'Hello God, it's me again. 2:00 a.m., Room 304. Visiting hours are over, time for our bedside tug of war.'
It had been six months since he saw Jocelyn and his baby girl Elizabeth. Jack looked out at sea as the view of land came closer to him. He yearned to hold Jocelyn in his arms and Elizabeth. Elizabeth must be grown by now, he thought.
"Captain were coming to Tourtuga ye want to lower the anchor and go to shore by long boats?" Gibbs asked him.
Jack nodded. "Aye, Gibbs tell them to get the boats ready."
Gibbs nodded and walked off to give the directions. Jack walked to his cabin to get a few things he picked up for his little angel. Elizabeth was seven years old now and he hadn't been there for her birthday. He wanted to make up for it, lord knows how hard he tried to get there. The weather just wouldn't allow him to. He was here now that's all that mattered now. He grabbed the necklace he bought Jocelyn and the doll baby he got Elizabeth.
"Captain the boats are ready!" Gibbs called out to him. Jack yelled for them to go on he'd be there in a moment.
He put on his jacket and hat, he grabbed his shilling bag and left the room. He got in one of the boats that had some of his crew members in. He let them row the boat to shore.
"You gonna go see Jocelyn?" Thomas asked him. Jack smiled.
"Aye, and my little girl" Jack said proudly. "You have fun now. Don't get into to much trouble."
"Aye, sir" Thomas said and tipped his hat before going off into his own direction.
Jack walked down the streets of Tourtuga. The familiar streets, he knew so well to get to his loved ones. He couldn't wait to see them, they meant the world to him and it hurt him that he couldn't be with them. He saw the house on the hill a candle in the window. Elizabeth lit the candle every night to guide him back to the house. He walked up the drive to the door and knocked lightly. It was a couple of minutes before he heard the door knob turn and saw Jocelyn with a weary look upon her beautiful features. Her face lit up with surprise when she saw him.
"Oh Jack!" She cried and hugged him tight. He smiled and picked her up and twirled her around in the air.
He put her back down, she looked at him her eyes watery.
"What's wrong luv?" he asked her. "Where's Elizabeth?"
She couldn't look into his eyes. "She's sick."
'This sleeping child between us may not make it through the night.
I'm fighting back the tears as she fights for her life.'
Jack pushed past her and ran up the stairs to Elizabeth's room. He opened the door gently as to not wake her if she was sleeping. He looked into her room and saw the candle in the window and her sleeping form in the bed. He quietly walked over to her and looked down at her.
She had her mothers dark blonde hair and his dark brown eyes. She was his little angel, he pulled up a chair next to the bed. He placed a kiss on her forehead, and outside at the door was Jocelyn looking in.
'Well, it must be kind of crowded,
On the streets of Heaven.'
Jack tucked the covers around her little form and stood up to walk outside. Jocelyn moved aside to let him by, she shut the door quietly. Jack went into their room and she followed.
"How long has she been sick?" He asked her quietly.
"A month" she said. "The doctors said she might not make it…"
Jocelyn broke out in sobs. Jack pulled her against him and let her cry into his chest. A tear rolled down his cheek as he stared out the window.
'So tell me: what do you need her for?
Don't you know one day she'll be your little girl forever.'
(Flashback)
"Daddy!" Elizabeth cried.
"Oh my god Jack!" Jocelyn cried. "She said her first word. Jack get in here!"
Jack came rushing out of his room into Elizabeth's. Jocelyn was holding Elizabeth in her arms swaying back and forth. Elizabeth had Jocelyn's hair in her hand pulling on it a little bit.
"Say it again baby. Say daddy" Jocelyn cooed. Elizabeth's big brown eyes looked over at her daddy and she smiled her toothless smile.
"Daddy!" she cried again. Jack smiled wide showing off his gold teeth. Jocelyn smiled at Jack and handed him his daughter.
"Darling isn't it wonderful?" Jocelyn asked him.
"Aye, it is" he murmured. He bounced Elizabeth up and down making her laugh. He bent down and kissed her chubby cheek.
"I love you" he murmured against her blonde hair.
End Flashback
'But right now I need her so much more.
She's much too young to be on her own:'
Jack let Jocelyn go to Elizabeth's room to sit with her. Jocelyn sat in the rocking chair in the corner holding one of the dolls Jack had gotten her. It was hard for her, she already had a miscarriage and now her only little girl was being taken away from her. She remembered when the doctor had told her she wasn't able to have children. Elizabeth was her miracle baby, and always will be. She was the only piece of Jack she had when he was gone away at sea.
'Barely just turned seven.
So who will hold her hand when she crosses the streets of Heaven?'
"I need her lord don't take my baby girl away" Jocelyn mumbled.
(Flashback)
"Blow your candles out baby" Jocelyn said.
"Where's daddy?" Elizabeth asked. She was seven now and Jack had promised to be here for her birthday. Jocelyn forced a smile.
"He's sailing you know that. He'll be back when he can" she said not believing it herself. "He loves you, you know that."
Elizabeth nodded, she blew the candles out and wished for her daddy.
'Tell me God, do you remember the wishes that she made,
As she blew out the candles on her last birthday cake?'
End Flashback
'She wants to ride a pony when she'd big enough.
She wants to marry her Daddy when she's all grown up.'
Jocelyn closed her eyes and smiled when she remembered when Elizabeth was born. It was a warm night and she had been arguing with Jack about him always leaving. She had been in labor for eight hours and then she had the most beautiful girl in the world.
'Well, it must be kind of crowded,
On the streets of Heaven.'
"Mommy?"
Jocelyn opened her eyes and saw Elizabeth in bed awake. Jocelyn hurried over to her and kneeled down next to her. Elizabeth smiled a little and grabbed a hold of her hand.
"I want daddy to come home" she whispered before going into a fit of coughing.
"I'm home baby girl" Jack said from the doorway. Elizabeth tried to sit up in bed but Jocelyn made her lay back down.
"Your not aloud to move a lot" she told her.
Jack came over to her and kissed her on the forehead and smoothed out her blonde hair.
"I bought you something" he said giving her another doll. Elizabeth smiled and hugged it close to her.
"Thank you daddy" she said and closed her eyes. "Don't leave me anymore."
'So tell me: what do you need her for?
Don't you know one day she'll be your little girl forever.'
Jack shook his head. "I'll never leave you."
"You'll be here when I wake up?" she asked tiredly.
"Yes doll baby, I'll be here" he said and put his hand on hers.
"Good."
'So who will hold her hand when she crosses the streets of Heaven?
Lord, don't you know she's my angel You got plenty of your own'
Jocelyn didn't want to cry in front of Elizabeth but she knew in her heart that Elizabeth wouldn't get better. She looked so fragile in the bed with the covers up to her chin. She was pale too and her hands where clammy, they were cold also. She was cold.
'And I know you hold a place for her But she's already got a home'
Jack put a hand on Jocelyn's shoulder as she wept on Elizabeth's bed. She hated the lord. He was taking one of the only good things in her life. The only thing she could do now was to pray. Pray to the lord to leave her little girl alone.
"Well I don't know if you're listenin'. But praying is all that's left to do So I ask you Lord have mercy, you lost a son once too" she whispered. Jack heard ever word she prayed.
"Lord, I know once you've made up your mind,
There's no use in beggin'."
'So if you take her with you today, will you make sure she looks both ways,
And would you hold her hand when she crosses the streets of Heaven.'
Jocelyn prayed until she felt Elizabeth's hand move to hers. She opened her eyes to stare at the little angel in the bed.
"Never leave me" Elizabeth said looking at her father.
"Never" Jack whispered. He watched as the last breath left his baby girl. And he knew that she was with the good lord. But he didn't want to accept it. He dropped to his knees and held Jocelyn tight to him and cried with her.
'The streets of Heaven.'