If you didn't see the short bit that I added onto the end of Chapter 14, go back and read that first. I meant to put that on there in the first place, but accidentally left it off when I typed it up.

Don't hate me for this. Even I can't write fluff forever without something happening, therefore, something is happening. Author's prerogative.

Chapter 15

~Two Hours Earlier~

Will sat in his usual spot at the Pearl, fidgeting nervously, his foot shaking rapidly back and forth as he drummed his fingers on the bar top.

Jack watched him for a moment, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "Wha's th' matter wi' you?"

Will shook his head. "Nothing." He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small box. "I'm asking her to marry me. Tonight." He glanced at his watch. "In just a couple hours, probably."

"Ah."

"I asked her to meet me here. I'm surprising her and taking her to Riverview. Just like our first date."

"When's she gettin' 'ere?"

"Soon. In about five minutes, I guess."

"You migh' wanna put tha' ring away, then, unless yer backup plan is t' propose righ' 'ere in th' middle of th' bar."

Will looked down at the box that he hadn't realized was still in his hand, and quickly shoved it back into his pocket. "Right. Thanks."

"What're you so nervous for, anyways?"

Will shrugged. "I don't know. Doesn't everyone get nervous before they propose?"

"No."

"Oh."

"'s not like she's gonna say no."

"You sure?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "'Course I'm sure, yeh bloody idiot! I ain' blind!"

Will managed a slight grin. "Thanks, Jack."

"Yer welcome. Now calm down, fer cryin' out loud. I'm gettin' jumpy jus' lookin' a' you."

"You sure that's not just all the alcohol in your system?" Will asked wryly.

"Alcohol's a narcotic, not a stimulant."

Will stared at him, pretending to be shocked. "You used big words, Jack! Good for you!"

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"Soon as Lizzy walks through tha' door, I'll tell 'er yer gonna propose."

"…you suck, Jack."

"Love yeh, mate."

Will's sarcastic retort was preempted by Elizabeth's timely arrival.

"'ey, Lizzy!" Jack said cheerfully. "You'll never guess wha' Will's gonna do – "

Will kicked him.

Elizabeth moved to stand next to him, playing with his hair. "Why? What's Will gonna do?"

He grinned innocently up at her as she ran her fingers through his curls. "Absolutely nothing. Ready to go?"

"Sure. But where are we going?"

"You'll see," Will said mysteriously, giving her the charming smile she loved so much. He picked up two helmets off the stool next to him, handing one to Elizabeth. "You'll need this."

"Fair enough," she grinned.

"See you, Jack!" Will called back over his shoulder as they left.

"See ya, idiot."

Outside, Elizabeth carefully slipped the helmet on over her hair. "So what on earth was Jack trying to tell me you're going to do?"

"Nothing, really," Will insisted, swinging onto his bike. "He was just being an idiot, as usual." Elizabeth slid onto the bike behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Ready?"

She hugged him. "Ready."

Then the engine roared as the bike and its two riders pulled away from the curb and shot off down the street.

Elizabeth squeezed Will's hand as they walked together along the banks of the Thames, just as they had after their first date.

"This is so perfect, Will," she said softly, moving in close to lean her head against his shoulder.

He slipped his hand out of hers so he could wrap his arm around her, pulling her against him and kissing the top of her head. "Good," he answered just as quietly. "I was hoping it would be."

She looked up at him, the moonlight shining in her eyes and on her hair. "I love you."

He smiled. "I love you."

She returned his smile as they came to a stop, stepping into his arms and pressing against his chest. He held her tightly, his heart beating slightly faster as he thought about the contents of the small box in his jacket pocket.

"Do you know how to dance?" he asked suddenly, needing to break the silence somehow before she noticed his increased heart rate.

Elizabeth raised her head to look up at him. "Only a little. My father wanted me to learn, but I never put much effort into it."

"I bet I can teach you."

Elizabeth giggled. "Out here?"

"Why not? We're alone, it's moonlit and romantic… I'd say it's rather the perfect time for a dancing lesson."

"Doesn't dancing usually involve music?" she asked, smiling.

He grinned back confidently. "You underestimate me. Didn't you know that I – " He stopped suddenly, looking around. "Did you hear something?"

Elizabeth gave a slight, involuntary shiver. "I don't know, maybe. It was probably just a stray cat or something."

Will peered into the darkness for a moment. "Yeah… you're probably – "

A dark shape stepped out of the shadows of a nearby alleyway. It was definitely a person. Will squinted slightly, trying to make out distinguishing features. He couldn't make anything out, but already a heavy wait seemed to have settled in his stomach. Then the person took another step forward, and the dim light hit his face. He was very young, staring at them with wide, frightened eyes.

Will's sense of apprehension grew stronger still as he watched the boy. London at night, he thought, silently reprimanding himself, not always the best idea. Damn it.

Then the boy spoke in a quavering voice. "G-give me your wallet."

You have got to be kidding. I'm supposed to be proposing right now.

The boy made a sudden movement, tugging something from the waistband of his torn, dirty jeans. The moonlight gleamed coldly on the metal barrel of a handgun.

"I said give me your wallet!" He sounded absolutely terrified.

Will didn't move. Scared and holding a gun. That's a fantastic combination. Really fantastic. Some detached part of his mind vaguely wished that he had a sword. You'd think I was born in the eighteenth century. Why is a sword the only weapon I know how to use?

For a long moment, the only movement from any of the three was the boy's hand shaking as he tried to hold the gun steady.

And then, without warning, an explosion of sound shattered the silence of the night: a siren blared suddenly from a nearby street, and, startled, the boy's finger squeezed the trigger, firing three bullets in rapid succession.

He was aiming at Elizabeth.

There was no time to think. Will's subconscious could see the entire situation in slow motion, but there was no time for anything but his instincts to catch up. There was only time to move, if he could do it fast enough. And every muscle in his body was screaming at him to move.

Instinct kicked in. Without quite knowing what he was doing, he pushed himself into Elizabeth, shoving her to one side –

There was time to move, but not enough. Not time to move enough.

He stumbled backwards, reeling as if he had taken a punch. He felt something solid behind him, a wall, and leaned against it, his legs suddenly not strong enough to support his weight. Everything was so blurry all of a sudden. Why couldn't he focus? Elizabeth was close to him – right next to him, he realized – and she seemed to be speaking, to be saying something to him, but he couldn't make out the words.

What's happening to me…?

He slid to the ground, too weak and dizzy to remain upright any longer. And then he made the mistake of looking down.

His chest was covered in blood. He blinked, struggling to make some kind of sense of the mass of red, and suddenly remembered the bullets. Three of them. Three bullets, shooting through the air at terrifying speed.

Coming toward him.

Three bullets coming toward him. Three.

He couldn't breathe. It was a startling moment, this sudden realization that his lungs were not – could not – take in enough air. He gasped, trying to force them to work, to give him the oxygen that he so desperately craved, and he got a little bit – just a tiny bit – but still, it was air. Then he tasted blood, his mouth and throat were full of it, and he coughed violently –

That was when the pain hit him. He had never felt anything like it in his life, this burning, overwhelming pain that obscured every other feeling. He gasped again, and the movement sent extra spasms of agony through his chest.

Elizabeth.

He knew she had been there before, but he couldn't find her now.

Oh, God, where are you? I need you, Elizabeth, it hurts so bad –

"Will!"

Her voice broke suddenly through his stupor, through the haze of pain that clouded his senses. He blinked, looking up at her, finding her scared face through the fog. He tried to reach for her, for hold onto her, but he was slipping sideways against the wall, and she lowered him to the ground so that he was lying flat on his back.

"Will, I'm so sorry – I have to try to slow the bleeding." She pressed down on the wounds, and he cried out in pain. She brushed a hand against his face briefly before returning it to his chest. "I'm sorry."

His mouth filled with blood again and he coughed, dimly aware of the small drops of bright red that suddenly spattered the wall next to his face.

He was scared. He didn't know what would happen, but it didn't seem like it could be anything good. He needed to talk to Elizabeth, had to tell her that he loved her, but he couldn't. He was half-choking on the blood again, and the words wouldn't come.

"Will!" It was Elizabeth's voice again. "Come on, look at me! You're going to be all right! Will…" Her voice broke, and he realized faintly that she was crying. "You have to be all right."

His vision was fading at the edges, the blackness obscuring the sky, the alley walls, Elizabeth's face. He was so scared…

The last thing he remembered was Elizabeth close to him, her hand caressing the side of his face.

"Stay with me, Will…"

Because it's fluff, but it's fluff that wants to make a vague attempt to follow the movies, kinda-sorta.

Review if you still love me...?