As the year went on, William seemed to grow and understand more of his surroundings every day. He brought great joy to Elizabeth, and she no longer became depressed in front of others as often as she used to.

Everyone noticed a change in Jack as well. He wasn't himself anymore, and a better version of him had appeared that one that no one had ever seen.

Despite all of the changes, Elizabeth still understood Jack. She knew that he was still the same as he was before in a lot of ways. Jack had simply learned to love and live for something other than the sea, and Elizabeth was proud of him for that.

One early morning, Elizabeth was standing on the deck and leaning against the ledge. They had made port in Singapore late the night before, and Jack had sent the crew out to buy supplies. He was playing with William at a short distance from Elizabeth. Jack had taken off his belt and coat with all the weapons attached. William had a fondness for weapons, and Jack didn't want him to get hurt. Despite not even knowing how to walk yet, William was still very adventurous and independent

Jack gently stood William up by taking both of his small hands from behind. As Jack let him get his balance, he looked up at Elizabeth. She was staring into the sunrise with her back turned to him.

"Elizabeth," he spoke. She turned around and gave him a skeptical look, but kneeled down and opened up her arms, smiling at her son.

Jack helped William toddle a few steps while standing over him, still holding onto his hands.

"The kid sure has a strong grip for only being a year old," Jack thought.

Jack slowly let go of William's hands, putting himself protectively behind him in case William fell.

William suddenly gave an alarmed look and reached up, gripped the air, and fell backwards a bit. Jack caught William with his hand to steady him again. In the past he had just picked him up and said maybe next time William would get it, but this time Jack kept him going.

With his mother's loving smiles and Jack's words ("Come on William, ya gotta be able to walk before you can sword fight! Look at mum there, see her? Go on!") ,William took hesitant steps forward until he fell into his mother's hug.

Jack leaned against the deck's edge with his arms crossed and looked at William. He spoke to Elizabeth with a knowing smirk, saying "What did I tell you? He'd be walking in no time! I knew he could do it."

"He still needs to start talking though," Elizabeth said as Jack put his hat and coat back on.

"Never satisfied, are you?" Jack accused as he walked over to William and her. "Alright then," he said, taking William from Elizabeth's arms and setting both himself and the toddler down in the middle of the deck. Elizabeth joined them with a doubting smirk.

Jack pointed at Elizabeth, "Mum."

William gave him a confused look.

Jack let out a groan. "Come on, we've been over this a million times! "Mum." He pointed back at William "Mmm…"

William giggled and copied Jack. "Mmm…"

"uuu…" Jack continued.

"aaa…uuu…"

"ummm," Jack ended.

"ummm."

"Mum," Jack repeated.

William simply gurgled and clapped his hands excitedly as he smiled up at Jack.

Elizabeth sighed and took the tricorne hat from Jack's head. She turned William to face her.

"Hat," she said, offering it to him to touch.

William touched the hat curiously then grabbed it from his mother's hands. Placing it on his head, he giggled when it fell over his face. He played with his toes, rocking back and forth.

Elizabeth groaned and placed her hand over her face.

Smiling at this, Jack remarked, "Can't expect him to learn it all in one day, can you?"

"I won't be surprised if his first word is rum." Elizabeth replied sarcastically, giving Jack an accusing look. "Please, let's teach him something valuable."

" 'Um!" William suddenly exclaimed, clapping his hands together.

"Well, now he knows his mum, doesn't he?" Jack said, smiling.

"What are you talking about?" Elizabeth exclaimed. "He just repeated what I said, rum!"

"No, I am positive that it was mum!" Jack argued.

"Rum!" Elizabeth challenged him.

"Mum!" Jack bickered back, lifting his hat off of William and leaning forward. "Mum," he said calmly to William.

"Mm…mum!" the toddler exclaimed as he smiled up at Elizabeth.

Jack smirked and put his hat back on his own head smugly. "Well," Jack remarked as he stood up. "As it turns out, I can at least teach him something… valuable," he said with a smirk as he walked into his cabin and closed the doors behind him.