On the occasion of Will's twenty-first birthday, which arrived just short of a month before Elizabeth's, the couple collectively agreed that their preferred mode of celebration was a private rendezvous at the smithy, a condition that was fairly easy to arrange since the death of Mr. Brown and the passing of the shop's ownership to Will.

As he was anticipating Elizabeth's arrival within the next hour, Will had doused the fire in the forge and currently stood examining a cooling sword, looking for any imperfections he might have missed. He was so engrossed with the task that he did not hear Elizabeth quietly slip into the smithy and slink up behind him, wrapping her arms about his hips.

Startled, he jumped slightly at her touch, but quickly relaxed against her body.

"Happy birthday, my darling," she purred into his ear.

Will grinned. Her tone made abundantly clear the mood his beloved was in, and he was immensely grateful that they had decided to spend the evening in the seclusion of the smithy instead of back at the manor as the Governor had suggested.

He turned slowly in her arms even as his hands found her delicate waist. "I hadn't expected you so soon," he told her, leaning down to place a teasing kiss at the corner of her mouth.

Elizabeth smiled up at him, greatly pleased at his playfulness. Tonight promised to be an exciting evening. "Yes, I know," she softly replied. "I was forced to leave early before the stores had closed for the night. Father is under the impression that I'm having a dress fitting followed by a late night supper hosted by Mary Edmonds – which, of course, you will be attending, as Father knows better than to believe that I wouldn't see you tonight."

Her hands slid up around his neck as she ended the confession of her supposed whereabouts, as always, quite pleased at her cunning.

The deception, however, failed to achieve such a pleasant reaction from Will. At her words, his expression changed from one of carefree lightheartedness to apprehension. "He doesn't know you are here alone with me," he stated uneasily.

Elizabeth pouted slightly, not at all caring for the turn their conversation had taken. "I've made my thoughts on chaperones unmistakably clear to him. They're an imposition as well as an insult to both the man and the woman who are courting." When this did not appear to ease his mind, she soothingly added, "Father knows I keep company with you alone. He simply doesn't wish for me to see you alone here."

As it was clear her explanation was not helping matters, she hurriedly attempted a further justification. "After all, the smithy is a place of business, but your private living quarters are directly attached…..In his mind, it would be much like allowing me to receive you alone in my bedroom."

Will's eyebrows rose at the implication. "He does not trust me."

"No, Will," Elizabeth said, working her fingers through his hair appeasingly. "I believe I am the one he does not trust." Snuggling closer to him, she whisperingly confided, "He fears my intentions towards you are not entirely honorable."

Will could not help but smile at this. "And are they?"

"Perhaps we'll discover that as the evening wears on," she saucily replied, at last claiming his lips as she had wished to from the moment she entered the smithy.

An hour later, the couple sat side by side at Will's small table and chairs, just finishing off the remainder of the cold chicken, cheese, fruit and teacakes Elizabeth had brought. It made for a very cozy, domestic scene, the first such intimate dinner they had ever shared.

Elizabeth gazed dreamily at Will as she sipped her wine, his deep chocolate eyes wordlessly inquiring as to her thoughts.

"This is as I always wished it to be, Will," she tenderly disclosed.

"It's my perfect wish, as well – very nearly…..But what should happen in the event that your father asks Mary about her little dinner party?" he questioned.

"I was purposefully vague on the subject, and my father doesn't make it a habit of conversing with young women. I think he's a bit afraid of us. It is love alone that causes him to make the effort with me." Her brow furrowed as she thought further on Will's ongoing preoccupation with her alibi, prompting her to ask with a touch of annoyance, "Why does this bother you so? Why are you forever concerned with what my father is thinking?"

"Because I've yet to secure his good opinion, Elizabeth," Will answered, his voice laced with frustration he was attempting to quell. "I know you don't believe that matters, but it does."

"Will – "

"Your father does not know me, not truly. He's reluctantly accepted me. He even appears to like me, somewhat begrudgingly, but…." Will shook his head as he allowed his words to trial off.

Elizabeth sighed. "Father knows you're a good man, Will, but that's beside the point. My opinion of you, my feelings for you are all that matter to me. They should be all that matter to you."

"Elizabeth, I realize you live your life after your heart, disregarding what others say or think to the contrary. That takes courage and strength. It's a rare quality that I've always admired in you," Will said, gently taking her hands in his. "But I also know what it's like to love you fiercely and only want what is best for you, but still be completely shutout from your future, powerless to ensure your happiness. I know what it is to want to give you the world and not be allowed to."

"Oh, Will," Elizabeth brokenly began, "I – "

"Your father permits me to court you because it is what you want and what you would have, regardless of what he says," Will continued. "But I don't wish for him to live with the pain of thinking that his beloved is making an unalterable mistake. I know that pain, Elizabeth."

"Will, I – I didn't realize," she said remorsefully, referring to the painful years of longing that Will had endured, the anxiety her father must currently be suffering, and her beloved's concern for the Governor despite her thoughtlessness on the issue. She began tracing slow circles across his palm, her eyes intent on her progress, unwilling to meet his gaze. "At times, your goodness makes me feel thoroughly ashamed. I think perhaps I'm not quite worthy of you."

Will could not stifle a burst of incredulous laughter. "You unworthy of me? Surely you must have that backwards."

Elizabeth looked up at him sincerely. "I meant what I said. My behavior has been selfish and unfeeling."

"No," Will replied, lovingly brushing aside a loose strand of hair that had fallen across her eye. "You merely wanted to prove to me, to your father, to all of Port Royal that I was your equal."

" 'A smart match'," Elizabeth censoriously mimicked. "It's horribly unfair to you. No one would be reacting this way if I had chosen James, yet you are clearly the better man."

"In all but station."

"You are the better man in all ways."

"Thank you, love. But some will never see it that way. Your refusal to accept that doesn't make you selfish, quite the contrary. You wished to be with me in spite of anything and anyone; you would let nothing stop you. And for that I love you," Will tenderly avowed. "But I do care what your father thinks of me. I must. He needs to know that I won't take advantage of you. He deserves to know that I would move heaven and earth to bring you happiness, that I would die before I let any harm come to you. He's loved you longer than I have. That affords him my respect."

"And you shall have his. Together, we'll see to it. I promise you…..But," Elizabeth began regretfully, "does that really mean we can have no more clandestine meetings?"

"No," Will happily conceded. "There are benefits to meeting you in secret that I'm not prepared to give up." As if to underscore his point, he leaned over and lightly kissed her lips. "It only means we'll have to be very discreet."

"I can be discreet," she assured him.

Will looked at her skeptically.

"I can be," Elizabeth retorted in mock outrage. "For eight years, you never knew I was in love with you – although I wasn't terribly discreet about that. But I will be about this. And I still say I already was. Father will never find out that I've spent the night here with you."

Will smiled. "When you say it like that you make it sound utterly wicked."

Elizabeth's face brightened. "Which reminds me," she excitedly said, springing from her chair next to him and onto his lap. "I've yet to give you your present."

His arms immediately found their way about her waist, his hands coming to rest low upon her hips. "My present is something wicked?" he asked, intrigued by her statement and thoroughly enjoying their new seating arrangement.

"Maybe," she giggled. "Close your eyes."

Will did as requested, eagerly awaiting his 'gift'.

Elizabeth reached into the pocket of her skirt and withdrew a small box, placing it in the palm of her hand. "All right, I'm ready. Here is your present." When he failed to open his eyes, she frowned. "Will?"

At last, he looked at her, bewilderment and more than a little disappointment marking his features.

"You don't like it?" she questioned. "But you haven't even opened it."

"No, no, my darling," Will affectionately reassured, glancing for the first time at the box. "I'm sure I will love it."

She regarded him curiously, her head cocked to one side. "Then why….."

Will looked at her sheepishly, at length uneasily admitting, "It was only….when you said your gift was something 'wicked', I thought….I – I just….expected something else, that is all."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him, thoroughly amused at his discomfiture. "That will come later," she said, nevertheless, pausing to give him a slow, steady kiss. Abruptly breaking away with a satisfied sigh, she added, "Now open your present."

Will shook his head slightly, attempting to dislodge the now familiar cobwebs that never failed to invade his mind whenever she kissed him in such a way. "Yes, of course," he mumbled, still rattled, but managing to take the tiny box from her hand.

Lifting the lid, he discovered what appeared to be some sort of a necklace inside. Will took hold of its black cord and gently lifted the necklace free from its box to better examine it. Doing so, he found there was a silver-topped garnet gemstone attached to the cord.

"It's an amulet, said to offer protection and bring good fortune," Elizabeth enthusiastically explained. "I bought it at the docks from a gypsy woman – or perhaps she was a voodoo woman; I'm not certain. Either way, Father would've been furious to know I was speaking with her. That, Mr. Turner, and not your salacious presumption, is what makes your present wicked."

Will laughed, hopelessly enchanted by her even if she was ever prone to getting them both into trouble.

"She said she traded it off a pirate ship, and I immediately thought of you. I think it goes well with your new look," she declared, indicating the black boots that now adorned his feet in place of the buckle shoes he used to wear. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," Will replied, his delight with the gift, as well as with her, evident in his voice.

"Here," Elizabeth said, taking the necklace from his hand, "let me."

She further separated the opening of his shirt, running a caressing finger along his bare skin as she watched his reaction, before laying the stone flat against his chest. Reaching around his neck to tie a knot in the cord as he bent proved to be a more delicate matter. As she still sat sideways on his lap, the movement necessitated Will's face to all but be buried in Elizabeth's bosom. Such a position flustered the young woman, making it exceedingly difficult to tie a proper knot and lengthening the amount of time they must hold the pose.

"Have I mentioned how much I'm enjoying spending this birthday here with you?" Will asked, his voice tinged with mischief but his tone, a full octave lower then usual, betrayed that he was feeling much more than simple amusement at the situation.

"You have not," Elizabeth answered pertly, still attempting that seemingly impossible knot. "But if this is your feeble means of distraction, I must warn you, it will fail."

"No," he said amorously. "This is my attempt at distraction." With that, he bent further to place a short, yet simmering kiss to the swell of her breast.

Elizabeth involuntarily shivered in his arms, the cord slipping from her fingers, requiring her to restart her efforts.

"William Turner," she laughingly chastised. "Wait until I've finished tying. And you know very well that I've always spent time with you on your birthday."

"Yes, but this is the first one where I could do this," he teased, placing another, more lingering kiss at the hollow of her throat.

"You won't get the better of me," she firmly declared, but the racing throb of her pulse against his lips belied her tone.

"Will I not?" he countered challengingly. "Perhaps we shall see about that."

"There now," she said as she successfully completed her task and hastened to pull away before he could continue his torture.

The couple looked down to admire the amulet as it sat against his tanned chest.

"It suits you," Elizabeth said, following the string with her finger and taking the stone into her hand. "My pirate."

Will leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose. "Do you suppose the Edmonds' dinner party is over?"

"Mmm, no," she replied, shaking her head. "It may last well into the night."

"Your father isn't likely to believe that," he said softly, toying with a lock of her hair.

When Elizabeth made no reply, Will questioned cautiously, "Is this evening still how you've always wished it to be, or has our disagreement altered your opinion?"

"It still is," she assured him, tracing a finger across his lower lip and down his goatee. "Perfect love isn't always perfect in action. We are bound to have disagreements, Will. Even the happiest of couples do. We would have had more as children had you not always let me have my way. But, as tempting as that is, I don't want my way over yours – that is, not all the time."

"I see," Will amusedly replied.

"And," she added, giving him a sultry look, "though we've never tried it before, I'm told that lovers' quarrels can have their advantages."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, in the very thrilling way in which we make up."

"By all means, we must make up," Will enticed. "But how do we go about it? What shall I do first?"

"Well," Elizabeth began, distracted by his warm breath on her skin as he drew closer, "you might start by gently – "

Her eyes fell shut as she was momentarily engrossed by his tender kiss at the juncture of her jaw and ear. After a pause, she continued on, "By gently stroking my ha – "

Her words transformed into an appreciative gasp as he took her earlobe into his mouth.

"Go on," Will whispered caressingly, his lips still against her ear.

"Or – or you might…" Elizabeth was finding it more and more difficult to think with his tongue softly tracing the contours of her ear. "You might tell me you love me," she finished weakly.

"I love you," Will obeyed, his accent thick in his desire. He pulled back to survey her face, her lips slightly agape, her breath quickened, her eyes clouded with desire.

"Perhaps your lips might find their way to my neck," she continued.

Will smiled. "They might," he said huskily, blazing a nibbling trail down her neck and across her collarbone. When she said nothing more, he paused in his efforts. "You've no further suggestions?"

"You're doing perfectly fine on your own," she murmured.

"Without your instruction," he teased between kisses, retracing his trail back up her neck, "how will I know how to please you?"

This seemed to bring Elizabeth back to conscious thought, and she drew slightly away from Will. "But it is your birthday," she protested. "I should be the one pleasing you."

"This is pleasing me," Will replied, pulling her back to him and softly nipping at her flesh.

Elizabeth immediately craned her neck to the side to aid his advance. "Very well, then."

Will's lips worked their way up her neck, across her jaw, and to her chin where he placed a light kiss before pulling back to look at her. "Have you no other requests?"

"I thought you might use your imagination."

"I'm not sure you would consent to my imaginings at this moment," Will answered.

"With talk like that, you'll never win my father's approval," she cheekily replied.

"Elizabe – "

But whatever Will meant to say was cut off of by her lips crashing against his.

AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There was a tiny little bit of angst in there, but I wanted to show that Will & Elizabeth have a real relationship not just this completely idealistic cliché of "true love". So I thought it was important to introduce the idea that AWE is not the first, and will probably not be the only, time these two have problems and may not see eye to eye. Working through these little disagreements and how they overcome these issues is integral to making them a strong couple. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think. I love, love, love your reviews and very sincerely pay them heed. So please don't be silent.