But he was too giddy with new love, too excited with the prospect of his wedding to pay Jack’s mood much attention. Captain Sparrow was there, and that was the important part, right?

Jack stayed with him, on his own invitation, and Will never thought to protest it. He hid Jack from Norrington when necessary, though he didn’t fool himself into believing that Norrington didn’t know. The man turned a blind eye, and for that he was grateful.

The night it happened, Jack was there for him. Elizabeth came to him in tears and explained that she was in love with another man. Will listened somberly and then told her that he had no right to stand between her and happiness. He sent her off into Norrington’s arms without so much as a tear shed.

When he returned to the small home that he was sharing now with Jack, there was a bottle of rum already sitting on the table. Jack sat there, looking at him with uncharacteristically sad eyes and motioned for him to sit down.

Much of that evening was a blur, but there was one scene that Will remembered vividly. He’d asked Jack, after a full bottle of rum, and rather a lot of drunken singing, why he’d stayed.

“You obviously miss the sea and the Pearl,” Will said, gesturing widely with one arm. “Why don’t you just go back to her?”

Jack smiled and said, “There’s something I want more, and I’m not willing to leave it behind. Not yet. G’night, William.” He stood up then, and left, leaving Will to his rum and his singing, alone in the lamplight.

With the wedding no longer anything but a passing memory, Will assumed that Jack would leave. What, after all, could be keeping the pirate from the sea he so obviously missed?

Will left the issue alone for at least a week. He got up every morning and went to the forge, where he worked until dark, laboriously hammering and molding the finest weapons available. But all the while, Jack stayed on his mind.

It might have continued on like that indefinitely, if it were not for the day Will came home early. Jack was not in the house, and Will had a sneaking suspicion he knew where he might be. He followed his instincts, and found Jack sitting atop a bluff overlooking the ocean. He was singing sadly and softly to himself, “Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me...” There was a bottle of rum in his hand.

“Jack,” Will said softly. Jack’s head snapped around quickly at the sound of Will’s voice.

“Will, m’boy. What’re you doing back so early?” He staggered to his feet and stared.

“Jack, why are you still here? Why, really?” Will’s tone brooked no argument, nor any possibility of evasion.

Jack sighed, and seemed to deflate a bit. “I’m here because of this.” He leaned forward and kissed Will full on the lips. Startled, Will’s eyes flew open.

Jack pulled away after only a second. “So you see, I can’t return to my beloved Pearl, not without you.” And with that, he grabbed his bottle of rum and sauntered down the bluff towards town, casual as ever.

“Jack, wait!” Will ran after the pirate. Jack stopped and turned to face him, waiting for Will to come to a breathless halt in front of him.

“I’m ready, Jack. Let’s go home.” Will grabbed Jack after only a moment’s hesitation, and kissed him as hard as he could. He thought, for once, that he finally understood.

And of course, the Pearl would always be waiting for them.