Author's Notes; Originally, this was very, very short. Like, 400 words, if that. However, the amount of support I recieved for the first chapter got me in the spirit, and I wrote a bit more. (The original version was simply the second scene with Elizabeth on the bluff, to give you an idea of how short it was...)

Enjoy!

"Oh, Ana, it's beautiful," Elizabeth whispered as she ran a hand along the soft baby blanket Ana had made for William. She traced a finger along the embroidered name. William Jonathon Turner III, Elizabeth thought with a smile, her eyes falling to her baby who was wobbling towards her from across the room. She put the blanket down and held out her arms, the babe falling into them with a giggle. Not to be confused with William Turner, Junior, she thought, a fake smile on her face as her heart began to ache. Who is missing his son's first birthday…

"I made it meself," Ana said proudly, and Elizabeth looked up at her, her reverie broken. She nodded and opened up the baby-blue and white blanket, placing it on the ground and putting William on top. He laughed, and she smiled.

"He loves it," she said softly. "Thank you."

"Here, we have another," Henry said, handing Elizabeth another package. She smiled and accepted it, pulling the brown packing paper away. She opened the tiny box with a gasp as she saw a miniature version of an all-too-familiar ship. "I had it specially made," he said quietly, watching her. Elizabeth looked up into his kind blue eyes with her own tear-filled brown.

"It's… beautiful," she said, her fingers tracing the details with reverence.

"I hope… it's not too…" he broke off, searching for the right word, "familiar."

"It's… perfect," Elizabeth nodded, moving from her seat. She moved to the mantle piece above the fireplace and she set the miniature version of the Flying Dutchman on top. Of course Henry hadn't known the details all too well, but Elizabeth supposed he had simply gone by a rough sketch in some book or another.

"It's… not that long away, you know," Henry offered. Ana nodded.

"After all… another year's gone by already!" She said, trying to sound reassuring. Elizabeth nodded, biting her lip. She smiled at her friends; happy she had the opportunity to meet people she could trust so thoroughly with such a heavy secret. When her ninth month had come around, and they had still seen no sign of her husband, they lightly pressed her for the answer. She had broken down in tears and sobbed out the whole story, and when she finished her face had been red with embarrassment. Curiously, they had believed her story, and Elizabeth knew she could trust them with anything.

"Would… you like some cake? I baked a small one for the occasion," she said quietly, her voice breaking slightly. They smiled, but shook their heads.

"I have appointments," Henry said with a faint smile. Ana motioned to her swollen stomach.

"I need sleep… it's not kicking anymore, an' I want to take advantage!" Elizabeth nodded.

"At least a slice to go?" She asked, but they shook their heads.

"I'm sure William would enjoy the cake more than we would—take care of yourself, Elizabeth," Henry said, moving to help his wife as they both made their way to the door. They pulled their sweaters tighter around them as their carriage pulled up out front. Elizabeth picked up William and walked them to the door, showering them with her thank-yous. They dismissed her with their kind smiles. "Honestly, Elizabeth, it's nothing… shall I see you Monday, then?"

"Yes," she said. "I can help Monday, but Tuesday I'm working at the local general store… Ana—could you watch William?" She asked, her eyes looking at the boy in her arms rather than her friends.

"O' course—he seems to be gettin' along real swell with Mary," she nodded, leaning in to ruffle William's hair. He giggled with a smile on his face. Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief, the red fading from her cheeks.

"I owe you," she nodded, and they smiled before they turned and walked into their carriage. They waved at her from the windows before they disappeared down the bluff and into the faint outskirts of the village below. She turned to the child in her arms with a watery smile, "Let's go have some cake!" She said, moving into the kitchen with William cooing in her arms.

"Yo, ho, yo, ho, a pirate's life for me," Elizabeth sang softly to the babe in her arms, a few hours after the slight party they had had. She looked into his soft eyes, the eyes that eerily reminded her of her love's, peeking out from behind deep brown curls that she constant ran her fingers through, patting down the fly-aways as she vaguely remembered her husband's hair being just as silky smooth. "We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, we loot," she broke off, her eyes trailing towards the horizon as she sat on the edge of the bluff. The babe squirmed in her arms and she sighed, returning to her song. "Drink up me hearties, yo ho," she finished, tears springing to her eyes as she once more glanced at the horizon.

"Will," she said softly, looking down at the little boy in her arms. "Would be so proud of you," she whispered, her fingers returning to the young boy's hair. "Your father would be so proud of you."

He gurgled and clapped loudly, reaching a pudgy hand towards her hands, holding him in her lap, his back to her chest. She let him curl a fist around her pinky finger, and laughed with him while he giggled. "He would love you so much," she said softly, her eyes once more trailing out towards the horizon. "He would never let you go," she said, and the baby squeezed her finger almost knowingly. She smiled, "He would teach you how to use a sword, and he'd let you go sailing with Jack Sparrow… granted, you'd have to be a bit older," she said in a motherly sort of tone, a wistful smile on her face. "Perhaps… perhaps he'd teach you how to blacksmith, and he'd show you how to love," she said, tears springing to her eyes, "so that one day, when you find your own love, you would treat her wonderfully, as your father always treated me."

The sun was sinking below the water, the sky taking on a beautiful shade of pink as tears began to run down her rosy cheeks. She moved a hand to wipe them away and she brought her child closer to her as a cold breeze blew by on the February evening. Even in the Caribbean, it was still a bit cooler than regular. The boy cooed in her arms, letting go of her finger suddenly and clapping his hands together, squealing at the sight of the sun going down. His deep brown eyes were almost entranced by the sweet, candy-like colors, his mouth open in awe.

"Happy birthday, William," she said, leaning down and kissing his sweet brown curls. "Happy first birthday…" she said softly, and the boy laughed, as if realizing this for himself. "Eight more years, my love, just eight more years this June and you will finally be able to see just how much your father loves you."

Wow! The response from last chapter was wonderful! Thanks to everyone who reviewed; I'm glad you all are enjoying reading this just as much as I'm enjoying writing this!

Next Chapter: Christmas with a special visitor!