Summary: Elizabeth comes to a realization and a decision

Pairings: E/W. No slash in this chapter

Disclaimer: As always, I don't own any of the characters. I own nothing.

Notes:  Thanks to Night Ranger for some great lyrics. As always, feedback to the fledging writer is appreciated!

"As the sun hides its head

Another nights rest

And the wind sings it's same old song

And you on the edge

Never close, never far

Always there when I needed a friend"

Elizabeth knew something was different as soon as Will had returned from Tortuga. It wasn't so much what he said, but in his eyes. He still called upon her daily, was assisting with the wedding plans, but something had changed, something she couldn't quite figure out.  Even the swords and other crafts he made were no longer the same, no longer with the special touches but plain and ordinary.

Daily she would journey down to the smithy to bring him lunch, and during their lunches the conversation would be pleasant, but very one sided. She would run on about the wedding, plans for a new home and their future while he said little. Often on their walks along the shore at sunset she would catch his gaze going towards the sea as if it called to him. Only then would she see a spark of the Will Turner she had known since childhood and had fallen in love with. The person she stood with now was a stranger.

 "But it's hard living life

On this memory-go-round

Always up, always down

Spinning round and round and round"

It was a gorgeous Sunday morning, a fine day to take a long walk after church along the bluffs. Elizabeth noticed again the look in Will's eyes as he hardly paid attention to her chatter. "Father has things set for the wedding to be held in the church," she was saying, "all we need to do is start with the invitations. It would be silly really to invite all of Port Royal, but since everyone is determined to attend we may have to arrange something." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "And of course we must figure out a way to get an invitation to Jack." Will's head snapped around to look at her as if he had been slapped, and shouted out "NO!" Elizabeth drew back, and in that one instant she knew. She suddenly understood the distance, the far away look, why she had lost the man she loved.

 "But it's hard leaving all this behind me now Like a schoolboy so lost

Never found until now"

"We can't invite him. If he ever returns to Port Royal, Norrington will hang him for sure. I can't see that happen." She heard Will speak those words as if from a distance, saw the wild look of desperation on his face, and understood.  "Oh Will," she whispered, her heart breaking, "Oh my poor Will. I release you from your promise of marriage."  In an instant something crossed into his eyes, almost like a look of relief, before they once again became serious, "Elizabeth, you know I love you. This is totally ridiculous. I am proud and honored to mar-" "But not happy," she cut in, "Will, I know you better than you know yourself. You could never be happy married to me, being a blacksmith. You are a pirate. You belong to a pirate. Be happy with him."  She touched his face gently, then turned and began to walk away, not looking back at her friend and love as he stood watching her walk away.

 "And all this could be, such a dream so it seems

I was never much good at Goodbye"