One Night

Elizabeth slept very little that night. She wasn't sure when her guilty tormented thoughts of Billy and her betrayal of Will had turned to dreams; she wasn't sure if they ever really had. She grabbed the bag she had packed the night before, with some food and money, a few changes of clothes for her and Will, and their toothbrushes. She wondered if she should have packed him a separate bag. Too late to worry now.

Quickly she slipped into a pair of Will's trousers and tied them tight around her hips. They were too big by half, but it was still easier than a skirt. She put on one of Will's shirts, too, hoping he wouldn't be too angry. She didn't have anyone else's to wear.

She went into her children's room, and seeing them lying there so peacefully, her heart broke. Here were her and Will's children; here was where Billy would be lying, if only she had not been so stupid and selfish and young and scared and alone and drunk and.

She shook these thoughts away, what use were they of now? She bent and kissed dear little John, who was clutching Billy's pirate hat to his chest. His likeness to Will was remarkable, but he had her eyes. He was both of them, together. Like they should have been. "I love you," she whispered. She drew close to little Emily, who was too young to look much like either of her parents, but had Elizabeth's own coloring. Her hair was in corkscrew curls, bleached light from the sun, and laying all about her head like flowers. Elizabeth smoothed one curl back, let it wind tightly about her finger. Emily stirred, and Elizabeth drew back. A quick kiss on the girl's cherub forehead, a whispered token of affection, and Elizabeth hurried outside the house, stopping only to drop the letter explaining everything outside her father's bedroom door.

She hurried along the path, in the fog, clutching the bag to her chest. They needed to find Billy. They would find Billy. Everything would be all right. She would tell Will how sorry she was, how much she loved him, how she couldn't sleep breathe eat drink feel live when he wasn't with her. And if he denied her, so be it. She would spend forever trying to get him back, once the children were taken care of. Once they were grown, she would chase him, like a moth following his guiding light. She didn't care that she didn't deserve him, even though she felt this, too, in her heart. She knew she couldn't live without him, and that she needed him like air food water. So even if he spurned her, like she deserved, she would be glad and follow him to the ends of the earth. She loved him.

When she got to the Black Pearl, all was silent. Most of the pirates were still abed, Jack being one of them. Only one was awake. Only one had had a night as sleepless as her own.

He hauled her up as gently as if nothing had happened, and did not remark on her choice of clothes. He did, however, cradle her closely to him when she was on the other side, when he could have put her down. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling of being close to him, smelling the sweat and sea of him, his strong familiar arms cradling her legs and shoulders, keeping her safe. But then he put her down and turned away, slamming his fist into the other. He walked over to the starboard side and leaned against the ship, staring out at the gray, early morning sea.

Elizabeth swallowed and went by his side, timidly, for the first time in her whole life, afraid of Will. He wouldn't hurt her, she knew, but he might hurt himself.

"I brought you some clothes and things," she said, handing him the bag. He pawed through it for a moment, and took out an apple. He offered her one, but she shook her head. He ate it, and threw the core in the ocean.

"Will, I-" she began, shyly putting her slim hand on his arm. He shut his eyes as if it burned him. She snatched her hand away.

"Every time," he spoke hoarsely, his eyes and soul still closed to her. "Every time I touch you, I see you with him." He opened his eyes and look directly at her, and she saw the rage and pain there. She drew away.

"Will, I'm sorry. I don't love him. I never loved him. It was you I wanted and loved and hoped for.Will, oh my Will." and she broke off into crying, because he could never be hers again, not like before. And her sobs touched William, and he could see his pain in her eyes, and it was then he knew for sure that this was something they could get over, that he could trust her again, that he still loved her. It would take time, of course, but it would work. They still loved each other and that was what mattered.

"I know I don't deserve you, Will, but I need you and love you and I'll do whatever it takes, I don't care how long, I love-" she was cut off by her husband's kiss. It was a hard, long kiss, almost violent in intensity. It was a kiss about possession and territory as much as about love and need. It was nothing like the gentle, sweet kisses usually exchanged between them, but Will needed to do this, to make sure she was his, and she understood and did not fight him, but closed her eyes and melted into him. One strong hand was tangled in her curls, pressing her face to his, the other pinning her waist and torso to his. When they finally broke apart, both were stunned, and both sprung away almost instantly. Elizabeth raised a hand to her swollen lips, and Will half smiled at her.

"It will take time, Elizabeth, but it will be all right." He tipped his hat at her and walked away.

Jack woke up, his head throbbing, his heart sore, and with the suspicion that he was choking on his own tongue. He stood up heavily, the sheets falling away to reveal his lack of clothes. Swearing, he stooped nosily across Anamaria's room, looking for his pants. He sat back on the bed, once he had them on. Anamaria was in his shirt.

She woke up, now, and reached out a hand to him. He took it, held it up to his lips, and quickly kissed his way up her arm before finding her mouth. Her lips were as swollen and tender as his. They had had a.rough night. She fell back in the bed, laughing, as Jack fell down on her and kissed her collarbone. She tangled her arms around his neck, her long legs through his. He lay his head in between her breasts, his arms around her waist. She ran her fingers through his hair and Jack was nearly purring.

"Time for a visit to Teelgor, eh, love?" he murmured. Anamaria mmm'ed in response. "Shall we just give them the gold? We can, you know. It would pain me to see them sail away with, o' course, but it would pain me more, methinks, to see them sail away with my son. Or, more likely, see them sail away with the head of my son and watch as the rest of him-" Anamaria cut off the grotesque description that would have followed.

"Give them our GOLD? Are you crazy?" She shoved his head from her breast and disengaged her legs. Jack fell to the floor.

"Some people call me that, yes," came Jack's muffled answer. He sat up and waggled his eyebrows in delight as Anamaria tore off her, or rather, his shirt. His view was cut short, as she threw it over his head and continued to get dressed. He sighed and pulled the garment on over his head. When his head popped through Anamaria's nose was touching his and he recoiled. How did she move so damn fast? He'd like to know. Quiet as a cat, to boot.

"You give them OUR gold for YOUR whelp and I'll start a mutiny on this ship before you can say-" and here she gave a rather vile expletive we shan't repeat.

"I love it when you talk dirty," said Jack. Anamaria groaned.

"I'm serious, Jack" and she shook her finger in his face threateningly. "If you can't think of a plan that doesn't involve us losing gold, I'm never sharing a bed with you again."

Jack's eye widened. "-What-?" he hissed. Anamaria smiled smugly. "You heard me the first time, Captain. But I'll repeat it, in case

your addled brain can't comprehend." She tossed him his belt.

"NO" She threw his boots at his head.

"MORE" She jammed his hat onto his skull.

"SEX" She grabbed him by the shoulders and roughly shoved him out the door.

Jack stood there in shock. Dumbly, he tried to say something. His mouth wasn't working. Nothing was working. Jack straightened his bandana, fixed his hat, and stumbled out of the women's quarters.

"I'll show her.getting too upity.comes from forming relationships with crew.they get ideas.can't get to close."

Jack was grumbling to himself and sipping vodka and orange juice in his office when Will came in. No sooner than the door had shut than it opened again, this time revealing Elizabeth.

"Don't you bloody knock!?!" he growled. Will ignored him.

"If we don't start now, Jack, we'll never make it to Teelgor on time."

"So you stayed on then, even though the whelp 'snot your?" Will looked Jack straight in the eye.

"He is still my son." Jack looked from Elizabeth to Will.

"All.right.well let's get going then. Rouse the crew. We set sail for Teelgor."