Chapter Twenty-One
Pearl

The Pearl had sailed into a gentle rainstorm one afternoon, and the clouds seemed to be traveling along with the Pearl into the night. A gentle breeze coaxed the ship along and the rain was warm and hardly discomforting. Chris smiled into the rain, enjoying the warm water drops from the heavens. Her burgeoning belly peeked out between the unbuttoned flaps of her coat. Chris turned back to the wheel and took it in her hands once more. The crew had been slightly cheered at Chris' evident pregnancy (save Gibbs, who began muttering new superstitions to himself. Sometimes the man really didn't know when to leave well enough alone), but the overall mood soon became somber. Pregnancy meant that Chris would have to leave the Black Pearl for an unknown amount of time to give birth and raise the baby, and her absence would not be celebrated. She hadn't been voted into the position of quartermaster by the crew for nothing, after all.

Contemplating the future, Chris gently turned the wheel starboard. Doctor Baloo had figured her at five months when they had been in Tortuga a week ago, and suggested she leave sailing behind in the next month or so. She was dreading the approaching day when she would have to leave the Black Pearl and her crew behind, but it would have to be done. She sighed and reached up to Loki, who perched on her shoulder, and scratched his chin.

She knew it was silly, but she wondered how Loki would handle the arrival of the baby. Chris knew that since she and Jack had married, Loki did not receive as much attention from her as he did previously, and with a baby on the way, the fact would ring even more true. Sometimes Chris thought about the possibility of releasing Loki into the wild for him to find himself a mate, but she would miss the ape too much. She banished these thoughts from her mind and pulled her hand away. "Ready to go and get some grub?" She asked the monkey. He shrieked in agreement.

The bell rang for the changing of the dog watches, and Jack came up from the galley below, still chewing on his biscuit. "Love." He nodded at her, taking a knob of the wheel in his hand. "How is Jack the second today?" He asked, eyeing her belly.

Chris smiled. "Rolling around in there like a greased pig." She touched her belly to feel him move once more.

Jack feigned an offended look and removed his hand from the wheel before stuffing the rest of his biscuit in his mouth. His hands went down to the sides of Chris' stomach, as if covering the unborn child's ears. "You wanf fo shatter hif confidenfe?" Pieces of biscuit sprayed out as he spoke, and his speech was slightly garbled.

Chris laughed, but as she did, a searing pain suddenly shot through her stomach. Chris doubled over and let out a moan of pain, and Jack spit his biscuit out in alarm. It landed as a soggy mess in Chris' hair, and Loki leapt off his perch, shrieking indignantly.

"Chris! What's wrong, love?" Jack asked, bending beside her.

"I have no bloody idea!" Chris said through clenched teeth. "Ah!" She held her stomach and squeezed her eyes shut tight.

"Oi! Rags, get over here, help me take Chris to our cabin!" Jack beckoned, gesturing for Ragetti to leave his place on the port side. Ragetti complied, and the two men supported the doubled over Chris down to the captain's cabin, where they laid her on the bed. Chris squeezed her eyes shut once more as she sank back on the bed, and when she opened them, she let out a sharp breath.

"I think the baby wants to come out." She moaned. She didn't know why, but she was pretty sure that's what was happening.

"It's too early!" Ragetti objected.

"I BLOODY WELL KNOW THAT!" Chris exploded. Ragetti shied away to the door.

Jack took one of Chris' hands. "What do I do Chris? What should I do?" He asked softly.

Chris grimaced in pain. "I don't know, Jack, I don't know." She looked at her husband and swallowed hard. "Wait, I guess."

Anamaria took the helm and Jack directed her to sail for the nearest settlement, a French port named Montserrat. The port was small and poor, and Jack had Pintel raise false colors so that they would be able to sail into port and find a doctor with no trouble. At least, that's what Jack prayed for.

However, by sunset that night, Chris' pains had stopped. She decided, after much persuading of Jack, to go back to her watch, but after standing for a few minutes, the pains rushed back, and she was once again planted on the bed in the captain's cabin. The watches changed, and Jack pried himself away and left Chris in Athos' hands. Athos tried to keep Chris' mind off her stomach, but the entire mood of the ship had been darkened by Chris' pain. An early baby was one thing, but an early baby at sea? Chris would be lucky if she survived if such a thing happened, and the baby... While no one said anything, the minds upon the Pearl were heavy with the thought.

The next morning when the Black Pearl arrived at Montserrat, their colors were French and several of the pirates had dressed in civilian garb and went ashore to find a doctor, Jack included. Anamaria and Pintel stayed aboard with Chris. About midmorning, there was a slight scuffle on deck and Jack entered the captain's cabin, but he wasn't alone. The person he was pushing before him had their hands tied behind their back and a burlap bag pulled over their head.

"Oh Hell Sparrow!" Chris cursed, throwing her head back onto her pillow. "Couldn't ye have done something besides kidnapping?"

"He found us out! He's a Royal Navy doctor, so of course he knew the faces of wanted pirates, and I couldn't do anything but kidnap him!" Jack replied. He shoved the man forward and looked at Anamaria. "You make sure he behaves with Chris. Pintel, you come with me, we have to make sail." There was the sound of cannon fire and shouts from out on dead.

"Oh Hell Sparrow!" Chris repeated, blanching.

"Pint, come on!" Jack beckoned. Pintel left with Jack and Anamaria pulled the bag from the doctor's head. The doctor was over six feet tall and had a gaunt face and brown-blonde hair. Jack returned momentarily to toss the doctor his bag of medical supplies and a threatening glare before slamming the door. There was more cannon fire and the man loosened his collar and set his bag upon the end of the bed, looking at the pirate women warily.

"Well… This is awkward." He said, fumbling with the ties on his bag. "I'm uh… David Shoals." He began, and then looked at Chris. His hands shook slightly as he finished untying the ties. "Um… So what has been ailing you?"

"Pleased to meet you, Davy." Chris said before informing him of the pain she had felt. He nodded and asked a few questions before setting about to figure out what was wrong with her. Davy (as Chris would call the doctor even if he objected, which he didn't) performed his examination as the Black Pearl sailed away from Montserrat and fired off a few shots, but nothing more than that. Once the Pearl was safe from any pursuit, Jack returned to the cabin just in time for the doctor's diagnosis.

"She and the baby are under too much stress, and being around a lot of water encourages labor." Davy said, wringing his hands. "She either needs complete bed rest on this ship or she needs to be on land until she gives birth. Please don't shoot me."

Jack ignored the doctor's request and sat on the bed beside Chris. He took one of her hands and held it between his. "What do you want to do, love?" He questioned.

"I don't fancy leaving you." Chris replied, unexpected tears welling up in her eyes. Angry at herself, she batted them away. Stop acting like such a damned woman!

"Do you fancy observing the ceiling for the next four months?" Jack queried, wiping one of her tears away.

Chris swallowed hard and did her best to sound determined, but her voice came out huffy and childlike. "…Yes."

"Chris, girl." Jack pulled her up against his chest. Davy uncomfortably shifted from foot to foot. "All that matters is that ye and the baby are safe. And since ye are acting like a woman, most unnatural of ye I must say," He winked at her, "I think ye should kip with Sarah and Jocelyn in Tortuga. Savvy?"

"I don't want to…" Jack squeezed her tightly at her words and said nothing. After a few minutes, she heaved a heavy sigh and Chris moaned in his chest, "Alright."

Jack turned to Davy and said, "So, Doc, since ye seem to be in a rather precarious position right now, having aided pirates…" The doctor gulped as Jack continued, "What say I give ye a good amount of gold to stay with me wife here and another pregnant woman for the next few months?"

Davy looked to Chris, then Jack, then to Anamaria who was watching him with arms crossed. "I… I suppose I don't have a choice, do I?"

"No, you have a choice." Jack said. "It's just a choice between being outcast by the Royal Navy and court marshaled for helping us, or you could continue to practice as a doctor and earn a good haul while doing it." He paused and said, "Or, as to the present, it's the choice between getting wet or staying dry, savvy?"

Davy licked his lips and then said, "Just how good of a haul would we be talking about?"

Jack smiled to himself. Sure, the man may have been employed by the Royal Navy, but he seemed to exhibit the characteristics of a pirate with very little prodding. "Five percent of our haul plus a flat fee for each month ye stay with the girls."

"Agreed." Davy said, beginning to replace his instruments into his bag.

Jack stopped him for a moment. "I want ye to be certain, Davy, that if ye hurt either of the lasses… Ye won't need a doctor. Ye'll need an undertaker, savvy?"

Davy blanched and nodded. "Of course sir. Of course."

The Black Pearl then sailed to Tortuga where it let Chris, Loki, and Davy disembark. The pirates were only given a night of shore leave, long enough for Ragetti to see his girl and Jack to explain their predicament to Jocelyn and Sarah. In her short time at the Faithful Bride, Jocelyn had been put in charge of it and only answered directly to the owner. She acquired a private room for she, Jack, Chris, Davy, Sarah, and Ragetti to talk in, and it was settled that Chris and Davy would live in Sarah's recently procured cottage, for Jocelyn and the children lived above the tavern and only had enough room for the five of them, and Jocelyn figured her sister-in-law would want privacy that staying in a tavern room below didn't provide. When that was settled, they returned to the front room of the Faithful Bride and each couple set to enjoying their last night together for the foreseeable future.

The next morning, Sarah and Chris watched the Black Pearl sail away with heavy hearts from the docks. Sarah mourned the fact that Ragetti would most likely be away when their child was born in two month's time, and Chris was mourning the fact she had to leave the Black Pearl sooner than expected. "Ye better be worth it, little one." She said flatly to her stomach before she and Sarah returned to the Faithful Bride.

The cottage that Sarah lived in was located out of the crowded streets of Tortuga. It was right on the water front in a place where a ship could anchor and not risk becoming beached. Next to the cottage stood a black oak tree, which looked foreign among the tropical trees that dotted the tree line. Inside the cottage there was a front room which also served as the kitchen and three separated bedrooms lay behind it. The privy was outside back into the tree-line, and the largest bedroom held a fireplace, which was the only source of heat besides the cooking fire in the front room.

In the cottage, the next two months passed quickly, and Sarah gave birth to a son early one morning. She neglected to give him a name until Ragetti came home for they hadn't decided upon a name before he left. For the time being, all the occupants of the cottage took to calling him, "Little Rags." Evenings in the cottage were quite happy with the new baby around, and the three adults took turns rocking and feeding him. At least a few nights a week, Jocelyn and the children would come to visit and they would all have dinner together. As time progressed, Chris was almost certain that she saw Davy and Jocelyn taking a shine to each other, but of course no one said anything about it.

As Chris' stomach grew bigger, it came to pass that she had to succumb to wearing a loose gown to keep modestly clothed, in spite of her wishes or protests. The simple fact was that she could not find a pair of trousers that would fit comfortably, and she had eventually patched her old trousers so much in the passing months that she was disgusted with them, so she and Sarah and Jocelyn sewed a cotton dress for her that was large enough to comfortably tent two people.

While Chris did miss Jack, she also found the entire process of pregnancy fascinating. It was so odd and yet so wonderful to know that inside of her, Jack's child was growing. She didn't give it a gender, but every time the baby moved or kicked, she was reminded that she carried a small part of Jack with her. As she grew bigger, she started to wonder whether the baby would have Jack's hair or her eyes or Jack's mischievous smile. Many afternoons were spent wondering whether the baby would possess Jack's tendency to exaggerate or Chris' ability to spout long-winded insults.

One day when Chris was eight months along, Davy came in from going into Tortuga for supplies and announced, "When I left port, there was a ship on the horizon with black sails." The two women almost bowled him over as Sarah retrieved a cracked long glass and the pair raced to the top of a small hill that covered the view of Tortuga from the cottage. Once they had scaled the hill, Sarah handed the long glass to Chris and she put it to her eye.

A ship was indeed on the horizon. It was not heading for the docks but was pointing towards the cottage. Chris was pretty sure she spotted Ragetti in the crow's nest, but her eyes searched for the lettering that would spell the name of the ship. Her expectations were met when she saw the Black Pearl written upon the hull. She lowered the long glass and looked at Sarah, her mouth cracked open in a smile. "It's them."

Sarah and Chris returned to the cottage, and after Little Ragetti was plucked from his crib, his mother, Chris, and Davy went to wait the arrival of the ship. The Pearl sailed as close as she could without running around and then the call came for both of the anchors to drop. Chris was so excited to see her husband and her friends that goose bumps rippled up her arms and she felt the baby inside of her kick. She watched as the sails were released from the yardarms and hit the deck, and she wondered if Jack was deliberately teasing not only her, but Sarah as well in having the pirates take their sweet time before disembarking. And just why were they releasing the sails?

Chris received an answer half an hour later when the sailors of the Black Pearl were tendered ashore along with barrels of drink and food. "We're here to stay for the winter!" Jack called as he leaped from his jolly boat. He went to Chris and bent her backward (but not too far) in a kiss. When he released her, he touched her pregnant belly and said, "God, you've put on weight." He braced himself for the punch to the shoulder he received.

Meanwhile, Ragetti had not possessed the patience to wait for his jolly boat to bump ashore. He leaped out of the boat and swam to meet his wife. Even though he was dripping wet as he pulled himself from the ocean, he embraced his wife only to jerk away in alarm when Little Ragetti let out a squeal. Ragetti's eyes boggled and his wooden one almost left its socket as Sarah presented the baby to him. "This is your son."

His hands shaking, Ragetti reached forward and gently took the babe into his hands. Father and son looked down at each other, bemused looks in their eyes for a moment before Ragetti crowed, "I have a son!" He turned to those still in the jolly boats and hoisted the baby over his head. "My son!" He cried. The baby replied by letting out an un-Godly wail.

Once all the sailors were ashore, they set about to erecting tents or building huts in which they could pass the winter. Sarah and Ragetti talked about what to name their son before finally deciding on "Thomas" in time for his christening to be celebrated with drafts of rum and hot food.

That evening, Chris and Jack shared the same bed for the first time in months inside the cottage. Since his arrival, Chris' husband seemed absolutely obsessed with her stomach. Once they climbed into bed, Jack placed his head against Chris' swollen belly and began murmuring to it. His wife tried to ignore him constantly kissing her swollen belly and poking it here and there by reading a book he had given to her named "Paradise Lost" by a man named John Milton. At first she had welcomed his attention, but when it became incessant, she started to get annoyed. Her ignorance of him worked pretty well at first, but when Jack began vibrating his lips against her stomach, Chris dropped her book onto her chest and propped herself up on her arms. She looked down to him and demanded, "What the bloody Hell are you doing?"

"I was telling him a story. You're going to make him miss the best part." Jack gave Chris a reproachful look and went back to his story. "…And then they made me their chief." Jack tenderly rubbed her stomach. "Yeah? You like that?" He asked. Chris pursed her lips, rolled her eyes, and plucked the book from her chest. She closed it and whacked Jack on the head. "OW!" Jack scowled up at her. As he rubbed the top of his head, he looked back to her stomach. "Jack-Jack, when ye grow up and become a great man like me, watch out for the wenches like your mother. They'll kick ye in the jewels and laugh as ye roll around on the ground in pain."

"And don't forget it!" Chris replied before returning to her book.

Weeks later, Athos, Gibbs and Chris found themselves in the tree line behind the cottage. Athos had climbed to the top of a coconut tree, despite the absence of his leg (he didn't much care for the wooden appendage that had been made for him, so more often than not he travelled with his crutch), and pulled several coconuts from the top of the tree and threw them to the ground. Gibbs picked the felled coconuts up and placed them in the burlap bag Chris held. Chris had become – to put it very, very nicely – colossal. In order to turn around without breaking/knocking into anything or harming herself, she needed three feet of clearance in every direction. Because of the imminent birth of their child, Jack had confined her to the cottage 'for her own good,' but this day Chris had been able to convince Gibbs and Athos to let her tag along with them on the search for coconuts. Jack had headed into Tortuga to see Jocelyn and the children, so Chris knew that as long as she and the two men made it back before Jack, he'd be none the wiser. Gibbs, of course, was very wary of taking her with them, but Athos helped her case by shaking his crutch threateningly at the first mate.

As the empty room inside the bag became totally filled with coconuts, Athos shimmied down the tree and retrieved his crutch from against the trunk. "You think Jack's back yet?" Athos asked.

"No," Chris replied. "I can tell because there isn't any cannon fire or cries of the wounded from back in the direction of the cottage." Athos laughed, but Gibbs didn't look too amused. Chris wondered if he was as worried as Jack was about her.

"I'll lead the way and use my crutch to try and fend him off if we're mistaken." Athos said, winking at Chris before he headed up the trail leading back to the cottage first. Chris and Gibbs followed.

"Lemme take that Chris, ye have enough weight lugging around that stomach." Gibbs offered, pulling the bag from Chris' hands.

"Thanks for that last part, Gibbs. How ye never married I can only wonder." Chris replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"If it's any consolation, I think Jack's done his best to gain some sympathy weight." Gibbs offered.

"Aye, he's gettin' a bit chubby." Athos called behind him.

"What would Jack say if he –" Chris said, and then she felt the spray of water on her bare feet. She looked below to find that she was suddenly standing in a puddle. "Looks like we'll have to wash our feet before we get in the cottage, lads, else Jack will know I was out with you –" She continued walking.

"Why?" Athos asked.

"Because of that puddle ye so conveniently didn't tell me about, mate." Chris replied, turning back and pointing at the puddle in the dirt path.

"Chris, I didn't step over or see any puddle." Athos replied, turning to look at her. Chris suddenly realized that the material around her sensitive areas was soaking wet.

"I – Uh…" Chris looked at the puddle and her skirt and then said, "Oh bollocks."

"Chris, do you need –" Gibbs asked, stepping to her side and preparing to support her.

"No, I don't feel anything." Chris said, taking a step forward. "Let's just get back to the cottage. Jack's going to kill me."

The three had traveled another hundred yards when Chris' first contraction pulsed through her body. She let out a cry and doubled over. She clutched her stomach and gasped. "Keep goin' Athos!" Gibbs demanded before crossing to Chris and slipping an arm under her legs and one around her back. He picked her up with a grunt and said, "Don't say anything Chris. No offense, but don't try that damned 'I'm a big tough woman' routine unless you want to have your baby in the middle of the wilderness."

"Done." Chris replied and cried out as another contraction rippled through her. Chris would later marvel at just how fast Gibbs moved despite carrying a rather cumbersome pregnant woman. He overtook Athos and left the poor one-legged man to gimp after them in effort to catch up.

When they arrived at the cabin, Gibbs almost kicked the door in trying to get someone to open it. Sarah was the one to do so, and Gibbs charged right in, calling, "Doc! Doc, we got a baby coming!"

"What?" Sarah asked.

"Chris' water broke in the trees, and we need the doc and whoever else feels like helping in her bedroom now!" With that, Gibbs carried Chris into the aforementioned bedroom and laying her gently on the bed. "Once the doc gets in, I'm gonna go get Jack, alright?"

Chris nodded. "Thank you, Gibbs. I shouldn't have bullied you and Athos to take me."

"No, you shouldn't have." Gibbs replied. He laughed and thumbed her cheek. "Now chin up, ye're going to be a mum today." Davy entered the room with his medical bag, Anamaria following behind him with a bucket of water, and Gibbs left to go find Jack.

Anamaria helped Chris change from her soiled dress into one of her old shirts, since she didn't really need bottoms anymore. Davy timed the contractions and was startled that they were already five minutes apart after Chris had experience no pain the entire morning. Jack arrived about half an hour after Gibbs had left and, by the sounds coming from the front room, he brought Jocelyn and the children with him. He entered the room with Loki on his shoulder and saw Chris clutching Anamaria's hand. He immediately crossed to the bed.

"Thank you, Ana." Jack breathed. Anamaria gave Chris' hand one last squeeze before releasing it and joining Davy at the foot of the bed. Jack knelt beside the bed and took both of Chris' hands. "Can you believe we're going to be parents?" He asked. Chris took a gulp of air and shrugged as another contraction ran its course. "Well… I'd be lying if I didn't tell you I feel like running out of the room screaming." Chris punched Jack in the shoulder. "Ow. But I'm not going to do that, because you know who I am? Captain. Jack. Sparrow. Aye, that's who I am." Even that didn't sound as confident as it usually did coming from Jack's mouth. He kissed Chris' perspiring forehead and Loki crawled from his shoulder to the headboard.

"Loki…" Chris said, looking up at him. He gave out a low coo and Chris gave a dry chuckle. A monkey was going to watch her give birth.

"Keep it together for just a little while longer, love." Jack bade. He held his wife's hand for the next few hours as her contractions came closer and closer together.

An hour after the sun set, Chris' contractions were right on top of each other. Davy checked her (after a few mild threats from Jack that he should 'be all business down there') and announced it was time. Jack pulled a bottle of rum from underneath the bed and uncorked it with his teeth. "Just where did you get that?" Chris gasped as he took a long swig.

"I stowed it under the bed days ago, because I knew at least one of us would need it." Jack replied, taking another swig.

"Um, Captain Sparrow?" Davy asked hesitantly. "You – You may want to stop drinking and hold her hand…?"

Jack sighed and corked the bottle. "If you insist." He slipped his hand into Chris' and asked, "You ready?" She nodded and Jack kissed her cheek. Chris clenched Jack's hand as she gave her first push. Jack's face became very red, but he said nothing. By her third push, however, her knuckles turned white with the power of the squeeze and Jack let out a yell. He switched hands long enough to pull his rings from his fingers and then replaced his hand.

Anamaria danced by behind Davy, ready to fetch anything the doctor needed. Chris felt a wave of gratitude sweep over her for Anamaria. They weren't exactly close friends, but to have her stand by while she was in the labor of childbirth meant quite a bit.

"I can see the head!" Davy called after a few moments. "Keep pushing Chris!"

Chris' face was all red and she was dotted with perspiration. She turned to look at Jack and growled, "Sparrow, you are never putting that damn thing in me ever again!"

Jack couldn't help but smirk. "Don't count on –" Chris' hand flexed and Jack cried out. "OW! Oh Hell, she broke my hand! AHH God!" Jack pulled his hand from Chris' grip and kissed it, moaning in pain. "God girl!"

"What'd I say?" Chris cried. Jack took a guzzle of rum and took the opportunity to peek at the birthing process. He blanched and finished off the rest of the bottle before returning to Chris. "What did you see?" Chris gasped.

"Believe me, you do not want to know." Jack replied, placing his hand back in hers.

"One more push!" Davy called. Chris inhaled deeply and pushed, her hand shaking in Jack's. "Yes! Yes, yes that's it – You can – Yes, yes, you can stop now." Davy called. Chris collapsed back onto her sweat-soaked pillow with a relieved sigh as cries emanated from the foot of the bed. Loki, from his perch on the headboard, looked at her and chirped. Chris grinned and looked down to where Davy stood.

The doctor cleared the amniotic fluid and mucus from the baby's nose and mouth, and the baby cried harder. Wails filled the cabin as the baby's lungs expanded with its first few breaths of air. Chris could see that the baby had dark hair and was covered in a milky white substance and fluid.

"Ye did great love." Jack whispered to Chris, kissing her hot and sweaty forehead, and then added, in almost a sing-song, "We have a baby!"

"I need something to wrap –" Davy said to Anamaria. She quickly snatched Jack's coat from the back of the door.

"Oh bollocks Ana!" Jack objected, but it was too late. Davy wrapped the babe in Jack coat and walked to the mother and father.

"Say 'Hello' to your daughter." Davy said, gently passing the little girl into Chris' arms.

"So much for 'Jack the second,' eh?" Chris commented to Jack, almost laughing, but then both of their attention turned to their daughter. She looked up at them with curious blue eyes, just like Chris, and she possessed a head full of onyx hair like Jack's. Immediately, Chris fell in love with her. She never knew that her heart could love something so much so instantly. Right then, Chris knew that no matter what this little girl ever did in or with her life that she would love her daughter forever.

"'Ello little lass!" Jack said, his voice raising a pitch. Chris looked at him oddly, but so did their daughter, as if she recognized his voice. "Chris, don't ye laugh at me," Jack began, wiggling his fingers at the baby, "But… I really, really want to name her Pearl. She's… She's as beautiful as a pearl… She is our own little pearl."

"Ye want to name her after a ship?" Chris asked incredulously.

"What do I love on earth more than that ship?" Jack asked, and then quickly added, "And you?"

Chris rolled her eyes. "Then by that merit, I think we should name her after Gibbs."

"What?" Jack asked, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

Chris then realized that Gibbs had probably not told him exactly where she was when her water broke. She felt like putting her foot in her mouth, but under current circumstances that was probably not the most wise or comfortable idea. "What?" She echoed. Jack pulled his head back and looked at her sideways. Chris offered no explanation.

"Alright then, Chris." Jack said, reaching down to curl one finger around the baby's little hand. "How do ye like 'Pearl Joshamina?'" He asked the baby. "Hmm, Pearly-girl?"

Even though Chris knew that someday their daughter may want to kill her father for such a name, she could not argue. The name strangely fit their daughter, their little treasure. Chris looked down and smiled. "Welcome to the family, Pearl."

oOo

They didn't have you where I come from
Never knew the best was yet to come
Life began when I saw your face
And I hear your laugh like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough?
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough?
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

I slip in bed when you're asleep
To hold you close and feel your breath on me
Tomorrow there'll be so much to do
So tonight I'll drift in a dream with you

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough?
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough?
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

As you wander through this troubled world
In search of all things beautiful
You can close your eyes when you're miles away
And hear my voice like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough?
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough?
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough?
Cause I'm never, never giving you up
Is forever enough?
Cause I'm never, never giving you up