My Dearest Elizabeth,

The time is growing near, my dearest love! I am nearby... can you sense it? I so wish that you were with me now... but we must be patient. I know that it is hard, but what we are about to undertake will restore my mortal being, and it must be done so very carefully. I will soon be able to join you, my darling, and I can barely stand the wait. The Black Pearl arrived before dawn this morning, and our strategy has been planned. Please, my dear, just this once, please do as you are told. I know that it will be very hard for you, but it is imperitive.

The reason for such precision is because timing is essential. We have received yet another message from Calypso instructing us as to what we need to do. All I ask is that you simply do as you are told, do not ask questions, and please trust us. Since my successor has been named and has accepted duty, once I step off of the Dutchman today, time will be of the very essence... we must have the Dead Man's Chest and my heart as quickly as possible... this is not a certain thing, my love, and if we do not carry it through as Calypso instructs, I could be doomed, so please... please... do whatever you are instructed to do.

My replacement might surprise you... or perhaps not. Calypso has chosen James Norrington. He arrived before dawn, just after the Black Pearl did, and I explained to him what was being offered to him. He accepted almost immediately. Due to his death being adjacent to when I took captaincy of the Dutchman, he would be among the last that I would have ferried across. Otherwise, I had almost cleared up all of the disarray left behind by Davy Jones... unless there is war, over the last several month, I have finally been able to correct the things that have been undone for so long. James has been ever the gentleman, and was most gratified and honored that the commission, as he called it, was offered (once a Navy man, always a Navy man was the way that he put it, although I believe that Gibbs, Pintel and Ragetti might argue). James has agreed to take the helm in my stead; even in death, many need purpose.

The conditions are such as these, my darling, and I do think that it is a very, very small price to pay to ensure our future together... as mortals, I do not know what our future holds, except that we are known pirates, but at least we will be together. I am required to serve only upon James' request, and only in an advisory capacity, so that order may be maintained in the manner which I and my father set forth. I shall serve in short terms, only, but I must be ready to help James, when requested, for the ten years that I was originally to serve. At the end of the ten years, I shall be free from the Dutchman permenantly.

James' terms are that he is to serve for ten years, and if he has fulfilled his duties to Calypso's approval, he shall be given his life back! I thought that this was a most generous offer, and James has agreed. He has already said that his family owns a shipyard in England, and would like to return there. He looks fairly well, Elizabeth, but there is an utter and overwhelming sadness about him that taking this position seems to have lightened. He almost looked as he did on the Dauntless, when he took the wheel of the Dutchman... he was so proud, and you would have been proud of him. He is a good man... he was just mislead by the dark side of ambition, as Jack had observed long ago, but who among us is not, sometimes? None of us is unfailingly noble, only painfully human.

And another thing, my love... as much as I know you would like to talk to him once we are together, you cannot... James still loves you... and that restriction still stands... the Captain of the Flying Dutchman may have no contact with the one that he loves for ten years. I'm sorry over that, as I know you will be. He is resigned to this, and knows that he has lost you, but he knows that he did the right thing when he commited himself to saving your life and losing his. He has said that if he is called to a different fate, then he accepts it and will move on with his destiny.

On a glad note, James has already asked my father to stay on as first mate. Father was very pleased, as he knows the Dutchman through and through, and he cannot join us. He can visit us for short times, and I will be able to see him when I am called for service by James, so we are very fortunate! We will finally be a family, my darling!

I am writing this on the very same morning that you will read it... I want you to pack your things, my love, and be ready upon the beach later today. Bring the Dead Man's Chest with you... and please... for me... just do as you are requested to do... for us.

Until tonight, when we are united forever,

All of my love,

Your Will

Elizabeth had packed her sea bag almost immediately. She had no need for fripperies... that part of her life was over with forever. She had been through so much, had lost so much, had learned so much, that she felt as though she was a completely different woman than she had been even only a year ago. She left behind many things, including her Chinese silks and brocades... her trappings as the former captain of the Empress.

She kept looking out at the sun in the sky, and as it kept creeping along its celestial path, she became more and more nervous. What did Will mean when he kept saying that she must do as she was told without question? Who was she to answer to that it might be so hard? Why was he so worried about it? She did not know, and the more that she worried, the more nervous she became. She paced... her heart was beating faster and faster as the time seemed to nearly stop.

Elizabeth finally knew that it was time. She took a final look around the little cottage on the China Sea, picked up her sea bag and the beautiful gold and mahogany chest, which she had placed inside of a plain blanket, and walked down the path to the beach. Her heart leaped into her throat when she finally caught sight, about two miles out, of the unmistakable outline of the Black Pearl...

...it seemed like an eternity had passed, and Elizabeth had paced a trench into the sand... she was so nervous that she felt as though her own heart would burst. She wrung her hands, she fretted, she kept putting her ear to the chest to hear the heart of her beloved beating, faster and stronger than ever before... she tried to calm down, but with each moment that passed, her nerves became more tightly wound... why did Will doubt that she would do whatever it took? She had promised to protect the chest... she had promised.

Finally, she strained her eyes to look up to the ship and her heart nearly leaped out of her throat. She could see a longboat. She shaded her eyes with her hand, and could finally see the frantic rowing of the crew of the Black Pearl. The time was here... and at the front of the boat, rowing hard with an additional oar, was a determined Captain Jack Sparrow...

As the crew scrambled out of the longboat, Jack fairly leaped from the bow, breathing hard and wobbly, and said, "As much as I would love t' stand an' pass th' time o' day wif ye, Mrs. Turner, I have need o' th' chest, if ye please..."

Elizabeth stared at him... "Jack? You are taking the chest back to the ship?" Jack knew that this was a bad idea, but Bill was to stay with William...

"Yes, darling, please give me..."

Elizabeth felt her nerves finally beginning to fray... she had held out for so long..."Jack... I want to trust you... I need to trust you... but I swore to guard it with my life... how can I know that you will do the same?" Jack's eyes grew wide and his mouth popped open in surprise. But then he looked into this frightened, loyal girl's eyes, and saw the turmoil behind them... he was a pirate, and even though he had done the right thing so many times, she still doubted him. If there had been time, perhaps his feeling might have been stung...but Elizabeth loved William so much and was still trying not to let go of what little she actually had of him... she was not thinking clearly...

Elizabeth's voice was starting to go up an octave, and tears were starting to sting. She had been so true to Will, and had taken such care...she clutched the chest, in its blanket, to herself, holding it tightly and backing away from Jack. The heart inside was beating against her, strong and true. Gibbs and the crew watched in horror as the girl was starting to shake uncontrollably.

"Elizabeth! PLEASE!" Jack was almost begging, his hands held out in front of him, and his eyes widening. "William told you to..."

"No! I...I... I thought it would be Bootstrap...I'll take it myself!"

"Bill is wif his son, on th' Pearl! Elizabeth! Listen t' me!" Jack finally was able to grab her by her shoulders and, for the first time ever, he directed hot impatience at her. "Every moment tha' we waste arguing is takin' time from William's life! You cannot go t' him! You must give me th' chest, or hold th' responsibility o' yer husband's demise in your hands!"

"NO!" Elizabeth went into hysterics, clutching her husband's very life against her body... she finally broke free of Jack's grasp, and bolted down the beach, with Jack in hot, desperate pursuit.

No one could deny that Jack Sparrow was able to almost fly on his feet... he was one of the fasted runners that ever lived, in his own estimation, and had proven it many times during his many years as a pirate. He was easily able to overtake the tearful Elizabeth, but did not expect what would come next...

Elizabeth, in her desperate and distraught bid to jump into the longboat and go to the Pearl herself, swung the chest around with a vengeance, and cracked Jack Sparrow squarely in the jaw... it struck so hard that he was flung completely around, and crumpled to the sand...

To be continued...