Disclaimer: Will, Jack, Elizabeth, Ana, and the other PotC characters don't belong to me. They are the property of Disney, Gore, Jerry, Ted, and Terry. However I do own Sammi and Teague Sparrow! Sammi is by far my favorite OC that I've created, I just love her.
A/N: Twenty-five chapters! Holy cow, that's long. Once again, I apologize for being so late with my updates. But I've been having so much fun with my friends doing Halloween-related activities lately, I haven't had much time for writing with school and all. (Guess what I am for Halloween? Yep. A pirate.)
So they've finally set off on their voyage. Hooray for me finally advancing the plot! The chapter starts off a bit slow, but it picks up quickly. If you're a Willabether, you'll want to stay until the end, trust me! Also, I just want to say that upcoming chapters 26 and 27 are not one to be missed. Many surprises will be revealed in those chapters. Enjoy this one, luvs!
Warning: There's a discussion about how babies are made, but it's not explicit at all. It's there to be funny. Just wanted to prepare you!
Ch. 25: Long Journey
The night before the long expected voyage, Captain Jack Sparrow found himself locked out of his own bedroom. Ana had refused to let him in until he talked – really talked – with Captain Teague. Not wanting to spend the night all by his onesies, Jack reluctantly decided to go find his father. But first he raided the cellar for rum, and lots of it. Jack found his father lounging in the living room, staring off into space. As usual, the old pirate liked to stay up until the wee hours of the morning.
"Da?" Jack asked tentatively. Teague jumped, and turned to look at his son from his vantage point on the couch.
"Jackie. I didn't think you were still up."
"Well I am," Jack said lamely.
"Couldn't sleep?" Teague asked. Jack winced – he really didn't want to do this. If he had a choice between this and facing the Kraken again, he'd pick the Kraken. Wait, no he wouldn't. At least his father couldn't take him to Davy Jones' Locker… I've just got to grit my teeth and do it, Jack thought.
"Actually, I was hoping I could, um, talk with you for a bit," said Jack. Teague's eyes betrayed his surprise. His son had been avoiding such a talk the entire time that he'd been living here. Why would he want to talk now?
"Have a seat, son," he offered, patting the space next to him.
"In a moment," Jack said. "First, I bring us rum." Teague grinned at Jack's wisdom. He knew that both he and his son would have an easier time talking once the rum helped to loosen their tongues. Jack quickly left and returned with several rum bottles in hand, carefully dumping them on the couch. He made several trips to the kitchen, bringing back enough bottles for the both of them to get good and smashed. Teague had already drained half a bottle by the time Jack came back to join his father on the couch. Jack opened a bottle, nodded to his father, and drank. Ah, much better, Jack thought as he smacked his lips.
And so the father-son talk began. They started off with a safe topic, the impending journey to the Turkish Prison. Then Teague spoke of his grandchildren, and actually thanked Jack for letting him stay with him for the past few weeks.
"It's been quite an interesting visit," Teague said with a sly grin, taking a swig of rum. "I never liked children until I met my very own grandchildren. I had the time of my life playing with them, and telling them stories. Sammi is such a strong and feisty girl; she reminds me so much of you. I can already tell she'll make a hell of pirate one day." Jack glowed with pride as his father praised his daughter. "And little Teague is a good boy." Captain Teague looked directly at his son, his black eyes heavy with regret. "I imagine that's what you had looked like when you were a wee one, had I been there to see it." Jack cracked a smile.
"It doesn't matter, Da. Really, it doesn't." But Jack wasn't telling the truth, and they both knew it. Teague had hurt Jack, and that hurt couldn't be patched with one heart-to-heart.
"It's alright to hate me son, for what I did to you and your mum," Teague said in a gentle, gravelly voice. "I would hate me, too."
"I don't hate you, exactly," Jack said with a sigh. "I just don't like you very much." Teague laughed, a strong belly laugh.
"I'll drink to that," he said, and both pirates took long gulps of rum. They sat there, each lost in his own thoughts until Teague broke the silence. "Jack, I've had so many regrets in my life I wouldn't know where to begin. I regret all of the days spent hell bent on revenge, and all of the merciless killings. I slowly turned into a heartless monster, and I'm not proud of it. But what I'm most ashamed of is that I abandoned you." Teague paused, to make sure that his son was paying attention, which he was.
"I'm sorry, Jack; that wasn't what I'd planned on doing when I found out your mum was expecting," Teague continued. A week after you were born, we had a terrible fight. I wanted you both to stay on the Destroyer with me, but she wouldn't hear of it. She said a pirate ship wasn't a safe place for a baby. Being the stubborn man I was, I told her that she couldn't expect me to stop pirating and go live on land with her and the baby. Then we both screamed some hurtful things to each other, and the next thing I knew, she took you and left. I wasn't man enough to go after her. After I lost you both, I threw everything I had into being a pirate."
"But you could've come to see us, even if just for a visit," said Jack, who'd decided he'd kept quiet long enough. "You knew where we lived, since you kept sending us gold."
"Yes, I did know where you lived," sighed Teague. "But I was afraid; afraid that your mum wouldn't want to see me after she heard what kind of cruel man I'd become."
"Mum forgave you for that," Jack said quietly. "She prayed for your soul every day. Some nights I heard her cry out for you in her sleep. She wanted you to come home so badly." Teague closed his eyes in a pained grimace. Finally he reopened his tortured eyes.
"I was also afraid of what my son would think of me. I didn't know how to fix what I'd done."
"You're doing a bit of that right now, don't you think?" Jack joked lightly. "Better late than never, I always say." Teague allowed himself to chuckle, but the pain in his eyes didn't lessen.
"You're a much better man than I, Jackie, for standing by your family. You don't know how proud I am of you for that." Jack's eyes clouded over with guilt.
"I almost wasn't," Jack murmured. He told his father the whole ugly story about how he had almost abandoned Ana and the then-unborn Sammi to go after the Fountain of Youth. "...But in the end, I finally realized that Ana and our child were more precious to me than immortality," Jack concluded. "So I came back, begged for Ana's forgiveness, and the rest was history. And that's how the great Captain Jack Sparrow became a family man." He gave his father a small smile. "Although I'm afraid my story isn't nearly as impressive or as interesting as Will's. He's a true hero; I understand why you've wanted to spend so much time with him." Teague sighed. So Jack thought he'd rather spend time with Will Turner than his own son? How very wrong Jack was.
"Jack, I spent time with Will because he would actually talk with me," said Teague. "I tried to talk with you, but you ran away every time." Jack laughed nervously.
"Oh," he said, looking rather sheepish. "Bugger. I'm sorry, Da, I just didn't know what you were going to say to me. That you wanted to apologize was the last thing I expected."
"Well, I'm just glad that you finally came around," Teague said, smiling warmly. He seemed to be doing a lot of that these days. Since he was away from his crew, he didn't have to keep up his tough appearance. "What made you decide to finally talk with me tonight?" Jack grimaced.
"Uh…." He trailed off, for once not coming up with a decent lie on the spot.
"Let me guess; Ana made you," said Teague, not able to keep a straight face.
"Pretty much," Jack admitted. "She locked me out of our bedroom." They shared a good laugh at that, but Teague quickly sobered.
"Jackie, I have to tell you something very important - there's a reason I sought you out." Jack stiffened. Here it was, his father was going to ask for some ridiculous favor. He should've known – his father had been lulling him into a false sense of security. But Jack's assumption was wrong. Nothing could've prepared Jack for what his father was about to reveal.
"I'm dying, Jack," Teague whispered, watching as Jack's face fell.
"What!" Jack cried as shock coursed through his body. "No! You can't be. I'm just getting to know you…"
"I'm sixty-eight years old, son," Teague reminded him. "That's practically ancient by pirate standards. Several months ago, I wasn't feeling well, so I visited a few doctors before I set off to find you. They all told me the same thing; that I would continue to get a little weaker each day until I finally died. They'd seen the symptoms before – there's a disease that's slowly killing me from the inside and there's nothing to be done about it. I can feel it in my bones; I'm slowly losing my strength."
"How long did they say you have left?" Jack asked, not bothering to quell the tremor in his voice.
"Six months, maybe more if I'm lucky," was Teague's grim answer.
"Six months!" Jack gasped. "That's practically the length of our journey and back." Teague nodded.
"I'm going to ask you not to tell anyone about this, even Ana," the old pirate said, his expression serious. "My crew knows, but I'd rather not let anyone else know. I don't want their pity."
"Then mum's the word," Jack promised. "I'm sorry, Da," the younger pirate said softly, taking a drink of rum. Teague smiled.
"It's fine, Jackie. I've already come to terms with it. Dying is just another part of life. But I wanted to make things right between us before I passed." Jack nodded mutely.
"We're square," Jack said. "Or at least, we will be after the voyage." And then he did the unthinkable – he reached over and clapped his father on the back. Teague returned the gesture, and they found themselves in an awkward manly hug. Jack quickly backed away, not wanting his father to think he was being too emotional. He opened another rum bottle, his sixth, and chugged his favorite liquid.
Jack didn't know it, but this was what Teague had been wishing for the moment he laid eyes on his son a month ago. He'd wanted forgiveness, and his son had granted him that. Now Teague could pass on with one less thing weighing on his guilty conscience.
"When I pass on, Jack," Teague began after they re-situated themselves on the couch, "I want you to look after the Code." Jack quickly swallowed the rum he was drinking.
"But I can't be Keeper of the Code," Jack protested. "I'm already a Pirate Lord, and I don't want to part with that title. It's something I want to pass on to Sammi, when she's old enough. You know very well that someone already holding a position in the Brethren Court can't be the Keeper!"
"I never said you had to be the next Keeper," Teague said, and Jack relaxed. "I only want you to look after the Code until you find someone suitable to become the next Keeper."
"I get to choose the next Keeper?" Jack asked, incredulous. Teague nodded.
"Yes. Perhaps you'll find a way to keep the Code in the family," he said cryptically.
"What?" said Jack, completely lost now. "How?" Teague chuckled at his son's befuddled expression.
"Good night, Jackie." Teague slowly retreated upstairs, leaving a very confused Jack Sparrow alone with his thoughts. Eventually, he retreated upstairs to his bedroom, finding the door open and Ana asleep in their bed. He slipped in under the covers beside her, but it took him a long while before sleep finally claimed him.
333
The following day, everyone awoke bright and early, excited for their voyage. The Turners met the Sparrows down at the dock, where a large crowd was gathering. Jack and Teague's crew milled about, preparing both the Pearl and the Destroyer for the long journey. William, Sammi, and little Teague raced onto the Pearl, eager to be off. They found a spot out of the way of the adults near the stern, where they could look out at their island home. Sammi and William carefully held Teague up so that he could see over the railing.
"Take a good look, children," said Elizabeth, who happened to be passing by. "Because this is the last time you'll be seeing home for awhile."
"That's okay," grinned Sammi. "We'll be back eventually. I'm ready for an adventure at sea!"
"Me too," added William, agreeing with his friend. His mother smiled at him. "Good, because we'll not make port for about two months." Then Elizabeth scampered off to help the crew guide the mighty Black Pearl away from the dock. With a small shudder, the Pearl began to move. Sammi and William cheered as they felt the ship pull away from its berth. They set little Teague down on the deck, as he had begun to whine. The Pearl followed the Destroyer out into the open ocean, and they were off!
"Just think William," Sammi said dreamily as she watched their island home shrink in the distance. "We have six whole months of freedom – we can do anything we want!"
"Not quite," said Ana, who had come to find them. She scooped up her young son, who immediately threw his arms around her neck. "Elizabeth wants to see you in her cabin. It's time for your lessons."
"Lessons?" Sammi cried, an expression of outrage forming on her pretty features. William, on the other hand, didn't seem too concerned by this news.
"Oh yes," Ana smirked, enjoying watching her daughter squirm in dismay. "Elizabeth got all of the material that you'll be missing from Miss Dijon. She'll be giving you lessons every morning, five days a week, just like school."
Indeed, Elizabeth had agreed to teach the children during the voyage because she didn't want them to fall behind. Ana pointed out another reason for their lessons was that they wouldn't be underfoot in the morning and early afternoon. Both women knew that while the crew loved Sammi and William, they would appreciate having some time without the children around.
"Some freedom," Sammi huffed. Then she turned to her friend, who had been silent. "William, aren't you upset at all about this?" He shrugged.
"Not really. I'd rather not fall behind in my lessons, wouldn't you?" Sammi stared at him warily.
"You're weird, William." William just laughed, not really taking offense. It was only Sammi, after all.
"Maybe I am," he conceded. "But I like school." Sammi just shook her head at him. Her best friend had always been the bookish type, especially after they'd started school. She also liked to read, but not nearly as much as William did. "Come on, let's go see my mum," William urged her.
"Do I have to?" Sammi pouted.
"Yes!" William and Ana exclaimed.
"Bugger," said Sammi, in a perfect imitation of her father. Then she allowed herself to be led away by William. Thankfully, the lessons with Elizabeth weren't as bad as Sammi had expected. They were actually sort of interesting, but Sammi wouldn't admit that aloud, of course. When lunchtime rolled around, they ate lunch with the crew as usual. Then after their food had settled, they were allowed to swim, as long as they kept close to both ships.
Sammi and William shrieked with glee when their fathers decided to join them in the ocean. Jack and Will both cannon-balled into the sea, creating a massive splash. They surfaced near their children, who were treading water close by.
"Will, I think those two need to be separated, don't you?" Jack asked, winking over the children's heads.
"I think so too," said Will, grinning at his son. "They're nothing but a couple of pirate troublemakers!" Then he lunged for William, and Jack lunged for Sammi. William and Sammi clasped hands, but it was getting hard for them to hold on to each other, as their fathers were pulling them in opposite directions.
"No!" Sammi cried, as her fingers began to slip from William's grip. When Jack started to mercilessly tickle her, Sammi had no choice but to let go. "William, help!" She cried in between giggles.
"Sammi!" William yelled, as their fathers swam farther apart. "Hold on!" William struggled against his father, and after a minute of this, Will let him get away. William wasted no time swimming over to where Jack held Sammi 'captive'. "Let her go!" he cried, and he tore Sammi away from her father's grasp. Without looking back, William and Sammi swam a good ways away from him.
"Where can we hide?" William asked her once they'd caught their breath.
"Over there!" Sammi suggested, pointing to the other side of the Pearl. "Let's go." Only when they were safely out of sight of their fathers did they talk.
"Did the bad guy hurt you?" William asked.
"No," said Sammi, breathing hard. "You?"
"I'm fine," said William.
"Good. Do you see them anywhere?" Sammi asked.
"No," said William, relieved. But then he spied a dark shape moving in the distance. "Wait, I can see one of them over there!" He saw Jack approaching them from the left.
"There's the other one!" Sammi cried, watching Will slowly swim closer from the other direction. "They're going to get us!" She and William clung tightly to each other this time, determined not to be separated by the bad guys. They watched Jack and Will swim closer and closer. The bad guys were almost upon them when they heard…
"Swim time's over!" They heard Elizabeth's voice calling them to return to the ship.
"Aw, Elizabeth," Will whined. "Just five more minutes? Please?"
"No!" She insisted, frowning at her husband's semi-childish behavior. "They're on a school schedule, Will, and now it's time for them to dry off and go to their afternoon lessons." But Will could tell that she was more amused than annoyed at him.
"Come on, Mum," William pleaded.
"You heard your mother," Will told his son. "Swim time's over. But when you and Sammi are finished with school, how about I give you a sword-fighting lesson?"
"Yay!" Sammi and William cried. Needless to say, they climbed aboard with no more complaints.
333
Such was the routine for the rest of the week. The children had their lessons in the morning and the afternoon, with lunch and playtime in between. Will would give them a sword-fighting lesson before dinner, and then they were free to do whatever they pleased until bedtime. Sometimes, if they were making good time that day, Captain Teague would come over from his ship to tell them a bedtime story. He liked to spend as much time on the Pearl as he could, not minding that he had to temporarily relinquish his duties as captain. The children had grown quite fond of him, and if they were completely honest with themselves, so had Jack, Ana, Will, Elizabeth, and Bootstrap.
On Saturday, William and Sammi were so busy that they hardly had time to be bored. They practiced sword fighting. They swam in the sea. They fished. They did their assigned chores on the Pearl. They read books about pirates and heroes and villains. They played with little Teague, who was talking more and more each day. William even had a new hobby to practice.
William had expressed an interest in learning to draw after he watched his grandfather Bootstrap sketch various people of the crew. He was especially impressed with Bootstrap's sketch of his father, for the likeness to Will was incredible! Bootstrap was delighted to be his grandson's teacher, and they started out with the basics. (William's grandfather promised that they'd work up to drawing people soon enough.) It turned out that William had inherited his grandfather's talent for drawing. His first few sketches were far more accurate than that of an average nine-year old's. Sammi tried drawing with William, but she got frustrated so easily that her drawings were laden with inkblots.
"I give up!" Sammi stormed away from Bootstrap and William, carrying one of her hideous drawings with her. William looked up at his grandfather as if to ask, 'should I go after her?' but Bootstrap shook his head. He knew that William was the last person that Sammi wanted to see right now, as he had natural talent for drawing and she didn't.
Blinded by tears of frustration, Sammi wasn't watching where she was going. Before she knew what had happened she'd ran right into someone. It was Will.
"Sorry," she muttered, looking up guiltily at him. He noticed her tear-stained face, and immediately knew something was wrong.
"Are you alright?" Will asked her, looking around for Ana or Jack and finding them nowhere in sight. That was fine, he'd just handle this himself.
"I can't draw!" Sammi cried, and Will pulled her into a comforting hug.
"It's alright," he soothed, rubbing her back as she cried. After she pulled away, she showed Will the drawing.
"I tried to draw William, but it ended up looking like a cow!" Will tried his best not to laugh, but he couldn't help it. However, Will cleverly disguised his laugh as a cough, and Sammi was none the wiser.
"Don't worry, I can't draw well either," said Will. "I suppose the Turner artistic talent must have skipped a generation." He smiled at her sympathetically. "But it's alright that William is a natural artist and that you're not."
"It is?" Sammi asked, wiping her eyes.
"Sure," Will said encouragingly. "We are better at certain things than other people, and we're also worse at certain things. For instance, you are naturally friendly and talkative. That talent will take you a long way in life. William, on the other hand, is quite shy. He's just like I was when I was his age." Will smiled, remembering his own shyness when he'd been working as a blacksmith. Sammi frowned at him.
"But you aren't shy," she argued. "You were captain of the Flying Dutchman!" Will laughed.
"I am still shy sometimes. But I outgrew it, mostly. My point is, that we each have different talents. Don't hold it against William that one of his is drawing." Sammi nodded, for she finally understood.
"I won't," she promised. "Will?"
"Hmm?" He asked.
"Thanks," she said softly.
"Anytime, Sammi." Will smiled at Jack and Ana's little girl. She really was a sweet one, he realized, when she wasn't talking your ear off.
"I'm really glad you're back," Sammi called over her shoulder.
"Me too," Will whispered under his breath, thinking of his wonderful family and friends. Could any man be luckier? He thought not. "Me too."
333
The following day, Will and Elizabeth took breakfast in their cabin, to celebrate Elizabeth's birthday privately. William, of course, came in to join them. Everything was going wonderfully until William said something that made Elizabeth pause, and caused Will to spit out his tea.
"It's too bad you'll have to come all this way again if I have a brother or sister." William looked pointedly at his parents.
"Excuse me?" Will said, not sure if he'd heard his son correctly.
"You know," William said casually. "If I ever have siblings, they'll be immortal and have to be cured too."
"Son, any siblings that you may have in the future won't be immortal," Will said firmly.
"How come?" William wanted to know.
"You haven't told him?" Will stared at his wife, amazed and horrified that she'd neglected to tell him about the 'facts of life'.
"I wanted to wait until you returned so that you could do the honors," answered Elizabeth, an amused look on her face. "You know, have that father-son talk."
"Thanks," said Will, giving his wife a look that plainly said 'you are so going to get it later'.
"Well, there's no time like the present," Elizabeth said brightly. She got up from her spot at their table and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" A slightly panicked Will asked, not wanting to have to do this alone. Elizabeth laughed.
"Will, if you were in his place, wouldn't you want your mother to be out of the room?"
"You've got a point there," Will admitted. "But Elizabeth, I don't know if I'm ready for this!"
"What's going on?" A bewildered William cut in, not being able to follow this strange conversation his parents were having.
"Don't worry, William, your father will explain everything," Elizabeth said cheerfully. And then she was gone. Will was all alone with his son, who was looking at him expectantly.
"Father? Are you alright?" William asked, noticing that his father's face was quite flushed.
"Yes, son," sighed Will. "I'm just not sure how to go about this."
"How to go about what?" William asked innocently. Will frowned. Maybe Elizabeth was wrong, and William was a bit young to know this. He certainly hadn't known until he was twelve. But then again, his mates had given him a hard time about not knowing what went on in peoples' bedrooms behind closed doors. Perhaps it was best that he tell William now, so he would escape that ridicule when he returned to school.
"In order for you to understand about why your siblings won't be immortal, I have to explain how babies are made," said Will in a rush.
"Oh!" William said, his eyes lighting up. "I meant to ask you that before, but once I found out I was immortal, I forgot. I asked Sammi once, but she wouldn't tell me. She said that I should ask you." William looked pointedly at his father.
"I think you would definitely hear about this from me instead of her," Will said truthfully.
"So, how are babies made?" William asked eagerly. Will couldn't stop the furious blush that slowly crept up on him. Soon his son would know what he'd done with his mother when they were alone. God, this was so bloody embarrassing! How was it that this seemed more difficult that transporting all those lost souls at sea?
"Well…" Will cleared his throat, stalling for time. I've just got to do it, he told himself. It will be over before you know it, Will. This is part of fatherhood, and it must be done.
"Father?" William prodded.
"Okay, okay," said Will. "I'll tell you." He sighed heavily. "Before a man and a woman who love each other very much have children, they're supposed to get married. Then, after –"
"But Sammi says that her parents are 'almost married'," William interrupted. "Does that count?"
"For the purposes of this discussion, yes it does count," Will said through gritted teeth. Couldn't his son tell how difficult this was for him? Why couldn't he just let his poor, mortified father finish without any interruptions?
"Okay," said William, and he remained silent.
"Then after the man and woman get married, they might decide they want to have children," Will continued. William was watching him closely, and nodding. Now came the hard part.
"You know how you're not supposed to be naked around girls?" Will asked his son. William nodded, making a face. His mother had just given him that speech a year ago, telling him that he was old enough to bathe by himself and that she shouldn't see him naked any longer. "When you're married, it's alright for you to be naked in front of your wife because you love her very much and –"
"Ewwwww," William interrupted, wrinkling his nose. Great, Will thought. If he's this grossed out now, just think how he'll react when you tell him about that part.
"Can I finish?" Will asked, annoyed by the pesky interruptions.
"Sorry, Father," William apologized.
"And then," said Will, his face resembling a tomato now, "When you and your wife are naked, and you want to make a baby you…" Will whispered the crucial part into his son's ear. When he was finished speaking, Will eyed his son warily, just waiting for his questions to start.
William looked absolutely revolted, horrified even. He just stared at his father in disbelief.
"You mean I put my…"
"In her…" said Will. "Yes. That's how it's done."
"That's disgusting, Father," said William, still making an icky face. "I'm really glad Sammi didn't tell me now." In spite of themselves, both father and son allowed themselves a chuckle or two.
"You may think it's disgusting now," said Will. "But you'll change your mind when you get older."
"I don't think so," William said firmly, and Will knew better than to argue. "So what does this have to do with my siblings having immortali-" William stopped in the middle of the word, his eyes wide with realization. Will knew exactly what his son had figured out, and he wasn't thrilled about the conversation that was to follow. "-ty…" William trailed off. Father and son stared warily at each other.
"You and Mum did that," William gasped. "That day when everyone was joking about you two taking a nap."
"Yes," said Will, his cheeks still flaming.
"Did you hurt her?" William asked softly.
"No, son," Will said. "God, no. It doesn't hurt the woman. Well maybe somewhat the first time, but after that it's…" Will trailed off, not wanting to get into the specifics. He cleared his throat. "I would never hurt your mother, William. You know that."
"Good," said William sighing with relief.
"It's just a way that married grown-ups express their love for each other," Will explained. "And sometimes a baby is the end result. Do you understand why your siblings won't be immortal? Because I'm no longer immortal, as I was when you were conceived?"
"Yes, I understand. It just sounds so weird," William said in a small voice.
"I know you're feeling confused right now," Will said gently. "I was confused too, the first time Mr. Brown told me. But he told me something that helped set me straight. He said that if my parents hadn't done it, I wouldn't be here. So it can't be that bad of a thing, if it's how the human race carries on."
"You're right, that does help," William admitted after awhile. "It's still weird, though."
"I know," Will said sympathetically, pulling his son in for a hug. William stayed in his father's arms for a long time. "I feel like I've grown up some today," he mumbled into Will's shoulder.
"You have," said Will. "I'm proud of you for handling this so well. But you don't have to dwell on this, William. Right now, this doesn't affect you. You're not that grown up, you're only nine."
"I'm closer to nine and a half," William reminded him. Will smiled, thinking that his son had just proved his point.
"Almost nine and a half, then," said Will. "You can still go on being a child, playing with Sammi and- " William gasped, once again interrupting his father.
"What now?" Will asked.
"Sammi!" William looked at his father in terror. For the first time, a blush appeared on William's face. "How can I face her, knowing what I know now?"
"You don't have to tell her that you know," Will said. All too well, he remembered his first visit with Elizabeth after his enlightening talk with Mr. Brown. He couldn't stop stammering and blushing when he looked into her eyes. But then again, he'd been twelve. William was a lot younger, and he didn't think it would be much of a problem…
"Can I come in?" Elizabeth's voice and knock startled them both. Will looked at his son for an answer, and William nodded.
"Go ahead," said Will. Elizabeth quickly entered the cabin, closing the door behind her.
"How did it go?" She asked her William Turners.
"Pretty well, all things considering," Will said truthfully.
"That's so weird, Mum," said William, still looking a tad grossed out.
"That's what I thought too when I first found out," Elizabeth admitted, sitting down between her son and her husband. "My ladies maid, Estrella, told me when I was thirteen. I was quite shocked." She reached over for Will's hand, and he smiled as they intertwined their fingers. "I remember that the next time I saw your father was an absolute nightmare. I couldn't stop thinking about it, that he was a boy and I was a girl and it was possible for us to-" Their son wasn't even listening to that last part, which was probably a good thing.
"Uncle Jack and Aunt Ana," William gasped, interrupting his mother. "They did it twice!" Will sighed and rolled his eyes. It was clear that William was still processing this information.
"I did the best I could on such short notice, Elizabeth," he defended himself. She smiled at her husband, who was anxiously awaiting her approval.
"I'm sure you did beautifully, Will," she complimented him, and leaned over to kiss him. Before their lips met, though, Elizabeth thought the better of it. Later, she mouthed to him, and he seemed to understand. It was a good thing too, because William was slowly backing away from them. He'd had enough learning about icky stuff today, thank you very much. He didn't need to watch it too!
"William, you don't have to stay in here," Elizabeth said. "You look like you need to go and run off some steam." William blushed.
"I can't! Sammi!" He moaned. "She'll figure out what's wrong and make fun of me."
"Oh, I see," said Elizabeth. She looked to Will for help and he shrugged. Then she got an idea. "William, you can stay in here for a little while longer, I suppose. I'll be right back." She nodded to Will, and he seemed to get the message.
Elizabeth slipped out the door, and went to the children's cabin. She found Sammi lounging in bed, reading an adventure book. Elizabeth quickly explained what had happened and made the little girl promise not to talk about it with William at least until after they'd visited the healer. Sammi reluctantly agreed, only because it meant so much to Elizabeth. She knew it would've been so much fun to tease her friend, but it would have to wait until later.
Honestly, grown-ups made such a fuss over this, and Sammi just didn't get why. Apparently, it was only a natural thing for humans to do. Her parents had told her that practically every adult had done it at one time or another. That was when her father had added 'unless they're a eunuch. Your Uncle Will is a eunuch.' That was when her mum had gotten angry with at her father for saying such a thing about Will in his absence. But Sammi was smart, and told her father that he must be wrong about Uncle Will. She said that it was impossible, because William was Uncle Will's son. Her mum had been so proud of Sammi for figuring that one out, she'd given Jack's piece of cake to her that evening.
So when Sammi saw William at lunch that day, she was prepared for his blush and his odd stammering greeting. True to her word, she didn't ask him what was wrong. Instead, she launched into a long-winded summary of the adventure story she was reading, which was exactly what Elizabeth had asked her to do. Relieved that Sammi didn't seem to notice anything was amiss, William's behavior mostly returned to normal. However, the blush remained.
333
Late that night, William was understandably exhausted. Sammi, predictably, was not. Captain Teague had told them his most exciting bedtime story yet, and she couldn't stop thinking about it. Her favorite part was when the mermaids saved the pirates from certain doom. How great would it be to be a mermaid? To be able to swim all day, and sleep under the sea at night? How Sammi loved the sea! She especially loved it when she totally submerged herself; it was like entering a different world! Suddenly, Sammi had an idea…
"Will!" Sammi whispered from across the room.
"Yeah?" He whispered sleepily.
"I'm bored," came the reply. William rolled his eyes in the dark.
"Sing in your head or something," he suggested.
"I've already tried that," said Sammi. Not true, but hey, she was a pirate, wasn't she? Pirates can't be truthful all the time. "Hey, you know what we could do?"
"What?" William asked, nervously.
"We could go for a night swim!" She exclaimed.
"Are you crazy?" He asked. "We're not allowed."
"Oh, Will, that's always your answer for everything," said Sammi, sounding slightly annoyed. "Where's your spirit of adventure?"
"It's hidden somewhere underneath my common sense," William muttered.
"Aw, come on Will," Sammi whined. "It'd be fun, and we'd only have to swim for a little while."
"Oh fine," he sighed, giving in.
"Really?" Sammi said, surprised that he didn't need much convincing.
"You're going to convince me somehow, so let's just skip that part and go swimming," he said, praying that they wouldn't end up in trouble. That usually happened whenever Sammi had an idea.
"Great!" She enthused. Sammi was quite proud of her influence on him. "Let's go." Quietly, they snuck up on deck,. They climbed down the steps over the side of the Pearl and slipped into the water. They splashed around a bit, and Sammi pretended to be a mermaid, propelling herself through the water with her powerful 'fin'. Before long, Sammi was bored with that, and she'd had thought of something else they could do.
"Hey, let's see who can hold their breath the longest," Sammi challenged her friend.
"Okay," said William, always ready to go along with his friend's games.
"Ready?" Sammi asked, and he nodded. "One, two, three, go!" She and William both took deep breaths and sank beneath the waves. Ever competitive, Sammi held her breath until she thought she might burst. Her lungs straining for air, she broke the surface and took a nice long gulp of air. Then she realized that William was still underwater.
"Darn," Sammi muttered. She hated to lose! But as more seconds went by, she began to worry. Where was he? It was amazing he could hold his breath for this long! Unless he was in distress under the water… Sammi gasped, for she had been the one to suggest the night swim in the first place. It would be her fault if William was hurt or… No! Sammi thought to herself. She didn't care if they were caught; she had to call out for him. "Will- mmmgulllph!" Sammi cried as she was pulled underwater. Panic seized her as she realized she couldn't pull away from whatever it was that had attacked her. Had it already gotten William too? Then, inexplicably, it let her go. Sammi kicked to the surface, which actually wasn't that far away. She looked around in fear to find William treading water a few feet away from her, laughing as quietly as he could.
"Got you!" William teased, laughing as Sammi glared at him in indignation.
"I was so scared when you didn't come up for air! Don't ever do that again, William Turner!" Sammi seethed. "Do you understand me?"
"Alright," he sighed, his eyes still twinkling with amusement. "I'm sorry that I scared you that much. I didn't think you would worry." Sammi gave him a funny look – he was her best friend, of course she was going to worry when he didn't come up for air!
"How on earth did you hold your breath for that long?" She asked him, her glare not lessening one bit. "I thought you were dead!"
"Sammi, I'm immortal, remember?" William said, putting an emphasis on 'immortal'. "I just found out that I can breathe underwater."
"Oh," she said, her anger dissipating. Now everything made sense. She should've thought of that! William had just joking around; she should've remembered that he couldn't die.
"It's actually kind of fun to breathe underwater," said William with a grin. "I'm going to miss it after I'm cured." So they had arrived at the subject of the healer. Good. Sammi had a few things to say to him about that very subject.
"Will, don't automatically think that you're going to be cured," Sammi cautioned. "No one knows for sure what will happen, so you should prepare yourself in case she can't cure you." William frowned at her. "I just don't want you to get your hopes up," she pleaded, trying to talk some reason into her best friend.
"Sammi, according to your grandfather Teague, Faith has never failed yet! She's bound to cure my immortality. It's going to be great…" William rambled on about how much better his life would be after he was cured. Sammi sighed, knowing it wouldn't do much good if she disagreed with him. If William wanted to believe that he had a one hundred percent chance of being cured, then he could go right on believing that. Sammi would be there to comfort him if the healer couldn't take away his immortality.
"We should probably be getting back – I'm getting cold," she said, cutting him off. He reluctantly nodded. They shivered in the cold night air as they climbed up the side of the Pearl, as they'd forgotten to bring anything with which to dry off. Stealthily, they raced back to their cabin. William froze outside the cabin while he let Sammi change out of her wet clothes first. Then Sammi appeared dressed in her dry nightclothes, and stayed outside so that he could change. Finally William came out and got her, and they crawled back into their own warm beds.
"Thanks for the adventure, Sammi," William yawned. "It was fun."
"Anytime," she whispered back, and soon she heard William's quiet snores. But Sammi hadn't had much fun. She lay there in bed, shivering thanks to her wet hair, as she went over the events of the night in her head. William's scare had made her realize how much she truly cared about her friend. If anything ever happened to him, Sammi didn't know what she would do. True, she had other friends, but none were as close to her as William, not by a long shot.
She couldn't remember a time when she hadn't been friends with him. Most of Sammi's favorite memories were when she was playing with William. He was by far the nicest boy that she knew. She knew that she could always count on William if she needed him. He'd saved her from the EITC when she'd been kidnapped, by running home to get help. She'd helped him discover the true identity of his father. She'd comforted him when he thought Elizabeth was dying of her gunshot wound. They had been through so much together!
There were so many things that she liked about her best friend. She liked how he was sometimes protective of her. She liked how he was always polite to her, and didn't make fun of her for being a tomboy like some of the other boys at school did. She liked his innocence, and the way he'd blushed and stammered at her during lunch. She liked his smile, and the way it showed his cute dimples. She liked his beautiful dark eyes, and the way they sparkled when he laughed. She liked…him. And she didn't just like him. She like liked him.
Uh oh.
In the dark, Sammi's eyes grew wide as she finally admitted something to herself that had been a long time coming.
"William Turner, I think I've got a crush on you." She whispered faintly. That night Sammi fell asleep with a small grin on her tan face.
333
Meanwhile
Elizabeth's birthday had gone splendidly. She'd spent the day relaxing, just watching her friends and family in their daily work. During dinner, William presented her with a sketch of a sunset that he'd drawn. Elizabeth had never been so touched by one of her son's gifts, for William's skill and effort was obviously reflected in the drawing. Jack and Ana had gotten her some perfume, which was nice but not very practical. When she looked to Will for his gift, he only shrugged. But she knew he'd gotten her something, or else he would be panicking right then. As it turns out, Will had indeed gotten Elizabeth something, rather two somethings. He just wanted her to wait to open them until they were alone.
After they'd said goodnight to their son, Elizabeth and Will retired to their cabin for the night. They quickly got ready for bed, and then snuggled under the covers together. That was when Will presented her with her first present. It was a small, velvet box, and at once Elizabeth knew what it was. Sure enough, she found a gold ring inside, topped with a glittering emerald.
"Will, it's lovely, but you didn't have to do that for me," she protested. Will smiled happily at her, his dark eyes filled with love for her.
"Yes I did," he said right before they kissed. "Think of it as a present that covers the ten birthdays that I missed. I know you don't really like jewelry, but I can't very well have you wearing only your wedding band! You deserve a proper ring."
"Thank you so much," Elizabeth said softly, slipping it on her finger. It was a perfect fit; Will clearly knew her ring size. "I'm curious, why did you choose an emerald?" He grinned at her.
"If you hold it up to the light, what do you see?" She held her ring next to one of their candles, watching it as it flashed brilliantly.
"I see a flash of green," she said, a bit choked up. Will nodded, not ashamed that his eyes were filling with tears. Ten years apart from his wife did that to a man such as Will.
"A flash of green tore us apart, but it also brought us together again. I thought it was fitting," Will said quietly.
"Oh, Will," Elizabeth cried, finding refuge in his arms. "I'll treasure it always." He held her tightly, savoring the feeling of her in his embrace.
"There's more," Will said, after they had calmed down.
"More?" Elizabeth breathed, looking up at him. "Will, you spoil me! An expensive ring like this is more than enough." Will ignored her last comment, and reached under their bed until he felt what he was looking for.
"Here it is," he said, presenting Elizabeth with a beautifully wrapped package.
"Will, this isn't fair," Elizabeth said weakly, touched by Will's extra gesture even though she didn't yet know what it was.
"Yes it is," he insisted. "This isn't just for you; it's for both of us. Although I must warn you, it's not nearly as expensive as the last one. Please, Elizabeth, open it," Will urged.
"Alright," she sighed. Smiling, she ripped off the ribbon and paper to find a box, which she carefully opened. Inside, she found a framed oil painting featuring two crossed swords stuck in the sand on a pristine beach. She was stunned into silence.
"I had it specially made for us," Will explained. "The artist was most intrigued as to why I requested this particular image. I told him of the symbolism behind it, of the union of man and woman. Thankfully, he finished it just before we set sail. I thought we could hang it over our bed at home, if you want." Will paused nervously, for he wasn't getting the reaction he had hoped for. She was just staring at the painting as if she'd never seen one before. He couldn't tell if she liked it or not. "Elizabeth, say something!" Will pleaded. Elizabeth finally found her voice. The painting had touched her heart in a way no other gift even had. Will knew exactly what to give her, because he knew her so well. That, really, was the best part, not the gifts themselves but the thought that went into them. She finally looked away from the expertly drawn painting to gaze into his worried eyes.
"Will, it's amazing," she breathed, as her eyes welled up with happy tears. "It's just so beautiful! I can't find words to express how much I love this painting, and what it stands for." She kissed him eagerly, and a relieved Will was more than happy to reciprocate her feelings. Eventually, she had to pull away. "What made you think to get this for me?" She asked him after she'd caught her breath.
"It was the only thing I could think of that reminded me of our One Day," he said. "I wanted to have it immortalized forever, if you'll excuse the pun." Elizabeth smiled wryly.
"This is the best gift anyone has ever given me. Thank you, Will. You're the most amazing, wonderful man." Will smiled lazily at her, and they gently touched foreheads.
"You like it even better than the ring, huh?" He asked. Elizabeth blushed.
"Yes, a bit. The painting is much more… intimate."
"Speaking of intimate," Will said in a low voice, "You still have one more present left." Elizabeth grinned knowingly at him. He sat up in bed, and Elizabeth moved to do the same but Will shook his head. "I kind of need you to lie down," he said.
"No problem there," Elizabeth said with a smirk, comfortably situating herself on the bed.. "So, William, where's that present you promised me?" Will shuddered, as he loved it when she would call him by his true name.
"You must be patient," he advised. Will gently took hold of her right hand and brought it to his lips. "Good things come to those who wait." He kissed each knuckle separately, much to Elizabeth's delight.
"We know all about waiting, don't we?" Elizabeth grumbled good-naturedly.
"We do," said Will. "But all of that is behind us now. Elizabeth, tonight it's all about you," he whispered leaning down over her until he was but inches away from her face. His warm breath tickled her ear, causing an involuntary shiver. "I'll have you know that I promise to ravish you senseless," Will said, his voice raw and demanding.
"God Will, I love you," Elizabeth sighed, losing herself in his eyes. They were almost hypnotic, in the way that she couldn't bring herself to look away. She let out a tiny moan of anticipation. Will smirked, obviously pleased with himself by the way she was reacting.
"After tonight, I have a feeling you're going to love me a whole lot more." He tenderly kissed her lips. "Happy Birthday, Elizabeth." And then Will eagerly fulfilled his promise.
Over the course of the voyage, the Turners loved and cherished each other in ways they'd never dreamed were possible. To Elizabeth, it seemed like their bond was strengthening and growing with each passing day. Husband and wife were becoming more and more comfortable around each other, and with their routine life together. They were opening up to each other, and were actually talking more. This was such a relief to Elizabeth, who couldn't help but remember the day where Will had seemed unreachable. That had been the day they'd found out that William was immortal. Secretly, Elizabeth worried about how Will would react if the healer couldn't cure their son. But she was usually able to push those negative thoughts away, telling herself they'd cross that bridge when they came to it.
333
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. As the third month came to pass, the Black Pearl and the Destroyer finally arrived at the dreaded Turkish Prison. William stared up at the supposedly impregnable fortress in awe, for he knew this was where the healer Faith resided. He couldn't wait to see her, so that she would cure his immortality and he could go back to living a normal life.
"Are you ready, son?" Will asked. "It's time to go see her."
"I'm ready," William said bravely, walking over to his father, who put a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. "Let's do this."
End Ch. 25
A/N: So yes, Will comes up with the sweetest, most meaningful presents ever! Will is pretty freaking awesome, especially for having his father/son talk. And Sammi has a little childhood crush on William – how about that! Sorry there wasn't much J/A in this one, but you can't have everything. There will be some of that in the next chapter, I promise. The next chapter is going to be pretty freaking sweet, so prepare yourselves!