Chapter 2 : Perfection

Will's POV:

It started out as any other night on the Dutchman. I was alone on the ships main deck while the rest of the crew were sleeping. Many tend to assume that sleep is something that is optional for immortal, cursed pirates, but just because one isn't able to die from exhaustion doesn't mean we never got tired and needed our sleep. Functioning on lack of sleep was never fun and the Dutchman could be called away to preform it's duty at any moment. Meaning, it was important to get some sleep whenever we could.

As Captain, no one would question me if I put off sleeping for a little longer than the others which is exactly what I was doing that night. It wasn't that I liked avoiding sleep per say; it was that I liked having the alone time to think. Whenever I did so my thoughts would often return to my family.

Needless to say, I missed them. I would have had my day on shore soon, it was less than a year away, but one day every ten years was never enough. What I wouldn't have given to be with Elizabeth right then and there or to see my son one more time. Not because he was trying to drown himself again and expecting me to rescue him though. Once was more than enough of that. He was clearly stubborn just like his mother. I hoped he had listened to me and given up on pirating and stayed away from Captain Jack Sparrow. No good could come from Jack. Though to be fair, I suppose if it wasn't for Jack, I may never have found the courage to tell Elizabeth I loved her in the first place.

I smiled thinking back to that moment. As a young man, I had loved her for so long, but how could I do anything about it? She was so high above my station. It was improper for me to view her as any more than… wait.

My thoughts stopped before I could continue thinking through the memory. Something was wrong, very wrong. What was that? Was it… my heart?

I placed my hand on my chest over where my scar should have been. I immediately noticed two things; one being my scar was no longer there and the other being that my heart was most definitely beating inside my chest. I suppose to a usual person this sort of thing seems normal (feeling one's heart beat inside their chest), but my heart hadn't beaten in over nineteen years. I immediately knew something very odd was occurring.

Before I had time to fully comprehend what was happening, I noticed something else odd. I watched as the ship turned, from the barnacle and seaweed covered mess it had been, into a normal ship.

I reached up and felt the left side of my forehead. My own barnacles, that had recently been there, had disappeared as well. It was as though we were no longer a cursed ship. That was when it occurred to me—Henry.

The last time I'd seen my son was when he had tied rocks to his leg and jumped into the water, nearly drowning, to try and find me. He had succeeded in finding me, but I don't think he received the response he was looking for from me. I was so angry at him that night. The Dutchman was no place for a boy, particularly a living boy, particularly my son. He'd said he was going to find Captain Jack Sparrow so he could find the trident of Poseidon and free me from my curse. That had been over nine years ago though, but could he have actually found it? Was it really more than just a superstitious myth? It had to be. There could be no other explanation. Did that mean… I was free?

My thoughts were cut short as I felt the call. It was a feeling I can barely describe really, but one that any crew member of the Flying Dutchman feels within whenever there are souls at sea on the verge of death. My ship had a purpose and it was time to fulfill it again.

It would be daytime in the world of the living at this time. Time was always backwards between the locker and their world. We had little time to loose. The dying souls would be given a chance to postpone death and join our crew, but only if we got there before they died.

My attention shifted as one the crew called out to me. "Captain?" he questioned, the rest of the crew standing behind him, looking as puzzled as he, "Why has our ship… changed? Are we… are we no longer cursed?"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

After completing my duty and answering the call of the Dutchman one last time there was only one thing on my mind—my family. I was finally free from my curse, a freedom I never thought I would feel and all I wanted to do was finally go home.

I bid my crew on the Dutchman goodbye, especially my father, and I finally I was free. I could not hide the smile as I left my ship. I would miss some of the crew members, especially my father, but it would be a lie to say I wasn't overjoyed at the thought of leaving to go home to my family.

As I walked on to the island where I had left Elizabeth right after our wedding night all those years ago, the same island where I had met the son I never even knew I'd left her with ten years later, I can honestly say I hadn't been that excited in years.

A young man ran to greet me. As much as I don't like to admit it, at first I really had no idea who this young man was. He looked to be about twenty or so maybe a tad younger. Then as he ripped off the necklace he wore and began to hand it to me I noticed it's obvious familiarity. It was clearly my necklace, one I had got in Singapore many years ago. It was the same necklace I had given to my son long ago when he had found me and tried to board my ship as a living boy.

In my mind, Henry was still a young boy. I hadn't thought through how he would have clearly grown since I'd seen him last—it had been over nine years. I quickly realized the young man standing in front of me was my son.

He passed me the necklace and my mouth verified what my heart already knew. "Henry?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "Look at you!" I exclaimed, unable to hide my surprise at his growth in the past nine years. He was no longer a young boy at all, but a man. I felt so much pride to look at him. This was my son, my own flesh and blood and here he stood before me a fine young man.

Henry smiled at me. "How did you do it?" I asked. I still couldn't quite understand how my son had actually managed to overcome all odds and end my curse once and for all. I was both impressed and curious.

"Want to hear a tale of the greatest treasure known to man?" he toyed. Of course I did. I couldn't stop smiling. He had grown into such a man. I couldn't wait to get to know him better. I loved my son so much. I only hoped he knew that and now because of him, I could make sure he knew just how much I loved him and would actually be able spend time with him.

"Now that's a tale I'd like to hear," I smiled. This was perfection. I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend my life than with my son by my side. Then as much as I loved my son, I stopped. I saw her, Elizabeth—my Elizabeth.

My heart started pounding within my chest in ways I didn't even know possible. I could think of nothing, but her. It wasn't that I didn't love my son, of course I loved him, but I couldn't stop myself form staring, from wanting to hold her. It was Elizabeth—my Elizabeth!

It wasn't that I hadn't expected her to be there. Of course being free meant I'd get to be with my wife again. Wife. What a word. A word I'd barely gotten the chance to use before I was separated from her for so long. She was my wife and she was standing right there!

"Will," she called and I thought my knees might collapse beneath me. My heart pounded more and more as we ran to embrace. This was perfection, Elizabeth right within my grasp with my son nearby. As we finally embraced, I felt the best I had in years. This was where I was meant to be, holding her. Nothing had ever felt so right.

Then suddenly holding her was not enough. I wanted to taste her lips against mine to show her how much I really did love her. It had been too long. As we kissed, it felt as though we had never been apart. I could not have been happier than I was in that moment.

We broke apart from our kiss, but I would not let our embrace stop, not that she tried either. We pulled back just far enough so that we could speak to each other, still holding each other.

"Elizabeth," I whispered, my eyes meeting her own. They were even more beautiful in person than I had remembered.

"You're back," she stated almost as though she didn't believe it herself. I didn't blame her, I could barely believe it either.

I grinned strengthening my embrace. "Back forever," I corrected.

I heard Henry walking closer towards us. I hadn't felt this good in years. To be in my wife's arms with our son nearby; there was no greater feeling.

Elizabeth laughed and pulled away from me just enough to let Henry in turning our hug from a two person embrace into a three person hug.

"I'm home," I smiled, never wanting to let go of either of them. I still could barely believe. It was almost as though I needed to say it over and over again to make it feel real.

I heard a female clear her throat in the background. That was the first time I had really noticed the brunette who had been standing nearby the whole time. I suppose she had been there since I had first stepped foot on the land, but I had been far too preoccupied with my son and wife to notice her.

"Ah," Henry said, as though realizing his poor introductory skills. "Father," he continued, stepping back from our "hug-circle" and gently placing his arm around the girl to bring her forward towards me. "This is Carina. If it weren't for her I never would have found the trident to free you from your curse."

I noticed Carina blush and immediately began to wonder if there was more to this girl than just the girl who helped Henry find the trident. I noticed that there was something to the way Henry looked at her too almost like he was smitten by her. Although I didn't know for sure, it seemed to me like these two were either already or on their way to becoming a little more than friends.

"Carina," Henry continued, "This is my father, William Turner the Second, former Captain of the Flying Dutchman."

Of course he would introduce me like that. It seemed a little over the top in my opinion. He made me sound so great. I supposed he was proud of his pirate father after all.

"Nice to meet you, Captain Turner," Carina smiled as she curtsied.

I noticed her curtsy and wondered where Henry had found a girl like that. He didn't seem like the type to follow rules of propriety, though he was raised by Elizabeth so then again what did I know? There was so much I didn't know, yet longed to learn about my son and now I would finally have the time to do just that.

"Though," Carina continued, "I would hardly say I was the sole reason the trident was found..."

Henry cut her off before she had the chance to finish. "I didn't say you were."

Carina gasped. "You said if it weren't for me you never would have found the trident. That would imply...'

Henry stopped her once more. "It implies nothing," he teased, "It means you helped find the trident and without your help we never would have found it. I never once said you were the sole reason we found it. In fact if it were up to you, I do believe the ghosts you didn't believe in would have destroyed us at sea."

As I watched him grin while he awaited her reaction, any potential doubts in mind about the relationship that existed between him and Carina vanished. It became very clear that something romantic was going on.

Carina huffed. While Henry was still grinning at her frustration, she didn't much seem to be enjoying it. Then as though something clicked inside her mind, I watched her stop and grin similar to the way Henry had been.

"And I do believe," she remarked, "If it weren't for me you would still be possessed by a ghost."

Elizabeth turned around at that remark, leaving my embrace. She stood in front of me, but the one thing she did not do was let go of my hand. It was as though a part of us had to be touching one another at all times just to make sure this was real after spending so many years apart.

"You did what!?" she gasped, looking straight at Henry even though it was Carina who had spoken.

Carina's eyes grew. "Nothing, absolutely nothing to worry about," she began rambling.

I noticed my son was clearly worried. I wondered what exactly had happened on their adventure to find Poseidon's trident.

Carina stopped rambling and spoke slower once more. "What's really important I think, is that all curses are broken now and that," she paused, "Is because of my father."

Henry nodded. "A good man," he added.

"A man," Carina continued, as her gaze flew towards the ground, "I regretfully barely knew."

Henry pouted and I watched as he walked up beside her and slowly, nervously put his arm over her shoulder in what was clearly an attempt to comfort her. I smiled to myself. He reminded me of a younger version of myself, one who was not too comfortable around girls at all. I noticed Elizabeth gaze up at me and smile as she leaned into my chest and instantly knew she saw it too. There was very clearly something romantic going on between these two.

"I'm sure he's in a better place now," Henry said, trying to comfort Carina.

Carina looked up to meet Henry's eyes. "Yes," she quietly agreed. The way she looked at him said a lot. She clearly admired him. I noticed that he looked back at her in the same way. As their eyes met, Henry moved his arm away in an awkward sort of way clearly not knowing how to respond.

Elizabeth and I grinned at each other. I knew she had to be thinking something similar to what I was thinking; he was just like a young Will Turner, a shy young man who fell in love with a Governor's daughter all those years ago.

Elizabeth smiled. "Shall we go have dinner?" she asked.

As the four of us walked together to our home, it was the first time I could really call it my home. Up until then it had been Elizabeth and Henry's home, the home I had seen once nine years ago and that was it. It felt good to have a place to call my family's home, one that not only belonged to them, but myself as well.

Henry and Carina walked in front of Elizabeth and I and I would catch them both stealing gazes at each other at different times, neither wanting to be caught by the other. I smiled at the young, awkward love birds. Awkward as they were, I found so much pride in idea that the man ahead of me was my son. I loved him wholeheartedly. I wanted nothing more than for him to be able to share his life with me.

Elizabeth and I walked slightly behind, neither of us wanting to let go of the other. She leaned into me slightly as we walked and I wrapped my arm around her. Her touch was one I had greatly missed.

I wanted things to stay like that forever, but that was before I knew what that coming night would bring.

A/N:

So as you can probably tell by now, I've decided that instead of just making this a Willabeth romance it's also going to be a Henry/Carina romance, but I like the idea of still telling it from Will/Elizabeth's perspective. So for now anyway, I'm going to do it that way.

My apologizes if I got any quotes for DMTNT wrong, I'm going by memory here. If anyone has a copy of the script though and want to pass it my way, I would love, love, love that!

Thanks for all the favorites / follows so far! Shout outs to my reviewers as well, you are awesome! Reviews are always appreciated so please R & R ! :D

Speaking of reviewers, to my anon:

Smithy- thanks for pointing out I spelled Carina incorrectly I definitely fixed that in this chapter. It's funny you mentioned my spelling of "mom/mum" too. In Canada, we actually always spell it "mom" instead of "mum," but keeping in mind that most of my audience is probably American I shall try to remember the difference in the future. Thanks for your review though! Hope you liked the Carina/Henry interaction in this chapter.