"The Friday before her wedding, Amelia was in what were to be her quarters in James' house. Estrella was in the closet, hanging up her dresses. James had chosen new furniture for the room. Amelia looked around at the room she would share with her husband. The bed had frothy white curtains around it, and a blue silk comforter. There was a set of French doors on the far side, opening to a large balcony with a view of the shore and a table and chairs. Amelia stepped out onto the balcony and closed her eyes, breathing in the sea air. She looked down at her left ring finger, which held the top part of her engagement thimble.

Everything was real. Six months ago, she could never have imagined that she would be marrying James Norrington. It was her wildest dream. But now, here she was, standing on the balcony of his house, which would soon be her house, too.

"You may go, Estrella," said a voice from behind her. She smiled at her fiance's voice. She expected him to stand next to her, but she felt two arms close around her shoulders. She put her head back to rest on his chest.

"Hello, Miss Sparrow." He kissed her cheek.

"Admiral Norrington. I hope no one walks by to see this display."

"I don't care if they do." He kissed her neck.

"Well, I do." She pulled away and faced him, straightening his lapels. "I'm supposed to be a respectable woman, remember?"

"Ah, yes. Well, you will be. In two days." He leaned down to kiss her, and she showed her cheek. "Fine. I only came to tell you that you are due home. I'll walk you."

"Thank you." She took his arm. When they got to her house, she was taken upstairs for yet another dress fitting.

When Amelia was in the wedding dress, she felt like a princess. It was light blue with little dark blue scrolls embroidered on the stomacher. She would wear violets in her hair. She stood and looked at herself in the mirror while the seamstresses were sewing on the trim.

"Miss Sparrow?" Estrella came in and handed her a note. She opened it, and immediately had to sit on the settee.

"Everyone please go." She held back tears as the servants left. She read the note again, to make sure she had seen it right.

Miss Sparrow,

I am sorry to tell you that your father, Captain Jack Sparrow, has been lost to the locker. He went down when the kraken overtook the Pearl. A braver and more noble pirate, there never was.

Sincerely,

Joshamee Gibbs

It hit her like a rock, and it felt as though her heart would sink into her stomach. She let out the sobs she had held in. The governor heard her as he passed by the door.

"Darling! What is the matter?" He sat next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She handed him the note, and he read it. "Oh, my dearest. I am so sorry."

"I shouldn't be so sad. I mean, all those years before he came here, there was a part of me that assumed he was dead. And he and I just reunited. But I..." She couldn't suppress another sob. She buried her face in the governor's shoulder.

"There, there, my dear. You mustn't cry." He patted her back. "You mustn't cry."

"What's the matter?" James walked in.

"Go away!" She ran into the closet. She didn't want to show him her face after she'd been crying.

She heard the rustle of paper as the governor handed James the note.

"May I have a moment alone with my fiancee, please?" James asked. The governor consented and left.

"Come out here, Amelia." He stood with his hands on his hips.

"No. I don't want you to see me like this."

His hand reached in and grabbed her arm. He pulled her out of the closet and into his arms. She began to cry again. "Shh. It's alright. Shh."

"I'm sorry. I...just..."

"Don't apologize, my dear. I've seen you cry before."

"But never when you were about to marry me!"

James held back a chuckle. "Well, I shall see it many more times in the next fifty years."

She smiled and turned so that her cheek rested on his chest.

"Amelia?"

"Yes?"

"You won't...you won't call off the wedding, will you?"

"No. Absolutely not. I won't let you get away from me again." She leaned her face up to him and he kissed her. He brushed her tears away with his thumbs.

"So, you are ready for Sunday then?"

"I was never more ready for anything.