Hey, everyone! I hope you're all keeping safe during this tumultuous time. With all the spare time I've had recently, I've revisited one of my favourite franchises — Pirates of the Caribbean! I always hate the ending of the third film, because I love Will and Elizabeth together, so I was inspired to change the ending and see where it goes from there (I also pretend that the fourth film never happened). Please comment if you enjoyed this chapter and want to see where it goes, it does heaps to motivate me to continue writing.

Chapter 1

Claypso's fury continued to rain down in relentless sheets. The chaotic battle had no end in sight, and it was impossible to tell which side had the upper hand. On the Flying Dutchman, William Turner made his way to the helm of the ship, grasping Davy Jones' chest tightly. He was too occupied to notice a murky figure emerging from the shadows, camouflaged by the rotting and sodden wood. The figure's heavy arm flung in Will's direction, knocking both him and the chest to the ground. Will looked up, and towering above him was the gnarled body of his father, Boostrap Bill Turner.

Will felt a glimmer of hope, believing his father must have mistaken him for someone else, however, when his father drew back his arm once more, Will realised that Bootstrap Bill had lost himself to the Dutchman. Bootstrap swung blindly at Will, and their swords clashed together. For now, the chest was forgotten.

'It's me!' Will shouted, over the thunder and calamity all around them. Will managed to block his father's blade as it swung violently towards him, and he used the momentum to push the withering man against the side of the ship.

'It's Will! Your son!' Will cried, a last ditch attempt to get Bootstrap to recognise him. After a moment, confusion flashed across his eyes, he reached his hand up to Will's face, and then pushed him hard, again engaging in combat with his son. The action shocked Will and he lost his footing, careening into the steps leading to the helm of the ship.

Whilst the two Turner's grappled and fought, Captain Jack Sparrow had managed to swing himself from the Black Pearl to the Dutchman, where he came face to face with the formidable Davy Jones. Chasing him down the length of the ship, Davy Jones' looming figure trudged on the soaked wood. He was gaining on Jack, who had managed to free a large piece of wood, and pivoted to strike Jones across the face with it. Enraged, Jones clubbed Jack with the back of his clawed arm, sending him crashing to the floor.

Within seconds, another body was flung on the deck of the Dutchman. Davy Jones turned to see Elizabeth Turner. She landed squarely, facing Jones with a furious expression, wet strands of her brown hair plastered to her face. She doesn't give up, Jones thought.

'Harridan!' Jones yelled, 'You'll see no mercy from me.' He brandished his sword.

With a steady, searing determination, Elizabeth also grabbed the handle of her sword, prepared to bring this battle to an end once and for all.

'That's why I brought this.' She replied over the roar of the maelstrom, unsheathing her sword and connecting her blade with Jones'. What Elizabeth lacked in brute strength, she made up for in agility. The training she'd received from Will, her newlywed husband, had made her a worthy adversary.

Further down the ship, Will had finally managed to get the upper hand over Bootstrap. Knocking his father's sword from his hand and kicking him up against the side of the ship, he held his own weapon to his father's throat. Then Will heard a sound, and he turned to see Elizabeth losing her ground against the monstrous Jones. He watched helplessly as Jones struck Elizabeth, and she fell backwards against the steps.

Turning back to his father, Will spoke harshly,

'I'm not going to kill you. I made you a promise.' He said, and slammed his small dagger into the pliable wood beside his father. Will made his way over to Jones, and stabbed the tentacled being through his back. Jones let out a cry, before cruelly taunting Will.

'Missed.' He said casually, 'Did you forget? I'm a heartless wretch.' Jones used his claw to bend the blade of Will's sword to the side, rendering it useless as it remained lodged in Jones' chest. Fear coursed through Will as he tried to pull his only weapon free. Jones laughed and swung his sword around. Will registered somewhere in his mind that he recognised the sword. He, in fact, had crafted it with his own hands.

Jones used his momentum to send a kick to Will's face, which knocked him backward by a few feet. The ferocious captain stalked over to Will, preparing to unleash his fury onto him. But then he stopped. Will had shifted his panicked gaze over to the woman in the corner. Jones looked over to Elizabeth, and noticed how the pair had locked eyes with one another. He sneered at Elizabeth,

'Ah. Love.' He spat, 'A dreadful bond. And yet, so easily severed.' The words dripped venomously from his mouth.

'Tell me, William Turner, do you fear death?' A wicked grin lurked under his slimy tentacles.

'Do you?' A voice came from behind Jones. It was Jack. Jones turned towards him, and felt his body stiffen. Jack was holding Jones' pulsing heart in one hand, his broken sword in the other, hovering precariously close. Jack's eyes were wrinkled, his mouth upturned in a sly smile. Elizabeth and Will shared a quiet moment of relief — they could actually win this war.

'Heady tonic — holding life and death in the palm of one's hand.' Jack mused.

'You're a cruel man, Jack Sparrow.' Seethed Jones, his tentacles writhing in fury.

'Cruel is a matter of perspective.' Jack said, and without hesitation he plunged the broken blade into Jones' heart.

The moment that followed seemed to stretch for hours. Elizabeth, Will and Jack waited with baited breath.

Then Jones' body seized, his tentacles squirming uncontrollably as he gasped for breath. Elizabeth rushed to Will's side, and he grabbed onto her with earnest. They watched as Jones staggered forwards, hunching over before falling over the side of the ship, returning one last time below the crashing waves of the sea. The Flying Dutchman careened, groaning as the tremendous pull of the swirling mass of water pulled the ship ever closer to the abyss.

'Leave! Now!' Jack called over to Will and Elizabeth. 'Get back to the Pearl!'

Elizabeth and Will shakily got to their feet, swaying as the ship lurched over to one side. Will looked around for an exit route, a way back to the Pearl. He spotted a rope long enough to swing them to safety.

'Quickly!' Elizabeth turned to Jack, 'Jack, come on! We have to leave.'

Deep emotion quickly flashed across his eyes, but was gone as quickly as it had passed his features.

'The Dutchman needs a captain, Love.' He uttered softly. Elizabeth's face fell as Will grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the rope. Jack offered her one final smile.

'Wait for my signal.' He muttered, low enough that only she could hear him.

What did he mean by that? She thought, before being pulled ahead by Will. Will dropped her hand as he entwined the thick rope around his arm. Taking a step up onto the ledge of the quickly sinking ship, he once more reached out for his wife. Elizabeth grasped his forearm and joined him on the ledge, proceeding to wrap her arms tightly around his waist and bury her face in his neck.

'Ready?' He asked. He felt her nod in response and he threw his weight forward. The momentary feeling of weightlessness left the pair gasping for breath, before the pull of gravity sent them flying across the void between the two ships. The rain stung against their bodies as the soared into the downpour. Elizabeth dared to peek, and quickly braced herself to land on the deck of the Black Pearl.

The couple crashed onto the drenched wood, sending nearby pirates and soldiers scattering around them. After regaining their footing, Will and Elizabeth noticed that everyone had stopped fighting and was staring over their shoulders. They turned, and spied the remnants of the Dutchman being pulled into the unfathomable depths.

The Pearl managed to pull away from the black void, and the enemy soldiers came to the realisation that the tide had indeed turned against them. The pirates realised this, too, and watched in glee as the opposing men started to scramble, favouring to throw themselves into the water in hopes of swimming to one of their fleet. Even on a clear day it was a treacherous feat.

Elizabeth stared at the place where she had been moments prior, now nothing but vast, foaming waves. She thought of Jack, wondering whether his plan had worked, wondering why he had made the choice in the first place. She needed to find Barbossa. It was easy enough to guess where he'd be, and rightly so she found him at the helm of the ship.

'Barbossa.' Elizabeth addressed him, 'Jack is—' Barbossa grunted as he gave a cursory glance to where the Dutchman had been.

'Aye... I thought as much. I suppose we truly do have the upper hand here, then.' The wisened pirate was lost in thought, but the ghost of a smile tugged at his lips.

Elizabeth and Barbossa were joined by Will. He looked longingly at his wife. So much had happened in the past days, and they had had no time together to talk privately. He longed to tell her how proud he was of her, how he admired her courage and how she took on the responsibility of Pirate King with her steadfast passionate fire. He longed to hold her, but knew he would have to be patient for a little while longer. Elizabeth met his gaze, she was tired — they all were — but she offered him a small smile.

'What's the plan?' Will asked. Elizabeth and Barbossa looked at each other.

'We will wait for Jack's signal.' Elizabeth responded.

'Elizabeth... you can't be sure he survived.' Will said gently. He knew how complicated the relationship between Elizabeth and Jack was, even if he didn't understand it wholly himself. He knew she wanted him to survive as much as he did, despite his multitude of shortcomings.

Before Elizabeth could reply, a great rumbling sounded to the west. The trio looked over as the mass of water began to ripple and crest. Lo and behold, dark masts began to rise from waves, and soon the jaws of the Dutchman breached the surface of the water. Across the body of water, the Endeavour, the ship leading the armada against the pirates was waiting, gauging to see what the Black Pearl would decide to do. Upon seeing the re-emergence of the formidable ship, Lord Cutler Beckett smirked.

'Ah, she survived.' He watched as the two ships began to approach each other. Beckett looked on in amusement, those wretched pirates never knew when to give up, did they?

Then something happened, something he hadn't bargained for. Both ships began to turn, in unison, towards the Endeavour. They were going to flank the ship from both sides.

Davy Jones had betrayed him.

On the Pearl, excitement was ramping up. The crew realised the Dutchman was on their side, and that Captain Jack was in command. The crew made haste in readying the cannons, using their final surge of energy to ensure they won this battle once and for all. This was it, they had a proper chance. If they took down the Endeavour, the remaining fleet would dissipate.

The storm had subsided, giving Beckett a clear view on the oncoming onslaught. His blood ran cold through his veins. He couldn't comprehend what had happened. And then, just visible at the front of the Dutchman, a figure caught his eye. Squinting, Beckett felt rage bubble up inside him when he saw the figure waving an unmistakable brown hat, taunting him.

'Jack Sparrow.' Beckett seethed.

'Sir! What are your orders?' His second-in-command asked. Beckett had no answer. He had entrusted Jones to get the job done, to wipe out the pirate race once and for all. And Jones had failed, bested by a dim-witted, arrogant scoundrel. Beckett slumped back in his chair. His associate waited a few moments more, before realising that his superior had silently admitted defeat. He ran, desperate to salvage what he could and try and get some of the crew to safety.

But it was too late, the two approaching ships had the wind on their side, and they glided across the water. Voices started to emanate from the vessels, and the sound of cannons being rolled into position penetrated the cries of the Endeavour's crew. Beckett stood, absentmindedly, and began to descend the gilded wooden staircase. Cannonballs hurtled into the Endeavour from both sides, sending shrapnel in all directions. The wood caught fire as Beckett walked. And then, nothing.

—

Elizabeth sat on the steps of the Pearl, watching the Dutchman. They were all exhausted from the battle, and the sun was starting to rise over the edge of the horizon. Will found her and sat beside her, draping his arm across her shoulders. She leant into him, so tempted to nestle her face in his neck and sleep.

'Elizabeth.' He breathed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She sighed.

'We made it, Mrs. Turner.' She could hear the smile running through his words. Elizabeth turned to face him, and wiped a stray strand of his hair from his face. The couple leant into one another, craving each other's touch.

'Ahem.' Mr. Gibbs voice interrupted their moment of privacy. 'Your boat is ready. We'll be returning later to collect ye.'

'Thank you.' Elizabeth said, pulling herself up. She walked towards the edge of the ship. Turning to Will she said,

'Well, are you coming?' Will gave her a quizzical look. 'I'm going to say goodbye to Jack.'

Will nodded and slowly climbed to his feet to join her. He helped Elizabeth down onto the tiny boat, before lowering himself onto the plank in front of her. Will took the oars and steadily rowed to the edge of a beautiful sandy beach. Palm trees swayed gently, as though the downpour from the previous night had never existed.

Jack was already waiting on the white sand. He'd somehow managed to find a bottle of rum, which he nursing in his hand. He didn't stand to greet them, but flagged them down, waving the bottle in the air. Once their boat had run into the sand, Will and Elizabeth trudged over to him. Jack's shirt blew open in the slight breeze, exposing a large scar that now run over his heart... or where his heart used to be. The chest, where his beating heart now resided, was set beside Jack, and he had one arm draped over it protectively. Elizabeth felt her stomach squirm uncomfortably.

They all seemed unsure at first, their bonds ran deep, but were muddled with lies and deceit. But, then again, they were pirates, and what pirates didn't cross those closest to them and live to tell the tale? Elizabeth sat down next to Jack. He proffered her the bottle of rum, and she took a long swig.

'Oh, Jack.' She felt a lump forming in her throat. She was going to miss his wild presence, and the good fortune he almost always brought with him. Their eyes locked briefly, and she could've sworn she saw Jack's thoughts mirroring her own — maybe not the good fortune part, however.

'Jack.' Will said sombrely, 'I owe you my thanks. Had you not stabbed Jones' heart... I fear he was mere moments away from piercing mine.'

'Yes, Jack. We can never repay you.' Elizabeth spoke softly.

Jack scoffed, looking at Will, 'You and I both I wanted to take the Dutchman for meself, mate. I just took advantage of the opportune moment to do so.'

'Regardless of whether you had your own best intentions in mind, you saved my life. I truly owe you.' Will took his place next to Elizabeth on the white sand.

The sun rose over the trio as they recalled the events of the previous night, and memories from their voyages together. They drank and laughed, despite the deep melancholy hanging in the air.

After a few hours, Jack set his gaze towards the vast, fathomless body of water.

'Right, then.' He cleared his voice, and hoisted the heavy chest out of the sand. 'I best be making it back to me ship.' His lips curled at the thought of being free to sail the oceans again. He turned to the couple.

'Mrs. Turner.' He tipped his hat to Elizabeth with a wink. She giggled and embraced him. Jack humoured her for a moment, before pushing her away playfully.

'That's quite enough of that!' They were grinning, Jack faced Will.

'William.' He held out his grimy hand.

'Captain Jack Sparrow.' Will took Jack's hand and shook it. 'Goodbye.'

'How about, "so long"? Goodbye seems too... final.' Jack walked to his small rowboat. 'And as I recall, you now owe me a favour. And there would be no way for you to repay said favour without me being able to tell you what it is, when I need it.'

'So long, then.' Will smiled, wrapping his arm around Elizabeth. Jack busied himself with readying his boat when Will remembered something. Stepping forward he asked,

'Jack. There's one more thing I must ask of you.'

'Consider it done, mate.' Jack offered one last smile. 'Your father should be waiting for you on the Pearl already.' He glanced behind Will's shoulder to his newlywed. 'Although, I reckon you have a short while before she comes back.' Jack wiggled his eyebrows and then clambered into his boat.

Will laughed softly, and Elizabeth came to stand beside him, taking his hand softly in hers. As soon as Jack slipped out of view Will turned to Elizabeth, and tucked a strand of her sun bleached hair behind her ear. She drew her body close to his. Finally, they were alone. Will ducked his head down as Elizabeth titled her face up towards him, and their lips met. They kissed slowly, tentatively. Elizabeth wound her arms around Will's neck, deepening their embrace. Will threaded his fingers through Elizabeth's hair and kissed her passionately.

After a few minutes, the pair broke away, breathing heavily. They leant their foreheads together and smiled.

'I'm exhausted.' Elizabeth pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his lips.

'Me too.' Will sat on the sand and beckoned for Elizabeth to sit in between his legs. She leant her back into his chest and relaxed. They sat like that for a while, waiting for the Pearl, revelling in the privacy. Will stroked Elizabeth's arms.

'So, what now?' Will whispered, peppering gentle kisses along the length of Elizabeth's neck. Elizabeth stirred from her state of peace.

'I don't know.' She said, 24 hours ago she wasn't planning passed the sunset, and now her future stretched out ahead of her, much like the ocean lapping at her feet.

'Well, let's assess our options, Mrs Turner.' Will utters, and Elizabeth grinned.

'I can't believe that's finally my name.' She took his hand and brushed her lips over his fingers.

'I know.' Will said, and with a surge of confidence, 'And I can't wait until I get you behind closed doors.' He nibbled her ear, and her breath hitched in her throat. She turned to face him.

'If I weren't so tired, we could've consummated our marriage right here.' She looked up at him through her long lashes. Will felt warmth spread through his body. A smile lazily graced his lips.

'No.' He said softly, with a shake of his head. 'I intend to make love to you properly. In a bed with plenty of pillows, by the light of a flickering candle...' his voice dropped, 'where no one can hear you calling out my name.'

'That rules out the Pearl, then.' Elizabeth grinned and pouted.

'Unfortunately so, my love.' Will stroked her cheek. 'Elizabeth Turner, I am so in love with you.'

'And I love you, too, William Turner.' Elizabeth replied.

Over her shoulder Will spotted the familiar dark shape of the Black Pearl in the distance. He sighed.

'Our alone time is up, it would seem.' Elizabeth looked behind her and groaned. 'Let's discuss our next steps tomorrow.' The pair dusted the sand from their clothes and readied their rowboat.

—

Elizabeth and Will climbed up onto the deck of the Black Pearl. The atmosphere was spirited, it would seem the majority of the crew had spent the day resting up and tending to their wounds. Elizabeth made a round of the ship, greeting pirates and offering pleasantries.

'I'm going to find somewhere to sleep.' Elizabeth said to Will.

'Ok, my love. I'll be there shortly.' He placed a kiss to her forehead.

Wandering the length of the vessel, Will was searching for a particular face in the crowd. A man was stood surveying the view. His stature was slightly hunched and his hair hung limply around his face.

'Father.' Will said. Bootstrap turned to his son. Will surveyed his face. With Jones' curse over the ship broken, his father had be freed of his ghastly appearance. His face was pale, now devoid of the barnacles that had dug into his skin over the years. But the most marked difference could be found in his eyes. There was life in them — a small ember, but an ember nonetheless.

'William.' He grinned, and embraced his son. Will was overjoyed, but he was running on empty.

'William. I need to apologise.' His father drew back to look him in the eye.

'Consider it all forgiven. You were under the control of the Dutchman. But that's over now.' Will held Bootstrap's arm momentarily, offering a weary smile. 'We'll talk properly soon, we have a lot to catch up on.'

Bootstrap nodded and watched his son walk away. Will descended down into the belly of the ship, seeking out Elizabeth. He checked the hold, which seemed to have been converted into some sort of make-shift infirmary. A man resting in one of the hammocks spotted Will, and grinned a toothless grin.

'She's in the captain's quarters.'

Will ignored the salacious look in the man's eyes, before heading towards the back of the ship. He turned the door handle slowly before slipping inside.

Miraculously, the majority of the captain's quarters remained relatively unscathed, save for a busted window, which was now allowing the balmy air to flow through the room. Elizabeth was fast asleep on the bed, and Will's heart swelled in his chest. He could get used to this sight. Climbing in beside her, she stirred slightly. In her half-awake state she drew him closer to her and sighed contentedly.

'Sleep well, Elizabeth.' Will muttered, barely audible as his tiredness washed over him. Elizabeth managed an amused hum, and the two fell asleep in each other's arms.

For now, adventure was on hold. But, as all pirates knew, it's call was too strong to be ignored for too long.