A/N: Sorry 'bout the interruption-I edited the endings of chapters 3 and 15, and the beginning of chapter 4. The edits fit this chapter much better, and it makes more sense. Sorry again!

Letters

"'I love you, Elizabeth'…"

William was sadly reading the parchment Katara had snatched from James Norrington's house.

Katara herself stared glumly at the floor. I shouldn't have brought it, she thought miserably. I should've minded my own business…

Too late now.

"Does it say anything else, mate?" Jack asked slowly from her right.

They were in the captain's cabin back on the Pearl. Jack and Katara in seats at the table, William standing across from them, and Anamaria in the doorway.

"It's a letter," Will spat. "From him to Elizabeth."

I feel so bad for him, Katara sadly confessed, as the brokenhearted man began to read.

"'Dearest Elizabeth,

I write to you with my deepest regrets about the fight between you and William. I hear your father is proceeding to file a divorce.

From what I hear, if William does not sign the documents, but neither does he work things out between the two of you, your father will make the divorce legal in eight days' time, with no way of changing it

As sorry as I am to hear about the two of you, I cannot help but feel great pride for myself. In case you have not heard, let me be the first to inform you that I will be promoted to an Admiral in two weeks' time.

I now have enough authority to ask you what I have been saving in my heart for so long. In this letter, I will ask you, Miss Swann, once again, what I asked you so many years ago when I was made Commodore.

Elizabeth Swann…Will you marry me?'"

Will choked. Katara could see him trying to hard not to cry, and was thankful for his sake when Jack reached out and offered, "Let me read th' rest, mate."

Shaking, William handed Jack the paper. Katara listened closely as the pirate captain picked off where Will had left.

"'I have spoken with your father, and after the fight with William, he has agreed to the marriage wholeheartedly.

Unfortunately, your father refuses to give you a choice in the matter, as he observed the way your previous marriage ended.

We will be wed on the 23rd of July. I apologize deeply for the inconvenience, but know this:

I love you, Elizabeth. With all my heart.

Sincerely yours,

Admiral James Norrington.'"

Silence was kept across the room for several minutes. Finally—

"Norrington's first name is James?" Jack questioned, cocking his head.

"He can't do this!" Katara shouted suddenly. "It's just so immoral…and wrong! Elizabeth should marry who she wants, not whom her father picks! Just because the two of you had a fight doesn't mean he can—"

"Welcome to politics, love," Jack interrupted. "Lizzy's father is the governor of Port Royal. He can do whatever he wants."

"We're divorced now," Will said slowly, bringing their attention back to him. "This letter was dated four weeks ago…"

"So Norrington's Admiral, and…" Jack cocked his head once more, thinking.

Katara was suddenly hit with a feeling of dread. "Jack…what's the date? July what?"

"Bloody hell, girl, you should know I don't know the answers t' things like that—"

"July 23rd," a voice stated simply from the back of the cabin.

Everyone's heads swiveled around to see Anamaria stepping out of the shadows. "Last night we were at the mansion, and that was the 22nd…now that it's morning, it's—"

"The 23rd," everyone in the room spoke.

"Bugger."

---

A few hours later, Katara sighed and gazed at the letter resting in her hands once more.

"I love you, Elizabeth…

Will you marry me?"

Norrington was taking advantage of their fight, and his position as Admiral. He knew the governor couldn't resist an offer at more money, and a decent husband for his daughter. However, in Katara's eyes, James Norrington was far from decent.

"Jerk," she muttered, shaking her head and folding the letter…to find a scribbled patch of writing on the back.

Admiral Norrington—

I cannot express my shock at what my father has done and agreed to in my place. I suppose now, there is no other choice but to be wed.

I shall see you on the 23rd.

Elizabeth Swann

That explains how the letter ended up back at his house, Katara realized. She just sent her reply on the back of his letter.

She sat on the deck cross-legged against the port side railing of the Pearl, deep in thought, when a voice penetrated though her mind.

"Katara! Get over 'ere!"

She raised her head to locate the voice's owner, only to find Jack motioning for her to come over. He stood with an anxious Will and a grumpy Anamaria, beside the longboat on the starboard side.

Standing up, she shoved the letters in her breeches pocket and walked over. "Yes, Captain?" She asked, confused when the other three began preparing the longboat to be lowered over the side.

"You're comin' with us, love," she was told by Jack. "You're our proof, with th' letter n' all."

Sighing, Katara sat down in the small boat and held on as it swayed and was lowered over the side.

"We're not bringing th' Pearl to th' docks this time," the pirate captain told her. "Too dangerous. Easier with just us four, savvy?"

"Yes, Captain," she said absentmindedly, staring at the docks. Jack scowled at the lack of a decent answer, but continued rowing the boat toward the shore.

Half an hour later they were at the docks, tying the longboat to a pole and climbing out. Jack double-tied the last knot and stood up, turned around and grinned. "Right, then, mate—lead th' way," he motioned to Will.

The blacksmith did so, quickly, leaving enough distance between them for Katara to ask without being overheard, "Where are we going?"

"Lizzy n' Will's house, savvy?" Jack responded, dragging her along after Anamaria. "He wants t' confront 'er without a scene, I think."

He thinks. She rolled her eyes and let her belong thought the city.

They soon reached a rather large mansion set against a hill. Katara couldn't help but whistle at how grand and impressive it was; she was jealous, after living in back alleys and shacks her entire life.

Jack shrugged it off with a "Meh," and continued walking toward the Turner household.

They reached the front door after what seemed like an eternity. Despite Will's eagerness to reach the house before, he now seemed to be having second thoughts, and took his time walking to the front porch.

But if the walk there seemed long, the wait at the doorknocker seemed longer. After five minutes of standing at the door, Katara began to feel restless. Glancing at Anamaria and Jack, she noticed that she looked as bored as she felt, and the captain was entertaining himself by observing a passing butterfly that had landed on a nearby bush.

Finally, Will summoned his courage. Slowly, timidly, he raised his hand and knocked on the front door.

A set of footsteps sounded behind the door, and soon enough it opened to reveal—

"Elizabeth!" Jack welcomed. "How're things?"

She's gorgeous, Katara realized.

Blondish brown hair framed Elizabeth Swann's face, with full lips and bright eyes, making Katara jealous of the house, and its owner. She wore a simple white dress, made to look comfortable but appropriate for almost all occasions.

"Elizabeth," Will repeated, his voice cracking. A silence surrounded the five for a short time before the woman in the doorway suddenly spoke.

"Come in," Elizabeth stepped aside to allow them passage. "Before someone sees…"

They all stepped over the threshold and into the large mansion that was the Turner home. A bright chandelier hung from the tall ceiling, and a bright staircase framed with marble clung to the opposite wall. Paintings and decorations were being held against the same wall, giving the area a lived-in look.

Once inside, Elizabeth led them to another room, which looked a bit like a parlor. Katara sat on a couch, with Jack next to her, and Will next to him. Elizabeth filled a small chair.

"Yes?" she asked, her eyebrows straight, but her eyes filled with regret and sorrow. "Why are you here? My father told you never to come—"

"Elizabeth, I'm so sorry!"

Jack and Katara's eyes widened in unison as Will threw himself on the carpeted floor at his pervious wife's feet.

God, please, never let me fall in love, Katara prayed, imaging herself in Will's place and shuddering.

Suddenly, Elizabeth was crying, and wearily she choked, "No, Will…Don't be sorry…It was all my fault, and…" she picked up one of his hands and covered it with her own. "The entire fight…everything was my own fault…"

William looked up boldly, declaring, "It doesn't matter now, though…You're getting married…to Norrington."

Elizabeth didn't question how he knew. "I wish there was some way…I could just leave…"

"I may not be a genie, love, but I have a way," Jack interrupted, grinning.

Everyone looked at him, as Captain Jack Sparrow raised an eyebrow and smirked.

---

Two hours later, everyone in Port Royal was frantic. Elizabeth Swann was missing, and her wedding was in an hour. A few drunken sailors claimed they had seen the legendary Black Pearl on the horizon, but no one paid them any mind…except the bride-to-be's father.

Quickly, Governor Swann rushed back to his daughter's house. In the parlor, he found a letter addressed to him.

Dearest Father,

I apologize profoundly for what I have done, because if you are reading this, there will be no way to undo it.

I have run away, Father.

I love William Turner. And although I did not agree to the arranged marriage between me and James Norrington, thank you for allowing me to marry my beloved in the first place.

This morning, as I was readying for my second marriage…imagine my surprise when I see William, and none other than Captain Sparrow on my front porch!

They offered me a chance to run away, Father…And so I did.

I apologize. I do not love James Norrington. Please give him my deepest regrets.

Thank you, Father, for everything you have done for me…But now, it is time for me to take my life into my own hands.

I hope you can understand my decision. I hope…that you can be happy for me.

I'll love you always, Father. Never forget that.

Your Daughter,

Elizabeth Swann

Blinking back tears, Governor Weatherby Swann stood and smiled at the note in his hands.

"Go, then, my daughter," he said to an empty room. "Go with my blessings…And be happy."

---

Five hours later, Admiral James Norrington stormed into his study and slammed his door shut with his foot.

Everything had gone wrong. Elizabeth was gone. He would never be wed to her…

James picked his hat off his head and threw it against his desk, seething.

The official-looking hat hit a stack of papers atop the desk. One fluttered off the top and landed at his feet.

Sighing, he picked it up and began reading.

Dear Jamie,

Let me be quite simple. Elizabeth has taken my offer and has left Port Royal forever.

I will not speak in her place, but I feel she was uncomfortable between the arrangement you and the governor made.

I offered her an escape. And she accepted.

Know that it's nothing to do with you, of course. Honestly, I was rooting for you the whole time. But hey, the girl can get pretty ticked off when she doesn't get her way.

Farewell, newly-made Admiral. Catch you on the seas someday…Or not.

Captain Jack Spa-

A chair was thrown out the window that day.

---

William felt like the luckiest man on earth. Jack had allowed him to steer the Pearl-if only for a little while. Elizabeth was in his arms, her head leaning against his chest, and they listened to Katara and the captain yelling at each other about something-or-other.

"Do you think Father will understand?" Elizabeth lifted and turned her head to look him in the eye.

"Of course," William replied. "He's a smart man. He'll understand."

Elizabeth didn't reply for a moment. If she had stayed in Port Royal, she would have been married to a man she didn't love. Sure, noblewomen were forced to do it all the time, but she'd be damned if it happened to Elizabeth Swann!

"I love you," she murmured. "William Turner…"

She could practically feel him smiling. "I love you, Elizabeth…"

She kissed him passionately, and he responded with as much force on her lips.

Together they sailed the Black Pearl, with the wind at their backs and the sun shining brightly on their faces. They sailed to the far horizon, and never did they see Port Royal again—that part of their lives was over.

A new one was just beginning.

---

A/N: I've got so much to say, so I'll try and fit it all in.

1) I APOLOGIZE FOR THE SUPER MAJOR LACK OF UPDATES! Writer's Block sucks. I won't get into detail, but after I posted chapter 15, I wrote a 16 and 17-only to realize that they really sucked. For who-knows-how-long I though of a new idea, and finally decided on this one.

2) THANK YOU, ALL REVIEWERS! 3 (Special thanks to Devon from Gaia for screaming at me-she finally convinced me to get off my lazy ass and finish this story.)

3) Sorry for the emotional Will in this chapter. Had to happen...

4) There is about 99.9 chance I WILL NOT be making a sequel, because, to be honest, I was getting rather sick of this story. xD

5) Thanks for reading!

-RumQueen