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There is a beauty that breathes within the break down of one's own wishes. A life that you deem perfect shatters before you and yet…those pieces of glass sparkle like diamonds of every hue before you, upon a sun shifting through the dark clouds. That beauty has many names, christened in different languages and known since the beginning of time.

That beauty is Change.

Her hands worked gracefully above the basin, washing fresh apples with such serenity. Years ago, those hands had been scrubbing hard against her blade, forcing the stains of blood from its steel with a scowl. But those times had gone away and now...things had changed. And for the better.

Though her morning sickness did not support that notion.

A sigh breathed past her lips as once again, her loosely braided hair dipped into the waters, a wet hand placing the braid over her back yet once more. "I have to cut this bloody hair whether he wants me to or not." A small glare, fueled by her irritation, appeared but the light laughter from down the hall dispersed all negativity from her.

Which reminded her….

Setting the group of red apples, including two green apples, into a bowl on the table carved by a friend of theirs (as a wedding gift for some reason), Anamaria grabbed a knife and began to cut a green apple into quarters. Also adding the traditional statement, that would always come at this time of day; "I hope you're getting ready for your bath, Juliet Marie!" It was a calm calling out, one that usually made the receiver of the comment groan in exasperation.

But that day was different.

A fit of loud giggles perked her attention and despite what she knew was probably going on, Ana now was curious as to what was truly happening. Grabbing the bowl after throwing away the peels, the slightly unbalanced woman wobbled down the hall, heading towards a room where the door was slightly ajar and light among a blur of bright colors flashed through.

"You look wonderful!"

"Do I, now?"

Whatever lay behind that door, the conversation only stirred more curiosity in Anamaria as she reached out to push the door gently open. "What are you two d---" and broke into shocked laughter.

There before her sat a grown man wearing more than his simple touch of eyeliner. Vibrant red and pink lines stretched from his cheeks to his forehead, blotched hearts were drawn with eyeliner right in between his eyes and just a touch of powder upon his nose. A wonderful sight indeed!

"Jack, have you seen yourself?" Ana asked, trying her hardest to stifle the laughter that had her giggling to no ends.

Jack Sparrow, Captain Jack Sparrow, looked more like a horrible strumpet who had somehow managed to be trampled over by a herd of horses and lipstick. His eyes remained close as his darling make-up artist was currently working on putting purple eye shadow on his right eye. At the sound of her mother's voice, Juliet Marie Sparrow looked towards where she was and smiled a toothy grin.

"Mommy look at daddy! Isn't he pretty!" She giggled happily, standing steady on the bed with her father's hand around her little waist. Done with that section of his colored face, the little Sparrow climbed out of the bed and dashed to where her boxes of make-up lay open and splattered all over the vanity and floor; Aunt Elizabeth had given her so many appliances for her 5th birthday that year.

"He's going to be beautiful!" Juliet clapped her hands excitedly as brown eyes framed with long lashes looked over what she hadn't used on her darling father yet.

Jack opened his own dark pair and smirked at Anamaria's still-giggling figure. "It's the latest fashion in England."

Standing up to his full height, he moved towards his lover and removed the bowl from her duties, a kiss pressed gently upon her soft lips before doing so. For a moment, he wanted to press against her body and deepen the soft touch but there lay a physical boundary and he looked down to it, eyes gleaming at the sight. "And how's my other little pirate doing?" A hand tenderly lay against her large belly, smiling softly before he found Ana pouting.

Placing the bowl on a dresser, Jack chuckled at her softened features. "What? He is a pirate."

"We're not to say the P-word in front of her, Jack," came her motherly response but it faded when his lips moved to hers once more and he smirked that catty grin of his. "Well he stole the ship I'm normally in and I do want in…" The low voice caused her eyes to widen, a small smile playing on her lips before she pushed past him playfully. "Jack!"

"Daddy c'mere, c'mere!" Juliet rushed to him, Jack crouching down to reach her eye-level. In her little hand, he noticed, was grasped a bottle of perfume and he closed his eyes before she began to spray insanely. "Now you'll smell like mommy does!"

"Only a lot more stronger." He grinned, being doused in fragrance that had the scent of...lilies was it?

"You look ready to join the circus, Jack." Ana snickered, catching a glare from her own daughter.

"Mommy, daddy looks beautiful! Don't listen to her, daddy." Looking back at her "beautiful" father, she was quickly swept into his arms as he stood up and nuzzled his face into her little body, being awarded giggles. "You're the most beautiful daddy in the world!"

"I must be, jewel of my heart. You're a brilliant artist, love. Mommy's just jealous she can't be this gorgeous." At which Ana laughed at, getting Juliet's fiery stare and Jack's grin.

"Jack you look like s---"

"Simply beyond description, I know."

"Exactly!" Ana shot back, though it was more giggled than a remark and she laid down on the mattress, still having a fit of small laughter as Jack moved over to the full-length mirror in Juliet's room and kept himself from going pale.

"You like it daddy? You look like a princess!" Inwardly, he cringed but smiled at his little girl and the embarrassment washed away when she kissed his cheek.

"You two are going to have to clean up this room before supper, looks like a hurricane came and swept up this place." Ana sighed, her giggles now gone as she looked around the room. Pink was the color Elizabeth wanted for her niece but Anamaria dreaded the color and Jack threw tantrums because he wanted blue – for no one knew the sex of the first Sparrow between the pirate couple, and poor Will was left standing with buckets of paint, snapped at for any suggestion that did not involve pink or blue. Until they all decided on sky blue. "Blue skies forever…" Ana dreamily thought, remembering the promise Jack Sparrow had whispered to her a night many years ago.

But the thought dispersed as Juliet bounced onto bed, beaming at her mom as she took a bite of out the sliced apple, daddy sitting just beside Ana now. Jack munched away on his own green apple, offering a red one to Ana but she kindly refused, knowing that eating at that time would cause a thousand symptoms at once.

"Daddy can't you stay for more than two days?" Came the random question, both parents looking to their angel with hopeful eyes, her little rosy mouth glossy with apple juice as she ate. That question seemed to always arise but it never ceased to break their hearts, for the reality of it was crushing.

Still the ever formidable Scourge of the Seven Seas, the Captain would pay visits thrice a year, each time spending two days with his loved ones. It was a bargain that compromised a lot of things but it had to be made – for Ana's safety and the children. To little Juliet, daddy was a good captain, not the famous pirate men still feared and wanted.

The lies spun were for her protection and though it hurt, it was necessary. Juliet's father was Jonathan Sparrow but everyone just called him Jack because, as her daddy said, "that's my nickname, love. Just as yours is Jewel for me." There were many more precautions but it was worth it and as they looked to their daughter, locks of wild dark hair, big brown eyes, Jack's mouth but Ana's nose and the lightest of tan shades, Jack and Anamaria would play the game of pretend for as long as it took.

"Daddy has a lot of people that want to see their families too, Julie. So he can't really stay for longer than two days because it would not be fair to keep all the other daddies away from their children." Ana smiled faintly, knowing Jack was speechless to her question for it bloody hurt to have his kid ask why he was never home.

But the answer sufficed as Juliet made an O with her lips and nodded, "Okay…but will you be here for Christmas?" She looked to her clown-looking daddy and watched him grin, welcoming her into his arms as she nestled between her parents.

"Of course, love! This year, I'll be home for Christmas."

"Promise?" She pouted, staring into the depths of her father's eyes.

"I promise. And you know that what Captain Jack Sparrow promises," and she smiled and intervened, "Captain Jack Sparrow does!"

A little hand hugged Ana's fingers, Juliet now turning to her beautiful mother and beamed. "Mommy, can I put make-up on you now?"

"Yes, love. And look like a ravishing princess, like me." Jack smirked, grinning as Anamaria broke out in laughs again.

Which only made Juliet defend her father once more, "Mommy! Daddy looks beautiful!"

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DISCLAIMER: The characters from Pirates of the Caribbean belong to Disney, I own nothing but ideas and my little character, Juliet Marie Sparrow © AB Firestar. The characters from belong to Disney, I own nothing but ideas and my little character, Juliet Marie Sparrow © AB Firestar.

A/N: Finally, a one-shot! And I hope it's something you as the reader enjoyed! If Anamaria seems too bubbly, do forgive me – she is, after all, pregnant and God knows pregnant women act funny at times. I doubt she'd be in a bad mood when the love of her life comes home for possibly the second time in the year and he's just being a wonderful father. Well, that's all I wanted to say!

--- AB Firestar