Disclaimer: The PotC characters belong to Disney and T&T but Sammi Sparrow and Ophelia Grace belong to me, as do the rest of the Sparrow and Turner children save for William.
A/N: I'm sorry I didn't get this posted yesterday, but I have the worst cold/sore throat I've had in a long time. So I've been resting instead of typing. But the weekend wasn't a total waste as I've come up with new ideas to add to the story. Edit: It would've been up Monday had the site not been having problems loading my docs!
The song Sammi is playing on her guitar is entitled The Valiant Lady, and the link to the lyrics is in my profile. The song was popular in the 17th century and later, so it's possible that it is one that she may have known.
Someone asked about the children's ages, so here they are. Teague Sparrow is ten, Eva Sparrow and Dani Turner are both eight as they share the same birthday, James Turner is seven, and Charlotte Turner is five. I know that's a lot to keep track of, but everyone is five years older than they were in the last real chapter of AMTHGF.
Thank you everyone who watched the So Close And Still So Far fan trailer by Princess Solaria and left a comment on youtube. I'm not surprised it's getting so many hits – she has done amazing work! The link is in my profile if you still wish to view it.
I've been working on my Wammi playlist and have compiled more than enough songs to choose from! I hope you like this one especially, as Josh Groban is a favorite of mine.
Ch. 2: Remember When It Rained
333
Wash away the thoughts inside
That keep my mind away from you.
No more love and no more pride
And thoughts are all I have to do.
-Josh Groban
333
Crash! C-crashhhhhhhhh. Bo-boom!
Glancing warily at the darkening cumulonimbus clouds, Captain Jack Sparrow sprinted home in a futile attempt to outrun the inevitable weather. Sure enough, a few seconds before Jack could take cover, the heavens unloaded their excess water upon all of St. Maarten. Needless to say, the pirate was dry one second and completely soaked the next. Through the sheets of rain he somehow found his way inside the Sparrow home, dripping water all over the spotless white marble floor.
"Ana, I'm home!" Jack announced as he breezed through the foyer, shutting the front door behind him. "What's for dinner?" The pirate captain paused, and frowned when he heard no reply. He kicked off his boots and peeled off his coat that was sticking to his skin and chilling him to the bone. That was when he heard it. Strains of a mournful tune played most ardently with the aid of her guitar alerted Jack as to the mood of his eldest daughter.
"Bugger," he muttered under his breath. He knew that Sammi only played those dreadful, tragic ballads when she was feeling miserable. Sighing, Jack knew that he'd be the one who would have to set his daughter straight, as she would barely speak to Ana about her personal life. Jack wanted to comfort his daughter right away, but he figured he should get any details of the story from Ana first. Captain Sparrow was just about to go and look for her when he was ambushed by a stumbling blur of a boy.
"Father!" Jack's son Teague rushed up and crushed him with a hug, causing the pirate to grunt in pain. Jack thought his son much too strong for a lad of just a decade, especially as he was squeezing the life of his father's old bones…
"Not so hard, Teague," Jack was able to gasp out. Immediately Teague pulled away, much to Jack's relief.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," the boy apologized. Jack waved off the apology, ruffling his son's thick, black hair.
"It's fine," Jack said absently, for he was quite distracted by his need to find Ana.
"Guess what? Eva got in trouble at school today!" Teague crowed, for he'd been bursting with the news.
"That's nice, son," said Jack, not really listening. "Have you seen your mother lately?" Teague shook his head, disappointed by his father's lack of reaction to the news about Eva. Luckily for Jack, Ana decided to peek her head into the foyer to check on her son at that very moment. She was thrilled to find that her life-partner had already arrived home and was now available to help Sammi work through the tough time she was facing.
"There's Mum," Teague cried, getting his father's attention and pointing at the caramel-skinned woman standing in the hallway. Jack took one look at Ana's worried face and saw that she was just as upset as Sammi was. How he wished he knew what was going on! The pirate strode over to where his love was standing, ready to give her some much-needed moral support.
"Jack!" Ana cried, falling into his open arms. "Thank God you're finally back from the docks. Sammi's really upset, and she wants to talk to you."
"I gathered that. Don't worry, love, I'll set it right," Jack soothed before he lightly kissed his life-partner on the lips.
"Thank you. I can't reach her the way you can, Jack," she said, her voice wistful. Jack decided to let that comment go, preferring to tackle the issue at hand.
"She's playing one of those God awful ballads; that's never a good sign," Jack noted. "What happened?"
"I don't know exactly – she wouldn't tell me much," Ana fretted. "I do know it's something to do with William."
"When does it ever not have to do with William?" Jack muttered. "Let me go see if I can figure out what's wrong." Jack headed for the stairs when he heard his daughter's soft voice singing along to her guitar.
333
Sammi had long since finished crying; she now preferred to play music on her guitar instead of weeping over it. Music was the only way that she could properly channel her feelings, and it was helping to relieve her stress somewhat. She'd searched and searched through her pile of sheet music for a certain song. Years ago, Sammi had taught herself to read music as well as to play by ear. Her grandfather Teague had been quite proud of her accomplishment, as he could only play by ear. Sammi still had lessons with her grandfather, but now that she was older and he'd taught her most everything he knew, they were more like visits. Finally she'd found the very song she'd been looking for, as it described the William and Ophelia situation exactly.
"A brisk young lively lad came out of Gloucestershire - and all his full intention was to court a lady fair," she sung in her soft alto voice. "Her eyes they shone like morning dew, her hair was fair to see. She was grace, in form and face, and was fixed in modesty. This couple was a-walking, they loved each other well…and someone-"
"Sammi? Can I come in?" Sammi's knotted stomach relaxed a bit when she heard her father's familiar voice, and she stopped singing. Although she knew that not even he could fix this, it was a comfort to know he was going to try.
"Go ahead," she called. Jack entered her room, spied his daughter's gloomy expression, and immediately pulled her into a hug. Sammi set her guitar and music aside on her nightstand so that she could give her a father a proper hug.
"That was some excellent playing," Jack commented softly. "What's the name of that song?"
"The Valiant Lady," Sammi replied. "It's the story of a rich girl who falls in love with a poor farmer boy but her father disapproves and forbids them to see each other and…" she trailed off, not wanting to talk about the song any longer. Her father waited awhile, making sure his daughter was finished talking before he spoke.
"So what's the problem, love?" Jack asked while he gently rubbed her back. Sammi sniffed, and wondered why all men couldn't be as understanding as her father.
"I was out with William today, and out of nowhere, he confessed to me that he likes another girl," she choked out. Jack's body went rigid.
"What? That's not possible," Jack muttered to himself. "How could William like another girl when he could have my Sammi… it's bloody outrageous. I just can't understand it, can you? No, I thought not." Sammi patted his arm, bringing him back to himself; if she let him to his own devices, her father would continue to ramble to himself for quite some time.
"It was a terrible shock," she admitted. "But I was able to leave before he could figure out why I was so upset. I buried my emotions well, Father, just like a true pirate would. You'd be proud of me. I'll bet William still has no idea that I lo- like him." Jack smiled sadly at his daughter.
"Are you positive that William is interested in another? I've spent plenty of time watching the two of you over the years and I would almost bet my life that he loves you." Sammi's form shook as she told her father what William had said.
"He's been in love with Ophelia for a year now and I n-never knew," she cried, clutching her father, her anchor in the storm of unrequited young love.
"Ophelia Grace, the magistrate's daughter?" Jack asked, his tanned features expressing disbelief.
"Uh huh," Sammi wailed. "He said that she was kind and beautiful and musically talented and at first I thought he was talking about me but he wasn't! What's she got that I don't?" Jack sighed as he let his daughter sob in his arms.
"I don't think that's it, Sammi. Perhaps William doesn't see you as someone who would want to court him because you're his best friend."
"Maybe," she sighed. "He's been my friend so long that he might have stopped thinking of me as a woman, and a single one at that." Jack laughed at that.
"I don't think that's possible, love. I'm sure William is most definitely aware of your feminine, um, attributes." Sammi's eyes grew wide.
"Oh no!" She moaned. "What if William's not attracted to me because he thinks my butt's too big, or my chest is too small? I'm in good physical shape, but I'll never be as skinny as bloody perfectly proportioned Ophelia - I'm afraid I like eating too damn much."
"Don't you think on it, love," Jack said fiercely, shaking his head. "Every woman is built differently; you have to believe me when I say your body is perfect the way it is." Sammi snorted.
"You have to say that – you're my father." Jack shook his head.
"Sammi, your body type is almost identical to that of your mother and I found and still find her to be extremely… attractive. I've known a lot of women in my time…" His daughter chuckled at that, knowing full very well what he meant. "…And I'm of the opinion that thinner doesn't always equal better." Sammi bit her lip. It was all very well for her father, but not every man thought the way he did.
"It might not be my body, then," she mused, finally pulling away from her father's arms. "Hmm. Ophelia has a superior education, she is graceful and refined and polite - she's everything that I'm not." Jack interrupted her.
"Before this goes any further, I don't want to hear another word about what you believe you are lacking, because that simply isn't true," he insisted, taking hold of her hands in his. "You are an amazing young woman who is beautiful in all aspects of your self, especially in your personality. Sammi, your beauty goes beyond the surface; it resides in your very being. If William can't see that, then he's a fool."
"Thanks, Father," she sniffed after he finished his touching speech. "You always know what to say to make me feel better." Jack smiled tenderly at his daughter.
"It's a gift, love; one that I believe that you're already learning."
"Thanks. I just have to get over him, Father," Sammi said. "I know – I'll keep so busy with my pirate training that I won't have much time to even think about William as anything other than a friend. But it will be hard to be around him, especially since he's renounced piracy," she added in an afterthought.
"I'm sorry, love, say that again," Jack frowned. "It sounded like you said William has renounced piracy."
"Oh! I forgot to mention that little detail earlier. He has renounced it," Sammi said solemnly, much to Jack's astonishment. Poor Jack took a few wobbly steps backwards and almost fell over when Sammi confirmed the appalling news. "He spouted some excuse about morality, and how piracy is wrong, but I don't quite buy it," his daughter finished.
"How can he just stop being a pirate?" Jack gasped, placing both hands over his heart as if he was experiencing severe palpitations. "All the members of his family and our family are pirates! His beloved late grandfather was a pirate! What is going on with that boy? First he likes a snobby girl who isn't you, and now this! I'm going to have to go over and talk some sense into him."
"I never said she was snobby," said Sammi, but his comment still cheered her. She wondered if her father could actually talk some sense into William.
"Do Will and Elizabeth know about this?" Jack asked. Sammi shrugged.
"If they don't already know, I'm sure they'll find out tonight." Jack nodded.
"I'll give him the rest of the evening to explain all this to his parents. But when tomorrow comes, I'm going over to the Turner home first thing in the morning to have a little chat with dear young William."
"I'm looking forward to hearing what you find out," Sammi said, her voice sounding weary. "Perhaps there is a good explanation behind this mess after all."
333
Meanwhile, at the Turner home
"What do you mean you've renounced piracy?" Elizabeth cried as her three youngest children chased each other around the kitchen table, oblivious to the conversation. The Turners' empty dishes from dinner still sat upon the table, as Elizabeth and Will had abandoned them in favor of listening to their son's important announcement. "I had no idea you were against the idea of becoming a pirate, William," said his mother, trying to mask her surprise.
"I thought you had some idea how I felt about it," William said. "Why do you think I've been spending so much time at the smithy with Father instead of on the Pearl with Uncle Jack?"
"I thought it was because you just liked my company," said Will, whose witty comments came to an end when Elizabeth smacked his arm.
"I'm trying to find a different occupation, one where I can earn my living honestly," said his son. "I can't do that if I become a full-fledged pirate."
"But hasn't that been your dream since you were seven?" Elizabeth reminded him.
"Some dreams are meant to die," William said flatly. Elizabeth glanced warily at Will, who, judging by his furrowed brow, seemed just as bewildered as she.
"I think you're not telling us everything we need to know," said Will, voicing Elizabeth's thoughts exactly. "Why do you suddenly want to distance yourself from piracy, when we –er, your mum- taught you since you were young that not all pirates are evil?"
"I haven't forgotten!" William exclaimed, looking affronted. "It's not that I think all pirates are evil – you and the Sparrows certainly aren't. Barbossa's not half-bad either, now – same with Captain Teague. It's just that I can't be associating with pirates any longer."
"And why is that?" Elizabeth prodded him. William sighed.
"There's this girl I like, and she wouldn't give me a second thought if she knew I was related to pirates." Elizabeth's heart sank as it sunk in what her son had revealed. Husband and wife shared another worried look, each deeply disappointed that their son's affections hadn't rested on Sammi Sparrow, like they had secretly hoped.
"Which girl is this, son? Do we know her?" Will asked, almost afraid of his answer.
"She's the magistrate's daughter," his son confessed, his cheeks turning red. "I've loved her from afar for almost a year now."
"Ophelia Grace?" Elizabeth said with surprise. "William, have you forgotten that she's a member of the gentry, and that they can only marry within that small circle?"
"No, I'm very much aware of that fact," said William, clearly annoyed now. "That's why I'm distancing myself from piracy. If I can show Ophelia that I can make a good living that would provide for the woman I would one day marry, then perhaps she would agree to court me. And besides, I'm half gentry aren't I? That's got to count for something." Will sighed.
"But your last name is Turner. I'm afraid my name isn't nearly noble enough for them."
"Don't you start, Will," Elizabeth moaned. "You're much nobler than any nobleman I've ever met."
"Really?" Will grinned. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, shooting him a Look that plainly stated, we're talking about our son, not you, so start helping me! "Right," sighed the former captain. "William, if you really love this girl, you need to at least befriend her. You can't just keep waiting for something fortuitous to happen."
"Why not? That's what you did when you were in love with Mum," William said slyly.
"But I already knew your mother when the pirates attacked Port Royal," Will reminded him. "Even so, don't do what I did, because it's highly unlikely that you'll be placed in a situation where you have the opportunity to save your love from certain death. I just got lucky." William shot his father a sullen look.
"William, have you tried talking with Ophelia?" Elizabeth asked. "Is she receptive to you at all?" He shook his head.
"I've tried to seek her out a few times, but she's very hard to find, much less get alone. Her father seems to keep her shut up in their mansion all the time."
"Why does that sound familiar," Elizabeth grumbled. Will chuckled, remembering all the times that Elizabeth had snuck out from under the watchful eyes of her governesses and escaped to Mr. Brown's smithy to visit him in secret. "William, I remember my life as the governor's daughter very well," said his mother. "While I didn't always mind the pampering, I craved adventure, freedom, less restrictive clothing; not to mention your father..." Elizabeth gave Will a wink over their son's head.
"Yes, I know, Mum," said William, rolling his eyes.
"Let me finish!" Elizabeth insisted. "Anyway, those were my dreams when I was cooped up behind those stone walls in Port Royal. I dreamed of an exciting life without banality – to me that was a life worth living. However, Ophelia may not feel the same way. She may find joy in living the comfortable aristocratic life. William, not all rich girls want to be rescued from it as I did. "
"I've taken that into consideration," said William, nodding at her. "If she wants to continue that lifestyle, then I must find a way to give it to her. If only sword fighting lessons were more profitable," he said with a sigh. "That's the only thing I'm good at."
"That's not true," said Will, shaking his head. "You're a fantastic artist." William scowled at his father.
"Being an artist isn't going to help me provide for a wife of high birth," he said. "It's just a hobby of mine."
"What about sailing?" Elizabeth asked slowly. "You're rather adept at sailing, and you enjoy doing it." William nodded.
"Yes, but I thought I already made it clear that I no longer wanted to be a…"
"You don't have to be a pirate to captain your own ship," Will reminded him. "But if piracy wasn't your steady source of income, then you'd have to think of an alternative. Perhaps you could set your sights on becoming a captain of a merchant ship."
"I… I don't know," William muttered. "Where would I get the money for a ship, let alone a crew?"
"Us," Elizabeth said quickly after a glance at Will, who nodded. "We can start you off with a ship in good condition and we can invest in whatever wares you choose to sell."
"But that's cheating!" William protested. "I'm less than a year away from coming of age; I'm supposed to be making a living on my own, not accepting charity from my parents."
"William," his father said sternly. "It's not charity. Did you really expect us not to want you to pay us back?" The young man shook his head, a small grin spreading across his handsome face.
"I suppose I could always reimburse you for everything once I began to make a profit," William mused.
"You'd better," said Elizabeth, hiding a smile. "And who knows - we might even charge you interest."
Their son actually grinned at that.
"Then it looks like my next problem is deciding what sort of business to go into. I have so much to research and plan for!"
"That's all very well," Will said gently. "I know you're excited about the new direction your future is going in, but you can't just forget about this girl."
"He can speak with her when he's ready," Elizabeth argued, wondering what Will was doing bringing up the subject of Ophelia again. Will gave her a look that said trust me.
"I'll do it as soon as I can gather my courage," William vowed. "It's just that if she refuses me, I'm not sure if I can handle that rejection, knowing she doesn't return my feelings. I'm sure it would be quite painful." Will sighed. At that moment, his son reminded him so much of himself when he'd been young.
"William, your Uncle Jack once gave me an important piece of advice. He told me that if I chose to lock my heart away, I'd lose it for certain." William snorted at that.
"Thanks, Father. I'll be sure to keep that in mind," said the boy, with a touch of bitterness.
"The sooner you speak with Ophelia, the better you'll feel," Will continued. "At least you'll know one way or another how she feels about you. And if she doesn't feel the same, you can move on and set your sights on a girl who will appreciate you." It was then that Elizabeth understood Will's plan. He wanted William to get to know Ophelia knowing there was a very likely chance the girl wouldn't be interested in a 'commoner' such as William.
"I'll think about it," said William. Just then there was a tinkling of china. Will and Elizabeth spun around to find their youngest standing over a shattered dessert plate that lay in broken shards on the floor.
"Char, what happened?" Elizabeth cried, forgetting about William's predicament for the moment.
"Dani and Jamie pushed me into the table which caused the plate to fall," Charlotte accused, who was being checked over for cuts and bruises by her father.
"That's not what happened!" James exclaimed, glaring at his younger sister.
"No, not really," Dani added. Elizabeth rubbed her temple in annoyance.
"Do enlighten me about what really happened as you help clean up this mess." During Dani and James' fervent explanation, William took advantage of the moment of confusion to escape to his room. As he climbed the stairs and shut the door behind him, William reveled in the relative peace of his room, even though the storm raged on outside. As much as he loved his family, the younger members could be a bit too rowdy for his taste at times.
He settled down on his bed, yanking off his brown boots and setting them neatly beside his other pair. Flopping back on his pillow, William closed his eyes and sighed. How he wished he could forget this disaster! Coming clean about his plans for the future had not gone as well as he'd hoped. He knew he had disappointed his parents a bit when he'd informed them that he'd be abandoning piracy. However, William hadn't given his parents the real reason behind his decision, which had little to do with Ophelia and everything to do with Sammi. His thoughts returned to that day about a year ago when Sammi's 'friend' Thérèse had asked him if he'd be interested in courting her.
(Flashback)
"So, William, would you like to tell me why you wanted to meet me here alone on a Saturday?" Thérèse asked as she appeared in doorway to the schoolhouse. He nodded as she came to sit down beside him in one of the desks.
"I've been meaning to ask you an important question for some time now," William said nervously.
"Oh really?" Thérèse smiled prettily, as she played with her wavy chestnut hair and re-crossed her legs. She subtly leaned closer to William. "What question is that?"
"You've been Sammi's friend for awhile now, right? So she probably confides in you. What I want to know is… does Sammi like me as more than a friend?" Thérèse frowned, for she knew very well that Sammi was in love with William as much as he apparently was in love with her. She knew that the right thing to do was to tell William of Sammi's affections, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not when she herself was interested in William. For Thérèse was a pirate's daughter, and not above lying to get what she wanted, even at the expense of her friend's misery.
"Oh, William, I feel positively awful being the one to tell you this, but she doesn't like you like that," Thérèse sniffed, her expression one of regret. "But don't worry, you mean the world to her as a friend." William's heart sank.
"Thank you for telling me," he said brokenly, fighting back tears. "Please don't tell Sammi that I have feelings for her!"
"I wouldn't dream of it," Thérèse promised, thrilled that Sammi would never know what William had asked her. "This must be terribly difficult for you – if only there was something I could do to cheer you up."
"I don't think there's anything you can do," said William, his eyes clearly haunted by the fresh wound of Sammi's rejection.
"Perhaps there is," said Thérèse with a smile. "What if I asked to court you instead?" William's cheeks burned with embarrassment, for he was humiliated that Sammi's friend felt the need to ask him out in order to make him feel better about the whole thing.
"Thank you for the kind offer but I feel that I'm not mature enough for a relationship which isn't deeply rooted in friendship." Not wanting to face further humiliation, William had bid Thérèse goodbye and started the long walk home. On the way he met Sammi, who was out looking for him because he'd missed their daily sword exercises. As he was visibly upset, Sammi immediately asked him what was the matter. Not wanting to reveal that he had feelings for her when she didn't return them, William only told her part of the story. He relaxed a bit when she seemed to buy his explanation that he was disturbed by Thérèse's offer.
Not able to stay in Sammi's intoxicating presence for long, he soon bid her goodbye and headed down to the docks to mull the whole thing over. That had been when he'd seen Ophelia, a girl who was the antithesis of Sammi in almost every way. William had been encouraged by the magistrate's daughter's bright smile, and decided that he was going to focus his energy on winning this girl's heart while he got over Sammi.
(End Flashback)
William had stuck to his plan to pursue Ophelia, even though he knew that her high birth would make it very difficult for him to court her. However, William relished the challenge. After all, class difference hadn't been too much of a problem for his parents, so why should it be a problem for him?
Still, if he was going to chase after the magistrate's daughter, William had known that some life changes were in order. He would have to give up piracy for good, something that would prove to be increasingly difficult. But William knew that he couldn't continue with the plans that he had made with Sammi when they were children to become co-captains of a pirate ship. William still wanted Sammi's friendship, of course, as he couldn't imagine life without her. But if she didn't return his feelings, then he had to start looking for someone else who would. William couldn't do that if he was trapped on a pirate ship with Sammi for weeks at a time. Instead he'd have to find an occupation that would allow him to spend time with another girl, who would hopefully be the stunning Ophelia Grace.
William had been slowly distancing himself from piracy that year, skipping a trip on the Pearl here, declining to attend a meeting of the pirates there. It was only today that he had come clean to his parents about his new plans for the future which sadly did not include Sammi as Mrs. William Turner the Third. As much as William hated to see her reaction when he confessed he was giving up piracy, he knew he had to plan for a future that would one day include his true love, whomever she may be, and their children.
As he drifted off to sleep, William had no way of knowing that he was a victim of a tragic misunderstanding, and that his 'confession' had deeply hurt the girl who he'd loved with all his heart since childhood.
333
Later, in the Turners' bedroom
"Will, do you have any idea what's gotten into our son?" Mrs. Turner asked as they changed into their nightclothes. Thunder still rumbled outside, as the relentless storm had not yet let up, a fact that quite worried Dani, James, and Charlotte. It had been a minor miracle that they had gone to bed at all…
"Not a clue, dear," said Will as he shrugged off his shirt, tossing it to the ground. Elizabeth coughed and he hurriedly picked it up and put it away. "He hits us with a double whammy at once – he rejected piracy and Sammi's affections all in the same day. I just don't understand what could've made him want to make such a drastic change in lifestyle like that!"
"That poor girl," Elizabeth voiced her concern as she slid under the covers with her husband. Will curled up beside her and pulled her into his arms. "It's such a terrible feeling believing that the one you love isn't interested in you as more than a friend. You start analyzing the situation wondering just what it was that put him off from you – was it something you did? Was it something you said? Were you too forward, or not forward enough? Was your style of dress too modest or too suggestive? Was it your body that he found disagreeable, and if so, which attributes? Was it–"
"Wait, I made you think I wasn't interested in you?" Will asked, wide eyed. "When was this?" Elizabeth sighed, wondering how she'd managed to fall in love with the most oblivious man on the planet. She turned over to face him.
"How about starting when I was about fifteen all the way up 'til you confessed your true feelings to me that day you rescued Jack?" Will gaped at her.
"How could you not know I was interested? I practically salivated at your every word. I lived for those days you came to visit me at the smithy, and your presence made me so nervous that I said something foolish on many an occasion." She just shook her head at him, amused.
"Will, you wouldn't even call my by my real name. By insisting that we keep things formal, especially in front of my father, you led me to believe that you saw me as only a friend."
"But it was all an act!" He insisted. "If I'd actually let my true feelings show, I was positive that either you'd be disgusted with me, or your father would forbid me from coming near you. And so I hid behind the farce of propriety. But in my defense, I thought it was obvious that I was in love with you."
"It wasn't that obvious!" Elizabeth exclaimed, laughing as Will claimed her lips in a soft kiss. "In fact I was positive that you only viewed me as a friend when I spoke of my renewed engagement to Norrington that day of the battle on the Isla de Muerta. You did nothing to fight for me – you just admitted defeat and let me go."
"Luckily I came to my senses and was able to remedy my mistake before I lost you for good," her husband murmured, nuzzling her cheek. Elizabeth sighed happily, recalling that glorious moment when she learned that Will had been in love with her all along.
"Just think how different our lives would've been if we hadn't cleared up that misunderstanding," she mused. Will shivered, thanking the powers above that their once secret passions had finally been acknowledged.
"I'm wondering if that's the case with William as well," the part-time blacksmith suggested. The Pirate King shrugged, her fingers lightly tracing over Will's crimson scar where his heart had been brutally removed.
"We don't know the circumstances that led to his rash decision to abandon piracy. And there's also the girl…" Will sighed.
"I just don't get it. I always saw William growing up to be a pirate, but one with a Robin Hood complex – he'd engage in piracy but only to help the less fortunate or something." Elizabeth nodded.
"That sounds plausible. But that's not his path anymore, Will. We have to support him in his future endeavors, even if he doesn't embrace the family business."
"And I shall," her husband agreed. "It's just going to take some getting used to."
"Tell me about it," she sighed. "All of us are going to have to adjust to William's new direction in life. The Sparrows won't be pleased when Sammi tells them about it tonight."
"Jack especially will be crushed," Will predicted. "He is rather attached to William, after all."
"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if Jack blames you for this," said Elizabeth. Will coughed.
"Me? I didn't have anything to do with it!"
"I know you didn't," Elizabeth soothed, running her fingers through his dark hair. "But between the two of us, you're the one with the history of loathing piracy."
"He probably will blame me," Will grumbled. "I can just see it now." Just then a loud clap of thunder sounded, driving a startled Elizabeth back into her husband's arms. Will's arms tightened around her as she tried to calm down.
"Don't worry, Elizabeth, I'll protect you from the big, bad thunderstorm," said Will, causing Elizabeth to laugh.
"You know that I like storms, I just don't like being startled," she reminded him.
"You also believe they are the perfect atmosphere for something," said Will, with a gleam in his eye.
"I do indeed," Elizabeth breathed, turning over to face him. But right before their lips met, they were interrupted by screaming children. Elizabeth could pick out the individual voices of Dani, Jamie, and Char.
"Mum! Father! Help us!"
"We're scared!"
"Can we come sleep with you?"
It seemed to Will that the storm was turning out to be a curse as well as a blessing.
"Foiled again," Will muttered under his breath. Elizabeth mouthed 'later' as they both rose to attend to their frightened children.
333
A bit later, in the Sparrow home
Sammi tossed and turned in her bed, unable to find a comfortable position in which to fall asleep. She was feeling quite restless considering her hopes for a future with William had been dashed that day. At least she'd received some sympathy from her parents. But that sympathy had been short lived after what had happened at dinner.
Hours ago, Sammi had trudged downstairs to eat, expecting the family to discuss William's newfound issues with piracy. However, Teague had other ideas. He'd immediately shown Jack and Ana a note that his teacher, Miss Dijon, had written about Eva. Apparently she had been running around the room again during the math lesson. Eva, of course, yelled at Teague for tattling. Jack and Ana were none too pleased to hear that their eight-year old daughter needed more discipline over an issue she'd struggled with before. Sammi hurriedly shoveled down her food as her parents argued how best to help their youngest child. When she retreated to her room, they'd finally come to a consensus to go and meet with Eva's teacher so they could all decide how best to help her.
The young piratess had lost herself in her music once again, and once her fingers grew tired, she drowned her sorrows in a bottle of her favorite rum. But it hadn't been enough, not nearly enough. There was simply no cure for knowing the one you've loved for a long time did not return that love. She didn't know how she'd be able to stand it if William actually did start courting Miss High-and-Mighty Ophelia Grace.
Sammi's parents had finally come upstairs to bed but by then she didn't feel like talking to them, so she feigned sleep when they checked on her. No, she didn't need human company. What she needed was a place away from it all of this to think! So right then, Miss Sparrow impulsively decided to sneak out. She'd done it a couple times before without getting caught when she'd met William for a friendly midnight stroll on the beach, so she had full confidence in her covert abilities.
Glancing out her bedroom window, Sammi saw that the rain had finally let up. Quietly, she changed back into her day clothes. Then she opened her window and carefully climbed down the tree that was conveniently located right next to her bedroom. It was that simple. Congratulating herself on a job well done, Sammi began to stroll down the road, going wherever her feet might take her. Not surprisingly, she found that she was heading in the direction of Paradise Cove. Sammi was fine with that – it was a special place where she could feel close to William without him actually being there.
Unfortunately for Sammi, the storm picked up again while she was halfway there. She knew she should go back, but her stubborn nature propelled her to keep going. Sammi gave no thought to the danger of being out in a thunderstorm; danger had never stopped Sparrows from doing what they wished. Lightening lit up the pitch black sky as Sammi trudged through the underbrush, her legs caked with dirt. Some of her wounds reopened, but she paid them no mind. Determined now, she was going to reach the cove no matter what!
Eventually Sammi came upon the leafy entrance that marked her and William's private getaway. Feeling quite smug of what she accomplished, Sammi pushed through the palm leaves to reach the other side. What she saw there astounded her, for the two pools were overflowing with rainwater. Stepping gingerly on the wet ground, Sammi sought shelter from the storm. But she hadn't seen the large puddle in front of her, and when she stepped in it, the force of the water brought her to her knees.
Before Sammi knew what was happening, she was swept into one of the pools of water. She surfaced, gasping for breath, but the current was much too strong to fight. She tried to call out for help, but it was useless given the noise of the storm. The swirling strength of the whirlpool sucked her down, down, down into the heart of the pool. As she was forced under, Sammi's last thoughts were of William.
She knew it was all over as the current carried her down a large channel that seemed to go on forever. So when she surfaced again just before she was about to run out of air, Sammi counted herself lucky to be alive. She coughed and sputtered, taking several deep breaths. Whew, that was close, she thought as she treaded water. Sammi knew she should get out of the water right away, so she swam to the side of the pool. It was then that she noticed the absence of the rain and the thunder, as well as her unfamiliar surroundings.
It was then that she realized that she was inside a cave! Crystals of various shapes and sizes glittered in the rock walls. A small stream of water trickled down one of the cracks in the lofty dome. Sharp-tipped stalactites glared down at her, causing Sammi to hurriedly climb out of the water away from them. She knew she'd already brushed with fate that day and didn't want to take any more chances. But all dangers aside, she could appreciate the untouched beauty of the cave. Wringing the water out of her hair, Sammi wondered how she would ever get out of the cave that was currently holding her prisoner. She supposed that she could swim back out the way she came, but only when the storm calmed for good. Well if she was stuck here for the night, she might as well explore the place.
To Sammi's surprise, she found that she was not the first human to visit the cave. Judging by the crude furniture, tools, and scraps of metal littered across the cave floor, she gathered that someone had once used the cave as a workshop. She picked up one of the tools, noticing it was covered with a thick layer of dust.
"I wonder what this person was building?" She voiced her curiosity aloud.
"Something that doesn't concern you, but that you'll no doubt poke your nose into anyway because that's how everyone in your infernal family acts." Sammi jumped, spinning around in the direction of the distinct male voice and drawing her sword in the same moment.
Who's there?!" She cried.
Miss Sparrow was then rendered speechless - a rarity for her, when she realized exactly what she was pointing her weapon at. In front of her stood a man whose form was not solid, but brightly shimmering and transparent. Like every good pirate, Sammi had a healthy dose of respect for all things supernatural, but she'd never actually expected to find herself face to face with a ghost! Her heart pounding in terror, she took in his appearance, noting that his navy blue uniform jacket still sported the dried blood where he'd apparently been stabbed in the heart.
"Don't come any closer," she warned, knowing it was an empty threat. She was very aware that while she couldn't harm the ghost, he could most definitely harm her!
The specter of intimidating size then advanced towards her, as if to get a closer look. It was then that Sammi noticed his vivid green eyes, who didn't look too pleased to see her. Oh God, I'm about to be haunted by a naval officer with a bad wig, Sammi thought as she braced herself for what was to come…
End Ch. 2
A/N: Well well. Guess who has just joined the cast of characters! As if things weren't complicated enough. But I'll enjoy the challenge of writing him into the story along with the rest of the cast. He and Sammi will have plenty to chat about, that's for sure.
I hope William's point of view explains his actions in the first chapter. Finally, you get to know what he thinks about Sammi!! ;) But stupid Therese had to go and screw things up for them. Never tell your friends who you like unless you trust them completely! Anyway, I hope enjoyed this one. As promised, I included plenty of Jack, Will, and Elizabeth.