Tia worked frantically on Jess after only a few minutes she yelled for Elizabeth to come in alone. She instructed Elizabeth to stay with Jess while she mixed some herbs together. Jess was still unconscious and very pale. "Tia, she will be alright, won't she," Elizabeth asked in a whisper.

"I don't know. Da child jes 'ave been too much. She's strong though. She's fight'n," was all that Tia replied. "We done all dat we can. Best get Jack in 'ere just in case."

Elizabeth stood up and slowly walked out to where Jack was holding his baby in his arms ever so gentle. "Jack, you need to go be with her now. Will and I can take care of your child."

Jack slowly handed the baby over to Elizabeth. Tears began to come to his eyes, "I haven't lost her have I?"

"No Jack but she's in bad shape. Go be with her and encourage her as I did Will when he was in bad shape," Elizabeth replied. Elizabeth looked at Will, both of them showed such sadness in their eyes. "We must hope for the best," Elizabeth whispered to Will and he nodded his head in agreement looking at the precious child Elizabeth was now holding.

Jack walked back to where his wife was in bed. Her long brown ringlets framed her face. She looked paler than he had ever seen her. Her once red lips now almost looked gray. Tia moved out of the way so Jack could sit beside Jess. He picked up her hand and held it in both his hands. He gently leaned down and kissed her forehead then leaned his head down against her hand that he was holding. He turned his head slightly to face Tia, "is there nothing else we can do?"

"Only time will tell. Talk to 'er and be wit 'er," Tia replied as she left them in privacy.

"Jess darling, you can't leave me. We. We, do you hear me, need to raise our child together. What kind of father do you think I'll be without you to keep me out of trouble? Jess, besides our child, I need you. I can't imagine being without you. Please, please come back to me." Jack sat in silence simply holding her hand as the rough and tough pirate captain let tears fall from his kohl outlined eyes.

Will walked to the doorway and saw Jack with Jess. He hung his head and walked back to Elizabeth, "this should be a happy day, now this. I don't know what I would do Elizabeth if I were in his shoes."

"I do Will. We can't give up hope. I was in his shoes. I was pregnant and had thought I had lost you as well. I still may end up losing you to your destiny and then I'll be exacting in a position of raising a child alone."

Will saw the fear and pain in her eyes. He knew no words would comfort her so he just walked over and put his arms around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "I love you Elizabeth and I'll do everything in my power to stay with you and our son."

Elizabeth showed a slight smile, "I know you will."

The rest of the night passed and most of the day. There had been no change in Jess. Jack wanted to do something, it seemed the more time that passed the angrier he became. Elizabeth and Will finally insisted that Jack take a walk with Will while Elizabeth sat with Jess. Jack finally relented and he and Will started out the door. They had no sooner closed the door then Jack heard Elizabeth call his name. He quickly opened the door and ran towards the room which held his precious Jess. Elizabeth backed away from the bed to let Jack near his wife. He looked at her now frail body and saw the most precious thing he could imagine. Her eyes were open looking back at him.

"Jess, love you've returned to me."

"Jack," Jess replied weakly.

He knelt down and kissed her lips and this time she responded to his kiss. "Oh how I've missed you darlin'," he said to her.

"Jack, the baby. I don't even know, is it a boy or girl?"

"You have the most beautiful daughter in the whole world, Jess. She is as beautiful as her mother."

Jess smiled and Elizabeth handed Jack's daughter to him. "See love, isn't she the best looking child you have ever seen," Jack said showing Jess her new daughter.

A small tear escaped Jess' eyes, it was a tear of joy. Jack laid the sleeping baby next to Jess. Jess gently rubbed her daughter's check. "Have you named her yet," Jess asked.

"No. I thought we should do that together," Jack replied.

Will, Elizabeth and Tia left the family alone to be reunited. A short time later, Jack emerged from the back room carrying his daughter.

"Jess is resting now so I thought that Jasmine and I would come out here," Jack said.

"Jasmine. What a sweet name," Elizabeth said.

"We thought of it because of the sweet smell of Jasmine, just like her mother had in her hair when we were married."

It took weeks for Jess to fully recover so the two families managed to stay on land for two months before biding Tia farewell. Jack and Will had sent word for the crew to prepare the Pearl and all was ready when the two families arrived. There was much celebrating that first night at sea but this was one time Jack did not drink too much. He was intoxicated simply by the love for his new family.

After Elizabeth and Jess had put the children down and had gone to bed themselves, Jack and Will sat down and talked on the deck of the Pearl.

"I missed her," Jack said referring to the Pearl.

"Yes, me too. But now she carries the most precious cargo that she ever has," Will answered.

"Aye, and to think I almost lost Jess. I can not imagine what it would have been like without her."

"We are two very lucky men. We have beautiful faithful wives and equally as beautiful children," Will added.

"What more could we ask for," Jack replied.

"What more indeed. We'll have to be more careful about our pirating and our plans from now on," Will reminded him.

"No more so then Elizabeth's plan," Jack said. Will looked at him with a puzzled face. "After all Will, you must always have a plan to escape from destiny."

OK – hope you enjoyed it. Don't know if I want to continue on or just start another unrelated fanfiction. If you have any thoughts about either, please let me know. Don't want to run this in the ground.

Thank all of you for your reviews!!!!!!