True Love: Forever Reunited
Chapter 19:
Sick silence enveloped the room, but much to everyone's momentary relief, no canon blasts were heard. But just moments later, the screams of the residents and visitors of Tortuga grew louder, and Elizabeth took the initiative to run up to the top deck to see what was going on. She could hear Will's footsteps behind her, and when the couple reached the deck, a horrible sight met their eyes. The EITC ships had docked on the other side of the pirate island, and instead of shooting canons, they were running ashore with torches, lighting the entire place on fire.
"Clinton…" seethed Will furiously. "He's going to kill everyone on the island."
"We've got to tell the others," said Elizabeth, suddenly feeling ill again. "They've got to get to their ships before they get burnt."
Joining hands, they ran swiftly down the slippery steps, pure terror running through their veins.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" questioned Jack in an instant. "Why is there no canon fire?"
"They're setting the entire island aflame," said Will abruptly. "You all need to get back to your ships; now."
"Blimey!" shouted Andrew, "They're setting Tortuga aflame?"
No one responded; the crew of the Pearl sprinted to their ship, while the crew of the Empress ran on deck to begin preparing to set sail. Willy, Charles, and Anna turned to their parents, their faces obviously frightened.
"Go to Andrew and Amelia's cabin and stay there until we come to get you," said Elizabeth firmly, we have to get ready to set sail to get away from here." She ushered them into the cabin, feeling the blood pounding in her ears, sending sharp pains to her head.
"Mum," said Willy, hesitation in his voice, "Is everything going to be all right?" His brown eyes shone with concern as he looked up at her, and she longed to tell him that everything would be all right; but she couldn't lie to him.
"I don't know love," she said truthfully, "I just don't know." She gave her sweet boy a hug before closing the door behind her, praying to God in heaven that they would all get out of this alive.
She sprinted up to the deck, and saw the crew running around, trying to get everything ready. When she stepped up onto the deck, Will came up to her, his normally calm expression replaced with a frantic one. The air reeked of smoke, and the screams of the people echoed in her ears as he spoke.
"Barbossa's ship caught on fire," he said, it's completely burned beyond repair, so he and his crew will have to split and sail with both the Pearl and us." Elizabeth could see the fire that was whipping though the island reflecting in Will's eyes, making his fury look even more intimidating.
Elizabeth was about to speak, but without warning, several very high pitched shrieks ripped through the air, causing the Turner couple to look over, only to see the brothel, where most of Jack's previous "pleasurable company" as he called it, lived, was completely aflame, and many of the women were still trapped inside. Elizabeth instantly saw the expression in Will's eyes change, and before he could even move to go, she grabbed his arm.
"No Will," she said firmly, desperately, "We must get out of here. There is no chance that you can go in there and get out alive."
"Elizabeth, if I don't save them, then who will? I'm going; I'll be fine. You just worry about getting this ship ready to sail." He stubbornly pulled his arm out of her grip, kissed her cheek and ran.
"Will!!" Elizabeth screamed, so distracted that she had forgotten to keep issuing orders. She made to run after him, but felt a steady arm on her shoulder; it was Andrew.
"No Elizabeth," he said echoing the exact words that she had just said to her husband. "You can't. Think of the other life that resides inside you, before you run out there into the arms of the East India Company."
Elizabeth froze in mid stride, knowing he was right. She was not only responsible for her life now; she was responsible for the child's life that was inside her. "He shouldn't have gone either!" she exclaimed, both fury and worry running through her veins. "He's always trying to be so valiant, and I love that about him, but I'm not going to lose him over it!" Hot tears sprung to her eyes. "We just found happiness together…."
"I know," Andrew said, "That's why I'm going after him."
Before Elizabeth could even stop him, he ran in the direction of the brothel, where the screams were still piercing the air. Elizabeth tried to focus on issuing orders and getting her ship out of Tortuga; she was responsible for the children's and her crew's lives, after all, but she couldn't help but shoot glances over at the burning building every few minutes. Moments later, the Pearl was ready to sail, and Jack shouted over to her.
"Lizzie, are you ready to set sail?" he asked, the normal, nonchalant expression gone from his face.
"We can't!" she shouted back, "Will and Andrew are still on the island!" Her heart was racing; why weren't they coming back?
"Bloody hell!" exclaimed Jack, "That whelp!"
And then Elizabeth saw the sight that made her world stop spinning; there was Andrew, carrying a completely unconscious Will over his shoulder. The screams of the people on the island, the crackling of the rampant flames, and the shouts of hew crew all fell silent to her. She ran, faster than she could ever remember running; her anger temporarily forgotten, replaced by pure and unadulterated fear; it was the second time that Elizabeth had felt such a way, the only other time being when Will was stabbed by Davy Jones. The crew all dropped what they were doing, staring at the grime covered Andrew and Will.
"Stay on task!" shouted Elizabeth, "Are we ready to set sail?"
"We are," said James, looking worried. "Shall I take the wheel?"
"Please," was the only word that Elizabeth could force her mouth to utter.
She signaled to the Pearl to sail to the only safe haven left to them; the small island where she had lived without Will for ten years, and the place where she had raised William.
"Andrew, what happened?" she questioned as they walked to Will and Elizabeth's cabin.
"He got everyone of those women out of there, and onto departing ships," answered Andrew, hardly able to believe it. "But a loose board fell and hit him in the head, and he fell unconscious. I, just…" his voice shook; it was obvious that the state Will was in was hurting him. "I just don't know,"
Elizabeth opened the door to their cabin, and Andrew laid Will on the bed as though afraid he might break if he put him down too hard. Will didn't move. Will didn't move at all. His face was a white sheet, his eyes unmoving. Elizabeth bent down as though in slow motion, and checked his pulse, her entire body a trembling leaf.
"He…he's got a pulse," she said, grasping his hand with everything in her, pleading, bargaining, and begging God to keep the light of her life alive.
Andrew didn't answer; he merely knelt down beside the bed. The door came open with an ominous creak, and in came Willy, whose face was drawn and pale. His eyes, those eyes that were so like Will's, caught sight of his gravely injured father, and they began to shine with tears that he frantically tried to hold back.
"Papa…" he said softly, coming to sit beside his mother, who put her arm around his shoulders, holding him as close as possible. None of them said anything; there was nothing to be said, the shock was too recent. Amelia came down the stairs, and Andrew explained what happened, and she went back up on deck to tell the rest of the crew. Elizabeth sat there, her eyes either looking at Will or her son, feeling all the prayers that were reaching Heaven at that very moment.
She pulled out the rosary that she knew was in Will's trouser pocket and silently began to pray. William leaned into her, and Andrew stared into space. The Empress, it seemed, had never been quieter. They waited, the island of Tortuga burned to cinders behind them.
Will didn't wake for days. It would take them at least a week to sail to the island, and it wasn't until nearly four days into the journey that his eyes fluttered open. Elizabeth, William, Andrew and Amelia were sitting in the cabin, while the rest of the crew handled the ship, just waiting for any sign. Elizabeth and William had refused to leave Will's side for four days. Elizabeth was stroking his forehead when she saw his eyes flutter open.
"Elizabeth?" he questioned, the purple bags under his eyes even more pronounced now that he was awake. "What happened?"
"You went out to rescue the women in the brothel," she said, with only a hint of resentment in her voice. "Andrew said that wooden board hit you in the head, and it apparently knocked you unconscious. Oh, Will, I'm so relieved that you are all right," she said, hugging him, and feeling some of the tension that had built up over the past three days leaving her.
Will rubbed his head, wincing as he sat up. "Thank you for taking care of me. I always seem to get into scrapes don't I?" He grinned at her, his smile true, but weak from his pain. He took her hand and squeezed it, his eyes looking into hers and seeing that there was something she needed to talk about. He turned to his son. "Hello there Willy," he said, with as much cheer as he could muster while his head was pounding. "Did you get out of Tortuga without too much trouble?"
Willy nodded his head so hard that he nearly fell over, and walked hesitantly over to his father, as though worried he might cause him more pain. "Oh I'm perfectly all right Papa," he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "You and Mum sure were right about these pirate adventures though; they really are dangerous!!"
"Indeed they are son," said Will, pulling his son into a hug, not really caring if it hurt. "But hopefully soon, we will have all this settled and be done with the East India Trading Company."
Willy nodded, a bit of a faraway look in his eyes.
"We will all get out of this safely, Willy, all of us together," Willy said, knowing what was wrong. "I promise."
Willy didn't say anything, but hugged his mother and father tightly, which was all the response Will needed.
"Well, I think I'll go above deck and spar with Charles and Anna. Anna is getting really good; she's right up there with Charles!" said Willy, excitement entering his voice again.
The four adults laughed at Willy's remarks as he ran up the stairs, looking like the picture perfect combination of his parents, his bandanna and hat slightly askew.
"It's good to see you awake mate," commented Andrew. "We were worried sick."
"We thought the worst when Andrew brought you back up to the ship," said Amelia, her normally pale skin looking very tan from the weeks she had been sailing. "It's wonderful to see that you're all right."
"I hardly even remember passing out. I just remember the smoky stench and the burning cinders flying everywhere, and the women screaming, and Andrew and me trying to get them out, and then… nothing," said Will with a shiver at the memory. "Where are we headed?"
"To the island where William and I were living while we waited for you to return," said Elizabeth, still holding Will's hand as though her life depended on it. Having Will nearly taken from her again had shaken her nerves.
"It's the only place there was left to go," commented Amelia. "Well, I think that we should probably go and supervise the children's sparring; leaving two nine year olds and a seven year old alone with wooden swords is not the best idea."
"Yes, we really don't need anymore injuries," said Andrew wryly as the two exited the room, leaving Will and Elizabeth alone.
"Elizabeth," started Will almost as soon as they left. "Something's bothering you. What is it?"
Elizabeth didn't answer at first, but let go of Will's hand and stood, walking over to the porthole, and staring out at the water.
"Elizabeth…?" questioned Will, bewildered.
"Why did you have to go into that fire, Will?" she questioned, her voice soft as a baby's cheek as she spoke. "If you hadn't gone in there, you wouldn't have nearly died."
"I had to save them," answered Will automatically, "They could have died."
"So could you!" responded Elizabeth, her voice impatient. "Will, your bravery and nobility are two of the things that I adore about you, but I cannot lose you, do you understand?"
Will didn't answer for a moment, and Elizabeth turned to see him, chin in hand, deeply pondering what she said.
"I just didn't want them to die, especially not at the hands of the East India Company," he said, slight irritation in his voice "I got them out, and I'm okay, so what's to worry about?"
"There's something to worry about because I know you'll do something like that again," said Elizabeth, coming back to sit down. "What if you had died in there, Will? What if you had been taken from us again? Maybe I'm selfish, but I don't want to lose you, and I know for certain that Willy doesn't." Her eyes met his, and begged him to understand.
"No, Elizabeth, you are not selfish," he said, the utmost sincerity in his tone. "You would do anything to save those that you love."
"I am glad that you saved them Will, really I am," said Elizabeth truthfully. "I would have hated to see them killed, and I'm willing to do anything to stop Clinton from hurting innocent people again, but can you please just have a little more discretion next time?"
At this, the tension broke, and Will couldn't help but chuckle at the scolding expression on his wife's face; she really had grown into quite a mother.
"I can promise that I'll try," he said, taking her hand in his again. "I guess I just have an instinct inside of me that wants to save anyone in danger."
"And I love that about you," said Elizabeth, the smile returning to her face. "Just be more careful next time, and consider the risks."
"I will," answered Will. "But when it comes to you and Willy, I don't know if I can promise the same thing. No one had better dare threaten the two of you, or our little one on the way for that matter," he said, putting a hand on Elizabeth's belly, which had not begun showing signs of pregnancy yet.
Elizabeth held his hand to her stomach, where she knew that a new life resided inside her, and for a moment, all was right with the world. It was a beautiful moment between the couple, just reveling in the idea that they had created this precious new life.
"I love you Elizabeth Turner," whispered Will, almost ready to fall asleep again, his head pounding.
"Oh, Will," said Elizabeth emotionally, "I love you too."
AN: Hey there everyone!!! First, just let me apologize for the insane amount of time that has passed since I updated. College has been absolutely insane, and the amount of work I've had to do has been alarming. So I'm trying to catch up on updating my story and reading fics as I go along. So, I really hope you enjoyed this, and hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner than this one was. And never fear, there is still much to go on this story!