Alone

I find myself on the beach; I look behind me to see the Dutchman resting in the sea.

"Will!" I turn to see Elizabeth running towards me with a boy behind her, who looks remarkably like me. I open my arms wide as she jumped into them. She reaches up and kisses me as hard as she could, I kiss back with as much passion that I can muster up, it is hard though, because the woman I want to be kissing is on my ship. She pulls away and smiles, I can tell from her eyes that she knows I did not put all into my kiss.

"I have missed you." She whispers and I smile down at her. She turns around and beckons the boy to come to us.

"Will I would like for you to meet your son, William." My heart swells, I have a son. I bend down to his level and smile at him.

"Hello William, I am your father." He nods and runs to me and gives me a hug. I return it and lift him into the air as he laughs.

"Come I have prepared dinner, in your honor." She said happily as she took my hand, I take one more look back at my ship before following her. Her home is not far from the beach, and we soon we are at it. I look around the house; it is small, but cozy. Whoever made it made it well. We sit down at the table as Elizabeth puts the food on the table; it is steak with green beans. I am amazed at how good her cooking skills are; she never seemed the type to cook. She must have seen my look for she said.

"I have had ten years to practice to be where I am today with my cooking skills." I smile at her and reply.

"Well it is grand, I dare say even better then Lenny's cooking on the Dutchman." She blushes from the compliment.

"What is it like on the Dutchman?" William asked eagerly. I laugh and then I tell him about all of my adventures that I have had so far. William looks on in awe as I just finished my story about fighting with the Kraken.

"And how is your father?" Elizabeth asked after several moments of silence.

"He is doing well and he sends his regards, and this." I said pulling out a small wooden horse and I gave it to William.

"This is from your grandfather, keep it safe." He nods and safely puts it in his pocket.

"And what of your crew? Are they a fine crew?" Elizabeth asked peering at me. I nod.

"Yes, one of the best I have ever sailed with. I rather like the lot that are with me at the moment."

"Anyone interesting?" She asked curiously.

"Everyone is interesting, but the most would have to be my friend Emily…" I suddenly stop myself and Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Emily who?" I sighed and said.

"Emily James, her and I get along quite well. She is my best friend on the ship." I smile thinking about her and then it vanishes when I think about what she has become, oh well I will fix that tomorrow evening.

"Ah that is good." The rest of the night went by quickly, I told more stories to William until he finally fell asleep. After putting him to bed I found Elizabeth sitting on her bed in her room holding my chest.

"So that's where it is?" I asked as I took a seat next to her. She nodded.

"Yes every night before going to sleep I listen to it, it's quite entertaining."

"How so?"

"With its different beats sometimes it speeds up or slows down, but for the most past it stays the same." I look down as I think about what could have made my heart speed up, sadly I know.

"I have missed you Will."

"And I you."

"Then why do you seem…distant?" She asked as I looked up at her. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm just not use to being on land, and having a son and that I have missed out on close to ten years of his life. It's just a lot to take in." She nods in understanding.

"Well you won't have to miss anymore, you are here to stay." She says as she wraps her arms around me. A pang of guilt goes through out my body, how do I tell her that while she was raising my son and waiting for me I was having an affair.

"Elizabeth we…" She puts two of her fingers on my lips to silence me.

"Let's talk in the morning." She says before kissing me. I kiss her back automatically as if ten years haven't happen since the last time I saw her.

Now as I lay her watching her sleep I can't help but think that I would rather being watching a woman with black hair and blue eyes sleep. I sit up and walk over to my chest and kneel before it. I listen to my heartbeat as I look out the window. I see the sea as the moon shines over it. I had always thought that my place was on land, but adventures with Jack Sparrow and being the Dutchman for 10 years had showed me that my place was at sea. No matter how happy I was to meet my son and spend time with my wife, my heart yearned to be on my ship, talking to my Father, laughing at one of my crewmen's antic's and kissing Emily. I got back in bed and tried to fall asleep, it was hard without the ocean rocking me.

"Will wake up, breakfast is ready." Elizabeth lightly shoved me and I opened my eyes. I nodded and changed into the clothes I had worn yesterday. Much of the day was spent with my son. I taught him how to swordfight on the beach as Elizabeth watched in mild amusement. I wanted to learn everything about my son; I only had a couple of more hours left. Elizabeth kept joking saying that I didn't have to know everything today; I would have the rest of our lives to learn about him. I would always look down and say that I just wanted to know more about him. Elizabeth could sense my odd behavior and towards then end of the day with roughly an hour left before the sunset she came up to me and asked.

"Will what is wrong with you?" She asked as she sat down next to me on the sand. I sighed and said.

"Elizabeth what I am about to say will hurt you, and I do not want to cause you pain." She looked at me confused.

"Will you're scaring me." I took her hand as I looked at her.

"Elizabeth I won't be staying here, I have to be back on the ship by sunset, for another ten years." Her eyes widen in shock.

"But they said that if we were faithful we would get to be with each other." Tears started coming out of her eyes.

"I know that still is the rule."

"Then why can't you stay, we were both faithful." I looked down at the sand and I felt her gaze on me.

"Will you were faithful weren't you?" She asked forcing me to look at her.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth." She interrupted me.

"What? You cheated, has our marriage meant nothing to you?" She yelled at me as she stood up and started storming away. I stood up and grabbed her arm turning her around.

"What I did was a mistake."

"Yes it was and I will not forgive you." She squirmed out of my grasp and ran off down the beach. I looked at her retreating figure and sank back down to the sand. I looked out at the Dutchman as I kicked some sand, angry at myself for making Elizabeth upset. I sat there for an hour hating myself. William came up to me and sat down next to me.

"Father it is almost sunset." He said and I looked up at the sky, he was right sunset was coming in ten minutes. I talked to him and told him how I had to leave. He took it good, but I knew he was sad.

"Well I guess this is goodbye William, we will see each other again." I said while hugging him. I looked around the beach for any signs of Elizabeth.

"William will you tell your mother that I said goodbye?" I asked while in an affection way. I turned around and started walking to the ocean; I was about to teleport myself when someone yelled.

"Will!" I turned to see Elizabeth running towards me, I ran out of the surf as she ran into my arms.

"Elizabeth I am sorry."

"I know I just didn't want you to leave thinking that I was mad at you." She leaned up and kissed me as I returned it. I let go of her and walked into the surf. I imagined the Dutchman and soon enough I was on it. I look around to see most of the crew sitting together on the deck, everyone is quiet and the mood is glum. I look around confused and I see my Father leaning against the railing and I walked over to him.

"Father." I said as he turned around, his eyes are red and he wipes at them.

"Will how was your day?" He asked with fake cheerfulness.

"Good why is everyone so sad?" I asked looking at my crew, the only one I don't see is Emily she is probably reading or in her room. My father looks down before handing me something. I look down to see Emily's necklace, the one I had given her, in my hand. I look up sharply at him.

"Where is she?" I asked with an edge to my voice.

"Will…" I turn around and race to her cabin, I threw open the door to see all of her items still there, but no Emily. It is all to true she is dead. I hear footsteps and I look up at my father.

"She's gone isn't she?" I ask knowing the dreadful answer, he nods.

"I'm sorry Will." He said sitting down beside me.

"Why would she do it?"

"She said she was in pain, she said she was dead. She didn't want to ruin your marriage to Elizabeth so she thought it would be best for everyone if she just went away."

"She didn't even say goodbye." I said quietly. He put a hand on my shoulder and stood up.

"I will just leave you here for your grieving." He walked out shutting the door behind him. Tears started coming down my face as I thought about her. Her smile, her laugh, her kisses, even now that thought sent tingles throughout my body. She had taught me how to live again, she had taught me so many things and she didn't even know it. I love her….wait I love her? I can't love her I am married, that didn't stop me from kissing her or making love to her. But love? Sitting on her bed I knew it was true, I loved Emily Mary James with all of my heart, even though my heart belonged to another, literally.

"You are my curse Emily." I said looking down at her necklace.

(Please R and R! I do not own Pirates.)