Will was perfectly content with his blacksmith´s job but worried that he wasn´t good enough, even though Elizabeth never showed anything other than pure affection. She was a kept woman, why did she love him? he wondered. He could never give her much but his heart and even that he was hesitant to bring into this relationship.
Often, Will and Elizabeth made trips up to the bell tower, to that fateful place where Elizabeth and Jack both nearly fell to their deaths because of a corset and walking backwards, respectively. They would look out to sea, laugh at the foolish guards who protected the H.M.S. Courage with disgusting importance, brandishing their bayonets and puffing their chests out as they walked around. Most importantly, Elizabeth and Will talked seriously about their possible future together. Whether that involved pirates was anyone´s guess. No one had heard from Jack since that fateful summer one year ago.
Elizabeth was wearing a heavy dress, as Governor Swann still insisted she dressed like a lady, though she preferred breeches and her undergarments. Though she wore these blanket-like dresses all her life, the heat made her wish she could throw the dress into the water below and just wear her petticoat and be done with it. She fanned herself.
As Will and Elizabeth stood on the edge of the tower, which now had a railing to prevent any more fallings, Will took Elizabeth´s face in his hand and said softly, "Elizabeth, do you love me?"
Elizabeth paled. She fanned herself some more. Did she? Of course, Will was the object of her affection ever since they met nine years ago, and she constantly dreamed about what a handsome man he became. But when she met Jack Sparrow, her rescuer, it was all different. Those kohl-smeared eyes, the dreadlocks in his hair, and the wit and charm that he possessed had made her question her undying love toward Will. She giggled nervously and said, "Will, darling, I care for you deeply."
"But do you love me?" Will feared her answer, as she didn´t come straight out and say it. He looked at Elizabeth who was gazing out at the calm sea. Her brown eyes were narrowed and her neck craned.
"Is that the Black Pearl?" she asked breathlessly. She grabbed Will´s hand. "It´s the Pearl!" she cried excitedly.
Will instantly forgot his groundbreaking question. Was Jack back for good? No, it couldn´t be. He squinted and saw a miniscule dot on the horizon.
"Elizabeth, that ship could be any ship that was docked in Port Royal." Will smiled at her.
"Oh, Will, I know it´s the Pearl! Come on, let´s go to the dock and wait!"Elizabeth grabbed Will´s hand and ran down from the tower, passing three of the Navy guards, who tipped their hats, saying, "Miss Swann."
Trotting (running would be considered unladylike) across the fort green, past the beautiful palm trees and onto the dock where the H.M.S. Dauntless was anchored, Elizabeth halted and strained to see the ever-growing speck, which was happily drawing nearer. Will exclaimed, "Elizabeth! You scared me, running off like that!"
"Come on, Will, I was only trotting." She gave him her most charming smile and then they kissed for a very long time.
Captain Jack Sparrow was proudly displaying his new hat and his commanding skills. "Come on, Annamaria, steady on ´til we meet that dock."
"Aye," Annamaria replied, rolling her eyes. Jack had promised her her boat and while she had gotten it (eventually) what about the other promise he made her? During that orgy of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, Jack and Annamaria had become lovers once more. While Annamaria didn´t expect anything to amount to that night, as she knew what a notorious womanizer Jack was, it had. They became a "couple," and were very romantic. Annamaria thought the pairing bizarre and broke it off. She sensed something was weird. Jack went right back to playfully being Annamaria´s close friend. It irked her more than he being romantic. She personally liked another pirate, but wasn´t about to admit it.
A half hour of Gibbs yattering about seeing "dear Miss Elizabeth again" was driving Jack mad. Only the the thought of seeing Will and Elizabeth was keeping him sane. Especially Elizabeth. Jack sunk low on the deck and tried not to grin. That tart was just begging to be taken to Tortuga and shown the time of her life- in JackÕs bed. Jack allowed himself a smirk. He should´ve seduced her that night when they were both drunk. Then she had to go and blow up his stash of rum! The wench! But they WERE rescued. But if Jack hadn´t drunk himself into unconsciousness he could´ve bedded the most beautiful girl this side of the Atlantic AND saved his rum. Oh well, Jack had his imagination. But Jack was ashamed to admit that he imagined Elizabeth when making love to Annamaria. Lucky she sensed there was something weird and broke it off. Jack knew Elizabeth was the one, his days of the Tortuga prostitutes were over.
"Captain, we´re approaching shore," Annamaria yelled.
"Drop the anchor," he called out. He was going to swim to the docks. He spotted the happy couple waving furiously at the Pearl´s crew. He stripped himself of his new hat, his jacket, his shoes, and his belt, and then dove from the ship and swam to his old friends.
"´Allo, Will. . . Elizabeth." He nodded and grinned, his gold fronts glinting in the afternoon sun. He kissed Elizabeth´s hand and made her giggle a bit too loudly. Will looked at her in amazement. What had gotten into her?
Jack shook Will´s hand and gave him a hug. A manly hug, two pats on the back, right hands clasped in a shake."How´ve you been, Will? Keeping Elizabeth warm at night?" He winked conspiratorially and pouted his lips at Elizabeth.
Will blushed and Elizabeth widened her eyes. "Jack Sparrow, I might´ve known you were coming back soon. But why?" She curtsied, a curtain of mousy brown hair falling between she and her desire.
"My dear, sweet Elizabeth," Jack replied, taking her face in his tanned, leathery hand. Elizabeth felt limp and she closed her eyes. But it wasn´t because of the highly sexual Jack Sparrow touching her, the heat was making her woozy. "Are ya feeling all right?"
Elizabeth answered this by ripping off her blanket-like dress and letting it fall into the sea below. "I am now." Was that a flirty smile she just gave him?
That girl wants me, Jack thought. Wench may´ve burned my rum but she burns my heart, too.
"Jack, so tell us about why you´re back in Port Royal." Elizabeth winked at him. "Any more cursed gold lingering around?"
"Wanted ta see my two companions again!" Jack said cheerfully. "Plus, crew was getting antsy. . . ´specially that Gibbs. Requested ya personally, Elizabeth,– he added. He grinned again. "Come on, chums, join me ´n the crew on a trip! ´Ill be less´n a year, dear Eliza," he said, seeing the look on Elizabeth´s face. He let out a mighty cackle and spotted Annamaria and Mr. Gibbs approaching them, coming from land.
"We got a heavy supply of rum, Cap´n," Gibbs cried. Then he brightened and said, "Miss Elizabeth! Good Lord, you´re beautiful!"
"Thank you," Elizabeth sighed as Gibbs ran up to her and kissed her hand. Sucked it, more like. She tried not to grimace and shot a "Help Me" look at Will.
"Mr. Gibbs!" Will intervened. He took Gibbs´ hand and shook it. "How´re the high seas?"
"Surprisingly uneventful," Gibbs replied. He stared off into space. He´d been lusting after Elizabeth since they met up eight years after he accompanied them on the move from England to Jamaica. Those lips, those hips, those. . . well. "I´ve been missing you two!" He smiled genially at both of them.
Jack, still sopping wet, rolled his eyes. Horny ole Gibbs would´ve gladly joined Elizabeth on her trip to the island she and Jack were marooned on. He tried not to think about it. Annamaria smiled at him and handed him his goods.
"May I ´ave a moment of yer attention, please?" Jack asked. They all turned to him. "Introducing. . . my new hat." He displayed it proudly and Will and Elizabeth clapped. "Also got me a new dagger."
"Thanks to me," Annamaria added. "Pillaged it from the governor of Kingston. Has quite a collection. I took the nicest, of course." For my once-beloved, she thought. She half-smiled at Jack.
"Well, what´d ya say, Will ole chum?" Jack said. "You´re nearly a pirate, this could seal the deal."
Will would´ve liked nothing better than to join his friend on a journey to prove his manhood. As he brightened, Annamaria smiled inwardly. That man could make my tool any day, she thought. But she sniggered out loud. Everyone looked at her in surprise. The Black Pearl´s crew had never heard her laugh.
Elizabeth, who barely knew Annamaria, wondered what she could possibly find amusing. The thought of Elizabeth as a pirate? Elizabeth felt her temper flare even though Annamaria hadn´t actually done anything.
"Sure, Jack, I´ll join you. What´s your mission?" Will looked like a little wriggly puppy. Elizabeth had to smile at his enthusiasm.
"And if Will´s going, so am I!" Elizabeth said. If she didn´t love Will she could at least be in close proximity with Jack.
Will was genuinely excited. Since he learned of his father´s pirate-hood, he was ready to give up his job for a bit of the old swashbuckling adventures Jack was so proud of.
Jack felt his beaded beard and said, "It´s mainly for Annamaria." Upon hearing this, Annamaria stopped rubbing her lips with a bit of wax she found in her pocket and perked up.
"Her mother´s bin kidnapped," said Jack heavily.
Annamaria´s brown eyes widened. "Jack! Are you serious? Why didn´t you tell me?!" She looked dangerous and shocked. She geared up to slap him, but unexpected tears pricked her eyes. "´Scuse me," she said brusquely to Gibbs and leaned against the post closest to the ocean, her back to the rest of the group.
"We´ll discuss this later," Jack whispered hastily. "Come, the Barnacle Tavern awaits."