Chapter XVI

A/N: To KR, I am really sorry it's been so long since I've updated. My muse for this story only came back a few days ago, and since hasn't left me. When I finish this story I will do one about Evelyn's mother. It will be short, I can assure you, and perhaps set during the timeline of POTC. There will be a hint about Evelyn's heritage there, too. Her mother was adopted into Mary Darling's family. So Evelyn isn't Wendy's blood cousin. Enjoy what there is left of this story.

England would be a good two days sail from their current position. Evelyn stood calmly at ease, letting her eyes dance over the weather charts. Not much was expectant for the next hour. She bit her lip, and cringed, as her child almost kicked out her insides.

"Settle down", she whispered, putting an unseen hand on her belly. "We'll find your father soon".

Evelyn still wore her engagement ring proudly. There was no law saying you could not wear a ring of marital status in uniform, as many of the men wore their own wedding bands. The ship's Admiral himself wore one.

"Any signs of misfortune?" The thought of Admiral now asked her in German, striding into the room. Evelyn snapped to attention. The action made her feel as dirty as the soles of her feet.

"No, Sir", Evelyn gestured over the weather maps. "All appears calm in the skies this evening". She replied in fluent German, her child kicking her, as if scolding her. She grit her teeth. It was obvious that this child was going to grow up just like their father.

"Good… order the engine room to power to full speed. We need to make haste. Have there been any reports of enemy ships?"

Evelyn shook her head, glancing over the recent log. "No sir, nothing. The seas are barren".

"Keep a lookout. Something does not feel right". The Admiral gave her a sharp nod, Evelyn saluting, and he left.

"Oh, James", she whispered to the sky. "Do not try anything stupid".

He wasn't trying anything stupid, yet.

"Well?" Barked James, as he glared over Jack's shoulder. "Are they done?"

"Forged marriage certificates are hard to make, you know, mate". Jack glanced up at his brother, holding up a piece of parchment which bound Evelyn and James in false marriage. "What do you think?"

James studied them for a moment. The only way to get Evelyn back was to seek aid from Churchill. If he could prove that Evelyn was his wife, and they married in England, than it would legally instate Evelyn as an English citizen once more, so Churchill would have to hear his plea. The signature looked authentic enough, forged from a marriage celebrant that had died a few months earlier – around the time they supposedly got married. After all, dead men tell no tales. Jack was having difficulty forging Evelyn's signature. There was nothing that held her signature, for the contract was destroyed when the Jolly Roger was shipwrecked.

"It looks fine". James sighed. "Keep trying, Jack. I can still visualise her signature".

Jack tried on a separate piece of paper, half his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth as he added a few curls and horizontal stripes. "How's this?" Jack held it up.

James took the paper from Jack's hands and glanced over it. "Yes". He said slowly. "That is it".

"We'll find her, mate". Jack smiled reassuringly, signing Evelyn's part of the marriage certificate. "And then, the two of you can get married, and the lot of us can get drunk in celebration".

James slapped Jack on the back. "You're an idiot, brother". He chuckled, shaking his head.

The days past, and England was upon the horizon. The crew were getting excited, Evelyn could tell. They were muttering about how many English they were going to kill, and how many traitors they were going to burn alive. She felt sick hearing these things, and retired to bed early that night. But as they were getting closer to England around one in the morning local London time, Evelyn awoke to a loud bang that resembled thunder. She shot out of bed and pulled on her uniform, picking up her weapons and hurrying up to the main deck.

"They've found us!" Screamed a Captain in German, pointing to a pair of English battleships that had surrounded them. But the Germans were refusing surrender, and had since chosen to fire upon the ships.

"You're crazy". Evelyn muttered. "We'll be sunk!"

"Better sunk than captured alive…" A fellow Commander sneered. He knew his life was spent as English soldiers charged on board, and the Commander shot himself clear in the temple. Terrified, Evelyn leapt back as his body fell on her feet, his pistol falling nearby making it look like she did it.

"Get her!" Shouted an English Lieutenant Commander. "She could be dangerous!"

"Hardly…" Evelyn frowned. Not bothering to put up a fight, she surrendered herself to the English. They cuffed her, and led her off the ship at gunpoint.

The Black Pearl made it to England in good time. James and Jack, dressing themselves in appropriate attire for the time (they killed two men about their size and weight to get the clothing), caught a taxi to where Churchill was supposedly located.

James appeared nervous. He removed his hook at Jack's suggestion, and went along with the storyline that he lost his hand in battle. True to some extent. Jack looked utterly ridiculous in smart attire. He wore a rather nice suit, suggesting he was from an upper-class family. Even his long hair had been tied back, to match his brother's look.

"…this just in, the Royal Navy has successfully captured the German Air Craft carrier – the Bismarck – and its crew. Although many killed themselves to avoid capture, the Royal Navy captured a female Commander and several other officers of sufficient rank to be executed this morning at nine…"

The taxi driver snorted in delight and announced "God save the Queen!"

James dropped his head in his hand. Evelyn. Executed. In eight hours.

"We'll make it before then, mate. Trust me. If not, we could always…" Jack leant closer to James. "…slaughter our way in, then, slaughter our way out. With your girl".

James looked up. He smiled, and nodded in reply.