Author's Note: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean nor any of its characters. I only own the plot to the story and a few characters, which are my own.
Summary: Willabeth Au. Set in Late 1950s England.
Chapter 1
Swanston, Surrey England
August 1958
It was pissing rain. When I pulled into driveway of rundown shit hole of an old house we'd lived since I had been born. I shut off the engine on the Vincent. I could hear the droning tones of Billie Holiday playing on the record player.
Opening the front door. I shook the rain from my hair. Hanging up my rain soaked jacket on the hook.
"Will you're home" My youngest and only sister Morgan hugged me tightly.
"Morgan what are you doing up. You know what the time is." It was eleven a clock. Mum was passed out drunken snoring like every night.
"I waited up for you."
"Come on off to bed with you. Got Church tomorrow."I hugged her once more before she headed up stairs to bed.
I pulled needle off the well worn 45 of Billie Holiday. I shook my head as I noticed a half empty gin bottle in Mum's hand. I took the half empty bottle from her hand. I picked up to the other empty bottles near and around her chair.
I threw out the empty bottles. I poured out the half empty bottle of Gin in the sink. I got rid of that bottle as well. I shut and locked the front door behind me.
I had only been home seven and half months. Not long after my seventeenth birthday I was called up for National Service. After Basic Training. I was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. It seemed I had impressed my instructors during basic training
Surprisingly I was posted to the Parachute Regiment. I took part in Operation Musketeer in November 1956. The rest of my stint with the Para's I was in Cyrus. I pulled a blanket up over Mum. I kissed the top of her head before I headed to my room.
Since coming home I was finishing my mechanic apprenticeship at Jacob Brown's Service Station and Repair. I worked there during the day. At night I was pulling beers at the local pub.
Dad had buggered off on us when I was twelve, Henry was eight, Matthew, Dalton and Morgan was six months old. None of us had heard from in eight years.
I stripped down to my boxers. Sunday was only day I had off. I was often up at three or four in the morning. I didn't get home to till late. I was asleep as soon as I lay down.
I was woken by the noise coming from the kitchen in the morning. Glancing at the clock on the makeshift bedside table. It was just after seven.
I threw on clean clothes. I stumbled into the only bathroom in the house. I splashed water on my face. To get the sleep out of my eyes.
The kitchen was a mass of noise and conversations. Nan and the only grandfather we had know Alex cooked up the normal big Sunday breakfast before church.
Mum was still sound asleep in her chair. She no doubt would still be asleep when we got home or she had gone down to the Black Pearl for another big drinking session.
I sat watching my four siblings as they chattered back and forth as they ate breakfast. I polished off my own breakfast.
"William are you working this afternoon" Nan asked in her still thick Scottish accent.
"Mr Brown's closed today. Teagan never said anything about needing me to come in today" I answered.
"Well You and Henry can clear out those dead trees. Start cutting up fire wood for winter."I nodded. Henry looked like he was miles away.
An hour later. Nan, Alex, Morgan, Henry, Matthew and Dalton piled into Alex's 48 Austin Big 16. I rode my Vincent to Church following them.
Jack, Teagan and the rest of the Sparrow family where already there. Jack and I's other childhood friend Phillip Swift stood with his mother Emma at the steps of the Church. I caught Henry staring at Carina Barbossa.
"Go and talk to her mate" I encouraged
"I don't know what to say Will. I'm not good at. You know asking girls out" Henry put himself down.
"How about starting with hello" I advised slapping him on the shoulder.
"Hello here comes the 'Royal' Family" Jack nodded as a Rolls Royce and a Bentley R Type followed a flash brand new Jaguar XK150 Convertible.
The Swann and Norrington families around here where the closet thing to Royalty we had here in Swanston.
James Norrington got out of the driver's seat of the Ferrari. Wearing a suit that alone probably cost a whole years if not more of my wages.
Lord Thomas and Lady Charlotte Swann got out of the Rolls. I took a long drag of my cigarette as more people got out of the Bentley R Type.
"You do alright with bit crumpet" Jack whistled low at the girl who got out of the Bentley.
"May I remind your a married man Jack" The girl stood no taller then 5'7, with captivating beautiful hazel brown eyes, dark blonde hair and a figure to rival any Hollywood Actress.
"So doesn't mean I can't look."Jack shrugged.
"You want to repeat those words with Angelica in ear shot mate"
"Repeat what to me" Angelica asked coming to stand beside Jack and I.
"Nothing my darling. Will was just talking out his arse" Jack lied.
Angelica shot her husband a look as if to say she didn't believe him. We all headed into the Church. The local Minister and Phillip's father Emmett Swift stood at the front of the church.
As Reverend Swift started on his weekly fire and brimstone sermons. It was a guessing game to see what the topic of Sermon was this week.
Matthew and Dalton where finding it hard to pay attention and stay awake. Reverend Swift was on his soap box on what was a cardinal sin this week. The highlight of the sermon had been the organ giving up the ghost mid way through the hymns.
We left the Church to head home at around ten. Mum unsurprisingly was still sound asleep when we came home. I got changed into some old clothes.
Henry and I went about getting rid of the dead trees in the back yard. With two axes and a two man saw. We set to work.
We stopped for an hour for lunch before going back to work. By mid afternoon we where finished. I pulled off my boots by the door as Henry and I came inside. Nan was cooking a leg of Lamb for dinner.
Alex was making some of his home made Wine. Morgan, Matthew and Dalton where playing Cricket with some other kids from the street.
I grabbed a bottle of beer, glass and headed out to sit on the front steps. I rolled my self a cigarette. I cracked the top off the beer. I poured a glass. I sat on the stairs of my childhood home watching my siblings playing cricket.
"Will. Come play. We need another bowler" Dalton called me over. I hadn't been to bad of a Leg Spin Bowler and batsmen at school.
I set my half finished glass of beer on the front steps. Matthew threw the ball to me as he was wicket keeper.
I rubbed the much loved ball on my jeans. It really wasn't a wicket by any means. It was just a rough patch Alex and I had rolled out for them to use.
I bowled a Flipper first delivery. It missed the makeshift stumps by millimetres. The second one was more accurate. The Batsmen tried to play a pull shot to the left. He missed completely. There was thunk as the cricket ball took out the middle stump.
We stayed out playing cricket till Nan called us in for dinner. Mum was now awake. Showered and dressed up for a night on town. She had a cigarette between her lips, rummaging around her purse for money to buy drinks at the pub. I had no doubt we would be getting phone call from Teagan later tonight come collect her.
She left the house in whirl of smoke and cheap perfume.
We sat down to dinner after washing up. Dalton tried to steal a piece of bread while Nan's back was turned.
"No Dalton. We eat after we've said Grace. William" Nan asked me to say Grace as I was the man of the house so to speak.
"Dear heavenly father bless us for these gift we are about receive from thy bounty may the lord make us truly thankful Amen" I finished saying grace.
We dug in to dinner. Conversation flew around the table as dinner progressed. Henry and I cleaned up after dinner. Nan and Alex got Dalton, Morgan and Matthew sorted with baths before going to bed.
I stayed up a while longer with Nan, Alex and Henry. I had to be a work early tomorrow. So I headed up to bed at half passed eight.
"Will" Matthew called to me as I walked passed his, Dalton and Morgan's room.
"What is it Matt" I asked standing in the doorway.
"Your not leaving us again are" His lip quivered as he asked a question.
"No Mate. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon" I answered coming further into the room.
"Ok"
"What brought this on mate" I sat down beside him on the bottom bunk
"Nothing" Matthew looked down" It just everyone leaves. Dad left us. And Mum's barely here. Why don't they want us" He cried.
"Oh Mate. Come Here. I don't know why Dad left. And Mum well she got her own demons she got to fight" I tried to explain as best I could as I held him.
I held Matthew for a while as he cried. Once he had stopped I wiped the tears away."Come on go to sleep or try to. You've got school in the morning"
"Can you stay here with me. Please Will" Matthew asked.
"Alright move over" Matthew moved over.
I laid down beside him."Will you be here in the morning."Matthew whispered.
"I'll be here in the morning mate. Go to sleep" I advised. We both drifted off to sleep not long after that.
I awake dressed for work and out the door by four. Well before anyone else was up. I rode the twenty miles from the house to work.
Mr Brown was no doubt snoring off another drinking session at the pub. I changed into a pair of overalls and set to work. Despite being a small town everybody had a car. And cars needed fixing.
I heard old Jake's Land Drover pull up just after nine. I watched from under the bonnet of the Morris I was fixing.
"Will" He called to me from his office
"Yes Mr Brown" I came stood in the doorway of the office.
"Need you head out to the Swann Estate. Need their cars serviced. Take my Land Drover if you have to. Any parts will go on their account"He handed me the keys to his Land Drover.
I grabbed the tools, parts and can of oil I needed. I loaded them into the back of the Land Drover.
It wasn't a long drive to the Swann Estate from town. Maybe twenty minutes. It was another ten minute drive up the long driveway to the main house of the Estate. I pulled next to the main house.
Davy Jones a tall broad shouldered man of half English and half Dutch descent was washing the Rolls Royce.
"Davy" I nodded to him as I got out of the Land Drover.
"Will" He nodded back to me.
"Mr Brown said you had some cars that needed fixing."I rolled a cigarette.
"Lord Swann's son's Bentley and his grandson's Jaguar needs serving. Plus the Rolls once I've finished washing her" Davy explained.
"I'll grab my tools and get to work" I went around to the back of Land Drover. Grabbing my tools and everything I would need.
Elizabeth slowed her mare Empress to halt as she waited for eldest cousin to catch her up. James slowed beside her on his own horse. Admiral. James had a been orphaned at an early age.
His mother, Elizabeth Aunt Christian had been killed during an air raid. James's father Gareth Norringtion had died when the HMS Hood had been sunk by the German Battleship Bismark in May 1941
Elizabeth attention was turned not to her cousin but the man working on her father's beloved Bentley. Elizabeth felt herself blush bright red as he removed his sweat soaked under shirt. A sun kissed tanned back entered her vision.
His dark brown hair was slicked back in latest fashion of Pompadour. Oh God lord. Her cheeks flushed more as he turned to face her slightly. His shoulders where broad. His chest was tanned and scared. The nastiest being over his heart.
A few tattoos where tattooed on both his arms. A set of dog tags hung around his neck.
"I'd stay away from the likes of him Cousin" James's voice cut into her daydreams.
"What do you mean James" Elizabeth asked looking at her cousin.
"Will Turner. He's trouble. Will was in prison until seven and half months ago. Or so the story goes. He hangs around with that ruffian Jack Sparrow."James warned.
"You should never judge a book by it's cover. Have you ever spoken to him James."
"Yes I went to school with both he and Sparrow. His father ran off eight years ago. His mother is alcoholic" James tried to argue.
"So that hardly a reason to not talk to him" Elizabeth dismissed James's argument.
"I'd stay away with from him Cousin. He's not for the likes of you" James cautioned as he rode off towards the stables.
I felt someone's eyes watching me. I looked up over in the direction I felt the person looking from. I caught the eyes of the girl I had seen a church yesterday. I smiled at her. Her cheeks flushed pink and quickly looked away.
Hell would freeze over before a girl like that would go with a bloke like me. I turned my attention back to the engine of the Bentley.