That afternoon, Jack decided to take a trip to his favorite place in town: John's Distillery. He had not been there for years.

Just prior, Jack and Angelica had shared "the news" with the crew and had handed out their shares. Scrum was relieved to find out that nothing was wrong with his captainess.

Jack had known owner John since he was little. Before he opened his shop, John had sailed with his father Edward. Before Jack went sailing he had sometimes helped John in the shop.

He was probably in his sixties now. Together with his wife Emerald he still operated the shop and produced alcoholic drinks.

Jack had gone there not just to order some alcoholic beverages for the Pearl, but was mostly interested in buying himself some bottles of rum and wine – he had deserved it, really. And of course, he looked forward to seeing John and Emerald again.

"Jack! How long I haven't seen ye! And Gibbs, how are ye!" John yelled happily from the counter when he saw Jack and Gibbs walk in. He immediately opened a bottle and poured them each a glass of rum.

Gibbs took a sip. "The best rum there be, aye."

Jack nodded, agreeing. "Aye. How's Emerald?" He did not see her in the shop, which somewhat worried him.

John, however, started smiling even bigger. "Great as ever! She is with Helena, who gave birth to a precious little boy called Adam a few days ago."

Helena was John's and Emerald's daughter, who was about the same age as Jack. They grew up together, but Jack had not seen her in years like he had not seen many people from his past for ages.

Jack raised his glass. "Let's have a drink to that, eh. Congratulations!"

"That be wonderful, John," Gibbs added. "And how's business?"

"Thinking of starting a tavern, what ye think?"

Jack immediately smiled upon hearing that. "I say yes, for sure." He would definitely go there. Shipwreck Town was in need of more taverns like Tortuga had.

"Aye!" Gibbs yelled enthusiastically.

John quickly helped some customers but returned to his old friends after. For a town as small as this, John's business was running greatly. Customers constantly came in and out of the shop in want of the best drinks.

"So, what ye two lads been up to? Any good pirating?" He refilled their glasses of rum, much to Jack's and Gibb's liking, of course.

"Got the Pearl back, so we need a lot of rum for that," Jack replied, grinning.

John's face was priceless. How much he had always adored that ship – maybe even more than Jack himself if that was possible. John was a sailor after all.

"Aye, I will deliver it myself to see her! "I heard ye went to the Fountain of Youth?" John squinted his eyes, curiously.

Stories about the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow were always breaking news here. Everyone knew Jack, and everyone wanted to know what he was up to. Most of them were probably nonsense, but Jack did not care – it was all about maintaining his reputation.

"Aye, I did," Jack replied, after drinking his rum.

John came closer, whispering, "did ye drink from it?"

Before Jack could answer, however, Gibbs interrupted the conversation. "No, the lad saved a damsel instead!" he hissed.

John frowned confused. "A damsel, ye say?" Clearly, this news had not yet reached him, nor was it like the other stories about Jack he had heard.

"Aye, a damsel!" Gibbs replied.

"That be something I want to hear more about..." John grinned amusingly.

Jack rolled his eyes slightly and just drank his rum. Sometimes Gibbs really was like one of those tea-sipping elderly women who were just gossiping all day. For a pirate he sure loved drama.

"What about ye join us for dinner tonight, aye? Bring Emerald too."

Instead of breaking the news here, Jack figured it was better to tell him later. Since he was a loved figure in his family anyway, his relatives would be glad to have him and Emerald over for dinner.

"I see ye two tonight then! So, what will it be?" John placed a few bottles on the table to choose from.

From his pockets, Gibbs retrieved a list of alcoholic beverages they wanted to order. Jack was about to order for himself when he heard someone calling out his name.

"Jackie, what a coincidence!"

Jack did not have to turn around to see who it was. He looked at Gibbs, who gave him the same annoyed look back. They both found this man incredibly annoying.

Slowly, Jack turned around, faking a smile. "Uncle Ace, what a coincidence indeed."

"What ye doing here?" Uncle Ace looked at the list that Gibbs had placed on the counter and their empty glasses.

"Making some orders for my ship, aye. What about you?" Jack asked as if he was interested at all.

Uncle Ace had not gone out sailing for years. He had never made it to captain but had instead sailed under other people's command for many years. When he was almost killed in a sea battle a few years ago, he had decided it was time to retire. Since then, he had annoyed his family members with his presence. It was not unusual for him to start fights a few times a day, which, at often became violent.

"On my way to see a wench." Uncle Ace said proudly. He placed some gold coins on the counter. "Three bottles of red wine for me!"

Jack frowned. How in the hell was there a woman in that man's life? He simply could not imagine it, nor did he want to, actually.

"Oh. Not Catherine, I hope?" Jack saw how John called Gibbs to ask about their list. Great. Now he had to deal with his uncle and his uninteresting stories all by himself.

Uncle Ace shook his head, somewhat angrily. "No, she ran away with some young lass, the miscreant!"

"Tragic," Jack pretended to care.

"What about ye, Jackie? Heard there's a new brothel in town, ye should go," Uncle Ace said.

Jack quickly looked at Gibbs, but his first mate did not notice him. This conversation was going places he desperately wanted to avoid talking about. Unfortunately, that was not the case for his noisy uncle, who was interested in hearing what Jack's love life looked like, apparently.

"I'm fine, really," Jack simply replied, hoping to end this conversation.

Ace squinted his eyes, suspiciously. "Ye already have a wench, have ye?"

Jack's eyes widened. What did this man know? "Well, not exactly "a wench"…. but… no…. I…." he somewhat stuttered, not knowing what to say.

Fortunately, his first mate had finally noticed him and tried to save him from this terrible conversation.

"Cap'n!" Gibbs yelled, as if he was in desperate need of his captain.

Jack could not be happier. He ran off, yelling to his confused uncle: "Gotta go, aye!"


2 HOURS LATER

Angelica was feeling nervous. Here she was, sitting at this huge table having dinner with Jack's family again, waiting for Jack to finally make his announcement.

She had made sure to arrive at this dinner early so that no one would not see her come in. Her physical appearance was just too revealing at this point without a corset to hide in.

Jack, overly protective of her at this point, did not want her to go alone and so she had been joined by Scrum – the most loyal crewmember there was, probably.

It was only about a fifteen-minute walk from the Pearl to the Teagues, but Scrum had bombarded her with questions and stories. About his mother, who, as Angelica now understood, was some sort of prostitute. About his siblings – he apparently had nine. About his father, who he had never met but of whom he had heard great stories.

She looked around the table. Most of Jack's relatives were there, and John and Emerald – she was introduced to the couple by Gibbs.

Announcing the news was nerve-wracking. Jack's relatives were the most unpredictable people she had ever met. Anything could happen, really.

She also did not quite understand who knew what already. Valerie only knew she was pregnant, and Edward knew all of it. But the rest apparently did not anything. Right?

The fact that Jack – her now husband – was sitting next to her was not helping her case. His close presence made her even more nervous. She felt like people were staring at them, like Grandmama, for instance. What did that woman already know?

But what was there to notice? Not much, actually. Angelica had made sure to talk to Valerie most of the time and ignore Jack, which was hard. She yearned for his touch, his attention.

Again, she looked around the table; either people were finishing their plate or were already done.

Over the last few days, she had noticed how the most feared woman at this table, Grandmama, was enjoying the conversations she was having with Gibbs. It seemed the two had known each other for a long time. She had even seen the woman laugh. Maybe she was not so bad after all.

Just when she was thinking of a way to get Jack's attention, she felt his right hand on her left upper leg. It was a risky move. Valerie saw it. She raised her eyebrows at Angelica, who tried to pretend that nothing was happening.

She was relieved when he let go of her leg again. In the corner of her eye, she saw how he stood up and raised his glass. The sound of a knife hitting a glass, however, did not silence everyone – but, fortunately, a gunshot of Grandmama did.

"Thank ye," Jack said to his grandmother.

Uncle Jack, oblivious to what was happening, just raised his glass too, yelling "cheers!".

Immediately, Ace slapped his head. "He be making an announcement ye dumb fool!"

"Aye, shut up!" Aunt Hazel yelled from across the table.

Uncle Jack then got up, almost spilling his wine, "ye shut up yerself ye fool!"

Angelica quietly watched how this fight was developing, and how Jack just waited patiently, as if this was the most normal thing in the world. This family seemed impossible to understand.

Another gunshot from Grandmama silenced them again, however.

"What is it, Jackie?" Uncle Ace asked, interested in what his nephew had to say.

"Aye, ye not dead again, are ye?" Uncle Jack asked, somewhat worriedly.

Jack shrugged. "Don't think so."

Angelica frowned at this rather strange and unnecessary conversation. Sometimes she really wondered if these men still had any brain cells left. She looked at Gibbs, who just shrugged.

"I have an announcement to make. Or no, announcements, plural, eh." Jack finally started.

"Listen!" Aunt Quick Draw, or McFleming, yelled at some of Jack's cousins, who were not paying attention.

Suddenly, Aunt Hazel, as noisy as she was, slammed her hand on the table angrily, making everyone almost jump. "Let the lad speak! What be it, Jack?"

"I have to confess something... My lovely navigator, right here…" Jack placed his hands on her chair, standing behind her.

Now, all eyes were on her, or rather, the two of them.

"… ye may have heard, daughter of the late Blackbeard… she is not my navigator."

Many people were now frowning. "Daughter of late Blackbeard?" One of his cousins asked.

"Not ye navigator, ye say?" Uncle Jack asked, totally confused again. The poor man had no clue at all.

Uncle Ace got up, proudly. "She be his wench!" he yelled, as if he had discovered the secret of the century.

As if he was revealing himself, or rather, them, he placed his hands on her bare shoulders. For the first time, he was touching her in the presence of all of his family members.

"She is my wife." His arms were now embracing her. Her hands touched his arms, lovingly.

Valerie almost spat out her wine. "Wait, what? He married you? He what?! How?!" she yelled to Angelica, who could not help but laugh at her hysterical reaction.

"Surprising, isn't it?" Jack replied, grinning proudly.

Valerie grabbed Angelica's left hand to look at her rings. On her ring finger was, of course, the ring with the ruby stone. Her eyes then fell on Jack's hands, and she gasped when she saw him wearing the same ring. Apparently, it was only now that she noticed.

"I didn't know you had it in you, Jack," she nodded, impressed at her cousin.

"Where ye two met?" Someone asked.

"Did Blackbeard know?" Another one asked.

"That's great news, Jack!" John said, smiling happily.

Most of Jack's relatives were surprised, as they had never expected to ever see Jack marry someone, but were nevertheless excited about the news. While they were always extremely critical about additions to the family, they adored Angelica.

"Jackie boy, that be great, eh!" Uncle Jack yelled again.

Grandmama slowly rose from her seat, which caused some surprised faces as she almost never did.

"I am glad to welcome Angelica Teach, daughter of late Blackbeard, into our family."

Uncle Jack immediately raised his glass in the air. "We make a toast."

Jack shook his head. "No, hang on a minute. I am not done yet, am I? I said announcements, not announcement. Plural."

Grandmama, who was holding herself up on the table, now looked annoyed. "What?! Hurry!"

Jack held out his hand to Angelica and helped her stand up. He placed his right arm around her waist, while she had her left arm around his neck. He nodded to her; she should say it.

"He knocked me up. I am with child." Angelica said with her right hand on her belly, showing it off.

Jack smirked at how she said it.

Uncle Jack now seemed to be crying with tears of happiness. "Jackie boy…" That man was hysterical.

"Ye in a few years, with ye stupid visions!" Grandmama yelled at Mabeltrude angrily, as if she had lied about it, which, to be fair, she had, right? Mabeltrude just shrugged in return.

Grandmama then slowly raised her glass. "To Jack's and Angelica's child."

Angelica saw Jack mouthed something to his father, but she was too late to see what this was about. She decided to let it go for now and ask him later. Now they would celebrate.


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