Author's note: Here's some more! You might wanna break out the tissues for this chapter. As always, Jack and company belong to the mouse. Please R&R!

Jack became a regular mother hen after he found out that Tara was carrying his child. He wouldn't hear of her coming back out with them. "Its one thing, Tara-luv, for you to be aboard when we're attacking another ship, but with a baby? You're both better off here."

Tara would've objected, but Jack had made arrangements for her to stay with Seamus and Kaylee MacEwan at the Golden Parakeet, and Kaylee and Tara had become fairly good friends. The day Jack and the others were preparing to leave, though, she was an emotional mess. "You'll be back before the baby comes, right?" she sobbed into his sleeve.

Jack hugged her and smiled. "Of course, luv. That treasure on Isla de Muerta is as good as ours, with this little knickknack leading the way." He tapped the compass on his belt, and leaned down. "So lets have a kiss, luv, and I'll be back before you know it." Still sniffling, Tara gave Jack a kiss and watched as he went aboard the Pearl.

It would have been easy for Tara to become depressed being left behind, if it hadn't been for Kaylee. The younger girl was nearly as excited about the baby as Tara. The two of them busied themselves sewing baby clothes and chatting. "So, Tara, do you think it'll be a girl or a boy?" asked Kaylee as she hemmed her fifth diaper.

Tara was knitting a blanket as a break from the endless sewing. "Well, I'm not sure. I know Jack would love for it to be a boy, but I'm actually hoping for a little girl."

"I'm sure he'll be happy with either. Have you thought of names?"

"Well, I've thought of Jonathan for a boy. Jack's real name, you know… or maybe Jonas, for something a little different. For a girl, I thought of Mercy, or Grace… I guess I've got a while to decide, and Jack should have some say in the matter."

Kaylee laughed. "Sounds like you've got quite a few ideas swimming around in your head… let's hope Jack doesn't just muddy things worse."

As Tara entered her sixth month, she sent Kaylee down to the docks every day to see if the Pearl was back yet. Jack had only been gone for three months, but he'd promised to be back soon. The Pearl had been gone for four months to the day when Kaylee returned with the news that they were back. Excited, Tara hurried as best she could to go meet Jack at the docks. Kaylee went with her, and they both watched the stream of men coming down the gangplank. The men seemed oddly hesitant to look her in the eye. When it seemed that all the men had disembarked, Tara remained on the dock, confused. That was when Hector, Jack's first mate, came striding down the gangplank. She hurried over to him. "Hector! Where's Jack? Why hasn't he come down yet?"

Hector tried to avoid looking at her. "Well, Miss Riley, I hate t' tell you, but Jack is no longer with us. He was lost some time before we reached the Isla de Muerta." With that he swept off toward his home just beyond the docks.

Tara stood, staring up the gangplank in shock. Kaylee took her arm and tried to lead her away. "Come on, Tara, let's get you home."

Tara was rooted to the spot. She murmured, "Jack…Jack is dead…" Then she crumpled to the ground, clutching her middle as a searing pain ripped through her stomach. Panting through the pain, she grabbed at Kaylee's arm. "Oh god…the baby…"

A few hours later, it was all over. The midwife huddled over the tiny bundle, willing it to breathe, while Tara lay half senseless on the bloodstained sheets. Reluctantly, the midwife gave up, wrapped the baby in a blanket and handed it to a very pale-looking Kaylee. "I'm sorry, miss. It was just too soon for her."

Tara moaned from the bed. "I want to see my baby. Bring me my baby."

Fighting back tears of her own, Kaylee handed the tiny bundle to Tara. Wearily, Tara unwrapped the baby, running her hands over the tiny, perfect fingers and toes. "My little girl… my little Grace…" She broke off into a keening wail, clutching the perfect, dead, baby girl to her chest.