SHE STOOD THERE, her back to Henry's door. Staring at the floor, she couldn't figure out what to do next. Come on, Elizabeth. Just a few more hours. And everything is going to be back to normal. The only thing she feared were the next few hours in William's presence. Elizabeth Swann never imagined it would be so hard to deal with him. His ideas. His thoughts and manners. She was so used to piracy, to her new life, that Will — one of the biggest parts of her past and, Gods have mercy, her present — came all in a rush to get everything upside down.

He couldn't even look at her without that pity and disgusted look upon his face. He couldn't give Henry not even a sparkle of affection, hope or whatever else shit he could give him besides his raw opinions. William Turner had never seen the boy before and at least for the outsiders, it seemed he cared about Henry as much as he cared about a pet.

What Henry wanted the most was saving his father's life. She wanted to laugh out loud at that thought and cry, at the same time. First, Will made it very clear to Henry there was no way out of his damned situation. Second…

Maybe he knows.

That thought sent her a severe shriver down her spine. Taking a deep breath, she controlled her initial nervousness.

Just a few more hours, Elizabeth repeated to herself, as a mantra.

HER ROOM WAS a dark thing and it was even darker at night. Earlier that day, she set more candles around the area, hoping it would give her quarters a better tone. The pale yellow half-light touched the wooden walls carefully; it could give one a warm sensation just looking at. Her bed was perfectly made, the best pillows she found, the most comfortable blankets. Everything sending just one message: here, I am in control. Unfortunately she hadn't foreseen Will's behavior towards her. He was cold. Demanding but distant. His touch resembling ice, burning her skin like he was trying to brand her soul. He left no marks, of course, he never would — but it also didn't mean he was being affectionate neither amorous.

Through the act's extent, she kept her eyes closed, picturing a better image, better sensations — someone else's body, voice, smell, touch. It has been ten years since the last time she felt him. They were aboard her own vessel, it was a sweet summer day, the caribbean waters sounding calm and distant. Her mind made her the good effort and favor of keeping those memories as alive as they could be. His calloused hands all over her body, tending to her deepest needs; his skin hot from the sunlight exposure and pleasure, its brown-like color contrasting against her nearly burnt own. He whispered sweet-nothings in her ears, tracing her with his lips. She used to believe that those profanities she read in books her father wouldn't even imagine she had were all false — men used to seek for their own pleasures. Well, Jack Sparrow was the one to teach her the opposite — but not only that. He taught her how to seek for her own pleasure, while his tongue ministrations in and out her folds and delicate clit would take her to the up-and-down most women surely only dreamed of.

He unlocked a part of her she thought would never be found whilst their bodies were entangled, his cock and hips making the most marvelous movements and creating the fascinating sensations she, later on life, found out to be Jack's exclusive magic. And like that day, ten years before this cursed night, Jack was the only thing on her mind once she finished herself, her fingers dancing on her clit, her teeth and lips clenched so she wouldn't let his name get out from her throat in the most guttural and animalistic of sounds.

It didn't take William too long to finish. He collapsed by her side, his breath heavy and unsteady. She didn't have enough strength to open her eyes and face him; Elizabeth wanted to stay in that state of mind, the caribbean sun touching her as well as Jack's memory — and suddenly his absence took her like a sickness fever. She tightened her eyes harder, holding her tears with the remnants of her force. She swallowed hard, taking deep and quick breaths, trying to do it without being noticed. Fortunately, when she finally opened her eyes, William was already heavily asleep.

She felt disgusting and couldn't even bare herself now. Elizabeth didn't want William' smell over her body — it suddenly made her ill. With slow movements, she got out from the bedroom, her feet leading her out of the house. Elizabeth's body moved for its own, the cool sea breeze lightly touching her skin.

She took a deep breath, eyes closed in a restless mood, feeling the thin grass between her toes and finally the beach sand. When the first cold wave touched her, she released a sigh of relief as a shriver roamed from her feet to her scalp. As the water reached her breasts, she dived and stayed under it, swimming ahead until she felt breathless. Elizabeth found herself lost in the sea water, a striking fatigue taking away all the remaining strength she thought she had. Her eyes sought around and found a rock nearby the shore where she could hide for a while.

Sitting there with her face between her knees, she could feel her entire body shaking, although it was not shivering because of the cold; no, it was like she was healing from a ravishing heat. Elizabeth tried to purge her own demons, but was very unsuccessful. "He's hunting us", the words reverberated in her mind again. "He's gonna kill us". Even if she could hear it, in the back of her mind, her sweet childish voice echoing the years behind her, that William could not turn that dim, she couldn't listen. She was too damn afraid, panicking alone, leaning further against the rough wall behind her.

Elizabeth knew time was a mysterious thing once she realized her nightgown was almost dry. She looked at the moon; it was nearly three in the morning. Maybe she had fainted? She was feeling tired, for sure. What if Will is awake?, she dreaded. Henry is alone there. I need to get back.

Eventually recovering her stamina, she swimmed back to the shore. It didn't take that long until her wet figure roamed the house until her feet arrived in front of Henry's door. Slowly opening it, she released a sigh through her lips; Henry is okay, thank the goddesses.

"Elizabeth", a cold and dark voice called her. He's awake. Her heart sank again. She gave herself a few seconds of lost thoughts and loud sighs before turning her feet to him. Her face a blank page, her eyes shimmering with doubt, remorse, fear and anger. Elizabeth felt threatened and she hated feeling like that; above all, she hated feeling like in infant caught in mischief, mostly because the source of her panic and concerns was a man she swore never dread. She walked a few more steps, leaving a wet path behind her. He was sitting on a chair by the kitchen's window, his eyes roaming the coast nonchalantly. Then it hit her like a punch; He was… watching me. "You were swimming", he finally said, turning his head to her. "Isn't it odd? Swimming in the middle of the night".

"I needed some air".

"So you went out there to drown yourself", he chuckled.

"I… I'm not following. Swimming takes my anxiety away".

"I suppose I'm a heavy burden".

"You were asleep. I thought you wouldn't mind…"

"That's okay, you see? No one said it would be easy", William made a long pause, his gaze upon the moon. "I can't sleep, truth be told. When you spend most of your time under the water, everything seems to be wrong. I can't feel anything besides… boredom", he sighed. "And anger. You must ask why, and I will surely answer", he raised from his chair and slowly walked towards her. "I feel angry because I can't… feel. I feel no pain and also no joy. It has been ten years since the last time I actually tasted something. Of course, while I'm like this", he pointed to himself, "it all comes in a sudden, nonetheless… it doesn't mean I'm overwhelmed. It's like… all the feelings and sensations are just memories. Memories I can slightly touch. I'm doomed and… I'm also half-living because of this curse. I wonder… if… If I stay, will I go back to the depths of my death? Or will I be dragged back to the Dutchman's deck? Which would be better, Elizabeth? Or worse?".

She didn't know what to say. She dared say nothing.

He got even closer now. "I still have my duty to fulfill", William traced her delicate features with his fingertips. It was like he was carving her into his mind. He leaned over her, "An eternal debt to pay", said before lightly caressing her forehead in a cold kiss. "And you know exactly why", he took her chin with his right hand and melded his lips on hers. Elizabeth stiffened, unable to move — either to go forward neither to go away. He kept his mouth over hers for a brief moment before retracting. William looked at her like he knew every thought inside her mind. His eyebrows twisted in a nearly painful expression and soon became the personification of self-knowing and wrath. "Never presume on betraying me again", he started, his hands on her shoulder blades. "Be a kind and respectful wife as you should be", he squeezed her, "savvy?".

Elizabeth couldn't breathe. Her sight started to fade, bit by bit. She reunited all of her strengths just to keep awake. She never felt like that, not even when faced by an ambuscade — it was not a promise of death, it was something entirely different. Unknown. Unpredictable. She kept her facade, though, and he finally let her go, his fingers leaving red marks over her arms. "I leave by the sunrise. Settle Henry's stupid ideas down. You are going to put this kid into trouble sooner than you expect if you keep telling him piracy is such a good thing for the world".

"Aren't you gonna say goodbye?", she questioned him as he started leaving the room.

He contemplated her question for a moment. "No", it was all he said as he finally left.

After that, everything happened so fast. In the next morning, when Henry woke up seeking for William, and figured out his father was already gone, the boy couldn't stop yelling and crying at her. "He despises me!", "he hates us!", "why couldn't he wait for a little longer?". All of the mates under her command would look at her and the boy in pity — "you didn't deserve such a burden, King".

She hated that. In an increasing rage she'd never felt before. Elizabeth Swann, the Pirate King, is the biggest pity subject amongst her crewmembers and Pirate Lords. The worst part was that she couldn't make anything to change that. What is done, is done. And for the first time on her existence, Elizabeth was hoping for a calm and quiet future.