Author's Note: I should've posted this earlier…but RICK IS NOT GAY…there.

This is my favorite chapter so far…Because there's something between Jack and Brenda but also there's bonding between Brenda and Gwyneth, tell me what you all think!

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Brenda got up earlier than she usually did and got breakfast down before any of the house got up.  The boys got up after she did and she didn't make eye contact or say anything to Trevor.  She sighed and sat on the stairs, waiting for Gwyneth to get up. 

        "Doesn't she get up soon?" she asked finally, coming into the dining room, where the boys were.

        Mark and Jonathan looked at her blankly, "Who?" Jonathan asked.

        "Gwen!  When does she get up?"

        "Usually after we leave," Jonathan said.

        "We who?"

        "Trevor and I," he answered, going back to his eggs.

        She curled her lip a little and then asked, "Well then…Mark, tell her that I'm leaving."

        "She might not be up before I leave…"

        "Of course she will!  She wakes up once the two girls are up, right?" she asked desperately.

        "Why don't you just write her a note?" Trevor asked.

        Brenda turned her head to him, "And say what?"

        "Oh I don't know, where you're going…since you're so insistent on getting the message to her through one of us…even though you haven't told us…"

        "Look- I'm not wasting a perfectly good piece of paper on a note when one of you could just tell her!"

        "Why don't you just wait?"

        "Because maybe this is important, devil boy- get off my back!"

        "Fine, but I'm just trying to help."

        Brenda snorted as he got up and quickly left the house.  Jonathan and Mark looked at each other then at Brenda, "Uh…what's the message?" Mark asked.

        She sighed and looked at him, relaxing a bit, "Tell her that I'm going to Will and Elizabeth's to talk to my dad."  They both nodded and she slowly made her way out of the house. 

***

        When Beverly rolled over and felt something that usually wasn't there, she frowned and slowly opened her eyes.  Her husband was lying next to her, sleeping peacefully.  He's not supposed to be here… she thought to herself.  "James…" she said groggily, shaking him slightly, she said his name again after he didn't respond and then again louder.  He finally opened his eyes, "Hi…"

        "What are you doing here?  I thought you were working today…"

        "I took the day off…"

        She nodded and paused before thinking, the kids.  "What about the children.  School?"

        "They took the carriage with Samuel."

        "And Samuel went to the shop?"

        He shook his head, "Will said to not come in today because he himself is taking the day off…"

        "Hmm…" she said, cuddling up to her husband, glad he was here.  She rarely got to be with him due to him leaving so early in the morning.

        "How was your talk with Jack Sparrow?"

        She paused, "It was fine…I think we got things out in the open."

        "That's nice…" She smiled to herself, he knew he was holding in his true feelings, and that was alright with her, she didn't necessarily want to hear his feelings about this. 

        "James, Sam's been having some nightmares…"

        "What kind?" he asked quickly, thinking she changed subjects awfully quickly.

        "He won't tell me…but they've had him acting strangely."

        "Did he tell you about them?"

        "No, Will did.  I had noticed Sam's behavior, but he wouldn't tell me anything.  He told Will, and Will thought I should know…"

        "Alright…"

        "Well if he talks to you then…"

        "I'll be ready."

        She smiled and sighed, "Can we just lay in bed all day?"

        "Whatever you say…" he said and kissed her forehead.

***  

        "Hannah!" Elizabeth said, smiling, hoping Jack was prepared for this woman.  She had just gotten the children of to school while Daphne was with Jack, hearing another one of his stories before she got dressed.

        "I hope I'm not interrupting anything…"

        "No, come in.  Mr…Smith is entertaining my youngest, do you wish to see him now?"

        "That would be lovely, thank you Elizabeth."

        She smiled slightly and then left the room, wishing her man servant hadn't answered the door.  She walked to another room and interrupted Jack's story, "Jack…there's someone to see you."

        "Gwen?" he said, his hopes rising.

        Elizabeth shook her head, "Hannah Powell."

        Jack grimaced and handed Daphne off to Elizabeth, walked gingerly to the room she was in and sighed before going in himself.

        "Ms. Powell!  Nice to see you…" he said, a fake smile on his face.

        She smiled widely and stuck out her hand, "The pleasure is mine Mr. Smith."

        He shook her hand and then let go quickly, "Uh…Call me Jack."

        "Oh…then you can call me Hannah."

        "Sit down, please."  She did and they sat in silence before he said, "Was there a particular reason you came?"

        "Oh, just to see you, Jack."  He kept himself from frowning when he nodded.  "Elizabeth tells me you've been here before, but I'm sure I haven't seen you before."

        He laughed nervously and nodded, "Yea, well my head's popped up once in a while."

        Elizabeth choked on the water she had gotten and kept her eyes on the floor while Hannah stared at her.  "How long will you be staying?" she asked.

        "Uh…Not sure…" he said, wishing something would happen.  Unfortunately he got his wish and Brenda came whizzing through the house. 

        "Jack Sparrow!" she yelled loudly.  Elizabeth and Jack looked at each other and heard faintly the man servant trying to kick her out, and her arguing with him.  They both rushed out of the room and into the foyer.      "Ma'am…" he started to say but Elizabeth nodded, dismissing him and thanking him.

        Brenda turned her attention to her father, "I need to talk to you."

        "What's all the hullabaloo about?" Hannah said.  Elizabeth sighed, dropping her head.  She put the wiggling Daphne down who ran off, and looked at Hannah- as did Jack and Brenda.

        "Who's the broad?" Brenda asked, pointing.

        Hannah gasped, "Excuse you!  Do not address me in such a way as-"

        "Nobody cares!" Brenda yelled, getting irritated, "Dad, I need to talk to you.  Alone."

        "Mr. Smith is your father?"

        Brenda stared at Hannah, "My father is Jack Sparrow.  This man standing in front of me is Jack Sparrow."

        Hannah gasped again and said, "Well I never!" and quickly left the house.

        Jack glared at his daughter, "Brenda, that woman…she'll tell people…"

        "Not give me a break, not like you look even remotely like yourself, dad."

        "Hey…"

        "DAD!  I need to talk to you!"

        Jack swallowed and nodded, he had heard this before.  This was something big.  She was mad, furious, and only wanted to unleashed the fury on him.  Elizabeth told them to go into the study, and they obeyed.  He lazily leaned against the desk that was placed against the wall.  She sat in a chair across from him and leaned on her knees. 

        "Dad, I heard you and Mrs. Norrington talking…"

        "Really…" he said, feeling suffocated already.

        She nodded, "What was she talking about dad?" Brenda asked.

        "Eh?" Jack tried to look innocent but felt fear creeping up on his face.         

        Captain Jack Sparrow wouldn't be scared.

          Well he should be, he knows what kind of a temper Brenda gets.

        "What did she mean, 'She was never completely my child, not after I left all those years ago…'?"

        He paused, wondering how he was going to get around this, "Brenda, you don't remember a lot about your mother, do you?"

        "Dad…she died when I was born, remember?  You told me that…" but the look on his face told her that what he had told her so many years ago wasn't true.  "Dad, you really got to work on your expressions…I can read you like a book!"  She tried to keep her head, be comical and not furious at her dad for lying to her all these years.  But as always, her anger always over-ruled her better judgment.

        "Brenda, I know you're mad, but remember your temper dear…" he said, remembering a number of times she had come very close to damaging him for life.

        This time wasn't any different.  He heard a cutlass zing through the air and make contact with the wooden desk he was standing in front of.  He turned around and looked down.  I few more inches up…

        "You lying snake!" she yelled, walking towards him.

        "Now let me explain-" but before he could finish his sentence, her fist made contact with his jaw.

***

"Dad, can I talk to you?"

        James Norrington looked up from his spot on the couch and saw Samuel with a rather distraught look on his face.  He nodded, put the book he was reading down and put away his spectacles, giving all his attention to his son.

        "What's going on?"

        Samuel sighed and sat next to his James, "Dad, I can't…I've been…" he sighed again and looked at him, "I've been having strange dreams."

        Norrington raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Okay…do you want to tell me about them?"

        His son nodded, "But the dreams themselves aren't my problem."

        "Alright, I'm listening." He said reassuring his son.

        Samuel took in a deep breath and started, "In my dreams I'm being chased.  Always.  But I'm a lot younger than I am now and the man isn't someone I necessarily recognize.  He's not British, he's scraggily like.  Maybe a pirate…but he's tan…dark…Hispanic almost.

        "He's chasing me, calling my name.  He's not angry though, he's…desperate almost.  He always is calling my name and chasing me.  I always wake up before he can catch me.  And I almost recognize him."  He paused, "Remember when you and mom got married?"

        Norrington nodded, started to feel uncomfortable.  Samuel continued, "And I was there?  I think this man…is my birth father…"

        Norrington nodded again and said, "That's a logical explanation."

        "But the point isn't to make you feel bad…" he said seeing the look on his father's face.  "The point is, I think the dreams will stop if I tell you something."

        "And the something would be?"

        "You're the only father I have. It doesn't matter if you and mom didn't make me…it matters that you're here now.  You've been the best dad I could ever ask for…"

        James felt his eyes start to water as he looked at Samuel, who he called his son.  He was practically a man, and hearing this was going to make the rest of the year for James. He smiled, "Thanks son."

***

        When Brenda slammed the door behind her, Gwyneth jumped in her seat and almost poked herself with the needle she had in her hand.  She sighed as Brenda stomped up the stairs, practically shaking the whole house.  She put down her sampler once she heard another door slam and covered her head when she heard a crash.

        Gwyneth turned to see a painting of an old dog, glass all around it, on the floor.  She pursed her lips and marched out of the room and up the stairs.  Faith was standing in front of Brenda's door staring at it, with her index finger on her closed lips.

        "I am assuming the heard of elephants who came up here was Brenda…" Gwyneth asked.

        Faith nodded, "I asked if she was hungry…obviously that was a mistake."

        Gwyneth nodded, took a deep breath and opened the door, that surprisingly enough wasn't locked.  Brenda was pacing the room and cursing to herself.  The room was a disaster, the father pillows torn in half and the insides scattered around the room, looking like snow.  "Get out Gwen."

        Gwyneth raised an eyebrow and shut the door and locked it.  Brenda turned and looked at her incredulously, "Gwyneth, I'm serious.  Get out."

        "You slam the front door, stomp up the stairs, slam this door, breaking something in the process, rip up my brothers' pillows and you expect me to leave?  We have been apart for too long- you don't remember me at all."

        Brenda swallowed, anger written all over her face, and drew her sword, "Gwen, I don't want to do this, but I'm not in the mood…Leave."  Her voice was low and dangerous, but Gwyneth caught something- it was shaky.  Something was terribly wrong with her that sent fear throughout Brenda's entire body, and Gwyneth was going to find out what it was.

        "Go ahead,"

        "Excuse me?"

        "Go ahead and do whatever you need to…I'm not leaving though."

        Brenda eyed her, and sheathed her sword, "What do you want?"

        "To know what's wrong," she said, slowly walking towards Brenda.

        "Gwyneth, please…" she said backing up, "I'm not in the mood to be coddled or…anything." She said shakily.  "It's been a hard…day…that's all."

        "Mark told me you went to see Jack…" she said, still walking towards her, Brenda would run out of space soon.  Her eyes were darting everywhere, making her look uncomfortable.

        "Yea…I saw dad…no big deal."

        "How is it, every time you talk to your father, you get fired up?"

        Brenda shrugged.

        "What happened?  Why did you need to talk to him?"

        "Why do you care?  It's my own business, right?" she asked, finally looking Gwyneth in the eyes.

        Gwyneth stopped in front of her, she had Brenda cornered, "I'm just looking out for you…"

        "I don't need to be looked out for!" she yelled, "I'm a woman!  I learned how to hold a sword at age nine!  I got a tattoo when I was thirteen!  I learned how to shoot a pistol when I was ten!" she yelled loudly, and started walking away.  Gwyneth grabbed her arm and she struggled and growled.

        "No!  I don't need you!  NO!" she screamed, her voice shaking greatly and her fight against this woman of the same size was dying down.  Gwyneth was determined though, she grabbed onto Brenda's waist and tried to draw her near, but Brenda resisted even more.

        She pushed Gwyneth over to the bed and they both fell onto it, her grip on Brenda temporarily loosened, but once Brenda started to get away, Gwyneth grabbed onto her with both hands.  "Brenda, please!" she shouted over her protesting.  She was determined that all Brenda needed was a hug, to know that someone loved her, "You don't need to be a woman at seventeen!"

        "Yes I do!" she shouted, finally collapsing near the corner of the bed.  Hot tears quickly coming from her eyes were wiped away with force.  "Women don't cry!  No!"

        Gwyneth's heart went out to her as she let go of her temporarily and then went down to the floor where now Brenda was crumbled on.  She lifted her slightly, and Brenda almost voluntarily went to her shoulder and cried as Gwyneth stroked her long hair and kissed her head lightly, trying to calm the girl down.  She was forced into adulthood when she barely knew who she was in the first place.  She sighed and kept trying to calm her down.  I just hope what I'm doing won't hurt her in any way …

***

        For a few seconds Jack just laid on the floor, his mind blacked out briefly but then his vision came back, but the pain surged throughout his whole body.  His head told him the room was spinning but he knew better.  He feared, however, if he stood up- his stomach would agree with his head.

        He had never been punched by a woman, let alone his own daughter.  Slapped, many times, but very rarely punched, even by men.  Drugged?  Yes.  Hit with an oar?  Oh yea.  Hit upside the head with a glass bottle?  Too many times to count.  But this was by far, much worse.

        Jack figured it was because it was his own daughter.  She had gotten mad many times since they've been together, but mostly, all she did was jump in the ocean and swim off, and then when she got tired she'd wade out and they would throw a rope to her.  It worked out for everyone. 

        Except now she had no where to swim.

        He was thinking this living on land thing was beginning to take a toll on him, but maybe it was more than that.  Well now she knows that she got her temper from Beverly…  He sighed and sat up on his elbows, slowly, making sure he wouldn't throw up everything he had eaten for breakfast.   He called for Elizabeth and lay back down. 

        She popped her head in and made a face, "I was afraid the cracking sound was something belonging to you…"

        "Oh, nothing but my jaw…"

        "Why are you lying down, Uncle Jacky?" Daphne said, finally coming into the room with her mother, who was a little more cautious.

        He moaned, "My daughter hit me."

        Daphne giggled, thinking of Brenda much smaller than Jack and even her mother.  "How could she make you fall?"

        "She has a mean fist."

        Daphne giggled again while Elizabeth simply groaned, "I didn't stop her because she seemed so mad…I'm so sorry Jack…"

        He shrugged, "It's my own fault…"

        "What happened?" Elizabeth asked, sitting down.  Daphne had wondered out seeing no real point on staying and Elizabeth sat, seeing that Jack didn't necessarily want to get up anytime soon.

        "I guess she had gone to Beverly's…most likely looking for me and heard us talking…we were talking about her."

        Elizabeth gasped, "So she knows about Beverly?"

        He nodded.

        "You should've never lied to her…" she said shaking her head.

        He frowned and looked at her, "That's what Gwyneth said…but I'm the father here!"

        "Yes, but you obviously made a huge mistake!  She stormed out of here, and I'm sure she was hurt.  You can't lie to her like that over something so large."

        "How was I supposed to know she was going to act so…immaturely?

        "Immaturely?!  You've mentioned her temper to us once before, and she's seventeen year old!  She's still a child practically!  How is she supposed to act maturely when you lie to her?"

        He frowned and didn't respond.  "Just get me something cold, Liz, would you?"

***

        About two hours later, Gwyneth and Brenda were still sitting on the floor, in different positions, but in pretty much the same: Brenda leaning against Gwyneth and Gwyneth stroking her hair.  She had stopped crying about an hour before, and was silent since then.  Gwyneth wasn't really sure what to say, she'd never been in such a position.

        Brenda didn't want to move.  Simple as that.  She didn't necessarily want to talk either.  She wasn't raised to talk about how she was feeling.  And if something was bothering her greatly she would talk to her dad and her dad alone.  But never had she talked to anyone else about things "deep".

        But she didn't want to move because this was totally new to her.  No one had ever chased after her just to hold her.  Her father had just let her go, thinking that was best.  And who could blame him?  Different people use different techniques with their children.  But Gwyneth isn't my mom.  Her arms tightened around the woman she was now leaning against when she thought about that.  She hadn't ever had a mom…

        Ana Maria was the only female on board and she just left…but I would never consider her a mother figure.  She sighed and thought of Gwyneth being her mom.  She could visualize that.  She would like that.  She stayed with me when I held a sword at her.  She stayed when I pushed and yelled and screamed.  Who else would do that?

        Your Father.

        Piece of dirt.

        That was harsh.

          She sighed again and tried to run Jack out of her mind, she didn't want to think about what he had admitted to her.  What all this meant.  Oh yea, I do have a mother…bloody adults, think they know everything.  She cursed them both for being so careless.  I wonder how I even ended of with Jack…what kind of pirate has a toddler on board one of the most feared pirate ships?  She rolled her eyes slightly, just wanting to forget about the whole experience.  This is what she wanted.  To say in a person's arms who actually cared about her.  She smiled slightly and nestled her head in Gwyneth's shoulder further and felt as she once again, kissed the top of her head.

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Author Thanks:

          ThePinkPanther:  Yea, the whole finding out the truth through eavesdropping is kinda…well rough.  But that's what makes this chapter good…the after math. 

          Emma436: Well I'm glad I don't have to e*mail you because I would feel bad if I forgot.  But yea, your debut is coming soon!  Next chapter I'm pretty sure…it's not that long, but you're totally in there.  Yea, Trevor does care and in the next chapter my readers will totally get to see how much he truly cares…so yea.  I'm glad you're updating!  Tell me when you do b/c I'm not sure if I have you on my author alert…so yea.

          Vicki Turner: Well…I'm not sure.  I'm having a really hard time writing Rick…like his true personality, you know?  I know I want him to be laid back, and he's a drinker because he leaves every night…but beyond that…and he's kinda a risk taker, doing this whole bet with Jack not knowing how Jack truly feelings, you know?  But if you have any suggestions, feel free to tell me.

          Piper8188: So you said we need to find out more about Rick…didn't the convo between Jack and Liz help you?  Or do you need more?  Yea…Trevor's kind rude to her…but yea…hmph.  Well yea Jack really wants the best for Beverly, even still. 

          Bitty-Buffy