A/N: Just an odd idea a friend and I had, and we ran with it. Enjoy!
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Chapter 1
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Will Turner had waited ten years. Ten years of loneliness, with only his father and his dreams of that one day on the beach with his precious wife to get him through. The open sea had become his home. His crew had become his family. But forever, he looked to the day, that one precious day on land, knowing quite well it would be one for the ages. An epic day, to dim all other days in comparison, and perhaps last him another ten years of smiles and fond memories.
Today was that day. He had been counting down until this moment for ten years. Every day, a step closer to that person that resided in his thoughts. He'd imagined it a thousand times, him arriving in that flash of green, her face lighting up when she saw him. Him diving out of his boat, swimming over to her in order to save him valuable time. She would rush to him too, of course, flinging herself upon him. Perhaps they wouldn't even make it back to the house before they continued where they had left off ten years ago on that sandy shore.
Never once did he imagine a son. The thought had never crossed his mind that the one day they loved on the beach would've seeded offspring. But as he rode the mast of the Flying Dutchman, he saw the boy standing next to her on that cliff, and knew instantly it was his. His little boy. He only wondered what spectacular name she had chosen for him, or if that boy simply carried on the family name of William Turner. He would make the third one.
That had to be it. William Turner the Third.
For once, the Flying Dutchman did not sail fast enough, the winds too weak to be a satisfying speed. But Will knew, even if he sprouted wings and flew, it still wouldn't be fast enough to meet his love and child.
Through his impatience, he did just what he had imagined he'd do. He jumped ship and swam. She was waiting for him. He would make her wait no longer.
But she did not run to him, like he had thought she might. He dismissed it in his mind quickly, for when the cards were down, she was a governor's daughter, after all.
Will walked up the rippling shore, bending down and spreading his arms open wide for the boy to come to him. He, instead, skittishly lingered near his mother. Will was not offended. This was the first time the boy had ever seen him. Will knew he would probably do the same, at his age.
"He is very handsome," Will said approvingly to the boy's mother. "Healthy too."
Elizabeth seemed hesitant, nervous, and very unlike the girl he remembered. Ten years had probably changed her. She was probably not knowing what to do or say. Maybe she was wondering if she could still please him. About three years back, Will had wondered the same thing. But, he had made peace with the fact that come this fateful day, nothing else would matter but each other. She needed to realize this too. He would surely remind her.
"You look more beautiful than words can say…" Will said through his blissful grin. He let her name graze his lips like honey. "Elizabeth…"
"Thank you," she said, rubbing her hands together. It was all Will could do not to rush to her and take her in his arms right there. Will instead pointed to the boy clutching his mother's skirt.
"What is his name?"
"I named him Eli," she softly replied.
"Eli and Elizabeth," Will repeated with a nod. "Very fitting. Pity you didn't name him after his grandfather and father, though."
Elizabeth seemed to be choking on tears. She was frowning, but seemingly powering through whatever mental blocks were hindering her speech.
"What is it?" Will asked.
"You are not his father."
Will took several steps back, stumbling in his surprise. He blinked twice, before spitting out:
"W--what?!"
Come to think of it, the boy did look a little too young to be his.
"Will, I hope you can love me enough to comprehend," Elizabeth pleaded. "I was so alone without you, it consumed me every day. I wasn't as strong as you. I had to move on, or end my life, do you understand?"
Will stepped back some more, his head shaking. He didn't comprehend. He couldn't. This couldn't be.
"Ahoy there," a man called out, walking up the beach in a trot. He wore plenty of jewelry, and smelled like he hadn't bathed in months. He was handsome, to be sure, his face very obviously reflected on his clone of a son, Will noticed quickly. The man was tall, broad of shoulder, dressed in short beige pants, a brown shirt that may have been light in color once upon a time, and a dark leather vest. His skin was dark, his eyes dark, and his hair was dark. It was longer that his own, and hung in clumps that reminded Will of Jack Sparrow himself.
That thought made his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. He immediately threw his arm around Elizabeth, more than likely rubbing it in that she was his, and then held out his hand to Will. To arouse more anger in Will than was already bursting out of every pore in his body, the man was holding the chest, that Elizabeth no doubt had requested of him to bring. That very chest that contained his heart. That very chest that he had given to Elizabeth for safekeeping. A trust well undeserved.
"The name's Roarden Radcliffe," the stranger said to Will good-naturedly. "You must be the imfamous William Turner I have heard so much of."
As he held out his hand, Will couldn't help but notice the distinct 'P' branded on his wrist. A pirate. Now Will's stomach began to churn, threatening sickness in the near future.
"Infamous," Will corrected quietly.
"Sorry?" Roarden asked, cocking an ear to listen.
Will found a little more of his voice, as anger began to swell over him. He ruthlessly yanked the chest out of the pirate's sleazy hands.
"It's pronounced INfamous!"
Will suddenly wished the child wasn't present so he could punch the man across the face. Though, it really wasn't his fault for falling in love with a perfect woman. It was her fault… though Will wouldn't dare lay a hand on any woman.
It was all Will could do to walk away. To place one foot in front of the other and keep going forward. She called after him, worry in her tone.
"Will, where are you going? Please speak to me…!"
"I believe there is nothing left to be said between us," Will called over his shoulder, then turned and walked backwards to face her as he spoke. "Lead a good, full, mortal life. I shall have a good, full, immortal one, and remain alone for all of eternity."
"Will…" Elizabeth called out to him, but Will just waved a hand of her, and left her behind forever. There was no further need for conversation between them. They were done.
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It had been a while since Will had alcohol. He had always shied away from the bottle, since it had such a profound effect upon his body. He was a lightweight to the core, no matter how many times he had tried to overcome it. A half-pint of rum in his system, and he was anyone's. That was not a good attribute for the captain of a feared legendary ship to have, thus, alcohol had never been on the menu.
But today, on this early morning, he found rum drastically necessary for his life's sake. If he had an ounce of sense on him he knew he would no longer be alive. Yet, of course, there was always the disheartening reminder that he could not die.
Will stared at the chest that he had put on top of the bar. Fate must really hate him. Through his entire life, he never had caught one break. This was definitely not how he had imagined his one day on land going. He couldn't bear going back to his ship and crew with his defeated tail between his legs. He couldn't bear having to explain to his father what had happened. He just had to wait it out here.
"Damn you, Elizabeth Swann," Will said to oblivion, sucking more on the bottle of rum the bartender had given him. The bottle was dirty, and the rum was terrible, but right now, he didn't really give a hoot. "Damn you, Roarden Radcliffe. Damn you both to hell…"
"Do you have a problem with Roarden Radcliffe?" said a voice Will could only assume was feminine. But at his current drunken state, he was sure he should be assuming much of anything. He squinted his eyes at the person who had arisen from their seat at a nearby table. It was a woman. He remembered thinking that she wasn't Elizabeth, but surely attractive. Asian was easy to figure, seeing how dramatically her golden eyes were slanted, her short stature, and silk embroidered clothing.
"Sit down, I have no quarrels with you," Will commanded.
"But you have made a quarrel, sir, when you insulted my most treasured friend, thus, by and by, insulting me."
Will squinted at the woman, trying to focus some more. She wore masculine red and black robes, and was armed with a sword slung low on her hip. Her hair was half up, held with chopsticks. Her face was sharp, with a small hooked nose and a pointed chin. Her cheekbones were unnaturally high, and more than a bit round. She was very shapely, from what he could tell under her thick clothing.
"Your 'most treasured friend' has stolen the love of my life," Will mused, putting his head back down on the rough wood of the bar. "I just wish to be left alone in my sorrows."
"You act like a whiny, rejected woman," the girl chuckled. "I would have left you for another as well."
Will suddenly arose to his feet, facing the woman off, which may have been exactly what she had wanted. His bearings were off, but he would not stand for being insulted that way, and especially not by some woman running on a tough-girl act.
"You had better watch what you say," Will shot back. "I am in no mood to tolerate you."
She glared and pulled out her sword. Slowly she walked up to him, sword pointed straight and true, as she spoke firmly and clearly:
"I am Xia Ching, Daughter of Mistress Ching, pirate lord over the Pacific Ocean, and you will pay me and my crewmembers respect, or so help me, I will slice your limbs from your body."
She pointed her sword lower, to his hips.
"All of them."
"Go ahead," Will replied sullenly. "I have no further use for them."
Xia lowered her sword at this, staring upon a broken man. She would not dare injure something already hurt. Will lifted his eyes to the ceiling above.
"Ten years at sea, that was the agreement. Ten years ferrying souls to Davey Jones's locker. Ten years of waiting to return… for what? For absolutely nothing."
Xia frowned at these words, silently slipping her sword back into its hilt. She walked closer to the man, her eyes narrowed as her mind comprehended.
"You are… of the Flying Dutchman?"
Will took another drink.
"Captain, actually," Will replied into his glass.
Xia laughed out loud again.
"Captain Crying Little Woman," Xia proclaimed. "What tales you tell, boy! I suppose you battled the great Kraken too, eh?"
Will shrugged. Actually, he had. But he didn't need to prove anything to her. She was of no consequence to him. Just another pirate.
Will blamed his drunkenness for his poor judgment, as he seized the chest, slipped the forked key off from around his neck, and opened the lock. He lifted the lid ever-so-slightly, just enough to show the doubting woman the contents.
"I don't believe you can explain away this," Will stated.
The woman glanced at the beating heart, then at Will. A fight was breaking out in the rest of the bar, but they were still and silent. Will closed the chest again, locking it firmly and slipping the large two pronged key back around his neck. Xia was still in awe. She came closer very slowly, showing Will her hand, like she would caution an animal to trust.
"May I?" she asked gently. Will said yes, though he didn't really gather what he was agreeing to. She came close and reached for his shirt, pushing aside the thin fabric in the way of her sight. The scar over Will's heart was in plain view. She brushed her fingers over it, as to make sure it was real.
Then, very suddenly, she snatched the chest of the bar, and took off through the bustling crowd.
"Hey!" Will called in distress. He stole a last sip of rum, before chasing after her. "HEY!"
She was already many meters ahead of him, but her jet-black head of hair stood out from the crowd and he was able to spot her with some ease. Will pushed through the crowd of street merchants and shoppers, trying to keep his drunken eyes fixed on his prey, but having more than a little difficulty doing so.
"Bloody pirate," Will cursed under his breath.
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Please review. This is a strange endeavor, so I
look forward to hearing what you think.
Signed,
--RedRogue
