go of the stair rail slowly, and paced with a great ladylike manner to the ballroom, listening with feigned interest to the beginning music. She and Will were to start the ball. But Will was nowhere in sight.

Making her way through the crowd of lords and ladies, Elizabeth gazed around the empty floor, searching for her husband-to-be, searching for her love.

But he wasn't there. He wasn't by the fire, he wasn't by the wine. He wasn't speaking to her father or Norrington or...

She felt tears gather at her eyes, blinked them away. She refused to cry before her guests. Pushing through the crowd again, Elizabeth found herself in the main corridor, sitting on the steps and weeping her heart out. So that was it. He just ran away. He knew he was to be here... knew just how important this was. Elizabeth dabbed her eyes with a silver handkerchief, wondering for the millionth time where he was.

Did this mean he didn't love her? Did this mean he had just wooed her as... a joke? An attempt to raise his status? Why?

She was so lost in her thoughts that Elizabeth did not hear the front door creak open slowly, did not see a face peek through. She didn't hear as the person stepped slowly through the doorway, closing the door gently after them, and didn't see them near her in confusion and in doubt. But she did hear their voice.

It was gentle, afraid, shaking, trembling with fear... but strong, strong in courage and in love.

"Elizabeth?"

She looked up to see heaven smiling down at her. Will... He placed a hand under her chin, kneeling as he raised her face to his.

"Elizabeth... what is wrong?"

She didn't answer, only threw herself at him, hugging him fiercely, clutching him firmly as if to ensure that he was real. He stood, lifting her with him slowly as he wiped away her tears.

A lone tear flowed down her cheek as Elizabeth smiled warmly. He kissed it away.

"What happened?" she whispered softly, stroking his cheek.

He kissed her lips lovingly, the kiss lingering.

"It is a long story..." he whispered, "And I'm not sure we have the time right now."

Elizabeth gulped and nodded, wiping away her tears and all signs of sorrow. She took his arm and together, slowly, they swept through the crowd and into the ballroom. Elizabeth nodded to the orchestra and the instruments began a slow waltz, letting Elizabeth and Will hold each other close. It was slow, ideal for talking... but they made not a sound. Each was lost in the other's eyes, focusing on their steps together, their identical heartbeat, their held breath and the warmth of their hands intertwined.

Slowly, bits of the crowd broke off, couples coming to dance as well. In time the entire ballroom was filled with slowly dancing couples, some in love and some in polite rejection.

Elizabeth kissed him lingeringly at the conclusion of the dance, and whispered quickly in his ear, "I must speak to father now... wait for me."

Will nodded as his love ran off, smiling at her retreating form as the dancing figures swallowed her from sight.

He felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to a pretty girl, no more than Elizabeth's age, smiling at him. He smirked, wondering what would come of this. As a gentlemen would, he asked the girl to dance, and out of politeness, did not object when the flirt placed her head on his shoulder. He looked around for Elizabeth, sincerely hoping that she would come soon and take this wench's place. He was looking down at the girl when his fiancée arrived.

She just stood there, smile fading from her face, joyous eyes dimming with tears and horror. What she saw was what anyone else would have seen; Will, looking down at some other girl, clearly cheating on his Elizabeth.

He looked up and caught her shaking her head in disbelief, stumbling away, backing to the corridor, betrayal playing in her eyes.

"Wait!" he shouted after her, trying to rid himself of the girl clinging to his arms fiercely. "I didn't... It's not what it... Elizabeth!"

He pushed the wench from his arms and raced through the crowd after her, pushing several formal lords quite informally out of his way.

"Elizabeth!"

Slammed the door of her room in his face when he caught up to her. Banging on the door, Will shouted her name again and again. Her grip was weakening. He heard her weeping behind the door. Throwing one strong hit at the door, Will charged through it. The door slammed shut after him. Grabbing her hand, Will held her tight despite the girl's fierce struggle to be free.

"Elizabeth..." he said softly, "Tell me... what did you see?"

She looked around at him, more horror, more tears, more betrayal in those deep brown eyes. Will gulped. Wrong move.

He just made himself look guilty.

"I..." started Elizabeth, swallowing her tears, "I saw you... betraying me. I saw you... with that... that..."

"Wench." Will finished for her, gathering his love into strong arms.

"Will..." she breathed into his chest, closing her eyes in pleasure despite her evident pain.

He smoothed her hair, kissing her head lovingly as he held her.

"Elizabeth... You know I would never do such a thing... I was being polite, as a gentleman would." He pulled back slightly, holding her chin. Will smiled, a soft smile that suited his words.

"Would you have me turn down every girl that wishes for at least a moment to dance with me?" he muttered.

Elizabeth swallowed and blinked away her tears.

"Yes." She replied in a hoarse murmur.

Will chuckled, and kissed her cheek, letting his lips linger on the smooth texture of her pale skin a while before his thoughtful reply.

"But you must make up for ever beautiful girl I don't get a chance to spend time with." He said, feigning seriousness as he knew that no girl, no matter how pretty, would ever, ever be able to take Elizabeth's place.

Elizabeth understood just as much, clearly, as she nodded and softly whispered an amused reply.

"Deal."

He caught her mouth in his, kissing her passionately as he had on the day Jack had been set free, just before he had asked her hand in marriage. Memories of that day, of Jack and the crew and the Black Pearl played in Elizabeth's mind as she kissed him fervently, desire waking to control, lust and love dulling all else that circled. She remembered the hurt of being ripped away from him on the ship, the pain of believing he was dead... Elizabeth knew what it was to die now, knew what it was to lose everything, all reason for life.

She remembered her last attempts to save him, going as far as consenting to marry Norrington. How that had hurt... and his words in the cavern, reminding her of the fierce pain she had laid unto the both of them, the sharp dagger she had stabbed through his heart and hers.

And she remembered the immense joy at finding him again, the shocked joy and understanding when he, so informally, confessed his love. Perhaps it was a distraction from Jack's hanging, perhaps he had believed that he would die. But he had spoken those words, and Elizabeth wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. Not now, not ever.

She would go through all the hurt, all the pain, all the suffering... all over again, just to be with this man. Just to taste him as she tasted him now, just to feel him as she felt his warmth cushion her in warmth and love. Just to see him, watch him look at her, that love intensely in his gaze. She would die a thousand times just to hear his voice, would hang a million times to smell his scent.

As he pulled back, gasping for breath, smiling down at her, Elizabeth placed her head on his shoulder, pressing herself against him, love binding her in happiness. This one man, her only treasure. This man, everything she needed to survive.

And standing there, just loving Will, Elizabeth knew that this was her place.

Likes? Hates? Too much fluff? Too little plot? That's me for you... oh, just review!