Um...Yip! this ones going to have to be rated ARRRR (haha! get it ...cos this is Pirates of the Caribbean? ha...yeah) Anyway, theres some content in here which the kiddos shouldnt see. And again, sorry for the delay, busy time of the year for me. But thanks to my faithful readers - you guys always make it worth it )

-InnerSmile

Upon their return to New Bern the Turners promptly went to their home. The carriage ride threw drew to their attention the few things they had missed while they were away: The brisk Carolina air with the scent of winter on its heels, the openness of the fields and the new land that had yet to be settled, along with the aspect of finally being back in their own home. They had been gone for nearly 2 weeks. After everything had been settled with the Mayfields and sorted out with the authorities, eventually they were allowed to leave. Weatherby was sad to be left alone once more in his large house. Sure he had is servants and the never ending amounts of prestigious guests but truly, he was a lonely person, now barely sufficed by seeing his daughter once again. Although the time was short, it was still worth cherishing. The Harringtons and Tristan, coming from their home next door, greeted them. Tristan seemed to bounce the whole way down the drive and once the door was open and Elizabeth stepped a single foot out, his arms were around her legs. With a handshake from Nathan and a kiss on the cheek from Lucy, Will was told that Tristan prospered there with them. He had slightly advanced in his English and had come out of his shell in the short time passed. Eventually it was mutually agreed that Tristan would stay with the Harringtons. For now, if not permanently he would be their adopted son. Elizabeth was glad to see that his hair cut no longer hindered his blue eyes from shining up at her. The boy looked so well fed compared to what they had seen when he was found, his round face made them all happy when he showed them his beaming smile. Once they had unpacked and settled, Will and Liz had a discussion about their small fortune they had acquired from Bill – or Jack rather, the treasure from the former pirates cave. It would easily sustain them to never work again, Will could possibly use the money and be seen as a gentleman in every aspect the wealthy deemed appropriate. But the couple considered their child. Although an easy life with a silver spoon in their mouth would be the easy way to go they chose to make it a bit more normal – they wanted to stay middle class and to keep the money for the inheritance they would pass on. Yes, Will would go back to work, back to his regular life, and Elizabeth would be the respectable wife to a local blacksmith…pirate and Gentleman were left out of the equation. And for the next few weeks they went on unwavering in their task to their settled life. Although their agreement was mutual in consent, Will took it upon himself to buy something a little extra special with the money, something he wasn't ever quite able to do before…

Unlike this time last year, the cold air pushed itself through with unwavering force. The previous year had been mild and almost spring-like, now the winds were howling as the chilled evening made Will's body shiver underneath the heavy comforter and sheets. Involuntarily he pulled the blanket closer to his body, willing it to give off all the warmth he could. The white billowed shirt and cotton trousers he had left on weren't enough, even under the downy blankets. He glanced up at the window nearby and saw that it was tightly secured shut; towels had even been placed around the bottom of the casement to make sure no cold air seeped through. Faintly he heard his baby crying down the hallway. Will looked quickly at his sleeping wife, her back to him and her body slightly rising and falling with her steady breaths. He slid out of the warm bed as carefully as he could as not to disturb her, but as soon as his feet hit the ground his body went into slight shock. Until then he hadn't realized how warm it actually was underneath all the layers. Will went to door quickly and as stealthy as he could, made it the few more steps to his daughter's nursery.

"Shhh little one…its alright now." He said leaning down, gently taking her in his arms.

The baby whimpered against his chest, but for the most part felt content merely resting against him. Will moved his large thumb over her small back in little circles.

The crying picked back up again once the cold air resonated as it did with her father moments before. Her tiny face scrunched up as the little balled fists convulsed themselves in the air. "There there…you'll wake your mother. She needs her rest too you know" Will patted her and rocked her, shushed her and kissed her wet cheeks – anything to help his efforts. "Quiet little cricket. Quiet now…please, for Daddy?"

He took one of her tiny hands into his and felt how cold they were. His heart lurched in his chest as he bent down and took the blanket from her crib, draping it around her little body.

"You must be freezing!" He said in a harsh whisper. Will looked down in thought then shifted the baby to one arm and unbuttoned his shirt with the other. He quickly placed the cooing child inside the shirt, wrapping the extra fabric around her and holding her against him, rocking gently side to side.

"She might be cold"

Will turned to see Elizabeth in the doorway. "But I bet she keeps crying because she's hungry."

Her smile was warm as she walking towards him with her hair down around her shoulders, the white of her nightgown catching the glow of the moon from the window across from her. In a sudden flash Will was reminded of the first night he had spent with Elizabeth. Not the night they had first made love but the evening when they were at his home in Port Royal. That terrible storm gave him such a blessing by obligating Elizabeth to stay with him – with little protest from her. That night the rain from the thick windows in his living room had cast a glow on her face, it had made her look like an unearthly creature, his angel – just as she did now.

Will handed her the baby with an apologetic grin. Liz sat down in the rocking chair next to the cradle, lowering her nightgown, and putting Katherine close to her chest. It didn't take long for her to find her food and take to drinking.

"Sorry…" Will said scratching his head. "You had already been up twice tonight, I just thought you might need to –"

Liz smiled again and shook her head. "No." She looked down at her baby then back up to her husband standing across from her. "What she needs is what matters, anything I want is irrelevant afterwards."

"I don't know about that." He said, closing in the distance between them within a couple of steps. His finger traced her jaw line, slightly raising her head to look up at him. Suddenly a bright smile spread across his face, he looked down seeing that his daughter was starting to slow, sinking into sleep once more. Will took this as his opportunity. "When you're – when she's done…meet me downstairs. I want to show you something."

Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow and gazed at him from under thick eyelashes as if to say 'what do you have up your sleeve this time Mr. Turner?'.

He saw her questioning glance as he made his way to the nursery door and smiled even more convincingly, but not before taking the baby's bassinette under his arm. "Bring her down with you, it will be warmer for all of us by the fire."

When Liz made it down the stairs she saw the firelight glow from inside the living room. She turned the corner to see the flames blazing inside the hearth. Will had placed the bassinette near the couch, away from the direct heat of the fire but still cozy enough. Katie never even stirred as Elizabeth placed the sleeping baby in her warm bed. When she rose up, Will was beside her with a package, his dark eyes shining in the dim light.

"For you…" He said, extending the gift to her.

She looked at him, again, with a questioning expression.

Will nodded towards the clock in the corner of the room. "It's one in the morning. It's been our anniversary for almost an hour. And I thought since we both could sleep…then…I might as well…" He finished his little speech with a chuckle, for he saw her look of apologetic admiration.

"Will…oh Will its our –" She put her hand over her mouth and looked at the package and back at him. "With all that's gone on I've forgotten. How could I let that slip my mind? I'm so sorry, I'll make it up to you, I swear!" Her heart was breaking for him. She couldn't forgive herself for making such a mistake. How many wives forgot their first anniversary?…granted her and Will's marriage wasn't a conventional one and since the time they said 'I do' there was hardly time to breathe…She mentally kicked herself for her lapse of memory. "I'm sorry, really I am. You do know how much I love you…don't you?" She said, her hands on his chest, willing him to say something.

Will's smile never left his face. He had known that she didn't get him anything and he couldn't have cared less. There had been a lot to go through and sort out the past couple of weeks. He put his arms around her and kissed her cheek then breathed in the scent of her hair that hung around his face when his nose was in the crook of her neck. "I think I know a way you can make it up to me." He stated as he pulled away slightly.

"I will! Anything…" She replied, her doe eyes flashing him sincerity.

Will looked down at the package still in her hand, then back at her and smiled.

Elizabeth's face brightened as she allowed herself to step back from him for a moment. She untied the ribbon that held the brown paper together, and then unwrapped the covering to reveal her present, as the paper was tossed to the nearby table. Liz took the sleeping gown in her hands as it cascaded down the length of her body, holding it up for her eyes to admire. The delicate gown made from corn-colored silk voile, sprigged with tiny green, white, and blue flowers almost slipped out of her hand because the fabric so thin and so well made, caused the silk to be extra fine, almost like water. Elizabeth looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Will, I don't know what to say…It's beautiful."

He smiled; so glad that she liked his gift. The garment had cost him a pretty penny, part of the gold in the chest, but it was worth it. It was all worth it just for this look on her face. "I'm glad you like it. Will you try it on? … For me?

Liz smiled coyly as she lowered the gown and draped it over her arm. "Gladly dear husband." She said before turning and stepping into the dining room, adjacent to the living quarters.

Will glanced over at the baby who was in a deep sleep. He smiled to himself, then went to the hallway closet, pulled out a couple of blankets and laid them on the couch. When he looked up Elizabeth was standing there, her hands clasped together, neatly in front of her.

"You look…" He stopped just inside the wavering pool of radiance created by the firelight and woman in front of him. Elizabeth was unaware that the light from the fire made the sleeping robe all but transparent. Will sucked in a breath. " You look beautiful." His voice was a tone or two lower than normal, almost a growl. Liz's spine prickled and she found she was trembling slightly.

"Are you cold, love?" Will knew it was a silly question, they were a mere foot away from the blazes but he saw her tilt her head ever so slightly. He knew that tilt…it was a playful one.

"No, of course not." She smiled provocatively as she held up the silk gown for his inspection, allowing the delicate fabric to run through her fingers like water as it had done before. Will was staring at her face, her throat, dropping his eyes down her body so deliberately it was as if he touched her with his fingers.

But he wasn't that near, instead he continued to move closer, closer but never close enough. "I think this suits you very nicely."

"I'm glad you like it, your taste is impeccable." Elizabeth tried to keep her voice evenly modulated, but it was hard, for her breathing, and his, was a little ragged.

"Yes. Particularly because…" And now he touched her, one finger tracing the line of embroidery at the neck, which led to the loosely tied ribbon between her breasts, almost as if it were meant as a sign, an indicator. He untied the ribbon, slipped one hand inside the loosened garment, searching. "It's so revealing."

She laughed, tired of keeping her exploding emotions so hindered as he touched her the way he did. But before any sound could escape her lips it was smothered as he kissed her, pulling her body hard to his, both hands holding her hips against his own. How busy his tongue was, teasing her, licking her inside of her lips. His mouth nibbling her with tiny little bites, her ears, the column of her throat and down…down. She gasped as he slid the dress off her shoulders and she stood, naked, in a puddle of silk, her eyes closed. Tears pricked behind her lids from intense, melting desire. She wanted him. Her eyes slowly opened again. Liz went to the couch, took one of the blankets then walked back over to her husband, all her motions slow and deliberate. "Lie with me."

Gracefully she knelt naked before him and then, allowing him to watch, lay back, pulling the silk of the discarded nightdress beneath her so that if formed a golden coverlet over the blanket she had laid down. She saw, in her mind, what he must be seeing and was astonished she was not ashamed. But he was her husband, in every right; there was no need to be. The light flickered over her perfect skin, her seemingly virginal body, unmarred by time.

"My Elizabeth…" He said, looking down at his lovely girl. She was stretched and yawned delicately, almost catlike. He laughed, undoing some of the last buttons on his shirt. "Tired so early?"

Elizabeth smiled with him. "Not in the least."

Now his shirt was gone, dropped behind him on the floor. He stood above her, bare-chested, untying the strings on his cotton trousers. Her throat was so dry she swallowed. She tried to speak, but could not. Elizabeth watched his muscles gather and slide under her husband's skin as he bent to remove his trousers. Will was smiling at her now as he knelt, his hands sweeping up the inside of her feet, knees, and thighs. Higher. She gasped, and for a moment he straddled her hips with his knees, then with exquisite control, he laid full length upon her, his knees nudging her own apart. "Speak to me, my love. Let me hear your voice." He whispered into her ear, almost as a plea. He entered her body and the shock was piercing, centered, and she felt herself tremble and melt around him and beneath him.

"I – I love you William…take me, take me like you did our first time." The pleasure was intense and she dissolved into it. "I'm yours…" She breathed. "You're mine."

He moved fast, and faster, pinning her arms apart, bracing himself against her wrists, his full weight behind his pelvis. She keened as she stared into his eyes, her own open and wild, holding her hips up to his, higher and higher, moving them to match his rhythm. For him, the intensity between them was teasingly unbearable and, as she called out, he smothered her mouth with his, ate her scream, taking the sound deep into his body, his chest and that was his release…and hers.

As deep as tears, rich and sweet, the joy they gave each other on that cold night would stay with them both as long as each had breath. They lay before the fire, naked bodies against one another, he curled protectively around her, and fore a little time both drowsed. But before either could nod off to sleep Elizabeth moved her head to the side and kissed his flushed cheek. "Happy anniversary" She whispered with a smile.

He kissed her nose in return, his embrace slightly tightened. " Forever…we have many more to come." There was silence for a moment before he spoke again. "Elizabeth?"

"Hmm?"
"Thank you for being my present."