A/N: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews!! I appreciate it!

Spoiler: This chapter really isn't really related to the plot. It's actually just a lot of Sparrabeth fluff...until the end, that is.

Disclaimer: I do not own PotC.


Chapter 28:

Quietness settled throughout the Black Pearl, a crisp wind finding its way into every room to tug on the curtains of the cabins and douse the candles that lit up the galley. There was little noise except the rustle of the sails and the lapping of the waves; the soft roar of the ocean as it rose and then dove beneath the surface, getting ready to climb again. The crew worked skillfully and soundlessly, their dirty nimble fingers starting to ache as the day wore on.

Jack watched this all from the helm, feeling reality as it really was for the first time. No longer was his life a dream, something to squander and bet on. No longer was he invincible; his luck had already run out on him a couple of times, pushing his family in the line of danger. No longer was he settled, rooted to something. There were surprises around every corner. He had been comfortable with hating his father. It was natural, and it made him feel safe, protected. It was something to cling to. Yet now that was different. He no longer hated his father, but instead felt the workings of a mending relationship inside him. He had been comfortable with just himself, until he married, and then he had been comfortable, yet cautious, with his wife.

Now? It was no longer just himself and his Lizzie. Now a baby would be added to the mixture, something he had plenty of mixed feelings about. A child would add stress, take his wife away from him, give nothing in return. Selfish little brat. It's a pirate already. Jack blinked, then smiled a little, but that soon faded. Once Elizabeth's stomach started to swell she'd no longer be safe. He'd have to work harder to protect her, make sure she kept inside when there were storms, keep his eye on her at all times, protect her with everything he had and then more. She'd be moody, yelling at him one moment and then sobbing the next.

He wasn't really sure he'd be able to handle that.

Above everything else, though, that seemed to pile up, was this: The Black Pearl was no place to raise a child, or give birth to one either. They'd have to go live on land, raise it on land... He'd have to give up the one thing that meant the most to him, other than his wife.

He wasn't sure if he'd be able to give up his freedom, either, even if it was for Elizabeth.

It had been one thing when it had been him and her, because he loved her and she wanted the same thing he did. It was another when there was a child involved that couldn't be on a ship, for fear it would fall into the water and drown before they could reach it.

A hand fell on his shoulder and he started, being pulled out of his thoughts. He turned to see his wife standing beside him, her face quite unreadable, which surprised him because most of the time he could tell what she was thinking. Once she had got his attention she pulled her hand away, rubbing at her palm with her other hand, her thumb massaging in circles for a moment as she ran though what she would say.

"Lizzie." Jack whispered quietly, and her eyes snapped to him, her expression suddenly grim.

"Drop me off at the next port and I will leave." she said, adverting her eyes. He blinked.

"I never said you-"

"And yet you did, didn't you." she broke in, cutting him off. "If not said it, you thought it. If you didn't think it, you sure as hell showed it when you walked out on me."

He grimaced, no longer sure what to say to her.

"It's clear to me that you don't want this baby. It's very clear that you're disappointed I became pregnant in the first place. There's nothing I can do about it now. I'm not going to kill it, and I'm not going to give it away when it's born. It's my child, our child, even if you don't want to accept that. I will love it, and I will raise it, and I will do that by myself if you don't want to be a part of this family." Her eyes were hard and cold. She was through with the tears, through with being helpless, through with crying over a man who didn't even care enough to comfort her. He could at least have done that, and told her what he thought, instead of walking away. Yet, she had forgotten who she had married. A pirate. Someone who lied, cheated, and was goddamn selfish in every way.

Suddenly she was pinned against the wheel, Jack's face inches from hers. He was angry, she could tell, and she quivered with fear. He glared at her, his hands tightening on her shoulders.

"I'm bleedin' terrified, Elizabeth." he growled truthfully, pressing her backwards against the wood until her body ached with pain. "I wasn't expecting a child so soon, or a child at all! I'm just getting used t' being married, t' sharing my things with others, t' protecting you as best I can and lovin' ye wiv' all me heart, and then a baby's added to the mixture! 'M not ready to be a father!" He frowned. "My father was horrible. Came home one day when I was sixteen and found he had left the house without a word or a note telling me where he'd gone. I was alone from that moment on, and I've hated him. Do ye think I want that to happen to our son or daughter?" He shook his head. "I want to be a good father, Elizabeth, but I don't know how to be one. I'm not even sure what I feel about you bein' pregnant yet. It's mixed emotions. Give me time." He shook her a little bit, ignoring the tears that filled her eyes even though she tried to blink them back. "Give me time." he repeated in a whisper, searching her face. "I walked out on you because I didn't know what to say. I needed time to be alone, to think about the news, to figure out what I'm going to do."

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly, her voice thick with emotion. "Figure out what?"

"Teague and I had a plan to use ye as bait so that we can trap Barbossa and get out of this mess. He'll follow us, Lizzie, there's no doubt about it. Yet, now that yer pregnant, I won't let ye take that risk. I won't endanger ye or our unborn child." He sighed. "What if ye die, Elizabeth? What if that screamin', cryin' little brat takes yer life when ye give birth t' it? I've seen it before, when I was just a lad, peekin' into the window of me friend's house. His mum was there, on the bed, screaming and writhing in pain. The housewife told er' t' push and she did, and then she became deathly silent, her face pale as the life leaked out of er'. Yet there was the little one, quite alive, squirming, flailing, and crying bloody murder atween her thighs."

Elizabeth's eyes widened as the tears ran down her cheeks. It wasn't that he didn't want her, it was the responsibility, the weight he now carried on his shoulders that had caused him to walk away. He was worried about her, she could see it in his eyes, half crazed at the thought of her dying because of the baby. Biting her lip, she reached up and touched his cheek, shaking her head. She wouldn't lie, though, tell him that she wouldn't die. It would be unfair.

"Yer so small, Lizzie." Jack groaned, shutting his eyes as his grip on her shoulders loosened. "Yer body ain't made for having a child. Ye're not built for that."

She glanced down for a fraction of a second, then shook her head again, but decided to say nothing. Honestly, she wasn't sure herself. "Listen to me." she whispered to him. His eyes flickered open, and he stared at her from under his eyelashes before straightening out his head, obeying her request. "I don't know what the future holds. I don't know if I will live, or if I will die. Whatever happens, though, I want to do it with you. I don't want to be alone, I don't want to leave. I want you to be a part of this, to talk to me about it, to help me name him or her. Don't...don't walk out on me anymore. I need you with me, though this. You think you are scared? Jack, I'm frightened too." She smoothed out her palm, cradling his cheek with her hand. "I'm going to be a terrible mother. I barely know what to do, this is so new to me. Yet, I want to do this, because this is your child. The baby of the man I love, and will love forever, is growing inside me, and that makes me so very happy." Taking his hand, she placed it on her stomach, and shut her eyes. "Now you shall always be a part of me, no matter what may happen."

Jack's dark eyes moved down to her stomach when she had placed his hand on it. As he studied her stomach, he frowned. He had been so busy worrying about Elizabeth and thinking of how burdensome pregnancy would be that he hadn't taken the time to actually think about it. Elizabeth was pregnant. She was with child! There was a little human that was growing inside her, that would grow up with them and one day take off to make their own way through life. A daughter or a son that would look up to him, beg to be told stories, watch his every move with wide, curious eyes.

And there it was. A small flicker inside him, the spark of a delight that fought to work its way through him and made his heartbeat quicken. He glanced up at his wife, who wet her lips and stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak.

"You're pregnant." he whispered, finally realizing the wholeness of her situation. There were two sides to everything, and he had just been focusing on the wrong side! "Oh Lizzie, ye're pregnant."

"Yes." she laughed quietly, her voice shaky. "Yes, I am." Tear filled eyes locked onto his, and his free hand came to cup the side of her face, rubbing his thumb around in circles against her jaw.

"Oh, love." he whispered, awed, then drew her into his arms, wrapping them around her. She melted into his embrace, her arms coming around him as well. "I'm sorry 'bout how I acted before. I'll be here fer you, no matter what." His wife smiled, fighting back tears. "We'll get through this together, you and I." Pulling back, he moved his hands to her shoulders, studying her face. "It'll be an adventure."

A laugh escaped her lips, and she nodded. "Quite a big adventure, Captain." She placed a hand on her stomach, a look of pure joy settling in her eyes. They were bright and clear, and Jack thought she had never looked so beautiful before. "As long as I have you by my side, everything will be okay."

"Aye." he whispered thickly, moving to cup her face again. "I love you, Lizzie."

Tears spilled past her lashes and quickly ran down her cheeks. He wiped a few away with his thumb, then leaned in and kissed her, not pulling back until he was thoroughly satisfied.

"I love you too, Jack. So much." Elizabeth reached up and kissed him again. When she pulled back their eyes locked, and Jack felt a primal need rise up inside him, a need to stake his claim on her once again; to renew his vows that he had made when they married, where he had promised to love and cherish her forever. She seemed to understand this and nodded, her eyes darkening slightly.

"Mister Gibbs!" Jack called, crushing her to him before lifting her into his arms. Gibbs bolted up to the wheel, focused on the two of them, then smiled.

"Aye, Captain?"

"Take the helm." Gibbs nodded, and Jack turned, almost stumbling down the stairs in his haste to reach their quarters.

Once they were inside he shut the door with his foot, then brought her into their sleeping cabin and set her gently down on the bed. He pulled back to strip off his clothes, but Elizabeth grabbed his shirt and pulled him down against her. Tangling her legs with his, she cupped his face and kissed him, not caring that they had already done this only a few hours ago. She needed him, and he needed her, and that was all she could focus on. Everything else was a blur in her mind, even the baby. This was about Jack and herself, about plundering each others body, taking back what was rightfully theirs. It was about forgiveness, comfort, and the growing excitement about their child. A celebration and apology all wrapped into one.

The kiss they shared was slow and gentle, but there was a tension, a fire behind their control that was growing bigger and hotter the longer they held themselves back. It wasn't much longer after that when fever took over, growing into something that couldn't be quenched, that couldn't be stopped unless they finished. There was no going back now, not when the stakes and everything else was so high.

A sudden sense of possessiveness for Elizabeth came over Jack. Growling into the kiss, he rolled her over fully so that they were on the middle of the bed, then took her wrists and pinned them above her head with one hand, causing her to gasp and stare up at him. The look in her eyes was both trusting and crazed; she'd never wanted him this bad, never felt a hunger and desire so powerful that it eliminated everything else but the feeling of his warm, tempting body above hers.

His fingers brushed down her jaw and neck before alighting on the buttons of her shirt. As he undid them, his mouth descended on her neck, nipping and kissing her skin teasingly, hearing every shallow breath she took and every whimper he was able to drag from her. Helpless and unable to resist him, Elizabeth went limp under his ministrations, her bones melting like candle wax under the hot, blue flickers of a never-dying flame.

Warm, rough lips covered her own as Jack let her go, drawing her up into his arms for a moment in order to slide the fabric from her body and throw it to the side. Gently he lay her back, then broke the kiss to look at her. Eyes met, unspoken words were conveyed, and then he moved his gaze downwards. Elizabeth blushed, making a subconscious move to cover herself, but Jack grabbed her wrists and shook his head. She relaxed visibly, though felt a little nervous under his relentless stare. He's never looked at her like this before. Neither earlier, nor the first time he took her. Instead of racing together towards the sky and the magic beyond, Elizabeth wanted to take her time. She wanted to learn the map of his body and engrave in on her heart, memorize the texture of his skin under her hands, be able to recall the sweetness of his lips within the span of a second. Both times before this they hadn't the time to do so, or had needed each other so bad they hadn't been able to wait. This time, though, she wanted this time to be different.

Her thoughts were mercilessly scattered to the wind when Jack's mouth descended on her breasts. She gasped, shutting her eyes as tendrils of beautiful heat began to make their way through her. With her blood pounding in her ears, and her heart racing, she whimpered and arched upwards. Smug lips smirked against her skin, and then he pulled away, placing a kiss between her cleavage before beginning to work on the ties of her breeches.

Lifting her hips, he slid them off her and pushed them away, then kissed her fiercely again. Rough, warm hands ran up her sides, his fingertips brushing against the swell of her breasts and eliciting another soft whimper. He chuckled, then pulled away and sat up. Grabbing one foot, he lifted it up, then pressed his lips to her sole, causing her eyes to widen and her heart to skip a beat. Trailing kisses up to her toes, he kissed each one, smirking as they curled.

Glancing up again, he realized that she was still staring at him, looking as if she was holding her breath. "Relax." he commanded, his voice rich and dark. "Lay back, love, close yer eyes, and focus on what 'M doing t' ye." One last long look was exchanged between them, and then she slowly sank back and obeyed, covering her eyes with one arm, not sure what he was doing.

Jack slowly worked his way up her leg, determined to kiss every inch of her body until she screamed from madness. The warm, moist kisses he left on her skin made it tingle pleasurably, and she moaned, feeling his mustache brush against her thigh. A tremor ran through her and she grabbed the pillow tightly in her other hand, her breathing becoming labored.

Then he was moving his lips against her stomach, working his way upwards towards her chest. Her eyes snapped open, and she glanced down at him, then pouted. He smirked at seeing this and nipped at her, causing her to moan, half from pain and half from pleasure. He could feel ber body tremble and grabbed her hips, then rolled them over. Sitting up, she took the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, then turned her gaze to his chest. Almost as if she was in a trance, Elizabeth reached out and lightly brushed her fingers over his scars, eyebrows knitting in distress.

Quick as lightening Jack grabbed her wrist, stilling her fingers. She glanced up sharply, tears in her clouded, murky brown eyes. Pulling her hand to his mouth, he kissed each fingerpad, watching as her eyes seemed to darken when he curled his tongue around one digit and drew it between his warm lips. A shiver ran through her and her eyes closed, forgetting about her tears as he sucked on her finger.

"They don't hurt anymore, darling." he whispered, drawing back and watching her. After a long moment she looked to him, running her tongue across her teeth. "Haven't hurt in a long time. Don't worry about the past. I swear I've told you that before." He smiled at her, and she smiled back, placing her palm over his heart, faintly able to feel it pulse within his chest.

Slowly she began to explore his chest, grazing her nails against his skin, gently tracing his scars and bullet holes. He still only had two, just as he had shown her on the island. Moving to his shoulder, she brushed her thumb against a thin red line, knowing that this was where Jack had been stabbed by Barbossa. With a sigh and a shake of her head, she smiled.

"You are a walking miracle, Jack Sparrow." she said quietly, now looking at the tattoo on his chest and following each letter with her pinkie. "Your body is covered with scars and wounds, and yet you are still alive."

He chuckled. "Amazing, innit?" She nodded, then was pulled down. Immediately their lips met, and he rolled her over, using one hand to get his breeches off. His belt, sash, and breeches fell with a soft flutter to the floor, but that was quickly forgotten when Elizabeth gasped and moved her hands to his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin painfully. "Ye're going t' add yer own mark then, ey?" he asked, moving his mouth to her ear.

"Why shouldn't I mark you?" Her voice was teasing, but strained, and she fought to control her breathing and her volume. "You're mine, always will be. I don't want anyone else thinking otherwise."

He groaned and shut his eyes at the sweet, low sound of her voice, bit her earlobe, then found her mouth again.

The conversation was immediately over as all words were lost to the both of them.


"If it's a boy, what do you think we should name him?"

Jack glanced over at his wife and smiled playfully, his hands locked underneath his head as he thought for a moment. Then he chuckled and reached down, pulling her closer with one arm while placing his other hand on her stomach.

"I think we should name 'im William. What about you?"

Elizabeth laughed and turned towards him, kissing his shoulder.

"Course, maybe not. We don't want our son t' be cursed as a eunuch fer the rest of 'is life. T'would be a disgrace."

This time she half-heartedly slapped his chest, giggling.

"You are awful." she groaned, smiling.

"Awfully wonderful." he corrected, wiggling his eyebrows at her. She snorted, then burst into laughter, hiding her face in the crook of his neck for a moment. Then she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling brightly.

"Awfully handsome."

Jack sat up, pulling her up as well. He hugged her tightly and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply.

"I love you, 'Lizabeth." He swore he could hear her smile. "I know I don't say that a lot, but I really do. Never doubt that."

"I don't and never will." she whispered to him.

A knock at the door made Jack look up. With a sigh, he pulled away from Elizabeth, then got up and tugged on his breeches, tightening his belt as he walked towards the door. Opening it, he was greeted to the sight of his first mate, who looked a bit uncomfortable. There was a moment of silence, and then Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Ye obviously have something to say, Mister Gibbs. What is it?" he asked in a low tone.

Gibbs grimaced, trying to figure out how he could say this correctly. After a moment he gave up with a sigh. "It's the Flying Dutchman, Jack. Right behind us and gaining speed. Ye should come out on deck 'n take a look."

Jack blinked at him, then shut his eyes, surprised and confused. What the hell was Will doing there? Wasn't there enough going on for him and his family? They didn't need Will on top of Barbossa!

Then he remembered.

"Damn." he cursed, turning to look at Elizabeth after shutting the door, hurriedly getting his shirt on. "Alright, love, get yer clothes on and then come out on deck." She nodded, a little confused since she hadn't heard the whispered conversation at the door. Getting to her feet, she walked over to the chest next to the dresser and made to open it, but was stopped by Jack hurrying over and grabbing her wrist. "No no!" He glanced around quickly, then snagged a skirt and a white blouse from the second drawer of the dresser. "Put these on." Blinking, she slid on the skirt, then pulled on the blouse and buttoned it up. Wiggling his fingers impatiently, Jack straightened out the hem of the shirt, then grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door quickly, grabbing his hat on the way out.

"Jack! Jack, what is going on?" Elizabeth asked, tugging on his hand while wondering why he wouldn't let her wear a dress. Wasn't is supposed to be a dress or nothing with him? What was with the plain skirt and shirt, then?

"It's Will." Jack growled, leading her along while settling his hat on his head. "He's here t' ask me 'bout that debt I need t' pay 'im."

"Is that why you made me wear this instead of a dress?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. Then she laughed. "You're jealous."

"Am not." He glanced back at her, then frowned at the smug look on her face. "I am not. I just don't want him to gander at me wife." At his pouting she squeezed his hand in reassurance. "Want to know why?" he continued, pressing the matter. "Because my wife is beautiful, smart, and brave, and I don't want the whelp to get any ideas about trying to win her affections again. Ye're mine, and only mine."

She sighed, her face bright with love for her husband. "I don't want anyone else but you. I love you."

Relieved at her words and realizing that he had nothing to be worried about, he looked forward and continued walking.


Once they reached deck Jack let go of Elizabeth's hand, moving towards the railing so he could get a better look. What Gibbs had said was true. The Flying Dutchman was behind them, and quickly catching up. The ship was close enough that no spyglass was needed. With a sigh, he looked over to see his wife come and stand beside him, looking as if she was in thought.

"How long has it been?" she asked finally, watching as the ship approached them.

"Two months and a week." He slowly shook his head. "And those two months I was lookin' fer you. Either he's really impatient, Liz, or he's here for an entirely different reason. I jis don't know what that would be."

"We'll find out soon enough." was all she could think to reply, because she also didn't know why Will had all the sudden appeared to see them. It was no coincedence, seeing that he had been following them for the past twenty minutes or so, maybe longer. No one could tell.


Twenty minutes later and the Dutchman was sailing side by side with the Pearl. Most of the crew paused in their work to look up, watching as someone swung across, landing on the deck with a soft thud. Immediately their hands went to their pistols, but Jack calmed then with one look and a soothing gesture.

"Jack." Will greeted, looking more than exhausted. He turned, then blinked before smiling a little. "Elizabeth."

"Will." they both said, nodding to him. Then Jack stepped forward, angling his body so that it was almost if he was shielding his wife from harm.

"What is it, Turner? Didn't think I'd see ye so soon."

Will smiled grimly, then shook his head.

"We need to talk." He glanced over at Elizabeth, then back to the pirate in front of him. "In private."