As Will and Elizabeth sat on their porch swing that he had built, watching the sun go down, holding each other, they both thought about the day's events. 

        When the Commodore had personally come to their house after a week of being out on sea to talk to them, they were a little uneasy.  It had been a chore to get all the children out of the room of course, since all of them had the day off from school, the house echoed in their noise still.

        He had told them that they had come upon the Pearl but didn't get close enough to trap the whole crew.  One lone figure had been on a dinghy.  And much to Norrington's surprise it wasn't who he was expecting.

        "Not like I had exactly anticipated Jack's figure being the one on the ship, but one of a captive.  It's wasn't a large portion of me that thought that…but a portion none the less."  He had explained.  "So when I saw a young woman that still looked to be in her teen-years, I was thrown off.  And the fact that she seemed to be Jack Sparrow's double didn't help my conscience."  

        He explained that Captain Briscoe had also been aboard, and wanted to hang her right then and there.  The Commodore described him as 'level-headed' about the whole deal after he explained to the Captain that she hadn't been branded.  He insisted to the Turners he would make an excellent Commodore, as if assuring himself. 

        Then when he asked them to go see her, they were totally surprised.  "James, we haven't seen her in over a decade!" Elizabeth told him.  Still, he asked.  Not assuming they would go- but hoping.  He left saying that he wouldn't be there, so the Captain would be there to 'assist' them.

        "We should tell Gwyneth." Elizabeth had told Will right after the Commodore left.  Both of them knowing her connection to the once little girl and to Jack.  But the biggest question in their mind was the whereabouts of Jack.  And now, many hours later, the same question plagued their thoughts.

        "I hope he's alright…" Elizabeth said softly, looking out onto the ocean always had brought memories of Jack into her mind.  It had been so long since she had seen him.  It had been too long.

        Will mumbled something in response, agreeing with her, thinking of Jack himself.  "We should meet with Brenda again and see where he is."

        "It'll be better if we talk to her after she's released.  She is going to be living with Gwyneth until…whenever.  Surely she would spare enough time to talk to us…"

        Will nodded.  Only hoping his long time friend was okay.

        Gwyneth felt her lip go numb from biting it for so long and let go of it.  She kept moving her arm across the large body.  The male made a noise and she stopped, "Oh calm down, you like it."  She kept brushing him, with more attention this time.  The large being made another noise but she ignored it.  "Why are you so cranky, Pearl?"

        The large, black horse turned its head to meet hers and he neighed again.  "If I brushed Suzie every night she wouldn't complain half as much as you do."  She went on brushing him.  She had gotten Pearl a couple years ago.  He was a full grown horse, exactly what she always wanted.

        When her parents died, they left everything to Edward (naturally) and left in the will to give fifty percent of the money to Gwyneth as an allowance.  He of course did, and allowed her to keep living in the house while he moved out of his old one and moved in with her.

        The death of her parents had left a huge void in her life.  One that her brother, sister, nieces and nephews could never fill.  She started by getting two goldfish.  Then she got Pearl, and lastly Suzette, her beagle who was only a year old and was very hyper. 

        She rode Pearl almost everyday, and the building of a small stable helped Gwyneth sleep at night, knowing her horse would be in a warm place.  She often thought about how cliché it would be calling her horse Pearl, after the Black Pearl, but she needed something to remind her of Jack. 

        As if the days alone wouldn't.

        Since she had seen Jack and received his letter, she wasn't exactly the same. The Commodore had pursued her, true, but not before long before he realized that her true feelings lied in someone other than him.  So they kept a strong friendship, and she encouraged him to pursue his current wife. 

        But her life hadn't been full of repressed emotions and finding herself always looking for Jack, she had enjoyed her life and done things other than search the seas for the Pearl, but she always kept in the back of her mind the thought of Jack returning- but she wouldn't let it rule her.  After all, it had been fourteen years.

        Now, when faced with his daughter, she had no bad feelings about this.  She knew taking her into her home was the right thing to do- no one would sway her from that choice.  What I don't understand is, why didn't James come and tell me? He hasn't even talked to me about Brenda since she got here.

        She sighed and put down the brush, gave Pearl a carrot and some water and then left. "I'll see you in the morning, Pearl."  She headed back to the house, thinking about this situation.  But where's Jack?  Shouldn't he be close to his daughter?  I mean, she didn't even mention him!  I'll have to talk to her about that.

        When she walked in, it was incredibly quiet.  She figured the two girls must be in bed by now.  She heard Suzette eating in the kitchen and whistled quietly for her.  The dog came running to her master.  Gwyneth knelt down and picked her up and carried her up the stairs with her.  "Good night Jacque." She said to the man who was walking into the kitchen.  He and Francis were the only two help, who had been hired by Gwyneth's parents.

        "G'night ma'am."  He was getting ready for bed too.  The few candles that were still lit were about to be blown out.  He got up early in the morning, so usually went to bed around the came time as Rebecca and Caitlin.  The rest of the house usually stayed in their rooms at that time until they went to bed.

        She turned and knocked lightly on her brother's door, ignoring Suzie, who was licking her face.  She heard an acknowledgement and walked in to find them both in bed, reading by candle light.  "Well, you're finally out of the stables!  Suzie was whining for you." Faith said, taking off her spectacles she used to read.

        "I know.  Are the boys still up?"

        "Most likely.  I'm afraid you missed Caitlin and Rebecca."

        She nodded, "Good night you two…and thanks for letting Brenda-"

        "No problem," Edward cut in.  She nodded again and left.  She went past the girls' bedroom and to the next door.  She knocked, heard yet another response and walked in.  The three boys had the largest rooms of them all.  The house only did have five bedrooms, not enough for all the kids, their parents and the aunt.  So putting the three boys into one room, they had to have a large one to fit all the furniture. 

        "Hey Aunt Gwyneth," Trevor said, looking up from his wood he was currently carving.  Jonathan and Mark were on a bed playing with cards. 

        She smirked, "Are you two supposed to have those?" she let Suzie down and shut the door behind her.  The two boys gave her a sheepish look and went back to playing.

        She walked over to Trevor's bed and sat down, "And I thought you were going out tonight with some of your friends."

        "They canceled," he said simply, "One of them got in trouble.  And since we're all just seventeen, we wanted to go out together.  And anyway- mom won't let me go out without them."  She nodded, remembering that stage of her life.  He paused and put down his carving knife, "So what's up with this girl?"

        That drew Jonathan and Mark's attention.  They agreed and shot up and walked over to the bed and sat down, picking up Suzie and holding her.  She sighed and looked at them, "I knew you guys would ask me that."

        Somehow she had always enjoyed talking to these boys.  Caitlin wasn't old enough to talk about girl things with anymore and Faith or Elizabeth just wouldn't be able to understand some of the things that went through her head, but somehow- she always felt comfortable talking to her nephews.

        "Why would Jack Sparrow's daughter be in Port Royal?" Mark asked.  He had been especially fascinated with the pirate.  He had read all about him in books at school and always wanted to hear the story of her capture told time and time again.  She was sure Mark was Jack's biggest fan.

        She shrugged, "I'm not sure…I guess I'll find out all about it when I get her next week."

        "It's amazing she remembered you." Jonathan said, fixing his glasses on his nose.   When he was younger, he was always been so self conscious about them, but now had grown into the thin spectacles. 

        "I know.  Fourteen years is a long time, isn't it?"

        They all nodded.  "So, will we get to meet him?" Mark asked.

        "I don't know…We don't even know where he is…"

        "Mom and dad would flip…" Trevor said.

        She smirked and nodded.  "They would…but he wouldn't live with us…we have no more rooms."

        "And the fact that dad thinks he's responsible for your kidnapping doesn't help." Jonathan said, putting in his sensible thought.  She sighed, why had her brother kept that grudge after so long?  She barely remembered it, why should he?

        "Well boys, I just wanted to say good night.  I'll see you tomorrow morning."  She got up and took Suzie and quickly left the room, feeling overwhelmed.

        The week flew by and soon Gwyneth found herself in the Commodore's office, with Will and Elizabeth.  They had showed up at her house, unexpected that morning, ready to talk to Brenda.  They confessed that they wanted to hear information on Jack.  Gwyneth didn't comment.

        "Gwyneth, so good to see you!" Norrington said, when she walked in.  He greeted Will and Elizabeth as well but every time he looked at her, he looked as though he was a guilty party.  Captain Briscoe had gone to get Brenda.  They heard some yelling and the Commodore paused, "Please excuse me." 

        Gwyneth exchanged looks with the Turners and quickly followed him.  "…going to have my bloody sword, Captain!" they heard Brenda say.  When they got down there, they saw Captain Briscoe towering over her, and two officers behind her, muskets aimed.  She was totally unfazed. 

        "What seems to be the problem, Captain?" the Commodore asked. 

        "Sir, she wants her weapons."

        "Well give them to her."

        "Excuse me?"

        "She is no longer our problem.  When she commits a crime in our city, then she becomes our problem again, but until then- give them too her."

        Will shook his head, knowing this never would've happened fifteen years ago.  But of course Brenda hasn't made a name for herself.  Her 'crimes against the crown' aren't as well known as Jack Sparrow's.

        She growled and put every knife, gun and sword back into its rightful place, hidden or exposed.  She sighed and started up the stairs, acting as though she was six feet tall.  The rest of them followed.  Before leaving, Gwyneth said to Norrington, "I want to talk to you sometime this week James…do send my love to your wife."  He nodded and she left. 

        The four had decided to go to Will and Elizabeth's house.  All the children would be gone accept for the youngest, who was too young for school, and there was no Edward or Faith.  Gwyneth knew they would have to meet Brenda sooner or later, but she wanted to hear about Jack away from her brother and sister-in-law. 

        Once inside and seated at the dining room table, with Brenda eating everything, they began the questions.  "I thought I was livin' with Gwyneth…" She said, her mouth full.  She had been amazed at the large home that Will and Elizabeth lived in, but commented that she had seen larger.

        "We wanted to talk to you privately…" Elizabeth said, "And our daughter is a friends house, so the house is ours."

        Brenda paused with a mound of food in her cheek, "What are ye goin' to do to me?"

        They smiled, "Nothing.  We actually…want to talk to you about your dad…" Will said.

        She swallowed and frowned, "Trust me, you don't want to know."

        "It can't be that bad, could it? Gwyneth said.  She was really chomping at the bit to know about Jack.  "I mean, we realize he's not here with you, but it can't be that bad."

        Brenda nodded, taking in more food.  "Oh yes it is.  He's gone off the deep end.  Seriously."  She ate for a few more minutes before anyone asked anything more.  She finally told them she was full and they slowly made their way to the parlor.

        "Dad left about six months ago…before that he had his birthday.  He was fifty-two years old."  She sighed, remembering everything, "He had a breakdown…started doing strange things, refusing to raid ships, go to Tortuga…I was afraid the crew was going to mutiny!  But I don't think it was a mental breakdown or anything…but he was like having a…mid-life crisis."

        "At fifty-two?" Elizabeth asked, not quite believing it.

        She nodded, "Pirates don't usually…but when Gibbs died, Ana Maria left and he had his birthday in the same month…it effected him greatly.  I think he finally realized that death is coming soon…like a natural death."

        "Gibbs died?" Will asked.

        She nodded, "During a raid…shot in the heart…but dad was on the ship for a while and then left.  I went out lookin' for him and got too close to Port Royal obviously…"

        They were in front of the door when someone knocked on it.  The man servant, who was closer, answered the door to only to reveal Jack and another man.


Author Thanks:

          Dawnie-7: Yay!  You're back…my sister told me she stole you, but you're back.  I'm glad you like it so far.

          Emma436: You have a question with the first chapters!  Auh!  lol.  Hm…Brenda and Trevor?  As always…you'll have to wait and see.  YA!  They haven't even met yet! lol.  You crack me up.  WHOA!  I just got an e*mail from you…I'll tty soon!