Disclaimer: Don't own, wish I did. Please don't sue.
A/N: I thought I should mention that I am not usually a Will/Elizabeth shipper. But for the writing of this fic, I decided I could put up with it.
This is Dedicated to two of my friends: Poonam for encouraging me to actually POST this, and Jess, the one who gave me the idea.
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Jess shifted uncomfortably. She had been sitting in the same position for over an hour, and her feet and legs were beginning to cramp. A couple of fishermen were watching her strangely, no doubt wondering why a young lady of relatively high social status was sitting on the docks. One was sitting a little too close to her, and as he cast his line out again, the hook got caught in her dress. Not realising it, the fisherman pulled with all his strength. With a startled cry, Jess felt herself sliding off the docks. She hit the water, splashed around until she broke the surface, then swam towards a ladder suspended on the side of the pier. The fishermen and several merchants were peering down at her. She waved up at them , letting them know she was alright. Then she realised that one of the faces was that of her father. "Jessica, what are you doing?" Jess blushed a little, "Sorry father, I fell in." "That much is obvious," Will helped her out of the water. "Come on, let's get you home." Jessica was mentally kicking herself. Bad enough that she had fallen in. She had to fall in when her father was there. She always wanted to impress her father, but usually ended up feeling foolish. All the way home she berated herself on her idiocy.
She needn't have worried. Will had always been extremely fond of his daughter, and although he loved both his children, he had always felt closer to his jess. But that didn't mean he wasn't curious about why she'd been on the docks. "Jess, you know your mother will have something to say about this." He gestured to her bedraggled appearance. Jess grinned. "I know. I can handle it." "I know you can. What on earth were you doing on the docks. You know your're not supposed to go down there." Jess looked down. "I know, but I wanted to know what you look at all the time. You stare out at the horizon. Port Royale could burn to the ground and still you'd stare. We could be attacked by bloodthirsty pirates and you'd not notice." Jess didn't notice how Will's stern paternal expressio slipped a little at the mention of pirates. "Did you follow me? Jessica, your mother will be worried sick. You're supposed to be studying now." "Mother won't have noticed, " Jess said with a sigh. "She's as distant as you are today. Every year on this day, Charles and I can do whatever we wish." Will looked a little startled. "What do you mean?" Jess rolled her eyes. "Every August 17th, you and mother are distant. You stare at the horizon, and mother is on edge all day. That's partly why I followed you; to escape." "And the other part?" "To find out why you act so peculiar on this day each year." Will sighed. "It is a log story, and one that happened before you were born anyway. So don't bother yourself dwelling on it." "But father-" "No, that's enough. Now let's get you home before you catch a cold."
************************************************* Sorry about the short chapters. I promise you they get longer. And I mightn't be able to update as often as I'd like, cos I've got exams coming up. I hate school. Anyway, please review and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can.
A/N: I thought I should mention that I am not usually a Will/Elizabeth shipper. But for the writing of this fic, I decided I could put up with it.
This is Dedicated to two of my friends: Poonam for encouraging me to actually POST this, and Jess, the one who gave me the idea.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~]
Jess shifted uncomfortably. She had been sitting in the same position for over an hour, and her feet and legs were beginning to cramp. A couple of fishermen were watching her strangely, no doubt wondering why a young lady of relatively high social status was sitting on the docks. One was sitting a little too close to her, and as he cast his line out again, the hook got caught in her dress. Not realising it, the fisherman pulled with all his strength. With a startled cry, Jess felt herself sliding off the docks. She hit the water, splashed around until she broke the surface, then swam towards a ladder suspended on the side of the pier. The fishermen and several merchants were peering down at her. She waved up at them , letting them know she was alright. Then she realised that one of the faces was that of her father. "Jessica, what are you doing?" Jess blushed a little, "Sorry father, I fell in." "That much is obvious," Will helped her out of the water. "Come on, let's get you home." Jessica was mentally kicking herself. Bad enough that she had fallen in. She had to fall in when her father was there. She always wanted to impress her father, but usually ended up feeling foolish. All the way home she berated herself on her idiocy.
She needn't have worried. Will had always been extremely fond of his daughter, and although he loved both his children, he had always felt closer to his jess. But that didn't mean he wasn't curious about why she'd been on the docks. "Jess, you know your mother will have something to say about this." He gestured to her bedraggled appearance. Jess grinned. "I know. I can handle it." "I know you can. What on earth were you doing on the docks. You know your're not supposed to go down there." Jess looked down. "I know, but I wanted to know what you look at all the time. You stare out at the horizon. Port Royale could burn to the ground and still you'd stare. We could be attacked by bloodthirsty pirates and you'd not notice." Jess didn't notice how Will's stern paternal expressio slipped a little at the mention of pirates. "Did you follow me? Jessica, your mother will be worried sick. You're supposed to be studying now." "Mother won't have noticed, " Jess said with a sigh. "She's as distant as you are today. Every year on this day, Charles and I can do whatever we wish." Will looked a little startled. "What do you mean?" Jess rolled her eyes. "Every August 17th, you and mother are distant. You stare at the horizon, and mother is on edge all day. That's partly why I followed you; to escape." "And the other part?" "To find out why you act so peculiar on this day each year." Will sighed. "It is a log story, and one that happened before you were born anyway. So don't bother yourself dwelling on it." "But father-" "No, that's enough. Now let's get you home before you catch a cold."
************************************************* Sorry about the short chapters. I promise you they get longer. And I mightn't be able to update as often as I'd like, cos I've got exams coming up. I hate school. Anyway, please review and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can.
