Triplets in Love
By: Raven in Red
The Gardener triplet sisters' adventures continue as their relationships bloom even further and they take off after their sworn enemy. Long story, told in three parts, please R&R
Part Two: Sisters Apart
Chapter Twenty-Six: Strike of the Terror's Wing
About two weeks after the demise of the Black Pledge, three of the Fleet's ships split off from the group to meet up with the Pearl. Holly had decided that the Pearl stood virtually no chance by itself, so she sent off the Corona, the Lady Luck, and the Arabian to locate her. It only took about another week to track her down.
McAdams, Tracer, and Smith gathered into a rowboat and rowed out to the Pearl. Jack and Jasmine recognized the Fleet's colors, so they welcomed the three men in a friendly manner.
"Welcome aboard, gentlemen," Jasmine greeted them warmly. She shook hands with the trio as they introduced themselves.
"It's a pleasure, Miss Gardener," said Tracer as he shook her hand.
"Might I inquire as to your business aboard the Pearl?" Jack inquired politely, but with some level of suspicion.
"We have been sent by Captain Holly Gardener," declared Smith.
"Oh?" Jasmine was curious as to what her sister needed. "For what purpose?" She had been informed by a messenger of Reeve's intentions, so she assumed the men were sent to bring her more news.
"We have been sent to protect the Black Pearl," said McAdams.
"That would be greatly appreciated," said Jasmine. "Seeing as how we're one ship up against God only knows how many."
"Well, it looks like you arrived just in time," Jack said in a worried voice. He pointed off past the bow.
"Oh, God," Tracer gasped. On the horizon, Jasmine could distinguish three heavily-armed ships. With Jack's spyglass, she observed Reeve's flag flying from the mainmast of each ship.
"Dear Lord," she sighed. "We have to stand and fight."
"I think I'd rather take the alternative option!" said Jack in a nervous voice.
"And what's that?" Jasmine turned on him, her voice thick with frustration. Jack simply started pointing away from the oncoming ships. "Run away?" Jasmine sighed angrily. "Jack, you are a coward!"
"Jasmine," sighed Jack. "You're more than seven months pregnant. I refuse to put either of us in a situation that might end in your death or the death of our child."
"I guess you have a point," Jasmine agreed. "Well, I'm staying out here until the first cannon is fired." When Jack started to say something, she interrupted, "No exceptions."
"You really don't take no for an answer, do you?" Jack leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"No, I don't," Jasmine winked. Then she placed her hands over her womb. "It's alright, little one. We'll all be just fine." She got a small flurry of kicks in response. Then she went over to the railing to observe the oncoming ships. "Gentlemen?" she called out to Tracer, Smith, and McAdams. They all turned to face her. "Could you take a look at those ships for me?" She handed her spyglass to Smith. He opened it and took a good long look.
"It's the Terror's Wing," Smith choked out. He handed the spyglass off to Tracer.
"What's wrong?" asked Jasmine.
"That's Reeve's flagship," said Smith. "He's here."
"How do you know?" Jasmine was getting scared.
"Captain Gardener recently captured seven prisoners from the Black Pledge, a ship of Reeve's fleet. They informed her that Reeve himself sails aboard the Terror's Wing, which he has chosen as his flagship," said Smith.
"Thank you, Lieutenant Smith," said Jasmine. She then went over to Jack. "We will definitely be facing Reeve," she declared with a sigh.
"There's no 'we' here, Jasmine," said Jack as he took her hands. "I will be facing Reeve. You will be getting yourself below deck where you'll be safe."
"I know," Jasmine choked out. A single tear fell from her eyes. "Just come back safe to me. Our baby needs a father."
"Never fear, darling," Jack smirked. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" He managed to get a smile out of Jasmine. They both looked out towards the bow and observed Reeve's ships getting closer. "Now would be a good time for you to get below deck," said Jack.
"Alright," whispered Jasmine. Jack took her face in his hands and kissed her urgently.
"I love you," he whispered. He then leaned down to kiss Jasmine's womb.
"I love you, too," said Jasmine, right before she went over to Smith. "I'm trusting you three to keep us all safe," she said.
"You have my word, Miss Gardener," Smith declared as he took her hand and delicately kissed it. Jasmine then turned on her heel and went back to Jack.
"I will be two decks below, in the cargo hold," she said. Jack leaned in for one more kiss.
"Go!" he commanded once they broke apart. Jasmine nodded and ran for the stairs. She went down to the cargo hold and found herself a safe hiding place between two rows of barrels. Listening carefully, she could hear the usual commands that Jack issued before a battle. She heard the heavy rumbling as the cannons were rolled into their positions in the gun ports. She felt the ship bob up and down over the waves. She reached down and clutched her womb, praying that everything would turn out alright.
Eventually, she heard a pair of footsteps stumbling down the stairs. She peered over the barrels to see Smith, his uniform torn and blood leaking from a gunshot in his stomach.
"Lieutenant Smith!" Jasmine gasped, jumping up from her hiding spot to help him sit down on the floor. "Dear Lord, what has happened to you?"
"Reeve…R-Reeve shot me!" he choked out. Jasmine placed a soothing hand on his face to help wipe away the dirt, sweat, and tears.
"Oh, dear God," Jasmine sighed. "Well, I'm going to help you. Stay right here and try not to move. I'll be right back."
"Wait!" Smith grabbed her arm to stop her. "You can't go up there! Reeve will catch you."
"I'm not just going to let you die in front of me," Jasmine said calmly before pulling her arm away and dashing back up the stairs. She ran straight for the captain's cabin. It only took her a few seconds to find the black wooden box where she and Jack kept basic medical supplies. Once she had it tucked securely in her arms, she ran back down to the cargo deck. Smith was lying right where she had left him.
"Alright," she sighed, kneeling down beside him and opening the box. She pulled out several clean sheets of gauze, a bottle of disinfectant, and a pair of forceps. "Now, this is going to hurt."
"I've been through worse," Smith said in a harsh whisper before a cry of pain escaped his lips.
Without another word, Jasmine poured some of the disinfectant onto a piece of gauze and placed it gently over the wound. Smith's resulting cries of pain were almost unbearable. With a steady hand, she forced him to stay still while she wiped away the blood. Finally, she threw the gauze off to the side and took the forceps. Taking a close look at the wound, she found that she couldn't see the bullet.
"I can't see it," she sighed, trying to contain the tears that were forming in her eyes. "I don't think I'll be able to get it out. If I try, I'll only make you bleed more." She then grabbed more gauze and clamped it over the wound, trying to slow the flow of blood, but to no avail.
"Pray with me, Miss Gardener," Smith whispered. Nodding, Jasmine took his hands. He clamped his eyes shut and breathed deeply.
"Lord," Jasmine began, "I pray that you will ensure a gentle passing for Lieutenant Smith. Know that I tried to save him. I cannot get that bullet out without the possibility of killing him. Please forgive me if my actions have at all caused him pain or suffering, and please take him into your gentle arms as he makes his journey towards Heaven. Amen." With that, she began to sob. Smith was growing paler by the second. Jasmine kept a firm grip on the gauze, but it was almost entirely soaked through with blood. All she could do now was keep him as comfortable as possible.
"Thank you," Smith whispered.
"I wish I could have done more," Jasmine choked through her tears. "I'm so sorry." She couldn't bring herself to say that the wound would almost definitely have been too serious to survive.
"Don't be," Smith managed a fraction of a smile. "You did the right thing, Jasmine." Those were his last words before his eyes shut, his hand dropped from hers, and he became as pale as a ghost. Jasmine burst into tears. A man had died right in front of her, and she hadn't been able to come even close to saving him. Finally, Jasmine decided to take action. She yanked the pistol from Smith's belt, checked to make sure it was loaded, and strode purposefully up the stairs. She wasn't going to let Reeve simply get away for what he had done.
When Jasmine reached the stairs leading to the main deck, she crouched down low, which was difficult due to her protruding womb, and peered out towards the battle. Making sure to stay as low as possible, she edged the pistol up onto the stairs immediately above her and searched for Reeve. She found him dueling with Jack and took careful aim, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. She couldn't figure out why, until the memories of the night he had come aboard the Pearl and admitted his love for her all came flooding back. Everything made sense to her now. Jack had been trying to explain the situation to her for weeks, but without her memory it had been next to useless.
A tear dripped from Jasmine's eye. Reeve had raped her several times. Reeve had threatened her life as well as the lives of Beckett, Norrington, Jack, and her sisters. Reeve had robbed her dream of having her first child with Jack. She should have been one hundred percent ready and eager to pull the trigger and end his life, but she just couldn't bring herself to put a bullet in the skull of her child's father.
Finally, Jasmine managed to drop the pistol. She edged back down a few stairs and surrendered to her tears.
Author's Note: I had been suffering writer's block for a while after Chapter 25, but I'm finally able to update again! This one was ultimately very difficult to write, due to the fact that I couldn't kill off Reeve yet, so I had to make up some excuse to keep him alive.