Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean
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To William Jack Weatherby Turner,
I sit here, writing this letter to you, in hopes you will be sitting and reading it, sometime in the future. I hear the laughter coming from the other room and I smile. It is a sound so dear to my heart. I cannot help but remember a time when all three men in this house were against each other, working together only as circumstances allowed. For how else would a Commodore, a pirate, and a blacksmith ever know each other? But now, they are friends. I thank Heaven every day for their meeting. For if a half-mad pirate captain hadn't rescued me; an honorable Commodore had not proposed to me; if a young blacksmith had not risked his life for me; you would not be here, in this world. But you are here, you arrived near two months ago as I write, born on a cloudy, rainy night. I fell in love with you as I held you in my arms and I fall in love with you every time I look at your sweet face. As you grow, you...
Elizabeth looked up from the letter she was writing at a particularly loud burst of giggles. She smiled and stood up, skirts swishing around her feet. She stopped in the doorway, looking fondly at the group sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace.
A hat rested on the floor next to a man with dark matted hair and a red scarf tied around his head. Beads jangled every time he moved. He glanced up at Elizabeth and grinned, gold teeth flashing in the firelight. He glanced back at the man sitting next to him and started talking about a woman he had met down in the Caribbean years ago. As Elizabeth listened, it became obvious the woman was the Black Pearl.
She smiled as she shifted her gaze to the man listening to Jack speak. He sat rather stiffly, as though he wasn't used to sitting on floors. And he wasn't. He was not dressed as an Admiral of the Fleet, either, but rather as a well-to-do merchant. He seemed to be paying close attention to the pirate captain, but his gaze kept straying to the middle of the circle of men, where a small baby boy lay giggling.
Elizabeth smile broadened as she gazed upon her baby, the pride and joy of her life. He had been born two months prior, just after the Turner's arrival in England. She slowly walked over to the last man comprising the circle and sat next to him, skirts spreading on the floor. She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He kissed her softly on the forehead.
Finished, Elizabeth? He softly whispered.
she replied, equally soft. I've hardly begun.
Will smiled at her then at the two men. James, Jack, we are delighted you could visit this Christmas.
Jack grinned. Wouldn't have missed it.Nor would I. Thank you for inviting us, Mr. and Mrs. Turner.James, how many times have we told you to call us by our Christian names? Elizabeth smiled at him.
James smiled back. Alright, Elizabeth.
Jack shook his head, beads jangling softy. He reached over and started tickling the baby's feet, causing him to laugh. Elizabeth watched with a smile, at peace with the world.
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Author's Note:
This was written for Kayden as part of the Secret Santa Challenge at the Black Pearl Sails Yahoo group.