Chapter 8: Regretting

Mackenzie sat in her cell with tears falling from her eyes. Jacob walked over and sat next to her. She looked at him in tears. "They lied to me, Jacob; they lied to me all my life. I should've known about that," she whispered. Jacob grasped her shoulders and stared straight into her eyes.

"Mackenzie, your parents love you and they would do anything in their power to protect you. Even if it means to keep the biggest thing that ever happened to them a secret. They wanted you to be safe from any kind of harm. They have done that because they love you so much. I have heard the stories my father has told me about their relationship. Will wanted to give his own life up for your mother. Your mother did all that she could to save your father. Will and Elizabeth love you, Mackenzie, that's why they kept it a secret. They love you," he explained.

Tears fell from her eyes and then realization hit her hard. She then fell asleep against Jacob from crying.

Will and Elizabeth fell asleep near each other holding each other close as if it were the world was going to end. All three of them were dreaming the same thing that night.

(Dream)

Will just got home from the shop. Mackenzie hurried out of the house to greet him. "DADDY, DADDY!" She exclaimed. Will chuckled and picked her up and spun her around. Mackenzie giggled and placed her hands on her father's face. She touched his mustache, which tickled her small hand and giggled. Will held his daughter up in the air with a big smile on his face. He loved his daughter more than his life. He knew that Elizabeth loved her just the same as they loved their other children, William, and Ellen. He placed a kiss on her cheek and had her sit on his hip while he walked into the house.

Elizabeth just had told the cook to get dinner started when Will came into the house. "Daddy," William giggled. Will placed a kiss on his son's head before hugging Elizabeth tight. They shared a quick kiss before watching Mackenzie hurry over to the parlor.

"Daddy, look, our picture came today," she informed.

Will came into the parlor to see the painting of him, Elizabeth, Mackenzie, William, and Ellen. Elizabeth was holding Ellen, William was sitting in Will's lap, and Mackenzie was sitting in between them. "Do you like it?" Elizabeth asked.

"I love it," he answered.

They shared another kiss before Will went upstairs to get out of his work clothes.

That night, Will was tucking Mackenzie into bed when she held up her doll. "Do it again, daddy," she giggled.

"I think it's time for you to get some sleep," he mentioned.

"Please," she insisted.

Will smiled to see his daughter's deep brown eyes get bigger as she tried to get him to do his little game. "If those eyes get any bigger they'll pop," he chuckled. He then took the doll and had it dance across her lap while humming the little pirate tune Elizabeth taught him when they were children. "We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot, drink up me hearties yo ho," Will started.

"We kidnap, we ravage, and don't give a hoot, drink up me hearties yo ho," Mackenzie joined in.

"Yo, ho, yo, ho, a pirates' life for me," they went together.

Will chuckled before tucked the doll next to her and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Mackenzie," he whispered. Mackenzie hugged her father tight with a smile.

"I love you too, daddy," she whispered back.

He then tweaked her nose with a chuckle. "My little pirate girl," he chuckled. Mackenzie rubbed her forehead against his.

"My pirate daddy," she giggled.

"You better get some sleep, or your mother will start yelling," he insisted.

He pulled the blankets around her and kissed her forehead again. Like he always has since she was an infant, he kept the candle near her bed burning throughout the night. He smiled at Elizabeth, who was watching the whole thing. "You are one great father, Will Turner," she commented. Will closed the door with a smile.

"Thank you, and you are one great mother, Elizabeth Turner," he shot back.

Then they walked down the hall towards their room.

(End Dream)

Will woke up and looked down at Elizabeth, who was still asleep. He sighed at the thought of making a mistake of not telling Mackenzie the truth, but he just wanted to protect her. Now he was regretting not telling her. If it did come out, all of the people she ever knew would start picking at her and she wouldn't know why. However, he didn't want her to find out by their enemy. However, he just fell back to sleep ignoring the thought.

Mackenzie woke up and she felt fresh tears falling from her eyes. She realized that she made a horrible mistake telling her parents that she didn't want to see them again. She may have been angry with them, but she couldn't hate them forever. Mackenzie realized that her parents loved each other so much that they went through Hell and back just to be together. She fell asleep against Jacob once again.