They sat in silence in the sand for a moment. Elizabeth's breathing sounded labored and Will was beginning to worry. He kept looking over at her with a nervous expression.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, I just think it's this corset… it's too tight," she said with a blush.

"Oh! Um… do you need it to be loosened?" he said. He could feel his throat tightening.

"It would be best. Will, I can't do it by myself…" she said with a shy look downward. Will's eyes widened. He coughed and moved to behind her. His fingers hesitated as they undid the fastens of the dress she was wearing. He accidentally brushed her skin as he slid it down ever so slightly.

"Oh!"

"Are you ok?"

"Yes! Yes, I'm fine," she said, blushing again. Will loosened the first few strings of the corset top and he heard a large breath fill her lungs. "Thank you, Will."

"Your welcome, Miss Swa- I mean, Elizabeth," he said, fastening the last latch on her dress. She sighed and stared out at the ocean for a while. Will took his place beside her.

"You know, I've always wanted to sail the ocean," said Will. Elizabeth giggled.

"So you've told me," she said. Will looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"When did I ever tell you this? I've never told a soul."

"Well, I doubt you would remember… you were a little under the influence that night at my party," she said, her eyes flicking from Will to the sand nervously.

"Oh," was all he said. Diablo was tethered nearby. Tessa seemed to have wandered back and they two of them were eating the tough beach grass that was growing on a patch of sand. It was a peaceful moment. They were the only two on this entire stretch of beach. It was reaching noon and the sun was beginning to get high in the sky.

"You've told me your secrets and the deepest longings of your heart, Will Turner. The bottle gives us the blatant honesty of a child. I feel like I need to tell you something about myself," she said, looking over at Will.

"Well, go ahead then," he said. Elizabeth looked out to the ocean again with a distant look on her face.

"You know, my mother died when I was only five. I don't remember much of her but the one thing I always remembered was how much fun she was to be around. Her smile could light up a room even in the dreariest of houses. She was a governess and played her part excellently. At times, she could be the picture of propriety. That wasn't who she was, really…"

Will noticed her bite her lip and shift her gaze downward to the seashell she was playing with in her hand. There was a pain on her face that she got when she talked about subjects that upset her. Will didn't like it when she was like this, but she continued to tell her story.

"I remember once when we were in her room and she was preparing for a grand party that evening. It was just us two, looking through her gowns. I was quite small at the time and I would try and wear them but they would fall down at my feet. My mother didn't care that they were getting dirty. Then, she pulled me into her lap and said 'Elizabeth, you don't need fancy gowns and pretty things to be beautiful. Just be yourself and everyone will love you,'" she said. Her voice cracked at the last few words.

"You've never told me that before," Will said. Elizabeth shook her head.

"Will, I'm not doing what my mother wanted me to do," she said. He saw her bottom lip begin to tremble.

"What do you mean? There is nothing that you have ever done that wouldn't make her proud of you," he said, trying to comfort her. It didn't work because she started crying.

"That's just it, Will! My mother always told me 'Lizzie, don't ever be something you're not,' and I haven't been able to be myself since I was six years old! It's all propriety, propriety, propriety! I'm sick of propriety!" she screamed. "I'm tired of doing what everyone expects of me. For once in my life, I want to do something for me and only me."

"Then do it, Elizabeth. Today is your day. Do something that you've never done before but have always wanted," he said, taking her hand and holding it gently in his. He could see her mind working and thinking. Then, she grabbed onto his shoulder to steady herself as she carefully rose to her feet.

"Come on, I know where I want to go." She winced as she took a step. Will quickly jumped to his feet and helped her over to where Tessa was waiting.

"Are you sure you don't want to ride double with me?" he asked. Elizabeth shook her head. She could get on and off. It would hurt, yes, but she could handle it. "Where are we going to?"

"Just up the beach. There's a spot that I used to go to when I first came here. I was always watched like a hawk, though. You'll see when we get there."

The gentle rocking motion hurt her ribs as they rode, but she didn't care. It would all be worth it when they got to their destination.