Summary: Will spends a good deal of thought on Jack and his offer.
A/N: By popular demand - a continuation! Enjoy. Also, I would like to apologize for my long absence - first I couldn't get onto ff.net, then my friend took me home with her for days! So, here this chappie is, I know it's somewhat boring and has no slash, but I have the next bit written and ready for posting. Although, I could still use some help with it. Read this and give me some ideas what happens next!
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Will stood in his cleanest, finest clothes, waiting at the front door of Elizabeth's extravagant home.
He had already knocked, but knew it might take a moment for someone to answer.
So he hummed a little something as he waited patiently, heard the clock inside chime seven times, as if telling him he was right on time.
The door clicked and turned, the door opened and the butler stood there, and bowed slightly to Will.
"Welcome. Please come in," he spoke in his practiced manners, the ones he'd had to learn to have this job.
Will nodded to the man, stepped in, and watched as Elizabeth descended the curving stairs. "Miss Swann," he smiled to her.
She gave a look, but smiled anyway. "Will."
He took her hand, kissed it, then they walked into the dining hall, seating themselves across the elaborate table from each other.
Governor Swann rushed into the room, apologizing as he sat down. "I'm sorry, I was working in my office," he sat in his place at the head of the table and looked at Will, smiled at him. The two weren't big on speaking. Will guessed it had something to do with the fact that Elizabeth had chosen him over Norrington.
Will liked it better when the Governor was too busy to come down to dinner, when he locked himself in his office and worked away. It wasn't because of the man's pure hatred of him - he knew the Governor didn't like him, for many reasons - but because that gave him and Elizabeth a chance to talk.
Estrella and one of the other servant-girls brought in covered silver trays, with that night's dinner on them.
Although Will was glad for the good food and company, tonight, he'd rather be somewhere else.
*
Will spent the next day wandering around Port Royale, walking along any road or pathway that took him near the ocean.
He smelled the salty air, watched as the seam-foam crashed over and over again, completely relentlessly, into the sandy shore. He wanted to go in, to walk in the water, but knew he couldn't, not without getting some questions on his peculiar behavior. And some people were worried enough about him since the so-called 'incident'.
The young blacksmith thought about his brief stint as a pirate, on the ships, on the island, risking life, limb and so much more, having an adventure he'd only dreamed of, since he couldn't remember any.
Sighing, he made his way back to the blacksmith shop, only realizing then he'd missed his noon-day meal and was close to starving. Too tired to eat or work, he slumped down in the chair his mentor usually did and dozed off.
*
"Will! Will, my boy!" Strong, rough hands shook him awake. "You awake?"
Opening his eyes, he groaned and rolled his head to one side. "I'm awake," he whispered hoarsely.
Will's mentor half-smiled at him. "You've been sleeping all day. I didn't know if I should've woken you sooner, but..."
"But what?" Will sat straight up, rubbing his eyes, and noticed he was leaning against a bottle. He pulled it out from behind him and held it out in front of him.
"But you were sitting on my rum," the old man smiled, taking the bottle from him.
Will waited until his mentor had turned his back to roll his eyes. "I guess I'll be going then."
"Don't forget that tomorrow is Sunday, so you needn't be here."
"See you on Monday, then," Will rose from the chair, feeling sorry for the pain he'd caused himself by sleeping on a bottle.
*
Unlocking the front door of his modest home, Will stepped into the small entrance.
Sighing, his eyes passed over the rooms - the kitchenette, the visiting room, his bedroom, a small storage room.
"I should've gotten something better," he mumbled, hanging his coat on the nail beside the door. As he did, he instantly had a quick vision of himself sitting in a pile of coins, then standing on the roof of an exceptionally fine house, as good as the Governor's.
Blinking, he made his way into his the visiting room, sat down on the couch.
Glancing out the window at the moon, he noticed it wasn't as late as he thought. A long time ago, someone had taught him to tell time by the moon, as it was useful for someone living on a ship.
Will kicked off his boots, unbuttoned and removed his shirt, dropping it on the floor. Sighing, he lay down, wondering if he should grab a blanket, but decided he didn't feel like moving anymore today.
For a moment, just a very quick moment, he wished Elizabeth were there with him. He always wanted her nearby when he got lonely, just to comfort him and tell him he was overreacting, and that she still loved him.
But the idea was gone sooner than it had come.
Now as Will knew he couldn't sleep because of his nap earlier, his thoughts drifted to when he first met Elizabeth.
"What is your name?" she'd asked him, a pretty little girl of ten years old, herself incredibly well-taken care of, despite being the only girl on a ship full of hardened men. But then again, her father was there to watch over her.
"Will Turner," he'd gasped out, having only been rescued moments before, awaking on a pile of boards on some strange ship's deck.
He'd barely heard Elizabeth's next words as he drifted back into unconsciousness - "You're a pirate."
Until he found out she had it eight years later, he had assumed he'd lost his treasure when the ship went down - the gold piece his father had given him. Aztec gold, cursed gold.
After the pirates came and went those weeks ago, he and Elizabeth had a tiff about her taking his gold.
"Why would you take something like that?" he cried, asking her as she entered the blacksmith shop.
"Take what?" he had caught her off guard, and she stood with one hand still on the door.
"My pendant! My gold!" he paced about the shop as he spoke. "When you rescued me, I had a piece of gold on a chain, and you took it. Why would you do that?"
"Because they would have killed you!"
He stopped pacing. He had never thought of the logic behind removing something like that.
"If they knew you were a pirate, they wouldn't have given you a second chance. That's why you lied to them, too, don't forget," Elizabeth looked hurt that he would accuse her of something.
Will sighed, hung his head, before walking over to Elizabeth. "I'm sorry. I- I don't know what came over me."
"That's all right, Will. I forgive you," Elizabeth took his hands in hers, kissed his cheek. "Don't worry about it."
He'd smiled at her, kissed her hands, her cheek. "I won't."
Will sighed again, rolling onto his side. A half-smile on his face, he thought about meeting Jack in the shop, rescuing him from prison, commandeering a ship with him, fighting pirates, saving the girl - and having two chances to have it all back.
The blacksmith remembered very little about what happened to him before he came to Port Royale and was accepted as a student by the blacksmith. Although he knew it was better than being a street rat, sometimes he wished they hadn't taken him in, just so he could run back to a pirate, join up with him.
He'd finally accepted what his father was, and accepted what he was, too. And now that he did, he wanted it all back.
*
Will sat on the hard floor, back resting against the couch. The early morning cold was creeping in through the glass window across the room and wooden floor under him, through unseen cracks in the walls all around him, but he didn't move for his shirt.
Instead, he pulled his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around his legs, and hated himself for every choice he made.
"I shouldn't be with Elizabeth. I should be with Jack. And I shouldn't be a damn blacksmith, I should be a pirate!"
That was his final conclusion, after one incredibly sleepless night that in which he didn't do anything but think, weigh consequences, come up with ideas, and any other thing that involves thinking.
Exhausted, he rested his chin on his arms. "A pirate's life for me," he mumbled as his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.
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A/N: I hope you weren't hoping for too much slash at the beginning! Believe me, there will be some (it's in the next one!), but Will has to figure some things out first. Jack or Elizabeth? Go be a pirate or stay a blacksmith? What do you think? Let me (and Will) know!
A/N: By popular demand - a continuation! Enjoy. Also, I would like to apologize for my long absence - first I couldn't get onto ff.net, then my friend took me home with her for days! So, here this chappie is, I know it's somewhat boring and has no slash, but I have the next bit written and ready for posting. Although, I could still use some help with it. Read this and give me some ideas what happens next!
*
*
*
Will stood in his cleanest, finest clothes, waiting at the front door of Elizabeth's extravagant home.
He had already knocked, but knew it might take a moment for someone to answer.
So he hummed a little something as he waited patiently, heard the clock inside chime seven times, as if telling him he was right on time.
The door clicked and turned, the door opened and the butler stood there, and bowed slightly to Will.
"Welcome. Please come in," he spoke in his practiced manners, the ones he'd had to learn to have this job.
Will nodded to the man, stepped in, and watched as Elizabeth descended the curving stairs. "Miss Swann," he smiled to her.
She gave a look, but smiled anyway. "Will."
He took her hand, kissed it, then they walked into the dining hall, seating themselves across the elaborate table from each other.
Governor Swann rushed into the room, apologizing as he sat down. "I'm sorry, I was working in my office," he sat in his place at the head of the table and looked at Will, smiled at him. The two weren't big on speaking. Will guessed it had something to do with the fact that Elizabeth had chosen him over Norrington.
Will liked it better when the Governor was too busy to come down to dinner, when he locked himself in his office and worked away. It wasn't because of the man's pure hatred of him - he knew the Governor didn't like him, for many reasons - but because that gave him and Elizabeth a chance to talk.
Estrella and one of the other servant-girls brought in covered silver trays, with that night's dinner on them.
Although Will was glad for the good food and company, tonight, he'd rather be somewhere else.
*
Will spent the next day wandering around Port Royale, walking along any road or pathway that took him near the ocean.
He smelled the salty air, watched as the seam-foam crashed over and over again, completely relentlessly, into the sandy shore. He wanted to go in, to walk in the water, but knew he couldn't, not without getting some questions on his peculiar behavior. And some people were worried enough about him since the so-called 'incident'.
The young blacksmith thought about his brief stint as a pirate, on the ships, on the island, risking life, limb and so much more, having an adventure he'd only dreamed of, since he couldn't remember any.
Sighing, he made his way back to the blacksmith shop, only realizing then he'd missed his noon-day meal and was close to starving. Too tired to eat or work, he slumped down in the chair his mentor usually did and dozed off.
*
"Will! Will, my boy!" Strong, rough hands shook him awake. "You awake?"
Opening his eyes, he groaned and rolled his head to one side. "I'm awake," he whispered hoarsely.
Will's mentor half-smiled at him. "You've been sleeping all day. I didn't know if I should've woken you sooner, but..."
"But what?" Will sat straight up, rubbing his eyes, and noticed he was leaning against a bottle. He pulled it out from behind him and held it out in front of him.
"But you were sitting on my rum," the old man smiled, taking the bottle from him.
Will waited until his mentor had turned his back to roll his eyes. "I guess I'll be going then."
"Don't forget that tomorrow is Sunday, so you needn't be here."
"See you on Monday, then," Will rose from the chair, feeling sorry for the pain he'd caused himself by sleeping on a bottle.
*
Unlocking the front door of his modest home, Will stepped into the small entrance.
Sighing, his eyes passed over the rooms - the kitchenette, the visiting room, his bedroom, a small storage room.
"I should've gotten something better," he mumbled, hanging his coat on the nail beside the door. As he did, he instantly had a quick vision of himself sitting in a pile of coins, then standing on the roof of an exceptionally fine house, as good as the Governor's.
Blinking, he made his way into his the visiting room, sat down on the couch.
Glancing out the window at the moon, he noticed it wasn't as late as he thought. A long time ago, someone had taught him to tell time by the moon, as it was useful for someone living on a ship.
Will kicked off his boots, unbuttoned and removed his shirt, dropping it on the floor. Sighing, he lay down, wondering if he should grab a blanket, but decided he didn't feel like moving anymore today.
For a moment, just a very quick moment, he wished Elizabeth were there with him. He always wanted her nearby when he got lonely, just to comfort him and tell him he was overreacting, and that she still loved him.
But the idea was gone sooner than it had come.
Now as Will knew he couldn't sleep because of his nap earlier, his thoughts drifted to when he first met Elizabeth.
"What is your name?" she'd asked him, a pretty little girl of ten years old, herself incredibly well-taken care of, despite being the only girl on a ship full of hardened men. But then again, her father was there to watch over her.
"Will Turner," he'd gasped out, having only been rescued moments before, awaking on a pile of boards on some strange ship's deck.
He'd barely heard Elizabeth's next words as he drifted back into unconsciousness - "You're a pirate."
Until he found out she had it eight years later, he had assumed he'd lost his treasure when the ship went down - the gold piece his father had given him. Aztec gold, cursed gold.
After the pirates came and went those weeks ago, he and Elizabeth had a tiff about her taking his gold.
"Why would you take something like that?" he cried, asking her as she entered the blacksmith shop.
"Take what?" he had caught her off guard, and she stood with one hand still on the door.
"My pendant! My gold!" he paced about the shop as he spoke. "When you rescued me, I had a piece of gold on a chain, and you took it. Why would you do that?"
"Because they would have killed you!"
He stopped pacing. He had never thought of the logic behind removing something like that.
"If they knew you were a pirate, they wouldn't have given you a second chance. That's why you lied to them, too, don't forget," Elizabeth looked hurt that he would accuse her of something.
Will sighed, hung his head, before walking over to Elizabeth. "I'm sorry. I- I don't know what came over me."
"That's all right, Will. I forgive you," Elizabeth took his hands in hers, kissed his cheek. "Don't worry about it."
He'd smiled at her, kissed her hands, her cheek. "I won't."
Will sighed again, rolling onto his side. A half-smile on his face, he thought about meeting Jack in the shop, rescuing him from prison, commandeering a ship with him, fighting pirates, saving the girl - and having two chances to have it all back.
The blacksmith remembered very little about what happened to him before he came to Port Royale and was accepted as a student by the blacksmith. Although he knew it was better than being a street rat, sometimes he wished they hadn't taken him in, just so he could run back to a pirate, join up with him.
He'd finally accepted what his father was, and accepted what he was, too. And now that he did, he wanted it all back.
*
Will sat on the hard floor, back resting against the couch. The early morning cold was creeping in through the glass window across the room and wooden floor under him, through unseen cracks in the walls all around him, but he didn't move for his shirt.
Instead, he pulled his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around his legs, and hated himself for every choice he made.
"I shouldn't be with Elizabeth. I should be with Jack. And I shouldn't be a damn blacksmith, I should be a pirate!"
That was his final conclusion, after one incredibly sleepless night that in which he didn't do anything but think, weigh consequences, come up with ideas, and any other thing that involves thinking.
Exhausted, he rested his chin on his arms. "A pirate's life for me," he mumbled as his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.
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A/N: I hope you weren't hoping for too much slash at the beginning! Believe me, there will be some (it's in the next one!), but Will has to figure some things out first. Jack or Elizabeth? Go be a pirate or stay a blacksmith? What do you think? Let me (and Will) know!