A Civilization Gone with the Wind

Disclaimer: If I owned PotC, I wouldn't be so excited for At World's End!

You Should Be Kissed and Often

A/N: Last chapter for this story until after AWE!! I'm so excited! I'm afraid it will render this story AU...

Elizabeth lay awake and stared at the ceiling. It was just after midnight, and Will was lying next to her, asleep. She watched the play of shadows on the ceiling above her. Will suddenly stirred next to her.

"Elizabeth?" he whispered.

"Hmm?" Elizabeth asked.

"I wanted to ask you something,"

"What is it?"

"I've wondered for the past few days, are you happy?"

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know. We've had such an unsettled life for such a long time. I was just wondering if you didn't want to go back to that life."

"No," Elizabeth said, but slightly sadly. She had stopped wishing for excitement, but somehow, her life didn't feel as full as it should be.

"I also wondered," Will said hesitantly, "if maybe you left something behind in that life that you didn't want to."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked, sitting up in bed.

"I think you know,"

"No I don't, Will. What do you mean?"

"I mean that maybe you left someone you loved behind,"

"Do you mean… Jack?"

"Yes," Will whispered.

Elizabeth was suddenly angry. Nothing should ever come between her and Will, and here was Jack, no longer in their life, but still between them. Was Will having doubts about her and where her heart lay? She hadn't seen Jack for over a year, but he always seemed to haunt her thoughts.

"Would I have married you if I loved someone else?" she demanded angrily.

"I don't know, Elizabeth. Since I saw you kiss Jack on the ship – "

"Will, I explained that!"

"Elizabeth, I'm not saying I've had doubts about how faithful you are. I'm saying that since that day, I never understood you as completely as I did before. Since then, I wasn't sure what to expect. I love you the same way, but I can't read you heart."

"Will…" she whispered. "I don't know what to say. All I know is that I love you. And you must believe that. If you understand nothing else about me, understand that."

"I understand," Will murmured into her ear. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you. I understand."

"Kiss me, Will," she demanded, and Will kissed her tenderly.

"I'm going to kiss you like that, every day. I want you to always be there, every day," he whispered. "For me to kiss and love. You will be, won't you?"

It was only the kind of thing everyone in love says, but it sounded like heaven to Elizabeth when Will said it.

"Of course I will," she told him. "Where would I be without your love?"

As she fell asleep in Will's arms, Elizabeth realized why Will didn't understand her completely. It was because he didn't have her whole heart. There was one tiny peace that neither she nor Will had. Jack still held that small chip of her heart. She gave it to him in that fateful kiss, and he would hold it forever. They didn't love each other, but something of her belonged to him. Elizabeth wanted that part of her heart back to give to Will, but she would never have it. It was Jack's.

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