FicWad

Elizabeth tucked the baby into her arms and kissed its forehead as we sat in her parlor. Giving me a curious look, Elizabeth asked, "How did you come about having James' child? To be honest, I would've guessed it was Lord Beckett's child." Elizabeth said the last bit with a strange expression on her face, obviously remembering the scene at Beckett's office when she had tried to get the pardon letters signed and had found us making out behind the desk. That had been awkward.

"James and I are married," I explained, giving her a small smile. The news took Elizabeth completely off guard. She stared at me in shock for a few minutes before she confirmed, "Wait, you and James got married?" I nodded, waiting for her reaction. To be honest, she was actually quite happy. Throwing her arms around me, she said, "Congratulations!"

"Thanks," I said in an emotionless tone. Sensing I wasn't so happy about the marriage situation, Elizabeth took a step back and examined my face carefully. Finally, she asked, "You didn't want to marry James, did you?" Well, it wasn't exactly that I didn't want to marry James. Part of me did love James. It was just that I loved someone else much more.

"Let me guess," Elizabeth said in a wry tone. "You wanted to marry Lord Beckett instead, didn't you?" Seeing no point in denying it, I went ahead and nodded, but continued to avoid her eye. To my surprise, Elizabeth was very sympathetic. She set the baby down on the sofa and came over to hug me tightly. I hadn't cried for days, but now the tears came. They slowly dribbled down my face and then started pouring down my cheeks faster and faster. I had held my emotions in for a while, but now they had to come out.

"It's so hard when you love someone and they don't love you back," Elizabeth soothed, holding me close to her. By now, I figured she had forgiven me for the pardon letters incident. Nodding, I agreed, "Yes, it is pretty awful. I suppose you've never had that problem. You're so beautiful and perfect. Everyone likes you. I'm just a mess."

"A mess?" Elizabeth echoed before she shook her head. "No, you're not a mess. You might be a bit different than most girls, but that's not a bad thing. People do like you, Jenna. I like you. James must love you. Just because one man doesn't want you does certainly not mean you're a mess. You're still my best friend even after everything we've been through."

Elizabeth's words surprised me. She still considered me her best friend? She was so kind. Giving her a slight smile through my tears, I replied, "Thank you. You're still my best friend too. Why does the man I love most have to be the one who doesn't want me though? I'd give anything to be with him and yet, he wants nothing to do with me now."

"I honestly don't know, Jenna," Elizabeth replied. "I can't exactly see Lord Beckett getting into a serious relationship with a woman though, can you? He's always so cold and hard. I don't even know what you see in him." Elizabeth made a face, obviously remembered the way he had ordered her father to be killed. Okay, so maybe he wasn't perfect, but still.

"I love him though," I replied. Elizabeth sighed, knowing she was not going to win the battle this time. Giving up, she decided to try a different tactic and asked, "What about James? You have James as a loving and loyal husband. Why do you need more? I have Will and I'm fully satisfied. I never feel any attraction towards any other men anymore."

"We're on the Flying Dutchman going to the afterlife, Lizzy," I told her with a pointed look. Elizabeth stared at me in confusion, obviously not understanding what happened on the way to the afterlife. Sighing, I explained, "You start to lose your mind and your memory after you've been on the Dutchman for a while. You forget your past life, your loved ones, and everything really. Your mind goes blank and clear so you can move on to the afterlife. It's very sad to watch. James doesn't even recognize me."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Elizabeth burst out, looking very sad at the news. "I didn't realize that's what happens on the Dutchman. I hate to change the subject and all, but have you seen Will?" Elizabeth peered up at me hopefully, obviously missing her husband. Of course she did though. It must be rather awful to live all alone on some island in the middle of nowhere.

"He's doing quite well," I told Elizabeth. "I've spoken to him quite a bit. He misses you and told me to send his love." At my words, Elizabeth broke into a smile, looking very happy indeed. Still grinning broadly, she replied, "Isn't that nice? He really is a wonderful husband. I'm so sorry you weren't able to have been married longer. James would've been a good husband for you."

I nodded along in agreement, but deep inside, I knew that I would never really be happy unless I was with Beckett. Beckett was the man my heart wanted and the heart does not compromise. Abruptly, Elizabeth glanced up at the clock and exclaimed, "You've been here for almost thirty minutes. You should probably get back to the Dutchman now, I suppose. I don't want this visit to screw things up for you. I'm going to miss you so much though. It's sad thinking this is the last time we'll ever see each other."

We gave one last hug and I started towards the door. As I turned the doorknob, I turned back to Elizabeth to peer at the little bundle lying on the sofa. Stepping out the door, I asked Elizabeth, "You will take care of her, won't you?" Elizabeth nodded and gave me a reassuring smile, "Of course I will. You know I love children. Now hurry! I don't want you to be late."

Nodding, I gave my daughter and Elizabeth one last look before turning and sprinting back to the ship. My toes oozed into the sand, trying to suck me downwards as I ran. Finally, panting and sweating, I reached the Dutchman and scurried back up to the deck. Holding a stitch in my side, I collapsed on the deck and looked around for Will, asking, "Did I make it?"

Will wasn't next to me a moment before, but suddenly he was by my side. Squinting, I wondered how he had gotten there and then remembered that he was captain of the Dutchman and could therefore do strange things that nobody else could do. Smiling down at me, Will offered a hand to help me up and nodded, "Yes, just in time too. I was getting a bit worried. How is Elizabeth?"

"She's doing well," I panted. "She sure loves you a lot." At that comment, Will smiled and his eyes seemed to twinkle. Will and Lizzy were so lucky to have each other. Abruptly, Will turned to me and said, "We're about to reach the afterlife, but I think I have an alternative solution. Go find James. I'm going to get Lord Beckett. Meet me back up here in a few minutes."

Without explaining to me what was going on, Will vanished below deck. Not understanding at all, I shrugged my shoulders and went off to find James. Trudging down the stairs, I contemplated what kind of mood James was going to be in. He hadn't recognized me in a month now. Would he even notice that there was a woman in the room with him?

Going to James' cabin, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. James was sitting on the bed when I entered. Cautiously, I approached him and asked, "James?" At the sound of my voice, James looked up. To my surprise, James' eyes were not at all glazed. Looking excited to see me, James replied, "Jenna! It's great to see you." He stood up and hugged me.

Realizing that James was probably acting this way because of Will, I figured we didn't have much time. As much as I was enjoying his embrace, I broke out of it and waved him up to the deck, saying, "Will needs to speak to us. Come on!" Looking curious as to what was going on, James took my hand and followed after me obediently as we walked back up to the deck.

Will and Beckett were already there. Beckett had his nose in the air and was making a pointed effort not to look at me. When Will saw James and me approaching, he smiled and said, "Alright, here we all are. I'm not quite sure if anyone has ever done this before, but I am captain of the Dutchman and I assume I can do what I like. The three of you died from unnatural causes, am I right?"

We all thought about it and nodded in agreement. After all, James had been stabbed to death, Beckett had been burned to death, and I had been drowned. Will went on, saying, "Since none of you were suppose to die so soon, I can perhaps give you a second chance. Instead of passing on, you can go backwards. This means you can be reborn."

"Reborn?" I echoed, rather confused. "What's that mean?" Will went on to explain, "It means exactly what it sounds like. Instead of passing on, you are reborn. When you awake next, you will be an infant back in Port Royal or perhaps elsewhere. This is a rather good alternative to death and I would recommend that you take it." Will looked at all of our faces.

"Will I remember any of my past life if I'm reborn?" I asked Will curiously, raising an eyebrow. Will frowned and shrugged, "I'm not completely sure. You might or you might not. There's not much I can do about that." There was a silence while we all thought. James looked curious, Beckett looked thoughtful, and I wasn't sure what to do.

"I can send you all back together," Will suggested. "You'll all be born in the same area that way. I mean, like you'll all be born in Port Royal. What would you all like to do?" There was a long pause and Beckett shook his head and said, "I don't believe it would be best of us all to go back together. Perhaps I could go back on my own and you could send the others back together?"

Basically, Beckett was trying to say politely that he didn't want anything to do with me. Unable to help myself, I stepped towards him and put my hands on his chest. Searching his eyes, I murmured, "Why? Don't you want to come back to Port Royal with us?" Eyes falling to my hands, Beckett pushed them away and replied, "I was born in England, not Port Royal."

Before this could turn into a scene, Will said, "Alright then. I shall send you back first, Lord Beckett, and then I will send the rest of you back. Now, come over here and stand in that little patch of light." Looking at Will a little suspiciously, Beckett went to stand in a little patch of light that was streaming down from the heavens and onto the deck.

"Close your eyes," Will ordered Beckett. Looking like he would rather do anything else but take orders from a lowly blacksmith, Beckett sighed and closed his eyes. Will shut his eyes as well and screwed up his face as if he were concentrating on something. Suddenly, there was a flash of green light and Beckett disappeared. There was nothing left where he had been standing.

Opening his eyes back up, Will looked excited, "Great! It worked. Alright, now it's your turn." Exchanging slightly nervous looks, James and I walked forwards into the patch of light. I felt some kind of strange power running through my veins as the light poured down on us. My hand clasped with James' and I said one last, "I love you."

"You know I love you as well," James smiled down at me affectionately. "I'm certain I'll remember you in the next life." Before I could say anything, Will told us to close our eyes. Squeezing them shut, I waited. All of the sudden, there was a stretching and then a shrinking feeling. I felt myself tumbling upwards and then falling downwards into a pit of blackness...

When I awoke, I wasn't in my own bed. No, I was hanging in midair by my feet. Wondering what the hell was going on, I looked around curiously. Abruptly, someone slapped my ass. I started crying as I heard a woman's voice say, "Congratulations, Mrs. Smith, it seems you've given birth to a very healthy little girl. Here she is." Someone picked me up and put my against something warm.

Ah, so it had worked. Will was right. I had gone back to the real world as a little infant. I would start all over again. That was the last thought I had of my previous life. Suddenly, my mind had been wiped blank and I thought exactly like a little child did. James, Beckett, and my life before were swept away and thrown into the darkest corners of the mind that nobody ever explores.