Chapter Fifteen

AN: I am so excited for you to read this chapter! So go on ahead...read and enjoy!

She felt like she had been sitting in the same spot for days. Every morning she would wake up, and then spend all of her time nestled in the corner of her bedroom, mourning.

She also hadn't seen Will since the funeral, or maybe she had but subconsciously decided to ignore him. She felt so awful that she pushed him away, yelled at him. Pulled him one way, and then another. She wanted to confront him again. Tell him everything, pour out her mixed feelings toward him and loyalty towards the commodore, tell him about their son...yet at the same time, she felt like he just confused her thoughts and feelings.

"Mrs. Norrington?" Freida walked into the room, timidly, "Is it all right if Young James goes outside this afternoon? He has been sitting inside at your order since Saturday..."

Elizabeth's gut feeling was to say no. He needed to mourn his father at least a day longer. And she wanted him there incase she needed a shoulder to cry on, or a hand to hold. But he was a young boy, he needed his freedom...

"Yes, send Young James out, I may even try to get some fresh air myself." Elizabeth said as she stood up, brushing past the maid and walking swiftly down the stairs, not bothering to grab her coat. The day was warmer than it had been earlier in the week, but a foggy haze still drifted across the waters. She knew what she had to do. She just hoped it wasn't too late.

&

Will wanted to leave Port Royal...He wanted to leave and never come back. He had been stuck in this same room for two days straight and stuck in this town even longer. But he had no way of contacting Jack. He just had to wait.

He could go out and walk on the beach. But he was afraid to even leave the inn, or even his room. He had gone down for a drink yesterday just to hear the same two ladies who had informed him of the flurry at the Commodore's gossiping yet again, "But I heard it wasn't an accident!" One of them had said.

"Really, Sandra? What is the likelihood of that?" The other one asked as she cleared a table slowly.

"Oh, but I have it on good accord...The driver told Henry that he saw Elizabeth shove the Commodore out in front of the carriage in the corner of his eye! Naturally Henry told Jacob, who told Lucifer, who told his wife Renee, who told Anna, who told Christine and then..."

Will's face had been boiling at this point. Walking over to the ladies, he had forced a smile, "Ladies, did it ever occur to you that staying out of everyone else's business might be a due tactic?"

Turning he had walked away. And now, fear had locked his door and he had sat for what seemed years.

As if on cue, there was a quiet knock on his door, snapping Will out of his train of thought. He groaned, reluctant to answer. The only people who came to see him where prostitutes looking for work and the inn keeper asking for the rent.

But he stood up slowly anyways reached for the knob, opening the door just a crack, peering through it. At the sight of who was on the other side, he swung it open, just to find Elizabeth flinging herself into his arms.

"Will, I'm sorry about what I said, it's just everything is so confusing. I didn't...and still don't know where to turn..." Will motioned for Elizabeth to come in, feeling slightly overwhelmed himself as he closed the paper thin door.

"Is everything alright?" Will asked, not sure what to expect.

"Will, all these years I've been living a lie, I didn't love my husband...my son...my son is not of my husband's blood...I..."

Will looked quizzically at Elizabeth, "What do you mean?"

Elizabeth smiled sheepishly, "Will, I loved you...not the Commodore. I brainwashed myself into thinking staying in Port Royal was the best...I..."

"Elizabeth," Will said hushing her, "That's not what I meant..."

Elizabeth broke down, hugging Will tightly, "Oh Will, I've wanted to tell you so long, to tell someone!" Will pulled Elizabeth away, studying her face, still wondering what she meant by all of this, "Will, Young James is your son! Not the Commodore's!"

Will's eyes grew big, then bigger, "I don't get it, how?" He asked, though he knew perfectly well what she meant. He had a son!

"Will, do I have to explain everything to you?" Elizabeth laughed, "Young...James...is...your...son..." She said smiling at Will's surprised face as he paced the room quickly.

Will turned around. "Is this some kind of joke, because honestly Elizabeth, it isn't funny...?"

"Will...would I joke about something like this?" She asked, trying to straighten out his emotions.

Will looked hurt, then angry, "Wait...? You kept this from me? Why?"

Elizabeth stuttered, watching Will's face go from shock to anger. "I just didn't want anyone to know, especially the Commodore."

Will pulled away and put his head in his hands, the thought was too much to process. He had carried his son back from the beach, the blood he had wiped from Young James' arm had been his origin...and he was blind not to know it.

"Will?" Elizabeth asked. "Will, why are you angry about this. I'm the one who kept this to myself all these years! I'm the one who has raised him!"

"But when you had the chance...YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!" Will half screamed.

"Will, it just wasn't the right time," Elizabeth said, trying to contain herself, "I wanted to tell you, honestly, I did."

"And this is the right time?" Will asked, "Really Elizabeth, am I not overwhelmed enough?"

"Will, I'm sorry...the least you could do is accept my apology..."

"Do you not understand me?" Will said. "I need time to be alone, go home...I JUST NEED TIME TO THINK!" He glared at Elizabeth angrily, and as rebuttal, she stared back with the same expression.

He was still trying to process what she had just told him, it was beyond his greatest expectations, and yes, deep beneath that fury, he was happy... just too shocked to respond in any other way than anger.

"WELL GOOD-BYE THEN!" Elizabeth said, slamming the door, still not sure what this tension was between them, and where it would lead. Biting her lip, she felt a single tear run down her cheek as she walked out of the inn door and onto the busy road.