Note: This concludes this fanfiction. This turned out much longer than I'd ever suspected, and took off in directions I never would have imagines when I wrote the first chapter. I want to thank all of you who have read along with me and who have reviewed. Your opinions matter, and your insights meant a great deal to me.

This chapter was probably the hardest to write because in the back of my mind I wondered if I was giving you, the readers, what you wanted. Regardless, there are a great many threads here that I'd always intended to keep. William Turner for instance, and Will's dreams to name two.

Thanks again for reading. I hope to post more POTC fanfictions as soon as the plot bunnies hit.

On to the last part!

A Pirate's Life and Death part 21

By Ecri

Jack stared at Hamilton. "I told ye. Will stays here."

"Jack!" Will raised a hand as though wanting to hold Jack back, but Elizabeth already had a hold of Will's arm.

"Will! Let him help you!" She was pleading with him.

Jack ignored the pair of them. He had an undead Pirate Captain to worry about. As always.

"There must be a way to convince ye to leave 'im be."

Hamilton shook his head. "I don't make up the rules. Trilby is our newest recruit. A good one he is, too! You can ask him. This is a fine ship to serve." Hamilton's gaze wandered fondly over the crew of his ship as they forced the pirates to leave the Pearl and return to their own vessel. "We're not really cursed as you think of it, Captain Sparrow. We're blessed."

"It's a matter of opinion I expect." Jack replied. "You're not free. To me, that's a curse."

Hamilton smiled, and Jack thought that was something he did far too often for a cursed man.

"The perspective one gains after an eternity at sea can change the harshest reality into the pleasantest of dreams."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Each to his own? Beauty is in the eye of the beholdersomething like that."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Will stays 'ere."

"No. I'm afraid not. I have a signed contract. Mr. Turner will feel most compelled to come with me when I call him." He turned to Will. "It's not as bad as all that. The ship is a blessed place. We do good things for people. Trilby had us test you because he wanted to help youand so we did. We took you to the Pearl. You wanted to save the Pearl from the pirates, and so we did. Now, you've used the Queen to your own purpose, and you signed the standard contract when you boarded. You belong to the Queen now until such time as the Ship herself is prepared to release you."

Will looked confused. "I thought I was just joining the crew. What do you mean 'until the ship herself releases me'?"

Hamilton stepped closer to Will, or tried to. The tip of Jack's sword prevented him from getting too close. "The Ship is willing to do for others"

"You mean you are." Jack insisted.

"Trilby wanted to help you, so we found you. You wanted to help Jack, so we found Jack. It's quite simple."

"Ahh! But Trilby was dead when ye got 'im" He stopped and looked at Trilby. "Weren't ye?"

Trilby nodded. "Oh, aye. I died a tragic deatha life cut short" Hamilton glared at him, and Trilby cleared his throat. "Erthat is, I drowned in a storm."

"Will's not dead. Ye can't 'ave 'im." Jack didn't know how to put it more emphatically.

"We can't stay, and he's signed a contract" He inhaled and when he spoke, the voice had the doom of the ages in it. "Will Turner"

Will heard his name and found himself unable to remain where he was. Compelled, he walked toward Hamilton and the Crew of the Queen. He knew those men, had worked beside those men, yet now, he was terrified. He refused to call out for help. He had gotten himself into this, and he would get himself out again.

It was in that last moment, as he tried to devise a plan, that something hit him, hard. He fell to the deck and struggled to sit up. When he did, he saw his father reach forward and take Hamilton's outstretched hand.

"NO!" He called, but it was too late. The bargain was sealed.

Hamilton grinned at William Turner. "Welcome aboard. You'll be a welcome addition to our crew, Mr. Turner."

"No, you can't!" Will cried. "He's my fatheryou can't."

Hamilton regarded Will sadly. "He's answered a call. I cannot interfere."

"But it wasn't his obligation! It was mine." Will lunged toward his father, but Jack caught him easily.

"Ye can't, Will. It was his choice."

"No!" Will's eyes stayed on his father.

William Turner stepped nearer to his son, but not near enough to touch him. "Son, WillI'm all right. It's for the best!"

"I've just found you! I can't lose you again."

"Ye can't lose me, Will. I've had ye on my mind all yer life. I'm just glad we had a chance to meet."

"No!" Will turned on Jack. "Do something!"

"Like what?"

"II don't know! There must be a way"

Elizabeth stepped forward. "Can you really take a man who never signed to serve you?"

Hamilton grinned. "I have the signature of a Mr. William Turner. I have a Mr. William Turner. It all balances out in the end."

Anamaria called to Hamilton. "Ye say ye helped Will because Mr. Trilby wanted it ta happen. Is that so?"

Hamilton nodded. "Most assuredly."

Elizabeth had caught on to Anamaria's train of thought. "If your crew decided who you help, and helping Will was Trilby's idea, then helping Will to help Jack was all part of helping Trilby!"

Jack stared at her. "Ye been in the sun too long, Lass."

"Jack! I'm serious."

"Ye're talkin' gibberish!"

"No she's not. It's perfectly clear." Anamaria stepped closer, her sword in hand. "I'd say she hit the nail on the head."

"Or she 'it 'er 'ead!" Trilby shouted.

Hamilton seemed deep in consideration, but he wasn't ready to speak yet.

Will called to his father once more. "You can't give up your life for me! We've only just"

"I've got every right, lad." William interrupted. "Ye've 'ad a life wi'out me. Ye've brought yourself up better than I could 'ave." He walked over to his son and grabbed him by the shoulders looking him straight in the eyes. "I've got meself a chance to save your life, and in the bargain, I've saved me own. I'll not 'ave a pirate's death. I'll not die run through wi' a sword while takin' away somethin' precious from someone else, and I'll not 'ave ye die under a curse from a pirate ship."

"But"

"No, Will! Ye got to accept it!"

"I don't! I can't!"

"Ye 'aven't a choice, son. It's my decision." He stepped back to Hamilton and the crew, and, in the wink of an eye, they all vanished.

Will stared at the space his father had occupied trying in vain to understand what had happened. What he had longed to have for so long had slipped through his fingers. He knew Elizabeth was at his side gazing at him in concern. In less than a moment, he swept her into his embrace and held on as though she might disappear as well.

He heard Jack trying to speak to him, but he did not comprehend the words. Whatever words they were, they could not erase the cold hard truth. Once again, Will Turner had to deal with the fact that he had killed his father. Only this time, he knew that it was true.

He allowed Elizabeth to lead him back to his bunk. The emotional turmoil, the hard work of a sailor, and killing not only Nick, but his father had left Will exhausted. Almost unable to stand, he let Elizabeth fuss, though he really didn't know what was happening. He dozed almost immediately.

The Queen of Diamonds was tossed from wave to wave as the sea seemed angered enough to shatter it into splinters. The crew held desperately to rope and rail and to each other, but many were swept overboard. Some, struck by flying debris, fell to the deck, dead on the instant. Others, fighting the elements and injury, bled to death even as they fought to steady the Queen. As the ever darkening sky was split by lightning, the faces of the crew were revealed.

Will sat up soaked in sweat. He had seen the faces of the crew of the Queen as they had appeared in his dream. Each one was the same. Each wore the face of William Turner, Senior.

With Nick dead, Jack saw little reason to keep heading in the direction the man had intended. He'd said so and refused to listen to reason. Elizabeth couldn't understand why he and William were so against returning to a spot where they'd hidden a treasure.

"It's not a place you'd want to visit." Jack admitted, watching as several of his crew struggled to remove Nick's blood from the decking.

"Why not? Real pirate treasure"

"Didn't you get enough of that when Barbossa intended to kill you?"

She shook her head. "That's not it. I just thought that Will might benefit. He's a good man"

"And you want to marry a good man who happens to have a king's ransom in gold and jewels."

Indignation made Elizabeth's face red. "How dare you suggest such a thing? I'm thinking of him. He's always feeling inferior"

"There's no treasure, love. Not in the traditional sense."

"Then in what sense is there a treasure?"

"In the non-traditional sense."

"Jack Sparrow"

"That's Captain Jack Sparrow"

Elizabeth smiled in spite of herself. "I think that Will has a right"

"Aye, he does. One day, I will tackle that one. For right now, let the lad enjoy meeting his dad."

Elizabeth nodded. "He deserves that much. They both do."

"I though you called William every name in the book and a few others besides."

Elizabeth smiled. "I suppose I did, but I had reason then."

"And now?"

"Now, I suppose I think he's Will's father, and I should get to know him as well. After all, Jack, a man can be both a good man and a pirate."

Jack had seen a lot in his long years at sea, but the business with the crew of the Queen troubled him. They'd moved on, sure enough, and left William and Will with Jack, but what did it all mean? Who had set the test? He tried to remember how the Queen had come to be cursed, but he couldn't recall any of the details.

The vanishing was hard to explain, as well, though Jack tried. In the end, he supposed he had to accept it. There was little option.

Elizabeth stood in the bow of the ship straining her eyes to see the details long before it was possible. They'd spotted Port Royal some time ago, but Elizabeth's eyes searched for proof that her home was still in tact. She'd been gone so long with the worry over her father's fate sublimated by the more immediate concerns of survival, and of Will.

Will had gone from despair over his father's fate to joy over being with Elizabeth so often on the voyage that Elizabeth had a hard time keeping track from moment to moment where he was.

The return voyage had given her time to reflect on what might have happened to her father. No matter how many times Will told her not to worry unnecessarily, she could not shake her fear that her father had been left for dead, that the entire town no longer existed

Now, approaching the port, Elizabeth could finally see parts of the town. There were differences. There was somethingsome building missing off to the rightthe milliners? There were more ships and more piers.

She could see the Governor's mansion, and parts of that seemed different as well. Altered perhaps by fireshe couldn't say for certain.

The Black Pearl dropped anchor. Elizabeth asked Jack if her were going ashore.

"No, Elizabeth. I quite like my head attached to my shoulders and my neck the length it is now. I see no need to irritate Commodore Norrington."

"We don't know he's still here." She pointed out the obvious.

"No, nor do we know he's not. I'm takin' risk enough sittin' in his bay. You go on."

Elizabeth turned to Will expectantly. Will, in turn, said his thanks to Jack. "You've come through for me quite a few times, Jack. How can I repay you?"

"I'd say ye did that, mate, when ye kept Nick from takin' my life."

Will nodded and offered his hand. "You're a good man, Jack."

"And a better pirate!" Jack laughed.

Stepping onto the pier, Elizabeth drank in the sights, smells, and sounds of home. As they passed the Blacksmith's shop, Elizabeth stared at it–or rather at the spot where it had stood–in surprise.

"It's gone." Will whispered. Elizabeth knew that tone. "Perhaps, we can rebuild it. Perhaps something has happened to Mr. Brown, and you can be the town's new blacksmith"

Will swallowed his hurt, and Elizabeth was sure he'd seen his dreams fall down around his ears. He refused to be glum about it, however, and insisted they move on to the Governor's Mansion.

In moments people began to recognize them, and Elizabeth saw people running for the mansion. She knew word would reach her father–if he were still there–before she did.

Before they'd crossed half the distance, a carriage came careening down the street and pulled to a rather abrupt stop in front of the trio. The door burst open and her father leaped out rushing to embrace her.

"Father!"

"Elizabeth!"

The two talked at the same time, laughing over their inability to hear each other or answer each other's questions. Their laughter grew, and Elizabeth heard Will join in, and saw the smiling faces of Port Royal's citizenry as they watched the happy reunion.

Governor Swann seemed taken aback by Will's presence at his daughter's side, but was so overjoyed that he at least gave the appearance of having accepted it. They were walking back to the mansion, Elizabeth enjoying seeing everything the way it was an comparing it to her memory.

Will turned to Elizabeth suddenly. "I'd like to wait for a perfect moment, Elizabeth, but I'm afraid that if I wait too longI won't ever ask."

"Ask what?"

"Elizabeth, will you marry me?"

Elizabeth smiled broadly. "I thought you'd never get around to asking."

"Are you going to get around to answering?"

She smiled. "Yes, I am. Yes, I will."

They kissed, then, pulling back slightly, Will took Elizabeth's hand and slipped his father's ring onto it.

Jack Sparrow had waited with the Pearl near to Port Royal. He'd had a feeling it wasn't quite time to leave. Seeing the Queen of Diamonds appear suddenly, he was glad he had. He slipped off the Pearl and followed a small boat that had just departed the Queen.

Whatever Hamilton was planning, Jack wasn't going to sit back and let it happen. He watched through a telescope as the small boat made it to the Port Royal dock, and he followed. His eyes remained on Hamilton and he could only hope that he would make it to Will's side before the undead Pirate Captain. Blessed or cursed, the man wasn't going to take Will away.

He had intended to remain hidden, to follow Hamilton in the shadows and then leap out and take the man by surprise, all, hopefully, without having to let Will know what had happened. He'd only gone a few feet when Hamilton whirled around and called to him.

"I know you're there, Jack Sparrow."

Jack showed himself. "No point in hiding then."

Will Turner was surprised when Elizabeth's father took her suggestion that Will take over the abandoned smithy. He seemed much more enthusiastic about it than Will ever might have imagined. It was only later that he'd learned that Port Royal had been without a smith since the attack that had taken Will and Elizabeth from home. Mr. Brown had been killed in the raid and the smithy burned.

Will stared at the charred remains of what had once been the shop where he'd spent most of his waking hours. Governor Swann had intimated that the town's own coffers might be opened to help pay for what repairs Will deemed necessary. Apparently, public outcry and private need–there was no one to forge swords for the officers under Norrington's command–had made the man more tolerant. If Port Royal was that desperate for someone who could work metal, then perhaps the social status of a blacksmith–and of anyone who brought a blacksmith to town–would be somewhat higher than it might have been under other circumstances.

That was what Elizabeth believed at any rate, and Will could find no reason to discourage her. If she were right, things would improve for him. If she were wrong, they would learn that soon enough. He would not spend a moment wondering about it.

As he sorted through the debris scattered about the shop, he heard something behind him. Expecting Elizabeth or perhaps Governor Swann come to see for himself what was required to open the shop, Will was not in the least prepared for the sight that met his eyes.

"Jack?" Puzzled, Will took barely a step toward his friend, when jack moved, or rather, was shoves aside. Only then did Will see that Jack was not alone. He reached for his sword, bringing it to bear, though he was unsure what effect it would have on Captain Hamilton.

Hamilton held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not here to fight, Will."

Will shook his head. "I don't believe you." He never took his eyes from Hamilton though he called to Jack. "Jack, are you all right."

"I'm fine, Will."

"Let him go." Will's words were not a request.

"I'm not holding him. He followed me here. Or perhaps I should say he followed us." Hamilton gestured behind him, and Will saw his father standing slightly behind Hamilton, his hat in his hands.

Will's confusion grew. "What's going on?"

Hamilton stepped forward, but Will's sword kept him at bay.

The Captain of the Queen stepped forward. "Single combat, Will Turner. You and I fight, and the winner gets to keep your father."

"Why would you do this? You won. You had him."

Hamilton nodded. "I did, but your father convinced me it wasn't sporting. Of course, when I told him my plan, he was mortified."

"Too right!" William Turner declared. "I'll not 'ave you fightin' ta free the likes o'me, Will! Leave me to it! Go on with yer life! Marry Elizabeth!"

Will turned to Jack, but Jack could only shrug.

Will nodded. "Very well." Then he remembered that Hamilton didn't have a weapon. "But, you're unarmed."

A grin spread easily across Hamilton's face as he drew a sword from a scabbard he'd concealed behind him strapped elaborately across his back and invisible if you were looking at him head on. Tossing the scabbard aside, he raised his sword.

Will did the same, and the two began the dance only warriors know.

Everything that was not Hamilton and his sword melted away from Will's reality. He saw each movement a split second before it happened, he anticipated each thrust and parry. Hamilton grew more and more vicious as he fought, and the façade of the English Gentleman that Will had grown so accustomed to melted away until Will realized that a pirate was a pirate. Dressed in finery or dressed in rags, a pirate captain wanted what he wanted and would do what he had to take it.

Hamilton's attacks became bloodier. He scored first blood by catching Will's arm with the point of his sword. Blood poured from the open wound.

Another hit on Will's shoulder drew more blood. Yet it was the swing at Will's neck that brought Will around. He was no longer fighting a gentleman, and, perhaps, there wasn't anything gentlemanly about fighting anyway. Perhaps the only reason to fight at all was not for honor but for your life orhe glanced at his father and Jackfor the lives of those you love. Avoiding the strike at his neck, Will put everything he had into disarming Hamilton. When that didn't work, he did as he had done on the Pearl with Nick. He stepped forward, and plunged his sword into Hamilton's heart.

The Captain fell to the floor at Will's feet. He lay there for some time and finally, looking up at Will, he whispered, "Now you know it wasn't a fluke, Will Turner. You can be counted upon to fight when necessary."

Will stared at the man even as he disappeared. Then he turned to Jack and his father. "I don't understand what happened."

William stepped forward. " "amilton and 'is men claimed they were charged with teaching you about life. Trilby wanted it for ye. He told me that 'amilton allowed each new crewman to pick someone they knew in life ta help. Trilby picked ye."

Will shook his head. "This makes no sense."

William laughed and Will and Jack had to join in.

"That I know, lad. From what I learned, they all think they do the will o'the 'eavens. They believe they sail around the world makin' others see" he shrugged. "Well, whatever they need ta see."

Will nodded and clapped his hand on his father's shoulder. "So long as I get back my second chance to know you."

William smiled. "Aye! That's enough for me, too, lad."

Jack was back aboard the Black Pearl wondering how he could ever approach another ship in his lifetime and not wonder if the men sailing her weren't dead. He'd left William and Will together, and it had been a sight he'd never thought he'd see. William was happier than he'd ever seen his lifelong friend, and Will actually seemed content for the first time since Jack had met him. It had been a long strange trip, and Jack was glad once again to see the last of Port Royal, though he had a suspicion he would be back one day.

He watched the ghostly image of the Queen of Diamonds sail into the distance becoming more and more insubstantial as it went. Was it blessed or cursed? He didn't think he could truly say. He did think they'd done right by Will. He knew the man had worried about his pirate blood and about whether or not he could or couldn't take another man's life and live with it. He'd heard Will mention to Trilby just before the Queen had disappeared the first time–taking William with it–that he couldn't help but think that, though he'd killed Nick, he would never be able to do it again.

The crew of the Queen had obviously decided to set the stage and prove to the lad that he was neither a monster nor undependable. Will Turner was none of those things. He was a pirate and a good manand a blacksmith.

It was only when Anamaria spoke that Jack realized she was standing by his side. "There's more to that than meets the eye."

"It would be a poor pirate ship otherwise."

"That's no pirate ship."

"It's a cursed ship. It's doomed"

"They seemed cheerful for doomed pirates."

Jack nodded. "Oh, aye, that's true enough. They think they're blessed. They think they're doing the will of heaven."

"Who's to say they're not?"

"Who indeed." Jack smiled.

The sea was warm and still with sunlight dancing across the water and glistening like polished saphires. Seabirds too numerous to count called to each other and to all within hearing their cries almost like laughter.

One man walked the sun-drenched sands soaking in the surroundings like a balm on a tired soul. One man lifted his eyes to the bright promise of a new day, a new life.

Then, miraculously, he felt a shift, a change in his being. He inhaled and the sweet scent of his love filled his lungs. He turned to see her approaching, her hand raised in greeting as she led their son and cradled their daughter in her arms.

The sight of her beauty made him struggle for breath and he smiled as she smiled at him. He saw his children reach for him, even though too far away to take their father's hand they continued reaching

Will awoke at dawn as the sun peered through a crack in the shutters at the Inn. He'd taken a room there the night before. Tonight he would begin to set himself up as Port Royal's Blacksmith, for Elizabeth had been right. There was no other and the town was in dire need.

He climbed from his bed, stretching and opened the shutter. Looking out at the stretch of white sand and the deep blue water, Will recalled the dream he'd just had and smiled.

The End