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, Teague, and Eva Sparrow as well as Danielle, James, and Charlotte Turner! Oh, and I own Ophelia too, I suppose. Sammi is by far my favorite OC that I've created, I just love her.
A/N: Again, I'm sorry for the delay. I have a lot of projects on my plate at the moment. But after this chapter, the plot really takes off and I will begin to bring this story to a close. And now, here is Jack's birthday!
Ch. 27: Fix You
"Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones. And I will try to fix you."
-Coldplay
333
Location: St. Maarten, earlier that morning
Whistling a happy tune, Jack Sparrow headed down the road to his father's house. Memories of the previous night played in his head. His fiftieth birthday had been a wonderful celebration of life, and he mostly had his father to thank for talking some sense into him. Jack still had many years left to live with his family, and Teague reminded him to enjoy every minute.
The pirate captain approached his father's home and knocked on the front door. No answer. Jack frowned, wondering what was taking Faith or Teague so long. They were usually up by now… He tried the knob and found the door to be unlocked. Cautiously, he slipped inside.
"Father? Faith? Are you home?" His voiced echoed hollowly in their kitchen. "Remember, you were going to watch the children this morning?" Jack moved into their living room which he found to be empty. "I guess you didn't remember…" Should he dare venture into their bedroom? He decided he had to be sure they weren't home, so he'd risk it.
Jack opened the door to their bedroom and was met with a chilling sight. Faith clung to his father's still body, weeping silently. As if in a dream, Jack slowly approached them. His hand reached over Faith to feel his father's forehead. It was cold.
"He's gone," Jack whispered, removing his hat in respect. "Faith, he's gone." He tried to gently pull her away from the body, but she wouldn't budge. So Jack just sat there with her for awhile as he tried to process all that had happened. His father, the fearsome pirate and doting grandparent, was dead. But Jack had just seen him last night!
"How did it happen?" Jack finally whispered. "Faith, I need to know." She finally turned away from Teague's body to face Jack. Her face was streaked with tears, and her eyes puffy. This was the first time Jack was reminded of Faith's original form, before William freed her from her curse.
"He w-went in his sleep," she choked out. "I woke up this m-morning to find him like that… I didn't know what to do!" Jack couldn't imagine what he'd do if that had happened to him, finding Ana dead next to him in bed. Faith had to be in so much pain!
"Come here," Jack said softly. When she refused, Jack reminded her that the body lying cold next to her was not the man she loved. "He's in a better place, love. Will has seen that distant shore." Jack reminded himself of this just as much as he reminded Faith. Together, they closed his vacant eyes. She finally released Teague's body and crawled into his son's arms. They cried together for the man who meant so much to them. Jack fleetingly wondered how he was going to tell Sammi that her grandfather had died, especially when they hadn't parted on the best of terms.
333
Later, that morning
"And so, as of early this morning, the great man that was Captain Edward Jonathon Teague has passed on into the next world," Jack explained to both Sparrow and Turner families. "He was a good man, a good pirate. "
All of the Turner children wore solemn faces, but it was Jack's own children who were having the hardest time. Eva tightly clutched her brother Teague's hand, and he actually let her. Ana stuck close to Jack while he explained the plans for sending his father off in style.
Will and Elizabeth watched the Sparrow children while Jack, Ana, and Faith made all of the arrangements. They did their best to console the children, but there was only so much one could say. Will reminded them that he had seen that distant shore where we would all journey to at the end of our days. It was not much to go on, as Will had never been allowed to set foot on that shore, but it was something at least. A shaky promise, a whisper of hope that their grandfather was in a better place. The children clung desperately to that notion, that there was a happy place you went to after you die.
Young Jamie Turner insisted to them all that he had felt Teague pass on early that morning, but had been too frightened to say anything. Will took him aside, and confessed that he too had felt a very present energy leave the island. Mr. Turner made a mental note to tell his wife that his suspicions regarding his younger son were correct – he had a connection to the otherworld just as Will did. Perhaps it could even explain James's difficulties with sleepwalking…
333
As it turns out, the Sparrow-Turner clan gave Teague a traditional Viking burial, in accordance to his wishes. That night, pirates from all over the island, and some from neighboring islands who had heard the news, came to attend Teague's funeral. The infamous pirate captain gone by many different titles over the years – Teague the Terrible, Blackbeard, the Keeper of the Code. But to the Sparrows and Turners, he was family. Teague's reformation after he reestablished a relationship with his son and grandchildren was truly awe inspiring. There had also been the matter of his lady love, Faith, which Jack suspected helped him to forgive himself for all of the crimes he'd committed over the years. Teague had gallantly rescued her from the clutches of the Turkish Sheik at great personal risk! (William had freed her from her terrible curse once and for all, and she chose to stay with her savior.) Faith and Teague had lived out their golden years together in peace. The nefarious pirate had truly turned over a new leaf, and no one knew it more than his son, Jack Sparrow.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Captain Teague's well-wishers congregated on the beach near the lighthouse, watching as Jack and Will said a few words. Gibbs and the Pearl's crew were in attendance, as were all of the Sparrow-Turner clan save for Samantha. Young William held his sister Dani close, trying to comfort her as he gazed out at the horizon, aching for Sammi. He wondered how she would cope when she finally heard the sad news. Darkness descended upon them, in perfect synchrony with William's growing despair. Would he ever see Sammi again? Or had his immature actions driven her away forever?
After Will and Jack finished their eulogy, they sent Teague's body off in one of the Pearl's longboats. As it drifted off into the ocean, Jack lit the floating tomb. The blaze quickly spread and the pirates watched in silence as the body of one of the most legendary men of their time burned before them. The longboat glowed like a beacon on the water, and the pirates remained until it was finally snuffed out by the wind.
Goodbye, Father… and thank you – for everything. Bowing his head, Jack silently said his farewell as the crowd slowly dispersed. Although his relationship with his father had been tumultuous at times, they had come to respect and even love one another. And for that, he was grateful. He would go on; he was, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow. He knew Teague would not want any of them to mourn for long. But just then, Jack had a new worry surface.
How on earth was he supposed to explain all this to Sammi when she returned?
333
Location: St. Maarten, the smithy
Three months later
William was desperate. Ophelia was due to leave for England in one week and he still hadn't decided if he wanted to elope with her or not. On one hand, it would be a daring move, one of declaring his independence and willingness to trust that love would make everything turn out right. But on the other hand, it would be foolish, as he had no funds to speak of. The money he'd saved from the sword-fighting lessons would probably last them for about a month. Although, his parents did have more gold then they would ever need. Perhaps he could… No! What was he thinking? He was not going to resort to stealing. Absolutely not. It would make him as bad as a pirate.
Pirates… Sammi! That was the clincher right there. While William knew that Ophelia would always want him, would their attraction fizzle out over time? Probably. Miss Grace was certainly intelligent, but she just couldn't hold a stimulating conversation the way Sammi could. Sammi made him laugh! Most of the times Ophelia had made him laugh had been unintentional. He and Sammi had a special connection, one they'd had since childhood. When he gazed into Ophelia's crystalline eyes, he felt that he cared for her, and nothing more. However, Miss Grace was the more practical choice of the two. She would want to settle down and raise William's children, not go gallivanting after who knows what kind of quest for treasure. She would be a devoted wife and mother. But…
William didn't love her.
This shocked him, as his feelings of affection had been rather strong for Ophelia as of late as she poured out her worries about being sent to England for her season. He felt sorry for the poor girl, and while he cared for her a great deal, he hadn't experienced an earth-shattering need to be with her. He'd only experienced this with one person. And he had no idea he would ever see her again. William couldn't believe it – after all this time of suppressing his feelings for Samantha Sparrow, they popped back up to bite him in the behind.
There was only one thing to do now; he had to tell Ophelia the truth. He didn't want to continue their courtship, much less leave his family behind and marry her! William wasn't looking forward to this discussion in the least, as he hated to be the one to break this fragile girl's heart. Guess I'd better go get it over with… He grabbed his gear and headed downstairs into the smithy. His father bid him hello, and returned to work on yet another sword.
Bravely, William headed out the door and in the direction of the Grace Mansion. On the way, he thought about how he was going to break the news. He didn't want her to be completely devastated, and decided to reassure her that she would meet someone else who would value everything she had to offer. It wouldn't keep Ophelia from being hurt, but he hoped it would soften the blow. He almost reached the gates when he found a well-dressed Ophelia running out to meet him.
"Liam!" She threw herself into his arms, biting back tears.
"What is it?" He worried. It was not like her to make such a scene in public, even though there was no one around. "What's wrong?" Ophelia pulled away, and gave him a sad look.
"We need to talk."
"That's interesting because I needed to talk to you as well," William confessed. "How about we go to the top of the lighthouse?"
"I'd like that," Miss Grace said softly. She took William's hand in her and he didn't let go. They walked in silence to the beach, each lost in their own thoughts. All too soon, the lighthouse came upon them, and they climbed to the summit.
"You go first," William offered, as Ophelia stared down at her hands. She let out a long sigh.
"This is probably going to come as surprise to you, Liam, but I've been using you." Ophelia regarded him warily as he gave no visible reaction to her statement. "My mother wanted me to have practice courting young men. That's why she allowed me to take sword-fighting lessons with you."
"Because I'm not a member of the gentry," William slowly realized. Suddenly, Mrs. Graces's actions made sense. "I was the perfect bait." Ophelia nodded miserably. "She wanted me to learn how to use my womanly ways to wrap you around my finger."
"Well it worked," he admitted.
"I'm so sorry," Ophelia blurted out. "But since we've been courting, I've learned to respect you, even care for you." In a last ditch effort, she confessed, "Liam, I think I'm in love with you." That last part came out as a whisper, and William almost didn't catch it.
"Don't say that," he said hollowly. "You're just infatuated with me, enthralled by the idea of a life with me that's different from yours."
"You were my last hope," she sniffed, looking down at her dress. "Now I have no choice but to go through with my coming out season. I thought that marriage and a family was all I ever wanted. But now that I've learned more about the world from you, I realize my wants aren't the same as my mother's. I don't wish to be married to a stranger!"
"Then don't do it," William suggested. "There's always another way out of any situation." He thought hard. "Perhaps you could stay with another family member while you figured out what you really want in life." Her eyes widened.
"I do have an aunt who never married who lives in London. Perhaps she would allow me to take up residence with her."
"It's certainly worth a try." She squeezed his hand in thanks.
"I just can't let society dictate how I live my life."
"You know, you've really grown up since we started courting," William complimented her. She blushed.
"Thank you. Now what was it you wanted to tell me?" William gave her a wry smile.
"I was going to confess that I didn't think it would work out between you and me."
"You still love Samantha," Ophelia translated. William sighed – did everyone on the damn island know?
"Was I that obvious?"
"Yes," she giggled. It was such a relief to laugh…
"Fine," he huffed. "For your information, I knew that you were using me, but I was so blinded by my infatuation that I didn't care."
"You knew?" Ophelia winced. "I feel like a prize idiot."
"Me too," William chuckled.
"Liam, we were just fooling ourselves," Miss Grace pointed out. "We're just too different."
"I guess you're right," William sighed. "Still, I don't regret trying."
"Me neither." She leaned closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Liam, don't let her get away. What you two have doesn't happen every day." He bit his lip.
"I don't even know if she'll come back."
"She will," Miss Grace predicted. "I just know it."
"Alright, let's say she does come back. What then? I just don't know how this will work," he vented. "She wants to be a pirate, I get that. It's what she was born to do. But I can't compromise my morals just for her."
"Maybe you just need to take a different perspective on the issue," Ophelia suggested. William raised his eyebrows.
"What do you mean?"
"If there's anything I've learned from my time with you, is that there's a wide gap between the rich and the poor. If you're stealing from the rich, and perhaps give some of your spoils to those who need it, your morals wouldn't be completely compromised." William just stared at her as if he'd never believed she was capable of such an insightful statement.
"You mean, like Robin Hood?" Ophelia grinned at him.
"Something like that. I know that as a pirate you can do a lot of damage to those who are running this world."
"Pirating for a cause…I like that," William mused. "Maybe it could work."
"At least consider it." William promised her that he would. They sat there together, just watching waves crash against the sand while the sun dipped below the horizon. He finally realized it was getting late, so they headed back to her mansion. They both bid each other good luck, and then William was standing on the doorstep, a free man once more. And boy did it feel good.
333
Location: Just off the coast of St. Maarten
The Wicked Wench, just after sunset
Same Day
"Land ho!" Fletcher shouted from his position in the crow's nest. "I can see the lighthouse from here!"
Captain Sparrow inwardly shivered. Her nightmares about that very lighthouse hadn't ceased. In fact, she had that same recurring dream almost every night! Someone on that lighthouse was out to kill her! Sammi knew that dreams were not real, but then what about the dreams she shared with William? Was there not some truth to her nightmare as well? These questions haunted her at night when there was no one around. But she quickly pushed these thoughts from her head – she didn't need any extraneous distractions while she was on duty.
"Thank you, midshipman!" Sammi called from her position behind the helm. "Keep a sharp eye. The rocks can be treacherous, let's avoid them if we can."
"I'm on it as well, Captain," Horner responded eagerly. Sammi just shook her head – Horner was always willing to help. A little too willing, if truth be told, but she wasn't about to berate a crewman for his enthusiasm.
Ted and David stood on either side of her, watching as she expertly steered them into the harbor. Once they got close enough to the dock, they leapt out of the ship to tie the lines.
"Excellent, boys. Another successful docking!" Sammi graced them with that trademark Sparrow grin. (This may not have had as much effect as she wished as it was rather dark out.)
"I hope you all enjoy your shore leave until we have to deal with the French when they arrive later tomorrow."
"I know I will," Fletcher insinuated, waggling his eyebrows at Sammi, which prompted her to roll her eyes. "Shore leave is fun."
"I couldn't agree more," said Sammi, trying to not think about a certain William Turner the Third and failing miserably. She hoped that he would still be living on the island, that he hadn't ran off with Ophelia. If only they could have the joyous reunion she'd been picturing for the past few months! William would beg to take her back and then they would explore each other's body's in celebration…
"You would say that, Fletcher," sighed Ted. "We all remember what happened the last time we had shore leave." Sammi bit back a giggle. It had been a funny story, although it wasn't quite as amusing at the time.
"Hey, how was I supposed to know it was a brothel?" Fletcher gave his friends an innocent look. David shook his head as he recalled that day. The island of ill repute they had visited could give Tortuga a run for its money! "All I signed up for was a back massage!"
"You nearly got us all captured by the authorities if I recall," said Sammi. They were never stopping at that island again…
"But it was just a back massage!" Fletcher whined. "Nothing happened!" Sammi so couldn't wait for her shore leave – she needed a break from her crew, or rather certain trying crewmembers who shall remain nameless. She gritted her teeth and spoke.
"If I hear one more word about back massages while on shore leave-" Fletcher took one look at Sammi's stony expression and knew it would be prudent not to annoy her further.
"Understood, Captain." She sighed.
"If anyone should be getting a back massage it should be me." She rubbed her right lower back, wincing as her fingers ran over a knot or two. Captaining a ship was stressful business at times!
"Are you asking, captain?" Fletcher inquired with a devil-may-care smirk. Where was William when you needed him? If William had been serving as her second-in-command, she knew he would've put Fletcher in his place and personally taken care of any of her backaches. Why couldn't William just allow himself to be a pirate? Why…
"No! Dammit, Fletcher!" Sammi glared at him, then turned to the rest of her crew who were not currently trying her patience. "Will you all be staying the night at the inn?"
"I know I'll be bunking right here," Debouvier declared. The rest of the boys decided to stay on board the Wicked Wench as well, leaving Sammi free to go and surprise her family.
333
As she hurried along the road home, she thought about all she had to tell her parents. At the moment, Norrington was keeping the Frenchmen occupied but he only promised her an extra day before the Roi Soleil arrived at St. Maarten. But by then, the Sparrows and Turners would be ready for the Frenchmen.
The moment the Sparrow home came into view, Sammi broke out into a run. How she'd missed the place! She burst in through the back door, giving her parents quite a good scare when she announced,
"I'm hoooooooome!" Overjoyed, Jack and Ana pulled her into a three-way embrace.
"Samantha, we're so glad you're back!" Ana's eyes grew misty as she hugged her daughter tighter. Jack was so choked up, he couldn't even say a single word.
"I'm so glad to be back," Sammi admitted. "I missed you and father and everyone more than I thought I would. I even missed Eva and Teague. Are they home?"
"No, they're sleeping over with the Turners tonight." Jack found his voice.
"Oh, okay. I'll see them tomorrow then," Sammi relented, shrugging her shoulders. "I have so much to tell you about what happened on the trip!"
"And we have much to tell you about what happened while you were gone," said Jack, exchanging a sad look with Ana over their daughter's head. Neither one was looking forward to informing Sammi of her grandfather's death. "But you go first, love."
"Well…" Sammi hesitated at first, not sure how much to reveal about the Frenchmen and their dark dealings. The whole ugly story spilled out, including the discovery of the African slave force, the strange new technology, the mysterious and powerful gems, and the threat against Jack Sparrow.
"Are you sure that their ship won't be arriving until tomorrow?" Jack asked once his daughter was finished with her tale.
"I'm positive," Sammi said firmly. She had that much faith in Norrington. And besides, if the ship did happen to arrive early, her crew would surely delay the Frenchman before they went anywhere close to her father. "Now, what was it that you wanted to tell me?" Jack sighed, avoiding his daughter's piercing gaze.
"You probably should get some rest. It can wait until tomorrow…"
"It's bad news, isn't it?" She questioned. "I can see it in your eyes." Jack and Ana exchanged another look.
"Samantha." Jack pulled her into his arms. Sammi's heart was pounding as she rested her head against his chest. Her father never called her Samantha unless he was extremely serious. "Samantha, a few months ago, your grandfather…" Jack couldn't finish his sentence.
"No!" Sammi breathed, jerking away from her father.
"He's passed on to the next life," Ana whispered. "It was the day after your father's fiftieth birthday party. We'd just spent the previous night over at his house. He had a good life, Samantha."
"I yelled at him before I left," Sammi whispered. "I felt so bad afterwards but there was nothing I could do about it at the time. And now I won't even get a chance to apologize. Excuse me." She ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the sanctuary of her own room.
"That didn't go very well at all, did it?" Jack said glumly. He hated informing his daughter of Captain Teague's death, but it had to be done. Besides, she'd only hate him more if he kept the truth from her.
"Give her time to get used to the idea," Ana suggested, resting her head against Jack's chest as she leaned into him. "She's probably exhausted. Let's give her tonight to have some time to herself and then we'll continue our talk in the morning." This sounded like good advice to Jack, so he and Ana went on to bed as usual.
333
But Sammi didn't emerge from her room in the morning. Even when Ana and Jack pleaded for her to unlock the door and come out for breakfast, she refused to even acknowledge them. The Sparrows didn't know what to do. So Jack did what he usually did in those situations – he went to Will for advice.
Next thing Jack knew, young William was on his way to the Sparrow home to talk some sense into Sammi. Wordlessly, Ana ushered him up the stairs and watched as he nervously headed for Sammi's room. He knocked on her door…
"Go away, Father!" Sammi growled, her despair evident in her voice. "I told you I don't want to see anyone!"
"What about old friends?" Came the reply on the other side of the room. Sammi gasped when she recognized it. William! He's here! "Sammi, please let me in!" She considered refusing him, in hopes that he would finally share in the depth her pain. But in the end, her desire to see him won out.
"Fine. Come in," she muttered. William did. Closing the door behind him, he slowly approached her bed. Sammi allowed herself this moment to gaze, really gaze at William Turner the Third. Was it possible that he looked even more delectable now than he had before she'd left? It looked as if he'd grown another inch or two, but his dark eyes remained as beautiful and unchanged as ever.
"Sammi," he breathed, watching as she sat up in bed with nothing but her nightgown on. The covers fell down in front of her, which made her feel vulnerable even though William had seen her in far less clothing than this.
"Will." They locked eyes, and suddenly she was in his arms. When he enfolded her in his protectiveness, she finally released all of the pent up emotions that had been swirling around inside her since the night before. William slowly sat them down on her bed. At first her sobs came quietly, but as he gently rocked her, Sammi found herself letting go. Bawling, she clutched his shoulders for dear life as she choked out her guilt over her grandfather's death.
"Samantha, it's not your fault." Sammi looked up at him in surprise.
"I know his death isn't my fault, but I shouldn't have left him the way I did. I said something really horrible that day I left the island." William frowned at her.
"What exactly did you say?" She recounted the events of that day as best she could for memory. How it hurt to know that the last thing you said to your dead grandfather was rather spiteful!
(Flashback)
"Grandfather, this isn't like you!" She exploded. "You have always supported me in my efforts to live a pirate's life! There's something else behind your motives, isn't there?"
"As always," said Teague with a slight glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "I just want the best for you, Samantha, and I'll do everything in my power to give it to you. Even if it means having you hate me."
"Well, not even you can give me what I really want," she snapped. "No one can. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go down to the docks in hopes that I can chase after at least one of my lifelong dreams."
"Maybe you can still catch them," Teague called after her. He chuckled to himself. "I'll see you when you get back."
"Don't count on it," Sammi snarled before she left his home behind.
(End flashback)
"I never should've said any of that to him, Will," Sammi sniffed, resting her head on his chest. If she wasn't so distraught over the loss of her beloved grandfather, perhaps she would've realized her close proximity to William. As it was, she never wanted to leave his embrace. He helped her lay down next to him in her bed, and he spooned up against her, taking care to wrap an arm around her waist. It was rather heavenly.
"I'm sure he didn't take it personally," William murmured, running his fingers through her hair. Sammi leaned into his soft touch, savoring it as she knew she probably wouldn't get this chance again. Miss Grace was probably hiding outside her window, ready to pop in at the most in opportune moment. This stray thought caused Sammi's stomach to churn. The last thing she needed to think about right now was William with another girl, especially that girl!
"Maybe not," she said shakily, "but what I said came true! I came back too late – I never will get to see him again."
"Not in this life, anyway," William agreed. "But there's always the afterlife."
"I barely believe in the afterlife," she admitted. "I mean, I want to believe, but it's hard. If it weren't for your father's involvement with ferrying the souls of those who died at sea to the Other Side…"
"I know," he whispered. "It's difficult to believe in something that you know so little about." She nodded, relieved he had the same doubts that she had.
"I'm going to miss him so much, Will." Sammi whispered. "He was one of the few people on this earth who truly understood me, without having to try very hard." William sighed.
"You know, those we love never really leave us." Her heart hammered frantically against her chest cavity, threatening to burst free. He wasn't implying what she thought he was implying? Was he?
"What do you mean?" Sammi asked him softly.
"What I mean is, I believe that love transcends all things like time and space," William elaborated. "Love endures, even after death." He gently leaned down towards her, so that their foreheads touched. "And, love endures, even when the one you're parted from is thousands of miles away." Sammi gave a little gasp at that. Why did he have to torment her so?
"Will, please don't…" His dark eyes sparkled as he finally revealed a secret he'd been dying to spill since the moment he saw her.
"Ophelia and I are no longer together." Sammi's eyes grew huge at that.
"Wha… you're not! Really?" Bollocks, that sounded way too happy. Get a grip, Samantha! "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." She tried to recover from her slip of the tongue, but William wasn't buying it.
"You're not feeling sorry for me."
"I'm not feeling sorry for you," she admitted.
"And why not, Miss Sparrow?" William breathed into her ear, his voice low and very much seductive.
"Because I-" She trailed off, her courage deserting her at the worst possible moment.
"Because what?" William breathed. He was teasing her; that much she knew. This could only mean one thing…
"I don't feel sorry for you because you happen to have another girl who cares for you very much." She said all of this in a rush, her cheeks starting to grow hot from the admonition.
"And who would that girl be?" William pretended to wonder.
"Me." She stared into his eyes, peeking into the depths of his very soul. Sammi had bared all to William, with no regrets. The only question now was, did he feel the same?
"Great!" I guess that answers that question, Sammi thought with glee as her lips met his in a searing kiss. It was like coming home. Finally, she was able to show her best friend how much she loved him, and in the waking world for a change! The best part was how eagerly he reciprocated her actions. William took control of the kiss for awhile, then handed the baton to Sammi. This was how things usually worked between them, an equal sharing of power. It only made sense it would spill over into their love life as well.
When they surfaced for air, Sammi couldn't help but grin at William. His mega-watt smile matched hers, and she hoped that she didn't look quite as goofy as he did at this moment. But what did it matter? She was in love! She'd just gotten what she'd wanted after all these years! Or had she?
"William, what does this mean for us?" She wondered quietly. "Because if this just means friends with benefits, we're going to have a problem." He frowned a bit at that.
"To me, Samantha, this means for life." He regarded her seriously, inwardly praying that he wasn't making assumptions about their relationship. "I'm even prepared to take a whole new outlook on piracy, so that we can experience that time at sea together."
"Oh good," she replied, smiling in relief. "I was just kidding about the friends with benefits thing." But it wasn't bold, not really. They had been secretly wanting each other for years. Had it not been for Sammi's meddling 'friend' Thérèse's interference, they would've begun a relationship long before this.
"I love you, Samantha," William declared. "With all my heart, and all my soul, I love you. I want you in my life – always."
"And you shall have me," she whispered, falling into his embrace again. This was actually happening to her! William practically just proposed to her! It was more of a promise of what was to come, but she knew that William wanted to marry her. To a Turner, marriage was serious business, an expression of the deepest commitment to one's partner. Although she'd grown up believing that marriage was complicated and unnecessary, if William had asked her to elope with him that night, she would've done it. Just then, something struck her as odd.
"You took a big chance, letting Ophelia go like that, especially since you didn't know when or if I was returning to St. Maarten." Sammi was pleasantly surprised that William had decided he wasn't right for Ophelia before she arrived. It certainly saved Sammi a lot of trouble.
"Did I?" William looked amused. "I had a feeling that you'd come back to me… eventually."
"A feeling." Sammi raised her eyebrows at him. Was he aware of their shared dreams? Was that what he was trying to imply? She certainly hoped so! "That's not much to go on."
"Sometimes a feeling is all we have to go on," he replied, ever cryptic.
"Then I'm lucky you had such a feeling." She snuggled closer to him, and he placed a soft kiss upon her brow. At that moment, Sammi could have died of happiness. But she didn't, seeing as she wanted to stick around for the rest of her life with one William Turner the Third.
"Luck has nothing to do with it," he admitted. "I don't believe it was just a feeling. While you were gone, there were times when I believed I felt your presence lingering with mine just after I woke in the mornings." She froze at that, and William squeezed her hand in reassurance. "Sammi, you don't have to feign ignorance any longer to our connection."
"You remember," she breathed, gazing up at him in disbelief. "I can't bloody believe it." He nodded.
"I remember all of it. Every dream we ever shared, ending with the last one where we explored our paradise from above. The dreams were little more than an illusion... but now we have reality."
"I can't believe all that actually penetrated your thick skull. It's a miracle," she whispered.
"You make me believe in miracles." Sammi kissed him. She knew it would take awhile until she felt back to normal, but with William's help, she knew she would learn to accept her grandfather's death. Already, some of her sadness had lifted, just from being with the one who was her soulmate.
"Sammi, will you play me a song on your guitar?" William asked. She knew exactly what he was asking, that he wanted to her to continue to play even though it reminded her of her grandfather. Teague had taught her everything she knew about playing the guitar. Sammi had done the exact same thing to William, asking for him to continue to draw after his grandfather Bootstrap had, for all intents and purposes, died. It was not surprising that he wanted to return the favor.
"It'll take me about a week or so to get something together," she said slowly. "Will that work for you?" He smiled against her, thrilled she wasn't going to let her talent go to waste.
"Sounds good. I can't wait to hear you play – I've missed it." Sammi already knew William enjoyed hearing her play, it just felt good to hear him say it. They lay like that until Sammi's stomach insisted it needed food.
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Later that morning, Sammi and William emerged from her room, hand in hand. As the rest of the family was visiting the Turners, the only one on hand to see them was Faith, who had since moved in with the Sparrows. (She couldn't bear to live alone in the cottage that she'd shared with Teague.) Faith truly smiled for the first time since Teague's death, and pulled them into an embrace, congratulating them on figuring out something she'd known for years. Then she decided to make them something to eat, as Sammi had yet to eat breakfast.
As she set about making pancakes, she thought to herself that Teague had been right! They'd both known that the disease that plagued him when they first met had returned, that he only had a few months left. Teague decided to set events in motion that would allow him to use his death to hopefully bring Sammi and William together. Faith was only sorry he couldn't have lived to see his efforts succeed!
There was still one more consolation he had planned for Sammi and the rest of the Sparrow family. Faith was certain everything would fall into place, but if there were complications she would be on hand to set everyone straight.
End Ch. 27
A/N: Sorry it's so late. This chapter had really been plaguing me, I wanted to get the Wammi reunion just right. There's only a few chapters left before I wrap this story up. Thanks to everyone who is still sticking with me – I really do appreciate it.
P.S. Fixed the part about Sammi's guitar. I'd forgotten that she'd left it at home! My readers are so good at catching little details that I have missed. :)
