Chapter Nineteen: The Past . . . And the Future



"So peaceful," Rachel murmured as she and Jack sat together watching the sunset. It had been three weeks since their encounter with the 'Mary Sue', and they hadn't seen another ship since. The sea had been calm with light breezes. The sailing was easy. They were heading for Tortuga but they were in no great hurry to get there. Most of the crew was bored stiff, but Rachel was enjoying herself thoroughly. The first two weeks of her time here had been so chaotic. She was glad of the chance to relax and get to know the rest of the crew better. Especially it's captain.


"Ye gettin' tired of looking at the sunsets, yet, luv?" Jack asked her.


"Not in the least," she said with a smile. "This is the most wonderful time of my life. How did I ever live like I did? Cooped up in a tiny apartment in a dirty city with all that noise. And the air here! It's a pleasure just to breathe."


"You've never said much about where you come from," he responded. "What do you miss most about it? And don't say nothing, cause even the worst places have something worth recommending them."


"The music, I think. It's much different from the music I've heard here. And pizza. God how I miss pizza."


"Pizza?"


"It's a bread type shell with tomato sauce, cheese and lots of other yummy stuff piled on top. For a while I practically lived on the stuff."


"Anything else," he asked.


"I miss my mom and dad a lot," she replied wistfully. "They're really the only people I do miss."


"No man for you to miss?" he inquired.


"Only his debts, and believe me, I don't miss them at all."


"He left you, then?" His eyes widened slightly. "The man must have been daft."


"That's putting it mildly. He left right after the first time he hit me. I beat the shit out of him."


"That's my girl," he said, pulling her closer to him.


"It's getting dark. And I promised Anna I'd help her out with something this evening. Will you be out late?"

"Not if you'll be waiting for me," he replied.


"With bells on," she replied. "And not much else."


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After searching for a while, Rachel decided to check Anna's room for her. She almost never went there except to sleep but it was the only place left to look. She knocked softly upon the door. "Anna," she called. "Are you in there?"


"It's open," Annamaria groaned. "Come in, if it pleases ye."


Rachel opened the door and stepped into Anna's tiny room. Jack had been telling the truth. It was little more than a closet. "Are you all right?" she asked.


Anna sat up cautiously. "Aye, lass, I'll be fine. It's just my lady's friend come to visit." She groaned, shifting around trying to find a comfortable position. "I hate this time o' the month. I've had some willow bark tea, but it hasn't done me much good. Goodness, I never even told you where to find it. Or are you one of those lucky lasses that never has the pains with it?"


"Oh my god," Rachel flushed. "I never even thought of it." She started to look a little green. "Anna?" she asked. "How long have I been here?"


"Well," Annamaria replied. "I know it's been more than a month. This is my second bleedin' since ye came aboard. Are ye sayin' ye've had none, Rachel?"


"Um . . . ," Rachel gulped. "You don't think . . . ?"


"The two of ye have been goin' at it like rabbits, girl. Don't tell me the thought never crossed yer mind?"


"Not once," Rachel said flatly. "I don't know why, but it just never occurred to me. Maybe it's that my life here has been so dreamlike. When it's not being nightmare like, that is. I wouldn't even know how to tell. At home I'd just pick up a test from the local drug store, but here . . ."


"Have ye been havin' any other signs? Morning sickness or anything like that?"


"Now that you mention it, I have been a little queasy once or twice."


"Anything else?"


"My breasts have been a little bit sore, and my breeches have felt a little tight."


"You're showin' all the signs, me friend. If that be the case, he or she will be here by Yuletide. Ye'd best tell Jack."



"Oh my," Rachel paled. "How is he gonna take this?"


"If you're smart," Annamaria replied, "sitting down."


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Rachel was waiting up for Jack when he came in, but she decided to leave the bells off. Instead she wore a blue brushed silk nightgown . . . and she waited at the table . . . with a bottle of rum close at hand. She had taken some time to explore her body, now that she knew what to look for. Her abdomen was slightly tender but her breasts were even more so. She seemed to be retaining water. Her ankles were slightly swollen. By the time Jack came in for the night, she was fairly sure of what she had to tell him.


Jack closed the door quietly as he came in. He turned and looked at her. "Where are the bells, then?" he asked. His expression froze as he noticed the serious expression her face carried. "Is something wrong, luv?"


She tried to smile reassuringly but all that she could manage was a crooked grimace. "That really depends on your point of view," she squeaked.


He was beside her in a moment's time. "Rachel, darlin', what is it?"


She passed him the bottle of rum. "Here, you're going to need this."


"Yer starting t'worry me," he said. "What is it, Rachel?"


"After you have a drink," she replied. "Just humor me."


Jack raised the bottle to his lips and took a long pull. "There ye go, luv, I've had a drink. Now, tell me what the problem is."


Rachel cleared her throat. "Jack," she began, "I think we're going to have some serious changes coming along."


"What do you mean, luv? I thought ye were happy aboard the Pearl."


"I am," she hastened to assure him. "It's just that . . . um . . . we may be adding to the crew soon."


"Why?" he asked. "We have enough men aboard already."


"Yes, " she replied. "I know we do, but we may be making a small addition anyway."


"Yer beatin' around the bush, luv," he told her. "I'm just not sure which bush it is. Just tell me yer problem, woman. I promise not t'make you walk the plank."


"Ok, then," she said. "Here goes. I think I may be pregnant."


"Oh, that's all right then," Jack said as he arose and walked toward the door. "I'll just inform the crew and . . ." He hit the floor.


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Rachel knelt beside Jack. That had actually gone better than she hoped. She held the bottle of rum in her hands. "Jack," she slapped him gently. "Wake up."


There was a knock on the door. "Is everything all right in there?" Gibbs' voice came through the door.


"Come in, Gibbs," Rachel called out.


Gibbs opened the door and came in with Annamaria close on his heels. "We heard a crash," Gibbs began. He broke off and looked at his Captain, lying prone on the floor. "What happened, here?"


Annamaria looked at her. "Ye told him?"


Rachel nodded.


Gibbs looked back and forth between the two women. "Told 'im what?" he asked.


Just then, Jack began to moan and his eyelids fluttered open. "Rachel, luv," he said. "I just had the strangest dream."


She held the bottle out to him. "Drink," she said.


"It wasn't a dream then, was it?"


"No," she said quietly. "It wasn't."


Jack upended the bottle and didn't stop drinking until it was empty.


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"Are you sure?" Jack asked her once he had regained his feet.


"Close enough to it," she replied.


He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. "No worries then," he responded.



She looked up at him in surprise. "You're not angry?"


"What would be the point, luv?" he asked her. "Ye just caught me off my guard, that's all."


"What are we going to do?" she asked.


"What else, darlin'," he said. "We're going to keep up what we've been doin' and take things as they come. But I want ye t'be looked at by someone who knows about these things." He turned to Gibbs. "We head for Port Royal."