Sinking with the Titanic, Rose ends up on a ship with the pirate Jack Sparrow and a sea goddess' diamond heart. When she tries to free the cursed Will Turner things get complicated, but falling for a dishonest pirate on rum withdrawal is an even wor...
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The voice had come from behind them, and Elizabeth turned in surprise.
"I'll replace my son." Bill Turner had already drawn his knife.
"No!" Will shook his head. "You can't! I swore I would set you free."
"I still have another ninety-odd years to serve before the mast. What difference does it make?
"But you would be bound to the Dutchman forever."
"I'm the first mate. It's my duty."
"I can't allow it." Will turned to Rose. "Take this back, I can't do that to my father. Or anyone else, for that matter." He put the box in her unresisting hands, wrapping her fingers around it. She stared at it, dumbfounded.
Elizabeth felt a tendril of fear. She had been so sure this was the day her husband would be free, but she had not anticipated his sense of justice. Of course he would not simply accept someone giving up their life for him.
Her stomach plummeted. Would their chance of happiness again be crushed?
Bill grabbed his son's shoulders, shaking him lightly. "Be reasonable, William. I'm old and got nothing else to live for. You are all I care about."
"And don't forget the baby," added Elizabeth. "It needs a father."
"Baby?" Bill's face lit up and he smiled widely. "I'll be a grandpapa?"
"Yes." Elizabeth smiled back.
"That settles it. No way am I letting you make the same mistakes as I did," said Bill, turning back to Will. "Your child shall not grow up fatherless. Take the box. Open the lid. I insist."
Elizabeth had never seen the old sailor look so stern and determined before.
"But..."
"No buts, boy. Just open it."
Will swallowed a sob and clasped his father's hands. "I'll see you in ten years. Then you shall meet your grandchild."
"Looking forward to it." There were tears in Bill's eyes too, happy tears.
Will took the box back from Rose, stroking the pearls on its surface. He resolutely squared his shoulders and took a deep breath.
"Alright. Let's see what's inside this, then." He nudged it open a small crack.
A burst of air soared out, forcing the lid wide ajar. It surrounded Will like a whirlwind, ruffling his clothes and long hair. A tendril of it caught the chest in Elizabeth's arms and its lid flung up too, revealing the pounding heart within.
The wind died down as suddenly as it had appeared and everything became entirely still.
Will unbuttoned his shirt and exposed his chest with the ugly scar over his ribs. His father carefully picked up the heart, regarding it lovingly. "A heart for a heart." He pushed it against his son's scarred skin. Right before their eyes it submerged, slowly disappearing until it was fully absorbed.
